I Heart Edmonton

With the summer coming to an end, movies make a good night-out when the mercury drops, so we're here to guide you through the good, the bad and the ugly BY EMIL TIEDEMANN As you may have noticed, I Heart Edmonton has recently taken it upon itself to review the latest movies, big or small. I know, exciting, right?! We posted the first review yesterday, after deciding that Quentin Tarantino 's intriguing take on the Nazi-occupied France era, Inglourious Basterds , would be the premiere film for I Heart 's "@ the Movies " segment. It was a great place to start, I must say. (For quick reference, check out the latest titles we've reviewed in the sidebar links titled " I Heart @ the Movies "). Now you might wonder what movies have to do with a site dedicated to the city of Edmonton, right? Well it's simple, really. Edmonton has plenty of movie theatres dispersed throughout the city, and in the winter season going to the movies is a perfect night out

Dirty deeds are done dirt cheap, but notoriety comes at a hefty price BY EMIL TIEDEMANN "It was a ridiculous movie," blasted Brad Pitt when German magazine Stern recently asked his opinion of Tom Cruise 's Hitler-era feature Valkyrie . "The Second World War could still deliver more stories and films, but I believe that Quentin put a cover on that pot," Pitt continued, this time referencing Tarantino's latest cinematic asskick Inglourious Basterds . Such blatent animosity for last year's Valkyrie may put a damper on the friendship of the Hollywood kings, but I can only assume Pitt would prefer Quentin "Aestheticizator of Violence" Tarantino in his corner than Tom "Couch Jumper" Cruise. Enough with that Hollywood gossip shit now, let's chat about an insanely entertaining--at times--war epic as told (made-up) from the warped mindset of one of the most adventurous filmmakers of the last 20 years, Quentin Jerome Tarantino. He's

Come rain or high winds, as the old adage declares, the show must go on! BY EMIL TIEDEMANN I MAGINE 60,000 men, women and children--most at variant stages of drunkeness--pounding their soaked fists into pouring skies and chanting "Oi! Oi! Oi!" Imagine a darkened football stadium full of adrenaline-hyped rock fanatics begging for Angus Young , a 54-year-old Scot, to strip off his trademark schoolboy uniform to bare his AC/DC undies (see video below)! Now try and imagine lightning bolts criss-crossing the evening sky as Brian Johnson screams "I'm a rolling thunder, a pouring rain...my lightning flashes across the sky"! I have no need to imagine such things, for I lived it last night! The Wednesday, August 26, 2009 AC/DC concert at Edmonton's Commonwealth Stadium was a concert for the ages, and this city's most memorable in years, perhaps decades! It was a rare opportunity for a town in love with the rockers from 'Down Under' to converge u

The 2009 EIFF has wrapped up and box office numbers recrowns it as #1 in North America BY EMIL TIEDEMANN Well, it's official! The Edmonton International Fringe Theatre Festival is still the biggest and most preferred Fringe fest in all of North America, much ado to some massive support for the 11-day event that saw more sold-out shows than ever before. From August 13th to the 23rd, tens of thousands of Fringers walked through the makeshift gates of the Fringe grounds in Old Strathcona , and bought more than 92,100 tickets, with outdoor attendance at an estimated 550,000! "On behalf of the hundreds of artists, the EIFF would like to thank our many sponsors, dedicated volunteers and patrons." This message welcomed guests to the Fringe's official website, which beamed of the exciting news that our summer staple outdid Winnipeg 's record-breaking Fringe this past July (15-26), which held the record for a mere four weeks with its impressive 81,353 ticket tally (and t

e Designed by Dub Architects in the early-'90s, Edmonton's one-of-a-kind City Hall consists of a 200-foot clock tower, a public pool-slash-fountain and, of course, a 43-metre high glass pyramid that rises from the 3-story building's roof. Opened in 1992, City Hall was originally supposed to pay tribute to the tipis of the First Nations, with five cones sitting atop the structure, but negative press had the design revised to pay homage to the Rocky Mountains instead, dubbed "Pyramid Power." The hall is located in downtown Edmonton, as the main feature of Sir Winston Churchill Square. PHOTO BY EMIL TIEDEMANN e

Zombie satires aren't exactly a new concept, but a local theatre troupe bring some originality to the table BY EMIL TIEDEMANN Let me be the first to tell you--if you don't already know--that the live theatre of Edmonton's International Fringe Theatre Festival is a lot different than multi-million dollar movies on the silver screen. I know, I know that goes without saying, but it never occurred to me just how different the two are until I made my Fringe debut last week. I spent a lot of my hardly-earned money this year on watching blockbuster and indie movies in giant multi-plexes or small single-season theatres. And I've been to plays before at high-class auditoriums, as well as street performer shows and stand-up. But the Fringe is a whole 'nother world, full of bright-eyed artists and devoted patrons who come together to form a makeshift arts community in the heart of Edmonton, where you can take in some foul-mouthed improv and comedic adaptations on the same ev

e Location: Shaw Conference Centre Address: 9797 Jasper Ave. Phone: 780-444-2576 (Ticketmaster)/ 403-540-8529 (Calgary office) Email: steve@calgarytattoos.com Dates: Friday, August 21-Sunday, August 23, 2009 Hours: 2PM-10PM (Fri)/ Noon-10PM (Sat)/ Noon-7PM (Sun) Cost: $20 (single day)/ $40 (weekend pass)/ $75 (VIP weekend pass) "Don't be fooled by imitators, this show is tattoo artist-owned and operated," reads the posters for the 3-day Alberta Bound Tattoo & Arts Festival , which returns to Edmonton for the first time since 2005. More than 150 local, national and international artists congregate to the Shaw Conference Centre to sell their artwork, with performances by Dodgeball (Saturday only) and Lucky Diamond Rich , the most-tattooed man in the world! The all-ages event will feature live music, a beer gardens, tattoo contests, retail vendors and artists like Scott Campbell , Matt Cottell , Dave Griep , Kathy Hayes and Mike Magee . You can purchase tickets

A rundown of our beloved Fringe and its European roots BY EMIL TIEDEMANN In a city once synonymous with oil, professional hockey and/or that giant mall at any given point in its relatively short history, Edmonton is steadily reinventing itself as a national hub for cultural and entertainment celebration, as it boasts a fury of things to do year-round. Amongst the most recommended and recognizeable ventures would be the world-class Edmonton International Fringe Theatre Festival (August 13-23), now in its 28th year. Up until last Friday night I was a Fringe virgin, despite residing in Edmonton every single year of the historical live theatre exposè, which is not only the biggest in North America, but was also the first! But I had my cherry popped by a trio of angels (" Aerial Angels ") and a pair of improv junkies (" Scratch ")...and it felt good! But I assure you, this is just the beginning of our new-found relationship, because I think I'm in love! Before I go

'Aerial Angels' and 'Scratch' are guaranteed crowd pleasers destined for a 2010 rebound...I hope! BY EMIL TIEDEMANN It's day three of the world-renowned, 28th annual, " Stage a Revolution "-themed Edmonton International Fringe Festival and so far all I've taken in is one and a half shows! Ever! That's right, in my 29 years--and the Fringe's 28--I had never caught a show of the groundbreaking festival prior to last night (Friday, August 14), which I'm a lil' embarrassed to admit, but then again I've never been to the Folk Fest , Heritage Days or the Indy either, soooo.... Anyways, back to last night. After work, a nap, a shower and a drink (or two) I headed to Whyte Ave. to meet up with a couple friends o'mine, Colin and Meghan , who had already eaten at the fest and were waiting for me at one of the dozen free outdoor stage shows, " Aerial Angels ." I remembered that a pair of the trio had just appeared on a cover

Edmonton fans ignite a love affair with the late-blooming 'kings' of rock! BY EMIL TIEDEMANN It hasn't even been a year since I heard Caleb Followill gloating that his "sex is on fire" on the local radio station for the first time. Admittedly, I wasn't bowled over right from the get-go, but by the second or third listen I was hooked. It wasn't long until I headed to the nearest mall to pick up Kings of Leon 's Only by the Night CD (pictured below right), which easily persuaded me to check out their back catalogue as well, which included 2003's Youth and Young Manhood , 2004's Aha Shake Heartbreak and 2006's Because of the Times . I was now a full-fledged Kings enthusiast. So, as you could imagine, I was humbled when I heard that the "biggest rock band in the world" were making their way to Edmonton's Rexall Place this summer. I got my hands on a pair of tickets just six days before the August 12th show, and was in a sedate

e Location: Edmonton City Hall Address: 1 Sir Winston Churchill Square Phone: 780-298-2341 Email: info@edmontonmarathon.ca Dates: Saturday, August 15-Sunday, August 16, 2009 Hours: 8:30AM (Sat)/ 6:00AM (Sun) Cost: Free admission If you're one of those people who has "run a marathon" scribbled on their list of things to do before they die, then this upcoming weekend is your chance to cross it off that list for good. The annual Edmonton Marathon , sponsored by Intact Insurance , will start and end at City Hall in downtown Edmonton, wil the full (23 miles/ 42km) and half (9.5 miles/ 21.1km) runs on Sunday. The marathon is just part of the 2009 Intact River Valley Family Festival , which also includes the Family Festival Expo , the Horses at Northlands Park Kids Marathon Mile , and the 5K Fun Run/Walk . You can register for the event here . e

The wild takes center stage in rare look at the best of '08 photography exhibit BY EMIL TIEDEMANN It happened to be a particularily dreary day out and the on-again, off-again rain put a damper on any chance of spending the afternoon snapping pictures of anything outdoors. While driving down 102nd ave. I remembered that the Royal Alberta Museum was exhibiting the Veolia Environment-sponsored Wildlife Photographer of the Year , which I had been wanting to take in since posting a brief article about it near the beginning of July. I grabbed my camera and headed into the 42-year-old Edmonton landmark, paid the $10 entrance fee, and then walked over towards the exhibit. Not surprisingly flash photography was not allowed, so I grudgingly tucked my camera into its tote bag and began taking in some of the most fascinating wildlife photos I've ever seen. When photography is one of your passions in life you're able to appreciate a stunning shot when you see one, just as I imagine a h

Blink and you might miss one of Edmonton's most interesting spots to experience the 'finer things in life' BY EMIL TIEDEMANN W INE has never been one of my vice's, nor has it really even been an occasional excursion of mine, but after discovering the 4-year-old Passa Tempo I might have to rethink my drink of choice. The name of the bar translates to "passing the time" in Latin, adopting such a moniker as it was originally intended as a waiting room of sorts, as customers lingered around until their tables were ready at the neighbouring Culina restaurant. Hidden like a needle in a heystack somewhat kittycorner to Route 99, just off Whyte Ave. , Passa is intimate in every sense of the word. Never quite smitten with the wine-tasting experience, I was hesitant to even peak inside the doors of the quaint watering hole, but I didn't really have to. The entrance was wide open, welcoming any and all passersby, as was the wall-size window that served as