A Year in Movies

First off---merry post-Christmas, everyone, and an early "happy New Year"---2008 is almost dead! I had a great Christmas in Dartmouth. Mia, le chat, was having such a good time at my parents' place that I left her there for a few extra days, much to the dismay of their cats that she tortures. She is small, but insolent.

The few days I had off were spent eating massive amounts of peanut brittle, watching SPACED and the Office (UK) Christmas special, and re-hashing old laughs with friends. When I got out of the house, it was to sneak in a few extra movies before the end of the year. I'm not sure if anyone paid attention to the top left corner of mein blog, but I've been keeping track of all of the movies I've seen this year (the book list was a failure, sadly).

All together, I recorded 140 titles. I think that accounts for 75% of what I watched (I remembered four as I wrote this blog entry). It's a pretty hilarious list. I only counted movies that I was seeing for the first time, so as to not bear the shame of highlighting multiple viewings of Iron Man (3), Sex in the City: The Movie (2), and Scrooged (3).

In the grand tradition of High Fidelity (3), here's a smattering of film top-fives and other ponderings to get you through to January.

• My top five movies released in the past year would be something like: Iron Man, The Band's Visit, Man on Wire, Synecdoche, New York and a tie between Let The Right One In and that movie about a guy dressed as a bat. My taste in 2008 was a conflict between comic-book nerd and a keffiyeh-clad NSCAD student (but perhaps these things are one and the same).
  
  
  
• The top ten (I couldn't pick five...) that I saw this year, but were not released in 2008, would be: Fur, Good Bye Lenin!, Jacob's Ladder, Less Than Zero, Withnail and I, Grizzly Man, Psycho, American Movie, The Texas Chainsaw Massacre ('74, not the one with Seventh Heaven), and The Tenant.
  
  
  
• My top five of shame (as in I can't believe I watched these): Fool's Gold (Josh and I went to see John Rambo, but were late and settled for this. THEN I had to see it AGAIN on the flight back from Germany), Shall We Dance (It was on TV and I was too tired to shield myself), Definitely, Maybe (saw it in-flight), PS. I Love You, (Ditto---plane movie), and Cloverfield (Excuse me whilst I hurl).
  
  
  
• My top five of "I thought these would be great, but didn't really like them": AUSTRALIA (Capital letters for an EPIC fail), Across the Universe, Mother of Tears (A big let-down), From Dusk Till Dawn, and Surveillance (An even bigger let-down---check out the trailer, it looks amazing, doesn't it? It wasn't).
  
  
  
• I feel like this year the biggest thing that happened to me in terms of movies was seeing Encounters at the End of the World as it turned me on to Herzog. I'd long been interested in the guy, as he is my best homie Crispin's biggest inspiration as a filmmaker and, bonus, he is known as the guy who "tamed" Klaus Kinski, who gives me bad dreams. Herzog is now a definite favourite, up there with whomever else is in my top five favourite directors (I am too wary to define this. David Lynch is one. And maybe Steven Shainberg).
  
  
  
• The second-biggest movie-thing would be my new found love for the entity known as Robert Downey Jr. Watching Iron Man led me on a weird quest to see a lot of his movies. There are some pretty bad ones, but a lot of great ones, too. This year I saw Chaplin, Less Than Zero, Wonder Boys, Kiss Kiss Bang Bang, Zodiac, and Tropic Thunder partly because I think this guy is an insanely good actor. And, yes, handsome for a middle-aged reformed junkie.
  

As a fitting end to a year where I watched too many movies, I think I'm going to stay in for New Year's and cram in three or four more films before the end of the year. Not sure what movies yet... there must be a weird balance of 1970s schlock, John Hughes, Todd Solondz, and some kind of new release. Fun party.

INTERNET---what were your favourite/least favourite movies of the year? Do you approve of my choices (no ill will towards RDJ will be tolerated)?

"I've got a grand piano to prop up my mortal remains."

Christmas must be around the corner, as in typical fashion I have fallen ill. I'm reconsidering my decision to skip getting my flu shot (at the time needle vs. no-needle was an easy decision). Being sick around Christmas is kind of killing me, as I'm missing a party tonight, and am immune to cheer, goodwill, sugar cookies, et cetera. No fun, kids, no fun.

Now, regarding Saturday's Aussie Pink Floyd Show... it was great fun. This was my third time seeing them, and probably not the most satisfying, but still very good. They played The Wall in its entirity, and included some great visual effects ("3D" movies, WICKED COOL LASERS, a neat light show), and a very strong musical theater component, versus any of the other times I've seen them. "Fake Roger Waters", AKA "Pink" was the star, whether he was detached in his living-room or donning sunglasses and a leather jacket, ordering us to follow the "Hammer".

The Wall isn't my favourite Pink Floyd album, and I don't think it's an appropriate choice as a concert piece due to the number of effects and the level of skill required on the part of the musicians. But, once again, Aussie Pink Floyd proved that they are worthy of being endorsed by Dave Gilmour---they pulled it off beautifully. One important thing to note about this cover band: they may not play their own songs, but they certainly add a lot to the music they're playing in the form of rearranging songs and executing flawless solos.

The encore was 45 minutes long, and stuck to Dark Side of the Moon/Wish You Were Here for the most part. A nice little tribute was given to Rick Wright who died this past year, but, sadly, it didn't compare to the three-song homage that Syd Barrett got a few years back. Shortly after that song, a giant pig with glowing red eyes was inflated. It loomed over the audience during songs from the album Animals and actually looked quite frightening. The high-point of the encore was definitely "Great Gig in the Sky", performed soulfully by one of the three female back-up singers---she got a long, loud standing ovation.

In the end, I'd say it was great to see the band perform again and I would definitely see them for a fourth time, but probably only if they played a mix of tunes, rather that one straight album.

Okay. I'm going to crawl back under my desk now and continue my craving for Neo-Citran and great fistfuls of cough-drops. Fa la la la la, la la la la... blaaahhh...

Christmas Spirit Forced Down Yer Gullet

To enter into the Christmas season requires a certain sort of ambiance, the type of mood you achieve at Halloween by listening to Hellbilly Deluxe and watching Ghostbusters for the umpteenth time. Unlike Halloween, you're pretty much aurally assaulted when Christmas approaches. Malls subscribe to some sort of never-ending satellite feed of holiday tunes that usually involves Bob Denver, radio stations play obnoxious covers of "Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree", and churches, full to the brim for the first time since Easter, break out the carols.

The interweb isn't free from Christmas cheer, either, because bloggers like me like to post their favourite Christmas songs. Here's a few that I will torture my co-workers with for the days to come:

Everclear - I Will Be Hating You For Christmas
Lyric sample: Thanks for the Christmas card / I don't wanna hear about your new job now / I don't wanna hear about your new boyfriend / I don't wanna hear about it all working out for you
Recommended: if you're single and bitter or just like the '90s.

Bing Crosby and David Bowie - Little Drummer Boys/Peace on Earth
Lyric sample: "I could even have a go at 'White Christmas'!" / "You too, huh!"
Recommended: if you're human. No one can deny the goodness of the collaboration!

The Ramones - Merry Christmas (I Don't Want To Fight Tonight)
Lyric sample: I love you and you love me / And that's the way it's got to be / I loved you from the start / 'Cause Christmas ain't the time / For breaking each other's heart
Recommended: for New Yorkers, Stephen King, and Langly from The Lone Gunmen.

Sobeys Grocery Stores - Star of Christmas
Lyric sample: Bells are ringing/ Children singing / That warm Sobeys festive touch
Recommended: for Atlantic Canadians who could not avoid this song for years.

Star Wars Christmas Special Song
Lyric sample: We celebrate a day of peace / A day of harmony / A day of joy we all can share
Recommended: for this guy.

Muppets (and Michael Caine) - It Feels Like Christmas
Lyric sample: "You're a little absent-minded, spirit!" / "No, I'm a LARGE absent-minded spirit!"
Recommended: FOR ME! I love Muppets. This is the song where Scrooge begins to learn about Christmas! Bonus Muppet track: Fozzie and the Snowman.

Twisted Sister - A Heavy Metal Christmas
Lyric sample: On my heavy metal Christmas / My true love gave to me / 4 quarts of Jack / 3 studded belts / 2 pairs of spandex pants / And a tattoo of Ozzy!
Recommended: for Wayne and Garth.

And finally, the very necessary...

Run DMC - Christmas in Hollis
Lyric sample: Took out the license / And it cold said "Santa Claus" / A million dollars in it / Cold hundreds of G's / Enough to buy a boat / And a matching car with ease
Recommended: if you're dope, fly, fresh and are rockin' your Adidas

Send me your Christmas tunes, internet! What's on heavy rotation this year?

Prepare to be Dazzled

Okay, guys. I did it. I read Twilight. I held back from bitching about it until I actually read the thing cover-to-cover (thanks, JB).

I don't really have a lot to say about the book, because, well, nothing really happens. 3/4 of the book was spent mooning over how mutually great the two lead characters are, and how dangerous it is that they are together. At this point, I have to wave my Whedon flag and say "HELLO! Do you NOT remember BUFFY?!"

Guess who:

- Super-attractive vampire
- Wants to protect female protagonist
- Doesn't like other vampires
- Doesn't kill humans to get blood
- They can't "express their true feelings" (cough cough) or he might "lose control"
- Warns female protagonist many times to stay away from him

It's not Edward... it's Angel! Angel who had fangs and a messed up face and didn't glitter like your grandma's favourite bedazzled (ha) Christmas sweater. And Angel didn't waste his friggin' time going to school. Seriously. If you were 17 going on 100, would you hang out in a biology lab? Angel had better things to do with his time, like wearing leather jackets, buying cow's blood, and hangin' out in the shadows. Word!

Besides the fact that I found the parallels between Edward and Angel to be uncanny, there's not much else to write about. It reads like something I would have written in high school (in a story where I would have been Bella, but would have told everyone else that it wasn't based on me) and I can completely understand why some people would like it, in that every once in a while you need to put down the Proust and have a little junk food.

I do, though, regret previously alluding to the Harry Potter series when I referred to this book. The trend, the screaming girls, they are there, but Meyer lacks the complexity, charm, and depth of character that Rowling brought to her books. And seeing as I didn't really like the last three Potter books, that should tell you something about Meyer's ability as a writer. She creates an okay little picture, alright, but didn't go into making it with a full box of crayons. Maybe the books get better as they go on, but I don't think I'll be picking up New Moon any time soon.

Final note: THE COVER.


A couple of years ago I was super-broke, and happened to fall into a mini-job, where I had to head to NSCC every few weeks and sit around and look haggard while a nice student in the photography program used me as his "model" (I use the term loosely because of aforementioned haggardness). A lot of nice pictures came out of this process, including the one below (that is copyright dude from NSCC whose name I forget):


WHAT THE HECK, GUYS? WHAT DOES THIS EVEN MEAN? Look out, I might be stalking you while you sleep, soon, or killing cute deer for their blood (unforgivable). Stay awaaaay.

It's beginning to look at lot like... debt!

Oh, Christmas. I love it. Too much. Even worse, I like outdoing myself, topping whatever scheme I had going the previous year. I don't think I fully accomplished outcrazying myself, yet, but I've found some fun stuff.

This Christmas, I have maybe stepped into one store to buy gifts. The rest have been lovingly sorted out through the interwebs. This brings me great joy, as I am not a mall girl, and tend to be sucked into a) impulse buys and b) buying stuff for myself when I go shopping for others.

As with last year, I'm going to do a mini gift-roundup of shops I've bought from for this Christmas:

Amazon.co.uk: Because the item I ordered was times a million cheaper there than on Amazon.com (not even available on Amazon.ca). I thought it was lost in the mail, so asked for, and received a refund. On cue, the item arrived in the mail yesterday. I feel good and bad all at once.

Amazon.ca: They have the key to my heart. And fast shipping.

eBay: I bought two presents this year from good ol' eBay after a pretty long time spent avoiding auctions (there was an "incident" involving Paypal this summer that left a sour taste in my mouth).

The Sampler: Cute "stocking stuffer" esque presents such as prints, keychains, jewellry, and other baubles.

Bluefly.com: I cannot think of this store without hearing Tim Gunn's voice. There is nothing wrong with that.

Yard Sales and Flea Markets: 80% books, 10% movies, 10% peanut brittle (om nom nom).

Etsy: My love for Etsy has no bounds. I like that it's really easy to buy local, there.

Handmade: Really sad lookin'.

Next week (c'mon, payday) I am going to pick up some local stuff, at lovely places such as The Bookmark, the Farmer's Market, Pretty Things Boutique, and Strange Adventures. I will no doubt die when trying to brave the crowds, but it is worth it to do my part and inject a bit of cash into Halishops. I also have a secret scheme that a local artist is helping me out with... I'm excited to see the results!

This weekend will see me bein' awkward at the department Christmas party at Pier 21 (wearing this) and getting kicked off the stage at Retro Night at the Marquee---perhaps the LAST Retro Night ever! Bring your neon duds and fuzzy legwarmers and meet me there good and early... last time before it got crowded the DJ played bits of the Trainspotting soundtrack, which nearly killed me in its goodness. It's worth it to go just see my stupid reaction to songs like "Under Pressure". Trust me.

Crazy Canucks in the Commons

So unless you have had a self-imposed media blackout this past week (maybe to avoid all those sneak previews of BRITNEY: FOR THE RECORD), you probably know that something ain't quite right in Ottawa. The Liberal and NDP parties have united in a Bloc supported coalition to overturn the Tory government, which they say parliament has lost confidence in. Who's at the head of this coalition? Stephane "Sorry guys, I'm stepping down" Dion.

As a young Canadian, I am pretty much used to being completely jaded in terms of who is running the country, but, frankly, this is all getting a little ridiculous. In protest of the current state of our government, I am suggesting we replace all 308 members of the House of Commons with a "coalition" of the following people:

1. The Original Cast of Degrassi

The national anthem will be replaced with the Zit Remedy's opus "Everybody Wants Something"(its lyrics ring true to every aspect of LIFE). Arthur and Yick always seemed pretty smart, and with the added sex appeal of sister Stephanie K, they could go "all the way" with any bill. Hawaiian shirts and fedoras would come back in fashion, and Wheels could get some kind of pardon and get outta prison.

2. The Muppets from Sesame Park

Patriotism across the country would rise, thanks in part to the country being run by a bear and an otter. Francophones would be pleased with the French vignettes that frequently appear in dialogue with the media. Fergus from Marie Soleil would be employed as a full-time interpreter.

3. The Surviving Cast of Hilarious House of Frightenstein (If there are any...)

Oh, if only. When in session, an MP would ask, "Mr. Speaker?" and have Vincent Price appear in a cloud of smoke, whispering, "Yessss? MWAHAHA." Science funding would increase with the addition of the Mad Professor as Minister Responsible for Kooky Experiments. Dancing in front of a psychedelic screen with a Wolfman and Igor to 1970s rock would be law.

4. The Kids in the Hall

An influx of women in the House of Commons would better reflect Canada's diverse population... oh wait...

5. The Cast of SC-TV

Bring John Candy back from the dead and Rick Moranis back from the comedy morgue. Hire Harold Ramis as a speech-writer and save Eugene Levy from another American Pie spin-off. They could form a joint government with the Chicago Second City, reuniting Ramis, Bill Murray, and Dan Aykroyd. We would be safe from ghosts AND end trade disputes!

6. Ross Hull from Are You Afraid of the Dark?

We all know "Gary" can be a stirring speaker, and aptly led his group of friends through frightening tales of ghosts and ghouls. Because of this, I'm pretty sure he can tackle other scary things, like the economy. Plus, he can also double as the nation's weather man.

7. The Trailer Park Boys

A kitten for every house! Legalized drugs! Rum and coke added to Canada's Food Guide! Corey and Trevor brought back from the brink! Mr. Lahey becomes Minister of %@%$!

And Finally...

8. Kenny Hotz and Spencer Nolan Rice

Let them choose what side they want to represent (liberal vs. conservative) and duke it out in a series of challenges like "Who Can Break the Most Laws" and "Who Can Have a Squid on Their Head the Longest". Democracy would prevail!

Now, the question must be asked... who is in YOUR dream coalition?

"Look out, Mama, there's a white boat comin' up the river."

*Although I'm a few days behind in blogging about Saturday night's amazingness, I'm still, in fact, giddy. Neil Young and Wilco put on the best rock concert I've ever been to (and that's including the Stones and a bunch of other old fogies).

The stage was set with an old fan that slowly turned and cast flickering shadows across the stage. A man inexplicable spent the concert painting behind the band. A red phone sat on stage for some reason... probably a direct line to the President. Letters and numbers hung above the stage, in a seemingly random order.

I am a big fan of Young's early work, and was not disappointed with his song choice that seemed to be split between very old and quite new. Acoustic performances of "Needle and the Damage Done", "Heart of Gold", and "Old Man" were performed like it was the first time instead of the thousandth. Other songs really split the stadium with their raucous sounds and never-ending guitar solos. I really liked "Cortez the Killer", "Hey Hey, My My", and "Powderfinger" for all their power and grit.

Young played a fair bit of his newer work which is a little more twangy and "down home" than his earlier stuff. Much to my dismay, he did not play "Let's Impeach the President", which would have been hilarious. Also missed was a favourite tune... "Harvest Moon". Ah well.

While I am not a big fan of "Keep on Rockin' in the Free World" (too many benefit concerts, too much wank), there was no denying the energy in the crowd when Young burst out with the first few chords. Near the end of the song, the letters above the stage went out, save for four: N E I L. Amazing. The encore was a Beatles cover (I nearly died). With his wife Pegi on backing vocals, Young delivered a stirring rendition of "A Day in the Life".

Thank-you, Halifax. Maybe it was all the Nickleback concerts and the frequent Hedley appearances that made you want to repent. Here's my countdown for best "big" concerts of 2008:

1. Leonard Cohen
2. Neil Young and Wilco
3. Bob Dylan
4. Ozzy Osbourne
5. BACKSTREET BOYS (If you were not a 12-year old girl in the mid to late nineties you will never understand)

Honourable mention goes to my homie Crispin Glover, who is a real piece of work. He did not sing "Clowny Clown Clown" but I forgive him.

Next show is the return of Aussie Pink Floyd who I think are performing The Wall in its entirety (last time I saw them their first set was Dark Side of the Moon [almost typoed that "Dartmouth" of the Moon]). 2009 is already heralding rumours of The Boss and KISS making stops here... anyone feel like re-creating Detroit Rock City? I call James DeBello!

*(Image from the Herald.)