RKS 2024 Television: AMI’s “Postcards From…”: Season Five Episode 1: Drumheller, Alberta

In the first episode of season 5 of “Postcards From…” showing on the Accessible Media Incorporated television network and streaming service host Christa Couture takes us to Drumheller, Alberta known as the dinosaur capital of Canada.

Christa on a haunted school tour in Drumheller!

Witness some incredible topographies but Christa notes it is the people which are the real treasures of Drumheller. The scenery is rugged and jagged in places so much so it reminds one of Arizona or the Gobi Desert in Mongolia which too is a hotspot for dino bones. Let me exaggerate and make a comparison to the Grand Canyon.

Christa goes on a dino bone hunt, visits The Last Chance Saloon, goes on her first motorcycle ride, visits a haunted East Coulee School Museum and the Royal Tyrell Museum and with a good streak of naughty and ribald humour enjoys some prairie oysters being told a popular local event is the testicle festival where chefs present innovative calf testicle recipes. Not all is smiles as Christa reveals some very personal history.

To see episode 1 https://www.amiplus.ca/m/0/episode?seriesId=qvZHiKIn&app-config=ami-tv

Season Five of “Postcards from….”: Canadian Tourism Inclusive of Accessibility

ACCLAIMED INDIGENOUS WRITER & MUSICIAN CHRISTA COUTURE HOSTS AMI’S POSTCARDS FROM… 
 

VANCOUVER, BC (May 22, 2024) — Black Rhino Creative and not-for-profit media company Accessible Media Inc. present season five of documentary travel series Postcards From… on AMI-tv and AMI+ starting May 22, 2024 at 9:30 p.m. ET. The veteran doc series launches with a brand new host in musician, writer and amputee Christa Couture. Couture is proudly Indigenous (mixed Cree and Scandinavian), queer and disabled.

In Postcards From… we follow Couture as she reimagines travel through the five senses in eight cities across Canada with new episodes airing weekly. This season’s destinations include Drumheller, Fredericton, Dawson City, Salt Spring Island, Niagara Falls, Montreal, Edmonton and Whistler.

In the first episode of Postcards from…, airing on May 22, Couture visits Drumheller, the “Dinosaur Capital of the World.” She meets fascinating locals who introduce her and the audience to the lesser-known side of Drumheller as they chase ghosts, rev up a motorbike and try the infamous culinary delicacy prairie oysters. Throughout the season, Couture takes us through her travels with a focus on accessibility; using descriptive language to inform the audience about her experiences in each location. Postcards From… is unique in that it spends equal time presenting the locales as it does highlighting how Couture witnesses them through the sensory experiences of taste, touch, smell, hearing and sight.

Over the course of her acclaimed career, Couture’s work has mostly explored personal experiences of loss, from the childhood cancer that led to the amputation of her left leg to the deaths of her two infant sons. Her memoir How to Lose Everything was the inspiration for a series of short-animated films of the same name, but after her maternity photos that showcased her prosthetic leg went viral in 2018, Couture has been drawn to sharing stories that intersect with disability. Couture is a musician, filmmaker, writer, broadcaster and now host of Postcards from… Prairie-raised, Couture spent 17 years in Vancouver and now calls Toronto home.

Postcards From… was written by Christa Couture (How to Lose Everything), directed by Danny Berish (Red Chef Revival) and Ryan Mah (House Special) of Black Rhino Creative, produced by Joanna Wong (Not Your Butter Chicken), executive produced by Leah Mallen (Coast Modern), field and story produced by Rachael Ransom (Anne Murray: Full Circle) and Richard Tran is DOP. Postcards From… was made possible with the support of AMI, Canada Media Fund, Film Incentive BC and the Canadian Film and Television Tax Credit.

RKS 2024 Wine: Featherstone’s Canadian Cabernet Franc

Not willing to speak in absolutes but chances are a Cabernet Franc from Ontario seldom steers you off the cliff but don’t let me be your GPS on this! We try a Featherstone 2020 Cabernet Franc from Ontario’s Niagara region. 2129 cases mean an ample supply for domestic consumption.5% Merlot in the blend. Aged in 25% new American oak and 75% in 1–4-year-old American oak barrels.

Aroma: Black fruits rule the roost particularly black cherry and blackberry. Some dark blue plum, black licorice with some almost imperceptible vanilla.

Palate: Blackberry and black cherry bordering on juicy if not tart. A medium bodied wine with a longish finish that amps up tartness a bit.

Personality: I am a lip smacker.

Food Match: Rabbit stifado.

Cellarbility: Drink by 2025-year end. Decanting now allows a bit more American oak to seep in. I venture to say any more new American oak would dumb down the wine like some Washington State Merlot!

Price: $22.

RKS 2024 Wine Rating: 91/100. Dean Tudor 92.

(Featherstone Estate Winery 2020 Cabernet Franc, VQA Niagara Peninsula, Featherstone Estate Winery, Vineland, Ontario, 750 mL, 12.5%).

RKS 2024 Film: “In a Violent Nature”: Horror on the Screen and in the Screening Room

As a journalist I have learnt over the years that you never know when your next story can jump out at you while in the midst of working on your target story.

Years ago I was doing a sociology project which took me to a large theatre on St. Catherine Street in Montreal by the name of the Capitol. I believe I was analyzing the frenzy caused by the film “The Exorcist”. Over the course of numerous showings I heard screaming and crying in the theatre and witnessed several people actually running out through the lobby into the street.

Today at a press screening at a postproduction studio in Toronto I took a seat in the small screening room with a few dozen film critics to watch a Canadian made horror movie “In a Violent Nature”. There was horror on the screen but in the seats too with a few moans as human bodies were victimized. Encouraging noises for a horror film.

Now about “In a Violent Nature” Johnny was a very naughty boy! Years ago his mother gave him a golden locket for remembrance. Poor Johnny was murdered by a gang of men in a misguided revenge killing. Somehow the locket is picked up in the forest by urban millennial vacationers. Why it was hanging in plain view is puzzling. The locket removal galvanizes the long dead Johnny into a mommy revenge. The locals have given Johnny an almost mythical reputation. A trail of grisly revenge killings follows and I mean grisly. If you appreciate this crude and graphic violence with body parts being chopped and hacked, heads rolling, heads being pulped and intestines spilling all over this film rates a 99/100.

If you prefer a more discerning bit of horror the continual tramping and lumbering of Johnny is somewhat boring. The dialogue is at times wooden and the writing leads to a few dubious moments. There is a neat song about blackflies as the credits roll at the end of the film though. Well shot and top-notch special effects and splendid prosthetics of Steven Kostanki. I mean I have seen a lot worse and stopped watching some poor horror movies 10 minutes into the film. I watched the entire film this time. My type of horror film is the recent Mexican film “The Coffee Table” where the horror is largely suspenseful, mysterious and discrete. Being horrified by most horror movies there is hope for this one and I give it a 71/100.

It has been an “official selection” in 16 film festivals so far.

Directed and written by Chris Nash.

You can shiver through the screener here https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WyXuRmXbS7U

This Canadian horror film commences a Canadian theatrical release 31May2024.

RKS 2024 Film: Toronto’s 2SLGTBQ+ Inside Out Film Festival: “Sisters”: Where Does Friendship Evolve into Sisterhood and Vice Versa?

In the feature film “Sisters” Lou (Susie Yankou) and Esther (Sarah Khasrovi) are best buddies doing all manner of events together platonically. Lou is an out of the closet bisexual.

Lou and Esther have a fantasy about having sisters. Then out of the woodwork at her father’s funeral. Up pops Pryia (Kausar Mohammed) and instant sisterhood. Seems Lou’s father had a little office fling immediately prior to his marriage to Lou’s mother.

An initial fascination with Priya launches Lou on a self discovery journey about friendship and sisterhood. Clever writing on the story developed by both Yankou and Khasrovi rarely morphing into fluff.

The on-screen relationship of Yankou and Khasrovi kickstarts the film and rides it throughout. Not to exaggerate but it is near magical and entirely captivating.

Many one liners spice up the film which has comedic elements embodied heavily infused with satire. A first class semi-comedic Sistercom film!

Directed by Yankou.

World premiere at the Festival on 25May2024. For more information check insideout.ca.

Robert K. Stephen 2024 Film Rating 86/100.

RKS Literature: Master Copperfield is Head Over Heels

“I had no intention of saying (and had been studying the best form of words for three miles) that I thought them beautiful before I saw them so near her. But I couldn’t manage it. She was too bewildering. To see her lay the flowers against her little dimpled chin, was to lose all presence of mind and power of language in a feeble ecstasy. I wonder I didn’t say, “Kill me if you have a heart, Miss Mills. Let me die here!’

Charles Dickens “David Copperfield”, 1850.

RKS Literature: Being on the “Right Side” of the Family (Charles Dickens)

‘Miss Trotwood’ he remarked. ‘is very firm no doubt, and not likely to give way to opposition. I have an admiration for her character, and I may congratulate you, Copperfield, on being on the right side. Differences between relations are much to be deplored-but they are extremely general-and the great thing is, to be on the right side’; meaning, I take it, on the side of the moneyed interest.

Charles Dickens, “David Copperfield”, 1850.

RKS 2024 Wine: An Argentinian Red Blend from the End of the World

Odds are if you are at the end of the world conditions could be such one cares more about surviving than drinking an excellent wine? I have been to the end of the world in Portugal but not in Argentinian Patagonia.

In a fancy, possibly gimmicky and monstrously heavy bottle, we have a blend of Malbec (40%), Cabernet Sauvignon (40%) and Merlot (20%).

At the end of the world your next stop may be limbo so this may be the last glass of wine you have before the final judgement on you shall be made. How will we judge this wine?

Aroma: Like angels awaiting you (hopefully) the cherry in the wine sings sweetly to your ears. A chorus of black fruit sits behind the angels.

Palate: Not exactly a smoothie on the palate. It has the gospel book of seriousness thumping on it shouting that Argentinian wine is the only true road to salvation! Tannins are present but not overpowering. The Merlot and to a lesser degree the Cabernet Sauvignon like false prophets diminish the lushness of the Argentinian Malbec. A blend can create a unique wine or end up confusing the grapes leading them into perdition as I think the case is here. A bit of Prince of Darkness burns on the palate. On the palate then I think it fair to say it will not lead you into temptation but rather into regret considering its price.

Personality: RKS Wine is getting where a wine witter should not be; on the pulpit Pontus Pilate pontificating. Decide for yourself as we watch him being gnawed by the lions.

Food Match: Since you are at the end of the world what the Hell, enjoy with a Devil’s Food Cake.

Cellarbility: As the wine is showing its age, not quite as old as Methuselah mind you, drink by 2024-year end.

Price: $50 CDN (Ontario).

RKS 2024 Wine Rating: 79/100. Jamessuckling.com 90.

Comments from the Peanut Gallery: A hellish price to pay for mediocrity. There are many false prophets out there! Love a wine from those obscurely named corporations!

(Bodega del Fin del Mundo 2021 Special Blend, Patagonia, Argentina, BDFM S.A., Patagonia, Argentina, 750 mL, 14.5%).

RKS 2024 Film: Toronto’s 2SLGTBQ+ Inside Out Film Festival: “Local Heroes” Short Programme: Reality and Dreams are a Mess for the Dreamer in “How’d You Sleep”

The Dreamer (Spencer Glassman) is self described as a 29-year-old hot Jewish chick in an unconventional way but not yet famous. Unfortunately, she slept in and missed her latest audition. “What’s wrong with me?” she muses.

The Dreamer has difficulty in sleeping despite her melatonin, hot milk, exercise, porn watching for some sexual release purposes, listening to learn language tapes and watching relaxation videos. All this tossing and turning is painful to watch.

It appears the Dreamer is suffering from some anxiety as in a dream she appears on stage singing opera but messes up her lines to boos of the audience then she appears on stage unintentionally naked and consequently humiliated.

In a dream the Deamer is visited by her gay gym teacher (Travis Silverman) from high school and they exchange kisses then off the Dreamer goes to her 30th birthday party and watches her alter ego drop the cake on the floor. Both reality and dreams are a mess for the Deamer.

The short is a frenzy of painful tossing and turning, low self esteem, fear of failure and anxiety and perhaps an inability to dissect fantasy from reality. A perfect storm for insomnia?

Writer and director Spencer Glassman.

Showing with the other Local Heroes shorts in theatre 30May2024 and virtually 31May2024.

RKS 2024 Film Rating: 74/100.

For more information on the Festival see insideout.ca.

RKS 2024 Wine: The Cheapest Quality Bubby in Town?

Most likely a toss up between Prosecco and Cava.

We try a Cornaro Prosecco DOC Treviso.

Prosecco is more often platinum in colour as this Prosecco is.

Aroma: Lime, lemon and marzipan.

Palate:  A cleansing wave of acidity. Almond, peach, banana split and sweet white grapefruit.

Personality: Although I am simply the best on a hot and humid July afternoon in Venice you can enjoy me anywhere in the world. I have an affinity to cool you down in the summer keeping in mind my 11% alcohol. I am moderate but not quite in the convent yet.

Food Match: Creamy White Beans in Herb Oil. See it here https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1019385-creamy-white-beans-with-herb-oil

Cellarbility: Drink by 2025-year end.

Price: $19 CDN (Ontario).

RKS 2024 Wine Rating: 89/100.

(Cornaro Prosecco, DOC Treviso, Cantina Montelliana e Dei Colli, Asolani, Montebelluna, Italy,750 mL, 11%).