As you may have realised I'm still stuck in blogging limbo whilst I look after my mother (another two weeks to go) however travel writer Jamie Baywood has graciously offered to write a guest post for you all!
Jamie is a Californian now living in wedded bliss in Scotland. Getting Rooted in New Zealand is her account of the start of her journey to find happiness: fleeing California and her ex-boyfriend for New Zealand, a country with 100,000 fewer men than women...but things never go as planned and it is going to take new weird world filled with curious characters and slapstick situations in unbelievably bizarre jobs before she even gets close to finding what she is looking for.
Jamie has put together a soundtrack for her journey through New Zealand so that you can feel like you are living the adventure with her:
Here are some of Jamie's reasons for choosing the tracks she did:
These songs I listened to a lot in California before New Zealand:
BiitterSweet – The Mating Game
Goldfrapp – Ooh La La
I listened to these songs a lot when I was about twenty-five and single in California. I was young and getting chased by a lot of guys – most I was completely uninterested in.
These songs I listened to while I was in New Zealand:
Santigold – L.E.S. Artistes
There are some lines in this song that really apply to how I felt when I first arrived in New Zealand:
What I’m searching for I can say I hope it will be worth what I give up
What am I here for
I left my home to disappear is all I’m here for myself
Kids of 88 – Just a little Bit
Naked and Famous – Young Blood
Kids of 88 and Naked and Famous were New Zealand bands I discovered during my time in there. I had the chance to go to a concert where they both performed. It was a great night.
I listened to while living in the UK after New Zealand:
Kavinsky - Nightcall
College & Electric Youth - A Real Hero
Metronomy - The Look
I can get obsessed with listening to movie soundtracks. Last year when I first moved to the UK and was living in Scotland I was obsessed with the Drive soundtrack. I listen to Nightcall and A Real Hero over and over. My husband also introduced me to Metronomy in Scotland.
If you are a writer, musician, band, artist or movie maker and are curious about being a Feature Friday or if you know someone who you think would make a good Feature Friday please get in contact!
If you do and you are able to attend the London launch party in November I'll sign your copy and give you a big thank you hug! If you come dressed as Edward Nygma I'll even give you a thank you kiss ;) ;)
Here is a sneaky preview of my featured short comic Pest!
Last week I went to see Kick-Ass 2, a little bit because I'd seen the first Kick-Ass but a whole lot more because one of my favourite actors ever, Jim Carrey, was in it. I've been thinking about the many roles he's portrayed over the years for a while now (since catching The Number 23 the other month) and it's roles like Fingerling in The Number 23 that reminded me how he's so much more than just a rubber-faced comedian. I would be amazingly honoured if he ever chose to portray any of my characters. So here is my list of my favourite Jim Carrey roles in chronological order:
Riddler / Edward Nygma - Batman Forever (1995)
I'll be the first to admit that Batman Forever has as many bad moments as it does good. It's horribly camp, completely deviates from any cannon and basically deserved better but once you accept these facts it becomes kind of fun too. Jim Carrey and Tommy Lee Jones steal the show as Riddler and Two-Face and I would love to see (in some magical alternative universe) them reprise their roles with a stronger script (hello Paul Dini I'm channelling you) and a more serious approach to the directing. Being a Riddler fangirl I love that Jim references my second favourite Riddler, the almighty Frank Gorshin, as an inspiration and love him even more for inspiring the vocal delivery of possibly the best Riddler that will ever exist, Wally Wingert's Arkham video game series Riddler.
Chip Douglas - The Cable Guy (1996)
The Cable Guy is classic rubber-face Jim Carrey but look beyond the ballsy, over-the-top 1990s comedy and the character of Chip Douglas is actually very tragic. In the middle of the film he sings Jefferson Airplane's 'Somebody to Love' and it couldn't be more relevant as he literally has never had anyone actually love him for himself. His parents were deadbeats so he was brought up by the TV and with no real concept of social interaction all his adult 'friends' are people he services cable TV for. Whenever he meets someone he considers friend potential he completely latches onto them and when they try to break away he systematically destroys all their other relationships. On the surface Chip may seem the stereotypical funny idiot character but he is also sadly sympathetic and actually quite terrifying, especially if you've been in a relationship with someone like him!
Truman Burbank - The Truman Show (1998)
The Truman Show is a glimpse at the more serious roles Jim Carrey would later take on and is genuinely not just an amazing film but a social commentary which is just as relevant today as it was back in 1998. It is about Truman Burbank who, from the day he was born, was a TV star in a TV show he believes to be reality. Slowly he realises things are not what they seem and he must come to terms with not only the fact that his whole life has been a lie but that there is a whole world out there just waiting for him. This is the kind of role Jim Carrey is perfect for. His ability to fill characters with humanity is amazing: Truman is endearing from the start - you want him to break free and find his freedom - and not only does Jim act with a subtler, gentler humour than in his previous films but with a complete understanding of the complex emotions Truman must be going through.
Joel Barish - Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind (2004)
Jim gets all mumbly in this indie sci-fi romance about enduring love (or at least obsession). It is his most love/hate role depending on if you can bare the mumbling and if you mind your Jim Carrey coming with a side order of serious acting. Once again Jim applies a perfect assessment of the human condition into producing an endearing performance for a character who, despite all better judgement, you root for to win the girl despite knowing full well that she has and probably will again bring him as much pain as she does happiness. People often scoff at the idea of Jim Carrey being a serious actor but it's roles like Joel that show just how complex and talented he is as a performer and also how complex and empathetic he is as a person.
Fingerling - The Number 23 (2007)
Oooh look at me being all controversial! But in all honesty Fingerling is amazingly hot and edgy and troubled and perfect for good girls who lust after bad boys to fantasise about. Even though The Number 23 is a little uneven (and Jim's other character, Walter Sparrow, is less charming) the scenes featuring Jim Carrey as Fingerling are wonderful homages to film noir - I could quite easily watch a whole film shot in the style of the Fingerling sections featuring the exploits of Jim Carrey as the hard boiled, broody detective. Jim Carrey as the loveable good guy is so established in our psyche that Fingerling is the kind of role you have to experience to believe. No amount of 'I saw him do serious in Eternal Sunshine' will prepare you for his performance in The Number 23. It's like visiting that alternate universe I mentioned earlier. Even if you find you don't like the film I whole heartedly recommend giving The Number 23 a watch so as to see Jim's delivery for Fingerling as well as his amazing tattoo. Fabrizia is one lucky femme fatale!
Colonel Stars and Stripes - Kick-Ass 2 (2013)
Though since appearing in Kick-Ass 2 Jim's views on violence in movies has changed I don't think he should feel bad about his portrayal of probably the most endearing and kind-hearted character in the whole film. The mafia heavy turned born again Christian and superhero is an inspiration to all the other superheroes in Kick-Ass 2 including Kick-Ass himself. He doesn't believe in guns, he doesn't believe in swearing, he doesn't believe that a woman is asking to be raped just because she chooses to walk home at night alone and he has an amazing love for his job. In a film full of over the top violence he is a beacon of (yes I'm going to say it again) humanity and I think due to this his fate speaks volumes about the futility of violence as a means or an answer. If I got in a sticky spot I'd want Colonel Stars and Stripes saving me!
I hope you enjoyed my list, I hope one day one of my films will be on the list, and finally the big question...what is your favourite Jim Carrey role?
My copy of Photoshop (the program I draw my graphic stories on) had a massive malfunction today to the degree that I am far too depressed to review a Minx graphic story this Friday or even do a Friday Feature (two days worth of work lost FOREVER ;_;).
So here's a cool mock trailer created by Aubrey Plaza / College Humor for you Daria / mumblecore / indie film fans:
For my first Friday Feature back from Japan I really wanted to write about a Japanese musician but the honest truth is I was so busy making wasabi and taking naked public baths that I didn't get to buy any music! Luckily in Hong Kong I did hear some really cool music - not by a hot Hong Kong band (unfortunately) - but the epic songs written by Rebecca Sugar for Adventure Time!
Adventure Time is an American comedy fantasy animation about the RPG-style adventures of Finn the Human and Jake the Dog. One of the storyboard artists is Rebecca Sugar who also writes many of the songs performed in the series, in particular those sung by Marceline the Vampire Queen (and Marshall Lee her gender bender character in Fiona and Cake). She is basically epic. So here are some of Rebecca's demos accompanied by her concept and storyboard art:
Gummedup / Warmedup
I'm Just Your Problem
Tropical Island
Susan Strong
Marceline's Song
Fiona and Cake
Good Little Girl
And because I love the 'Bad Little Boy' episode (the second Fiona and Cake episode) SOOOOO much here is the final version of Good Little Girl:
I love Fiona. She is blonde and curvy but so not a bimbo (kind of like me...a little bit...maybe...). I hope there are many more Fiona and Cake episodes! She has the potential to be a wonderful role model.
Anyway you can watch all of Rebecca's demos here and enjoy more of her magical world here.
I`m currently in Kanazawa! So here is something silly for you to watch whilst I`m still away!
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Okay so you might not know this but I love the film The Room. If you haven't seen it - FIND A WAY TO WATCH IT! It is the best bad movie you will ever see! Every minute is pure gold. Honest. I love it so much I use this as my ringtone for my friend Gina. Don't believe me? Watch the trailer!
Some people love The Room so much they've made music about it! Here are my two favourites:
You're Tearing Me Apart Feat. Lisa (Dubstep Remix) by Microw Jupiter
Hi guys, I'm ill at the moment. If you're ill too (or just bored or curious) please enjoy these videos.
These Calender of Tales videos come from the BlackBerry10 Keep Moving Neil Gaiman project. Please visit the website to watch all the other videos, look at all the art and read / listen to all the stories <3
I know I'm supposed to find this funny (and I did laugh) but I also found it tragically beautiful. I wonder what kind of relationships they're all in now?
Courtney Stodden's Tweets Read by Janvier
Dirty Girls (a short documentary from 1996)
Amanda Palmer's 'The Art of Asking' TED video
Have a lovely day and if you are ill too, get well soon :-)
This week's Friday Feature is Dry the River a folk rock band from Stratford (London), UK. You'll know the sound - it's the Mumford and Son's sound - yet though Dry the River weren't the band to make the sound big they still own it. Peter Liddle's lead vocals are beautiful - pure, gliding and lilting - delivering often deep and complex lyrics soulfully. He is supported by tight backing vocal harmonies and almost completely acoustic instrumentals. And what a variety of instruments they are! Songs include everything from the obvious guitar to the mandolin and tenor horn! This combination of acoustic / orchestral instruments and almost angelic vocals results in one track being a playful take on traditional folk to the next being a ballad absolutely throbbing with heartfelt passion.
Where will I have heard them before?
After the release of their first single, the absolutely beautiful No Rest, in 2011 Dry the River have appeared at every big UK festival possible! In 2012 they continued touring, this time doing the world wide festivals. Throughout 2011 and 2012 they appeared on all the British 'best of new talent' lists.
Featured Song: The Chambers and the Valves (cutest idea for a video I have seen in ages!)
Where can I hear more?
No free songs at the moment. Their first album is called Shallow Bed and is available to buy as a hard copy and download. If you find you love Shallow Bed you can then buy the acoustic version of it but as download only. A second album should be coming very soon! What is their website?
It looks like before Batman Inc got hit by the recession Bruce Wayne expanded his company as far as Bradford:
This is not the first time I've spotted a local Batman though. When living in Beaconsfield a man dressed as Batman used to cycle the streets...yet no one else ever saw him.
Have any of you guys seen Batman on a bicycle in Beaconsfield?
Have any of you guys got a local Batman? I'd love to see pictures!
I'm very pleased to announce that my short story, 'I'd Lock it with a Zipper' will be appearing in Hic Dragones' anthology 'Impossible Spaces'. I'll keep you all updated on how it goes and where you can get a copy via this blog and also my website http://enchantedviolin.com (check it out if you haven't ever yet - it has lots of fun stuff on it too).
I've been groggy with a bad cold all week so it was a lovely surprise to see my latest zubox script is online for you to watch (and then share with all your friends)!
Somehow my Christmas turned alternative this year...possibly down to the construction of the Sasssquatch Wreath. As part of this alternative Christmas (please feel free to replace Christmas with whatever holiday it is you celebrate this time of the year) please allow me to introduce you to my alternative gingerbread men (plus the sacrificial gingerbread man made to stop mum's boyfriend eating the others during the night......):
Let's play a game! I'll show a picture of each gingerbread man before I show who it is supposed to be and you can see if you guessed right!
Hulk Hogan, brother!
A crime scene chalk outline
Matt Smith as the 11th Doctor Who (something weird happened to his trousers between icing him and taking his photo...I think he went back to the 80s and got them stonewashed!)
Robert Englund as a very happy Freddy Krueger (possibly went back in time with the Doctor...maybe time for Freddy v Doctor Who film?)
An Oompa Loompa
Pyramid Head from Silent Hill
Arkham City Riddler <3 <3 <3
Two Face
Zombie
This was lots of fun! I'd definitely like to make more! Maybe you guys have someone you'd like to see immortalised in gingerbread? I'd love to see your suggestions! I must say I'm quite tempted to do a whole batch of Batman gingerbread men. Let me know what you think!
Oh - and I'll leave you with a riddle from Gingerbread Riddler...
Just when you think it's safe to check your updates another Bat Freak comes flying at ya! I've known about this one for a few weeks now but I've been trying not to spam you with more than one post a day.
To be honest though, you're probably more aware of this musical if you're a Harry Potter fan (which I shall henceforth be calling Potheads) than a Batman fan. Holy Musical B@man was created by Team Starkid, a musical theatre company best known for their Harry Potter musicals. You just have to take a look at the comments for the B@man vids to see them spammed by Potheads. You do not, however, have to be a Pothead to enjoy B@man (thank goodness) - in fact the more of a bat / DC geek you are, like me, the more you will get out of it.
Holy Musical B@man embraces the fun of the 1960s Batman series, the style and wit of the 1990s animation and pokes a hell of a lot of fun out of the overly-serious Christopher Nolan trilogy (and Nolan fans). If you only like Nolanverse Batman then this musical really isn't for you. Though...if you only like the Nolanverse then probably no musical is for you.
Despite the bright colours and smiley singing HMB is also not for little kids. One of the running jokes is Batman saying, "F*CK YOUUUUUU" in the style of Christian Bale Batman every time he fires Alfred.
The story: Incredibly selfish (this guy really is an ass) billionaire playboy Bruce Wayne / Batman develops an instant bond with fellow orphan Dick Grayson. Grayson becomes Robin and together they fight crime however Gotham is not impressed that their gritty hero is being camped up with such feelings as loyalty and friendship. A new villain in town, Sweet Tooth, sets into motion a plan to get rid of Batman for good and poison Gotham's water supply. He kidnaps Robin and Batman is forced to choose to save Gotham or his new, only friend. What will he do? Who will he choose? Will he ever learn to not be a selfish ass?
I'm not going to lie - it starts a little slow. There is singing and dancing and stuff happens and Batman's frenemy Superman is introduced but it is only until well over halfway through the first act that the villains make an appearance and the actual plot kicks in. After that though all systems are go! Everyone can act, everyone can sing, everyone can dance. The songs are pop and very catchy (one line in To Be a Man is STILL stuck in my head and I haven't listened to it in DAYS). But, despite the slow to kick in plot, what really shines is the script. It is genuinely hilarious. As a big Batman fan I can say right here and now I haven't seen a better parody. It's hard for me to give an example of a good joke, they all are. Fair enough half the time you have to like puns and be able to laugh at jokes that are so bad they're good but...considering Batman's greatest villain relies on bad jokes all Batman fans should be used to that by now! The script is obviously written by a DC fan for DC fans (all of DC's greatest heroes make an appearance). I'm afraid I can't say how funny it is to people who are new to Batman but I think it is probably a good place to start if you are interested in getting into it. The only thing that I wasn't so hot on was the portrayal of Commissioner Gordon. I'm so used to him being noble and ethical (his own set of ethics, not necessarily the right set of ethics) that seeing him as a doddery, helpless old man didn't quite fit.
What I found very refreshing about HMB but may be the biggest disappointment for other Batman fans: the lack of Joker. Never fear though Joker fans, super punster Sweet Tooth and his bicoloured queen of chaos, Candy (not at all anything like Joker and Harley Quinn.......) should fill your Joker void. They are epic in design (what I would give to own a Candy costume or even just her boots or hair). I think they could easily become part of the rogues' gallery...and probably will in some fans' hearts. I've already seen one Candy cosplay.
You can watch the entire show on Team Starkid's website as well as see photos, download music and watch their other productions (including those Potter ones). Just a tip though - if you do like the songs and do want to buy them but not the whole album That's What I Call Starkid Volume 2 (it's £9.99 / $9.99 for the cast recordings but also instrumentals and demos of the same songs which means in some cases the same song three times) then you can buy the songs separately on iTunes for £5.53.
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A more family friendly Batman stage show is Batman Live which is like Cirque de Soleil meets Batman.
If you're a more diehard Batman fan then please, also glut yourself on the Batman musical that never was - Jim Steinman's Batman: The Musical (yeah just contemplate that combination).
Before writing a treatment for The Automated Heart I'd never heard of Frequently Asked Questions About Time Travel which I thought was weird as it was made in 2009 by BBC Film and HBO of all people. Then, like all good coincidences, BBC2 showed it this weekend. I was a little suspicious as I really did have no knowledge of the film's existence (maybe I had gone back in time and erased any memory of it) however it was the kind of film I thought I would like so I watched it and did. The critics were really divided by it and it only had a small release - hence why I had no knowledge of it - so I thought I'd try and be a little more balanced with my review.
The plot in a sentence: three British guys (two nerds aka 'Imagineers' and one guy trying desperately to not get sucked into the Imagineer void) go to the pub to set the world to rights only to discover a leak in the time space continuity in the men's toilets.
I'd say right here and now if any aspect of that plot (British comedy, three guys in a pub, nerds, sci-fi) doesn't interested you then don't bother - you won't enjoy the film and you won't get it - but if you are a little more open-minded then I definitely recommend giving it a go.
FAQ About Time Travel is in the same vein as Shaun of the Dead but I think it would be unfair to compare the films too closely. FAQATT is made on a much smaller budget, which for a high concept film can be very limiting - 95% of the film is set inside a pub - but I think that makes the film endearing and shows how much can actually be achieved on such a small budget and with a lot of imagination (so many times I get told it is impossible to make a high concept film on a small budget but this is proof to the otherwise).
The comedy is very British. The first ten minutes are just the three leads talking, trying to prove the film is going to be funny, which feels a little forced (and very BBC sitcom) but once the story kicks in and the comedy comes from the plot and character interaction everything settles down and becomes more natural. The comedy is really helped by its delivery from the three leads, in particular Ray (Chris O'Dowd).
With three male leads, a pub setting and a emphasis on geek culture FAQATT is definitely a lads' film. This is no clearer than with the female characters - in particular Cassie (Anna Faris). She really is character lite and little more than a plot device, only popping up to divulge the next plot twist and to get Ray all loved up. Maybe she jars so much being very American in a very British environment. Maybe she jars because the writer is more comfortable writing males. It's hard to tell when she gets such little screen time. I'm glad she's there but I wish she had more to her.
The film's only big, proper weakness is the ending. The film in general is so high on ideas and good intentions that it deserves a super whizz-bang ending but instead it sort of fizzles out. I don't want to give the ending away but blink and you'll miss it. It's a real shame as up to that point FAQATT had managed to produce some actually quite genius moments. Toby (Marc Wootton) singing his heart out to Total Eclipse of the Heart in the men's toilet only to walk out to discover his dead future self is both hilarious and unexpected. My favourite scene of the whole film is when Ray and Pete (Dean Lennox Kelly) walk into a pub beer garden full of people dressed as them, dancing to the film's leitmotif The Land of Make Believe by Bucks Fizz. Surreal!
Frequently Asked Questions About Time Travel may not be the most polished film in the world but it is charming and fun. It is a quirky little British genre comedy and as a British genre writer I really hope you give it a watch. If we don't support British films that dare to be different then producers will stop funding them...which would be a great loss to British cinema that no amount of time travelling would be able to undo.
Recently I've been getting into the Silent Hill games (in a big way). I'm even going to dust off my PS2 so that I can play the games that never made it onto PS3. What really helped inform my decision were all the excellent Silent Hill videos on youtube (cut scenes, playthroughs, the lot). If you like emotionally loaded and deeply psychological plots as well as creepy, CREEPY horror (both in atmosphere and actual monsters) and gameplay that relies on problem solving as much as killing things then you'll LOVE Silent Hill.
You may find you love the series enough to draw a fan animation.
Yes...there are Silent Hill fans so dedicated and talented that they are able to produce fan animations! And they are good!
Heather Mason from SH3 by Xarity (a creator of many Silent Hill & Resident Evil animations both comedy and serious)
So sit back and enjoy my pick of the Silent Hill fan animations (These videos WILL contain spoilers)
Silent Hill 2 as an 80s sitcom
Close Enough Pictures Present: Silent Hill
Paper Silent Hill 3
Alice Human Sacrifice (Vocaloid) by Xarity
Pyramid Head's #1 Fan (inspired by the first film rather than games)
Silent Hill 2 the Musical Medley - The Courtship of Pyramid Head
1234 (Feist) Silent Hill
Resident Evil and Silent Hill Memories by Xarity
Silent Hill 2 Chibi Edition (the second part never got made)
Vincent is trying to bring the sexiness of Silent Hill back! (it's not an animation but it's Vincent Smith being sexy so...who cares that it's not an animation?!) (Sexy Back by Justin Timberlake)
My last pick is actually about Resident Evil (though it does contain a James Sutherland cameo) but I think it's adorable so here it is anyway!
I Think I Love You! (David Cassidy) by ShadowLeggy (the Resident Evil version of Xarity)
Watching all these excellent animations make me want to do one now too! What do you think?
Another new feature! (Though this one will sporadically update rather than to a schedule.)
Today I'm Bat-Freaking about the Canadian department store Zellers' adverts from the late 1980s. The four 30 second adverts feature Batman and Robin saving families from being ripped off by some of Batman's greatest enemies. Despite the graphic novels of the 1980s becoming more serious the adverts are a homage to DC's Silver Age featuring classic costume designs and voice samples of the villains from the 1960s television show.
The featured foes are:
Penguin
Catwoman
Riddler (looking super buff)
and...
Joker
As you can see, though they were only 30 second adverts and before the invention of CGI the quality is fantastic, which is the real reason to Bat-Freak over them. They really bring the spirit of the graphic novels to life. I'd love to see a Batman animation in this style!
Though...the animation is not without its bloopers...
Introducing the 5th Zellers Advert!
In the Batcave Batman and Robin prepare to save another family from department store misery however Robin has a trauma of his own!
Batman is practising Buddhist Rubber Face technique (you never know when you might need to dislocate the whole of your face).
Batman and Robin rescue the family where Robin teaches the family the 'Law of Toyland'. Hmm that face is kind of creepy...
...It's also rather familiar...
AHHH! It's Riddler!
Discovering that Riddler has taken the place of Robin, Batman has no choice but to put his Buddhist Rubber Face techniques into action, dislocate his jaw and consume Riddler-Robin whole.
You can find all four Zellers adverts on YouTube.
Hmmm and where have I seen Batman's rubber face before?
Oh yes!
And finally...for my fellow Riddler fangirls...one more screencap of Eddie:
Oh Edward! Why must you have such a soft spot for blondes yet be 100% fictitious and therefore unable to leer over this blonde blogger! <3
