“Her”, “Gravity” and “The Great Gatsby” win Art Directors Guild Awards

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Last night the Art Director’s Guild saluted their own, and though the results aren’t shocking – each of the winners are gorgeous examples of design done right – who doesn’t love congratulating winners? The race for Oscar in this category should be a fierce one, as all three films (along with American Hustle and 12 Years A Slave) are nominated for Best Production Design. Get your picks in order, this year’s pool should be tricky….

Read more about these awards, including the winners of the television categories (huzzah Game of Thrones!) and Martin Scorsese’s Cinematic Imagery Award, after the jump. And congratulations to the winners!

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Elsewhere Review: The Monuments Men

As always, clicky on the hyperlink for the original piece!

Movie Review: The Monuments Men

February 7, 2014 by  Leave a Comment (Edit)

Longing for the fun, fascinating WWII films of the 1950s and 60s?  Think that they’ll never make stuff like The Great Escape, Kelly’s Heroes, Bridge on the River Kwai or The Dirty Dozen — movies that are a beautiful blend of comedy and tragedy, that paint the Great War in realistic but cineplex palatable hues — ever again?

Well, look no further than The Monuments Men.  George Clooney takes the true story of  the real-life soldiers tasked with recovering some of the most important art works of the world from the Nazis as WWII was beginning to wind down, and makes it feel as gripping and heart-tugging as I’m sure the real story truly was.  Based on the book The Monuments Men: Allied Heroes, Nazi Thieves and the Greatest Treasure Hunt in History by Robert M. Edsel, this film manages to entertain, educate and fit right in with those “madcap WWII caper” films we’ve come to know and love.

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Bite Valentine’s Day back with Chastity Bites

Chastity Bites. (PRNewsFoto/Grand Entertainment Group)

Chastity Bites. (PRNewsFoto/Grand Entertainment Group)

Are you one of those folks that hates Valentine’s Day?  Well, you’re not alone.  Hey, dont’ look at me; as far as I’m concerned it’s Half-Price Candy Day Eve, so all’s well with the world.  But if you’re trying to strike the right kind of Bite Me chord this coming VD, a film that crossed my inbox may do the trick.  They had me at  “[r]eminiscent of Roger Corman’s Slumber Party Massacre“, y’all.

Chastity Bites sounds like a good time, and I love the “Countess Bathory as High-school Abstinence Educator” spin.  Sounds like this film is definitely winking to the audience.  Do I sense a drinking game, y’all?  I’ll get right on that.

And who knew it was Women In Horror Month?  Honestly, I don’t know what I do with my time.  (Okay, I do; I waste it.  Beautifully.)  But now that I know, I plan on celebrating it to the fullest.  Bring forth Night of the Comet and Return of the Living Dead — WIHM demands a Scream Queen retrospective!

Read on for the full Chastity Bites press release, including a great synopsis.  Hey, if you can’t bite the one you love, bite the one you’re with.  Amirtite people?

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Guests, guests, guests for 2014 Baltimore Comic-Con!

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I’m psyched that BCC is 3 days this year, and even more stoked for the current lineup.  And I’m betting more will be coming….

Will this be the year that I stop stammering and actually say hello to Frank Cho?  Or perhaps go so far as to shake hands with Garth Ennis?  Who knows?  But one thing’s for sure; I’ll be a fannish embarassment with all the drooling and such.

Read on for the full 411!

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New pics from the Endless Love reboot!

Looks like 1981’s Endless Love is getting a 21st Century makeover: Endless Love (2014) is coming soon, and it stars Magic Mike‘s Alex Pettyfer and Gabriella Wilde (from 2013’s Carrie).  Lots of new, shiny eye candy for all!

Here’s the synopsis, for folks who haven’t seen/can’t remember the original (or the book these films are based on):

Alex Pettyfer (Magic Mike) and Gabriella Wilde (The Three Musketeers) star in Universal Pictures’ ENDLESS LOVE, the story of a privileged girl and a charismatic boy whose instant desire sparks a love affair made only more reckless by parents trying to keep them apart.  Directed by Shana Feste (Country Strong), the romantic drama co-stars Robert Patrick, Bruce Greenwood, Rhys Wakefield, Dayo Okeniyi, Emma Rigby and Joely Richardson.  Scott Stuber and Pamela Abdy (Identity Thief) of Bluegrass Films are joined by Josh Schwartz and Stephanie Savage (Gossip Girl) of Fake Empire to produce the film from writers Josh Safran (Gossip Girl), Feste and Schwartz.  Inspired by the 1979 novel and 1981 film of the same name, ENDLESS LOVE will be released on Valentine’s Day, 2014.

Yeah, like you had any doubt this teen chick flick would open on any other day.

Behold, stills from the film.  Enjoy!

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2013 Ghastly Award winners announced!

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Time for the big reveal folks; this year’s Ghastly Awards have been a real roller-coaster ride for the judges and fans [NOTE: I serve as a part of the Ghastlies.  But I loved ’em long before that.]  But the votes have been tabulated, and the winners have been determined, much rejoicing, etc.!

Gotta say I’m giving tons of love to the fans out there; Afterlife With Archie is a heckuva great read, and I’m glad it won for Best New Series.  Joe Hille, Francesco Francavilla, Clem Robins, Terry Moore…all damn fine comic pros, and I’m psyched about their wins as well.  Especially since 2013 was such a banner year for horror comics, with many great artists, writers and inkers.

Ditto for the world of online comics; I’ve never been shy about my love of Crossed: Wish You Were Here, but I’m glad to see The Last Halloween get the award this year.  Because who doesn’t love to stumble upon something new and awesome to add to the usual round of weekly reads?  “I don’t like new stuff” said nobody, ever.  Or at least nobody I’d like to know.

Read on for the full list o’ winners.  And CONGRATULATIONS to all!

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Elsewhere Review: Labor Day

A little something from Geek for e; as always, clicky on the hyperlinked title for the original piece!

Movie Review: Labor Day

“And I know it’s true that visions are seldom all they seem….”

Yeah, that’s from Sleeping Beauty (and the upcoming Maleficent).  But that line of lyrics suits this film perfectly too.  Because Labor Day’s outer crust of “man on the lam forcing a woman and her tween-age son to shelter him” hides a softer, sweeter filling.  If Labor Day was a pie, it’d be a perfect combination of sweet and savory, not too gooey; a pie tasty enough to have me thinking of seconds.

Why the pie metaphor?  Easy.  Because Labor Day also has the sexiest damn pie in the history of pie.  Yes I know you exist, American Pie.  But you get the silver here.  Labor Day is based on the novel by Joyce Maynard, and if you doubt the hotness of this pivotal scene?  Check out the way it plays out in Maynard’s novel.  Understand me now?  Yeah, thought you would.

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First “Fifty Shades of Grey” poster: brilliant.

I have to admit that I’m probably one of the only women in America that hasn’t read Fifty Shades of Grey. I followed the recaps over at Persephone Magazine for the laughs and snark. Never took the books seriously. Besides, I’d read other chicklit authors and their “Inner Goddess” musings before. If I wanted S&M, I’d get it from sources better versed, thankyouverymuch.

When the inevitable film version got going, I was intrigued by the whole “who will play whom” thing, as I’m a fan of Jamie Dorner from Once Upon a Time (though you’ve gotta watch his eerie turn as a serial killer in The Fall as soon as you can, if you haven’t already). And who couldn’t be pleased by little Dakota Johnson, looking like a Millennial version of momma Melanie Griffith? Y’know, before all the tucking and stretching happened. Still, no big interest in the actual film beyond waiting for the inevitable drinking game.

Then I got a peek at the teaser poster. Over a year before the film hits theaters, and here we go; the star making machinery indeed.

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Um, well okay.

Something about the minimal shot, wide view with the notorious S&M hottie back to the camera? Pwhoar.

Consider me officially interested.

Anyone else?

Like the poster says, Fifty Shades of Grey opens February 14th, 2015.

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Johnny Depp to Receive The First Distinguished Artisan Award at the Make-Up Artists and Hair Stylists Guild Awards

Johnny Depp.  The man who made guyliner hot.  (All apologies to Keith Richards and Robert Smith.)  Seems only fitting that he get a shout-out at the Annual Make-Up Artists and Hair Stylists Guild Awards.  So guess what?  He is.  Because from Edward Scissorhands to Captain Jack Sparrow, Depp has rocked some serious style.  Yes, even when he played Hunter S. Thompson.

He’s receiving the Distinguished Artisan Award, thanks to his use of make-up and hairstyling to really flesh out his characters.  Which I think is awesome.  I had no idea these awards had been “on hiatus” for the last ten years, but as an FX geek I’m glad to see ’em back.

With makeup maestro Dick Smith and hairstyling goddess Gail Ryan receiving a Lifetime Achievement Awards this year?  Oh man I wish I could be there.

Wanna know what the Guild has to say about this award and this year’s receipient?  Gotcha covered.  More after the jump!

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UPDATE: Society of Camera Operators Awards moved to 3/8

FYI…. Damn you, highway stuff!

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CHANGE OF EVENT DATE
Society of Camera Operators (SOC) Awards Event Date Moved toMarch 8 Due to 405 Freeway Scheduled Closures

Awards Celebration to Take Place at Skirball Cultural Center

LOS ANGELES, Jan. 23, 2014 – The Society of Camera Operators (SOC) has moved the date of its Annual Society of Camera Operators Lifetime Achievement Awards from February 15 to MARCH 8, 2014 as announced today by SOC Vice President and Awards Executive Producer David Frederick. The date change was necessitated because the event will take place at the Skirball Cultural Center just off the 405 Freeway, in the area scheduled for road and ramp closures that weekend which are expected to cause major traffic jams (otherwise known as Jamzilla).

The SOC donates all proceeds from the Awards Event to the Vision Center at Children’s Hospital Los Angeles to help children overcome their vision deficits.

As previously announced, this year’s Lifetime Achievement Award recipients are Chris Haarhoff, SOC/Camera Operator (Saving Private Ryan, Fight Club, Almost Famous); William Coe/Camera Technician (The Avengers, J. Edgar, Jersey Boys); Barry Wetcher, SMPSP/Still Photographer (Goodfellas, Quiz Show, Sherlock Holmes) and Jack Carpenter, SOC/Mobile Camera Platform Operator (Mr. and Mrs. Smith, Crash, The Matrix). The Distinguished Service Award recipient is Stan McClain, SOC (National Security, Almost Famous, Any Given Sunday). The President’s Award Recipient is Leonard Chapman, who has developed and improved equipment for moving cameras.

The Society of Camera Operator’s Lifetime Achievement Award, the ‘CAMMY,’ honors the career of an outstanding camera crewmember. The Technical Achievement Award is presented to a member in the corporate community for his or her contributions to the advancement of equipment and techniques vital to the work of Camera Operators. The President’s Lifetime Achievement Award is presented to an industry stalwart for his or her support for camera operators.

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About the Society of Camera Operators:
The Society of Camera Operators, founded in 1979, is an organization dedicated to the advancement of the art and creative contributions of the Camera Operator in the Motion Picture and Television industry. Their goal is to nurture excellence in the field of camera operation and allied camera crafts, encouraging development of both technology and production methods to enhance their work. Society members are kept at the forefront of the industry’s ever-advancing technology through their continuing workshops and corporate-sponsored equipment showcases. The SOC publishes the Camera Operator magazine. The Society donates the proceeds of their Annual Lifetime Achievements Awards Event to the Vision Center at Children’s Hospital Los Angeles. Membership includes Camera Operators, Directors of Photography, Camera Assistants and Still Photographers. The official website can be found at www.soc.org.

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