Gloria Oliver's Blog, page 63
May 28, 2014
Picture Kaleidoscope - Dallas Comic Con 5/28/14
Morning!
Trying to get life back on schedule. :)
Anyway, here's pics from the recent Dallas Comic Con
Daughter's first attempt at a chain mail dragon. Isn't she cute?
Muscular, no?
Booth mate next to us.
She is a dead ringer for the girl in How To Train Your Dragon, no? So cute!
Very creepy.
Old style Mystique! Yeah!
Dragons came to Dallas Comic Con!
Taylor Lymberry gave us - Lilu Dalekpass!
Aren't his wings awesome?
Other nearby authors. Love their cover art and how merged it into the banner like that.
Artists, artists, everywhere!
Our super scrunched display. We're going to have to go to two tables.
More art!
ART!
I loved her Sherlock and Dean Winchester at off angles.
Ninja Turtles made an appearance. :)
Sherlock and Irene Addler. So cute!
Adventure Time TV
Luke's Speeder from Episode 4
Nice!
Jeep from Jurassic Park
And Baby - the Winchester's Sweet ride.
Baby's truck, which I still somehow managed to put in here upside down. DOH!
Have a great Wednesday!
Trying to get life back on schedule. :)
Anyway, here's pics from the recent Dallas Comic Con
Daughter's first attempt at a chain mail dragon. Isn't she cute?
Muscular, no?
Booth mate next to us.
She is a dead ringer for the girl in How To Train Your Dragon, no? So cute!
Very creepy.
Old style Mystique! Yeah!
Dragons came to Dallas Comic Con!
Taylor Lymberry gave us - Lilu Dalekpass!
Aren't his wings awesome?
Other nearby authors. Love their cover art and how merged it into the banner like that.
Artists, artists, everywhere!
Our super scrunched display. We're going to have to go to two tables.
More art!
ART!
I loved her Sherlock and Dean Winchester at off angles.
Ninja Turtles made an appearance. :)
Sherlock and Irene Addler. So cute!
Adventure Time TV
Luke's Speeder from Episode 4
Nice!
Jeep from Jurassic Park
And Baby - the Winchester's Sweet ride.
Baby's truck, which I still somehow managed to put in here upside down. DOH!
Have a great Wednesday!
May 26, 2014
Mind Sieve 5/26/14
Have I been needing this holiday!
Been pushing too hard too fast. Things have to slow down eventually, yes? EEK!
Fan Fun
The Anomaly Official Trailer - Oooh! Some Science Fiction fun!
Constantine Trailer - some cool TV might be coming our way! Sweet!
The Flash Extended Trailer - Oh yeah!
Interstellar Trailer Official Warner Brothers - More SF! Booyah!
The 100 Foot Journey Official Trailer - this looks adorable!
Social Media/Author PlatformGoogle + Stories: This Week in Social Media from The Social Media Examiner, article by Cindy King. Dang, things just get more and more complicated and time consuming. DOH!
Writing AdviceFrom Kristen Lamb - Writer Victory! Remember Writers Are Magicians. You tell it, Kristen!
What Drives You To Write? by Jami Gold. Nice insights!
More craziness coming down the pike for me. Wish me luck!!!!
Been pushing too hard too fast. Things have to slow down eventually, yes? EEK!
Fan Fun
The Anomaly Official Trailer - Oooh! Some Science Fiction fun!
Constantine Trailer - some cool TV might be coming our way! Sweet!
The Flash Extended Trailer - Oh yeah!
Interstellar Trailer Official Warner Brothers - More SF! Booyah!
The 100 Foot Journey Official Trailer - this looks adorable!
Social Media/Author PlatformGoogle + Stories: This Week in Social Media from The Social Media Examiner, article by Cindy King. Dang, things just get more and more complicated and time consuming. DOH!
Writing AdviceFrom Kristen Lamb - Writer Victory! Remember Writers Are Magicians. You tell it, Kristen!
What Drives You To Write? by Jami Gold. Nice insights!
More craziness coming down the pike for me. Wish me luck!!!!
May 25, 2014
Virtual Tourist - Everquest Landmark 5/25/14
Morning!
Trying to get back into the normal swing of things again. Between Dallas ComicCon and traveling for work, my usual posting plans were pretty much destroyed last week, DOH!
Everquest Landmark
Got to spend a little time tweaking stuff one night this week.
You'll have to click for the bigger pick, but I added ivy to the entry and moved one of the plants. Really makes the place pop more.
Main stairwell also got some love. More plants and a giant clam shell. Occurred to me I can put a light as a pearl in it. Now on the to do list. :P
This still needs work, but at least the steps for the stairs are all in place. Still need to finish the banister.
The roof will be a garden. Made some different kinds of flowers then got a shock when I went to plant this one, that's the default size! Which then game me the cool idea of using them like lamp posts. Sweet!
You can make templates of things you crate in the game. This is my hollowed out planter. The utility for taking a picture to go with your schematic is finally working. Yay!
Hope you have a great Memorial Day weekend!
Trying to get back into the normal swing of things again. Between Dallas ComicCon and traveling for work, my usual posting plans were pretty much destroyed last week, DOH!
Everquest Landmark
Got to spend a little time tweaking stuff one night this week.
You'll have to click for the bigger pick, but I added ivy to the entry and moved one of the plants. Really makes the place pop more.
Main stairwell also got some love. More plants and a giant clam shell. Occurred to me I can put a light as a pearl in it. Now on the to do list. :P
This still needs work, but at least the steps for the stairs are all in place. Still need to finish the banister.
The roof will be a garden. Made some different kinds of flowers then got a shock when I went to plant this one, that's the default size! Which then game me the cool idea of using them like lamp posts. Sweet!
You can make templates of things you crate in the game. This is my hollowed out planter. The utility for taking a picture to go with your schematic is finally working. Yay!
Hope you have a great Memorial Day weekend!
May 23, 2014
Movie Review - Godzilla
Godzilla
Starring: Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Ken Watanabe, Bryan Cranston, CJ Adams, Elizabeth Olsen, Carson Bolde, Sally Hawkins, Juliette Binoche, David Strathairn, Richard T. Jones, Victor Rasuk, and more.
Directed by: Gareth Edwards Screenplay by: Max Borenstein Story by: David Callaham Cinematography by: Seamus McGarvey Music by: Alexandre Desplat
Premise: In 1999, a mining operation in the Philippines inadvertently awakens something that ends up causing a disaster at a nuclear plant in Japan. Fifteen years later, the same portents once witnessed by Joe Brody reappear as he and his son enter illegally into the quarantine zone in the they once lived in. Yet these portents herald more than he or his son could ever imagine. (Rated PG-13)
Review:
1) Acting - Total Thumbs Up: Aaron Taylor-Johnson showed both tough and vulnerable sides as Ford Brody. Ken Watanabe's expressions spoke volumes as the reserved Dr. Ishiro Serizama, contrasting with Bryan Cranston's portrayal of Joe Brody, who physically and vocally demanded answers to his questions. Kudos to CJ Adams as he did much to set up the stage at the beginning of the film.
2) Special Effects - Total Thumbs Up: Superb work in both CGI and normal special effects by the special effects department. The dig in the Philippines, especially the section of tunnel with the vertebrae - amazing. The awakening of Muto also deserves heavy praise. But so does the less obvious yet as impacting scene where we see how the 1999 Japanese town had changed in fifteen years - even keeping in mind the climate and materials used there and how they actually decay things in Japan versus someplace like New York.
The near misses with the creatures for the humans were seamless and really tied together well. But you never want to be the flea that gets noticed by the dog -- there are several scenes showing us why this is so. The sequences on and by the train bridge were totally outstanding. The burning tank? Priceless.
Godzilla himself differs from the traditional and the updated Japanese look, but all the important parts as well as the general 'look and feel' are there. Rather than go with other famous monsters we've seen in the "Godzilla" franchise, the filmmakers made the smart move and created some new ones. And they looked fantastic. The egg sac sequences alone were very cool.
All the explosions, near misses, collapsing buildings, falling airplanes, and more, were excellently done. The cool smoke and debree effects, especially those that made Godzilla appear to have ninja skills? Fabulous.
3) Plot/Story - Total Thumbs Up: I may be mistaken, but it seemed to me that those who put this film together totally get what "Godzilla" films are about. Any fan of the old and even recent Japanese "kaiju" (monster) films will be ecstatic. All the little things that make "Godzilla" movies what they are were present in this version. The details are mostly non-tangible things, but without them, the film wouldn't be a true "Godzilla" film. Things like the presence of children at major junctions; the belief he's here to help and isn't just some random creature, the bizarre yet inescapable feeling that he's helping humans and even seems aware of some of them, as if a link has formed between the creature and the humans struggling below. They even tied the story to the original 1954 black and white film. Major kudos, guys, for getting it right.
For the most part, the plot is pretty solid. Monster films aren't known for strong plots, so this was a lovely surprise. The only glaring hiccup had to do with the train with the missiles, but with the awesome scenes they did there because of it, the slip is easy to forgive. (Still, how do you lose track of a giant monster?) Add in some well done multi level family subplots, and the movie had more depth and range than you'd normally expect from a "kaiju" film.
There are a ton of little moments where reality and what we know are one way, then a second later, it isn't what we know anymore. Nice shocks to the system to remind us how quickly things can change.
4) Stunts - Total Thumbs Up: Giant monsters go hand in hand with stunts - it is inevitable, because as we all know, if you're a soldier firing a machine gun or rockets at a creature a zillion times your size - there'll be consequences - awesomely visual consequences. And the ones presented here were executed perfectly.
5) Locations/Cinematography - Total Thumbs Up: The film did a great job with the locations. It was fitting that the first amounts of death and destruction happened in Japan. The look and feel of each of the locations grounded the viewers immediately, so as the film hops from country to country, even city to city, the audience has no trouble knowing where it's all happening. All the special touches with regards to the EMPs, the train bridge, China Town, and the plane jump, ratcheted the whole work 'up a notch'.
There's a plethora of amazing shots in the film throughout.
6) Music - Total Thumbs Up: The score by Alexandre Desplat was perfect for the film. While he didn't sneak in any obvious snippets from the well known Japanese "Godzilla" theme, he still captured the essence of the music of the time and used it to add more flavor to the experience as a whole. The "2001: A Space Odyssey" like sound used for the military insertion into San Francisco couldn't have been more apt.
Conclusion: If you've ever enjoyed any of the Japanese monster films, be it those with "Godzilla", "Mothra", or "Gamera", this is a must see for you. For those who've never seen one, go! You're in for a fun treat.
Rating: 4.25 out of 5 (Hubby's Rating: Worth Paying Full Price to See Again!)
Starring: Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Ken Watanabe, Bryan Cranston, CJ Adams, Elizabeth Olsen, Carson Bolde, Sally Hawkins, Juliette Binoche, David Strathairn, Richard T. Jones, Victor Rasuk, and more.
Directed by: Gareth Edwards Screenplay by: Max Borenstein Story by: David Callaham Cinematography by: Seamus McGarvey Music by: Alexandre Desplat
Premise: In 1999, a mining operation in the Philippines inadvertently awakens something that ends up causing a disaster at a nuclear plant in Japan. Fifteen years later, the same portents once witnessed by Joe Brody reappear as he and his son enter illegally into the quarantine zone in the they once lived in. Yet these portents herald more than he or his son could ever imagine. (Rated PG-13)
Review:
1) Acting - Total Thumbs Up: Aaron Taylor-Johnson showed both tough and vulnerable sides as Ford Brody. Ken Watanabe's expressions spoke volumes as the reserved Dr. Ishiro Serizama, contrasting with Bryan Cranston's portrayal of Joe Brody, who physically and vocally demanded answers to his questions. Kudos to CJ Adams as he did much to set up the stage at the beginning of the film.
2) Special Effects - Total Thumbs Up: Superb work in both CGI and normal special effects by the special effects department. The dig in the Philippines, especially the section of tunnel with the vertebrae - amazing. The awakening of Muto also deserves heavy praise. But so does the less obvious yet as impacting scene where we see how the 1999 Japanese town had changed in fifteen years - even keeping in mind the climate and materials used there and how they actually decay things in Japan versus someplace like New York.
The near misses with the creatures for the humans were seamless and really tied together well. But you never want to be the flea that gets noticed by the dog -- there are several scenes showing us why this is so. The sequences on and by the train bridge were totally outstanding. The burning tank? Priceless.
Godzilla himself differs from the traditional and the updated Japanese look, but all the important parts as well as the general 'look and feel' are there. Rather than go with other famous monsters we've seen in the "Godzilla" franchise, the filmmakers made the smart move and created some new ones. And they looked fantastic. The egg sac sequences alone were very cool.
All the explosions, near misses, collapsing buildings, falling airplanes, and more, were excellently done. The cool smoke and debree effects, especially those that made Godzilla appear to have ninja skills? Fabulous.
3) Plot/Story - Total Thumbs Up: I may be mistaken, but it seemed to me that those who put this film together totally get what "Godzilla" films are about. Any fan of the old and even recent Japanese "kaiju" (monster) films will be ecstatic. All the little things that make "Godzilla" movies what they are were present in this version. The details are mostly non-tangible things, but without them, the film wouldn't be a true "Godzilla" film. Things like the presence of children at major junctions; the belief he's here to help and isn't just some random creature, the bizarre yet inescapable feeling that he's helping humans and even seems aware of some of them, as if a link has formed between the creature and the humans struggling below. They even tied the story to the original 1954 black and white film. Major kudos, guys, for getting it right.
For the most part, the plot is pretty solid. Monster films aren't known for strong plots, so this was a lovely surprise. The only glaring hiccup had to do with the train with the missiles, but with the awesome scenes they did there because of it, the slip is easy to forgive. (Still, how do you lose track of a giant monster?) Add in some well done multi level family subplots, and the movie had more depth and range than you'd normally expect from a "kaiju" film.
There are a ton of little moments where reality and what we know are one way, then a second later, it isn't what we know anymore. Nice shocks to the system to remind us how quickly things can change.
4) Stunts - Total Thumbs Up: Giant monsters go hand in hand with stunts - it is inevitable, because as we all know, if you're a soldier firing a machine gun or rockets at a creature a zillion times your size - there'll be consequences - awesomely visual consequences. And the ones presented here were executed perfectly.
5) Locations/Cinematography - Total Thumbs Up: The film did a great job with the locations. It was fitting that the first amounts of death and destruction happened in Japan. The look and feel of each of the locations grounded the viewers immediately, so as the film hops from country to country, even city to city, the audience has no trouble knowing where it's all happening. All the special touches with regards to the EMPs, the train bridge, China Town, and the plane jump, ratcheted the whole work 'up a notch'.
There's a plethora of amazing shots in the film throughout.
6) Music - Total Thumbs Up: The score by Alexandre Desplat was perfect for the film. While he didn't sneak in any obvious snippets from the well known Japanese "Godzilla" theme, he still captured the essence of the music of the time and used it to add more flavor to the experience as a whole. The "2001: A Space Odyssey" like sound used for the military insertion into San Francisco couldn't have been more apt.
Conclusion: If you've ever enjoyed any of the Japanese monster films, be it those with "Godzilla", "Mothra", or "Gamera", this is a must see for you. For those who've never seen one, go! You're in for a fun treat.
Rating: 4.25 out of 5 (Hubby's Rating: Worth Paying Full Price to See Again!)
May 18, 2014
Virtual Tourist - Wildstar 5/18/14
Morning!
Wildstar
Didn't get to play on the beta this weekend due to Dallas ComicCon but got plenty of pics last week. :)
A better picture of my mechanical self.
Ancient Communication facility on Nexus. Truly impressive.
Some of the other available races.
The communications relay. This place is just massive.
Active node.
Inside the giant complex
The AI who runs the place. Also the datacube storing unimaginable amounts of data.
Some evil little mutant thingies.
Why yes, you have to fight the giant thing. Why do you ask? Heh heh.
Inside the temple in one of the towns.
Super cute and actually a little scary furry race. She likes shinnies! Heh heh.
Gotta get back to DCC. Have an awesome morning, ya'll!
Wildstar
Didn't get to play on the beta this weekend due to Dallas ComicCon but got plenty of pics last week. :)
A better picture of my mechanical self.
Ancient Communication facility on Nexus. Truly impressive.
Some of the other available races.
The communications relay. This place is just massive.
Active node.
Inside the giant complex
The AI who runs the place. Also the datacube storing unimaginable amounts of data.
Some evil little mutant thingies.
Why yes, you have to fight the giant thing. Why do you ask? Heh heh.
Inside the temple in one of the towns.
Super cute and actually a little scary furry race. She likes shinnies! Heh heh.
Gotta get back to DCC. Have an awesome morning, ya'll!
May 14, 2014
Picture Kaleidoscope 5/14/14
This will be the slash and burn edition.
Tons and tons of overtime at work. :(
Hubby earned some much needed brownie points with this last week. Sherrie's Berries. YUM!
Chocolate Covered Cherries. (With a few missing 'cause I had to have them NOW!)
Chocolate Covered Strawberries - DITTO!
Also went and finally got to try Yoshi Shabu Shabu restaurant. First that I know of in Dallas. I've been wanting shabu shabu for years! And it was so worth it. Super YUM!
Some call it Japanese Fondue. Basically you get a plate of vegetables and meat and you swish them in a pot of hot water cooking the food and creating a soup stock. You take the cooked meat out after swishing it and dip it in bowls of sauce and eat with rice.
MEAT!
You take any leftover veggies, add some udon noodles, and you get soup to eat as well!
So awesome!
Now I'm hungry. heh heh
May 12, 2014
Mind Sieve 5/12/14
Howdy!
It'll be a crap shoot on how far I get today. I've been battling with some php and even dreaming about how to fix my issue - even incorporating RL work into it in my dreams. It's calling me with ideas on what to try next as I type this. Don't know if I can resist...resist...Only be a minute!
Oh, I also found out they've cancelled The Crazy Ones and Almost Human. Two of our favorite shows. WAAAAAAHHHHHHHH! And Dracula, too! Noooo!
Fan Fun
Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day Official Trailer - Oh my goodness! LOL. Man I thought I had bad days! LOL.
Gotham Extended Trailer - Oh this looks freaking AWESOME! Gordon as young cop, getting involved with Bruce right after the murder of his parents and it's Gordon's case! (Of course this is FOX so it will do well and they'll kill it, just like Almost Human, Doll House and countless others. Why? Wwwwwwhhhhhyyyyyy????? (IMDB says it's a TV Movie?)
The Dawning of the Planet of the Apes Official Trailer (A new one!) - man, this is looking AWESOME!
Godzilla Official International Trailer - YES! I thought there was that giant nail that didn't look right! And there's a reason for that - it's a different monster! Godzilla is used to fight it. YES - staying true to Godzilla all the way! Sweet!
Yeah, cutting this short. Didn't make it. Dang it!
It'll be a crap shoot on how far I get today. I've been battling with some php and even dreaming about how to fix my issue - even incorporating RL work into it in my dreams. It's calling me with ideas on what to try next as I type this. Don't know if I can resist...resist...Only be a minute!
Oh, I also found out they've cancelled The Crazy Ones and Almost Human. Two of our favorite shows. WAAAAAAHHHHHHHH! And Dracula, too! Noooo!
Fan Fun
Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day Official Trailer - Oh my goodness! LOL. Man I thought I had bad days! LOL.
Gotham Extended Trailer - Oh this looks freaking AWESOME! Gordon as young cop, getting involved with Bruce right after the murder of his parents and it's Gordon's case! (Of course this is FOX so it will do well and they'll kill it, just like Almost Human, Doll House and countless others. Why? Wwwwwwhhhhhyyyyyy????? (IMDB says it's a TV Movie?)
The Dawning of the Planet of the Apes Official Trailer (A new one!) - man, this is looking AWESOME!
Godzilla Official International Trailer - YES! I thought there was that giant nail that didn't look right! And there's a reason for that - it's a different monster! Godzilla is used to fight it. YES - staying true to Godzilla all the way! Sweet!
Yeah, cutting this short. Didn't make it. Dang it!
May 11, 2014
Virtual Tourist - Wildstar 5/11/14
Happy Mother's Day!
A new MMO just went into open beta this week called Wildstar.
I'd heard it was coming from a friend. So hubby and I decided to check it out.
If you do nothing else, just watch a few of their videos. HILARIOUS!
I created a Mechari (a robot race) in the Dominion
You wake from Cryo sleep here. Chosen for fitting a profile and ordered to uncover those who've been corrupted by a virus introduced while asleep
first deck area in the newbie zone.
The Dominion's ruler.
Nexus - where all the excitement happens. :)
The church. They follow six deities. Loved this guys armor!
Each of the gods represents a virtue.
That's me. Someone explain to me why a robot needs 4 inch heels? (She runs funny too! lol)
One of the displays in the museum on board.
I chose settler for a secondary skill line. After picking up batteries around the area, I was able to make two different stations that gave buffs! This one is for increased fighting speed.
Holographic combat area for training. Zombie holograms - who knew?
Another hologram combat training area for evicting Nexus residents. I almost died when I saw the adorable kiddie pool! SO CUTE!!
Hologram combat training to destroy trees and then furry race who like them. Hologram bunnies too. lol. So evil.
Off to meet the emperor in person after the training.
Except...he's not here.
My boss. And one I suspect of things best not mentioned. She is cool looking though. Heh
Bay area on the ship.
Launching to go down to Nexus
On Nexus. Look at the weird sky behind the radar dish! The sky is undulating!
A bit of a learning curve (as in all games) but has a lot of bits of comedy and they actually put your character into some of the feature films to try to immerse the players a bit. Definitely interesting.
A new MMO just went into open beta this week called Wildstar.
I'd heard it was coming from a friend. So hubby and I decided to check it out.
If you do nothing else, just watch a few of their videos. HILARIOUS!
I created a Mechari (a robot race) in the Dominion
You wake from Cryo sleep here. Chosen for fitting a profile and ordered to uncover those who've been corrupted by a virus introduced while asleep
first deck area in the newbie zone.
The Dominion's ruler.
Nexus - where all the excitement happens. :)
The church. They follow six deities. Loved this guys armor!
Each of the gods represents a virtue.
That's me. Someone explain to me why a robot needs 4 inch heels? (She runs funny too! lol)
One of the displays in the museum on board.
I chose settler for a secondary skill line. After picking up batteries around the area, I was able to make two different stations that gave buffs! This one is for increased fighting speed.
Holographic combat area for training. Zombie holograms - who knew?
Another hologram combat training area for evicting Nexus residents. I almost died when I saw the adorable kiddie pool! SO CUTE!!
Hologram combat training to destroy trees and then furry race who like them. Hologram bunnies too. lol. So evil.
Off to meet the emperor in person after the training.
Except...he's not here.
My boss. And one I suspect of things best not mentioned. She is cool looking though. Heh
Bay area on the ship.
Launching to go down to Nexus
On Nexus. Look at the weird sky behind the radar dish! The sky is undulating!
A bit of a learning curve (as in all games) but has a lot of bits of comedy and they actually put your character into some of the feature films to try to immerse the players a bit. Definitely interesting.
May 9, 2014
Movie Review - Fading Gigolo
Fading Gigolo
Starring: John Turturro, Woody Allen, Vanessa Paradis, Liev Schreiber, Sharon Stone, Sofia Vergara, Tonya Pinkins, Jade Dixon, and more.
Directed by: John Turturro Written by: John Turturro Cinematography by: Marco Pontecorvo Music by: Abraham Laboriel and Bill Maxwell
Premise: When Murray is forced to close his third generation bookstore and his friend Fioravante can only find enough work to barely get by, a strange conversation at Murray's dermatologist's office gives him an idea of how the two of them might make some extra cash. Murray will look for women to approach and then offer them his friend to give them a good time - for pay. Hesitant at first, Fioravante eventually gives it a try. And that's when the fun begins. (PG-13)
Review:
1) Acting - Total Thumbs Up: John Turturro was a lot of fun as Fioravante. His unassuming nature and rough looks hide a subtle and very talented Renaissance man. Woody Allen is the funny side of the seemingly odd duo, not only talking his way into mischief, but seeking those who truly need the services his friend can provide. Vanessa Paradis did some brilliant work, going from the reclusive widow to the freed, refreshed blossom, yet without losing sight of what she truly wants.
2) Plot/Story - Thumbs Up: "Fading Gigolo" is a story about mingling ways of life and trying to do more than just get by. Set in New York City, it mixes people from all together from different cultures. Half the fun is watching all the subtle touches which show us what makes New York City what it is - a pool of cultures and ideas.
As we watch the experiment unfold, the story leads all those involved to discover who they are or to rediscover something they lost somewhere in their lives. A lot of this growth is very understated, much like Fioravante himself. He seems plain and simple, but there's an amazing amount of depth to him. As lost in his own way as his clients.
A deeper current in the film seemed to be about home - about where we belong. But it also encouraged us to see past that and to not be afraid of experiencing what else is out there.
3) Locations/Cinematography - Total Thumbs Up: The film contains some truly lovely shots of different parts of New York City. The different homes and places fit well. In a pivotal scene, the walkway and the surrounding woods and park couldn't have looked more beautiful or ethereal.
4) Music - Total Thumbs Up: Aside from the very addicting snipped of music which is woven throughout the film, the score is very eclectic. Like many bits of dialogue here and there, the music too is used to show the diversity that is New York City.
Conclusion: "Fading Gigolo" is a quirky, entertaining, and thought provoking film. Watching these two men venture off into such an unusual business for people their age made for some definite fun.
Rating: 3.75 out of 5 (Hubby's Rating: Worth Full Price of Admission)
Starring: John Turturro, Woody Allen, Vanessa Paradis, Liev Schreiber, Sharon Stone, Sofia Vergara, Tonya Pinkins, Jade Dixon, and more.
Directed by: John Turturro Written by: John Turturro Cinematography by: Marco Pontecorvo Music by: Abraham Laboriel and Bill Maxwell
Premise: When Murray is forced to close his third generation bookstore and his friend Fioravante can only find enough work to barely get by, a strange conversation at Murray's dermatologist's office gives him an idea of how the two of them might make some extra cash. Murray will look for women to approach and then offer them his friend to give them a good time - for pay. Hesitant at first, Fioravante eventually gives it a try. And that's when the fun begins. (PG-13)
Review:
1) Acting - Total Thumbs Up: John Turturro was a lot of fun as Fioravante. His unassuming nature and rough looks hide a subtle and very talented Renaissance man. Woody Allen is the funny side of the seemingly odd duo, not only talking his way into mischief, but seeking those who truly need the services his friend can provide. Vanessa Paradis did some brilliant work, going from the reclusive widow to the freed, refreshed blossom, yet without losing sight of what she truly wants.
2) Plot/Story - Thumbs Up: "Fading Gigolo" is a story about mingling ways of life and trying to do more than just get by. Set in New York City, it mixes people from all together from different cultures. Half the fun is watching all the subtle touches which show us what makes New York City what it is - a pool of cultures and ideas.
As we watch the experiment unfold, the story leads all those involved to discover who they are or to rediscover something they lost somewhere in their lives. A lot of this growth is very understated, much like Fioravante himself. He seems plain and simple, but there's an amazing amount of depth to him. As lost in his own way as his clients.
A deeper current in the film seemed to be about home - about where we belong. But it also encouraged us to see past that and to not be afraid of experiencing what else is out there.
3) Locations/Cinematography - Total Thumbs Up: The film contains some truly lovely shots of different parts of New York City. The different homes and places fit well. In a pivotal scene, the walkway and the surrounding woods and park couldn't have looked more beautiful or ethereal.
4) Music - Total Thumbs Up: Aside from the very addicting snipped of music which is woven throughout the film, the score is very eclectic. Like many bits of dialogue here and there, the music too is used to show the diversity that is New York City.
Conclusion: "Fading Gigolo" is a quirky, entertaining, and thought provoking film. Watching these two men venture off into such an unusual business for people their age made for some definite fun.
Rating: 3.75 out of 5 (Hubby's Rating: Worth Full Price of Admission)
May 7, 2014
Picture Kaleidoscope 5/7/14
Morning!
The 11+ hrs at work are killing me! But let's see what I can rustle up this morning.
Pier in the Stars by Michael A Blanchette at Earthshots.org (Cute pun/play on words, no?)
Cape Neddick, Maine by Michael A Blanchette - lots more lovely pics at his site.
The Head and The Heart by Michael Rollino at Earthshots.org Lots more neat stuff at his site.
9 Amazing Body Painting Photographs by
Have an awesome day!
The 11+ hrs at work are killing me! But let's see what I can rustle up this morning.
Pier in the Stars by Michael A Blanchette at Earthshots.org (Cute pun/play on words, no?)
Cape Neddick, Maine by Michael A Blanchette - lots more lovely pics at his site.
The Head and The Heart by Michael Rollino at Earthshots.org Lots more neat stuff at his site.
9 Amazing Body Painting Photographs by
Have an awesome day!
