Movie reviews - 2008

Things We Lost in the Fire (2007)
Fantastic acting make this a very good movie, especially Del Toro's brilliant performance. Simple plot doesn't fall for the predictable.


No Reservations (2007)
Fun for foodies, but mix of serious plot with silly romance doesn't really work.


American Gangster (2007)
Well made movie around interesting story, a little slow at times.


The Bank Job (2008)
Great, hard to believe, true-life caper, nice change of pace for Statham. Think of a true Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels set in the early 70's


Shoot 'Em Up (2007)
Ridiculous and very silly, but how can you not like Clive O as mister smooth gunslinger and Paul G as the ultimate black hat.


Dan in Real Life (2007)
Unusual casting and mixed moods, but it actually works.


Gone Baby Gone (2007)
Captivating. Fantastic acting all around, with only one small silly moment that seemed to take away a little from the otherwise brilliant story. More comments on the blog.


Resident Evil: Extinction (2007)
Based on a video and looked like it. Pretty violent stuff, Jovovich like a runway model with guns.


The Invasion (2007)
Not a bad remake of the Bodysnatchers, good amount of suspense and great performance by Kidman, but as commented on in IMDB, Hollywoodization seems to fragmented the film's flow.


The Kingdom (2007)
A great portrayal of Middle East tension - very real performances and complex topics are explored.


Superbad (2007)
Go ahead, revisit your teen years for a couple of hours - very funny.


Cloverfield (2008)
Brilliant movie making, very real even with the subject matter, a really good scare.


National Treasure: Book of Secrets (2007)
A little disappointing, interesting historical connections, but a bit of a stretch.


Who Killed the Electric Car? (2006)
Timely documentary on complex topic.


Invincible (2006)
I loved this simple, well made sports story. Amazing drama for a G rated movie. Loved the use of Ted Nugent's Stranglehold at the climax !


I Am Legend (2007)
Even with the thin plot, the special effects and really scary creatures pushed it to 3 1/2 stars. Tons of extras on BD.


1408 (2007)
A really good scare.


Kinky Boots (2005)
Yes, a little kinky. Yes, a fun, well made dramatic comedy.


Mr. Brooks (2007)
Very spooky and complex thriller, pretty well acted (few a few exceptions). I thought the plot was a little bit of a stretch.


Spider-Man 3 (2007)
Horrible acting, dialog and plot. Some cool special fx provide only stars.


P.S. I Love You (2007)
Yes, pretty mushy and definitely chic flick, but interesting story and some nice casting surprises. Decent soundtrack and cinematography too.


The Nanny Diaries (2007)
Nothing special, but the 3 beautiful actresses bring it up to 3 stars.


The Last Casino (2004)
Good small Canadian movie, well acted by Katharine Isabelle. A little rough around the edges, but altogether, an enjoyable 90 minutes.


The Guardian (2006)
Office and a Gentleman meets the Perfect Storm (kinda). Lots of intense action in the water, but a bit too Hollywood.


The Reaping (2007)
One look spooky scene with fair share of shockers.


The Hoax (2007)
Complex characters, interesting story, great acting. Amazing true life tale.


Reign Over Me (2007)
Fantastic movie, brilliantly acted, esp. by Sandler. Moving story with traces of humour that takes helps soften the edge of the tragedy. Beautifully shot and classic soundtrack. I'm struggling to find any faults, hence - highly recommended 5/5.


Down in the Valley (2005)
Complex characters, beautiful acting (especially Norton), thoughtful movie making.


Sicko (2007)


On a Clear Day (2005)
Quality pic with simple, great story.




Dr. Seuss' Horton Hears a Who! (2008)
Much better than I expected, great voices from Rogen, Carell and Carey. Some geat laughs - lots of fun for the family.


Disturbia (2007)
Smart, modern thriller with some great young actors.


Fido (2006)
Lots of fun for satirical zombie movie fans - cult classic material.


Next (2007)
I really liked the concept, but the storlyline and dialogue were spoiled. Biel was simply beautiful and Cage, his typical clever self. Horrible performance by Moore.


Cast Away (2000)
After viewing this beautiful movie the second time, I think the messages it leaves behind is subtly different than I expected. Great movie.


Fracture (2007)
Sleek thriller but it needed to be a little more clever.


No Country for Old Men (2007)
Simply great movie making; stellar performance by Bardem; great and often humourous dialogue.


Death Proof (2007)
I think I may have liked this one even more than part one of the Grindhouse doubel feature. Very different style, lots more great dialogue (from Tarantino). Amazing stunt work and very unusual and subtle pacing - I was glued.


Planet Terror (Grindhouse Presents: Robert Rodriguez's Planet Terror) (2007)
Perfect zombie horror camp retro gag flick. Way, way over the top made it a riot. Part of Grindhouse double feature.


Flushed Away (2006)
Lots of laughs for kids and grownups alike (especially with funny Brit gangsta lingo - like Rats doing Snatch). Some decent soundtrack choices too.


Becoming Jane (2007)
Decent period piece, but rather predictable.


U2 3D (2007)
A must see for any U2 fan - brilliant 3D film work, perfect sound.

Google insides

Although Google shares dropped drastically today, there was a bunch of news releases yesterday (that I saw today) about the operation of Google's data centers.

For years, we've known that Google runs 10's of thousands or servers, but this is the first time the media has been allowed inside one of their data centers and allowed to video some of the special things in there.

The first report and video I saw came from Wired - http://www.wired.com/wiredenterprise/2012/10/ff-inside-google-data-center/all/

Then linkedin posted an accompanying Wired article - http://www.wired.com/wiredenterprise/2012/10/google-data-center-secrets/

Then I found a CBS TV piece - http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-505263_162-57533989/behind-the-cloud-a-tour-of-googles-secretive-data-facilities/?tag=showDoorFlexGridLeft;flexGridModule

Fascinating stuff, if you're even remotely interested in how massive the Google's slice of the 'net is and how much it takes to give us a snappy answer to our everyday Google searches, take a look.  Or even better, take a virtual walk yourself using Google's own street view - http://www.google.com/about/datacenters/inside/streetview/.

Queen Street West favourites in the October sun

Queen Street West favourites in the October sun, a photo by PJMixer on Flickr.

Where I find new music: Part 12 - MySpace

Yes, MySpace.  If you haven't heard, they are going to launch a new interface and they have recently been acquired by Mr. Timberlake and Co.  I've used MySpace in the past to hear music from artists I've found elsewhere and to befriend new bands and share photos I've taken of their concerts.

I visited MySpace today and jumped into a feature called OneTwoWatch.  I really like this interface, but really had trouble finding it again - luckily I found the link thru my browser history.  So bookmark this.

Anyway, on OneTwoWatch I was really impressed the the quality and freshness of the featured artists.  I quickly downloaded tracks from Alex Clare, Selah Sue, Daughter and Gary Clark Jr.

Great finds, thanks MySpace.  Looking forward to a sexy new interface sometime soon to make me want to come back for more.

Where I find new music: Part 11 - musicians

I have a few musicians that are friends and I usually trust their recommendations, but I've also had the opportunity to meet a few musicians at other concerts.  The most famous story my wife and I have is meeting Matthew from Young Empires a long time ago after the We Are Augustines concert at Wrongbar.  We didn't know Young Empires at the time, but have seen them since on numerous occasions and we're so happy for their success and the nomination for a 2012 CASBY.

After seeing Young Empires during NXNE, we were hopping on the streetcar home when we struck up a conversation with fan who turned out to be another musician - Shawn is the drummer for Fade Chromatic who we've also now seen play live.

You never know you're going to meet at a concert and the chance to discover some new music.

Where I find new music: Part 10 - internet radio

I'm not certain how many people listen to internet radio, but please comment if you have a station to recommend or a track you've found thru internet radio.  I don't listen to internet radio very often, but on occasion, when I'm working I need some background music to work by.  Needless to say, the type of music in this situation needs to be more melodic, perhaps instrumental, but definitely not distracting or anything I have to concentrate on.  I use iTunes to "bookmark" or "favourite" stations I find and then browse / channel surf until the mix blends with my mood.

It's been a long time since I started writing this blog, so...unfortunately I can't remember all of the stations I've enjoyed (old bookmarks on an old work laptop I think), but the one that I can always remember is Groove Salad.  You can find it under the Ambient genre in iTunes radio and it's from SomaFM who have lots of other interesting genre and mood based stations.

I'm still struggling a little with what stations publish via a format that I can stream via iTunes rather then using their own web site or player, e.g. the progressive Radio Paradise and CBC radio 3 (now CBC music) stations.

Originally posted on in Tune in.  Previous 9 posts in the series can also be found on in Tune in under the tag Discovery.

Where I find new music: Part 10 - internet radio

I'm not certain how many people listen to internet radio, but please comment if you have a station to recommend or a track you've found thru internet radio.  I don't listen to internet radio very often, but on occasion, when I'm working I need some background music to work by.  Needless to say, the type of music in this situation needs to be more melodic, perhaps instrumental, but definitely not distracting or anything I have to concentrate on.  I use iTunes to "bookmark" or "favourite" stations I find and then browse / channel surf until the mix blends with my mood.

It's been a long time since I started writing this blog, so...unfortunately I can't remember all of the stations I've enjoyed (old bookmarks on an old work laptop I think), but the one that I can always remember is Groove Salad.  You can find it under the Ambient genre in iTunes radio and it's from SomaFM who have lots of other interesting genre and mood based stations.

I'm still struggling a little with what stations publish via a format that I can stream via iTunes rather then using their own web site or player, e.g. the progressive Radio Paradise and CBC radio 3 (now CBC music) stations.

Port Cunnington fall morning glory

Port Cunnington fall morning glory, a photo by PJMixer on Flickr.

Movie reviews - September 2012

Looper (2012)
I'm not certain what it was, but it scared me. Perhaps it was the dark side of man, the uncertainty of the future, the power of love or the innocence of youth. Well, maybe it was the violence and power of guns. But for me, the late Friday night uptown audience was a distraction. Clapping for explosions ? Are you serious ? But I can see why it opened TIFF. I don't see how the Hollywood marketing fits. And that's the problem with time travel movies. There's always a loose end, and incongruity, an impossibility, a flaw. But after noodling the ending for a few days, it makes sense, I think. May need to see it again. KInd of Terminator meets Goodfellas with some surprisingly slower, more weighty emotions. Good plot and solid acting.


Source Code (2011)
Great premise with the expected mind bending sci-fi plot. I thought I'd written a more elegant review but either I lost it or it was in an alternate timeline ! I thought some of the capsule scenes were a little low budget, but the story held it all together. More wrinkles than my dress shirts in the dryer. Wrapped up nice and tidy.


50/50 (2011)
Rogan was predictably himself-funny; Kendrick was superb. Amazing how they could make a movie about cancer funny, but keep the seriousness of the disease intact.


Juno (2007)
Much funnier that I expected. Page lived up to the award hype, quirky and personal with some wonderful plot elements.


Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close (2012)
Extremely intense and incredibly emotional. Brings back many feelings from 9/11. Beautifully acted with heartfelt story telling. A little slow at times, painful moments, memorable characters and great adventures to remember, but ain't that life.


A Thousand Words (2012)
One healthy dose of Eddie Murphy, a tasteful dash of sentimentality and the pleasant aroma of a life lesson make for a tasty in flight movie distraction.


The Graduate (1967)
Yes, this is the first time I've even seen this classic. Superb, stylish filmmaking. Stelar performances set amongst the beautiful poetry of Simon and Garfunkel.


Marvel's The Avengers (2012)
Lots of super hero fire power action. If you can get into comic book mode you're In for a fun ride. Downy Jr. is the standout.