50 Books in 2012: Book 3

Title: Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close
Author:  Jonathan Safran Foer
Genre:  Fiction

Synopsis:  In the wake of his father's death on "the worst day" in the World Trade Center disaster on 9/11, nine-year-old Oskar Schell struggles to deal with his loss while trying to discover the origins of a key he finds in a vase in his father's closet.  His journey takes him all over New York city while simultaneously exploring his Grandparents brief love affair before the birth of Oskar's father.

Review:  Ok so I'll admit, I cheated a little with this one.  I've read it before.  I was gathering book ideas from the girls at work and told them of my 50 in '12 plan and they all wanted to be a part of it.  The next thing I knew we had formed a book club.  I like the format of it.  We pick a book and everyone reads it at their own pace with and end date in mind.  This way we aren't held to each others reading pace and can finish or read ahead with no worries.  When everyone is finished, we plan to get together and watch the movie and discuss the book.  I had suggested this book to a few girls before and it was decided that this would be our first one.  I promise I re-read it.

I love this book.  It is written in a very interesting way.  I really enjoyed getting right inside the head of Oskar and even though it can be a bit confusing and jumbled at points, I found that made it better.  This is not a story in the truest sense of the word.  This book is a journey.  It is an examination of the psyche of a child dealing with truly heartbreaking issues and finding a sense of peace in it all.  I liked the interjection of the Grandparents story throughout the book as well.  I even took the time to translate a bit of the "numbers" chapter.

I know that this book was panned by a lot of critics on it's release as "cashing in on the 9/11 tragedy" and "not well written" but I disagree.  I found it a powerful story that sticks with you.  Characters in it can easily be related to.  Everyone has met someone like one of the many "Blacks" at one point.  It's interesting to see how each person responds to Oskar's quest.

If you haven't taken the time to read this, please do.  I have also seen the movie and I think they have done a very good adaptation of a difficult to translate novel.  For me, the flip book images on the last few pages will always inspire and haunt.

I give this book 4.5 heartbreaks out of 5 and raise it with Hope.

Oscars 2012

In continuing with our Oscar tradition, J and I will be watching and competing over the winners of each category this year.  We went out to get our usual paper with the nominees and a pick your winner slot just a little while ago and, after driving to various locations in order to actually find 2 papers, got home ready to make our picks.  I eagerly opened the paper and turned to the entertainment section only to discover that for the first time in about 10 years they did not include and Oscar picks section.  Apparently the Calgary Sun has decided that the Oscars are going to be "boring" this year and the winners are a foregone conclusion so they didn't do a special.  Boo.

We are still going to do our tradition, just $2.50 poorer for wasting it on two papers.  I must say that although I am not super excited about the nominees in most categories and find this a little bit of a weak year in films, I am very much looking forward to the return of Billy Crystal.  I hope he does a fantastic job.  I also look forward to the fashions.  I'm sitting here watching the red carpet and I've noticed a few trends already.  Holy sequins!  Tons and tons of sparkly sequined and fitted gowns with heavy beading so far.  It's still quite early in the arrivals so I have yet to see anything to wacky and out there.  I've decided to blog along with the awards show and give you my thoughts/opinions as well as any gems of wisdom that may drop out of J's mouth.

I gotta tell you, most of the time the men's fashions really don't show much on my radar as the tux look, while each have their own unique style, is usually pretty boring.  With that being said, I just saw Christopher Plumber arrive in a blue crushed velvet tux and I love it!

Jessica Chastain in a stunning black and gold McQueen looks fabulous as well.  I know there may be some people that don't like this, but I find it stunning and unique.  Cudos.

Michelle Williams - I don't understand why people are raving about this one at all.  I really dislike everything about this except the color.  That weird addition of fabric around her waist/hips is awful.

Rooney Mara - fashion forward?  Please, let's take a step back.  The extra fabric on her bust is a little to futuristic sci-fi to be attractive and the deep neckline really shows off how much she needs to eat a few cheeseburgers.  I do like the fabric and the overall silhouette but the top is a big miss for me.

I'm loving all the bow ties I'm seeing on the guys.  Shout out to the power of Doctor Who because we all know that "bow ties are cool".

And our Oscar predictions are done.  J ended up printing off the wikipedia page for us to make our pics on since the newspaper sucks this year.

Ok, take a close look at this next photo...

No, not George or Stacey...the poor woman in blue is who I'm referring to.  She has the unfortunate distinction of being in the background of almost all of the Clooney/Kiebler photos and that dress is just NOT flattering.  It's clinging in all the wrong areas.  There are plenty of bigger women at the Oscars this year that know how to dress their bodies but this woman is not one of them.  In a dress like that, your undergarments are key.  The lack of them results in, well, this.

Dang, Twitter is all lit up about the stunt that Sasha Baron Cohen just pulled and I missed it.  I guess he showed up dressed as his "Dictator" character and dumped Kim Jong Il's "ashes" all over Ryan Seacrest.  I'm not really a Sasha fan, but that's pretty funny actually.  Man Youtube is all over this one fast!  They are taking down the video faster than people can upload it.  If you really want to see it, you can head over to Perez Hilton's blog.  He has it there.

Ok, I'm getting tired of this pre-show fashion stuff.  Can we just bring on the awards now?  Please?  I want to get back to The Walking Dead's new episode sometime tonight.

Ok I like this:

Best Oscar arrival of the night in my opinion.  I hope they have the Muppets do something on the show tonight.

Showtime.  I love the opening montage.  Great to see the classic Billy-inserts-himself-into-nominated-films opening.  And and opening song!  Slightly out of tune a number of times, but overall good.  Much better than a few of the past hosts for sure.

Cinematography
My Pick: Hugo
J: The Artist
Winner:  Hugo - score one for me!

Art Direction
My Pick: The Artist
J: The Artist
Winner: Hugo
   J "This is not going well for me.  I quit!"

Costume Design
My Pick: The Artist
J: The Artist
Winner: The Artist
   J "I really hope The Artist comes through for me.  I picked it for almost everything"

Makeup
My Pick: Harry Potter
J: The Iron Lady
Winner:  The Iron Lady
   Dang, now we're tied.

Foreign Language Film
My Pick: Bullhead
J: A Separation
Winner: A Separation
   This one's always a crap shoot because neither of us has a clue what film is what.  J said he picked this one because he thought he heard the guy who made it was dead...

Supporting Actress
My Pick: Octavia Spencer
J: Berenice Bejo
Winner: Octavia Spencer
  Yes, I'm back in this one!

Film Editing
My Pick: The Artist
J: The Artist
Winner: The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo

Sound Editing
My Pick: Hugo
J: Transformers
Winner: Hugo

Sound Mixing
My Pick: Hugo
J: Transformers
Winner: Hugo
   J "I guess I just don't now enough about movie making because I wonder why these are two seperate categories.  I mean isn't sound mixing and editing a hand in hand thing?  Why isn't it just a best sound category?"  I think he's just mad that that put me ahead by two more.

I Love the Cirque number!  That was amazing and worthy of a standing ovation.  I could have done without the close up on Clooney during it though.  Show me the amazing stuff going on onstage not what's going on in the crowd.

Documentary Feature
My Pick: Paradise Lost 3 (because I've actually seen it)
J: Undefeated
Winner: Undefeated
   I think the award for best presenters should go with this category.  Robert Downey Jr and Gwenyth Paltrow were awesome.  Loved that Downey Tebowed.

Animated Feature
My Pick: Rango
J: Puss in Boots
Winner: Rango
   Yay me, but come on, what a weak category this was this year.  Nothing in this category was really that great.  Chris Rock's intro, on the other hand, was great.

Visual Effects
My Pick: Hugo
J: Transformers
Winner: Hugo
  J now officially hates Hugo and has declared it a stupid movie that he will never see and claims Martin Scorsese an asshole.

Supporting Actor
My Pick: Christopher Plummer
J: Kenneth Branagh
Winner: Christopher Plummer

Original Score
My Pick: The Artist
J: Hugo
Winner: The Artist
  J now believes the Oscars are rigged.

Original Song
My Pick: Man or Muppet
J: Man or Muppet
Winner: Man or Muppet
  Ok while I did enjoy the intro to this I'm very disappointed that the songs weren't actually performed.  I was really looking forward to the performances even if there were only two songs.

Adapted Screenplay
My Pick: Hugo
J: Moneyball
Winner: The Descendants
   Ok what the hell happened to Angelina Jolie?  While the dress might be stunning she looks like a bag of bones.  Her arms are disgustingly thin.  I hope it's for some upcoming film role about an anorexic and not that she's trying to make an adopted African baby feel at home with her tribute to malnutrition.

Original Screenplay
My Pick: The Artist
J: The Artist
Winner: Midnight in Paris
   Why is Woody Allen not at the awards?  Anybody?

Live Action Short
My Pick: Time Freak
J: Raju
Winner: The Shore
  Throw a dart and both get it wrong.

Documentary Short
My Pick: The Tsunami and the Cherry Blossom
J: Incident in New Baghdad
Winner: Saving Face

Animated Short
My Pick: The Fantastic Flying Books of Mr. Morris Lessmore
J: The Fantastic Flying Books of Mr. Morris Lessmore
Winner: The Fantastic Flying Books of Mr. Morris Lessmore
   What can we say, it sounded like an Oscar winning title.

Director
My Pick: The Artist
J: The Artist
Winner: The Artist
  Why was Micheal Douglas interrupted in the middle of his joke by a vitamin commercial?  Did anyone else see that?  Or have you all begun to lose interest in the Oscars like the rest of us have?  Ugh.

And now...In Memoriam,  Thank you for not cutting to the singer during the actual presentation, for not making one person top billed over any other, and for making that a respectful presentation.  Well done.

Actor
My Pick: Jean Dujardin
J: Jean Dujardin
Winner: Jean Dujardin
  Cute that he did his little dance.  I'm really getting bored now.

Actress
My pick: Viola Davis
J: Meryl Streep
Winner: Meryl Streep
  Meryl is always so classy.  I'm happy to see her win.  I also think her dress was quite a good choice for her.

Best Picture
My Pick: The Artist
J: The Artist
Winner: The Artist

And with that we are finally through this.  Final Score:  Me: 14, J:10

Closing Thoughts:  Fashions- pretty great this year overall.  Host- not bad.  Hoped for better, but better than last year.  Show overall- meh.  It may be time for the Oscars to overhaul their thinking on keeping things entertaining...

Beauty and the Beast: Girls Day Out

I haven't gotten around to writing about this yet but I wanted to make sure I get it down before I forget.  My mom recently too me, D and JH to see the stage production of Beauty and the Beast.  I was so excited to go as this has always been my favorite Disney movie.  My mom bought a block of 16 or 17 tickets for a bunch of different people to go including my boss and co-worker and their two daughters.  We went up to Calgary in the morning and did a bit of shopping and dinner before the show.  We first went to the Chinook mall and after spending 45 minutes trying to find a parking spot and losing JH in the process (she got out of the car to save us a spot but we got caught in traffic and lost her).  I was hoping to find some bits for my costume for Comicon this year but had no luck with that.  I was feeling a bit frustrated with the whole shopping experience by this point (I couldn't find what I wanted, the mall was crazy busy and we had lost D and JH...again) when I came across the most interesting store.  I literally stopped in my tracks and yelled "there's a hat store!"  It was this amazing little shop called Chapel and it was filled with the most incredible hats.  I spent a bunch of time trying on various hats and fascinators (including a $300 feather one) and finally settled on one to buy for myself.  We then managed to track down D and JH and then went back to the store and tried on more hats and D bought one for herself as well.  This will be a must stop place for me whenever I go to Calgary from now on.

My new hat!

D's fabulous new chapeau

We then went for dinner with a bunch of the other ladies that were going to the show and then headed off to the theatre.  Dinner took a little longer than we had planned for so D and I ended up changing into our dresses while driving to the show.  I would love to say that's the first time this has happened to this family but it seems to be somewhat of a tradition with us.  When we got to the theatre we met up with my boss and company.  We headed in to our seats and they were quite good.  We were on the first balcony first row so there were no heads to obscure our views.  Boss lady and the kids were one section over from us and one row up.  The kids were so excited to see the show and I noticed after a bit that the 2 seats next to me were unoccupied.  Whoever had purchased them (it was a sold out show) had not come for whatever reason so the kids moved down and sat next to me for the whole show.  It made it just that extra bit special as they still really see the magic in a show such as this.  We shared binoculars the whole show and I answered the odd question they had and the only fight we had was over the binoculars when Belle came out in the famous yellow dress.  We all wanted to be the first to see it.

A view from our seats pre-show

The show itself was great.  The costumes were incredible and it did capture the spirit of the movie I loved quite well.  I wasn't sure how I felt about Belle at first as she sang the opening number differently than what I am used to, but she soon grew on me.  Some of the things I really enjoyed about the show were the set changes.  They were so smooth and worked into the show with many of the dancers facilitating the changes and becoming part of the set as the action went on around them.  Lumiere was fabulous as was Gaston.  They both really stole the show.  The design of the sets and use of scrims, particularly when the wolf puppets were being used and during the final battle between the Beast and Gaston were ingenious.  I also really enjoyed the final transformation scene as the did some amazing wire work to keep it really close to the movie as well.  I think that scene was a little extra special from where I was sitting as one of the kids leaned over to me and whispered "how do they do that?".  My response of "magic" was met with wide eyed enthusiasm.

My favorite number of the show was "Gaston" as it featured some incredible choreography with steel beer steins that I don't know if many others really appreciate how difficult it was.  I found a video that shows a bit of what I'm talking about, although it is not the same cast I saw and a shorter version of it.

I did love the show overall, but I think that The Lion King was a better stage production.  JH and I were both happy that we still liked the Beast better as a beast than as a human in the stage show.  It was a nice day out with the female part of my family, even if it was about 2 am before we got home and I did have to work the next day.  Thanks to my awesome mom for keeping our girls day at the theatre tradition alive.

50 Books in 2012: Book 2

Title:  Peter Pan

Author: J. M. Barrie

Genre:  Classics - Children's Literature

Synopsis:  The three Darling Children, Wendy, John and Michael, are whisked away on a series of adventures with Peter Pan, the boy who never grows up.  The travel to the fantastic world of Neverland where they encounter fairies, Lost Boys, Indians, mermaids and a band of pirates lead by Captain Hook.

Review:  Ok, let's be serious for a moment.  We all know this story inside out and backwards, but how many of us have actually read it?  I know this was the first time I have.  I am so happy that I decided to take the time to check this one off my list.  It's a very easy book to read on most levels, although there are many phrases and words in it that have fallen from common use and can trip up the reader at times.  The writing style is so different from what I was expecting.  I thought it would be your standard story as told from a neutral perspective but was pleasantly surprised to find that it reads much more like a bedtime story as narrated by and imaginative adult.  I could picture myself lying in bed and listening to my great-grandmother tell me the wonderful stories she used to make up.  It has a unique flow that must be read to be truly enjoyed.

   There were a few things that really stuck me about this book.  I found it very interesting how little was actually described about Peter himself, thus allowing the reader to create their own image of the boy.  Barrie never tells us his age or even describes much about how he looks other than stating that Peter still had all of his baby teeth and wore clothing made of leaves.  I was also a little shocked at how violent the book is at times.  When the Pirates, Indians and Lost Boys fight, they kill each other.  Not in a make believe way, but in a final that's-the-end-of-that character way.  I didn't expect that.  I was also a little surprised as how small of a role Tinker Bell actually plays.  

   Reading this book gave me a better appreciation for a few of my favorite movies as well.  I was struck by how many amazing little details from the novel ended up in the movie "Hook"  From the two-cigar pipe that Hook smokes to the "silly ass" line that Tink says, they did a great job of little shout outs here and there.  It also really made me appreciate "Finding Neverland".

   Though this may not be the greatest story I have read, it it truly one of the best stories told.  That's how it feels as you read it, as though someone is telling it to you.  I hope you take the time to experience it for yourself.

I give it 5 out of 5 bookmarks and raise it a solid imagination.

50 Books in 2012 :Book 1

I am an avid reader, so I've decided to set a goal for this year to read at least 50 books.  I am confident I will be able to achieve this goal and I plan to write a review for each book as I finish it.  So, without further adieu, here's book 1 for the year.

Title:  The Magician
Series: The Secrets of the Immortal Nicholas Flamel Book 2
Writer:  Michael Scott
Genre:  Young Adult Fiction - Fantasy

Synopsis:  Book 2 of this series find the twins, Sophie and Josh Newman, along with Nicholas Flamel and the immortal warrior Scathach in Paris where they attempt to teach Sophie fire magic while running from Dr. John Dee who has teamed up with the infamous Machiavelli.  They are aided in their quest by Joan of Arc and Comte de Saint-Germain.  Meanwhile, Pernelle Flamel finds the secrets Dee has hidden on Alcatraz while trying to escape.

Review:  This is a fun and somewhat campy series.  I quite enjoy the interesting take on historical figures that Scott has taken with this series.  The basic premise is that the twins, Sophie and Josh are the fulfillment of an ancient prophecy that will either save or doom the world.  While this is not anything new, the way Scott has chosen to integrate historical figures and various myths and dogmas makes this a unique take on an old idea.
   My favorite new character in this book has to be Joan of Arc.  Scott does an excellent take on her character showing her as a small and friendly woman who has developed a love of her annonimity.  I'm sure I would feel the same way if the last time I had been well known had resulted in me being burned at the stake.  She can also kick some serious ass.
   I also enjoyed how the seeds of doubt that Dee plants in Josh begin to work their way in the reader as well.  I know that Dee is most definitely bad, but I begin to wonder, much like Josh and Sophie, just what Flamel's true motives are.  What does he know that he's not sharing?  Was Awakening Sophie really the right call?
   My favorite character of the series has rapidly become Pernelle Flamel.  She is strong and smart.  I quite enjoyed how she used her wits in this to escape the Spinx, solve the mystery of what Dee is hiding on Alcatraz and fight the terrifying Morrigan.
   I find myself really enjoying this series.  If you have a child who loves fantasy and magic and maybe even has an interest in history, this is a great series to get them in to.  I love how there are so many characters that you can actually research and learn more about their lives.  It's a pretty good afternoon escape for adults too as it's an easy read and flows quite nicely.

I give this book a solid 4 out of 5 bookmarks.

My Doctor Who Break

In case you haven't noticed, I'm a big Doctor Who fan.  With the severe lack of anything good on television at the moment I have decided to re-watch the new series in it's entirety and blog about each episode.  I don't want to bog this blog down though so I have created a new blog that will be strictly Doctor Who based.  I will blog about a new episode each weekday and will perhaps have the occasional weekend blog featuring some classic Doctor Who or maybe even a book review.  Now don't think that this means I won't be writing about any more Doctor here...on no.  You will still find plenty of references to him here, it's just that there will be a second outlet for my geekiness now.  If you wish to follow along, you can find the blog at:
http://timeandspace-faeriegoddess.blogspot.com/

Safe travels everyone.

Fright Night :A Review

My girlfriend DG asked me to go see this one with her on opening night.  She, like me, is a huge David Tennant fan.  Truth be told, that's the only reason we even wanted to see this one, but I'm very glad we did.  Fright Night surprised me.  It was slick, funny and well done.  It's kind of like the Zombieland of vampire flicks.

I'm not the biggest fan of Colin Farrel but he really surprised me with his portrayal of Jerry the vampire.  He was modern and creepy.  I loved the scene where he was trying to get invited into the house by borrowing some beer.  And the "Hey guy" line was fabulous.  Although I wasn't a big fan of the vampire transformation.  The shark-like face was unrealistic and really over the top.  That aside, Farrel was smoldering, sexy, creepy and funny.

Anton Yelchin was really great in this film.  I loved him as Checkov in Star Trek and he didn't disappoint here either.  He was funny and portrayed the growth that his character goes through very well.  Yelchin has impeccable timing with his line delivery.

And then there's David Tennant.  My Doctor.  I was a little leery that I wasn't going to care for him in this role.  However, in true Tennant form, he was absolutely fabulous.  The scene where he is being "interviewed" by Yelchin and slowly strips off all the trappings of his Vincent character while musing on how to kill a real vampire was superbly done.  It doesn't hurt that he looks pretty great in a tight pair of leather pants either.  I loved the break down of his character into a scared little boy and then rebuilding himself into a chicken fighter.

I am not a big fan of the 3D fad.  I think in most cases it's a money grab and does nothing to add to the film.  I prefer to see them in 2D unless they are films that the 3D adds to (ie. Avatar or Despicable Me).  This film was only playing in 3D at the theatre so we had to go that route.  Most of the 3D in the film did nothing to add to it, but there were a couple of small scenes where it did get kind of cool.  The ashes of a dead vamp floating around were pretty neat and the paint can that went through the window and straight at my head was well done but I don't think you'll miss anything by seeing this one in 2D.

Overall, this was a really well done film.  They took the original concept, stripped it down and brought it into 2011 fantastically.  The entire cast was great.  The writing was quick witted.  The effects, while over the top at times, were good.  I loved the comeo appearance of the original "Jerry".

I highly recommend this film as a fun, freaky Friday night ritual.

I give this film 4 out of 5 wooden stakes and raise it with a bit of holy water.

Turning Back Time With Winnie The Pooh

I had the pleasure of taking my 2-year-old niece, Ms. A, to her first movie today.  Since she is a big Winnie the Pooh fan and so am I it seemed like a natural choice for her first trip to the movie theatre.  We both loved the movie!  Her first movie was a huge success.

I have to say that the choice to do this film in classic 2D animation was brilliant.  I got very nostalgic watching the pages of the book turn and the words being visible on the corners of the screen at various points in the movie.  I loved the way they blended A.A. Milne's original stories together the way the first Pooh film did.

Jim Cummings played Pooh and Tigger and was stupendous as ever.  Mind you, he's been playing these characters for years and has a voice acting history that spans countless years and amazing films.  Bud Lucky was new to the Eeyore voice and did a respectable job.  He captured the gloominess of Eeyore, but I could tell it was a new Eeyore voice right away.  John Cleese was a fantastic narrator and I particularly enjoyed the scene at the beginning where he tries to get Pooh out of bed.

However, there were a few things that I really didn't like in the film.  Craig Ferguson as Owl was very disappointing.  I understand movie companies wanting to included big name voices in films to sell more tickets, but in this case I felt it wasn't needed.  It's Winnie the Pooh!  People will see it for that reason alone.  I felt this version of Owl was missing his smug, yet very innocent superiority.  He came across as, well, kind of a dick.  He was the cause of most of the confusion in the film and it almost came across as though he was aware that he had messed up instead of being genuinely ignorant of his faults.  I don't blame Ferguson for this.  I think it was a poor casting choice and a bit of bad writing.  They really didn't need to hammer the "Back Soon/Backson" joke down the kids throats.  I think the point of Pooh for the young ones is figuring things out with the characters and seeing how their imaginations can take them on crazy and silly adventures.  I also wasn't the biggest fan of newcomer Jack Boulter as Christopher Robin.  Maybe I'm too much of a nostalgic fool, but I really think they didn't need to mess with the perfection of the original film.

Overall, this was a great movie.  I will watch it again and probably again.  It was a great first film for my "Auntie" date and a nice return to my childhood for an hour and ten minutes.  Stay for the credits, the pictures are worth it.

8 honeypots out of 10

"Wicked" Saturday

I had the pleasure of getting to see Broadway Across Canada's version of "Wicked: The Musical" yesterday. I have been wanting to see this show since it first came out as I read Gregory Maguire's book years ago.  When my Mom heard it was coming to our area, she decided to organize a girls day out with me, my sister and sister-in-law. Since I majored in Technical Theatre in University I find myself watching stage productions with a much different eye than most people.  I find myself always sitting down in the theatre and checking out the types of lights in the roof, where they are focused and looking for the little details that reveal what may be coming later.  I was in awe of the stage to start with.  The Time Dragon set was impressive and I spent the first few minutes looking at it closely through a pair of binoculars.

It really is a magnificent design.  I could tell that the dragon itself was going to be mobile and that we would be in for a treat of moving set pieces and I wasn't disappointed.  I was also intrigued to see spotlights and operators hidden in the set pieces on both sides of the stage.  I was curious how they would be used as the angle they could light at was obviously very steep and would create drastic shadows.  Once the show started, I realized how those shadows where a well designed part of the show.

The cast I saw was incredible!  It consisted of an excellent assortment of well-decorated actors and dancers including a former cast member from So You Think You Can Dance (Natalie). I was most impressed with Anne Brummel who played Elphaba.  Her voice was so powerful and her stage presence was immense.  She really embodied the character well.  All of the cast was really excellent, but she really stood out.  The design of every aspect of this show was very impressive.  The set was amazing and a character unto itself.  The costumes blew my mind.  I particularly loved Elphaba's costume near the end of the show and one of the black and white dresses from the "Dancing Through Life" number.  The projections were fabulously done and created very real moments, particularly in the rain scene.  Above all, I loved the lighting.  I'm a bit of a lighting snob since it was my focus in school, but I loved the design on this show.  Kenneth Posner made excellent use of color and moving lights.  There was a very powerful moment at the end of Act one where Elphaba flies for the first time and the lighting was amazing.  I loved that she almost looked like a floating head in a sea of black with all of the lights focused on her body and amazing shadows cast below.

In short, I loved the show and I am very grateful that I not only got to see it, but share it with some pretty awesome women.  Fingers crossed out next outing will be to "Beauty and the Beast" in December.  For now, I'll just try defying gravity!

The Hunger Games : A Review.

I'm a very avid reader.  I typically have 2 or 3 books on the go at any given moment and read at least 5 books a month.  A couple of weeks ago a very awesome person bought me a Kobo e-reader as a thank you gift.  I will admit, I was a little resistant to it at first.  I love the feeling and smell of a real book, but I have warmed up to it very quickly.  I love being able to take tons of books with me not matter where I go so I can read whatever I'm in the mood for.  I will still buy books, but this is great for ones I'm not sure about wanting to own and read again.

I say all of this because my Kobo is what lead me to read "The Hunger Games" by Suzanne Collins.  I came across it on the Kobo homepage and I remember hearing it was good but I really didn't know anything about it so I thought, why not give it a try.  I'm glad I did.

The Hunger Games is set in a post-apocalyptic world where the central city, The Capitol, controls the fates of all those who live in the outlying Districts.  Each District is kept under a heavy handed rule and have little contact with the outside world except once a year for the annual televised Hunger Games.  This brutal competition pits one boy and one girl between the ages of 12 and 18 from each district in a fight to the death for the entertainment of the crowd.  Every child in each District is eligible and a random draw is held to choose the contestants each year.

The Hunger Games follows our main character, Katniss Everdeen, through her heartbreaking decision to volunteer for the games in order to save her sister and her subsequent journey into the politics and strategy that is involved in surviving the games.  She is tough, smart and very easy to relate to.  It is difficult to imagine the choices she is forced to make at such a tender age, yet Collins manages to make us understand.  Katniss is forced to fight and kill in order to survive, not only for her family but also for her fellow tribute from her District, Peeta,  when it is announced that 2 people from the same District could win the games.

I don't want to spoil anything for you so I won't say any more.  I do recommend that you pick it up and read it, and soon!  If you have ever read and enjoyed the classic book "The Chrysalids" by John Wyndham I promise you will love this.

12 solid mutant toes out of 10.  Pick up a book today and get reading!

Top 10 Zombie Flicks

In keeping with the Comicon theme, I decided to to my favorite Zombie films.  In just a few short days I will have the privilege of watching a private screening of the original Night of the Living Dead with the godfather of Zombie's himself, George A. Romero.  I can hardly wait, but until then, here's my top 10:

10. Zombie Strippers

In the not too distant future a secret government re-animation chemo-virus gets released into conservative Sartre, Nebraska and lands in an underground strip club. As the virus begins to spread, turning the strippers into "Super Zombie Strippers" the girls struggle with whether or not to conform to the new "fad" even if it means there's no turning back. - IMDB

I was pleasantly surprised by this film.  It was much better than I thought it was going to be and I quite enjoyed the story.  Plus how can you go wrong with crazy gore, chick fights and body parts falling off during a stripping routine.

9. Undead or Alive

Elmer Winslow is a soldier on the run from the Union Army, and Luke Budd is a cowboy with a broken heart. When the two misfits rob the corrupt sheriff of an old west town, they have no idea that a plague of zombies is sweeping the country, or that Geronimo's sexy niece may be their only hope of survival. - IMDB

Another surprise hit.  I bought this one in a discount bin for $2 so I wasn't expecting much, plus it was starring Chris Kattan.  To my surprise, I loved it!  Funny as hell and featuring a catchy theme song, I think this one is worth much more than the $2 I paid for it.

8. Diary of the Dead

A group of young film students run into real-life zombies while filming a horror movie of their own. - IMDB

Romero choose to go back to the beginning with this one.  Shot in the hand held camera style of Blair Witch (although much less shaky), it was an interesting take on the original outbreak.  I loved the cameo that turned into a feature role in Survival of the Dead.  Probably my favorite thing about this film is that you don't see the face of the main character until the very end.  I enjoyed watching the outbreak through his eyes - literally.

7. Land of the Dead

The living dead have taken over the world, and the last humans live in a walled city to protect themselves as they come to grips with the situation. - IMDB

What happens after the initial outbreak had really set in?  This movie explores that fully.  I know a lot of people didn't like seeing the Zombie's evolve and start using tools and problem solving, but I liked that.  It made them scarier.  It also made the idea of a Zombie Apocalypse more frightening.  What happens if you can't just sit back and wait it out?  Where do you go if your fortifications become irrelevant?  Plus John Leguizamo rocks!

6. Zombieland

A shy student trying to reach his family in Ohio, and a gun-toting tough guy trying to find the Last Twinkie and a pair of sisters trying to get to an amusement park join forces to travel across a zombie-filled America. - IMDB

This film is a laugh out loud riot!  Woody Harrelson is phenomenal and Bill Murray's cameo is one of the best in history.  It has also given us some of the best rules to live by in a Zombie Apocalypse, the need for cutting loose and having a little fun.  It also showed us the importance of that lovely little spongy delicacy - the twinkie.

5. Planet Terror

After an experimental bio-weapon is released, turning thousands into zombie-like creatures, it's up to a rag-tag group of survivors to stop the infected and those behind its release. - IMDB

This is such a great Grindhouse style film.  Great story, amazing gore and gratuitous violence makes this one a classic.  I love the missing reels leaving us wondering what the hell just happened.  A stripper with useless talents and a gun leg, corny one liners and questions with no answers abound making this one a can't miss.  The scene with Quentin Tarantino's dick falling off is pretty funny too.

4. Dawn of the Dead (Remake)

A nurse, a policeman, a young married couple, a salesman, and other survivors of a worldwide plague that is producing aggressive, flesh-eating zombies, take refuge in a mega Midwestern shopping mall. - IMDB

This has got to be one of the best re-makes ever.  While hard core Romero fans may hate it for he changes made (particularly the fast style zombie)  I think the updates worked well.  It was dark and frightening with just enough laughs in it to break up the tension.  Sarah Polly was awesome in this film showing a wide range of emotions instead of being the stereotypical warrior chick or helpless victim.  The idea of the mall still plays well in this film.  Plus it answers the age old question of what happens to a pregnant zombie.

3. 28 Days Later

Four weeks after a mysterious, incurable virus spreads throughout the UK, a handful of survivors try to find sanctuary. - IMDB

The king of fast zombie flicks.  This one put the fear of the Zombie Apocalypse in me.  I love the idea of the main character missing the outbreak and being totally clueless as to what's going on and being forced to survive the horrors and find himself while doing so.  The idea of one drop of infected fluid being enough to turn you is pretty frightening as well.  It also raises some pretty interesting points on politics and what humans can become when left with no social boundaries to keep them in check.

2. Shaun of the Dead

A man decides to turn his moribund life around by winning back his ex-girlfriend, reconciling his relationship with his mother, and dealing with an entire community that has returned from the dead to eat the living. - IMDB

This has got to be the funniest Zombie film ever.  I love the clueless characters.  The scene where Shaun is stumbling down the street doing his usual morning routine, completely oblivious to the horrors around him is priceless.  I also liked that it took a more serious turn near the end and didn't stay campy throughout.  Simon Pegg and Nick Frost knocked it out of the park with this one.

1. Night of the Living Dead

A group of people hide from bloodthirsty zombies in a farmhouse. - IMDB

For obvious reasons, this has got to be number one.  It's the film that really started it all.  Yes it's not the first zombie film out there, but it really did take things to the next level.  It spawned countless sequels and spin offs and it allowed Romero to rise to level he is at today.  It was scary.  It made statements about the human condition.  It was even a little political.  But mostly, it is just down right awesome!

Top 10 Sci-Fi shows

In honor of the Calgary Comic and Entertainment Expo that I'll be attending this upcoming weekend, I have decided to do up a list of my top 10 Science Fiction shows.  I am very excited that the con will have some amazing actors from some of these shows in attendance.  So here it is:

10. Quantum Leap

Scientist Sam Beckett finds himself trapped in time--"leaping" into the body of a different person in a different time period each week. - IMDB

This show will always be associated with good memories for me.  My whole family used to sit down together on the "popcorn blanket" every week to watch the adventures of Sam, Al and that wacky computer Ziggy.  I always loved seeing where Sam would end up next and what crazy situation he would find himself in next.  I loved how every episode ended with his next leap and that famous line "Oh Boy".  I also love the morality of this show and the lessons Sam learned as he went on.  I never wanted his next leap to be the leap home because I didn't want his adventures to end.

9. Earth 2

Colonists, crash-landed on an alien planet, begin the long trek to their originally designated landing place, facing both alien and human threats. - IMDB

I love this show and it still makes me sad that it only got one season.  I love seeing the human spirit tested on foreign ground.  It did an excellent job of representing all aspects of human reactions to extreme circumstances.  Protective parents, swindlers, misunderstood aliens, intrigue, hope, fear and so much more can be found in this show.  This was one that me and my brother watched faithfully each week and we were crushed when it was cancelled.

8. Space: Above and Beyond

The Earth is embroiled in a desperate war against alien invaders, and this series focuses on one squadron of Marine pilots involved in it. - IMDB

This is another one that me and my brother watched faithfully.  I loved that they never showed you the Chiggers.  It made them scarier and more interesting.  The cast of this show had stupendous chemistry with each one being a star in their own right.  I think Vansen will always be may favorite because she's one tough kick-ass chick.  I enjoyed how this show blended the horrors of war with the realities of the human condition, especially through the eyes of Cooper Hawkes.  Once again, I was mad when the network axed this one.

7. The X-Files

Two FBI agents, Fox Mulder the believer and Dana Scully the skeptic, investigate the strange and unexplained while hidden forces work to impede their efforts. - IMDB

I was obsessed with this show for years!  I didn't miss and episode and loved the running intrigue woven throughout.  I will admit it jumped the shark when they made the decision to move the show from Vancouver to the States as they seemed to loose the heart of the show in the move.  I will never forget meeting "Cigarette Smoking Man" William B. Davies while I was in university.  I was working in the costume shop sewing a snakeskin suit when I could tell there was someone standing behind me.  I turned around and there was Cancer Man himself watching me sew.  He was there for a speech he was doing later that night and was doing a little tour of the Theater wing.  It freaked me out but it was also very cool.  He wasn't the first cast member I had met though.  A few years earlier my family was on a road trip for my brothers hockey game and we stopped at McDonald's for dinner and sitting at the table next to us was the actress that played Eve 6, 7 and 8.  She was super cute when my brother recognized her.  She said it was the first time someone had recognized her from The X-Files.  I even skated to the theme song once.  I don't know why this show grabbed me so much, but it did.  I loved the mix of the skeptic with the believer, the scary with the humorous, the crazy with the true.  It will always have a special place in my heart.

6. Sanctuary

Stem cells, gene therapy, transplants, cloning; The very meaning of the word "humanity" changes daily in the modern world. But there is a darker side to the evolution of mankind, a truth only a few brave souls are willing to face: There are monsters loose in the world. And they are the key to the future of our race. - IMDB

The premise for this show is what grabbed me right away.  A safe place for things that go bump in the night?  Sign me up.  Although the effects are sometimes cheesy, the awesome stories and cast make up for it.  Amanda Tapping is incredible as the tough Magnus.  I love that Tesla has become more f an important character because he makes me smile.  I'm glad that this one was given a shot and not cancelled too early.

5. Star Trek: The Next Generation

Set decades after Captain James T. Kirk's 5-year mission, a new generation of Starfleet officers in a new Enterprise set off on their own mission to go where no one has gone before. - IMDB

Do I really need an explanation for this?  Come on, it's Star Trek!  Pichard is the man, Worf kicks ass and Data makes me laugh.  I will even forgive some of the terrible Deanna Troy and Wesley Crusher moments. Every episode with Q is a classic and even a sequined blanket monster killing off Tasha Yar couldn't deter me.  Star Trek is an escape from the doldrums of reality, a lesson in humanity, a trial of patience and a genuinely enjoyable ride.  It's one of my favorite shows to have on in the background when I'm working.  I love that almost every episode fits into a very well thought out formula: Sub-Space Anomoly, Encounter with Alien Life Form or problem with the Holodeck.  Great Show!

4. Torchwood

Captain Jack Harkness, the former Time Agent and con man from the 51st century last seen traveling with the Doctor, ventures to early 21st century Cardiff. There, he becomes a member of Torchwood Institute, a renegade criminal investigation group founded by Queen Victoria to battle hostile extraterrestrial and supernatural threats. - IMDB

Two Words: Captian Jack!  This is one of the best spin-offs ever and I'm glad that it landed on it's feet and took off running.  It's much darker and a little more adult than it's parent show, but I like that.  I think it's great that it can be enjoyed on it's own.  Although I hate how many of the main characters get killed off, I like that it keeps you on your toes.  The issues that this show deals with pushes the darkest recesses of humanity, enforces a loose code of morality and forces it's characters to make impossible decisions for the good of all humans.  Captain Jack has made some of the worst sacrifices and I look forward to his redemption in the new series in July.

3. Firefly

Five hundred years in the future, a renegade crew aboard a small, spacecraft tries to survive as they travel the unknown parts of the galaxy and evade warring factions as well as authority agents out to get them. - IMDB

Fun,campy and filled with some of the greatest writing in television history.  Every one of it's characters has such a depth and richness to them that you are left wanting more.  With such a masterful delivery of lines but and incredible cast the rich and exciting space western comes to life.  I enjoyed watching it when it first came out, but I hated having to search for it constantly and being confused but the episodes airing out of order.  I was very excited when this one came out on DVD so I could enjoy the show properly.  The fact that this show got a movie long after it's cancellation is a testament to it's greatness.

2. Battlestar Galactica

After losing the war against the Cylon robots, the Battlestar Galactica crew speed toward the fabled 13th colony, Earth. Galactica Commander Adama and President Laura Roslin face waning supplies, crushed morale, ... and the credible threat Cylons aboard the ship. -IMDB

I love this reboot.  I think they did a fantastic job.  I lost a lot of sleep watching this show when I got the DVD's.  Jay and I would watch just "one more" repeatedly until then next thing we knew it was 3 in the morning.  The characters grabbed me.  I loved to see where they would go and how they would develop and try to figure out who the next Cylon was.  Although the series finale left me a little cold with some of it's decisions (mitochondrial eve...really??? but the skeleton was that of a child so how does that work?) I will always love the journey this show took me on.  I found the religious aspects of this show intriguing and  the question of what it means to be human an important one.  This is also the show that helped me convert my sister to geekdom.

1. Doctor Who

The further adventures of the time traveling alien adventurer and his companions. - IMDB

The longest running science fiction show of all time deserves the number one spot on this list.  There's a reason this show has stood the test of time.  It's fun, light and unique and allows for growth and change by regenerating it's lead character into a new actor before things get a chance to go stale.  I love that the Doctor uses his wits as a weapon rather than a gun.  I miss my Doctor (David Tennant) terribly but I am grateful that I have amassed such an awesome collection of Doctors since then.  I hope this one continues forever so I can one days share it with my own children, but for now, I'll share it with my sister and nephew.

Buster Keaton Marathon

I had the privilege of going to a Buster Keaton silent film festival recently in a historic movie theatre.  I was very excited to go and was not disappointed.  The films were accompanied by a local pianist who composed the music himself and it was truly a joy to behold.  I was very happy to see the turn out for the film as it was much higher than the Godzilla double feature that they had at the same theatre before.  I was also happy to see how many people brought their kids for this once in a lifetime experience.

We got to the theatre a little late due to the hour drive and me getting away from work late, but we still got pretty decent seats, even if they are very very old and uncomfortable seats.  It's a really neat old theatre that still boasts a balchony.  The pianist got up and introduced the films and told us of his love of silent films and why he choose to spend the time to compose new music to them and then the films got underway.

We started with one of Buster Keaton's last short films called The Ballonatic which is a fun romp about a young man's misadventures with women, the wild and a hot air balloon.  I found myself quickly forgetting that there was a man on the corner of the stage with a piano and getting drawn into the film.  It was really neat to have so many kids there because they really got into it and were giggling away.  I particularly enjoyed the scene with the bear stalking him in the woods  Next was a feature film that is on the list of the top films you must see before you die: Sherlock Jr.

If you haven't seen this film you really must.  It is amazing!  It was directed by Buster Keaton in 1924 and is filled with brilliant moments and special effect that are mind blowing when you think of the time period they were made in.  There is a particularly brilliant moment in the film where Buster's character (a film projectionist with dreams of being a detective) falls asleep and dreams of walking into the movie screen and interacting with the characters.  It is so well done that my jaw dropped when I saw it.  I found a clip that featured some great moments from the film.

Interesting fact:  Buster Keaton broke his neck in the first scene of this video when the water him his body and drove him hard into the railroad tracks, but he didn't realize it for years.  In the scene where he enters the movie screen, his camera man used surveyors equipment to position him properly between the cuts.  It's pretty amazing.  I'm very glad I got to have this once in a lifetime experience and I wish that the pianist could have played all night so we could have watched more films.

Face Off

Anyone who knows me knows of my little obsession with costumes.  Halloween is my favorite time of year and I love doing crazy off the wall stuff and make up so when I heard about this show I was super excited.

A show strictly about special effects make up?  I love it.  The challenges where great and each of the participants had their own amazing styles.  From the very beginning I loved Tate and Connor.  Tate is imaginative and innovative and a little unorthodox.  Connor is a serious technition and has perfect form and style.  I was very happy to see them in the final and to see one of them win!  I have to say that probably one of my favorite things about this show was that the judges were not just "random famous types who have no business actually critiquing".  They are people who not only work in the business, they are great at what they do!  Ve Neill (Edward Scissorhands, Beetlejuice, and the Pirates movies) Patrick Tatopolous (Independence Day, Godzilla and Underworld: Rise of the Lycans ) and Glenn Hetrick (Legion, The x-files and Buffy/Angel) are the judges.  I learned alot of new techniques watching these artists work and I can't wait to put some of them into practice in the future.

Here's a few of my favorite makeups from this season:

Anthony's creation in the body painting challenge.  I wish I could have found a full body shot so you could see the piece of bark being torn away from the torso to reveal the skin.  Brilliant work.

Connor and Jo's creation from the alien challenge.  I could see this on an episode of Star Trek for sure.

Connor's zombie.  I love the classic take and the leathery "I've been a rotting corpse for a while now" look.  I could see this one on the set of The Walking Dead.

Tate's zombie.  This really shows the difference between those two boys.  Connor's was excellent in it's execution while Tate's had vision and imagination.  I love how his makeup tells the story of this woman being grabbed from behind and torn open. (Note the fingernail tearing on the chest.)  The torn jaw and bloated tongue are disgusting and great touches.

Gage's creation for the finale.  He choose to do Industrial Hansel and Gretel.  It was his most brilliant work and very disturbing.  The shard of metal in the witches mouth and the child hands pushing out of the witches stomach were great.

Tate's post-apocalyptic Little Red Riding Hood.  Awesome concept!  I loved the idea of the group of strong female warriors banding together and hunting down the werewolves.  I am amazed that he made a werewolf this intricate in basically 3 days.  I also loved that is was white and had a tail.  I want to see this movie.

Connor's haunted Frog Prince.  Masterfully executed and interesting.  It was cool to see him do some major problem solving when his frog head piece collapsed after casting.  Here's a close up of the Frog's face during his moment of transformation

The best part was that he ran a small tube into the actors mouth that he blew into and it inflated the bladder under the chin just like a real frog.  This is why Connor won.  Amazing work.  I'm sure he will have a very successful career in Hollywood but I hope Tate gets a lot of work out of the show too.

Now that I'm feeling inspired, it's time to start working on costumes for ComiCon.