Film

PRIMER @ Park Lane
Monday, April 4, 2005
Trailer

"PRIMER is the headiest, most singular science-fiction movie since Kubrick made 2001." - Esquire

PRIMER is set in the industrial park/suburban tract-home fringes of an unnamed contemporary city where two young engineers, Abe and Aaron, are members of a small group of men who work by day for a large corporation while conducting experiments on their own time in a garage. While tweaking their current project, a device that reduces the apparent mass of any object placed inside it by blocking gravitational pull, they accidentally discover that it has some highly unexpected capabilities--ones that could enable them to do and to have seemingly anything they want. Taking advantage of this unique opportunity is the first challenge they face. Dealing with the consequences is the next.

PRIMER is a mesmerizing thriller that introduces a filmmaker with an exciting new sensibility. Shane Carruth, a former engineer who spent three years teaching himself filmmaking, conceived, wrote, directed, edited, and scored PRIMER and also plays one of the lead roles. His impressive feature debut – set in the very world Carruth abandoned to make movies -- tells the story of two engineers who stumble upon a remarkable invention which changes their lives in unimaginable ways. Engrossing and provocative in its exploration of the dark side of human nature and science, PRIMER electrified audiences at the 2004 Sundance Film Festival, winning the Grand Jury Prize and the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation Award for films dealing with science and technology.

"Primer ranks among the best of recent thrillers such as "Memento" or "The Matrix," which rupture the fabric of reality and radically destabilize the narrative." - The Onion, Scott Tobias

"Fascinating and completely successful." - Roger Ebert

"Primer unites physics and metaphysics in an ingenious guerrilla reinvention of cinematic science fiction." - Village Voice, Dennis Lim

"Refusing to dumb down... Primer is "Mullholland Dr.," "Memento" for mad geniuses, or simply one of the most inventive films ever made." - Premiere, Aaron Hillis

"Prepare to be obsessed." - Miami Herald, Rene Rodriguez

"Love it or hate it, you won't be able to leave it alone." - Dallas Observer, Robert Wilonsky

Radio / Food

Windom Earle whips up some delicious cupcakes on CKDU

Tech

iPodlounge Buyers' Guide 2005

Column

Atlantic News Perspective #136 (Mar 28, 2005)
Investing in eco-tourism, awarding artistic merit and bank card skimming.
By: Iain K. MacLeod

Event

ƒuck art, let's dance!
April 2 at the Khyber Club
$5-10 (sliding scale)
1st floor: Special Noise, Windom Earle, Radarfame
2nd floor: INDIE DANCIN' with Da Deco Gangsta, Shiver Me Tatters, Readdan Whyte, Johnston Max
3rd floor: HIP HOP with Alphaflight and friends

Apocalyptic

Russell Simmons Puts Hip-Hop "Twist" On Yoga Videos

TV

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Post (Halifax Locals)

12 Reasons to Attend the Weakerthans/Constantines Show
In no particular order.

12 A coveted Coast Feature on the Weakerthans.
11 The cover art for Reconstruction Site was done by Marcel Dzama of Winnipeg's Royal Art Lodge (who is also responsible for Beck's upcoming Guero release)
10 The Music: The Reasons, Psalm For The Elks Lodge Last Call, Plea From A Cat Named Virtue, Aside, The Last One, Our Retired Explorer (Dines With Michel Foucault In Paris, 1961) LIVE, On A Beautiful Day, Watermark, Confessions Of A Futon-Revolutionist
09 Two words: Weakerthans Karaoke!
08 E-card and videos: The Reasons, Psalm For The Elks Lodge Last Call, Our Retired Explorer (Dines With Michel Foucault In Paris, 1961), Watermark, Diagnosis
07 You don't have to go to Winnipeg!
06 Fancy pants label affiliations: Subpop and Epitaph in US (Three Gut and G7 in Canada)
05 The Music Part Deux: Long Distance Four, Young Offenders, Arizona, On To You, Nighttime Anytime Its Alright, Blind Luck.
04 Check out one of their videos.
03 The Constantines are "big on crowd participation" and are "pretty fucking close" to writing anthems, according to Pitchfork
02 You don't have to go to Guelph!
01 Friday is a holiday...WWJD?

Work

1) AFF Signature Series Presents The Dark Crystal
Wednesday, March 30, at Empire 8, Park Lane, 7:00 pm. $7.25 at the door.

2) The 4th annual ViewFinders guide is online. Here are trailors for Millions and Turtles Can Fly.

3) 25th Atlantic Film Festival Call For Entry.

Music

For those that don't own the 7 Belle & Sebastian EPs issued by Jeepster records (my personal fav being "Jonathan David"), you will be able to get them all in a 2CD set called "Push Barman To Open Old Wounds" on May 24th through Matator Records. Here is a track listing:

CD1
Dog On Wheels
The State I Am In
String Bean Jean
Belle and Sebastian
Lazy Line Painter Jane
You Made Me Forget My Dreams
A Century Of Elvis
Photo Jenny
A Century Of Fakers
Le Pastie De La Bourgeoisie
Beautiful
Put The Book Back On The Shelf

CD2
This Is Just A Modern Rock Song
I Know Where The Summer Goes
The Gate
Slow Graffiti
Legal Man
Judy Is A Dickslap
Winter Wooskie
Jonathan David
Take Your Carriage Clock And Shove It
The Loneliness Of The Middle Distance Runner
I'm Waking Up To Us
I Love My Car
Marx & Engels

Source: Jeepster Singles compiled at last

Film

The Austin Willis Moving Images Centre at St. Mary's University in Halifax wants to restore Bay Boy and get approval for a non-profit tour of it, including a showing later this year at the 25th-anniversary celebration of the Atlantic Film Festival, which featured Bay Boy as its inaugural presentation. However, the centre can't find a 35-mm print of the film -- former distributors such as Orion and Spectra have folded and their inventory scattered -- or any of its constituent parts (the negative original, master positive, soundtrack), or the person or company who owns its rights. (Saving Canadian Celluloid | Globe & Mail)

Column

Atlantic News Perspective #135 (Mar 21, 2005)
Online identity theft, "National Skip Day," and Hell Angels open for business.
By: Iain K. MacLeod

Trailer

It's back. My pathetic voice over work (I am a storm tropper that says "Halt" in a lego version of a Star Wars 3 trailer) is still haunting the internet. Originally posted on Tuesday, July 30, 2002.

Video

"I Saw The Way You Looked At Me" by Windom Earle

Film

Sarah Silverman's Jesus is Magic (NSFW)

Music

NXNEnd story by Phlis McGregor (CBC)

Music

'It's perfect madness' | The Observer
Tom Waits writes about his 20 most cherished albums of all time.
Plus: The fan's verdict on Tom's choices.

Music

Free Music | iPodlounge

Film

Rock School

Photos

W i n d o m

Music

Out of Time
Growing up with and apart from R.E.M.'s recently reissued Warner Brothers albums.
By: Stephen M. Deusner (Pitchfork)

Music

What’s a Windom Earle?
P.E.I. Band brings Rocktronica to Halifax
By Jessica Whyte (Dal Gazette)

Update

For the record, i wasn't me that was mugged or did the mugging on the corner of Brunswick and Duke.

Event

North By North End
Halifax, NS
Gus's Pub, 2605 Agricola ($4/10pm)

Windom Earle
Pop Secret
SS Cardiacs
Camaromance

Note: rumoured to feature a Windom Earle video set. Also, leperchauns must be accompanied by a guardian at all times and don't do the shamrock shake without proper safety precautions.

Column

Atlantic News Perspective #134 (Mar 14, 2005)
Atlantic Canada's largest license plate factory goes multinational, two stolen bobcats in Halifax and Mardi Gras in Fredericton.
By: Iain K. MacLeod

History

The Onion's Irish-Heritage Timeline

Finance

Should I Melt My Gold Nuggets? | Slate

Books

I Like You by Amy Sedaris

Film

The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy - Trailer 3

Column

Atlantic News Perspective #133 (Mar 7, 2005)
The mysterious twig people of Wolfville, linking Newfoundland and Labrador and detonating a WWII shell on Magazine Hill.
By: Iain K. MacLeod

Music

The Most Expensive Album Never Made | NYTimes

Beck at a Certain Age | NYTimes

The War on Autoparts

Violent New Front in Drug War Opens on the Canadian Border | NYTimes

On Thursday, four officers of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police were shot to death in Alberta, British Columbia's neighboring province, as they were searching a marijuana-growing operation, one of many on the rise there. The killings stunned a country that has apparently not lost that many officers at once since the mid-19th century.

Leigh H. Winchell, special agent in charge for U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement in Seattle, which investigates border crimes and is part of the Department of Homeland Security, said the police killings in Alberta were stark evidence of "how serious the B.C. bud issue is getting, how much money is involved and the lengths to which these criminals are willing to go to protect it."

He added, "It's getting worse and worse, and we need to address it at every level. The funding needs to be there, and the resolve of law enforcement to address it needs to be there - on both sides of the border. It's a very dark day for all of us."

Roszko killed officers then himself: RCMP | CBC

When the Mounties arrived at the farm, they found what they say was stolen truck parts and about 20 marijuana plants...Roszko had a long list of criminal convictions, including a two and a half year prison term for sexually assaulting a boy.

Books

Defining Bullshit | Slate

Post (MetaFilter)

When coloured sounds taste sweet | MetaFilter

TV

Sticks and Stones Episode | The Fifth Estate

Column

Atlantic News Perspective #132 (Feb 28, 2005)
The East Coast Music Awards and Conference overtakes Sydney, The Cannabis Café gets busted in Saint John and The Labatt Beer Institute pours in Halifax.
By: Iain K. MacLeod

Film

Canada's Oscar Nominess

Film

A Scanner Darkly Trailer

Music

What the?? Here's another local chart that Wintersleep are not on top off. Also, you can listen to Windom Earle on Radio Free Polygon and hear Joel Wright of the Honky Blues After Dark say "I first off want to disassociate myself with that horrible song" during the change over...just to launch into a new "whistling" theme song. Download the interview here.

CKDU CHART - February 21, 2005

*************** TOP 30 ***************

01--Windom Earle All Stars--A Series of Minor Personal Tragedies--Indie--CC*
02--Death By Nostalgia--Death By Nostalgia--Indie--CC*
03--GangBang--Ninjas With Attitude--Indie--CC
04--Wintersleep--Wintersleep--Dependent--CC*
05--Dean Malenkos--The Album That Turns Girls Into Sluts--Indie--CC*
06--Antony and the Johnsons--I Am a Bird Now--Secretly Canadian
07--Spaghetti Western--Do Right By People--BMI
08--Eekwol--Apprentice to the Mystery--Indie--CC
09--Dandi Wind--Bait the Traps--BongoBeat--CC
10--Air Traffic Control--Air Traffic Control--Indie--CC*
11--Gilbert Switzer--Don't Stop The Film--Indie--CC*
12--B.A. Johnston--My Heart Is a Blinking Nintendo--Just Friends--CC*
13--LCD Soundsystem--LCD Soundsystem--EMI
14--Museum Pieces--Philadelphia--Indie--CC*
15--Alpha Flight--Battle Royale--Indie--CC*
16--Elevator--August--Sonic Unyon--CC
17--Black Mountain--Black Mountain--Scratch--CC
18--Final Fantasy--Has a Good Home--Block Block Block--CC
19--Destroyer--Notorious Lightning and Other Works--Merge--CC
20--Carlos Del Junco--Blues Mongrel--Northern Blues
21--McEnroe and Pip Skid--Disenfranchised 2 and Funny Farm 2--Peanuts and Corn--CC
22--M. Ward--Transistor Radio--Merge
23--Super Furry Animals--Songbook--XL
24--Yuppie Pricks--Brokers Banquet--Alternative Tentacles
25--The Information--Mistakes We Knew We Were Making--Primary Voltage
26--Coachwhips--Peanut Butter and Jelly..--Narnack
27--Middle Age Wasteland--Children of Celebrities--Indie
28--Atmosphere--Seven Headshots--Rhymesayers
29--Pony Up--Pony Up--Dimmak
30--Brazilian Girls--Brazilian Girls--Verve

Post (Halifax Locals)

For those that couldn't make it to Sydney, here is a stream of one of our events at the 2005 ECMA conference:

PANEL DISCUSSION: Music Placement in Television and Gaming. (Windows Media Player req'd)

Column

Atlantic News Perspective #130 (Feb 14, 2005)
"I'se The Bye" honoured, adult bingo and living in a tent on a bayou.
By: Iain K. MacLeod

Fashion

Wear Your Own Fur w/ David Cross | Peta

TV

Drudge's witch hunt of Chris Rock | Crooks and Liars

Quote

"David Cross didn't want to do television. He really avoided it. We were really lucky, because he really responded... to the money we offered. The script factored into it, but, boy, he really perked up when he heard about the money." - creator Arrested Development Mitchell Hurwitz (The Onion A.V. Club)

Reviews (Exclaim)

Not sure if I posted this before...just noticed it was online:

from Exclaim:
Halifax Pop Explosion 2004
Halifax NS — November 4 to 6, 2004

The Holy Shroud
Rarely does a band match the sheer intensity of their volume with the dexterity of their musicianship. Especially the ones that get tagged "super-group," in this case the merging of equal parts North Of America (two sets of vocals and guitars) and Contrived (the rhythm section). Clad in white from neck to toe, these Holy men of rock revision delivered one of the tightest, most energetic sets of the event. The group's ability to steer through a set of energetic songs will probably go unmatched until the audience hears them again. IKM

Wax Mannequin
The only band he had was wrapped tightly around his head but this manlike Mannequin still tore through songs like he tears through his many rock poses. He wears his guts on his sleeve and isn't afraid to "meow" his way through a harmony or two while his obedient drum machine kicks along to the beat. He built his songs up with both his kung-fu grip guitar playing and dynamic facial expressions that laid the foundation for the words. Lyrically, he touched on Ween-worthy topics like royalty, doctors and the art of rocking. The priceless "The Price" ended things with portions of the audience cheering and others just scratching various befuddled parts. IKM

Column

Atlantic News Perspective #130 (Feb 7, 2005)
Cellular sabotage, the Burmac Cup canned and liquor flowing on Sunday.
By: Iain K. MacLeod

TV

Ads from Super Bowl XXXIX...without those boring football parts.

Film

Strangers with Candy: Amy Sedaris' riotous performance as Jerri Blank, who comes out of a decades-long jail stint to find her father in a coma and decides to go back to high school ("exactly where I left off") in an attempt to bring him out of it, is the kind of thing that can save a pity party like Sundance. From the first shot of Sedaris -- one eye just off-centre, top teeth sticking out, terrible make-up, ass padding -- on a prison bus, you know you're in for something hilarious. The ridiculous plotline isn't really the point -- the spot-on mockery of teen films, endless non-sequitors and physical comedy are all top drawer, even when the movie is cheerfully spouting stereotypes: "You're like family to me," Jerri says to her team of science fair nerds. "Well, the white ones are. You darker ones are more like valued family servants." Sharp cameos byAllison Janney, Phillip Seymour Hoffman, Matthew Broderick and Sarah Jessica Parker increase the joy. By Tara Thorne (Tara's Sundance Trip)

Nerd Alert

Apple Form Factor Evolution: 1976 through 2005

Letters (Herald)

Moooot point

Perhaps it was all those exams he had to write in school, but somewhere along the way, Peter Duffy must have missed out on a basic science lesson (The Sunday Herald, Jan. 30).

He calls the eight cents per litre increase in the price of milk "bearable" because the money will go to "farmers and processors, the people who actually make the milk."

Unless farming techniques have changed recently, I believe it's the cows that "actually make the milk."

Too bad it's highly unlikely that any of that extra money will be used to improve the living conditions of dairy cows or other farm animals in Nova Scotia.

Beth Lewis, Halifax