Monthly Archives: June 2012

Man, they couldn’t have pushed up the Canadian premiere of The Amazing Spider-Man by a day, could they?

Posted by gruesomegreg on

As an avid childhood reader of Marvel Comics, I’ve felt compelled to see pretty much all of these recent super-hero blockbusters Stan Lee has stamped over the past few years.  And while I kinda had a beef with The Avengers movie not sticking to the script of the original comic books, I hafta say, the Spider-Man series has been pretty good in that regard.  Of course, the origin story is well-known, but I recognized storylines from the first two films coming from issues of the comic book back in the day.  (Spider-Man 3, on the other hand…)  Not such whether Marvel had more input on these ones or if Sam Raimi was just a Spidey fan, but I thought they were well done.

Of course, the departure of director Raimi and lead actor Tobey Maguire for The Amazing Spider-Man has led to a whole refresh of the series with a new cast of characters (exit Kirsten Dunst as Mary-Jane, enter Emma Stone as Gwen Stacy) led by British actor Andrew Garfield.  While I’m not sure whether this one will capture the feel of the initial trilogy, I’d probably still go and see it–if only it was opening this weekend.  This being one of the biggest summer blockbusters, the studio has given the go-ahead for a July 3rd opening ahead of the big long weekend in the States.  But I guess the Canadian arm of Columbia Pictures has no pull, as its northern opening inconveniently comes after our national holiday weekend–and by one day, at that!

Of course, the day that Canada became a country was the 1st, not the 4th of July–although America has us beat by about 90 years.  And because the day itself falls on a Sunday this year, most Canadian workplaces (mine included) have Monday, July 2nd off.  Since the second is of no particular patriotic significance, it seems like a good time to catch a flick–it’s just too bad that the movie I most wanted to see opens a day late.  That said, part of me wants to watch Ted, the new Mark Wahlberg film, just to see if the twisted mind of Seth MacFarlane has directed a sex scene between Mila Kunis and a teddy bear.  (Hey, this sorta thing has happened before–albeit only in porn parodies, I suppose.)  I also kinda wanna see the new Oliver Stone movie Savages–but that one doesn’t even open till next Friday.

Mind you, I know where I’ll be spending my Day-After-Canada-Day.  The Bloor Cinema is offering a hoserrific double bill of Strange Brew and Fubar for freakin’ free(!!!) on Monday afternoon starting at 1 pm.  The second-best part is that it’s free–the best part being that it’s only a couple blocks away from my apartment…  Take Off, Eh!

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Are you ready for some football!? My 2012 CFL season preview

Posted by gruesomegreg on

To me, there is no sport more Canadian than CFL football.  Quick, name me one other game where Canada has its own professional league with its own rules–and Saskatchewan has its own team, to boot!  As always, the CFL season kicks off over the Canada Day long weekend, and while all the Euros and the homos in Toronto will be tuned in to the Euro Cup and the Gay Pride Parade, I know which game I’ll be watching.  GO STAMPS GO!

Anyways, last season saw a tremendous deal of parity in the Canadian Football League, with three of the four teams out West finishing 11-7, and the long-dominant Montreal Alouettes knocked off their perch atop the Eastern Divison–despite their identical record with Winnipeg, both teams ending up at 10-8.  The 99th Grey Cup saw the hometown B.C. Lions beat the Bombers badly, the 34-23 score not reflecting the fact that Winnipeg was never really in the game.  You’ve gotta figure that the Lions are the team to beat again this year, though I’m not so sure about the Bombers.  Here’s how I see things unfolding in the CFL this season.

WEST DIVISION

1. B.C. Lions (13-5): Despite the retirement of legendary head coach Wally Buono, the defending champs return most of their key players from last season, led by Most Outstanding Player Travis Lulay.  This team is strong both in the receiving corps and in the defensive secondary, and should continue to throw the ball downfield, although a healthy Tim Brown will add some speed to their running attack.  To be the best, you gotta beat the best, and there’s only one team with the means to do so out West…

2. Calgary Stampeders (12-6): This year, the Stamps are Drew Tate’s team.  The sixth-year QB played well down the stretch in taking over for Henry Burris last season, but played so poorly in their first-round playoff loss to Edmonton that he was replaced by Burris at halftime.  That said, I like the cut of his jib.  A diminutive, active, accurate passer, Tate the great has visions of Doug Flutie dancing in my head when he’s at his best.  And he’s got the weapons to work with, as well.  Canadian RB Jon Cornish is one of the CFL’s most explosive runners, and should contend for the league rushing title if he stays healthy.  Meanwhile, the receiving corps is anchored by veterans Nik Lewis and Romby Bryant with a bevy of up-coming non-import talent so impressive that the team cut Ken-Yon Rambo.  Losing defensive co-ordinator Chris Jones hurts, but here’s hoping that the values he instilled on his troops are carried over into this season.  The Stamps should have an impressive secondary, but it remains to be seen whether Charleston Hughes and a host of newcomers on the D-Line can put enough pressure on the passer.  If they do, this team could go all the way.  After all, they really only have one team to beat in their division.

3. Saskatchewan Roughriders (7-11): Another year, another new coach for the Roughriders, who didn’t really benefit from the tutelage of Greg Marshall last season, finishing with the worst record in the league.  Although they lost key contributors Wes Cates and Andy Fantuz to free agency, I still think this team will win a couple more games this year–by virtue of beating the Edmonton Eskimos.

4. Edmonton Eskimos (4-14): In what could go down as the worst trade in CFL history, the Esks dealt franchise QB Ricky Ray to Toronto for backup kicker/punter Grant Shaw, career backup QB Steven Jyles (who was starting for Argos last season) and the second-overall pick in the Canadian Draft–which they subsequently shipped to B.C. for a trio of later choices.  If Edmonton gets anything out of the likes of OL Austin Pasztor, DL Justin Capicciotti or LB Ryan King, it will be only as an indirect result of the Ray trade, those players drafted with the picks acquired from the Lions.  Without one of the 21st century’s greatest CFL passers, you’d think the Esks would rely more heavily on the run game–but therein lies another problem.  RB Jerome Messam, last year’s Most Outstanding Canadian, signed an NFL contract in the offseason with Miami Dolphins.  Without any weapons on offense, this team is gonna get manhandled like a smart car on Whyte Avenue.  But hey, even if their trio of top prospects doesn’t turn out, at least they’lll get another shot at it with the first overall pick next year…

EAST DIVISION

1. Montreal Alouettes (12-6): Although they were taken down a half-notch by Winnipeg last year, the Als remain the team to beat in the East.  Marc Trestman has never had a losing season in the CFL, and as long as he’s got football’s all-time leading passer Anthony Calvillo throwing to the likes of Jamel Richardson and S.J. Green and a punishing defensive front seven, he should be just fine, thank you.

2. Toronto Argonauts (10-8): They may have finished last in the East last year, but that was Before Ricky.  In adding one of the CFL’s most prolific passers, still in his prime at 32, this team just got a whole lot better.  Throw in a punishing rusher like Cory Boyd, an explosive weapon in Chad Owens and an always-stingy defense, and you’ve got a potential Grey Cup contender.  Let’s just hope they draw more fans per game than Raptors this season–though I wouldn’t bet on it.  I will be in the stands for their home opener, though.  I won’t be cheering for the home side, mind you. ;)

3. Winnipeg Blue Bombers (9-9): Last year was a tale of two halves for the Bombers, who started 7-1, then dropped back-to-back games to the lowly Riders leading to a 3-7 finish.  Though they squeaked out an ugly 19-3 Eastern Final win on the frozen tundra of CanadInns Stadium, their performance in the 99th Grey Cup left a lot to be desired.  This year, it’s do-or-die time for QB Buck Pierce, entering his eighth CFL season.  Pierce has never managed to stay healthy for a full 18 games, though he set personal bests in pass attempts, completions and yardage last year.  That said, his 14-to-18 TD-to-INT ratio and 82.0 QB rating were far from impressive.  If he can’t elevate his game–and by extension, his team–this year, the Bombers will be studying a lotta film of QB prospects in the offseason.

4. Hamilton Tiger-Cats (8-10): Although Marcel Bellefeuille wasn’t a bad coach, he could never get his team over the hump.  If you take away 2008, when he took over a terrible team at mid-season, his record as head coach was 26-28, with three playoff appearances–and just one win.  Last year, the team took a step back from 9-9 to 8-10, and while they did manage to beat Montreal in a thrilling East Semi-Final, their poor performance in Winnipeg the following week cost Bellefeuille his job.  But with him gone, I don’t see an immediate improvement under new bench boss George Cortez.  Even with the notable additions of QB Henry Burris and SB Andy Fantuz, they stand to face tougher competition this season–most notably from their rivals down the QEW.  That said, another 8-10 season should make the Cats the first East team to cross over into the West Division playoffs, and set up a match against Burris’ old team–if he hasn’t lost the starting job to Quinton Porter by season’s end.  If Hank indeed leads his troops into Calgary on November 11th, I might have to burn his old jersey as an offering to the football gods.  In any case, I don’t see Hamilton making it past the first round this year, either.

COMMENT OF THE DAY: Who’s afraid of this small blonde reporter?

Posted by gruesomegreg on

From: http://news.nationalpost.com/2012/06/29/elliot-lake-city-staff-call-police-after-reporter-asks-for-algo-centre-mall-documents/

The latest story to emerge from the rubble of the Elliot Lake mall collapse is one of a story not being allowed to emerge.  Global News reporter Jennifer Tryon, who attempted to file a Freedom of Information request at the town’s City Hall was not only denied the opportunity, but had the clerk call the OPP.  Apparently, they were “somewhat intimidated by the insistent nature of the request being made,” but that certainly is not a felony.  And it is somewhat ironic that Tryon would use intimidation to get a scoop, what with the award from Amnesty International for Excellence in Human Rights Reporting in her back pocket.  Then again, how intimidating could she really be?

She sure doesn’t seem very scary to me in this news report…

I gotta say, Shera Bechard seems pretty extraordinary to me, too!

Posted by gruesomegreg on

Reuters is reporting that Shera Bechard, a former Playboy Playmate and one of Hugh Hefner’s many one-time girlfriends, is considered an “individual with extraordinary ability” by the U.S. government.  Her claim to extraordinariness?  She started the “Frisky Friday” Twitter trend, which has inspired “young women all over the world (to) tweet scantily-clad pictures of themselves on Fridays, with Playboy selecting a weekly winner.”  Seems pretty extraordinary to me!

Bechard, a native of Kapuskasing, Ontario, is one of thousands of foreign nationals granted temporary residence in the United States by an O-1 genius visa, an increasingly popular way for important people to come to America.  As Reuters reports, “The O-1 visa allows individuals of ‘extraordinary ability’ to come to the United States for up to three years, and can be extended.”  This has brought several young, college-dropout tech entrepreneurs into Silicon Valley, as well as granting Piers Morgan residency as he replaces Larry King on CNN.  C’mon, what makes him more extraordinary than your average American anchorman?

Mind you, the issuing of O-1s has met little resistance from government and industry, as it’s assumed that most of these folks are creating jobs, not taking them away from American citizens.  “The O-1 is one of the few visas we support,” said Kim Berry, a spokesman for the Programmers Guild. “When they need to bring in the best and the brightest and the entrepreneurs, that’s the only visa that helps America.”  As opposed to that other Visa that just increases America’s household debt…

U2 bassist’s hired help buys 22 racehorses with money stolen from between his couch cushions…

Posted by gruesomegreg on

U2 bassist Adam Clayton is $3.6-million poorer after being ripped off by a former aide, The Associated Press reports.  Carol Hawkins, a woman the Irish soft-rocker had given “access to his bank accounts purely so she could pay bills related to his Georgian mansion, Danesmoate, in south Dublin” ended up spending almost three-million Euros over four years on pricey plane tickets, university courses for her children and an inordinate number of racehorses.

Amongst the damages was a pair of plane tickets to Miami that cost €19,285.08 ($24,420) and another trip to Cincinnati, Ohio that cost her €16,139.66 ($20,438).  Man, you couldn’t pay me 16-grand to travel to Cincy—but then again, she was spending someone else’s money.

Hawkins was found guilty today by an Irish jury of a whopping 181(!) counts and will be sentenced July 6th.  As Judge Patrick McCartan said, “The evidence in this case was overwhelming. Nobody could seriously disagree with the verdict you have given.”  I guess Clayton will hafta choose his hired help more wisely next time…

That said, Hawkins’ massive spending spree shouldn’t put too much of a dent in the bass-player’s bank account.  Wikipedia lists U2’s 360º Tour as the highest-grossing concert series of all time, bringing in a staggering $736,421,586 from ’09 to 2011.  Split four ways, that’s $184,105,396.50—or enough dough for 9,008 flights to Cincinnati. ;)

FRENCH WORD OF THE DAY: Portion congrue

Posted by gruesomegreg on

Portion congrue: Minimal, insufficient wages or resources, ie the bare minimum.

As seen in: « Les islamistes les ont chassés de Tombouctou, réduits à la portion congrue à Kidal et viennent de les écraser à Gao, en prenant leur quartier général pour tout le nord du Mali: les rebelles touareg sont en déroute et ne contrôlent plus aucune place forte dans cette région. »

(Translation: “The Islamists chased them out of Timbuktu, reduced them to the bare minimum in Kidal and have just squashed them in Gao, taking all of northern Mali as their home base: the Touareg rebels have collapsed and no longer control any strongholds in the area.”)

http://www.liberation.fr/depeches/2012/06/29/nord-du-mali-la-rebellion-touareg-quitte-tombouctou-gao-aux-mains-des-islamistes_830046

Looking back at… Dédé, à travers les brumes (TVA Films, 2009)

Posted by gruesomegreg on

Next week, the 2012 edition of Le Festival d’été de Québec gets underway.  The 10-day musicfest brings out some big names nowadays, with the likes of Sting, KISS, Iron Maiden, Rammstein, Metallica and Elton John having graced the stage in the past few years–and Bon Jovi, Aerosmith and The Offspring on board this time around.  But back in 1999, the biggest band at le Festival was Les Colocs, who won that year’s Prix Miroir for the most popular performance.  Less than a year later, their iconic frontman Dédé Fortin would be dead at 37, having taken his own life through self-inflicted seppuku.  It would be almost a decade before his life-story was captured on film in the form of Dédé, à travers les brumes, starring sovereigntist rapper Sébastien Ricard (from Loco Locass) in the principal role.

Although he does have a few film and TV credits to his name, it’s likely that Ricard won the role for both his musical and political connections.  Fortin himself was a fervent Quebec nationalist; in fact his band was slated to launch their second CD, Atrocetomique, at a rally for the “Oui” campaign on the eve of the 1995 referendum–although the results of said survey sorta put a damper on things.  Formed in 1990 by Fortin and Louis Léger, Les Colocs scored a hit in ’93 with “Passe-moé la puck” off their self-titled album.  Having already generated some buzz with their live gigs and an appearance on L’empire des futurs stars, the debut sold several thousand copies, allowing them to clean up at that year’s Félix awards.  They quickly became one of the biggest bands in Quebec, with their insightful lyrics written in joual and their happy-go-lucky, danceable rhythms.

The film picks things up in 1997, during the recording of Dehors novembre, their final album with Fortin, a record that would take several months to make as the band’s singer and chief songwriter dealt with depression.  The time spent in isolation in Estrie gives Fortin several flashbacks that inspire the song-writing process, and allows him to take us back in time.  As with many movies based on true stories, the chronology doesn’t always synch up with reality.  For one thing, the movie leads us to believe that Fortin formed the band with harmonica player Patrick Esposito di Napoli, who he met as a busker on the subway, and Mike Sawatzky, a fellow street musician–and an anglophone Indian from Saskatchewan, no less.  Alas, the band was already established before those two came along.

Likewise, while Sawatzky did get into a car accident that left him in a coma for a couple months, it apparently wasn’t during the recording of the album, as the film portrays.  But that certainly does make for better cinema…

Meanwhile, Fortin’s depression doesn’t really become apparent until the latter part of the film.  It’s only after he suffers a bit of a breakdown in the studio that the movie flashes back to his hospitalization in 1985, but by the time he’s scheduled to play Le Festival d’été, you can tell he’s not well–though that didn’t stop him from putting on a dynamite performance.  Alas, the narrative structure of Dédé, à travers les brumes is such that the overall story seems somewhat incomplete–and I almost feel that it paints less than a full portrait of the tortured artist.  Mind you, that didn’t stop it from topping the Quebec box-office upon its release in March 2009…

To give you some idea of how big Fortin and his band was, their former bassist Mononc’ Serge, who’s gone on to a successful shock-rock solo career, still gets asked about Les Colocs in TV interviews as recently as last November.  For the record, he’s never seen the film–but that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t.

COMMENT OF THE DAY: Sounds like someone’s been standing on the shoulders of midgets…

Posted by gruesomegreg on

From: http://fullcomment.nationalpost.com/2012/06/28/jonathan-kay-a-canadian-perspective-on-americas-ideological-civil-war-over-health-care/

So, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled today that the Obamacare health bill doesn’t violate its constitution, though it will still be another two years before most of its stipulations take effect—that is, if it isn’t cancelled by Mitt Romney in the meantime should he win the presidential election.  Meanwhile, most Canadians are scratching their heads at the opposition to legislation that still doesn’t quite bring our neighbours in line with the public healthcare system we’ve had for decades.  But then there are also people like this guy on the National Post:

North Korea may also have a public healthcare system, but last time I checked, we weren’t rationing food and eating bugs for protein.  I can’t see how we’re shoulder-to-shoulder with the Kim Dynasty—not unless you’re about 3’2”.

This just in: Canadians are more patriotic than their next-door neighbours…

Posted by gruesomegreg on

A new survey suggests that Canadians are more patriotic than ever, with 20 per cent saying they would get the maple leaf tattooed on their body and 61 per cent saying they wear or would wear maple-leaf underwear, according to The Province.  That said, those 1,100 patriotic people surveyed by Ipsos-Reid might be the exception, not the norm.  A large number of them (nearly eight out of 10) also said they felt Canadians could “put more effort into displaying their national pride.”

Ain’t that the truth.  You’ll be hard-pressed to find too many Canadian flags flying in Toronto this Canada Day.  Not only is July 1st the championship final of the 2012 Euro Cup, it’s also the date of this year’s Gay Pride Parade.  The rainbow flags will outnumber the Maple Leafs along Yonge and Church Streets, that’s for sure.  And if Italy beats Germany today, you’ll see a lot more azzuri than red-and-white on College or St. Clair.  Makes you wonder how many Torontonians took part in this survey in the first place…

On the other hand, you can bet that I’ll be wearing red on Sunday, as the Calgary Stampeders open the CFL season against the Montreal Alouettes.  I’d expect there to be some fireworks on the field for this ’08 Grey Cup rematch, that’s for sure…

FRENCH WORD OF THE DAY: Coup de théâtre

Posted by gruesomegreg on

Coup de théâtre: A sudden, dramatic turn of events.

As seen in: « Les coups de théâtre se sont succédé hier au sein du Parti québécois : après la rumeur du retrait de la vie politique du député de Richelieu, Sylvain Simard, plus de la moitié des membres de l’exécutif de la circonscription de Groulx ont claqué la porte pour protester contre la candidature désignée de Raymond Archambault, président du parti, en vue des probables élections automnales. »

(Translation: “Back-to-back dramatic events yesterday at the heart of the Parti québécois: after the rumour of the political retirement of Richelieu MNA Sylvain Simard, more than half of the members of the executive committee in the Groulx riding resigned in protest against the designated candidate, party president Raymond Archambault, ahead of a probable fall election.”)

http://www.ledevoir.com/politique/quebec/353461/nouvelle-grogne-au-parti-quebecois