14 February 2005, the wee hours
Wavelength have apparently been putting on shows in Toronto for five years now. I know this because this past Thursday I attended the first of four shows put on by Wavelength to celebrate their fifth anniversary. That show was the first time I have ever gone to a concert by myself. The fact I was willing to head out to this concert alone should give you some idea of just how great a line-up they had assembled for the show. I left my home a bit before 10:00 and made my way to Cinecycle. Leaving so close to 10:00 was actually a big mistake on my part.
Now, locating Cinecylce was no easy feat. Wavelength’s web site doesn’t seem to mention where the place is. I think if you are a part of ‘the scene’ you are just supposed to know. Looking around at the various web sites of the performers for the night, I stumbled upon directions to the place. Where is Cinecylce? It’s in the first alley south of Richmond St. The place is literally a big shed in an alley. From the outside, the place looks like a big shed. On the inside, the place looks like a big shed. There is no stage, but there is plenty of empty floor space. There is a sort of bar set up at the back. I guess at the end of the day you really don’t need much to put on a show. So, to be clear, Cinecylce is really ghetto.
There were 5 acts playing on the Thursday night show I attended. I wanted to see LAL more than anyone else. They were listed last in the bill for the night, so I assumed they would be the last act of the night. When I walked into Cinecylce, I realized they were in fact the first act of the night. I missed most of their set, which was very disappointing. I made my way to the front of Cinecycle to catch the end of a song, and hear them announce they would play their last song of the night. The song they played was Raindrops and it was brilliant. I am listening to it on their CD as I type this now, but seeing them do it live was something else; the live percussion was incredible, and the bass-line being played live on an electric stand-up bass was impressive to watch. LAL are like a cross between Talvin Singh and Portishead, and are probably one of the best electronic acts I’ve heard in quite some time.
The next act up was Yacht, a guy that makes lo-fi dance music. The dude walked out with his powerbook, plugged it in and set it down on the ground. Now, I was curious as to what this guy planned to do. I mean, if he was just going to play the music he makes off his laptop, did he plan on standing around like an idiot and fidgeting with the keyboard while we watched? My questions were answered shortly when his music kicked it. The guy dances. He dances like a maniac. I wish I could described it, but I can’t. Suffice it to say, the guy was quite entertaining to watch. His music was quite good to boot.
The third act was The Vermicious Knid, a group of four guys from Brantford. They played rock music. Since going out and listening to bands live like this I’ve developed a real fondness for rock music again. I love thrashing guitars and guys and girls trying to sing over top the sounds of their instruments. Knid were quite good. I wish I could tell you what sub-genre of rock music they played, but I can’t. Does it matter? They are a good band, so you would do well to check them out.
The problem with going out on a Thursday night is that I have to work on Friday. I listened to the first song from The World Provider before heading out. I’m not sure if I liked his brand of music or not; it was strange anyway. Wavelength are an impressive group. The line-up of acts they had out this past Thursday was so varied. If you are in Toronto and looking for some good music on a Sunday, their shows at Sneaky Dee’s are usually quite good.
Life | Music
13 February 2005, terribly early in the morning
Stephen Harper, leader of Canada’s opposition party, in a clever bid to win seats in Toronto, decided he would place ads in the community newspapers of various ethnic groups within the city. My father saw them in the Tamil and Indian papers that he reads. What was in these ads? Something about how Harper wants to protect traditional marriage.
Ah yes, traditional marriage. You know, where women are property and interracial couples can’t tie the knot. I long for those simpler times as well. They sure were simple, weren’t they? I’m glad Harper is rallying behind this cause; I’m sure he’ll do great in the next election. Everyone loves a bigot, especially the ethnic community. But will my fellow Tamils see it like that? I’d like to think so, but sometimes I have my doubts.
I watched Tying the Knot tonight. It’s a documentary about the problems faced by homosexuals when they are denied their right to get married. The documentary was quite good, and really brings to light the injustice that comes about from denying gays the right to marry. The movie is powerful because it puts a human face on this issue; the two main stories the director focuses on are quite sad. Gina once wrote that 1,049 federal rights in America depend on marriage, which I read at the time and thought was interesting, but didn’t really reflect on in any great detail. I used of this issue as a simple matter of equality, but there is more to it than that, it’s really a matter of dignity. A widow should not have to prove to anyone else, especially the state: that she deserves her spouses pension, that her spouse loved her, and that she would have wanted her to have it; It’s insulting.
By the summer, it should be legal on a federal level for homosexual couples to marry in Canada. Provincially, this is already the case in many parts of the country. This makes me happy; I’m glad I live in a country where the rights of minorities are upheld.
In matters of conscience, the Law of Majority has no place.—Mahatma Gandhi , 4th August 1920
[9] Politics | Movies
And this will be the day, this will be the day when all of God’s children will be able to sing with new meaning, “My country ‘tis of thee, sweet land of liberty, of thee I sing. Land where my fathers died, land of the Pilgrim’s pride, from every mountainside, let freedom ring!” And if America is to be a great nation, this must become true.
—Martin Luther King, Jr
10 February 2005, the wee hours
I heard that Abacus, of Esthero fame, was going to be playing at the Drake Hotel. I had never been to the the Drake Hotel, but I did have vague memories of it being some sort of crack house. The neighbourhood it is situated in isn’t the nicest of places. Apparently this all changed last year, when investors came and dumped a truck load of money into the hotel. Now the Drake Hotel is probalby one of the nicer places to stay in the city, and features one bitching lounge. I met Tyler in said lounge last night to hear Abacus play.
Drinks at the Drake are about the same as drinks anywhere else in Toronto. I paid 15 bucks for a pint of Guinness and a pint of Keat’s, and I paid 14 bucks for a Gin and Tonic and a Rye and Ginger. So they aren’t cheap, but they aren’t crazy expensive; not bad. The interior is quite impressive; I’d say the money they put into the place was well spent. Tyler informed me that when the place just opened it was quite hard to get into. This may still be the case on weekends. The night we were there the place was moderately busy. Most of the seats were taken, but there was plenty of standing room still.
The crowd at the Drake is something else. The bar was filled with a good mix of both younge and old people. There were several couples on dates, and the occasional group of friends hanging out. The waitresses were all attractive, as were a few of the patrons in the lounge.
Tyler with his sharp eyes noticed that sitting no more than 10 feet away from us was none other then Laura Bertram—you know, Amanda from Ready or Not. Admittedly, this isn’t as cool as seeing Sarah Polley at a bar, but it’s something. She was looking pretty good, the guys she was with were not. I’m sure they might have been nice guys, but they really looked like they didn’t belong sitting next to her. I suppose that’s what people think when they see me standing next to Shima.
Seeing Amanda from Ready or Not was a bit strange, but there were stranger things to be seen at the Drake. These two women were taking turns dancing with this brown dude that looked vaguely like my friend Neel. Near the start of the night we saw this brown guy dancing with a reasonably attractive blonde woman. In some parts of the world she might be called a cougar (an older woman on the prowl for a younger man). I didn’t think she looked that old, but she was definitely older then the boy she was dancing with. When I say dancing, I don’t mean in any sort of classy sense of the word. The Drake doesn’t have a dance floor, and no one was dancing save the two of them. They looked very out of place molesting each other on the non-existent dance floor. I looked away for a moment, and when I looked back the blonde had been replaced by an Asian girl. I soon realized the two women were together when the Blonde came back and replaced the Asian chick. They alternated like this for quite some time. The brown dude seemed to be enjoying himself.
Eventually a black dude with a samurai hair cut came in. He was wearing white jeans and a sweat shirt. I thought he looked a bit ridiculous, as did Tyler. Nevertheless, the aforementioned women and the brown dude decided to come over and make friends. When Tyler and I left the four of them were chatting it up.
It was an interesting night out; I’ll have to make it a point to go back to the Drake.
[3] Life | Restaurants and Bars
7 February 2005, late evening
My second outing for Winterlicious was with Steph and Serena. We went to Coco Lezzone, an Itallian restaurant in Little Italy. I’m a fan of the area around College and Bathurst, it has plenty of cool little bars, bistros and restaurants.
I arrived a bit after Steph and Serena, who had both already ordered drinks. My original plan was to not get anything to drink, as it ruins the deal you’re getting on the meal. However, I couldn’t resist, and ordered a white wine with my meal. We were given bread, humus, olive oil and balsamic vinegar to munch on while deciding what to eat. I love bread.
I started with a butternut squash soup; this one was better then the one I got at Monsoon earlier in the week. The girls got goat cheese on greens, which just didn’t sound interesting enough to get. My main was pan seared arctic char. I thought it was a bit too cold; it tasted like it had been made well before I ordered it. It was nice enough dish, just nothing exceptional. The same can be said of the desert, which was a slice of chocolate cake. It was nice, but you could probably get a similar cake at Loblaws. Compared to the cake at Monsoon or Bloom it was rather boring. All the food was good, just not really good.
Coco Lezzone is a nice looking place, but again falls in this arean short when compared to some of the other restaurants in the area. Butt’r, which is down the road, has a much cooler interior. I thought the place was nice, but just somewhat lacking. The restaurant is quite huge, and dimly lit, so I would imagine it’d be a nice place to go get drinks. I don’t think I would go eat there again.
[3] Restaurants and Bars | Life
6 February 2005, terribly early in the morning
I don’t remember where I saw the trailer for Intermission, but I remember wanting to see the movie. I saw the film on the shelves at Blockbuster and convinced my friends to rent it. The opening of Intermission is brilliant, you know you’re about to watch a great film. The movie is set somewhere in Ireland, and follows the lives of a group of loosely related people; their lives all collide by the end of the film. The cast of characters includes: a young man who can no longer pleasure himself, a (sexually) aggressive woman recently separated from her husband, an angry bus driver, a local hoodlum, a little kid with a fondness for throwing big stones at cars, and one hard-boiled cop (probably the most entertaining character in the film). There are plenty of famous faces who you’ll recognize as soon as you them. Intermission was very entertaining, a great little story with plenty of twists and turns and characters that will make you laugh.
The official Intermission web site
Movies
6 February 2005, terribly early in the morning
I enjoyed the retro-chic of Sky Captain and the World of Tomorrow, the story itself may have been a bit of a let down. The movie is about a diabolic robot menace threatening the world, the only one who can stop them is none other then Sky Captain. I think the film is probably aimed for children, but with an attention to detail adults will enjoy. I thought they did an amazing job giving the film it’s old school look. Most of my friends were disappointed with the movie. I think it is worth seeing if only to see the special effects and the way it was filmed.
The official Sky Captain and the World of Tomorrow web site
[3] Movies
4 February 2005, the wee hours
Winterlicious is a good time to try out new restaurants in Toronto. For two weeks plenty of very fancy places offer up fixed menus at very good prices. This past Wednesday my friends and I decided to try out an Asian Fusion restaurant in the city called Monsoon.
We originally had a party of four, which included myself, Carvill, Rishi and Mezan. Dave’s return to Toronto from Ottawa bumped us up to five, and inadvertently bumped us up to a nicer table—well, I thought it was nicer. We were seated right in the centre of the restaurant. The tables around us were your normal dining tables capable of seating four comfortably. The table we were seated was a giant orange-brown slab of wood, metal, and plastic enclosed on three sides by booth-sofa-style seats. The table looked great, but was so big having a conversation proved difficult.
Monsoon is a nice looking place; both the bar and the restaurant have been designed well. The restaurant was quite busy while we were there, and was filled with a good number of attractive looking people—always a bonus.
The service was quite good. Everyone except for Rishi arrived on time, and while it was just the four of us we couldn’t go a few mintues without a waiter coming to check on us. That changed when Rishi arrived. It took a little while to be served, but once they got our order the service was back to being quite prompt. Everyone at the restaurant was quite friendly.
I was less then impressed with the food. None of my dishes were that good. They weren’t bad either, but I was expecting more. My appetizer was a butternut squash and apple soup, it was interesting to say the least. It looked and tasted like baby food. I enjoyed it, but didn’t think it was stellar. My main was a veal dish, which tasted like mutton, served on top of some mash potatoes. I can’t say I enjoyed it at all. I liked the desert a lot, but I think it’s hard to mess up a chocolate cake. Everyone got the cake except for Rishi. His green tea crème brulé was apparently quite amazing.
I don’t know if I’d go back to Monsoon to eat, however the place is nice enough that it’s probably a cool place to go get drinks.
[4] Restaurants and Bars | Life
3 February 2005, lunch time
I just noticed I have 50 GMail invites. That is a lot. I wonder if Google is ready to open the system up to anyone and everyone? If you want a GMail account comment below.
[8] Technology
28 January 2005, terribly early in the morning
After going to Jane Bond with Shima, the both of us headed to the new Princess Cinema to watch House of Flying Daggers. The movie is set in ancient China, and follows how two cops use a rebel girl they have captured as bait in a trap to ensnare the group she works for, the group the movie is named after. House of Flying Daggers features plenty of exciting martial arts sequences, and is in many ways a pretty typical martial arts film. What makes it better then most is the superb cinematography. Unfortunately, the film just can’t compete with its predecessor Hero. Hero was an exceptional film. House of Flying Daggers was good. I can’t fault House of Flying Daggers for not being as good as Hero, plenty of films aren’t. However, with the cast and director this film had, I was expecting much more. The movie is still worth watching; it is much more entertaining then a lot of the stuff Hollywood churns out.
The official House of Flying Daggers web site.
[7] Movies
26 January 2005, the wee hours
I watched Manhattan tonight with Steph. The film follows an older New Yorker, Isaac, and his relationships with women. The movie is quite funny; the story is quite engaging. The characters in the film are all interesting to watch, but are for the most part all bad people (with one notable exception). Diane Keaton’s character in particular is so annoying. I don’t know if the fact the characters are so aggravating is part of the appeal of the movie. You can decide if you watch the film yourself. The film is shot in black and white and looks great. The film’s score is classic. The movie almost makes me want to go to New York—almost but not quite.
Read reviews of Manhattan at Rotten Tomatoes
Movies
25 January 2005, the wee hours
Bad Education has been getting a lot of praise amongst critics. I had high expectations going in to watch this film, and was for the most part impressed with the movie. The film is billed as yet another priest-molests-children movie; this film is much more than that. There are basically a few periods of time that are examined in the film, some real, some fictional, all focused on the character Ignacio, a boy who was molested by his catholic school teacher. You don’t end up with a clear image of the true nature of the events in the film till the very end. Gael García Bernal does an amazing job playing the lead in the film. He is quite convincing as a drag queen. This film was definitely interesting, and could probably be the source for a lot of good conversation.
The official Bad Education web site.
Movies
24 January 2005, lunch time
Wong Kar Wai is infamous for shooting and re-shooting movies. When I had first heard of the 2046, the film was supposed to be a look at Hong Kong in 2046, 50 years after it had gone back to the Chinese. I can tell you that the film is really nothing like that at all. I won’t say anything else about the plot; I think watching this movie knowing nothing about it will make it more enjoyable.
Like all of Wong Kar Wai’s film, the major themes in 2046 seem to be those of lost or unrequited love, and the loneliness that comes from that. The film focuses on Tony Leung, and the relationships he has with a few women. This film has a stellar cast; in addition to Tony Leung, the film features: Gong Li, Carina Lau, Zhang Ziyi, and my favourite signer, Faye Wong. The acting is all first class. The film is very similar to In the Mood for Love in terms of its overall style. It can be seen as a sort of unofficial sequel to the film, much like how Fallen Angels can be seen as an unofficial sequel to Chungking Express. I don’t think you need to watch In the Mood for Love to appreciate 2046, but I think 2046 is a bit more rich if you have done so. Christopher Doyle is the cinematographer of the film, and has once again done a great job with the visual side of the movie. Doyle has filmed most, if not all, of Wong Kar Wai’s films, and is probably the one of the best cinematographers in Hong Kong. Each shot in the film is exquisite.
I’m a very big Wong Kar Wai fan, so this review is probably quite biased. I think the film is worth checking out, but I won’t pretend his movies are for everyone. This film is slow, light on plot, confusing at times, and fairly depressing; just my sort of film.
The official 2046 web site
[3] Movies
19 January 2005, the wee hours
I have been watching 24 Season 3 over the past week. I’d have to say the first 12 episodes were a bit weak; I wasn’t that impressed. However, starting at 5:00 AM, events start to get pretty insane. I think the last 10 minutes of 6:00 to 7:00 AM is probably the best scene of the show has ever done. This season is really dark, and really intense. More so then the previous seasons if that is possible. There is so much moral ambiguity—I love it. Now, I obviously can’t talk about any of this in any detail, because it’d ruin it for anyone who hasn’t seen the show. So, this post really haw no point. It serves simply as a tribute to the greatness that is 24 Season 3.
[1] Television
18 January 2005, the wee hours
Just before finishing Quicksilver, I read one of the most interesting Marvel comics I’ve read in quite some time, Marvel 1602. Neil Gaiman came back from a hiatus from the comic industry to write this 8 part series for Marvel that re-imagines the Marvel universe in the 1600s. You’ll recognize several superheroes right off the bat; some characters you’ll probably puzzle over till their identities are revealed in stunning plot twists. The story is more then just a silly what-if comic. The plot has more to it then the novelty of its setting. The story is superb. I really enjoyed it. There are plenty of twists and turns, and the conclusion is quite good. There will definitely be a sequel, as the ending is so open ended.
I was talking to my cousin about how I can afford to buy comics now at 24, when really it would have been nice to be able to buy them when I was 14.
Comics and Books
17 January 2005, lunch time
I read on metafilter today that someone has made a documentary about Japan’s very notorious photographer, Nobuyoshi Araki. I’ve always thought of Araki as an avant-garde pornographer, but people do consider him to be an excellent photographer. There is definitely a distinct style to his photos. I think the way he lights shots and poses his women is interesting. One thing is for certain, the man does have a real fondness for the pussy; no doubt about that.
Update: I received an email from a fellow involved with this film earlier today:
I was searching around and found that you had posted about Arakimentari, the documentary on Nobuyoshi Araki. I’m working on the film, and wanted to let you know that it’s New York release will be January 21st-February 4th at the Imaginasian Theater.
Apparently it has taken quite some time for the movie to finally make it out to the cinemas. I originally posted this link February 17th 2004. That’s almost a year ago. The movie business is apparently more complicated then I thought. I’m hoping they’ll show the movie up here in Canada. It looks quite interesting.
Interesting Links | Movies
17 January 2005, the wee hours
I have finished reading that beast of a book Quicksilver. It has been a battle from the start, but I have prevailed. I started reading the book last Christmas, during my holidays, though I did not get very far. This past summer, I began reading the book again. I stopped reading before the summer ended. Finally, this fall, on the subway rides two and from work, I managed to find the time to get through the book. I started fresh, from the very beginning. I think that was a good idea. I enjoyed the book a lot more the second time through.
Quicksilver is divided into three books. The first, titled Quicksilver follows Daniel Waterhouse’s journey back from the New World to England. On this journey we are presented with the early years of his life through his life as flashbacks of sorts. The second book, The King of Vagabonds, is a much more entertaining novel. In it, we are introduced to two more important characters in the story, Eliza and Jack Shaftoe. This book ends in a very Emperor Strikes Back sort of way, with everyone down on their luck. The third book, Odalisque , by far the most interesting book contained in Quicksilver, brings all the characters together. The book ends on a most bizarre note; it wasn’t an unexpected ending, but it is bizarre nevertheless.
Taken as a whole, I would have to say I enjoyed the book. It actually was an interesting and entertaining read. The story doesn’t really pick up till half way through The King of Vagabonds, but once the story gets going it is actually fairly interesting. There are lots of twists and turns that will keep you entertained. Mezan has told me The Confusion is a much better book, so I look forward to reading it. There is a lot left unresolved by the end of Quicksilver; it will be interesting to see where the story goes.
So I am done Quicksilver. It feels weird to be finished. I’ve been bitching about the book for the better part of a year. I’m looking forward to starting The Confusion. That said, Neal Stephenson, you are son of a bitch. Please work harder not to piss of your readers.
[7] Comics and Books
16 January 2005, the wee hours
I went to watch A Very Long Engagement with Shima, Jeff and Liz. I hadn’t been to the Princess in ages; it was nice seeing a movie there again. A Very Long Engagement was amazing. The film is set during the First World War, and follows Audrey Tautou’s character as she tries to unravel the mystery surrounding her fiancé’s death, a death she refuses to accept. The story is quite compelling, and the visuals are breath taking. The movie really takes you back to that period of time. It’s quite impressive to see. I highly recommend you check this movie out.
The official A Very Long Engagement web site.
[2] Movies
16 January 2005, the wee hours
My Sassy Girl is one of the few Korean films I have seen. It may in fact be the only Korean film I’ve seen. That isn’t important I suppose. The movie is a romantic comedy. I won’t divulge any of the plot. Suffice it to say the leading lady is a very demanding women. The characters in the movie are both very charming. The film is enjoyable to watch, albeit sappy at times. If you are looking for a quirky film to check out, this one is definitely worth watching.
Reviews of My Sassy Girl at Rotten Tomatoes
[10] Movies
I got a letter from the government
The other day
I opened and read it
It said they were suckers
They wanted me for their army or whatever
Picture me given’ a damn – I said never
Here is a land that never gave a damn
About a brother like me and myself
Because they never did
I wasn’t wit’ it, but just that very minute…
It occured to me
The suckers had authority
—Black Steel In The Hour Of Chaos Lyrics by Public Enemy
11 January 2005, mid-afternoon
So the rumors were true. Damn. Rishi is going to bust a nut.
The Mac mini looks like a 3” tall CD drive. A short cube. All the connections, DVI and VGA. The Mac mini fits in the palm of your hand. Hook it into your own keyboard and mouse, or Apple’s. Comes with Panther and iLife 05. Price point:$499 $599.
Live updates of Jobs Keynote address at MacMerc.com. The computer is supposed to be available on January 22nd. The rumors about a new word processor called “Pages” were also true apparently. And the rumors about the iPod flash player were also apparently true.
iPod Shuffle: really tiny (smaller than most packs of gum), no screen, weighs under 1 ounce.
Apple has updated their homepage:iPod shuffle, Mac mini, iWork. I suspect 2005 is the year Apple takes over the world.
[17] Apple Computers
9 January 2005, early afternoon
I watched Garden State and Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind again yesterday. I’ve started watching a lot more movies recently. My friends and I decided to watch Chronicles of Riddick last night. I had seen bits and pieces of the film last time I was at Shima’s house, and wanted to watch it properly. Chronicles of Riddick struck me in many ways as a modern day Star Wars of sorts. The film was probably better then the two recent Star Wars films. The movie is about how the character Riddick from Pitch Black has to fight this sort of half-dead army trying to destroy the universe. You learn a tiny bit more about Riddick’s past through the course of the film, and it is quite clear they intend to make another. I thought as science-fiction films go, it was pretty good—not brilliant, but not bad. They need to work on naming the planets though. Here are two examples: Cemetoria, the planet that sets on fire at sunrise, and Furia, where Riddick is from, where people are furious.
The official Chronicles of Riddick web site
[4] Movies
Two horrific looking Indian ladies with matching pink boots and Louis Vuitton purses accost me on the bus.
Lady 1: Is that an X-Box?
Ram: No, it’s a GameBoy.
Lady 1: Oh, my nephew has that but he plays it on his TV. All kids like these games.
Ram: I guess so.
Lady 1: How old are you? 15?
Ram: 24
Lady 2: You don’t look 24.
Ram: Yeah.
8 January 2005, terribly early in the morning
Mezan convinced Carvill and I to watch Spartan tonight. The film is about a secret service agent trying to find the president’s daughter. Well, there is a lot more depth to the plot then that, but that depth is harder to articulate. The dialog is bizarre; it is very minimalist and Hemingway-esque. The film has some interesting twists, and some stand-out scenes. There is also plenty of violence if you are into that. The movie was quite entertaining, and worth checking out.
You can read a real review of Spartan at Rotten Tomatoes
[3] Movies
