Mike Simpson » Movies

50th Anniversary of Yuri Gagarin’s Historic First Orbit in Space

Mike — Tue, 12 Apr 2011 15:30:06 +0000

10 Ruble Russian Coin featuring cosmonaut Yuri Gagarin (Photo by Mike)

Today is “Day of the Soviet Space Program (Cosmonautics)” for Russians – a day to remember the cosmonaut and national hero Yuri Gagarin, who on April 12, fifty years ago, was blasted into orbit from Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan.

His famous quote, and a good one to say when you are toasting your Russian friends over some vodkas is “Поехали!” (Paya hellei – Let’s go!).

I would encourage you to check out some video and articles that explore the first orbit by Gagarin and the Soviet/Russian space program – some recommendations follow.

Watch:

“First Orbit” real-time video recreation (uses HD international space station footage and original audio)

http://youtu.be/RKs6ikmrLgg

Read:

Article on Star City (Soviet / Russian Space Program Headquarters) at Russia! Magazine. First link is to web site, second is to actual magazine spreads using the Issue viewer (worthwhile to see some Laika – the space dog – cartoons).

http://readrussia.com/magazine/winter-2008/00044/
http://issuu.com/russiamagazine/docs/russia__magazine

Article on Star City at Wired Magazine

http://www.wired.com/techbiz/people/magazine/16-09/ff_starcity

Essential Docs – Mike’s Favorite Documentary Films

Mike — Tue, 25 Jan 2011 16:14:40 +0000

Mike has been an earnest student of film since he studied the “History of Cinema” and “Italian Cinema” at university. Mike is an aspiring filmmaker with a few short videos under his belt. Currently he is working on “City Symphony” – a hybrid documentary / music video that includes music by his alter-ego “Mikooshka.”

Here are some of my favourite docs – in alphabetical order. After you read this please feel free to comment or use the share button to send this on to your colleagues, friends and family.

* Canadian movie, director, or content

*9 Blocks, 6 Months – Dir. Christopher Romeike – Poignant interwoven stories in Toronto’s working class Parkdale neighbourhood. A sensitive and quiet movie that is emotionally rich and beautifully shot.

Barbarians at the Gate – Dir. Spike Jonze – Fun cross-America skateboard tour with Foundation/Blind teams. Frames the hi-jinx and skate action with the “American Vacation” style narrative and visuals.

Watch scenes from this movie via my playlist at YouTube
Barbarians at the Gate – Dir. Spike Jonze

Big River Man - Dir. John Maringouin – Follows Martin Strel, a burly hard-drinking Eastern European, who swims the longest rivers of the world, and in this feature, attempts to swim the length of the Amazon. Incredible mix of drama, humour, and scenery.

DC Movie – Dir. Greg Hunt – DC Shoe Co. + skateboard superstars = amazing production value. One of the most incredible “action sports” videos of the last ten years. Danny Way’s record-setting airs off the big ramps set to Metallica are easily the highlight.

Food Inc – Dir. Robert Kenner – A highly professional documentary that utilizes some slick motion graphics and cinematography in its production, while illuminating the current crisis in American/global agricultural practices (co-produced by Eric Schlosser, author of “Fast Food Nation”).

*Gambling, Gods and LSD – Dir. Peter Mettler – a psycho-geographical journey into the modern day world via beautifully filmed scenes in North American casinos, evangelical churches and contrasted with scenes from exotic locations like India.

Grizzly Man – Dir. Werner Herzog – A story about a man who lived and died with grizzly bears in the Alaskan frontier – absolutely essential viewing from the quintessential documentarian. Also recommended is the more recent ”Encounters At the End of the World” (about his travels to Antarctica).

*Manufactured Landscapes – Dir. Jennifer Baichwal – Photographer Edward Burtynsky travels the world observing changes in landscape due to industrial work and manufacturing. Some of the most striking scenes demonstrate the awesome scale of development in China.

*Mayor of Tent City – Dir. Rosalie Bellefontaine - Gritty urban tale of hope and redemption for homeless in Toronto’s “Tent City” shanty town. You may be only able to find a copy of this in the library system.

*McLuhan’s Wake – Dir. Kevin McMahon – Excellent overview of the life, career, and work of Marshall McLuhan within a narrative framework that centres on “The Laws of Media,” his last scholarly work. Also look for Kevin’s newest work, Waterlife – a doc focused on the ecology and issues of the Great Lakes.

My Architect – Dir. Nathaniel Kahn – Kahn searches to understand his father, noted architect Louis Kahn, who died bankrupt and alone in 1974.

*Souvenir of Canada – Dir. Robin Neinstein – Explores Doug Coupland’s life story, “Souvenir” photography-based books of iconic Canadian products, his family, and artistic life (his preparations for an art show called “Canada House”). One of my all-time favorites. Compelling, profound, and funny.

That is my list – I’d welcome yours! It’s an interesting exercise to do this. What do our favorites say about us? I know for one thing, that at this moment it’s even easier for me to concoct a list of docs than regular flicks. These days I am ravenous for documentary film and there is a mountain of great material out there. I get my movies in equal number from my local video shop – the amazing “Big Daddy’s” on Dundas St West – and the Toronto Public Library, which has an extensive catalogue.

Related Note 1: Read my book review of Douglas Coupland’s “Extraordinary Canadians: Marshall McLuhan”

Related Note 2: When I was googling these movies to confirm the director info I found my own page at the top of the Google results for “Barbarians at the Gate” (#1 of 353 listings for “Spike Jonze Barbarians at the Gate”). Spike Jonze is a famous Hollywood director these days, but he got his start in more humble skateboarding industry productions.

My original “review” page with stills from Barbarians at the Gate is here:

http://strongandfree.ca/skateontario/video/classics.htm

Inside Job – New Documentary on Financial Crisis

Mike — Tue, 02 Nov 2010 21:04:07 +0000

Update: March 2011 – this movie won the Academy Award for Best Documentary at the 2010 Awards ceremony

A new documentary is opening – “Inside Job” – a film about the global financial crisis. Positive reviews abound: Rottentomatoes.com gave the flick an amazing 95%!

Directed by Charles Ferguson, the doc features Matt Damon as the narrator, and a heavy duty investigative flavor that is sure to make waves in media, entertainment and politics. But will it have any effect on economics? Hopefully – but obviously regulators and politicians have a role to play in reigning in the excessive system that is a greedy, irresponsible blight on the early 21st century landscape. The movie traces the development of the causes of the disaster, which have their roots in 1980s Reagonomics – the loosening or removal of financial systems regulations designed to stymie abuse and protect consumers.

Here is the synopsis:

‘Inside Job’ is the first film to provide a comprehensive analysis of the global financial crisis of 2008, which at a cost over $20 trillion, caused millions of people to lose their jobs and homes in the worst recession since the Great Depression, and nearly resulted in a global financial collapse. Through exhaustive research and extensive interviews with key financial insiders, politicians, journalists, and academics, the film traces the rise of a rogue industry which has corrupted politics, regulation, and academia

Links:

Article in Globe and Mail
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/arts/movies/inside-job-skillfully-skewering-the-lobbyists-and-apologists/article1776590/

Trailer at YouTube
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FzrBurlJUNk

Music and Movies – aka “Media for the Classroom” – Workshop at CCLCS

Mike — Thu, 21 Oct 2010 14:46:08 +0000

I have been teaching ESL and TESL for about ten years, and as a specialist in teaching speaking, listening and pronunciation, I have frequently used both movies and music in the classroom. I created “Movie Study” worksheets with teacher/student components–a project I undertook when working at Pacific Language Institute (PLI). As a singer-songwriter I would often bring a guitar to class and lead informal workshops–entertaining while educating. Music and movies have been my lifelong passion and I have extensive experience inspiring and teaching students with both mediums. By extension there is also a world of hybrid media available to teachers and learners as well – and we shall take a look at the wealth of software, flash-based games and activities, and “rich media” or “multimedia” that is available online and in our computer labs.

My workshop will:

Introduce teachers to theory and practice of implementing music and movies in the classroom; and
Offer practical ideas for teachers with respect to:

selecting materials and resources;
gathering supplementary materials via Internet;
understanding genres and being aware of cultural pitfalls;
taking advantage of materials for teachers and students provided by National Film Board (NFB), Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF);
creating lessons plans with Word/Adobe Acrobat/Blogs/Wikis (for paper handouts or web) and using technology and audio/video tools (DVD, Portable Music Players, iPod, Internet);
real lesson plans and materials created for ESL classes with a focus on Canadian content (looking at texts and sharing the best materials from my own archive).

Location / Contact:

This workshop is at CCLCS (Canadian Centre for Language and Cultural Studies) which is located in downtown Toronto at 635 Markham St (one block west of Bathurst and Bloor). For a booking or more information you may want to contact CCLCS.

I really enjoy this topic – it’s truly close to my heart and brings out some serious passion in me! Hope to see you there!

If you are interested in discussing a workshop or booking Mike for some training he can be reached at: mike | strongandfree.ca

Armand Ruffo’s “A Windigo Tale” closes ImagineNATIVE Film Festival

Mike — Thu, 21 Oct 2010 14:20:49 +0000

The ImagineNATIVE Film Festival kicked off last night – following up on a busy summer in Toronto cinema festivals (Hot Docs, TIFF). The film festival runs international movies and “celebrates the latest works by Indigenous peoples on the forefront of innovation in film, video, radio, and new media.” One movie that caught my eye is “A Windigo Tale,” directed by Carlton University Professor Armand Ruffo. The film mingles different family stories, and takes a dramatic look at the sad legacy of residential schools. The trailer at the festival site looks promising. “A Windigo Tale” closes the festival on Sunday and plays at the Bloor Cinema. It’s great to see another film festival in Toronto and one that showcases works by and about Canadian First Nations and natives from around the world.

New Doc and Drama about Social Media (aka Facebook) – Catfish and The Social Network

Mike — Wed, 29 Sep 2010 14:42:22 +0000

This could be the zeitgeist moment of Facebook – when the little social network that could really become an all-encompassing behemoth. Already writers and thinkers in the tech world compare its scope and power with Google. It is an incredible phenomenon: it quite reminds me of the game changing killer app that was Napster at its peak circa summer 2001. It is is the quintessential social media app – and it seems these days that everybody is using Facebook.

Whatever your opinion of it, Facebook is an epoch definer, and a marvelous indicator of the state of the social Internet (aka social media), and two new movies in theatres now describe different facets of the world-wide wonder (which recently hit 500 million users and looks unstoppable). The two movies diverge in their style and content but a cautionary tale emerges overall.

“Catfish,” as I see it, looks to be the more interesting of the two. It’s a documentary about the true life saga of a New york photographer (Nev Schulman) who unwittingly befriends an artist fan on Facebook and has all hell break loose around him because of it. Apparently it’s a slowly evolving account of the worst-case stalker scenario you could imagine and it’s nerve-rattling.

“The Social Network” is a biopic that focuses on the conflicts and drama surrounding young founder Mark Zuckerberg and his co-founding cronies. Though starring actors like Jesse Eisenberg and pop star Justin Timberlake, this is no lightweight romanticized tale (it is unauthorized and “liberally dramatized” according to Wired Magazine). Apparently the story is highly melodramatic, invoking Greek mythology and dramatic turns that echo the back-stabbing confrontations of Shakespeare. As a rabid fan of documentaries I intend to catch Catfish soon, while I think I’ll wait for the Social Network to hit TBS on a “leave the TV on as background noise” night. Nevertheless Wired has a compelling article in their new issue (with amazing art) which is worth a look – links below.

Links:

Review of “Catfish” at Canada.com

http://www.canada.com/entertainment/movie-guide/Review+Catfish/3569642/story.html

Article on “The Social Network” at Wired Magazine

http://www.wired.com/magazine/2010/09/ff_thesocialnetwork/

Web is Dead but ‘Net Lives On: Wired Magazine

Mike — Fri, 17 Sep 2010 20:50:52 +0000

I picked up the September 2010 issue of Wired Magazine and was struck by the amazing cover story and (design!). It boldly declares that the “Web is Dead!”

For those of you who would like my take and synopsis, please read on. (Link at end of this blog post).

The basic premise of the article is that the Internet, still essentially a relatively new technology and communications medium, is expanding, while the “web” is dying. Web in this case means the old school ‘net, the one where we often kept to the first few sections of the home page at media giant “portals”, surfed randomly and explored hyperlinks that took us far and wide, and often avoided downloading media because our bandwidth was so limited (dial-up connections etc).

Here are some of the main ideas:

These days we don’t surf – we “get” (we know what we want)
We do the “getting” with “apps” rather than web browsers
“Walled Gardens” like Facebook may eclipse the free/open “Googlverse”

The “World Wide Web” has long been falling our of fashion (and use/necessity). Indeed, most web servers are configured to allow for “www” or simply “http” at the beginning of a domain name. Most recent browsers allow you to type “domain.extension” and go directly to your website of choice. The idea of the web has been dying too. This is key. In practice, many of us no longer randomly “surf” the Internet (unless we are bored, killing time etc). We spend most of our time doing very specific tasks, and we don’t always use web browsers to access “the cloud” (Our data in web servers around the Internet).

A few examples come to mind. Applications like Skype and Facebook help us connect with friends. Many spend their online time downloading media (technologies like BitTorrent clients have helped boost video to encompass more than 50% of all Internet traffic these days). People often use Facebook with a computer/browser, but the long-term trend is that in the near future more and more folks across the globe will use Smartphones and iPads and the like, and use applications that bypass web browsers (and obviously even conventional computers).

The concept of the “walled garden” is something I saw a lot when reading a recent book about Google (“Googled: The End of the World As We Know It” by Ken Auletta). Google’s mission is to get you to your desired content as quickly as possible (and yes sell a few text ads along the way). A traditional “old school” Internet powerhouse like the former AOL or the still powerful Yahoo seeks to create or aggregate content and make their websites “sticky.” Facebook may be the stickiest yet – a very powerful walled garden with built-in communication tools and tons of links and compelling user-generated content. There are suggestions that, with 500 million users, Facebook is blowing Google’s doors (outdoing them in the race for Internet supremacy).

A company like Apple is fully engaged with these trends too. Media production companies digitize their releases and figure out ways to rent or sell this content online. Apple’s portable devices (iPhone, iPod, iPad) help drive a large amount of the Internet traffic. We’re talking about growing demand for legal downloads that stream in a dedicated media player like Windows Media Player, iTunes, VLC or Divx Player.

Truthfully the web is hardly dead and web browsers as we know them will probably exist for quite a while. But long-term people will increasingly “get” rather than “surf”, and continue to use more applications on an increasingly wide array of electronic devices. Wired’s magazine feature is a little abstract at times and suffers from some mild hyperbole but offers some great insights into Internet trends that affect us all.

It’s a fascinating article that features the writing of two senior writers/editors – and the introduction provides a nice overview:

“Two decades after its birth, the World Wide Web is in decline, as simpler, sleeker services — think apps — are less about the searching and more about the getting. Chris Anderson explains how this new paradigm reflects the inevitable course of capitalism. And Michael Wolff explains why the new breed of media titan is forsaking the Web for more promising (and profitable) pastures.”

Read the Wired Article:

http://www.wired.com/magazine/2010/08/ff_webrip/all/1

Toronto Summer Festivals – A Glimpse of the World at Home

Mike — Fri, 30 Jul 2010 16:21:48 +0000

I am a huge proponent of the multiculture. It informs my design and my world outlook. I also teach English and through my teaching have met students from literally every corner of the globe. In my artistic life, as Mikooshka (my musical alter-ego), I craft music which crosses over from genres like reggae, rock and hip-hop to Latin, African, and Brazilian.

For many Torontonians, summer in the city means getting an opportunity to catch a little of the flavor that the world brings here via Toronto’s immigrant communities. The major festivals are a great place to start and I will outline some here and offer a few quieter “year-round” activities you might consider as well.

Caribana: Note: Parade is tomorrow – Aug 1st. Happening annually and drawing as many foreign visitors as Pride, this is perhaps the most significant cultural festival in the city. A long time ago I attended the parade and was blown away by the color and energy. Caribana has been unfairly associated with violence (which has usually only occurred in the wee hours on weekends), and overall the parade and larger events can be considered safe and welcoming (a positive joyful atmosphere pervades). At other times of the year you can try jerk chicken, oxtail, and rotis at any of the fine Caribbean restuarants that dot the city, and we have some amazing reggae and island musicians in this city.
Try: Ackee Tree restaurant at Queen and Spadina, and one of the many reggae gigs in town – perhaps a good one would be the classic Canadian reggae outfit The Satellites, playing at the Orbit Room on College (every Tuesday night for “Roots Rock Reggae”).

Turkish Festival – Aug 7-8, 2010: Last year I happened upon a neat Ukrainian festival in Bloor St. Village, and this year I’ve just seen a promo for the Toronto Turkish Festival. It looks just as exotic and authentic, with music, food, and traditional costume and dance on the program. You can check out the official website and for a low-key around the year food experience you could try Champion Turkish restaurant, located near Pape and Donlands subway stations. Try the Donar! (It’s also known in these parts by the Arabic name Shawarma).

Hot and Spicy Food Festival – Aug 13-15: This Harbourfront event at the lakeside outdoor venue in downtown Toronto is about more than food – it also encompasses documentary film and music. Beyond the many artists and chefs making an appearance there is a renowned Cuban-Canadian jazz musician named Hilario Duran. He performs a free gig on Friday August 13th.

Inuit Arts and Culture Festival – Summer 2010: Continuing, weekends only until September 6, 2010 at the Toronto Zoo. As Douglas Coupland so rightly pointed out in his movie “Souvenir of Canada,” we often don’t get a chance to engage with the First Nations people of Canada. It seems that we are in a disconnect with the one million people who make up the Canadian aboriginal community (in Souvenir of Canada Coupland jokes that we ironically only experience Native culture in ceremonial dance demonstrations when the Queen comes to visit). Now’s your chance to dip at least a toe into the world of the Inuit and check out the Inuit artists work at the zoo.

In each case the festival offers an opportunity for us to learn a little bit more about the fascinating diversity of Toronto. Admittedly unless we make a friend or have family members in these other ethnic communities, we may never get a full immersion, but I think any attempt at “getting out feet wet” is a good start. Get out there an enjoy a few cultural events this summer.

“Waterlife” Documentary – Free Screening at NFB on June 1st

Mike — Tue, 25 May 2010 15:09:23 +0000

This movie looks like a “must see.” The director, Kevin McMahon has directed some amazing documentaries, including one of my favorites, “McLuhan’s Wake” – a doc on the Canadian media communications theorist Marshall McLuhan.

Green Screens presents WATERLIFE

Directed by Kevin McMahon, 2009, 109 minutes.

Tuesday June 1 at 7pm

FREE

NFB Cinema – 150 John St (at Richmond St W), Toronto

Waterlife follows the epic cascade of the Great Lakes from Lake Superior to the Atlantic Ocean, telling the story of the last huge supply of fresh water on Earth. Filled with fascinating characters and stunning imagery, Waterlife is a cinematic poem about the beauty of water and the dangers of taking it for granted.

The screening will be followed by a panel discussion with Tony Maas, Director of the Freshwater Program at WWF-Canada; Dr. Romila Verma, CIELAP Research Associate, Watershed Management and Climate Change; and Hilary Van Welter, Director of Social Innovation, Windfall Ecology Centre.

Green Screens partners films from the NFB with experts and panellists selected by the Canadian Institute for Environmental Law and Policy. If you are interested in the environment, Green Screens will entertain and inform you.

For more information, please call 416-973-3012 or visit:

http://www.NFB.ca/mediatheque

http://www.onf-nfb.gc.ca/eng/mediatheque/?lg=eng

Torontoist announces Rep Theatre Opening – Toronto Underground Cinema

Mike — Sat, 01 May 2010 13:55:14 +0000

Wow. It’s been quite a week for arts and entertainment in the city. The HotDocs Documentary Film Festival opening and Contact Photography Festival mark the beginning of the many arts-focused festivals which take centre-stage during summer months. Venerable website Torontoist has a story and photographs of the founders of a new repertory theatre which will open mid-May in the Queen and Spadina neighbourhood.

Boasting 700+ seats and formers managers from the Bloor Cinema, the theatre will play second-run and art house style fare to the locals. They hope to benefit from large-scale development like the TIFF Lighbox theatre project and all the condominiums that have overrun the entertainment district. Proximity to arty Queen West, colleges like OCAD and the general downtown core doesn’t hurt either. I have been a fan of the large theatre since the days of places like the Uptown, and the storied Bloor was a destination of choice for many years. I wish a sincere “welcome” and “best of luck” to owners Alex Woodside, Charlie Lawton, and Nigel Agnew. I will be sure to check out the theatre in the coming weeks.

Torontoist article

http://torontoist.com/2010/04/toronto_underground_cinema_rises_up.php