Friends, there are movies (movies! plural!) to be seen this weekend. Let's get to it.

New on the Hollywood front, you've got The Ghost Writer, starring Pierce Brosnan as a Blair-esque former British PM who led the country into an undesirable war and noted feminist Ewan McGregor as the ghost writer tasked with completing the PM's memoirs. You've got Repo Men, in which Jude Law and Forest Whitakre reposse people's purchased organs for Liev Schrieber. You've got Diary of a Wimpy Kid, about, um, a wimpy kid in middle school and his over-sized delusions  of grandeur. Finally, if you've got any desire to go see The Bounty Hunter, let Tony Scott cure you.

Over at the Bytowne, you've got Colin Firth's heartbreaking performance in A Single Man, Xavier Dolan's heartbreaking debut J'ai tué ma mère, Darwin biopic Creation, and Fellini-inspired fiasco Nine.

Friday

La Petite Mort Gallery presents
FIVE DAY EXHIBIT
JANE BURNSTEIN, "Bound in Banyans - In Black & White"
Vernissage: Friday March 19, 2010 / 7 -10pm
306 Cumberland

Community Labyrinth Walk: Join us for an evening seeking balance between the melodic and the rhythmic to find completeness within.
We welcome Violinist Janice Mah and Percussionist Benilda Formoso to blend the melody of the strings with the beat of the drum to form an original soundscape to accompany your walk in the labyrinth.
Friday March 19th at 7:00 pm| Christ Church Cathedral Ottawa | 420 Sparks Street
An introduction to the labyrinth as walking meditation will be provided. No experience necessary. Suggested donation $20.
For information contact: barbara.brown1@sympatico.ca

The Block by Matthew Higgins, documents in chilling detail, weapons made by the inmates of Kingston Penitentiary. Vernissage: Friday March 19th, 2010, 17:00 - 20:00
On View: March 19th - March 30th, 2010
Viewing hours: Mon - Fri 10:00 -18:00, Sat 10:00-15:00
Sundays and late evenings by appointment or by chance.
The Red Wall Gallery is located in SPAO at 168 Dalhousie, at the corner of Bruyère, in the Byward Market.

Despite previous reports, Jake Gyllenhaal will not be filming scenes for the upcoming thriller Source Code. VIA Rail couldn't come to terms for their fee with the producers, so Ottawa will miss out on as much as $200,000 injected into the local economy. Also, we'll miss out on Jake Gyllenhaal. Thanks, VIA. If you can't get the trains to run on time, you could at least expose us to a hottie or two (co-star Vera Farmiga).

As you no doubt expected, Nate's thinky face was no match for the pure joy Ed Westwick unleashed at the end of "The Lady Vanished" when Chuck finally sat down with his mom for a chat. Of course, when she said she wanted to know everything about him, I laughed that she had no idea what she was in for. Part-time rapist? Full-time purple enthusiast? (Though the ensembles are on a downward trend. Not for craftsmanship, mind, but they are certainly less fabulous than they used to be. Remember his bass cardigan? The paisley? And what's up with the pinky ring/bracelet combo?). Although the episode was light on scheming, complicated sexual dynamics, and dire stupidity, it was also a vast improvement over "The Hurt Locket" and on par with the Gossip Girl we've come to know and love. Like so: 

The MotherChucker

Apparently Elizabeth Fisher (née Evelyn) is indeed Chuck's mom, which doesn't explain her uncontrolled accent or addiction to beige, but I guess we'll take it one step at a time. Seems she wanted to give Chuck up for adoption only for Bart to decide to keep the baby, so they cooked up the "died in childbirth" that, you know, saddled Chuck with a lifetime of guilt and strained his relationship with his dad.

Art Centre L'Imagier - Call for Submissions 2011
Deadline: April 1st, 2010
The Centre d'exposition L'Imagier invites interested artists to submit their exhibition proposals for the 2011 programming year by April 1st, 2010. The regular exhibition season runs from January to December.
This year, special attention will be given to the diversity of artistic practices, and works integrating new media are welcome.
L'Imagier offers artists two architecturally distinctive exhibition spaces, each with its own "feel." The Centre asks that artists submit project proposals that can be shown in one or both of these galleries. Group exhibition proposals of two or three artists are also accepted.
Submissions will be reviewed by a peer jury.
Required material:
Curriculum Vitae
Ten pictures of recent works on CD or DVD (jpeg) + short descriptions
Artist statement
Description of your project
Press kit (if available)
Self-addressed stamped envelope
Deadline: April 1st, 2010
Send your material to the following address
Centre d'exposition L'Imagier
9, rue Front
Gatineau (Québec) J9H 4W8
Information
Phone: 819-684-1445
E-mail: info@limagier.qc.ca
Web site: www.limagier.qc.ca

Exhibit and Sales Opportunities for Fine Artists and Craftspeople.
Date: Wednesday, March 17th, 2010
Time: 7-9 p.m.
Location: Gladstone Clayworks, 949b Gladstone Ave
Contribute to an information sharing session of Ottawa, Gatineau and surrounding area exhibit and sale opportunities - a session facilitated by Lisa Brunetta (sculptor), and presented by the Working Creatives group and HarryNowell.com.
Join us to compare notes about the opportunities in our region to show and sell our work. Lisa Brunetta, a sculptor and fine craftsperson based in Gatineau, will moderate this session where all are invited to give their impressions and ask their questions. Thinking about doing a show? Maybe you'll pick up some good feedback from someone who has done it already. Already done a show and have some comments? Bring them on!
If you are already a member of the Working Creatives group and are planning to attend the session, please RSVP to Lisa at lbrunetta@yahoo.ca. You can also contact Lisa if you have any questions about the session.
Working Creatives is a free group designed to share information among people working full time in their creative field. We have been offering free monthly info and network sessions to support fine artists, illustrators, designers, photographers, writers, etc. This is our third season. Sessions are organized and run by the 170 members - themselves full time working creatives. Need more information about the group?
Our seasonal social:
www.harrynowell.com/blog/2009/12/17/393-creatives-networking-hits-the-ice/
Or contact Harry@HarryNowell.com

We are currently seeking art donations for an art auction to raise funds for Beverley Sunday and Joseph Sayer and their three children. The auction will be held in April, so please contact Caroline if you can donate artwork. We are accepting all mediums of artwork, preferably framed. Contact Caroline for further information at cgophoto@gmail.com

FYI: Accident Leaves Olympic Dancer and Her Husband in ICU, Family Needs Assistance
Ottawa - Local aboriginal health and wellness instructor Beverley Sunday, 30, and her husband Joseph Sayer, 35, were badly injured in a single-vehicle accident just after 11:00 a.m. on Feb. 19th while driving on Lucerne Boulevard in Gatineau.
The couple both sustained serious brain injuries and multiple broken bones. Both are in intensive care at the CHVO in Hull. Their three young children - ages five, six and 12 - are currently being cared for by extended family. Sunday, originally from Alberta, is a prominent local aboriginal who participated as a dancer in the opening ceremonies of the 2010 Olympic Games on Feb. 12th in British Columbia, both she and her husband Sunday were Olympic Torchbearers in December.

***
Sunday was set to open the city's first Aboriginal fitness studio - HAWK Studio - in the west end this April. She is the creator and founder of REZFIT which is fusion fitness that incorporates Aboriginal dance throughout the world.

Every once and while I get into the idea of theme songs: for people, for events, for specific days. I'm known in certain circles, for example, for my summer jams. If you want to entice me to go on a road trip, play Kansas' "Carry on My Wayward Son." Naturally, I sometimes think of songs to match the month's theme. This time, Jonathan Coulton springs to mind:

The Abbey for the Arts is seeking submissions from visual artists for its 2010 season, beginning in May and running through December, 2010.  Artists may submit their own themes for group or solo shows in one of our magnificent galleries. Deadlines begin April 1, 2010.   For more information visit:  www.theabbey.ca

AVAILABLE LIGHT SCREENING COLLECTIVE: CALL FOR CURATING PROPOSALS FOR THE AUTUMN 2010 - SUMMER 2011 SERIES

Available Light Screening Collective (AL for short) is an Ottawa, Ontario-based volunteer organization committed to curating and presenting experimental film and video artworks within the local community. From its inception in 1995 as a Super 8 production group, AL has functioned as a non-incorporated artists' collective, a democratic and flexible form of governance in keeping with the shifting character of the dynamic experimental media artworks it is dedicated to presenting.

Available Light Screening Collective is currently seeking written proposals for media arts curating projects for its 2010-2011 season. The series is scheduled to begin in September 2010 with most programs presented at our primary exhibition venue in Ottawa, Club SAW at Galerie SAW Gallery. Proposals for other venues in the region, including outdoor sites, will also be considered. A professional curator's honorarium, as well as individual artists' fees for each work screened, will be paid upon the successful completion of the project.

THE WHITE STRIPES
Under Great White Northern Lights
www.whitestripes.com
Dist: Warner Music Canada


Under Great White Northern Lights is a visual and emotional feature length film documenting The White Stripes making their way through Canada and culminating with their 10th anniversary show in Nova Scotia. The film documents the band playing shows all over Canada; from local bowling alleys, to city buses, and onward to the legendary Savoy Theater for the 10th Anniversary show. A show that turned out to be the longest show the band had ever done on stage together.
The film captures intimate moments of Jack and Meg both on and off stage as they travel through some of the most remote parts of the northern Yukon Territory. Along the way, they have some nice casual conversations about their ten years together, fire cannons, play some of their biggest songs together on stage, and even play a "one note show." The cameras were there to capture every waking moment. TRACKLISTING.

I haven't consumed all of last night's episode of Gossip Girl, "The Lady Vanished," so the full recap will have to come later. I do, however, need to give props to whoever decided to cut to Nate's confused look at Blair's metaphor that she had "turned over a new leaf from the trust tree." Chace Crawford's eyebrows are a national treasure.

At the National Arts Centre tonight, the Mariinsky Orchestra, under the baton of Valery Gergiev, performed works by Berlioz, Rachmaninov and Shostakovich. The Rachmaninov was the 3rd Piano Concerto, with the dazzling Denis Matsuev as soloist. Here's a clip of Matsuev playing another piece of Rachmaninov's, "Rhapsody on a Theme by Paganini."

And here's the Mariinsky playing Dmitri Shostakovich's 13th Symphony. (They played the 15th tonight.)

The whole thing was spectacular. All I can say is that, if these Russians take over the world with as much elegance, sophistication and verve as their musicians display, then I, for one, will welcome our new imperialist rulers.

In addition to the fact that The Runaways will have begin a limited release in Canada and the U.S. this Friday, it's been well publicized for some time now that it stars Kristen Stewart as Joan Jett and Dakota Fanning as Cherrie Currie. Nothing new here, obviously. But I actually watched the trailer this weekend, and you know what? It totally stars Gossip Girl's Taylor Momsen. See for yourself:

Hollywood certainly has a diverse offering this week to suit you as follows:

• If you need to see Matt Damon, action, war, politics, Paul Greengrass' trademark shaky-cam, go see Green Zone
• If you need to see Robert Pattinson, brooding, romance, daddy issues, whatever possessed Chris Cooper to act opposite Robert Pattinson, go see Remember Me
• If you need to see Jay Baruchel, a sex farce, maybe romance, definitely a premature ejaculation joke in some sort of bizarre 40 Year-Old Virgin/There's Something About Mary mash-up, go see She's Out of My League.

All three sound hard to watch for wildly different reasons. Ah, well. At least Baruchel has two more movies coming out soon (How to Train Your Dragon and The Sorcerer's Apprentice).

If you're looking for something different, there's Genius Within: The Inner Life Of Glenn Gould, Oscar Nominated Short Films of 2009 (Animated), Oscar Nominated Short Films of 2009 (Live Action), World’s Best Commercials 2009, and Marina Of The Zabbaleen playing at the Bytowne.

I'd try come up with something more erudite than that, something with trenchant insight into Mad Men as cultural phenomenon, the commodification of culture, or the final sell-out straw, but who are we kidding? I own a Dylan McKay Barbie and proudly take him out in public. I so want Mad Men Barbies. Or I would if they weren't $300 US collector's items. Also, that's a really poor Don. I mean, my Dylan McKay Barbie really looks like Dylan McKay. They put some serious effort into that nine-head. These things are generic-looking.  I still kind of want the Roger one though I will hold out hope that someone one day makes a Roger string-pulley doll since Roger has all the best lines.

Wait, is there an Sterling Cooper Barbie-office for sale as well? That would be sweet.

Summit plans to release the The Twilight Saga: Eclipse trailer in front of Robert Pattinson's new feature, Remember Me, which opens tomorrow, which is why the trailer's on the Internet today. Oh, sweet Internet, what do you have for us this time out? More shirtless Lautner? More wolf vs. vampire battles? More unbuttoning? Let's see:

A few weeks ago, I went to see Shutter Island. In the wing seating, a lady started yelling at some people as they exited during the end credits. It wasn't clear exactly what she was on about, but, naturally, my sympathy was with the older lady over the "young punks." As a remix of Dinah Washington's "This Bitter Earth" played over the end credits, my viewing companion and I discussed how copyright issues over this very song kept Killer of Sheep, one of the greatest American movies ever made, from being seeing by the wider public for 30 years. Unfortunately discussing exactly what we are hearing during the end credits was too much for the now obviously old lady, who started yelling at us to "STOP TALKING!" Just in case you were wondering, according to crazy old ladies who scare away even their minders with their yelling, "OUTSIDE IS FOR TALKING!" You know, during the end credits in a mostly empty theatre. I'll admit to you that I was actually upset by the lengthy tongue lashing we got for, in my opinion, doing nothing wrong. 

This morning I read this story in the L.A. Times, and apparently it could have been much worse. Not to make light of the situation because it is terrible, but a meat thermometre? They left and came back with a meat thermometre? How desperately do you want to stab someone that you could leave and come back with the thing that tells you if your turkey is done? Also, stop talking on your cell phone, violent jackass.

Call to Local Artists
Patrick John Mills Contemporary Fine Art Gallery is now accepting submissions for a Group Show. Please send samples of your art work to the gallery (postal submissions only). Video, painting, poetry, drawings, installations, sculpture, anything.... crazy is good. The more interesting the art is the better.
Going Local. Group Show.
April 1st - 24th. 2010
Meet the Artists: April 1st, Thursday 6 - 9 pm.
Deadline for Submissions: March 18th.
Patrick John Mills Contemporary Fine Art Gallery
286 Hinchey Ave, Ottawa, Ontario. K1Y 1M2.
www.PatrickJohnMills.ca
No email submissions
Submissions will not be returned and only accepted artists will be contacted.

Ottawa - Local not-for-profit organizations such as volunteer-based community or recreation associations are invited to apply for funding under the 2010 Civic Events Funding Program, to provide one to two-day civic events with free admission that foster civic pride and develop community cohesion. These events are linked to and celebrate a civic/statutory holiday (i.e., Victoria Day, Canada Day), are held in a specific geographic district in Ottawa, and encompass a broad range of activities (family entertainment).
Maximum Allocation: $2,000
Application Deadline: March 24, 2010
Application forms are available at City of Ottawa Client Service Centres or by visiting ottawa.ca/communityfunding. For more information on the program or for any clarifications, please contact Brenda Denault at 613-580-2424, ext. 26459.
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For more information:
Media contact
613-580-2450
Public inquiries
3-1-1