I will never marry a man that ... (pt 6)

I will never marry a man that, upon being alerted to some sort of social wrongdoing, declines to intervene. Examples of such wrongdoings: a woman being disrespected in any way, bullying, thievery, old people falling.

Trip Notes #3 - Switzerland

Although our four days in Nice were lovely, we were ready for new adventures on the 5th morning, and we were off to Switzerland! Having made no arrangements for our transportation to the airport, and realizing about 1 hour prior to our flight as we packed up our suitcases that: public transportation hasn't started running yet, the phones in our room don't work (not that we knew any cab numbers anyway), and it would take at least 2 hours to walk there. Distressed, we made our way outside only to find a cab waiting there - just for us! We still haven't figured out how this happened, and resolved to grant the good deed to either our thoughtful hotel managers or the kindly gods of travel (who must have been taking pity on us ever since our London ordeal).

The flight was uneventful, but our arrival in Geneva was unpleasant: it was about 10 degrees and I, for one, had not packed proper winter wear. Arriving at our hotel (the 'Nashville', how American) we passed many interesting sights including numerous strip clubs and prostitutes, finally realizing why we had obtained such a good rate on the room. In Geneva we ate extremely overpriced meals and marvelled at how little there was to do. We also took a 30 euro train ride to a completely boring and dreary French village and resolved not to do random day trips again. We also began calling all the extreme sporting venues we could find on the internet, often to rudely awake people because we insisted on making our inquiries at 6 in the morning. Finally the weather behaved itself, and we made our way to picturesque Interlaken - a stop that I highly recommend if in the area. Our adventure for the day was originally to be sky diving - but was downgraded to paragliding to save money.

Paragliding is not at all scary, it's like drifting over the clouds in a miniature plane ... minus the walls. (And excepting the cliff jump beginning). We payed a little extra for some "in flight" pictures, which I will develop and post here one day. Overall we enjoyed Switzerland but were quite pleased that our next stop, Barcelona, had considerably more favorable weather forecasts.

Pictures.

#5 - Little Miss Sunshine

Little Miss Sunshine is a movie about how families, even at their most destructive, are a unit onto themselves. They exist almost in their own universe, while the world rolls along outside. Despite being a comedy (with excellent adult wit), LMS also doubles as a dramatic satire about the traditionally dysfunctional American family. Two of my favorite scenes emphasize this duality: any one of the “family member runs after moving van” moments, and the son’s monologue on the pier (not to mention the amazing ending). What I particularly enjoy about this film is that it has a lot to say, but perhaps not one particular, conventional message. It allows the audience to take what wisdom or wit from the film that they so choose. Truly a delight of 2006.

Things I love (pt 5)

Rollercoasters! Most especially, those at Cedar Point. My favorite are traditional-style with very high, fast initial drops. Example: Millenium Force.

Trip Notes #2 - Nice, France

After our uneasy, sleepless start to the trip in London, we arrived in Nice extremely thankful that it was a beach town with not a lot to see. We got off the bus from the airport at the wrong stop, and had to walk about half an hour to our hotel - but we could have cared less at that point. In fact, the walk was right along the beach so it was a nice introduction to the beautiful green/blue waters. We stayed at a bed & breakfast about one block from the promenade, and surrounded by traditional French street-front cafes. In fact, we woke up every morning (or afternoon, depending on how lazy we were feeling) to the sound of accordians. We spent most of our days (and nights) on the beach working on not being so Canadian (i.e. pale). On Day 3 we took a small boat cruise where the girls conveniently ducked as waves crashed over the side and straight into my face. The boat's tour guide pointed out Elton John and Mick
Jagger's palatial ocean-view estates. That same evening we were able to take a $5 euro trip over to Cannes to catch the very last day of the film festival. No movie star sightings (fun fact: Caroline had been in an earlier year and saw the cast of Star Wars), but we did see lots of people running around in tuxedos and evening gowns, giving the town a very glamorous feel.

Photos.

# 6 - Borat

Comedies are inherently difficult to review – does being funny make it a successful cinematic endeavor? I’m not sure I know the answer to that question, neither from my own point of view or in a general sense. However, I am quite sure that Borat goes beyond a hilarious mockumentary and into the realm of meaningful social commentary. It is not the funniest movie ever made; some scenes are repetitive and others you may have to hide your eyes a few times to get through. But, I don’t care about that, I was impressed most by scenes such as the one in which Borat receives social etiquette lessons from a rich family in the deep South. They do not raise their voices when, being naïve about proper toilet use, Borat brings his poop back to the table. But, they scream that he must leave immediately when he invites his black, prostitute (but otherwise lovely!) girlfriend to the soiree. Another meaningful scene involves a group of college frat boys on an RV spewing idiotic comments about women. Their subsequent lawsuits are just silly. Regardless of the producer’s offer of alcohol to loosen them up, they were not forced to drink ALL of it. Moreover, the values they portrayed were obviously instilled a long time ago. In short, Borat delves into the prejudices of America that are normally left to the realm of "serious" films ... and that is very nice indeed.

Critic's Review.

Collaborative Blogging and Other Things

- Matt has resurfaced the idea of doing a collective blog on the subject of movies. If you would be willing to participate, let me know.
- Occasionally, rainy days are quite nice. Like today.
- I'm reading a book called "Blindness" by Jose Saramago, on page 20, so it's hard to give a plot synopsis just yet, but basically a man goes completely blind unexpectedly, In retrospect, you probably could have figured that out for yourselves, Anyway, the story is interesting but the author does this very weird thing, he connects about ten thoughts together at a time, via horrible comma splices, But, I guess I'm getting used to it.
- Just got back from seeing the Bourne Ultimatum. Thumbs up. Perhaps more later on another blog!
- Despite very recently returning home from the longest trip of my life to date, I have started to think about what I would like to do on my next trip. My current idea is a big, old fashioned, USA Roadtrip with (hopefully) a couple friends. I would want to go for around 4-6 weeks and possibly see all of the "main" 48 states ... or at least the majority. I would like to see the big cities such as LA and Vegas, but also the millions of little towns with their giant pancakes/balls of string. And of course Yellowstone, the Grand Canyon, Mount Rushmore, etc. Current cost estimates are around $3000-$3500 per person, which isn't too bad for a 40 day trip! Potential timing would be summer 2010.
- Finally, wow exciting!!

Trip Notes #1 - London

London: Day 1

- Flight was interesting, sat next to a 30-something music teacher from San Fransico who grew up with Sofia Coppola, used to date Reese Witherspoon's best friend, and frequently attends Quentin Tarantino's parties (which are apparently quite weird). Yelled at by cranky old woman for talking while she was trying to sleep.
- Arrived in Heathrow, took an all-too-expensive (but still the cheapest option) 13 pound subway ride to Central London. 30 bucks for a subway ticket? Seriously?
- Found hostel easily, dismayed at poor quality of carpets. Generally confused by the "hostel system", which takes some getting used to; left keys in room which automatically locks, flooded a bathroom, failed to persuade French-speaking man to let me into the luggage room, etc.
- Went to meet travelling companions, two girls from Ivey, at the London Eye at 11am. Disorientation took hold as I exited the metro and ended up walking straight ahead to what I thought was the closest bridge (there was also one behind 10 feet behind me) only to find that bridge was closed, and I would have to walk the 10 minutes back to the bridge I should have taken in the first place. Mid-walk the 11am bells started ringing and I was worried that being late would start the trip off on the wrong foot - so I ran to the London Eye and arrived at 11:02am sweating quite profusely. Of course, they were half an hour late.
- Walked around Central London with them, stopped for lunch at Covent Garden - decided Sangria is gross - got lost because we didn't have a map, agreed to go back to our separate hostels and meet at Picadilly Circus later that evening. I left them with the warning that I might just stay in that night and sleep off my jet lag.
- Had a nap at the hostel and met a few nice Chinese girls, one of whom was using the hostel as her permanent residence while she looked for a teaching job.
- Decided not to start the trip off on an anti-social note, and went to meet the girls for a night of dinner and dancing. How I would regret this decision later!!
- As you probably know by now, the evening ended tragically with us waiting for a bus home at 4 in the morning and the London underbelly swallowing up my purse. I did actually see whom I presume was the underbelly agent, walking quickly in the other direction (when we realized my purse was gone, we went to look for him but no trace). But then again, he could have just been a guy in a hurry.
- The rest of the night was spent filing police reports, making midnight phone calls home, retrieving luggage, and (barely) catching our early afternoon flight to Nice. Quite the day!
- Lessons learned: 1) when travelling, no matter how jetlagged and disoriented you are, have the wherewithal to separate your valuables and leave some of them locked up in your luggage. 2) never take both your eyes and hands off of your purse or wallet.

Hi there

Hello blog readers, if there are any of you still out there!

I am writing to you from Vilnius, Lithuania today. It is 9pm here and a bit cold despite it being July. (But this is apparently quite unusual, despite how far North it is).

I like it here. On Friday I am off to Riga, Latvia. After that Estonia, Finland, Germany, Salzburg, Amsterdam, Belgium, London - HOME.

So far I have been (oh gosh this is difficult!): Nice, Switzerland, Barcelona, Ibiza, Paris, Prague, Venice, Milan, Rome, Greece (Mykonos, Santorini, Athens), Vienna, Budapest, Poland, and Lithuania.

Top 3 trip highlights: Versailles, Pompeii, paragliding over Swiss Alps.

If you want, you can inquire of Matt for photos from Nice and Switzerland (it took about 3 hours to upload each because the computers here don't seem to have a much-needed Java plugin and I don't have admin priviledges to download it) ... so you can understand why I stopped there!

Well then. I have not much else to say!

PS.

My movie list will continue when I'm back!

Bon Voyage to Me

So long blogging world! I leave for a very long European adventure in less than 24 hours ... I am mostly ready to go, but there are a million things I feel like I have to do first. Not planning on sleeping much! I'm hoping to start a travel blog but I haven't chosen a site yet - any suggestions? Worst case I'll just write in my journal and post everything when I get back. And of course expect some random updates here, as well.

Au revoir
Ciao
Adios
Arrivederci
Auf Wiedersehen
Goodbye :(

Life updates!

No time for breathing these days, all life all the time! Here's some of what I've been busy with:

Accounting Courses --- Ivey may be in the ground, but accountants never sleep! So far we've written 3 exams, done 2 presentations and submitted 2 assignments. Did I mention we started these courses only two weeks ago?! Still to go there is one exam and 4 assignments. Funnily, this hasn't been stressing me out that much. The only difference between getting a 50 and a 90 is personal satisfaction ... it still just goes down as pass or fail on your CA transcript! (I've been getting 80s, for the record).

Europe Trip Planning --- I leave in less than 3 weeks and I'm gone for quite a long time. I'm also going alone, and in peak season, which means it is really best to book hostels in advance. All of which adds up to a pound of work. You should see my spreadsheets!

Saying Goodbye to Friends --- nearly everyone but the accountants and those who hail from London have left by now, but at one point I had a close friend leaving nearly every day! Many of whom (because Ivey graduates tend to pursue international careers) I will not see for at least a few years. And of course everyone wants to have dinner or hang out before they leave...

The Toronto Kerfuffle --- so you may remember a few months ago I joyfully posted some pictures of my future roommate, Azadeh. Well turns out that's not happening! She's transferring to a different school and won't be living in Toronto anymore. As much of a hassle this is, a part of me is relieved because she is really quite unreliable. I've been talking to a few friends and haven't had much luck finding a new roommate yet. I know a couple of Ivey girls who want to collect 4-5 girls and get a big house in North York. This would be great except they're being sort of wishy-washy about doing it for sure ... I just want people who can committ! So if there's one thing keeping me up at night, it's this.

Tying Up Lose Ends --- along with the trip planning, comes things like taxes (which are done but still not sent in! I suck!), cancelling internet for the summer, dealing with graduation details, needing to get glasses before I leave, confirming employment details with Deloitte, etc. etc.

Not complaining or anything - these last few weeks have honestly been great! But if you haven't heard from me in a while and you think you should have (i.e. my parents! not the rest of you!), here endeth my explanation.

# 7 - The History Boys

Ah, they should make more movies like this. By that I mean ones which are driven by character and not plot. The History Boys is a bit like an R-rated Dead Poets Society, at least in form. The substance is really quite different. The mentor, instead of being harmless and inspirational like Robin Williams, likes to take his male students for rides on his motorcycle so that he can make them do ... naughty things. Strangely enough, this teacher (played delightfully by Richard Griffiths) is also harmless! The movie makes his behavior acceptable and even funny; a note-worthy achievement in itself. I really like that the film was able to make light of what are usually such serious, depressing issues. Quite an original take on a group of young British men as they finish their entrance exams to Oxford and Cambridge. The “inspirational learning” scenes are so much better than the ones in DPS (which I also love). They mostly take place in French and are so intellectually stimulating that they make you wish you had gone to a British prep school, even if you had to endure the creepy motorcycle rides! I love that this movie just has so much life. Everything from the back-and-forth banter, to the luscious green scenery, to the boys’ (mostly homosexual) passion is endowed with so much vivacity. Even the bittersweet (and slightly miscalculated) ending could not dampen the joyful memories I have of watching this film.

Critic's Review.

Probably worth a read

Lost D.O.C. recap

# 8 - Children of Men

Don’t let the gray cinematography, 1984-ish themes, or the fact that none of the characters have a future fool you --- this in an uplifting movie! I may be the only person who walked out of the theatre with that sentiment, but I’m sticking to it. But first, some background info. So one day, humans stop having babies and everyone goes a bit crazy. Then some activists (lead by Julianne Moore) find a pregnant lady and … well everyone goes even more nuts. Clive Owen is protecting the mommy to be, and in the process there is a scene where the chaos that surrounds them stops for a second to appreciate this woman (pictured above). I found it to be one of the most hopeful moments of any film in 2007. Children of Men is one of those rare action-packed, heart pounding movies that is about something more than a jewel heist or a bomb in the subway. It’s kind of about what it means to be human, and how our legacy (or lack thereof) can affect that. Watch this excellent piece of sci-fi work, and then consider movies like War of the Worlds and Hitchiker's Guide and what a diservice they have done to the genre.

Critic's Review.

# 9 - Casino Royale

Finally, the franchise gets its much-needed upgrade (not just an update). This entry throws away the usual nonsensical plot, increasingly absurd gadgets, and unskilled female leads. This is a gritty, emotional, well-made film. Much more Bourne Identity than The Avengers. What’s particularly lovely is that Craig’s Bond goes far beyond martinis and beautiful women – he’s a fully fleshed-out human being for the first time. Sometimes he’s impossibly cruel, other times achingly vulnerable, and finally we understand his attitude towards relationships, MI6, and England. I would argue that (hold your breath) this goes beyond anything Sean Connery ever brought to the role. Ok, feel free to stop reading now. The ending runs too long and is a bit too predictable, and I’ll need a few more Craig outings to officially decide … but I have an inkling we’ve just seen the best Bond, in one of the best Bond films ever.

Critic's Review.

# 10 - V for Vendetta

Having read the graphic novel some time before seeing the movie, it’s obvious that two hours isn’t nearly enough to present the complexities of Alan Moore’s work. But, I would say, despite the standard ‘Hollywoodization’ process, the Wachowski brothers did the source material considerable justice. The film retains its soul and spirit, and is a really a movie driven more by the message than the medium (despite all the jaw-dropping action and special effects). Natalie Portman is good, Hugo Weaving embodies everything that V is, and the authentic British supporting cast lend some credibility. The twists and turns are well executed, it never drags on, and it’s impossible not to get at least a little emotional during the climactic final scenes.

Critic's Review.

The Worst Movies of 2006

Preface: I mercifully didn’t see very many bad movies this year. Certainly none that rival my hatred for The Aviator. In fact, I don’t feel particularly strongly about any of them, but of course I’ll beef up my hatred for the sake of this list.

5. The Da Vinci Code

Not a particularly good book (if someone tells you anything by Dan Brown is one of their favorite books, discard their knowledge of all pop culture as irrelevant), but certainly an exciting one. Although you might find yourself throwing the book across the room in a rage fueled by its utter disregard for believability, it is fairly well the definition of a page-turner. Unfortunately, the movie is neither good nor exciting. First we have the terrible casting of all the main characters (Harrison Ford, at age 64, would have made a better Robert Langdon than the all too loveable and wimpy Tom Hanks). And what were they thinking with Ron Howard? One of the most bland, literal directors operating today brought nothing interesting to the production. Even Audrey Tautou, a very lovely actress, was too obvious a choice. Can you imagine what a different movie this could have been with the same script but this line-up: Alfonso Cuaron, Daniel Craig, and Sophie Marceau?

4. The Lakehouse



The passionate chemistry between Keanu Reeves and Sandra Bullock was lost after Speed. Maybe they’re both too old, or too married, but it feels like this is their 50^th wedding anniversary. In other words, they are in love but boringly so. On top of that, it makes no sense. Literally sit there with a pencil and paper and try to make some sense of the timeline (not to mention how they could possibly own the same dog), and you’ll agree it’s impossible. And no, the story isn’t good enough to overlook this ridiculousness.

3. Superman Returns



Oh what a train wreck. Can someone please ban Kate Bosworth and her ribs from making movies? And Kevin Spacey’s days as an arch villain should have ended with Keyser Soze. But I won’t argue with the choice of Brandon Routh, he was physically perfect and a decent enough (if not good) actor for the part. What’s really upsetting is how lackluster everyone is. It’s like they are living in a nightmare that they can’t wait to wake up from. Batman had more gusto for life and I think Metropolis would be a more joyful hometown than Gotham City! They should have made Superman Begins instead of Returns ... oh and also with a completely different cast and script.

2. Cars



I don’t see why everyone went so ga-ga for this animated drivel. Sure Paul Newman was pretty cute as a blue chevy (or whatever he was), but the story was so contrived and snore-worthy. Cars do not make good animated characters. Penguins do! Happy Feet was much better.

1. The Devil Wears Prada



The more praise a film gets that I did not like, the higher it’s pushed on this list. I can understand the love for Meryl Streep – excellent as always – but otherwise this movie has no soul. We’re suppose to relate to Anne Hathaway’s character, the everyday girl shoved into the New York fashion world, but she makes such inane choices like cheating on her amazing farm-boy boyfriend (Adrien Grenier of Entourage, wildly miscast) and we’re still suppose to sympathize with her and cheer when he takes her back? That’s not laudable, in my mind, and neither is this movie.

Today is Luke's 22nd birthday. Happy birthday kiddo!

In other, far less important news, I have a million things to do and at the bottom of that list is writing and publishing (to this blog) my 2006 movie list. The actual rankings are complete, but it's the write-ups that take time. I'd like to do it right now, I'm really quite tempted! Soon.

This can't be good

Although I wasn't entirely sure whether or not the original version of Across the Universe would be amazing or awful, this can't be good news.