RKS 2025 Canadian Film: “Foreigner”: Polite Racism or Ignorance?

One associates racism with malevolent intent. The Canadian film “Foreigner” acknowledges malevolent racism also suggesting racism can possibly be “polite”, based more in ignorance than malevolence.

Yasamin (Rose Deghan) is a newly arrived Iranian teenager to British Columbia living with her widower father (Ashkan Nejati) and her grandmother Zoreh (Maryam Sadeghi). There are hints Yasamin’s mother succumbed to the vicissitudes of mental illness.

Understandably Yasamin is desperate to “fit in” at her new school. Valley Girls, or better said as this is Vancouver, North Van bible study girls, led by Queen Bee Rachel (Chloë MacLeod) appear anxious to welcome Yasamin into their circle. The North Van girls are overplayed, perhaps intentionally. They are profoundly ignorant about any culture other than North Van and they are pleased it seems, to meet their first Muslim! A good deal of amusement awaits the viewer as these are not overtly Mean Girls but their pleasing exterior may mask a vindictive and evil nature.

Yasamin rejects her Iranian culture in her desperation to fit in including a blond hair dye job but discovers recognizing her own identity through her experiences is more important than fitting in. Somewhat polemic you may find.

At times a bit of “Carrie”, “ET”, “Mean Girls”, “The Exorcist”, a rather lame Government of Canada Citizenship Video and a few satirical jabs at evangelical Christians.

Deghan certainly plays the role perfectly and her grandmother played by Maryam Sadeghi oozes love and empathy at precisely the right times.

You may watch the trailer here https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iav4c1HG2Ug&t=1s

Directed and written by Ava Maria Safai.

Plays at Fantasia in Montreal on 31July and 2August2025.

RKS 2025 Canadian Film Rating 67/100.

Melania Trump Deported to El Salvador

Spoof News Services: 15July2025: Redneck, Florida

Spoof News Services reporters on the ground in Redneck, Florida have reported Melania Trump has been deported to El Salvador this afternoon. She was abducted by MICE Agents in a shopping mall in South Beach, Miami attending an opening of a discount designer mall by the dog of Kimmy K “Puffyhead”.

Tom Unwholesome, former MICE Czar had explained to reporters that Melania had a heavy accent and was acting suspiciously eating TACOs at the mall and agents identified her as a dangerous foreigner most likely a “Mexican birth righter” on par with Rosamund O’Connell. Mr. Unwholesome was subsequently executed on the White House lawn hence is the former MICE Czar.

Karry Leadhead, a White House spokesperson, reported a serious error had occurred attributable to “Biden agents” and negotiations were underway to get “the old bird back”. Unfortunately, her return may be subject to a 400% tariff imposed on exports from El Salvador by executive order of the Big Guy.

Further details to follow.

RKS Literature: American Media’s Obsession with the Cult of Personality

“You are literally, then, one amongst countless millions. You are news. Whatever you do is news. But it does not take long to realize, at least assuming that one wishes to live, that to be news is really to be nothing; that the attention paid to one’s vicissitudes is merely the most cunning way yet devised of making the adventure of one’s life a farce. He woke up this morning, or he didn’t, and then he peed, or didn’t, and then he shit, or he couldn’t, and then he fucked his wife or his broad or he fucked his boy or his boy fucked him, or they blew each other, or they didn’t- it’s a story, either way, any way: it is all, all, there in the eager faces of the reporters.”

James Baldwin, “Tell Me How Long The Train’s Been Gone”, 1968.

RKS Literature: Avoiding an Incitement for a Racist Riot (James Baldwin)

“But, by the time one has become an incitement, not very much is left in one’s power. It is not a matter merely of walking straight, eyes straight ahead. No, one’s eyes must be everywhere at once-without seeming to be, without seeming to move; one must be ready for the rock, the fist, the sudden movement; one must see every face and yet make it impossible for one’s eyes to be caught, even for a second, by any other eye. One must move swiftly, and yet not in a hurry: one must, in fact, give the crowd no opening, either by seeming to be too proud or by seeming to be too humble. All such crowds are combustible, and they always will be. Their buried, insupportable lives have brought them together and on the only terms they can come together: the unspeakable despair concerning their lives.”

James Baldwin, “Tell Me How Long the Train’s Been Gone”, 1968.

RKS Literature: The Happy and Prancing Negroes! (James Baldwin)

“I saw with a particular shock, the root of the despicable and tenacious American folklore concerning the happy, prancing niggers. Some of the people were moving, indeed, and the jukebox was loud; their movements followed the music which their movements had produced; but prancing scarcely described the use of their vigor. Only someone who no longer had any sense of what constituted happiness could have ever confounded happiness with this rage. Yet, the scene we entered had been tirelessly reproduced, in stale and meticulous, absolutely libelous detail, in countless musical comedies and innumerable porkchop-in-the-sky films: the nigger, moving in uncanny time to the music, hips, hands, feet working, all flashing teeth and eyes, without a care in the world.”

James Baldwin, “Tell Me How Long the Train’s Been Gone”, 1968.

RKS Literature: Not Realizing I Was Colored (James Baldwin)

“They disliked Jerry because he was Italian, they disliked Barbara because she was not, and therefore, had no excuse, and they disliked me because I did not appear to realize both Barbara and Jerry were white. I did not, in fact, appear to know that I was colored and this filled them with such baleful exasperation, such an exasperated wonder, that the waitress’ hand when I stopped in the diner, actually trembled as she poured my coffee, and people moved away from me, staring as though I was possessed by evil spirits. Naturally, I despised them. They didn’t even have the courage of their sick convictions, for, if they had, they would have tarred and feathered me and ridden me out of town.”

James Baldwin, “Tell Me How Long the Train’s Been Gone”, 1968.

RKS 2025 Canadian Film: “LUCID”: Of Magic Mushrooms, Murder, Monsters and Mayhem

Mia Sunshine Jones is a struggling arts programme student unable to complete a project telling the world who she really is. Her professor and fellow students are far from impressed with her efforts and Mia is given a one-week deadline by her professor to produce a passable artwork.

Mia contemplating her journey

It isn’t too long before the viewer witnesses the anger, frustration and bitterness that is Mia. Mia is a mess. What is the cause?

Mia has a creative block preventing her from delivering her art project and is advised by members of a band performing at a club she attended their creative block was lifted by band member Desdemona’s godmother’s magical elixir. Mia heads to the godmother and purchases a pill with “LUCID” stamped on it with a dosage of a little nibble every night before bed will begin the dissolution of her creative block with a warning she must not eat the entire tablet in one swallow which she does.

Then the on and off magic mushroom trip begins with its psychedelic cinematography bearing in mind LUCID is not a psychedelic. The 35- and 16-mm film, FX monsters, eccentric characters and trippy plot with eclectic music create the perfect “avant garde” film.

Mia must find her block to recognize exactly its nature so she can move on. Her voyage is surreal, full of monsters and mayhem and at times nightmarish. Frequent flashbacks to her childhood and her hippy musician parents, repeated imagery of knives and sharpened scissors suggest the block may have been rooted in her childhood with a violent component.

The cinematography, soundtrack, rock solid casting near perfection and writing lay the foundation for a nouveau Canadian classic film. Caitlin Acken Taylor excels as Mia in a very difficult role requiring a wide range of emotions she masters with mesmerizing excellence.

“LUCID” will world premiere at Fantasia International Film Festival in Montreal on 21July2025.

Directed and written by Deanna Milligan and Ramsey Fendall.

RKS 2025 Canadian Film Rating 96/100.

RKS 2025 Canadian Wine: Closson Chase 2021 Vineyard Chardonnay

In Ontario, Canada it is Niagara that garners most of the attention of its liquor monopoly the Liquor Control Board of Ontario in chatter and on its retail shelves. But head east of Toronto about the same distance Niagara is west of Toronto and you arrive at yet another wine district Prince Edward County or “The County” where Closson Chase is a powerhouse of Pinot Noir and Chardonnay.

The oak is gentle as aged in French oak barrels only 10% of which were new.

We try a Closson Chase 2021 Vineyard Chardonnay of which 1,100 cases were made.

Aroma: On the tropical side with pineapple, mango, guava, pear, apple and banana. A touch of crushed limestone.

Palate: Good solid straight at you Chardonnay. Clean, dense and true to a Cool Climate Chardonnay. Apple and pear predominate leaving behind the tropical fruits. Short, clean and uncomplicated finish. You couldn’t ask for much better of a basic well-made Chardonnay. Moderate finish.

Personality: I am a solid Chardonnay and VQA Prince Edward County therefore truly local. You really can’t go wrong with me.

Food Match: Local bay of Quinte pickerel foil wrapped on the BBQ with local potatoes baked on the grill and perhaps some of the best corn on the cob from The County!

Cellarbility: Enjoy with a 2025 New Year’s Eve pescatarian dinner and go no further.

RKS 2025 Canadian Wine Rating: 90/100. Wine Align Community Score 90.

(Closson Chase 2021 Vineyard Chardonnay, VQA Prince Edward County, Closson Chase Vineyards, Hillier, Ontario, 750 mL, 12.5%).

RKS 2025 Canadian Short Film: “Le Tour de Canada”: All You Need to Know About Canada versus Quebec in Six Minutes

Floating on top of this pond of a Canadian animated short film is an amusing Canadian cross country cycling race starting in St. John’s, Newfoundland and ending in Vancouver, British Columbia.

Redolent with Canadian history and symbolism through beer, hockey, fish, Export A cigarettes, Canadian Pacific ships, TTC Red Rockets and even former Canadian Prime Minister John Diefenbaker firing the starting pistol in a Monty Pythonesque animated scene.

Dive below the pond and its apparent absurdity is perhaps more of a cynical and sarcastic view of relations between Quebec and the rest of Canada ending in the destruction of both Canada and Quebec.  What is so attractive about this short is  it permits a deep dive below the surface of the pond perhaps only Canadians can truly understand. Elbows Up! Non-Canadian viewers may need a guide to penetrate its seemingly amusing triviality.

My only criticism…did I miss the Avro Arrow zooming overhead?!! Where were the “stubbies”?

Yet another brilliant short emanating from Vancouver, British Columbia.

Directed by John Hollands and will be a world premiere at Montreal’s International Fantasia Film Festival on 22July2025.

RKS 2025 Canadian Short Film Rating 94/100.

RKS Health: The Great Hernia Adventure: Kindness, Compassion and Gratitude

If mindfulness encourages self compassion, it also is partial to you expressing compassion and kindness to all those suffering with hernias and who will undergo or recently have had completed some form of hernia surgery. Mindfulness would have you meditate transmitting positive and encouraging thoughts to these fellow human beings they experience as little anxiety, pain and suffering as possible. All that is required is a quiet and sincere moment for this “send out”. It is not necessary you are a meditator in the formal sense. Close your eyes, relax and repeat heartfelt and sincere healing and encouraging words to your “target audience”.

We have all heard when faced with troubling thoughts just “get it off your chest” which supposedly clears and relaxes the mind. Could it be sending gratitude to all those who have been involved in your hernia adventure is flushing out and directing gratitude out of your system to where it belongs. Think of the physician that diagnosed you and sent you to an ultrasound technician whose images were reported on by imaging physician who confirmed with your doctor who then referred you to a surgeon who then set up a presurgical appointment with antitheists, pharmacists and nursing support that then sent you to report for surgery which had an attendant rolling you down to and from the operating theatre after a nursing team prepared you for surgery to an anesthetist and nurses that cared for you in the operating room, to a post surgical care team and a surgeon’s support team that answered any questions about your surgical recovery. And aside from medical personnel your family and friends that assisted and supported you through your hernia adventure.

Your hernia adventure would not be possible without a whole passle of people! Many you have personally thanked and some not.