Jul 2014
Some Thoughts on Attending Comic Con (based on '14 Experience)
29/07/14 16:41 Filed in: Misc.
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1. Book your hotel early and make sure it is one of the hotels close to the convention center (Hilton Bayfront, Omni, Marriot). The reason for this is that there is so much going on at Comic Con, you can easily forget something and wanna return. You do not want this to be a hassle.
2. Research before you go. Don't wait to attend to try to figure out what's cool and what you wanna see. It's way too overwhelming for that. So figure out which panels you want to attend and which toys or cool t-shirts you want to get at least a week before attending. Not everything that's hot requires waiting in a long line, but it does require pinpoint focus on the first day.
3. Get in shape/be ready. Bring good walking shoes - the floor is grueling.
4. Bring business cards and be prepared to interact. You'd be amazed who you can run into at Comic Con, from celebrities to your favorite artist to some super cute girl in cosplay. People tend to be in groups and on the go, so you'll need to act fast if you see an opportunity to connect with someone.
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"Under the Skin" Will Get Under Yours
05/07/14 16:09 Filed in: Movie Review
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The other thing that was impressive to me about this movie, in addition to how well it is shot, is how the director does a lot with just suggestions. In one troubling scene, a couple drown at sea while their baby wails on the shore. Johansson’s character surveys the tragedy impassively, paying no mind to the crying baby on the shore.
But Johansson is not without some emotion, and when she falls on the street and is helped by strangers, she starts to reconsider her predatory ways. While on the prowl she encounters a severely deformed man who is very withdrawn. For some reason, Johansson has sympathy for this man and releases him from her trap. But this sets off a chain of events that leads to her being hunted down by the male alien. In her effort to escape, the movie slows down briefly has Johansson falls in with a human who gives her shelter and eventually tries to have sex with her (an unsuccessful endeavor). She flees his home and runs into the woods, only to encounter a human predator of a different flavor. The hunter becomes the hunted. Oddly, I actually had sympathy for this cruel alien by the end.
It’s a fascinating film and one I give a high recommend to, although I understand its art house trappings are not for everyone.
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