"My Problem With Looper's Logic" or "Does This Mean I Don't Like Looper?!?!"

Thursday night, I found myself at a midnight showing of Looper at the Arclight in Hollywood. Before I jump into my thoughts on the movie aka the point of this article, I do want to mention that Looper now holds the title for Best Midnight Showing Director Introduction. See, Rian Johnson showed up in full Arclight employee garb, introduced himself simply as "Rian" and did nothing but say what the Arclight employees always say before a movie starts. As he was speaking, I thought to myself, wait a second, I know that guy, thinking he was just an Arclight dude who has been around forever, not putting two and two together that he looked familiar because I've been hearing him talk at conventions all year. Because he's Rian Johnson. But someone in our group quickly figured it out and we began uncontrollably snickering, causing Johnson to ask towards the end of his speil - "What's so funny?" It was a perfect moment, and set a nice tone going into the film.

But now to get some things off my chest after the jump. Spoilers ahead!


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Halloween Costume Brainstorming 2012

PROMETHEUS SPOILER ALERT!!

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So here's the deal. I don't exactly enjoy being next to naked in life, let alone Halloween, when girls do it specifically to look sexy, which bugs the hell out of me. But the moment this imagery entered my consciousness during Prometheus, I thought "ZOMG HALLOWEEN?!?!!" Plus, it's pretty simple

-Neutral tone strapless bra & underwear

-Ace bandage situation for wrapping

-Fake blood/wound makeup

-Short brown wig.....though man do I hate wearing wigs

-Facehugger. Just cause.

DO I DARE??!?!?!

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Pitch Perfect Giveaway Times!

MOOOARRRR GIVEAAAWAYYYSSS

I am way too excited for this movie. I mean, I saw Camp in theaters. The movie Camp is how I knew who Anna Kendrick was before anyone else did. I soft spot for whatever the hell genre this is and I AM NOT ASHAMED I AM ONLY A LITTLE ASHAMED. But come on, Anna Kendrick, Rebel Wilson, Anna Camp, produced by Elizabeth Banks HOW can it not be awesome.

Update: I saw it. IT'S EVERYTHING I HOPED IT WOULD BE AND MORE. Elaboration to come soon.

So we are holding a little contest, as we do, and here's what  you can win:

One winner will receive:

• Pitch Perfect Official Soundtrack
• $15 Movie Cash
• Pitch Perfect Sunglasses
• Pitch Perfect Earbuds
• Pitch Perfect T-shirt or Tank Top
• Aca-Awesome Magnetic Poetry

To enter, just rock the Rafflecopter before, you know the drill!

a Rafflecopter giveaway


PS Check out who won the first go round below!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Beca (Anna Kendrick) is that girl who'd rather listen to what's coming out of her headphones than what's coming out of you. Arriving at her new college, she finds herself not right for any clique but somehow is muscled into one that she never would have picked on her own: alongside mean girls, sweet girls and weird girls whose only thing in common is how good they sound when they sing together, in the new out-loud comedy Pitch Perfect.

Release Date:                         October 5, 2012

Genre:                                     Comedy

Studio:                                    Universal Pictures

Starring:                                 Anna Kendrick, Brittany Snow, Anna Camp, Rebel Wilson, Alexis Knapp, Adam DeVine, Freddie Stroma

Directed By:                           Jason Moore

Written By:                            Kay Cannon, Jeff Roda

Produced By:                         Paul Brooks, Elizabeth Banks, Max Handelman

Official website          http://www.pitchperfectmovie.com/

Facebook                    http://www.facebook.com/pitchperfectmovie

Twitter                       https://twitter.com/pitchperfect  #PitchPerfect

YouTube                     http://www.youtube.com/user/pitchperfectmovie

Soundtrack listing

1. Don't Stop The Music (The Treblemakers)

2. Let It Whip (The Treblemakers)

3. Since U Been Gone (Ester Dean, Skylar Astin)

4. Cups (Anna Kendrick)

5. Riff Off: Mickey/Like A Virgin/Hit Me With Your Best Shot/S&M/Let's Talk About Sex/I'll Make Love To You/Feels Like The First Time/No Diggity (The Barden Bellas, The Treblemakers, The BU Harmonics)

6. Bellas Regionals: The Sign/Eternal Flame/Turn The Beat Around (The Barden Bellas)

7. Right Round (The Treblemakers featuring My Name Is Kay)

8. Pool Mashup: Just The Way You Are/Just A Dream (The Barden Bellas)

9. Party In The U.S.A. (The Barden Bellas)

10. Trebles Finals: Bright Lights Bigger City/Magic (The Treblemakers)

11. Bellas Finals: Price Tag/Don t You (Forget About Me)/Give Me Everything/Just The Way You Are/Party In The U.S.A./Turn The Beat Around (The Barden Bellas)

12. Toner (Instrumental Suite) (Christopher Beck, Mark Kilian)

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Watch This Now: Brand New Web Series "The Complex"

James just got dumped. In a bad way. But that's not going to stop him from winning back the girl of his dreams. With the help of his crew of oddball friends and neighbors, he's going to tackle every complaint his ex has. But in The Complex, his plans always take an unexpected turn.


So you know how pretty much all of the people have a web series? And how generally, they aren't very good? Either the writing isn't there, the direction isn't competent, the camera work is amateurish and the acting...let's not get started on the acting. This is why whenever I come across a web presence that is actually worth the watch (see: Dorm Life, Husbands), I get excited and do my best to spread the word. Which brings us to this very post on a new web series called The Complex (not to be confused with the also awesome in not even the slightest bit of the same way Canadian primetime soap The LA Complex), created by Bad Bonsai Productions.

Bad Bonsai was formed two years ago by a group of graduates from Atlantic Theater Company Acting School in NYC (part of NYU's Tisch School of the Arts), who had just completed a grad acting program in LA. Not satisfied to idly wait around for auditions, the group formulated The Complex's concept and writer Lauren Smerkanich immediately got to work. It should be noted that Smerkanich has developed a bit of a following in the Los Angeles theater scene since principal photography on The Complex wrapped over a year ago, her play Amongst The Trees named one of LA's top five original plays of 2011 by LAist. Her voice is sharp and hilarious, and though specific, every word sounds incredibly organic coming from this group of actors.  First time director Laryn Stout proves to be a natural by deftly creating a sense of authenticity and care with every frame. Watching the series, you don't find yourself cringing or waiting for the the other shoe to drop. The quality is evident from the get go, and only becomes clearer as the series goes on. In episode three, screened at the premiere party at Meltdown Comics this past weekend,  an instant classic of a character is introduced, played expertly straight faced through the absurdity with full commitment by yes-you-have-in-fact-seen-him-before-in-something actor/writer Jeffrey Addiss.

Every character on The Complex has a quirk of some kind, but as Community and Happy Endings have proven, the straight man in its classic form isn't entirely necessary if the comedy itself is strong enough. Smerkanich's character, appropriately named Lauren, is the closest the show comes to an audience surrogate, but her dry wit and addiction to lolipops to stave off her addiction to nicotine still yield as many laughs as the cooky folk surrounding her, my favorite of which (by episode four at least) is Hannah, played by Bad Bonsai founding member Hannah Miller. She is eager, enthusiastic, and according to shoe's website, loves "babies, giving dating advice, and presents with really large colorful bows." Miller's take is engagingly unique - the closest existing character I could compare her to would be Community's Annie, if Annie were a bit more disconnected from reality. Also keep on eye on on the fantastic Katie French, who plays villainous best friend to Greta (she who dumps James) and foil to James' quest to win her back.

Intrigued? Watch the first two episodes right here! I highly encourage watching both, as the first acts mostly as an introduction, the second establishing the tone for the rest of the series. Keep an eye on thecomplexseries.com every Monday for the next eight weeks for new episodes.



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A Look At September's Movies

After a jam packed August filled with many surprisingly quality films, September arrives to bring us a handful of fake Oscar bait, two rereleases of adored classics, seemingly all of the indies that got mixed reviews out of the film fest circuit, and a bizarre plethora of thrillers and genre flicks. Looking at the slate right now, at least one thing becomes very clear - no new movie will possibly make more money opening weekend than either of the rereleases, right? It's an interesting box office race this month, that's for sure. 

To take a look at my complete preview of September, head to Film.com. For now, here are my ten most anticipated. 

Bachelorette (Sept 7)

Three friends are asked to be bridesmaids at a wedding of a woman they used to ridicule back in high school.

Although "Bachelorette", written, directed and adapted from the play by Leslye Headlund, received mixed reviews out of Sundance, many calling it a mean spirited version of "Bridesmaids", don't be frightened away. The film might be tonally confused at times, and fans of the play may baulk at its alternate, happier ending, but the performances from Isla Fisher, Lizzy Caplan, and in particular a firey Kirsten Dunst are worth the ride. Plus, supporting appearances from Rebel Wilson, James Marsden, Adam Scott, Hayes MacArthur and Kyle Bornheimer certainly don't hurt. BTW if you can't wait a week, you can catch "Bachelorette" on VOD this very moment.

Raiders of the Lost Ark IMAX (Sept 7)

Archeologist and adventurer Indiana Jones is hired by the US government to find the Ark of the Covenant before the Nazis.

Just so you're aware. One week only. Get your tickets now. But no really. This is not a drill.

The rest after the jump!

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The Dishonored Dilemma

As you readers may have noticed, I've been pretty MIA lately, something that is not very normal for All Things Fangirl. Life has gotten pretty busy in ways that haven't let me geek out as much as I like. Yes, I started both Friday Night Lights and Breaking Bad and have been making my regular trips to Golden Apple, but I still haven't *opened* Uncharted 3, my most anticipated game of last year, and have a list of no fewer than 15 movies currently in theaters or on VOD that I absolutely must see ASAP. And fall TV starts *when*?!!?

So today as I finally have a day off and decide to do some spring (or fall, whatevs, shh) cleaning, I come across all of my E3 goodies and am reminded of the game that took my breath away perhaps most at the conference, Dishonored. So I immediately took to the internets to see about where to pre-order.

I was aghast to discover that there are four completely different pre-order packages available, each of which is supposed to cater to a different style of game play. Um. Look. I watched a phenomenal half hour demo and played the game for 20 minutes at E3 and I certainly have no idea what style of game play I prefer - so how is anyone who hasn't even done that much supposed to know? This led me to discover that Assassin's Creed three has SIX pre-order packages. But let's stay on Dishonored. Here are the pre-order options broken down

Best Buy
* $20 coupon towards next game
* USB Whale Oil Lamp Shadow Rat Pack :
* DELICATE TOUCH: Breaking Glass noise reduction
* VOYEUR: Key-hole peeping magnification
* DEEP BREATHER: Underwater breathing capacity bonus
* GOLDEN RAT STATUE: Unlocks one additional slot for bone charm bonuses (start with an extra slot earlier on)
* UNHIDDEN BOOK: "Filed Notes: The Royal Spy"
* 500 BONUS COINS

Amazon 
Backstreet Butcher Pack:
* FENCER: sword vs. sword advantage bonus
* FIRE WATER: increased whiskey bottle explosions
* BLAST RESISTANT: reduced explosion damage taken
* WOLFHOUND IN-GAME STATUE: unlocks one additional slot for bone charm bonuses (start with an extra slot earlier on)
* UNHIDDEN BOOK: "Early Life and Times: Slackjaw"
* 500 BONUS COINS

Wal-Mart 
Acrobatic Killer Pack:
* RAVEN: Health bonus for drop-down assassination
* QUICK DODGE: Bolt / arrow dodging bonus
* RIVER AFFINITY: Increased swimming speed
* HAGFISH IN-GAME STATUE: Unlocks one additional slot for bone charm bonuses (start with an extra slot earlier on)
* UNHIDDEN BOOK: "Rumours and Sightings: Daud"
* 500 BONUS COINS

Game Stop
* Dishonored 72 Tarot Card Deck
Arcane Assassin Pack:
* VOID CHANNEL: Powers duration and damage bonus
* WHITE RAT FRIEND: White rats will not be hostile
* GUTTER FEAST: White rat consumption for mana
* WHALE IN-GAME STATUE: Unlocks one additional slot for bone charm bonuses (start with an extra slot earlier on)
* UNHIDDEN BOOK: "Filed Notes: The Journal of Granny Rags"
* 500 BONUS COINS

Is this a thing now? I mean I know for a while you could get a deck of cards from one place or a coupon from another or free DLC from another, but these packages are too much. To give away actual *abilities* that change the game, without knowing which you would want or how to even know which ones you would want? Why?? Especially for a completionist like me, it's torture to know that there are certain elements I will never get to explore or sample. If it came down to items, then sure, narrow it down to Game Stop or Best Buy, and decide between the cards or the lamp. It it comes down to value, Best Buy gives you the money towards your next game, so, great. But it's not just items or value here, it's changing the entire effing gameplay experience.

So here, readers, for you, in case it helps, is my step by step process in deciding where to pre-order. Well. We'll see if a decision is made by the end of this experiment.

In terms of simply powers, Wal-Mart sounds the best, especially considering at the very least I know I like stealth, so a health bonus for stealthy kills interests me greatly, but it's Wal-Mart, the one place I *won't* buy *anything*!  Wal-Mart, you're out.

Amazon, I get free shipping and extra points on my Amazon credit card, and probably have some credit stashed away, but the powers seem to lean most towards playing specifically with fire, and melee. Generally I loves me some melee, but in a game that could be played entirely without direct confrontation if you wanted, why would I want to choose a package that is only valuable if I engage? Amazon, you're out.

So this brings us back to the options with items, Best Buy vs. Game Stop.

But honestly, how often are you going to use either one? Moot point.

So let's take a look at the powers, Shadow Rat vs Arcane Assassin. At Best Buy, the Shadowrat Pack seems to be the one *most* useful for stealth. Stay quieter, spy more efficiently and swim for longer without needing to come up for water. While all three of these are very specific and you only get the benefits in the situations where you need to break glass, look through a keyhole, or go swimming, the combo of the three really ups the chances of you kicking some stealth ass. But feel like playing bloody and these perks do pretty much nothing, unless you are escaping from someone via water. Speaking with what little knowledge I have of the game after spending roughly an hour with it, I have to say that Arcane Assassin's Void Channel is looking *really* good to me. Why? Powers duration and damage bonus works whether you play the game bloodily or stealthily. And frankly, so do using white rats for Mana (think EVE from Bioshock) and not getting damage from white rats! From the perspective of best in game value, I might actually be leaning towards Arcade Assassin from Game Stop.

But Best Buy will save me $20 when I buy Assassin's Creed 3 or Bioshock Infinite or Grand Theft Auto V?

Effing damnit. I don't know. At least I've narrowed it down to Best Buy vs Game Stop, right?

So which one are you going for, readers, and if you think Shadowrat > Arcade Assassin, please tell me why!

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