Men With Brooms

All of this Olympic curling talk made me dig out my DVD of the Canadian comedy Men With Brooms. Starring cutie Paul Gross, who also co-wrote and directed it, the movie follows four men trying to seek personal and professional redemption on the curling sheet. Throw in a love triangle, goofy Leslie Nielsen, a huge dude in a kilt, a cameo by the Tragically Hip, curling cheerleaders, and a flock o' beavers, and you have yourself one hell of a slice of Canadiana. The ironic part of this movie to me is that the actors have the worst curling form that I have ever seen! Its a really entertaining comedy, and recommended if you want to learn something about the coolest game on ice.

Buy (DVD): Men With Brooms (2002)

The soundtrack is really great too. It features Canadian artists like Kathleen Edwards, The New Pornographers, Our Lady Peace, The Tragically Hip, Matthew Good, Sarah Harmer, Tom Wilson, among others. It's available as an import on Amazon.com for $37.95, so order it below from Amazon.ca for $14.99 Canadian, which is about the same in $US.

Buy (Amazon.ca): Men With Broom Soundtrack (2002)

I don't actually own the soundtrack because I already have most of the songs from their original albums. Here is a little slice of Canada for you to enjoy.

Sarah Harmer - Silver Road.mp3
Buy: All of Our Names (2004)

Kathleen Edwards - Hockey Skates.mp3
Buy: Failer (2003)

Our Lady Peace - Life.mp3
Buy: Spiritual Machines (2000)

The Tragically Hip - Throwing Off Glass.mp3
Buy: In Violet Light (2002)

Canada Day Fireworks

Canada Day (French: Fête du Canada), formerly Dominion Day (French: Le Jour de la Confédération), is Canada's national day, a federal statutory holiday celebrating the anniversary of the 1 July 1867 enactment of the British North America Act, which united Canada as a single country of four provinces. Canada Day observances take place throughout Canada as well as internationally.

The below song is quintessentially Canadian. Its by a band that is wildly successful in Canada, but never really made much of a dent in the US music scene (asides from border cities and ex-pats attending their shows). Its an upbeat, poppy, love song, but it name drops Bobby Orr. And, surprise, they often play it at the end of outdoors shows so that fireworks can blast in the background! I saw them perform at Edgefest in 2003 at Molson Park in Barrie, Ontario. Great rock band.

The Tragically Hip - Fireworks.mp3
Buy: Phantom Power (1998)