I've been up to my eyeballs with homework, and I've had the opportunity to stop and sketch a few minutes the past few days but I have something I HAVE to recommend.
The webcomic Girls with Slingshots (Daniellecorsetto.com) is FANTASTIC. It's crass, its hysterical, its original, and its terribly tongue in cheek. Really- I'm absolutely in love with it.
Please, PLEASE check it out!
Wednesday, February 18, 2009
Tuesday, February 10, 2009
Movie Review- He's just not that into you
And again with the movie review!
Monday was He's Just Not That Into You.
Now this movie was a chick flick, no doubt, but it had elements of it that made it bit more guy friendly than the usual. HJNTIY (Because the name is too damn long to type over and over ><) is clever, as expected, and moves quick. The Director, Ken Kwapis, included quick and funny interview statements at the beginning of each section, and they work very well at tying the movie together.
Great ensemble cast, right off the bat- each actor had their own opportunity to shine (although I would have liked to see a bit more of Barrymore). Also, Affleck is back! Haven't seen him since Smoking Aces, but he hasn't lost his touch doing his daddy duties. There are a lot of quick, surprising cameos, including one of the Author of the book the movie is based off of as a minister for Aniston's sister's wedding. The real standout in the movie, for me, was Jennifer Connelly. She had the opportunity to show off a full range of emotions while being clever and quirky at the same time.
All in all, its a good date movie. But be warned- If you're not that into your date, this movie will totally give you up.
So, 3.7 out of 5.
Review coming soon! Australia!
Monday was He's Just Not That Into You.
Now this movie was a chick flick, no doubt, but it had elements of it that made it bit more guy friendly than the usual. HJNTIY (Because the name is too damn long to type over and over ><) is clever, as expected, and moves quick. The Director, Ken Kwapis, included quick and funny interview statements at the beginning of each section, and they work very well at tying the movie together.
Great ensemble cast, right off the bat- each actor had their own opportunity to shine (although I would have liked to see a bit more of Barrymore). Also, Affleck is back! Haven't seen him since Smoking Aces, but he hasn't lost his touch doing his daddy duties. There are a lot of quick, surprising cameos, including one of the Author of the book the movie is based off of as a minister for Aniston's sister's wedding. The real standout in the movie, for me, was Jennifer Connelly. She had the opportunity to show off a full range of emotions while being clever and quirky at the same time.
All in all, its a good date movie. But be warned- If you're not that into your date, this movie will totally give you up.
So, 3.7 out of 5.
Review coming soon! Australia!
Sunday, February 8, 2009
Movie Reviews, Taken, Coraline, and Slumdog Millionare
It's been a busy weekend for movies for me!
Friday night, I saw Slumdog Millionare. I can honestly say that if there is one movie out in theaters right now that you must definitely see, it is Slumdog. Although it tends to be exceedingly rare, the awards committees certainly got it right with this movie.
Director Danny Boyle (who also directed Trainspotting, The Beach, and 28 days later, to name a few.) worked with screenwriter Simon Beaufoy (Who simply sounds like a Jane Austen character...) to adapt the novel "Q&A" by Vikas Swarup. The result is Slumdog.
The movie follows a young man named Jamal, played very well by Dev Patel. Jamal has managed to get on the Indian incarnation of Who Wants to be a Millionaire, and when the movie opens he has already won a lot of money. The problem is that hes just a kid from the slums, a tea boy in the office in which he works. How is it possible he could know all of the answers? Thinking that he is cheating, the police haul him away for questioning and he tells them of the specific events in his life that taught him these facts. You follow him from early childhood with his brother in a small slum in Mumbai to events that carried him all over the country, and the lengths he goes to to help out his cildhood friend (and the girl he loves), Latika.
I don't know very many Indian actors, so I'm sure that rattling them off wouldn't help either of us, but Freida Pinto, who plays the older Latika, is stunning. There is also Amil Kapoor, who plays the spot-light-loving host of Millionare, and Irrfan Khan, the police inspector. Khan is a more familiar face, who seems to be edging into American cinema slowly but surely. Recently, he's been in A Mighty Heart, Wes Anderson's flop- The Darjeeling Limited, and the last place I saw him, The Namesake (with Kal Penn).
All in all, the movie is very, very good. I found myself rooting for Jamal more and more as the movie went on, to the point of crossing my fingers and muttering, 'Please be right, please be right, please be right...' near the end. The score is very good, with some grungy hip hop and pop thrown in for good measure. The story moves quickly and smoothly, so you don't sit for ten minutes twiddling your thumbs waiting for it to get interesting. The ending matched up perfectly with the beginning, and I can't wait to pick up the DVD in a few months. One of my favorite moments is in the very beginning when they flash the title credits during a cricket game on an airstrip in Mumbai.
For extra cool points, stay during the credits for the psuedo-bollywood dance scene and watch for Dev Patel to break out some surprising moves, not to mention the chuckle-value of the little kids dancing.
Definitely a 4.5 to 5 out of 5.
Saturday was Taken.
Now, I had high hopes for Taken. I adore Liam Neeson (a jedi who can kick Batman's ass, alriiight!) and went in hoping for the best. The movie took a few minutes to get into the real thick of the story- the director took the first few minutes to bludgeon you with how much Neeson's character cares for his daughter and how awkward he copes living his 'normal' life. His daughter wants to go to Paris with a friend, and begrudgingly, he lets her go. There, of course, she gets taken, and its up to Neeson with his 'very particular set of skills' to go in and save her.
Now let me begin by saying that the movie wasn't bad, I was just expecting something more along the lines of the Bourne movies. The action was good- fast and detailed. The cars, although mainly Audis and Renaults, were nice. The acting wasn't horrible either, the movie just wasn't great. Neeson had an American accent and sadly, it sounded far too camp. At one point he said, 'dude', and I swear something inside me cried. Now, I'm dramatizing a bit, but his accent just didn't feel very genuine. Also, for a moment in the beginning, he gives another character a 'hip' handshake and appears more awkward than I would have expected.
Other than my nitpicks, Director Pierre Morel did a decent job, but I will admit that I went because the script was written by Luc Besson, writer of my favorite movie, The Fifth Element.
All in all? 2.5-3 out of 5.
Tonight was Coraline.
I'm a big fan of Neil Gaiman (I'm currently working my way through Stardust, which I highly recommend) and I was very excited for the first few trailers I saw of this one.
Coraline is a young girl who has just moved to a new house with her parents. Her parents don't pay much attention to her (though, admittedly, she is quite difficult) and after talking to the eccentric bunch of housemates and ending up quite bored, she finds a door in the wall of the house that leads to an alternate version of her home and the people living within it. But, as is common with these stories, not all is as it seems.
Director Henry Selick keeps up with his usual dark and twisty, Burton-esque cinematography, and this movie is just as interesting as usual. Dakota Fanning provides the voice for Coraline. Ian Mcshane does a great voice for Mr. Bobinsky, and even Saunders and French stop by to voice the two huge, terrier-loving former actresses living in the basement.
The movie is clever, and moves quick, and the 3d was surprisingly less annoying than usual (of course, the last movie I saw in 3d was My Bloody Valentine, so perhaps I need a new control group). The graphics are beautiful, and the characters are very interesting.
Mostly, it's a kid's movie, but a few clever jokes were stuck in for the parent in tow. Not one I'd necessarily want to see again, but good none the less.
So... 3 out of 5.
Hoping to see He's Just Not That in to You tomorrow and Push on Wednesday. I'll drop by and let you know how that goes.
I have the graphics work for Musical DJs to drop here, but I need to talk to the client first, so expect to see it in the next few days. Other than that, taa for tonight.
T
Friday night, I saw Slumdog Millionare. I can honestly say that if there is one movie out in theaters right now that you must definitely see, it is Slumdog. Although it tends to be exceedingly rare, the awards committees certainly got it right with this movie.
Director Danny Boyle (who also directed Trainspotting, The Beach, and 28 days later, to name a few.) worked with screenwriter Simon Beaufoy (Who simply sounds like a Jane Austen character...) to adapt the novel "Q&A" by Vikas Swarup. The result is Slumdog.
The movie follows a young man named Jamal, played very well by Dev Patel. Jamal has managed to get on the Indian incarnation of Who Wants to be a Millionaire, and when the movie opens he has already won a lot of money. The problem is that hes just a kid from the slums, a tea boy in the office in which he works. How is it possible he could know all of the answers? Thinking that he is cheating, the police haul him away for questioning and he tells them of the specific events in his life that taught him these facts. You follow him from early childhood with his brother in a small slum in Mumbai to events that carried him all over the country, and the lengths he goes to to help out his cildhood friend (and the girl he loves), Latika.
I don't know very many Indian actors, so I'm sure that rattling them off wouldn't help either of us, but Freida Pinto, who plays the older Latika, is stunning. There is also Amil Kapoor, who plays the spot-light-loving host of Millionare, and Irrfan Khan, the police inspector. Khan is a more familiar face, who seems to be edging into American cinema slowly but surely. Recently, he's been in A Mighty Heart, Wes Anderson's flop- The Darjeeling Limited, and the last place I saw him, The Namesake (with Kal Penn).
All in all, the movie is very, very good. I found myself rooting for Jamal more and more as the movie went on, to the point of crossing my fingers and muttering, 'Please be right, please be right, please be right...' near the end. The score is very good, with some grungy hip hop and pop thrown in for good measure. The story moves quickly and smoothly, so you don't sit for ten minutes twiddling your thumbs waiting for it to get interesting. The ending matched up perfectly with the beginning, and I can't wait to pick up the DVD in a few months. One of my favorite moments is in the very beginning when they flash the title credits during a cricket game on an airstrip in Mumbai.
For extra cool points, stay during the credits for the psuedo-bollywood dance scene and watch for Dev Patel to break out some surprising moves, not to mention the chuckle-value of the little kids dancing.
Definitely a 4.5 to 5 out of 5.
Saturday was Taken.
Now, I had high hopes for Taken. I adore Liam Neeson (a jedi who can kick Batman's ass, alriiight!) and went in hoping for the best. The movie took a few minutes to get into the real thick of the story- the director took the first few minutes to bludgeon you with how much Neeson's character cares for his daughter and how awkward he copes living his 'normal' life. His daughter wants to go to Paris with a friend, and begrudgingly, he lets her go. There, of course, she gets taken, and its up to Neeson with his 'very particular set of skills' to go in and save her.
Now let me begin by saying that the movie wasn't bad, I was just expecting something more along the lines of the Bourne movies. The action was good- fast and detailed. The cars, although mainly Audis and Renaults, were nice. The acting wasn't horrible either, the movie just wasn't great. Neeson had an American accent and sadly, it sounded far too camp. At one point he said, 'dude', and I swear something inside me cried. Now, I'm dramatizing a bit, but his accent just didn't feel very genuine. Also, for a moment in the beginning, he gives another character a 'hip' handshake and appears more awkward than I would have expected.
Other than my nitpicks, Director Pierre Morel did a decent job, but I will admit that I went because the script was written by Luc Besson, writer of my favorite movie, The Fifth Element.
All in all? 2.5-3 out of 5.
Tonight was Coraline.
I'm a big fan of Neil Gaiman (I'm currently working my way through Stardust, which I highly recommend) and I was very excited for the first few trailers I saw of this one.
Coraline is a young girl who has just moved to a new house with her parents. Her parents don't pay much attention to her (though, admittedly, she is quite difficult) and after talking to the eccentric bunch of housemates and ending up quite bored, she finds a door in the wall of the house that leads to an alternate version of her home and the people living within it. But, as is common with these stories, not all is as it seems.
Director Henry Selick keeps up with his usual dark and twisty, Burton-esque cinematography, and this movie is just as interesting as usual. Dakota Fanning provides the voice for Coraline. Ian Mcshane does a great voice for Mr. Bobinsky, and even Saunders and French stop by to voice the two huge, terrier-loving former actresses living in the basement.
The movie is clever, and moves quick, and the 3d was surprisingly less annoying than usual (of course, the last movie I saw in 3d was My Bloody Valentine, so perhaps I need a new control group). The graphics are beautiful, and the characters are very interesting.
Mostly, it's a kid's movie, but a few clever jokes were stuck in for the parent in tow. Not one I'd necessarily want to see again, but good none the less.
So... 3 out of 5.
Hoping to see He's Just Not That in to You tomorrow and Push on Wednesday. I'll drop by and let you know how that goes.
I have the graphics work for Musical DJs to drop here, but I need to talk to the client first, so expect to see it in the next few days. Other than that, taa for tonight.
T
Thursday, February 5, 2009
short Memoir for English
One of the assignments in my last english class was to write a short personal memoir. Now, originally, I read the directions wrong and created my own character to write a memoir about (which I will post), but at the request of my teacher I wrote one about myself.
My great grandfather died when I was sixteen years old. He was ninety eight. I didn’t really know him too well; what I knew of him was mostly from stories my mother or my grandfather told me, or from the few times we sat down and talked over tea. I do know that he was a brilliant man, that he was funny and adventurous, that he designed parachutes for the British Royal Air Force during World War two, and that he liked his earl grey with a bit of lemon. I also know that he was a fantastic artist. My family says that I got my artistic abilities from him, and I couldn’t be more honored by such a wonderful man.
Art is my life. I see paintings everywhere. When I look at clouds, I often think of what brush I could use and what colors I could mix and what technique I would need to achieve the same affect. I have a large collection of art supplies that I keep meticulously organized, and drawers brimming over with old sketchbooks. I am a Fine Art major now, but I remember what it was like to visit my grandparents and look up on the wall at the framed drawings by my great grandpa Arthur. I used to wonder how he saw things like he did. I used to wonder how those frail old hands could carve out such precise movement of the figure like they did. And when I saw some of his architectural drawings from his old jobs, I would pour over them for hours, trying to figure out how he managed to draw his lines so damned straight. When I was about six, I had a wooden toy box that used to belong to my mom that had a koala painted on its side that I adored. In the bottom right corner in delicate cursive it read ‘Arthur, ‘69’. I loved art, and had an eye for it, but I wasn’t thinking about it in terms of a career then- it wasn’t something I honestly saw myself doing. Really, I didn’t decide that art was what I wanted to do until after Grandpa Arthur had passed away.
When Grandpa Arthur passed away, he was at my great grandparent’s home in Bucks County, Pennsylvania. Apparently he had woken up and dressed himself, brewed himself a cup of tea, and went into the garden to watch the birds. He fell asleep in his chair, and the rest is silence. I remember getting the phone call from my grandma. I was horribly upset, but I remember thinking, ‘hold on, I barely know this man’. But in truth, I really did- all of the raucous stories my family told, my mom’s frequent proclamations the he was the smartest man she had ever met, and even our quiet, polite talks over tea and biscuits. But really, I knew him best through his paintings and drawings. An artist can tell you about another artist simply by looking at their work. An artist can tell you if the person is courageous or shy, funny or dramatic, weak or strong, simply by looking at a picture- and I had spent so much time analyzing the art that my grandfather did that I knew him on an entirely different level than I had realized.
Before he died, when my parents spied me doodling in a sketch book and said ‘So like Arthur’, I sort of shrugged and moved on, but after, I realized how much I adored art and how much he had helped me see it. Very often, when I give my parents or my grandparents a painting or even a sketch, they say, ‘Your grandpa Arthur would be so proud’ and it’s the greatest compliment in the world to me. If I can be half as artistically talented as he was I would consider myself a very accomplished person. But I always think of him, everyday, because everyday, I think of art, and through art, I think of him.
Voila.
My great grandfather died when I was sixteen years old. He was ninety eight. I didn’t really know him too well; what I knew of him was mostly from stories my mother or my grandfather told me, or from the few times we sat down and talked over tea. I do know that he was a brilliant man, that he was funny and adventurous, that he designed parachutes for the British Royal Air Force during World War two, and that he liked his earl grey with a bit of lemon. I also know that he was a fantastic artist. My family says that I got my artistic abilities from him, and I couldn’t be more honored by such a wonderful man.
Art is my life. I see paintings everywhere. When I look at clouds, I often think of what brush I could use and what colors I could mix and what technique I would need to achieve the same affect. I have a large collection of art supplies that I keep meticulously organized, and drawers brimming over with old sketchbooks. I am a Fine Art major now, but I remember what it was like to visit my grandparents and look up on the wall at the framed drawings by my great grandpa Arthur. I used to wonder how he saw things like he did. I used to wonder how those frail old hands could carve out such precise movement of the figure like they did. And when I saw some of his architectural drawings from his old jobs, I would pour over them for hours, trying to figure out how he managed to draw his lines so damned straight. When I was about six, I had a wooden toy box that used to belong to my mom that had a koala painted on its side that I adored. In the bottom right corner in delicate cursive it read ‘Arthur, ‘69’. I loved art, and had an eye for it, but I wasn’t thinking about it in terms of a career then- it wasn’t something I honestly saw myself doing. Really, I didn’t decide that art was what I wanted to do until after Grandpa Arthur had passed away.
When Grandpa Arthur passed away, he was at my great grandparent’s home in Bucks County, Pennsylvania. Apparently he had woken up and dressed himself, brewed himself a cup of tea, and went into the garden to watch the birds. He fell asleep in his chair, and the rest is silence. I remember getting the phone call from my grandma. I was horribly upset, but I remember thinking, ‘hold on, I barely know this man’. But in truth, I really did- all of the raucous stories my family told, my mom’s frequent proclamations the he was the smartest man she had ever met, and even our quiet, polite talks over tea and biscuits. But really, I knew him best through his paintings and drawings. An artist can tell you about another artist simply by looking at their work. An artist can tell you if the person is courageous or shy, funny or dramatic, weak or strong, simply by looking at a picture- and I had spent so much time analyzing the art that my grandfather did that I knew him on an entirely different level than I had realized.
Before he died, when my parents spied me doodling in a sketch book and said ‘So like Arthur’, I sort of shrugged and moved on, but after, I realized how much I adored art and how much he had helped me see it. Very often, when I give my parents or my grandparents a painting or even a sketch, they say, ‘Your grandpa Arthur would be so proud’ and it’s the greatest compliment in the world to me. If I can be half as artistically talented as he was I would consider myself a very accomplished person. But I always think of him, everyday, because everyday, I think of art, and through art, I think of him.
Voila.
Wednesday, February 4, 2009
Keeping up to date
Hello, folks.
Not a whole lot new to post at the moment, besides some particulars-
I'll be posting some graphics work I've been working on to the blog shortly, to give you an idea of what I've been up to. I'm working with a freelance DJ/musician (a friend, who helped me put together my CD), Dan Lamaestra, on some quick little graphics jobs for his company, and eventually his web page.
I'm supposed to be creating some Mocks for a web page for a company named Forgentum, a technical contractor in the DC area, hopefully I'll be able to post some thumbs at least. At the moment, however, we haven't quite worked out the particulars- more news on that later.
I'm working on my usual doodles and pictures, I have a few ideas for paintings in mind as well, so hopefully I'll have some artwork up to prove I'm actually doing something.
In other news, I'm healthy again (mostly...), but we'll see how long that lasts- I've been pretty busy with classes as of late, And I have to fill out that dreaded GMU app again in the coming months.
Interestingly, my best friend and I are trying to arrange a road trip down south for our spring break. We would stop at my grandparents' in South Carolina and then her mother's in Georgia (where I've never been. VERY cool.). It will likely be our typical brand of debauchery, so we'll see how everything pans out.
I have a few pieces of writing to post so I'll drop a few of those on here next.
Have a good night, everyone!
Not a whole lot new to post at the moment, besides some particulars-
I'll be posting some graphics work I've been working on to the blog shortly, to give you an idea of what I've been up to. I'm working with a freelance DJ/musician (a friend, who helped me put together my CD), Dan Lamaestra, on some quick little graphics jobs for his company, and eventually his web page.
I'm supposed to be creating some Mocks for a web page for a company named Forgentum, a technical contractor in the DC area, hopefully I'll be able to post some thumbs at least. At the moment, however, we haven't quite worked out the particulars- more news on that later.
I'm working on my usual doodles and pictures, I have a few ideas for paintings in mind as well, so hopefully I'll have some artwork up to prove I'm actually doing something.
In other news, I'm healthy again (mostly...), but we'll see how long that lasts- I've been pretty busy with classes as of late, And I have to fill out that dreaded GMU app again in the coming months.
Interestingly, my best friend and I are trying to arrange a road trip down south for our spring break. We would stop at my grandparents' in South Carolina and then her mother's in Georgia (where I've never been. VERY cool.). It will likely be our typical brand of debauchery, so we'll see how everything pans out.
I have a few pieces of writing to post so I'll drop a few of those on here next.
Have a good night, everyone!
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