Why we need more George RR Martin books

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j7lp3RhzfgI

Just listen to this, I'm completely obsessed.

BIG BIG BIG NEWS!!!!!!

Hey folks, just wanted to let you know, I'm going on Tumblr. That's right, Tumblr. Here's my URL

http://www.tumblr.com/blog/mel-hcdoc.

This guy's gonna stay open (fingers crossed) for the longer posts, and I'll be promo-ing stuff for this blog on Tumblr, so you know what's going on if you don't get a chance to check this one out all the time. Follow me on Tumblr, I'll follow you back, it'll be great. If you have any suggestions, let me know.

Movie Reviews Will Continue Living Here, so no worries, I'm not uprooting the potential BR BA review coming up...

Be-be-be-be-a That's all folks.

Where are all the comments?

Um guys? We're going to have a problem here. Where are all the comments? I'd like to see some commenting from the lovely audience because that's what's supposed to happen with blogs. So please, for the next post and so I keep this thing going, comment. It would be nice.

That is all.

Quest for Camelot

Let me just say this,

THE THINGS I DO FOR YOU PEOPLE!!!!!

What the hell was I thinking? I get that audiences like to see their reviewers suffer, just cuz, but now I  take it all back. I feel sorry for those poor people who have to watch shitty movies for a living. And then talk about them with whatever intellect they have left in their brains.

So, Quest for Camelot. It's pretty much one of those warner bros. Disney knockoffs that is best summed up with one word:

You know, I think I watched it so many times as a child because I had no idea what was going on in the movie most of the time, but I will try to piece it together.

So it's an Arthurian story with the round table etc. and our protagonist Kayley wants to be a knight etc. sings about wanting more, you knew it was all coming. The Excaliber gets stolen  by this guy Ruber, and her father dies etc.

She goes on a quest to get it back, finds a blind hermit named Garrett, and I swear to God, this is when the movie turns into Medieval Furngully. Plants start moving, and flying, and, and, and, I don't even know. There's also a two headed dragon who is (are?) essentially the Genie, doing Elvis and Phantom of the opera references. And then Ruber's making human/animal + weapon combos with ACME potion pulled from his cleavage.

And there's some epic battle, and Garrett and Kayley get married/knighted and they all live happily ever after.

NEVER AGAIN!!!!!!!!ASK ME TO DO A TERRIBLE MOVIE AND I MAY HAVE TO HURT YOU GUYS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

(of course I wouldn't do that, but god this movie's horrible)

Funny Fake Movie Posters

So ya know, I was surfing the net, just cuz. And I found these hilarious "seinfeld movie posters".  If Kyle Kallgren or Doug Walker are reading this now, stop before it's too late. I beg of you.

Vintage Clothing Myths

I kinda wanna do something different this time around, especially since I got a vintage prom dress.

Top 5 myths about vintage clothing.

5.Vintage isn't for the average person, because it's super expensive to get good stuff.

NOT TRUE AT ALL!!!!!!! I really don't get people who think everything is too this and that. I once bought a denim Mickey Mouse varsity jacket for $10, and it didn't even need repairs, alterations etc.

Yeah, I get that those PERFECT, Dior gowns cost upwards of $700  (at least the gorgeous 1950's chartreuse number my fave boutique has-EVEN IF IT IS SIZE 4). But the truth of the matter is that like anything else, vintage has a price range, and it's always suited to the age and quality of the
garment. For example, I saw this adorable 1980's black jewelled clutch for 50 bucks down from 200, but it was super damaged, and it was irreparable. Obviously, sewing on a button etc. isn't a big deal, but big things are important to look out for.

4.Vintage clothes shouldn't ever be changed or altered.

WRONG WRONG WRONG!!!!!!!!  Say you find a great garment, whatever it is for whatever price it is. We'll use this yellow day dress from Cabaret Vintage.

So, it's a 37"bust, and say your bust size is 34". There is nothing wrong with taking it to your alteration guy and having it taken in. It will look better, fit better, and you'll love how it will look on you. So, take my advice, just do it.

3.Vintage clothes shouldn't be worn, they should just be looked at and stored properly.

Where do you people get this advice? Vintage should be worn and ENJOYED. I'm only going to get so much out of looking at my prom dress in my closet before I'm going to break down and put it on. Your house in not a museum, so just wear the stuff. Especially if your wedding gown is vintage, because you'll only wear it once. And furthermore, vintage evening wear has usually only ever been worn a couple of times, so as long as it's properly stored (Keep it in your closet, away from light with one of those cedar block hanger things and you're good) this is not a problem. Which leads me to my next point:

2.Vintage clothes aren't practical, so don't buy them.

Yes they are!!!!! Now, if a certain fashion loving friend from summer camp, with a name that starts with B and ends with an E is reading, you know what I'm talking about. But first, let me tell you a story. Being a sewing fanatic has it's downsides, like going through withdrawals when you don't have fabric and scissors in hand. So naturally camp brought this out of me, and when said friend told me she ripped her pants, I was happy to fix them up. She brought me 1930's WOOL TROUSERS and asked me if I could fix them. Of course I did. She didn't tell me they were vintage until after I finished sewing them up. Those pants were F****** INDESTRUCTABLE. I wish I had a pair (she's also curvy so I know I could find another pair out there that could fit me) because they would be awesome walking to school in Toronto winters. Hell, my parents made me buy jeans with red flannel lining because I wouldn't shut up about how cold it was sprinting to school in my Canada Goose Chiliwack parka, Sorel boots and American Eagle Jegging.

Now before you all lynch me, let me say this. I get it, some vintage simply isn't practical, like a lot of clothes. A 1920's flapper dress with cotton thread and tons of beading can't be dry cleaned, and needs a lot of undergarments to look good in. A Dior original gown is probably super delicate and REALLY EXPENSIVE. Again, pointing to the same friend, why do you need a vintage wedding dress. With a train. At camp. I know it was $30, but why? And finally:

1.Vintage clothes are small because people were smaller then.

  

Have you people watched Mad Men? 

That is such b*******. Like today, there were men and women of all sizes and shapes, so the next person who tells me that is going to get hurt. Just saying. The size 2's and 4's are still around because, like today, they were worn by only a small percentage of the population. The average woman wears size 12-16. My grandmother did and still does float between an 8 and a 10. Compare this to Marilyn Monroe dresses that can't even fit on size 2 mannequins. Plus, sizes then were pretty different from sizes today. And this is an exaggeration, but one site said that a vintage 14 was like today's 2 (WTF???) Although, I tried on this black Marilyn-esque column gown from the 70's that was sized as 14. And it didn't have measurements on the tag. And, while it wasn't super flattering, it would have fit me perfectly with some spanx in there. Just saying. Just keep telling this to my dad who saw an Audrey Hepburn esque. black beaded number and insisted I try it on. It was size 4. I am not size 4, I am size 12. You can't magically grow more dress to increase it by 8 dress sizes. IT SIMPLY CAN'T BE DONE!!!!!!

By the way, I tried this one on when I was shopping for my dress:

It's Polyester-ey.

I GIVE UP...

Ok, I can't do this any more. Disney movies are killing off valuable brain cells, that I need because I have three tests this week. And I'm helping the classics department build a chariot. Yes you heard right, a CHARIOT.


AAAAAHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Ok, I'm fine now. And I haven't been watching a lot of stuff lately because of, well, tests, so I'm in need of ideas. I am out of f****** ideas, so please, please, please post suggestions in the comments and I will try to do them all.

I've been watching Mad Men season 6 kinda off and on, so if you guys have seen it, tell me what you think. I want to do a post on it when I'm done the show because it is the last season, so until them.

Disney Animated Movies Pre-Renaissance

This will be a bit of an unconventional take on the whole Disney, Disney princess, animated Disney renaissance etc. shtick.

While I have my issues with the portrayal of women in those movies, I'm not going to even get into that today when I have Latin verbs to conjugate. You're welcome. Since I set off to do costume design in the scope of movie reviewing and haven't really done enough of that, I'm going to do that now.

Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs:

I really do think this is one of the few films that actually portrays figures in a, shall we say, natural way. And the costuming is lacklustre at best.


   
Oh god this is going to be a long post. Here goes nothing.



Snow White (1937)

I have no f****** idea. I know that's really weak, but I just have no idea whatsoever.
























Cinderella (1950):

Um...
The women's wear in this film is pretty much late victorian, roughly 1870's. Roughly. This of course doesn't apply for all the outfits, and the stepmother's getup is distinctly 1890's. WHAT GIVES!!!!!!

As for the menswear, it's kinda reminiscent of Tsar Nicolas II's dress uniforms. Which is probably pretty low at best.

Sleeping Beauty (1959):

Ok this one is somewhat easier. Most of the outfits, yes even the elephant in the room that is the pink


and blue dress, are medieval. Prince,whateverhisfaceis, has a REALLY REALLY typically mid 1500's getup so I'm not sure what happened there. I have no idea.

Next up: Disney etc. Animated Movies during and after Renaissance

Things I knew at 16

I stumbled across this earlier in the day and it kind of got me thinking. I feel like I knew most of these things from the time I turned sixteen, but I've also lived as an exception to the rule. My life's never exactly been easy, and I learned very early on in life that there are few people you can count on. There are few things better than curling up on the sofa and watching Keeping Up With the Kardashians, or The World According to Paris or Guliana and Bill, when you've had a miserable day in school. Sometimes, the material goods really are what you need when you're down.

The past couple of years especially have been really hard on me, and I cannot describe the joy I got from watching tgwtg videos on my shitty old pc and now my sleek new mac. It, it always amazes me how much people bitch and moan about how sucky it is that their parents are dragging them along on an international trip, or how much they hate shopping, when it's so fucking insignificant. I know this post isn't film etc. but truthfully, it's been hard to watch suffering onscreen when I think about how much I've gone through.

There are days where I want the world to shut up about Rob Ford, or how "awesome" Justin Trudeau is, because I don't care. I've had and have bigger priorities than anyone my age could ever imagine.

67 Things I Wish I Had Known At 18

Posted by From Rush to Rehab 5 days ago

1. Boys will break your heart. Let them. Learn from it.

2. It’s so easy to become jaded, but don’t let it happen to you. Fight it.

3. Stand firm in your beliefs.

4. Love yourself. Sometimes you’re all you have.

5. Cherish the little things.

6. Order pizza at 3am on a Tuesday. It won’t kill you.

7. It’s okay to laugh at yourself. Embrace the imperfections.

8. You are the rule, not the exception. Life will be so much easier if you accept this now.

9. Make mistakes. If you learn from them, they won’t be in vain.

10. He’s lying, there is no fish tank. Go anyway.

11. Classes can be retaken. Life cannot.

12. Sometimes it’s better to ask for forgiveness than for permission.

13. The world is full of cynics – don’t become one.

14. Stop calling him. Stop texting him. If he wanted you, he’d be there.

15. Apologize when you’re wrong. Just suck up your pride and do it.

16. Bellybutton piercings are a bad idea. As are tattoos.

17. No one is perfect. Stop being so hard on yourself.

18. Hug your friends. Cherish them. Hold them tight.

19. Laugh until you cry. Cry until you laugh.

20. Step outside your comfort zone.

21. Order a glass of water with every drink. It’s not lame. It’s smart.

22. A bad hair day really won’t kill you.

23. Dancing on tables should be reserved for special occasions, like birthdays and Thursday nights.

24. Don’t dumb yourself down for a boy.

25. Ignorance is not bliss. Study. Work hard.

26. Life is hard. Accept this and move on.

27. Don’t sweat the small stuff, but do sweat at the gym. Your health is your everything.

28. Tell your parents you love them every chance you get.

29. Stop caring so much about what everyone else thinks.

30. Forgive. Life is too short to be angry.

31. You are destined to be more than just someone’s wife. Act like it.

32. People will hurt you. Don’t stoop to their level.

33. Read a newspaper.

34. Sometimes the only person that you can rely on is yourself.

35. It’s okay if your thighs touch and your tummy isn’t perfectly toned. You’re still beautiful.

36. Don’t let your happiness depend on another person.

37. Push yourself. You’d be amazed at what you’re capable of.

38. Smile through the tears.

39. Don’t slut shame. Girls have it hard enough – don’t turn on one another.

40. It’s okay to ask for help.

41. He’ll never change. Let him go.

42. Trust your instincts.

43. Worrying causes wrinkles and Botox is expensive. Calm down.

44. Take pictures. Lots and lots of pictures.

45. Love with everything you have.

46. Put down your phone and look around. Life is happening.

47. Stand up for yourself.

48. Confidence is everything.

49. Wash your makeup off at night. Seriously. Do it.

50. There are bad people in this world. Don’t be one of them.

51. Be honest with yourself.

52. Be honest with others.

53. You never need that last shot of vodka, but have it anyway.

54. There is a man out there who will not make you cry. Wait for him.

55. Don’t take yourself too seriously.

56. Your success will not be handed to you. Work for it.

57. Don’t waste money on expensive mascaras. Great Lash by Maybelline will always be the best.

58. Give back.

59. He does not define your self-worth. Stop letting him.

60. Life is uncertain. Tomorrow is not guaranteed; don’t take it for granted.

61. Your faith in everything you know will be tested. Push forward.

62. Be carefree, not careless.

63. It’s okay to cry.

64. You will fall, both literally and figuratively. Get back up.

65. Tequila is a bad idea, as is getting back together with an ex.

66. Fad diets never work.

67. Be gracious in all that you do.

http://totalfratmove.com/67-things-i-wish-i-had-known-at-18-3/#cbC8HthDAvsU2eyv.99

No they didn't!!!!

Does it get any worse? Oh yes it does folks...

American Horror Story: Asylum-Episode 1

So, I saw the pilot episode, and I really want to do that episode by episode blogging thing that some people have done since I feel like I can't get enough stuff into a summary post of an entire show. It's really different with movies because, as Foldable Human of Folding Ideas said, movies are self contained viewing experiences. Video games and tv shows have to be viewed/experienced over a period of time.

I need to preserve what few braincells I have left after seeing Quest for Camelot, so that one's gonna wait. I NEED TO RECOVER FROM THE F****** POS OF A MOTHERF****** MOVIE!!!WHAT WAS I THINKING? GODDAMN MOTHERF****** S*** STORM THAT IT IS I... that one's gonna wait, sorry guys. Just saying, NC's got nothing on me with this review.
So, episode one. I'm kind of surprised that AHS is an anthology series, but at the same time, I feel like it makes sense from a writing standpoint.

Well, Evan Peters and Jessica Lange are back which is great, but it's kinda giving the "seeing your ex again" vibe as they played mother and son in the previous season, and now she's a nun that rules a mental hospital with an iron fist and he's a "sane" mental patient who is a lot like Angelina Jolie in Changeling as a character. I really wish Dylan McDermott was back but he's in Hostages now, which isn't bad, but can feel like a snore fest at times...

 Um, and that chick who was the Clairvoyant in the previous season is back. And she's a lesbian. And her partner is...

ding ding ding! you win the prize for remembering stuff I did when I started this blog. It's Sophie from Carnivale, and damn this chick can play literally ANY role.

Maybe it's because I have geek cred that this kinda excites me. For knowing who the actress is, that is   because I haven't seen her in anything since Carnivale. Moving right along...

I think for me, super A-list actors will always look like themselves regardless of the roles they play

A-HEM...

Matthew  Broderick fans can all lynch me.  But my point still stands. Anytime I see Brad Pitt in a film, all I think is, yeah that's Brad Pitt. Big woop. It used to be if I saw Kelly Macdonald onscreen I would just see her character. Now I just see Kelly Macdonald, but that's because I've seen her in too many things.

And I think that's the problem with anthology TV series in general. It's hard to suspend your disbelief that much, when you already see an actor as one character. And I think I'm going to have a hard time with the next few episodes since my brain will need to accept that different characters = same actors.

But for me, the biggest problem is that a couple of years ago, I watched Murder in the First and Shutter Island in the span of a week. And this episode reminded me way too much of those movies in tone, characterization etc.

I think that's the problem with the pilot of this season. It's too much like everything else. I know that'll probably all change, like it did in the first season, but it's annoying none the less. Hopefully the rest will get better.

Prince of Egypt and everything right about it...

So, I haven't posted in a while. Sorry, I am a bad blogger. I have been super busy and am still digesting American Horror Story: Asylum's pilot. I just haven't had much time for anything, including sleep so I haven't been watching much more than Storage Wars lately...

My high school band class has been doing the soundtrack of the Lion King and while I could delve into that flick, it's about animals, and I like talking about costuming. Plus, as any Disney ren-, no just Disney animated films have S*****, S*****, HORRIBLE, F****** "costuming", I thought I would devote a post to that soon. Just not now. Because I haven't seen a lot of those flicks in a while. I'm only seventeen as of two days ago, so I can't drink my way into a stupor while watching Hercules, at least not legally yet.

So, I thought I would look at a film that is near and dear to my heart, The Prince of Egypt. And while, I'm not really a fan of DreamWorks animation, this one was done during the Disney Renaissance, and because those are my childhood, it gets a pass in my book.



So, the story revolves around the Passover story, aka the exodus from Egypt, Ten Commandments etc. but, it takes a much more personal, psychological look at the whole thing.

And get ready for this,

ITS A MUSICAL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

That's right folks, there is singing and dancing in this flick, and it is awesome. Really.

So, as the story goes, Moses and the Pharoh Ramses are foster brothers (they don't know this until Moses figures out who he really is, like you do)

And I must say, I love the art style of this movie. It takes a lot of really basic cartooning concepts like characters with round faces are more "friendly" to the viewer and characters with angular faces come off as antagonistic i.e.

                                              

Moses on the left still identifies as Egyptian and is drawn with a distinctly Egyptian aesthetic. His long lost sister Miriam on the right is a "Hebrew" with a much more natural drawing style. It just really works, and to the film's credit, the integration of CGI looks natural. Something like Atlantis, which is a film that I also really love, does the CGI in a way that feels forced. Ironic since these flicks came out only 2 years apart.

I gotta say, I adore the musical numbers because they don't feel out of place. The opening scene starts with "Deliver Us" as a group number to establish the political and social climate of Egypt. The lullaby that Moses' mother sings to him before sending him down river is very realistic, and the animation reflects it well. 

For those who watch Nostalgia Critic reviews, I would like to bring attention to the movie Rover Dangerfield.

 In comparison, the songs in that flick are ENTIRELY POINTLESS! Having a dog sing about not p****** on christmas trees doesn't help the story in any way shape or form. Singing a lullaby to your child who you may never see again, but will one day become brother to the pharaoh Ramses, has a POINT!!!!

Prince of Egypt delves into previously unmentioned or unexplored areas of the story and gives moses a lot more growth in terms of his character. He simply isn't just MOSES, he is someone who learns to grow into a role he otherwise never would have dreamed of having.

My main criticism is that the film clocks in at an hour and a half, and like Atlantis, I shall quote the Nostalgia Chick,

"If you want to make an epic, make an epic".

To me, Prince of Egypt is a bit short, and they cut down Moses' time in the desert as well as the 10 plagues to only a few minutes each. I feel like a bit more time could have been spent, but oh well, what can you do.

Word of advice: don't show this to your six year old. Any stupid parent who looks at this movie in the  (gasp) five dollar bin and thinks it is a good idea for your children to watch it is wrong. It is so nuanced and mature in it's subject matter that it really is not meant for anyone younger than 10 or 11. Granted, my parents let me see Rome when I was 12 years old, so I'm a little biased.

I will confess that I did have a phase where I thought I'd get back into 90's animated films, and lets just say that this, Atlantis, The Lion King Movies, and Cinderella 3 were the only things worth bringing within 100 feet of me. I'm not saying they're all good, but they're not all bad either.  I still hold in pretty high regard the stuff that Disney himself was involved in, so go figure.

Next time: Quest For Camelot (Why the F*** am I even wasting brain cells on this piece of S***) 

Boardwalk Empire

This'll just be a short post because I have a world history test to study for...

I feel like anyone who watched the Sopranos or James Bond movies will love this tv series. I also just finished season three and it was AWESOME, AWESOME, AWESOME. AND, Martin Scorsce directed it.

So yeah, yeah, I'll tell you what it's about. The story centers around Enoch "nucky" Thompson, a fictious Atlantic City 1920's bootlegger. He, along with characters like Al Capone, Lucky Luciano, Arnold Rothstein do business selling booze all while dodging the cops(who are totally in on it and let the whole matter go anyways).

It's a very slick looking show with hyper authentic fashions that go beyond well, this:

Because, debate this with me all day long, but that look only came into being in the later half of the decade for essentially actresses and wealthy socialites. It really wasn't practical for the average person.

This is more realistic, just saying.

The show tackles a lot of issues like war veterans, the women's vote, racism, the issues in Ireland etc. of the time but manages to make them current and somehow relevant. But what I really love is how it gets to the core of the human race's vices and shows them is black and white, right and wrong. But it also shows how we'll never be truly free of those vices, like the want of a glass of wine at dinner, even if society deems it BAD.

And a word of warning for those uninitiated, theres a ton of gore, blood, bodies and F******. In the third season, one of the characters turns her dead husband's mansion into a brothel where EVERY kind of kinkiness and habits are allowed.

don't say I didn't warn ya.

Just imagine there's an OF COURSE!!! gif here.

Until next time: American Horror Story Season 2

Cool World Vs Who framed/censored Roger Rabbit

I've had this post kicking around for a while, so I kind of just wanted to get it done already. And, I haven't seen AHS season 2 yet, so that will be for a later post. Sorry guys.

Roger Rabbit: 1

Cool World: 0

I really do love live action/animation films but Cool World? Brad Pitt needs to go back to the f****** hole he crawled. So basically, I will raise up RR and send CW down to the depths of Hades. But I should make something very clear...I couldn't even finish Cool World, it really is that stupid. I normally have this weird habit of always finishing films I watch, but this one was beyond bad for ME.

Both movies are super similar in the sense that they are a)40's period pieces from the 80's b)half animation half live action flicks and c)use the cops and robbers storyline. Oh yeah and d)they have slutty DD female love interests.

Roger Rabbit (1988): I <3 you robert zemeckis!!!!! You did it first, you did it best. And there was disney/Warner bros toons.

But none the less, Cool World(1992):

I feel my brain cells die when I watch this movie, it is that bad. So, the idea is that this cartoonist who created cool world just got out of jail, and one way or another, gets sucked into the universe. Coolworld is the movie equivalent of a bad LSD trip that induces terrifying nightmares that make no fucking sense, in comparison to the fun, relaxing experience that is Roger Rabbit. Brad Pitt plays a guy who was also sucked into the universe, which makes no sense since the WHOLE THING WAS CREATED IN THE 90'S BY A CARTOONIST IN JAIL!!!!!!IT CAN'T EXIST IN THE FORTIES!!! And well,

the Angelina Jolie/ Jennifer Aniston jokes just keep coming.

What do you want? I'm on short supply of wit today.  And for those of you who have seen it, the CARDBOARD CUTOUTS. They couldn't even try to integrate the toons well, because that would require EFFORT!!!

So if you haven't, the cars and buildings that toons enter and exit are cleverly designed CARDBOARD CUTOUTS. At least in Roger Rabbit they used a toon car so it kind of made sense for the thing to work.

Now, the premise of the film is the question of what happens when noids (humans) have SEX with toons. I know most guys fantasize about Jessica Rabbit, but really? They had to go there? I mean, the result is just that the said toon becomes human, but why? The original concept about a guy and his half toon, half human daughter is really dark, but a lot more compelling that the crap they produced...



A Clockwork Orange

13/10/2013

So, I was going to do a post about...aww hell I can't even remember now, this is awkward.

But, A Clockwork Orange.



I might just have to buy that hat, just saying...



 I would post more pictures, but I want to keep this blog work friendly, and since my friend's hipster blog is blocked by our highschool, I cannot show you the "very important work of art" (read: dick and ass sculpture that spoiler spoiler spoiler, spoiler spoiler spoiler)

Did I really just reference Will Wheaton's podcast, Radio Free Burrito? I guess I did.  

Alex, played by Malcolm McDowell seems to be a total sex/violence maniac in the movie (hey all you film buffs, insert caligula drunk face references here...) and gets "cured" = becomes sick from sex and violence. But, as he becomes a social outcast, his life becomes miserable. He throws himself off the roof of a house, and somehow, becomes cured of the "cure". And then the movie ends.

I just watched this flick the other day, and while I love the costumes in this movie, I was a little more enthralled by the ethics of the "Cure". I could also get into the parallels that this movie has with Swing Kids, and the Nazi implications of the prison sentence that Alex has to serve. But that will come next week.

So, ethics: (I'm just gonna list these because, because I can. That's why.)

1. Because the cure turns him off from sex, can he ever truely love another person? Can he ever be in a relationship?

2. When he gets out of prison, he is a social outcast, even his own parents can't stand him being in their home...what does that say about people getting out of prison in our society?

3. Is it really fair to put a teenage boy in prison with murderers and pedophiles? Just saying, Sleepers this is not.

4. The only one that is really attacked in the film, so to speak. The films Alex is forced to watch are often accompanied by Beethoven, and therefore his brain associates them with violence. Should he really be turned off of one of the few, harmless things he loves? (While I don't agree with rape and murder on any level, what is wrong with classical music)
-just food for thought, watch the Brad Jones review of "rock, it's your decision". Same idea.

5.Couldn't the "treatments" be considered torture, because Alex is locked in a straight jacket with eyelid locks? When he tries to get out of prison with the treatments, he doesn't know what he's getting into, and can't get out of it once he starts them. What does this say about how we treat/treated criminals and people forcefully locked up in mental institutions? Ask me about Changeling some time.

Alright folks, until next time.

Disney's Hercules and everything wrong with it....

QI HATE THIS MOVIE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Everything is wrong about it, there is nothing good to say about about the film as a whole. 

Okay, okay I'll calm down.

I hate it I hate it I hate it!!!!!!

I just, it flies in the face of everything I've come to know and love about mythology and classical civilizations and there are no is maybe one redeeming quality about this film, maybe. We'll get to that in a second.

But first, the bad stuff.




Story:

The plot in this movie is flimsier than a sheet of tissue paper (actually, for those in the know, pattern paper.) It is literally contingent on the planets aligning in such a way that a hole will be opened in the earth, and all the titans will be let out. I don't even know where to begin.

Historical/Mythological Accuracy:

First things first, the Titans were for the most part, gods with human-like features. Second, they were shoved back into the earth by Ouranos very early on in mythology, if we think of the earth as Gaia/Ge and she gave birth to them (yuck). They later fought against the Olympians(Hera, Zeus, Athena etc.) in a ten year war, but not the battle/loss of control we see in the film. Hercules wasn't even a thing when those events happened. Third, Hera was not Hercules' biological mother, and he was never raised on Mount Olympus. As the story goes, Zeus screwed with a mortal woman while in human form, and Hercules was raised as a mortal alongside his twin brother. So the party at the beginning of the movie is completely irrelevant, and the whole thing about Panic and Pain(Hades' sidekicks, who are just Disney manifestations to create what I call sidekick synrome)trying to kill Hercules and making him mortal, doesn't even fit. Yes, in both versions, he strangled snakes in his crib, but in the myth Hera was trying to get rid of him.

We could get into all twelve labours in the myths, but they're really only referenced in the film. The most notable example being the Nemean Lion which translates to Hercules posing for a photo with Scar's skin on his head. But we could get into the reasons for the labours. In the original story, he kills his best friend and does them as a pseudo-christian penitance. He just wants to prove himself as a MAN in the movie. That doesn't count.

The one good thing about this flick:

The art style in that scene on Mount Olympus. You remember that scene where all the gods are hanging out and Hades comes stomping in? Yeah, I give credit to the artists who came up with the caricatures of people like Dionysis and Hades.

Hades is pretty awesome too.

Carnivale!!!!!!!

05/10/2013

Let me just start by saying that I love this show. It's by no means an, easy show to watch because there are some uncomfortable scenes that I really couldn't show you but....

Lets just move on. And I will try to keep this spoiler free. I will try. But I should get one thing out of the way, and that is that this show only lasted for two seasons. Out of the six that were supposed to air around, 2006. So, all I will say is that the ending is less than satisfactory. It works as a cliffhanger for the end of a season, but not the end of a series. I'm looking at you breaking bad.

So, the story starts in the early 1930's dust bowl. Ben Hawkins is an escaped convict trying to protect his failing farm. When that fails, he joins the circus but not everything is as it seems. We never see "management", a tarot card reader relies on her comatose, telepathic mother, and there's a certain pastor named Brother Justin who's out to get Ben. 

Wow. That storyline never does get old. There's a lot of Christian symbolism that could be read into this, like how Ben is Good and therefore Heaven and Brother Justin is Evil and therefore Hell. 

I just realized, there's something else I should explain. There's a bit of mythology in this show, that needs explaining. There are avatars, that look relatively human, but have the power to harm or to heal, depending on whether they are evil or good. But, there's a catch. Healing someone takes away a life/lives. There's alot of moral grey in the show in that respect. While Ben can make reset a broken arm or allow a child to walk again, he also kills, and honestly doesn't understand this at first.

He is well meaning, but for the better part of the first season, stumbles around like a lost little puppy trying to understand how everything works, especially since everyone in the circus is aware that he's made of something special.

Brother Justin on the other hand, is a religious figure and therefore seen as good, but can cause people to keel over dead with the snap of his fingers. Oh yeah, and his eyes turn black sometimes. There's also this subplot about whether there even is a management since we never really see him, but all is revealed in the end.

So what's tragic about the show? That it didn't continue because of budget cuts. Why does it always come down to money? Why Why Why?!! I feel like the whole mythology/tone of the show would have been way better if we knew more about it, since even the writers weren't entirely sure about how the show's direction would go for the first season. And by the time everything is set in order in the second season, the show's pretty much over. I could draw alot of parallels to Game of Thrones :D in regard to how non readers pretty much had no idea about what was going on for the better part of the first season, but that's another story for another post.

And of course, the costume design element of this blog. And the costumes are amazing. I mean, they're not like Downton Abbey where everything is pristine and beautiful and wonderful. No, folks, everything is dirty and dusty and ripped to shreds. I have a feeling that Nick Stahl only had two shirts for the entire show. And his character only changes clothes when absolutely necessary. Even the blind mystic Lodz, who is probably the most refined character in the show, has worn out shoes. I feel like the clothing has a story, a life of its own in this show. Which sounds weird, I know. But everything starts out new, wears out, gets thrown away, gets picked up by a new owner, and the cycle begins anew. But now I'm just getting weirdly philosophical now. Anyways...

As alot of you know, I am a major historical fiction addict, so the show certainly isn't for everyone. But, I want to hear what you think. Are you into HF? Maybe you think history's boring, and that's fine. We can talk about something else. Comments people, comments!

Next week: The Borgias/The Tudors, and why they are so damn awesome.

Wow. First. Post. Ever.

29/09/2013

Wow. Doing something I never thought I would-blogging. Because Tumblr people can f****** screw themselves. God I hate that site. Not blogging, just that site. So maybe a bit of background might help. I'm an artist, amateur costume designer, amateur fashion designer, sew-er, "musician"/music lover, reading enthusiast, writer, podcast obsessive, tv/film lover etc. And did I mention I'm still in HIGH SCHOOL?

Never ask me about sports. Ever. I think they are rediculous displays of man/womanhood (I have feminist friends don't shoot me) and I couldn't care less about them. Ask me about almost anything else.

So what's this blog about? All the stuff I mentioned. Except for sports. Because...just don't ask me about them. I want it to be weekly, but now guarantees, all you 14-19 year olds know what I mean. The rest of you? Stuff like tests, finals, essays, etc. that you hope to GOD you will neve have to do again. Don't talk to me about university unless you've got something to say about Canadian schools that do sewing stuff.

I'm also a movie review enthusiast so ASK ME. I will hook you up with some amazing reviewing sites that are all run independently on pretty much ads and merchandise from cons. Next week : The amazing and truthfully tragic thing that is Carnivale.