New Yorkers! It's that time of year again--where you go watch cheap, independent theater (aka when your Facebook event page blows up with invites from your actor/director/writer friends' shows). It's time for The New York International Fringe Festival . There are so many shows happening in the course of the festival's two-week span and I'm here to help you sift through them with my recommendations. Based on plays that include talented artists (whom I've had the pleasure of watching in previous shows) and plays that just sound awesome, I've compiled a list of highly recommend shows for you to go watch. So go out and support these small theater companies!
ATFG First Ever Fringe Guide (after the jump):
See full post
Thursday, August 11, 2011
Monday, August 8, 2011
HBO's Superheroes: A Look At The Real Thing
Airing tonight on HBO is the new documentary Superheroes, a look inside the real life superhero movement taking the US by storm. Or to be a little more accurate, with only 300 registered (Registered? Captain America would be so disappointed), taking the US by light drizzle. The doc most specifically profiles Mr Xtreme, a dumpy but dedicated San Diegan security officer, the New York Initiative, a group of legitimately badass crime fighters who attempt to keep Brooklyn safe one patrol at a time, Master Legend, based out of Orlando, a bridging on alcoholic local celebrity who may or may not have a few screws loose and to a lesser extent, Zetaman and Life (Chaim), who focus mostly on charity and good will, and Dark Guardian, who shows no fear in the face of the Washington Square drug dealers he tries to eliminate.
Apparently getting this film made was not easy for director Michael Barnett and producer Theodore James. Most media coverage of Real Life Superheros - RLSH - had been unflattering, ridiculing these folks whenever possible, so initially, none of them wanted to participate. As soon as Barnett and James made it clear that this was to be an accurate portrayal of their cause, more and more RLSH started to come around and eventually Superheroes, featuring a wide array of interviews and footage of the subjects in action, all topped off with some fun comic book graphics, was born.
When the doc began however, I felt rather uneasy, as I was laughing more than anything else. Laughing in particular at Mr Xtreme and his "Xtreme Cave", a tiny, disheveled apartment filled with comic books as well as texts on law and civil rights, where beside an Iron Man poster is a dummy intended for combat practice and on a small television lined with action figures play episodes of Power Rangers. I began to wonder if this film would be making fun of its subjects after all and started to get uncomfortable, especially when interviews with Stan Lee and a member of the San Diego Police Department put forth the idea that no one but the police should be putting themselves in danger's way or taking the law into their own hands. How is this helping the cause of RLSH?
But things quickly turn around when we meet the New York Initiative, a group of twentysomethings from Brooklyn who are as fit as they are committed, truly as professional as it gets. Led by the superhero Zimmer, an openly gay man who doesn't hide behind a mask because it feels too reminiscent of being in the closet, the New York Initiative regularly patrols the streets of Brooklyn, often using one of their own members as "bait." Don't worry - as much as the SDPD employee on hand would like us to believe - it's not entrapment to walk around a neighborhood, tailed by crime fighters in case someone mugs you. The New York Initiative trains, they patrol, they take this as seriously as anyone could take it. One of my favorite parts in the whole documentary involves this group stumbling upon a situation that needs handling and handling it.
Another RLSH who falls more into the crime fighting category is Dark Guardian, who regularly goes into Washington Square Park to discover who the drug dealers are and get them to leave the park. We get to see him too succeed, although perhaps not in the exciting way we may have initially hoped.
As the doc goes on, we see more and more types of superheroes. The most inspiring are the true crime fighters at first, while Master Legend and Mr Xtreme fall more on the side of sad jokes - men from unfortunate circumstances who now think they are making a difference, but are unfortunately nothing more than boys in costumes. And while the jury is still out on Master Legend for me, who seems worshipped by those in town, but who I never saw truly do anything wonderful, Mr Xtreme ended up winning me over completely. With a look into his family life, his dedication to the cause and ultimately, his small, but important success in catching his nemesis, his story becomes the most poignant, his dreams the ones you most want to see fulfilled.
Perhaps the most beautiful part of the documentary comes at the end, when we take a trip to Comic-Con. A chance for the RLSH to all be in the same city presents itself and although they are ostensibly there to enjoy the convention (because pretty much everyone featured in the doc IS a fan), instead of waiting in line for a panel or perusing the floor every hour of every day, they take some time to travel a mile away to a place in need. Their acts here got my tear ducts going, especially as those they were helping offered to the camera that while people may not think superheros exist, they clearly do, and here they are. "We need them more than they will ever know," one woman says. This final sequence which I don't wish to completely spoil points out that some of these RLSH are simply good people who choose to give back in more of a unique way than anyone else. Instead of volunteering at a soup kitchen or joining Habitat for Humanity, they dress up in costumes and go help the homeless on a one on one basis, whether it's by giving them a bottle of water or simply talking to them about their hardships. And they probably make more of an impact in the process.
But this doc engendered yet another unexpected emotion in me - frustration. The aforementioned police officer from San Diego who was interviewed seems to really have a distaste for the RLSH. All the cops in the film seem to simply tolerate them, some are nicer than others, sure, but each and every one carries a weight of pretension, of condescension, as if the constant subtext reads "This is cute and all, but obviously only I am the real thing. Only I can do anything about these problems." And to a certain extent, in this real world, the police are correct. In every situation where a RLSH does make a difference, at some point they do have to call the cops. And watching it, I'm not necessarily sure I'd want it any other way. When Dark Guardian confronts a drug dealer, we as the audience, are begging him not to physically engage. Because in the real world, Dark Guardian too would have to be arrested. He isn't Batman. He can't jump into his Batmobile and go hideaway in the Batcave. He doesn't have the police commissioner on his side, supporting his efforts. It really puts things into perspective and makes us understand to a deeper degree why superheros are considered vigilantes, why cops would distrust them, why people would be afraid of them. Because technically, they aren't the law, and when you aren't the law, you can't, by our rules, enforce the law. But because we end up believing in these folks so much, we can't help but feel a bit of disgust seeing the way they are treated by the police.
I was not expected to be moved by Superheroes. I was not expected to inspired. I was not expected to be frustrated. I was not expecting something so mentally stimulating. And I certainly wasn't expecting to find myself having a good cry. But Barnett and James pull off something pretty phenomenal here. Yes we learn the basics of around fifteen RLSH - their history (most have incredibly dark back grounds, as is the case with most of comics' best), their weapons of choice (the Zimmer's equipment is the most impressive), their day jobs, their motivations, but we also get truly inside these people and this movement. We debate with ourselves - are some of them mentally unstable or are they simply on a different level than the rest of us? You might look at the RLSH and think they are less evolved, that they don't have a basic understanding of how the world works, when in fact, they are further along in the evolutionary process, wholly and truly devoted to helping others in a large and impactful way, willing to go further to protect their fellow man than most anyone else.
I encourage you to check this film out tonight, airing at 9pm on HBO, and decide for yourselves. It's a fantastic peak into a world we rarely, if ever, get to see taken seriously and portrayed accurately, with respect. Frankly, it's what this noble, odd, persevering group deserves. So do yourself and them a favor and check it out. See full post
Apparently getting this film made was not easy for director Michael Barnett and producer Theodore James. Most media coverage of Real Life Superheros - RLSH - had been unflattering, ridiculing these folks whenever possible, so initially, none of them wanted to participate. As soon as Barnett and James made it clear that this was to be an accurate portrayal of their cause, more and more RLSH started to come around and eventually Superheroes, featuring a wide array of interviews and footage of the subjects in action, all topped off with some fun comic book graphics, was born.
When the doc began however, I felt rather uneasy, as I was laughing more than anything else. Laughing in particular at Mr Xtreme and his "Xtreme Cave", a tiny, disheveled apartment filled with comic books as well as texts on law and civil rights, where beside an Iron Man poster is a dummy intended for combat practice and on a small television lined with action figures play episodes of Power Rangers. I began to wonder if this film would be making fun of its subjects after all and started to get uncomfortable, especially when interviews with Stan Lee and a member of the San Diego Police Department put forth the idea that no one but the police should be putting themselves in danger's way or taking the law into their own hands. How is this helping the cause of RLSH?
But things quickly turn around when we meet the New York Initiative, a group of twentysomethings from Brooklyn who are as fit as they are committed, truly as professional as it gets. Led by the superhero Zimmer, an openly gay man who doesn't hide behind a mask because it feels too reminiscent of being in the closet, the New York Initiative regularly patrols the streets of Brooklyn, often using one of their own members as "bait." Don't worry - as much as the SDPD employee on hand would like us to believe - it's not entrapment to walk around a neighborhood, tailed by crime fighters in case someone mugs you. The New York Initiative trains, they patrol, they take this as seriously as anyone could take it. One of my favorite parts in the whole documentary involves this group stumbling upon a situation that needs handling and handling it.
Another RLSH who falls more into the crime fighting category is Dark Guardian, who regularly goes into Washington Square Park to discover who the drug dealers are and get them to leave the park. We get to see him too succeed, although perhaps not in the exciting way we may have initially hoped.
As the doc goes on, we see more and more types of superheroes. The most inspiring are the true crime fighters at first, while Master Legend and Mr Xtreme fall more on the side of sad jokes - men from unfortunate circumstances who now think they are making a difference, but are unfortunately nothing more than boys in costumes. And while the jury is still out on Master Legend for me, who seems worshipped by those in town, but who I never saw truly do anything wonderful, Mr Xtreme ended up winning me over completely. With a look into his family life, his dedication to the cause and ultimately, his small, but important success in catching his nemesis, his story becomes the most poignant, his dreams the ones you most want to see fulfilled.
Perhaps the most beautiful part of the documentary comes at the end, when we take a trip to Comic-Con. A chance for the RLSH to all be in the same city presents itself and although they are ostensibly there to enjoy the convention (because pretty much everyone featured in the doc IS a fan), instead of waiting in line for a panel or perusing the floor every hour of every day, they take some time to travel a mile away to a place in need. Their acts here got my tear ducts going, especially as those they were helping offered to the camera that while people may not think superheros exist, they clearly do, and here they are. "We need them more than they will ever know," one woman says. This final sequence which I don't wish to completely spoil points out that some of these RLSH are simply good people who choose to give back in more of a unique way than anyone else. Instead of volunteering at a soup kitchen or joining Habitat for Humanity, they dress up in costumes and go help the homeless on a one on one basis, whether it's by giving them a bottle of water or simply talking to them about their hardships. And they probably make more of an impact in the process.
But this doc engendered yet another unexpected emotion in me - frustration. The aforementioned police officer from San Diego who was interviewed seems to really have a distaste for the RLSH. All the cops in the film seem to simply tolerate them, some are nicer than others, sure, but each and every one carries a weight of pretension, of condescension, as if the constant subtext reads "This is cute and all, but obviously only I am the real thing. Only I can do anything about these problems." And to a certain extent, in this real world, the police are correct. In every situation where a RLSH does make a difference, at some point they do have to call the cops. And watching it, I'm not necessarily sure I'd want it any other way. When Dark Guardian confronts a drug dealer, we as the audience, are begging him not to physically engage. Because in the real world, Dark Guardian too would have to be arrested. He isn't Batman. He can't jump into his Batmobile and go hideaway in the Batcave. He doesn't have the police commissioner on his side, supporting his efforts. It really puts things into perspective and makes us understand to a deeper degree why superheros are considered vigilantes, why cops would distrust them, why people would be afraid of them. Because technically, they aren't the law, and when you aren't the law, you can't, by our rules, enforce the law. But because we end up believing in these folks so much, we can't help but feel a bit of disgust seeing the way they are treated by the police.
I was not expected to be moved by Superheroes. I was not expected to inspired. I was not expected to be frustrated. I was not expecting something so mentally stimulating. And I certainly wasn't expecting to find myself having a good cry. But Barnett and James pull off something pretty phenomenal here. Yes we learn the basics of around fifteen RLSH - their history (most have incredibly dark back grounds, as is the case with most of comics' best), their weapons of choice (the Zimmer's equipment is the most impressive), their day jobs, their motivations, but we also get truly inside these people and this movement. We debate with ourselves - are some of them mentally unstable or are they simply on a different level than the rest of us? You might look at the RLSH and think they are less evolved, that they don't have a basic understanding of how the world works, when in fact, they are further along in the evolutionary process, wholly and truly devoted to helping others in a large and impactful way, willing to go further to protect their fellow man than most anyone else.
I encourage you to check this film out tonight, airing at 9pm on HBO, and decide for yourselves. It's a fantastic peak into a world we rarely, if ever, get to see taken seriously and portrayed accurately, with respect. Frankly, it's what this noble, odd, persevering group deserves. So do yourself and them a favor and check it out. See full post
Tuesday, August 2, 2011
Comic Con 2011 Highlights
Another Comic-Con has past, and with it, another set of unforgettable highlights. 2011 was an interesting year for my home away from home. Hall H had more magic for the cinephiles of the Convention rather than the celebrity-obsessed or even us comic book geeks, trotting out multiple visionary directors to discuss their work over the course of the event, resulting in panels which were always fascinating, informative, and in the case of Spielberg and Jackson, simply a sight to behold. Ballroom 20 often felt like a rock concert, especially on Thursday when the deafening screams for Peter Dinklage at Game of Thrones easily trumped those for Breaking Dawn's Robert Pattinson. The Dealer's Room seemed decidedly less crowded every day except for Sunday, which normally has been regarded as the best day to hit the floor because of the mass attendee exodus. Guess word got out? And the city of San Diego was transformed to an bigger extent. Everywhere you looked was a lounge, cafe, oasis, recreation of South Park (seriously, it was nuts), outdoor party, indoor party, screenings, themed pedicabs, branded trucks or a separate off-site convention such as NERD HQ, Tr!ckster or Gam3rCon. With so much great programming both on site and off, it seemed like there was *always* something fantastic for someone to do. Even if all that something was, was taking shots of the weekend's exceptional cosplay.
But I'm not here for generalities and neither are you. While the Con was in fact a great time all around, there were particular highlights that definitely stood out above the rest, making for a memorable, hilarious, exhilarating and often moving experience once again.
Andrew Garfield Officially Wins
There is no way to talk about Comic-Con 2011 without addressing Andrew Garfield's heartfelt speech to the crowd in Hall H. Clad in a Spiderman costume and fanny pack, Garfield brought tears to our eyes as he read aloud two pages of hand written thoughts. And before you start calling shenanigans - I have it on good authority that this was 100% this idea and he was being completely and utterly genuine. Throw in the spectacular first clip package that showed off his chemistry with Emma Stone, the darker nature of this reboot, and just how Peter Parker Garfield truly is, and there's no denying this role was made for him.
Badassery: Khal Drogo
One of my favorite moments at the Game of Thrones panel was when George R. R. Martin asked Jason Momoa who would win in a fight, Khal Drogo or Conan the Barbarian. Momoa responded "Between you and me, George, Kahl would kick Conan's ass." The audience, already at a 10, slid on up to an 11 for that one.
Peewee Takes The Stage
A late addition to the Comic-Con roster, this ended up being one of those gems of a half hour we might not have gotten had some tent-poles that didn't show this year snatched up the spot earlier on. This was one of the most hilarious Q&As I have ever seen in Hall H. Peewee was on fire and the audience ate it up. I laughed so hard my face hurt and in the span of 20 minutes went from not caring about Peewee Herman to highly anticipating the movie he is making with Judd Apatow. He had the perfect punchline to every single question, and that kind of wit is difficult to come by. But perhaps the best part of the entire panel? When he took a moment at the end to explain how much the love from the crowd meant to him.
Improved WB Bags
Okay, so, whoever came up with the mechanics to turn the WB bags into backpacks is a GENIUS. Poster tube slot AND backpack capable?! All it's missing now is a way to get newly purchased items into the backpack bag without having to take it off. Come on, WB bag innovators, I know you can do it!
Hershel Farm Reveal
I'll be honest, I wasn't too thrilled by the mildly redundant Walking Dead Season 2 Trailer, until roughly the last 15 seconds. Something about seeing Maggie in the flesh immediately reinvigorated my interest in the show.
A New Tradition?
For the first time, Hall H hosted an evening panel focusing on films that would perhaps be a bit too dark, scary or blue for a daytime slot, but still deserved the chance to be discovered. The dedicated crowd that remained got treated to a "drive in" experience of sorts, at first watching a slew of trailers, some premieres, some not, followed by the feature presentation - writer/producer/director Robert Meyer Burnett moderating a lively and engrossing panel on two lesser known indies - the found footage horror film that got raves at Tribeca, Grave Encounters, and Tucker and Dale vs Evil starring Tyler Labine and Alan Tudyk, a horror comedy that's been generating fantastic buzz. Here's hoping this concept continues to grow and becomes an even greater outlet for up and coming filmmakers to show off their goods.
Han Solo in Carbonite Cosplay
There are no words
Joss Whedon Dance Party Redux. And threedux. (Or as @davidehrlich called it, Joss Whedon Dance Party, Parts Two and Three, filmed back to back)
I can promise you something. With absolute certainly. If you ever go to a party and Joss Whedon is there, he will dance. Most likely, this will eventually turn in to a full on dance party. And yes, he does want you to join in. Saturday night, there have been multiple accounts of people leaving him dancing at one party, only to walk into the next to find him dancing there as well. Two Joss Whedons? Teleportation? MAGIC? However he did it, Comic-Con will now never be truly complete without dancing in a circle with the Whedon for at least one song.
Also, here's a fun fact for you Whedonites out there - I heard, and I really wish I remembered from whom, that Sookie Stackhouse herself, Anna Paquin, is a huge Joss fan and arranged for them to be introduced this Comic-Con. Adorbz.
Best. Last. Question. Ever.
In a move so brilliant, I'm surprised he was the first in 40 years to try it, a fan asked Steven Spielberg at the end of the Tintin Panel whether he still used film, but his shirt, huge on the Hall H screen, read "If possible, I would like to meet Steven Spielberg just to shake his hand and say thank you very much." Spielberg, Jackson, and the entire Hall H audience was so impressed with his originality that the legend pulled him on stage and in "the most directed photo ever taken", shook his hand as Peter Jackson snapped away. As if this wasn't fantastic enough as it was, as soon as there was a lull in the excitement, the guy said, sounding as sincere as can be, "I just wanted to know if you still use film!" (To which the answer was yes, but not for Tintin because no film is involved at all) Moments like this don't often happen in the big room anyway, so when they do, it's a pleasure to witness. Of course, by the next day, people asking questions were holding up signs as they asked other questions, petitioning for hugs or handshakes, but none were welcomed favorably as the first and original was.
Statue of Avatar Aang
During the best panel of Comic-Con 2011, the minds behind the new series, Legend of Korra, a sequel to Avatar: The Last Airbender, took to the stage in 6BCF to premiere the trailer and take us though a slideshow of concept art. That was IT. And it was unfrakkingbelievable. The exact moment I suspected the panel would turn out as special as it did was when the trailer revealed the statue of an adult Avatar Aang. I immediately started crying and in a room packed to the brim with the most dedicated fanbase I had seen collected in one place during the entire convention, I was most certainly not the only one. What followed was a panel that was as basic and beautiful as it gets - which is why it was so amazing. Sometimes simplicity over spectacle is key.
Getting Everything I Wanted From The Dealer's Room
For whatever reason this year, the Dealer's Room was significantly easier to navigate than in cons past. Though I suspect some of that related to my prep, involving an ever-growing, detailed list of giveaways and exclusives and a map with every corresponding booth circled, but I swear, there was a larger sense of ease and accommodation in the air. So what did I score? Check out the article here wrapping up my finds on the floor.
If You Can't Get Annie....
Although a lack of Alison Brie at the Community panel was truly disappointing, Annie's Boobs (aka Cynthia) made her first Comic-Con appearance in her stead, presenting the Season 2 DVD to the Indigo Ballroom audience.
Joe Lynch's Enthusiasm
One of the most electric filmmakers appearing on stage, amidst one legend after another, was Joe Lynch, who is making his theatrical debut with the Metal/LARPer/Horror/Comedy Knights of Badassdom. Lynch was so excited to be in Hall H (one of many, including Andrew Garfield and Darren Criss who all dreamt of being there one day) that you couldn't help but hang on to his every joy soaked word. When he first got on stage and exclaimed "We're in Hall H.....THANK YOU!!!!",we all suspected we were in for a treat. Strongly backing up his passion for the project was a fantastic cast, stellar footage, and the announcements that the creature is practical, through Guillermo del Toro's Spectral Motion and that Bear McCreary is putting together a metal orchestra and composing the score.
These Photos (courtesy of Francis Ford Coppola's TWIXT)
The People
This year, more than ever, the place was crawling with amazing folks I know or had been dying to meet, from Twitter pals to pros to bloggers to friends who live across the country. Staying out til 4am had never been easier and to everyone I had the pleasure of spending time with this Comic-Con, I can't wait to do it again next year.
Of course, these are barely the tip of the iceberg, other highlights including Bryan Cranston stealing the Total Recall panel, the sheer beauty of Emilia Clarke and Kit Harrington at Game of Thrones, the intense Haywire footage, Joshua Jackson surprising the Fringe audience in Observer cosplay, Hall H singing happy birthday to Patrick Stewart, Ridley Scott getting us jazzed up for Prometheus, getting our makeup done for free at the Wired Cafe while sipping on cocktails thanks to True Blood, and more. All in all, another great year. Already counting down til the next one. More photos here. See full post
But I'm not here for generalities and neither are you. While the Con was in fact a great time all around, there were particular highlights that definitely stood out above the rest, making for a memorable, hilarious, exhilarating and often moving experience once again.
Andrew Garfield Officially Wins
There is no way to talk about Comic-Con 2011 without addressing Andrew Garfield's heartfelt speech to the crowd in Hall H. Clad in a Spiderman costume and fanny pack, Garfield brought tears to our eyes as he read aloud two pages of hand written thoughts. And before you start calling shenanigans - I have it on good authority that this was 100% this idea and he was being completely and utterly genuine. Throw in the spectacular first clip package that showed off his chemistry with Emma Stone, the darker nature of this reboot, and just how Peter Parker Garfield truly is, and there's no denying this role was made for him.
Badassery: Khal Drogo
One of my favorite moments at the Game of Thrones panel was when George R. R. Martin asked Jason Momoa who would win in a fight, Khal Drogo or Conan the Barbarian. Momoa responded "Between you and me, George, Kahl would kick Conan's ass." The audience, already at a 10, slid on up to an 11 for that one.
Peewee Takes The Stage
A late addition to the Comic-Con roster, this ended up being one of those gems of a half hour we might not have gotten had some tent-poles that didn't show this year snatched up the spot earlier on. This was one of the most hilarious Q&As I have ever seen in Hall H. Peewee was on fire and the audience ate it up. I laughed so hard my face hurt and in the span of 20 minutes went from not caring about Peewee Herman to highly anticipating the movie he is making with Judd Apatow. He had the perfect punchline to every single question, and that kind of wit is difficult to come by. But perhaps the best part of the entire panel? When he took a moment at the end to explain how much the love from the crowd meant to him.
Improved WB Bags
Okay, so, whoever came up with the mechanics to turn the WB bags into backpacks is a GENIUS. Poster tube slot AND backpack capable?! All it's missing now is a way to get newly purchased items into the backpack bag without having to take it off. Come on, WB bag innovators, I know you can do it!
Hershel Farm Reveal
I'll be honest, I wasn't too thrilled by the mildly redundant Walking Dead Season 2 Trailer, until roughly the last 15 seconds. Something about seeing Maggie in the flesh immediately reinvigorated my interest in the show.
A New Tradition?
For the first time, Hall H hosted an evening panel focusing on films that would perhaps be a bit too dark, scary or blue for a daytime slot, but still deserved the chance to be discovered. The dedicated crowd that remained got treated to a "drive in" experience of sorts, at first watching a slew of trailers, some premieres, some not, followed by the feature presentation - writer/producer/director Robert Meyer Burnett moderating a lively and engrossing panel on two lesser known indies - the found footage horror film that got raves at Tribeca, Grave Encounters, and Tucker and Dale vs Evil starring Tyler Labine and Alan Tudyk, a horror comedy that's been generating fantastic buzz. Here's hoping this concept continues to grow and becomes an even greater outlet for up and coming filmmakers to show off their goods.
Han Solo in Carbonite Cosplay
There are no words
Joss Whedon Dance Party Redux. And threedux. (Or as @davidehrlich called it, Joss Whedon Dance Party, Parts Two and Three, filmed back to back)
I can promise you something. With absolute certainly. If you ever go to a party and Joss Whedon is there, he will dance. Most likely, this will eventually turn in to a full on dance party. And yes, he does want you to join in. Saturday night, there have been multiple accounts of people leaving him dancing at one party, only to walk into the next to find him dancing there as well. Two Joss Whedons? Teleportation? MAGIC? However he did it, Comic-Con will now never be truly complete without dancing in a circle with the Whedon for at least one song.
Also, here's a fun fact for you Whedonites out there - I heard, and I really wish I remembered from whom, that Sookie Stackhouse herself, Anna Paquin, is a huge Joss fan and arranged for them to be introduced this Comic-Con. Adorbz.
Best. Last. Question. Ever.
In a move so brilliant, I'm surprised he was the first in 40 years to try it, a fan asked Steven Spielberg at the end of the Tintin Panel whether he still used film, but his shirt, huge on the Hall H screen, read "If possible, I would like to meet Steven Spielberg just to shake his hand and say thank you very much." Spielberg, Jackson, and the entire Hall H audience was so impressed with his originality that the legend pulled him on stage and in "the most directed photo ever taken", shook his hand as Peter Jackson snapped away. As if this wasn't fantastic enough as it was, as soon as there was a lull in the excitement, the guy said, sounding as sincere as can be, "I just wanted to know if you still use film!" (To which the answer was yes, but not for Tintin because no film is involved at all) Moments like this don't often happen in the big room anyway, so when they do, it's a pleasure to witness. Of course, by the next day, people asking questions were holding up signs as they asked other questions, petitioning for hugs or handshakes, but none were welcomed favorably as the first and original was.
Statue of Avatar Aang
During the best panel of Comic-Con 2011, the minds behind the new series, Legend of Korra, a sequel to Avatar: The Last Airbender, took to the stage in 6BCF to premiere the trailer and take us though a slideshow of concept art. That was IT. And it was unfrakkingbelievable. The exact moment I suspected the panel would turn out as special as it did was when the trailer revealed the statue of an adult Avatar Aang. I immediately started crying and in a room packed to the brim with the most dedicated fanbase I had seen collected in one place during the entire convention, I was most certainly not the only one. What followed was a panel that was as basic and beautiful as it gets - which is why it was so amazing. Sometimes simplicity over spectacle is key.
Getting Everything I Wanted From The Dealer's Room
For whatever reason this year, the Dealer's Room was significantly easier to navigate than in cons past. Though I suspect some of that related to my prep, involving an ever-growing, detailed list of giveaways and exclusives and a map with every corresponding booth circled, but I swear, there was a larger sense of ease and accommodation in the air. So what did I score? Check out the article here wrapping up my finds on the floor.
If You Can't Get Annie....
Although a lack of Alison Brie at the Community panel was truly disappointing, Annie's Boobs (aka Cynthia) made her first Comic-Con appearance in her stead, presenting the Season 2 DVD to the Indigo Ballroom audience.
Joe Lynch's Enthusiasm
One of the most electric filmmakers appearing on stage, amidst one legend after another, was Joe Lynch, who is making his theatrical debut with the Metal/LARPer/Horror/Comedy Knights of Badassdom. Lynch was so excited to be in Hall H (one of many, including Andrew Garfield and Darren Criss who all dreamt of being there one day) that you couldn't help but hang on to his every joy soaked word. When he first got on stage and exclaimed "We're in Hall H.....THANK YOU!!!!",we all suspected we were in for a treat. Strongly backing up his passion for the project was a fantastic cast, stellar footage, and the announcements that the creature is practical, through Guillermo del Toro's Spectral Motion and that Bear McCreary is putting together a metal orchestra and composing the score.
These Photos (courtesy of Francis Ford Coppola's TWIXT)
The People
This year, more than ever, the place was crawling with amazing folks I know or had been dying to meet, from Twitter pals to pros to bloggers to friends who live across the country. Staying out til 4am had never been easier and to everyone I had the pleasure of spending time with this Comic-Con, I can't wait to do it again next year.
Of course, these are barely the tip of the iceberg, other highlights including Bryan Cranston stealing the Total Recall panel, the sheer beauty of Emilia Clarke and Kit Harrington at Game of Thrones, the intense Haywire footage, Joshua Jackson surprising the Fringe audience in Observer cosplay, Hall H singing happy birthday to Patrick Stewart, Ridley Scott getting us jazzed up for Prometheus, getting our makeup done for free at the Wired Cafe while sipping on cocktails thanks to True Blood, and more. All in all, another great year. Already counting down til the next one. More photos here. See full post
Friday, July 29, 2011
TRUE BLOOD Season Sneak Peak
This video is ridiculous. And amazing. I am so excited for the rest of this season. Debbie Pelt, you gonna get it.
See full post
See full post
True Blood Gets All tarte-ed Up
Quality. HBO didn't try to overreach by releasing their own cosmetics. They turned to an edgy and reputable company with a popular line of bold colors and quality products and created something in tandem with tarte.
Presentation. A little bawdy but miles from gaudy (oh, we're rhyming now). The black and red leather case sporting eyelets and cord as if it were a corset being unlaced is racy and fun, much like the show itself, but doesn't stand out sorely in an otherwise innocuous bathroom. The drawer containing the primer, liner and mascara bears the words "Open After Dark" on it, a nice touch. The fact that the drawer is lined in red lends it a vaguely coffin-esque feel, which I'm not sure was intentional, but is still charming. The liptint and cheek stain come in sleek black and silver with red lettering, nothing stand out, but all the better. The packaging is clean and holds together in your purse while maintaining the color motif. Tra la.
Logic. It makes sense. The same way releasing a blood orange flavored soda made sense. HBO has gone out of its way with TrueBlood to generate merchandise that belongs in the world of the show and helps draw the consumer deeper into it. Bottle openers and mugs stamped with Merlotte's logo, handbags designed with the flare of Fangtasia in mind and the same shirts and hoodies branded with the vampire bar's name that can be purchased in the world of the show can all be purchased by its audience. Having a line of makeup now that feeds into the glamor of TrueBlood is a logical next step, and an inventive way to expand the brand. On their own, the products are highly purchasable- sexy colors and sleek packaging. That they are inspired by TrueBlood makes them... more special, a particularly intimate way to connect with the look and feel of the world of the show.
The palette is a thing of beauty. The centerpiece of the limited edition line, it looks and feels like a luxury item should, but it's not just a gimmick. In addition to the eye primer, aqua-gel liner, and lights camera lashes! mascara, it comes with 17 different shadows, each one named for a recognizable component of the show, whether a creature, cast member or location. They are, as described by Sephora (one of the two places the line may be purchased for $55, not counting ebay):
- The Light (shimmering warm ivory)
- Fairy (shimmering pink)
- Dusk (matte warm taupe)
- Dawn (shimmering gold dust)
- Werewolf (matte chocolate)
- Waitress (sparkling pink champagne),
- Nocturnal (sparkling deep indigo)
- Charmer (sparkling burnt copper)
- Glamour Me (sparkling deep plum)
- Stake (matte steel)
- Bayou (shimmering golden tan)
- Telepath (sparkling warm rose)
- The True Death (sparkling silver)
- Immortal (sparkling midnight black)
- Moss (shimmering forest green)
- Legend (deep matte black)
- "V" (sparkling crimson).
When the fabulous Aline was done with me, I had a matte smokey eye that lasted me into the evening's festivities. Shazam! Note also: Fangtasia recreation complete w/deer head to my left (your right), and plastic cup of red liquid- TrueBlood inspired cocktails galore. None of the ones we created for the site, but a whole new batch of delicious, its-5-o'clock-somewhere justifying goodness.
Having now used the above products a few times and as a habitual and avid makeup user, I can happily recommend them all. As a big old Truebie nerd, I can say that the palette is now the centerpiece of my geek shelf and that I have never felt so stealthy in my geekitude as when someone complimented me on my eyes. Use this palette. It will be the closest you can come to glamouring someone without turning into a vampire.
 |
| I'm a vampire! I'm a vampire! I'm a vampire! |
Bonus shot of liptint color:
See full post
Monday, July 25, 2011
Swag Bag: What I Brought Home From Comic-Con 2011
Thanks to having a grand total of four hours to explore over 5000 booths, I purchased nowhere near as much at Comic-Con as I did at its little sister, Wondercon, but thankfully, included in my small bounty was almost every item I coveted going in, and once you include the incredible freebies available this year, a whole lot more. Here’s the rundown of the best items I walked away with at Comic-Con 2011.
Purchased
Britney Lee PrintEver since purchasing a large Britney Lee print at Wondercon a few months ago, I’ve been thinking about a wonderful smaller print I passed up that also, of course, featured a girl and a cat. So the second I had a free moment on Sunday, I sought out Britney’s booth and snatched up this adorable print.
Dollhouse Epitaphs #1 Comic-Con Exclusive EditionCreated by Jed Whedon, Andrew Chambliss, & Maurissa Tancharoen and taking place in the post Dollhouse world we got glimpses of at the end of Seasons 1 and 2, this comic was high on my list to pick up. Especially because one out of every five was signed by the creators. Unfortunately, I didn’t get one of those, but I’m excited to read it nonetheless.
Harley Quinn MimobotThe moment the doors opened Wednesday evening for Preview Night, I made a mad dash to the Mimobot booth and was the first person to pick up one of eight hundred Comic-Con Exclusive Arkham City Harley Quinn Mimibots – 16g. Greatest purchase anyone has ever made ever.
Team Charles/Erik Shirts
And immediately after, I found myself 10th in line to be one of the first 1000 people to pre-order the Blu-Ray of X-Men First Class, which meant also picking either a Team Erik or Team Charles shirt. I pre-ordered two, one for me, one for my family, so I picked both. WIN.
Ron Lego KeychainEvery year, I treat myself to one Lego character keychain. Over the years I’ve amassed quite the collection, including Hermione, Hagrid, Snape, Luke Skywalker, Catwoman, Harley Quinn and Indiana Jones. This year, I added Ron Weasley to the collection.
Captain America Minimates
I LOVED Captain America and have been building up quite the minimates collection to go with my Lego collection, hence – the entire cast of Captain America in minimate form for me to stick on my geek shelf and never look at again.
Earl Grey Shirt Genius. Gift for my dad.
Walking Dead Board GameMy Comic-Con Everest. Every day I went to the Image booth, only to discover that the new comic based board game (described as a cross between D&D and Stratego) had sold out in under 20 minutes. One morning I carefully planned my time to be in the room the moment it opened, only to discover it opened a half hour earlier than I thought it did. Saturday afternoon, 10 minutes before the hall closed, I found myself once again wandering by the Image booth. Freaked out that I had truly missed my chance to own the Comic-Con Exclusive Edition of the game, months before the regular version came out, I decided to go up and make sure they still had copies for Sunday morning. But because the dude working had seen my flustered daily attempts consistently fail miserably, he took pity on me and made an exception, grabbing a game from the Sunday pile for me. It was a bit of Comic-Con magic that I won’t soon forget. More info on the game here.
Giveaways
Signed Captain America poster
Thanks to an awesome dude at the Marvel booth, I got my hands on a Captain America poster signed by Chris Evans.
Hunger Games Pin & Poster At the HitFix party Wednesday night, multiple bloggers were sporting Mockingjay pins. Upon seeing it for the first time, I think I actually screamed a little. So the next morning, my first stop before beginning my work day was the Lionsgate booth on the floor. The pins weren’t being handed out yet, but once again, an awesome dude helping at the booth threw us a bone and snuck us some. Another case of a kind soul coming through for a complete stranger at Comic-Con this year. Love it!Admiral Ackbar Fan
Of all the giveaways one could have made for the Star Wars Blu-Ray release, this is either poorly thought out or incredibly thought out, depending on whether or not the marketing department is aware of the It’s A Trap meme. In any event, I know some hipster geeks who would die to get their hands on one of these.
Captain America Shield Fan
Given out at the Hasbro booth, I believe, it’s a paper fan in the form of Captain America‘s shield. I want anything and everything Captain America. So I was a happy girl to pick this up.
Buffy Paper Doll
Secretly contained in a comic preview at Dark Horse was a Buffy (comic version, natch) paper doll!! A great giveaway I didn’t even know I had!
True Blood Bag
Continuing the tradition of True Blood having the best panel giveaways at the convention, this year the stash included book #4 in the Sookie Stackhouse series, a notebook with one of the three Season 4 True Blood posters gracing its cover, a coupon for 20% off at the HBO store, and one of True Blood‘s famously clever shirts, this one with a set of fangs and the phrase “Grow a Pair” on the front.
Game of Thrones Bag
And it looks like these bags of awesome are in fact an HBO staple! Oh man, I can never miss either of these panels ever. The first ever Game of Thrones Bag contained the first book in the series, a random house shirt, a Westeros mousepad/screen cleaner and another coupon for HBO. Disappointingly while I did nab myself a Stark shirt, everyone else I know got stuck with a Baratheon. Not even a Lannister? Really? The one I wanted most was Targaryn. Oh well. Stark is still badass. And this giveaway still ruled.
Legend of Korra Shirt & Poster
At one point during the Legend of Korra panel, the creators mentioned a poster and t shirt that some people in the audience had. People that weren’t me or my boyfriend. I was not okay with this. Determined to figure out how to get my hands on these items, I ran to the Nick booth as soon as I could on Sunday. Much to my surprise, the fella said to come back around 4pm for the final Legend of Korra giveaway. I did, and after waiting in line for about 20 minutes, the poster and t-shirt were mine. Thanks Giveaway Gods!
Fringe Poster & Luggage Tag
If you made it to the Fox booth during Comic-Con, you would have found a slew of fun posters for Fox television shows. I grabbed myself one for Fringe (hey, who knows, maybe one day I’ll have the balls to get it signed). The giveaway at the panel this year was a lenticular luggage tag, featuring a disappearing Peter. On the back it reads something along the lines of “if found in the wrong universe, please contact ______” Cute idea, though nowhere near as awesome as the exclusive giveaway I didn’t get my hands one….(see bottom)
Pan Am Bag
While not as high quality as the one the website was suggesting they were giving away, it was still on my list to get and I still got it. The process involved waiting in line to sign up for a “flight”. Then you received a boarding pass and a flight time. You then came back to Pan Am at that time, watched a short featurette for the upcoming show in a recreation of an airplane (which was actually pretty effing cool to sit in) and then got a messenger bag. Supposedly they retail for $89, but this looked more like it’s $12 knock off cousin. Still, it’s a bag, and if I love the show, I’ll be thrilled to have one.
Chuck ShirtThe giveaway at the Chuck panel this year was a shirt in the style of a Fake Tuxedo shirt, but for the Buy More uniform. I didn’t get to the panel, so got the shirt from a friend, but once I realized the Chuck panel was actually its last, since the show is headed into its final season, I got quite upset. Especially after hearing that Jeffster performed and Zac Levi teared up. The giveaway is a nice consolation prize, but doesn’t make up for missing what was a lot of folks’ favorite panel at the whole con.
Captain America Shirt
While not quite as cool as the Mondo Cap poster that was also given out at the first showing (with Chris Evans in person) screening Thursday morning, this shirt still rules and is one of the only soft ones given out anywhere at the entire event.
The River Flashlight
The giveaway for ABC’s new show The River, rather than being yet another uncomfortable XL t shirt was a The River branded flashlight. Cool!
Avengers Shirt
At least shirts in XL, when paired with belts, make GREAT dresses….?
Lord of the Rings: War of the North Shirt
Given out at the “WB Key Party” and made the whole experience worth it. I’m sure whatever happened once it got dark outside was awesome as well, but unfortunately, my group has somewhere to be so when things started running a half hour behind schedule, we had to high tail it out of there. But the shirt is soft and in my size so, win anyway!
Didn’t Get
RARGH! Saw these online listed as Marvel Booth giveaways and wanted both but they vanished from the Marvel booth rather quickly. Can’t win em all.
Save Peter Fringe Shirt
For the second year in a row, the actors on the Fringe panel turned the question asking around and engaged in a trivia contest with the audience. Any audience member who got the answer won a black shirt that read “Save Peter.” Why this couldn’t have been the main giveaway, I don’t know. Sigh.
Community DVD Slip Case
At the Community panel, Dan Harmon showed off their Comic-Con Exclusive DVD slipcover – identical to the normal season 2 one, but with the characters in claymation form as opposed to human form. WANT.
Locke & Key Volume One
Since Wednesday is most often spent grabbing exclusives before having to leave, I always save Sunday as my comics, toys and art day. Unfortunately, I only ended up with about ninety minutes max on the floor and when that window became thirty minutes and I still didn’t have anything on my comics list, I began my high octane mission to acquire anything I still could. After not being able to find a single vintage comics booth to grab my old school finds, I decided I’d at least make a point of nabbing the first volume of Locke and Key and that would be enough, since at least I knew where the graphic novel dealers were. Alas, five different dealers informed me that volume one was complete sold out. Great for the comic (and for the not picked up pilot I’ve heard amazing things about), but sucky for me. See full post
Sunday, July 17, 2011
It All Ended [Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2 ]
And so the saga ends, and ends relatively well. The final installment in the film series based off of JK Rowling's beloved books was fast paced, energetic, pretty, fun, full of rewarding moments and some great effects and set pieces. I enjoyed myself immensely. I only wish it hadn't thrown into such sharp relief how poor her overall plotting and the structure of our heroes' journies were. After a very long conversation with a smart movie-going friend who hasn't read the books, and doing my fair share of defending the events because of the things he didn't know about but agreeing with much of what he was saying, I sat on it all for a day and decided to swing by the ol' blog and put some of this out there for posterity's sake.
For the record, this post is going to be NOTHING BUT SPOILERS. It's also going to be very critical of the last book/movie's plot and have a lot of wishful thinking in it.
See full post
For the record, this post is going to be NOTHING BUT SPOILERS. It's also going to be very critical of the last book/movie's plot and have a lot of wishful thinking in it.
See full post
Thursday, July 14, 2011
How to Throw An End of Harry Potter Party
Crossposted on Film.com
As the Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part Two billboards have been saying for months, it all ends this Friday. Until the Blu-ray is released. And then the ultimate Blu-ray extended edition package. But theatrically speaking, it is truly the end of an era and simply put, end of eras require parties. So if you’re planning on getting together with friends to celebrate the series that was Harry Potter before seeing Deathly Hallows: Part Two this weekend, here is a handy guide for what to do.
Set-Up
What to Buy
First off, if you live in L.A. visit Whimsic Alley, an important part of any Harry Party prep. Here you can pick up activities like the Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets Spells & Potions Activity Kit or Harry-themed 20 Questions; decorations like Hogwarts cups, napkins, flags, and wall decals; party favors like tattoos (I’m partial to the Death Eater one), buttons, postcards, and stickers; and prizes like a light-up Triwizard Cup, a Dumbledore’s Army journal, a Harry Potter pop-up book, the Harry Potter Film Wizardry book on the design of the films, house-themed scarves, a wand — the possibilities are endless. If you don’t live in L.A., all of these items can be found online and many can be found in toy and book stores. And of course, get ingredients for food, drinks, and supplies for any games you plan on playing.
Guests
It’s up to you whether to invite friends who have only seen the movies and not read the books. At a party like this, avoiding spoilers shouldn’t be on your mind, but if you want to be inclusive, just alter any games that may ruin the second half of the seventh book for anyone and make sure everyone watches their mouths.
Costumes
Encourage everyone to dress up. Whether it’s as a character, a generic member of a house, or even if they are just covered in Harry-related garb, parties are always more fun when costumes are involved. Fact.
Decorations
If you’re going all out, fashion your living room after a set from Harry, like Hadrid’s hut, Grimmauld Place, or the Great Hall. For lower key but still festive, just pick a house and decorate with that color in mind, or divide your living room into four areas for each house and decorate accordingly.
Food
Use the Unofficial Harry Potter Cookbook to create Harry Potter-themed treats for your guests, or be truly creative and invent your own!
Drink
Create whatever you think Butterbeer would be. Pour butterscotch liquor into a wheat-based beer or, better yet, fashion your own specialty cocktail. If possible, make it punch-style so people can dip in whenever they please.
Crafts
If you have a copy of the Unofficial Harry Potter Party Book, it’s all about throwing Harry-themed parties. I don’t have it. I want it. Creating any of the crafts in there will make a lovely supplement to the activities listed blow.
The Party Itself
Sorting Hat!
Make your own sorting hat quiz or find one online. Print out multiple copies and have pens on hand. When everyone arrives, they must fill out the quiz and return it to you. Once everyone has completed it, use whatever scoring system you have devised (even if that means entering each set of answers online while your guests mingle) to have a Sorting Hat ceremony. Take turns bringing people up and throwing a hat on them (Sorting Hat is kind of expensive, so any hat will do), then announcing their house. Give each person a patch, sticker, or button that correlates to their house, depending on what Whimsic Alley offered for cheapest, and have them wear it for the duration of the party.
Harry Potter Celebrity
One of my favorite games to play is Celebrity and the idea of Harry Potter-themed Celebrity makes me want to cry with joy. Have each person write down three words. These words should include: characters, actors, creatures, locations, potions, and magical items. There are three rounds: first round, get your team to guess the word using rules most like Taboo. Second round: only use two words. Third round: charades. If it’s possible to divide teams by houses, I would recommend it, or at least two houses per team. Award the winning team 50 points for their house.
Harry Potter Categories
If you’re short on time, here is an alternative to Celebrity. Pair everyone off, each from a different house. Each pair gets a category — i.e., characters, actors, creatures, locations, potions, and magical items, just like Celebrity. Then you have one of two options. First, have each pair stand up and take turns naming items from that category. If one person is stumped, the other has the opportunity to name one instead, and score 25 points for their house. If the other person can’t name one instead and both are stumped, each gets 10 points for their house. The other way is to have each pair write down as many items as they can think of in their category. At the end, one person reads theirs aloud and the other crosses out any doubles. Once the doubles are crossed out, see who has the most and that house wins 25 points.
Button & Badge Making
Bust out a button-making machine or molding clay and paint if you have any and create stations for making custom buttons and badges. Have the buttons say things like S.P.E.W., Weasley Is Our King, or Potter Stinks and have the badges be things like horcruxes, house crests, and deathly hallows. Stick a toothpick in the bottom of the badge and suddenly you have cake decorations! For every one made, that person receives five points for their house.
Tattoo Station
Use henna, temporary tattoos, or even permanent marker to create tattoos like the Dark Mark, Dumbledore’s Army, “I must not tell lies,” the symbol of the Deathly Hallows, Harry’s scar, and more.
Spell-ing Bee
Before the party, divide spells into tiers of difficulty, beginning with the easiest ones everyone knows, and ending with a group of ones only the most diligent readers would remember. Have all of your guests stand in a line and go one by one. You read what a spell does and the person in line must say the name of the spell. Keep going until there is one winner or you run out of spells. Whoever remains receives 35 points for their house/houses. Find a list of spells here.
Gillyweed-Eating Contest
Have each house elect one person to participate. Give each person a plate of seaweed and say GO! The first to finish wins 20 points for their house. Harry just downed that s**t — to be a true hero, you gotta be able to down it, too.
Pin Avada Kedavra on the Death Eater
Or something of that ilk. If you can get your hands on a cheap poster, wall decal, or even print something out yourself, of someone like Bellatrix Lestrange, just blindfold your guests and have them try their hardest to stab her in the face. Or to be more accurate, use a wand instead of a pin, take the blindfold off once you make contact with the wall, and mark where your wand hit. Closest person wins 15 points for their house. Note: We don’t encourage killing here at Hogwarts, but some bitches just need to die. #DeathlyHallowsPartTwo #ICantWaitForThatLine
Candy Making
Pick up the Unofficial Harry Potter Sweet Shoppe Kit and make candy as a group! If you do this toward the beginning of the party, depending on the treat, you can eat them at the end. Nomnom.
The Pensieve
If you want to get a little sentimental, sit in a circle and go around talking about your favorite Harry Potter-related memories (like opening the seventh book for the first time and seeing the name of the first chapter, “The Dark Lord Ascending,” and promptly freaking out) and favorite scenes from the books and movies.
Play a Harry Potter Board Game
Once the party starts winding down, but you’re not ready to say goodbye to Harry just yet, throw on your favorite Harry movie, put it on mute (but take a break to watch your favorite scenes), and bust out the Harry Potter Clue to play with the few remaining folks.
Hope these tips have been helpful and that you have a wonderful celebration of all that is Harry before saying goodbye. Although remember what Dumbledore once said:
“To the well-organized mind, death is but the next great adventure.” See full post
As the Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part Two billboards have been saying for months, it all ends this Friday. Until the Blu-ray is released. And then the ultimate Blu-ray extended edition package. But theatrically speaking, it is truly the end of an era and simply put, end of eras require parties. So if you’re planning on getting together with friends to celebrate the series that was Harry Potter before seeing Deathly Hallows: Part Two this weekend, here is a handy guide for what to do.
Set-Up
What to Buy
First off, if you live in L.A. visit Whimsic Alley, an important part of any Harry Party prep. Here you can pick up activities like the Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets Spells & Potions Activity Kit or Harry-themed 20 Questions; decorations like Hogwarts cups, napkins, flags, and wall decals; party favors like tattoos (I’m partial to the Death Eater one), buttons, postcards, and stickers; and prizes like a light-up Triwizard Cup, a Dumbledore’s Army journal, a Harry Potter pop-up book, the Harry Potter Film Wizardry book on the design of the films, house-themed scarves, a wand — the possibilities are endless. If you don’t live in L.A., all of these items can be found online and many can be found in toy and book stores. And of course, get ingredients for food, drinks, and supplies for any games you plan on playing.
Guests
It’s up to you whether to invite friends who have only seen the movies and not read the books. At a party like this, avoiding spoilers shouldn’t be on your mind, but if you want to be inclusive, just alter any games that may ruin the second half of the seventh book for anyone and make sure everyone watches their mouths.
Costumes
Encourage everyone to dress up. Whether it’s as a character, a generic member of a house, or even if they are just covered in Harry-related garb, parties are always more fun when costumes are involved. Fact.
Decorations
If you’re going all out, fashion your living room after a set from Harry, like Hadrid’s hut, Grimmauld Place, or the Great Hall. For lower key but still festive, just pick a house and decorate with that color in mind, or divide your living room into four areas for each house and decorate accordingly.
Food
Use the Unofficial Harry Potter Cookbook to create Harry Potter-themed treats for your guests, or be truly creative and invent your own!
Drink
Create whatever you think Butterbeer would be. Pour butterscotch liquor into a wheat-based beer or, better yet, fashion your own specialty cocktail. If possible, make it punch-style so people can dip in whenever they please.
Crafts
If you have a copy of the Unofficial Harry Potter Party Book, it’s all about throwing Harry-themed parties. I don’t have it. I want it. Creating any of the crafts in there will make a lovely supplement to the activities listed blow.
The Party Itself
Sorting Hat!
Make your own sorting hat quiz or find one online. Print out multiple copies and have pens on hand. When everyone arrives, they must fill out the quiz and return it to you. Once everyone has completed it, use whatever scoring system you have devised (even if that means entering each set of answers online while your guests mingle) to have a Sorting Hat ceremony. Take turns bringing people up and throwing a hat on them (Sorting Hat is kind of expensive, so any hat will do), then announcing their house. Give each person a patch, sticker, or button that correlates to their house, depending on what Whimsic Alley offered for cheapest, and have them wear it for the duration of the party.
Harry Potter Celebrity
One of my favorite games to play is Celebrity and the idea of Harry Potter-themed Celebrity makes me want to cry with joy. Have each person write down three words. These words should include: characters, actors, creatures, locations, potions, and magical items. There are three rounds: first round, get your team to guess the word using rules most like Taboo. Second round: only use two words. Third round: charades. If it’s possible to divide teams by houses, I would recommend it, or at least two houses per team. Award the winning team 50 points for their house.
Harry Potter Categories
If you’re short on time, here is an alternative to Celebrity. Pair everyone off, each from a different house. Each pair gets a category — i.e., characters, actors, creatures, locations, potions, and magical items, just like Celebrity. Then you have one of two options. First, have each pair stand up and take turns naming items from that category. If one person is stumped, the other has the opportunity to name one instead, and score 25 points for their house. If the other person can’t name one instead and both are stumped, each gets 10 points for their house. The other way is to have each pair write down as many items as they can think of in their category. At the end, one person reads theirs aloud and the other crosses out any doubles. Once the doubles are crossed out, see who has the most and that house wins 25 points.
Button & Badge Making
Bust out a button-making machine or molding clay and paint if you have any and create stations for making custom buttons and badges. Have the buttons say things like S.P.E.W., Weasley Is Our King, or Potter Stinks and have the badges be things like horcruxes, house crests, and deathly hallows. Stick a toothpick in the bottom of the badge and suddenly you have cake decorations! For every one made, that person receives five points for their house.
Tattoo Station
Use henna, temporary tattoos, or even permanent marker to create tattoos like the Dark Mark, Dumbledore’s Army, “I must not tell lies,” the symbol of the Deathly Hallows, Harry’s scar, and more.
Spell-ing Bee
Before the party, divide spells into tiers of difficulty, beginning with the easiest ones everyone knows, and ending with a group of ones only the most diligent readers would remember. Have all of your guests stand in a line and go one by one. You read what a spell does and the person in line must say the name of the spell. Keep going until there is one winner or you run out of spells. Whoever remains receives 35 points for their house/houses. Find a list of spells here.
Gillyweed-Eating Contest
Have each house elect one person to participate. Give each person a plate of seaweed and say GO! The first to finish wins 20 points for their house. Harry just downed that s**t — to be a true hero, you gotta be able to down it, too.
Pin Avada Kedavra on the Death Eater
Or something of that ilk. If you can get your hands on a cheap poster, wall decal, or even print something out yourself, of someone like Bellatrix Lestrange, just blindfold your guests and have them try their hardest to stab her in the face. Or to be more accurate, use a wand instead of a pin, take the blindfold off once you make contact with the wall, and mark where your wand hit. Closest person wins 15 points for their house. Note: We don’t encourage killing here at Hogwarts, but some bitches just need to die. #DeathlyHallowsPartTwo #ICantWaitForThatLine
Candy Making
Pick up the Unofficial Harry Potter Sweet Shoppe Kit and make candy as a group! If you do this toward the beginning of the party, depending on the treat, you can eat them at the end. Nomnom.
The Pensieve
If you want to get a little sentimental, sit in a circle and go around talking about your favorite Harry Potter-related memories (like opening the seventh book for the first time and seeing the name of the first chapter, “The Dark Lord Ascending,” and promptly freaking out) and favorite scenes from the books and movies.
Play a Harry Potter Board Game
Once the party starts winding down, but you’re not ready to say goodbye to Harry just yet, throw on your favorite Harry movie, put it on mute (but take a break to watch your favorite scenes), and bust out the Harry Potter Clue to play with the few remaining folks.
Hope these tips have been helpful and that you have a wonderful celebration of all that is Harry before saying goodbye. Although remember what Dumbledore once said:
“To the well-organized mind, death is but the next great adventure.” See full post
Monday, July 11, 2011
Blu Ray Review: Insidious
I shouldn't have watched this right before bed. I really shouldn't have watched this right before bed.
Today marks the DVD/Blu-Ray release of Insidious, an original horror film from Saw writer/director team James Wan and Leigh Whannell, produced by Oren Pell of Paranormal Activity fame. I found this unexpectedly genre bending film to be kind of delightful in its originality. Equal parts naturalism and theatricality, I must say I had no idea where it would end up when it began. Even though at every twist I'd think to myself "I knew it!" then wonder, "Wait...did I?" (And sometimes, yes I did, thanks for spoiling part of the whole movie, blurb on the back of the DVD case...) Somehow the structure of the film is such that it completely envelops you and often tricks you into thinking you're one step ahead.
But don't worry, this isn't a film based in twists and turns. What makes it truly terrifying is the slow burn, the build, the tension, the glimpses of what's truly going on, and some very disturbing imagery bringing up the rear. For me personally, I'm glad I saw it at home for the first time, rather than in the theater, because haunted house movies are practically meant to be watched at home. That's when they become the most tangible and frightening. And this film was no exception.
Another plus of watching at home was utilizing my surround sound system to enhance such an unsettling score paired with incredibly dynamic sound design. The sounds were so effective, we kept finding them bleeding into reality, becoming increasingly convinced that some of the creaks were coming from outside of the screen. It helped create an all too terrifying atmosphere.
Now this movie wasn't perfect for me. It was almost too dark at times to see what was going on and the comic relief fell a little flat as it was just too little too late and almost unwanted at that point but despite those small gripes, the film is worth seeing, for its interesting blend of genres alone. Then throw in the fact that it's low budget, well made, original and legitimately scary and it becomes a full on recommendation.
But to buy the Blu-Ray? I'm not sure I'm convinced.
There are only three extras, Horror 101: The Exclusive Seminar, which gives a little background on the idea of the film and the genres it delves into, On Set with Insidious, which features behind the scenes footage and bits about the on-set relationships, stunts, bits that were cut and more, and Insidious: Entities, a closer look at all of the Entities. While these extras aren't bad, they are nowhere near enough. The total under a half hour and only feature interviews with six people - a very enthusiastic Wan & Whannell in all three, and in Insidious: Entities, the Production Designer, Costume Designer, Head of the Makeup Department and Head of the Hair Department as well. The featurettes are are all informative and fun to watch, but ultimately don't go as in depth as I've come to expect from my blu-rays. There is no commentary, and no equivalent. Plus you're practically forced into watching multiple trailers before even getting to the main menu. Weren't we past that, as a people?
But because the film is such an interesting little combo of unique and bone chilling, I at least recommend a rental. To be watched at night. With the surround sound on high. I guarantee you will have trouble sleeping. And according to Wan & Whannell, that's the mark of a horror movie doing its job. So, mission accomplished boys. I'm using a night light tonight. See full post
Today marks the DVD/Blu-Ray release of Insidious, an original horror film from Saw writer/director team James Wan and Leigh Whannell, produced by Oren Pell of Paranormal Activity fame. I found this unexpectedly genre bending film to be kind of delightful in its originality. Equal parts naturalism and theatricality, I must say I had no idea where it would end up when it began. Even though at every twist I'd think to myself "I knew it!" then wonder, "Wait...did I?" (And sometimes, yes I did, thanks for spoiling part of the whole movie, blurb on the back of the DVD case...) Somehow the structure of the film is such that it completely envelops you and often tricks you into thinking you're one step ahead.
But don't worry, this isn't a film based in twists and turns. What makes it truly terrifying is the slow burn, the build, the tension, the glimpses of what's truly going on, and some very disturbing imagery bringing up the rear. For me personally, I'm glad I saw it at home for the first time, rather than in the theater, because haunted house movies are practically meant to be watched at home. That's when they become the most tangible and frightening. And this film was no exception.
Another plus of watching at home was utilizing my surround sound system to enhance such an unsettling score paired with incredibly dynamic sound design. The sounds were so effective, we kept finding them bleeding into reality, becoming increasingly convinced that some of the creaks were coming from outside of the screen. It helped create an all too terrifying atmosphere.
Now this movie wasn't perfect for me. It was almost too dark at times to see what was going on and the comic relief fell a little flat as it was just too little too late and almost unwanted at that point but despite those small gripes, the film is worth seeing, for its interesting blend of genres alone. Then throw in the fact that it's low budget, well made, original and legitimately scary and it becomes a full on recommendation.
But to buy the Blu-Ray? I'm not sure I'm convinced.
There are only three extras, Horror 101: The Exclusive Seminar, which gives a little background on the idea of the film and the genres it delves into, On Set with Insidious, which features behind the scenes footage and bits about the on-set relationships, stunts, bits that were cut and more, and Insidious: Entities, a closer look at all of the Entities. While these extras aren't bad, they are nowhere near enough. The total under a half hour and only feature interviews with six people - a very enthusiastic Wan & Whannell in all three, and in Insidious: Entities, the Production Designer, Costume Designer, Head of the Makeup Department and Head of the Hair Department as well. The featurettes are are all informative and fun to watch, but ultimately don't go as in depth as I've come to expect from my blu-rays. There is no commentary, and no equivalent. Plus you're practically forced into watching multiple trailers before even getting to the main menu. Weren't we past that, as a people?
But because the film is such an interesting little combo of unique and bone chilling, I at least recommend a rental. To be watched at night. With the surround sound on high. I guarantee you will have trouble sleeping. And according to Wan & Whannell, that's the mark of a horror movie doing its job. So, mission accomplished boys. I'm using a night light tonight. See full post
Wednesday, July 6, 2011
Sam Witwicky's Dating Advice
Crossposted and commissioned by Film.com
Over three Transformers films now, Sam Witwicky (Shia LeBeouf) has been befriending noble robots, taking down evil robots, and openly defying the US government, logic and decency. But perhaps the most unbelievable aspect of the character is the notion that he exclusively dates supermodels. He is only attracted to the hottest women on the planet and they only have eyes for him. What's the secret? How exactly does Sam Witwicky get girls like this? Maybe his dating advice will clear some things up. Take it away, Sam.
*****
When You First Meet Her, Act Like An Idiot
What? But how could this work? Trust me. The dorkier you seem on your meet-cute can only work in your favor. Breaking something valuable looking can only magnify the effect and is highly recommended. She will take pity on your failed attempt at being suave and spend a little time with you. This is your in! Use this time to implement some other tips on this list and she will be yours.
Tell Her You Saved The World A Couple Times
Throw in the fact that you are friends with robots and got a medal from the President, and she will be all over you. Yes, in my case it was true, but how was she supposed to know giant transforming robots are real? She believed it anyway and thought I was a hero, despite the fact that outside of the metal I got the day we met, I led a mostly sad, pointless existence.
Be A Mooching Deadbeat
It's very important when securing the perfect woman to be extremely down on yourself to the point of deadbeatdom. While jobless, make sure to move into her home, refuse to pay rent, and better yet, take it over for your own crazy, won't-make-you-any-money endeavors. Make sure to invite robot friends over, if you have them, so you can ensure that some nice things get broken. She needs to be reminded of your idiocy and from time to time so she feels too bad for you to leave you.
Be Extremely Jealous And Show It!
If there's one thing hot girls love, it's when you are being blindingly jealous. She has a cute boss? Yell at her about it! She is nice to her cute boss? Yell louder! If she responds sweetly that there is nothing to worry about and you are overreacting? You better freak out and punch your car a lot. Hopefully, it'll happen to turn out that the guy making eyes at her is evil and/or assisting the bad guys and she will think you have a heroic sixth sense and want you forever.
Pick Your Hobbies Over Her. At First.
Whether your hobbies are hiking or helping robots save the world, always pick them over her until you are done hiking/saving the world. It shows her you have a lot of passion for living and for your interests. Then when you "choose" her later on, it'll look like you are experiencing personal growth. Perfection.
Act Like A Dick To Both Her and Everyone Around You
Perhaps the most important tip of all. Make sure to take her for granted, complain constantly, get angry with her about anything and everything, but show her she isn't the only one you act like this towards. When you finally introduce her to your robot friends (again, if you are lucky enough to be in that position), make sure to be truly arrogant and condescending towards everyone you encounter along the way. Show her you mean business. She will see you in a place of universal power and be hooked.
Put Both Yourself And Her In Danger Whenever Possible
You know why they always go cliff diving and crap on The Bachelor, right? Experiencing a spike in adrenaline and endorphins while together, chemically brings you closer. So if you are ever going through a rough time, just go do something dangerous so she will worry (ESPECIALLY if she has lost family before because of risks they took) or involve her in something dangerous with you so you'll form an intense bond.
"Save Her Life"
Once you put her in a dangerous position, you MUST make sure to save her from it or at least look like you are saving her from it. Make her feel helpless, no matter how strong and capable she may be. Now is the time to turn pity into admiration, respect and dependence.
Don't Commit!
After you save her life and make her think you changed your ways for her, she will get a little excited and start getting ideas about a family and a future. When this starts to happen, IMMEDIATELY shoot it down. Stay cool. No need to lock it down yet, if at all. There are more hot supermodels who will want you where she came from.
*****
Thanks Sam! Man. What would we do without Transformers' accurate portrayal of how to get a woman, beautiful on the inside and out, to fall in love with you? Great advice for kids everywhere.
Oh, by the way, completely unrelated to the way Sam Witwicky treats women and Transformers 3, I just stabbed my eyeballs out.
Note: I think the scariest part of all of this is that I heard a 19 year old describe a method like this almost to a tee as a way to get girls a couple months ago. Comforting stuff. Good to know the movies they see support their asinine theories, isn't it? Sigh. See full post
Over three Transformers films now, Sam Witwicky (Shia LeBeouf) has been befriending noble robots, taking down evil robots, and openly defying the US government, logic and decency. But perhaps the most unbelievable aspect of the character is the notion that he exclusively dates supermodels. He is only attracted to the hottest women on the planet and they only have eyes for him. What's the secret? How exactly does Sam Witwicky get girls like this? Maybe his dating advice will clear some things up. Take it away, Sam.
*****
When You First Meet Her, Act Like An Idiot
What? But how could this work? Trust me. The dorkier you seem on your meet-cute can only work in your favor. Breaking something valuable looking can only magnify the effect and is highly recommended. She will take pity on your failed attempt at being suave and spend a little time with you. This is your in! Use this time to implement some other tips on this list and she will be yours.
Tell Her You Saved The World A Couple Times
Throw in the fact that you are friends with robots and got a medal from the President, and she will be all over you. Yes, in my case it was true, but how was she supposed to know giant transforming robots are real? She believed it anyway and thought I was a hero, despite the fact that outside of the metal I got the day we met, I led a mostly sad, pointless existence.
Be A Mooching Deadbeat
It's very important when securing the perfect woman to be extremely down on yourself to the point of deadbeatdom. While jobless, make sure to move into her home, refuse to pay rent, and better yet, take it over for your own crazy, won't-make-you-any-money endeavors. Make sure to invite robot friends over, if you have them, so you can ensure that some nice things get broken. She needs to be reminded of your idiocy and from time to time so she feels too bad for you to leave you.
Be Extremely Jealous And Show It!
If there's one thing hot girls love, it's when you are being blindingly jealous. She has a cute boss? Yell at her about it! She is nice to her cute boss? Yell louder! If she responds sweetly that there is nothing to worry about and you are overreacting? You better freak out and punch your car a lot. Hopefully, it'll happen to turn out that the guy making eyes at her is evil and/or assisting the bad guys and she will think you have a heroic sixth sense and want you forever.
Pick Your Hobbies Over Her. At First.
Whether your hobbies are hiking or helping robots save the world, always pick them over her until you are done hiking/saving the world. It shows her you have a lot of passion for living and for your interests. Then when you "choose" her later on, it'll look like you are experiencing personal growth. Perfection.
Act Like A Dick To Both Her and Everyone Around You
Perhaps the most important tip of all. Make sure to take her for granted, complain constantly, get angry with her about anything and everything, but show her she isn't the only one you act like this towards. When you finally introduce her to your robot friends (again, if you are lucky enough to be in that position), make sure to be truly arrogant and condescending towards everyone you encounter along the way. Show her you mean business. She will see you in a place of universal power and be hooked.
Put Both Yourself And Her In Danger Whenever Possible
You know why they always go cliff diving and crap on The Bachelor, right? Experiencing a spike in adrenaline and endorphins while together, chemically brings you closer. So if you are ever going through a rough time, just go do something dangerous so she will worry (ESPECIALLY if she has lost family before because of risks they took) or involve her in something dangerous with you so you'll form an intense bond.
"Save Her Life"
Once you put her in a dangerous position, you MUST make sure to save her from it or at least look like you are saving her from it. Make her feel helpless, no matter how strong and capable she may be. Now is the time to turn pity into admiration, respect and dependence.
Don't Commit!
After you save her life and make her think you changed your ways for her, she will get a little excited and start getting ideas about a family and a future. When this starts to happen, IMMEDIATELY shoot it down. Stay cool. No need to lock it down yet, if at all. There are more hot supermodels who will want you where she came from.
*****
Thanks Sam! Man. What would we do without Transformers' accurate portrayal of how to get a woman, beautiful on the inside and out, to fall in love with you? Great advice for kids everywhere.
Oh, by the way, completely unrelated to the way Sam Witwicky treats women and Transformers 3, I just stabbed my eyeballs out.
Note: I think the scariest part of all of this is that I heard a 19 year old describe a method like this almost to a tee as a way to get girls a couple months ago. Comforting stuff. Good to know the movies they see support their asinine theories, isn't it? Sigh. See full post
Tuesday, July 5, 2011
Alliterative Actors Alphabet
Crossposted on Film.com
You know those times you start thinking about how most comic book characters have names like Bruce Banner, Peter Parker, Sue Storm and Matt Murdoch and then have thoughts like "If you have an alliterative name, does that mean you are more likely to become a superhero?" which leads to other thoughts like "My name is stupid" and "I'm gonna change my name" which eventually turns into "calm down, you don't want to be a supehero anyway, superheros are dumb, who wants to be them" and finally "I wonder which actors out there have alliterative names and are therefore primed and ready for superhero-dom, unlike me, but whatever, I don't care..."
I have really valuable chains of thought, you guys.
So upon compiling a massive list of famous people with alliterative names (which relates to sound, not letters, i.e. Clark Kent is alliteration. Keira Knightly is not), I decided there was only one thing to do. Write a poem naming one famous person with an alliterative name per letter of the alphabet.
Some of the references are obvious, some are not, some of these people are well known and some are...decidedly not. But if you don't understand something, I encourage you to head to google or ask away in the comment section.
Without further ado,
The Alliterative Actors Alphabet
Amy Adams soon reporting for the Daily Planet
Barry Bostwick to a hot chick once kept saying "Damnit Janet"
Colin Cunningham is definitely a Falling Skies fav
David Duchovny, every Sunday, we watch him get laid
Emilo Estevez is quacking til this day
Fionnula Flanagan, because she can, helps Desmond on his way
Greta Gerwig, delightfully awkward with Ben
Helen Hayes won praise as an EGOT back when
Irving Ishkabibble from some movie, Terror Eyes
Josh Jackson's relaxin because Fringe has survived
Kevin Kline doing fine taking time off from the screen
Lucy Lawless looks flawless in every Spartacus scene
Mary McDonnell deserved an Emmy, you see
Nick Nolte, why wont he, admit he's Gary Busey
Ozzy Osbourne bit a bat clean through its neck
Parker Posey we all know she stole her scenes on Parks and Rec
Quentin Crisp played a version of himself on TV
Ryan Reynolds has some tentpoles in both Marvel and DC
Susan Sarandon's mother-lovin Timberlake
Tony Todd, acting god, resume so long it looks fake
Umit Ulgen, no really, he's an actor, I swear
Vince Vaughan's not gone, but we're starting not to care
Wally Wingert undoubtedly a voice over expert
Xin Xin Xiong in Hong Kong, is a badass you can't hurt
Yasuo Yamada is the Japanese Kermit
Ziyi Zhang, that gorgeous thang, is killing fools as she sees fit See full post
You know those times you start thinking about how most comic book characters have names like Bruce Banner, Peter Parker, Sue Storm and Matt Murdoch and then have thoughts like "If you have an alliterative name, does that mean you are more likely to become a superhero?" which leads to other thoughts like "My name is stupid" and "I'm gonna change my name" which eventually turns into "calm down, you don't want to be a supehero anyway, superheros are dumb, who wants to be them" and finally "I wonder which actors out there have alliterative names and are therefore primed and ready for superhero-dom, unlike me, but whatever, I don't care..."
I have really valuable chains of thought, you guys.
So upon compiling a massive list of famous people with alliterative names (which relates to sound, not letters, i.e. Clark Kent is alliteration. Keira Knightly is not), I decided there was only one thing to do. Write a poem naming one famous person with an alliterative name per letter of the alphabet.
Some of the references are obvious, some are not, some of these people are well known and some are...decidedly not. But if you don't understand something, I encourage you to head to google or ask away in the comment section.
Without further ado,
The Alliterative Actors Alphabet
Amy Adams soon reporting for the Daily Planet
Barry Bostwick to a hot chick once kept saying "Damnit Janet"
Colin Cunningham is definitely a Falling Skies fav
David Duchovny, every Sunday, we watch him get laid
Emilo Estevez is quacking til this day
Fionnula Flanagan, because she can, helps Desmond on his way
Greta Gerwig, delightfully awkward with Ben
Helen Hayes won praise as an EGOT back when
Irving Ishkabibble from some movie, Terror Eyes
Josh Jackson's relaxin because Fringe has survived
Kevin Kline doing fine taking time off from the screen
Lucy Lawless looks flawless in every Spartacus scene
Mary McDonnell deserved an Emmy, you see
Nick Nolte, why wont he, admit he's Gary Busey
Ozzy Osbourne bit a bat clean through its neck
Parker Posey we all know she stole her scenes on Parks and Rec
Quentin Crisp played a version of himself on TV
Ryan Reynolds has some tentpoles in both Marvel and DC
Susan Sarandon's mother-lovin Timberlake
Tony Todd, acting god, resume so long it looks fake
Umit Ulgen, no really, he's an actor, I swear
Vince Vaughan's not gone, but we're starting not to care
Wally Wingert undoubtedly a voice over expert
Xin Xin Xiong in Hong Kong, is a badass you can't hurt
Yasuo Yamada is the Japanese Kermit
Ziyi Zhang, that gorgeous thang, is killing fools as she sees fit See full post
Tom Hanks: Top Five
Crossposted on and commissioned by Film.com
With 64 acting credits on IMDb.com, 55 awards won, and an additional 52 nominations, Tom Hanks boasts quite the impressive resume. An attempt at selecting his five best films is no easy feat and would most likely result in a list of five Oscar-nominated dramas, which is, frankly, kind of boring. So, to jazz things up, we’ve selected five specific categories to pull from, in order to provide a Top Five list for Tom Hanks that simultaneously shows off his range and provides an accurate summary of his career.
Best (Romantic) Comedy: Big (1988)
A tough one. A part of me wants to say You’ve Got Mail, a film I’ve seen countless times and love so much against my better judgement that I did a scene from it in college. Another part of me wants to say Splash, because — hello — it stars a mermaid and features Tom Hanks at his absolute cutest. No part of me wants to say Sleepless in Seattle because I don’t like that movie, or Joe vs the Volcano because I’ve only seen roughly 10 minutes of it. So ultimately, I decided to go with Big. Not only is it a perfect ’80s comedy, hilarious, with a lot of heart, but Hanks is SO. EFFING. GOOD in it. The scene where he first touches Elizabeth Perkins’ boob alone is worth the Oscar nomination he got for the role, his first of five.
Runner-Up: You’ve Got Mail
Best Performance in a Film: Philadelphia (1993)
As the movie wherein Hanks truly proved himself as a dramatic actor and blew the world away so much so that he won his first Oscar, no top five list would be complete without Philadelphia. It was a huge moment for Hanks’ career and an even bigger moment for movies, due to its controversial and powerful subject matter. Try watching this movie and not crying your face off. I dare you.
Runner-Up: Aside from the ones already on this list, Castaway
Best Oscar-Nominated Drama: Forrest Gump (1994)
Another tough decision, certainly, when one considers other movies of Hanks’ that nabbed Oscar nominations in their respective years: The Green Mile, Cast Away, Saving Private Ryan, Road to Perdition, and more. But at the end of the day, I had to go with the film that won Hanks his second Best Actor Oscar in a row. Not only was he impeccable in a role that was highly difficult to pull off, but the film itself is as epic as it is original and is what really turned Hanks into a superstar.
Runner-Up: Apollo 13
Best Game-Changer: Toy Story (1996)
Many films of Hanks’ could go here, from his first Oscar-nominated role in Big to Castaway, a film mostly consisting of Hanks acting opposite an inanimate object, to Saving Private Ryan with its harrowing opening sequence, but I’m going with Toy Story, the first computer-animated film of all time that spawned a franchise and characters no kid in America couldn’t name, and marked the beginning of Pixar’s world domination. There is no denying that Hanks’ iconic voice and star power played a crucial role in the film that started it all.
Runner-Up: Saving Private Ryan
Best Supporting Role: Catch Me If You Can (2002)
Hilarious in his supporting role as Carl Hanratty (which, played by Norbert Leo Butz on Broadway, just won a Tony), Hanks provided another memorable performance in another memorable film. I LOVE this movie. I watch it every time it’s on television. Not only is it my favorite supporting role of Hanks’, but I think it’s his best film in the past 10 years.
Runner-Up: A League of Their Own (Sorry, That Thing You Do! I love you too!)
So that’s my list. But the fascinating and wonderful thing about Hanks is how the opinion of his best films of his could change so drastically from person to person. If you asked 10 people what their top five Hanks films were, I would bet no two people would have the same answer. So what are your favorites? Feel free to sound off below. See full post
With 64 acting credits on IMDb.com, 55 awards won, and an additional 52 nominations, Tom Hanks boasts quite the impressive resume. An attempt at selecting his five best films is no easy feat and would most likely result in a list of five Oscar-nominated dramas, which is, frankly, kind of boring. So, to jazz things up, we’ve selected five specific categories to pull from, in order to provide a Top Five list for Tom Hanks that simultaneously shows off his range and provides an accurate summary of his career.
Best (Romantic) Comedy: Big (1988)
A tough one. A part of me wants to say You’ve Got Mail, a film I’ve seen countless times and love so much against my better judgement that I did a scene from it in college. Another part of me wants to say Splash, because — hello — it stars a mermaid and features Tom Hanks at his absolute cutest. No part of me wants to say Sleepless in Seattle because I don’t like that movie, or Joe vs the Volcano because I’ve only seen roughly 10 minutes of it. So ultimately, I decided to go with Big. Not only is it a perfect ’80s comedy, hilarious, with a lot of heart, but Hanks is SO. EFFING. GOOD in it. The scene where he first touches Elizabeth Perkins’ boob alone is worth the Oscar nomination he got for the role, his first of five.
Runner-Up: You’ve Got Mail
Best Performance in a Film: Philadelphia (1993)
As the movie wherein Hanks truly proved himself as a dramatic actor and blew the world away so much so that he won his first Oscar, no top five list would be complete without Philadelphia. It was a huge moment for Hanks’ career and an even bigger moment for movies, due to its controversial and powerful subject matter. Try watching this movie and not crying your face off. I dare you.
Runner-Up: Aside from the ones already on this list, Castaway
Best Oscar-Nominated Drama: Forrest Gump (1994)
Another tough decision, certainly, when one considers other movies of Hanks’ that nabbed Oscar nominations in their respective years: The Green Mile, Cast Away, Saving Private Ryan, Road to Perdition, and more. But at the end of the day, I had to go with the film that won Hanks his second Best Actor Oscar in a row. Not only was he impeccable in a role that was highly difficult to pull off, but the film itself is as epic as it is original and is what really turned Hanks into a superstar.
Runner-Up: Apollo 13
Best Game-Changer: Toy Story (1996)
Many films of Hanks’ could go here, from his first Oscar-nominated role in Big to Castaway, a film mostly consisting of Hanks acting opposite an inanimate object, to Saving Private Ryan with its harrowing opening sequence, but I’m going with Toy Story, the first computer-animated film of all time that spawned a franchise and characters no kid in America couldn’t name, and marked the beginning of Pixar’s world domination. There is no denying that Hanks’ iconic voice and star power played a crucial role in the film that started it all.
Runner-Up: Saving Private Ryan
Best Supporting Role: Catch Me If You Can (2002)
Hilarious in his supporting role as Carl Hanratty (which, played by Norbert Leo Butz on Broadway, just won a Tony), Hanks provided another memorable performance in another memorable film. I LOVE this movie. I watch it every time it’s on television. Not only is it my favorite supporting role of Hanks’, but I think it’s his best film in the past 10 years.
Runner-Up: A League of Their Own (Sorry, That Thing You Do! I love you too!)
So that’s my list. But the fascinating and wonderful thing about Hanks is how the opinion of his best films of his could change so drastically from person to person. If you asked 10 people what their top five Hanks films were, I would bet no two people would have the same answer. So what are your favorites? Feel free to sound off below. See full post
Friday, July 1, 2011
July at the Movies
After a May filled with one giant hit after another (whether worthy or not) and a June filled with mostly mediocre films and box-office numbers, it’s up to July to prove what Fast & Furious led us to believe at the very end of April — that the summer movies this year will be both great in quality and killer at the box office, or what May finds Midnight in Paris and Tree of Life suggested, that this summer can be a time for Oscar contenders as well. So which movies might stand a chance of fulfilling these high hopes? Here’s how to mark your calender for July.
Note: Likely Box Office refers to Opening Weekend in particular, unless stated otherwise
Big-Budget Popcorn Movies
July 1 – Transformers: Dark of the Moon
So, yes, technically it opens on June 29, but since it’ll be winning Fourth of July weekend, we would be remiss in omitting it in our preview of July. Still don’t know if I’ll be seeing it, though.
Likely Quality? Great for effects, awful for everything else. Although, since all of our expectations are so low after Revenge of the Fallen, who knows, maybe we’ll find ourselves having a grand ol’ time with the third installment. I actually hear it’s “the best one yet,” for whatever that’s worth.
Likely Box Office? Ginormo. Which isn’t even a real word, that’s how much money transforming robots make. Especially 3-D transforming robots.
July 15 – Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part Two
The heart-wrenching eighth and final slice of Harry Potter, showing in both 3-D (boo! hiss!) and 2-D (huzzah!)
Likely Quality: High. Really high. Almost a shame the Oscars won’t be forced to have 10 Best Picture nominees this year, ’cause it would have been nice to see this up there as an acknowledgment of the entire series.
Likely Box Office: Huge, no doubt, though I wonder if it won’t be as big as Transformers, simply because most of us Harry nuts are opting for the less expensive 2-D. Ugh. 3-D is dumb.
July 22 – Captain America: The First Avenger
It’s all resting on this one. I felt the same way about each of the comic book movies this summer, Thor, X-Men: First Class, and Green Lantern. Enjoyed each one, had problems with each one, thought there were one or two stand-out performances in each one. Will Captain America pull an Iron Man, Dark Knight, or an X2 and be unquestionably wonderful?
Likely Quality: It seems to be testing well, but apparently Green Lantern did too. Expecting mediocre to protect my fragile, fragile heart, but hoping for fantastic
Likely Box Office: More or less exactly the same as the other three superhero movies of the summer. Unless it’s an unbelievable finished product and picks up the strongest repeat business.
July 29 – Cowboys & Aliens
Favreau and Universal have been campaigning hard for this genre mash-up, and despite pissing me off with trailers that give WAY too much away, they still have me completely on board for opening weekend.
Likely Quality: Even though all the twists and turns seem fairly obvious from the trailer, I still have faith that this movie will be delightful at worst and an instant genre classic at best.
Likely Box Office: An opening weekend somewhere between Super 8 and Green Lantern. But this is hands down one of the most interesting films to watch in terms of box office this summer as it is difficult to find anything concrete to compare it to and it is exclusively 2-D.
More categories and movies after the jump!
See full post
Wednesday, June 29, 2011
"Heroes Give Hope" Limited Edition Print
In an effort to raise money for Japan, still in need though we don't hear about it on the news constantly anymore, artist Dave Williams created this amazing poster. Combining the flag of Japan with William's take on 72 different iconic heroes, this simple yet beautiful piece is a one of a kind that you can big on here.
Can you name every character featured below? If so, prove it in the comments!
(Note - Dave has also made some badass posters for the Back to the Future trilogy, Thor and X-Men: First Class. A Captain America one should be appearing on his site soon, so be sure to check out the linkage below to stay updated!)
Can you name every character featured below? If so, prove it in the comments!
(Note - Dave has also made some badass posters for the Back to the Future trilogy, Thor and X-Men: First Class. A Captain America one should be appearing on his site soon, so be sure to check out the linkage below to stay updated!)
Your Favorite Heroes have gathered to offer their support with this fantastic new Print by Artist and Illustrator Dave WilliamsSee full post
This Limited print measures 24 x 18 inches and is printed on a 350gsm matte It is numbered 1/1 and signed by the artist. It features unique interpretations of dozens of the most iconic heroes of the past few decades and was created uniquely for the Heroes Give Hope Auction. It will never be sold or reprinted again.
Printing services for this piece were graciously donated to the auction by Tom Sound
You can find more of Dave William's work here or by following him on twitter @davewi11 .
Tuesday, June 28, 2011
Blu Ray Review: Lord of the Rings: Extended Editions
Cross-posted and commissioned by Film.com
Today marks the release of one of the best things to happen to Blu-ray since Blu-rays blu made their blu way into existence: The Blu-ray Extended Editions of the Lord of the Rings Trilogy.
Digitally remastered from the films’ original 2K files (unlike the theatrical cut Lord of the Rings Blu-ray release), these movies can now look as beautiful on a television as they did in theaters, no matter the size of your screen. My breath was just as taken away with the stunningly crisp picture (approved personally by Peter Jackson) on an 82-inch TV as it was on a 42-inch, as it was on a 23-inch. And the sound, now presented in 6.1 DTS-HD Master Audio, is powerful, all encompassing, sleek and dynamic. Watching with surround or not, I still felt like I was chillin’ (or as the case mostly was, fighting/traveling/arguing/rescuing) in Middle Earth. The quality is definitely maintained here partly because the film is still on more than one disc, allowing more room for the smallest of details to come through in both picture and sound.
Including the two containing the film itself, each title brings with it five discs. The nine discs of extras are perhaps the most extensive I’ve ever seen. The first disc of extras for each film focuses on the process of book to screen/pre-production. The second disc of extras for each film focuses on the production itself, post production, and theatrical release. The third disc of extras house each correlating part of the Costa Botes documentary.
Now, are the 26 hours of extras also in HD? No. They aren’t Blu-ray, just DVDs. But I almost wonder if this is a sneaky way of immediately pointing out how impressive the remaster actually is. Going from 1080p to DVD-upgraded-by-Blu-ray-player is a very noticeable switch. An even bigger shock is going from the films’ rich HD images to the behind the scenes video footage, so low quality, even the faces in the foreground are slightly blurry. But because you get used to the low quality rather quickly, it thankfully doesn’t remain a nuisance.
Another important note here is that the 26 hours of extras are all exactly the same as the ones on the Extended Edition DVDs, save digital copies and some trailers for Lord of the Rings: War of the North. The downside here, obviously, is if you already own the DVDs, you are paying a lot of money *only* for the Blu-ray discs. But at the same time, I almost appreciate the lack of new extras as it means those who aren’t fortunate enough to own Blu-ray players don’t have to fear that they are missing out on any actual additions to the set they cannot own.
But for those of you who haven’t memorized the extras on the original extended editions, here is a handy dandy breakdown of what you’ll be getting for your $120.
Disc 1/Disc 2 – The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring – Extended Edition
-The Fellowship of the Ring Extended Edition in HD/6.1 DTS-HD Part One (105 min) and Part Two (123 min)
-Four Commentaries, Directors/Writers, Design Team, Production/Post-Production team, Actors
-War of the North Trailer on Disc 1
-MTV Movie Awards Clip on Disc 1
Council of Elrond spoof with Jack Black and Sarah Michelle Gellar
A recommendation here that applies to each of these movies – because each commentary so specifically touches on different aspects of the films, they really allow you to create your own educational experience. Curious about the lighting and absence of color in Moria or about any of the digital effects? Click over to the Production track. Want to know how on earth Faramir and Eowyn holding hands could have been cut or why certain other elements were added or deleted? Listen to the Director/Writers track. Want to learn about Elijah Wood’s love of beer or hear what was going through each character’s head after Gandalf’s fall? Switch to the Actors track. And if you are curious about the design of the Ringwraiths or what was done to Frodo’s Elvyn cape to make it look like a rock, click over to the Design Team track. Although the names of those speaking only pop up based on which commentary you selected at the beginning, so if you *do* go track hopping, you won’t necessarily know who is speaking when. My personal favorite track was the Actors because not only do you get fun anecdotes and get to hear about the acting process, you also get bits and pieces of what would appear on the other tracks. For example, if you’re curious about King Theoden’s transformation, you’d think you’d get the most info from Design or Production, but it’s actually Bernard Hill on the Actors track that goes into it the most.
Disc 3: The Appendices, Part 1: From Book to Vision
-JRR Tolkien: Creator of Middle Earth (22min)
Brief biography on Tolkien and history of books & fandom
-From Book To Script (20)
Hear the relationship of many of the actors and crew members to the books, then learn about the process of initially adapting the books to screenplays.
-Storyboards and Pre Viz: Making Words into Images (20)
Learn about the importance of story-boarding and the many different ways of creating them
-Three Storyboards that didn’t quite make it into the film (11)
-Two Pre Viz Animatics (3)
-Two Storyboard/Pre-Viz to film side by side comparisons (4)
-Bad End Set Test (6)
FAVORITE ALERT. Peter Jackson and some crew members act out a couple scenes that take place in the newly built (but not yet dressed) home of the Baggins’. The highlight is getting to watch Peter Jackson throw his all into his performance of Bilbo.
-Designing Middle Earth (41)
Going through the production design of the film from start to finish
-Weta Workshop (43)
In depth look at all of the armor, weapons, special makeup effects, prosthetics, creatures and miniatures, it’s the coolest doc on the disc. I swear, co-founder of Weta, Richard Taylor with his loud, bizarrely accented voice could lead a really eccentric cult or something. And, well, I guess he kind of does.
-Costume Design (12)
Learn about the design for many of the characters’ costumes and get some perspective on just how much work goes into costumes for a project like this. If you’d like to know why 40 duplicates had to be made of every single costume, this is the one to watch.
-Galleries with optional slideshows of people and realms
If you ever plan on dressing up as a character from Lord of the Rings, this feature is your saving grace. Sketches, close ups of detailing, the actual pieces on actors – the best reference guide you could possible ask for
-Middle Earth Atlas
Interactive map of Earth. Pick the path of either Frodo or Gandalf and follow their journey on the map, complete with clips
-New Zealand As Middle-Earth (8)
Your guide to visiting Lord of the Rings set sites when you visit New Zealand! A map pointing out which realms where shot where, with location scouting footage and thoughts from location scout and Supervising art director, Dan Hennah
More - way more - after the jump!
See full post
Today marks the release of one of the best things to happen to Blu-ray since Blu-rays blu made their blu way into existence: The Blu-ray Extended Editions of the Lord of the Rings Trilogy.
Digitally remastered from the films’ original 2K files (unlike the theatrical cut Lord of the Rings Blu-ray release), these movies can now look as beautiful on a television as they did in theaters, no matter the size of your screen. My breath was just as taken away with the stunningly crisp picture (approved personally by Peter Jackson) on an 82-inch TV as it was on a 42-inch, as it was on a 23-inch. And the sound, now presented in 6.1 DTS-HD Master Audio, is powerful, all encompassing, sleek and dynamic. Watching with surround or not, I still felt like I was chillin’ (or as the case mostly was, fighting/traveling/arguing/rescuing) in Middle Earth. The quality is definitely maintained here partly because the film is still on more than one disc, allowing more room for the smallest of details to come through in both picture and sound.
Including the two containing the film itself, each title brings with it five discs. The nine discs of extras are perhaps the most extensive I’ve ever seen. The first disc of extras for each film focuses on the process of book to screen/pre-production. The second disc of extras for each film focuses on the production itself, post production, and theatrical release. The third disc of extras house each correlating part of the Costa Botes documentary.
Now, are the 26 hours of extras also in HD? No. They aren’t Blu-ray, just DVDs. But I almost wonder if this is a sneaky way of immediately pointing out how impressive the remaster actually is. Going from 1080p to DVD-upgraded-by-Blu-ray-player is a very noticeable switch. An even bigger shock is going from the films’ rich HD images to the behind the scenes video footage, so low quality, even the faces in the foreground are slightly blurry. But because you get used to the low quality rather quickly, it thankfully doesn’t remain a nuisance.
Another important note here is that the 26 hours of extras are all exactly the same as the ones on the Extended Edition DVDs, save digital copies and some trailers for Lord of the Rings: War of the North. The downside here, obviously, is if you already own the DVDs, you are paying a lot of money *only* for the Blu-ray discs. But at the same time, I almost appreciate the lack of new extras as it means those who aren’t fortunate enough to own Blu-ray players don’t have to fear that they are missing out on any actual additions to the set they cannot own.
But for those of you who haven’t memorized the extras on the original extended editions, here is a handy dandy breakdown of what you’ll be getting for your $120.
Disc 1/Disc 2 – The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring – Extended Edition-The Fellowship of the Ring Extended Edition in HD/6.1 DTS-HD Part One (105 min) and Part Two (123 min)
-Four Commentaries, Directors/Writers, Design Team, Production/Post-Production team, Actors
-War of the North Trailer on Disc 1
-MTV Movie Awards Clip on Disc 1
Council of Elrond spoof with Jack Black and Sarah Michelle Gellar
A recommendation here that applies to each of these movies – because each commentary so specifically touches on different aspects of the films, they really allow you to create your own educational experience. Curious about the lighting and absence of color in Moria or about any of the digital effects? Click over to the Production track. Want to know how on earth Faramir and Eowyn holding hands could have been cut or why certain other elements were added or deleted? Listen to the Director/Writers track. Want to learn about Elijah Wood’s love of beer or hear what was going through each character’s head after Gandalf’s fall? Switch to the Actors track. And if you are curious about the design of the Ringwraiths or what was done to Frodo’s Elvyn cape to make it look like a rock, click over to the Design Team track. Although the names of those speaking only pop up based on which commentary you selected at the beginning, so if you *do* go track hopping, you won’t necessarily know who is speaking when. My personal favorite track was the Actors because not only do you get fun anecdotes and get to hear about the acting process, you also get bits and pieces of what would appear on the other tracks. For example, if you’re curious about King Theoden’s transformation, you’d think you’d get the most info from Design or Production, but it’s actually Bernard Hill on the Actors track that goes into it the most.
Disc 3: The Appendices, Part 1: From Book to Vision
-JRR Tolkien: Creator of Middle Earth (22min)
Brief biography on Tolkien and history of books & fandom
-From Book To Script (20)
Hear the relationship of many of the actors and crew members to the books, then learn about the process of initially adapting the books to screenplays.
-Storyboards and Pre Viz: Making Words into Images (20)
Learn about the importance of story-boarding and the many different ways of creating them
-Three Storyboards that didn’t quite make it into the film (11)
-Two Pre Viz Animatics (3)
-Two Storyboard/Pre-Viz to film side by side comparisons (4)
-Bad End Set Test (6)
FAVORITE ALERT. Peter Jackson and some crew members act out a couple scenes that take place in the newly built (but not yet dressed) home of the Baggins’. The highlight is getting to watch Peter Jackson throw his all into his performance of Bilbo.
-Designing Middle Earth (41)
Going through the production design of the film from start to finish
-Weta Workshop (43)
In depth look at all of the armor, weapons, special makeup effects, prosthetics, creatures and miniatures, it’s the coolest doc on the disc. I swear, co-founder of Weta, Richard Taylor with his loud, bizarrely accented voice could lead a really eccentric cult or something. And, well, I guess he kind of does.
-Costume Design (12)
Learn about the design for many of the characters’ costumes and get some perspective on just how much work goes into costumes for a project like this. If you’d like to know why 40 duplicates had to be made of every single costume, this is the one to watch.
-Galleries with optional slideshows of people and realms
If you ever plan on dressing up as a character from Lord of the Rings, this feature is your saving grace. Sketches, close ups of detailing, the actual pieces on actors – the best reference guide you could possible ask for
-Middle Earth Atlas
Interactive map of Earth. Pick the path of either Frodo or Gandalf and follow their journey on the map, complete with clips
-New Zealand As Middle-Earth (8)
Your guide to visiting Lord of the Rings set sites when you visit New Zealand! A map pointing out which realms where shot where, with location scouting footage and thoughts from location scout and Supervising art director, Dan Hennah
More - way more - after the jump!
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