Started watching Seven Samurai last night. Damn, that's a great film. Because I started so late, I was only at 20 minutes in when I had to go to bed (work today means early to rise). Hopefully I'll get to go back to it tonight.

So I'm 30. And I think I'll all right with it. I was feeling a little wary of the whole 30 thing, but I'm at peace. My birthday was very uneventful. (How to say these cryptically) I thought some people would want to make a bigger deal out of it, but you can't really tell people that they should want to throw you a party, can you? But enough of that. Whatever.

Saw Star Wars: Episode 3 on Saturday. Must say, I thought it was easily the best of the new trilogy (not that that was a great feat - the elusive Star Wars Christmas Special is better than that mess called the Phantom Menace). The dark side was well represented, including slaughtered Jedi children. Lucas' main problem is still style over substance. The special effects become too prominent, too overwhelming. There are too many ships, shooting too many lasers.

Listening to: the faint hum of my CPU.

All right, so I watched the much hyped season finale of CSI last night. Now, I'm a big fan of both CSI and Tarintino, so I knew I was in for two hours of good television. And boy, was I right. Some people have argued that the reason cable stations are, by and large, putting out the highest quality television of all time (Soporanos, Six Feet Under) is that they're not restricted by the same censorship standards that regular TV is. This argument has always seemed, at least to me, ridiculous. Swearing, nudity and excessive violence doesn't make better tv. It's the solid storytelling, which is what CSI delivered.

Last night's CSI reminded me of the highest quality fan fiction, like Nicholas Meyer's Seven Percent Solution. When someone truly loves the source material they include the little details that fans know. Whether it's Holmes' tabacco filled slipper or Grissom's blood filled heads, fans treat the details of the original material with a reverence and try to cram as many of those details into their story.

Of course, being Tarintino, there's also the pop-culture heavy story telling as well: Tony Curtis and the (very recently)late Frank Gorshin talking about old Vegas, Hodges and Greg playing the Dukes of Hazzard board game, and classic 70s baddy, John Saxon setting the whole thing in motion.

My only problem was the lack of Sara Sidle. Sara's my favourite character on the show; she's got this great untapped backstory; she's got an unresolved emotional attachment to Grissom; she's laregly unaware of Greg's attraction. While I see why Nick was a good choice to put in the box (everyone likes Nick, he's like everyone's brother), Sara would have been an equally interesting choice to have been kidnapped.

All in all, I was really satisfied. The final shot, the team watching Nick's ambulance pull away, was the perfect note to end the season on. The wear of a long night, the emotional strain of the evening still visible on all their faces made Grissom's last line all the more poignant: "I want my guys back." Only after such a night could the stoic Grissom make such an honest heart felt request to Ecklie.

Listening to: Tom Waits' "Downtown Train"

Well, it's Wednesday... and it's raining.

Blah day. hope summer comes soon, 'cause this crappy weather is really getting me down.

I'm waiting for a shipment of books here at work, and there's nothing really to do until they come so I thought I'd take a bit of time and blog.

So, what's new? The new Star Wars movie comes out tonight at midnight, and I must say I'm surprised by how much I want to see it. Like most people my age I was a huge fan of the original trilogy. I remember going to see Star Wars/Empire double bills back in 82. My friends and I would play Star Wars, most of us had the toys (in fact I think I still have a box of them in my parents' attic). When the first of the new trilogy opened I went with great excitement and expectations... they were quickly dashed. Have you seen the Simpsons' Star Wars spoof, where Homer, Bart and Lisa go to the new Space movie and it's all about politics and trade embargos? That's EXACTLY what i thought of Episode One. Tariffs? Intergalactic captialism? Boring. Sure some of the Jedi stuff was cool - by that time Special FX made the sword fights even more spectular - but on the whole I was extremely disappointed.

When I got back from seeing Episode One, I put on my letterboxed Star Wars (the pre-Special Edition) and... was disappointed once again. The first Star Wars movie just isn't that good either. The acting is... well, it's not always great (Luke's just a whiny snot-nosed kid); and by this time I realized that the plot was just lifted from old Flash Gordon flicks and Akira Kurosawa's The Hidden Fortess.

Not long after this I sold my leatherette bound letterboxed set with hologram cover.

After reading a few reviews of Episode three, my interest was peaked. Part of my problem with Episode One was that it felt like a kid's film, as opposed to a PG action film. Everything I've read about Episode 3 stresses the darkness of the plot. Perfect. I can only hope Jar Jar Binks is disembowelled by someone.

I watched Empire and Jedi this weekend, and was pleasantly surprised how much I enjoyed them. Empire's still my favourite of the films, but Jedi has some nice stuff in it (aside from the innocently erotic Leia bikini scenes). If Three is the new trilogy's Empire, they're on the right track.

Listening to: Tom Waits' Tango til They're Sore
Watched Last Night: House MD - easily one of my favourite shows currently running.
Tonight: Alias!

Right... it's lunch time on a Thursday. And here I sit. Bored and sore. I decided to start wokring out this week. Not sure if it's going to be a "continue-on" type thing. Starting out kind of slow to, you know, get back into the feel of using my muscles again (what muscles? you ask; shut up, I say). Did these things called hindi squats, which Indian wrestlers have used for years to build strength and endurance. Now I don't want to sa my legs are burning... but my legs are burning. Seriously. I walk like John Wayne. It's taking 15 minutes to walk down the hall to go to the bathroom. Whenever I try to walk some place, I just sort of point myself in the direction I want to go and stumble along as best I can, and try not to lift my feet any more then I have to. Whenever I have to sit down I just sort of aim and plant myself, which can really hurt if the chair is low. If this is the price of being in shape, I seriously question the sanity of workout people. I may get winded going up the stairs but at least i can walk normally on a flat service.

I've been checking out the Clone Wars micro series that aired on Cartoon Network. All i can say is, "Holy Crap." Check them out! If only SW Episode 1 and 2 were this good: cool Jedi fights, no Jar-Jar Binks and very little of the highly annoying and highly convulted trade embargo-ing aliens. Apparently Lucas has decided to use General Grievous, one of the cooler villians, in Episode 3. Good move, George. I hope they turn this into a regular series, maybe focus on other Jedi battles during the Clone Wars. A regular high quality Star Wars animated television series would wipe away the bad taste in my mouth left from those crappy Ewoks tv movies, and the Droid/Ewok Adventure Hour.

Listening to: Gorillaz' "Clint Eastwood"! Del the Funky Homosapien RULES!

So it's May... May 2nd to be precise. And later this month I turn (wait for it) 30. That's right: the big three oh, baby. Scary? You betcha.

And I can't figure out if I want to celebrate it. On the one hand I recognize it as some sort of milestone... but it's not like we live in the 13th century where reaching the age of 30 was a major feat. I guess if other people want to celebrate it (or remember to) I will too.

Saw Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy on Friday night. I'm not surprised by the mixed reactions from the various pop-critics: British humour's an aquired taste. If you liked the books, you'll like the film. If you don't like the books, why bother? Personally, I couldn't think of a better everyman than Martin Freeman. This guy's a brillant comic actor. When I first saw him in the Office I thought, if he get a chance to shine, he will.

What am I listeing to: People Ain't No Good, Nick Cave and the Bad Seed

It's hard to believe that it's been months since I've posted anything. Well, maybe not that hard. I mean, it's not like anyone bothers to check this thing.
So, what's new?

Let's see: semester's over (finally); all my grading's done and submitted. I'm currently trying to figure out what books to put on my courses for next year; I'll be teaching Academic Writing (which I've never taught before), 20th Century Lit and Representative Lit (both of which I've taught many times before).

Currently reading: Handful of Dust by Evelyn Waugh and Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy. Supposed to go see the film, tomorrow, so I thought I'd try to figure what the heck supposed to be happening.

Listining to: u, nothing at the moment, though I had the Beatles cd in the car for the past few trips. I'm seriosuly considering putting the Sgt Pepper disc on my 20th Century lit course. Maybe...

So... here I am, sitting in my study (where I've spent the better part of my day). In just a few short days, I leave for England. Now anyone who knows me knows I'm a bit of an anglo-phile - love Sherlock Holmes, Blackadder, Monty Python.... so, for me, this trip has evolved into a kind of Mecca-seque pilgrimage. The problem is there's just SO MUCH TO SEE and time's limited.

FIRST RECORD BOUGHT: Fat Boys, Crushin' - man, I was such a geek.

FIRST CONCERT: ummm... actually I think it would be Spirit of the west, with Great Big Sea and Philosopher Kings.

FAVORITE CONCERT: Squeeza in Buffalo was great (especially eatin' with the band afterwards), but Glen Tillbrook at the Horseshoe in TO was the greatest. He led the audience out into the streets, singing Pulling Mussells From the Shell. Unforgetable.

CONCERT YOU WISH YOU'D SEEN: Dylan goes electric, Beatles on the roof, Waits in his Nighthawk days, any concert by the first Miles Davis quintet or Velvet Underground

FAVORITE MUSIC MOVIE: Talking Heads-Stop Making Sense, Almost Famous (I'm counting it), Don't Look Back

BEST USE OF MUSIC IN A TV SERIES: Freaks and Geeks - movie-like in its use of musical cues

FAVORITE MUSIC BOOKS: Lester Banks' book, Zappa's autobio

FAVORITE SONGWRITERS: Dylan, McCartney/Lennon

FAVORITE ALBUM COVERS: Miles Davis: Birth of the Cool; Pink Floyd: Dark Side of the moon; LZ: Houses of the Holy

LEAST FAVORITE ALBUM COVER: Let it Be - always felt like a bit of a cop out; S&G: Parsely, Sage, Rosemary and Thyme - what's up with those stupid flowers, Garfunkel?

ARTIST YOU WILL ALWAYS DEFEND: Johnny Cash - some people take the"I-hate-country-music" stance too far; Kenny Rogers is JUST a country singer, Johnny Cash is the man in freakin' black!!!

ALBUMS THAT YOU WILL ALWAYS DEFEND: Tom Waits' Closing Time, and Leonard Cohen album

SINGER WHO MAKES YOU SWOON: Marvin Gaye, Nina Simone, Nico

ARTISTS YOU'RE SUPPOSED TO LIKE BUT DON'T: depends on who's telling me I should like them. Much music seems to think I should like Blink 182, Good Charlotte, Simple Plan and a slew of pretty, airbrushed teenagers... and I just don't.

SONG YOU CAN'T STAND BY AN ARTIST YOU LIKE: Octopus's Garden... the Beatles should have been shot for this crap.

FAVORITE TEEN IDOL: Fabian

BAND THAT SHOULD BREAK UP: Metallica... KISS - once and for all. Rolling Stones - Mick, Keith, it's time to go home, boys.

BAND THAT SHOULD RE-FORM: can't think of any- reunions are almost always inferior to the original.

GUILTY PLEASURE: my inexplicable love of Dr. Hook's "Cover of the Rolling Stone"

So I went home to visit my parents. It's been a little over a year since the last time I was home, and this visit, while better than most, followed the same disturbing pattern of previous visits. I spent the majority of the day at the mall. I swear, I didn't spend that much time there when I was a kid. But when parents/friends work, what else is there to do in Oshawa?

Of course there's a nit of a hidden desire that accompanies my mall treks: I secretly hope to run into people I went to school with. This is both a thrilling and terrifying prospect; kind of like watching a horror film. I'm genuinely curious about some of my former schoolmates, but I dread ACTUALLY running into them and trying to explain what I do. So far though I haven't had much to worry about. Apparently not many ex-Robertonians frequent the mall Tuesday mornings.

Following a freak May snow storm Tuesday, I spent yesterday at home, in my pajamas. I know I live in Winnipeg, which is well known for it's frigid winter tempatures, but spring is USUALLY nice and warm. Of course, no matter how bad it is, you just can't win with Winnipeggers. I have learned since moving here that one of the features that distinguishes true Manitobians is the inability to admit the weather is bad... by citing how bad it's been in years past. Example: I've lived here for almost five years and have seen some ungodly winter lows: -40-45 C! But no matter how cold it gets I'm reminded that I have yet to experience a "true Winnipeg winter". Even this past winter, which saw the coldest of cold tempetures and more snow than the past 30 years, didn't suffice. "That's almost a real Winnipeg winter".

On Tuesday, a mere day after I contemplated wearing shorts to work, as nearly 30 cm on snow fell, this old guy told me, "Well, of course it's no where as near as bad it was 2 million years ago." Strangely, this did little to console me.

While enjoying a snow day, I finally seat down and watched Jackie Brown. Now I'm a huge Tarantino fan; have been for a long time, but for some reason, I've only ever seen the first 20 or 30 minutes of this film. When Pulp Fiction came out I saw in 13 times in the theatre, but this film I didn't even go once. Maybe it's that it was an adaptation of someone else's work (though it's Elmore Leonard, who I generally like). After finally watching the film in its entirety, I've come to the conclusion that it really is one of Tarantino's best films. Stylistically, it's on par with the phenomenally visual Kill Bill; the dialogue is as sharp as (sometimes even sharper than) Pulp Fiction. This is a great film, with stand out performances: Pam Grier has never been better; Robert Forester is brilliant, Michael Keaton is great, Sam Jackson... is Sam Jackson. There isn't a character who isn't note perfect, from DeNiro to Fonda; everyone is exactly as they should be.

Film Review:

Elephant (Gus van Sant)

My wife brought this home last night, and to be honest, I had completely forgotten that this had even been made. I remember thinking, when I first saw a preview, "this looks interesting"; but it slipped from my mind until I was confronted with the DVD case by the TV last night.

In an age of sensationalism and exploitation, it was refreshing to find Van Sant's subtle, thoughtful examination of a school shooting. In the hands of another director, this film would have been filled with blaring heavy metal music, trumped up "excuses" and rapid fire editing. We're not given much back story on any of the characters, but there's a remarkable sense of intimacy created nonetheless: snips of conversations and long tracking shots make us feel part of this world. Of course this is not a real intimacy and maybe that's the point, maybe that's highschool: a bunch of people with no real shared interests stuck together through circumstance. Though we feel for these kids, we only know as much about any of them as anyone in highschool knows about anyone else; we see what other students would see. We watch the kids who are picked on; we hear the rumours of teen pregancy; we see evidence of neglectful parents. Truly, almost any one of these kids could be the ones to snap...

Through a clever handling of time Van Sant brings us to the moment of crisis early in the film, but he respects us enough to flashback without the obvious "earlier that week" title. He expects his audience to follow the story, to participate in the story. There are no easy answers in Elephant.

Okay, so i completely screwed up the "post a day" thing, but I won't go on and on about how "I'm trying". Why bother?

I've been going through the episodes of the newly released to DVD "Freaks and Geeks". I really enjoyed this show when it was on TV, but didn't really appreciate how good it was because episodes were shown out of order; and some episodes weren't even shown on network televsion (probably delayed because of some stupid presidental address or something). Having gone through all 14-15 episodes, I can say without quesiton, this was one of the best American shows in recent memory. The characters were honest, not stereotypes; the shows were genuine, not cheesy "happy endings". Also, a kickass soundtrack!!!!

So, I've already screwed up my "post-everyday" thng I had going, but no matter; I'll just keep plugging away at it. If I screw up once, I'll just get right back on it and start again.

So exams are finished; I've marked my pile (and a steaming pile it was), and will submit my marks today. I was frankly a little surprised by some of the students who showed up to write: some of them I didn't even recognize! Man, that is not a good sign. You tell them, and you tell them that if I don't know who they are, chances are they won't do well in the course. At least I haven't had the awkward situations friends of mine have had (not yet any way): when those faceless students turn up a few years later for a reference letter. How do you tell someone you have no idea who they are?

The last few days have been some of the most dull of my life - and this is my life we're talking about here; it's pretty dull to begin with. I've been at home, watching the exams I'm supposed to mark by Monday gather dust. I watch fifteen minute segments of day-time talk shows, then become disgusted with myself for watching crap like Dr. Phil and come online. Once online I don't do anything productive or worthwhile; usually check movie trivia over at imdb.com or read through the spam in my junk mail just "in case" a message I want went in there by mistake.
Today was no different: Watched 34 minutes of Chasing Amy over four separate sittings; a few minutes of The View (which made me almost suicidal); and read through several emails promising the lowest mortgages, the largest erections and the fasted University degrees... somebody shoot me.

Right, so it's 10:05 pm here in the 'Peg, and I have two hours to compose today's blog entry if I actually keep to this one thing a day kick I'm on. To be honest I typically don't follow through with things...

Anyway, interesting story:

I'm on the bus yesterday and the guy in front of me is listening to bad bubblegum pop crap on his Walkman a little too loud for public transportation, but no biggie; everyone does this, right?
This goes on for a few blocks, then the music stops and he starts talking... to no one in particular: "Alright, it's 10:27 here at Q97. That was Shania Twain with "That Impress me Much". We're into hour number two of our all request..." When he started talking I looked up to see what was going on; everyone's eyes drop to their laps - probably out of fear this guy was going to go postal. And he just kept... announcing(?) for like five minutes; a quick weather update, a rehash of the songs he'd played.
The funniest part was when he announced a contest as he was signing off: "We have a pair of tickets to {insetr the name of any band no one wants to see} for the 4th caller who can tell me the name of the song I played in the last set. It started with a "B" and it's a fruit, not a vegtable." When he finished the guy sitting next to him, who was clearly assumed, looked at this lunatic and said, "Too bad I forgot my cell phone, cause I know the answer." I lost it at that.

You meet the freaks on public transportation!

See, I'm really trying here. Two days, three posts. Here's a little Friday Five on a Tuseday, 'cause I like it like that!


What was...

1. ...your first grade teacher's name? Mr Eddy... rumours on the playground had it that he ate spagetti

2. ...your favorite Saturday morning cartoon? there were so many... I really liked Spiderman and he amazing friends as a kid; as a 20 something, the X-men cartoon from a few years ago was good.

3. ...the name of your very first best friend? I don't know...

4. ...your favorite breakfast cereal? I love me some Cap'n Crunch. I love that they spell Captain "Cap'n"

5. ...your favorite thing to do after school? Take a nap... I am so old.

I suppose as a good will offering to anyone reading this, I'll post another new entry today (because that's the kind of guy I am). Here's an old Monday Mission from Promo Guy.

1. Who has authority over you?
My God, my wife, my obession with Seasme Snacks.

2. Where do you go to get a feeling of community?
Mmm, movie theatre. Everyone's there, but they're quiet!

3. What do you do, or have you done, in your life that "goes against the tide?"
According to my highschool friends, staying in school this long.

4. Guilt can be a powerful weapon. Those who have mastered its power can very good at getting what they want. Have you ever used guilt to get you what you want? Have you ever had it used on you? How did you react?
I have tried but without much success. Guilt is too mighty a weapon for someone like me to wield.

5. I was walking through the mall Friday night and saw a lot of teenagers who dressed really wild and just acted like idiots - not caring who was looking or what others thought. And I remember being that way, having that kind of freedom. I must have looked like a fool then too. Did you ever do anything in public with your friends as a teenager that you would never do today? Tell me about that.
I would never wear pastel colours - dude the 80s SUCKED! Sure there were other things I would do then but would never in a million years do now because it's embarrassing: hang out in front of a convience store (who thinks this is cool?); spend more then 45 minutes in a mall; go to Police Academy movies.


6. I don't watch the television show "Survivor," but I did notice they allow each contestant to bring one "luxury item" to the deserted island with them (make-up, a book, etc.). If you were to go to an island for three months, what five "luxury items" would you bring and why?
A knife, for stabbin'

7. If you would have had a choice, in which time period would you have like to have lived? Why?
1920s. I would have looked like a star in a feodra... if I tried it now, people think, "Joey Jeramiah."


BONUS: Where do you dare me to draw the line?
There. No wait, there. Actually... I don't care

Today's comment question: What is your favorite new/current song on the radio (or however you listen to new music)? I'm surprised to find I dig the new Blink 182 - haven't really cared for anything they've done before, but that new song is alright. Also, BEP's new one is pretty cool.

Okay, so it's been well over a year since my last entry here. I wish I could start this new entry off with some great revelation about my life: published a novel, sold a screenplay, found Waldo - but nothing, nadda, zip. Most of this year was spent teaching, working, eating and sleeping (not as much sleep as I would have liked mind you). Things roll on in my cinema vertie life.

Saw Eternal Sunshine of the Mindless Mind. Brillant piece of filmmaking. Michel Gondry is an incredible talent... if only we could strike Human Nature from his (and Charlie Kaufman's) C.V. As someone who is famous for my (cursed) ability to forget friends who are no longer an active part of my life (something I work on, really I do), the whole idea of whether our identities are constructed with the memories of loved ones struck me.

It's hard to know where to begin...

I suppose I should start with an explanation of my absence. I spent two weeks in Ontario. The first week was spent visiting family and friends; the second working in various soup kichens and missions in TO. The first week was wonderful; the second hard, exhausting, and ultimately humbling.

Upon my return (last week) I was greeted with piles of work that required attention. I spent last week trying to get caught up on all the work I missed the two weeks previous.

Rather than bore you (assuming that there is SOMEONE there) with tales of my Ontario "adventures", I'll just fill out a Monday mission.

1. When was the last time you were in the hospital as a patient? As a visitor?
As a patient? When I was four and had the whooping cough. As a visitor, about a month ago when I went to Edmonton to be with my father after his heart attack.

2. Have you ever been put under anesthesia or sedation? For what reason? Did it mess with your mind?
Yes, for dental surgery. It was wonderful, until the stupid dentist woke me up!

3. Have you (or someone close to you) ever had any major surgery? How did it go?
Not me personally, but I've had various family members "go under the knife," as it were. Most times everything went swimmingly.

4. How about the emergency room? Have you ever had to be taken there, or had to accompany someone else? What happened?
Once, on Christmas Eve. My sister had put grape seeds in her ears. The doctor had to remove them with tweezers. Everyone (well, me) hated her for ruining Christmas.

5. Have you ever donated blood (or other fluids)?
Blood, once. I'm not keen on it. Needles freak me out. Nobody wants panic-blood.

6. Are you an Organ Donor? How do you feel about having your organs being donated to those in need once you die? Have you or someone you know ever been the recipient of donated organs?

I know one guy who's had/or having kidneys donated. I am an organ donar, though a leery one. George Carlin once said, "You think that if paramedics see that card, they're gonna save your life? Bull*^%, they're looking for parts!"

7. Do you know any men who refuse, or are too afraid, to go to see a Doctor? Why are so many men like that?
I hate seeing the doctor, but I go because I'm more afraid of my wife than the doctor. I think men feel vunerable in the doctor's office. Think about, "turn and cough?" Don't tell me that not vunerable.


BONUS: Do you remember when we used to sing?
Sha la la, la la?