When: Thursday, April 3rd @ 12:00 PM
Where: The Bloor Cinema
Details: Cinefranco website

Adapting her graphic novel of the same name, Marjane Sartrapi wrote and directed Persepolis, an enjoyable film that’s worth seeing but that never quite hits the mark of a great film. Persepolis is the story of a smart, young girl growing up in Iran in the 1980s, struggling to deal with revolutions, the new government, and the laws limiting her freedom. As a young child, the revolution seems an adventure, and she’s easily believes anything she hears: when her teacher tells her to support the current government, she does; when her parents explain to her the faults of the government, she is eager to revolt against it. But when she meets her uncle, a long-time political prisoner, the glamour of revolution becomes hard-knock reality, and she is lost. (more…)

On Va S’aimer

On Va S’aimer is a perfectly delightful little romantic musical comedy with adultery, shenanigans, bittersweet moments, and most importantly, a happy ending. The musical numbers are hokey French pop songs, bad enough to have come out of Les Chansons D’Amour, but not quite silly enough to be in 8 Femmes. Dancers dressed in black magically appear for each song and vanish at the end of each one.

On Va S’aimer is the story of two best friends, Laurent and François, each in happy relationships, with Camille and Élodie, respectively, who end up falling for the other one’s girlfriend, and each carrying on an affair with the object of their desire while all still in their initial relationships. The first time Élodie and Laurent meet up surreptitiously, they keep telling each other that “they shouldn’t” and continue to recite the same hilarious line, which gets all the more funny, when they say it while mid-climax. (more…)

Roman de Gare is a film that begins with so much potential, but quickly fritters it away and veers off on a path of utter awfulness. Roman de Gare is the story of two strangers – Huguette and some nameless man played by Dominique Pinon (Diva, Amélie) – who meet by chance at a rest stop when Huguette’s fiancée drives off after a fight, leaving her stranded. Dominique Pinon offers Huguette a ride, which she only hesitantly accepts after he performs a card trick and she takes a good 7-hour nap in the rest terminal. To Huguette, a pretty, young woman, such a seemingly kind, good Samaritan offer of a ride by a mysterious middle-aged man – a stranger – seems suspicious.

(more…)

Leave The Pack Behind(LTPB) would like to offer you a deal: join UofT’s first “Amazing” Race and get two hours of fun and cool prizes. On Thursday, April 3rd, LTPB would like to invite you to what promises to be an event like no other. LTPB has taken the iniciate to create the smoke free challege“READY, SET, RUN!” in order to make April 3rd a smoke free day annual tradition at U of T. The race is modelled after CBS’ Amazing Race, and you can participate either individually or as a group.

If you don’t feel like running(well, it’s the end of the semester), you can also participate by signing a pledge that states that on April 3rd you’ll remain smoke free. Even if you don’t smoke this is an excellent opportunity to support a U of T smoke free enviorment. You can pledge on LTPB facebook event.

When: Thursday, April 3rd, from 12 – 2pm
Where: The race begins at Koffler Center, opposite to the UofT Bookstore, but there will be different pit stops around U of T’s campus
Additional Info: Admission is Free. For more info please check out LTPB or facebook event

Leave The Pack Behind is a student-run organization(supported by U of T’s Health Promotion department), which provides information on tobacco related issues. In addition, they provide support for smokers who DO NOT want to quit, for smokers who would like to quit, and for friends who would like to help friends quit.

Do you have more time than money? Do you have more energy than money? Do you have more goodwill than… well, you get the point.

In keeping with the trend for social activism in the past few posts, blogUT brings you tidings of Timeraiser: a charity art auction, where instead of money, you auction your time to volunteer at non-profits!

What could be better: make the world a better place, get artwork in exchange.

Even cooler? The event is hosted in the trendy Distillery District. Now you can be cool AND care.

WHAT: 5th Toronto Timeraiser
WHEN: Saturday April 5th, 2008. Doors open at 7pm
WHERE: Distillery District, Fermenting Cellar
$$$: Pledge what you can afford (min. 20 hours), plus $20 ticket
WWW: http://www.timeraiser.ca/en/Toronto-2008

Hart House is screening the hilarious comedy Rock, Paper, Scissors: The Way of The Tosser on April 1st. This film shines a spotlight on the current, fast-growing obsession with competitive Rock, Paper, Scissors. The free screening takes place at in the Arbor Room in Hart House at 8pm on April 1st. But the best part is… Hart House is also hosting its own Rock, Paper, Scissors tournament with the film’s stars Gary Brewer and Holly Brewer. The winner from each campus will receive $100 plus a chance to appear in the Tossers’ next feature film! Prizes will also be awarded for the best dressed and the most Tosser Spirit!

Check out the facebook page for more info.

When: April 1st
Film Screening of
Rock, Paper, Scissors: The Way of The Tosser @ 8pm
Tournament @ 9:30
Where: Arbor Room in Hart House
Cost: Free!!!

“Enjoy a day of making maple syrup and feasting on all the pancakes you can eat! Activities include a tour of the Farm, wood-fired sauna by the pond, and music. Syrup will be available for purchase.”

Now, doesn’t that sound like fun? In case you’re not convinced, we can tell you that blogUT has been to Hart House Farm, and it is indeed a good time. And if that still doesn’t convince you, you can take a look at this photo gallery of the 2006 Hart House Sugaring-Off by Björn Schümann (found via google search).

Now, go forth and enjoy the sweet taste of spring!

When: Saturday, March 15, 2008. * Rescheduled: Saturday, Apr. 5th. Buses leave Hart house at 10:30am and depart from the Farm at 7pm.
Details: Advance tickets until Wed. Mar. 12 $25/person with bus/$20 without. After Wed. $32 with bus/$27 without, available at the Hall Porters’ Desk

image credit: Björn Schümann (via google search)