Canadian movies

tonight I watched Where the Truth Lies - a movie by one of the most famous, respected and talented Canadian directors, Atom Egoyan. this was a departure from a lot of his earlier stuff (the ones that made it big in the U.S. were The Sweet Hereafter and Exotica, but other classics are The Adjuster, Speaking Parts and Family Viewing) - more straightforward and linear, a good old-fashioned murder mystery with lots of sex, drugs and glamor. cameos by some Canadian classics: Don McKellar, a friend of mine from back in the day who is also a famous Canadian actor, writer and director; Arsinee Khanjian, Atom's lovely wife and classic actor Maury Chaykin, who has been in well over 100 movies, Canadian and American. I particularly enjoyed the scene in the Chinese restaurant that, although purporting to be in New York, is actually one block from the nursing home in Toronto where three of my grandparents currently reside.
another Canadian movie I watched recently was Phil the Alien. I could tell it was Canadian because it mocked Americans shamelessly. it also featured a talking beaver voiced by SCTV classic Joe Flaherty, my sister's ex-boyfriend playing a member of the world's worst band, Graham Greene as a surly bartender and the title role of Phil played by writer/director Rob Stefanuik, who, on one occasion, I knew quite well. Rob looked better that night we hung out on College Street, but I think he pulled off the alien thing. the movie is funny but in that way where you can tell everyone had a great time making it - a better time than you had watching it. but don't take my word for it - ask NS, who I believe enjoyed it almost as much as he did The Search for One-Eyed Jimmy, which he watched three times - in a row.
I almost went to see Dave Chappelle's Block Party again tonight, but wasn't quite ready. It is a shame though because my best movie friend, JL, wanted to go, and I owe him a lot of movies. every obsessed movie-goer should have a friend like JL - he indulges all of my strange movie requests, likes and hates the same movies as me, gets things I don't get and is overall fantastic company. JL - move to puerto rico with me!! it's only for a couple of years....