Review: Comic-Con Episode IV: A Fan's Hope

Cross-posted on Film.com

It's no secret to anyone who knows me or regularly reads me here, or on my Twitter, that I am a Comic-Con lifer. I've been going since I was two years old and I hope to never stop. The closest I've ever come to missing a Comic-Con was when I was 16 and had previously been in Ireland for a Summer program. But I flew directly to San Diego from Ireland and although I missed the panel I was most looking forward to (all I remember? It involved Jason Lee and Ben Affleck) because I detained at the airport for having the same name, birthdate and description as a runaway from Reno (no, really), I still made it for a solid two days of nerdy gloriousness. Which is why I think I am not a bad authority on whether or not, say, a documentary on Comic-Con works. I was lucky enough to catch an early screening of such a film, Comic-Con: A Fan's Hope a few weeks back, and I would like to say definitively that yes - it works. In spades.

The film, produced by Harry Knowles, Joss Whedon, Stan Lee and more, directed by Morgan Spurlock, takes a look at 6 different people making the pilgrimage to Comic-Con for a host of reasons, as well as a look at the Convention experience itself. While it doesn't delve too much into history other than opening with some vintage photos and radio interviews, that ended up not bothering me - this isn't a documentary about this history of Comic-Con - that movie will come another time. 

What the film does capture well is what it is like to attend Comic-Con, whether as a collector itching for that one particular exclusive, an artist looking to make connections in portfolio reviews, a cosplayer participating the masquerade, a comics book dealer hoping against hope to make a profit, or as fans who met and fell in love at the geek mecca. Expansive shots of the crowds descending on the convention center, then swarming in the inside, plus a look at the long lines and claustrophobic nature of Hall H doesn't sugarcoat the fan experience. It's crowded and requires long, tiring hours for those moments of seeing someone you admire talk or getting their autograph. But the movie also emphasizes how worth it it is for everyone who attends. Many people who are important to Comic-Con in some way were interviewed, but tons of fans were as well, many in costume, not shy about revealing which geek icons they were excited to see the most or which encounters left them the most star stuck. One of my favorite instances of this was when Paul Scheer talked about being in an elevator with Joss Whedon and finding himself unable to say anything to someone he loved so much. 

Following individuals into Comic-Con was hands down the best way to approach capturing the Comic-Con experience. We followed these two aspiring artists as they filled their days with portfolio reviews, an aspect of Comic-Con I barely knew existed, and how their ventures play out were fascinating to watch. Don't be surprised if you find yourself getting a little emotional. We also had the pleasure of witnessing some very dedicated cosplayers make some faneffingtastic Mass Effect 2 costumes for the masquerade, and got to be a part of the whole pre-masquerade rigamarole, from turning in forms, to rehearsals, to the night itself. This storyline was probably my favorite, and from the sound of it, the audiences as well, as ringleader Holly Conrad's "what happened since this was shot" placard got the largest and most enthusiastic response. And made me cry. The collector only shows up briefly, but demonstrates handily the convention collector culture, and anyone who was at the Kevin Smith panel in 2010 knows about the "lovers" track, following a boy with the plan to propose to his girlfriend who he met at Comic-Con the year before, during the Kevin Smith panel. Again with the tears. 

Perhaps the most dramatic track was that of the comic book dealer,  Chuck Rozanski or the "survivor" as he was referred to in the film. Any regular Comic-Con attendee knows the "Mile High Comics guy", with his long braid and magical way of convincing you to buy comics when you're on the fence. He spends most of the movie highly concerned that he is going to be forced to sell some of his most prized possessions in order to not go out of business, as he sees Comic-Con going much more in the pop culture direction than the comic book direction. We spend the whole movie crossing our fingers that he makes enough cash by the end and can put his beloved Red Raven #1 back in the safe. There is no question in my mind that this year, I'm making more of an effort to buy my comics on site from these dealers. 

What's cool about these specific people and their stories are that it's a perfect microcosm - all 125,000 people who attend Comic-Con are there for different reasons. Most of us who spend the bulk of our time in Hall H or Ballroom 20 don't even know about things like portfolio reviews or the masquerade (although I attended the masquerade every year until about 2005. Ready for this old school masquerade reference? Rock! Rock! Rock!) and anyone who doesn't do the Hall H experience had no idea about the proposal. 

What this film also does very effectively is create a "laughing with" filmic experience. I never found myself laughing AT anyone, but I laughed a lot. Someone else's intense geekery for Phineas and Ferb is a lot like intense geekery I've felt for Star Wars or Buffy or Shaun of the Dead or Battlestar Galactica or Game of Thrones or Fables, so my laughter never held any malice, and the intention of the film was never to encourage such a thing. We're all in this boat together and the film really captured that nicely. It filled me with joy (and as I've said before, often tears) from start to finish and reminded me how much I love the place I for so many years referred to as my home away from home, the place I've always felt I belong the most. 

As stressful as Comic-Con can be between getting to every panel I want to see and attending every party I want to go to and buying every exclusive on the floor I need, at the end of the day, it's one of the most magical events in the world and some people spend their lives dreaming about attending. You know what this movie really does most of all? Makes me want to smack anyone who ever complains about "having to go" or being "forced to cover it." Then don't. Don't go. It's a place of love, of acceptance, of sharing in our geekery together, and if you're gonna roll your eyes and complain, you're doing it wrong. 

Also? I knew Matt Fraction is talented. I did not know Matt Fraction is hot. I would like to date him. The end.

Comic-Con Episode IV: A Fan's Hope opens in Los Angeles Thursday April 5th, San Francisco and Portland Friday, April 6th, New York, Boston and Washington DC on Friday, April 13th. You can also watch it On Demand Friday April 6th. There will also be special screenings with Morgan Spurlock Q&As across the US through Tugg.com

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On The Scene - Jason Reitman Live Read of The Big Lebowski

Last night marked the final installment of what has in six quick months become a highly popular Los Angeles cultural touchstone, Jason Reitman's Live Series. Much to the delight of everyone in attendance, curator Elvis Mitchell announced right before the performance began that the Live Series would return in October with six brand new scripts. Reitman himself apologized for his "day job" that would keep him occupied during the summer, but expressed great enthusiasm about returning later in the year. Hell. Effing. Yes. This was easily the most packed of the six Live Reads, with a stand by line circling around the Wilshire LACMA entrance, triple the size I've seen in the past.

Both Reitman and Mitchell decided that the final script of the first series should be a crowd pleaser, something overlooked originally by critics, but that maintained a cult status in years to come specifically because of its strong script, or as Mitchell put it, a film "ignored by the mainstream, but still found a way into our hearts...and bongs as the case may be." Naturally, the film that ended up being chosen was the Coen Brothers' The Big Lebowski, which was released fourteen years ago this month. The film has over 40 characters so presenting it as a reading with only nine actors was no easy task. But, and I hate to sound like a broken record, but if it's true it's true - this Read was even better than the last one. Which was leagues better than the last one. Oh Reitman and your learning and applying your learning! 

The cast, sitting from house right to house left was as follows: Lebowski (originated by David Huddleston) : Jason Alexander, Brandt (originated by Philip Seymour Hoffman) : Fred Savage, Jesus (originated by John Tuturro)/Jackie Treehorn/one of the Germans/many more : Nick Kroll, Bunny (originated by Tara Reid)/waitress/Pilar/German woman: Catherine Reitman, Donny (originated by Steve Buscemi)/Dieter/more: Hank Azaria, The Dude (originated by Jeff Bridges) : Seth Rogen, Walter (originated by John Goodman) : Rainn Wilson, Maude (originated by Julianne Moore): Christina Hendricks, and The Stranger (originated by Sam Elliot): Sam effing Elliott, who got a standing ovation just for walking on stage. Because. Sam. Effing. Elliott. Reading. The Stranger. 

Where to even begin? Shampoo was a fine introduction, Reservoir Dogs was a raucous good time, but The Big Lebowski was in a league of its own. There was a level of professionalism and preparation among the actors that was unlike anything I'd seen yet, definitely the tightest script read of the three I've seen. Clearly each person on stage took this INCREDIBLY seriously and went to great pains to make sure he or she could deliver. Seth Rogen (who I kind of wished was wearing a bathrobe) and Rainn Wilson were so pitch perfect, I was not alone in thinking that if the movie had been made today, with those two actors in the roles, it would have worked just as well. It was as if Seth Rogen's stoner chill meets over the top exasperation and Rainn Wilson's comical intensity were crafted by the universe to play The Dude and Walter. They did not miss a word. They did not miss a moment. There was specificity, tactic changes, appropriate tonal shifts, I was FLOORED by what these guys were doing, and they made it look so easy. Word to the wise - this is *not* easy and it's rare to get through an entire live reading with a truthful, full fledged performance, without screwing up even once. And Rogen's rolled papers that he "smoked" from as a prop whenever the script called for it? Love.

More after the jump

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Los Angeles! See American Reunion Early And Support A Good Cause

If you have been following All Things Fangirl for a while, you know we are huge supporters of the charity event Hell Walk, currently gearing up for the intense second installment. In the next couple weeks, we'll sit down with Josh Tate again and discuss the 2012 event, taking place on June 30th. In the meantime, I wanted to direct your attention to a screening of American Reunion happening in Westwood tomorrow night in support of Hell Walk 2012. If I wasn't covering the Jason Reitman Live Read that night, I would be there in a heartbeat, so I highly encourage all of you available fangirls in the Los Angeles area to head over there Thursday night and show your support in my stead! Oh and be sure to head here for more information on Hell Walk in the coming months!

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Best Finds of Wondercon 2012

As per tradition, here is our wrap up of the best finds on the Wondercon floor. As a Dealer's Room junkie, I always like seeing what I missed at various conventions, and enjoy providing that service for you readers as well.

Gaming Table
One of the absolute coolest booths on the entire floor, the gaming furniture created by Geek Chic is truly after my own heart. Each piece is individually made and can be custom fit for whatever type of geek you are. Need a place for your controllers to live? Done. Need a gaming table with a built in area for throwing dice? Easy! How about a simple way to organize your comics? Done! I mean, yes, these pieces cost between 2000 and 3000 dollars, but I JUST WANT ONE SO BAD. Oh man, the unnecessary items I will buy if and when I am a rich person. Beginning with a custom made table that makes playing Xbox and the Battlestar Galactica Board Game slightly more convenient for me. WOOT!

Nine more peaks at the best of the Wondercon floor after the jump!


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16 Reasons to See Hunger Games This Weekend

Happy Hunger Games!

If you weren't one of the one million people who saw the film at midnight last night and are wrestling with whether or not to go this weekend, here are my 16 reasons why you should make a point to make the trek out to your local theater and catch the film as soon as possible.

Jennifer Lawrence

Not only is Jennifer Lawrence the perfect Katniss (I take back all my naysaying!) who nails her internal struggles, telling us everything we need to know with her eyes, but as a person, she is one of those rare gems we need more of in this industry. Self-effacing, real, honest and unafraid, she has the potential to become one of the definitive great actresses of the next generation and here is the film that will catapult her into stardom. Seeing the movie both supports her career, and grants you the pleasure of watching her embody the iconic Katniss Everdeen inside and out.

To support films with female leads

They say films with a female lead generally can't open, no matter how often the mysterious "they" may be proven wrong. So continue to support strong leading roles for women by throwing your weight behing Hunger Games.

Katniss is the role model young women need

Unlike the lead in a certain other young adult series cum film franchise, Katniss' purpose isn't to simply be with a man, but rather  protect her family and *all* of the people she loves. She is fueled by keeping her promises and doing what is right, via wit, reasoning, and courage, despite her fears and insecurities. She may be a teenage girl, somewhat broken by poverty & war, who at times makes irrational decisions, as you do, but ultimately, her heart is in the right place and she exhibits all the qualities of someone we actually root for and want to succeed. Please prefer Katniss over Bella, future daughter. I beg of you.

Relevant

Author of the books and co-writer of the screenplay, Suzanne Collins, has been very open in talking about where her idea for Hunger Games came from. Yes, it all goes back to greek mythology ultimately, but the specifics came from flipping back and forth between war footage and reality television. Is the future we see in the Hunger Games really that much of a stretch? There are enough similarities in the world we see in the book and film to make it almost tangible, and thus all the more frightening. The series is ultimately about the awful truths of war, a war that is painted over, made to look pretty, disguised as something entertaining, as something necessary, as something we should be honored to be a part of. Collins does a great job of drawing us in, only to rip the rug out from under us. The film does a great job of beginning this journey at an extremely appropriate time in our history.

Josh Hutcherson

I doubted him. Boy did I doubt him. But that face! That sweet, expressive, totally in love face! Although I thought the character didn't get to do quite enough, I thought Hutcherson stepped up to the plate with gusto in order to nail what material he was given. The brief moment when he looks out the window and loses it while leaving District 12? The thoughts running through his head when he says he doesn't want to forget? The way he looks at Katniss ALL of the time?! Well done, Hutcherson. You have officially won me over.

To be a part of the conversation (potential spoiler alert)

I liked the movie. A lot. I also have some problems with it, namely the short shrift the Katniss/Peeta relationship gets. Not because I'm girling out and wanted a better makeout scene (but also, I am and I did), but because even though I understand certain areas had to be emphasized and other areas had to be deemphasized in order to properly set up the series' enormous tone shift of a final installment, putting Katniss' relationship with Peeta so far in the background takes away a lot of what the first book so wonderful and potentially harms the impact of certain events in book two and three. My ultimate theory is this will be fixed in book two, but, for those of who don't know what I'm talking about - don't you kind of want to? I want to debate! I want to see who feels similarly! Who agrees, who disagrees, who liked the movie and who didn't, and the long list of reasons why. If you don't see the movie, you will immediately be in the minority, especially if you are in the entertainment industry, and this is an *exciting* conversation to be able to partake in.

Maintains the integrity of the work

It's pretty rare that a movie so captures the tone and atmosphere of its source material the way Hunger Games does, and although it's not a word for word adaptation and many parts do get truncated, what the film gets right, it gets perfectly, and anything that is wrong seems to have a reasonable explanation. Everyone involved in the making of the film wouldn't have it any other way, and shouldn't we be supporting that when we can? The film was not dumbed down and did not placate to the Twilight audience. Quite the opposite in fact, as I mentioned above.

So you can tell Jeff Wells what's what

He said you can't trust female reviewers of the movie and that essentially the only right answer is that the film is stupid because it alters itself to be more appealing to teen girls. This is so far from the truth or sense of any kind, that it makes me want to scream. Scream with me, won't you?

Elizabeth Banks

Thank goodness Banks campaigned so damn hard for this role. She is perfection, bringing in roughly 95% of the laughs in the film with her overly enthusiastic and forgivably snippy line readings. There is an authenticity Banks brings to the role with ease that I can't image other actresses fans considered, such as Kristin Chenoweth, could bring to the table.

Maybe it'll make you rent/buy Battle Royale?

One can always hope, right? PS - if you *wanted*, you could buy your new blu-ray of Battle Royale right here :)

Music

Okay, so this isn't really a reason to see the movie, but more a reason to buy the soundtrack. It's fantastic. Rock, appalachian, americana, alt-county, but all with a unifying sense of "We send our children into an arena to kill each other." Artists include personal favorites Low Anthem, The Civil Wars, Glen Hansard, The Secret Sisters and Arcade Fire, and that's just to name a few. Three of these songs play over the closing credits. So hey, that totally counts as a reason to see the movie after all! Huzzah!

Successful World Building

If you appreciate solid production design, costumes, hair, makeup, art direction and so on, you will get a huge kick out of Panem and everyone in it. The capitol is decked out in bright colors and outrageous accoutrements, each citizen a feast for the eyes. Meanwhile, District 12 represents the polar opposite, existing in seemingly another era, much more Appalacia of the 1800s then the flamboyantly variegated landscape of the distant future. While both areas are completely different, they still feel as though they exist in the same universe - not an easy feat. Overall, the movie is an undeniable treat for design junkies, however you may feel about any other part of it.

Caeser Flickerman

Stanley Tucci is aces in the role of Caeser Flickerman, completely encompassing what the "host" of the Hunger Games would really be like. He is a slightly more sinister Ryan Seacrest with blue hair and no apologies and watching Tucci have a ball with the role is a hoot.

Relate to the kids!

So I don't have kids or work with kids anymore, and frankly still kind of consider myself a kid, but if finding ways to relate to the youth is of importance to you, seeing Hunger Games will certainly help. Be the open parent that goes with your kids and discusses it afterward, or the hip parent that can impress your kids' friends with your insight and knowledge into their beloved franchise. Here is something you and your pre-teens/teens can enjoy together, that is potentially so important to them, that anything associated with it will create a long lasting and important memory.

It's even better the second time!

Anything that bothered me the first time melted away upon a second viewing, allowing me to truly dive in to the small, but crucial moments between Katniss and Peeta, and really take in every clue about how their relationship turns out post Hunger Games during the rushed ending. Once you're past the first viewing when you spend most of your time judging, you can settle in and let yourself absorb how solid the adaptation really is. But to get to a second time, there must be a first.

To be a part of the phenomenon

One million pre-sale tickets for a midnight show doesn't happen very often. As we've touched on, these ticket sales are for a film based on a book, written by a woman, with a *strong* female lead character, that doesn't compromise the ultimate point of the series or integrity of the story by dumbing it down for audiences, with an incredible soundtrack and spot on performances. Don't pass up the opportunity to see it during all of the excited fervor. Anticipation and quality rarely match up so heartily and it would be a shame to miss out on experiencing it properly. See full post

Here Are a Few Of My Favorite Things: Wondercon 2012

Cross-posted on Film.com


This weekend, Wondercon headed south to Anaheim where fans braved a stupidly intense storm and ridiculous traffic all weekend for the chance to see their favorite writers, creators, publishers, actors, directors, artists and personalities and hopefully take home a few souvenirs. We were on the scene from start to finish and compiled a list of the best this Wondercon had to offer. Details on the best finds of the floor coming in the morning.

Girl Power
Something that really stood out to me during Wondercon, especially in the main ballroom on Saturday, was the hearty amount of female empowerment. During the Sound of my Voice panel, co-writer, co-producer, and co-star Brit Marling talked about being fed up with the bland and sterotypical roles she was being offered, and after realizing her choices were get a sex change or create her own work, she began writing and producing, and soon both Another Earth and Sound of my Voice were born. The extremely well spoken creator struck me immediately as a great role model for disheartened aspiring artists out there, as well as fangirls in general. And fun fact - the film had a female DP in Rachel Morrison! Later panels saw Charlize Theron taking a real ownership of her take no prisoners sass, insisting that Michael Fassbender smells like "musk and chillies with occasional mint thrown in", and telling a small child who asked a question a. if he was single and b. if he would call her when he broke up with his girlfriend, Kristin Stewart talking about how great it was to play a strong character, and while never being unwise enough to insult Twilight, definitely seemed to have appreciated playing such a different character, and Milla Jovovich (headling the first ever series to have five films with a female action lead in Resident Evil: Retribution) discussing her weapon collection and love of She-Ra and Thundercats. Not to mention Maggie Grace and Emma Stone representing their respective movies without their male co-stars present. I felt some sort of unexpected camaraderie with the women on stage during Wondercon's Saturday that I don't recall ever feeling before. And that's not even taking into account the multiple female artists and creators with spotlight panels all weekend long, including Renae De Liz (debuting Womanthology!), Rebekah Isaacs, Carol Lay, Fiona Staples, Felicia Day and Jane Espenson. Hooray for fangirls!


More after the jump

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Paleyfest 2012 - Vampire Diaries, How I Is Hearts You!

Saturday night at the Saban Theater in Los Angeles, The Vampire Diaries, now in its third season, returned to Paleyfest for the second time. During their 2010 appearance, the only actors who appeared were Nina Dobrev (Elena), Ian Somerhalder (Damon) and Paul Wesley (Stefan). This panel had not only the original trio, but Candice Accola (Caroline), Matt Davis (Alaric), and Kat Graham (Bonnie), plus showrunner Julie Plec.

Side note: I originally had no intention of attending The Vampire Diaries panel at Paleyfest, but then this little thing called wisdom teeth surgery happened. Since I'm 26 and was supposed to get them out, oh, 10 years ago, the recovery process took roughly three weeks. So how did I spend this time? I watched ALL of The Vampire Diaries, from start to finish, until I was completely caught up. I resisted for so long, believing there was no way it could be as good as I had been told, even though the people telling me this had great taste. I couldn't be happier that I finally gave in because HOLY CRAP do I love it. The show moves incredibly fast, yet no relationship or storyline ever feels rushed, the writing is smart, the actors are all incredibly talented and appealing, which I find is kind of rare on television lately, the mythology hits the most important tropes and diverges in the most interesting possible ways, and almost never is good and evil black and white - everyone exists in a shade of grey and we never know who to trust - or who is going to die. I highly recommend taking this show for a spin, especially if you have a history of being obsessed with vampire shows (ahem, Buffy).

So of course, with my newfound obsession coursing through my veins, I was ecstatic to accept an invite to the evening and revel in finally getting to see these actors interact with each other off screen. But first, we got to see Thursday's brand new episode, 1912, of course. Julie Plec asked us to keep the big reveals in the episode to ourselves, but I will say this - despite a serious lack of Caroline and Klaus, it's a huge episode, that moves the serial killer storyline into place as the next major arc of the season - and not in any way you could possibly see coming.

After the episode, moderator Debra Birnbaum brought out the panelists and after 10 minutes of episode discussion, which will stay private, as it was extremely spoilerific if you haven't seen the epyet, they jumped into the main part of the panel, which was simultaneously streaming online. What started as a normal panel session quickly degenerated (in the best way possible) into an almost free for all, with the actors taking the reigns away from the moderator and simply being as silly as possible, delving into long form jokes about Match.com, the casting couch, and fan fiction. Each actor came off in a very distinct way - Accola as friendly and upbeat, Wesley as intelligent and funny, Somerhalder as goofy and charming, Dobrev as shy, but expressive, Davis as delightfully strange, and Graham as reticent, but sweet & engaging if encouraged. The evening was so chock full of awesome moments, we decided to break them down for you into a list of highlights.

Lost References

Okay, fine, there was only one. On discussing whether Alaric would make it through the season, Somerhalder threw out, "Good luck, buddy, I've been killed on television before," which drew a hearty audience reaction.

Elena and…Alaric?

I'm not the only one who thinks Alaric and Elena have chemistry. When a potential love connection between Elijah and Elena was brought up, Plec responded, "I think Elijah has to get in line behind Alaric" and the audience went INSANE.  Wesley then brought up the movie The Guardian, Somerhalder noting "They made out." Plec brought up Matt Davis starting an Alaric/Elena campaign over Twitter, commenting that if that happened, it would be totally unacceptable, Dobrev agreeing that it would be inappropriate. But Somerhalder shot back, "and yet - fanTAStic! When the ratings slip…!" Later, when Birnbaum asked if Elena would ever end up with someone who wasn't a Salvator, Somerhalder offered "Hopefully Alaric."

@ErnestoRiley

Beginning a shipping campaign for Alaric and Elena isn't the only thing Matt Davis is doing on Twitter. Through his account @ernestoriley, Davis writes Vampire Diaries Fan Fiction. Really. He does. Remember how I said he was a little strange? Just recently he wrote a piece where Alaric gave Damon some advice, to wait on pursuing Elena until she had time to grow up and learn more about the world, like who John Lennon is, cause why would a 165 year old man want to date a naive 18 year old anyway? Truer words, Matt Davis. Truer words.

When Your Friend's Wife Plays Your Love Interest

Somerhalder told us a story about how when Davis found out Alaric was going to get a love interest this season, he was apparently over the moon, wondering who it would be, excited to get a love story like everyone else and for Alaric to "get some". And then of course, his love interest was cast with "his buddy's wife" (Torrey Devito, who plays Meredith, is married to Paul Wesley.) Somerhalder noted how horrified Davis was when he found out, and Wesley joked "HE'S horrified? Forget him!"

Real Life Coupledom

There were also plenty of glimpses into Ian Somerhalder and Nina Dobrev's real life relationship during the almost ninety minute session. Somerhalder made a point to reference his relationship with Dobrev a couple times, first by making a joke about the women in his life torturing him before giving a glance at Dobrev, which can be found in gif-form here, and later by putting his jacket around her shoulders when he got cold. The audience went crazy both times, natch. Later, when Elena and Damon's evolving relationship came up, Plec noted, "Oh, [Damon] wanted to get in her pants from day one" to which Somerhalder replied "Who wouldn't?"

What Is To Come

This season Bonnie will be teaming up with Caroline a lot and will get a love interest that won't die! Or at least won't die yet. The love triangle may not come to THE head, but it will come to A head. Though if Dobrev had her way, Elena would travel abroad ("Gossip Girl did it!") to Italy and meet some non vampire Salvatores. But this season, "Maybe, she has a choice to make." We may also get to see a flashback of Elena's parents while they were still alive, and there was also a hint that not everyone is making it out out season three alive. On a lighter note, when the question was posed whether or not they would show off Kat Graham's voice in the future, perhaps with a drunken karaoke episode, Plec commented that everyone on the show is fairly musical, all the girls sing and back when David Anders was on the show, he played bongos, plus Plec obviously loves Once More With Feeling, and though she doesn't think they could pull off a musical episode, she would "LOVE a drunken karaoke night."

Riling Up The Audience

After Somerhalder joked about the show's low ratings, pissing off the loyal audience, Accola encouraged him to make it up to us by taking his shirt off, setting off perhaps the loudest I've ever heard an audience get outside of Hall H during a Twlight panel at Comic-Con. Note: He totally didn't follow through.

Industry Advice

Perhaps the coolest part of the entire panel was when an audience member asked about the experience of everyone on stage with getting yeses and nos, how they made it through the rejection, and any advice they can impart to the audience. What followed was a lengthy, fascinating discussion about the industry, including how Somerhalder bombed his network test so bad, he got a no, but Williamson fought for him to get a second chance, which led to him eventually getting the role. Somerhalder knew Damon was his and had to make it happen. Somerhalder, Wesley and Accola all offered great advice, Accola emphasizing positivity, with Wesley agreeing, "The single most important thing is believing in yourself." Accola also offered some extremely enlightened advice for aspiring artists "No doesn't mean never, it means not yet." Somerhalder reiterated the well known adage that luck is when opportunity meets preparation, so you as an artist must always be prepared so that when opportunity arises, you can grab it. He ended with "Every time you lose, you get better."

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The World of Downton Abbey: A Companion Book Done Right

As any fan of the British sensation Downton Abbey will tell you, the idea of waiting a whole year for new episodes (or 6 months if you're okay with that whole illegal downloading thing) is unbearable. So what to do while we wait? HOW TO FILL THE GAP?! Sure, similarly themed shows can help, but that's not the kind of filler I'm talking about. When I finished Season 2, I just wanted MORE, more of the world, more of the characters, more of the costumes, more of the Dowager Countess saying badass things, and the list goes on. Even the DVD of season two only has a half hour of extras! So what is the answer?! HOW DO WE GET OUR FIX?!

Fear not! Solution! Though it was released at the end of last year, no American dared to lay their eyes on companion book, The World of Downton Abbey until this past week, when the second series, spoiled even on the cover, had come to an end. But now that we're all of us on the same page (at least until September, when suddenly places like tumblr and twitter become a hotbed for major spoilage) I highly recommend picking up this book to make the time between now and then easier and in the process, make yourself appreciate what Downton Abbey has accomplished even more.

This companion book, by writer, editor and niece of Julian Fellowes, Jessica Fellowes, is the real deal. This history textbook meets coffee table photo book meet meets art book meets featurette meets interview meets quote book clocks in at almost 300 delectable pages. Unlike some other books for review that have landed on my desk recently, The World of Downton Abbey finds the perfect balance between being chock full of information, yet a breeze to read. It is divided into nine chapters - Family Life, Society, Change, Life in Service, Style, House & Estate, Romance, War and Behind The Scenes, plus at the very end there is a complete cast list and recommended further reading. The pages are colorful, filled with sidebars, photos, quotes and more to keep the eye engaged as well as the mind. This also allows for the option to read every word of the entire book, or if you're a guest in someone's home, or showing it to a friend, the ability to flip through, reading just side bars, excerpts from the teleplays, and quotes, and still get a sense of what the book is trying to teach.

Details after the jump!

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Dear New Yorkers with ears: go to this show!

The phenomenal rock musician Damon Daunno will be performing this Monday night at Mercury Lounge in the LES. From his sweeping vocals to his great songwriting skills, everything about Daunno's music is fantastic. He regularly gets compared to Jeff Buckley--a comparison he's more than earned. Having had the pleasure of seeing him live a few times now, I highly recommend going to his upcoming show. At just $10 a ticket, it'll be a steal.

Damon Daunno
Mercury Lounge
Monday, March 12th
6:30pm
$10

His EP is also available for download on iTunes so get on that deal as well! See full post

Game Of Thrones Blu Ray Review: Easily A Must Own.

FINALLY. All of you non HBO subscribers out there who are sick of hearing about how awesome Game of Thrones is, without the ability to watch it, it is the dawn of a new era. An era where Game of Thrones Season one is out on DVD and all is right with the world. If you haven't seen the show yet, you may want to hold your horses now, as spoilers in this review are fairly inevitable - but heed these very important words: go buy or rent this blu-ray immediately and watch every episode. Don't walk, run. Don't drive, speed. Don't glide, fly. Don't take a mule, take a horse. I don't even KNOW WHAT I'm SAYING, just go WATCH IT.

For those of you who watched season one and are on the fence about picking up this Blu-Ray set? Well you can keep on reading and then your fate shall reveal itself. After the jump.

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leetUP 2012: Welcome, Nerd Art Party. It's About Time.

Last night marked the first ever leetUP, the brainchild of G4 creator Charles Hirschhorn, and Attack of the Show host Kevin Pereria, that could best be described as a "Nerd Carnival." The idea was to create a kind of mix of a convention with an art party, encouraging a bunch of nerds (and I include myself in the definition of "nerd," obviously) to get together, drink, mingle, play, and watch their favorite personalities podcast it out on stage. For those of you that couldn't attend, I thought I would lay out the evening for you.

leetUP was held at Club Nokia downtown. While the layout of the space was perfect for this kind of event and could clearly handle the ample A/V needs, there were some major drawbacks as well. For one, the drinks were MASSIVELY expensive. As in 8-12 bucks each for a tiny plastic cup of wine or liquor. I don't drink beer generally, but if I did, it was hardly the cheaper option. The only food available (I assume because those were the rules of the space) were the disgusting refrigerated options from Club Nokia itself. Plus the security was bizarrely tight (metal detectors? I have to take my jewelry off? Really?), I heard Ticketmaster, who sells tix for Club Nokia, had an insane service charge, our parking cost $25, and the line to pick up tickets was unreasonably long, with no separate entry for press. Still, none of this was the fault of the organizers or producers, so I don't mean this as a criticism of the event, but rather as an encouragement to find a more accommodating venue next year. 

But on to the good stuff, which was everything else. After the ticket takers, but before entering the space, there was a merch table set up with items being sold by any guests, DJs and sponsors. In retrospect, I really wish I had picked up one of the Tru Protection anti glare iPad screens and taken more of an in depth look at everything else offered. 

Inside the doors, to our right was a giant bar that struck us as rather space-shippy. A sign told us we could only have two drinks maximum, but we laughed at it and then had three. Unfortunately, 3 drinks for each of us ended up costing a hefty $66 bucks. That plus parking came out to $91, and for the people that bought tickets off on ticketmaster? Easily $150 bucks for two to attend and drink over the course of five hours. Again, not the fault of the producers, but eff you, Club Nokia.

In the center of the space was the giant general admission area, with a huge stage, balcony up top for VIPs, and huge lightboard. Around the perimeter were the various funzones. To the right, past the bar, was the gaming area. Here there were a bunch of wiis set up, and a classic arcade game section, where my +1 and I had a blast trying to get a handle on Burger Time. We died a lot. But had a damn good time doing it.

To the left of the bar was the step and repeat with a red carpet, a Media Hound booth, and a mini gallery of some awesome pieces from the ACME archives.  Any attendee could take their photo on the red carpet, which is always fun, and even cooler, Media Hound would put your photo on their website if you created your own personal movie playlist. Let me backtrack. Media Hound is a new service that tells you how you can access any movie or tv show instantly (legally of course) and at what cost. This would have been handy for my "How to watch all the academy award nominated movie" article a week back! My friend created a 90s Weekend Jam with all TV shows from SNICK and TGIF and the always wonderful @meli_molina came up with "Best original movies that have been or will be remade" - an idea that everyone at Media Hound loved and got lots of love over the course of the evening. There was a whiteboard up for writing ideas for playlists, and computers available for sifting through the playlists created earlier in the evening. 

The rest after the jump!

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Third Annual Fangirl Award Winners!

They have arrived! Nominations & winners were decided by tallying up the votes of 106 fangirls from across the world. Sign up to be a member for next year's awards here. Be sure to follow our Fangirls who are on Twitter here.  Last year's awards can be found here, and the first annual Fangirl Award results are thisaway.

 You'll find all the winners typed out, once again, following Nathaniel R's method of highlighting first place in gold, 2nd in silver and in some cases, 3rd place in bronze. Big thanks to the fangirls who participated this year!

Best Picture

The Artist

Bridesmaids

Drive

The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2

The Help

Hugo

Midnight in Paris

Shame

Tree of Life

Note: Worth nothing that The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo and Shame and took 4th and 5th

Honorable Mentions: We Need To Talk About Kevin, Captain America, 50/50

Best Actor

Gary Oldman - Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy

Jean Dujardin - The Artist

Joseph Gordon Levitt - 50/50

Michael Fassbender - Shame

Ryan Gosling - Drive

Honorable Mentions: George Clooney - The Descendants, Brad Pitt - Moneyball, Tom Hardy - Warrior, Leonardo DiCaprio - J Edgar

Best Actress

Kristin Wiig - Bridesmaids

Michelle Williams - My Week With Marilyn

Rooney Mara - The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo

Tilda Swinton - We Need To Talk About Kevin

Viola Davis - The Help

Honorable Mentions: Meryl Steep - The Iron Lady, Charlize Theron - Young Adult, Elizabeth Olsen - Martha Marcy May Marlene, Kirsten Dunst - Melancholia

Best Supporting Actor

Alan Rickman - Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2

Albert Brooks - Drive

Andy Serkis - Rise of the Planet of the Apes

Ben Kingsley - Hugo

Christopher Plummer - Beginners

Honorable Mentions: Benedict Cumberbatch - Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy, Patton Oswalt - Young Adult, Tom Hiddleston - Thor

Best Supporting Actress

Berenice Bejo - The Artist

Carey Mulligan - Shame

Jessica Chastain - The Help

Melissa McCarthy - Bridesmaids

Octavia Spencer - The Help

Honorable Mentions: Helen McCrory - Hugo, Shailene Woodley - The Descendants, Marion Cotillard - Midnight in Paris

Best Director

David Fincher - Girl With The Dragon Tattoo

Martin Scorsese - Hugo

Nicolas Winding Refn - Drive

Steve McQueen - Shame

Woody Allen - Midnight in Paris

Honorable Mentions: Terrance Malick - Tree of Life, Michel Hazanavicius - The Artist

The rest after the jump!

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How Traditionally Trained Are This Years Oscar Nominees?

For the fourth year in a row, I've taken a look at the education and drama training of the Oscar nominees in the acting categories. In years past, drama degrees have most often proved triumphant, but last year saw acting classes outside of college and no education beyond high school taking the biggest numbers. Where will this years research lead? Read on to find out!

Demián Bichir
Comes from a director father and actor mother and two brothers (referred to, by some, as the Barrymores of Mexico) Bichir was in his first professional play at age 3, started acting on television at age 14, and had his first lead in a play (Ah! Wilderness!) at age 17, all in Mexico. When he auditioned to train at Lee Strasberg in New York they told him he was already an actor and to save the tuition. Years later, he moved back to Mexico where he became a huge success, winning the Mexican equivalent of an Oscar. In terms of training, Bichir has said, "we had all we needed in our library at home"

College Education: None as far as I can find
Acting Training: Training through experience

George Clooney (Previously nominated twice for acting, won once)
No formal training. Attended Northern Kentucky University, then the University of Cincinnati, double majoring in History & Political Science, but did not graduate. Took classes at the Beverly Hills Playhouse.

College Education: Yes, but no degree
Acting Training: Classes

Jean Dujardin
No college education, worked in construction and in the army out of high school. Began his career with a one man show in Paris, but first garnered attention when he appeared on a French talent show. Appeared on a French comedy show before landing Brice de Nice, which made him a star.

College Education: None as far as I can find
Acting Training: No formal training

Gary Oldman
Studied at the Greenwich Young People's Theatre, then got his BA in theater arts from Britain's Rose Bruford Drama College. His dream was to go to RADA, but he didn't get in, advised to pursue something other than acting after his audition. Performed in rep for years after graduating, including with the RSC.

College Education: Bachelor of Arts
Acting Training: Formal training

Brad Pitt (previously nominated twice)
Journalism major at the University of Missouri, acting in many of his fraternity's shows on the side. Left college two weeks before earning his degree to move to LA & take acting classes, studying with Roy London.

College Education: Yes, but no degree
Acting Training: Classes and coaching

The rest after the jump

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On The Scene - Jason Reitman Live Read of Reservoir Dogs

Cross-posted on Film.com

Okay. Yes, Shampoo was great, but it had NOTHING on tonight's Live Read.

In the fifth installment of this incredible series, Jason Reitman presented Reservoir Dogs in a brand new light. In honor of Black History Month, the cast was 99% black (the 1%? Patton Oswalt, once again using a variety of voices to fill in smaller characters) and 100% legendary. Sitting on stage from left to right was Reitman reading stage directions, Common as Mr Brown (originated by Quentin Tarantino) and Marvin Nash, Terrence Howard as Mr. Blonde (aka Vic Vega, originated by Michael Madsen), Cuba Gooding Jr. as Mr. Orange (originated by Tim Roth), Laurence Fishburne as Mr. White (originated by Harvey Keitel), Anthony Mackie as Mr. Pink (originated by Steve Buscemi), Anthony Anderson as Nice Guy Eddie (originated by Chris Penn), Chi McBride (originated by Lawrence Tierney) and the aforementioned Patton Oswalt as the K-Billy, Holdaway, and the cop in the bathroom.

As last time, the house was absolutely packed, but I know at least twenty people got in from stand-by, and word to the wise, folks got there as early as 5, so if you plan on seeing the final show in March (already sold out), you'll want to arrive to the stand-by line as early as possible. The energy in the room was palpable even before the actors came on stage. This crowd was clearly more passionate about Reservoir Dogs than anyone in the audience was about Shampoo last month. Which makes sense. The film that put Tarantino on the map is also the film that made Jason Reitman want to be a director when he saw it in high school. After his introduction from Elvis Mitchell, Reitman warned "If you brought children, the time to leave is now … This will be the most profane screenplay you'll ever hear in the Bing Theater." Naturally, Reitman, Mitchell, Common, Howard, Gooding Jr, Fishburne and Mackie were decked out in a black suit and tie, dressing the part, and looking amazing, Howard in particular, who added some flare with a dress vest.

As last time, the locations of each scene were projected onto a screen with the actors digitally removed, but an added bonus for this screenplay? Music! It seemed to be the question on many of our minds. With a writer like Tarantino, who puts such great stock into the music he uses, would music play a role in the reading? Only three songs were played, but man what a difference it made. There was such an excited buzz in the air when Stuck in the Middle With You started playing as Howard danced in his chair and Reitman read the stage directions detailing everyone's favorite cinematic ear chopping. Also different from readings past? This one used the deleted scenes as well, going off of the screenplay itself, not anything that was added or deleted on set or in the editing room.

Details on each performance after the jump!

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Meet leetUP. Best. Idea. Ever. [Event]

If you've been keeping an eye on the social scene in various cities, specifically London or LA over the past couple years, you may have noticed more and more the emergence of the Art Party - a giant bash that encompasses fantastic underground music, art (live, displayed, interactive and multimedia), food, drinks, great people, and creative ways of letting attendees and artists interact. I've truly grown to love these types of shindigs, and the strong community building they promote, and am thrilled to let you know that a whole bunch of people we love and respect have found a way to merge the Art Party with the Convention, my other favorite kind of event, to create what has been referred to as a "Nerd Carnival". The idea of these two worlds coming together is just about the best thing ever and mark my words, this is not an evening you'll want to miss.



leetUP, developed by Attack of the Show darling Kevin Pereira, creator of G4 Charles Hirschhorn and company Iam8bit, appears as though it will hit all of these notes. An Art Party for the Geek crowd.

leetUP, a new live events series, designed as a celebration to share in the experience of nerd art and culture, will debut at Club Nokia in Los Angeles Thursday, March 1. The event is poised to bring an intimate dialogue, a social and conversational setting, to a festival of nerdly delights through panels and podcasts, music, games, and movies, as well as tech and toys.

“We wanted to celebrate all that is nerd — our love for the Internet, podcasting, tech, music, videogames — and remix them in a way that makes us social again,” said Pereira. “We’ve basically designed an intimate and experimental playground, for the discerning nerd, that will constantly evolve at each stop.”

The event will be hosted by Kevin Pereira (host/producer of G4’s Attack of the Show), with programming that includes on-stage podcast sessions with Kevin Smith (Clerks, SMODcast), Chris Hardwick (The Nerdist), Doug Benson (Super High Me), Felicia Day (The Guild), Greg Fitzsimmons (The Howard Stern Show), Jimmy Pardo (NeverNotFunny, Conan), Alex Albrecht (Diggnation, Totally Rad Show), Epic Meal Time and Ask a Ninja, with a special musical performance by VJ extraordinaire Mike Relm. DJ R-Rated will also provide ambience throughout the evening.

leetUP will also treat attendees to a variety of experiential zones, created exclusively for the event. These one-of-a-kind interactions with futuristic technology, videogames, and other lifestyle products will provide for the carnival playground between performances.

Tickets are available through Ticketmaster, the Staples Center box office or the iam8bit store in LosAngeles (2147 W. Sunset Blvd, LA, CA 90026)

For more information visit leetup.com, follow @leetup or fb.com/leetupshow.

Um. WHAT? Yes please. Wait. WHAT? This is real? This is a real thing? How has this not happened before? What will it even BE? You bet I'll be on the scene covering however this giant pot of awesome turns out. And hey, maybe if it's a hit, we can expect a similar version held during Comic-Con this year? But just in case we can't expect leetUP to reappear anytime soon, mark it on your calendar now - March 1st, 7pm, Club Nokia, cosplay encouraged. Can't. Wait.

Check out Complex for more details on what to expect

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Crushes of the Week

They are many and they are mighty. Note: This is an EXTREMELY dorky edition of Crushes of the Week. Nothing is even genre. WHAT IS HAPPENING TO ME.

SO who is these is and why?

Well, maybe it was the school uniform, maybe it was growing enough balls to kiss Blair, but Dan Humphrey was all kinds of attractive this week. I shall enjoy the "Dair" ride as long as it lasts, since we all know it won't be for very long.

Next up, and perhaps my worst offense, Johnny from General Hospital. I've been watching soaps on and off since I was twelve, whatever, it happens. Anyway, Johnny's been all sad since discovering his dead sister was actually his mother and his father is actually his grandfather (gotta love soaps) so naturally, this has led to a healthy five o clock shadow and lots of him making out with his enemy's ex wife. Love it.

Finally, Jack Davenport on Smash. I don't even know his character's name and frankly, I don't really clear. He's scruffy, he's British, and he has a bit of an attitude. I'm all about it.

END OF SILLY POST

Or, not quite, cause,

He gets his own photo. And no explanation is required. See full post

The Style of the Santa Barbara International Film Festival

Santa Barbara, like many Southern California beach cities, offers a sunny climate and casual and comfortable atmosphere that rubs off on the styles and attitudes of residents and visitors. Although I’m a new Manhattanite, who loves New York City, I’m also an Angeleno at heart and I love the vastly different styles of both areas. So when Muse invited me to go to the Santa Barbara International Film Festival to cover the fashion side of the event, I welcomed the change of style and pace.

I kicked off my weekend in Santa Barbara by watching the documentary Diane Vreeland: The Eye Has to Travel. The film, which was released with a book of the same title, is based on the life of famous fashion editor Diane Vreeland. It was an excellent way to start my trip covering the fashion and culture of Santa Barbara. Although Vreeland was a European American who worked in New York, she was a big advocate of the bikini and blue jeans so I think she would’ve appreciated how the women attending the festival incorporated the city’s casual beachy style into their wardrobes.

Female attendees and honorees of the festival found simple but clever ways to accessorize their casual apparel for the Virtuosos and Vanguards award ceremonies. Whether they were wearing an evening top with jeans, a t-shirt dress with leggings, or basic cocktail dresses, audience members dressed up their outfits with heels, blazers, and jewelry. Obviously the honored actresses Bérénice Bejo, Rooney Mara, and Shailene Woodley stood out with their red carpet outfits (Melissa McCarthy was also honored but sadly could not attend). At the Virtuosos Award ceremony, Rooney Mara looked chic in am emerald green Louis Vuitton dress. Although the stiff construction of the dress paired well with her sleek pulled-back jet black hair and porcelain-like skin, Mara’s dress unfortunately also matched her energy. She was incredibly uncomfortable and awkward during the whole ceremony! Shailene Woodley, who also opted for stiffer material, wore a navy leather 3.1 Phillip Lim dress. Woodley, a Southern California native, best exemplified the casual chic west coast aesthetic—she
dressed down and softened her edgy leather dress with a basic black blazer and by wearing her her flowy, long, and slightly highlighted brown hair down. The following night was the Vanguard Awards presentation, sponsored by Ugg Australia. I learned that Ugg is actually a Santa Barbara based company, which isn’t that shocking since their footwear epitomizes the comfortable, laidback attitude of the city. At the event, actress Bérénice Bejo surprised me by showing up in a white Dolce & Gabbana pantsuit. At first, I was really disappointed in her outfit choice; it was something only Diane Keaton could truly pull off. It did however pair well with her The Artist costar Jean Dujardin’s black suit. Throughout the ceremony Bejo proved to be such a well-spoken, poised, and charming woman that, by the end of the evening, I was less bothered by her outfit and insanely impressed by her radiating beauty and confidence. She proved the often ignored but incredibly important fashion point that the woman makes the clothes and that the clothes don’t make her.

Overall, the 27th Santa Barbara International Film Festival was a fun, sunny, and chill affair where attendees were able to enjoy great films while dressed in comfortable and cute apparel. See full post

The Film Festival Shoe Challenge - Ugg Australia

A continuation of my pieces on the Santa Barbara International Film Festival on Film.com

I had originally come to the 27th Santa Barbara International Film Festival to take an Ugg Challenge of sorts and see if the famously comfortable shoes could help me make it through 48 hours of being on my feet almost constantly, without sacrificing style. I was skeptical at first - we all have our misgivings and preconceptions about Ugg Boots ever since they were commandeered by mini skirt wearing Los Angeles teens in the early 2000s, but after checking out some of their new products, and digging the visual, I decided to give it to a go. Fittingly, since Ugg Australia is based in Santa Barbara, the city was perfectly suited to this challenge. I saw tons of SB residents rocking some of the new styles, which makes sense considering the overall laid back vibe.


Unfortunately, the boots didn't arrive in time, so I only had my "hurty boots" (but man are they cute) and my dress sandals. The result was pretty awful. I ended up in pretty constant pain in my pair of boots, and when I switched to my sandals at night for relief, my feet were then freezing. I, who was initially skeptical of Ugg boots, found myself dying for them to arrive. Upon receiving them back in LA, I made my own version of the Ugg Challenge, wearing them for just as much time, on my feet as much as possible. Did they past the test? WITH FLYING COMFY GAME OF THRONES WARRIOR ELF LORD OF THE RINGS COLORS. This was the pair I got and I am luckily OBSESSED. They can reach almost to my mid thigh, or be pushed all the way down to be scrunchy at the bottom. And they are beyond comfortable. I call them my nap boots. Or my elf boots. Or my elf nap boots. And I can't wait to wear them coming up at Wondercon. The only downside? They are so comfortable, I literally want to fall asleep while wearing them. The more I walk, the more I want to take a nap. It's an odd sensation. But an awesome one, and one I wish I could have felt while still in Santa Barbara!


This has kind of gotten me thinking about pursuing a Film Festival/Convention Shoe Challenge that covers all kinds of brands, perhaps each one local to the city in question. I'm honestly sick of ending up in so much pain after every Convention just because I don't own the right kind of shoes, and I can't imagine I'm the only fangirl in this position. Since we have been trying to incorporate relevant style items (like True Blood makeup!) more and more, maybe this is a challenge that will actually go somewhere and help some of us out. Stay tuned! See full post