The Game

If I didn't know Michael Douglas was born in N. J., I'd probably think he was from San Francisco, considering his obsession with that city! Basic Instinct, Streets of San Francisco (which I haven't watched, of course!) and the last film I've seen: The Game, all take place in that northern California city. The city which used to be glorious once. All I've read about it in the past few years is that it has lost all his glory and filled with poverty, homelessness and gang violence. Nevertheless that's not the subject of this post and regardless of all these negative thing I hear, I'm going there next year, if everything goes as planned. Or anywhere nearby because this time my intention is to approach Boundary Peak from California side.
The Game is an interesting movie and somehow unrealistic! It is a movie so it does not have to be real, someone would day. I believe unless they make science fiction, the story should fit with the audience easily. I don't want to spoil the movies for the ones who haven't watched it (although the likelihood of anyone accessing it and enjoying, isn't very high) but I think the other Fincher's movie, Se7en could be considered more realistic than The Game but The Game is a very entertaining movie and more importantly unpredictable until the end and that is very important for me, as movie goer and a Movie Buff, as well! 
The Game is a sort of movie which takes you along. This had not happened to me for a very long time. So despite the fact that I was dead tired, I glued myself to the seat and watched it to the end. I hope you enjoy this 1997 movie as well. 

(Photo: Douglas in the scene that the " game " actually is about to start!)

Driving Miss Daisy (37 Years Later)

Driving Miss Daisy is probably one of the most famous Hollywood movies of the 90's which has been known to me for a long time but has never had the chance to watch it until just last week.

The interesting thing about this movie is despite its simple story, it attracts you and you go along. 

When the movie started, after just a few scenes, I wondered who the actress was. She looked so familiar. I'm referring to the British actress Jessica Tandy. It hit me suddenly: The Birds! Yes. She also had a major role in the Alfred Hitchcock's movie. 

Tandy circa 1959. It was this face that brought The Birds scene back to my mind but this portrait is not from the film

Morgan Freeman plays the other major character: An old driver who is hired to take Miss Daisy here and there and that's where the story begins. I think if I had seen the movie 10 or 15 years ago, it would have felt different but tears came to my eyes while watching it just a week ago as this is a movie of human connection. It has tons of meaning and lots of affect on lonely people. Enjoy if you can get your hand on it.

(Photo, top: Jessica Tandy in the OSCAR. She passed away five years after the movie)

Not a Fan of Satrapi

I've seen Satrapi's Persepolis and I even own it on DVD. Not true. This is not the true story of Iran in the early 80's. It's exaggerations, falsification and oozes out of the mind of a person who was part of a very small population of the country. 

Her stupid stories about people partying at night, the Western style, drinking alcohol, everything else are not selling! The majority of the people of Iran were devoted Muslims and there is still a big population of them in the country who are stuck to their traditions and beliefs. I'm not saying that she is lying in the film. I'm saying that it might have been her life. She was not happy and she left the country and then couldn't adopt herself even there, in Europe, and went back with her tail between her legs, living with her parents! 

This guy was a loser and died a loser. I have no respect for Marjane Satrapi and people like her and I'm not sad that she's passed away. Less people like that in the world, the world is a better place.

(Photo: A wall from the ancient Persepolis Palace in Central Iran from 500 years B. C. which its name was stolen by the dead ugly woman and stuck to her exaggerated, untrue story!)

The Amazing Ladies of Alfred Hitchcock!

I've watched a few old fantastic Hitchcock's movies recently and can't stop sharing with everyone who might be interested in a few hours of good entertainment, rather than wasting money on a film about someone who was repeatedly charged with sexual abuse! Some very beautiful and talented ladies have roles in those movie. You see them all here:

Tippi Hedren. Had roles in The Birds and Marnie. Now live in New York City and is the grandmother of actress Dakota Johnson. She is 96. As per Johnson, I've watched Black Mass which is a good movie and the Peanut Butter something! I think the attention that Johnson receives is mostly because of her physique and beauty rather than her talent and art of showing a character in a story but that's a separate topic.

Eva Marie Saint had the lead role in another Hitchcock's movie called North by Northwest. Her performance is brilliant. She is currently 101! 

The beautiful Diane Baker also has a role in the Hitchcock's Marnie. She had a small role as a Senator in The Silence of the Lambs. She is now 88.

Joan Fontaine had a major role in the Hitchcock's Rebecca but she was not the Rebecca! This British-American lovely actress was born in Japan and passed away in 2013. 

The beautiful Vera Miles portraited the murdered woman's sister in Hitchcock's excellent movie, Psycho. She is currently 95.

A New Computer

I had this computer since 2019, I think, and it was giving me trouble from time to time because the system has become old in the past few years. I decided to replace it. The first thing I did was recycling! You cannot buy something, unless you get rid of the old one. Then I bought this ASUS for, what it seems so far, a reasonable price. The funny thing is that I then was able to watch a number of movies which I had not been able to watch them on the old computer for years! Here there are:

1) I bought this DVD set(!) in 2008 from a small shopping center in Greve, a small town near Copenhagen! This includes three disks: a) The Rise of Evil b) Yamato c) Twin Sisters.

The good thing is all the movies are in original language with either Danish, Finish or Norwegian subtitles choice! Maybe not all are good! The second movie is in Japanese, of course and the third one is German! The Rise of Evil is the story of Adolf Hitler which I had already read it. There're a number of famous actors but this doesn't necessary mean it's a good movie. They have added a sort of unnecessary intensity to the way the actor portraits Hitler which makes it unreal and excessive. I saw the same thing in Hangers Also Die, an old movie from 1943! I had seen this movie many years ago in the old country which barely remember it and wanted to see how the dubbing had worked. I couldn't go passed the first 10 minutes or so when I got an English version here because of the fake Nazi officer screaming at everyone in the beginning of the film but I will watch it later. In fact I will watch both. 

2) A friend of mine from the CFLRS days, whom I have not been in touch with since 2021, I think, made this digital copy of The Revenant available to me in the same year. However due to the size of the file which makes it a high quality picture, I had not been able to watch, this copy, until recently. The new computer makes it possible to watch and the picture is incredibly beautiful. The story, as I have written about it, is stupid, long and boring! 

I think it was a wise investment, not because of the movies! Technology progresses quickly and we all need to stay updated to function.  

(Photo: This library building was close to the train station which would take you to Copenhagen, if I remember correctly!)

Crimson Tide

Crimson Tide is one of the many American propaganda films which despite some very good acting, has a stupid story. One thing that the film proves is Dictatorship exists in the West, something that I have personally experienced. Crimson Tide is an old movie from 1995 with the late Gene Hackman as the lead role. It also has Denzel Washington, whom is known to every movie buff in the world and Dzundza (Basic Instinct, The Deer Hunter, the latter is a stupid, overrated movie!). I'm not going to ruin the movie in case you haven't seen it but it becomes really stupid and absurd when the American submarine deflects all the torpedoes fired by a Russian submarine but then easily destroys the very same submarine using the same method: Firing torpedoes at the enemy submarine! 
Going back to the moral of the story(!), the dictatorship in the West, I must say that it is easily seen in daily life, particularly at work. I was going to have a post under my series Mindless Retards at Work but then thought I should post it here. 

The USS Alabama dodges all the Russian torpedoes but kills the very same submarine, easily, with the same tactic! 

If you criticize someone for their mistake, their poor performance or similar, you're receiving severe backlash. I'll give an example of my previous job, where I was basically laid off due to too much criticism that I directed toward others, it seems. I must clarify that I'm better off on many levels now that I'm at this job and if I can keep my mouth shut, I will be able to work long enough to learn a lot and get more education to work my last years somewhere better. Nevertheless this is what happened in the previous workplace: Some useless, ignorant dickheads used All-around-weld sign for every single welding symbol they drew, even if it was not an all-around-weld, simply because these idiots didn't know what weld around a component means! When I mentioned that to their asshole boss, he disagreed, didn't accept that he was wrong and said: Agree to disagree! There're lots of these animals in Canada who have the least amount of tolerance for being criticized and at the same time the least amount of knowledge in the area they claim they are experts in! The funny thing is I lost many job opportunities, many years ago, when I came to Canada first, for simply not having Canadian experience! Canadian experience my ass! Canadian experience means being ignorant and simply having a job because of knowing someone and still after years of working like a stupid donkey, making obvious and stupid mistakes! That's the Canadian experience!

A weld-all-around symbol, as you can see here, a circle on the intersection of the line and the arrow, indicates that, whatever weld being deposited, here a fillet weld, shall be deposited the same way all around the object but that doesn't mean it shall be used for every weld and that's what these ugly baboons had difficulty understanding! 

Going back to the movie, Hackman's character, the captain of the submarine, is about to do something really stupid, when the Denzel's, the Executive Officer stands up to him. That is where the war against the dictator starts. The dictator clearly says: We're not here to practice democracy. We're here to preserve it! 

The dictator is eventually proven wrong but it costs a lot. 

The movie has all the fake, propaganda-like excitement to it. Having seen Das Boot, one of the best movies in the war genre, Crimson Tide is nothing, compared to it and it's obvious that they copied many scenes from that masterpiece. This is most likely loved by the average Americans, because, as usual, the movie shows how strong Americans are and how weak their enemy is! Worth watching once and that's only because of the great acting by two legends of cinema. What Crimson Tide exactly means, I still don't know!

(Photo, top: Washington, on the left, confronting Hackman, the captain of USS Alabama)

Trains, Planes and Automobiles

I had no idea what Trains, Planes and Automobiles was when my realtor mentioned it to me a few years ago! I asked him to find me a quiet place and when she sent me a few addresses, I asked her how the neighbourhoods were. Her response were: You know? Like Trains, Planes and Automobiles! She meant that all these sort of vehicles could be heard during the day. However none have ever bothered me and the other thing that I like is the neighbourhood is not so crazy and noisy. There're of course, assholes, thugs and drunkards but where is the neighbourhood without them?! Not many! 

I then got a chance to watch the movie a few years ago for the first time and watched it a few more times after that, including tonight! I must say that it's a great movie and both John Candy and Steve Martin are brilliant but Candy was a Canadian gem which there will never be anything remotely close to him. He had roles in other movies such as Uncle Buck and Home Alone and he was great in both, mainly the first one. One thing that I am surprised by, is the fact about the Canadians who travel to the US to work and then stay in the US which are a lot. Many of them are the artist that many know: Singers, professionals athletes, actors and actresses, politicians, you name it. Examples would be Jim Carry, Wayne Gretzky, Daniel Powter, many more. They barely visit their home town. Some never. Yet the Canadians expect the foreigners to go to their country of origin every chance they have! I haven't been to my country of birth for over 11 years now and when I was talking to our HR person before the last Christmas, she asked me whether I would go back home! I was going to respond by saying that first of all this is my home now and there's nothing you can do about it! Even your Government isn't the fan of me leaving Canada after I retire as I have to be in the country for at least six month of the year to be eligible to get my Old Age Security! You're from eastern part of the country which is maximum 5 to 6 hours flight from here, considering the stops and layover and you never go there. You expect me to be on a plane and in airports for over 18 hours?! F _ _  you, you idiot! I'm not going to do that and I don't care if you like it or not! 

Martin and Candy in the last and one of the most interesting scenes of the movie. This is supposedly Chicago and is a beautiful neighbourhoos as seen. Just like Home Alone's

Nevertheless Trains, Planes and Automobiles is a great movie. Watch it, admire it and recommend it to as many people as you can. It shall be considered one of the greatest comedies of all time. 

I feel my life is similar to Candy's character in the movie. Not entirely or not identical but I always have had an issue controlling what I say, I haven't been able to be with a woman I love since my wife left me 10 years ago and I'm mostly alone! I don't know whose life is more f _ - ked up? Mine or Dale Griffin's?! 

(Photo, top: Candy's tombstone. This guy neither died nor is buried in Canada!)

What Women Want

I considered this file(!) closed so I'm writing about this funny occurrence now. I was approached by a lady neighbour when there was a major snow storm a few weeks back. She helped to clear the driveway and then it looked like it was the start of a friendship of some sort. I made some baked good the next week and delivered to her as a sign of appreciation. She invited me inside and gave me her number. I know nothing would come out of this but I kept the number and then she one day later said that she would like to invite me over for an afternoon tea of something. Never happened! I was not surprised because I know the type and the later encounters proved that as well. I decided to invite her for the tea and it was accepted. We ended up talking for a few hours and it felt nice and enjoyable. 

The returning invitation, to have something at her place never took place. In addition to that she said she would help with some an issue in my place through of one her relatives and that never happened. The interesting things are what she said she wanted in this potential relationship: " We (her and her little kid) were looking for something to be able to rely on ". " We knew everyone in the neighbourhood but you ". 

Women always are in need of something or they would never approach you. My first wife, whom I was married to for only a short time got what she wanted from that relationship in that period and then moved on! She wanted to be transferred from the town she lived in to a main city and that would have never happened, unless she notified her employer that she was married to a person in that city! My second wife married me so she could benefit from my immigrant status and save herself from the unknow future. Her family were on her shoulder to get rid of me and they eventually succeeded! She moved to British Columbia, then years ago this month (Time flies by!) came back in a very cold months to finalize the divorce! Then a few month later she realized that it was not such a wise decision! She called me and said that she wanted to come back to me(!) and stated that it was very expensive there! I was in CFLRS at the time and I was hoping to finishing the Basic Training but I didn't and didn't get her back either! She, I'd assume, married her boyfriend of the older days and I guess they're living in that province happily. 

I never liked M. Gibson. That's why I haven't watched this movie What women want. However, since the title of the film is the same as the title of this post I thought I should post a picture of Marisa Tomei who has a role in the movie

Then I received a message from lady one day saying that she felt depressed and sad. I'm not really good at situations like this. What should I have said? Sympathy? I told her that I was fine and added that she could contact me any time she felt like that, although I thought she would not need it. I think that was turn off for her. She never contacted me after that again. I, truly, believed this friendship as she had described, would go nowhere. We had nothing in common, neither culturally, nor emotionally. Let alone physically! A tall, young, Caucasian, pretty woman with high sex drive, starting a relationship with an old, ugly, foreign man. My theory is not to even start a relationship which you can easily predict that will not going much far after the start point! That's how you save time and money! I, at this age, don't want to invest on a short relationship or as she wanted friendship! I have plans which all are costly and adding people to them would be next to impossible. So sending a message of " You don't need me ", I think was a wise decision. She never contacted her and I easily could see that she was trying to shift her focus on other individuals who were able to satisfy her on the One Night Stand basis(!) or provide the service frequently as long as it's requested and needed by her! I don't care. Let see how she gets assistance when she really needs it! 

(Photo, top: Canadian Rockies in Kananaskis, Alberta. This is taken from Burstall Pass area, exactly 10 years ago. Why I used it here is because I apparently received a call from my wife who was in British Columbia at the time but I missed it because of lack of service in the region, of course. She had earlier left me and we thought we would work it out. It didn't happen. We both suffered a lot from the broken marriage. I know I did. I don't know who suffered more but I know it was my fault too. I was not innocent in it) 

Snow Den in Christmas

It's Christmas season and I'm mostly stuck at home due to the extreme cold. It went down to -32 ℃ (-25.6℉) last night! I go to the windows every now and then just to watch snow. To see how much it has landed. Do I have to shovel or not? Then I said: I can't go out. It's too cold and dangerous. Why don't I watch Snowden, instead of snow? I always wanted to know what this guy's story was and now years later I'm about to find out. I guess I'm not very up-to-date with many things! People are going to laugh at me that I'm learning about this guy after more than 12 years! There're things that I follow closely and there are many that I pay not much attention. This did not catch my eye but I'm glad to watch the movie now. This is one of the Stone's but didn't sell much. One might wonder why. To me it's very obvious: The movie doesn't have any sex or violence in it! A movie like that would not sell much in North America but I liked it. Born on the Fourth of July, Platoon, W, The Doors and JFK are the movies made by him and I enjoyed watching them, some, including Platoon and JFK, several times. I didn't know, first, that he had made this movie as well. It is very good and the main character actors were great. In a society that consist of many mindless dumb, it's not surprising that they don't like this movie. 
Stone decided once to make a documentary or biopic about the former Iranian president, Ahmadinejad who created lots of controversy during the two terms he was in the office. It appears that he, the president, accepted to take part, at first but the project got cancelled later for a few reasons which are not very clear and I'm not going to dig into it.

Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, the former Iranian President in the UN building.

All aside, Snowden is a good movie and I enjoyed watching it and most likely will, again. It's not as high as JFK, which I've watched several times and I like the dialogue but both Gordon-Levitt and the gorgeous Woodley play very well. Clint Eastwood's son, Scott, also has a small role. I'm not going to spoil the movie but highly recommend it, if you haven't watched. You'll enjoy it. As per the principals that Snowden stood behind and for them, later, he was charged with, I believe he was wrong! If your government has to monitor yours and everyone's conversations, e-mails, reading habits (as said in Se7en!), etc. to keep the country safe, they should. If you're not doing anything illegal, why would you care whether the government knows what you're talking about or not?! That, alone, is enough for me to abide by what the government does. Last thing: I know Snowden is written Snowden, not Snow Den!  
(Photo, top: Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Shailene Woodley and Oliver Stone. Edward Stone and his wife, Lindsay Mills live in Russia now. To me that is real love! The couple split once and then, according to the film, Snowden went back to her in the mainland States and after he had to leave to avoid apprehension, they were separated again until she joined her in Russia a few years later. That's a kind of girl you want in your life) 

Tokyo Story

Tokyo Story, unlike many might think, is not about the capital of Japan and although it could be a great movie, it is not because it would not be finished within 136 minutes that the movie is rolling. After all why would someone make a movie about a great city with millions? You need to go and see it for yourself, just like I did back in 2024 and most likely going again in 2027 if not earlier. I, myself, a big fan of the Japanese culture and movies, first thought this was another Akira Kurosawa's movies but soon I realized I was wrong. Despite being one of the greatest in movie history, Kurosawa is not the only one who has made phenomenal films. Tokyo Story is directed by Yasujiro Ozu, who was unknown to me before this great movie. The movie has a slow pace and might seem boring at the beginning and the middle but then take you with it and you want to see what happens at the end. It might be hard to find and there's no doubt that you need subtitles for that or it would be meaningless. 

A view of part of Tokyo city center from the Imperial Palace. I took it during a tour last year.

I'm not going to spoil the movie by telling anything about the story but this is a post-war area movie and I will patiently watch it again, when I'm looking for a relaxed time to enjoy a good meaningful story.

(Photo: A great scene from a great movie. This scene actually tells a lot but you need to see the film to understand what I mean by that)

Memory Altering Drug

I was listening to the news sometime back in 2019(!) and I was going to post this but there has been a 6-year delay! I heard that a memory altering drug is now available! It immediately reminded me of the great movie that I have seen: Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind. Although I don't remember much of the story but it was about erasing memory, something that I really am interested in!

Bad memories come to mind frequently especially when you're lonely which is the case with me when I'm not at work. I don't have much social work because the handful of friends I have are either too far away or married and busy with their own lives. I try to keep myself busy with my home chores but that's not enough. I waste a tremendous amount of time on the net watching clips or reading things but then again when I have nothing to do, sometimes, not all the times I must insist, bad memories come to mind. The good thing is many times good memories come as well. Therefore if the medicine is erasing everything, it's not all for benefit! Once I read that taking pictures diminishes the capability of the brain to remember the memories but it does not seem to be valid, especially if that is all I have to resort to when I am on that drug. Is it?

(Photo: Jim C. and Kate W., are holding the kids who played them in the scenes of the movie)

The Heckler Saw it

One movie that was referred to by the recruits when I was at the CFLRS back in early 2017 was Hacksaw Ridge. I had not seen the movie but I think what the recruits were asking, mostly, was whether the movie was real or not! I finally saw it this past weekend. There's no doubt that the film is based on the event surrounding Private Desmond Doss service, a Virginian volunteer and there's no doubt that Hollywood has added parts to make the story more marketable. Movies such as Saving Private Ryan, American Sniper and similar has always been praised greatly by American and even Canadian audience regardless of the accuracy and aim! When it was revealed that this guy, Chris Kyle, whom the movie American Sniper is made based on what he had done in Iraq, was a hoax, not many people paid attention to it. They didn't want to see the hero they have made in their minds being faded away and drain down the toilet bowl! 

The Heckler Saw it, is the name that I've given to the movie that Mel Gibson has directed based on the story of the young American fella who, despite volunteering, refused to garb a rifle and kill the enemy, at the time the Japanese. As a heckler I would taunt the the audience and ridicule the movie, at some scenes, if I could, because it was so stupidly fake and unreal that anyone with a brain in their skull would know! I am certain that Private Doss did his best and saved many of his comrades' lives but turning the battle ground to a propaganda scene and exaggerating events does nothing but degrading what a hero has done. However, this is what Hollywood does most of the time to make more money. Soldiers who get shot and their blood splashes out like jet stream, machine guns that never run out of ammunition, Japanese solders coming out of their hideout holding white flags, training officer who tries to copy R. Lee Emery's great performance in Full Metal Jacket and rookie actors with poor performances are some of the issues seen in this movie, not to mention the excessive and unnecessary graphic in different scenes. Nevertheless Garfield's performance is not bad. 

Is this a movie that I would watch again or recommend? No one cares what I but I wouldn't! The Australian girl's (Palmer) performance at the beginning is natural as she's very pretty. The rest is average and mechanical. No disrespect to her or any other actors in the movie. 

Apart from the story, what I wanted to add is that Americans have fought many nations throughout the history: Germans, Italians, Japanese, Vietnamese, Koreans, Afghans, Iraqis, Libyans, you name it! They have been all over the world, wanting something from each nation but I think despite their last humiliations in Afghanistan, which by the way caused by that pile of horse manure, Biden, no nation ever kicked the American's asses harder than the Japanese and if it was not because of the Atomic Bombs, it is hard to say that Americans could stop the Japanese.

(Photo: Private Doss, as a Medic, dragging a wounded soldier to safety in a scene of the movie about the Battle of Okinawa)

Who Dies Twice?!

There are many great actors and actresses across the world. Many of them become internationally famous through American movies. Many remain only nationally appreciated because they never get a chance to perform in an English language or Hollywood film. There are many non-English natives who have reached the top and there's no need to name any as all movie lovers know them but the thing I wanted to express here is what is said in Persian like a proverb or saying and it goes:

Actors and athletes die twice. What it means is that they are born like everyone else and there's a time they're famous. They're praised by everyone. Their pictures are seen in newspapers and magazines (when the paper newspapers and magazines were in full swing!), We see them on TV and hear them on radio. We might see them in public. When their years of athleticism or high performance are over, they are not seen or talked about that much and they slowly are pushed aside. New actors come in and new athletes with better records and performance go to the top of the chart. That is the time the actor or athlete dies for the first time! If they go to a supermarket or park in a shopping mall's parking lot, there're not many people to recognize them. As sad as it might seem to some, many deal with that logically. Some are not so mature and try to stay in the spotlight! They can't be blamed. They were on the top of their career, earning millions and loving the attention they received. It's not so easy to give that up! I didn't want to name anyone but one example is Throne whose picture is seen here. Why the hell a very good actress has to dress like this at the age of 50!? 

For the ones who have not seen Monster, it's a very strong and emotional movie which might not be the favorite of everyone. I still, to this date, have difficulty finishing the movie.

Throne, a native of South Africa, has some great performances. Her act in Monster was one of the most OSCAR worthy performances and she deserved that. I watched the movie when it came out and despite the fact that it's a very hard one to watch, no one can deny how magnificent she was. I didn't like The Fury Road that much. The story was poor but the performances, including Thrones, cinematography and design of the vehicles were superb. She had a small role in Prometheus and one can imagine how much she was paid to just simply say " Shit " or another longer line(!) but female actresses generally, and in Hollywood, specifically, have a limited expiry date! I hope it does not come across being rude but that's true. Many roles are not given to women past a certain age as there's always a younger actress. Many actresses past that age might feel forgotten or ignored. Going back to Throne, without targeting her or anything, she has adopted two Black kids! What does that mean? Is she trying to redeem Caucasian South Africans from what they did for years in the country?! Unbelievable! It's a gesture from Caucasian Americans. I think Madonna did something like that, years ago. These people might be good actors and singers but their brain only works for that purpose! I have nothing against Africans and Blacks, in general but why the hell would you go to an African country to help or adopt a kid while thousands of kids in the US need help!!?? Charity begins at home, you dickhead!

(Photo, top right: Throne wearing a fishnet-like cover in a photo shoot! It's not sexy. It's not elegant. It's not impressive!)

Trans-Siberian

I had the opportunity to watch a good movie this past weekend: Trans-Siberian. A movie from 18 years ago! Russia and the former Soviet Union have always been on the top of my travel list and now with the silly war, it doesn't seem very easy to be able to make that trip happen soon. The only feasible options are China and Turkey but we'll see. Trans-Siberian is not a political movie but pokes at the Soviet Union and Russia at a few scenes. The only known actors, to me, are Sir Ben Kingsley and Woody Halerrson but there is another British, whose performance is really good and in fact is the center of the story: Emily Mortimer. 

A more official, if that word means anything here, map of Trans-Siberian railway courtesy of a tour company. If I'm going to Russia I will try to get on a train to take this route and will check the cities and towns in between but not using a tour. Not that there's anything wrong with them. It's not just my thing.

The plot has interesting twists and takes you with the story. I'm not going to spoil the movie by telling the story but after seeing it, I think travelling across Russia on Trans-Siberian could be very dangerous and it has nothing to do with the story! Why? It's Russia. I don't know how quick the emergency crew's response is if anything happens to the train on its 9200 Km (5700 m) trip! The movie is highly recommended. Enjoy but don't forget that it has been rated R. R for Robert! I'm kidding! This was part of a dialogue in one of my favorite movies of all time, Dr. Strangelove by Stanley Kubrick! R for movies, as you all know, stands for Restricted!

(Photo, top: Emily Mortimer, looking at the Trans-Siberian map in a scene of the movie)

The New Horizon

If you watched movies as much as I do, and I admit this is something that losers do(!) you realize almost everything you have seen in movies, somehow reflects in your daily life! I have recently started a new job and it's too early to see how it will be but it has had ups and downs. One thing I can say is the ambiance reminds me of Aline 3! 

Run down and old place where many equipment seem they don't work! Some do. Signs from years ago which no longer apply! Old cranes. Many old cranes! Old people in shabby coveralls! If you must know Alien 3 was filmed in studios in England. The shore scenes were also filmed in that country. To be specific, the opening scene where Ripley is found and a few other ones are filmed in the east cost England where it's called Blast Beach. 

As I said it's too early to say how this place is but based on the salary and benefit, if I can get a better position, I will stay here for 3 to 5 years. I will post more about this new position as I go forward.

(Photo: The beach at Fiorina " Fury " 161, a maximum security prison where Ripley's EEV crash lands at the beginning of the movie. I purposely didn't use any picture of the facility itself in case someone recognizes that. Privacy is the paramount to me!)

The Movies which never get Old

I first saw The Day of the Jackal in the old country many years ago. I remember I discussed that with my elder cousin, from my father's side. It was dubbed and of course a few scenes were removed but it was not too bad. I, then, purchased the DVD many years ago in Canada but don't remember from where. This is one of the movies that will never get old although it's the story of a WWII main figure being assassinated. I watched it a few days ago again for the many times and it still was amazing. 

What I didn't know is the assassination of Charles De Gaulle actually took place in 1963 and The Day of the Jackal which is made based on a novel of the same name by British writer (or novelist) Fredrick Forsyth, has only part of it and the rest is just fiction. 

Olga Georges-Picot as Denise in a scene of The Day of the Jackal 

I think there's a remake of the movie but it never gets even close to the original 1973 version with Edward Fox, Cyril Cusack and Olga Georges-Picot and a few other well-known actors and actresses.  

The sad thing I didn't know is the story of Georges-Picot, the French-Russian actress who played the role of a young woman who helps OAS (Organisation Armee Secrete) to transfer the information to Jackal so he can plan his assassination, accordingly, although he fails at the end. 

Olga Georges-Picot was the daughter of the French ambassador in China at the time that Japan had occupied part of that country. Her mother was Russian and all her relatives, from the father side were prominent people. She lived in different countries as his father was a diplomat, studied acting Paris and appeared in a number of movies but unfortunately committed suicide at the age of 57 in Paris. It's extremely heartbreaking to know a young talented and beautiful actress who took her own life at such a young age. What I read is her family has put a lid on the details of her suicide and even 

The Day of the Jackal is an amazing direction by Fred Zinnemann and of course because the story is very strong. Don't miss it, if you can't get it. 

(Photo, top: C. Cusak as a gunsmith, on left, and E. Fox as the Jackal in a scene of the movie when the custom made sniper rifle is being tried and delivered) 

Prostitution in Canada

Prostitution is illegal in Canada. It is indicated clearly in the Criminal Code of Canada and I will include the related part below later but let me tell you about my experiences(!) with that. Don't me judgmental and angry. I just wanted to tell the stories of more than 20 years ago when I first came to Canada and it used to be a different country, a different society. 

When I came to Calgary, I stayed in Downtown after staying at The Brave's for about six month and mostly hung out in the Downtown area and the majority of time with my buddy, Kevin. P. whom is no longer my friend. We had an argument back in 2005 and we haven't talked for nearly 20 years and never will. 

There's this Tim Horton's at the corner of 5 Ave. and 4 St., SW where we used to hang out, many days. Tim Horton's was a different place at that time. They had cakes. They owned by a Canadian company, you name it. It's turned really bad and I never spend a dime anymore.  I remember one day we were heading that way and it was a little bit and we were new. I approached one of the girls and asked her the address. She was a tall, blonde beautiful girl and answered my question very politely. That aside, just a block or two away to the west, there was this corner that the prostitutes would hang out. When I say that, I always feel bad for the women who have to do that because deep down we all know that no one would want to do that, unless they absolutely have to. It's a difficult topic to cover but I want to point at it, briefly, the question would be, who would want, or has to become a prostitution. I think movie Monster tells us a little bit about that: The girls who were deprived of parents attention and love and grow in poverty. That's one reason. Addiction is another one. Some get hooked on some really drugs and can't quit and have to have a job which pay them a lot and quick. Losing job and lack of support is another reason. I knew someone who resort to a sort of service during Corona-Virus pandemic because she had lost her job and had no one to support her. There might be other reasons.

Let us see what the CCOC says about this issue, in 286.1:

(1) Everyone who, in any place, obtains for consideration, or communicates with anyone for the purpose of obtaining for consideration, the sexual services of a person, is guilty of :

(a) an indictable offence and liable to imprisonment for a term of not more than five years and a minimum punishment of:

(i) in the case where the offence is committed in a public place, or in any place open to public view, that is or is next to a park or the grounds of a school or religious institution or that is or is next to any other place where persons under the age of 18 can reasonably be expected to be present, (A) for a first offence, a fine of $2,000, and (B) for each subsequent offence, a fine of $4,000, or (ii) in any other case, (A) for a first offence, a fine of $1,000, and (B) for each subsequent offence, a fine of $2,000; or

(b) an offence punishable on summary conviction and liable to a fine of not more than $5,000 or to imprisonment for a term of not more than two years less a day, or to both, and to a minimum punishment of, (i) in the case referred to in subparagraph (a)(i), (A) for a first offence, a fine of $1,000, and (B) for each subsequent offence, a fine of $2,000, or (ii) in any other case,

(A) for a first offence, a fine of $500, and (B) for each subsequent offence, a fine of $1,000.

Section (2) of this clause talks about the same offence when it is committed while involving a person under the age of 18. We're going to scape that. 

Everything has become computerized and on the web now! Most of the massage places, where the Chinese stores are located, are a cover for prostitution or services in that range. I remember the previous mayor had a plan to clean the area up but it never materialized and now they are there. This is the oldest career in the history they say and no matter how you push people, they always come back from another side. 

(Photo: The Tim Horton's subject of this post, partially. We used to hang out in her at the time that Canada had not yet been invaded by these many border jumpers and freeloaders!)

K-19: One of the Best Movies I've Seen

I, and my friend, The Pika, have been fascinated by the USSR and Russia for many years. He had a chance to travel to the country, he said once, I have not. I know Russians aren't friendly people. My few encounters with them in Canada have proved that to me. Does that mean I won't ever go to Russia? No! In fact I'm waiting for the time that travelling to the country is easier. It's possible now but because of the sanctions there aren't many airliners who fly to Russia. Here are a few of my contacts with Russians: 

1) The IT guy #1: There was this really tough guy who ran our IT department or was one of the main fellas. I remember one day we got into this argument. It was probably 2012-13 so the details are not available! He was saying why would Iran want a nuclear power plant, while they have oil and gas for generations. They were saying the country has aimed to reach nuclear bombs. The same claim that Americans and his Western allies have, while it was in fact Russia who helped to finish Bushehr Nuclear Power Plant on the shores of the Persian Gulf. The story of that power plant is quite a long one but I'll have the short version here:

Iran's nuclear ambitions started at the time King Mohammad Reza Pahlavi was in power. He got the Germans to work on this project and Siemens was the main contractor. The project was halted in 1979 and the Germans left the country. No Western company would want to continue the project on the count of now Iran was an anti-West nation(!) in the region! It was eventually it was the Russians who accepted to do that and the project took so long and so much money was given to them that everyone says it wasn't worth the amount paid! Iraq tried to destroy the facility while it was under construction in the 80's. Damages were sustained but the project was carried on and was completed in 2011. Weather Iran is in search of an atomic bomb or not is beyond this post. I just wanted to have a short presentation of the subject of I and the Russian fella's argument. The guy left for another company while I was still employed and never saw him or heard of him after that.

2) The IT guy #2: There was another Russian IT guy who was a little less bitter! I think his name was Andre and I sat with him a few times and asked him questions about Russia because it was my plan to travel there at the time, some 12 years ago! I remember he always sat patiently and answered every question but never saw a smile on his face. He still, I think, was there when I got laid off. 

3) The Russian hiker: I was once on The Middle Sister trail and saw a man on the other side of the stream. Once we merged I had a short conversation with him and he said he was from Volgograd. He actually was the one who told me how to get to the summit or I had gone the wrong way but he turned back. He was the only pleasant Russian I've ever met! 

With all that said, I know Russians are usually not pleasant people to be around, they're not hospitable and not welcoming but I still would like to go there and can't wait for this silly war to end. That's how Russians are but they're also very patriotic. They're proud of their nationality and they don't sell themselves easily. This movie is about that and for that, I admire them. That, but not that alone, could be the reason why the movie was not a hit in North America. It's about Russians, not Americans but everything is better than many movies and particularly a submarine movie that I've ever seen. The only submarine movie that I put next to K19, is Das Boot. 

Everything is great in this movie: Direction, acting (Harrison Ford, Liam Neeson, Peter Sarsgaard, all of them), cinematography, story telling, you name it.

I found this picture which is a memorial of the real K-19 in Google Maps. The place is located in north of Murmansk, one of the most northern cities of Russia, somewhere I would love to visit one day.

This actually is loosely based on an actual event that happened to an atomic Soviet submarine. In my opinion it's way better than the known submarine movies such as Crimson Tide, The Hunt for Red October and The Abyss. I have watched all the named and as I said the only movie that come close and somehow match it is Das Boot. The main Soviet fleet was located in Vladivostok but I don't know what happened to all those submarine. I think I read somewhere a little while back that many of them are scrapped but there shall be some in service and I think it would not be very hard to get some basic information. Vladivostok has been on the top of my list for decades now and The Pika always teases me with that. The last time he did so I told him that I would one day go there. When he realized I was serious he suggested me to take tours from the old country. I know it'd be easier and cheaper but I'm not a tour guy and I have no passport rather than the Canadian. So that is scratched for now. To go back to the subject, make sure you get the movie and watch it closely. You will love it.

(Photo, top: Ford, on left, as the captain and Neeson as the X. O. of K-19 in a scene of the movie. Hackman and Washington, respectively, have the same role in Crimson Tide and despite their great performances, the movie never reached K-19)

Religulous

 This documentary is an amazing one that I don't think you can show it anywhere: It's called Religulous! The word Religulous is amalgamation of the words Religious and Ridiculous! This is a documentary by Bill Maher about different religions and how nonsense they all are! However he reviews the three main religions: Islam, Christianity and Judaism. The other thing is that the film was made in 2008 where the social media was not even introduced and there was not this much religious tension in the world. 

What can I say about it as I don't want to ruin it for you. You have to see it but if you're a Muslim or Jew and even a Christian, you'd most like not like it and some would even be offended. I'm an atheist and I like films like that but I have to conceal it at times because you can get hurt even in Canada!

I remember when I came back, failed from CFLRS, I was sent to this toilet company, a big warehouse and in there a House N - - (!) and I got in to a sort of discussion and he said something to me like God does this or says that and I told him that I didn't believe in God! He didn't like it and was about to preach but I don't remember what happened exactly because it was 2017 but what happened next and I'm not sure if this was the direct result of that or not but maybe it has some impact, I was asked not to go back to work! I said: F- - it! I got a better job just a few months after that. Anyway if you're not religious or have doubts make sure you watch this documentary. 

(Photo: Maher in Vatican where he questions Catholicism!)

Escape from Alcatraz

Prisoners, either they're POWs or inmates have been the subject of movies many times. Some are based on true stories and some have fictional characters. If I wanted to name a few I would say The Great Escape, The Bridge Over the River Kwai and probably a few more. These two movies were a big hit at their time but probably not today. They would most likely not impress the young audiences today. I saw the first one many years ago when I was a kid in the old country on VHS(!) and it was dubbed. It was a favorite movie by adults at the time because of McQueen's role. I did or perhaps I still do have the second movie on digital but couldn't watch past the first few minutes!

This movie that I've watched and is a bit better has a historical accuracy: Escape from Alcatraz is based on the attempt and actual escape of three inmates from the maximum security prison in the island of Alcatraz, nearly 1.25 miles off the shore of San Francisco in 1961.

It's obvious that many parts of the movie is based on the speculations that the writer and screenplay write have but it is still good considering many events could have been checked with the former inmates who were there at the time. 

Alcatraz Island and the main prison building. Photograph courtesy of FBI. The island is a tourist destination which I don't mind visiting. Perhaps sometimes soon when things go back to normal.

The movie has a few known actors. Eastwood is the main character. Fred Ward who has an amazing play in Southern Comfort comes in later and becomes one of the characters who plan and participate in the escape. There're a few more who are not known as much but they play well. The movie might sound a bit boring because it's not an action film. It's about planning for an escape but still worth watching, if you can get your hands in. I read that there're tours for the island and the facility, which was closed less than a year after the infamous escape but with all the opposition to travelling to the US, I wonder if it will be a favourite destination for many! 

(Photo, top,: From Left Frank Morris and brothers Clarence and John Anglin, escaped the maximum security prison in the north of San Francisco in 1962. The FBI does not believe the men could make it and handed the file over to the US Marshals office in 1979)