A Good Time with No Strings Attached

I went to a screener of For a Good Time, Call.... last night and I loved it. It was fresh, it was funny, it was bubble gum pink mixed with zombie strippers (minus the zombies). It was Bridesmaid's reduced. It was a dirty talking girlfriends and sex toy parties. It was a movie that was filmed in 16 days and you can't tell one bit. Simply perfect like confetti cupcakes and butter cream icing with sugar skull candies.

 

It's spanks as a date rape preventive.

 

It's 1-800-mmmHmmm

 

It's Snow White meets Barbarella and they become besties.

 

It's Justin Long, Kevin Smith and Seth Rogan all smashed in one.

 

It's sweet but with edge. This is a movie to bring your girlfriends too, maybe your guy friends (they'll enjoy the vulgar, sexy conversations) and perhaps your progressive, independent mom if you have that kind of an adult friendship with her. Don't bring your kids though (side note, I'm sick of people bringing babies and kids to movies that aren't meant for kids)- that's a no-no for sure.

 

Check you what Calgay's FFWD had to say about it.

 

It's girls being real, girls being funny and girls being awesome. If you have no qualms about sexy talk and sass then I think you might like it. It made my night but then I went into thinking it was going to be an awful movie that was filmed in 16 days that might make me roll my eyes out of pure classlessness.

 

I was wrong. It's fab. Its a good time with no strings attached.

 

and that's my cheese review of the day. xxoo

 

The Intouchables

Last night I saw the movies The Intouchables.

You have to see it. I haven't felt this way about a movie in a long time.

The story is beautiful and funny. I have never laughed with a movie as much as I did with this one.

I went straight home and bought the soundtrack.

Watch the movie. It's a movie based on a true story and that's about all it is, a movie based on a true story. And a good story at that.

**

before the movie, was of course the previews for up and coming films. Two more films I am interested in watching

The Words with Bradly Cooper:






and then this:

Hyde Park on Hudson Official with Bill Murray

You Like Me! You Really Like Me!

I don’t know if this photo of Jennifer Lawrence learning about her 2011 Oscar nomination for Winter’s Bone is real or where it came from. All I know is that it showed up on Tumblr sometime last month and I can’t stop thinking about how magical and wonderful it is, for five simple reasons.

1. The matching parental bathrobes! In kneelength, no less. So risky and carefree. And also, Mom Lawrence has thrown her hands in the air and is waving them like her daughter just got an Oscar nom, and for this I love her so.

2. That hot, hugging brother of her’s. I’ve got something he can bear hug – this bowl of popcorn I just made for us to curl up with on the couch as we watch Mythbuster reruns together and spoon.

3. Silk pajama pants, a t-shirt, a sweater from Old Navey that Grandma gifted you last year, and some cheap black slippers?! Jennifer, you are wearing my wishful thinking signature look and I like it!

4. Hello, Jennifer Lawrence’s boyfriend Nick Hoult. You are in your gym clothes at 5 in the morning which means you are a maniac and you also kind of look like you’re wearing roller skates which means you are the perfect man.

5. Oh look, a movie star decorates her apartment with things purchased at Home Sense. It’s official – Jennifer Lawrence is the most likable celebrity around.

Letting Go

Letting go is hard. I think all of us at one point or another have had the awful exercise of having to let go and/or being let go of. We all need it, to condition us to understand that nothing is ever "always"; forever. Everything in life is temporary.

A few years ago, I watched Eat Pray Love.. actually it was December 31st 2010. I watched the movie before getting ready to go out for New Years. It changed my life... since then I have watched it more than any other movie. Just last week I watched it twice on Tuesday. I only watch the middle; I only watch the good stuff.

Those who know me well in my life are aware of how I have learned in the last few years about letting go. How relationships have changed, and people have changed, how I have changed and the things around me. I have watched it affect those around me, some are able to glide over it with ease and acceptance. Other get stuck; struggling and learning how to process the whole situation until they discover for themselves what works for them.

Over the last year, I think back to one moment in Eat Pray Love about letting go. It fits. It's been advice I've given to people and it's been advice I've received, It's just written in a way that just fits for more than just me. Not just within relationships (both romantic and non-romantic), but also with situations and experiences. It can be our health, our jobs-- anything that surrenders us to grief and mourning.

The author is in an Ashram in India – a place where she went to meditate and find herself through Yoga, and is having a particularly difficult time that day. She has made a friend there, Richard from Texas, and right now they are at the dinner table together, talking.

(my *one* thought is in parenthesise)

“What’s got you all wadded up?” he drawls, toothpick in mouth, as usual.

“Don’t ask” I say, but then I start talking and tell him every bit of it, concluding with, “And worst of all, I can’t stop obsessing over David. I thought I was over him, but it’s all coming up again.”

He says, “Give it another six months, you’ll feel better.”

“I’ve already given it twelve months, Richard.”

“Then give it six more. Just keep throwin’ six months at it till it goes away. Stuff like this takes time.”

I exhale hotly though my nose, bull-like.

“Groceries [he calls her Groceries, how AWESOME is that?!],” Richard says, “listen to me. Someday you’re gonna look back on this moment of your life as such a sweet time of grieving. You’ll see that you were in mourning and your heart was broken, but your life was changing and you were in the best possible place in the world for it – in a beautiful place of worship, surrounded by grace. Take this time, every minute of it. Let things work themselves out here in India.”

“But I really loved him.”

“Big deal. So you fell in love with someone. Don’t you see what happened? This guy touched a place in your heart deeper than you thought you were capable of reaching. I mean you got zapped, kiddo. But that love you felt, that’s just the beginning. You just got a taste of love. That’s just limited little rinky-dink mortal love. Wait till you see how much more deeply you can love than that. Heck, Groceries – you have the capacity to someday love the whole world. It’s your destiny. Don’t laugh.”

“I’m not laughing.” I was actually crying. “And please don’t laugh at me now, but I think the reason it’s so hard for me to get over this guy is because I seriously believed David was my soul mate.”

“He probably was. Your problem is you don’t understand what that word means. People think a soul mate is your perfect fit, and that’s what everyone wants. But a true soul mate is a mirror, the person who shows you everything that’s holding you back, the person who brings you to your own attention so you can change your life. A true soul mate is probably the most important person you’ll ever meet, because they tear down your walls and smack you awake. But to live with a soul mate forever? Nah. Too painful. Soul mates, they come into your life just to reveal another layer of yourself to you, and then they leave. And thank God for it. Your problem is, you just can’t let this one go. It’s over, Groceries. David’s purpose was to shake you up, drive you out of your marriage that you needed to leave, tear apart your ego a little bit, show you your obstacles and addictions, break your heart open so new light could get in, make you so desperate and out of control that you had to transform your life, then introduce you to your spiritual master and beat it. That was his job, and he did great, but now it’s over. Problem is, you can’t accept that his relationship had a real short shelf life. You’re like a dog at the dump, baby – you’re just lickin’ at the empty tin can, trying to get more nutrition out of it. And if you’re not careful, that can’s gonna get stuck on your snout forever and make your life miserable. So drop it.”

“But I love him.”

“So love him.”

“But I miss him.”

“So miss him. Send him some love and light every time you think about him, then drop it. You’re just afraid to let go of the last bits of David because then you’ll be really alone, and Liz Gilbert is scared to death of what will happen if she’s really alone. But here’s what you gotta understand, Groceries. If you clear out all that space in your mind that you’re using right now to obsess about this guy, you’ll have a vacuum there, an open spot – a doorway. And guess what the universe will do with the doorway? It will rush in – God will rush in – and fill you with more love than you ever dreamed. So stop using David to block that door. Let it go.”

“But I wish me and David could —“

He cuts me off. “See, now that’s your problem. You’re wishin’ too much, baby. You gotta stop wearing your wishbone where your backbone oughtta be.”

AMEN.

Eat, Pray, Love (by Elizabeth Gilbert)



Nothing is real until you let go completly.

 **

Related post from July 2011
Dolce far Niente

Food and Love

They go hand in hand.

Or maybe hand in mouth.

Here is a list of some of the best food and love moments Hollywood has to offer to us, according to Avenue Magazine.

I personally just love movies ABOUT food.. not movies about love that have food in them.

The Age of Innocence

Say what you will about 19th-century New York socialites, but you can’t deny they knew how to throw a dinner party. The movie adaptation of Edith Wharton’s 1921 Pulitzer Prize-winning novel (directed by Martin Scorsese) features food porn for fuss-budgety types, with lavish displays of historically accurate cuisine. To properly re-create a scene from this film will require an abundance of silver serving dishes, servants and overall opulence — the likes of which you’ll only see at the Fairmont Palliser, Calgary's grand dame of hotels.

Meal: Chilled seafood plate (king crab legs, chilled oysters, marinated prawns, sea scallops, mussels, clams with Marie rose sauce and shallot mignonette) in the Oak Room. (133 9 Ave. S.W., 403-262-1234, fairmont.com/palliser)

Click here to see the scene.

Bridges of Madison County

It’s the age-old story of the middle-aged farmer’s wife (Meryl Streep) and the globetrotting photographer (Clint Eastwood) hooking up for four days while her husband is away at the Illinois State Fair. The food in the movie is simple and plain — think scrambled eggs and toast — and if that’s how you plan to wow your love, then you’re pretty lame. Including the film for its food is a bit of a stretch but I think Bridges is a great love story and they do eat, after all, so you can take your cues from the breakfast they share after they consummate their affair and look for the best eggs you can find.

Meal: Margarita omelette with confit tomatoes, feta and basil at Red’s Diner. (1415 4 St. S.W., 403-266-3448, redsdiner.com)

Click here to see the scene.

Casablanca

This 1942 classic is considered to be one of the most romantic films of all time, and while it’s not a gastronomic classic, they drink tons of Champagne and other tipples, making it well worthy of emulation for romantic purposes. Veuve Cliquot makes an appearance in the movie but it’s Mumm Cordon Rouge that Rick and Ilsa tipple throughout their Paris love affair. Bonus points for also featuring burbon, brandy, Cointreau and French 75 cocktails, made with gin, Champagne, lemon juice and sugar.

Drink: French 75 at Blink Restaurant. (111 8 Ave. S.W., 403-263-5330, blink-calgary.com)

Click here to see the scene.

Chocolat

Based on the novel of the same name by Joanne Harris, this film features chocolate, Johnny Depp and France. Say no more, non? On top of that, there’s comedy, sensuality and dynamic characters that make this quirky, unpredictable story both charming and touching. Despite the cliché that is chocolate and romance, this movie isn’t.

Shop: Coppeneur Chocolatier. (105 8 Ave. S.W., 403-457-4210, coppeneurchocolate.com)

Click here to see the scene.

Lady and the Tramp

Perhaps the most iconic film image of two lovers sharing a meal is actually one of animated dogs. After Tramp, a stray mutt from the wrong side of the tracks, rescues Lady, an uptown cocker spaniel, the two share a plate of spaghetti and meatballs and a night of romance ensues. Just please, please, don’t actually share a piece of pasta in public. Just because it’s cute for dogs doesn’t mean it’s cute for you.

Meal: Meatballs (frozen) and store-made tomato sauce from the Italian Supermarket. (265 20 Ave. N.E., 403-277-7898, italiansupermarket.com/)   

Click here to see the scene.

9 1/2 Weeks

This steamy, sexy drama might not be for everyone, but in the realm of erotic food scenes, it is unequalled in mainstream movies. (By mainstream I mean not porn.) John (Mickey Rourke) spoon-feeds a blindfolded Elizabeth (Kim Basinger) a random assortment of whatever’s edible in the fridge and pantry, including fruit, pasta, Jello, milk, cough syrup, honey and whatnot. As for how to mimic the moment ingredients-wise, anything in your fridge or cupboards will do.

Click here to see the scene.

Waitress

I know, I thought the same thing before I saw the movie. Keri Russell? Felicity? There’s no way this movie can be good. But the pie! The movie is about a small-town waitress who’s married to a big jerk so she makes up for her miserable life by baking the most magnificent pies. There’s a plot that involves an unplanned pregnancy and a handsome doctor and the usual sap, but if you can look beyond that and focus on the pie then you’re in for a treat.

Pie: Lemon meringue pie from Pascal's Patisserie. (101, 5240 1A St. N.E., 403-968-6158, pascals.ca. Check website for availability.)

Click here to see the scene.

When Harry Met Sally

Meg Ryan’s fake orgasm scene in When Harry Met Sally may be one of the most recognizable scenes in movie history, but what about that pastrami sandwich of Harry’s? The scene takes place in Katz’s Delicatessen, a real deli in Manhattan that specializes in pastrami, corned beef and hot dogs. Fortunately, Calgary has its own deli specializing in smoked meat so we can all have “whatever she’s having.”

Meal: Traditional Montreal smoked meat sandwich at Myhre’s Deli. (1411 11 St. S.W., 403-244-6602, myhresdeli.ca)

Click here to see the scene.

RomCom Girls

here is a delightful rundown of the common RomCom girl. Do you see yourself in any of these characters?

I am a combo of The Ethereal Weirdo and The Skinny Woman Who Is Beautiful and Toned but Also Gluttonous and Disgusting.


fact.

Cave of Forgotten Dreams

A few weeks ago I went to a movie with my friend CW. We picked a documentary called Cave of Forgotten Dreams (it's nice to have someone to go see documentaries with, they are a rare breed) which was playing at the flea pit in Eau Claire.

It was a remarkable explanation and introduction of the Chauvet Cave in southern France which I never knew existed till seeing this film. Spellbinding. Beautiful and mysterious.

I don't want to share too much because I don't want to ruin your experience when you see it-- which I think you must. 32,000 years is a long time ago and you'll be mesmerized by the discoveries. I've been thinking and talking about it for over a week now. Well over a week.

fiori di zucca

She sits there learning Italian from an attractive Italian man. Eyes look down onto her plate as she presses her cutlery into the untouched dish in front of her. A waft of steam and a slip of cream spill out for the pierce mark she makes with her fork. Suddenly the man in front no longer holds her attention. It's all about this food adventure.

If you don’t grow zucchini yourself, zucchini blossoms – or fiori di zucca, as they are known in Italian – can be hard to find. They are highly perishable.

The best way to eat zucchini flowers is to coat them in a light tempura batter, fry briefly in hot oil, sprinkle with salt and devour – right there in the kitchen, waiting for the next ones to come out of the pan.

The secret is to go easy on the batter and make sure the oil is very hot. If the oil is not hot enough, the beignets will soak up too much of it and be soggy.

Zucchini Flower Beignets

Makes 16

• 1 cup (250 mL) sparkling bottled water
• ¾ cup (175 mL) flour
• 2 tablespoons (30 mL) cornstarch
• 1 teaspoon (5 mL) salt
• 16 zucchini blossoms
• Canola oil, for frying
• Sea salt, for serving

Method:

To make batter, pour sparkling water into a medium-size shallow bowl. Sift flour, cornstarch and salt together, then gradually sift into the sparkling water, using a fork to incorporate. (The batter should be the consistency of buttermilk.) Refrigerate for half an hour.

Prepare the zucchini blossoms by cutting a slit in each flower and snapping off the pistil or stamen inside. Line a platter with several layers of paper towel and set aside.

Pour about 1 inch (2.5 cm) of oil in a deep pan or deep fryer. Heat over high heat until oil is very hot but not smoking, about 375F (190C). Drop a bit of batter in oil to test that it’s hot enough; you’ll know it is if the batter bubbles as soon as it hits the oil.

Dip each zucchini flower into the batter to coat well, then wipe against the side of the bowl to remove excess. Fry several beignets at a time, being careful not to crowd the pan, until they are crisp and golden on the bottom, 2 to 3 minutes. Using tongs, flip the beignets and continue cooking until the other side is coloured, about one minute.

Lift each beignet from the pan or deep fryer with tongs, letting the excess oil drip off. Remove to the paper-lined platter, sprinkle with sea salt and serve immediately. Repeat for remaining flowers, making sure the oil returns to the right temperature between batches.

Variation:
Blossoms can be stuffed with small cubes of mozzarella, ricotta, or halloumi cheese before being coated in batter.

The Boy who Lived

It was 2001 and for Christmas I received the first 4 books of Harry Potter from my parents. I was unfamiliar with it as I looked down on an illustration of a boy with round, black rimmed spectacles. "this is a kids book" I said to myself as I flipped it over "My parents still think I'm so young.." I smiled, delighted with the thought and thanked them muchly for the gift. The movie had come out the month before and I wasn't that interested but I'd read anything. I remember one time being so starved for words I read the wrapping on the toilet paper roll. I like to read.

The first book was thin, the skinniest of all 7 books. It was sweet and magical. I was addicted within moments. I had just finished a series of books in regards to the life of a boy named  David Pelzer as well as some Tory Hayden books. I was interested in understanding children's psychology and was working with troubled teens at the time even though I was just a young adult myself. The book started out sadly with Harry basically being victim to child abuse that reminded me of people I had read about in Tory Hayden's books as well as David Pelzer himself but then on a whim all revenge was taken and Harry's worlds turned from horrific to magical. I was captivated. I would sit on the heat registered by the front door of my parents house and wait for PB (my boyfriend at the time) to come pick-me up so we could play. He picked me up every day, from work or from home. I saw him every day. During this time Harry Potter was glued to my hands. I read out loud in the car so I could still continue on with the story but I wanted PB to be involved as well. I remember just flying through all 4 books in a matter of weeks. I would stay up all night reading them, bring them to work and read them on my lunch, leave work read them in the car with PB, go home and read them all night again. The 4th book which was by far the darkest of all them by that point was so exciting near the end I couldn't even read it fast enough. My eyes skimmed across the page at such a rate I'm sure I missed most of the story but I couldn't help it. I couldn't wait for the nano second it took for my eyes and mind to absorb the word. I had to find out what was next. At one point I put the book down and sat on it. PB looked up from his model ships and asked me what was wrong

"I don't want the book to end, it's too good. I can't let it end. I have to stop reading it." He smiled and told me to keep reading. So I did. Finished it. Cried and I reread it again that night.

I was obsessed.

2003, the 5th book came out. I bought it on my way out of the city. I was moving out to the west coast for a while. I remember picking it up the day before I left, I clung on to it as I said goodbye to PB. I was off to meet my friend Brian in Vancouver. I had loads of luggage, I remember telling Brian about Harry Potter in the taxi to the ferry terminal in Nanaimo. Walking onto the ferry I saw another man standing in front of me in the foot passenger area. This was when I met my friend David who to this day keeps me challenged and in check of myself honesty. This would be the last time I would hold this book for some time because Brian would start reading it that night. He read it feverishly the whole time we were on that little island. I think I finally read it a year later in preparation for the 6th book which was due out the following year.

2005 and book 6 was out. I don't remember reading it or even buying it. It was a weird time in my life. My whole life had changed by this point. I funny to me that I can't place the book in my life back then. I might have taken a while to buy it then it may have sat by my bed for some time. I may have taken it to Mexico with me too. I don't remember reading it but it's obvious that I did. WAIT! I have one memory, sitting in Maximes and reading the book. My coworker next to me said to me "Dumbledore dies at the end of it, I read the end while you were drawing up that ring for your client". I quiet shortly after and started managing the goldsmiths at Birks. That may have been the last straw at that place.

2007 the 7th and final book. I'm standing at midnight among thousands of people dressed as Hogwarts Students, witches, wizards, muggles and house elves. I had a plastic Harry Potter wand in my hand and my best friend by my side. We had a pint at the Leaky Cauldron and waited patiently with the other wizarding folk. I was there to buy my book. This book I savored. I read it slowly and with intention. I would sit by the river in my swim suit and read till the sun would go down. MS, my boyfriend at the time had found the whole collection of Harry Potter audio books and given them to me. I've listened to them many times. I have a memory of sitting in the kitchen with my roommate in front of me cutting veggies. He looked at me and said "Just so you know, ***** dies at the end" I stared at him in disbelief, he had read about it on Wikipedia.

In less than a decade I have experienced almost a decades of Harry life, at Hogwarts and saving the world. If you have only seen the movies you are missing the enchantment that is J.K. Rowling. Though the stories are enduring, it's her writing that makes it so. It's a kind of magic all its own. If you're read them or even listened to the audio books (which, by the way is the same narrator who did Pushing Daisy's, I flipped my lid when I heard his voice on that show for the first time) you'll know what I mean.

It would be unfair for there to be more stories of Harry. He's lived a hard life filled with angst and death. To bring him out of his retirement wouldn't be right. It's not sad to move past Harry Potter. Like other books which were loved during their time (Lord of the Rings, The Hobbit, Narnia, Shakespeare -- just to list a few) they never die. There is a satisfaction that comes at the end of the saga. It doesn't leave you in the lurch about anything. It's perfect so just let it be. Let it be.

Nick Cave, Children

Dolce far Niente

To Do List for Today: Nothing

I once read the book Eat Pray Love. I didn't finish it. I actually had an easier time reading the lesser known tragic plays by Shakespeare then I did eating reading Eat Pray Love. What I had trouble with was relating to the author and her relationship to everything. I know women live, breath, love by this book but I just didn't get it. The parts I loved was what everyone else found boring (I loved when she went to India and Bali, two places that have been on my travel list for a decade).I was very anti-Eat Pray Love and just chopped it up to my jaded nature towards idealistic concepts of self and romance (ie: I don't do chick flick romantic comedy's). Then the movie came out, I wasn't interested but when the opportunity came for me to watch it. I did. December 31 2010 before getting dressed and ready to go out for New Years. I remember not wanting the movie to end (and it didn't for a long time, it kind of dragged on) and when it did I stood up and felt different. Lighter. inspired. Something within me had shifted. I wasn't sure what but everything felt magical again. And then life took a path of it's own and I led myself through things that all should have happened over a span of 2 years but all happened within 6 months. I felt like my life had been put on a high speed euro train and I was whizzing through, catching myself up to where I should have been.

and then it stopped. It was the end of the track and it was time for me to get off. I did. I had no choice. That journey was done and it was time to move onto something else. And I did. It was a struggle at first to get my footing again but I was determined to learn and become better from everything I have learnt from my life in the past 30 years. I revisited everything again, including Eat Pray Love the movie. I watched it just a few weeks ago. I didn't watch it all the way through. I just wanted to watch it till the point when she met Javier Bardem in Bali. And I did. Last night, when I got home from spending the evening with some friends, I watch the movie again. Twice. Ending at around the same point. I wasn't ready for Elizabeth to enter a relationship. The thing that I enjoyed about this movie was how apparent the relationship was between the main character and herself. I missed that in the book. I couldn't see past all the other distractions but the movie was different. I resonated with the beauty of the film, it's peaches & cream ideas and the journey. I was able to take things from it that rang truthful for me and use it to inspire and motivate me, keeping my optimism burning strong even at the darkest moments.

It's been my dream for many, many years to take the time to travel for myself. In my head I've set a date in the new year at the start of this year. Perhaps it still might happen. This movie helps inspire me to do it, especially if I am still single.

Single.

There is a line in the film (one of many) that I think is truthful for many women.

"Since I was 15 I've either been in a relationship with a guy or breaking up with one"

This was me. Correction, this IS me. I can list off all the boys I dated, the ones I kissed, the ones I shared space with, the ones who only held my hand. Each one usually led to another. I thought I had a period in which there was nothing but as I really think about it. There wasn't. I have had 3 long term relationships of over 2 years long, 1 friend with benefits of whom had been in my life for 6 years off and on, boys always waiting for me to be single, always someone waiting. I ended all of that this year- actually.. it had been over the last few years that things started to fall away from me. Then, last month. It became just me. And I was okay with that. I was happy to be with just me. I'd toy with the idea of attracting a distraction but each time I even thought about it my gut said "no, you do not want this". So, I've been staying true to myself just as I have been for the last little while.

I've already done so much for myself and it's hasn't even been a month. I'm so proud of me.

There is a difference between Crazy Love and Real Love. I've had a little of both (but mostly real). Crazy Love can also be described as infatuation. Elizabeth does an excellent job of describing this feeling in Eat Pray Love:

"Addiction is the hallmark of every infatuation-based love story. It all begins when the object of your adoration bestows upon you a heady, hallucinogenic dose of something you never dared to admit you wanted-an emotional speedball, perhaps, of thunderous love and roiling excitement. Soon you start craving that intense attention, with a hungry obsession of any junkie. When the drug is witheld, you promptly turn sick, crazy, and depleted (not to mention resentful of the dealer who encouraged this addiction in the first place but now refuses to pony up the good stuff anymore-- despite the fact that you know he has it hidden somewhere, goddamn it, because he used to give it to you for free). Next stage finds you skinny and shaking in a corner, certain only that you would sell your soul or rob your neighbors just to have 'that thing' even one more time. Meanwhile, the object of your adoration has now become repulsed by you. He looks at you like you're someone he's never met before, much less someone he once loved with high passion. The irony is,you can hardly blame him. I mean, check yourself out. You're a pathetic mess,unrecognizable even to your own eyes. So that's it. You have now reached infatuation's final destination - the complete and merciless devaluation of self."

Real Love isn't anything like this. It's softer and grows stronger over time. It's nourishing and warm. There isn't anything possessive about it and when it goes leaves it hurts but not in a crazy way. It's special and natural and can not be rushed. Real love is flexible and moves as it is needed. You never loose yourself in real love, it just becomes a part of you. Like air.

It's the Crazy Love that we are addicted to and the thing that the unaware are always searching for but little do they know that this love is a fickle love. It leaves as quickly as it comes.

I've been thinking way more about things over than love. I've been thinking about the people in my life, the goals and dreams I have and I've been thinking about myself. I am listening to my gut because I am often reminded of how right it seems to be. How intuitive we are as humans. I've also been reminded of "dolce far niente", the sweetness of doing nothing.

 

I also have a crazing for squash blossoms stuffed with Riccota and wild mushroom risotto with roasted duck.

OH! Movies about food are my favorite kind of movie!

Life Changing

It was a few years ago that I watched this movie, Paris Je T'aime and it quickly became one of my favorites of all time. Secretly, I'm a romantic at heart. I can't help it.



This short film changed my life:

It taught me that I controlled my love, I just had to be open to it.

Bastille (XIIe arrondissement) — by Spanish writer-director Isabel Coixet. Prepared to leave his marriage for a much younger lover, Marie Christine (Leonor Watling), a man named Sergio (Sergio Castellitto) instead decides to stay with his wife (Miranda Richardson) after she reveals a terminal illness - and he rediscovers the love he once felt for her.

It's the End of the World...?

Last Night isn't about last night

I'm usually very on top of all things in the news but for some reason I haven't been with this. Apparently, the end of the world is starting it's progression on May 21st 2011 (yes, I really am going to talk about this) with "judgment day".

The first time I heard about this was just a few weeks ago from JP who seems to have know about this for a while. Everyone seems to have known about this for a while. Except me. I guess they don't talk about this stuff on the CBC. I need to listen to my morning radio show again (I haven't been because I have a new, upgraded, more enjoyable morning routine right now.) I guess. I need to broaden my news sources. Seriously. I can't believe I am so out of the loop on this stuff.

I've been trying to find information but I can't. Maybe I'm not trying hard enough? Why May the 21st? I realise it's "Armed Forces Day" on my calendar...

I just googled it again and found this site that states that it's all based on Christian Numerology. That's interesting.

So I guess what better way to ring in rapture than with a movie called Last Night. It’s about what is essentially supposed to happen tomorrow night, the last night of the world.  It asks one simple question: What would you do?

What’s great about this movie is that it isn’t an action flick with a hero trying to save the world.  Instead it focuses on a society that has essentially accepted that their lives will soon before, so they should cherish what precious hours they have left.  There’s never any mention of what is causing the apocalyptic events, but truth be told, it doesn’t even matter.  The character’s story lines vary from a couple who meet with only a few hours left, a man trying to have sex with as many people as possible and a troubled family saying their goodbyes.  I guess it’s like Love, Actually except they all die.

If you’re planning on spending Saturday night at home, I can’t recommend Last Night enough.  I’ve a done a little research and it might be difficult to track down, but just trust me and know that it is worth the little leg work you might have to do. It’s available on Amazon and probably at a Blockbuster…if you can find one that is still open.  Sadly, Netflix hasn’t picked up this movie yet, but they definitely should. Check out the trailer, if anything, it might give you a few ideas for Saturday night.

Last Night movie Trailer

So, now I ask you.... what would you do if the world were to end in 24 hours?

Hanna: The Movie

I got an email today from "the man", apparently I have advance screening passes to Hanna which is pretty exciting to me. I saw the preview a few weeks ago when I went to the screening of Unlimited (word of warning, don't waster your dollar dollar bills on that one- unless it's on the book) and thought to myself "That looks like the story of Heidi, on crack".

It has a Kill Bill meets X-Files feel to it without the yellow jump suit, Scully, and the Tarantino influence (that could be a good or a bad thing).

"The title character (Saoirse Ronan) is a teenage girl with the strength, stamina, and smarts of a soldier; these come from being raised by her father (Eric Bana), an ex-CIA agent, in the wilds of Finland. Her upbringing and training have been one and the same, all geared to making her the perfect assassin. The turning point in her adolescence is a sharp one; sent into the world by her father on a mission, Hanna journeys stealthily across Europe while eluding several agents dispatched after her by a ruthless intelligence operative (Cate Blanchett). As she nears her ultimate target, Hanna faces even more startling revelations about her existence and unexpected questions about her humanity."

Yes, Eric Bana- that threw me off too... isn't he exclusively into Chick Flicks? Well, I guess this kind of could be one as well, just not in the same way as The Time Travelers Wife would be. Hey, at least he's kind of pretty...

The director waffles a bit about how to describe the film because it's not exclusively one genre. It's a little action, it's a little thriller, it's a little dark and a little fairy tail. It also has the moody, dark tones of the Chemical Brothers setting the tone with their soundtrack made specifically for the film.

HANNA: Movie Trailer. Watch more top selected videos about: Joe Wright, Hanna (film)

Moral of the story, can't beat a free movie so I'm going regardless and hopefully, if it's a good action movie... I'll want to wrestle after.

True Grit

"Now I know you can drink whiskey and I saw you kill a rat, but all the rest has been talk"

I have to be honest with myself... I like westerns. I do not know why, I do not know how- I just do. Certain types like the one I saw last night:

True Grit

trailer for the Cohen's brothers 2010 film True Grit

Fantastic. I enjoyed the acting, I enjoyed the filming and I enjoyed story which was adapted from a novel of the same name by Charles Portis. I even enjoyed Matt Damon and I never say silly things like that- but then again, I may have just liked his spurs.

Look at What the Light Did Now

Here she comes, out from behind the shadows into the light in a cinematic fever dream. She's been in hiding for the most part aside from an interview on Q, some fantastic collaborations with Beck (a little of this and a little of that), and a few shows at the 2010 Vancouver Winter Olympic games.

Feist.

Look at What the Light Did Now- Trailer

A documentary about Feist and her collaborators by Anthony Seck. Produced by Jannie McInnes. Look at What the Light Did Now documents the journey of Feist’s Grammy nominated album “The Reminder”. This poetic film pulls back the curtain to reveal intimate partnerships with the people Feist calls her ‘amplifiers’: The photographer who helped her hide within the frame, shadow puppeteers in hockey arenas, an artist who built a thread-radiating mural, the video director who conducted fireworks, the pianist who guided the recording of the album, and other musical and visual collaborators. The film follows Feist and her supporting cast through an impressionistic array of flickering scenery, echoing stadiums, puppet workshops, the red carpet, a crumbling French mansion, definitive concert performances and uncommonly candid interviews. Itself a part of the creative mosaic it portrays, Look At What The Light Did Now illuminates the synergy of collaboration, art as magnifying glass, and the power of trust.

You can buy it December 7th and In addition to the bonus audio CD, with it’s 13 tracks and solo piano reinterpretations of Feist songs by Gonzales, the DVD release contains additional live and uncut footage from The Reminder Tour, highlights from the Living Lantern secret shows, a collection of short films, music videos, archival clips and so much more.

Check out this hidden beach canyon duet with Feist and Little Wings, performing Look At What The Light Did Now:


Little Wings + Feist Duet - Look At What The Light Did Now

(Little Wings, AKA Kyle Field, is a true west coast cosmopolitan, making art and music out of the seismic waves, skateboarding legends and freeway traffic jams that is Big Sur revivalism.)

Stunning. I'm so excited. So-so-soooo excited.

SCORE!

It takes:

• Nelly Furtado
• Walter Gretzky
• Olivia Newton-John 
• George Stroumboulopoulos
• Hawksley Workman
• a few hockey players
• A bit of Glee and a whole lot of Hockey to make this movie...

Score: A Hockey Musical

It opens this Friday and to be honest, it makes me giddy just like a Tim Hortons commercial and wool socks.

The Social Network

click "like" if you like this movie

It was about a year and 2 months ago when I first heard they were making a movie about Facebook and to be quit honest I thought "How silly!"

But then 3 or 4 weeks ago when I was sitting in the theater waiting for some movie to start (I think it was that "Summer Blockbuster" one with Leonardo DiCaprio- the ones about dreams... I can't remember the name. Starts with an "I"...) I saw this:

The Social Network trailer from YouTube

I am shocked to say that The Social Network (the Facebook movie) actually looks pretty good. But then, never judge a movie by it's trailer. I don't. I'm lucky if I ever watch the trailer... or sometimes I just watch the trailer a million times and never watch the movie (that's a whole other post).

Maybe I just like the song and how it is used in the trailer.... maybe maybe maybe.

Regardless, I take back what I said a year and 2 months ago.. it's not as silly as I thought. that doesn't mean that it isn't silly it's just less silly then everything else going on at that time.

What do you think? Would you admit to seeing this?

Would you rather watch this movie or buy an iPad (both things which initially I thought were silly but as I've grown into the idea are still silly but not as silly as before)

The Last Exorcism

The Last Exorcism- a natural type of horror movie.

Last night I went to a screening of The Last Exorcism. I had no idea what I was getting into. I didn't even  know this movie existed. I have to admit that there has been a sever lack of worthwhile freaky movies in the last while. It takes a lot to creep me out but this movie actually did it. It was the wonderful balance of vagueness and the unknown that makes "The Last Exorcism" so powerful for me. It reminded me of The Blair Witch Project amped with the classic disturbance of the original Exorcist (which remains one of my favorite movies). The Last Exorcism is smart. It's funny and more importantly, it has it moments of sheer terror might just stay with you well past the point that you leave the theater.

I don't want to say to much because I think the best thing you can do is see it with a somewhat naked, unaware mind. Go see it (if you can) and come back and report to me what you thought and then we will talk.

'This Movie Is Broken'

Falling in love is easy when you doubling on a bike made for one

The film opens with a borrowed trick from the Scorsese school of rock-docs: Begin with the end. The camera pans across legions of bearded hipsters and sun-soaked girls of summer though the opening number. Watching Leslie Feist *swoon* and Emily Haines trade vocals... I get goose bumps.

Directed by Bruce McDonald (Hardcore Logo) and written by Don McKellar (Blindness), This Movie is Broken is half-concert film, half-romance story and all Canadian. It was created in a matter of weeks and I am so excited to see it in theaters:

Trailer for This Movie is Broken

I can't possibly put into words how I feel about this film so I am going to reprint an article I read on CBC News by the fantastic Lee Ferguson:

**

Review: This Movie Is Broken written by Lee Ferguson

Bruce McDonald crafts a love story set to the music of Broken Social Scene

Director Bruce McDonald is on a roll. First, he turned the zombie movie on its head with Pontypool, and now he’s bringing that same inventive spirit to This Movie Is Broken, his take on the traditional concert film.

Unfolding on one lazy, hazy July day in Toronto, This Movie Is Broken centres on a free outdoor gig in 2009 by indie supergroup Broken Social Scene. The concert footage on display is intimate and pure documentary, but McDonald has chosen to give the audience two movies in one, weaving in a fictional narrative amongst the band’s rousing live numbers

Scripted by Don McKellar — McDonald’s collaborator on the 1989 film Roadkill — the storyline for This Movie Is Broken proves to be gentle as a summer breeze, and every bit as romantic as a Broken Social Scene song. Twentysomething Bruno (Greg Calderone) wakes up in the morning and pinches himself to make sure he really did consummate his relationship with his longtime friend Caroline (a luminous Georgina Reilly ) the night before

The one hitch in this budding affair is that Caroline is heading to school in Paris the next day, leaving Bruno with 24 hours to make a lasting impression by staging the perfect date. Egged on by his savvy buddy Blake (Kerr Hewitt), Bruno promises to score backstage passes for Caroline’s favourite band (i.e. BSS) before the day is through.

This unique blend of concert footage and fictional drama bears a resemblance to Michael Winterbottom’s 9 Songs, where scenes of a young couple’s sexually charged relationship played out against a backdrop of vibrant performances at London’s famed Brixton Academy. But where Winterbottom’s movie oozed art-house pretension (and had zero emotion), This Movie Is Broken sneaks up on you, gradually growing more affecting. Like its characters, the film seems to merely drift along, which makes it a genuine surprise when a stirring moment arrives (like the passionate kiss that plays out to the sounds of Feist’s Past in Present ).

As the dramatic story builds, there is more than enough concert footage on offer to keep diehard Broken Social Scene fans bouncing in their seats. Shot at a live performance at Toronto’s Harbourfront, these scenes give viewers an all-access look at the band’s dynamic stage show. The camera zeroes in on band members at key moments, capturing frontman Kevin Drew’s tapping feet; Amy Millan glancing sideways at her cohorts before singing her next line; or a band mate leaning over to affectionately adjust drummer Justin Peroff’s glasses mid-show.

This Movie Is Broken is handsomely shot, and as with many of McDonald’s recent pictures, there’s a playful experimentation at work. The movie often feels like a collage, meandering away from its main narrative to savour random images – of Caroline’s feet peeking out from under a bathroom stall, the late-afternoon sunshine on a bike path or light tracing the surfaces of one character’s crinkly skin.

This may sound precious, but This Movie Is Broken never feels that way. McDonald’s artier flourishes are subtle and always serve a purpose – he’s using the images to give an impression of the characters and the music. In one terrific scene, Caroline walks through an underpass while the strains of the show can be heard in the background. As the glow of taillights and the fluorescence overhead moves across her face and dissolves into something abstract, it mirrors what’s happening back at the concert, where BSS’s instruments crash up against each other, colliding into a strange, beautiful cacophony

The movie’s stellar concert footage kicks off with Kevin Drew calling out to the adoring audience, “Toronto, we love you. Let’s hear you scream for yourselves!” — in fact, the entire movie feels like a rallying cry. This Movie Is Broken is an ode to the city that begat BSS, and some of its most loving cinematography is reserved for shots of Kensington Market patios, downtown bike paths and the overflowing trash bins that were a fixture in Hogtown during the garbage strike of 2009.

Some of this scenery is unbelievably hip, but then, so are the movie’s characters. One of the most interesting things in This Movie Is Broken is how attuned it is to the youthful subculture Bruno, Caroline and Blake inhabit. While it would have been easy to take shots at the characters’ carefully selected vintage clothing and perfectly groomed beards, McDonald and McKellar take the trickier route of giving these scenesters their due. They remember what it’s like to be in your twenties — when smoking joints, hearing bands and figuring out relationships are all matters of great urgency.

This warm, respectful tone is what ultimately unites the film. This Movie Is Broken is about Broken Social Scene, but it’s also about its fans. McDonald’s film is for them, and understands what they already know – that while relationships may come and go, the memory of a great gig will remain forever.

-Lee Ferguson writes about the arts for CBC News.

**

Everything A whole lot of everything that I love, all wrapped up in one little movie. So Excited.






The Official Article can be found HERE

The Speech

There was a time in my life that I was in love with Kevin Smith. I think back now and I can't remember where it started or how I got my hands on the movie Chasing Amy. Somewhere, someone slipped me their copy and in a week I probably watched that movie 12 times. I haven't seen it in years and can't remember if the guy even got the girl in the end. I remember that it may have been Ben Afflecks best role and of course, I remember the speech. Silent Bob's only words though the whole movie still taste as bitter sweet as they did when I first heard them (see video).

Last year I did see Kevin Smith in concert (if that's what you can call it). He stood on stage and answered questions from the audience, it was great. Someone was so excited that they got a bleeding nose- seriously. It was pretty funny. Even now, I still can't put a finger on why I like him so much, perhaps it's his geeky exterior or his smart words or the fact that he has been a guest star on Degrassi (one of the "Bad TV" shows I watch) on more then one occasion. Maybe it's his dedication to Jason Mewes sobriety. Maybe it's all that and more, combined. Who knows, it's a mystery but what I can say is I always look forward to the next thing Kevin Smith creates regardless of how vulgar he makes it.