1982, the year I finally finished Grade 13, also happened to be one of the greatest periods of outstanding film making of the past 50 years. The quality and quantity of terrific films from that year I think speaks for itself;
Megaforce – Barry Bostwick leads a rapid deployment counter-terrorism strikeforce. Need I say anything else? Megastunning!
Friday the 13th Part 3 in 3D – Sunday the 15th is what my coolio friends and I called this little horror gem back in the day.
Tron – K2 nails this early CGI masterpiece with his spot-on post yesterday.
Butterfly – Pia Zadora, a vastly underrated actress utters early on, “Don’t it get lonely out here?” the mystery gal asks, “Or is milkin’ that cow good enough for ya?” After taking a sip of fresh cream, she licks her lips and purrs, “I like it warm with foam on it.” ….Do ya now, you dirty little whore? A personal favourite.
The Pirate Movie – Kristy McNichol and Chris Atkins in a steamy PG rated reworking of Gilbert and Sullivan's Pirates of Penzance? Right ON!
Superman II – A pre-bonebag Chris Reeves flies around and fights Lex Luther (Gene Hackman in his greatest role) in a film by the Richards. This one is so good it took two directors, Richard Donner and Richard Lester, to finish. Shite ham-actor Marlon Brando sued everyone and was thankfully cut from the final edit. Even better than Superman Returns if you can believe it.
Trail of the Pink Panther – The funniest of the Pink Panther series with a tight script and the always fresh Peter Sellers at his best, even though he was dead before filming began. How's that for acting ability? The sixth movie in the franchise is, in essence, just a recap of the earlier 5 films. Hmmm, that's the same as, ah … never mind.
Conan the Barbarian – Arny of Shadows. 'Nuff said
Grease 2 – The greatest musical ever? I gotta think so.
Poltergeist – A brilliant allegory on the power of television and its ability to corrupt children. Vastly misunderstood to this day, Poltergeist remains a powerful indictment of the dangers of unregulated TV viewing by youngsters.
Is it any wonder I ended up pursuing my dreams of being a video baron?
Suck on my titles, boys.
2.11.2009
My favourite Hooters
Ever since I was but a wee kinderling crawling on my parents kitchen floor, subsisting on stray Cheerios, toast crusts and tea finings, I have, simply put, been enamored of owls. And I've just realized, wow, I've never posted anything on owls, my favourite avian friends, on the blog. Spurred on by recent posts about posts...about...posts?, I have decided that it would only be proper to cast a shining ray of God's gentle sun upon a very subjective list of the best owls. Now, keep in mind, this is not a compilation of Strigiformes (oops - don't let me leave you in the dark - that is the Latin name for owls. So, next time you see a Latino or a Latina, say "Como esta, Strigiforme", which literally means "good morrow, owl", "owl" being the Latino(a) equivalent of the popular African American term "dog"), but only the ones that make me smile when I view them in the pages of Canadian Geographic, and similar magazines about the nature.
So, without further ado, I give you my list:
#5 - Elf Owl
This little fella is the smallest owl ever. Which automatically makes it the cutest, and by extension, the strangest. Poet and naturalist "How did it get so small?" you're probably asking yourself right now. Well, I don;t know, but it probably is either a species that is a baby and then dies before it gets too large. And who can't love a dead baby? I think this might even be the only owl to ever have flown from Mexico to Point Pele National Park, but I'm really just guessing.
#4 - Saw Whet Owl
I don't know anything about this owl, but one time when I was a younger human, I spied one in the tree in front of our house. But it was night and it could have been a paper bag blown there by the wind. Nevertheless, I feel a great connection to this special owl, and if I were to choose one owl to represent me in the House of Parliament, this would probably be it - not because it's the smartest, or even looks smart, but because it's really small (I think?) and could easily sneak into the other parties clubhouses and spy on them for me and tell me great stories like what (if any) kind of moustache wax Jack Layton uses, and what, oh WHAT, is under Steve's sweaters. Then we would laugh and share pancakes. I would not want to know things like whether or not Elizabeth May shaves down there, and whether Gilles speaks English or French when making the love. I would certainly not want to use the Elf Owl for reconnaissance missions, as it would very likely get lost because of the smallness. The Saw Whet is almost my favourite owl, but not quite. So it's no. 4.
#3 - Barn Owl
Everyone loves a barn owl, mostly because of it's easily recognizable facial disc, an interesting feature that all owls have. But the barn owl is the only one where the facial disc is truly prominent. They also resemble mind bong. I like the facial disc, because it is truly the only feature that differentiates owls from humans, and, ostensibly, apes. I wish I could give you more information about the Barn Owl, but it lives an a freakin' barn?!?!?! How amaaaaaaaazing is that? Well, it's AMAAAAAAAAAAAAAAZZZZZZZINNNNNNNNNGGGGGGGGGGG! David Suzuki told me in a dream I had about the show "The Nature of Things" that all Barn Owls can be linked to the same barn in Rome, and that contrary to popular belief, Barn Owls are the only creatures that can actually survive in a barn. Horses die every night, and they have to buy new ones every morning from the factory. Basically, the Barn Owl is a SURVIVOR. Oh, and facial disc.
#2 - Great Grey Owl
Ooohhhhhhh, I tricked you, I bet. I bet you thought that was going to be no. 1, didn't you. No, it's not no. 1 for two reasons: because it's far too omnipresent in the public's mind. This almost made me pick it as no. 1, just for the pity factor - because no one's ever going to make it no. 1. But that still doesn't make me make it no.1 Pity doesn't cut it any more. A fun fact about the Great Grey Owl - the famous Canadian conservationist Grey Owl took his name from the Great Grey Owl. Neat! This owl is the one that Merlin kept as a pet (or maybe it was a Great Horned Owl, I can't remember right now), but either way, some magicians probably have Great Grey Owls as pets, or familiars. So that's cool. Another fun fact is that when the sky is overcast, the Great Grey Owl is completely invisible. I love that. They eat mice, which is sad, but I guess since witches eat Great Grey Owls, it's only fair. Anyway, Great Grey Owl, no. 2, just like Commander William T. Riker. The Great Grey Owl looks very wise. They sometimes wear those caps you get when you graduate from school or something.
#1 - Screech Owl
Here's a cool mind-melter you can play at the next party you're at: ask the guests this "What do Dustin Diamond's character on Saved by the Bell, a popular Newfoundland rum, Lupe Fiasco's album The Cool and the greatest owl all have in common?" No one will know the answer, though many will think they do. After many unsucessful attempts are made at a guess, you shout "Nothing!!!!" Hahaha, that has worked everytime for me (re: getting hated by people). If on the off-chance someone does guess "nothing", you should quickly unzip your fly and produce your now semi-rigid penis and make direct, unwavering eye-contact at whoever guessed the answer, all the while repeating aloud, "You've won the prize". Anyway, the one thing that doesn't belong in the list (if you are asked by the police to explain yourself) is Lupe Fiasco's The Cool. The others, of course, are all connected by the word "Screech". My favourite owl. The big one. They are kind of diminutive, in size, but that only works in it's favour. You may have noticed that three of my best owls are coincidentally quite small. This is no coincidence. As the poet once said, size only matters in owls and horseshoes.
Some other notable exclusions from the list:
Snowy Owl - got the cover of a Glen Loates (the poor man's Robert Bateman) illustrated volume of owls I had when I was younger. Though slim, this text provided much of the work that I would later plagiarize to create my award-winning Grade 5 speech, aptly entitled "Owls".
Great Horned Owl - Excluded simply because it looks like the devil, and everytime one is born (or "fledged"), God weeps a single tear.
Burrowing Owl - Ever since I didn't see the movie Hoot, I have been fascinated by this owl, the only diurnal one. It stands on what look like chicken feet and it looks very cross all the time, even when it's a nice day, or after it ate a good mouse. One of the more intriguing brands of owl.
Laughing Owl - I love them, but they're extinct, so that automatically excludes them, because they're not SURVIVORS. If you ask you're grandparents they might know about them, but they have not been around since cameras were invented by Kodak, so there isn't a picture, just this idea that someone once had that this is what they might have looked like. This is an ARTWORK:
Well, that's about all I have for you for now. Check back next week when I'll actually have all the owls I've rated rate my post and give comments as to whether or not they think my assessment of them is fair (possibly two posts). Also, a review of Farley Mowat's literary masterpiece about two of my favourite owls, Wol and Weeps, Owls in the Family.
Facial Disc.
So, without further ado, I give you my list:
#5 - Elf Owl
This little fella is the smallest owl ever. Which automatically makes it the cutest, and by extension, the strangest. Poet and naturalist "How did it get so small?" you're probably asking yourself right now. Well, I don;t know, but it probably is either a species that is a baby and then dies before it gets too large. And who can't love a dead baby? I think this might even be the only owl to ever have flown from Mexico to Point Pele National Park, but I'm really just guessing.
#4 - Saw Whet Owl
I don't know anything about this owl, but one time when I was a younger human, I spied one in the tree in front of our house. But it was night and it could have been a paper bag blown there by the wind. Nevertheless, I feel a great connection to this special owl, and if I were to choose one owl to represent me in the House of Parliament, this would probably be it - not because it's the smartest, or even looks smart, but because it's really small (I think?) and could easily sneak into the other parties clubhouses and spy on them for me and tell me great stories like what (if any) kind of moustache wax Jack Layton uses, and what, oh WHAT, is under Steve's sweaters. Then we would laugh and share pancakes. I would not want to know things like whether or not Elizabeth May shaves down there, and whether Gilles speaks English or French when making the love. I would certainly not want to use the Elf Owl for reconnaissance missions, as it would very likely get lost because of the smallness. The Saw Whet is almost my favourite owl, but not quite. So it's no. 4.
#3 - Barn Owl
Everyone loves a barn owl, mostly because of it's easily recognizable facial disc, an interesting feature that all owls have. But the barn owl is the only one where the facial disc is truly prominent. They also resemble mind bong. I like the facial disc, because it is truly the only feature that differentiates owls from humans, and, ostensibly, apes. I wish I could give you more information about the Barn Owl, but it lives an a freakin' barn?!?!?! How amaaaaaaaazing is that? Well, it's AMAAAAAAAAAAAAAAZZZZZZZINNNNNNNNNGGGGGGGGGGG! David Suzuki told me in a dream I had about the show "The Nature of Things" that all Barn Owls can be linked to the same barn in Rome, and that contrary to popular belief, Barn Owls are the only creatures that can actually survive in a barn. Horses die every night, and they have to buy new ones every morning from the factory. Basically, the Barn Owl is a SURVIVOR. Oh, and facial disc.
#2 - Great Grey Owl
Ooohhhhhhh, I tricked you, I bet. I bet you thought that was going to be no. 1, didn't you. No, it's not no. 1 for two reasons: because it's far too omnipresent in the public's mind. This almost made me pick it as no. 1, just for the pity factor - because no one's ever going to make it no. 1. But that still doesn't make me make it no.1 Pity doesn't cut it any more. A fun fact about the Great Grey Owl - the famous Canadian conservationist Grey Owl took his name from the Great Grey Owl. Neat! This owl is the one that Merlin kept as a pet (or maybe it was a Great Horned Owl, I can't remember right now), but either way, some magicians probably have Great Grey Owls as pets, or familiars. So that's cool. Another fun fact is that when the sky is overcast, the Great Grey Owl is completely invisible. I love that. They eat mice, which is sad, but I guess since witches eat Great Grey Owls, it's only fair. Anyway, Great Grey Owl, no. 2, just like Commander William T. Riker. The Great Grey Owl looks very wise. They sometimes wear those caps you get when you graduate from school or something.
#1 - Screech Owl
Here's a cool mind-melter you can play at the next party you're at: ask the guests this "What do Dustin Diamond's character on Saved by the Bell, a popular Newfoundland rum, Lupe Fiasco's album The Cool and the greatest owl all have in common?" No one will know the answer, though many will think they do. After many unsucessful attempts are made at a guess, you shout "Nothing!!!!" Hahaha, that has worked everytime for me (re: getting hated by people). If on the off-chance someone does guess "nothing", you should quickly unzip your fly and produce your now semi-rigid penis and make direct, unwavering eye-contact at whoever guessed the answer, all the while repeating aloud, "You've won the prize". Anyway, the one thing that doesn't belong in the list (if you are asked by the police to explain yourself) is Lupe Fiasco's The Cool. The others, of course, are all connected by the word "Screech". My favourite owl. The big one. They are kind of diminutive, in size, but that only works in it's favour. You may have noticed that three of my best owls are coincidentally quite small. This is no coincidence. As the poet once said, size only matters in owls and horseshoes.
Some other notable exclusions from the list:
Snowy Owl - got the cover of a Glen Loates (the poor man's Robert Bateman) illustrated volume of owls I had when I was younger. Though slim, this text provided much of the work that I would later plagiarize to create my award-winning Grade 5 speech, aptly entitled "Owls".
Great Horned Owl - Excluded simply because it looks like the devil, and everytime one is born (or "fledged"), God weeps a single tear.
Burrowing Owl - Ever since I didn't see the movie Hoot, I have been fascinated by this owl, the only diurnal one. It stands on what look like chicken feet and it looks very cross all the time, even when it's a nice day, or after it ate a good mouse. One of the more intriguing brands of owl.
Laughing Owl - I love them, but they're extinct, so that automatically excludes them, because they're not SURVIVORS. If you ask you're grandparents they might know about them, but they have not been around since cameras were invented by Kodak, so there isn't a picture, just this idea that someone once had that this is what they might have looked like. This is an ARTWORK:
Well, that's about all I have for you for now. Check back next week when I'll actually have all the owls I've rated rate my post and give comments as to whether or not they think my assessment of them is fair (possibly two posts). Also, a review of Farley Mowat's literary masterpiece about two of my favourite owls, Wol and Weeps, Owls in the Family.
Facial Disc.
2.10.2009
Tron Pron - short reviews for short people
I threw this on late one night trying to catch some zzz's and instead it had the opposite effect. It kept me up until the wee hours of the morning until Jeff Bridges had his way with that pesky Master Control Program.
Amazing how the special effects of this film still hold up after all this time. The idea of worlds inside computers has been explored since with movies like The Matrix, The Lawnmower man, and shows like Reboot. But this was the first, at least to my knowledge, of those stories in film.
It executes the idea well by alluding to different computer programs as actual characters and having them embody their specific program characteristics.
Also, how the programs refer to us as "users"; these unseen entities that look over them and give them commands to follow is a nicely used allegory in reference to modern religion. I also really liked how the real life characters had counterparts inside the "system" that were played by the same actors. Sort of a Wizard Of Oz type theme going on here. Still, great fun.
Apparently Tron 2 is filming now, it is entitled TR2N. i don't know how to say that.. so i won't. It's like that pop band in the 90's called 5ive.. what the hell is that? doesn't make any sense. do i say five ive? Or that Daft Punk movie Interstella 5555: The 5tory of 5ecret 5tar 5ystem. gimme a break with that.
yeah tron. check it out.... and that's all i have to say about that...
Movies, oddly enough
In an effort to correct course and steer our blog back toward film, this post will be exclusively about movies. A novel thought to be sure. I was afraid that K2's final Sectors post would be a 3000 word dissertation on his favourite 2008 T-shirts but as it turns out it was a ranking of his previous 5 Sectors posts. What a relief...
On to the matter at hand.....
Radio On (1979) Director: Christopher Petit. PAL (but I ordered an NTSC copy for the FBW)
A revelation. Radio On is an existential masterpiece of understated post-punk angst set in pre-Thatcher Britain. It's technically a road movie I suppose, although substantially different in tone and execution from the American variety released earlier in the decade (Two Lane Blacktop comes most immediately to mind). The journey presented here is nearly random, existential in the extreme and motivated by the protagonist's desire to simply “find something out”.
Radio On is a sparse, sombre and haunting film, beautifully film shot in black and white by Wim Wenders' cinematographer Martin Schäfer. It takes the travelogue into unexplored territory: literally - the A420 to Swindon and Bristol - and figuratively: a Britain stricken by economic decline. This is a film in love with both exile and empty places, its characters drifting along without motive or direction. It may resonate with present day audiences more profoundly as we enter our own swift and seemingly unstoppable decline.
A final note about this outstanding film. Music. It defines and shapes Radio On in ways I don't think I've seen before. Music is central to the film and its characters. It is at once an antidote to the loneliness of these people and a point of reference when their paths cross. It reminds us how music – particularly that of our own time – says something of who we are, where we came from and in a way, where we're going. Radio On is a disaffected, evocative and yet strangely hopeful film.
A new entry in my all time top-ten list that bumps Don Siegel's Charley Varrick into 11th.
The Mighty Boosh, Season 3 (2008) PAL
A bit of a let down to be honest, the Boosh has long remained the most ridiculous (and often most hilarious) show on BBC 3 but this latest season was a bit flat. It has some great bits but I think this ship has sailed.
Female Agents (Les Femmes de l'ombre, 2008) PAL
Four French Resistance fighters stationed in Britain slip back into Vichy France just before D-Day to get a British geologist out of a Nazi hospital. The twist is... they're woman posing as nurses. Similar to Verhoeven's 2006 Black Book, this apparently true story is in many ways a straight up wartime rescue flick. It's well acted and zips along nicely. I think Hot Cross Bunnies would have been a far better English translation of the title.
On to the matter at hand.....
Radio On (1979) Director: Christopher Petit. PAL (but I ordered an NTSC copy for the FBW)
A revelation. Radio On is an existential masterpiece of understated post-punk angst set in pre-Thatcher Britain. It's technically a road movie I suppose, although substantially different in tone and execution from the American variety released earlier in the decade (Two Lane Blacktop comes most immediately to mind). The journey presented here is nearly random, existential in the extreme and motivated by the protagonist's desire to simply “find something out”.
Radio On is a sparse, sombre and haunting film, beautifully film shot in black and white by Wim Wenders' cinematographer Martin Schäfer. It takes the travelogue into unexplored territory: literally - the A420 to Swindon and Bristol - and figuratively: a Britain stricken by economic decline. This is a film in love with both exile and empty places, its characters drifting along without motive or direction. It may resonate with present day audiences more profoundly as we enter our own swift and seemingly unstoppable decline.
A final note about this outstanding film. Music. It defines and shapes Radio On in ways I don't think I've seen before. Music is central to the film and its characters. It is at once an antidote to the loneliness of these people and a point of reference when their paths cross. It reminds us how music – particularly that of our own time – says something of who we are, where we came from and in a way, where we're going. Radio On is a disaffected, evocative and yet strangely hopeful film.
A new entry in my all time top-ten list that bumps Don Siegel's Charley Varrick into 11th.
The Mighty Boosh, Season 3 (2008) PAL
A bit of a let down to be honest, the Boosh has long remained the most ridiculous (and often most hilarious) show on BBC 3 but this latest season was a bit flat. It has some great bits but I think this ship has sailed.
Female Agents (Les Femmes de l'ombre, 2008) PAL
Four French Resistance fighters stationed in Britain slip back into Vichy France just before D-Day to get a British geologist out of a Nazi hospital. The twist is... they're woman posing as nurses. Similar to Verhoeven's 2006 Black Book, this apparently true story is in many ways a straight up wartime rescue flick. It's well acted and zips along nicely. I think Hot Cross Bunnies would have been a far better English translation of the title.
2.09.2009
SECTOR SIX SIX SIX!!! !!! !!! - The Hidden Sector
Attacking from a hidden base Dropkick has one last trick up his sleeve.
The SIXTH SECTOR - BONUSSSS
so this is truly the end of all this sector business. but i thought it fitting to finish up my love for top 5 lists to list off my favourite top 5 lists.
here are Dropkicks top 5 sectors, of the sector lists created by Dropkick.
mad..
dope...
#5 Sector #1
Indeed the sector that started this whole charade is the one i find least appealing. My top 5 films of 2008 that were released in 2008 is pretty ridiculous, Speed Racer? Hulk? whaaa? I saw some great flicks in 2008 but i think i was going for humor more than anything with this piece. I do strongly believe however, that the top 3 JCVD, Dark Knight, and Synechdoche New York were incredible films and deserve to be up there. I think i was just having a laugh with the other two.
#4 Sector #5 enter the burrito
I found it difficult to review food. I had never tried it before, and although i really dig food it just didn't feel natural going on about it. I was at a loss for certain words and found myself quickly trying to get through the damn thing. I also forgot to mention that the staff at Chino Locos add to the experience. They do fully embody the name of their establishment and make everyone feel welcomed and make you feel like Norm on Cheers whenever you enter their place. Great guys, great joint... my little write up doesn't do em' justice.
#3 Sector #2!
Wherein i rated films i had seen over the course of the 2008 that were made in another time.
I dig the list alot and still fully agree with it, though there's so much vying for a position it's hard to feel proud of this list. The write ups for every individual film could have been fleshed out a bit more, especially Melville's Army of Shadows. Although i feel like i could never really review a film of his proper. what not being a learned film critic and all. Still... not bad.
#2 SECTors #3!!! worst of 2008
I feel much more comfortable talking shit about movies than praising them. This one was a helluva lotta fun to write up and to rank. I don't think i'll ever live down the shit that is X-Files and Indiana Jones, but writing this helped. Still, i could have gone on at length. but, i've already given my two cents about these films at the time of their respective releases. X-files even had a two part smear campaign!
it was also nice to see randoms comment on that particular post. Who are these people? also when you get Kenny Chan to chime in you know you're doing something right.
#1 SECToR #4!!! Sounds
I think overall this was the best sector. Surprisingly i found it really comfortable to go over music. Felt more at ease than writing about film. I also think aesthetically it's a nice little post and the write ups are quick and to the point. This one had the most feedback that i saw personally. I've had more than one person tell me they had checked out an album on that list because of the post. and you know what? that's why i get up in the morning and contribute to this blog... it's all for you guys. thank you.
and there you have it. The Sector saga ends here.
thank you all for making it such a worthwhile and crazy ride.
let's do it again sometime
-Kridas
The SIXTH SECTOR - BONUSSSS
so this is truly the end of all this sector business. but i thought it fitting to finish up my love for top 5 lists to list off my favourite top 5 lists.
here are Dropkicks top 5 sectors, of the sector lists created by Dropkick.
mad..
dope...
#5 Sector #1
Indeed the sector that started this whole charade is the one i find least appealing. My top 5 films of 2008 that were released in 2008 is pretty ridiculous, Speed Racer? Hulk? whaaa? I saw some great flicks in 2008 but i think i was going for humor more than anything with this piece. I do strongly believe however, that the top 3 JCVD, Dark Knight, and Synechdoche New York were incredible films and deserve to be up there. I think i was just having a laugh with the other two.
#4 Sector #5 enter the burrito
I found it difficult to review food. I had never tried it before, and although i really dig food it just didn't feel natural going on about it. I was at a loss for certain words and found myself quickly trying to get through the damn thing. I also forgot to mention that the staff at Chino Locos add to the experience. They do fully embody the name of their establishment and make everyone feel welcomed and make you feel like Norm on Cheers whenever you enter their place. Great guys, great joint... my little write up doesn't do em' justice.
#3 Sector #2!
Wherein i rated films i had seen over the course of the 2008 that were made in another time.
I dig the list alot and still fully agree with it, though there's so much vying for a position it's hard to feel proud of this list. The write ups for every individual film could have been fleshed out a bit more, especially Melville's Army of Shadows. Although i feel like i could never really review a film of his proper. what not being a learned film critic and all. Still... not bad.
#2 SECTors #3!!! worst of 2008
I feel much more comfortable talking shit about movies than praising them. This one was a helluva lotta fun to write up and to rank. I don't think i'll ever live down the shit that is X-Files and Indiana Jones, but writing this helped. Still, i could have gone on at length. but, i've already given my two cents about these films at the time of their respective releases. X-files even had a two part smear campaign!
it was also nice to see randoms comment on that particular post. Who are these people? also when you get Kenny Chan to chime in you know you're doing something right.
#1 SECToR #4!!! Sounds
I think overall this was the best sector. Surprisingly i found it really comfortable to go over music. Felt more at ease than writing about film. I also think aesthetically it's a nice little post and the write ups are quick and to the point. This one had the most feedback that i saw personally. I've had more than one person tell me they had checked out an album on that list because of the post. and you know what? that's why i get up in the morning and contribute to this blog... it's all for you guys. thank you.
and there you have it. The Sector saga ends here.
thank you all for making it such a worthwhile and crazy ride.
let's do it again sometime
-Kridas
It's just you and me here Joe.
An eerie cyber-silence has me thinking we should just call each other Joe and talk. It'd make more sense. This is a lot of work that could be easily avoided.
I saw 3 great movies this weekend. Call me and I'll tell you about them.
S
I saw 3 great movies this weekend. Call me and I'll tell you about them.
S
sector 5!!!!! - Burritos of Fury!
SUCKter 5, the final chapter... Enter the Burrito
During the last half of 2008 the East End of Toronto was shocked asunder by the opening of a new restaurant at the corner of Greenwood and Queen East.
With Ghalis kitchen closing up shop midway through the summer
Rumors filled the foothills with talk of Mexican food.. yet others spoke whispers of Chinese cuisine. Finally on one fateful day as i stepped off the oh so reliable Greenwood 31B i came face to face with new signage in Ghalis window. Where before there was a scribbled note on a piece of cardboard from Ghali himself... something about being thankful for the patronage, now there was a bright colourful sign boasting a curious name.
"Chino Locos", with an even more curious side note read underneath
-tasty good burritos.
Concaleath and i talked about what kind of burritos we'd like to have.
Con pointed out that the name quite literaly meant the crazy chinese.
hmm, chinese... burritos? really? has the world gone mad?
how would the two come together? would they have refried beans?
funny how the same location that once sported Jamican style Italian food would have a Chinese take on Mexican right after... hmm. East End is all about the melting pot.
When the store finally opened and was up and running smoothly we found that all of us staff at the Film Buff (British lads excluded) had become addicted to these delicious treats.
for only 6 bucks you don't get to just enjoy a burrito that is pushing the envelope of what makes or should be a burrito. No, a Locos burrito quite frankly destroys all boundries and envelopes in place of existing burrito guidelines. It's food that exists on its own plane of existence, a meal wrapped into a whole wheat tortilla shell that brings you from one side of the Earth to the other and back home again. It's a godsend for East Endies who were torn between Canadian Chinese local Sea Breeze and heart palpatating fried chicken at ChickenJoy. Both restaurents do have their own charm but it's Loco that's carved a real niche in the void between The Beaches and Leslieville.
Like the foreign masterpieces we rent out at the Buff most people will bite their thumb at what Loco has to offer.
And indeed i have found in my experience that customers with a broader taste in film are more likely to enjoy a Chino Locos burrito, while more mainstream customers seem to have their taste buds and film tastes pretty much in tune with one another making them dislike the burrito. But that's a generalization and i have neither the bravado or proper length of tools to make such assumptions strongly. maybe i have the girth tho... ah well.. for another post maybe.
Here is my take on the best 5 burritos to order up at Chino Locos
#5 The Weekly Special
The "special" burrito changes quite often and feels more of a daily occurence more than a weekly affair. Since the special is so broad and takes many different forms it is only fair that it takes the top spot of the list. Although it must be said that some of the best edible things i've ever put in my mouth are included under the heading special. A prime rib special is not only rib meat but also is packed with mashed potatoes, cheese, and corn. Making it more of an American burrito, and quite literally a whole dinner in a shell. What's better though, but will cost you a little more, is the lamb burrito. Lamb instead of prime rib with all the fixings is incredibly delcious although pretty rare. Other great specials include jerk pork or chicken. Both can be amazing but i would never walk away from the pulled jerk pork. Really something special. Also an assortment of curry burritos which are takes on their regular burritos but given a carribean feel leaving you wtih a taste of having a roti but still holding on to such goodness as cilantro and cheese.
#4 Paradise Vegan
This slice of vegetarian heaven is really something to get excited that you watched Babe too many times as a kid about. This baby has got tofu steak, eggplant, and shitake mushrooms. Fixings you won't find in any burrito. It's a buck more than the other burritos but hey, it was your choice to not eat the cute animals now you gotta pay for it.
#3 SWWEEET
The house signature burrito. The one that started it all. I advise first comers to try this one out. Slow roasted pulled pork with ginger relish is what got me hooked to these bad boys in the first place. Best had with noodles and the extra fixings.
#2 Pollo Loco
Their chicken burrito cooked in a Mexican tinga sauce. A terrific stand by and something anyone can get up close and personal to. If the fusion idea freaks you out too much try this one out with rice instead of noodles. You'll find yourself in familiar burrito territory yet still have half your body in unfamiliar waters.
#1 Off Da Hook
The mother of all burritos. Quite easily wins the award for best burrito I've ever had. Seared steak with black beans best had spicy with noodles and the extra fixings: sour cream and cheese. Your taste buds will love you for trying it out.
All burritos come with great fixings like cilantro, edamame, and avocado but it's their signature chipotle sauce that really brings these suckers ahead of the pack when it comes to amazing cheap eats.
other things on the menu that didn't make the list are
The Finest: this basa fish burrito looks good and got a great write up from Eye Weekly i just can't eat fish. so there.
Dessert Burritos: i've yet to try any of these. I'd like to give it a go one time but i never have room for anything else after i've had a full burrito.
An honourable mention to their take on ice cream. I had the pleasure of testing it out, a corn and cheese ice cream doesn't sound (or look for that matter) too appealing but it's a subtle delicious little treat that i hope they go somewhere with.
When they first opened the Now gave Locos a pretty unfavourable review giving them two N's out of a possible 5. I chalk that up to the boys still getting up on their feet. Yet the Now did like the dessert burritos.
Eye Weekly recently gave them the once over and gave them a glowing four star review out of a possible five, stating the only thing that didn't sit well were the dessert burritos.
Funny, if you mix the two... like i do then you got a glowing 6 star review out of a possible five. i like that.
Now's review
Eye Weekly's - great pic too!
Well old sports that wraps up this little Sector experiment. I'm not really sure how it came about but it sure as hell was fun writing it. 2009 looks to be an exciting year for us here at the Buff and for the worldwide economy in general... i mean yes we can change things right!?
love,
for all ya'lls
During the last half of 2008 the East End of Toronto was shocked asunder by the opening of a new restaurant at the corner of Greenwood and Queen East.
With Ghalis kitchen closing up shop midway through the summer
Rumors filled the foothills with talk of Mexican food.. yet others spoke whispers of Chinese cuisine. Finally on one fateful day as i stepped off the oh so reliable Greenwood 31B i came face to face with new signage in Ghalis window. Where before there was a scribbled note on a piece of cardboard from Ghali himself... something about being thankful for the patronage, now there was a bright colourful sign boasting a curious name.
"Chino Locos", with an even more curious side note read underneath
-tasty good burritos.
Concaleath and i talked about what kind of burritos we'd like to have.
Con pointed out that the name quite literaly meant the crazy chinese.
hmm, chinese... burritos? really? has the world gone mad?
how would the two come together? would they have refried beans?
funny how the same location that once sported Jamican style Italian food would have a Chinese take on Mexican right after... hmm. East End is all about the melting pot.
When the store finally opened and was up and running smoothly we found that all of us staff at the Film Buff (British lads excluded) had become addicted to these delicious treats.
for only 6 bucks you don't get to just enjoy a burrito that is pushing the envelope of what makes or should be a burrito. No, a Locos burrito quite frankly destroys all boundries and envelopes in place of existing burrito guidelines. It's food that exists on its own plane of existence, a meal wrapped into a whole wheat tortilla shell that brings you from one side of the Earth to the other and back home again. It's a godsend for East Endies who were torn between Canadian Chinese local Sea Breeze and heart palpatating fried chicken at ChickenJoy. Both restaurents do have their own charm but it's Loco that's carved a real niche in the void between The Beaches and Leslieville.
Like the foreign masterpieces we rent out at the Buff most people will bite their thumb at what Loco has to offer.
And indeed i have found in my experience that customers with a broader taste in film are more likely to enjoy a Chino Locos burrito, while more mainstream customers seem to have their taste buds and film tastes pretty much in tune with one another making them dislike the burrito. But that's a generalization and i have neither the bravado or proper length of tools to make such assumptions strongly. maybe i have the girth tho... ah well.. for another post maybe.
Here is my take on the best 5 burritos to order up at Chino Locos
#5 The Weekly Special
The "special" burrito changes quite often and feels more of a daily occurence more than a weekly affair. Since the special is so broad and takes many different forms it is only fair that it takes the top spot of the list. Although it must be said that some of the best edible things i've ever put in my mouth are included under the heading special. A prime rib special is not only rib meat but also is packed with mashed potatoes, cheese, and corn. Making it more of an American burrito, and quite literally a whole dinner in a shell. What's better though, but will cost you a little more, is the lamb burrito. Lamb instead of prime rib with all the fixings is incredibly delcious although pretty rare. Other great specials include jerk pork or chicken. Both can be amazing but i would never walk away from the pulled jerk pork. Really something special. Also an assortment of curry burritos which are takes on their regular burritos but given a carribean feel leaving you wtih a taste of having a roti but still holding on to such goodness as cilantro and cheese.
#4 Paradise Vegan
This slice of vegetarian heaven is really something to get excited that you watched Babe too many times as a kid about. This baby has got tofu steak, eggplant, and shitake mushrooms. Fixings you won't find in any burrito. It's a buck more than the other burritos but hey, it was your choice to not eat the cute animals now you gotta pay for it.
#3 SWWEEET
The house signature burrito. The one that started it all. I advise first comers to try this one out. Slow roasted pulled pork with ginger relish is what got me hooked to these bad boys in the first place. Best had with noodles and the extra fixings.
#2 Pollo Loco
Their chicken burrito cooked in a Mexican tinga sauce. A terrific stand by and something anyone can get up close and personal to. If the fusion idea freaks you out too much try this one out with rice instead of noodles. You'll find yourself in familiar burrito territory yet still have half your body in unfamiliar waters.
#1 Off Da Hook
The mother of all burritos. Quite easily wins the award for best burrito I've ever had. Seared steak with black beans best had spicy with noodles and the extra fixings: sour cream and cheese. Your taste buds will love you for trying it out.
All burritos come with great fixings like cilantro, edamame, and avocado but it's their signature chipotle sauce that really brings these suckers ahead of the pack when it comes to amazing cheap eats.
other things on the menu that didn't make the list are
The Finest: this basa fish burrito looks good and got a great write up from Eye Weekly i just can't eat fish. so there.
Dessert Burritos: i've yet to try any of these. I'd like to give it a go one time but i never have room for anything else after i've had a full burrito.
An honourable mention to their take on ice cream. I had the pleasure of testing it out, a corn and cheese ice cream doesn't sound (or look for that matter) too appealing but it's a subtle delicious little treat that i hope they go somewhere with.
When they first opened the Now gave Locos a pretty unfavourable review giving them two N's out of a possible 5. I chalk that up to the boys still getting up on their feet. Yet the Now did like the dessert burritos.
Eye Weekly recently gave them the once over and gave them a glowing four star review out of a possible five, stating the only thing that didn't sit well were the dessert burritos.
Funny, if you mix the two... like i do then you got a glowing 6 star review out of a possible five. i like that.
Now's review
Eye Weekly's - great pic too!
Well old sports that wraps up this little Sector experiment. I'm not really sure how it came about but it sure as hell was fun writing it. 2009 looks to be an exciting year for us here at the Buff and for the worldwide economy in general... i mean yes we can change things right!?
love,
for all ya'lls
2.07.2009
The Quare Fellow (1962)
My only previous experience with Patrick McGoohan was through a well-worn VHS copy taped-off-TV-in-two-parts of the fantastic Pryor/Wilder vehicle Silver Streak. My best friend Mark Sampson and I watched it at least once a week, without fail, from age 9-12. We could recite the movie by heart, and often did, even the blurred out curses, making it suitable for TV broadcast and safe for our young ears. We always got a kick out of McGoohan's Roger Devereau (I didn't even have to look that up), and looking back I realize what a restrained and wonderfully sinister performance he gave in the film. McGoohan's character was not a blustery supervillian, full of sound and fury, but instead displayed a restrained and calculated criminality.
It is with that as my sole reference of McGoohan that I went into his much earlier and different work in The Quare Fellow. Based on a play by Irish playwright Brendan Behan, the film is a superb exercise in realist acting and cinematic humanism. Unlike many theatre to screen adaptations, The Quare Fellow does not suffer from stagey direction, and has just enough in the way of sets and locations to keep it real, but not too much so as to distract from the central premise. McGoohan plays Thomas Crimmin, a newly appointed guard or "screw" at an Irish prison. We see him go through a major change in the film, from thinking justice is black and white to realizing that there exists a far greater grey zone than he ever believed. Throughout, we see McGoohan struggling to reconcile his theoretical ideas of justice with the very real lives he sees wasting away in front of him.
The film runs an economical 85 minutes and is very much worth watching for both the involving story and the excellent performances from not only McGoohan but also Walter Macken, Sylvia Sims, and a group of Irish actors who do a wonderful job portraying the inmates with a fatalistic black humour necessary to create a sense of realistic incarceration. The recently released Kino DVD is an excellent transfer, though the sound mix is a little raw. For a film that is relatively obscure and more than 45 years old, that is a flaw that is easy to overlook. There are scant, though nice, extras, including a short doc called "Behan's Dublin".
I've become slightly obsessed with McGoohan recently (who sadly passed away less than a month ago), and have begun watching The Prisoner. I've only watched one episode and am already hooked. Looking forward to getting further into this fantastic show.
It is with that as my sole reference of McGoohan that I went into his much earlier and different work in The Quare Fellow. Based on a play by Irish playwright Brendan Behan, the film is a superb exercise in realist acting and cinematic humanism. Unlike many theatre to screen adaptations, The Quare Fellow does not suffer from stagey direction, and has just enough in the way of sets and locations to keep it real, but not too much so as to distract from the central premise. McGoohan plays Thomas Crimmin, a newly appointed guard or "screw" at an Irish prison. We see him go through a major change in the film, from thinking justice is black and white to realizing that there exists a far greater grey zone than he ever believed. Throughout, we see McGoohan struggling to reconcile his theoretical ideas of justice with the very real lives he sees wasting away in front of him.
The film runs an economical 85 minutes and is very much worth watching for both the involving story and the excellent performances from not only McGoohan but also Walter Macken, Sylvia Sims, and a group of Irish actors who do a wonderful job portraying the inmates with a fatalistic black humour necessary to create a sense of realistic incarceration. The recently released Kino DVD is an excellent transfer, though the sound mix is a little raw. For a film that is relatively obscure and more than 45 years old, that is a flaw that is easy to overlook. There are scant, though nice, extras, including a short doc called "Behan's Dublin".
I've become slightly obsessed with McGoohan recently (who sadly passed away less than a month ago), and have begun watching The Prisoner. I've only watched one episode and am already hooked. Looking forward to getting further into this fantastic show.
Bloody Godard's Valentine to Cinema
Lads,
I'm about two excruciating hours into Godard's Histoire(s) de Cinema and fading fast. I thought that I could get into the rhythm of the piece but I think it might be beyond me. I'm finding the whole thing rather annoying, which may speak more to my lack of sophistication than specifically to the merits of Godard's free association cinematic exploration of film. I mean I get what he's doing – the investigation of cinema using a variety of cinematic techniques, but the endless cross-cuts, fades, washes, and text trickery feels like I'm being attacked by noisy French mimes.
This was undoubtedly a massive undertaking by Godard, an experimental film project ten years in the making covering a huge swath of the history and culture, but I can't help in these early stages thinking that the whole thing is a bit of a bloated act of hyper-pretension. I'm going to ponder on this a bit striking my “The Thinker” pose and sit on a globe for a while.
Alright...so it's now a few hours later and I can't wait to get back to the stupid thing. Go figure. I'm loathe to put the 3rd season of the Mighty Boosh on hold and yet too compelled to to see where Godard's going with this thing to let it go.
I'll keep you posted.
Sporgey.
I'm about two excruciating hours into Godard's Histoire(s) de Cinema and fading fast. I thought that I could get into the rhythm of the piece but I think it might be beyond me. I'm finding the whole thing rather annoying, which may speak more to my lack of sophistication than specifically to the merits of Godard's free association cinematic exploration of film. I mean I get what he's doing – the investigation of cinema using a variety of cinematic techniques, but the endless cross-cuts, fades, washes, and text trickery feels like I'm being attacked by noisy French mimes.
This was undoubtedly a massive undertaking by Godard, an experimental film project ten years in the making covering a huge swath of the history and culture, but I can't help in these early stages thinking that the whole thing is a bit of a bloated act of hyper-pretension. I'm going to ponder on this a bit striking my “The Thinker” pose and sit on a globe for a while.
Alright...so it's now a few hours later and I can't wait to get back to the stupid thing. Go figure. I'm loathe to put the 3rd season of the Mighty Boosh on hold and yet too compelled to to see where Godard's going with this thing to let it go.
I'll keep you posted.
Sporgey.
2.01.2009
My Bloody Valentine 3D (2009)
Although it's still 2 weeks away from the romantickest of romantic days, last night I felt romance stirring in my nether regions, and decided to take my sweetheart to the most fitting of date films, My Bloody Valentine 3D. Yes, THREEEEEE-DEEEEEE!!!!!There was much consternation on various horror message boards over the last year with psoriatic goths and me bemoaning the fact that one of their favourite 80's slashers (and Canadian to boot) was to be remade by the heartless Hollywood machine. Well, trailers began to leak, and it didn't look so bad after all... Word sprang up that the film would not be a "remake", but a "reimagining" (aren't they all?), and would be projected in three glorious dimensions. Cautious excitement began to build...
So, what it comes down to is this: I'm an absolute sucker for 3D - I won't watch ANYTHING just because it's in 3D, but I will suffer through what would otherwise be some godawful films if it were not for the technology. What I was more impressed with in this newest effort was the use of something called "Real D", which turned out to be a really cool experience, completely pulling you into the action, somewhat akin to watching a theatre performance - the people on screen were almost real - too bad the characterizations were paper thin.
Anyway, the film itself wasn't horrible - your standard stalk and slash type deal, which in my eyes, was a rare superior to the original, and surprisingly gory for "mainstream" fare. I liked that part, and there were a few scenes that had even a seasoned gorehound like myself wincing and curling my toes. And there was a pleasant scene in a hotel room, where....well, let's just say it's pretty surreal seeing 10 foot tall boobs pushing out of the screen, although I am ashamed to admit they had me reaching lustfully toward the screen, pants tenting slowly... And it's always a treat to see living B-legend Tom Atkins on screen.
Unfortunately, the film was unable to build much suspense - except for a couple scenes, notably the one in the grocery store - and the killer is obvious about 30 minutes in. I'd give the film itself a 3.5-4/10; with the Real D, it notches a solid 7/10 for a fun, fun time. If you're going to see this one (and I suspect no one reading this will), it has to be on the big screen.
We fittingly finished off an evening of empty calories with a visit to Smoke's Poutinerie down the street from the cinema. I highly reccomended the pulled pork poutine for your weekly sodium allowance in a single dish. Deeeeelish!
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