anetherealtwist

 Oh lord, ConnectiCon is tomorrow!  Very excited.

Costumes: Artbook version of Sakura (Tsubasa),  BT from .hack//sign, maybe Crane&Viper from Kung Fu Panda, with a side chance of Fire Nation Suki (it's gonna be hot!).  Bonus stuff at the raves.

Back next week.

Sorry I haven't posted much.

-xTwisTx

 Oh gosh, Otakon is a week away. I leave Wednesday. Ahhh!

Gotta make a costume or two more.

Hmmm.

-xTwisTx

 Okay okay it's about time that I write my final review of Up.  But first, a review of Titan A.E. cause I just watched it.

I had heard that Titan AE was very similar to Treasure Planet, and yes, it is.  It's like Treasure Planet, Atlantis: the Lost Empire, and a little bit of Star Wars, and strangely enough, reminded me of the new Star Trek movie.  Let's start out with the bad.  The plot was not entirely cohesive enough for me, but I was trying to watch it with my family, who aren't as interested in the animation.  Thus we talk to more etc while watching.  That may have affected it. 

The plot was centered around Reluctant Hero(TM) Cale, and his abandonment issues from his father leaving.  Treasure Planet similarity #1.  Most of the 'twists' result from inevitable betrayals (Atlantis).  It takes place in the future, so lots of spaceships and laser fighting.  Drew Barrymore did a lackluster voice acting job as the main lead female, but she and the other main female were ass-kicking femmes.  A new father figure rolls around to steal Cale away for a journey of danger and excitement apparently.  Actually he says pretty much exactly that, cause clearly we like to be blunt here.  

I found myself staring at things like Cale's tattoo and map, which float a little, meaning they don't always follow the animation correctly.  That was distracting at times...  The spaceship designs were kind of boring.  Character design of some alien species was very strange.. One character has 4 sectioned legs, and they were giant, which looked pretty awkward.  Akima's design was a little too Saturday morning cartoon/Teen Titans for me.  3D animation wasn't as well integrated as some, but I suppose that is to be expected.  That's all I can think of right now, so let's get on to the good!

Background work was really nice, and made for interesting compositions.  Certain frams where they lingered in outer space were gorgeous.  The climax fight scene takes place in a really cool ice environment, with reflections, shattering and more.  Animation was good, as is generally expected from Don Bluth/Gary films.  I liked the character designs of the two guys, but I'm partial because Cale looks like Jim from Treasure Planet.  

As far as Sci Fi futuristic stuff goes, it was fairly conservative in imagining the progress of technology 1000 years in the future.  There was a fair amount of blood for a kids' animated movie.  For a non-Disney, 2D animated movie, it sure boasts a handful of big name actors, including Matt Damon, Nathan Lane, Drew Barrymore, and John Leguizamo.  

Oh man.  I am being distracted by 'Mean Girls,' which is HILARIOUS.

Maybe my Up review will have to wait!

-xTwisTx

I need you to donate! So does everyone with cancer!

Relay for Life

http://main.acsevents.org/goto/kristenhalloran

Any amount is appreciated! Just click the 'Donate' link!

-xTwisTx

Your results:
You are Jean-Luc Picard

Jean-Luc Picard 80% Deanna Troi 80% An Expendable Character (Redshirt) 75% Geordi LaForge 70% Mr. Sulu 60% Worf 60% Data 59% Mr. Scott 55% Uhura 55% Will Riker 55% Spock 50% James T. Kirk (Captain) 45% Leonard McCoy (Bones) 45% Chekov 45% Beverly Crusher 45%

A lover of Shakespeare and other fine literature. You have a decisive mind and a firm hand in dealing with others.

Click here to take the Star Trek Personality Test

Hey guys -

I'll be participating in Relay for Life this year, and as always, we're looking for donations!

I know it's a tough year, but if you can spare a few dollars, please check out my site and click 'Donate.'  We really appreciate it! =] 

http://main.acsevents.org/goto/kristenhalloran

All money will go straight to the American Cancer Society and cancer research.

Thank you!

-xTwisTx

Hey, all.

Just wanted to let you know that I set up a Facebook page for my photography if you're interested in seeing/keeping up with it.

Check it out - http://www.facebook.com/home.php#/pages/An-Ethereal-Twist-Photography/91146625604?ref=ts

And tell your friends! =P

-xTwisTx

Hey so guess what sucked?

Last night's episode of Family Guy.

Did you happen to catch it?

I thought it was going to be epic, because it was Star Trek-centric!  Boy was I wrong.  They decided to spend the other half of the episode shitting on religion.  It's all well and good to make an argument, defend it, argue it, etc. etc., but it's different to take time from a generally comedic show to just say that basically religion in all forms is bad.  They mention organized religion vs. believing in god, which was an interesting point to make (and define about the characters), but then proceeded to not say anything else about that.  And they stereotyped all religious (more specifically Catholics?) as atheist haters that commit hate crimes and ostracize them.  I by nature disagree with that. Yes, being ignorant and not tolerant is a bad thing.  So why destroy the power of your argument by doing the same thing to the religious groups?

I don't think it was mature, necessary, or appropriate.  And it really took away my excitement of Patrick Stewart and the rest of the cast doing voiceovers.  That part was cool, but I still don't watch Family Guy to be lectured about religion or listen to widely generalized stereotypes or beliefs.

I don't really want to get into any heated arguments about this stuff, but I think it'd be interesting to compare to other portrayals of religious / atheistic people in media.

-xTwisTx

I'm still looking for someone that wants a ticket to the Dropkick Murphys show tonight. 6pm, House of Blues - Boston, maybe $20?

-xTwisTx

I did this for my sculpture class.  Thought maybe you guys would like to see it?

It's made out of around 200 sheets of cardboard squares glued together.  It supported my weight for 5 or so seconds, before snapping as I tried to jump off.  Haha.  This assignment was tough, and took forever.  Well, actually more like two days.  I'm not totally happy with it, but I had to get it to fit the guidelines and everything.  It's 24 inches tall.

( Click here for pictures! )

-xTwisTx

http://www.celebtv.com/sneak-peek-3

There seems to be a new 'sneak peek' floating about (HAHA PUNNED) and it seems like they've changed some stuff already. It also seems that they watched us at NYCC to figure out what the funniest parts were, and threw them into the preview.  I remember those parts as being the funniest.  The curious thing about this preview, is that it includes the BIRD and the DOGS.  With just about as much introduction as the movie haha.  

My question to you is:  does this preview make you want to see the movie?  And my other main question: Do the bird and the talking dogs create a WTF moment for you?

I realize that I'm totally biased because I've seen the first 50 minutes, and I look for more than just fun in an animated movie, even though it's for kids.  I don't know.  I am frustrated with this.. I don't know what to think.  And I feel like everyone will just be like 'Oh well it was a cute movie, and funny, but is that enough?  I am still frustrated with the lack of plot, although they revealed another (MALE LOL) character into it, who I have no idea who it is, but my guess would be it could be his childhood role model?  So there's hope for more plot, I suppose, but I'm still not convinced that half a movie can contain the entire plot. =P  

Tell me what you think, either way.  I just chatted with my roomie about it and she thinks it looks funny and cute, and that's just what it'll be.  She says she wants to go see it, from that preview.  Didn't seem to have a WTF moment at the bird/dogs.  Maybe it is less so when you don't sit through the first half hour of realism (as opposed to the fantasy quality of other Pixar movies). 

-xTwisTx

http://vastpublicindifference.blogspot.com/2008/06/pixars-gender-problem.html

This post summarizes a good part of my views of Pixar right now, at least about gender in their movies.  It even touches about the consistent presence of a role of the "moral compass"/tagalong/unwanted companion.  I'm thinking Dory (Finding Nemo), Tow Mater (Cars), Remy at first (Ratatouille), the scout kid (Up!), Buzz (Toy Story), Flik (Bug's Life), 'Incrediboy' (The Incredibles), etc.  It hits the rehashes of the father/son relationship/need for acceptance (Bug's Life, Up!, Finding Nemo, The Incredibles, etc.)  "When good female characters are part of the story (Elastigirl/Helen Parr, Jessie), they still focus on the male character's plotline and development." 

The stem of my frustration is most likely rooted in my viewing of the first 50 minutes of Up.  I have mentioned it, along with my review, here before.  I recently went to see Coraline, and there was a preview for Up in full 3D.  Granted, it was cool, especially one clip where the house is floating and the audience gets a view from below it that is enhanced with the 3D tech.  However, I find myself wondering if this new concentration on 3D is causing animation studios to lose sight of what they are creating.  It seems like they are looking for the 'wow' factor in 3D movies, seen in older times as the 'gags' of making something appear as if it was going to hit you, etc.  Now that the technology is much more developed, the quality and content of the stories should be, too.  Coraline did a good job of incorporating the 3D to make you feel as if you were in the room along with the characters.  However, there was still a moment towards the beginning where a needle pokes its way
out at you.  However, this isn't a review of Coraline, and so I will move on.

Up involved hardly any plot, which is important for the first 50 minutes of a movie.  Regarding the gender issue, I can see where it would be seen as 'inappropriate' for a little Girl Scout to be stuck in a flying house with an old man.  Maybe Pixar considered this anyway.  Maybe not.  Either way, maybe they should have changed the script, added some plot, and maybe some female characters (that don't die in the first ten minutes! (also seen in Finding Nemo)).  Even when new characters are introduced in Up, they are an androgynous bird, and a pack of all male dogs.  Now, more characters could still be introduced in the latter half of the movie, but I really doubt that that is enough time for adequate character development, or even enough time for an audience to connect with her.  However, I think this movie is going to have larger problems than just the Pixar-generated gender issues. 

Now, I am not saying that gender issues haven't been an issue in any other animation company.  The article I posted above also mentions Disney's penchant for creating stereotypes in their 'princesses' who want to rise about their parents' wishes and expectations.  Yes, the gendering of the princesses (and even the princes!) has been discusses far more often than those of Pixar's.  It's important to see these issues in the industry.

I would love to look into the Pixar movies further if I had the time.  I do occasionally see these relationships between their movies.  The re-occurring factors and plot lines sometimes make me wonder about where they are headed in the future.  I'm not saying that I don't enjoy the movies, because I do.  And I admire the growth that they have caused in the industry of 3D animation.  The standards they have set for artistic endeavors in 3D animated movies are high, as they should be. 

Anyway.  More thoughts later, possibly regarding how people gloss over any possible flaws made by Pixar... People refusing to see anything BUT Pixar... The downfall of 2D animation regarding Disney's monopoly and the possibility of this vs. Pixar's...  The Best Animation Feature Award for Wall-e and how I disagree...  Kung Fu Panda's winning streak with Annie Awards... Bias of the bigger awards shows...

-xTwisTx

Ughhh someone should give me $500 so I can go to Siggraph.

-xTwisTx

Anyone have spare tickets for NYCC? I have two friends looking for Saturday passes! Let me know if you know of any!

-xTwisTx

Here's some art stuff!
( Moar Art - Drawing + Sculpture )
-xTwisTx

Animal Crossing City Folk Friend Code:  4124 - 8919 - 0055

Add me and send me yours so I can grow some different fruit trees!

I only have wifi at home, so you'd better act fast. =P

-xTwisTx

VOTE!

Oh by the way, the majority of my LJ is friends only, so add to be added! If I think you're worth it. =P Which you probably are!


BONUS!
Just because I never want to lose this EVAR. Hahahah.


(7:05:19 PM) Wonder Toph / Mariah: kinda like you are never to old for Disney movies, though some may disagree
(7:05:25 PM) anetherealtwist: haha it depends
(7:05:37 PM) anetherealtwist: my favorite disney movie is one they denounced as an epic fail
(7:05:47 PM) Wonder Toph / Mariah: oooh which one?
(7:05:54 PM) anetherealtwist: Treasure Planet
(7:05:55 PM) Wonder Toph / Mariah: Please say Treasure Planet
(7:05:58 PM) anetherealtwist: OMFG
(7:05:59 PM) Wonder Toph / Mariah: OH GOD

-xTwisTx

Go check out my post about NYCC's Avatar-related stuffs. =] Cosplay pictures, autograph pictures, and more!

-xTwisTx