Passchendaele Movie Premier

Good evening one and all

I just came home from the most amazing movie premier. Now am lucky and I get to go to a fair decent number of movie premiers, a lot more then your average person. It helps to have a really good friend who promotes movies for the studios.

Set during the height of the First World War, Passchendaele tells the story of Sergeant Michael Dunne (Paul Gross), a soldier who is brutally wounded in France and returns to Calgary emotionally and physically scarred. While in the military hospital in Calgary, he meets Sarah (Caroline Dhavernas), a mysterious and attractive nurse with whom he develops a passionate love. When Sarah's younger asthmatic brother David (Joe Dinicol) signs up to fight in Europe, Michael feels compelled to return to Europe to protect him. Michael and David, like thousands of Canadians, are sent to fight in the third battle of Passchendaele, a battle against impossible odds, commonly known as "Passchendaele". It is a story of passion, courage and dedication, showing the heroism of those that fought in battle, and of the ones that loved them.

So here is the trailer


And more importantly here are the pictures of Paul Gross and Caroline Dhavernas

The two of them as they walked in

Paul Gross being interviewed by ET Canada


The pair of them

After the movie there was a Q&A Session but it was to dark for any good pictures. But here is another one of them signing a few autographs as people were leaving.

It really was a great movie and very enjoyable I would recommend it to anyone. After the end of the movie it was very touching during the Q&A session to here how moving it was for some of the veterens who had come out to see the movie. In fact as Paul was leaving the theater one of them back him to pins for the black devils squad which seen in the movie.

Oh the guy in the centre of the picture looking back from the concession counter. That is the mayor of Winnipeg waiting in line for his own pop corn. Way to go Sam Katz its good to be one of the average people.

Star Wars

My eldest daughter showed this to me this morning and I just had to share it.

Folkfest Night #3

Here is from Saturday +13 C wind gusting to 70kph and rain.

Alex getting Jim B autograph


The field of Tarps I mentioned in my Thursday Thirteen



Family

Folk Fest Day 2

Here are a couple more photos from the past couple of days at folk fest...

Supper it was called a Potatoe Tornado with a bit of Potato

A shot from main stage of the crowd and the sky.

Captain Jack at Disney

I stumbled across the following article while reading through the Digg.com website. I found it to be a facinating read and wanted to share it with anyone who reads this blog as well.

The article is a called Pirate's Booty - an ex Disney Captain Jack Sparrow

Enjoy

Reality TV at its best

For a while now I've been trying to cut down on my TV consumption. One of the ways I have been doing that is by avoiding watching new shows. Tonight I kind of broke that rule and watched a new show called 'Oprah Big Give' and what an amazing show it is.

I've long been a fan of the Extreme Home Make Over. A show that shows up and makes over a single families home. Oprah's Big Give blows it out the water tonights show had 7 contestants each had a hundred thousand dollars and they had to give it away. The rules 24 hours to do it, no more then 500 per person or 10,000 per single location. The last rule was that they couldn't just give away the money they had to give away stuff.

The past hour was perhaps some of the best tv I've watched in a long time. Seeing the joy on families faces as a man spent 10,000 dollars to buy member of a community food. Grabbing 20 people in a Target and giving them a $500 shopping spree. So many great things so many great ideas.

If youhave cable check it out. If you don't google it and read about the show you won't be disappointed...

Live Action Akira

The first anime I ever saw was a movie called Akira. It was amazing and I was hooked, It has just been confirmed that it is going to be turned in to a live action movie...

I am so excited

Indiana Jones Trailer

Spiderwick the Movie

So I had the opportunity tonight to see a special showing of the new Spiderwick Chronicles movie that is comes out this Thursday. I've never read any of the books that the movie is supposed to be based on so I really can't say if it was accurate or true to the books. Also I want to be very caution about not giving out any spoilers.

The basic premises is that there is a magical world of goblins, fairies and the like that live all around us and are invisible to the naked eye. A person named Spiderwick discouvered this magical world, and wrote a journal about his experiences in it and what he learned about it. Along the way the book itself became an item of power, that the villian wanted for the knowledge it contained within it. One of the children discouver the book and set off a series of adventures to safe the family from the orge who wants the book.

Where the movie really shines is the special effects. The various goblins, fairies and other monsters are wonderfully done. They make references to various mythical creatures like Redcaps, trolls, hobgoblins, griffons and the like. All of them are brought to life in a very real feeling way. As a big special effects bluff and I was really impressed by it.

The over all story is fun, and light hearted. Nothing was overly scary at least not in my opinion. By the end of it my whole family was in agreement that it was a movie to add to our collection and was one that we would be able to enjoy over and over again. There once only one scene at the end of the movie that I would of rather seen done differently. But that's just a matter of taste on my part.

Spiderwick
4 stars out of a possible 5

Writers Strike is OVER???

According to various news reports this morning the writer's strike is over. Saddly however according to the Writers Guild Website most recent strike update it is not.

2/4/08I would like to update you on where we stand with bargaining with the
AMPTP. While we have made important progress since the companies re-engaged
us in serious talks, negotiations continue. Regardless of what you hear or
read, there are many significant points that have yet to be worked
out

So lets say for a moment that things have changed in the past week, and that the website is not up to date. Just what does it mean to us as the audience if the strike is over? Now I am no expert on the industry but I do pay attention what has been going on and have a rough idea of what it takes to makes a tv show.

I think that even if they have got a contract up and working at this point we shouldn't expect new shows right away. First they have to write the new episodes, then they would have to film them and make any revisions to the scripts as they are filming. Then of course there is all the post production things that need to be done. So your looking at least 3 to 4 weeks to get the first new episode out. That is assuming that your rushing and not going for the same quality level they had before hand.

Also what about all the Reality TV crap that they have been producing and advertising. They have it all lined up, filmed and ready to go. Someone must be enjoying it and advertisers have paid for it so, so they won't just dump it. No matter how much they should.

So in the end I wouldn't expect all of your favorite shows to suddenly come back. In fact I would be willing to be that a number of them will wait until the spring so that they can do a full season. Or maybe just start a little bit earlier.

Extreme Home Make Over

AKA the Sad Show.

Now I tend to be a fairly jaded person who for the most part tends to thing the worst of people. Its been my experience many times that people really are own only out for themselves or their own personal gain. I'm thank full that I have known several people in my life that are the exception to this, but thats not the general rule.

Extreme Home Make Over often reminds me that there is good out in the world. Sure these companies are getting advertising out of it and product placement. On some level they have to be doing it for the families and what they have been through. It really does move me when I watch this show.

Cloverfield Review

As I said in my last post tonight I was look enough to go and see the premier of the JJ Abrams monster movie Cloverfield. I have a friend who work with various movie companies and helps them promote their movies. So I've seen a lot of really good premiers and I've seen some really bad ones. Tonight sadly was the latter category, it lacked in a pretty wide variety of ways. So am going to try and put aside all the internet hype surrounding this movie. While giving this movie a fair review based on what I saw.

Director: Matt Reeves
Writer:Drew Goddard (written by)
Release Date:18 January 2008 (Canada)
Genre: Action / Sci-Fi / Thriller more
Tagline: Some Thing Has Found Us
Plot Outline:
Revolves around a monster attack in New York as told from the point of view of a small group of people.

1 out of 5 stars

The rest of this review will be behind the more at the bottom of the page. Because lets face it the movie is not even out yet, so it will contain spoilers and the last thing I want to do is wreck the movie for anyone.

Harry Potter 6 Poster

The Caption at the top reads

"Am safe with you, Harry"

Another one of those things

Last night we had finished painting the ceiling in the bathroom. So a friend(The one who did my banner) where relaxing down stairs playing some Halo 3 online and getting our butts kicked. You see we are not very good and don't spend the hours playing that some people seem to be able too. We still have a great time although and thats the important thing.

The clock had just flipped over to 1am and I was about to go to bed and she was laying down on the couch to crash flipping through the channels to find something to watch while she fell asleep and what does she find but "Death Race 2000'. For years we had both friends and family members crack jokes about how many points that person on the street would be worth. The movie had become something of a legend and long running series of in joke in the minds.

We were hooked in an instant, I whipped up a bowl of popcorn for the two of us and we stayed up to watch. Wow what an awful movie the story line was weak to say the least. The effects were down right funny, but todays standards. But acceptable for the time I guess. Goddess please never let me see a hairy David Carradine in tight jockey shorts again. It had a few redeem qualities but they mostly came in pairs attached to the front of the woman cast members. The second redeem quality (Or possible the 3rd depending on how you count) we the cars.

Long live President Frankenstein

I really think the idea of a president Frankenstein has a nice ring to it.

In the end it was another one of those thing. I am sure that all have them, something that all of our friends are always talking about or making comments on. Yet for whatever reason you have never seen it. Then when the opportunity presents itself and you finally are able to sit down and watch the whole thing you are left with a profound sense of disappoint. You also really have to question the judgement of your friends and family who have been talking about it all these years and keeping its legend alive.

In the end Death Race 2000, is without a doubt another one of those things.

Lost another one

Dear Will Smith

I am not normal one to put down anyone religious beliefs, and figure that we are all entitled to believe whatever we want. So long as your belief in something does effect my ability to do what I want, why should it matter. All of that being said why Scientology Will WHY?

Did you see the horrible things it has done to your friends careers. Tom has been making crap since he came out as one. You used to make such good movies, please fight the power of Hubbard, and know the turth. He made it on a BET!

Will your cool, you used to Rap, you make good movies, you have human child and a great looking wife who looks happy. Its a great thing to help out your friend Tom and show him your support. But tom's going to become an anchor around your neck if you go down his path.

Your friend in watching films
Randilin