A Great Big Yes to James Paxton’s No-No in Toronto
Sports: Baseball
Ladner B.C.’s James Paxton is the first Canadian to throw a no-hitter on home turf, but the man they call Big Maple refuses to chuck his Canuck identity.
By Rod Mickleburgh
When James Paxton came out for the bottom of the ninth against the hometown Toronto Blue Jays, he was pumped. Three outs away from an historic no-hitter, the steely hurler from Ladner, BC was not going to lose it by nibbling around the edges of the plate with sliders and curve balls. He came right at the Blue Jay hitters with fast balls. Despite having already thrown 92 pitches and never having pitched a complete game in his six-year, injury-plagued career, they were his fastest of the night. One broke the 100 mph barrier (160 kilometres per hour in Ladner). All seven were strikes. Anthony Alford fouled out on the first pitch. Hot-hitting Teoscar Hernandez went down swinging on three blazing fastballs. And dangerous Josh Donaldson lashed the ball hard, but straight at the Seattle Mariners’ ...
A Great Big Yes to James Paxton’s No-No in Toronto
Sports: Baseball
Ladner B.C.’s James Paxton is the first Canadian to throw a no-hitter on home turf, but the man they call Big Maple refuses to chuck his Canuck identity.
By Rod Mickleburgh
When James Paxton came out for the bottom of the ninth against the hometown Toronto Blue Jays, he was pumped. Three outs away from an historic no-hitter, the steely hurler from Ladner, BC was not going to lose it by nibbling around the edges of the plate with sliders and curve balls. He came right at the Blue Jay hitters with fast balls. Despite having already thrown 92 pitches and never having pitched a complete game in his six-year, injury-plagued career, they were his fastest of the night. One broke the 100 mph barrier (160 kilometres per hour in Ladner). All seven were strikes. Anthony Alford fouled out on the first pitch. Hot-hitting Teoscar Hernandez went down swinging on three blazing fastballs. And dangerous Josh Donaldson lashed the ball hard, but straight at the Seattle Mariners’ ...
Eisha Marjara Finally Feels Like She Belongs
Interview: Eisha Marjara
Venus is a new transgender comedy that finds new curves thanks to the veteran director’s elusive quest for belonging, and an internalized sense of misogyny that helped her understand the negative effects of gender dysphoria.
Deadpool 2 Goes Mega Meta
Movie review: Deadpool 2
Ryan Reynolds still has the magical combination of charm and smarm that makes Deadpool unique in the superhero universe, but this highly self-aware sophomore effort feels like being at a party where everyone is taking selfies.
Breaking In Casts Union as Bad-Ass Momma Bear
Capsule Movie Review: Breaking In
Gabrielle Union plays a mother embracing her grizzly side as she makes a desperate bid to free her two children from armed kidnappers in James McTiegue’s latest round of high velocity action.
Melissa McCarthy and Maya Rudolph May Be the Best Boobs in the Business
Movie Review: Life of the Party
Taking on the part of a middle-aged mom who goes back to school, McCarthy revisits college comedy tropes with a seductive brand of physical comedy and an empathetic edge. Not all the comic concoctions work, but the female perspective makes room for affirmation amid humiliation.
Bad Samaritan Owes a Big Debt to Antonioni
Capsule Review: Bad Samaritan
Dean Devlin, the producer behind Independence Day, steals a page from the indie playbook with a hackneyed story about a young photographer who accidentally captures a sex crime through his lens in this baby Blow Up.
