Poems and Rhymes From Around the World

Dan DickinsonLeave a comment

Little too tired to blog much today. Didn’t get home from work until 8:30 and it was a crap day. All the more reason, I guess, to be excited about the first TIFF film I’ll be watching about 23 hours from now. I kick things off with Waltz With Bashir (tiff), ’cause nothin’ says “film festival” like an animated war documentary subtitled in Hebrew.

I don’t know how blogging is going to go, especially during the first few days. This Saturday and Sunday are my heaviest — 4 films each day, with MIdnight Madness both nights — so there might be some radio silence. I’ll probably mutter inanities on twitter while waiting in line, and try to save the blog for reviews and more substantial observations than “in line at ryerson again need to pee”. I’ll have my teeny tiny laptop with me so if I have a break between screenings and can locate some free wi-fi, I’ll do my best to keep up.

In other film news: yet another Chuck Palahniuk book coming to theatres near you. According to Paste casting for Lullaby is already underway, and Choke doesn’t even come out for another three weeks. I liked Lullaby more than Choke, so I wait with bated breath.

[tags]tiff, chuck palahniuk, midnight madness[/tags]

Doot doot plot

Dan DickinsonLeave a comment

Random-y thought-y-ness. Yay-y.

  • This is the most excited I’ve been about the TIFF in a good long while. The prospect of shutting down my life (I’m taking six days off work) to watch this many films, and get this into the festival, feels pretty awesome right now.
  • I feel like our Canadian election cycle — the Prime Minister dropped serious hints about an election last week and we’ll likely go to the polls in mid-October — makes so much more sense than the American election cycle. First, two months of bleating, braying political ads is quite enough. Second, as Naomi Klein explains in a recent AV Club interview, having a constant two-year cycle of elections & midterm elections makes politicians afraid to actually do anything lest they hurt their upcoming election chances…and with a constant, two-year cycle an election is always upcoming. Not that Canadian politicians are fearless & efficient, but at least the irregular, unpredictable nature of dissolving parliament and calling an election limits the degree to which that plays on a politician’s mind.
  • Mill Street Belgian Wit Beer is good. My wife’s homemade pizza is excellent.
  • I’ll miss the Mars Phoenix.
  • Colin Farrell’s a pretty good guy, apparently. Just ask Stress.
  • In mid-September the LCBO will once again carry the Great Lakes Pumpkin Ale, among others. Between this and the Winter Ale, Great Lakes is fast becoming my favourite seasonal brewery.
  • Every time I listen to Mississauga Goddam by The Hidden Cameras, I’m surprised all over again just how good it is.

[tags]tiff, tiff08, canadian election, mill street belgian wit, colin farrell, great lakes brewery, lcbo, hidden cameras[/tags]

We're in line for Bel Biv DeVoe tickets. Want one?

Dan DickinsonLeave a comment

Yet another beautiful, sunny day in Toronto. We both slept in, got some breakfast and then made for the ticket pickup line at Yonge & Dundas. It was a monster, going all the way around two sides of the block and halfway down the third. We stayed in line for about half an hour before Nellie sent me home to work on…um, work. She was in line for more than an hour after that, giving me time to finish off at least some of what needed to be done.

A note about lineups: few things bother me more than when random strangers stop and ask why people are lining up. Not festival-goers asking if they’re in the correct TIFF line, mind you; that’s common, and quite necessary. No, I mean the people who are appalled at the very idea of not being in the know about some kind of organizing function on Yonge Street, and who demand to know what it is, perhaps so they can join in, perhaps so they can assuage their fragile ego that no, that’s not something they wish to attend, so they don’t have to go home and weep gently at not having been invited. Wankers.

Anyway. Once she got home we went back out to enjoy some more of the day (standing in the shadows of Toronto Life square waiting for an envelope does not a nice summer day make) and walked down to HTO park. It’s hell ass balls hot outside, so after walking all the way down there we decided to stop at Smokeless Joe on the way home, for shade & beer & and food. We got all three, and it was very very good.

Back to TIFF: I’m happy to see that one of the films I’ll be seeing — Slumdog Millionaire by Danny Boyle — is generating good buzz at Telluride. Hopefully it’ll offset the less flattering reviews I’ve heard about Rian Johnson’s latest The Brothers Bloom.

[tags]tiff, tiff08, hto park, telluride, slumdog millionaire, the brothers bloom[/tags]

So this is what regular life feels like

Dan DickinsonLeave a comment

Long weekends used to mean an extra day to get schoolwork done before going back to the office. This long weekend, on the other hand, has meant an aggressive regime of nothing topped off with some lazy-sprints. True, we’ve cleaned up and organized and bought some things for the condo, and done the usual mundane housekeeping things like groceries, laundry and, well, housekeeping, but it’s felt like a very nice, relaxing weekend indeed. I had no intention of going away or doing anything for the long weekend (TIFF all but prohibits that anyway), just enjoying the city. And the weather…my god, the weather. Sunny & warm, but not muggy or smoggy. Just perfect. The barbeque’s gotten a workout.

Speaking of TIFF, Nellie got all 20 of her #1 picks too. She never did get her email, but we checked online et voila. We have 17 together, which is nice; always better to have someone with you in the line.

We’ve watched a couple of movies this weekend too, in an attempt to clear off the PVR in advance of next week when some things will pile up. Dan In Real Life (imdb | rotten tomatoes) was ok…cute, if a little boring. Steve Carell proved once again that he can do subtle as well as over-the-top. 30 Days Of Night (imdb | rotten tomatoes) wasn’t bad, as far as violent vampire thrillers go, but when your two leads are as bland and expressionless as Josh Hartnett and Melissa George, you’re in trouble. Timothy Hutton almost saved the film, but not quite.

[tags]tiff, toronto weather, dan in real life, 30 days of night[/tags]

23 boxes = closer than you might think

Dan DickinsonLeave a comment

My first time picking 30 film festival movies went better than I could have expected. Not only did I get all 30 tickets without missing any, but I got my first choice in every case. Here’s the final list:

  • Waltz with Bashir
  • RocknRolla
  • Me and Orson Welles
  • It Might Get Loud
  • Sauna
  • Nick and Norah’s Infinite Playlist
  • Religulous
  • Deadgirl
  • Is There Anybody There?
  • Slumdog Millionaire
  • Zack and Miri Make a Porno
  • Not Quite Hollywood
  • New York, I Love You
  • Het Zusje van Katia
  • A Christmas Tale
  • Flash of Genius
  • Er Shi Si Cheng Ji
  • The Brothers Bloom
  • The Hurt Locker
  • Leonera
  • Martyrs
  • Fifty Dead Men Walking
  • Synecdoche, New York
  • Tokyo Sonata
  • Acolytes
  • El Cant dels Ocells
  • L’Instinct de Mort (Formerly Mesrine)
  • Domovoy
  • Bajo Suelos Ricos
  • Miracle at St. Anna

I like that list. I like the mix of bigger, more popular releases and small international titles.

I didn’t realize this when I was picking them out, but the Ryerson is easily the most frequent theatre for my viewings. In fact, 11 of my first 12 screenings are there! Fine by me, since the Ryerson and the AMC are the closest theatres to my place. Here’s my breakdown by theatre:

  • Ryerson 19
  • AMC 5
  • Scotiabank 3
  • Varsity 2
  • Isabel Bader 1

Note the absence of the Cumberland (they were all but shut out this year), and the paltry number at the Varsity. In years past I’d have spent most of my time at the Varsity and seen at least one or two at the Cumberland. The inexorable march downtown continues, I guess.

Now I have five days to relax before the games begin. Must buy Gatorade, nutrigrain bars and an ass pillow…

[tags]tiff, tiff08[/tags]

Just call me sweetbuns

Dan DickinsonLeave a comment

I’ve just gotten back to the city after a few days at my boss’s cottage up north. Work thing…get some people out of the office for a couple of days to actually think about some stuff instead of just putting out fires. And bond a little too. My boss made ridiculous amounts of ridiculously good food (lot of ridiculous going on up there, including the above-captioned nickname) and it was nice to wake up next to a lake again.

But now I’m back, and have returned to film festival news. We were in box 32 of 78 (thanks baby!) and they appear to have drawn box #9 in the lottery. I think that puts us in pretty good shape. With 30 films I suppose I’ll miss one or two, but I’m feeling pretty good about it. Now I just have to wait for the email…

[tags]tiff, tiff08[/tags]

Everybody…word scramble!

Dan DickinsonLeave a comment

It’s official: I passed my final exam, which means I passed my final course, which means I have an MBA. I guess technically I wait until my convocation in October, but whatever.

So…now that I have BComm, FICB and MBA trailing after my name, what fun words can I scramble those words into? I suspect it could be difficult, given the paucity of vowels.

[tags]mba[/tags]

TIFF picks, or: a fool's hope

Dan DickinsonLeave a comment

OK, I think I have this sorted. Here’re my choices (first / second) for the thirty films:

  1. Waltz with Bashir / JCVD
  2. RocknRolla / Delta
  3. Me and Orson Welles / One Day You’ll Understand
  4. It Might Get Loud / Vinyan
  5. Sauna / More Than A Game
  6. Nick and Norah’s Infinite Playlist / Il Resto della notte
  7. Religulous / Three Blind Mice
  8. Deadgirl / The Burning Plain
  9. Is There Anybody There? / Afterwards
  10. Slumdog Millionaire / Voy a Explotar
  11. Zack and Miri Make a Porno / Genova
  12. Not Quite Hollywood / Hunger
  13. New York, I Love You / Disgrace
  14. Het Zusje van Katia / Den du frygter
  15. A Christmas Tale / At the Edge of the World
  16. Flash of Genius / Management
  17. Er Shi Si Cheng Ji / Flammen & Citronen
  18. The Brothers Bloom / Snijeg
  19. The Hurt Locker / Adoration
  20. Leonera / What Doesn’t Kill You
  21. Martyrs / Revanche
  22. Fifty Dead Men Walking / Gomorra
  23. Synecdoche, New York / Anonyma – Eine Frau in Berlin
  24. Tokyo Sonata / Uncertainty
  25. Acolytes / $5 a Day
  26. El Cant dels Ocells / Pontypool
  27. L’Instinct de Mort / The Dungeon Masters
  28. Domovoy / Control Alt Delete
  29. Bajo Suelos Ricos / Lymelife
  30. Miracle at St. Anna / The Other Man

Now I just have to fill out the form and cross my fingers.

[tags]tiff, tiff08[/tags]

TIFF: the most wonderful time of the year

Dan DickinsonLeave a comment

I have now read through the film festival guide book and marked off the films I would like to see. This is my first year seeing 30, and I think I may not have been sufficiently adventurous. Seeing 30 films means picking 60 (you pick a 1st and 2nd choice for each ticket) and I don’t think I’ve marked 60 films that aren’t off-limits because of venue.

Nellie’s going through hers right now. We have to have them all selected by the end of the night since I’m leaving town tomorrow. Speaking of which…must pack.

.:.

More film news: they’re making not one, but two sequels (probably) to Hard Core Logo (imdb | rotten tomatoes). Time to grow hair again, Hugh Dillon.

[tags]tiff, tiff08, hard core logo[/tags]