Fracture - movie review

What do you do when a movie starts with a man killing his wife in cold blood and the audience KNOWS he did it. It was shown to us - right from the beginning and the killer confessed. How does a movie a proceed to be a legal "thriller" when the answer to the who-dunnit question is already out there?



Well, for starters you enlist Anthony Hopkins and Ryan Gosling to be the sparring partners. Hopkins plays the killer with a twisted agenda and Gosling the ADA with his foot halfway out the door to public practice taking a last "open & shut" case. Afterall, there is a confession. And Gosling's Beachum has a 90%+ conviction rate. And so the game begins to dispense justice in a system.

Seriously, whoever thought of putting these two in a room together had the right thinking cap on. Both actors are best when playing the subtlties. Both actors excel when the punch is in the words more than the actions. Both actors give both arrogance and charm true life. And so, when they face-off you can expect great things to be delivered. And Fracture is impressive because of them.

Fracture is an intelligent film - not just in design but in execution. Light is used to great effect in every scene. You can't help but notice it. It's power to illuminate or create shadow becomes a detail to each set piece. But the film is really trying to highlight the details of the legal system. Similar to other films such as The Verdict, A Civil Action and The Rainmaker, Fracture is about how the law works and how it affects those involved. It clearly expresses the potential disconnect between legal and moral. And proves that the details are not only for the devil but are for those seeking to catch him.

Movie Season

OK ... I admit to being WAY behind on any movie review posts. In fact, looking back on my records I haven't been to a movie in over two months! How did that happen?! I know that nothing exciting has been on at the flicks this season but - wow! - two months? I must de growing as a person. HOwever, with next week's release of Spiderman 3 the summer season is about to start again and if there is one thing I like it is the summer season. So hopefully I will return to form and be able to provide you with some cinematic guidance. Upcoming releases that are on my hit list? The potential good and bad are below...

May
Spiderman 3
Lucky You
Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End

June
Ocean's 13
Fantastic Four: The Rise of the Silver Surfer
Live Free or Die Hard

July
Transformers
Harry Potter & the Order of the Phoenix
No Reservations

August
Stardust

And in case you wanted to check out my late reviews...
The Pursuit of Happyness
Children of Men
Blood Diamond
Catch and Release

Dress Success

If you read this blog regularly you will know that I volunteer with an organization called Dress for Success. In my first year I volunteered as a "personal shopper" and helped clients find their suit. Currently I serve as the Treasurer of the Board and have been trying to bring my commerce education to this amazing iniative within the Halifax affiliate. Dress for Success is a U.S.-based worldwide organization that recently celebrated its 10 year anniversay. And today, the Today show ran a segment on the organization. Check it out here to learn more by scrolling down to the videos section and selecting the Zoe:'the suit will restore you' link.

Morning Sun

I hate mornings. Rather I hate getting up in the morning. My bed always seems to reach the perfect temperature and my mind & body have completely relaxed just in time to get up. I sometimes say that I am allergic to mornings (which is not completely false since I have been prone to nasty histamine attacks if I get up too fast) but usually I am just groggy. No matter the reason I am aware that I have cultivated a reputation for NOT being a morning person and that's OK. But I have to admit that on those rare occassions when I do get up before the last minute I really enjoy the morning. Mornings are peaceful. There is a quietness in the air that only exists in the time BEFORE activity begins.

This weekend I made a point to get up EARLY (6:30am) to see the sunrise. I was visiting a friend who lives on the ocean and I knew I wanted to take some pictures of the sun rising on the water. The weather was predicted to be clear so I knew the sky would offer a prime opportunity if I only got out of bed. So I did. The morning was colder than I expected and I was thankful to have my polar fleece PJs on to keep me warm. The ground was iced with frost that gilded the grass blades and tree branches. The path to the beach was frozen slightly and the edges of yesterdays footprints were erect in the cold sand. The water was a smooth pool resting on the shore. The sky had taken on a tinted hue but the sun had not yet appeared. For 15 minutes I wandered about the beach snapping pics of the rising sun. My fingers were chilled in the air but I didn't care. I had taken full advantage of that morning moment. And then I went back to bed.

...

US vs UK: Models & Runways

We all have guilty pleasures. When it comes to TV watching I feel that reality television is the guiltiest of them all. And since I tend to watch a large chunk of TV generally (Grey's Anatomy, CSI, Ugly Betty, Bones etc.) for something to fall into the guilty category is noteworthy. My preference is competitive reality programs - I began with Survivor, moved on to The Amazing Race and now I love Project Runway & Top Model (I'm loving Britney btw!). My inner fashionista is all about these last two shows.

But what I love the most is watching both the American and British versions and comparing. The first "cycle" of Britain's Next Top Model is currently on StarTV and it has a simple appeal that its American forerunner glosses over. Most of the gals are ex-barmaids. (Just check out that pic above of the British crew and you can see the difference instantly!) In the first show the contestants were faced with their first modelling responsibility: getting Brazilian waxes! That's not something you would see in the U.S. The judging room in Britain is a small, lacklustre space compared to the runway and large-screen TV afforded the American team. And whereas Tyra & Co. may appear harsh at times their criticism is nothing compared to the teeth of the British side (which still ends up sounding more constructive in the end and also offers the girls themselves a chance to speak).

On the fashion side of things we have Project Runway vs. Project Catwalk. Originally the British version was hosted by Elizabeth Hurley but this season Kelly Osborne has taken over the post. And, much like the Top Model experience, the UK Catwalk is MUCH harsher than the US one. If anyone thought that Micheal Kors was being nasty they have never seen Julian MacDonald rip into a designer. As well, the sweet support of Heidi Klum is lost in the direct "fashion victim" dismissal of Osborne. Finally, I have to say the desingers in the UK crop are better - at least as interesting characters for a reality show. Either way I have 4 full hours of cat-fighting, fashion faux-pas, photography and smashed egos to enjoy.

SunDaze

Today was Sunday that I truly enjoyed. Normally I don't do posts about my days (I leave those to the more diary-esque blog of the WebGoddess) but today I wanted to share my happy feelings. There was nothing in particular about today that made it a good one. It just felt good. Truth be told, things in general are feeling good these days. Part of the reason has to be my consistent gym time (I am up to 5 days a week) which helps me procrastinate other things but also makes me feel really great. So what did I do today? Well...

I slept in late (a bit too late but I'm not going to beat myself up over that) and felt refreshed and ready for the day. I love that feeling.

I went off to the gym and got a good sweat going. I have actually shaved 5lbs off for good and that is making my feelings about the upcoming swimsuit season pretty positive.

I had a breakfast of pancakes and berries. I seriously LOVE the bulk bags of frozen field berries I can get at the grocery store out here. Tasty!

Off to the shops to try and find a spring coat but no luck. That's OK since I didn't waste any money on any other useless purchases either. Budget is tight these days and I have to curb my shopping impulses - so it felt good to do so today.

Time for a chai latte at Starbucks and do some work on my dreaded research paper. I am actually making some headway on this thorn in my side and got a few pages of decent thought down on paper. For some reason I work well at a coffee shop where I am trapped yet relaxed and have to work (it is like studying in the bath which I also enjoy).

Book shopping at Chapters is a great diversion. And in spite of the aforementioned budget concerns I treated myself to some new tomes for my library:
"The Good Earth" by Pearl S. Buck - one of my favourites
"Buddhism is Not What You Think" by Steve Hagen - a new exploration of mine
"On Equilibrium" & "The Doubter's Companion" by John Ralston Saul - my fave modern philospher (and a Canadian!)
"Shopaholic & Sister" by Sophie Kinsella - because my mind needs a break too!

And home to cook a full dinner of fish, vegies and salad. I have gottne into counting calories these days and it helps in the cooking alot. I know, I am a bit too obsessive, but whatever!

And now I am settling down to enjoy this week's edition of "The Amazing Race".

See good day.

Bio-Blog#18 - Lyndsay

Another week = another bio. This time I'm sharing a friend that is closer then many by the very fact that we share genes. She is my cousin Lyndsay. We have known each other our whole lives and were quite close as children because our family is one that di go the big gathering thing for the holidays (thanks Grandma!). As we got older and our lives became our own we saw less of each other; but recently we have reconnected and it has been great. We recently bonded over a wine-filled lunch and realized the similarities in our lives. She had just gotten back from Thailand and we discussed our wanderlust. And of course, we are both older siblings to ones who are much farther along in the family way (my brother/her sister) so we have agreed to be the cool aunts that our nephews and nieces will run to when their parents suck! And on that note ... I leave Lyndsay to you.

Complete thes sentences:
I am ... really looking forward to the weekend
I can ... already taste the lovely bottle of wine I will be opening on Friday night
I love ... sleeping in!
I will ... likely be suffering a slight headache saturday morning, but that won't stop me from enjoying the day!

What is your sign? Aries
Where were you born? Calgary, AB
Where do you live now? Mississauga, ON

What has been the best place you've visited in between and why?
Bottle Beach on Koh Pha Gnan (island in Thailand)
The most beautiful, secluded paradise I have ever visited. No shops, no vehicles, no beach chairs, just me, my friends, some singha beer and our bikinis!

What is your favourite:
Movie: don't have one
Book:hmmm... don't know if it is my favorite but i really like "The life of Pi"
TV Show: right now.. grey's anatomy
Drink: beer or white wine in the summer...actually it seems to be a trend in all seasons

Who is your celebrity hottie of choice?
jake gyllenhal (spelling?) ever since donnie darko!

If you could have lunch with anyone in the world ... who would it be and why?
hmmm.. this is getting difficult!
I think my good friend catherine.. she took off to sydney 7 years ago and i rarely see her but she is like a sister and I love to see her whenever possible

How do you know Raye?
She's my cousin and the director of the first and only cabaret i have ever been in

What 3 words would you use to describe Raye?
brilliant, leader, fun!

Do you have your own website?
nope..but have fallen into the facebook thing

Friday the 13th is Funny!

Have you ever gone to the movies and watched the trailers and gone "Whoa!". Or what about that annoying feeling you get when the trailer spells out the entire film in the clips? I have always found trailers to be interesting things and they definately shape my interest in which films to see.

Recently I was reading an interview with director David Fincher and he commented on the original marketing for Seven that included the lines "Starring Morgan Freeman from Driving Miss Daisy and Brad Pitt from Legends of the Fall" and he laughed at how incongruous the connotations of these references were to the actual film.

Well, about a month ago my brother introduced me to a website called Trailer Mash and it reveals the amazing manipulative nature of these advertisements. By recutting the scenes, changing the music and adding new narration a trailer can offer a completely different experience.

So in honour of Friday the 13th I suggest you check out these titles:

Little Miss Sunshine as a horror film here.

Mary Poppins as a horror film here.

Hmmmm....

Mitch says he doesn't see me ever settling down for a guy. FOR a guy? Likely not. But WITH someone? Honestly, I am totally for that.

Period?

I was at the gym last night and I grabbed a copy of Macleans magazine to read in between my weight reps. It was an out-dated edition (like the ones at the doctor's office or laundromat) from December 2005 and the cover story was about the "End of the Period". Hmmmm ... not my usual InTouch Weekly choice but an intriguing one. The article went on to describe the development of a new "menstration suppression" drug that would allow women to make their monthly flow an optional occurrence. Of course this drug has sparked controversy on all sides and the article does a solid job of presenting a number of "for" and "against" positions. It also offers some interesting background on menstration myths, current oral contraceptives and female biology.

Having just read the article I am not sure of my confirmed position on the topic but one aspect did bother me. Many of the arguments FOR the suppression of a woman's period dealt with the inconvenience of it. How it impacted one's productivity. How some women felt TOO busy to have to get to the bathroom or deal with physical effects. And my back went up because such comments always make me feel that we are continually altering women's natural course to fit an econominc one built my male assumptions and norms. If being a professional or productive is negatively impacted (or perceived to be) by a biological process then doesn't it make more sense to alter the expectations of professionalism and productivity rather than the biology of a person?

Now I admit that I have not always embraced my own crimson tide. For the first 5 years of my cycle I faced regular anemia and it wasn't until I used some form of prescribed control that things "balanced out". And still, it is not always a walk-in-the-park-in-white-hotpants perfect. But would I want to give it all up? Would I want to medicate my body into a menstral hibernation? I would really have to think about that and hopefully you will too. These drugs are currently under review in Canada but not yet available. But keep your eyes open as the question of the period unfolds.

Read the entire article here.

The S Word

In the last few days (thanks to Facebook quizzes and friendly conversations) the topic of soulmates has been mentioned. Listening to the comments of others I have had to reflect on my own idealistic notions and decide how I feel about this word. Honestly, as a 30+ year old, single gal I feel that the youthful assurance of a soulmate has been surpassed and a new mode of belief is necessary.

The thought that springs to mind these days is one full of the belief in soul mates but with none of the romantic trappings the word usually connotes. The dictionary declares a soul mate to be one with whom you share a strong affinity. It says nothing about that someone being a "match" or a "partner" or "the one". And in fact, limiting the the idea to these terms removes too many options for most people. Can you have more than one soul mate? The statistical odds of the world would point to yes. Can you have more than one soul mate at one time? The possessive assumptions of romance would point to know.

For me? A soul mate is someone who knows you to your core. Someone who loves you for what that core embodies and to whom you offer the same. It is someone who consistently enriches your life. Someone who gets it - whatever the particular "it" between you happens to be. And it is someone you are not related to - I think a soul mate comes from a relationship of choice and not blood. So in that context, I firmly believe that my best friend is a soul mate of mine. I have not yet dated anyone who would fit the bill ... yet. So I guess I will keep some of my soulful dreams still.

... R word ... D word ...

Finding Ferrera

There are moments when being late to a party makes you look cool and moments when it makes you look clueless. I am sure that this fond post about America Ferrera will make me the former to some and the latter to others. It really depends on how "in the loop" you happen to be and if you watch TV, salivate over Hollywood awards shows, and/or read empty entertainment magazines. If you do none of these things than you might not know who America Ferrera. If you do, then I will look like a total bandwagon-rider to which I point out how I noticed her WAY back when she was travelling in pants.

Today I finally got around to watching her first breakthrough performance in Real Women Have Curves and felt compelled to spill my love for her. The movie is a simple tale of an independent girl in a traditional environment but Ferrera's performance is totally endearing. She carries the movie without wavering and the fanfare she received at the time (in particular for baring her less-than-Hollywood-body onscreen) is completely deserved.

So it should be no surprise that this gal has moved on to become television's darling for playing the spectacularly sincere soul in the fashion satire "Ugly Betty". As Betty, Ferrera navigates the superficial and back-stabbing realm of MODE magazine with a braces-filled smile and scary fashion sense. You cannot help but love Betty's strong sense of self and this is the thing that America has brought to all her roles. She is a talented, inspiring and beautiful young woman (something she proved in both her winning speeches at the Golden Globes and SAG Awards). If you haven't taken notice yet ... welcome to the party.

Bio-Blog#17 - Brian

Well, it has been awhile since I posted a bio-blog (or anything really) and I am sorry for that. Don't think it has anything to do with my firends - who have been great about responding to my little request to expose them in this fashion. That includes this week's entry who was the first guy to answer my call this time around. Thanks Brian!

Brian and I met at university but we did not really become friends until that my final year when two things transpired ... 1) we worked on a class project together and 2) wings & beer nights became a regular thing. In the first situation I hardly made myself out to be a friend-candidate as I couldn't quite keep my mouth shut during the project and it was only thanks to the power of Messenger that we were able to diffuse things and establish a decent respect. In the second case I also can't keep my mouth shut but at least its all in fun. And so we became friends in that nice, see-each-other-when-you're-back-home-alumni way. And I always appreciate how sincere and fun Brian is. So check him out!

Complete these sentences:
I am ... a gear head
I can ... achieve any goal I set
I love ... fast cars (PG rated response)
I will ... need a 4 car garage for all the cars I want.

What is your sign?
Gemini
Where were you born?
Toronto, Ontario
Where do you live now?
Windsor, Ontario

What has been the best place you've visited in between and why?
The Okanagan valley in British Columbia. I fell in love with the area, the weather, the scenery. I plan on moving there someday.

What is your favourite:
(No favourites…. But here are a few fond picks)
Movie: See No Evil, Hear No Evil, White Chicks, I’m a fan of really cheesy comedies.
Primal Fear. The Usual Suspects, The Lost Boys
Book: Car and Driver, Motor trend…. Does that count???
TV Show: Pinks, Horsepower T.V, The Contender, House
Drink: Ceasars, Rye + coke, Jagermeister + coke.

Who is your celebrity hottie of choice?
There are definitely a few… A toss up between Elizabeth Hurley and Charlize Theron.
French singer Alizée is smokin, so is Demi Moore.

If you could have lunch with anyone in the world ... who would it be and why?
Dave Chappelle! Because he’s DAVE CHAPPELLE!

How do you know Raye?
Worked together on a labour negotiation project at L.U. Wasn’t that fun!?!
And then, there was "racer chick". Raye can fill you in on the details.

What 3 words would you use to describe Raye?
talkative, intelligent, easy going

Do you have your own website? No

Good Friday

Today is one of those amazing days in Halifax when the sun is shining so bright you need shades and the air is filled with swirling snowflakes.

All That Alanis

First I have to express my complete distaste for the song "My Humps" by Fergie. It is one of the few songs that will drive me FROM the dancefloor. I have always found it to be ridiculous. Well, yesterday I came across a spoof video on WWTDD for this very song done in the haunting ballad style of Alanis Morissette. And it is too fun for words. The piece highlights the ludicrous "lyrics" and the stylized postering of the original. Then today the video was mentioned in the local newspaper and has already surpassed 1 million views online. I apologize for being behind in offering to you (lest you have seen it elsewhere already) but I couldn't resist. Check these lady lumps...