Darth Stronach actually does sound evil

I finally saw footage of last Thursday's parliamentary confidence vote. You know, the one where the awkward looking dude calls the guy with the flabby skin corrupt, and then takes him to task? Damn those light sabres are cool.

I recall thinking that the previous two Star Wars films had way too much politics, and not enough action, in the same way that The Matrix: Revolutions had far too much religion and too little of the fighty-fighty. Well Lucas certainly had something up his flannel sleeve, and it paid off handsomely. My personal favorite moment from the film dealt with the aforeblogged Yoda fight scene. The giant senate chamber, a setting which gave the previous two prequels so much of a C-SPAN vibe, was actually put to good use: a force-filled battle royale.

The rest of the film wasn't so bad either. Indeed, there is some cringe-worthy dialogue, but Lucas wins points for some inspired plotting, even if you he rips off Godfather a little in the process.

I caught the film during a rain-soaked, but fun-drenched weekend in Vancouver, a city I miss more than I realized. Another minor bonus from the long weekend was discovering that Vancouver radio ain't so bad. Perhaps part of my dislike of Calgary radio is due to the fact that CANCON requirements often skew local. This means that DJs in Cowtown will choose Nickelback, while those in Vancouver will opt for Hot Hot Heat, a markedly more creative band.

Speaking of music, (and really, when don't I?), I'm making my way through this new White Stripes album. It's a bit more nimble than Elephant, a tad more acoustic, and the piano is turned up to 11. So far I really like this "Take, Take, Take" tune, relating an encounter with Rita Hayworth, as hilariously told from a stalker who's in denial. And then there's "Little Ghost," obviously recorded during the 2 minutes before Anthony Minghella yelled cut on the set of Cold Mountain.