Peter Theatre

It's Just a Game, Right?

noreply@blogger.com (Peter) — Wed, 15 May 2013 13:31:00 +0000

It's Just a Game, Right?

It's taken me a few days to digest the Leafs' loss. Not the loss, per se, but the way they lost — up 4-1 with 10 minutes left, only to lose in overtime. Then again, it's just a game, right? I guess it reminded me of how the Canadian Juniors lost to their Russian counterparts in a similar fashion. I thought I didn't care. Then I watched a few minutes of the Sens vs Pens game and I realized I cared too much. I don't think it's about the teams but just the general lack of sportsmanship. In this aspect, the playoffs can be terrible to watch. When the ref pockets the whistle, the injustices, perceived and real just pile up and when I saw Orpik slam a much smaller player into the boards, in a play that at any other time of year would have been any number of infractions (boarding, cross-checking, interference — take your pick) I felt my blood pressure rise and my cheeks redden. But that's "playoff hockey". I think there's probably something better to watch than bullies beat up on "pesky" players (read: a player who takes many minor cheap shots to the point of annoyance). Perhaps a cartoon about a boy and a dog or something with vampires in it.

Unexpected, But Not Unimaginable

noreply@blogger.com (Peter) — Mon, 13 May 2013 04:17:00 +0000

Unexpected, But Not Unimaginable

Phil Kessel sweeps in a soft backhand to put the Leafs up 2-0 in the 3rd.

I think I had forgotten my desire for the Leafs to beat the Bruins tonight or repressed it so deeply that when Phil Kessel made it 2-0 in the third, I surprised myself with my own expletive-filled expression of joy. Yes. Go Leafs, go… et cetera, et cetera. A game seven win might be too much orgasmic energy to be contained. It would be beyond expectations, of course, but not beyond imagination, and that's saying something.

Oh and by the way, Happy Mothers Day, Mrs. Reimer.

Seen in April

noreply@blogger.com (Peter) — Thu, 02 May 2013 05:34:00 +0000

Seen in April

A few of the moving pieces of House of Cards

A lot games this month. Games of thrones, card games, silly games of age. There was so much bad news lately (Boston, Texas, Syria, Iraq, Bangladesh) that an entertaining distraction was most welcome. I tried drinking like Don Draper (Manhattan anyone? Whisky Sour to your taste? How about an Old Fashioned?) but I could not keep up and switched back to tap water and TV.

Game of Thrones, Season 2
Why am I watching this? The dialogue drives me nuts. The story is ridiculously convoluted and it can be hilariously melodramatic and pretentious. This isn't "I, Claudius" after all. Still, it does have dragons and swords and wenches and stuff. I maintain that the creator, George R. R. Martin, is more like the Comic Book Guy from the Simpsons than Tolkien or LeGuin. The story is so confusing. Basically, everyone, everywhere has a "rightful" claim to a throne but have failed to notice the barbarians at the gates etc. Is that right? Whatever – I've fallen for the production design and the mere pretence that something will happen. File this under "guilty pleasure".

Treme, Season 3
Same old, same old. Quality written stories with engaging characters with whom we share their highs and lows in America's beat up, beautiful city of Jazz.

Django Unchained
Another revisionist historical revenge fantasy from Tarantino, reformed in his exploitation / pulp genre. Thoroughly entertaining with some great dialogue. Both Christoph Waltz and Jamie Foxx are great as a successful bounty hunter partnership. Yet… did the script deserve an academy award? Was it anything new? I really hated the extreme camera zooms - which is as dated as patched bell bottoms and the explosive extreme violence was, well, explosive and extreme. I want to not like DiCaprio as the sadistic slave owner but he was having so much fun as the villain it was contagious.

This is 40
I generally liked this Judd Apatow picture of two 40-year-olds realizing everything that used to come easily is harder than it seems. It got poor reviews and a luke warm reaction from audiences but I think it shows some maturity from Apatow. Maybe it was overly long, which seems to sort of be Apatow's thing - let a story wind down at the third act, then create a sort of crisis which extends like an epilogue. There are still some scatological jokes which seemed out of place, but in general I laughed, and it was honest. As a bonus, Apatow and Leslie Mann's daughter plays Mann's daughter on film and the kid has game. Note that this is the second Apatow film with the number 40 in the title and a climatic sequence involving a protagonist in a bicycle accident.

House of Cards
The Netflix original series about a high ranking congressman and party whip, Frank Underwood and his Machiavellian machinations on The Hill. One thing I like is the quality of the production is really incredible. Everything from the sets, musical score to the costumes feels like a feature film. Netflix have made a series before (Lillehammer) but this time, they doubled down. Another thing to like are the performances, particularly Robin Wright, who as the manipulative woman-behind-the man made my blood run hot and cold simultaneously. Generally I find Kevin Spacey a bit scenery-chewing, as though I can see him "acting" but I think the part called for that kind of affected gravitas and guile. Though I find it hard to believe it took until the end of the series to meet his match in political game play in the Warren Buffet-esque character of Raymond Tusk. I've also just finished Season One of Homeland so I've been watching a lot of Beltway drama, so I feel I should temper this with a season of Veep to keep it lighter. I've also just learned that Netflix has all three seasons of the original British series. It could be a long summer.

The Cruelest Month

noreply@blogger.com (Peter) — Sun, 21 Apr 2013 02:11:00 +0000

The Cruelest Month

image via Boston Globe

I've heard that November is the cruelest month. This year, a span of a week in April has been beyond cruel, landing somewhere around vicious. Wars and time shook off more than a few mortal coils. When Roger Ebert succumbed, it prompted Dick Cavett to muse, "Why isn't ever Dick Cheney?" It may never be it seems, as the former vice president watched Margaret Thatcher put to ground. Then Jonathan Winters faded from light and bowed out. Still no sign of Cheney's demise. Also with no sign of Spring in sight, we buttoned our top button and slung our scarves and leaned to the wind. The wind blew back when two bombs killed three and wounded hundreds in Boston. Poison powder was sent to two US senators, a judge and the president of the United States. A fertilizer plant explosion blew a hole in the heart of Texas killing 14 and injuring over 200 people. Simultaneous car bombs blasted away 30 or more lives in Baghdad and when you weren't looking the Syrian civil war worsened. You wouldn't blame someone for waxing poetic for the time when news had to be printed on paper and delivered the next morning. You couldn't turn it off. The "feed" of information was gluttonous and spewed forth bile with fierce purpose. As though the Universe was trying to teach us all a lesson.

Pardon me for being glum. To cheer ourselves we watched cat videos. Others apparently don't need cheering; they were already oblivious. Those Americans who complained when a game show was interrupted by a Presidential speech. Yet others were too busy crafting viral memes from the misery to notice what assholes they had become. When no one will give us our bread and circuses, I guess we'll make our own.

This does not help the ailing heart, nor the spirit. You want to give up, or alternatively don a heavy pair of steel-toed boots and put said boots to any jeering, spitting, careless twit who comes between you and solace. Not that I'm complaining. I am blessed. I am privileged. I am fine. I guess. It's all just a bit withering though isn't it? I'm made weary by it. My pockets are full of stones and I'm already up to my waist in a cold fast-running river. If my knees buckle I'll go under. But there is no river to take you away. The news of the World is so in your face, you wish you could just punch back, breaking its nose in three places and send it crying home to its mother.

You can't do that either. I'm not asking for a bad news shut down, I only want to tighten the tap a little and reduce the flow. Why does it seem that bad news clusters so? When it comes, it's an open fire hydrant gushing out. Not to exaggerate the trivial, but Toronto feels like a town at the nexus of pathetic fallacy. We live under a solid grey sky amongst stunted plants and walk on frozen mud. We'll take a pass on extravagance, thank you very much. No bike-share programs for you, forget a winning team to support and the only thing our thick oaf of a mayor can offer is the dismal opportunity of making depression and addiction a worthwhile pursuit in the form of a casino. He does however make an excellent clown and that's something to applaud I suppose. At least he's trying. I for one appreciate Rob Ford's slapstick. Walking into things only to bawl that someone hit him. Well, even he can laugh at it now. At least I think he's laughing? He might just be thinking about a bucket of fried chicken.

Sorry. I did it again. Just another thing to be depressed about. To cheer me up and in an attempt to lose weight by switching from beer to grain alcohol, I tried my hand at a cocktail tonight so here's a recipe for a Manhattan:

2 Oz of Canadian Club rye whisky
1 Oz of sweet vermouth
several dashes of a bitter
stirred with ice
garnished with a cherry

It's like an hot water bottle for your soul.

Weird April Time line:
April 4, 2013: Roger Ebert dies.
April 8, 2013: Margaret Thatcher dies, triggers Tory tributes and death parties.
April 11, 2013: Jonathan Winters dies.
April 15, 2013: Boston Marathon Bombings kill 3 and injure hundreds.
April 15, 2013: 31 killed, over 200 injured in Baghdad bombings.
April 16, 2013: Ricin-laced letters mailed to US president, senators and a judge.
April 16, 2013; Rita MacNeil dies.
April 17, 2013: West, Texas Fertilizer Plant Explosion kills 14, more than 200 injured.
April 19, 2013: MIT police officer, Boston Marathon bombing suspect shot dead, 2nd suspect arrested.
April 20, 2013: Dick Cheney still living.

This Thing Just Got Real…

noreply@blogger.com (Peter) — Fri, 05 Apr 2013 21:02:00 +0000

This Thing Just Got Real…

image via Brooks England Blog

Then again, I guess it was a "Thing" all along. I've only recently started riding the distances wherein chamois cream may be considered. I have a friend who has ridden thousands of kilometres without the stuff and believes saddle sores are caused by funky riding shorts. I think the first season I rode thousands of kilometres with underwear beneath my riding shorts, which seasoned riders would think of as heresy – I think they're not wearing the right underwear. This season, I'm switching the riding shorts for riding undergarments – just like the Mormons – and I'll be wearing more regular looking shorts on top. I don't mean for training rides but on touring rides. I've been wearing the new underwear on the trainer and I have to admit, they are not as comfortable as regular riding shorts but I guess I'll eventually get used to them. I can't say riding sores have ever really been a problem but maybe I'm just not riding enough. If riding more is the only way to find out then I'm game to get my rash on! The Ride to Conquer Cancer is only 2 months away so at some point my 20 mins on the trainer will have to migrate to 5 hours on the road.

Seen in March

noreply@blogger.com (Peter) — Wed, 03 Apr 2013 20:10:00 +0000

Seen in March

Scene from Zero Dark Thirty whereby a team of Navy SEALs do what they do. Image via the Hollywood Reporter

Lincoln
Steven Spielberg's epic portrayal of Lincoln's struggle to pass the constitutional amendment that would emancipate slaves and abolish slavery in America feels at times like a period piece version of C-Span. The climatic vote is stirring though full of dramatic pause, but Daniel Day-Lewis as Lincoln is very, very good. He made an almost mythical historical figure a real person yet still iconic. It's hard to believe that abolishing slavery had to be argued at all but it is shown here with all its dirty laundry.

Argo
Ben Affleck's Argo tells the story of the six American hostages who escaped from Iran in 1979 during the Tehran hostage crisis. It is told from the point of view of the CIA agent who conceived of the idea of disguising the six Americans as members of a Canadian film crew. So the Canadians involved don't get their due, Iranians involved don't get their due and frankly anyone not named Tony Mendez doesn't get their due. But that is kind of the point; Tony Mendez never got his due and this is his story. It's an effective drama that shows just how little we know about the intelligence agency and just how much they sometimes give. It might be interesting to see this period of history depicted more deeply as a mini-series rather than a 2 hour film.

Seven Psychopaths
Martin McDonagh's follow up to In Brugges is a similarly funny, intelligent and violent thriller about writer's block that doesn't work quite as well. As much as I wanted to like this, I can't really recommend it.

The Dictator
Sacha Baron Cohen is a troublemaker who likes making anti-gay and anti-Semitic jokes to prove a point. This film about a fictitious Arabic dictator walks the line, many times crossing it but it's all in good fun isn't it? Cohen has been described as shameless or impossible to embarrass and you may have to find some of those qualities in yourself to enjoy this movie.

Black Mirror
Cross Roald Dahl's Tales of the Unexpected with The Twilight Zone mixed with the moral morass of an age of mobile phones, ubiquitous video and photography without privacy and you may have a good picture of what this intelligent and surprising British drama is like. It is very good.

Louis C.K.: Live at the Beacon Theater
Excellent hour of stand-up comedy from a man who is more artist than clown. I'm a fan. Not everyone is. His absurdist humour is intelligent but can be blunt at times which I think, is the point. This production is also a standout for its quality and the fact that the comedian did it all himself. He rented the hall, hired the camera and sound crew, directed, produced and edited it himself. Film and television are often thought of as collaborative arts but Louis C.K. has shown how a singular vision it can be. He is the The Singularity of Hilarity.

Tabloid
The Errol Morris documentary about Joyce McKinney, a one time beauty queen (apparently) with a (self reported IQ) of 168 who became obsessed with a pudgy Mormon missionary, Kirk Anderson (sp?) in the late 70s. She loved him so much that she followed him to England where she abducted him, keeping him in a countryside cottage for 3 days, having sex to break him from his Mormon "cult", while believing he would marry her. Kirk so feared excommunication from the church he later claimed to be kidnapped and an unwilling participant triggering Mckinney's arrest. As always with Morris documentaries, the subject is given more than enough rope to hang themselves. My only problem is the film purports to be about the Tabloid press' fascination with a sex scandal but it really is more about the truth we tell ourselves versus the truth as others see it.

Zero Dark Thirty
Intense is probably not the right word for this film. There are moments of a quiet procedure interrupted by horrible violence. The story of Osama Bin Laden's capture and death could only ever be that way. Much has been made of the torture scenes and its role in the plot but it is pretty clear how fruitless any information garnered from torture was. The really useful information seemed to come from interrogations in confinement and not torture (though the threat is present). The rest of the story is "old fashioned police work" and new fangled technology. The dramatic Navy Seal operation is intense but surprisingly the soldiers are depicted as working confidently, assuredly and with focus. When the moment does come it is without fanfare. "Geronimo. For God and country. Geronimo." Maya, the agent who tracked the courier that led to success is poignantly shown crying without an answer to the question "Where do you want to go?"

The Story of Film. An Odyssey.
A meditative, philosophical and international series that looks at the history and significance of movies. From the British Film Institute. At times a bit esoteric but comes across as an enlightening love poem to movies and filmmakers.

Easy as an Easter Sunday

noreply@blogger.com (Peter) — Mon, 01 Apr 2013 04:32:00 +0000

Easy as an Easter Sunday

Easter Sunday from rowdyman on Vimeo.

Here's an Easter card in lieu of a printed one. Despite another grey Toronto day, the atmosphere was sunny and bright at Bec, Andy and Gina's. A finely wrought feast was set with all seated bringing forth each their own contribution. From spaghetti squash, ratatouille, sprouts (with bacon and without), salads, wine, fresh baked bread¹, some of the most tender, fall-off-the-bone ribs you'll ever have and finished with an assortment of chocolates, cookies and one "I spy with my little eye, some of Nonna's famous apple pie". As evidence, I submit for your viewing pleasure the above videola picture-gram. Set to the tune of a duet of Andy and Gina's practiced hand, a fine afternoon was had by all on this day of our Lord, two-thousand-three.

FN 1: From your author, the bread I made, for once, turned out very well. I think it's been well over a year since any baking I've made has resulted in anything with success. What did I do this time? Only the bread knows for sure. I did use a fresh pack of instant yeast. I let it rest a little over 12-14 hours. I allowed a second rising (only appropriate for Easter, no?) for about 2 hours. I left the oven to heat an extra amount of time. I baked it for 30 minutes covered and 5 minutes uncovered. I very nearly burned it, but instead it turned out fine. As I said, only the bread knows for certain.

Lifts and Queues

noreply@blogger.com (Peter) — Thu, 28 Mar 2013 21:36:00 +0000

Lifts and Queues

Lift Experience from rowdyman on Vimeo.

These are some clips I put together from some recent trips to London and what I've realized is that London is really just about elevators and line-ups. Lifts and queues as a the locals might say. From singing lifts at the Royal Festival Hall to the top of the Shard (Europe's tallest building) to the London Eye.

I would also like to point out my editing technique: an infinite number of monkeys editing on an infinite number of video editing consoles. Eventually something serendipitous has to happen, right?

It's funny that all of these clips were shot on a phone. Well, it seems funny to me. Yet, we still haven't figured out a way to put a phone in a shoe, Maxwell Smart style.

The Quarterly Sextodecimo: Golden Mean

noreply@blogger.com (Peter) — Thu, 21 Mar 2013 04:58:00 +0000

The Quarterly Sextodecimo: Golden Mean

The Quarterly Sextodecimo, vol.1, March 2013

This list started as my favourite film music but morphed into, "what tracks would I use in a film" - if I were making a movie that would somehow be a cross of North by Northwest, The Big Lebowski, Manhattan and oh I don't know, Snatch, maybe.

Golden Mean by Peter Rogers on Grooveshark Hear the music. Read the playlist.

“Every time I hear it, I win the war/Stanley Cup/Grey Cup/Gold Medal all at the same time.”

Short Ride in a Fast Machine
San Francisco Symphony and Michael Tilson Thomas Adams
It may be a short ride, but it's a wild one… speaking of which, this piece reminded me so much of North by Northwest I immediately purchased that album too.

The Wild Ride
Bernard Herrmann
Speaking of which, Herrmann's score is so unique and identifiable that many other contemporary film scores sound like royalty free stock music.

Koyannisqatsi: Vessels
Philip Glass
Have I said Philip Glass music makes me feel smarter? It does. Plus, it's great music to ride, run or write to.

Pergolesi: Stabat Mater- Stabat Mater Dolorosa
Happy Easter! For a moment there I thought about all the nice art Christians made. Quick before I think of something awful.

Time Lapse
Michael Nyman
Mr. Nyman took the same maths class as Mr. Glass, and it was taught by Mr. Herrmann, I assume?

Overture to the Force of Destiny
Verdi
I love the title of this piece and the fact that there's a bit that inspired the theme to the Godfather. I think "Overture to the Force of Destiny" would be a pretty good movie.

Twisted Nerve
Bernard Herrmann
This fits here. (originally wanted The Pad & Pencil)

Je the Veux
Erik Satie
No, you are not in a spa waiting for your hot rocks. You are listening to music become modern (and there's a waltz in there too so, you know, feel free to dance around with a broom or something)

Partir, par terre
The Dears
I think The Dears are just waiting for someone like Cronenberg to ask them to do the score to his next film.

You and Me
Wynton Marsalis
I just remembered I like some of Wynton Marsalis' compositions.

Drunk Trumpet
Kid Koala
Jazz on the turntable (though not the version of this track I wanted to put here which is from a CBC Sessions recording).

Frenchy's
Holy F**k
This is an ode to Nova Scotia's greatest fashion house. The famous second hand thrift store.

Golden
High Places
At times this aimless track wanders into going nowhere then saunters through a deep glowing forest thick with wet dripping from the tree branches.

NnGg
Champion
I feel like this track should be in a Spaghetti Western set in Tokyo. Wait? Was that Kill Bill? This should've been in Kill Bill.

Wildcat
Ratatat
Hard to hear this track without picking up my phone. It's been my ringtone for the last three years. Was that the phone? Probably. Just let it go to voice mail.

Superpet
Pet
If you are planning a dramatic entrance to an auditorium for your self-help talk, then this is your "anticipation building" theme. Enter at climax. Yes, I know exactly how that sounds.

Bonus Track
Lovely Allen
Holy F**k
I probably should've dropped one of the loser tracks above to make room for this one but screw it. My site. My rules. Most. Epic. Track. Ever. Hearing it live gave me all kinds of quivers. Every time I hear it, I win the war/Stanley Cup/Grey Cup/Gold Medal all at the same time.

Ride On

noreply@blogger.com (Peter) — Tue, 12 Mar 2013 19:14:00 +0000

Ride On

I think what I like about this bike is that if I were to sketch what I wanted in a bike, single-speed, diamond frame, rack and fenders, it would look a lot like this.

I'm already thinking I'll swap out the front cog for a smaller gear, from the 46 on it now, to a 42, both for ease of riding and so it can accommodate a Chainglider chain guard I have. Then it'll be the ride I've needed and wanted from a bike and all at a low, low price.

Here's to you, bike.

Groovesharks Never Sleep

noreply@blogger.com (Peter) — Mon, 11 Mar 2013 20:53:00 +0000

Groovesharks Never Sleep

…or so I'm told. I had essentially forgotten about Grooveshark being here in the streaming music ghetto known as Canada (no Pandora, no Spotify; Rdio via a subscription) but I'm hoping this thing sticks around as a way to listen and discover music - and share it such as this playlist I made up as a bit of an afternoon wake-up (no caffeine shakes or coffee tummy either). Enjoy.

Newr vs Oldr by Peter Rogers on Grooveshark

Under Attack!

noreply@blogger.com (Peter) — Sun, 10 Mar 2013 05:34:00 +0000

Under Attack!

Under attack… and loving it!

This fella looks so pleased to be under siege from super-sized ladies with some kind of gamma rays. I'm sure I'll make sense of it sooner or later.

Long Live the Short-lived Thing

noreply@blogger.com (Peter) — Fri, 08 Mar 2013 16:17:00 +0000

Long Live the Short-lived Thing

In a discussion this morning the topic became about how explosive the "Harlem Shake" video meme has been. From an army brigade being punished for their post to an austere, minimalist software interpretation, just as this lastest Internet thing looks like it's burning out, a new version emerges. There are now so many on Youtube, it's hard to choose just one (but I did - because it follows the formula so faithfully). Fader magazine traced the story of the track and first video but Google's Trend generator do-hickey really shows it in context. Long live the Internet Meme. The Internet Meme is dead.

Ball Bearings of Berlin

noreply@blogger.com (Peter) — Thu, 07 Mar 2013 21:48:00 +0000

Ball Bearings of Berlin

Found via Co.Design

Hypnotic kinetic sculpture in a Berlin gallery by Finnish artists Tommi Grönlund and Petteri Nisunen.

Seen in February

noreply@blogger.com (Peter) — Wed, 06 Mar 2013 04:21:00 +0000

Seen in February

Scene filmed at Trinity-Bellwoods Community Centre from Sarah Polley's Take This Waltz

I guess the film that stands out for me the most this month was Take This Waltz. I could tell you about all of the Toronto locations that appear in the film or go on about the importance of the pool (which is a pool where I often swim), but that would just be masking the difficult subject the film intimately portrays and how it just sort of stuck with me. I think you need that time with something to know its real impact. Like a James Turrell work of art – sometimes you just have to sit still, staring for an uncomfortably long time to see the art in projected light. The funny thing is the first couple of movies I saw were complete throw-aways. Disposable art for a disposable age.

The Inbetweeners, the movie
The lads made a movie. Remarkably, this feature length film of four British high school mates vacationing in Greece doesn't miss a beat. The transition from 30 minute television episodes to feature film was seamless and equally hilarious. Wil, Simon, Jay and Neil are horribly crass and daft which makes for some memorable comedy gold as they head on holiday hoping to be "knee deep in clunge". They aren't just knee deep but in over their heads — but alls well that ends well. This movie broke box office records in the UK but closed with a whimper after only a single weekend in the US. There is a divide between North America and Europe that is as wide and deep as the Atlantic itself.

Dr. Suess' The Lorax
Well… I wouldn't say this was Dr.Seuss' version of The Lorax. It is beautifully designed and animated but the whole invented script created to stretch the story out completely deflates the power and message of the original. Also, the musical numbers are really terrible. Essentially, the original story is compressed into one really awful (overly long) musical number. The Lorax may speak for the trees but who speaks for the Lorax or the estate of Dr. Suess?

Take This Waltz
Dear Sarah Polley, Why do you have to be so difficult? This is a quietly affecting film of a woman who is happy enough in her marriage yet falls in love with another man. Michelle Williams is Margot who feels some distance from her loving husband, Lou who is surprisingly well played by Seth Rogen. Watching a marriage crumble like this is rough and unsatisfying but you can't help but watch. The artfulness of Polley's direction is in its thoughtful pace. Painfully slow at times and awkwardly abrupt at others. Is Margot just trying to fill a gap that everyone feels as her sister-in-law suggests? Does this infatuation feel wonderful simply because it's new? Or is Margot more enamored with "being in love" than simply loving? One thing is certain - Sarah Polley loves Toronto and this is one of the few films that highlights the city in both its glory and its grime. Some significant scenes are set in "my" pool at Trinity-Bellwoods Community Centre and weirdly, in many scenes, Seth Rogen wears a shirt from The Gap that I often wear. That's just too personal, Ms. Polley.

Mostly Martha
I didn't plan on watching this. It was just on and the plot seemed really familiar. That's because this is the German original of an American remake called "No Reservations" starring Catherine Zeta-Jones. I can't think of too many Hollywood remakes that match the original (Girl With the Dragon Tattoo and Let Me In seem like exceptions). This is the story of Martha, an ambitious, career-minded head chef whose life is turned upside down when she is left to care for her niece after the girl's mother, Martha's sister, dies in an accident. You can see the film's trajectory without the aid of any kind of weapons guidance systems. Ambitious and talented yet lonely woman who is not so great with kids is tasked with raising a child who hates her. But wait, Woman meets a threatening male who, surprise, is good with kids. From the set up through to the happy ending climax you see it all coming. But… I was still hooked in by the irresistible little girl, Lina and by Martha, played by the sternly beautiful Martina Gedeck (who was also sternly beautiful in The Lives of Others and The Baader Meinhoff Complex; I'm assuming Germans invented "sternly beautiful" women). They just seemed like real imperfect people who don't make great speeches or know what to say but are trying their best. That's how they get you and you find yourself lifted by their joy and deflated by their sadness. It is more a film of little moments rather than grand gestures. Unfortunately, like many a German film, there is some clunky Kenny G-esque Jazz that just makes you want to kick something which is really the only knock against this film. I have no idea what the American version is like but judging by the poster art, it looks cheesy.

The Sitter
Formulaic. Predictable. Funny. One of those typical "Adventures in Babysitting" plot lines involving a night of misadventure, sexual promises, murderous drug dealer, befriending thugs, finding new love and so on and so forth. But you know, enough chuckles for a Tuesday night when you just feel like zoning out on the couch. I will probably regret everything I just said by tomorrow.

Middle Men
The story of the Internet may have begun as one of academic and intellectual communication but what really made the Internet what it is today was porn. Bigger than US Steel and maybe the auto industry, many innovations of online life that you enjoy were improved to deliver smut. Everything from increasing speeds and bandwidth to delivering complex live and streaming video. Primarily though, it was the creation of a trustworthy, discrete and secure credit card transaction process that brought everything from Books, video and shoes to your door - oh and good old fashioned filth. This film is loosely based on the experiences of one Christopher Mallick who took the idea of two drug-using porn fiends and fashioned it into a money making powerhouse. The story goes that the two original porn site creators had an argument about a business idea. One had the idea that guys would pay for better porn, the other, a drug using ex-NASA engineer legendarily wrote the necessary code to process credit transactions in 15 minutes. Enter Jack Harris (Mallick's alter ego) who happens to know a good idea when he sees it and how to run a business. Exactly how Harris got connected to these two is where the action of the plot comes from. Not sure why this film fared so poorly. The plot does get a little out of control at the end but otherwise it reveals what few like to talk about; much of the Internet economy is driven by masturbation. Look up Christopher Mallick online and you find he continued in the online billing and payment business but may have stolen millions from his customers in the process. Whoops.

Miss Bala
The story of a young woman, Laura, who is in the wrong place at the wrong time — namely Tijuana, Mexico. After admitting to witnessing a shoot-out at a nightclub she is captured by the Mexican gang responsible. They set her up as a beauty pageant winner to further their own plans. Meanwhile they alienate from her family, use her to get to a DEA agent, have her run errands across the border all under the threat of death. After being raped she is then sent as the honey trap for an army general they are trying to kill (or are in cohorts with, I can't be sure?) In the end, she survives the murder plot only to be beaten and arrested. Throughout the entire ordeal Laura is in nearly stunned silence. A shock we share when thinking of the drug violence in Mexico. If you think the film is far-fetched then you haven't read about the bizarre, surreal and unbridled violence that has taken over some parts of Mexico. In 5 years over 36,000 deaths have been attributed to drug gang activity.

Blue Valentine
Whew boy. Another movie where Michelle Williams is in a disintegrating marriage. All the tropes and sadness are played out against their exuberant beginnings. Gosling plays a husband happy to do dead end jobs and be a husband and father while Williams' plays a woman for whom her marriage is a source of sadness. Why – why are all the good movies so goddamned grueling? Should art be this exhausting?

Freaks and Geeks
I think the art directors of The Carrie Diaries should talk to the art directors of Freaks and Geeks. Genuine 1980s high school experience. I missed this Judd Apatow show in its original run and it is almost shocking how many of the cast have continued to be in the mainstream of American film and TV. Look it up on IMDB.

Everything Must Go
I was in the mood for a Will Ferrell comedy but I got this drama of a sad sack with a drinking problem but a good heart instead. Will Ferrell plays Nick who is an alcoholic who loses his job the same day his wife kicks him out of his house. After temporarily living on his lawn he decides to sell everything. Rebecca Hall plays his lovely new neighbour who seems to be the only kind person on the street. In a refreshing change from cliché, Nick does manage to salvage his dignity but not via the salve of "finding love". Otherwise the film is a little predictable and unfortunately mostly flat. There are a couple of moments where Ferrell's comedic instincts appear ever so subtly to give his character some sweetness underneath. I was hoping the whole film would be that way; a quiet drama with subtle humour. At every opportunity the marketing noted "based on a Raymond Carver short story" as if to give the film some credentials. It fell short of that accreditation.

Meat Sweats

noreply@blogger.com (Peter) — Thu, 28 Feb 2013 16:55:00 +0000

Meat Sweats

I've been travelling this week for work and staying in Leicester Square so I've been eating exclusively Asian food for the last few days. But tonight, tonight is all about meat as a group of us from the office will be eating at Gaucho, London. The odd thing is, I'm 99% sure, I ate here a couple of years ago. My memory, fogged by pints of beer, is a little unreliable, but judging by Google Street View this is the same place. I'll only know for sure once I step inside. Unfortunately, Street View doesn't go inside restaurants.

UPDATE: Gaucho is definitely in the neighbourhood of a consultant's office (which was very close by) but this was definitely not the same place. All the cuts they offered were first shown then explained and an assortment of sides were brought with the mains. Great place and we had a great time.

Made in China

noreply@blogger.com (Peter) — Tue, 19 Feb 2013 16:58:00 +0000

Made in China

Can't the Chinese Army just go back to hacking the New York Times and leave my e-mail alone.

screen shot of recent spam e-mail

Really? Who are they trying to fool? One fun thing to do was run this through Google Translate - which just revealed it as a nonsensical collection of keywords… or maybe that's what Google translates everything as?

Hardly Frightful

noreply@blogger.com (Peter) — Tue, 19 Feb 2013 14:00:00 +0000

Hardly Frightful

I went for a run this weekend and when I looked up the weather report it said this, "-10°C, feels like -19°C, blowing snow, poor visibility. Take caution if driving". But it looked like this:

Winter Dusk vine.co/v/brYtAgZIBI0
— Peter Rogers (@rowdyman) February 17, 2013

I wasn't the only one scratching my head. More than a few people had posted similar comments to the effect, "Not here" or "Where is this weather report from?"

Only the Web masters know.

Of the Feathered Kind

noreply@blogger.com (Peter) — Tue, 19 Feb 2013 04:12:00 +0000

Of the Feathered Kind

Blue Cochin Bantam Pullet. Photo by Tamara Staples via Slate.com

More beasts - chickens this time. Take a look at a few photos of some fancy chickens at Slate.com. Is there anything these fine fowls can't do? Okay, I'm sure there are plenty of things they can't do. Still, the eggs and the "tenders" are pretty good, right? They provide protein and look good doing it. Tamara Staples scouted them at various county fairs before going to the birds' homes to create portraits for two books, the latest, The Magnificent Chicken is available this week. I guess there's no Westminster Show for these birds but it'd be fun if there was. They'd give Banana Joe a run for his money (and why yes, Banana Joe is my new ham radio handle! Though Bearded Buff Frizzle Polish is a close second.)

Besties of Beasties

noreply@blogger.com (Peter) — Thu, 14 Feb 2013 20:52:00 +0000

Besties of Beasties

Take a look at this photo gallery of the Westminster’s Best of Breed from the New York Times. You won't be disappointed. Also note the dogs' full registered names. More than a few are hilariously overdone. I guess cats aren't the only animals with "ineffable effable" names.

Deep and Inscrutable

noreply@blogger.com (Peter) — Mon, 11 Feb 2013 06:40:00 +0000

Deep and Inscrutable

Keena in halcyon repose. Ottawa, Ontario. Date unknown.

I knew a phone call at such a late hour probably wasn't something good (weird how the brain does that). It was Angela telling me that Keena, feline friend of over 18 years, had died.

I never wanted to admit, even to myself, how much I missed Keena. When I first moved into this apartment I still expected her to come to the door, say "hello" then turn around again. One time while coming back from the airport, I started dozing off in the cab and I thought how nice it would be to walk into Fern Avenue and be greeted by Keena. When I remembered where I was actually going, I felt a little cold.

Since I've lived in this apartment, there have been times when I have been asleep on the couch on a Saturday or lying in bed, and I hear various noises, I was so sure I heard Keena's complaint come from another room. I think I may have even called out, "Keena!" In the mornings she would moan-meow to be fed or at night when we'd just gone to bed and turned off the lights, you'd hear her, "ooowllrr". For some reason, just calling out her name would quieten her. Then you'd hear her padding into the bedroom, give another noise as if to say, "oh, you're here. Well whatever." and then make her way downstairs.

She could be a contrarian and anti-social but what few people knew was she was also a mouser. Patient and ruthless. Keena. The Keenster. Madame Piedlourde Kowalski.

“When you notice a cat in profound meditation,
The reason, I tell you, is always the same:
His mind is engaged in a rapt contemplation”

What did T.S. Eliot say of the naming of cats?

The Naming of Cats is a difficult matter,
It isn't just one of your holiday games;
You may think at first I'm as mad as a hatter
When I tell you, a cat must have THREE DIFFERENT NAMES.
First of all, there's the name that the family use daily,
Such as Peter, Augustus, Alonzo or James,
Such as Victor or Jonathan, George or Bill Bailey—
All of them sensible everyday names.
There are fancier names if you think they sound sweeter,
Some for the gentlemen, some for the dames:
Such as Plato, Admetus, Electra, Demeter—
But all of them sensible everyday names.
But I tell you, a cat needs a name that's particular,
A name that's peculiar, and more dignified,
Else how can he keep up his tail perpendicular,
Or spread out his whiskers, or cherish his pride?
Of names of this kind, I can give you a quorum,
Such as Munkustrap, Quaxo, or Coricopat,
Such as Bombalurina, or else Jellylorum-
Names that never belong to more than one cat.
But above and beyond there's still one name left over,
And that is the name that you never will guess;
The name that no human research can discover—
But THE CAT HIMSELF KNOWS, and will never confess.
When you notice a cat in profound meditation,
The reason, I tell you, is always the same:
His mind is engaged in a rapt contemplation
Of the thought, of the thought, of the thought of his name:
His ineffable effable
Effanineffable
Deep and inscrutable singular Name.

Deep and inscrutable, no doubt.

You May Ask, "Why?"

noreply@blogger.com (Peter) — Sat, 09 Feb 2013 18:53:00 +0000

You May Ask, "Why?"

Toronto is a northern city, but only just barely and the fact that a storm of 25 cm of snow is the worst we've had in five years is a pretty clear indicator of how generally mild winters here are. Image via TopLeftPixel

Apparently, yesterday the GTA got about 25 cm of snow with some 35 cm falling in some places. Now this storm is headed eastward and will no doubt pick up more moisture thus drop even more snow on already suffering Canadians. All of these reports prompted my brother Mike to ask, "Why?" Why do people behave the way they do during a storm?

It seems rhetorical yet I would like to try and answer these questions if I may.

Ques: Why do people insist on driving in a winter storm? (Been in one or two myself and cursed my stupidity.)
Ans: Even smart people can do stupid things.

“As I no longer drive any car, I have forfeited caring.”

Ques: Why do so many people who live in winter regions not have snow tires?
Ans: Despite the previously stated truism, people who do not have snow tires fall into two categories - 1) Morons for whom no amount of insults will affect their behaviour because they are too stupid to understand you. 2) Lazy people. Maybe they'll get around to it in April. Though they may not remove them until September. After five years this will finally result in having the appropriate tires on during the appropriate season. As I no longer drive any car, I have forfeited "caring".

Mind you, I really do "care" when I am crossing the street and I can tell that the douchey, pseudo-sports car (some crap Sunbird or Nissan), clearly without winter tires, is sliding through a red light and hurtling towards me. This happened yesterday. I nimbly avoided the world's most ridiculous car (a car which no more requires a rear wing airfoil than my bicycle does) and when it did eventually stop and could not start again I was, in fact, a big city downtown Toronto elite asshole and kept walking and did not help. Simply stated, "you shat it, you eat it." Call the CAA. Oh, you don't have a CAA membership nor do you have snow tires? You are a category 1 moron and should probably be shortlisted for a Scotiabank Category 1 Moron Prize, be declared unfit to own a car and have your driving privileges revoked.

“Pretty ladies in sunshine are pancakes for my eyes.”

Ques: Why do weather reporters have to deliver their reports while standing in raging wind and snow?
Ans: I know the answer to this. They do this to prove their own existence which, with 3 weather apps on my mobile phone, 2 on my iPad and an infinite amount of weather data available via the Internet, I find laughable. Unless they are very cute and it is the summer. Pretty ladies in sunshine are pancakes for my eyes - comforting, filling and irresistible.

Ques: Why do so many people still go to the airport when they know their flight is cancelled?
Ans: The irrationality of human "hope" is so great that populations will elect ineffectual leaders, follow hapless sports franchises and women to believe they really can "change him".

Ques: Why do Senators keep their job when they are criminals?
Ans: Technically, they can't. If a charge is brought against Senator Brazeau, he will lose his seat (Twitter handle @thebrazman? Whew boy, what is more telling of someone's character in this century than their chosen online nickname? Maybe your choice of tattoos and underwear). On the other hand, being "unethical" is clearly not the same as "illegal" and if you were never elected in the first place, you can't be "unelected". System broken. Please remove the house of "second sober thought" and replace it with a sorority of naked drunken college girls making decisions they will regret for the rest of their lives.

Ques: Why is Mike Duffy even a Senator at all?
Ans: Mike Duffy is a senator merely to prove the case stated above. Also, he is a hyperbolic, obese, obsequious, pompous, unethical, immoral, intellectual fraud, professional hack and Grade-A bullshit artist. In short, a Mulroney Conservative being paid to be a mouthpiece for the Harper government. In a revealing moment of poor judgement on Prime Minister Harper's part, he failed to recognize just how large a mouthpiece Duffy was and how deep a hole it was connected to.

I believe I have answered each question with an equal amount of rhetoric afforded the stature of an online oracle. Worst storm in five years? I guess. Though 5 years ago, I bet a lot more people tried to get to work. Including myself there were eight people in the office yesterday (typically, the work force is between 50-80 depending on the projects). My question is if so many people can work from home, why don't more of us do it? It seems like the answer to Toronto's traffic is right in front of us. Just stop going to work. I'm in. Who amongst you is brave enough to join me?

Work From Home Day

noreply@blogger.com (Peter) — Fri, 08 Feb 2013 20:10:00 +0000

Work From Home Day

Happy WFH Day Eastern Seaboard! vine.co/v/bnEvrUl0rwO
— Peter Rogers (@rowdyman) February 8, 2013

Partly Unclear with a Chance of Vagueness

noreply@blogger.com (Peter) — Wed, 06 Feb 2013 18:18:00 +0000

Partly Unclear with a Chance of Vagueness

Apparently, according to weather reports on television and radio, Toronto is "gonna git it" tomorrow. Prophetic warnings of commuter armageddon are forecast with dire warnings of 10-15 cm of snow during tomorrow's rush hour. Now, I realize that if you live in Newfoundland where you just got hit by storm winds that knocked out power and accumulations of 46 cm of snow, that kind of forecast is probably picnic weather. But in Toronto it really could snarl traffic, public transit and just generally suck.

My point, however is that the weather applications on my phone in no way indicate any of the emphasis of human reportage. Temperature, wind and precipitation levels and types are all shown but unless Hurricane Sandy is rumbling towards you, you'd think everything is hokey-dokey. I use a couple of different weather apps and the most accurate one, from the Weather Network may show a red animated banner if a nuclear assault is imminent but for 10-15 cm of snow, it just lists, "10-15 cm" of precipitation, type: snow. The app I use most often because it gives a very good "at a glance" weather report is called Partly Cloudy. It shows the weather in a sort novel way that resembles a cross between a barometer and a volvelle.

Partly Cloudy iPhone screen shots, image via the Cult of Mac

There is a slight learning curve to looking at weather in this way and despite being a good and quick summation of the weather, it definitely won't call your attention to anything unusual. Tomorrow's forecast should really have some kind of warning or arm waving involved. I mean, if you were to ask someone, they'd tell you tomorrow will suck. The commute will be slow because it's going to snow a lot and be cold. In a few words you know what and when to expect crappy weather and how to dress. Despite all the information given in this app, you almost have to analyze the data to know what it will be like. Never mind that it uses the incredibly useless and almost completely meaningless Beaufort Wind Force Scale to tell you wind speed. Going by any of the weather applications on my phone you'd think tomorrow might have a flurry or two. Nothing more. Another thing that bothers me about the Partly Cloudy app is it doesn't accurately tell you sunrise or sunset. If you run or bike, one thing you like to know is how much daylight you have left.

I don't really need any weather report to know tomorrow will suck. I have a dentist appointment. The fact that I'll need a sled and a team of huskies to get there should come as no surprise. You know that thing in literature where the weather indicates or reflects the mood of the protagonist? Pathetic fallacy. Yeah, that thing. Well, the weather always bites when I go to the dentist. Cold, wet or windy. Take your pick. Tomorrow I'll have all three with a side of Novocain.

UPDATE: It turns out Toronto could get anywhere from 20-40 cm? The nature of two storms sort of swirling together like a Dairy Queen Sundae means the actual accumulation of snow is difficult to know – until it has already happened. I noticed my Weather Network iPad app does, in fact, provide a big pop-up warning upon weather warnings. However the day turns out, our office is empty today as anyone here can work from home, which sounds like what a lot of people have done. Today, the possibility of being able to work from home eases the impact of storms just by removing that many commuters from the roads. As bad as it is today, it sounds like it was worse in 1944 (worth checking out this article for the photos alone).

Seen in January

noreply@blogger.com (Peter) — Fri, 01 Feb 2013 19:10:00 +0000

Seen in January

Marcello Mastroianni in Fellini's 8-1/2 - image via L'Aragosta

I've noticed of late that my descriptions of what I've watched is getting more and more verbose which is curious. In the future I will aim for Twitter-esque, laser-like succinct re-caps, without spoilers, and a minimum of adjudication. Well, less judgement. There will always be judgement.

Life of Pi
It would be hard to imagine a more magical telling of this tale. Profoundly beautiful and at times beguiling, this film directed by Ang Lee from the book by Yann Martel is a real accomplishment and definitely transports you from the everyday. It really was a mini holiday. Did it make me believe in God? No. Yet in a lot of ways it reminded me of Disney's Fantasia. Fantastical, uplifting, incredible and amazing but once it had ended it was over — unlike other movies that get stuck in your head. I've read that green mangoes have a unique perfume while on the branch and once picked the odor dissipates within sixty seconds. It is ephemeral. That's what this movie is like. Like a fresh taste but once it's gone, there's no after taste or memory of it.

Looper
Joseph Gordon-Levitt plays Joe, played by Bruce Willis. Got it? Time travel. It's so vexing logically and its rules and repercussions so unknown that as a subject it becomes a lively clockwork of experimentation for filmmakers like Rian Johnson. Johnson, who previously made Brick, a Maltese Falcon-esque noir thriller set in a high school, clearly loves setting such heady wheels in motion. Joe is a Looper, a hit man who kills men sent back in time by future crime bosses. To "close the loop", these bosses send their retired loopers back to be killed by their younger selves. Young Joe does the job right the first time, but when it comes time for him to be sent back he sees things differently and old Joe (Willis) decides to right a wrong. Forget everything I just said, it never happened anyway and watch this movie. You'll see what I mean.

Wages of Fear
Classic French film of 4 men transporting a dangerous cargo of nitroglycerin to an oil drill fire via treacherous and dubious rural South American roads. So - a French film set in South America with Americans, Spanish, Germans, British, and French ex-pats all vying for little or no work. This film really reminds me of Treasure of the Sierra Madre. Dirt poor hangabouts grab a chance at a big score just to get them out of their current jam. The movie takes a long time to get going but once the two crews are on the road then let the thrill ride begin. I was surprised too by how similar the end of this film is to The Italian Job (the original with Michael Caine) - the serpentining road set to a Viennese waltz.

“[I've] fallen into an inter-generational gap”

The Hunger Games
Like the Twilight Series this film and the books it's based on appear to have fallen into an inter-generational gap. I don't quite understand it. 24 (or is 12) teens are sent to an arena of sorts to fight to the death. The last teen standing wins the Tribute (ancient Roman thing?) and their home district wins the spoils. And here's the kicker, the whole event is orchestrated as a reality show. This is a finely tuned Hollywood action film, which is very entertaining, and I'm happy as the next fella to watch Jennifer Lawerence kick butt for 90 mins. Yet — I still don't get it? The game reserve they are fighting on is computer controlled? Flora and fauna can spring from anywhere at the touch of a holographic interface? What world is this? Blueberries aren't fatal on Earth? She can wear a dress of flames? See - so many questions.

Bernie
A Richard Linklater film based on a real life story of genteel and magnanimous funeral director Bernie Tiede who befriended a wealthy widow, Marjorie Nugent, and became her close confidant only to kill her in a crime of passion. This is probably one of Jack Black's best roles as the effeminate Bernie who loved everyone and was loved by everyone in the town of Carthage, Texas. He even loved the town's meanest and wealthiest widow played to perfection by Shirley MacLaine. Linklater intersperses the film with staged interviews of actual town people which adds a folky touch to the tale. You see, most people liked ol' Bernie so much they didn't even care if he shot the mean old bitch. Which was why the D.A. had the trial moved, so he could find enough jurors who didn't know Bernie so he could get a conviction. The DA, played by Matthew McConaughey, is the example of a Hollywood actor standing out amongst the cast of non-actors. It's funny but as good as McConaughey is, you just can't give a super fit guy a bad suit and cheap glasses to look "regular". It's the side-by-side comparison of the actors and the non-actors that breaks the story a little bit. Still, it is a funny and well-told telling of what seemed like a heinous crime but it is the inclusion of the Carthage townsfolk that gives the movie its extra charm.

The Hour season 2
I liked the first season so much I thought I'd come back for another. Peter Capaldi is great as the replacement News Director who's an obsessive tinkerer and perfectionist trying to make the groundbreaking news magazine "The Hour" relevant and better than imitators and competitors.

8-1/2
Fellini's masterly film memoir about a film director struggling to make a film that he can't decide what it's about. Marcello Mastroianni is Fellini's onscreen avatar in a funny and dreamlike journey that switches unexpectedly between the real and the imagination of a director in a funk. It's been said Fellini made this film to break out of his own creative block and in the process created one of his most loved films full of surrealistic non sequiturs and satirical visual fantasies. Or something like that. Does it matter? Mastroianni looks great and is such a style icon here and there's as much fun as there are curiosities.

“Female Witness: …what's the matter? Don't you like sex?
Zen: No,no — I remember it fondly.”

Zen
Rufus Sewell plays Aurelio Zen, the only "unscrupulously honest" detective in Rome. I like this version of Rome — everyone speaks with an English accent (it's a British series with British actors but portraying Italian characters). I like this guy, Zen too. He's divorced and lives with his widowed mother, like a good Italian boy (though it drives him nuts) yet he attracts his share of lady attention and he knows how to make a joke:

Female Witness: …what's the matter? Don't you like sex?
Zen: No,no — I remember it fondly.

Effortlessly clothed in fitted Armani, he seems to live on only espresso and cigarettes. Det. Zen never appears too rushed, another Italian trait, and being a good detective knows where to look for clues and allows a case to come to him. But being an honest cop in Italy's embedded corrupt bureaucracy is difficult and everybody wants something. Maybe wisdom is knowing just how honest to be.

Portlandia: Season 2
Absurdist satire. Not for everyone but I'm enjoying it.

Homeland Season 1
Is he or isn't he? That's what CIA analyst Carrie Mathison wants to know about Sgt. Nicholas Brody. Is he the American POW that has been turned by Al Qaeda or not? Can we trust Carrie's instincts? After all, she is taking an anti-psychotic drug for a mood disorder. Stay tuned to your surveillance feed.

God Bless America
I never cared for Bobcat Goldthwaite's stand-up or acting but he has truly found his calling in writing and directing film. This movie is about America's loss of shame. The phrase "The Loss of Shame" pretty much describes Western culture at this point. Politicians lie and cheat on their wives or have children with their mistresses while untalented rich girls use explicit sex tapes to gain a television deal. Joel Murray plays Frank Murdoch, whose ex- wife is about to remarry and whose young daughter is a disaster. He's just been laid off and told he has an inoperable brain tumor. He's about to commit suicide when he decides his last act will be to murder a horrible reality show harpy first. Yet this leads to a killing spree of all the idiots who "deserve to die". That's when the film shifts from social commentary to the darkest of black comedy. Goldthwaite sets up this nihilistic fantasy and where others fear to tread he launches headlong into the breach and sees it through to the bitter end. Unlike someone like Tarantino who has gangsters, Nazis and slave owners offed easily without repercussions, Frank faces all of the incumbent fallout of his actions (even the irony of lax gun laws that allow someone to go on a killing spree). The film doesn't fetishize gun violence as much as it tricks us into rooting for a mass murderer and reflecting back how ludicrous we've become.

Charade
1963 romantic comedy thriller starring Audrey Hepburn and Carey Grant. I wasn't as charmed by this film as most people are. Romantic? It is set in Paris but… I dunno. Comedy? Flat. Thriller? No thrills. Don't get me wrong. I love films like The Third Man, North by Northwest and Notorious but this film isn't up to those standards. I think those that adore it should rub the stardust of nostalgia from their eyes. Also, it had that one thing I can't stand. The standard Hollywood score punctuated with occasional goofy sound cues.