Suspect Video

I’ve found an amazing place to rent DVDs in Toronto. I’ve known about their incredible selection of videos for years, but Suspect Video has more DVDs than anywhere else, and they’re cheap, too. $3.25, tax included for either 1 night (new stuff) or 5 nights (older stuff). It’s the only place I’ve seen that has almost all the Criterion collection. Stuff I’ve enjoyed recently:

  • A Personal Journey with Martin Scorsese Through American Movies – an amazing overview, about four hours long, highlighting some great films I’d never heard of until now. Definitely worth checking out.
  • Spartacus: The Criterion Collection – I’d never seen this film before, but this was what Gladiator was trying to be, and failing. There’s a great interview with Peter Ustinov, who’s just hilarious.
  • Hard Eight – Paul Thomas Anderson’s quiet but assured debut film, starring Philip Baker Hall (incredible performance), John C. Reilly, Samuel Jackson, and Gwyneth Paltrow(!)
  • Lawrence of Arabia – We’re watching this one this weekend.

Certified Real (Actual) Person

Since the whole Kaycee Nicole story appears to be an elaborate hoax, a friend whom I have actually met in person has allowed me to post the graphic below that confirms that I am a Certified Real Person. Not sure if I like the acronym, though. Good thing it wasn’t Certified Real Actual Person. If you’re not completely exhausted by the Kaycee story yet, there’s a good FAQ now available.

REM Free In Toronto

This was as close as I got during REM’s free concert last Thursday in Toronto. Good thing the screen was there. They played about 75 minutes, and really seemed to enjoy playing for the 20,000 or so of us who had turned up.