Film number two from the film festival - The Tracey Fragments. Having seen Hard Candy, now this - it's pretty clear that Ellen Page is superstar material. She's beyond talented - the film plays out, as the title would suggest, with many 'fragments' of moving picture on the screen. At first it was a bit tough to watch, but it became clearer that it was crucial to the director's vision as things went on. The story unwinds backwards, and is intertwined with a fantasy life that she creates for herself to escape the torment that is her life. Fantasy merges with reality in some very disturbing scenes, that literally grab your breath away. Very art house, and enjoyable. But to beat a dead horse here - watching Ellen Page's career unfold is going to be a rare treat.

This really is what it's all about kids! Nothing feels better. Apart from maybe the Nucks winning the cup, but hey - that's just unrealistic.

More good news for the BC RCMP:



A British Columbia Mountie who had sex on the job and used his uniform to draw dates will have to resign, an RCMP adjudication board decided Wednesday.

RCMP Const. Trent Richards admitted to having sex with women on at least 15 occasions while on duty at the rural detachment in Shawnigan Lake, B.C., on Vancouver Island.

Richards, 34, posted his profile on internet dating sites offering "sex with a hot cop" and posted a photo of himself in his red serge dress uniform on one site.

RCMP accused Richards of using force computers to pursue his extra-curricular activities.

Richards has been suspended with pay since January 2007.

The adjudication board decided Richards must resign within two weeks or be dismissed for "repeated on-duty sexual activity, as well as repeated misuse of RCMP information technology."

He has 14 days to appeal the decision to the RCMP commissioner.

The force declined to comment on the case until the appeal period has lapsed.

The Diving Bell and the Butterfly is a translation of the French memoir Le scaphandre et le papillon by journalist Jean-Dominique Bauby. It describes what his life is like after suffering a massive stroke that left him with a condition called Locked-In syndrome.

The entire book was written by Bauby blinking his left eyelid. An amanuensis repeatedly recited a french frequency-ordered alphabet (E, L, A, O, I, N, S, D ...), until Bauby blinked to choose the next letter. The book took about 200,000 blinks to write and each word took approximately two minutes. The book chronicles everyday events and what they are like for a person with locked-in syndrome. These events include playing at the beach with his family, getting a bath, and meeting visitors. The book was published in March, 1997. It received excellent reviews and sold 150,000 copies in the first week. Ten days after the book was published, Bauby died.



A great film, one that really makes you wonder what your reaction to anything this horrific might be? To overcome the anger and frustration he must have felt, and reversing it all, thusly enabling himself to do something worthwhile is remarkable. The film jumps between flashbacks, fantasies, and the most moving - his thoughts accompanied by the vision of what he comprehends going on around him, but is unable to react to. Enjoyed it mucho - not a 'feel good' kinda vibe walking out, but the strength of the character settles into you, and I feel better having seen it. On a lighter note: Are all French Nurses, therapists, publicists, wives and mistresses really that smoking hot? Cuz, like wow - those were some lovely ladies. My company wasn't all that bad either! You know it missy! This was the first film in the KFF, I'll update the others I see within the coming week in an attempt to bore you all to tears...

Stole all this from the Kurtenblog:



Poor Matty - 'I'll fight ya next time, promise! It's my job to try and injure a guy daily, it's my job!'

Vancouver Canucks

What they got: A third-line grinder named Matt.

What they gave up: A third-line grinder named Matt.

Synopsis: Pettinger could not come into a better situation. All he has to do is fight once - just one guy. Hell, the way AV sees it, he could take on one of the ice girls and he'll instantly earn more credibility than Cooke.

Love the Kurtenblog, them's some funny lads!

Well, time for a movie review. There Will be Blood. I was upset I didn't get to see this Pre-Oscar night, I might have picked it in a few more categories had I viewed it. First off, the film opens with nearly 20 compelling minutes, sans dialog. You don't need words to be spoken to tell Daniel Day Lewis is gonna be beyond good in this film. And he was. This could be one of the top ten performances I've ever seen. I'm going to be careful and brief about what I say here, so as to not ruin for those of you still planning on going. The score was unusual, very industrial sounding and it built up the energy of the film in a most unusual way. It worked very well in a film whose dialog comes in spurts - and whose pacing seemed non conventional. In all the film is 2.5 hrs long, but moves very nicely. DD Lewis's character grows before our eyes, we slowly learn why he despises the full of shit evangelist played wonderfully by the big brother from Little Miss Sunshine. His character has touches of Citizen Cain (no Rosebud though), John Huston's character in Chinatown, or even a little bald Brando in a cave! There is tons I want to say here, but I'm already deleting items for fear of ruining it for ya folks. Tonight it's off to the Kamloops Film Festival for opening night and The Diving Bell and the Butterfly.

OH WHAT A GLORIOUS MORNING, OH WHAT A GLORIOUS DAY!!!



THE VANCOUVER CANUCKS HAVE DEALT FORWARD MATT COOKE TO THE WASHINGTON CAPITALS IN EXCHANGE FOR FORWARD MATT PETTINGER.

Fucking beautiful - go turtle down south ya fucker!

Three generations of Border Collies at my place for Brunch this morning. As is Bailey (mine), Purdy (Rory's) weren't enough; Leah got a beautiful tri-color whose name I'm about to butcher I'm sure. Shellah. She's the one in the bandanna. That just so doesn't look right. Alas, it was fucking bedlam around here - and Hiram (my Siamese) was rubbing his eyes thinking Bailey had cloned herself to gain an advantage!

Duncan wins the Oscar ballot again! I'll take the top bill please JFu, and I won't even post the score! Oh man, victory is some sweet action.

K - can someone explain to me why my watch is appearing on my right wrist, and my ring on my left finger when just the opposite is the case? I took the pics with Mac Photo Booth, and am confused as to why the image is shot 'mirror-like'

Prediction Time:



Actor - D.D. lewis
Actor/Supporting - J. Bardem

Actress - J. Christie
Actress/Supporting - T. Swilton

Animated - Ratatouile

Cinematography - Assassination of J. James

Directing - The brothers.

Editing - Bourne of course

Sound Editing - see above

Score - no fucking idea - same goes for song

Picture - Juno (got a hunch)

Screenplay Adapted - NCFOM

Screenplay Original - Juno/Lars and the Real Girl

Thought I should should start blogging again here, been kinda slacking off I must admit. As some you you know, I had surgery again on Wed. Instead of posting a pic to upset the masses - thought I'd give you a somewhat less morbid one. This is the surgical steel that was screwed into my leg. I'm thinking of grinding it down into a cool letter opener!

This could possibly be the funniest thing I've ever seen in my life. God, does it make me laugh...

Truly Mr. NHL: Isn't it time Simon was banished from this league? I blogged last season that this 'player' has no place in the world of professional hockey. Isn't this enough? I mean come on - stomping on a guy's skate? After slough footing him to the ice? Fuck - be gone big fella; you're a disgrace.

Injuries Galore:





The Canucks are officially down by three. Luo is obviously the most worrying - but it's sad to see Morrison's iron man streak end. Could be a very scary week ahead with so many games in so few days. In other news:

No Country for Old Men

Still reeling about this film. It moved me in so many ways. I was stunned, horrified and awed throughout most of it. The ending however was rather brave. The comments I heard after the final words were spoken did not bode well for the Coen brothers, but this is Kamloops after all. I noticed much fidgeting in the theater and an unusual amount of people getting up for refills etc. That all said, highly recommend it and am looking forward to watching it again to catch the odds and ends I surely missed last night. Great filmaking, but I suspect it won't do well come award time.

It's snowing - and I'd rather be golfing! Thanks for the pic (and the hospitality Doc!)

Hmm - coming to Vancouver tomorrow - hope the highway is Ok, sems winter can't make it's mind up in this this province. Should be a good time catching up with the peeps, and looking into the whole Cloverdale situation. I other news:

The Canucks rule

I'm going to NY in May

Xmas dinner is up to 14 (gulp)

I'm bored as hell - thus this post.

Another RIP notice:

Cookbook author and television chef James Barber, who appeared on CBC-TV for 10 years as The Urban Peasant, has died.

"As far as we can tell, James was sitting at the dining room table, he was reading a cookbook, and he had a pot of soup simmering on the stove. So he definitely left this world in a way that he would have wanted to, but I think he would have been pretty upset about the timing,"

Geo - I know you won't care less, but this man took the spook out of the kitchen for me at an important time in my life. His approach of using what you had, and being willing to experiment was valuable beyond belief. Sound familiar Doc?

Movies NOT to see:

The Contract. We didn't even finish it. It was that bad. The scene where a car plummets down a hill while the occupants struggle with a gun (before, of course - crashing into a river) was laugh out loud funny.

Breaking and Entering. Had it's moments, though my favorite line came from Jaime and I. She said 'I think this is going to be good.' I said, 'We haven't heard the dialog yet.' Turns out I thought the script blew. Jude Law's line 'I love your laugh, I want to capture them and keep them in a box.' made us both giggle like kids - and 'laugh box' is going to get some serious chuckles in the future.

Go see the longly titled The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford

Can't say enough about this film. It was no Unforgivenbut unreal none the less. Casey Affleck will be nominated for an Oscar guaranteed.

Evel Knievel at Caesar's Palace

Just watch the shattering of bones on impact. He really does look like one of those crash test dummies, bending in all those god awful ways. RIP you crazy bugger.