Canadian Crossing

Celebrating Canada Day in the United States

I could bore you (really, I could) about the history of Canada Day, the Confederation, and how four lonely provinces became a country on this day in 1867. But even I would get bored. So instead let me share a few personal observations from this year.

-- My Canada Day celebration started on June 30, when the Barenaked Ladies played a free concert as part of our 10-day "eat everything and listen to music" festival. The group seemed off following the recent departure of original band member Steven Page. They didn't do "Brian Wilson" in concert.

But that being said, they were entertaining during and in-between songs, their traditional trademark antics on stage made us laugh.

-- That concert got us in the mood for the next day: Canada Day. I wore my CBC T-shirt with the old ball-type logo (please, CBC, make a hat with this logo and I will buy it and wear it). As part of the free foreign film series on Wednesdays, I saw "Bon Cop, Bad Cop," an English and French Canadian picture that was part satire of buddy movies, commentator of English and French Canadian stereotypes, and a slam against NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman and his disdain for Canada.

Imagine a cop, murder mystery that is very funny, and you get an idea for this movie.

We were given Canadian flags to fly, which was a very nice touch. It was fun to be in a room full of people who appreciated the Canadian film contribution. And there were plenty of non-Canadians sprinkled throughout the crowd.

-- In a sort-of related point, a quick shout out to Joey Votto, first baseman for the Cincinnati Reds. Votto is from the Toronto area and is already one of the top players from Canada in the Major Leagues. Votto has been suffering from anxiety from the recent loss of his father (and an ear infection), and actually went on the disabled list for awhile.

Votto has been back for a short while, amusingly making his return in his hometown of Toronto in a rare interleague game between the Reds and the Toronto Blue Jays. Votto's team won on Canada Day, 1-0, over the Arizona Diamondbacks. Who drove in the game's only run? Joey Votto.

-- And finally, Stephen Colbert had a nice touch to honor Canada Day by "slamming" Canada Day:

"Today is Canada Day and I celebrate it the way I always do: by not knowing it's Canada Day."

"The Proposal" invokes Canada, but is it authentic?

The Proposal: Create a movie where the plot involves a Canadian executive working in the U.S. being threatened with deportation, and her escape route is pressuring her assistant to marry her.

Rare is the opportunity for a mainstream movie to mention Canada in any significant fashion. But Canada plays a role in the new Sandra Bullock movie, "The Proposal."

I sacrificed mightily last year to see "The Love Guru" to bring you this Canadian-related chapter. I didn't have to pay to see that movie, but my time was spent nevertheless. But I'm having a hard time with the idea of seeing this movie, especially if I have to pay for it.

Unlike last year's movie, Canada has a small role in this film. None of the movie takes place in Canada. And we have the ironic casting of having Sandra Bullock try to fake her way at being Canadian, while Ryan Reynolds, who is Canadian, gets to play the American.

We are supposed to believe that Bullock's character carelessly let her visa expire. Her character is supposed to be from Toronto, which likely means the writers et al. feel like they don't have to assign her any Canadian traits, like a Molson bottle on her desk or a hockey stick hanging up on her wall.

"The Proposal" doesn't seem worth $10 or even the matinee price of $6.75 (all U.S.) to find out whether Sandra Bullock can act like she knows anything about Canada or whether her or the writers asked Reynolds for pointers about the Great White North.

Perhaps I will get the courage to see the movie to weigh in. Maybe there will be actual tidbits, such as Bullock's character might say "eh," cry out for a 2-4, or even know who Don Cherry is.

If you believe this thread at imdb.com, some Canadian theatres refuse to carry the movie. Maybe they know something I don't.

I've met a number of Canadians living in Chicago, and while they pass, if you engage them, they have a fondness for things back home. This might have something to do with Bullock's acting talents, but I don't think she can pull that off. And they certainly would know when their visas would expire.

If all of this is true, the writers could have said she was from Switzerland or Luxembourg or Belgium. Then again, perhaps we should be flattered they chose Canada, but that flattery would disintegrate in thin air if it's not believable.

Say what you will about "The Love Guru," but the Canadian parts came from an authentic place in Mike Myers. If "The Proposal" has an ounce of authenticity, I would gladly pay $10 to see it. Otherwise, I'll wait for the rental price.

But maybe I'm wrong. If you've seen the film, let me know in the comments section if I'm being pig-headed or short-sighted. Or maybe I'm right on target.

Natasha Richardson suffers fall in Quebec ski resort

UPDATE: I did update this story in the comments. But to reiterate, Natasha Richardson has died at the age of 45 from the fall suffered Monday while skiing. Obviously, this is a horrible end to this story.

It was also sad to watch so many media outlets saying she was dead or brain-dead, jumping the gun unnecessarily. There is a right way to do this, and several outlets did it the wrong way.

Our condolences to her family.  

Actress Natasha Richardson suffered a serious fall at the Mont Tremblant ski resort near Quebec City. Richardson was transferred to a hospital in Montréal.

Her husband, Liam Neeson, was in Toronto shooting a movie and rushed to be with her.

There isn't much Canadian-related to this story other than these brief bits of information. But thought it might be significant to mention.

While things don't look good, we still hope for a recovery. Our best to her and her family.

Mike Myers wins three Razzies for "Love Guru"

They aren't the Oscars or the Independent Spirit Awards; in fact, the Razzies are the complete opposite of the Oscars.

Myers won 3 Razzies for worst picture, worst actor, and worst screenplay. I actually saw this movie, and while it had its moments, I'm glad I got to see it for free.

There was plenty of Canadian flavor in the movie, appropriate since Myers is from Canada. But the movie could have been stronger.

The good news? Halle Berry won a Razzie and later won an Oscar. The bad news? No Saturday Night Live cast member has ever won an Oscar.

No Oscar nominations for Canada, but plenty of potential Razzies for Mike Myers

While last year, the Oscar nominations were kind to Canadians, this year is eerily silent from a Canadian perspective.

The movie, "Frozen River," takes place in New York state and Quebec. Its lead actress, Melissa Leo, was nominated for Best Actress. This is not a mainstream, hundreds of movie theaters at one time, kind of movie. But it is about smuggling people across the U.S.-Canada border, and that is good enough for us.

"Frozen River" was also nominated for Original Screenplay.

On the other hand, Mike Myers did receive a lot of nominations. Unfortunately for him, they were for the Razzies. "The Love Guru" (which we wrote about last summer) received seven Razzies nomination, including Worst Picture and Worst Actor.

For all the negativity surrounding the Razzies, it's good to keep in mind that the second-worst film of the year gets no award. At least with the Razzies, people care enough to tell you they hated your movie.

The Oscars airs February 22 on ABC and CTV.

Mixed bag for Canada in Mike Myers' new film: Love Guru

The new Mike Myers film "Love Guru" pays homage to India, Canada, and the United States. So how did Canada do?

Well, only in the movies can the Toronto Maple Leafs win the Stanley Cup.

Myers (left in photo) is Canadian, as most of us know. He is the one who patterned "Stan Mikita's" in Wayne's World after the infamous Tim Horton's. So it's fun when he sneaks in Canadian references.

The movie mentions that the last time the Leafs won the Cup was 1967, which is true. The NHL allowed Myers to use the Toronto Maple Leafs and the Los Angeles Kings, the uniforms and logos, and the home arenas (Staples Center in Los Angeles and Air Canada Centre in Toronto) were used.

SPOILERS PRETTY MUCH FROM HERE.

The owner in the movie (played by Jessica Alba, right in photo) is named Jane Bullard. She speaks of inheriting the team from her father. The longtime real owner of the team, Harold Ballard, has so similar a name that one has to think it's not a coincidence.

There is a running theme that if she shows her face to the fans that she will be booed and things thrown at her. When she finally appears late in the movie, she says that the fans should "kiss her Canadian ass."

Rob Blake, who is a real NHL player, plays himself in the movie. Blake was born in Simcoe, Ontatrio in Canada.

There are some "penalties" as it were on the movie. American comedians Jim Gaffigan and Stephen Colbert play the announcers, using the theme for Hockey Night in Canada and the official CBC HNIC logo. Yet they are stupid, don't try to sound Canadian, and don't add anything to the movie. And this is on top of Colbert's reference to the HNIC theme in his "Colbert Report" show on his June 10 episode.

Also, NHL referees can't call multiple game suspensions from the ice. The major Leafs hockey player gets a 2-game suspension from the referee on the ice. And he certainly didn't do enough to warrant anything other than a penalty within the game.

The movie also wraps up poorly, as if the game had to be decided in regulation. Hockey fans can tell you in Stanley Cup playoffs, games go into overtime until somebody wins.

The references to Canada, like the movie, was mixed. It certainly didn't screw up any major Canadian references, but didn't really highlight them either. The movie had some good points, but needed help in several parts.

Photo from George Kraychyk / Paramount

Molly Parker in "Swingtown"

Molly Parker is one of my favorite Canadian actresses. I first discovered her in "Twitch City," an offbeat Canadian TV show about a man who never leaves his apartment.

The frustration with explaining who Parker is stems from the lack of American attention to her projects, though she was in "Deadwood" so my friends who have HBO (very few of those) could find out about her.

Films I can recommend to see her include "The Five Senses" and "Marion Bridge."

Now, Parker is in a new CBS summer series entitled "Swingtown" about the 1970s. Amusingly, her TV husband is British actor Jack Davenport (with Parker in bottom picture), famous for "Coupling," so you have a Brit and a Canadian playing a couple in 1970s Chicago suburbia. Swingtown airs Thursday nights on CBS at 10 p.m. EDT/9 p.m. CDT.

I haven't seen the show yet as it makes its debut tonight, so I hope it's a good script and shows off Parker in a good light.

Then again, I was praising another Canadian actress that almost no one had heard of, and later she became famous: Sandra Oh. Yes, she had a career before "Sideways" and "Grey's Anatomy." So you just never know.

photo from CBS

I wish they all could be... Canadian girls

After the reaction to yesterday's entry on the newest Playmate of the Year, it should be pointed out that there are a number of beautiful Canadian women who should be celebrated.

Some rather attractive women (in the eyes of society) who hail from Canada include supermodel Linda Evangelista, actress Evangeline Lilly from "Lost", and actress Jessica Paré (left).

We can also list Sandra Oh, Rachel McAdams, and Sarah Polley. Catherine O'Hara, Andrea Martin, and Gilda Radner are all lovely and funny.

One of the hottest young actresses, Oscar-nominated Ellen Page, is Canadian. I happen to think Molly Parker is amazingly talented as well as being attractive. You might have seen Parker in "Deadwood."

Let's add Natasha Henstridge ("Species"), Neve Campbell, Jill Hennessy, Genevieve Bujold, Carrie-Anne Moss, Margot Kidder, and Kathleen Robertson ("The Business").

For older generations, let's mention Mary Pickford, Yvonne de Carlo, Fay Wray, and Colleen Dewhurst.

Then there is Kim Cattrall, technically born in England, but emigrated to Canada when she was 3 months old. To prove her Canadian value, she once dated former Canadian Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau.

Beautiful women are not confined only to models and actresses -- there are lots of lovely Canadian women, some famous but most aren't so famous.

picture from here

Scarlett Johansson engaged to wed a Canadian

picture from this Web site

You might think I know every prominent Canadian, but I learn some things along the way as well. Scarlett Johansson is not Canadian, but her current fiance is a Canadian. I didn't know Ryan Reynolds was Canadian until I read the story.

Reynolds has been in a few movies, but was known for "Two Guys, a Girl, and a Pizza Place." I don't think he was the pizza place.

The story also mentions that Reynolds used to be engaged to singer Alanis Morissette, who is Canadian.

So good luck to the happy couple. But if things don't work out for Johansson, just so you know, I do speak Canadian.

Split awards for Ellen Page

Ellen Page did not win the Oscar for Best Actress for "Juno," but she did win Best Actress at the Independent Spirit Awards on Saturday.

If you had said that all the Oscar acting awards were going to people born outside the U.S., you would have thought the Halifax-born Page had a good shot. Then again, four out of the five entries for Best Actress were foreign-born (Laura Linney was the only U.S. born nominee).

Still, it was a good weekend for Page. Hopefully, we will see her other work get more notice, such as "The Tracey Fragments," which played in the Toronto International Film Festival last September along with Juno. Page will be around for a long, long time.

Sarah Polley didn't win Best Adapted Screenplay either, losing to the Coen brothers for "No Country for Old Men." But she has received a great deal of recognition for her first writing and directing of a movie: here is a list of awards and nominations she has received.

There will still be more of Polley, on and off screen, for a long, long time to come.