Canada Burning, Mississippi Burning

This past weekend was really bad. It was hot but not unbearable. It was smokey, really bad. I had started jogging almost 2 weeks before now that I'm out of work. It was a good start because I'm home all day and mostly seated. That is why this past weekend was a torture. A thick, heavy smoke blanket was covering the entire region, until the eyes could see. 

Then yesterday's thunderstorm cleaned everything and became the beautiful Alberta that it is, most of the time. Unfortunately and as everyone knows, most of Canada has been burning this summer as a result of Global Warming. But this is different from Mississippi Burning. It's a movie from late 80's and one of the finest. Despite its sad story which has deep roots in American racism, all of the actors and actresses deliver a fantastic and unforgettable performance, directing is good, the music and cinematography is perfect and a everything is built on a strong screenplay. 

This is a sort of movie that has not been seen many in recent years. If you looked at the cast, you'd realized that most of them are amongst the top stars, and now retired:

1) Gene Hackman

2) William Dafoe

3) Frances McDormand 

4) Stephen Tobolowsky (the healing man in one of Seinfeld episode, one of the most hilarious ones, in fact)

5) R. Lee Ermey (Full Metal Jacket, Se7ven)

6) Brad Durif (Coco's Nest)

7) Micheal Rooker (JFK) 

and many more who I'm not many familiar with.

Gene Hackman and William Dafoe in a scene of the movie

Now this is a different United States and although racism is not at that level it used to be in the 60's, when the story of this movie happens and it's based on a true series of events, it's claimed there's still racism. My trip to the US, mostly have been to small towns and rural areas as I mostly went for hiking but unless you lived in an environment you'd never realized what really is going in there. 

(Photo, top: Amazing clouds few minutes after the yesterday's thunderstorm)