Let Us Love Winter

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New Movies: Friday, December 14, 2012

I realize there are more movies opening this weekend, but really, who's going to notice over the juggernaut that is:

The Hobbit

The adventure follows the journey of title character Bilbo Baggins, who is swept into an epic quest to reclaim the lost Dwarf Kingdom of Erebor from the fearsome dragon Smaug. Approached out of the blue by the wizard Gandalf the Grey, Bilbo finds himself joining a company of thirteen dwarves led by the legendary warrior, Thorin Oakenshield. Their journey will take them into the Wild; through treacherous lands. Bilbo Baggins not only discovers depths of guile and courage that surprise even him, he also gains possession of Gollum's precious ring that holds unexpected and useful qualities... A simple, gold ring that is tied to the fate of all Middle-earth in ways Bilbo cannot begin to know.

Full of Doubts

I Am Your Parent

Star Trek: Into Darkness Teaser Trailer

In Summer 2013, pioneering director J.J. Abrams will deliver an explosive action thriller that takes ‘Star Trek Into Darkness.’ When the crew of the Enterprise is called back home, they find an unstoppable force of terror from within their own organization has detonated the fleet and everything it stands for, leaving our world in a state of crisis.

With a personal score to settle, Captain Kirk leads a manhunt to a war-zone world to capture a one man weapon of mass destruction. As our heroes are propelled into an epic chess game of life and death, love will be challenged, friendships will be torn apart, and sacrifices must be made for the only family Kirk has left: his crew.

What the Hell Are you Reading?

From Amazon
Author Erik Larson imbues the incredible events surrounding the 1893 Chicago World's Fair with such drama that readers may find themselves checking the book's categorization to be sure that The Devil in the White City is not, in fact, a highly imaginative novel. Larson tells the stories of two men: Daniel H. Burnham, the architect responsible for the fair's construction, and H.H. Holmes, a serial killer masquerading as a charming doctor. Burnham's challenge was immense. His efforts to complete the project, and the fair's incredible success. The activities of the sinister Dr. Holmes, who is believed to be responsible for scores of murders around the time of the fair, are equally remarkable. He devised and erected the World's Fair Hotel, complete with crematorium and gas chamber, near the fairgrounds and used the event as well as his own charismatic personality to lure victims. Combining the stories of an architect and a killer in one book, mostly in alternating chapters, seems like an odd choice but it works.
--John Moe

New Movies: Friday, December 7, 2012

We're in the weird period before the holiday movies come out, so I'm scraping the bottom for these picks:

Deadfall

Siblings Addison (Eric Bana) and Liza (Olivia Wilde) are on the run from a casino heist gone wrong. When a car accident leaves their wheel man and a state trooper dead, they split up and make a run for the Canadian border in the worst of circumstances – a near whiteout blizzard. While Addison heads cross-country, creating mayhem in his wake, Liza is picked up by ex-boxer Jay (Charlie Hunnam), en-route for a Thanksgiving homecoming with his parents, June (Sissy Spacek) and retired sheriff Chet (Kris Kristofferson). It’s there the siblings are reunited in a terse and thrilling showdown that pushes the bonds of family to the limit.

Playing for Keeps

Gerard Butler, Jessica Biel, Uma Thurman, Catherine Zeta-Jones and Dennis Quaid star in “Playing For Keeps,” a romantic comedy about a charming, down-on-his luck former soccer star (Butler) who returns home to put his life back together. Looking for a way to rebuild his relationship with his son, he gets roped into coaching the boy’s soccer team. But his attempts to finally become an “adult” are met with hilarious challenges from the attractive “soccer moms” who pursue him at every turn. Playing For Keeps is directed by Gabriele Muccino, the director of The Pursuit of Happiness.

Hyde Park on the Hudson

Academy Award nominees Bill Murray and Laura Linney star in a historical tale that uniquely explores the all-too-human side of one of history’s iconic leaders. Blending literate wit and drama, “Hyde Park on Hudson” is directed by Roger Michell from a screenplay by Richard Nelson. In June 1939, President Franklin Delano Roosevelt (played by Mr. Murray) readies to host the King and Queen of England (Samuel West and Olivia Colman) for a weekend at the Roosevelt home at Hyde Park on Hudson, in upstate New York – marking the first-ever visit of a reigning British monarch to America.

Bad Kids Go To Hell

On a stormy Saturday afternoon, six students from Crestview Academy begin to meet horrible fates as they serve out their detentions. Is a fellow student to blame, or perhaps Crestview's alleged ghosts are behind the terrible acts?

New Movies: Friday, November 30, 2012

Killing Them Softly

Three dumb guys who think they’re smart rob a Mob protected card game, causing the local criminal economy to collapse. Brad Pitt plays the enforcer hired to track them down and restore order. 

The Collection

A man who escapes from the vicious grips of the serial killer known as "The Collector" is blackmailed to rescue an innocent girl from the killer's booby-trapped warehouse.

Note: It appears this is a sequel to a 2009 movie called, The Collector. Who knew? The trailer for that one is also embeddd below.

Beware of Mr. Baker

Ginger Baker is the original rock ‘n roll madman junkie drummer superstar who everyone thought was dead but somehow survived 50+ years of heroin abuse, disastrous experiments and 5 marriages on 4 continents.

Addicted to Fame

A documentary that goes behind the scenes of the movie Illegal Aliens, and a filmmaker's journey from obscurity to moral blindness in the seductive glare of the media spotlight.

 

Universal Soldier: Day of Reckoning

Surviving Unisols Luc Deveraux and Andrew Scott battle anarchy to build a new order ruled by Unisols without government oversight. To accomplish this, they weed out the weak and constantly test their strongest warriors in brutal, life-and-death combat.

Talaash

A cop, a housewife and a prostitute get entangled in a mystery that links their lives in unexpected ways.

Cool Stuff: Doctor Who's Sonic Screwdriver Remote Control

Thanks to Think Geek, there's now a full size replica of the 11th Doctor's Sonic Screwdriver – that will control your frikken television! How amazing is that? There's a a lot of waving and poking that's involved in the control, but even the thought of just owning this baby is making me drool. The $99 (US) price tag makes for a very indulgent holiday gift!




Here's some extra images from the site:

New Movies: Friday, November 23, 2012

Red Dawn

In Red Dawn, a city in Washington state awakens to the surreal sight of foreign paratroopers dropping from the sky – shockingly, the U.S. has been invaded and their hometown is the initial target. Quickly and without warning, the citizens find themselves prisoners and their town under enemy occupation. Determined to fight back, a group of young patriots seek refuge in the surrounding woods, training and reorganizing themselves into a guerilla group of fighters. Taking inspiration from their high school mascot, they call themselves the Wolverines, banding together to protect one another, liberate their town from its captors, and take back their freedom. It stars Patrick Swayze, C. Thomas Howell and Charlie Sheen…oh wait…never mind. "Avenge me, boys! AVENGE ME!!"



Now, here's the original Red Dawn trailer from 1984:

Rise of the Guardians

When an evil spirit called Pitch becomes bent upon taking over the world by inspiring fear in the hearts of kids everywhere, a group of our greatest heroes -- Santa, the Easter Bunny, the Tooth Fairy, the Sandman and Jack Frost -- band together for the first time, determined to stand in Pitch's way. More than a collection of storybook subjects, The Guardians are also a band of superheroes, who possess their own special powers. Now joined in opposition of a common foe, the Guardians heed the call and combine their powers to defeat Pitch and protect the world from his campaign of fear.

Silver Linings Playbook

Adapted from the best-selling novel by Matthew Quick, The Silver Linings Playbook is a touching, one-of-a-kind comedy about love and second chances.

Pat Peoples (Bradley Cooper) is a man always trying to look on the bright side of life – the title of the story takes it’s name from the expression that “every cloud has a silver lining.” Released from the hospital after losing his wife to another man, Pat believes this age-old adage is just the ticket to trying to win her back and get his life on track. Trying to remain resolutely undiscouraged, Pat moves back in with his parents and devotes himself entirely to becoming the man his wife always wanted him to be. But it’s an uphill battle. Until Pat meets Tiffany (Jennifer Lawrence), a beautiful young woman whose life also has not turned out the way she wanted. Together, the couple will try and navigate through their lives and stay true to who they are, always just one adventure away from a unique friendship, and possibly even love.

Life of Pi

The film is based on Yann Martel's coming-of-age survival tale.

The novel revolves around a youth who is the lone survivor of a sunken freighter and winds up sharing a lifeboat with a hyena, an injured zebra, an orangutan and a hungry Bengal tiger.

Anna Karenina

The third collaboration of Academy Award nominee Keira Knightley with acclaimed director Joe Wright, following the award-winning boxoffice successes “Pride & Prejudice” and “Atonement,” is a bold, theatrical new vision of the epic story of love, adapted from Leo Tolstoy’s timeless novel by Academy Award winner Tom Stoppard (“Shakespeare in Love”). The story powerfully explores the capacity for love that surges through the human heart. As Anna (Ms. Knightley) questions her happiness and marriage, change comes to all around her.

Hitchcock

Hitchcock is a love story about one of the most influential filmmakers of the last century, Alfred Hitchcock and his wife and partner Alma Reville. The film takes place during the making of Hitchcock’s seminal movie Psycho.

The Central Park Five

In 1989, five black and Latino teenagers from Harlem were arrested and later convicted of brutally beating and raping a white woman in New York City's Central Park. New York Mayor Ed Koch called it the "crime of the century" and it remains to date one of the biggest media stories of our time. The five each spent between 6 and 13 years in prison before a shocking confession from a serial rapist and DNA evidence proved their innocence. Set against a backdrop of a decaying city beset by violence and racial tension, The Central Park Five tells the story of how five lives were upended by the rush to judgment by police, a sensationalist media and a devastating miscarriage of justice.

Fiction Factory: Cilla Ambrose (Part 5)

PART TWO: The Doorway 

The woods were dark, and Cilla couldn’t see two feet in front of her. Lucky she didn’t trip and fall over a root in her panic. She got out from her hiding spot and started to slowly work her way deeper into the trees. Ray’s screams had subsided, she was alone in the quiet. She listened for footsteps, broken twigs or scuffling leaves. Ray had given her up, she hoped but now what was she going to do? First up, find a way through the woods and she could figure something out after that.

“You ok?” Remy asked.

“Yep”

The trees were tall with age gouged deeply into their bark. The way was slow, Cilla didn’t need to fall and break any bones to add to her problems. There seemed to be a natural path between the trees. It was a good way to go, slowly a step at a time. The moon cast enough light once her eyes grew accustomed to the dark. Cilla saw her way, a weaving path covered in pine needles and cones.

Remy ran from one shoulder to the other, crossing behind her neck.

“Can you stop that?” she asked.

“Sorry, I can’t help it. This whole situation is making me nervous. Do you understand what happened tonight? You’ve made an enemy of him.”

“I was already his enemy. He made it clear he wanted nothing to do with me. It was only a matter of time before I had to go.”

“But he was mad …”

“Yeah…”

They walked on in silence a while longer. There were fain scurries in the leaves to Cilla’s left and right. Night hunters.

“Does it hurt?” Remy asked.

“What?”

“The lights…did it hurt when you …”

“When I …?

“you lit up like a candle–BOOM–Ray was in the wall. Did it hurt when you did it?”

“No. Hot though.”

Cilla ran her hands up and down her arms, and across her chest. She couldn’t feel them, the crystals were in there but she couldn’t find a trace. She looked at her palms, the place where the light had shot out, there was nothing; not a burn, not a blister. What did happen?

As she walked Cilla tried to make it happen again, to will the light to return. Nothing.

She focused, she thought of Ray and his rage. Still nothing.

It was a long walk, the woods were deeper than Cilla imagined. She found a log and sat down for a moment to rest her legs. She was lost, she was alone and deeply frightened. She wanted her mother. That wouldn’t happen, not anymore. Cilla was on her own now, she had to fend for herself and be the boss. Remy scrabbled down her arm and sniffed at the log.

“I don’t know where we are,” She admitted.

“What?”

“We’re lost Remy. This is farther than I’ve ever gone into the woods. Have you been this far out?”

“Love, I don’t get past the cage or even your bedroom. I’ve slipped out and curled up on the pillow beside you when I’m lonely but I can’t get far with these feet.”

“Right. Well, I didn’t know the woods were this deep. I thought we would have come to the other side by now. I haven’t got a clue …”

The temperature was chilly. Cilla’s breath plumed from her mouth. There was a faint mist around the trees, swirling its way along the path. She was tired, her feet hurt. She looked up at the moon and wondered what time it was. It was close to 10 pm when she escaped from the house. Who knows how long they’ve been hiking.

Crack!

A noise to the right of the path, into the thicker grouping of trees.

Crack, crack!

Again!

Remy scuttered back Cillas arm to his safe perch on her shoulder.

“What was that?” the rat asked.

“I don’t know.”

CRASH!

“Ok, this is not good!”

“I know, I know.”

Cilla stood and began to search the darkness for the source. Nothing in any direction.

“It’s Ray, he’s found us!” Remy was starting to panic.

“Calm down Rem, he hasn’t found us. He would make noise, he’d be on us hard, don’t you think?”

“ I’m scared”

Cilla began to feel warmth in her chest. Her breath was catching in her throat, she panted.

“Remy it’s happening again!”

The heat spread through her, down her arms and legs. Across her chest and through her skull. Her body felt light, she felt woozy and her vision began to darken. She couldn’t feel her feet, the ground beneath her. Cilla looked down and saw she was floating two feet above the forest floor.

“Remy! Help me!”

Remy couldn’t help for he was only a rat. Inside he felt the need to do something, but what could he do? He dug into the back of her neck with his claws and hoped he wouldn't fall off.

Cilla raised her arms and her chest began to glow brightly. She could feel a ball in her guts, like a hiccup on the verge of escaping. She looked around her, fear taking over. The pressure and tingling rose out of her stomach and up through her hands. There was an intense, shattering light and a feeling of release and Cilla was on the ground panting and crying.

She rolled forward and vomited onto the ground in front of her. The light and heat disappeared.

Cilla looked to the forest trees, a wide path had been torn through, wood was splintered and pulverized. She had blown a path through the trees with the pulse from her hands. What are the crystals about? What is happening to me?

A glow began to form at the end of the rough path Cilla had ripped through the trees.

“Remy? You okay?”

“Yes, I wanna go home.”

“Me too.”

Cilla slowly rose to her feet and began walking through the broken trees.

“This isn’t right Cilla. Please let’s just go.”

The glow grew brighter. Cilla was walking on instinct. Something was drawing her forward.

“Let’s just take a small peek, Rem. Ok?”

“Like I have any choice?”

The path was 200 yards deep, as she drew closer to the source of the light she thought it reminded her of an archway. There seemed to be a door in front of her, but that couldn't …

“No way!” Cilla stopped in her tracks.

Remy peeked out from his hiding place behind her head.

“Oh…”

Cilla and Remy stood speechless in front of a red door sprouting from the forest floor.

* * *

Ray felt his rage draining. He stood in the backyard staring into the forest.

“She went in there,” he told himself.

Yes, she did. So what are you planning on doing?

“She went in there!”

So, what are you waiting for?

Ray was in pain, his back and legs in agony from the header he he took into the wall. She did it to him. Little bitch has to pay. She has his crystals. He can feel the pull to find her, to find the crystals growing stronger.

If she went in there, why are we waiting here?

“Let me think for a few minutes!”

That’s what you’ve been doing for five minutes already. Are you planning on doing anything soon?

“Just give me a break, I’m going to find her my way!”

Sure, okay…your way.

PHOOM!

The sky was filled with a bright light. Ray was thrown down again. He jumped back up and he could see across the tree line the origin of the pulse. Someone was using her stolen power. I can see you! It gave him just enough of a hint to start his search.

“I’m going to find you, Kiddo!”

Power Records Presents … !

It’s funny how as we get older we tend to reflect back on the things that made us happy as children. As children we never understood how those moments would remain in our hearts, or even shape our adult psyche. We would take for granted that those moments were there forever, that nothing would end them. Then as we grow older, we get new moments that capture our interests. Those childish things are put away, forgotten perhaps destroyed. Sometimes, when age allows the world to slow down and remember what it was that excited your childish heart.

In the 70s, there was a record label called Power Records that released a series of records and books. The ones I had as a kid were 45 RPM but they also released 12 inch LPs that compiled 3 stories onto one album. The stories were media tie-ins from 70s pop culture like the Planet of the Apes, Marvel and DC superheroes and the Monster series. I loved these things, I listened over and over. I had listened to the Planet of the Apes series before I saw any of the movies. The best part was the comic book that accompanied the records. The art was fantastic!

The Monster series was great. The Monster of Frankenstein and The Curse of the Werewolf were my favourites. The Man-Thing was frightening! Night of the Laughing Dead was about a circus clown that was in love with a woman he could never have. A few of the circus hands push him around so the clown decides to commit suicide. He returns as a ghost for revenge and to let the woman know how much he loved her. It was pretty heady stuff for an 8 year old.

Hours upon hours were spent listening to my Power Records collection. However in 1977 the company was folded. There are a few websites devoted to these gems, some even have downloads for the audio tracks, and PDF versions of the comics. If you’re interested in learning more I’d suggest visiting Power Records Plaza, The Power Records Pages or Power Records blog. These pages haven’t been updated in a couple of years, and most of the links to audio are deactivated but there’s some good background info.

New Movies: Friday, November 16, 2012

The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn - Part 2

Brought back from near-death by Edward after childbirth, Bella begins her new life as a vampire and mother to their daughter, Renesmee. When the Volturi are led to believe that Renesmee was not born as a vampire but, rather, turned into one in violation of their code, the Volturi set out to destroy the child and the Cullen clan. The Cullens band together with vampires from around the world to stand united against the Volturi.

28 Hotel Rooms

Both traveling for work, in a city in which neither lives, a man and a woman have a one-night stand. Months later, in another city, they run into each other in a hotel restaurant and sleep together a second time. Though she's married and he has a girlfriend, they decide to keep meeting. This begins an unexpected love that slowly evolves into a profound relationship and threatens to impact everything else in their lives.

Barrymore

Christopher Plummer recreates his Tony-winning performance in the film version of William Luce's acclaimed stage play "Barrymore," in which Plummer gives a haunting portrayal of legendary thespian John Barrymore. The full-length feature was filmed over seven days in Toronto's Elgin Theater, where Canadian director Erik Canuel (TVs Flashpoint, Good Cop Bad Cop) used HD cameras to capture, essentially, a one-man play -- although the recent Oscar-Winner does share the screen with a concealed stage manager played by John Plumpis. BY Experience, the NY-based distributor that specializes in live cinema events, will release the film in theaters this fall. In the meantime, you can check out the film's trailer which indicates Plummer, who at 82, is seemingly getting better with age.

Holy Motors

While following a day in the life of Mr. Oscar as he attends several appointments, things quickly unravel and spiral out of control, abandoning all sense of logic or sanity. Fans of Carax's 'Mierde' segment of Fantastic Fest 2008 hit TOKYO! will be right back at home.

The Normals

With a debt collector hot on his trail, Harvard graduate Billy Schine enrolls in a clinical drug trial to make a quick buck. Carted out of New York City in a shuttle full of oddball characters, Billy and the rest of the guinea pigs, affectionately referred to as "Normals," camp out at hidden research facility. When not popping pills, being tagged, drained of blood, prodded, poked and color-coded, they are telling horror stories of previous tests or generally getting on each other's nerves. As the test drags on, just being there starts to take its toll, and tensions build until the dam finally bursts. Billy realizes that there is no such thing as "normal."

Jab Tak Hai Jaan

Yash Chopra's last labour of love was his dream ever since his last outing as a director with Veer-Zaara. His untimely demise three weeks before the release of his last film makes this film even more special for fans of Yash Chopra and now the title "Jab Tak Hai Jaan" (Till my last breath) captures the legend and his passion for cinema. This is Bollywood at its best! The film stars The King of Bollywood - Shah Rukh Khan, Katrina Kaif, and Anushka Sharma. Music is by the Oscar-winning A.R. Rahman and produced by Aditya Chopra.

Cool Artist: Justin White

A year or so ago I tried my hand at t-shirt design at Threadless. The attempt went nowhere, the competition and the scope of the art that is being produced there is unparalleled. I wasn't worthy. So, today I was surfing and came across an artist that had his artwork printed as a shirt more than once. His name is Justin White. On November 16th he is unveiling his first solo show Rated G at Gallery 1988 in Los Angeles. It's a series of painted animation cells illustrating scenes from popular movies. It's a neat idea, and the finished work is outstanding.

So, if you're in the area check it out!

Alien

Fargo

Reservoir Dogs

it's weird and pissed off, whatever it is

LOST

Cool Artist: Andry Shango

I was browsing Deviant Art yesterday and stumbled on a great set of illustrations but Andry Shango. Go check him out, he has a nice portfolio of comic book and movie images. They're really awesome!

Nice work Andry!

Uncle Bane

Venin

Spidey's Foes 2

WW

Browncoats Unite!

This year marks the 10th Anniversary of the seminal sci-fi series Firefly. Created by Joss Whedon in 2002 the series flared with brillance but burned out way too soon by FOX television. Due to the unheard of success of the DVD series set, the 14 episodes have become a cult favourite and spawned fans around the world. Fans dub themselves Browncoats after the rebel faction Malcolm Reynolds (Nathan Fillion) fought for. 10 years later, the actors have gone on to other projects but each one of them has a special place for Firefly and it's subsequent big screen picture Serenity. Nathan Fillion has said on occasion that Firefly was the best working experience he has had. A couple years ago Fillion, speaking to an Entertainment Weekly reporter, said that “If I got $300 million from the California Lottery, the first thing I would do is buy the rights to Firefly, make it on my own, and distribute it on the Internet.” Of course the internet exploded! Fans began to send money to the website helpnathanbuyfirefly.com, which prompted Fillion to hit twitter with this plea:

So, in our minds and hearts the exploits of the firefly class starship Serenity will have to fly on in our own adventures. However, the Science Channel has brought together most of the cast for a 10th Anniversary special, Firefly: Browncoats Unite. It was broadcast last night in the US and I can only hope that SPACE here in Toronto will pick it up and let us see it.

To celebrate I found that great illustration at the start of this post, from illustrator Patrick Ballesteros. It's called Brownie Coats, and it's all the gang in child form. A great sentiment of the escapist, imaginative fun that was Firefly. Enjoy!

La Danaide

In honour of Rodin's 172nd birthday, I'm posting some pics of my favourite of his scultpures:

"La Danaide"