Keep the X in X-mas

Some Winter Solstice viewing...

Return of the Mack

Back in Edmonton. There is an instant comfort returning to your parents’ house, as I’m sure most of you can attest to. I slept until noon today and then listened to a bunch of The Long Blondes, Portastatic, Neko Case and Trespassers William. I spent last night at Ashley’s place making new converts to the church of people who feel that the TMNT trailer is the best fucking thing in the world.

Going out boozing tonight at The Black Dog, oh how I’ve missed that place. I can’t say it’s the city for me, but there is something undeniably endearing about Edmonton. It’s like the club-footed child intent on finishing the 100-yard-dash. Three weeks will be just right for a visit: I do miss my friends here, the bands here, and watching 52 Oilers games on TV a year. But I already long for the gentler weather, the friendlier bus drivers, the beauty and energy of Vancouver. I wish that cocksucker would stop dragging his heels and get the transporter invented already.

Granted I spent the last six weeks as a Vancouverite in an computer lab editing amateurish movies, but before I left, Dylan, Jessica, Davis and I made a trip over the bridge to grab some dinner at The Naam on West 4th in Kitsilano and Gelato on Commercial Drive. I love it there, I feel somewhere different, refined – better. I’m a city person. The bigger the better.

But I will enjoy this small city that has given me some of my best friends. Don’t get caught thinking that past was always good, but don’t get caught thinking the past was all bad, either. Lock up your daughters, Capital Region; I’m heading out for love tonight…unless they’re minorities, in which case, I’m going to totally stab them.

Two Thousand and Six

One of my favorite things about the year winding down is all the top ten lists and countdown shows detailing the highs and lows of the previous 365 days. Here is my modest contribution:

MOVIE OF THE YEAR: Little Miss Sunshine
ALBUM OF THE YEAR: Food & Liquor by Lupe Fiasco
BOOK OF THE YEAR: Letter to a Christian Nation by Sam Harris
WORST PERSON OF THE YEAR: Chris Pronger
BEST PERSON OF THE YEAR: Me

Those in Edmonton: see youse soon.

Nostomania

I spent 13 hours and 8 hours in the editing lab on Thursday and Friday respectively. But the boys and I have finished our 25-minute opus “The Elevator”. I have six exams in three days next week, which is gross, but I’ll be home soon and I can’t wait.

I’m tired and unshaven and I haven’t showered in three days. I love making movies. I’ve also taken my passion for the film Chasing Amy and surprisingly have started to live it…

We finished shooting the elevator footage on Monday and it turns out that the best actors in Cap College are in the film program not the acting one – you will see it soon, all the shit is on my laptop.

Also we had our screening of the third mini project and the story I wrote about rape and revenge made everyone laugh. My ego could be talking and I could say they were uncomfortable with my intense story and laughter was their way of dealing with it, but I think we just didn’t shoot it well enough. I got kudos from all the instructors on the screenplay but something happened from the page to the screen and the story beats were lost. It happens, I guess – you fall in love with cool shots and interesting angles and lose sight of the only reason people like movies in the first place: good stories.

This is written ridiculously badly, but I haven’t slept in a while. The Oilers are the best hockey team in the world and I’m a coming home in eight days. Love…. love…. love….