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Apparently I rock Darren‘s world. At least he said so because I promised him I’d blog about something that’s really important to him (and for good reason).

“The Bavubuka Foundation is a nonprofit organization that believes that connecting youth with music and the arts can transform lives and unify diverse communities. Bavubuka is dedicated to creating spaces and educational programs that will nurture and empower a new generation of young leaders in Uganda and all of Africa, who will use their voices to communicate positive messages and create positive change in their communities and the world.”

Next week, you all have the opportunity to be a part of a very unique event, celebrating an important project created to support youth on the other side of the globe who, normally, would fall through the gaping cracks of society.

Silas Balabyekkubo, founder of the Bavubuka Foundation, is screening his revolutionary film, Diamonds In The Rough, at the Tom Lee Music Hall in Vancouver. The film itself is narrated by Michael Franti of Spearhead. Following the screening, Silas will be engaging the audience with a Q&A session and wrapping the night up with an in-store performance. According to Darren, this is a very cool and rare opportunity to meet the man behind the hip hop tool of Bavubuka.

(For more information on the Bavubuka Foundation, click here to visit their website.)

The info you need for the screening is as follows:

What: Diamonds In The Rough

When: Thursday, May 29, 2008 (Doors at 7pm, Screening/Q&A from 7:30pm – 9pm, Performance 9:15pm – 10pm)

Where: Tom Lee Music Hall, 929 Granville Street, Vancouver, British Columbia

How Much: Ticket are $15 (and almost sold out). Contact Kevin at (778) 847-6877 or info@beautifulstruggle.ca to get your hands on some.

Okay, not entirely because I’m lazy. It’s very, very early on Monday morning and I’ve got a lot of work to do. While it’s true I haven’t posted since Friday, I was enjoying myself with a relaxing time at home with my family and Charley. They’re soul food, I tell you.

Anyways, check back tonight for what will should be an interesting and/or useful post (at least if you’re a gal). But for now, in an effort to keep you entertained, here is what I believe to be one of the best fight scenes in cinematic history.

As a little girl, Big Trouble In Little China was my favourite movie. As an adult lady, Big Trouble In Little China is still my favourite movie. Jack Burton has long been this girl’s hero. It must be his knife.

Now you tell me: what’s your favourite flick from the 80s?

The day I never thought I’d see come has finally arrived.

I now call myself a fan of Star Wars.

Sunday was less-than-favourable for your humble narrator, so in an effort to cheer me up, one of my very best friends suggested we get tons of food to munch on and have a Star Wars marathon. Being that 9 times out of 10 he’s usually good at picking movies I’ll appreciate, I agreed and prepared to hunker down with Episode I: The Phantom Menace. Since then, we’ve subsequently slammed through Episodes II, III, IV and most of V.

Growing up, I never enjoyed the franchise beyond the adorability of the Ewoks in Return of the Jedi and the innocent, yet precocious, nature of R2-D2. The movies themselves, and most certainly the plot lines, had me totally confused and not in the slightest bit interested. However, now that I’ve seen all the films in sequential order and been very thoroughly educated on the ins and outs of the storyline, it all makes sense to me.

Star Wars is phenomenally entertaining.

Photo: Official Star Wars website courtesy of 20th Century Fox

I get it now. I understand what “The Force” is. The Jedi, the Rebel Alliance and the Galactic Empire make sense to me. How the characters came to be is suddenly very clear; their objectives even more so.

There is, however, one tiny detail that doesn’t make a hell of a lot of sense to me (among other discrepancies).

“A long time ago in a galaxy far, far away…”

This is the quote with which each of the films begins. But, um, hold on a sec – humans and extraterrestrial beings living among each other, flying spacecraft, travelling at the speed of light, droids – aren’t these all very futuristic concepts? A long time ago my ass.

But I digress. Really, I have no complaints.

Now the only question (and a question on which all of you can add your two cents) is: how appropriate would it be for me to purchase and wear this t-shirt? As much as I’m not a logo tee girl, I really, really want it.

Good morning, ladies and gentlemen. I’m tired, still full of last night’s 10 p.m. McDonald’s and would rather be watching CSI than sitting at my desk. Monday has arrived, and in an effort to chase away those ayem blues, allow me to point you to areas of the web that may bring you some much-needed distraction.

Photo: E Online

It would seem to me that my love lust for men in the spotlight changes as often as I change my knickers. It’s not so much that I’m fickle, but more that I just have a lot of “love” to give. Sure, that’s how I’ll look at it.

After seeing ‘No Country For Old Men’ last week, I was slightly disturbed that I found myself attracted to Javier Bardem in said film. I’m not sure whether it was his murderous ways or his 1980 haircut that caused me to be perturbed. However, last night I rented ‘Goya’s Ghosts,’ the story of Spanish painter Francisco Goya and the targets placed upon him during the Spanish Inquisition. Bardem played the roll of Brother Lorenzo and later that of Napolen Bonaparte’s chief prosecutor against the same Spanish rulers who were once his allies. Granted, his sex appeal doesn’t bust out until the second half of the film, but it’s more than worth the wait. Though in truth, it’s not much of a “wait” at all, as it’s really a fantastic movie with or without Bardem. [trailer] [official site]

That being said, he’s definitely one Spaniard whom I’d be inclined to “tapas that.”

…But you do have to see this. I’ve long been the kind of person who jumps on the “good movie” bandwagon weeks, and sometimes months, after a flick first hits the screens. I’ve wanted to see ‘No Country For Old Men‘ for quite some time, but only got my act together last night.

Amy and I made use of our Festival Cinemas’ memberships and made our way into Fifth Avenue Cinemas for the 7pm show. I knew nothing of the story and went in without any preconceived notions. I knew it was directed by the Cohen brothers, I knew it featured some supposed stellar acting and I knew it was the Best Picture winner. Thankfully, that’s seemingly a forumula for success.

Photo: Miramax Films

‘No Country…’ tells the story of a West Texas man by the name of Llewelyn Moss who stumbles upon a drug deal gone wrong in the middle of the dessert. Amongst the massacre is a satchel containing $2,000,000 dollars. Taking the satchel is a bad idea. Before long, a psychotic man by the name of Anton Chigurh is on his blood trail in fast pursuit. Also trying to track down Moss is the local sheriff, Ed Tom Bell, played by Tommy Lee Jones.

I’m not one to spoil a good thing, so if you haven’t seen it already (though I am quite sure I’m the last person on the planet who hadn’t), cross your fingers that it’s still on screens near you. That’s the beauty of living in a city with indie theatres.

Oh and…is it wrong that I find Javier Bardem sexy in this film? Even with blood on his hands and that god-awful haircut circa 1980?

When I was very young, not quite 10, I had been forbidden by my father from watching a very particular movie that my mom and aunt seemed to be somewhat fond of. I was disappointed, but girl power ruled the house one week. My dad was out of down on business for a couple nights, so being very sneaky, my mom popped some popcorn and pushed a VHS copy of “Dirty Dancing” into our VCR. I was entirely excited – mostly because I felt like such a little rebel. I was not allowed to let dad know.

Since that night so many years ago, the timeless story of a young girl’s first taste of summer love at a resort in New York’s Catskill Mountains has become my essential ideal of romance. Francis “Baby” Houseman and her family spend three weeks at Kellerman’s, and Baby’s soon wrapped up in the dancing and excitement that takes place after hours in staff quarters. There she meets Johnny, a modern-day rebel without a pause who’s fast on his feet. Together they embark into a whirlwind love affair, one that neither of them expects nor are they really ready for.

Photo: Alliance Atlantis Films

In a fit of Diet Pepsi-induced sleeplessness, I popped the DVD into my portable DVD player last night, hoping 20 minutes or so would lull me into sleep. It didn’t, and I stayed awake right until the very end. I even watched the extra behind-the-scenes footage. Which, I might add, was incredibly exciting to watch as nearly the entire dance cast wore legwarmers in rehearsal – the girls and the guys.

It was probably the millionth time I saw the film because, as much as I watch it on DVD, I also can’t resist whenever it’s showing on TV. However, it wasn’t until last night that I finally understood how, in a huge way, I relate to the main character. Sure, every girl dreams of playing Baby, but I never before realized how much I’m quite like her. We’re both nurturers who like to fix a problem and save the day and make sure that everyone is okay. We’re both also the simple wallflower; the girl that (believe it or not) most people don’t look at twice, but really just want our moment to shine.

And, like all great 80s flicks, Dirty Dancing left behind in its legacy a whole dancefloor full of memorable quotes that you and I still use today (aside from that classic one-liner in the video above):

“Oh, come on, ladies. God wouldn’t have given you maracas if He didn’t want you to shake ‘em.”

“Look, spaghetti arms. This is my dance space. This is your dance space. I don’t go into yours, you don’t go into mine.”

“Most of all I’m scared of walking out of this room and never feeling the rest of my whole life the way I feel when I’m with you.”

“Nobody puts Baby in a corner.”

Stay tuned because you never know what I’ll dig out of Mr. Dressup’s Tickle Trunk next time.

After December’s lack lustre teaser-trailer for the upcoming ‘Sex and the City’ movie, the studio behind bringing the glamourous girls to the big screen are finally satiating our appetites. The full-length trailer was released sometime today and has been burning up the web. I have yet to find an embeddable version on YouTube, but for now, click over here to check it out.

Thanks to Jennifer for the heads-up!











Photo: New Line Cinema