Netflix Canada Movie Review: Camp X-Ray

I watch a lot of movies on Netflix...probably too many. But you can be certain I'm getting my 8 dollars a month worth.

Tonight I watched Camp X-Ray.

I had hesitated over watching this movie a couple of times in the past, mainly because of Kristen Stewart, and the topic, her being a prison guard at Guantanamo Bay (not a light topic, so not the movie of choice when you're looking for a comedy, that's for sure).

And having watched it, I'm quite glad I did.

First of all. Kristen Stewart, who's face I previously associated only with the emotionless, bored expressions she wore throughout the Twilight films, has really come into her own. She manages quite the performance in this movie which is centered on he year working at the infamous Gitmo. But rather than making the movie all about the controversy surrounding the detention facility, it instead uses it as a backdrop for a touching story of connection.

Mainly between Stewart and detainee, Ali Amir, played superbly by actor Peyman Moaadi. The scenes between the two, Stewart learns to see through the cell door at a very real human being on the other side, are surprisingly moving. And use of Amir's desire to finally read the 7th Harry Potter book, quickly brings the audience around to his side too. Showing us that whether he may or may not be guilty of crimes or 'terrorism', he's still just a person.

"Two years. Imaging, two years I'm asking you guys to give me this last book. You know what happens at the end of book six? No. I... you know, you know, me, always, always thinking that Snape is a bad guy, okay? Then I was thinking, no, actually, he is not a bad guy... he is the good guy. Then after I read the book six, I don't know what to think now.

You know what? I think you guys don't have the last Harry Potter on purpose. You like to drive us crazy. But I'm not going crazy."

 After this first exchange between Stewart and Moaadi, suggesting that giving the detainees the first 6 but not finale book of the Harry Potter series, I was hooked on the movie. And all the while Moaadi taught Stewart to look at him in a new light, I began to look at her in a new light. So perhaps I can stop thinking of her as just the stupid Twilight girl, and maybe as a serious actress.

My favourite 10 things from Jurassic World - No Spoilers

Sunday night Kevin and I went and saw Jurassic World, and the only negative thing I have to say about it is I can't believe we waited all the way until Sunday to see it. Which means if you're reading this, and you haven't seen it yet, you pretty much need to ASAP.

So here are my favourite 10 things from the movie. Spoiler Free of course.

1. Chris Pratt....Enough Said.

2. Tiny dinosaurs with saddles, just to please any creationists out there... you know the ones who would actually see a movie about genetic engineering ans playing god.

3. Remains of the original Jurassic park, still on the island. Recall this scene in particular.

4. There's a scene where Bryce Dallas Howard ties her shirt in a knot and it's perfection, that's all I'll say about that.

5. Jake Johnson, in a Jurassic Park T-shirt, and ridiculous mustache.

6. A scene between Jake Johnson and Lauren Lapkus.

7. The Shamu-style Mosasaur, who isn't technically a dinosaur, but who really cares.

8. The score. I mean, who doesn't love the Jurassic park theme song? And better yet, Chris Pratt singing it!

Chris Pratt sings a new 'Jurassic Park' theme song 🎶 // Don't miss the exclusive sneak peak tonight of his new movie 'Jurassic World' at 11pm est 💥

A video posted by MTV (@mtv) on Apr 8, 2015 at 9:59am PDT

9. Wearing my T-Rex hates pushups shirt to the movie in eager anticipation of a T-Rex, cause seriously, who needs an Indominus Rex, you've already got the ultimate eating machine in the T-Rex.

10. Chris Pratt... have I mentioned him already? I don't think so. Anyways, here's an awesome video of him getting pranked by some fake raptors.

A day of movies and travel

I just returned from a whirlwind weekend in Toronto. Full of family, friends, walking and blisters and beer, wedding dresses and Penelope, pools and patios. It was great and exhausting, wonderful to see all people I love and miss, but as always I'm so happy to be home.

Today, on the way back, Jill and I stopped at the cinplex on bloor and young (I think) and saw the matinee showing of Mad Max Fury Road, and despite it being all one long car chase scene I really enjoyed the movie.

Fun fact about the movie... it's the 4th in the series, the first 3 are from 30 years ago and starred Mel Gibson.... so I'm going to have to check them out, not because of Mel of course, but rather because Max definitely seems to have some sort of troubled past. I mean outside of the run of the mill troubles of living in a post-apocalyptic world.

Then I popped on over to Pearson, managed to get myself onto an earlier flight thanks to Air Canada's practice of overselling their flights and flew on home to Calgary.

Along the way I watched The Wedding Ringer (alright) and The Business Deal (meh....despite the comedy of the movie it features a bit of a PSA about cyber bullying). And because even both those movies didn't last the whole 4 hours and 20 minute flight, I also watched the last two episodes of Parks and Rec.... which brings me to my closing point.

I kind of want this t-shirt....available on Etsy here.

Well I'm off to go read movie synopsis-es from the first 3 Mad Max films... happy Monday night world.

12 Lists of Christmas: Christmas Movies

Yesterday I gave you my first of 12 lists of Christmas, featuring a gift guide for everyone on your list. Today I present:

List number 2 : 12 Movies to Watch this Season.

Disclaimer, ok there are some missing from this list, that you might love (I mean I didn`t even put Nightmare Before Christmas on it) but I was going with 4 categories ok. Tell me your favourites in the comments!

Technically not Christmas Movies

1. Rocky, the ultimate underdog story. Is it a Christmas movie? not really but it has many Christmassy bits, and will leave you wanting to race up and down the stairs at city hall, and shout for the one you love.

2. Tim Burton's Batman Movies, specifically Batman Returns, once again arguably not a Christmas movie per say, but for sure (much like most Burton movies) set around the holidays.

3. Die Hard the ultimate Christmas Eve is absolutely spent with Bruce Willis, taking out terrorists.

Laugh out Loud Christmas Movies

4. Home Alone (and for that matter Home Alone 2). Watching Marv get beat up throughout those movies kills me every single time.

5. Jingle All the Way, watching Arnold do what it takes to get his hands on a Turbo-Man action figure, amazing.

6. National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation, why not spend the holiday's laughing at the Griswalds?

Children's Classic Christmas Movies
 

7. Rudolph the Red Nosed Raindeer this stop motion classic must live in the hearts of all of us.

8. The Muppets Christmas Carol. Easily the best rendition of this time tested Christmas tale.

9. How the Grinch Stole Christmas. Jim Carrey brought the grinch to a new kind of life, but I still love the old animated version too! (yeah Max)

Top 3 in no particular order

10. Elf. "I passed through the seven levels of the Candy Cane forest, through the sea of swirly twirly gum drops, and then I walked through the Lincoln Tunnel." Need I say more?

11. A Christmas Story. Oh how many ways do I love this movie, so many that I can't put my arms down!

13. Love Actually. OK there has to be one perfect love story on this list, and this movie gives you several. Love actually is all around.

All images came from Wikipedia.

Want to go on Pilgrimage with Me?

The other day, I stumbled onto the 2010 movie The Way while browsing Netflix Canada. The movie stars Martin Sheen, who travels to France upon learning of his (somewhat) estranged son's death in the Pyrenees. He had just began the 800km long El Camino de Santiago (The Way of St. James), the route traveled on foot by pilgrims for over a thousand years, through northern Spain to the Cathedral of Santiago de Compostela where the Apostle James' remains are believed to be buried. Sheen, upon recieving the backpack and gear his son had packed for the journey he only just began, decides to walk the Camino, spreading his son's ashes along the way. In doing so he encounters a trio of other unlikely pilgrims, and finds somethings about himself.

Anyways, good movie, and it leaves me thinking.... why don't I go on pilgrimage? The last 20 years or so have seen a huge rise in modern pilgrimages (for believers and non-believers alike). It's in incredible way to explore some of humanity's oldest routes and meet some phenomenal people along the way. Oh yeah... and you usually have to commit to walking, often for months at a time.... so maybe I can't go on pilgrimage today, but as I informed my supervisor at our lab meeting Friday Morning, if my project doesn't pick back up soon... I just might pack up a bag and start walking.

Here are a couple of the pilgrimages I'd love to do.

El Camino de Satiago, the Way of St. James, Spain

Photo Source, from a pilgrimage in 2010. The Way is marked by the symbol of a scallop shell.

765km if your start in St-Jean, France. The route taken in the above movie. Would take about 4 weeks, and take me through some of the most beautiful landscape Northern Spain has to offer.

The Hajj, to Mecca, Saudi Arabia

 In the Great Mosque in Mecca, one of humanity's great destination.

One of (if not the most) commonly walked pilgrimages is the Hajj, walked by millions of the devout every year, as the Fifth Pillar of Islam, every able bodied Muslim is expected to complete the Hajj at least once in their lives. However, it is also one of the most dangerous, since it is scheduled once a year, there have been hundreds of deaths along the route or at the religious ceremonies at the completion (due to being trampled by the masses of worshipers).  Maybe, this is one worth doing in the off season, to walk the path, starting and ending at the Great Mosque in Mecca, that countless millions have walked since the time of Abraham.

Bodh Gaya, the Place of Enlightenment, Bihar, India

Maybe if I walked here, sat under a Bodhi Tree, and listened hard enough I would find elightenment too? Photo Source.

There are four main pilgrimage sites in Buddhism, and after the birthplace of Gautama Siddahrta, the Place of Enlightenment is a close second. During the full moon of Vaisakh (April/May ish on the Hindu Calendar) the trek to Bodh Gaya is most commonly undertaken. While most pilgrims to Bodh Gaya travel by modern means, there is supposed to be development into the Buddha Trail, and some travel sites include walking tours through some of Buddhisms most important sites. Either way, I would love to go to India, ASAP.

Oh and speaking of long walks and hikes. Kelley, from a Crooked Trail, did a guest post over at  Secondhand Sundays, listing the 6 best hikes in the world (or at least the 6 ones she'd most like to do) kinda sad no Canadian destinations on that list, but I'd happily do any of them.

The Campaign : Laughed until I had tears in my eyess.

Last night the boy and I bbq'd a super tasty dinner (chicken breast with asparagus risotto stuffed grilled red peppers and spinach and strawberry salad) and then went out for a Tuesday cheep night movie.

We saw the Campaign, since in features two of my favourite funny men, Will Ferrell and Zach Galifianakis (seriously every time I see him walking a tiny dog, my whole world gets happier).

This was definitely a hit, I'd highly recommend it. Chuck full of improvised one liners that get a laugh every time, good old fashioned slap stick chuckles, and some real wit at the expense of politicians everywhere.

And I won't spoil it for you, but the maid may have been the funniest part in my opinion, although the Huggins family dinner was out of control (way better than even the trailer lead me to believe).

Scully and Mulder together again?

First: Mr David Duchovny was my very first crush, way back in my childhood years there really wasn't anyone more appealing than the erratic, true believer, little bit of a bad boy Agent Fox Mulder.

Second: If you grew up in the 90s, then you know you spent many sleepless nights, terrified to sleep because of something that happened on an episode of the X-files. Recently I asked the boy to name his most memorable/terrifying episode and believe it or not we both recall the same one: Darkness Falls. Featuring swarms of killer bugs that spin you into cocoons and kill you (recall the person who seeks shelter in a car only to have the bugs find their way in through the vents). Maybe it comes from growing up in black fly country (norther Ontario) or just the creepy crawly nature but this one surely stands out the most.

Third: When 'I Want to Believe' came out in 2008, I was thrilled, it had been so long since the end of the show in 2002, and you bet I rushed out to see the new movie. Was a mildly disappointed that this film featured no aliens sure, and I probably wasn't the only one as the film received mostly negative reviews. But I was happy to see Scully and Mulder together at last after the credits heading towards paradise.

So what do I want to Believe? That despite Duchovny's reps denying the rumours springing up all over the internet this week....That Mr. Duchovny and Gillian Anderson are in fact together in real life. Common, that really would be perfect right?

Either way, hopefully the buzz the rumours have generated might just be the best thing towards getting a 3rd movie produced soon.

Movie: The Iron Lady

1. Maryl Streep....need I say more.

2. Not at all what I expected, to see Lady Thatcher in contrast between her strength as prime minister and frailty later in life.

3. Inspiring lady.

Some memorable quotes from the movie (ones that might strike home for any young women looking to rise in a make dominated field....academia for instance)

"I will never be one of those women, who stay silent and pretty on the arm of her husband. Or remote and alone in the kitchen doing the washing up for that matter. One’s life must matter, Denis, beyond all the cooking and the cleaning and the children. One’s life must mean more than that. I cannot die washing up a teacup."

"Being powerful is like being a lady. If you have to tell people you are, you aren’t."

"With all due respect, sir, I have done battle every single day of my life and many men have underestimated me before. This lot seem bound to do the same, but they will rue the day."

And finally this last one, which maybe everyone should hold closely.

"Watch your thoughts for they become words. Watch your words for they become actions. Watch your actions for they become...habits. Watch your habits, for they become your character. And watch your character, for it becomes your destiny! What we think we become."