Canadian Crossing

2018 WIFF Canadian films in review

"I didn’t have the courage to do Cleopatra, so I did it in Canada." — a paraphrase of what Dame Maggie Smith said in Tea with the Dames (2018).

Tea with the Dames is not a Canadian film but Smith's comedic timing made a Canadian audience laugh. That is a good way to start out our look at the Canadian films at the 2018 Windsor International Film Festival.

Feature films

Giant Little Ones is about 2 teenage boys — Franky Winter (Josh Wiggins) and Ballas Kohl (Darren Mann) — who are very tight. Both are key members of the school swim team. They have an unseen encounter after Frankie's birthday party. The next day, Ballas accuses Frankie of making a sexual move on him and ends the friendship.

All the signs are there. Franky's best friend is a lesbian (Niamh Wilson) who is trying to come up with a replica phallus. He isn't aggressively into girls. And his dad (Kyle MacLachlan) left his mom (Maria Bello) to be with another man.

Franky starts hanging out with Tash, the kid sister of Ballas. Tash has the reputation of being a "slut" but we find out that was more sexual assault than "slut."

Writer-director Keith Behrman doesn't take the obvious paths for Franky or the other characters. Female characters in these type of films are often 1-dimensional at best. Taylor Hickson as Tash will break your heart with her surprising vulnerability around Franky that no one else gets to see. Wilson as Mouse, Franky's lesbian friend, is sweet and funny in her phallus curiosity.

I did wonder if the presence of American actors MacLachlan and Bello would be overwhelming but both actors respected the story and responded accordingly. This story is a great example of how Canadian film can tell certain stories in a mature adult fashion that an American film could never do.

Splinters is not your typical coming out story from a filmmaker (Thom Fitzgerald) who is stellar in handling gay and lesbian issues on film. Belle (Sofia Banzhaf) returns to her family in the Annapolis Valley in Nova Scotia for her father's funeral. Belle left the family after the acrimony of coming out as a lesbian to her mother. Now Belle has a boyfriend but doesn't want to tell her mother.

The interaction with Belle, mother Pearl (Deb Allen), and brother Greg (Bailey Maughan) feels like a play at times, even after the boyfriend Rob (Callum Dunphy) shows up anyway.

Belle is wrestling whether to be with Rob or with women. Her ex-fiancee Claire also lives in the small town and Belle and Claire run into each other. Sofia Banzhaf performs well as the lead and has to do a lot in this film.

Fans of The Hanging Garden from deep in Fitzgerald's past will recognize the ghost imagery in both films. Look for folk musician Stewart Legere performing during the wake at the house, a nice Nova Scotia touch.

The Grizzlies is based on the real-life story of a lacrosse team in Kugluktuk, a hamlet that is the westernmost community in Nunavut.

The story follows the path of typical sports films. Russ Sheppard (Ben Schnetzer) is using his time in the North to pay off student debts and parlay that experience into a desired teaching position. Sheppard is there to teach history but it's not the history of the people in the classroom. They have many reasons why they aren't in school. Sheppard tries to motivate them, struggles with that, but then comes up with lacrosse as a way to keep them off the streets.

The difference is this film shows the native actors dealing with real-life saga of teen suicides, choosing between school and hunting for needed food, teen pregnancy, and domestic abuse.

Miranda de Pencier directed and co-produced the film with Nunavut filmmaker Stacey Aglok MacDonald, who is from Kugluktuk. Moira Walley-Beckett, showrunner for Anne with an E, and Graham Yost co-wrote the script.

Will Sasso has a role as the best friend to Sheppard who shows him the ropes of the area.

The film balances the need for a motivational sports title with true-to-life stories about people who live in such hamlets. We learn small things about the culture such as not needing to knock on people's doors.

1991 is the latest installment from Ricardo Trogi in a series of films that reflect moments from his life. In 1991, Trogi is studying screenwriting at UQAM when he goes off to study in Italy mostly to chase after a young woman. If you had seen 1981 and 1987, you wouldn't be surprised about Italy since his family is Italian-Canadian. The humour is similar to the other 2 films where Ricardo Trogi (our protagonist) has a lot of flaws and mishaps.

When Trogi finally finds the Canadian embassy, he does make reference to how much nicer this was than a theoretical Quebec embassy had the 1980 referendum gone through. Trogi also name drops Rene Levesque. At several points, Trogi does speak of being a proud Quebecer.

Baby Blues (2008) is a locally shot film that I picked over a current locally shot film (The Control). Josie is starting over. She has to talk her way into a waitress job at the Whistling Kettle Country Dinner (an actual local restaurant). Her friend Mani helps get Josie the job. She tells Josie "if they order fries, suggest gravy."

Josie meets Max, a musician customer who only orders water and sits at a table for hours. Turns out Josie and Max are both hiding secrets. We see Josie's flashbacks so we know something tragic happened.

The film has a few flaws such as waiting way too long to reveal Josie's issues, wondering what kind of diner allows customers to order only water, and certain elements of her back story. Those who complain that Canadian film looks like well, Canadian film, this film doesn't have the best production values.

The characters are likable and the story is interesting enough. The major issue is that the story keeps the audience too much in the dark for far too long.

2018 Windsor International Film Festival preview

2017 WIFF Canadian films in review

2017 Windsor International Film Festival preview

Horror films

Canada is really good at horror films, whether the obvious scare or a more subtle fright. The 2018 Windsor International Film Festival featured 3 different kinds of fright.

Level 16 takes us in what might seem to be a finishing school for teenage girls but set in a prison. Reaching Level 16 is the last level before adoption. The young women have gone through years of obedience in a world where making friends can be dangerous.

Katie Douglas, who you might know from Mary Kills People, is Vivien, a tough girl who demands the best bed when she gets to Level 16. Sophia (Celina Martin) tries to convince Vivien that things are not what they seem in their world.

Sara Canning (Miss Brixil) and Peter Outerbridge (Dr. Miro) are very well cast as the adults in the institution. You might remember Outerbridge from Kissed and Better than Chocolate.

Danishka Esterhazy gives us a world of heightened femininity but also feminist in that no man is literally going to save them. The film works as science fiction and horror but is engrossing if you like neither genre.

What Keeps You Alive is part psychological thriller with plenty of horror to be found. A lesbian couple settle into a cabin in the middle of the woods. The cabin has been in Jackie's (Hannah Emily Anderson, Shoot the Messenger) family since just after Canadian confederation. Jackie's wife Jules meets Sarah, a childhood friend of Jackie's who calls Jackie "Megan." Sarah also reveals that their childhood friend Jenny drowned in the lake next to the cabin when they were teenagers.

Writer-director Colin Minihan takes us through an intense pace with well-drawn characters. You never quite know what is happening. This is a smartly presented horror film. The film was shot in Muskoka, ON.

Summer of ‘84 takes us back to a simpler time when people could genuinely be scared. A group of teenage boys in a suburban area in Oregon get caught up in an adventure searching for a serial killer loose who targets teenage boys.

The time period means the boys have to do old-fashioned detective work such as using walkie-talkies. The references are oddly placed at best and at worst feel false to people who lived through those times, especially in suburban Oregon.

The film takes a long time to develop and with little character development to motivate you to stick with the film. There is a serial killer loose yet the only ones who care are the teenage boys. The twists that come at the end feel cheap. The filmmakers did a good job at giving you a bland horror film from this era. That might be genius in a meta direction but might not be too entertaining.

Documentaries

Anthropocene: The Human Epoch follows the pattern of the previous 2 documentaries (Watermark, Manufactured Landscapes) from Jennifer Baichwal, Nicholas de Pencier, and Edward Burtynsky. The films are filled with beautiful photography and minimalist dialogue. The latest installment deals with the environmental messes caused by human beings.

The film takes us around the world; the only Canada mention was the logging of British Columbia rainforests. There is a segment about the Gotthard Base Tunnel in Switzerland and another segment from London where a former bomb shelter has been turned into a hydroponics farm. Does the film tell us whether these things are bad or just there? The film just shows us things, such as an accumulation of elephant tusks. We do know that is bad.

Sharkwater: Extinction is the project Canadian filmmaker and environmental activist Rob Stewart was working on when he died from a dive that went very wrong. The film started as a follow-up to Sharkwater (2006) that first brought attention to harvesting sharks for shark fin soup.

The film takes us to Costa Rica, a country where things were bad for sharks. Laws made things better but a change in government meant more trouble for sharks. We also go to Los Angeles and Miami. In the latter city, Stewart and his crew investigate restaurants and grocery stores looking for shark DNA in products such as pet food and beauty products. Stewart notes that 150 million sharks killed each year but 80 million are unaccounted for in terms of how they died.

The film also covers Key Largo, the site of the final dive. The epilogue covers the accident, coverage, and legacy. (There is a documentary called The Third Dive for more on the accident.)

Stewart turns out to be very personable. Even if you are scared of sharks, you will be on the side of sharks after seeing this film. That makes all the more tragic what happened to Stewart.

Unnamed Verses explores the threatened demolition of 121 housing units in North York in Toronto to build condos. But we learn soon into the film that the story is about the residents of Villaways, specifically Francine Valentine, a young teenage girl who likes to write but is shy to share when she has a chance to record her poetry via rap.

The arts studio in the housing project helps the kids learn and appreciate the world outside the project, including a trip to see the art of Jean-Michel Basquiat at the Art Gallery of Ontario.

We learn that the process for trying to get back into the new housing is complicated. But the film is mostly focused on Francine's world. The gentrification angle gets lost as the personification of people who live in a housing project dominates the film.

Film review: The Fireflies Are Gone

CanadianCrossing.com film reviews

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Canadian films not reviewed were The Control; Ferris's Room; Roobha; and Transformer.

The Fireflies Are Gone was one of 2 French-Canadian films in the film festival along with 1991. We reviewed that film separately earlier this month.

The 2019 Windsor International Film Festival will celebrate its 15th anniversary with 10 days of film November 1-10, 2019.

video credit: YouTube/TIFF Trailers
photo credit: The Grizzlies film
logo credit: Windsor International Film Festival

Calgary voters say no to 2026 Winter Olympics

Calgary voters had their chances to register their thoughts on their city hosting the 2026 Winter Olympics and Paralympic Games. They said "no" with 56.4% of the vote, according to unofficial vote totals for the non-binding plebiscite.

The plebiscite attracted 304,774 ballots from 767,734 eligible voters for a 40% turnout.

If the vote had gone to the "yes" side, Calgary's chances of getting the 2026 Winter Olympics would have been very good. The other bids were from Milan-Cortina d'Ampezzo, Italy and Stockholm, Sweden. After 3 straight Winter Olympics in Asia (the 2022 Winter Olympics will be in Beijing, China) or near-Asia (the debate over whether Sochi, Russia is in Europe or Asia), the International Olympic Committee (IOC) would have welcomed a North American Olympics.

The voters had concerns about the current economy, potential cost overruns, money going away from projects that would help everyday activities, and a bit of confusion over what was and wasn't in the Olympics bid.

The Olympics bid didn't include a new arena or stadium but that is more about the nuances of pleasing the IOC, which discourages new buildings as part of the bidding process. The Calgary bid called for ski jumping to be held in Whistler. This was a money-saving point and that the Calgary’s ski jumps aren't up to IOC standards.

The Yes, Calgary side of the debate came out with a FAQ to try to clear confusion over what is covered and not covered in the Olympics bid.

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How Rob Ford spent (part of) my summer vacation

For many, the 2026 Winter Olympics bid was a motivation for Calgary to build a new arena and stadium that would primarily be used by the NHL Flames and CFL Stampeders. McMahon Stadium has been in use since 1960 and the Scotiabank Saddledome has been in use since 1983.

Those pushing for a new arena will find themselves in the same company as Gary Bettman, no matter how icky that must be. Bettman has been a lot less subtle than most on the topic, noting that every other NHL team is in a new arena or heavily remodeled (Madison Square Garden).

CalgaryNEXT was the only major proposal that included a replacement for McMahon Stadium. The proposal was an arena and stadium side-by-side in the West Village along the Bow River. The CalgaryNEXT proposal didn't get much consideration.

By contrast, the Saddledome is in Victoria Park just north of the Calgary Stampede grounds. McMahon Stadium is in the northwest part of the city. Both facilities have easy access to the C-Train.

With a no vote, the money that could have been used on the 2026 Winter Olympics could go to a new arena and stadium that would primarily be used by the NHL Flames and CFL Stampeders.

CanadianCrossing.com Olympics coverage

Calgary voters who voted "no" should know the arenas discussion will only start up once again. If the vote had been "yes" and the IOC had picked Calgary for 2026, there would have been discussion about new facilities.

For the CFL, new stadiums in Winnipeg and Regina serve as reminders for what Calgary could have for the Stampeders. The NHL with new arenas in Detroit and Edmonton offer inspiration for what Calgary could have for the Flames.

The Saddledome, first named the Olympic Saddledome, was built for the NHL Flames, who moved from Atlanta to Calgary in 1980. The Flames played from 1980-1983 at the Stampede Corral, a facility with a capacity well under 10,000. The Saddledome was built as part of the bid for the 1988 Winter Olympics.

The idea of Calgary hosting the 2026 Winter Olympics was that the 1988 Winter Olympics went so well. Hosting again would have cemented the idea of Calgary being an Olympics city. On the strength of the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver, the 2026 Winter Olympics would have been a great showcase for western Canada around the world.

Calgary will have to visit the idea of updated arenas and stadiums. The Winter Olympics could have justified the building of new infrastructure, including a transit line from the Calgary airport to downtown, such as the one in Vancouver.

photo credit: Ed Middleton/CBC

Being in Canada where cannabis is legal but nowhere to be found

There was very little proof after spending a week in Windsor that legal recreational marijuana exists in Canada.

The sign above reminds us that you can't take marijuana across the border, but easier to do if there is marijuana in Canada.

For now, the only legal options in Ontario are growing 4 or fewer plants in your own home or online via the Ontario Cannabis Store if the store is working as intended.

A group set up a symbolic injection site tent in an abandoned section on Ouellette Avenue, the main north-south street in downtown Windsor. That was as close as I got to drugs on the trip.

How the 2018 U.S. midterm elections might affect Canada

Marijuana tourism won't be going in the other direction in the short term, even though Michigan voters approved legal recreational marijuana on Election Day last week. As slow as Ontario has gone in the process, far behind all of Canada, except for Nunavat, Michigan marijuana will be slower in coming. This will keep the Windsor area a step ahead.

The bus shelter public service announcement (below) reminds us that the age for marijuana is 19, same as alcohol in Ontario. The age gap with Michigan (21+ for alcohol and marijuana) will prove advantageous.

While Michigan said yes to legal recreational marijuana, North Dakota said no but still has medical marijuana. Michigan joins other border states such as Alaska (Yukon); Maine (New Brunswick, Quebec); Vermont (Quebec); and Washington (British Columbia).

Opening Day for legal recreational marijuana in Canada

NAFTA 2.0, er, USMCA is a nightmarish trade deal for Canada

Ontario won't open private stores until at least April 1, 2019 and edibles won't be a factor until at least late 2019. The comparison might be that gambling started in Canada with casinos and then Detroit caught up eventually. Getting that head start is crucial.

The steel and aluminum tariffs that still exist, despite a USMCA/new NAFTA, are hurting the region financially. Adding marijuana to auto parts would be a huge financial boost to southwestern Ontario.

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Most of Canada is open to legal recreational marijuana so marijuana tourism does exist elsewhere. Anecdotal evidence: Neither border crossing brought up marijuana. Your experience will vary.

photos credit: me

How the 2018 U.S. midterm elections might affect Canada

Welcome to Election Day in the United States. Election Day south of the 49th parallel is on the first Tuesday after the first Monday in November.

In the midterm elections, all 435 House of Representative seats and approximately 33 seats of the Senate are open. Unfortunately, House districts are severely gerrymandered seats where the boundaries are drawn to help retain incumbents, mostly Republicans. Iowa is a grand exception to gerrymandering. Unlike the 2016 election, more Democratic Senate seats are up for grabs. Heidi Heitkamp (North Dakota), Joe Donnelly (Indiana), and Joe Manchin (West Virginia) are vulnerable incumbent Democratic senators.

The main prize for Canadians with either a Democratic win in the House or Senate is reconsideration for the USMCA aka NAFTA 1.5. A Dem-controlled House or Senate could also tackle the unfortunate tariffs against Canada from softwood lumber and airplanes to steel and aluminum.

Opening Day for legal recreational marijuana in Canada

NAFTA 2.0, er, USMCA is a nightmarish trade deal for Canada

Good luck to Michigan and North Dakota on approving recreational marijuana ballot initiatives in today's election. If those states approve recreational marijuana, they would join other border states such as Alaska (Yukon); Maine (New Brunswick, Quebec); Vermont (Quebec); and Washington (British Columbia).

Even if a border state has legalized recreational marijuana, you are not allowed to bring marijuana across the federal border between Canada and the United States.

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If you are an American citizen, go out and vote today. If you live in a state where your right to vote has been illegally taken away from you, fight for your right to vote. Canada is rooting for a strong turnout to make a difference south of the 49th parallel.

photo credit: YouTube @When We All Vote

2018 Windsor International Film Festival preview

We criticized the 2017 Windsor International Film Festival for cutting back on Canadian films, going from 31 to 20. Well, the 2018 Windsor International Film Festival Canadian films list has 16 films. The 2016 version was above average in terms of Canadian film, but a film festival in Canada should celebrate Canadian film.

There are only 2 French-Canadian films. Deux!?

The number of documentaries has shrunk to 4, down from 9 in 2017.

Some of the major anticipated highlights from TIFF 2018 include the latest Thom Fitzgerald film Splinters. Splinters is the Canadian film at WIFF 2018 I am looking most forward to seeing. Other top choices would be Giant Little Ones, featuring American actors Kyle MacLachlan and Maria Bello, and The Grizzlies about the indigenous lacrosse team from director Miranda de Pencier.

I will see The Fireflies Are Gone in the Chicago festival. The winner of the TIFF 2018 Best Canadian Feature Film is half of the French-Canadian output along with 1991, the latest installment from Ricardo Trogi.

Documentaries of note include Anthropocene: The Human Epoch, the latest from Jennifer Baichwal; Unarmed Verses, winner of the Best Canadian Feature Documentary Award at Hot Docs 2017; Sharkwater: Extinction, the final film from the late Rob Stewart; and Transformer, the Audience Award winner from the Hot Docs Canadian International Film Festival 2018.

2017 Windsor International Film Festival preview

CanadianCrossing.com film coverage

The festival has scheduled a screening each for 2 films with local ties: current release The Control and Baby Blues (2008). They have scheduled both in the same time period so filmgoers will have to flip a coin.

Fans of horror films of various types will enjoy these Canadian titles: Level 16, Summer Of 84, and What Keeps You Alive.

The other documentary is Ferris’s Room, which tells the story of Toronto artist Sarah Keenlyside's recreation of the bedroom from the John Hughes film Ferris Bueller's Day Off. That would seem to be more about Chicago than Canada.

The other feature film is Roobha, a story of a South Asian romance between a middle-aged man and a trans woman.

Films in the festival with a Canada co-production credit are C'est La Vie, Just a Breath Away, and Love, Gilda.

The 2018 Windsor International Film Festival runs October 29-November 4.

photo credit: Windsor International Film Festival

Opening Day for legal recreational marijuana in Canada

Canadians can now add marijuana to their legal shopping lists as of today. October 17 marks the opening day of being able to legally buy marijuana in Canada.

Recent news stories indicate that supplies may not keep up with demand in the first year, and that is without edibles being legal. You might have heard about the possibility of drinkables but those won't be allowed right away either.

Canadians will be allowed to carry up to 30 grams on domestic flights only, as noted in the video (above). On rare occasions, Canadian domestic flights are diverted to the United States.

Bloomberg ran an update last month on where you can purchase recreational marijuana in provinces and territories. CBC News has a guide to how you can access marijuana in the provinces and territories.

As a reminder, people in Canada can possess up to 30 grams. An ounce is 28 grams. The video (above) gives you an idea of what 30 grams looks like. The minimum age is 19 except for Quebec and Alberta, where the age is 18.

October 17 also marks the start of monitoring border crossings. Seeds were planted in Politico about banning Canadians who work in the marijuana industry and/or people who invest in pot companies.

If you are a Canadian with a credit card and that data is stored in the United States, the border patrol could monitor credit card history to see whether you have bought marijuana.

Some of this samples could be real or paranoia; some new ones can easily come along. The rules won't be clear until you find yourself crossing into the United States and they may be randomly observed.

You can get waivers for a lifetime ban but they are costly in terms of money and time and involve a lot of hassle. We wish our Canadian friends a lot of luck in border crossings over the next few weeks.

Marijuana tourists to Ontario will have to wait awhile

Our guide to legal marijuana in Canada

One adjustment for our friends in Ontario: You will be able to smoke pot in areas where tobacco smoking is allowed. Premier Doug Ford contradicted his own policy by saying you couldn't smoke in playgrounds because of children but could smoke in parks, even though children might be in parks. You still won't be able to buy marijuana in a store until at least April 2019. If you are an American pursuing marijuana tourism, you have better options than Ontario.

One adjustment for our friends in Quebec: Premier-designate François Legault campaigned on a promise to increase the legal age for marijuana to 21 if the CAQ came to power. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is concerned about the potential increase in the minimum age leading to an increase in the black market. Those in Quebec between 18-20 and visitors to La Belle Province will likely have a limited window to indulge legally.

Canada passes marijuana legalization legislation

4 of the 9 states with legal recreational marijuana border Canada: Alaska (Yukon); Maine (New Brunswick, Quebec); Vermont (Quebec); and Washington (British Columbia). We will know on November 6 as to whether Michigan (Ontario) and North Dakota (Manitoba) will be on that list.

The states will vote on Election Day whether to have legal recreational marijuana.

Legal recreational marijuana in Canada is an experiment in progress. Respect the process as this unfolds. As Sergeant Phil Esterhaus (Michael Conrad) would say on Hill Street Blues, "let's be careful out there."

video credit: CBC News
photo credit: me

Reflections on Canadian Thanksgiving 2018

Happy Canadian Thanksgiving. Or as they say in Canada, "Happy Thanksgiving." We usually take the Thanksgiving Monday to reflect on Canada from a broader perspective.

For the last few years, we have been fortunate to gather together for a Canadian Thanksgiving on U.S. soil. We worked hard over the years to get more people. In the last couple of years, the total has been around 100 people. Unfortunately, the place where we gathered closed in early April and we couldn't find another space that suited the needs of the Thanksgiving dinner.

Gathering with a smaller group is very nice but the camaraderie of a large group was very special.

The CFL football games will also be a part of the day or maybe even an Ottawa Senators matinee game.

CanadianCrossing.com travel coverage

I haven't been able to travel as much to Canada lately. I am sad that this has been happening but thankful the situation will improve soon. I also know where I would love to go.

We have a couple of Canadian films in the Chicago International Film Festival. We should have word on the film lineup for the Windsor International Film Festival this week. If you can't travel, film is a good way to experience the world in a place other than where you are.

Despite childish threats by Donald Trump, Canada should hold out for a good NAFTA deal

U.S. trying to force sunset clause on NAFTA; Canada can't accept that demand

We haven't reflected too much on NAFTA 1.5. aka USMCA. A lot needs to be said about the deal but the large and small details we've seen are depressing. This agreement should not pass as is but some of the scarier parts aren't as scary.

The idea of being thankful for a new trade deal is more about recovering from the shock. And oh yes, all the horrible tariffs are still in place. The words extortion and "gun to the head" have been used a lot without exaggeration. We will in time have more to say.

Quebec turns to Coalition Avenir Québec to run province

New Brunswick will have a minority government

We have seen dramatic elections recently in New Brunswick and Quebec. You might not agree with the outcomes but more representation from outside parties makes democracy a bit more vibrant.

Some parts of Canada (above) got quite a bit of snow. Yes, there can be snow in some parts but early October snow is a bit of a shock. Speaking of snow in Alberta, Calgary is in the top 3 finalists for the 2016 Winter Olympics. Calgary is on the list with Stockholm, Sweden and Milan-Cortina, Italy. Calgary hosted the 1988 Winter Olympics. Vancouver hosted the 2010 Winter Olympics.

Our guide to legal marijuana in Canada

If nothing else, Canada legalises recreational marijuana coast to coast to coast next Wednesday.

Enjoy your family and friends and have a really nice Thanksgiving from all of us at CanadianCrossing.com.

photo credit: CityTV

Video review: My American Cousin/American Boyfriends

You may have run across My American Cousin when flipping around cable channels in the United States. A sleepy little film about a 12-year-old Canadian girl in Canada who gets a visit from her American cousin in his beautiful Cadillac.

My American Cousin is based on the experiences of writer/director Sandy Wilson. Though the film came out in 1985, the attention to detail leaves you in an authentic time warp circa 1959.

Margaret Langrick establishes herself well in the lead role as Sandy Wilcox, a girl who can't wait to be a teenager. The car becomes symbolic for her desire to get out of rural Penticton, British Columbia. The cousin is also a symbol of boys, who she is still trying to figure out, and the United States that represents paved roads and freedom.

Butch Walker (John Wildman) is 17 years old, eons apart from Sandy and her friends in age. Butch is chasing after older women than Sandy and her friends. Walker is clearly hiding the reason he is in Canada, which only adds to the mystery.

Wilson does a really nice job with the soundtrack to tell part of the story. Sandy mentions that they only hear rock and roll at certain times where they live in Canada while Butch says they get rock and roll all the time where he lives in California.

We get to see the wonder that is the Okanagan Valley and hear references to Kelowna.

As we noted, the film is a little sleepy and more naive as compared to other films set in this time period. The parents are seen as 3-dimensional characters, something a 12-year-old doesn't always see in the moment.

Wilson also wrote and directed American Boyfriends (1989), the sequel to My American Cousin. To Wilson's credit, some of the naiveté remains true as the story has advanced to 1965. That naiveté comes up against the realities of the Vietnam War, not a concern in Canada but relevant in the United States.

Butch, her American cousin, is getting married in Portland. Lizzie and Thelma, characters not particularly well-drawn in the original film, get swept up in Sandy's trip as well as Sandy's Simon Fraser University roommate Julie La Belle (Liisa Repo-Martell).

Thelma, who is planning her own wedding, drives the girls down to Portland. Butch and Sandy reconnect at the wedding. His present to her is something she has thought about since the original film: the Cadillac. With Lizzie in love with a Marine and Thelma going back to Canada, Sandy and Julie set off on the adventure she has wanted: California.

Sandy and Julie confront the Vietnam War in 2 young men they meet in California who are deciding to serve or run. The sequel is more meaningful in the context of history. The United States is as beautiful as Sandy would have imagined, but this is a different America than she dreamed about in 1959.

Julie’s character is almost drawn in the way Sandy would imagine an ideal travel partner: company as well as someone who easily goes along with the adventure. Julie is from Toronto and is a more sophisticated travel partner than either of Sandy’s childhood friends from Penticton.

See Canada through Canadian road films

You can watch the sequel as a film onto itself, but the original gives some needed context. The other major contrast was that this Canadian film takes place almost exclusively outside Canada. The road trip takes a similar turn in Bruce McDonald's Highway 61.

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Both My American Cousin and American Boyfriends play into a common theme in Canadian films about Canadian feelings of inferiority towards the United States. The difference in these films is that the theme runs alongside the plot instead of being dominant.

My American Cousin won 6 Genie Awards and received 11 nominations. The film won for Best Picture, Best Director, Best Original Screenplay, Best Actor (Wildman), Best Actress (Langrick), and Best Film Editing.

video credit: YouTube/J Mac
photo credit: American Boyfriends

Marijuana tourists to Ontario will have to wait awhile

Looking for a silver lining in a potential Doug Ford win in Ontario, I wondered if marijuana tourism in Ontario would be easier under a PC government. After all, the Liberals plan was so harsh that only 40 Ontario Cannabis Store locations would be open by the end of 2018. The long-term goal was 150 locations in a province that stretches from Minnesota to New York state on a U.S. map.

The good news, relatively speaking, is that the Ford Government will have private retail outlets as well as online purchasing. The bad news, especially for tourists, is that those private retail stores won't open until April 1, 2019.

Marijuana tourists traveling to Ontario before April 1 have virtually 0 options. You can't order marijuana online since you don't live in Canada. You can't buy it legally. If you know someone who lives in the province, you could have them buy for you, provided all parties involved are 19 or older. You also need to be in a situation where you can partake, which is most likely a house where smoking is allowed.

Ontario's restrictions still hamper tourists since you can't consume marijuana in public. October 17 will be significant for those who live in Ontario, not so much if you don't.

Our guide to legal marijuana in Canada

Doug Ford will be the new premier of Ontario

Canada does have 9 other provinces, each with their own rules. Marijuana tourists have better options in other provinces. The significance of Ontario's stance also stems from the high percentage of tourists, particularly American, who flock to Ontario.

Canadian tourism isn't as high in the winter months because of snow, ice, and snow. So a wait until spring might not be that big of a deal. We don't know any details for the Ford Government Ontario plan other than the April 1 deadline. Having more than 40 private outlets would be a slight improvement over the Liberals plan. The highly restrictive nature of the provincial plan does increase the chances of a black market. That takes out the fun of legally buying and using marijuana.

This is the point where we need to note that a Globe and Mail investigation said that Doug Ford was a drug dealer, specifically hashish in the 1980s.

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There are plenty of reasons to visit Canada that have nothing to do with marijuana, sometimes even in the winter months: Skating on Rideau Canal in Ottawa, going cross-country skiing in New Brunswick, Carnivale in Quebec City, and skiing in Banff and Whistler.

photo credit: me

Toronto stories from a resilient city

Community members are writing messages of peace on pavement at Withrow Park... #Danforth #Danforthstrong pic.twitter.com/rNm53FqpbR

— Beach - East York Neighbourhood Voice (@BeachEastYork) July 23, 2018

Toronto gets a lot of grief from other parts of Canada, as most countries do with the most populous city in the country. When I encounter people who have never been to Canada, I tell them Toronto is a good gateway city to learn about Canada.

Toronto is a resilient city. The city survived the SARS epidemic of 2003, the 2009 garbage strike, and the entire time Rob Ford served on the city council and as mayor of Toronto.

The city might become the secondary Amazon HQ site, the only Canadian city still in the running.

Toronto does have a high crime rate by Canadian standards though a lot lower than major U.S. cities. The increase in shootings, especially in atypical areas for shootings such as a shooting in Kensington Market and Sunday's night shooting in the Danforth neighbourhood, has made people nervous. This uptake should also include the van driver who deliberately mowed down pedestrians in Willowdale in April.

"We were so use to living in a city where these things didn't happen," Toronto Mayor John Tory said. "But there are things that happen nowadays and they are just unspeakable."

Toronto's numbers through July 8 are 200 shootings/26 fatalities. Through the same period in 2017, the Toronto numbers are 188 shootings/17 deaths.

Gun laws are rather strict in Canada though the Harper Government got rid of the long-gun registry. The Trudeau Government doesn't want to bring the long-gun registry back. Despite the perception, guns loose in the system are not coming from the United States as much as within Canada.

The way people reacted after the tragedy in Willowdale: we saw parallels in the Danforth yesterday. Pausing to reflect but determined to show how wonderful their neighbourhood is within Toronto. The spirit of the people was the takeaway in Willowdale and will be the takeaway in the Danforth.

Life is not about what happens but how you react when something happens. Toronto is a very resilient city after taking a couple of huge punches in the gut in less than 6 months.

Toronto sports cornucopia is a small portion of what makes Toronto a worthy destination

"Words could never express what you’ve meant to me. I was just a 19 year old kid from Compton when we first met, but you took me in and embraced me as one of your own. I am so grateful for the Love and Passion that you’ve given me over the past 9 years. All I ever wanted to do was duplicate it 10x over just to show my appreciation. Thank you Toronto, thank you Canada. #Comp10#ProveEm"

Most players on Toronto sports teams are not Canadian. In MLB and the NBA, you have a 3.3% chance of being on a Canadian team. Most players are okay with the experience of living and playing in Toronto. Mark Buehrle wasn't thrilled about living in Toronto but that had more to do with being forced to separate from his pit bulls, banned in Ontario.

DeMar DeRozan was drafted by the Toronto Raptors with the 9th pick in the 2009 NBA draft. DeRozan set a lot of team records in that time, including games, points, and minutes played.

On top of the prowess on the basketball court, DeRozan embraced Toronto, the 6, We The North. He liked being in the city of Toronto.

DeMar DeRozan "I am Toronto" (2016)

Toronto was always the only choice. I am Toronto.@TSN_Sports #WeTheNorth #Comp10 pic.twitter.com/reAn1YWPSK

— DeMar DeRozan (@DeMar_DeRozan) October 26, 2016

The parallel is from Toronto native P.K. Subban who grew to love Montréal. Watching how Toronto embraced DeRozan after the trade was similar to how Montréal embraced Subban.

When San Antonio comes to Scotiabank Arena (aka Air Canada Centre), you will see a warm, passionate welcome for DeRozan.

'Take This Waltz' showcases a real Toronto neighborhood

"Hey friends! I'm looking for films set in Toronto where we see the city's beauty and/or individuality. The only one I can think of right now is Take This Waltz. Thoughts?"

Over the last few days, a Facebook group on Canadian film and TV of which I am a member had a question of projects that have showcased well the city of Toronto.

Take This Waltz is a beautiful example. other films mentioned in the thread include The F Word, Last Night, Scott Pilgrim Saves the World, Trigger, Picture Day, I've Heard the Mermaids Singing, Chloe, When Night is Falling, Ginger Snaps, Guidance, Don't Talk to Irene, and Goin’ Down the Road.

Orphan Black and Flashpoint were mentioned for TV shows in Toronto. Private Eyes also does a good job at showcasing Toronto. You can't forget Twitch City with its love for Kensington Market.

This list is not complete but this serves as a good starting point.

CanadianCrossing.com film coverage

CanadianCrossing.com television coverage

"If you have been to Toronto and have only seen downtown, take some time to come back and explore some really cool neighbourhoods. Kensington Market, Leslieville, the Danforth. High Park, Bloor West, Chinatown, the Distillery District, Cabbagetown, the Annex: these may be some of the more obvious spots."

This is what I wrote after the Willowdale tragedy in April. Yes, I realise the Danforth is one of the areas that I recommended. Toronto is a beautiful place, especially if you've never been to Canada. I still believe the neighbourhoods are the best part of the city.

Twitter captures: @BeachEastYork; @DeMar_DeRozan
photo credit: Google Maps