More pics!

None are yet properly catalogued, and most are crap. But I had to share this one (hopefully now in non-blog-breaking resolution):

B&B Presents: The bond that can only exist between a man and his dog.

Have to remember to post earlier. Stupid Saturday routine. Anyways this week...

SUNDAY (as in tomorrow) JUL.30

7pm ANIMAL LOVE (1995): Here's a write-up from the AUSTRIAN FILM COMMISSION; "In conurbations where hundreds of thousands live alongside one another, in the era of a highly technological society, in which communication has never played such a significant role, man has become lonely. Disappointed by his fellow human beings, he turns to animals. Dogs and other domestic animals serve him as companions, life partners, cuddly objects and bedfellows." Um yeah. I was originally going to program with THE LIFESTYLE, a docu about swing culture but I'm kinda tired of sex themed nights and the fallout from them. So instead of my first idea of following this with Old Yeller...



9pm A BOY AND HIS DOG (1975): Oh wait here's me again being too lazy to do my own write up, "A post-apocalyptic tale based on a novella by Harlan Ellison. A boy communicates telepathically with his dog as they scavenge for food and sex, and they stumble into an underground society where the old society is preserved."

So yeah. Probably watching Kaiju movies on Monday. Hope to see you there.

Friday or Saturday night free?

Go see this play, it's wonderful!
http://www.fairtradetheatre.ca

moving

so i'm officically moving into lindsay's place on 18th and columbia. most likely i'll be moving on the 1st. if anyone can help that would be greatly appreciated. like mariko's move, smaller stuff in the day, bigger stuff when my brother gets off work. as thai away is within walking distance, dinner shall be provided for those who help.

let me know if you can, no worries if you can't.

Keeping busy to keep from keeping still

It just dawned on me that my moments of down time trigger homesickness. I will, from now on, immerse myself in busy tasks in order for me to avoid the depressive trap that is craving for Vancouver. The city seems to swallow me whole as it is anyhow, so keeping busy won't be too difficult. There are so many things to do here, and now that I am working as a research assistant, things will only pile up.

More to come ...

More to come...

The photos begin to trickle onto my flickr site...

For example:

Monkey photo everyone is on about.

Editor: Sorry, Paul, this was really messing with the formatting of The Clubhouse, so it's down to link format. In the future, try using Blogger's photo adding function and choose size small.

Movie Night Cancelled. But first...

TREK IS DEAD. LONG LIVE TREK.



Ahh San Diego. Once upon a time you would get great comic news from the San Diego Comic Con. Now Quesada (the Editor in Chief at Marvel) makes a point of making the big announcements at the Chicago Con so it doesn't get drowned out by the Hollywood shit (By shit I mean stuff, not shit.). But that's fine cause what great movie buzz comes from the Con every year. The Fox panel sounded the best with the cast of RENO: 911 cast appearing in character and the same for BORAT.

But hey, the official announcement for the new Trek. Suprisingly retro look. J.J. Abrams is now officially signed to produce with an option to direct. Him and LOST co-creator Damon Lindelof (who finally has gotten around to writing the 3rd issue of Ultimate Hulk vs Wolverine)are writing. I was a little worried for my boy Abrams after the box office of MI:3 (which is the best pure action film I've seen in quite some time.) but I guess Paramount is putting the blame on Cruise for that which pleases me 'cause Abrams did great work considering it was his a) first feature and b) his first feature being a tentpole title. Either way I'm glad it was Abrams and not JMS rebooting trek 'cause after reading his pitch it felt like a B5 retread.

Question: would it be too hackneyed if they got Dr. Cottle from BSG to play Bones in the reboot? Like have him play the exact same character just different names. Though maybe this time they'll be brave enough to make him the bigoted xenophobe (is that redundant?) we all knew Dr. McCoy to be. I saw it in his eyes, fantasizing about dragging that soulless devil-eared monster by horseback through the decks of the Enterprise.

Anyways no Movie Night this week it's too damn hot in my apartment and I blew my load with the Beat the Heat night by two weeks. Sigh. We'll probably be watching movies anyways on Monday but no set programming. Probably new releases from work or whatever's unwatched on the shelf.

decemberists 11.18

anyone up for a decemberists show in november? it's saturday, 11.18 at the commodore, and tix go on sale august 1. I'm looking at you, bean.

if people are wanting to go and will be picking up tickets, I would gladly you pay you tuesday for two tickets today...

Sunday at Tinseltown?

Can someone join me for one or perhaps both of these movies at Tinseltown on Sunday afternoon?

A SCANNER DARKLY
12:35 / 2:55 / 5:20

STRANGERS WITH CANDY
12:55 / 3:15 / 5:35

Though maybe not those last showings, since I intend to join Jessica for dinner. If you'd like to accompany, please leave a comment and let's work out a time.

For Grae...

Only Arsenio Hall can save hip hop...



'Dope, The Big Lie' from Large and In Charge.

Hey Writers!

Don't forget your writing is due online by midnight!

Clerks II -- The Plan

So, Clerks 2 opens tomorrow & it's one of the few movies I've deemed worthy of opening night attendance. Shows at the Paramount are at 7:40pm and 10:30pm. I'm planning on going to the 7:40pm show. Because I now work downtown, I will be picking up tickets on my lunch break. If you would like me to pick you up a ticket, email me or post in the comments before noon tomorrow. If I do not hear from you by then, you won't be getting a ticket. Alternately you can call me on my cell phone and leave a message, but again, you've gotta do it before noon. After that, plan is to line-up around 6:30pm. I'll be going for drinks with work in the afternoon, but I'll co-ordinate by cellphone with anyone I've picked-up a ticket for (assuming you'd all have cellphones).

Hope to see you there,

~meeko

In the meantime you can watch Kevin Smith dance like a 14 year old girl & Rosario Dawson scream the word "vagina" by going here.

Summer Camp! -- July 28

Hey All,

Just a quick reminder that the next Evil Film School is happening next Friday (July 28th) @ Blim.

Doors: 8pm
Start: 8:15pm

First Film: Mooch Goes to Hollywood [1971] -- Very strange children's film co-written by Jim Backus about a lovable tramp named Mooch who comes to LaLaLand to become a star. Along the way she's helped by Zsa Zsa Gabor, Vincent Price and a whole host of Hollywood who's who (including a very creepy Mickey Rooney). Short & sweet (50 min running time), it's worth seeing if only for the scene where a 70+ Vincent Price runs along a beach with open arms towards the Benji-like Mooch.

Second Film: I Woke Up Early the Day I Died [1998] -- Dialogue free film based on a script by Ed Wood, starring Billy Zane & almost anyone else who was famous in the late 90's. Was a bit of a vanity project for Mr. Zane who allegedly sank his own money into the film, which has not really seen the light of day in America, save a few festival appearances shortly after it was made. The lack of dialogue and expressionistic acting lend it the feeling of a highly demented silent film and an awesome and omnipresent soundtrack ensure that the audience is always engaged. Note: Although there is no dialogue, this the occasional voice over or title card. Because the only source print is of German origin, these will be entirely in German with no subtitles.

Admission: $5 - $10

Popcorn & Beer (recommended) will be available from the bar.

For more info feel free to email me: evilfilmschool @ gmail.com

Reminderette

My plan is to attend Sunday Service preceded by dinner with other clubhousettes this weekend..
Help me make this happen ladies..

!NSTANT THEATRE?S SUNDAY SERVICE
Weekly show in which two performers improvise scenes with audience suggestions. Sun. show at 9 pm, Wink (151 E. 8th).

Story Time

My Going Away Party!!!

Friday the 28th of July at the Slack Shack.

You tell storries about me and I'll share my fond memories of you and Vancouver.

(I know this happens to be a movie night, sigh, but such is life.. )

You'll probably dig it more

Not really work safe, if your work doesn't like profanity.

A plea for people-friendly public space

It is a little sad for me to discover that Toronto's urban public parks are much more alive and accessible than Vancouver's. I say that this is sad because Vancouver is my home and I do not want to speak ill of it. On the contrary, this is more of a plea for improvement rather than a trashing of my home city.

I am not saying that Toronto's urban public spaces are problem-free. Nothing nowadays can escape from the inconsideration of some people. There are things that I appreciate here in Toronto, however, that I found to be absent in Vancouver's main downtown park (Vancouver Art Gallery area and Robson Square). Nathan Phillips Square, right smack in the heart of downtown, is a happening place. Its location is a blessing, for it facilitates the mingling of many different types of people. Three-piece suits, tourists, youth, artists, buskers, the down-and-out panhandlers and many others come to this space, enjoying the pond and basking in the sun.

There is a certain magnificence to spaces that allow for fleeting encounters with people who are markedly different from one's self. As a grad student, I have gone to Nathan Phillips to study. I have also gone to a massive art show/sale in that open space; sculptors, painters, photographers, jewelry makers and other artists showcased their work to many. Today and tomorrow, a Thai cultural festival is happening there; Thai cuisine, traditional dance and other cultural events will be there for the public to engage in.

Just tonight, I went there with a couple of friends, just chilled until about midnight, singing my typical love song or rock ballad. Unlike in Vancouver, my friend Jean and I were actually able to lie down on benches because those pesky 'armrests' (read anti-bum design) do not exist here. A guy even showed us a card trick right around midnight. The openness of space did not make us feel like there were people lurking all around us, for sightlines were clear and unobstructed.

The fundamental problem with Robson Square (especially south of Robson) is that bushes cut it off from the street level, making it somewhat invisible and uninviting. Do not get me wrong, I enjoy greenery so long as the green space is accessible to people. Robson Square is designed too strongly as a defensible space; to me, it has become too defensive a space. The very people for whom it should have been designed is not going there because it feels so cut-off, even semi-private. Open space does not have to be bare in much the same way that green space does not have to feel unusable.

I want a space that invites me in rather than traps me. Smart urban design should facilitate people-friendly public space rather than acting as a deterrent against the unsightly. After all, city life should not be sterile, it has be an adventure. And adventure without risk, according to Douglas Coupland, is Disneyland.

B&B Presents: Somber Love in the tune of Wong Kar Wai @ C-Bean

Sorry sorry sorry for the late post. "What?", you may ask, "this is usually the day we find out about the movies.". True. But the day has changed. It's tomorrow at a new living room, CORINNE'S! Why? Well you ask too many questions but the movies we'll be watching will be better served in her living room than ours considering the luscious photography of Chinese film's favorite white boy, Christopher Doyle (why does it have to be about race?! Damn!).

You know what, I'm not doing write-ups for these 'cause we know enough on reputation alone that these two are sure-fire good. Also selfishly I'm sick of spoiling movies for myself week after week doing these write-ups. It's a sacrifice I'll gladly keep taking for you guys. Apparently just not this week.

Sun. Jul.16

7pm In The Mood For Love (2000)



9pm 2046 (2004)



Need directions. Give Corinne or myself a call. Where'd that forum go anyways?

Next week: hehehehe.

Brendan's B-day BBQ

Eventhough today (Bastille Day) is my birthday, I would like to see you guys out at Kits beach on Saturday for a beach BARBEQUE.
When: Saturday July 15th 3:00 pm most cookin' and eatin' as of 5:00 pm
Where: the Kits Beach picnic area (North of the Wartermark consession area and adjascent to the volleyball nets)
What: BBQ (some Burgers and libations provided, but bring food if you can) If you don't know what to bring, call me. GAMES (Volley, Frisbee, Pirate driftwood fort play). SUN (Weather permitting, otherwise we will change venues to a houseparty in east van).
Hope to see you there.
Call me for details.
I'll also be out at the Pic Pub tonight with the bands and such.

Upcoming concerts

These days I've been trying to save money more, but here are two shows I'll regret passing up, especially if someone here wants to join in. I'll be picking up tix at one of those record stores real soon, probably Friday or Saturday.

OF MONTREAL
(been on sale for weeks but I've been slacky-pantsed getting around to it...hope they're still available)
Friday Sept 1, Plaza Club
$20.75 + s/c

SUFJAN STEVENS
(should sound great with strings and horns...plus he's the handsomest man on the Christian indie rock scene)
Saturday Oct 14, St. Andrew's Wesley Church
$27.00 + s/c