The Serpent and the Rainbow

Director: Wes Craven
My Rating: 4/5


I feel that with all the going to festivals and nature photography, I've neglected one of my favourite activities, watching films. Deciding to jump back in to reviews without plugging my nose, I watched something I remember loving as a kid but didn't actually remember.

Bill Pullman plays an anthropologist sent by a large pharmaceutical company to Haiti, he is exploring the possibilities of what they think may be a new narcotic, this drug could replace anaesthetic which kills 30,000 people a year during surgery. As usual, the drug has roots in voodoo, so this complicates things for Pullman.

Some parts horror, some parts thriller, I don't know how much of the voodoo stuff is real, but part of me hopes all of it. I wont give too much away because I think everyone should watch it for themselves, however I will mention one scene that made me quiver a bit. Pullman is in Haiti being interrogated by Dargent Peytraud, played by Zakes Mokae (Oz), and he gets a giant nail through his scrotum. Its pretty gnarly.

Great directing, I wasn't huge into the love story aspect of the film, that is basically the only reason I didn't give it a perfect 5/5.    

Big Time Bird Out

There is a murder, or a gathering or a bunch or something of pigeons in my back yard, so I took some pictures of them.

Doin' it right

Double Dance

Good dude

Catch and Release

PRIDE

PRIDEPRIDEPRIDEPRIDEPRIDE PRIDEPRIDEPRIDE

I'm not gay, and I don't really have much to be proud of, however I still went to the PRIDE festival and parade a few weeks ago here in Toronto. I had a pretty great time, my favourite part was the overly religious people set up protesting the event and preaching in the street. I have always had a bit of a soft spot for crazy people, but I also loved the anger they generated. I took some pictures of things I liked.

Some lady riding on a truck

Balloon Outfit (one of many)

An old man and a blow up doll. 

clubKIDman

Found this baked potato walking lookin for a date at PRIDE. Chris Cadot

Drums

Maybe next year

STREET LEGAL - Bob Dylan

Street Legal is a band from Niagara/Toronto that plays lo-fi Surf-Thrash. The debut album is called

Bob Dylan.

Young Rival

Benny Ben and the Hardcore Warrior

Thrillzone

Citizens Under National Threat

Citizens Under National Threat are a band I've had little to do with for some time, but still seem to keep my interest. I mean, whats not to like about fucked up, almost unlistenable music? Their newest release is a 3 Album set called GOD, KILLERS and COUNTRY, that was financed largely by one man not connected to the band at all musically.

Is it art? Is it music? I don't know if it is anything, here is the bandcamp, judge for yourself....Citizens Under National Threat

REPO MAN

Dir: Alex Cox
My Rating: 4/5

Repo Man is a great fucking film. Aliens, cars, drugs and punk rock.

Emilio Estevez plays Otto (get it?), a punk kid whose nihilistic jobless life is turned around (sort of) by Bud, a repossession man who takes back cars from people who don't pay their bills. Bud is played by Harry Dean Stanton, who easily delivers the best performance of the film.

Once Otto joins Bud and the rest of Bud's crew, the movie takes some interesting turns. Otto stops hanging out with his punk friends and starts wearing a suit (to look like a detective, so when people approach him they think he will be carrying), he gets himself a girlfriend, into snorting speed and even beaten up a couple of times. All of this would make for a pretty solid movie already, add in an alien subplot and you've got something great.

I don't like all of Alex Cox's movies (Highway Patrolman is really good) but I do like this one.

Side note: Just something I noticed. During the hospital scene we hear a call over the loud speaker for a "Dr. Benway", then just seconds later another call of "Mr. Lee, Mr. Lee put the scalpel down please." or something to that effect. Both of these loudspeaker calls seem to be referencing Naked Lunch/William S. Burroughs. Can't be coincidence, at least, thats the way I figure it.