I've been feeling rather uninspired to write anything lately, however, I thought I'd at least write a small entry, just so let all you know that I'm still alive.

Tonight, my co-workers-- Angela and David-- along with good old Paolo hit the Cumberland to go see March of the Penguins.

March of the Penguins is a French originated docu-movie about the life of Penguins, told in the English adaptation by Morgan Freeman. The movie is quite intriguing in that it was portrayed as a "love story." It goes through the many life stages of penguins, from finding a mate, and taking care of their young.

What really amazes me is the stark similarities in the behaviour and the obvious signs of emotions expressed between penguins and humans. Not only are penguins extremely cute, but I truly commend their struggle for survival in the arid, and harsh conditions of Antarctica.

This movie is amazing and is definitely one of a kind. Funnily enough, it is almost like a chick flick with Penguin stars. There are indeed teary moments in the film, which I just find so enchanting.

I totally suggest everyone to go see it.

Comments (4)

You can always rely on Shawn to provide us a dose of his euroness. This review is sort of spoiler-ish.

Cinema Paradiso foreign film about a small Italian village dated back in during the war, and specifically about the compelling friendship between, Salvatore, a young boy with a love for cinema, and Alfredo, the neighbourhood theatre projectionist.

Of course, Salvatore has a love interest in this film, which included a very convicing on-screen kiss. Shima, Shawn and I agree that it's hard to find a tasteful, convincing, and not-overly-sexual kiss, and this really gave it to me.

By the way, the girl, Elena, really looked like Kimmy Gibbler from Full House, but sweet.

Anyways, the love interest was only secondary to the dominant plot between Sal and Alfredo. I was seriously quite moved by the development of great friendship- and even almost familial father-son love- between these two characters. The film followed through Salvatore's bond with Alfredo from his days as a young child, through this adolescence, and even up to the times well into his adulthood.

There were many teary moments in this film- but not overly and unnecessariy sentimental like many 'chick flicks' of today. It was enough to really illustrate a great sense of realism that I really became compelled to. I almost felt like I wanted to give Alfredo a really big hug, just because he expressed so much love to this boy.

Plus, little Salavatore was just so cute. Everytime I hear his yell "Alfredo," I swear, I'm going to cry.

(...also when I see cream sauce in my pasta.)

Neuvo Cinema Paradiso (1989) - [imdb.com]

Comments (3)

It was unofficially foreign film bonanza this past weekend.

C.R.A.Z.Y. is film about a typical middle-class suburban family in Quebec through the course of the Province's Quiet Revolution .

Zac Beaulieu is the second youngest of five brothers. Through the course of his childhood into his adulthood, he struggled to handle his own sexual identity with obviously conflicting interest with his rather traditional father and his Catholic family upbringing.

The film also showcases some of the great classic rock , including Pink Floyd, the Stones, and David Bowie, as well as the pot-craze culture of the 1970s.

What is most evident and intriguing about this film is that it demonstrates the accelerated pace of secularism that is so prevalent particularly in the province of Quebec.

At first, it seemed like your typical "gay coming of age story." However, I found this movie truly identified with me not only because I did struggle with getting a hold of my sexual identity with the conflicting interests of what is expected in the many variables of Canadian suburban living, from attending and abiding the rules of the church, to the need to confirm and make your parents proud.

Since I was young, my mother always told me that "whenever you run into trouble, just pray and let Baby Jesus know, and he will answer." And throughout my childhood and adolescence, I (arguably naively) continued to listen to my mother and let "Baby Jesus" know how I just wanted to be like the others. It was just so captivating to witness Zac encounter an almost parallel storyline.

Also, there is a few quite emotional parts in the movie that really demonstrate the love and bond between Zac and his mother. That intense sense of mother-child intuition that was captured so wonderfully.

In short, three things: (1) C.R.A.Z.Y. is quite the delight, (2) Quebec makes great movies, and (3) Us English Canada should really learn and try to grasp.

C.R.A.Z.Y. - [imdb.com]
Canada submits C.R.A.Z.Y. to Oscar - [indies.blognewschannel.com]

Comments (5)

There's nothing better to spread the Christmas cheer, by heading over to the AMC for the hugely anticipated Brokeback Mountain.

Perhaps that's what happens when a movie is hugely anticipated; you come of the theatre disappointed.

First things first, I'm not sure if it's because (1) the theatre's audio equipment was too quiet, or (2) I'm still too "fob" to grasp unfamiliar accents, but seriously, subtitles would totally make help to get the full movie experience. The character played by Heath Ledger, Ennis, doesn't speak much, but when he does , he just mumbles. If I was Jack (Jake Gyllenhaal), seriously I would slap him and tell him to friggin enunciate.

I came out of the movie with sort of a empty feeling. Perhaps I am a bit more critical on films that smell 'Oscar-winning', but I found the characters to be insufficiently developed. Sure, the movie greatly showed how much Jack loves Ennis and vice versa, but why?

Why do they love each other? I just don't feel convinced about their love; they herded sheep together and spent some time together-- then, when the movie catches me off guard, they just magically fall in love. I recall looking at Eric with my jaw to the ground-- just because it seemed like it happened too quickly. I really didn't know enough about the characters independently to really feel how they were that compelled to each other.

Aside from the lack of character development however, it was a good film. Heath Ledger and Jake Gyllenhaal's performance really resonated with audiences, and for that reason, they definitely deserve Oscar nomimations-- specifically Heath Ledger. Their performances were both compelling and convincing, and really applaud them.

The picture was very serene, and I totally would like to camp there. Though Heath and Jake are not my cup of tea (Mark mentioned that Anne Hathaway was the hottest cast in the film, and I agree), but I wouldn't mind a cowboy keeping me company.

Brokeback Mountain - [imdb.com]

Comments (4)

How could I miss this year's token Asian film?

Memoirs of a Geisha is a fairly good movie. From my two years as a bookseller, it is definitely one of the regularly requested titles (on par with many timeless classics), however I never really appealed to me to actually want to read it.

In brief, Chiyo (Zhang Ziyi) was sold to a geisha house in another village when she was nine, and was treated like how one would think that a slave would be treated. Luckily, teenage Chiyo was later then placed under the mentorship of Mameha (Michelle Yeoh), who would teach her all the fine elements to being a geisha. The trailer seems to suggest that the movie is romantic drama between Ziyi and the Chairman (Ken Watanabe), but seriously I have trouble understanding the love plot in the movie. I will explain this in the spoiler segment.

The film was shot very beautifully-- from the pretty scenic backdrop, to the art demonstrated by the geishas. However, just like Brokeback Mountain as what Bev says, I found myself in a situation where I just couldn't catch what they're saying. Though I must say that I understood Ziyi better than Heath Ledger in Brokeback-- and she doesn't even speak that much English!

But even taking a step back, why is this movie in English? I understand that this is a work of English fiction, but it just seems weird to experience this movie in English dialogue.

I'm also very confused about the role of geishas. On many occasions in the movie, Ziyi says to antsy men who are interested in sex, that it is not the role of a geisha to do these things, but at the same time, she sells her own virginity to the highest bidder. What the fuck? Are they trying to play that whole, "I'm all innocent" thing?

Aside from the fact that Ziyi's dance performance really looks like scenes from The Ring, it was still a pretty good film. Ziyi looked really good in the movie. She was perfect for the part-- as I'm sure she will really capture western audiences. Yes, there are currently some Chinese/Japanese historical and political issues. However I feel that it is a totally different matter, and we should not judge these two elements together.

In short, I recommend it.

Memoirs of a Geisha - [imdb.com]

Comments (4)

This movie rocks.

I don't know if it's because of (a) my love for Natalie Portman, (b) my love for mass transit systems, or (c) the witty script in this film, but I highly enjoyed this movie.

For once it's a movie that I had high expections, and came out of the movie feeling satisfied.

Here's a brief synopsis from IMDB:

The futuristic tale unfolds in a Great Britain that's a fascist state. A freedom fighter known as V (Weaving) uses terrorist tactics to fight the oppressive society. He rescues a young woman (Portman) from the secret police, and she becomes his unlikely ally.

I have never encountered the graphic novels which inspired the movie, however, the plot is very similar to the classic novel, 1984, where a totaliarian society exists based on fear, oppression, propaganda.

What is great about this movie (aside from points A, B, and C) is that it reminds is to question our logic, question the things we hear in the media, question for government accountability (I sound like Stephen Harper) because seriously, the events that occurred in V for Vendetta, and even in 1984, is not far from reality and can happen.

On an unrelated topic, this movie, according to Jason, was postponed from release due to the attacks in the London Underground back last July.

Also, what I find funny, it was intended to be a futuristic film, however, there were nothing radical in terms of technology depicted in the film. I recall the reference "[something occurred] back in 2015."

V for Vendetta- [imdb.com]

Comments (3)

If you see only one movie this year, this one would be it.

Little Miss Sunshine is a pseudo-dark comedy featuring an American dysfunctional family who must endure and support each other while they take a road-trip to California to attend the Little Miss Sunshine beauty pageant-- which seven-year-old Olive, the family's cutest and youngest member, hopes to win.

In the movie, each member of the family has its share of problems, but for the sake of the little Olive, they manage to set aside everything-- including the displeasure of dealing with each other-- and cram themselves in Volkswagen van for several days.

Of course, the family is encounters some serious issues as well as some silliness along the way.

A tremendously laugh out loud movie.

I don't know whether it is truly related to the movie or not, but the main theme of the story parallels a book by Roger Hargreaves. Many of you might recall the Mr Man and Miss Little book series as a child-- Mr Happy and Mr Messy are definitely the most popular.

In one of the collections, a character, Little Miss Sunshine, finds herself in a place called Miseryland. Even though she was in such a sad place, she finds herself always happy. During her adventures, she meets King of Miseryland, manages to make him laugh, and renames Miseryland to Laughterland.

During the movie, you really sense how the plots are similar, Olive's bright and lovable character enables the family to overlook its differences and manages brings the family together.

What makes the movie so great, aside from the laugh-out-loud situations, is that little Olive, like Little Miss Sunshine, is able to remarkably change the family around to the better.

You just come out of the movie feeling really good-- my body felt all happy and gooey.

Little Miss Sunshine - [imdb.com]
Little Miss Sunshine (Book) - [amazon.ca]

Comments (2)

Children of Men is a must see.

This is what happens: The year is 2027 and the human race loses the ability to procreate-- which causes society to go into chaos. Similar to V for Vendetta, the movie is set in London and plays on our paranoia about the fate of our future.

Theo, played by the radiantly handsome, Clive Owen, is placed into a situation to protect a woman, Kee, who is shockingly pregnant. No pregnancies have not been reported for 18 years. I find these movies very frightening-- in fact, I'm more frightened by these movies than actually horror movies.

I think it's because these movies really hit home. With my uncertainty about the broad future, I wouldn't be surprised if an incident like this actually happens. I found the movie to be very realistically depicted, and I was able to take in the horror that was going on. I felt for them.

PS: I want Clive Owen. I think it's his ruggedness that really gets me.

Children of Men - [chidlrenofmen.net]
Children of Men - [imdb.com]

Comments (0)

I checked out the WPIRG Rainbow Reels Queer Film Festival last night with Wally and Pat. One of the feature films I really enjoyed was Hard Pill.

The premise of the film comes when a thirty-something man (Tim), being unsatisfied with his life as a homosexual, volunteers for a controversial pharmaceutical study for a drug designed to make gay men straight.

It's quite a heartfelt story, as he struggles not necessarily about being gay, but rather with the gay community's obsession with drugs, promiscuity, and looking hot.

There was a really good quote worth sharing:

"I hate that the currency in the gay world is just being attractive or hot... and I'm just... broke."

Great movie, and I'm sure it speaks to many within the community. Highly recommended.

Hard Pill - [hardpill.com]

Comments (0)

This article has been in my drafts folder for the longest time, so forgive me for this dated article.

A number of us headed downtown to do all that is Luminato last last Saturday-- and we focussed mainly on the visual arts and design events. We roamed a bit around the financial district to see some of the hanging art that surrounded most building lobbies.

Anyways, he highlight events were definitely those along Harbourfront. I was very surprised so much people down by the water. There was visual arts, music, cultural events, buskers, cultural food, and just lots of happy people enjoying the sunshine by the water.

We spent a helluva a long time at the Bellissima tent just adjacent to the Queen's Quay Terminal. They had very amazing curries, salads, and wonderful cultural live entertainment. If course, we checked out the great light spectcle, PULSE FRONT, surrounding the Harbourfront. Apparently, the light show was so popular that they extended the show to.. today. I really enjoyed the show, and it's so exciting to see Toronto doing something like this.

With events like Luminato and Nuit Blanche, it is clear that Toronto has a real thirst for arts and culture. What best place to do it than a diverse and vibrant place like Toronto? I think that we really can expect great things here in Toronto, and it is really attempting to bring in that 'creative class' that we talk so much about in planning school.

I think the one thing Toronto should work on is to accomodate more places for arts, culture, and entertainment to take place-- free from having to get a permit or to pay some private sector party. I guess this is why some of the public spaces people are so keen on pushing for these places.

It would really be great for arts and culture to just naturally take place. That would be neat.

Luminato - [luminato.com]
A businessperson's notion of a festival - [thestar.com
Pulse Front Photo - [flickr.com]

Comments (0)

Radiant City is a very boring film.

This intentionally one-sided 'documentary' discussed all the pitfalls of suburban development, and features a number of suburban residents in the sprawling Calgary metro area.

This dicussed almost evething that is bad about the suburbs: inactive lifestyles and obesity, incomplete communities, dull urban design and architecture, environmental consequences, poor transit access-- all of which we have been spoonfed to us in university.

All of this is fine, I suppose, but the biggest flaw about this movie is that the characters seriously do not properly express the views of the general suburban community. The fact is, most people who chose to live in the suburbs actually like suburbia! The children are the exception, since they had to live there by default. The 'documentary' subjects all seem to have a notion that they all bought into something they regret, which I think is a false claim.

Spoiler alert. I am going to steal Ram's idea and black it out. The most absurd part of this movie was the end. We discover that the documentary wasn't really a documentary at all, and that the film was scripted just to prove a point.

What the fuck? I feel ripped off! Then what is the value of this film? In retrospect though, I think I would've enjoyed the movie more had I known that it was fiction. I would've have taken it more lightly. But now I feel confused, since I'm not sure if the film now warrants my rage. Do you know what I feel like? I feel as if someone someone told me something very offensive, but at the end, s/he takes it all back by telling me it was all a joke.

The movie can be summed up with two words: what the...?

I think Calgary's suburbs look even more sterile than those in the GTA. I think it's the fact that there are no trees.

Radiant City official site - [radiantcitymovie.com]
Radiant City - [imdb.com]

Comments (3)

This is an awesome movie, and is equally as good as the musical-- and the musical was based on a film back in 1988.

Whoa, that was confusing. Basically, Hairspray was a movie that turned into a musical. Because the musical was such a hit, it was adapted to a movie using the same hit broadway songs.

If you like seeing highly coordinated and energetic dancing, this is your kind of movie. Set in the 1960's, the movie focusses on a vibrant and volumptuous teenage girl, Tracy Turnblad, who has a passion to dance, and lands a spot in a hit dance show "The Corny Collins Show." It is during her experiences on that show that tested the generation's changing tolerance for people that are viewed less than 'ideal'.

This movie will definitely put a smile to your face. Even if you don't like dancing-on-prozac, which this movie features a lot of, you'll definitely get a kick out of John Travolta as Tracy Turnblad's mother. He plays the part so well.

Also, if you have a knack for architecture, you will quickly notice that the movie was filmed in Toronto. According to the Star, the producers chose to film here because we are one of only a few North American cities that still have streetcar infrastructure. Baltimore, where the film is intended to portray, had its lines disbanded. You can check out the Star's images related to the Toronto-to-Baltimore transformation.

Hairspray - [wikipedia.org]
T.O. shows its inner Baltimore - [thestar.com]

Comments (2)