Astrid's 10 Hot Docs Picks

Spring has sprung (for the most part) and that means the best day of the year is celebrated: my birthday!

It's also time for Hot Docs 2010. For movie-goers it's a time to reflect on essentially every aspect of reality, with a wide range of documentary films from around the world. I have been lucky enough to be given a pass for my birthday this year (I brought it up for a reason, you know!), which gets you a ticket to each late-night screening in addition to ten anytime tickets.

So here is my list, in no particular order, of what to spend those 10 tickets on, as well as the late-night movies for good measure. You can read longer descriptions and show times/places by clicking here.

BHUTTO. This is an international premiere about Benazir Bhutto, former PM of Pakistan. Apparently it is a "bold" bio, so hopefully there will be quite a bit on her final months before her assassination.

KINGS OF PASTRY. As some people may know, I absolutely love watching pretty much any food related programing on television. Kings of Pastry follows sixteen chefs competing for the Meilleur de Ouvrier de France. It's like Top Chef but French and with more sugar.

DISH: Women, Waitressing & the Art of Service. Again with the food, but this goes much deeper to look at gender roles in eateries/drinkeries around the world. I'm sure there will be some fun "customers did this" type stories, as well.

THE STORY OF FURIOUS PETE. Food related, ish. Pete, now a bit of a YouTube celeb, went from anorexia to competitive eater. 'Nuf said.

LAND. Take burnt-out baby-boomers, Sandinistas, ex-lefty capitalist developers, and watch them duke it out over a Nicaraguan seaside town. Obviously the local residents will get involved as well. Sounds like an interesting watch.

CZECH DREAM. Hot Docs has a category of movies called "Ripping Reality" which are doc essentials. I'm proud to say I have seen three of the ones listed, but haven't seen this one. Czech Dream is an exploration of consumerism through an ad campaign for a fake product. I think this will be interesting because the post-communist aspect.

DARWIN'S NIGHTMARE. Another doc essential I have yet to see, this movie is a look at how globalization reduced a country to ruin. I want to see this because I think that's a really general statement and want to know what they are talking about!

CANDYMAN: The David Klein Story. David Klein is apparently the man who invented Jelly Belly, and yet he is not even mentioned in the company's official history. Why? I guess we'll just have to watch and see. Oh also, Weird Al Yankovic is in the film.

OUR HOUSE. This movie sounds so intense I just have to see it. Radical Christian squatters operating an unlicensed (aka illegal) shelter for ex-cons and addicts in an abandoned Brooklyn warehouse.

ROUGH AUNTIES. Kim Longinotto is being recognized by Hot Docs 2010 for outstanding achievement, and thus there are plenty of her movies to choose from. This is my selection, although "Hold Me Tight, Let Me Go" may or may not take its spot. Depends on scheduling since they both look really interesting.

The late-night shows are the following:

• Tarnation
  
• 1991 The Year Punk Broke
• Tallhotblond
• The Parking Lot Movie
• The People vs. George Lucas
• Sex Magic, Manifesting Maya
• We Don't Care About Music Anyway
• Strange Powers: Stephin Merritt and the Magnetic Fields
• I'm Dangerous with Love
  

Out of every single movie I have listed here there is one that I truly cannot wait to watch. This movie will be one of the single most important films of 2010. This movie will be nothing short of awesome. Mainly because it's about Star Wars. The People vs. George Lucas is essentially Star Wars fans (obviously those who love the original three) who pay tribute to the ultimate trilogy, and somehow become entangled with Mr. Lucas aka Mr. Copyright Holder himself. I can't wait!

By the way, if you still haven't seen the most epic amazingly fantastic review of Episode One- you're missing out!

Anyway, those are my 2010 Hot Docs picks. Thoughts? What are you looking forward to?

Tips for Dealing with Rogers (or other wireless customer service representatives)

Over the years I have become pretty good at dealing with Rogers Wireless call-centre reps. At first, when my parents and I were on the same account, I had to convince Rogers that I was allowed to make changes to the account. Every. Single. Time. Eventually my mum put me as a signatory so they would allow me to access our account with less difficulty. This basically meant I called, did the talking, & my mum would say "yes" at the end. Now, even though we are on separate accounts, I do the talking for the both of us. I have quite the list of accomplishments (if I may say so myself) and I often hear people complaining that they can't get anywhere with these people.

Here is a collection of tips for dealing with those lovable people.
1. Find a way to get the direct line number. It's basically like the red Batman phone, but a little more realistic. This is the phone number that the people in physical Rogers stores call. It means two lovely things: a) no automated voice lady asking you a million questions about why you are calling, and b) no waiting on hold! It's almost as satisfying as calling up your BFF! You can either ask a worker in a Rogers store for it or, I'll sell you the 416 number.

2. Security: Two things you have to tell them is the birthday and postal code associated with the account. Two things things you have the option of creating are a PIN and/or a password. If you make one or both, then they fall into the "things you have to tell them category" forever more. If they tell you that you have a PIN, and this is news to you, it's probably a whole bunch of "1s." If you choose to have either of these make sure you will remember it because it is freaking had to get into your account without it!

3. You're in! Now, communication is everything. "Duh!" you say? Seriously- the way you talk to the Rogers people is crucial. Being friendly, but very clearly holding your ground is key. They are normal people who sympathize with you. So be friendly! They will help you, and if they can't, see numbers 4 and 5. That being said, don't be a push-over. You have to truly believe that you can get what you want out of them- no settling! And then push for as much as you can. Whatever you do end up getting will feel like it was well earned, and a sweet victory.

4. If the lovely young man, who has been so very helpful (I write this in a non sarcastic way) says that he doesn't know / can't help you but a manager can call you back within 24 hours... say no!! They most likely won't call you back. And then you will have to call back and have to repeat steps two and three. Even if they do, you will probably be busy. After all, you are calling them now because this is when you're actually not busy! If you maintain that you are very willing to wait for the sole manager who is working the call centre floor a couple times then eventually that one manager will get to you. Alternatively that one manager will tell the person you are dealing with to give you what you want. Alternative to both of those scenarios: you can be transferred to a magical room full of managers. This room has a name but I really can't remember what it is. These managers can do pretty much anything. Even, for example, override a 36 month contract.

5. Ask for customer retention. If the previous steps didn't get you anywhere- just give up a little sigh and say "okay well can someone at customer retention at least help me? because I really [insert sentiment & objective here]." Then, if they are not total jerks, will say something like "oh well if this is going to be something that you are willing to leave over...." One of two things will happen: a) the person you are talking to will transfer you over and you have to go through your speech all over again. Or b) the person you are talking to will put you on hold, tell everything to the retention person, and then connect you over. This second way is what you want to hope for, because then all that happens is that you get what you are asking for- straight up.

6. The finale. Kind of like a cinematic experience, talking to Rogers has a distinct flow to the conversation. You, the protagonist, are on a mission against some sort of other character who is trying to make your life difficult. You confront this other character full of vigor, but it is a vicious battle. Eventually everything winds down to a final victory or tragedy. This is your conversation: difficulty (billing problems, contract problems, service problems), followed by the confrontation (the phone conversation), and finally the end.

Well! I hope that helps. If not, maybe some Q&As could. And if neither of those work, then you can employ me to call for you.