rants and ramblings of utter randomness

Woah. How cool is this?

Watch Passchendaele online, courtesy of the National Film Board of Canada.

Also, this.

Look what _scally found:





More here at her LJ.

...because I'm too lazy to do anything else.

• It's official: Barack Obama is NOT the Antichrist. I know y'all were concerned about this.
  
  
• Speaking of elections, now there are two to keep up with. And this one doesn't look pretty, not at all. Stephen Harper is not the Antichrist, either (although I'm not so sure he doesn't eat kittens), but he does break his own laws.
  
  
• Finally saw a doc about my shoulder. The X-rays showed nothing, so an MRI is next. The doc gave me a sling (which I'm not using because it's not immobilizing my arm where it should be and because I'm stubborn like that) and a scrip for naproxen (which I filled even though I can get OTC and just take more of to get prescription strength). I think the naproxen actually helps some. I take that for arthritis in my back anyway, but I ran out, which is maybe why my shoulder's been hurting more recently. I'm still sort of thinking I have a rotator cuff tear. I hope not, bleh.
  
  
• I'm now somewhat spoiled for Passchendaele, but it doesn't bother me as much as I thought it would. It was my own fault, anyway.
  
  
• Started watching Ashes to Ashes. The first ep is pretty good, although it feels like a genderswitch redux of Life on Mars instead of an actual sequel. I also miss Sam a lot. It's good enough to watch more, though.
  
  
• Someone has apparently declared Paul Gross Week without telling me. At least that's what it seems like on the interwebz. They've also apparently hired _scally as Official Spokesperson. Thank you, interwebz.
  
  
• Dear U.S. Media,
  
  I'm an Obama supporter. I have quite a few issues with the McCain/Palin platform and how it's being presented to the public.
  
  However, could you please, PLEASE stop making jabs at Sarah Palin's parenting skills? I mean, come ON, does anyone wonder whether Barak Obama ever drove his kids around without a car seat? Does anyone think, hmm. How can he deal with caring for small children and running the country at the same time?
  
  The answer is NO. So please be fair and lay off Governor Palin as a mother and talk more about her as a politician. There's plenty there to discuss, believe me. Either that or give Obama's parenting equal time. Because the world really might want to know how old his kid was when he started back to work again. Or if he's ever fed them junk food. Or, y'know. Not.
  
  Stick to the issues, fergodssake.
  
  Admonishingly,
  
  Me.
  
  
• Pictures, thank-yous, etc, still planned for sometime soon. I still have almost no energy. I know if I clean my house I'll feel less like a drip, but, um. See above re: almost no energy. And my shoulder still hurts [/whine].

Question for anyone who knows more about TIFF than I do (which basically means anyone who knows anything at all about TIFF besides its name and location):

Apparently there are only three screenings of Passchendaele: The Gala, the one at the Elgin screening room (both sold out, although I would have got at least one ticket to the Elgin one if I hadn't had a rickafrakka debit card), and one on the morning of Sept. 5.

The question is, will there be more times posted later? Because the odds aren't good that I'll luck out and get a ticket for the only screening available, and tickets don't go on sale until the third. And, um. I have to make PLANS, y0. Or maybe there's someone who could get a ticket for me and I could reimburse them (meresy, you're going ticket shopping, yes?).

Because really, it's not like this film isn't going to be released all over Canada, and if I can't get a ticket to TIFF I can go when it goes nationwide like a normal person and not make yet another trip I probably shouldn't be making (I mean, yeah, I'd be making a trip then, too, it's just that it wouldn't be so crazily close to the last one).

I want to see Blindness, too, but um. The world will not end if I have to wait (no, really!). And if I do have to wait, forget Toronto, because I'm headed for Ottawa, dudes.

Although if I do wait I might not get to see Susan and Martha's film. *sigh*

I AM SO THERE.

I could fly in for this one, money depending, because it's not like I'll be going anywhere else. Unless, scriggle, are you planning on going? Because we could save lots o' money on gas if we drove up together.

meresy, I think this is the CBC link you were thinking of, right?

So, TIFF, right?

*HEARTMELT*

I just.

*is a puddle*

First of all, happy birthday to the original, inimitable, incomparable, and quite lovely Callum Keith Rennie, who is now officially older than me again. And much more attractive. *loves* I'd picspam were I home, but alas I am not. Where I am is Toronto, so here's a


Brief as hell Toronto/TIFF recap:

• Normal was pretty good. Stuff could have been kept in, stuff could have been left out. Could have used a few more script edits. Callum? Was awesome, and looks better than ever.
  
  
• Silk was entirely forgettable. The plot needed to have actual plot. The romance needed to have actual romance. The film needed to have an actual reason for existing. The leading role needed to have Ewan McGregor.
  
  
• Note on washroom near theatre: "ARE YOU CONCERNED ABOUT THIS WASHROOM?" along with a couple of phone numbers to call to express our concern.
  
  ♥♥ Canada ♥♥
  
  
• meresy was very patient with scriggle and I being Toronto-challenged. We followed her all around and she didn't complain once. And she took us to eat at the Patrician Grill, where Dead!Bob and Fraser have lunch in Victoria's Secret. It was a moment that will live in dorky infamy, I tell you. I didn't get pictures, but meresy has some here.
  
  
• The Tracey Fragments was the best of the three films I saw. It was trippy and intense and very, very good (and OMG, Ellen Page!). Bruce McDonald is made of awesome, even though I hid while scriggle went and talked to him. So far Martha Burns and Stephen King are the only two I would actually approach without a second thought. I'm not sure why this is so.
  
  
• Pimped S&A to at least two people, one of whom is a long-time Torontonian who loves theatre/film and has never seen it. I DO NOT UNDERSTAND THIS. The other is Australian and therefore gets a pass.
  
  
• Compare and Contrast:
  
  Paraphrase of recorded message on Boston Subway (MBTA): "For your own security and safety, if you see any suspicious behaviour, report it RIGHT AWAY".
  
  Paraphrase of recorded message on Toronto Subway (TTC): "Please collect all your belongings and any trash and take it with you when you exit the train. Thank you."
  
  ♥♥Canada♥♥ (part the second).
  
  
• Reason why Toronto streets are litter-free: Wee street-sweepers whisk through every morning.
  
  
• Saw Nanook of the North at the ROM, all the way through this time. This means that I have seen Nanook of the North MORE THAN ONCE.
  
  
• Finally got to the CBC museum, which is tiny but fun. Saw exerpt from Fraggle Rock! Also, I asked Nice Lady at Info Desk about next year's television season. She gave me a printout. Also:
  
  Me: I was also wondering if you knew when The Trojan Horse is scheduled to be broadcast?
  Nice Lady at Info Desk: Let me check. *gets on phone, calls someone*
  Me: *waits*
  NLaID: *looks up, smiles* Sometime in January, 2008. *hands me pen and paper* Here, give me your name and telephone number. We'll call you when we're sure of the actual date.
  Me: Really?
  NLaID: Sure, we'd be happy to.
  
  This? Made my day, truly.
  
  
• scriggle and I were trying to figure out what to do tomorrow since we only have reservations through tonight. scriggle casually suggests Ottawa as a possibility. Me: *holds out arm for her to twist*
  
  DUDE. WE ARE GOING TO OTTAWA. Sure, it's only for a day. But WE ARE GOING TO OTTAWA.
  
  
• Next year definitely coming back to TIFF. I figure it's a good possibility that both Blindness AND Passchendaele will be shown there. Eep.
  
  
• Was going to watch telly, but lots of people sort of burst in and wanted to watch a movie. I caught the last ten minutes of the Mercer Report. I wanted to watch the news, dammit. Blergh.
  
  There's lots I missed, I'm sure, but I really have to go get my laundry and go to bed. We're getting an early start because WE ARE GOING TO OTTAWA.

Most likely finishing up high school.

Caroline Dhavernas is a very pretty young thing. If she's got talent, which she apparently does, it could work.

But Dude. She's twenty-nine. This is Passchendaele, not Chasing Rainbows. And Dude 2.0. If only she'd been around THEN. Just sayin'.

Also: Why isn't this film up at IMDB yet? It's seriously in production, which is one of their labels.

ETA: This is NOT a complaint, mind you. I've been pining waiting too long to complain.