Here are some of the movies I’ve watched lately.

Juno - I loved this movie. It was a charming breath of fresh air, energetic and real. Ellen Page was believable as a witty and quirky teen girl who gets pregnant and tries to do what she thinks is right. She strikes a perfect balance between tough and vulnerable that rings a strong note of truth. The clever dialog makes me want to see it again.

Big Fish - Everyone’s been telling me about this one lately, which is odd, since it’s not exactly a new film. I finally got around to watching it, and I liked it quite a lot. The notion that we create our own realities not only for ourselves, but for those around us is an interesting one. I’m also drawn to the concept of never settling for less than what your ambition tells you that you deserve.

The Fog of War - This documentary is based on an interview with Robert S. McNamara, former Secretary of Defense in the US Government. McNamara held that position during the Kennedy and Johnson administrations. During that time, he advised those presidents through the Cuban Missile Crisis, and the Vietnam War. His insights into war and diplomacy were fascinating. He spoke plainly, honestly and with evident passion and emotion, acknowledging his mistakes, but also proud that he had shepherded more than one president away from the brink of nuclear war. It was humbling to watch him speak, knowing the enormous pressures and responsibilities shouldered by him and others like him, with millions of lives hanging in the balance of his decisions. The interview was accompanied by powerful visuals created from war and news footage from the relevant eras.

There Will Be Blood - Daniel Day Lewis does not disappoint. Lewis’s character is an oil man, chasing the wealth and power that the black gold brings. This film is intense, from beginning to end. Even the music is discordant and rhythmic pumping up the tension. Lewis’s obsession consumes him, but other issues of faith, society, fatherhood and family bubble just below his surface. I won’t spoil it, but I will tell you this: there is blood.

Venus - This film ruthlessly examines the relationship between a young girl and and old man. The plot outline on IMDB describes it as, ” Life for a pair of veteran actors gets turned upside down after they meet a brash teenager.” I think this unfairly gives the impression that this film is The Odd Couple meets the Mickey Mouse Club. I wonder if the person who wrote that actually saw the film. Ultimately it turns out to be about transitions, between childhood and adulthood, hatred and love, denial and acceptance, life and death. There are uncomfortable moments, painful moments, and also funny ones. It’s moving, largely because of powerful performances by Peter O’Toole, Vanessa Redgrave, and Jodie Whittaker.

I’m pretty excited. Summer Glau, one of my favorite TV hotties, is back. She’s co-starring in Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles. The role is perfect for her. Watch it and you’ll see what I mean.

I was in Jamaica. Here’s the proof.

Photos are by Kevin Ho, who thankfully wasn’t too lazy to carry his camera around.

I’m back from Jamaica! Actually, I got back to Canada very early yesterday morning, but then went to the Raptors game and then to Dad’s for dinner before finally making it to my own bed.

The trip was fantastic. Very refreshing and relaxing. It was such a different type of travel from what I’ve gotten used to. Everything was provided, and life was very easy for a week. It was also quite an adjustment to travel with a group. At times it was challenging, because I have a frequent need to be alone and have space. But, I found that once I explained it to the group, they didn’t worry about me when I went to sit on the balcony and read by myself or walk off down the beach on my own. The upside of traveling with a group of five other people is the abundance of inside jokes we developed. There was the Indian way of saying “Fat Fat,” Rani’s vast collection of “bicknees” and of course, the Lionel Richie song that begins with, “Halal, is it meat you’re looking for?” We had nicknames for everyone on the resort. I’ll never forget Obnoxor spewing fumes of carbon obnoxide, Angor, The French Connection, The Awkward Russians, U2, Lonely Indian Guy, Girl on Fire, Saskatoon, Amanda Hug ‘n Kiss, and so many others. We were collectively known as the Girl with the Five Guys.

The resort was small, with only 120 rooms or so. They still managed to provide great entertainment, delicious food, and comfortable accommodations. All rooms had a beautiful view of the Caribbean Sea, which for the first few days, was as calm and clear as a swimming pool. We were also facing roughly west, so there was a beautiful sunset almost every night. We were a bit worried when we saw how small the beach was, but because the resort is also small, we never felt crowded. We never felt like we needed to fight for a spot on the beach, or get up extra early to ensure a good spot to suntan. I particularly enjoyed the floating trampoline, and spent many hours sleeping on it in the sun.

The staff was friendly and service-oriented, and worked hard to make our experience a good one. Every night there was some kind of show, usually with audience participation. I got up on stage for the Battle of the Sexes. I was surprised to get a chance to improvise, when my team was asked to transform me into a woman. It was extra easy to get into the character of Shenille, a “professional entertainer” from New York because I was decked out a pink wig, purple glitter pants, a silver bra, lipstick, and high heel shoes. Unfortunately, there’s a video of this out there somewhere.

New Years Eve was a lot of fun. After counting down to midnight, we all jumped up on stage and danced with the band. When the show was over, a few of us stripped down to our underwear and jumped into the ocean. After showering off, we partied at the disco until 4am.The weather was… interesting. We had three days of brilliant sun and warmth, with calm breezes and clear water. The temperature was typically about 27-30C every day. In other words, perfect. Then the tropical depression moved in, whipping the sea into a frenzy. It tore apart our seafront and beach overnight, and for two days we were unable to use it. We wouldn’t want to anyway, since it was filled with fragments of the wooden fence, and it was pretty cold too. We didn’t let it spoil our fun though. We spent that time eating, drinking, playing horseshoes, basketball, board games, dominoes, cards, generally goofing off, or whatever else came to mind. The day we left, the sky and sea were clear again.

I attained a new level of photographic laziness on this trip. Not only did I only bring my tiny Canon point and shoot, leaving my 5D at home, but I also left the Canon point and shoot in the hotel room most of the time. It seemed like too much bother to carry it around. One of the other guys on the trip had the same point and shoot, so when I felt like taking a picture, I just used his. I’ll have to wait for him to upload the photos before I share them. Here are the ones from my cam.