AllGoodThingsTV

Beauty and the Best

Recent Shoot With Erica M. Lauren

It had been a long time coming for us to shoot with Erica Lauren. It’s been in the works for over a year at least. The main reason for it not happening concerned scheduling conflicts, but there was also the fact that we wanted to do a video with Erica and she preferred to do photos. We decided on the photos for now. Perhaps soon a video will happen (fingers crossed).
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Rachel Rocconi - Curve Model Story

New Curve Model Story with MSA-signed model Rachel Rocconi.




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Ellana Bryan - New Curve Model Story

Last week we shot with a new model for our channel, Ellana Bryan. I have to say, she was a pleasure to work with and drop dead gorgeous in person. Sometimes things just work out. 👍
IMG_2874 - Candid Promo Ellana




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Olivia Jensen & Tabria Majors in Casual MMO Game

This one was a of fun to shoot at YouTube Space LA. Special thanks to Local Hero for color correction on this.




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New Model - Ayesha Iqbal-Perry

The newest addition to the AGT fam from Wales, England! Follow her on IG @ayeshapi.




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Exclusive Behind The Scenes Footage - Bria Myles - AGT Vault

Once upon a time the photographer for AGT used to shoot with Bria Myles on the regular. I mean, all the time! lol.... Anyway, this is a little behind the scenes footage from one of their many photographic endeavors together.

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Olivia Jensen - DIY Mason Jars

This is probably one of Olivia Jensen’s best videos since her jeans DIY.

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Honest Tea Project

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In the brief history of AGT, I must say that appearing on the website for Honest Tea was one of the high points. Honest Tea is in store everywhere and is owned by Coke, so this was not a small brand deal. We have to give big shout out to Austin Graff over at Honest for making this happen. We actually did two videos for them. The first one did not make the cut and was rejected for some technical reasons, but Olivia certainly looks great in it. Consider this a bonus of occasionally visiting the AGT website.

NOTE: Honest Tea does not represent the views herein and specifically rejected this version of the video. In other words, the views and opinions expressed herein are strictly those of AGT and do not represent the views and opinions of Honest Tea or Coke or any of its respective affiliates or employees.



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Interview with Artist Rion Vernon

blogEntryTopperRecently, AllGoodThingsTV had the pleasure of catching up with Rion Vernon, an incredible character artist who has worked for some of the top Hollywood studios including Stan Winston, DreamWorks Animation, electronic arts and Sony. For AGT, he drew a custom art piece of AGT host, Olivia Jensen, based on her viral video. (You can get a custom t-shirt of this image here) Hailing from Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, Rion talks about his start in the industry and what inspires him as an artist.

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1) How did you get your start working as a professional character designer/illustrator?
Out of high school I was lucky enough to meet Stan Winston of Jurassic Park fame. With portfolio in hand and enough persistence I ended up being hired to produce the artwork for that year's Christmas card. I then stayed on as a character designer after that.


2) Who have been some of your biggest influences?
Classic Disney animation had quite the impact on me growing up. When I was getting interested in pinup art, I discovered Gil Elvgren and George Petty who really inspired me. In a way, my pinup work is really a fusion of George Petty's girls, Jessica Rabbit and Tank Girl.


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3) Can you describe the thought process involved when you begin a new piece?
Something I learned when I was working at DreamWorks animation was the importance of silhouette value. Basically, "silhouette value" refers to the image's graphic shape. It should be quickly identifiable, even at a small scale. So dynamic poses are really important especially when it comes to pinup work.

I always begin by doing a drawing in pencil. Traditional drawing is still in my blood even if I'm a huge Photoshop junkie. After I complete a pencil drawing I'm happy with, I scan it into Photoshop and add color.


4) You've worked on a wide variety of projects over the years. What are some of your favorites and why?
My tastes change over time, so for me it's important that I do work on a variety of projects. It was an absolute blast working for Stan Winston Studio and DreamWorks, creating an entire universe of alien worlds. But then it was nice to move on and focus on my pinup work. To have a constant flux of creative outlets is my goal. I like to learn new techniques and be open to new possibilities.


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5) What advice would you give to artists who are inspired by your work and aspired to become character or conceptual artists either working for themselves or large companies?
It's all about practice, practice, practice. A portfolio is absolutely crucial. Focus solely on the genre you're interested in, because potential employers need to clearly see what your forte is. It's easy to get pigeon holed as an artist...so, pigeon hole yourself into a genre you're passionate about.


6) What's next for you as an artist?
It may sound a bit strange in context, but I'm actually really interested in learning carpentry. There's much I want to build.


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Jenn Faustino/Lauren Wood Tutorial





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New AGT Host - Jennifer Faustino


Every now and again AGT gets lucky and finds a new host with all the ideal qualities - cute, curvy, wholesome and fun. In this case we got lucky because we were already working with her! Jennifer Faustino is the official make-up artist for AGT and she’s made other hosts look great, but in fact she could’ve been doing this herself. One of Jenn’s cooler qualities is that she’s very comfortable with being curvy on camera. Refreshing! Check her out on Instagram here.

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Tip Jar Video - Olivia Jensen




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blogEntryTopperThis is my third year straight at Comic Con, thanks to a friend who works in the games industry. For those of you attending next year, here are my thoughts:

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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New Hosts Jenny & Gracie Coming Soon to AGT

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What Do AGT and Elvira Have in Common? Quite a Lot

blogEntryTopperTwo decades ago - a lifetime to some of y’all - there used to be a campy TV show called “Elvira's Movie Macabre” with a sexy host named, naturally, Elvira aka Cassandra Peterson. This sharp-tongued temptress would dedicate the show to B-grade horror movies. It was on the air for five seasons and developed quite a fan base. The show’s gimmick was simple: no one watched it for the horror movies -- they watched it for the super sexy and somewhat funny host.

Unfortunately, Elvira’s show does not really stand the test of time. It’s a bit corny and boring by today’s fast paced, reality show standards. But no one invents the fire or the wheel. AGT has always been premised on the Elvira formula. So when you see the comments - “This is not about making jeans!” - well, well... they may just be onto something.


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As some of you know, aside from being part of the AllGoodThings.TV family, I’m also a game producer so this week, I was invited to the Apple developer conference in San Francisco at the Moscone Center. 
 
We arrived bright and early Monday morning to pick up our passes and the check-in process was Swift.  They started the day baring gifts as well - a cool WWDC 14 jacket and a gift certificate for $25 bucks to iTunes.  Then waited in a line that wrapped around the corner with 1500 other developers to hear the Tim Cook’s Key Note address.
 
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After a brief wait, the lights dimmed and the Key Note presentation began.  They started with a video of bright, happy Apple-styled people from around the world talking about how many cool apps there were in the iTunes App store.  You know these vids where they make a point to show lots of ethnicities.  I ain’t mad at ya, Apple.  Cool beans.  Then Tim Cook walked out on stage and started right into his routine.   While a large portion of any of these types of presentations is pure propaganda, I must say that Apple and the iPhone remain head and shoulders above their competition.  The square-jawed SVP of Software Engineering, Craig Federighi, was the highlight of the show displaying the only thing that truly mattered – Hand off, which is a component of their brand new feature Continuity.   Simply put, if you start a document on your phone or iPad you can seamless continue working on it in real-time on your laptop.  They demoed this live using Safari as well and it was pretty awesome.   Other stand out features were the ability to answer your iPhone on your mac lap top even if the actual phone is ringing in another room.  You can also make calls from your laptop via your phone as well.   Additions to smart type on the phone now predicts what you are about to text so that you communicate much faster and you can now send voice memo responses to text messages without touching the phone.   I can’t remember exactly what feature was being demoed when Craig called Dr. Dre but I wasn’t too crazy about him being referred to as an employee.  Dude, it’s Dr. Dre straight out of Compton.  He ain’t nobody’s employee.
 
Ultimately, Apple really upped their game making it much harder not to choose an iPhone as your mobile device.  I’m looking forward to the rest the conference and learning how to make better mobile apps especially now that there seems to be a real focus on helping developers optimize their app experiences.  Kudos.  I think Steve Jobs would be proud.
- The X

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AGT Gets Invited to YouTube Space LA!

So today my business partner and I went through the orientation process for YouTube Los Angeles studios. Once you have 10,000 subscribers (we have nearly 20,000) and go through the orientation process, you are able to use the YouTube facilities to shoot your videos. This is a very big deal because YouTube Studios Los Angeles has enough professional gear to shoot a high quality theatrical release. They have professional sound editing equipment, Mac Pro towers for editing, professional lighting, software for editing, a screening room, and several sound stages to shoot your productions on. The energy there is very cool. Everyone knows this is groundbreaking - there are only three other YouTube studios across the globe and they are all smaller than LA location, which is their flagship. We could literally shoot three AGT videos at this studio in one day.

But it’s not all sunshine and rainbows. In exchange for the top flight facilities, videos shot at the YouTube facilities undergo some pretty exacting review and have more restrictions than a video you’d shoot at your home. For instance, any video shot at the YT studio must first be submitted to Google’s lawyers for legal clearance. So you can’t just grab a remix off Soundcloud for background music now - you need an actual license for the music. You also can’t have any trademark infringements, such as a Coca Cola can sitting in plain view of your camera. Finally, you need insurance to shoot there.

Still, even with these tighter restrictions, I can tell you this is an amazing opportunity. It’s a beautiful, sprawling facility (this is Google money after all) and it is very picturesque. You can easily shoot great looking content there.

Hopefully we’ll have a chance to shoot Olivia Jensen at YouTube Studios Los Angeles soon, and maybe, who knows - Mal Malloy Happy Stay tuned.

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New Carol Seleme Video - Art School Confidential




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New Olivia Jensen DIY Jeans Outtake Video




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Where the Idea for AGT Came From

These bedtime stories from UK beaut Freema Agyeman is where we first got the idea of hot chicks reviewing stuff. I still find these appealing. Freema is so charming and sexy.




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Some Thoughts on Creating a YouTube Channel

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So today our channel finally reached 10,000 subscribers, which means we're eligible to start charging for subscriptions according to YouTube rules (only a fool would do that though). One thing that was very frustrating when we started this all was trying to find information about how much YouTube pays and it's rules.

Here's a few things I've learned...

1) Pay - YouTube videos pay about $1.25 per thousand views from our experience. On the net you'll see estimates of anywhere from $5 to $1 per thousand views, but we haven't seen anything close to $5. Right now Google is making out like a bandit on Youtube. There are TV shows on networks that do not get 500,000 views (the finale of "90210" drew less than 600k viewers), yet advertisers on those shows pay $100,000 for a 30 second spot. In contrast, a YouTuber with half a million hits on a video makes a paltry $500 from ads.

2) Content is King - I see channels all the time struggling for viewers and it's b/c they haven't figured out what ppl really wanna see. I learned early on that non-ethnic curvy women who act like nerds have a huge draw online. Why? There's a lot of people who are hypocrites when it comes to curvy women - in public they adhere to mainstream standards, but behind closed doors they want a Mal Malloy. Their paradox is my profit. Whatever the subject matter, you gotta give ppl what they want. It is worth it to go through a lot of trouble to find a good subject for your channel, because once you do the views and subscriptions will just roll in.

3) Make Allies with Big Followings - Initially it will be difficult to get anyone to pay attention to your channel, no matter how good your content is. You'll need a launching pad - websites and Twitter users with large followings who will give you props. This doesn't happen overnight. I gained some allies with Indosplace, like the Smoking Section and Byron Crawford. You also have to plan your video postings carefully so that when the video finally goes online, ppl will know it's there.


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Olivia Jensen: DIY Distressed Jeans Tutorial

Olivia is back! Check out her latest.




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Olivia Jensen DIY Video Coming Up!

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Exclusive Art of AGT Host Bria Myles

About a month ago we connected with the talented artist REEG, who does work with Me In My Place, among others, to work on something for AGT host Bria Myles. Below is the result, and we couldn’t be happier! Visit REEG’s site to see more of his work.

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Tana Rivas Exclusive Vid


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AGT Host Carol Seleme

Just a reminder to check out her reviews:

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The Artist

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A Few Thoughts on Comic Con 2013

Here are some tips based on having attending the 2013 (and 2012) San Diego Comic-Con…

1. Know What You Want Upfront: Figure out exactly what you want here *beforehand* so you don't wind up walking around aimlessly. Find out which panels you wanna go to, the vendors you want to visit, etc. It still won't change all the waiting, but at least it will be worthwhile.

2. Be Prepared to Wait and for Crowds: There is a lot of waiting around to get into stuff, lines everywhere, people stacked on top of each other, slow moving crowds. It wears you out. Two hours of walking the floor and you're ready to sit down somewhere.

3. Women: There is a tremendous diversity of non-mainstream curvy women at Comic Con, as well as a bevy of traditional type beauties. Bring a wing man and be prepared before you go to the Con (get in shape, buy some nice clothes to wear)… I get the feeling there are a lot of Comic Con babies out there.
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Tana - AGT Video Coming Soon

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Exclusive Interview With "V/H/S" Writer Nick Tecosky

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I realize “V/H/S2” just came out, but having seen and thoroughly enjoyed both the sequel and the original “V/H/S,” I can honestly say you are unlikely to find anything as disconcerting between the two of them as “Amateur Hour,” which was written by Nick Tecosky and David Brucker. It is no secret that “Amateur Night” is one of the most popular entries from the horror anthology “V/H/S.” Indiewire called it “the standout of the bunch”; “First and best is ‘Amateur Night’ …” boasts Variety; and the Boston Globe states: “ ‘Amateur Night’…is the compilation’s nonpareil.” Equally frightening and revulsive, “Amateur Night” is the first film that has scared me in a long time. In fact, I had that same reaction watching it that I did when I saw the chestbuster scene in “Alien” as a kid: “Who the hell thinks of this stuff!?”


Enter Nicholas Tecosky, co-writer of “Amateur Night” (along with David Bruckner). Nicholas was nice enough to grant an exclusive interview to AllGoodThings.tv to talk about the project.


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Q: So how did “Amateur Night” come about - e.g., how did you guys come up with this story? Take it back to the very beginning if you would and tell us how you guys decided on the plot. On the Blu-ray commentary, Bruckner mentions the concept of the male gaze being an inspiration; can you expand on that? I suppose this question also encompasses the mechanics of your writing partnership with Bruckner and how guys crank out a script (e.g., do you alternate writing scenes?)


A: When we were first approached about submitting a story, we did what we usually do, which is to camp out in the office or someone's living room for a few days eating poorly and throwing ideas at each other until something sticks. We'd been interested for a while in the way we interact with media, and how it changes our minds and expectations-- particularly in the area of sexuality. And so we kept coming back to this story about Spring Break culture, and the damaging-- even toxic-- ideals that "reality porn" has instilled on a generation of young men. And the story grew out of that. Once we had the idea solidified, we spent two days grinding out an initial treatment to send out to the producers. It's a touchy subject, and more than a few times we found ourselves stopping and looking at each other, asking if maybe we were pushing it a little too far, if maybe the satire we were trying to layer in was too subtle, if the image of a man's naked body being torn apart was a bit heavy-handed... I guess it's obvious where we landed on that one. And once we were given the go ahead, we got to the real writing.

We tend to do the heaviest lifting during the outlining process. We don't like to write pages until all of the structure problems have been answered. There's nothing worse than getting to the third act of a screenplay and realizing that you have no idea how to tie all of the threads together. At that point, you have to take it back to outlining anyway, so why not do the footwork up front? Once that's done, we tend to split up scenes and work separately, and then passing them back and forth, refining each other's work, until we're both happy with what we've done. "Amateur Night" was a little different for us, in that- once we had a draft of the script and everything was cast- we ended up tossing it aside in rehearsals and instead working with the cast on tightly structured improvisation. Certain lines and salient points were kept in, but we gave the cast a lot of latitude to discover moments on their own. I think that with found footage, it's hard to keep the performances realistic unless the performers are allowed the leeway to explore and spontaneously discover moments. It was daunting as a writer, but ultimately, between our structure and their performance, we came up with something very dynamic.

Q: How much of Lily’s character was already on the page as opposed to being developed subsequent to Hannah Fierman being brought on? For instance, was the line “I like you…” in the original script or was that something that came about later, after Fierman was hired. Other baffling Lily quirks include her crouching down immediately after leaving the club and wanting to perform fellatio on Drew Sawyer’s character after making meatloaf out of his friends. One of the questions I hear repeatedly and I’ll ask you here is: “If [Drew’s character] had reciprocated Lily’s affections, would she have let him live?” (I suppose it's possible she did let him live, although it seems doubtful.)


A: The casting on this was really strange: We had a solid picture of each one of the characters in our heads when we started seeing actors, and in the case of Hannah Fierman, it was sort of like hitting the jackpot. We'd thought that casting the role of Lily was going to be the hardest aspect, and then she walked in and gave us exactly what we were looking for. And then some. And "I like you" was in the original script, but it certainly didn't have the weight on the page that Hannah endowed it with. I think that I was a little scared of her the first time she said it aloud. In other cases of casting-- most notably with Joe Sykes, we were surprised to find that there was a completely different take on the character than the one we'd first imagined. In the original script, his character is described as a sort of creepy, brooding ex-high school football player who'd let himself go, and just skulks around in the shadows. He was a predator. A clear threat. And then Sykes walks in and plays him as this manic, affable guy, and when he leaves, we can't see the character any other way. Joe lends the proceedings a levity that wouldn't have been there had we gone with our original take on Patrick.

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As far as our protagonist's fate, we like to think that maybe she brought him back to the nest. Introduced him to mom and dad. Maybe domesticated him. Settled down and had a family. I really do believe that Lily liked him, despite obvious issues with his friends. But I think a lot of relationships work that way.


Q: How did “Amateur Night” come to be selected for “V/H/S” by the producers and how were notes given by them? In the Blu-ray commentary Bruckner said that he was given notes that Fierman’s leap onto Joe Sykes needed to be amped up. Were you guys given notes on the screenplay as well before shooting?


A: This was sort of an atypical experience, in that- once they'd approved of our story- we were given a tremendous amount of freedom in how we executed it. And the whole process moved at such a breakneck pace that most notes weren't given until we were in post. And by that point, many of the notes were about tightening things, and pumping up the tension. We were very lucky to be given that kind of trust to make what we wanted to make.


Q: Tell me a little about your background as a writer, such as prior projects and how you decided on writing as a career. Do you see yourself sticking to the horror genre or are you looking to write other genres?


A: I'd studied theater originally, and out of school, my first job was actually writing children's theater for a large company that owns theme parks across the nation. So for years, I was writing about finding the true meaning of Christmas, adapting fairy tales for a very young audience. In the meantime, I was spending nights adapting William S. Burroughs pieces to stage or writing horror with Bruckner. Looking back, it felt a bit like living a double life, but when it comes down to it, there's a surprisingly thin line between children's theater and horror. It's all couched in the fantastic. In a world that exists just beyond the border of our mundane lives. I grew up reading fantasy and horror, and always had a strong desire to see that world. I knew it was there, if I looked hard enough or did the right things. As I got older, I realized that maybe I had to make that world for myself.

But I enjoy writing horror. It's an excellent way to explore the very real anxiety we feel about our lives and the world we move around in. We live in troubling times. Everyone's nervous about the future. Or maybe I'm just really neurotic. Maybe everything's okay. I don't know.


Q: Bruckner notes in the Blu-ray commentary that you guys had an entire backstory worked out for Lily. (He also said that it was something you guys plan to never reveal.) That said, is it possible to get a little more about her origins? I’m sure lots of fans would like to know what type of creature you had in mind – I see succubus bandied around a lot on the net.


A: We did work out a backstory for her, though it was done mostly so that we would understand fully what we were working with. We never saw her as an evil creature. There is a real tenderness there. In order to really have that play naturally, you've got to have context. We worked with the idea of the foreign exchange student, or the anthropologist coming to study a culture alien to them and getting too close. We did, obviously, look at the succubus as something of a model-- we named her Lily, after all. As for the specific details of where she came from, I'll leave that up to the audience's imagination. I really do believe that the more information given about your antagonist, the more you demystify her, the less scary she is. That's why the first season of American Horror Story stops being scary after a few episodes, and just ends up being a particularly engaging soap opera about dead people.

If anybody absolutely, desperately needs to know Lily's backstory, find me and get me drunk. I'm a talker when I've had a few.

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Q: What are three of your favorite horror movies and why briefly.

A: The Haunting (the original version) is one of the coolest haunted house films out there. It's a great character study, and considering that you never actually see the specter that wanders the place, or have any idea of what it wants, builds tension incredibly. The scene wherein Julie Harris wakes up to her roommate too tightly squeezing her hand unnerved the shit out of me the first time I saw it. And on top of that, it's just a beautiful old film, and shows how much a simple story with minimal effects can shake an audience. The remake went in the other direction. You couldn't go three minutes without some statue jumping out and trying to murder somebody. It sort of killed the magic of the original.

I'm also a fan of Roman Polanski's Repulsion, which is a great story about madness in a girl marginalized by everyone around her. She's beautiful and quiet and strange, and people simply imprint on her what they need of her. And then, she snaps, and it is horrible and unsettling, and despite the fact that she is becoming violent, you spend the entire film rooting for her anyway. I've watched this one a lot, and can't help feeling gross every time.

And I only recently saw Inside, the French stalker film that was maybe the hardest thing I've ever sat through. It is bloody and visceral from the first scene and really doesn't let up for more than a few minutes after that. And Beatrice Dalle is one of the most terrifying antagonists I've seen-- largely because she is so singlemindedly obsessed with attaining her goal. And the directors do a brilliant thing with her: They practically force you to empathize with her after she's brutally murdered people. It's very troubling. I had a little bit of a panic attack watching it. Though the same thing happened to me watching Melancholia, and that wasn't horror, just a sort of existential dread.

Q: What’s next for you project wise? Is there anything you would really like to do, like write an episode of The Walking Dead season 3?

A: I'm working on a couple of stories right now- one is actually a pilot for a series about people being forced into untenable situations and having to do horrible things to survive in the current economy. I'd like to think of it as a comedy. And I run a monthly show and companion podcast called WRITE CLUB Atlanta, wherein we take local writers and pair them up with opposing topics and then make them battle it out in front of a live audience. It's a loud, drunken time, and has been surprisingly successful. People like watching conflict play out in front of them. It's satisfying to watch. And yeah, I'd love to get a gig on something like the Walking Dead. It's shot here in Atlanta, and many of my friends get to go to work on it in various capacities. One of my good friends is a stuntman and a regular on the series, though you'd never recognize him under the make-up. He's been shot in the head on every other episode.

It's a living.

--> Artwork by Carol Seleme… See the image come to life here


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Tanahiris Sports AGT T-Shirt

East coast hottie Tanahiris reps the AGT tee designed by Winterart.
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Top Ten Sexiest Women in the DC Universe

Since a lot of you liked the Top Ten Sexiest Women in the Marvel Universe, I thought the DC ladies were due their time in the sun.  So, without further ado...

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Number 10:  Death of the Endless
Death is the second oldest of The Endless, a family of anthropomorphisms  of basic concepts of existence.   She appears, to most, as an 80's Goth girl, wearing an ankh necklace and an eye made up like the Eye of Horus.  Despite her job, she is the friendliest of all the Endless, including Destiny, Dream, Destruction, Desire, Despair, and Delirium.   Other sexy DC ladies of the Dark include Traci 13, Cynthia, Umbra, Nightshade, and Lex Luthor's niece,  Nasthalthia Luthor.

 

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Number 9: Angel Beatrix O'Day

 
Interestingly enough, this character was a brushed off and recycled character from the romance comics of yore, in a time when superheroes had not really taken off, yet.  Angel  is one half of the dynamic duo of Angel  and  the Ape.  She and her partner, Sam Simeon (grandson of villain, Gorilla Grodd!) get into adventures while solving crimes.  Other fun DC beauties include Quantum Queen and Fire.

 

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Number 8:  Rose and Thorn (Rhosyn "Rose" Forrest)

 
Rose became a vigilante after her father, an officer for the Metropolis Police Department, was killed by a gang called The 100.  Her mind created an alter ego, Thorn, that went on a crusade of revenge against crime.  Thorn gets a sexual thrill from punishing evil doers.  She is not to be confused with her Golden Age counterpart, a villain that ended up marrying Alan Scott (Golden Age Green Lantern) and having two children with him (Jade and Obsidian).  Other sexy DC sadists include Cheshire, Syonide, and Sylph.

 

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Number 7:  Encantadora


Encatadora is a mercenary and hitwoman with magical powers derived from her "Mists of Ibella." She also secretes pheromones that make men do her bidding.  She has had some light dealings with Superman while trying to kill him and being saved by him.  She has also tried to seduce him, but failed due to his noble character.  Other DC beauties that bend men's wills or use magic include Poison Ivy, Allure, and Witchfire.

 

Number 6:  Black Canary (Dinah Laurel Lance)



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Like her mother, Dinah Drake, Black Canary is a potent and lethal fighters in DC Universe, but far surpassed her.  Touted as able to outfight The Batman, Black Canary also possesses a sonic scream that is more powerful than Silver Banshee's.  When channeled correctly, her scream can go so far beyond audible sound that it can knock even Wonder Woman unconscious, and also allow her to read minds by syncing up with brainwaves.  Other hot DC pugilists include Batgirl, Lady Shiva, and The Huntress.

 

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Number 5:  Harley Quinn


Harley Quinn is the sexy counterpart to The Joker, or "Mister J" as she likes to call him.  Harley Quinn was the first DC comics character created outside of the comics.  Harley Quinn did not start out as a villain, but as Dr. Harleen Frances Quinzel.  As a psychiatrist studying The Joker, she was seduced by his web of lies and sad luck stories.  She has increased agility and extreme resistance to poisons and drugs due to her tenure with Poison Ivy, via injections.  Other sexy DC love interests in villainy include Talia Head, Magenta, and Catwoman.

 

wonder_woman_by_Ivan_NES
Number 4:  Wonder Woman

 

You knew she had to make the list, even if she is not as high as some of you think she deserved.  Wonder Woman was created by psychologist, William Moulton Marston, who enjoyed swinging, bondage, domination, and role play, and also pioneered the polygraph.  Her original powers and weaknesses betray these facts.  Wonder Woman possessed strength just out of Superman's class, yet she could be rendered powerless by having her wrists bound (bondage).  Her magic lasso rendered her targets powerless and compelled them tell the truth against their will (bondage and domination).  Marston  was also aroused by large silver bracelets, like the ones worn by both Wonder Woman and his lover.  Other examples of sexy DC powerhouses include Big Barda, Knockout, and Giganta.
 
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Number 3:  Star Sapphire (Carol Ferris)

 

Please do not get me wrong.  All of the Star Sapphires have been fine, from the original, to the one formerly known as Fatality, but Carol Ferris (based off of Elizabeth Taylor), in my humble opinion, was the finest of them all.   Carol Ferris was Hal Jordon's boss and lover at Ferris Aircraft before becoming his adversary as Star Sapphire.  The original role of Star Sapphire was the chosen queen of the Zamarons ('Female counterparts to the Guardians of the Universe, because for a long time, Guardians were only male.)  but has grown into a full corps on par with the Green Lantern Corps, with violet rings fueled by the power of love  Honourable mentions include all other Star Sapphires.

 

Number 2:  Power Girl

 

Power Girl
'Stronger than Supergirl.  'Better built than Wonder Woman.  Able to out-jiggle Harley Quinn with a single bounce...!  Okay, I'll stop, but you get the point.  Power Girl almost made it to Number 1 for all of these reasons and more.  Her past is very disputed as it has had more than its fair share of retcons.  From being an alternate reality's Supergirl, to being a descendant of Arion of Atlantis, I'm not sure if anyone knows who or what she is.  She has abilities similar to Kryptonians and Daxamites, which have fluctuated with writers, but has always had a keen mind and business savvy.  Funny comments have been made about her breasts by the likes of Black Canary and others, including Batman, who used them as a distraction against Toyman.  Sexy DC juggernauts also include Supergirl, Andromeda, and Maxima.

 

Starfire
Number 1:  Starfire

 

I have held a candle for
Koriand'r since I started reading Teen Titans.  She has always been depicted as extremely kind and naive, and with no sense of human taboos; she learned English by sharing a kiss with Robin.  Naturally super strong and durable, she also has energy manipulation and projection abilities.  However, due to genetic experimentation, she has abilities well beyond those of other Tamaraneans, and is one of the most powerful aliens on Earth.  She also has expert combat training that has enabled her to best the much stronger Troia.  Other sexy DC Teen Titans include Troia, Raven, and Wonder Girl.


So, that's my list.  What do you think of it?  How does it compare to yours?  Like I've said in the past, my lists are not absolute, but something done for fun and to start a dialogue with readers with.  We at All Good Things TV would love to read and respond to your comments, so send them in!


Jason O. N. Roberts
Founder/Owner/CEO | Otaku no Baka, LLC
770.864.1042 | JasonRoberts@OtakuNoBaka.NET | http://www.AllCoolThings.NET/
http://www.facebook.com/AllCoolThings | http://www.twitter.com/AllCoolThings


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Olivia Jensen Hair Tutorial

Olivia is considering her own beauty tips blog and we thought that even though this plays to a slightly different audience than the normal AGT crowd, some of you guys might be a little interested in what's going on here too. Winking




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Fake Geek Girls: The New Phantom Menace, or Cry, Fanboy, Cry?

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I think that it would be safe to say that most people reading All Good Things TV appreciate fun stuff and pretty women.  As an otaku, I have enjoyed the female presence that has been increasingly attending otaku, horror, sci-fi, and fantasy conventions.  It is nice to actually meet women that consider themselves fellow geeks and gamers, and even better when they come in cosplay to demonstrate their love of the lifestyle and skills in reproducing the wardrobe worn by beloved characters.  Seven years ago, cosplaying females were not sparse, but they were not as plentiful as they are now.  With that, I have watched a tremendous backlash of anger from otaku and geeks with some of the women that are showing up to the conventions.  'The reason?  Many of those cosplayers are considered "fake nerd girls."
If you are like most of the people reading this, you are wondering how anyone could take something so seriously, much less get angry about pretty girls showing up to conventions that used to be sausagefests.  Shouldn't all the geek  guys be happy that ladies are showing up, regardless of if they are fake nerd girls, and what is a fake nerd girl, anyway?  Before I get into that, I'll give a little background and perspective.

Geeks and
nerds have always been ignored and socially neglected for having "strange" interests and being a socially awkward.  In our forced exclusivity, we made our own groups and hobbies centered around our interests.  We gave these outlets the same devotion we gave  our studies and were likewise made fun of and laughed at for our Star Trek conventions , Dragon*Con, and other groups.  Anime and manga lovers were soon thrown into the same company and a strange thing happened:  People actually started giving anime a chance and loved it!  Anime gave a little more validity to horror, sci-fi, and fantasy because  anime and manga is horror, sci-fi,  and fantasy;  just Japan's preferred medium for it. 

Something that was so unknown became popular.  Everybody could effortlessly
stream anime on their computers when before it was traded and copied with no dub or sub.  Referencing Star Wars became funny.  Doctor Who became a sex symbol.  It became cool to be considered a nerd.  If you had $200, you could wear a premade cosplay, and go to a convention to be a celebrity...complete with attention and paparazzi.  If you're a sexy female, then you'll probably end up on the internet, too.  In fact, there are some women that are paid to make appearances at conventions.  For some of us, this is too much.

These conventions were once a safe haven for the socially awkward.  Nerds could be accepted and find fellowship.  Even though the culture was a forced exclusivity, it was still exclusive and some of us did not know how to handle the exposure and
newbies.  Many felt angry that some of the girls used the conventions as a means to get attention and be rude to us just like they did in everyday life.  Our lifestyle had become a fad, like the goths in the late 90's and 00's.  For the first time, nerds felt estranged, invaded, and used in our own sanctum sanctorums.  As long as it took for me to explain the this  side, my advice on how to react to is so much shorter.

'My advice:  
Deal with itPolish your social skills!  The price of something we love gaining interest is that all types of people with all varying degrees of devotion will enjoy it.  We did not invent the interest, and we don't own it, and even the few that did realise that there must be a changing of the guard.  There is no Nerd Council that punishes infidel, or Otaku Committee that deems what is true cosplay.  There is no entrance exam or trial to demonstrate worthiness to be one of us!  You might even find out you have more in common with a "fake nerd girl" than you thought, because you shouldn't judge a book by its cover ('Remember how we complain about that?) Remember that we are still a part of the lifestyle and can still change it or add to it just like anyone else, or even better because we have been in it so long.  We can show folks a little bit of how it used to be, or in our true spirit, make our own sub-group of old school enthusiasts.  If that isn't good enough:  Nothing trends forever..
HERETICPRIME of All Cool Things


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Sobella Q. Repping AGT

Here we have the beautiful Sobella repping AGT for New York City.
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Top Ten Anime Series Part 2

I hope you all enjoyed the first half of my Top Ten Anime Series.  Here's Part 2!
Number 5:  Urotsukidoji

Urotsukidoji
This is the only hentai anime on my list, and it deserves it.  While many otaku my age had Akira as their first real anime experience, this was mine.  Urotsukidoji is a story about cosmic rebirth and destruction.  In this story there are three worlds:  The World of Beastpeople, The Demon World, and The Human World.  A legend of the Beastpeople tell of the Chojin, bourne of the human world, who will recreate the three worlds and unite them into an eternal kingdom of peace.  Amano Jyaku is a beastman that believes it is his destiny to find the Chojin, and searches with his sister, Megumi, and Kuroko, his perverted imp-like minion.  While Amano seeks the Chojin out of the prospect of peace, the demons wish to destroy him for their own reasons.  Urotsjkidoji spans 6 parts in 16 OVA episodes, but really shines in its first 2 parts.  The story telling is thrilling and extremely erotic.  The art is some of the best art I have ever seen in my life, and is completely without CG due to when the first parts were made.  The movement of the characters is lifelike in all actions (I'll leave it at that.).  Lighting and sound effects are excellent, in fact, the THX tone from Lucasfilm actually comes from a sound effect from Urotsukidoji (hmmm...).  This was also one of the first, if not the first "tentacle hentai."
Other good anime in the genre include Angel of Darkness, La Blue Girl, Violence Jack, and Devilman.
Number 4:  Berserk
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Berserk is one of the manliest anime ever.  Berserk centers around Guts (sometimes erroneously referred to as Gatsu due to common phonic incompatibility between English and Japanese), who is also known as the Black Swordsman.  Guts is a battle-hardened one-man army on a mission of revenge against the established ruling nobility.  Berserk shows how Guts became the Black Swordsman, and his career with the Band of the Hawk.  The Band of the Hawk is led by Griffith, Guts's one time enemy and closest friend.  Caska is Griffith's lieutenant, and is the greatest warrior in the Band of the Hawk, after Griffith and Guts.  Tensions and attractions between all three ebb and flow to create a great back-story to the plot.  Berserk has all of the dramatic elements in it:  battle, love, betrayal, rape, murder, ambition, good, evil, and the question of the nature of man.  Berserk culminates in all of these elements in one act of moral depravity.
While I cannot really think of any anime that truly shares the same spirit as Berserk, Record of the Lodoss War is an epic fantasy anime with many of the same elements, but not as intense. Claymore is also a violent and bloody anime of revenge.
Number 3:  Cowboy Bebop
Cowboy Bebop - All Characters (Wallpaper - 1024x768)
"And the work which has become a genre unto itself shall be called: Cowboy Bebop"  These words were used in a prophetic commercial intermission bump for Cowboy Bebop.  Before Cowboy Bebop, never had space travel, bounty hunting, action, love, loss, philosophy, and unique story telling been married in such a perfect blend.  Even the filler episodes are delightful and add to the story, rather than detract from or derail  it.  Cowboy Bebop's characters are three "space cowboys," or interstellar bounty hunters, Spike Spiegel, Jet Black, and Faye Valentine.  They are brought together by strange circumstances from their pasts.  Edward the hacker(a girl) and Ein the "data dog" aid them in their pursuit of criminal bounties and provide comic relief to the series.  Working and living out of their mother ship, the Bebop, each of the crew tries to come to terms with the demons from his or her past that they can no longer run from.  The art is top notch and was one of the first anime to feature what I remember being termed "silver tone magic."
Anime series that share the spirit include Outlaw Star, Dirty Pair, Neon Genesis Evangelion,Trigun. Samurai Champloo, and Lupin the 3rd.

Number 2:  Bleach
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I have to start out by saying that Bleach is my favourite recent anime made.  To me, Bleach is like Star Wars because it combines ancient elements and seamlessly incorporates them with more modern ones.  Bleach's main protagonist is a teenager named ichigo Kurosaki.  Besides being bourne with bright orange hair, Ichigo also has the ability to see and communicate with spirits.  His life is completely changed when he encounters a shinigami, or soul reaper,  named Rukia.  Rukia is mortally wounded by a hollow and is forced to transfer some of her spiritual pressure to ichigo to fight the hollow because he has supernatural abilities already.  The interaction makes him a "substitute soul reaper."  Like most great anime series, Bleach has an eclectic group of characters that support and oppose Ichigo.  I also like the treachery that occurs throughout the series among many of the characters.  It is still being translated into English, but I have watched the entire series in sub, and it was a bitter sweet moment to watch it end.
Other spiritual adventure anime include , Death Note, Saiyuki, Kekaishi, Devil Hunter Yohko, and Yu Yu Hakusho.
Number 1:  Ranma 1/2
ranma anime
My absolute favourite anime of all time is Ranma 1/2Ranma 1/2 was written by Rumiko Takahashi, one of the most talented and well-respected anime artists and authors in the business.   Ranma 1/2 is a romantic martial arts comedy about Ranma Saotome who is betrothed to Akane Tendo.  Ranma and Akane's fathers, Genma and Soun, were students and sole heirs to the "Anything Goes School of Martial Arts," which prides itself on no holds barred brawling in which every style, weapon, or technique is considered fair play.  Akane  is a tomboy that does not like boys.  What complicates things even more is that Ranma is cursed by changing into a girl whenever he is splashed by cold water.  The only remedy is to be splashed again, but with warm water.  Most of the conflicts occur when other powerful martial artists arrive with crushes on Ranma, Akane, or each other, and all are forced to fight for love.  Many of the cast are also cursed with amusing transformations.    Ranma 1/2 has great awkward romantic moments.  The fight scenes are unique and action packed, and have more dramatic and cooler sounding moves than Street Fighter. The stories have to be seen to be believed.  Rumiko Takahashi raised the bar with all of her anime series, and has more favourite series than any anime artist or author.
If you enjoy Ranma 1/2,  you will most likely enjoy some of her other series like Lum, Maison Ikkoku, Rumic World, and InuYasha.  Tenchi Muyo!, Devil Hunter Yohko,  and Kenichi:  The Mightiest Disciple are also good series that are very similar.
In recollection, for
Part 1, there were some honourable mentions that I neglected to make:  Number 9- Star Blazers, The Transformers and Thundercats, and Number 8- Paranoia Agent and Shin Chan.
There are also some anime that never really piqued my interest, but have a good buzz, like
One Piece, Gantz, and Naruto.
So there you have it.  In my opinion, these series are the best in the business and the reasons that I love anime.  Some of them are not the best animated by today's standards, but this is also an age when every anime is showroom perfect but a toss-up under the hood.
I think if you give them a chance, you will definitely find something you like and possibly a new favourite.
Did any of these make your list?  What do you like?  Share it with us.  Share it with your friends.  We'd love to hear from all of you.

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Carol Seleme Outtakes from "Wreck-It Ralph" Review

Click image below to be taken to video. Reach Carol Seleme on Twitter.

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Top Ten Anime Series Part 1

I'm an old school Anime Lover.  Ironically, a lot of otaku  think I don't know anime because I don't like a lot of the newer stuff.  The reason I don't watch much of the newer stuff is that since anime has become mainstream, most anime feels like it comes from corporate templates.  It's either the "Loli Little Girl Panty Shot High School," "Monster and Wizard High School," or "Big Breasted Robo-Assassins." I prefer to remember the days when anime stories were captivating, the art breathtaking and painstakingly made, and the premises were unique.   Because of this, I thought I'd share my Top 10 Anime Series of all time.  This is just my opinion and not being submitted as law.  It's  just a suggestion of some great older anime  and well-written newer anime to watch if you're feeling bored.
Number 10:  Crying Freeman
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Crying Freeman is about a very unlikely assassin, named Yo.  Yo was a famous Japanese artist whose skill with his hands in both sculpture and painting is so splendid that it catches the eyes of the 108 Dragons, a powerful Chinese crime syndicate.  They kidnap him, and through a combination of ancient and cutting edge mind control, memory editing, and reprogramming techniques, make Yo into their greatest assassin.  Despite all of the manipulation, his will and spirit remain strong, and his psyche gives release to his juxtaposition by streams of silent tears that stream down his face every time he makes a hit.  This gives him his codename:  Crying Freeman.  His true destiny is sparked when he is spotted during an assassination by a beautiful, yet modest, young artist, named Emu.  His assassin's code dictates that he kill her under penalty of death, but he falls for her.  Yo and Emu's lives are never the same.  The series has beautiful classic anime art, and Crying Freeman's fighting style is unconventional and clever. 
Other anime like Crying Freeman are Grappler Baki, Golgo13, and Rei-Lan:  Orchid Emblem.
Number 9:  Voltron (Go Lions!)
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This series is about as classic as it gets.  Voltron was not as Astroboy or Gigantor, but it was old enough to not only to influence anime, but endear itself to a lot of people that helped to make anime the juggernaut that it is.  Voltron is the story of the worlds protected by a planetary alliance.  Various teams are sent to the worlds and defend them using giant robots.  For the purpose of this article, I am only going to refer to the superior "Lions" Voltron Team, and not the "Cars" or "Gladiator" Teams.  In Voltron,  a team of adventurers from The Alliance go to the planet Arus to find one of the Voltron robots, who used to defend that galaxy.  Voltron was tricked by a witch named Haggar, who was not powerful enough to destroy him, but separate him into five elemental robot lions.  The Voltron Force must find the hidden lions and learn to pilot them.  If found, The Lions can be united to reform Voltron, and protect the galaxy again.  Voltron had great stories, but some otaku might consider it lacking because of the art style and lack of intensity.  Like I said, this is an old anime series, and just how movies in the 1940's might be considered tamer by some, others love them for the stories and nostalgia; it is the same for me and Voltron.  I think the thing that I, and many classic otaku have loved about Voltron is that Voltron is a synergy of technology and magic with a soul.
If you think you might like Voltron, cheque out Robotech, which also encompasses Macross, and Speed Racer.
Number 8:  FLCL
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I cannot express the joy I get thinking about the insanity that is FLCL. without giving away plot twists, but I will do my best.  The story is about a boy name Naota whose older brother, Tasuku, is a pro baseball player that lives in the USA.  Naota's life was already abnormal enough considering his father and grandfather are quite eccentric, and his brother's ex-girlfriend, Mamimi uses him as a proxy for his brother, to molest.  The story picks the weirdness up a notch when Haruka, a girl on a Vespa runs Naota over.  After this, Naota and Haruka find out that when she hits him in the head with her bass guitar, things come out of it.  This story covers love triangles, coming of age, conspiracy theories, inter-dimensional portals, philosophy, humor, and action packed into a 12 episode series...each episode only about 15 minutes!  I know it might seem unbelievable that such a short series could make my top 10, but it really is that good!
Another series that you might want to check out is Soul Eater, which, like FLCL, one of the better recent series that shares the same kind of insanity of FLCL.
Number 7:  Full Metal Alchemist:  Brotherhood
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Full Metal Alchemist:  Brotherhood is a more manga accurate remake of Full Metal Alchemist.  It is about two brothers, Edward and Alphonse Elric, who live on a world where alchemy is a developed and well respected central science of their society.  There are only two taboos:  human creative and re-creative alchemy, and attempts to create a Philosophers' Stone.  Both actions attempt to ignore the central rule of alchemy, "The Law of Equivalent Exchange:" in order for something to be gained, something equal must be lost.  While the elements in a human body are cheap, what is the value of a human being, and what must be lost for the alchemic production of one?  The Philosopher's Stone is a perversion of The Law because it seeks to bypass it altogether, and what must be lost to achieve that?  The Elric brothers attempted to resurrect their mother using alchemy when they are small children.  The result was gruesome, and costs Edward an arm and a leg, and Alphonse his entire body.  Edward binds Alphonse's body to a suit of armor.   The two become State Alchemists in order to unlock the secrets of both taboos, and find their father.  Edward and Alphonse meet some colorful characters in their travels, and learn truths that seem to link the two taboos.  Most of you reading this have probably watched at least one episode.
Case Closed sort of reminds of Brotherhood because of the pursuit of truth.
Number 6:  The Dragon Ball Series
This had to end up somewhere on the list.  This series spans not just
Dragon Ball Z, but Dragon Ball GT, the original Dragon Ball, and the re-edited and restored Dragon Ball Z Kai.  For any of you that do not know about this series, it centers around a very virtuous and kind martial artist named Goku.  He is taught martial arts by an old martial arts master named Gohan.  Training from the legendary fighter combined with the child's extraordinary origins make Goku one of the strongest warriors on Earth.  This series has some of the most diverse and remarkable cast of characters in all of anime, most of which are enemies of Goku, and most of them become his allies and trusted friends.  Aiding Goku and his friends are the seven Dragon Balls, which can be brought together every year to grant a wish, before scattering all over the Earth again.  While the Dragon Balls are powerful enough to resurrect the dead in multitudes, they are not omnipotent, and there are rules affecting the wishes.
Other favorite anime with fighting spirit include
Yu Yu Hakusho, Rurouni Kenshin, and Kenichi:  The Mightiest Disciple.
How do you like the Top 10 so far?  Have any of mine been any of yours?  Well, I'm only half-way through, and there is still a good chance that some of yours may make my list.  Stay tuned to All Good Things TV to find out, and keep the comments coming!
By:
HERETICPRIME of Otaku no Baka

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Carol Seleme Review of "Wreck-It Ralph"

Here is Carol Seleme’s latest review of “Wreck-It RalphHappy


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Are Women in Comics Depicted So Differently Than Their Male Counterparts?

by Jason O.N. Roberts aka HERETICPRIME of Otaku no Baka
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In the last two weeks or so, I've seen a few interesting pictures and articles about the way female comic book characters are depicted in contrast to male characters. I think that the general consensus is that women are depicted in sexy poses, rather than practical poses, and wear outfits that are skimpy rather than protective. At first I thought that these critics were on to something. However, with some reflection on this subject, I realized that this sentiment might not be so valid. In the same light-hearted tone, I will offer the counter-arguments that the comic book males are depicted in a worse manner than the females.
Argument 1) Women Are Exploited by Their Costumes More Than Men Many of the critics of comics are saying that female characters are given costumes that do not protect them and are basically designed to show-off their physiques. To this I say: Are you effing kidding? How long have you been reading comic books? The basic male superhero costume motif is based on Superman. Superman fights crime in a bodysuit with underwear on the outside. That's basically dressing like Madonna and Lady Gaga.
Other heroes like Spiderman and Daredevil also sport skin-tight bodysuits. The Hulk loses everything except his pants and the Silver Surfer is naked. However, nobody has impractical costumes like the sidekicks, namely Robin. His costume is so revealing that many jokes about Bruce Wayne and the relationship he had with his ward are legend. Robin is not alone for pants-less fashion. Honourable mentions of "underwear" heroes include Plasticman, The Original Black
sad
Condor, Black Vulcan, Samurai, and Dollman...yup, ALL DC heroes.
Argument 2) Only Women Use Their Sexuality As a Weapon
This is an argument that seems obviously true, when it is actually the opposite. Yes, certain female characters use their sexuality to accomplish their goals. Both Black Widows, Viper, Madam Hydra, and the Black and White Queens use their attractiveness to their advantage, but then again, they will use anything to gain the upper hand, and do not just depend on having a hot body or pretty face. Without their commendable skills, they would be no better than molls and damsels in distress.
I would also like to point out what many don't realize: The male characters use their sexuality as weapons too. I can hear the eyebrows arching. Let me explain: Think about every male comic book character that plays it cool, tough, or macho. These characters are doing what a lot of women consider sexy, or at least what we think a lady's man would do. In fact, these character traits led to a whole new type of hero: the anti-hero, who always gets more women. Ask any woman who's sexier: Batman, or Superman? How about Spider-Man, or Wolverine? Superman and Spider-Man is like their father and the best friend that likes them, but never gets a shot. Batman and Wolverine are the bad boys that girls' fathers hate, and therefore, they
love.
Hawkeye Daken Kiss
There are also smooth male characters that use sexuality to seduce, like Paladin and Nick Fury. Look at the old Nick Fury, Agent of S.H.I.E.L.D. comic books. Not only were they trippy and psychedelic, but they were pretty spicy, too. Other male comic book characters that use sexuality as weapon include Starfox, Guy Gardener, and Daken. Oh, Daken is a Dark Avenger and a son of Wolverine. He likes to seduce both men and women. You might say he fits the "sexuality as a weapon" bill in ways that even the ladies usually don't.
Argument 3) Only Women Take Sexy Poses
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Once again, I will rely on the same logic as Argument 2). A lot of the poses that male comic book characters use are sexy and impractical for men, not women. Think about how many pictures you've seen of muscle-bound he-men posed flexing in weird stances, or blowing everything away with guns as big as the ones they call biceps; what else do you call this? Male comic book characters do this so much, that the Japanese digested it with the rest of our animation and comic books and interpreted in their versions. 'Don't believe me? Just think of the Power Rangers, Ultraman, Spectreman, and, my favourite, The Ginyu Force.

Argument 4) Women Make Poses and Have Bodies That are Anatomically Impossible
Rebecca Eisenberg wrote an article on Upworthy titled Oh, So You Really Think the Female Body Works Like That? http://www.upworthy.com/oh-so-you-really-think-the-female-body-works-like-that In her article, she shows how some female comic book characters are drawm to look beautiful and graceful, but would be impossible or uncomfortable to be in. She also has some pretty funny pictures of Hawkeye getting his "'female empowerment' on" by being drawn in some of those poses. I think she would probably also agree with other critics, that comic women are also proportioned in ways that real women could not hope to be without surgery.
My responses to her would basically be the same explanations for Arguments 2). If you don't believe me, just look at some of Rob Liefeld's, any other former Image Comic creators,' anatomically incorrect manly poses. No one has muscles like that. I can also give an example that blows her argument away in one word: Spider-Man.
That guy has the most difficult poses and movements in the business. He hikes his knees a whole foot above his head, with his legs froggy-style spread-eagle, with finger-action as difficult as Mr. Spock that shoots webbing. He has the powers of a spider, but nowhere does it say that he is penta-jointed. Yup, once again, the men have it worst, if you want to consider something like this bad. *shrugs shoulders*
Liefeldcaptainamerica
In Conclusion
So you see, it can be argued that men are just as sexualized as women. The thing that makes a lot of those Hawkeye "female empowerment" pictures so funny is that they have him holding himself like a woman. Now some of you are going to take offense with me saying that, but I think it is a sadder world we live in when it is considered politically incorrect to celebrate, or even acknowledge the differences between men and women. Women do carry themselves differently to be pretty and graceful. Men do the same to look handsome and powerful. The comics are just doing what they do with everything else. They kick it up a notch. Despite this fact, if you look at some of these "empowerment" pictures, you realize that the females are not depicted so badly, if at all, and the Hawkeye pictures give him the body and clothing of woman. Are these "empowerment" pictures fighting sexism, or punishing femininity and masculinity at the same time?

I remember as a young boys, we could have been intimidated by the larger than life physiques and manlier than manly attitudes of many comic book characters. Did we complain, point fingers, or cry about how comics were making an unfair picture for little boys to grow into? No! Did we complain about damaged psyches and low self esteem? No! We did the mature thing! We put on our Underoos and became our favourite superheroes yelling, "Superman!" and "Spider-Man!" We did not blame the comic book creators for making interesting and powerful characters to entertain and stimulate imaginations. We loved them for it.
Yes, people, I am kidding, but, like I always say, there is truth in every jest. This topic is one of trivial academia, for most, and not worth getting heated about. For all you women and female feminists that are bent out of shape by this topic, think about this: You all probably look a
lot more like your comic book sisters than we look like our comic book brothers, for as Rich Koslowski, writer and artist for How to Pick Up Girls If You're a Comic Book Geek, communicated, if you are a guy that reads comic books, you probably have a body like the Scarecrow or the Blob. Comics are for fun, so enjoy them.



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Carol Seleme - "Wreck-It Ralph" Review Coming Up

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Olivia Jensen - Thanksgiving Homegrowns

blogEntryTopperIn a way, Olivia Jensen was the first AGT model, since she did the promo for the site. She will eventually do her own review for the site, but in the meantime, here are some homegrown pics.
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Mini Review - Amir Avni - Artist

One of the great things about blogging is that it allows you connect with talented creative people you might not have otherwise met. Amir Avni is a great artist from Canada who did the original of Mal Malloy that I featured on Indosplace.

Amir was nice enough to update his initial sketch with the below drawing, which I really like. His style reminds me a little of John Kricfalusi (Ren & Stimpy). Amir is also an animator on a new Cartoon Network show called Grojband, so check him out.

Grojband Promo

AmirAvni-MalMalloy.001


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Mal Malloy AGT T-Shirt

Internet sensation Mal Malloy is seen here sporting the new AGT tees designed by Winterart which can be purchased here. Look for Mal to do upcoming reviews. More pics (and maybe some video) coming shortly… You can also see further pics on Indosplace and Mal’s Tumblr.

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Additonal Footage - Carol Seleme All Good Things Video

A really quick edit of Carol Seleme from her first AGT video shoot including some footage of her not included in the first video.




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Carol Seleme Bonus & Interview

Carol Seleme Bonus Exterior Footage from AllGoodThings.TV on Vimeo.



1. You're an experienced model but you've never done anything quite like this before, where you had to remember lines and "act," as it were. What was different from this assignment and your typical modeling job? Which do you prefer and why?

True. Maybe its because I am living so close to Hollywood, people in the industry automatically assume I need their help in getting more ‘acting’ gigs. Not really, I already have a career in Fine Arts, which involves a lot of dedication, leaving me no time for the investment I believe acting requires. So I would like to make it clear that in no manner do I consider myself a talented actor, in fact I only accepted to take in the project because I find ‘hosting’ a show a much lighter responsibility than incorporating a character in a feature film or stage.

2. If you had this to do over again, what would you do different, if anything?

As I watched the footage I found myself very un-natural, and self-conscious. I hope I can exude a more relaxed vibe in future hosting gigs. I also think it would help if I had written the script myself, but I am aware that hosting requires embracing a script written by another person graciously.

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3. What projects are you working on now, in terms of your modeling career?

That is a funny question, since modeling is not like making art-work, where I can be engaged on the same body of work for a season or even a year, it is so fast paced and I am not my own boss, I seldom get more than 3 days notice when being booked for a music video, and usually around a week when being booked for a photo-shoot. So I haven’t got much of an idea of what the future holds for me in terms of my modeling career, but I do keep a record of how much work I get every month and it is safe to say that chart is rocketing!

4.You're at Otis College of Art & Design which ranks #27 in Fine Art college in U.S. News Best Grad School Rankings. What is your major and when are you set to graduate? What are your career plans post graduation?

I don’t like that question, graduating freaks me out, and the real world of the Art Industry is very intimidating. I am majoring in Panting & Sculpture/New Genres. I do have plans, I just don’t want to talk about them yet, they might change!

5. This is your third time collaborating with Indo from Indosplace.com. Why do you think you guys work well together?

Indo noticed me and believed in my potential before I had ever been published or gotten much exposure, which I appreciate. All the pictures we have taken together have been the most popular in my portfolio, due to his meticulous planning of location, wardrobe, and hair/makeup, which comes off as fresh and effortless on the pics since nothing is ever overdone. Most importantly, there is great value in working with someone respectful, professional, and that doesn’t spend the whole time bragging about his connections and achievements. There are few in this industry and City.

6. You introduced yourself as being from Curitiba, Brazil voted by Reader’s Digest is one of the best cities to live in Brazil. Can you tell us a little something about Curitiba?

There’s no place like home. I’m a huge patriot, which is common amongst Brazilians. I find it very important to represent my country positively while I am living outside of it. And I try to do so both through my art and modeling. Curitiba is just the right size, small enough that you will always see some friendly faces when going out to a bar or club, and big enough that you will always get a chance to meet new people. And yes, we have a great public transportation system, much more efficient than the one in LA.


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Cabin in the Woods: Visual Companion Guide - Mini Review

Page From Cabin in the Woods
Reviews of this movie abound on the net. Obviously, Cabin in the Woods has been christened the holy grail of horror movies by fan boy types (including me). Ironically, the Visual Companion Guide - which covers just about every facet of the movie you could imagine in great detail - somewhat detracts from the fun of it all because it’s so self conscious (exploitative?) about the geekdom factor.

That said, I would still highly recommend this book to anyone who liked the movie. The prelude interview with Joss Whedon and Drew Goodard (director) is unusually honest. For example, Joss talks about how one actress they both liked refused to do the nudity required for the Jules character (p. 22). He goes on to state that her stubborn refusal to show her boobies was one of his and Drew’s more “uncomfortable” moments in the casting process. (The role eventually went to Anna Hutchison.) The whole section comes off as a subliminal dig at whoever this actress is from the director of the 3rd highest grossing movie of all time (e.g., The Avengers).

There is also an interesting little bit about how they had to fire the first casting director because of a lack of simpatico (p. 20). I find stuff like this fascinating for some reason. I’ve always disliked those interviews where the cast and crew of movies say they got along great. (Yawn.)
Cabin in the Woods Visual Companion Guide Image

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Update: Just a brief note about the Cabin in the Woods Blu Ray special features - they rock! Much more enjoyable than the Visual Companion Guide just because this type of information is best conveyed through moving pictures and audio. The extras are WAY more extensive than the iTunes Extras, including at least three more features. Drew and Joss, while somewhat “self-congratulatory” (as described by Joss himself), are very entertaining in both the Wonder-Con interview and the audio commentary. Interesting factoids include: 1) Sigourney Weaver was concerned about the Werewolf having someone to sit with during a lunch break while shooting, 2) the gas station was actually someone’s home, and they had a confederate flag in the window that made Jesse Williams uncomfortable, 3) Twilight was being shot in the same forest as Cabin in Canada, at the same time, 4) even after working with Chris Hemsworth on Cabin, Joss made a call to Kenneth Branagh to see how he was to work with on Thor before casting him in The Avengers (yikes!).

The one thing I do find especially interesting about Cabin is that Drew and Joss repeatedly emphasize the practical effects in this movie (over CG) and yet any credibility they had built up in that regard is blown by the somewhat cheesy looking CG effects in the infamous elevator mayhem scene which you forgive because it’s such a fun scene. But I do recall thinking, “Gawd those effects looked CG!”


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Scott Pilgrim Vol 1 Review

Scott Pilgrim Color
You've probably heard of the movie but have you ever read the original graphic novels for Scott Pilgrim vs. the World? If not then I think you should and now's the perfect time to pick them up, better than ever. Oni Press started printing a new colorized edition in August 2012 with future volumes scheduled for release every six months. And since I haven't read it either or have any plans coming up for the next three years, I figured that I might as well start picking them up too.
 
Hey don't judge me. At least the writer/artist Bryan Lee O'Malley understands. Plans, commitments, pursuits, that stuff's complicated and I don't even like to buy bananas when they're still green. Neither does Scott Pilgrim. He's just your average twenty-something slacker who's drifting through life on a few bucks, playing in a garage band and splitting his friend's futon mattress. Really what more do any of us need other than a slice of pizza, some tunes and a place to crash?
 
Sex, you say? Companionship? Enter Ramona Flowers.
 
But her affections are not easily won. Not only does Scott have to convince Ramona to date him (even though he's already dating a sweet catholic school girl whom he hasn't quite gotten around to dumping), but he also has to fight Ramona's seven evil exes in order to keep dating her. So it's a good thing that aside from being your average twenty-something slacker, he also happens to be the greatest fighter in Ontario Canada.
 
Sex-Bob-Omb Jamming
Scott Pilgrim quickly moves into surreal territory, drawing upon themes and cues from the cartoons, movies, video games and comics people of Scott's age experienced while growing up. From the name of his band "Sex Bob-Omb" to the X-Men patch on his jacket, it is all a love letter from O'Malley to an entire subculture.
 
Even Scott's having to fight seven evil exes is a reference to shonen style manga like Dragon Ball. But that's not what it's about, even if O’Malley drops many references to things from his time growing up. Scott Pilgrim vs. the World is about becoming an adult and fighting for things in life, because just skirting by can hurt the people around you and leave you really alone whether or not you've realized it yet.
 
This edition is also hardbound and comes with bonus material from the creator, discussing the origins of the characters and conception of the series. So for the many of us who missed out on this critically acclaimed graphic novel the first time, this volume entitled "Scott Pilgrim''s Precious Little Life" is a great place to start on a journey of our own.


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