Unless you have been buried in a bog, marooned up a mountain or otherwise cut off from all forms of mass media for the last month or so, you'll have probably heard about the release of the new James Cameron movie, 'Avatar.'
After Titanic become the all-time top-grossing film with a take of just over $1.8 billion (after Gone With the Wind, Star Wars, The Sound of Music, E.T. The Extra-Terrestrial and the 1956 version of The Ten Commandments), it seemed ridiculous to think that Cameron could top that. But top that he did. Worldwide, "Avatar" topped $230 million in its first weekend.
If you're like me and the last time you went to the cinema they were called 'talkies', you'll probably be wondering what makes this movie any different from the plethora of pre-Christmas releases waving their million-dollar animated fingers for your attention. Let me give you some reasons why you should go see it.
I'll start with the basics. At position Numero Uno - this is a James Cameron movie. On his resume: all the Terminator movies, Titanic, Aliens, The Abyss, Rambo... basically every movie that was ever made that is worth watching that wasn't made by Spielberg.
Number two - this is quite possibly the most expensive movie ever made. Really. This is Mr. Cameron's first fiction feature since 1997s Titanic, so they didn't skimp on cost by creating their own backyard special effects. At last count the animated (CGI) movie cost over 300 million. Or to put that into money that you and I will understand, that's 25,000 year's rent paid if you live in the LA area, or 16,666,666 Egg McMuffins at McDonalds. Don't ask me how or why I worked that one out.
The big question is: was it worth it? Well, check out the trailer and decide for yourselves:
Monday, December 21, 2009
Thursday, December 17, 2009
We wish you a Recession-Friendly Christmas...and a More Financially Stable New Year
If you were brave enough to have ventured out to any local mall this past weekend, you were probably thinking what I was thinking: Recession who? Everywhere I turned, I was hit by, stuck behind, walking uncomfortably close to or trying desperately to fight off hordes upon hordes of Christmas shoppers with that crazed look in their eyes. You know that look. The anxiety-ridden, wild-eyed look of consumerism that continues to plague America's malls not just during the holidays, but on most days (if we're really gonna be honest here).
A quick pitstop at any store quickly turns into a shoulder-grazing, shopping-bag bumping, sideways-stepping mad rush to get in line before the next customer.
Indeed, in a nation where after national tragedy strikes, we are told by our leaders that "it's okay and safe to go shopping now", it's no wonder that even in hard times, consumerism would still be the last value standing. Though it is a rarity to see anything substantial -like say, an entire way of life- change overnight, there are ways to keep the purse strings tight this Christmas. And you thought this was going to be a rant with no remedies.
Take, for example, the act of gifting. Before heading out the door with your wallet and list of who's been naughty or nice, plant your feet firmly inside the doorway and take a good look around. Regifting takes a lot of heat for being an un-kosher way of getting away with not having to purchase a gift, but that's because it often isn't done correctly! Let a pro show you how it's done! On a side note, regifting has also become a way of raising money for charitable causes - puts a different spin on the infamous fruitcake that also takes a lot of flack during the holidays, doesn't it?
Another option is to give your knuckles a good crack or two and stretch your arts and crafts muscles. Go through your mental rolodex of basic arts-and-crafts skills that might come in handy this Christmas. Even if you don't knit, you can at least wield a hot glue gun. And there's nothing wrong with cotton balls and Elmer's glue for some good ol'-fashioned grade school Christmas card sentiment.
After racking your brain, you might decide that a trip to the mall is still necessary. Make it count by following these helpful tips on how to be a bit more frugal this holiday season.
Some last minute tips: But be sure to lace up those sneakers because tottering on heels or limping around in tight, uncomfortable shoes at a crowded mall will only heighten your irritation with the millions of other Americans who are trying to snag the same deals you are. And give the employees a break: they're getting paid close to minimum wage to help you pick out a gift for someone -the least you can do is keep the ranting and complaining to yourself (or within the confines of a blog).
Monday, December 14, 2009
TVLesson's First Internship Graduates with Flying Colors
TVLesson is proud to announce the graduation of its Fall 2009 Media Internship.
The Internships, which generally last from 1-3 months, provide a way for local filmmakers and film students from nearby schools and universities to interact with TVLesson and gain valuable work experience as a Filmmaker, whilst learning things like Cinematography, Lighting, Sound Design, Directing and video Editing.
Says recent graduate Matt, 'My TVLesson Internship gave me the confidence to try out new ideas and technologies and collaborate with a fantastic group of people who I never would've met otherwise. Our first Intern film was a finalist in the South Bay Film Festival, which I feel was a big achievement and looks great on my resume. Thank you, TVLesson!'
For all you budding writers out there, here's what our interns have to say about the process of writing a short film:
TVLesson is currently accepting applications for our Spring 2010 Internship program, which kicks off in the first week of January. Local Orange-County-based applicants can apply by emailling us at: info (at) TVLesson (dot) com for more details.
Congratulations to our Fall 2009 Graduate Interns!
The Internships, which generally last from 1-3 months, provide a way for local filmmakers and film students from nearby schools and universities to interact with TVLesson and gain valuable work experience as a Filmmaker, whilst learning things like Cinematography, Lighting, Sound Design, Directing and video Editing.
Says recent graduate Matt, 'My TVLesson Internship gave me the confidence to try out new ideas and technologies and collaborate with a fantastic group of people who I never would've met otherwise. Our first Intern film was a finalist in the South Bay Film Festival, which I feel was a big achievement and looks great on my resume. Thank you, TVLesson!'
For all you budding writers out there, here's what our interns have to say about the process of writing a short film:
TVLesson is currently accepting applications for our Spring 2010 Internship program, which kicks off in the first week of January. Local Orange-County-based applicants can apply by emailling us at: info (at) TVLesson (dot) com for more details.
Congratulations to our Fall 2009 Graduate Interns!
Monday, December 7, 2009
Want to take a joyride in space? All Aboard with Virgin Galactic!
It seems the stuff that dreams are made out of, but within the next ten years, commercial airlines could be offering almost-affordable luxury cruises in space.
Formerly only available to mega-millionaires who forked out six figures to ride on Russian Rockets on a trip to the orbiting space station, commercial spaceflight crossed the event horizon into the realms of possibility today, with today's unveiling of a new type of crossover air-space craft which will make trips into the stratosphere to view the curvature of earth a possibility to commercial passengers.
The craft, appropriately named SpaceShipTwo, looks eerily similar to a Star Trek fanatic's childhood wall posters. Fixed between a 'mothership' of two powerful spacecraft joined together, the sleek, double-fronted beast will carry SS2 to launch altitudes before dropping away to let the spaceship carry on solo into space.
British billionaire Richard Branson and his family will be the first people to 'take her up,' and it is expected that Virgin Galactic - yes, that's its real name - will be offering Space Flights within the decade.
In case you still don't believe it: here's the booking form.
Check out Virgin Galactic's jaw-dropping promo video, and see how you can fly into space - without remortgaging your house.
Formerly only available to mega-millionaires who forked out six figures to ride on Russian Rockets on a trip to the orbiting space station, commercial spaceflight crossed the event horizon into the realms of possibility today, with today's unveiling of a new type of crossover air-space craft which will make trips into the stratosphere to view the curvature of earth a possibility to commercial passengers.
The craft, appropriately named SpaceShipTwo, looks eerily similar to a Star Trek fanatic's childhood wall posters. Fixed between a 'mothership' of two powerful spacecraft joined together, the sleek, double-fronted beast will carry SS2 to launch altitudes before dropping away to let the spaceship carry on solo into space.
British billionaire Richard Branson and his family will be the first people to 'take her up,' and it is expected that Virgin Galactic - yes, that's its real name - will be offering Space Flights within the decade.
In case you still don't believe it: here's the booking form.
Check out Virgin Galactic's jaw-dropping promo video, and see how you can fly into space - without remortgaging your house.
Wednesday, December 2, 2009
An American Dream in Britain - Susan Boyle makes chart history with Debut Album
It's like watching the American Dream play out in Britain right now. Unemployed churchgoer Susan Boyle, a complete unknown (even in her own village) a year ago is now one of the biggest surprise stars of 2009. After wowing cynical judges on 'Britain's Got Talent' in summer '09 with her accomplished, operatic performance of 'I Dreamed A Dream', she shot to instant superstardom. Today, her debut album 'I Dreamed a Dream' sold over 700,000 copies, entering the Billboard charts at an astonishing #1.
The singing sensation has drawn frequent criticism over her frumpy looks - the bushy eyebrows, her reluctance to wear makeup or fashionable clothing, even at the height of fame, and in particular her untamable mane of gorse-like gray hair which has inspired many a caricature in daily papers. But there's a lingering feeling that we like her like that. When she plucked her eyebrows two weeks after demolishing opposition in 'Britain's Got Talent', it made front-page news. People were up in arms about it, and for good reason.
Why? Because Ms Boyle represents The Dream to all of us. She is a Nobody who has become a Somebody, whist reminding us that everybody, no matter how unknown, IS a Somebody. Her down-to-earth ways and awestruck attitude to fame shame those record company executives who spend millions of dollars 'creating' stars by hiring groups of pretty 16-year old's who can't sing, grooming and training and advertising them, then acting all surprised when they disappear without trace 12 months later.
If the music business is a monster, it seemed certain that it would eat Susan Boyle alive. Surprise surprise, she not only fought back, but chased the monster into a corner and beat it to death with a bagful of her own eyebrow clippings. Susan Boyle is here to stay, and you need only watch this video of her last performance on 'Britain's Got Talent' to see that.
Good luck Susan. I'll be buying your album.
The singing sensation has drawn frequent criticism over her frumpy looks - the bushy eyebrows, her reluctance to wear makeup or fashionable clothing, even at the height of fame, and in particular her untamable mane of gorse-like gray hair which has inspired many a caricature in daily papers. But there's a lingering feeling that we like her like that. When she plucked her eyebrows two weeks after demolishing opposition in 'Britain's Got Talent', it made front-page news. People were up in arms about it, and for good reason.
Why? Because Ms Boyle represents The Dream to all of us. She is a Nobody who has become a Somebody, whist reminding us that everybody, no matter how unknown, IS a Somebody. Her down-to-earth ways and awestruck attitude to fame shame those record company executives who spend millions of dollars 'creating' stars by hiring groups of pretty 16-year old's who can't sing, grooming and training and advertising them, then acting all surprised when they disappear without trace 12 months later.
If the music business is a monster, it seemed certain that it would eat Susan Boyle alive. Surprise surprise, she not only fought back, but chased the monster into a corner and beat it to death with a bagful of her own eyebrow clippings. Susan Boyle is here to stay, and you need only watch this video of her last performance on 'Britain's Got Talent' to see that.
Good luck Susan. I'll be buying your album.
Wednesday, October 28, 2009
The New Twilight Movie - What's all the Hype About?
With Halloween coming up this weekend, there's nothing better to put you in the mood for a night of spooky fun than a good old-fashioned monster movie. This weekend's offering includes Saw VI, The Vampire's Assistant, and the spooky-without-meaning-to-be musical movie 'Michael Jackson: This Is It.'
The main choice for most people under the age of 25 will be, of course, Stephanie Meyer's latest movie, 'New Moon,' a werewolf/ vampire love story that is predicted to hit #1 at the box office the weekend of its release.
Whether of not you're a fan of Stephanie Meyer, you can't deny that her Twilight series has captured the imagination of teens and adults alike. It seems like the classic rags to riches tale: after being initially rejected by 14 agents, the first book in her teen-oriented vampire romance series became the biggest-selling book of 2008, selling around 17 million copies around the world.
Since then, three other books have followed in quick succession: New Moon, Eclipse, and Breaking Dawn. As a series, the books have been praised by fans and casual readers alike for their readability, whilst drawing fierce criticism from some (including Stephan King) for their simple 'childlike' writing and for reinforcing old fashioned stereotypes of women.
It's not hard to see why - in book after book the heroine Bella Swan is constantly rescued by the hero, the vampire Edward Cullen, whilst following him around like a love-sick puppy and ignoring or even spurning the advances of other human boys her age.
Critics say the heroine provides an unhealthy role model for young women, whilst fans rave about the interplay between the vividly-drawn characters and the themes of forbidden love and realistically-portrayed teenage angst.
Whether you love or hate the series, the second movie in the series New Moon will be released next week, and introduces a new romantic rival for Edward - the young werewolf Jacob Black. Is Ms Meyer a genuine new talent in her own right, or simply yet another writer cashing in on the massive surge in popularity of vampires following the sadly-demised 'Buffy The Vampire Slayer' super-series? Joss Whedon she ain't, but the girl sure knows how to spin a good yarn.
Check out the trailer for the upcoming New Moon movie and decide for yourself:
If you're a big werewolf or vampire fan, check out these great costume ideas for this Halloween:
How to do vampire makeup:
Do you love werewolves? Check out this awesome werewolf costume for inspiration:
The main choice for most people under the age of 25 will be, of course, Stephanie Meyer's latest movie, 'New Moon,' a werewolf/ vampire love story that is predicted to hit #1 at the box office the weekend of its release.
Whether of not you're a fan of Stephanie Meyer, you can't deny that her Twilight series has captured the imagination of teens and adults alike. It seems like the classic rags to riches tale: after being initially rejected by 14 agents, the first book in her teen-oriented vampire romance series became the biggest-selling book of 2008, selling around 17 million copies around the world.
Since then, three other books have followed in quick succession: New Moon, Eclipse, and Breaking Dawn. As a series, the books have been praised by fans and casual readers alike for their readability, whilst drawing fierce criticism from some (including Stephan King) for their simple 'childlike' writing and for reinforcing old fashioned stereotypes of women.
It's not hard to see why - in book after book the heroine Bella Swan is constantly rescued by the hero, the vampire Edward Cullen, whilst following him around like a love-sick puppy and ignoring or even spurning the advances of other human boys her age.
Critics say the heroine provides an unhealthy role model for young women, whilst fans rave about the interplay between the vividly-drawn characters and the themes of forbidden love and realistically-portrayed teenage angst.
Whether you love or hate the series, the second movie in the series New Moon will be released next week, and introduces a new romantic rival for Edward - the young werewolf Jacob Black. Is Ms Meyer a genuine new talent in her own right, or simply yet another writer cashing in on the massive surge in popularity of vampires following the sadly-demised 'Buffy The Vampire Slayer' super-series? Joss Whedon she ain't, but the girl sure knows how to spin a good yarn.
Check out the trailer for the upcoming New Moon movie and decide for yourself:
If you're a big werewolf or vampire fan, check out these great costume ideas for this Halloween:
How to do vampire makeup:
Do you love werewolves? Check out this awesome werewolf costume for inspiration:
Monday, October 26, 2009
How to Cure Halloween Procrastination...
So, Halloween is on Saturday night, and you're SO prepared for Halloween this year it's not even funny. You've got your costume sorted out, your house is blazing with lights and exotic spider-webs and plastic neon witches climbing up the guttering, and you have sackloads of candy for the local children and a bunch of scary movies by the DVD player.... in your dreams.
Okay, so in reality, you're kind of sort of thinking about maybe swinging by the costume store on Thursday night to see if they have anything cheap-ish left on sale, followed by a last-minute run to Target on Friday after work to pick up whatever cheap candy the Great Unwashed Masses have left (hopefully) untouched and (mainly) unchewed in the bargain bin. Take heart. You're not alone.
If you're like me and you can happily turn Halloween procrastination into an art form, here's a couple of tips to inspire you.
First-up, for a cheap costume, raid your girlfriends/ mothers/ sisters cosmetics drawers and check out the amazing creature make-up in this vid by Hollywood Mac experts:
Do you like zombies? Would you like to create some realisticly gory Zombie special effects make-up? Is there such a thing as having too many zombies? Find out in this fun video by the fabulously green Indy Moguls, How To Do ZOMBIE Special Effects Makeup.
And finally, if you want to get your own back at those annoying little sticky kids that turn up at your door and cover your hedge in toilet paper, check out this article and find out How To Scare Trick or Treaters.
Happy Halloween! :-)
Okay, so in reality, you're kind of sort of thinking about maybe swinging by the costume store on Thursday night to see if they have anything cheap-ish left on sale, followed by a last-minute run to Target on Friday after work to pick up whatever cheap candy the Great Unwashed Masses have left (hopefully) untouched and (mainly) unchewed in the bargain bin. Take heart. You're not alone.
If you're like me and you can happily turn Halloween procrastination into an art form, here's a couple of tips to inspire you.
First-up, for a cheap costume, raid your girlfriends/ mothers/ sisters cosmetics drawers and check out the amazing creature make-up in this vid by Hollywood Mac experts:
Do you like zombies? Would you like to create some realisticly gory Zombie special effects make-up? Is there such a thing as having too many zombies? Find out in this fun video by the fabulously green Indy Moguls, How To Do ZOMBIE Special Effects Makeup.
And finally, if you want to get your own back at those annoying little sticky kids that turn up at your door and cover your hedge in toilet paper, check out this article and find out How To Scare Trick or Treaters.
Happy Halloween! :-)
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