baby steps though blogging

I should try and write a little bit every day. I have to write something everyday. I have been quite ill.

I spent the day volunteering at the Lightbox. It's the "Bell Free Weekend" and wasn't nearly as busy as it was last year, when thousands came for the free Tim Burton Exhibit and movies. They didn't screen any big name family titles that could draw crowds (although the older folks turned up for the Oscar-nominated Monsieur Lazhar) Hopefully next year they will have a little more going on for the kids.

It was great to see my friend Lars, who I haven't spoken to since before I went to Japan. He just got a job at the Lightbox, I'm very happy for him (and proud too). He's a film buff and a Jays fan, so we had much to discuss but only spoke a little (he's a responsible employee, after all). I'm headed back there now to meet up with him and watch the Nic Cage classic Con Air.

Big Week

My internet service provider, Teksavvy has let me down for the first time. I pay the big bucks for high speed but it went down on Sunday and it could take a Rogers guy 3 days to get out and fix it. So I'm back at the Ol' Second Cup across the street from my place. It's frustrating cause I have a lot of blogging to do and it's cheaper to do at home(I don't have to buy coffee).

I went to the medical clinic down the street since the dysentery I developed a few days ago has so far refused to abate. 

I'm excited for this week, even more than last week. Sure a 30th birthday and a trip to New York is a big deal, but this week I'm going to London Ontario to see TOOL (along with Jagger and Ashlie) and then Montreal for my annual Igloofest trip(w/Matt Ian and Brooke).

Before that I have a few volunteer shifts at tiff Bell Lightbox, which is one of the highlights of my life. I love the festival and the people I meet there. I'm stockpiling movie vouchers so I can see all the Studio Ghibli movies when tiff has a retrospective in March.

Nature calls, hope this imodium kicks in soon (says the guy drinking coffee). 

The Doom Generation at Tiff Bell Lightbox

When faced with the choice of watching the Blue Jays beat the Yankees again tonight or seeing Rose McGowan in The Doom Generation at the Lightbox, thankfully I can do a bit of both. I can go see the movie and after I will go watch the game since the Lightbox is so close to Skydome.  This was the first Gregg Araki movie I ever saw. I rented it at Quick Mart back in Timmins when I was a teenager. I met him at tiff when he debuted Smiley Face. His movies can get pretty fucked up. I love living in a city where I can see an awesome movie and a baseball game in a single night.

    

where am i?

My lack of time and internet is the reasoning behind my sparse updates. The Internet Man (Rogers) should be by this week to hook up the tubes, then I will be out of excuses. I'm writing this from my friend Shawna's place while I watch her dog Rambo. Today I'm going to help put up election signs for my local incumbent MP Olivia Chow, then I have a Captain shift at the Lightbox. I'm so busy and it doesn't seem to be slowing down. Yankees are in town next week and I also have to help a friend move.

The High Cost Of Living @ Tiff Bell Lightbox

I vas volunteering at the Lightbox and I got to watch a great new Canadian film called The High Cost of Living. Shot in Montreal and starring Zach Braff (an American, playing an American) and a fantastic Quebecoise actress Isabelle Blais, this is the first feature for writer/director Deborah Chow. It preemed at tiff last year and it gets a Canadian theatrical release later this month.
The movie is about two people whose lives colide in a tragic accident. It was very good. If you only know Zach Braff as a prat-falling doctor on Scrubs then you should check this out. Both the Director and the two stars were there to introduce the film. Unfortunately I could not take pictures because I was working.

Lolita at the Lightbox

I was volunteering at the Lightbox, without the responsibilities of being a Captain, I was able to watch the movie (after performing my volunteer flashlight duties of course). The film was Stanley Kubrick's Lolita, as  part of tiff's Books on Film Series. The print was rather old and rough, a few minutes were skipped when the audio was blown out, but otherwise a great screening of a 49 year old film.

The audience was mostly women over 50, and there was an audible gasp when Richard Corliss, TIME magazine film critic and author of a book about Lolita for the British Film Institute suggested that the character, Lolita, was anything except a victim. The audience seemed to grumble at the idea that she held any power or control. The volunteer I watched the movie with wondered if they had watched the same movie as us. Peter Sellers is really great in it.

I Won a copy of The Art of Tim Burton, Autographed!

I have already said I love volunteering at the Tiff Bell Lightbox, I get to contribute to the festival's artistic vision while at the same time scoring free movie vouchers. Last week I entered a contest just for the tiff volunteers, and I won! It's an autographed copy of The Art Of Tim Burton. You may recall I met Tim Burton back in November at the Tiff Bell Lightbox, he was there to promote the opening of his awesome exhibit. I could never afford this book and had to settle for two much cheaper (still very cool) journals. I'm so lucky to have won this beautiful book. 

Click here for The Art of Tim Burton publishers website where you can order the book for yourself, or come buy one at the Tiff Bell Lightbox.

Splice at the Lightbox

I won free tickets to see Splice at the Lightbox as part of the Canadian Top 10 of 2010, I was going to see it anyways since I missed it's theatrical run. It was fun take on the Frankenstein story. The director, Vincenzo Natali was in attendance and spoke about the film afterwards. It was very cool.

Red State out October 19th, see it early

Kevin Smith debuted his new film Red State at Sundance this week, and then announced with much fanfare that he would forgo selling his first horror film to traditional distributors and release the film himself. Kevin Smith alway bets on Kevin Smith. It's a good bet and it's paid off before (Kevin backed his first film Clerks on multiple high-intrest credit cards). He is willing to make this gambit because he has supreme confidence in his work and in his ability to secure an audience by networking directly with his fans. He blogged for a long time, and then he pretty much stopped blogging the minute he discovered twitter, and hasn't stopped tweeting since.

The movie will Open October 19th 2011, but US fans can see it early, buy tickets here.

March 5 Radio City Music Hall, NY, NY
March 6 Wilbur Theater, Boston, MA
March 8 Harris Theater, Chicago, IL
March 9 State Theater, Minneapolis, MN
March 10 Michigan Theater, Ann Arbor, MI
March 11 Clowes Memorial Hall, Indianapolis, IN
March 12 Midland Theater, Kansas City, MO
March 14 Clark State PAC, Springfield, OH
March 22 Paramount Theater, Denver, CO
March 26 McAlister Auditorium, New Orleans, LA
March 28 Paramount Theatre, Austin, TX
March 29 Cobb Energy Centre, Atlanta, GA
April 4 Marion Oliver McCall Hall, Seattle, WA

I'm sure he will add some Canadian dates, perhaps around the Walter Gretzky Ball Hockey Tournament in June. I hope the screenings happen at the Lightbox but I could see it happening at the Underground since they have a bigger room. Either way Red State will sell out when it screen in Toronto. I will be there and if you want to know about it keep checking this blog.

Incendies at the Tiff Bell Lightbox

My good friend Regimbal wanted to see Incendies. the Canadian film that was nominated for a Best Foreign-Language Film Academy Award on Tuesday. It's playing at the Lightbox (it opened at Tiff). I picked up the tickets early because some showings have been selling out. I finally got to use some of my massive Volunteer Voucher stockpile to get the tickets. When I told Regimbal that he would have to reimburse me for the ticket with his time, he said he would rather pay me in cash.

The movie was fantastic. It's no wonder it was nominated. I would recommend it for anyone who can handle some heavy subject matter. The movie is about a mothers dying request of her children and their journey to fulfil it. Thats all I'm gonna say. Go see it and support Canadian Cinema.

Gmo Monday!

I went shopping with my Granny Mo today. I got a pair of black New Balance shoes for working at the Lightbox. My dress shoes are just too uncomfortable to stand in for long periods. I have a few shifts this week so I'm glad to have good comfy shoes. We went to lunch at Baton Rouge, it was a little pricey, but Gmo loved the soup. She thinks she's been getting really old really fast. She has to take a lot of breaks to sit down and I cant really walk slow enough for her, I don't mind slowing down. I'm lucky I get to spend time with her. Her questions can be frustrating. Sometimes she wants me to elaborate on Yes or No answers.

My buddy Ian started working on reshoots, so he has a production vehicle again. We went for an evening drive. I love rolling around the city with Ian. We just talk movies and the conversation is always so enthralling.

Man in black for tiff

I'm going to my first shift as a volunteer for the Tiff Bell Lightbox. I will be working at the theatre end, but I'm not sure what my duties will be. I'm up to dress code, all in black, wearing my nice new clothes (Thanks Gmo). I'm very excited about the opportunities this position could bring if I work hard and get noticed. I sure will get noticed if I'm late, so I had better be leaving now.

Tron Legacy to sneak at Tiff Bell Lightbox

So I was wrong. Tron Legacy will not be at the Scotiabank tonight. @catherinefaas tweeted I might try and look further south east. The Lightbox denied any knowledge of a screening, but anonymous commented that the Lightbox was the place. Roy Thompson Hall is full of old people so I know it's not there.

I'm at a Second Cup, heading back to the Lightbox to get some answers.

Tim Burton at The Bell Lightbox in Toronto

Tim Burton at Toronto's Bell Lightbox

I just met Tim Burton at the Bell Lightbox. The director is in town to promote the opening of his eponymous exhibition and film programme. He was really nice, taking the time to shake hands and share pleasantries with those who had waited all day in line. I'm broke, so I couldn't afford the beautiful Art of Burton book and settled on the much cheaper light-up journal. I'm not quite sure what to do with a journal with Tim Burton's autograph, since I obviously couldn't write in it myself. I guess it sits on my shelf and looks cool. Meeting the man was the real prize, and I'm looking forward to the Burton Blitz, in which Tiff will screen a marathon of Burton's work this Friday.

  

Tim Burton is coming to Toronto!

The Bell Lightbox is one of Toronto's newest and coolest cultural assets. The permanent home of Tiff will host the Tim Burton Exhibition and Film Programme beginning November 26th. The broody auteur will be on hand at the Lightbox for an autograph session on Monday November 22nd from 4pm-5:30pm. Before you dust off your Frankenweenie VHS be aware Mr. Burton will only sign copies of Tim Burton Dark Horse journals as well as these three other books: The Art of Tim Burton; Burton on Burton; and Tim Burton - Masters of Cinema Series,  All four items will be available on-site at TIFF.Shop. From the sternly worded press release:

"This event is open to the general public on a first-come, first-served basis. No other books or collectibles will be signed at this event and the books must be purchased at TIFF.Shop. In order to ensure that the maximum number of people are able to get their book(s) signed, autographs will not be personalized and there is a limit of two items per person."

I will be there, of course. Along with the great opportunity to meet one of the most talented filmmakers of our time is a chance to explore his work in greater detail, and catch some of his better work on one of the Lightboxes state-of-the-art screens. Tiff Members get discounted tickets, so if you haven't already, pick one up.