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Photo courtesy Warner Bros. Classics

Photo courtesy Claire Heath Photography

Photo courtesy Netflix Canada

Our City Tonight

By Jim Gordon and Leeta Liepins

Published 2:40 PDT, Fri September 26, 2025

Spotlight on powerful viewing, a gifted local artist

THE CLASSIC – Seven Days In May

Seven Days In May was first released in 1964, at the height of the Cold War. It has an iconic cast, including Burt Lancaster, Kirk Douglas, Ava Gardner, and Fredric March. It was also directed by John Frankenheimer, and written for the screen by Rod Serling. Both legends in their own right. The story centres around one week in Washington, DC, where the fate of the country (and possibly the world) hangs in the balance, with only a handful of people knowing what is happening. At the centre is U.S. President, Jordan Lyman (March), who hopes to bring an end to the Cold War by signing a nuclear disarmament agreement with the then Soviet Union. Hawish General James Scott (Lancaster) is against it, and is secretly building a group that will overthrow Lyman and take over the government. Only the General’s aide, Colonel Casey (Douglas), can try and prevent this from happening. Watching this powerful drama for the first time many years ago, it all seemed indicative of it’s time—the mid 60’s when the fear of the Russians, the nuclear age and the end of civilization was at its peak. Jump ahead to the present time, and Seven Days In May seems as relevant and timely today as its was 61 years ago. Frankenheimer—a director who had many powerful, socially conscious films on his resume—created a film that will have you slowly but surely inching towards edge of your seat from the moment Colonel Casey starts to investigate a few minor details that have left a bad feeling in his gut. Like another classic film we suggested last month, The Manchurian Candidate (which was released the year before in 1963, and has the same powerful and relevant political subject manner), Seven Days in May is a film that deserves to be seen. It is available for streaming on a variety of platforms including tubitv.com

THE ARTIST – Matt Lo

In a workshop, in the heart of Richmond is where you’ll find woodturner, Matthew “Matt” Lo, honing his craft, fulfilling his passion and enjoying, as he puts it, indescrible peace. Though he comes from a family of medical practitioners and business owners, Lo knew early on that wasn’t for him. “I’ve always had an artistic bent,” he tells us, “and over the years, I’ve worked in various fields—such as music, hairdressing, and food—but it wasn’t until I encountered woodturning that I felt I’d finally found the medium through which I could truly express myself.” A woodturner shapes wood by using a wood lathe and specialized hand-held tools to cut and carve pieces of wood while they spin on the lathe. It is a marvel to watch him create works of wooden art. Lo prides himself on using salvaged local hardwood which he finds everywhere. “My work is about highlighting wood’s natural beauty through functional and multifaceted designs,” he says. His inspiration comes from the simple forms and captivating textures and colours of Japanese woodworking, and his focus is to make each piece both mesmerising to look at and delightful to handle. “Whether it’s a salad bowl or a small worry stone, I fondly remember each piece and the tree it came from,” Lo tells us as he begins to create another piece of art. There is nothing like talking with someone who has found their bliss. Even though it may have taken time to find their place, once they did, there was no looking back. See more of Matt Lo’s work at oakidokiwoodworks.com and, in October, look for his on-camera interview at richmondsentinel.ca

THE VIEW – The Woman in the Cabin 10

We have had the pleasure over many years of enjoying cruises of all sizes, often in a journalist capacity. As enjoyable as these experiences have been, you can’t help but give an occasional thought to what a horror it would be to find yourself overboard. Which leads us to The Woman in the Cabin 10, a new psychological drama from Netflix, starring Keira Knightley. She plays Lo Blacklock, a travel journalist assigned to what appears to be a dream writing gig aboard a smaller, luxury cruise. What could possibly go wrong? Before she can get really comfortable and enjoy the cruise, she witnesses what appears to be a woman being thrown overboard. But when she tries to report the crime, all passengers and crew are accounted for. This being a thriller, Lo Blacklock does the only logical thing: she starts to investigate on her own while putting her own life in danger. Based on the bestselling novel of the same name by Ruth Ware, The Woman in the Cabin 10 also has a superb supporting cast including Guy Pearce, and Hannah Waddingham (Ted Lasso, Mission Impossible). This film starts streaming on Netflix starting Oct. 10. netflix.com