It’s been five years since the last Mission that proved possible for Tom Cruise as Ethan Hunt, after M:i:III got it’s fuse relit by JJ Abrams. This welcome fourth quarter is part powered by the Bad Robot while Brad Bird takes the directors seat ditching his pixel pallete for a pound of real life flesh & bone actors with Mission: Impossible – Ghost Protocol.
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Have you finished your Christmas shopping? Me either.
Because we all seem to be procrastinators, I’m here to help. If you have a sports fan on your shopping list I think I can help you find something to get them. I’m not kidding, I’m the guy that you could have to shop for some day (hey, it could happen) so I’m very qualified to be the assistant shopper here.
All of the ideas here are cost effective, cheap, not a lot of money… however you want to say it. Some of the options will have higher priced options, but you don’t have to go big.
- Key Chains: Every day I leave the house with a Montreal Canadiens key chain that a friend brought back from a trip to the Bell Centre gift shop. It’s a great little bobble that I love. And I know that it didn’t cost too much. Makes a great stocking stuffer.
- Trading Cards: Cards aren’t as popular as they once were. But there’s something pretty awesome in a childlike way about opening up a foil package of cards. They’re on my list every year. Another great stocking stuffer.
- Christmas ornaments: Tis the season. Some people may think that they’re tacky (they kind of are) but it’s still a nice treat to represent your fav team on the tree over the holidays. If you look hard enough you can even find ornaments that look nice… trust me.
- T-shirts: It can be hard to find something for under $20 sometimes. But the pieces are out there. Whether you are looking for a boy or a girl or a kid, a t-shirt with their fav team’s logo on the front is always a good find. Do your best to get the right size and you’ll have a big win!
- Books: Sports fans read to you know. And there are a lot of great sports books on the shelves. From biographies to photo collections to fictional classics… the selection will seem endless. But the good news is that because the selection is so huge, there will undoubtedly be something on sale and under $20.
- A picture of yourself Tebowing: If you haven’t heard of Tebowing or you don’t know what it’s all about – check out www.tebowing.com and you’ll know what I’m talking about. Snap the pic, get a cheap frame and you’ll have a great smile and laugh on Christmas day!
- Bobble Heads: They can get expensive. They can be limited edition. But they can also be readily available. Check out ebay and amazon and I’m willing to bet that you find a whole bunch of options in your price range. Just be careful, nobody wants to get a bobble head of a disgraced former star of their team… like maybe Vince Carter in Toronto as an example.
- DVDs: If your fav sports fan’s fav team has ever won a championship there should be a dvd of their win. I’ve got the Blue Jays dvds from 1992 and 1993… I love them. It’s a great buy.
So, there you go kids. A bunch of ideas that won’t break the bank. If you still have some shopping left to do in the week leading up to Christmas please feel free to lean on this list and see if you can get some smiles and thank yous.
Here’s hoping that you all have a safe and happy holiday season. Thank you for stopping in at photojunkie.ca to check out the content put together by the entire group of talented people hanging around here.
smile big, be awesome, drink your eggnog!
Last night we celebrated out fourth annual hohoTO fundraiser for the Daily Bread Food Bank at the Mod Club. This year we raised a a phenomenal amount of money, over $70,000. Here are the photos from the phohotobooth from the event.
It’s midpoint in my merry challenge with six movies under the belt which also includes my favourite so far. How often do you start a Monday morning watching a R rated comedy at the TIFF Bell Lightbox in the company of legend Ivan Reitman? This time last week I was doing just that after seeing an invite pop up on the Facebook fan page for Servitude – a new Canadian comedy set in the world of waiting tables. I’d first heard about the movie last year when a contest was running to win a cameo in the project, where the best video confessional about working as a server could rescue your from dish delivering duties & land you on the big screen in a meta movie moment. Servitude is the story of Josh the star waiter at the Ranch Steakhouse as he tries to quit his job & head back to school. With a rodeo for the theme of the restaurant it’s more than the mechanical bucking bronco in the waiting area that he & his colleagues have to tame in a weekend from hell, full of hungry patronizing patrons. About to hand in his server’s bib, Josh is called on for one last favour from manager Godfrey (Dave Foley) as the Ranch has an inspection from a new German owner. If you’ve ever worked in the industry of filling ungrateful bellies you’ll get an extra kick out of seeing the exaggerated characters that really are out there. Serving up dirty potatoes & “cuppies” on the team are Tommy – a pretty boy with more mature taste for the ladies, Barb – a frazzled working mum who’s patience clocked out before her shift even started, Krissy – a gum chewing by the book cowgirl who uses mostly text message/internet speak abbreviations rather than syllables & Simon – the wannabe actor who gives his best performances in the washroom. As if balancing these personalities & plates wasn’t enough alone cue a ravenous rabble of customers and the restaurateur version of the Third Reich threatening to deplete more than a 15% tip at the end of the meal. Staging a mini revolution Josh & cohorts decide to start giving as good as they get & stop biting their lips when they discover their jobs are for the chop. Speaking of lips Margo Kidders are plumped & pouting as the martini gargling table for one lady that steals the show in every scene.
It’ll probably get a lot of comparisons to American Pie but this maple flavoured tart is a full course serving of funny rather than a just desserts, gross out gag routine audiences have come to expect. The wait time to be seated for Servitude is a little while away, February/March 2012 is what we were told in the screening. Be sure to Like & Follow the movie to be kept up to date.
Second up was a more serious situation at the NFB Mediatheque for the last of this year’s Green Screens. The Chocolate Farmer was quite apt for December considering we’re all about to stuff ourselves full of the stuff during the festival season. A moment on the lips & a lifetime on the hips but how much time between those two are you spending on thinking where this sweet treat came from? Eladio Pop works the land in southern Belize, recognising that he isn’t cash rich on a monetary level but the land sustains him and his fifteen children and wife. The documentary follows his machete swipes through the jungle foliage as he farms cocoa beans. These were once the gold for his Mayan people and now in present day are traded for modern currency. Two of his son’s, a female cultural activist & a co-op owner are also introduced in to the story of the community being changed by globalization. After the screening a presentation by ChocoSol Traders gave some added insight to the processes & the responsible trading & interactions with these communities.
Last up in the week that was, I called the NFB Mediathque home again for a sneak peek of Millions, a kickstarter webisode/TV based project about twenty-something Asian-Canadians living in Toronto who decide to reignite a high school pact & become millionaires by the age of 30. The 15 min teaser introduced a few characters on the road to establishing this quest as we learn about their unfulfilled lives working the 9 to 5. The cliff hanger ending of the pilot left me wanting to find out more, which luckily the website expands upon & relieves some of the frustration left as such a short running time.
Six movies left in my festive quest, any recommendations of other Canadian films screening in the weeks ahead? What did you see over the weekend?
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Inspired by last year’s programming of “Good Canadian Cinema?” at Toronto Underground Cinema last year I decided to set my own little challenge related to the festive season with the 12 Days of Canuckmas where I aim to watch at least twelve Canadian movies over December. Big screen, small screen, portable pocket screen all count. Starting on December 1st here were the first three I’ve watch so far on my mini mission – as if December wasn’t busy enough already?!
Surviving Progress - Cumberland 4 – Alliance Cinemas 159 Cumberland Street, Toronto
I survived Surviving Progress! Normally I check my brain at the door ready for pure jaw dropped drooling mindless escapism fun at the movies. I knew I wasn’t going to be able to get away with such a mind set going in to this film. If anything this was confrontism (is that even an ism?) on the big screen, presented in the style of a hand on your shoulder gently informing you rather than a giant wagging finger & tutting in surround sound.
Starting by trying to define the term progress the documentary seeks answers from a host of notable intellects and reflects on how this is draining the planets resources. Still chugging along from the industrial revolution we’re gauging more machines as a success measurement. While our devices are getting smarter we are still running the same primitive hunter/gatherer operating system behind our eyes. The human mind needs an upgrade before it’s too late. While thoughts are connected via the internet there is a new moral perspective filtering through, the bigger companies & economic situations still out there are akin to brain damage.
It was great to watch with an audience who applauded during several scenes featuring David Suzuki.
Much like the poster, it’s easy to dig a hole and pretend to be an ostrich ignoring the problems. If you’re going to involve an ostrich I’d suggest problem solving like the Swiss Family Robinson & ride one in to the future with a new route of hope.
Everything & Everyone - Screening at Projection Booth East Until Dec 8 1035 Gerrard St. East, Toronto
Bittersweet Complexity replaces the words behind the BC abbreviation of British Columbia, where Everything & Everyone was filmed. Opening on an eventful afternoon Rose & William snatch a few moments for a funny bedroom fumble while their yet to fly the nest son, Noah, has a special delivery from a care worker in the form of his 8 year old son. His new found Fatherhood manual seems to have been lost in the mail & a dog training book delivered in it’s place, as he’s helped by Rose to raise Ben after the sudden passing of his mother.
When best pal Eric visits Noah on the street during his unsuccessful charity collection he meets Max a hot headed businessman who soon becomes more than a partner for sharp banter.
Life being turned upside down by those entering & leaving, ripple across the interconnecting relationships between family members and friends.
An added pressure from an unannounced illness balances the comedic elements showing that the people we love are never a burden.
Showtimes Mon 5pm Tues, Wed at 9pm Thurs at 5pm
NURSE.FIGHTER.BOY – DVD
Deciding to take a break from the theatre going experience, where it’s often hard to find a Canadian film outside of a film festival or special set of programming, I decided to find a movie to take out & home. Luckily Toronto has a host of indie video stores, much like Rep Cinemas, that specialise in hosting a great library of titles. Big Daddy’s DVD Shop on Dundas Street West was the closest place to browse the boxes hoping for something to jump out and catch my eye. The “Canadian Eh!” easily assisted me on my mission to watch. Noticing the bright type capitalised title on the spine of the case I chose NURSE.FIGHTER.BOY, the first time feature from Charles Officer. Each titular punctuated character is introduced through colour as we meet Jude raising her son Ceil. She’s working in a hospital taking on a night shift when she treats Silence a trained boxer & street fighter. Mature for his age Ceil finds magic everywhere from conjuring tricks to his hidden den of a stage like space. By chance Jude & Silence connect again as she rides her bike between the alleys of neighborhoods in Toronto on her way to work, pausing to listen to the music leaving the window from his apartment. At first unwilling to let her guard down they both take the chance to let each other inside their lives. I normally prefer watching a movie with an audience as a communal event but this film felt perfect for a more intimate viewing. I’d almost forgotten about special features on a disc & enjoyed learning about the production experience & watching a family of crew members retell their memories on set with some stills and video diaries. Two short films were also included that worked well as an introduction & follow up to the feature.
You can follow my progress finding the other nine movies over on tumblr - 12daysofcanuckmas.tumblr.com
Maybe it wasn’t what you planned. Maybe you got blindsided. Maybe you were tricked. Or maybe you didn’t think it was going to be a big deal. No matter how it happened, here you are, dating a sports fan.
There are some important things to look out for when you are dating a sports fan. Especially if they are more than a casual observer of athletic competition. Life is going to hit some bumps. Moods are going to get out of control. Things will be said that both of you wish could be taken back. Like it or not, it’s going to get messy.
Two of the first things that you need to understand if you are going to date a sports fan is that there are going to be massive mood swings and heartbreak on an ongoing basis. Sometimes you may be able to understand it (ie. a playoff loss) and other times you will have no idea what the big deal is (ie. random Tuesday night loss). As a sports fan (and a big one) I can tell you that those nights can be prepared for in most circumtances. If you pay enough attention to know that the playoffs are in action, or that your S/O’s fav team is playing their biggest rival, you can be ready for the potential fallout. When it happens – and it will – try to keep these tips in mind.
1) Try not to laugh. If you’re not a fan you may not understand how personal these things can feel. It hurts like a punch to the stomach and your 3rd grade crush kissing another boy at the monkey bars all at the same time. Laughter is not going to help the situation.
2) Don’t tell your partner how cute they look. Trust me, I’ve heard this one and it did not help. I don’t need to hear that I look adorable as I stand in stunned silence and aching sadness after a game 7 playoff loss. I need to be told that the Boston Bruins are bums and got lucky and that you’re going to make me feel better.
3) Give them a break. I’m not saying that you need to wait on them hand and foot. But be nice. Maybe grab them a drink and tell them how great they are. The feeling of UGH will fade, but it will take a little time. Just ride it out.
After the emotional compontent you need to factor in the time commitment involved in being a serious sports fan. Some fans cheer for one team or have one favourite sport. Others (like myself) are sports junkies and can be found following scores of all sports at all times and probably have a fav team in hockey, baseball, football, basketball, college sports and more. Being dedicated to those teams takes a lot of time. Seasons overlap, games are played 7 days a week and sometimes it can seem like a lot. The best thing I can recommend to you is this – put together some sort of agreement for watching sports together from time to time AND make sure that your S/O has an app like The Score Mobile on their smartphone so that they can check scores and stay sane when you are doing something other than sitting on the couch or a bar stool. I’ve written about some ideas that can be used, feel free to check them out
The March Madness Widow Survival Guide
The March Madness Widow Survival Guide 2.0
Watching Sports With Your Wife/Girlfriend – A Guide
In the end all sports fans and all relationships are going to be different. But, if you can find out how deep your S/O is in you will have a better chance of calmly and humorously dealing with situations.
Good luck, there are times when you’re going to need it.
Mid-Thirtysomething, Queer, Blogger, Content Creator, Photographer, Karaoke junkie, Torontonian, Volleyball noob, Culture Documentarian, All around nice guy.
Available for events and headshots.
