Art Tuesday

So way back in the late 70's, early 80's there was this all girl band named "The Runaways". Two of the girls went on to have quite a bit of spotlight shone upon them. You know them as Joan Jett & Lita Ford.

Meanwhile, one of the other girls may not have been in the spotlight, but continued to be successful through creative outlets, art, solo albums, writing, etc. A bit of a "Jack of all trades". Her name is Cherie Currie. Let me tell ya, she has some mean chainsaw art skills. Go check out her sculptures here: Chainsaw Chick

The pic at the top of the post is a sculpture of a mermaid Cherie did. Wow! She also wrote a critically acclaimed autobiographical book about "The Runaways" called "Neon Angel". You might want to go check it out & give it a read. If not, then maybe you can go check out the movie based on the book that hits theaters this week.

Movie Review Monday!

I have a two for one today! That's right, two movies reviewed by me for you to consider viewing in one post! Amazing!



Okay movie One: "Bitch Slap"

Think Sexplotation movie from the late 70's early 80's. 3 gorgeous women are tangled up in a mess trying to find a wealth of diamonds buried somewhere in the desert. Oh, and there are guns. Lots of really big guns. Also, scantily clad women beating the holy bajebus outta each other & everyone else.

The story is solid & very fun. There are flashbacks that keep moving us farther & farther back in time. The acting is great except for maybe the crazy chick "Camero". I had middle of the road expectations for this flick & was a little surprised at how well they used the genre.

Eric Guendemann & Rick Jacobson, who worked on many an episode of Xena & Hercules, wrote the screenplay. Rick Directed the picture & also helped Rick produce it. Zoe Bell, Xena stunt woman & star of Death Proof, coordinated all the stunts & fights scenes as well as doubling. There was plenty to see for any Xena/Hercules fan in this picture, with Lucy Lawless (Xena), & Renee O'Connor (Gabrielle) making cameos as nuns. Micheal Hurst (Iolas in Hercules) had one of the major roles in the film & proves once again what a great actor he is.

I give it a B for a GREAT B-movie! Go rent for sure & if you like good B films, just go buy it.

Make sure to watch the 3 part documentary on the Making of a good B-movie just to laugh at Micheal Hurst & be surprised how absolutely full of herself Erin Cummings, "Hel", is. I'm pretty sure they added all of her diva moments as a warning to ANYONE out there even considering her for another part. I had thought she'd make a great RED SONJA until I watched her in the extras. OMG. No way. I feel sorry for ANYONE who ever has to put up with this woman. Wow.

I hope to see Julia Voth, "Trixie", in many, many more films.

Okay, movie #2: Zebraman



A Japanese superhero movie. I LOVED it as well. It started just a tad bit slow, but quickly picked up. I think it was geared more toward kids than adults, but if you like fairytale movies & superheroes, you'll probably like it.

A school teacher longs to be more & is obsessed with a TV series that only had 7 episodes called, "Zebraman". A wheelchair bound transfer student bonds with him over the old program. Little does the student know that the teacher has been constructing his own Zebraman outfit in the hopes of becoming a hero himself.

It's a sweet story. Rent it.

Well, that's it for now. Hope everyone has a fantastic week.

Happy vs. making money

I've come to realize that my passion has waned. I'm not sure why. Responsibility, retail, outside influences telling me I need a steady income & health insurance, stress, I'm sure all have something to do with it. Having escaped retail hell & finding a place in higher education has helped, but I still find myself always reaching the same question. How will this passion or creative idea make me money. WHAT!? I never asked that of myself BEFORE I graduated college. I had a professor in college push me toward Graphic Arts on computers, telling me it would make me money. He told me Fine Arts would never make me money. I needed to be on the cutting edge. Truth is I don't enjoy rendering or computer graphic art. I like the feel of the paper, the smell of a fresh canvas, the way the paint glides from the paint brush to the canvas. I love trying to get what is in my head to look the same on canvas or paper. I never questioned what it meant or why. It was just what I was supposed to do. Now, I find myself trying to fill a niche or create something that masses might want. Why? Money. I have to pay the mortgage, right? I'm tired. I don't want to think this way anymore. How does a person rid themselves of this thinking? How does someone go back to the unlimited passion & not fret about the mortgage. How do you throw your cares to the wind & be free again? How does an artist, a shaman, a person who values independence & freedom connect with that flow of energy that runs through the universe once they've found themselves stranded on a muddy path? I'm stuck. Stuck in a place that pays me just enough to get by, but not get out. How do I escape?

Art Tuesday

The Marshall Space Flight Center Art Collection has a really great exhibit up on the net. It's a really cool interactive site that lets you enter the museum & click on a painting or work of art to get a close-up view & information on the piece. The really sad thing is how many of these beautiful concept pieces have "artist unknown" listed as the artist. These are images that are burned into all of our imaginations, yet they can't attribute many of them to anyone. That's sad. Still, head on over & check out the cool works of art depicting rockets, ships, shuttles, space stations, astronauts & other cool aspects of Space Exploration.

Movie Review Monday

Black Dynamite. Oh, yeah, you heard me. This is an excellent blacksploitation sploitation film. Funny & entertaining. I really like many of the one liners in the film. The ending was alright. A little anti-climatic, but still fun. If you like purposely bad films like "Pootie Tang", "Kung Pow", or "Alien Trespass", you should check this out. Here's the preview:



Fun, fun stuff.

Website Wednesday replaced by some new art!

Cool. I tried something new today to help get me motivated. I posted " Okay, give me an idea for a cool sketch. I'll then sketch it & post it. C'mon, anything. Get creative! No cats." today on FB to see what I'd get.

The first thing I got was: "Cats! DAMN!"

The second was: "What about a kitten? Or a tiger? Oh Oh! A panther??"

Ugh. Of course. My sarcastic friends. I love them. So I did a cat just for them.

A dead dried cat.



Then I got some honest efforts.

A hot air balloon. Eh, Okay. I don't think I've ever drawn a hot air balloon.



It turned out pretty good.

Then the one I really like. A Hobobot or Hobo Robot. Sweet. I love robots & hobos are crazy & cool. So I gave it a try.



All in all, I think my little experiment worked. It may just become a Wednesday tradition.

Art Tuesday

So you are a creative individual & you want to do something, but you don't have the money. You want to create a comic, but you're just one guy/gal. You're not Marvel or DC. You want to animate a movie, but again, you have no money. You have a computer, sure, and some pencils & paper, of course, but no money. Well, stop whining. You have everything you need. The only reason you aren't doing it is because you're lazy & afraid. You're afraid you're pretending. You doubt somewhere inside yourself that you really are what you want to be. You hold yourself back by being afraid that someone, somewhere, is going to call you out for being a poser. You use excuses like time & money for why you can't achieve these things, but really it all comes down to you. Ralph Bakshi was at Comic Con in 2008 & laid it all out for those of us who just stand still whining & crying. I have to say, I like an honest brutal opinion. So, for this Art Tuesday post I wanted to share the video of Ralph telling those of us who are creative to stop crying & do something. No one is stopping you, but you.

Movie Review Monday

Well hello there! It's March! It also happens to be Women's History month & Movie review Monday. I have absolutely nothing. Lol. I rearranged two rooms in my house this weekend & barely even got a chance to sit down much less watch a movie. The rooms look great & I am going to be able to get rid of quite a mess of stuff. I really revel in the fact that I have someone that loves rearranging rooms as much as I do. The stagnancy wears on you & there are always those hard to reach places you can't get with a vacuum that you inevitably drop something behind the first week, that are now revealed, looted & cleaned! Hurrah! Plus, it's like a whole new house!

Hopefully the changes help make both of us more productive. The dog never likes it when we move things around. I think she may be OCD. Poor thing. Moving things does get you to thinking about the other rooms though. I keep thinking about the awful tile in the bathroom, the carpet in the hall, & the lack of a dishwasher in the kitchen. I want those all fixed. Now. Unfortunately, with a messed up rotator cuff & no money, it may be a while.

So as far as reviewing a movie today, I don't think it's going to happen. I want to see that new Amelia Earhart movie. It looks good. The new information & theories on Amelia are sad but fascinating. I heard the movie doesn't follow the newest theories of her surviving & successfully landing the plane on the water then living on a nearby island until she succumbed to the elements, but new archeological evidence is really starting to point that direction. It would be amazing if they could find that skeleton. Amelia Earhart was one cool lady.

Action Figure Friday

If you missed them the first time around, you have a second chance. Toynami has released a second wave of it's first two Futurama figures "Fry" & "Bender". I found them at Think Geek for a good price of $24.99 for the set.

They also have "Prof. Farnsworth" & "Hermes" or "Leela" & "Zapp Brannigan" for the same price. They are a really great company & I have ordered from them before with no difficulties. They are usually pretty speedy with the shipping, too. They even have a rewards program called "Geek Points".

As far as the figures go, I love them. The Futurama line happens to be some of my favorite figures of my entire Geek collection. "Chef Bender", "Mom", "Nudar", "Calculon", "Kif", "Dr. Zoidberg", "Cloberella", "Super King Bender", "Capt. Yesterday" are available all over the web as well. "Wooden Bender", "Morbo" and "URL" (robot peace officer) were displayed at the 2010 Toy Fair, so I'm betting they will be next in line. The accessories that come with these figures are usually just what they should be. "Fry" has a holophoner, a can of Slurm, & anchovies for example.

If you love Futurama these are fun way to support the show.

New Music Thursday

Killfest coming to Oklahoma. If you like black, death, or hardcore screaming metal this is a show not to miss. Sunday, April 25th in Tulsa Oklahoma at the Marquee

Killfest is a hardcore metal concert that includes the bands Vader, God Dethroned, Woe of Tyrants, Warbringer, & Evile, all leading up to the top band on the bill, OVERKILL.

This is going to be one heavy show. You can get yout tickets now at ENTER THE VAULT. Check the tour calendar for a show near you if you aren't anywhere near the Tulsa location. It's a pretty extensive tour.

Website/Blog Wednesday

Okay, so I hear about this new online game site. It's called thesixtyone.com. It's not just any game website though. This one is a music website game site. You listen to music, rate it, skip it, etc. & move on & up. Their mission statement is:

"On thesixtyone, new artists make music and listeners decide what's good. We're nurturing a growing ecosystem where talented folks can sell songs and merchandise directly to their fans. Unlike a record or distribution deal where they only make $1-2 per album (if they ever get paid, that is), artists on thesixtyone make at least $7 per album and are paid every 30 days -- no wait for recoupment and no complex royalty schemes!

We're named after Highway 61, a U.S. route that runs along the Mississippi River and marks the origin of American music culture. Muddy Waters, Bob Dylan and B.B. King rode the 61. Elvis grew up in the housing projects along it. Highway 61 was the road by which people left their homes to take their music to the world.

thesixtyone, inc. was created in 2008 on the basis of yielding the highest annual dividend of auditory happiness for our shareholders across the universe."

Pretty cool. The first song I got to listen to was "Yeti" by Like Bells & I have to say, I liked it. It seems to be a really great way to find new music by new bands or bands that have yet to get any attention from the mainstream.

One really great thing about the website is that they let you listen & download music without an account. Smart decision & great decision if you are an artist on the site.

An incentive to get join & sign-up for an account is the ability to comment on songs, upload as opposed to download songs, & get to some music that has been keep back as for members only.

There is cool info & pictures of the band you are listening to in addition to any tour schedules they may have.

I have to say I was really surprised by the quality of music on the site. Most of it was not my type, I'm a metalhead, but some of it I really liked. Go check it out & see if it's something you could get into. You might find some great new music or a place to put the great new music you make.

Don't forget to leave a tip in the tip jar if you really like the band.

Ciao!

Art Tuesday feat. The Artistic Biker

The Artist Biker is, as he describes himself, "...Jonathan "Blade" Manning. A treasure troll of a man, with hobbit feet and a sharp pointy head. You may see me traveling up and down the highways of Oklahoma looking for the next place to sketch, paint, sing, dance, write, photograph or simply meditate. I have begun a journey that once set upon, there is no turning back".

He runs a blog, The Artist Biker, that has a plethora of information on creative outlets & creativity. He also shows off his own creative skills. He's quite the art journalist. He also owns & rides a motorcycle. He's also very funny. He runs a live show/podcast every Thursday to show you the techniques he's discovered as well as invented. He is self-taught with no formal training. His shows always promise lots of laughs. He has a Facebook page as well as being on Twitter, Flickr & Youtube.

Right now he is trying to start up his own art studio. He has a building he's made an offer on & he's asking for donations. If you can spare some pocket change or five bucks, I'm sure he'd appreciate it. He has a Paypal link all set up over at his blog.

Go check him out & make sure to catch his show on Thursday. Tell him SisterInArms sent ya. ;)

Movie Review Monday

Howdy friends! This weekend I had the chance to catch a late showing of "The Wolfman" directed by Joe Johnston who is also listed as directing "The First Avenger: Captain America" movie coming next year. He directed one of my favorite overlooked movies back in 1991, "The Rocketeer". He seems to be really good at capturing "mood" in film & he did an excellent job in this film. There were many very dark, as in lighting, scenes that I think many directors would have tried to light up more, but shouldn't. The whole film felt older than it is. The sets/locations were perfect.

Andrew Kevin Walker & David Self(screenplay) obviously studied & loved the original Wolfman screenplay by Curt Siodmak & only made it better. As a huge fan of Lon Chaney Jr.'s Wolfman that's quite a statement for me. They kept the heart & soul of the tale even paying homage to Maria Ouspenskaya with a couple of seconds of action with a little gypsy girl named Maria. Very nice. They also added something, that as a fan of Siodmak's script, I always wanted to see & suspected. Sir John Talbot's history. These guys simply took what was already there, fleshed it out more, made a few minor changes & ended it perfectly. I gotta say, I was very satisfied with the story. Now, that being said, keep in mind, it is "The Wolfman" & not some super brainy movie.

I do want to address something that made me very happy. There is a traveling scene. Many people who know me, know this is my movie pet peeve. No one ever does traveling scenes correctly. They are slow, boring, & take forever. They stop the rhythm of a film dead many times. Not this time. Whoever was responsible for the traveling scene in "The Wolfman" nailed it. Excellent job. Peter Jackson could really learn something here.

Now, on to the acting. Benicio Del Toro was perfectly cast for this film. There were times that I would swear I was looking at Lon Chaney, Jr. instead of Mr. Del Toro. He did wonderful job with the character & I feel he could really have opened some doors for himself with this film, perhaps reviving some other Lon Chaney or Lon Chaney, Jr. roles. The whole cast was great.

The antiques shop from the original made an appearance in the film, & if I didn't know better I would think it was exactly the same shop. The attention to detail was superb in many instances. Many people will probably complain about the use of make-up vs. CGI, but for the Wolfman, I am very happy that they went with Rick Baker (Gorillas in the Mist, American Werewolf in London, Beauty & the Beast TV series) & the old school feel of applied make-up plus CGI. I thought the make-up was perfect & the use of the CGI for the transformation scenes used as it should be. There was one little scene of the Wolfman running on all fours that wasn't quite up to specs. In other words, it was bad. As bad as that Luke vs. Rancor scene in Jedi. It was just a two second scene though. Still, I wish the editor had cut it.

There was a little gore, but overall it was quite tame compared to most films today. Even compared to most films in the 70's & 80's. I don't think there were any utterances of profanity, but I might be wrong there. If there were they were very few & were hells or damns. No sex scenes, no nudity, just a good old fashioned monster flick.

So overall, I really liked it. It's a solid B+ or A- movie. Probably B+ for the bad CGI scene & I think perhaps we needed just a bit more in the climactic scene at the end. There was a bit of bad CGI there as well, and maybe just a little tiny bit too much cheese. I won't mention what, but if you go see it, you'll understand. I recommend trying to catch it before it's gone. I figure it has maybe a week left before the theaters switch it out with something else.

...and that's your Movie Review Monday! Thanks for stopping by!

Action Figure Friday feat. Sarah Connor

Okay, I know, Sideshow again!? Yep. Look they created a Sarah Connor figure. I freakin' LOVE Sarah Connor. Linda Hamilton is one of my all time favs, okay? Now, that being said...what the FRAK!? Where are the muscles?


Seriously Sideshow? Seriously? You spend all that time on the face sculpt, but leave off the muscles. Now, I understand that the majority of the population is freaked out & grossed out by ripped muscled women, but those of us who love Sarah, love her not only for the strength of character, but for her freakin' muscles! Just putting "muscles" in the description does not make them appear. Sheesh. This is a very important aspect of this character. The figure does seem to have a weak attempt at a toned look, but my friends there is a huge difference between toned & cut, and Sarah is CUT. Save the toned look for the Lena Heady version of Sarah.

What's with the green fatigues? Green? Is the accessory/costume/clothing person color blind? They are supposed to be black. BLACK. A slightly faded black tank top with crisp new black pants. OMG. What is it with Sarah Connor figures & toy makers? They NEVER get things right.

You even left one of the most important things out of all the extras. The chip from the T-800. Where's the chip? Really, no chip? An extra set of hair bangs, but no chip? *facepalm* Then there's the price. $150.00. WHAT!? Wrong color fatigues, no muscles, no chip, & you want $150.00? No Frakkin way! Lol.

I'm sorry Sideshow, but this time you missed. Take that beautiful head sculpt that you paid so much for & put it on a Sarah with muscles in the right clothes & you might get the $150.00 you want. That's just this HUGE Linda Hamilton/Sarah Connor fans opinion though.

Music Thursday will return next week...

So I got all excited about Roller Derby after I wrote the post on Wednesday & decided to start a painting of a Derby girl. I sketched/thumbnailed something out while at work, stuffed it in my Biker jacket, Vroomed home & started the painting.

I decided to go with oil. That might have been a wrong choice because I probably could have finished it that night with all the enthusiasm I had going, but I had to wait for the paint to dry. I'm still waiting for the paint to dry. *sigh* Oh well, at least it's started & I really like the composition of it. Perhaps I'll do the rest of it in acrylic.

I don't know why I feel like no one takes acrylic seriously. I've been pushing myself to paint in oil more because I think somehow that makes my art seem more "real" or somehow more legit. I see paintings in shows & they always seem to be oils & never acrylics. Is there a reason for that? Is oil considered more legit?

I paint fast, so acrylic has always been a much more comfortable medium for me. That's part of the reason I've picked oil up as well. I'm trying to push myself out of comfortable places. Still, the waiting really causes me to loose steam & sometimes interest in what I'm doing. What do you guys/gals/peeps think?

Website Wednesday feat. Roller Derby!!!

That's right, I said Roller Derby. Womens flat track, full contact, high energy fun! They used to be know as TARG or the Tornado Alley Roller Girls, but have now been combined with other teams to create Oklahoma City Roller Derby.

Here's a video of some of the action: TARG vs. ITC

If you've never made it out to a match, you should give it a whirl. It's a fun way to get to scream & shout & cheer for your team. The first time I went I was hooked. I ended up standing up & shouting "Go, go, go!" before the night was through.

They usually have refreshments at the matches, including beer, when at the Farmer's Market. Show up early or finding a seat might be a challenge. I prefer the balcony myself. Bring signs to cheer on your team or paint yourself up, or just come as you are. It's fun to really get into the spirit of things.

Wednesday March 10th, 2010 the Roller Girls will be making an appearance right here in Norman, Oklahoma at StarSkate

Check out the MYSPACE page here: OKCRD

Here's their Facebook: OKCRD on Facebook

Go check them out!

Art Tuesday feat. Mike Deodato

The first place I ever remember seeing Mike Deodato's work was in the comic adaptation of the television series "Beauty & the Beast" starring Linda Hamilton & Ron Perlman. I was a huge fan of the show & was amazed at how he managed to capture the characters & environment so perfectly.

Now he's big time with Marvel covers & the New Avengers, Amazing Spider-Man, Thunderbolts and his latest ongoing series, Wolverine: Origins. Marvel has him all to themselves.



He has really improved over the years & I'm pretty excited that he & Brubaker, one of my favorite, if not favorite, comics writers will be working together soon in an Avengers title I believe. Go check out his site here: Deodato & Here: Art of Deodato

Follow him on twitter here: mikedeodato

or Facebook here: Mike Deodato, Jr.

Keep up the great work Mike!

Movie review Monday

Well, hmm....I didn't watch a single movie this last week that I can review. So I guess I will have to pick an old favorite or something. Hmm...Oh, I know. I'll review Inglorious Basterds. I saw this movie in the theater when it was released so my memory may not be exact on details. It is out now on DVD for purchase & rent.

Okay, first of all, I loved it. LOVED it! If you don't like Tarantino, don't bother, you won't like this either. What is wrong with you, by the way? Against cheesy fun or something? Your life really sucks so bad you can't enjoy Tarantino? Okay, anyway, if you do like Tarantino, and haven't caught it yet, go get it!

This is a movie set in WWII. It contains one of my all time favorite scenes in a movie EVER. I don't want to tell you what it is here because it would be a total spoiler for anyone who hasn't seen it yet, but OMG! best scene possibly ever. I didn't see it coming & never expected it. There may not have been as many one-liners in this movie as other Tarantino flicks, but I think the scenes were better & more meaningful than previous flicks by the director. There were some seriously tense moments in this movie that I absolutely loved. Personally, I think this is Tarantino's best film.

Now don't get me wrong, I LOVE the Kill Bill movies, but this movie just has perfect moments in it, & seriously...I LOVE the one scene in this movie so, so much.

Go rent it if you haven't seen it. If you are a hardcore Tarantino fan, just go buy it. Of course if you are hardcore, you've probably already seen it 100 times.

Thanks for stopping by. Tell your friends to come by. Say hello, leave me a comment. Let me know you are out there.

Action Figure Friday

New Wolfman action figures by Mezco are out & about in your local retailers.

12inch scale figure features film accurate detail, 13 points of articulation, and real "bloody" cloth vest and shirt.

7inch scale figure features film accurate detail, 12 points of articulation, and sculpted clothing. Each figure also includes a scale wolf head cane as featured in the film.

Wait! There's also a necklace crafted and cast of metal. This life size, double sided, metal prop replica of the infamous medallion worn by Lawrence Talbot captures every detail of the original as seen in the film. A metal chain is included.

If you are a big Universal Monster fan or werewolf fan or just a Wolfman fan, these are pretty sweet figures & collectibles!

Make sure to head on over to TCM Hitchhiker's photostream on Flickr as well, to see some beautiful shots of the figures he took for Mezco!

New Music Thursday

Hello again. It's Thursday! One more day to the weekend for me! Although I think I might just take tomorrow off & finally get up to see the Family for Christmas. I haven't had Christmas yet & my Mother still has the tree up waiting for me. Lol!

It's new music Thursday. As many of you know I am quite the metal head. I love metal. I love guitars that sing. It doesn't matter if the band is serious or silly, if it's metal I'm there. I'm always on the lookout for new metal bands & metal bands that have been around that I've never heard. This weeks find is the band EPICA.

Epica is a Dutch symphonic metal band that blends progressive metal, gothic metal & symphonic metal. They were founded by guitarist and vocalist Mark Jansen subsequent to his departure from the band After Forever. Their debut album, The Phantom Agony, was produced by Sascha Paeth (known for having produced bands such as Angra, Rhapsody of Fire and Kamelot) and released in late 2003. Their second release, Consign to Oblivion, was inspired by the culture of the Mayan people & their stories & legends. Epica's non-metal album The Score - An Epic Journey was released in September 2005 and is the soundtrack for a Dutch movie called Joyride. In 2005 and 2006 Epica went on their first tour throughout North America with Kamelot. In April 2009, they announced a new album with the title "Design Your Universe". It was said to continue the A New Age Dawns saga which started on Consign to Oblivion. The album was released on October 16, 2009.

This band just happens to be swinging by my area:

Feb. 22 - Bluebird Theater - Denver, CO
Feb. 23 - Marquee - Tulsa, OK
Feb. 24 - Scout Bar - Houston, TX
Feb. 25 - White Rabbit - San Antonio, TX

and I am interested in trying to make a show. The song UNLEASHED is really good, & I would love to hear them live. Go check them out if you have never heard them before here: Epica Youtube , Epica Myspace , Epica Last.fm

If you want to make a show, check out tickets here: The VAULT

I've used these guys before & sometimes you can get V.I.P. & special tickets here.

Website Wednesday

This Wednesday I am going to send you in the direction of a stop motion filmaker & artist named PES. His videos are amazing & a barrel of fun! He has won several awards for his films & also been commissioned to do commercials for many big name companies. PES is yet another example of doing what you love becoming the thing you get to do for money. Follow your heart people. The money will follow. Be creative & love what you are doing. Go check out all the coolness that is PES here: PES

Art Tuesday!

Well, we are 5 days away from Valentine's Day. Yep, that's right. Five. You better go get something or make something or plan something if you haven't yet. To celebrate art & the coming of one of my favorite holidays I want to share with you a blog I stumbled across.

STOWE

Go check out this guy's blog beyond the link above. He has some great takes on Futurama characters & other art that is really cool stuff. His name is James Stowe & his bio says he's been doing RPG fantasy and horror illustrations for over 10 years now. He also has Twitter & Facebook links. Go check him out!

Movie Review Monday feat. Avatar

So I have now joined the millions who have witnessed the spectacle that is Avatar. I really don't even need to bother with a review because all of you have probably beaten me to seeing it anyway. However, it is Movie Review Monday, so I will go for it.

Let's start with the part everyone is enamored with, the effects. I give them a solid A. Great effects. Unfortunately for me, I was not impressed. Maybe it's all the PS3 games I play, or the artwork I do, I don't know, but I just wasn't taken aback by the glorious grandiose visual masterpiece of the effects. Batman: Arkham Asylum has graphics that are just as marvelous, they just aren't in 3-D. Maybe that has something to do with it as well. I've seen every 3D movie that has come out for the last 2 years. Coraline blew me away. That is when I, personally, was stunned by the leap in 3D technology. So maybe I am not blown away this time because I have seen the progression in each 3D movie I've paid to go see. If you haven't seen any 3D movies for a while, then you are probably going to be awed.

Next let's go to the meat & talk plot. It was good. A solid C. Not too cheesy, not too serious, followed the story-telling formula for success. It was nothing new either. The joke I had heard that it was just a re-make of Ferngully. After seeing it, I realized that statement wasn't really a joke. If you have never heard of Ferngully, it was an animated movie that came out in 1992. The plot was:

The magical inhabitants of a rain-forest called Ferngully fight to save their home that is threatened by logging and a polluting force of destruction called Hexxus.

Avatar...same story.

Now, this is what perplexes me. This movie? This is the movie that everyone loves right now? Really? It must just be the visuals, because I KNOW for certain that in the USA, people hate this kind of message. I don't, and most of my friends don't, but the baby boomers think this sort of thing is nothing but a bunch of tree hugger crap. So I guess the masses are choosing to ignore the message & just have fun with the visuals. Interesting. Of course, maybe I'm being a pessimist, am completely wrong, and everyone has woken up to realize how important the earth really is. How important all life really is. Maybe, just maybe, people are beginning to truly understand that we are all connected. The earth, the trees, the animals, the rocks & the people. We are all one. Seriously though, I doubt it.

I did notice not really feeling emotionally invested in the characters in this movie. There was some sort of detached feeling throughout the film. I'm not sure why exactly. Maybe it was because the plot was familiar, so as a viewer I knew what was going to happen before it did, thus leaving me unsurprised. I'm not sure. I'm still rolling it over in my head. One thing I can say is that I have heard many evangelicals calling it a "Godless" movie. Okay, LOL, you really didn't get it. Godless? Absolutely not. God is what is being lost. If you don't see this, it frightens me to think what you picture god is. This is NOT a "godless" movie.

So, did I like it? Yeah, I liked it. I like Inglorious Bastards better. District 9 did a better job storytelling. 2012 was more of a thrill ride visually. Heck, even Zombieland left me caring about the characters more, but go see it. The 3D & Weta effects are beautiful and maybe, just maybe it'll change you for the better. I give it a B- to a C+.

Action Figure Friday feat. Tom Baker as Doctor Who!

Finally a plastic representation of the Doctor of Doctors for most of us in our 30's & up. Tom Baker portrayed the 4th Doctor in the BBC series Doctor Who. Now Underground Toys has added him to their toy-line of Doctor Who treasures. This figure is 5 1/2 inches tall & includes interchangeable heads. He even has his signature scarf! You can pick him up at Entertainment Earth for about $16.00.

New Music Thursday feat. Luna Moth

This week it is another local band I'm putting people in touch with. I worked with one of the members for several years at a book store & this guy is a really great person. The music is very psychedelic sometimes & folky other times. You can catch the band Luna Moth live in Norman, Oklahoma at different spots at least once a month usually. Check out some of their tunes here: Luna Moth Myspace

It's really great stuff to paint to or just chill to.

Website Wednesday Feat. Conan's Creator

One of my biggest influences from the time I was probably around 7 or 8 was and still is the writing & creations of Robert E. Howard or REH. Not many people are aware that a guy from a tiny town in Texas was the creator of Conan the Barbarian, Solomon Kane, Kull, and what would eventually become Red Sonja. 2006 would have been Robert's 100th Birthday. Sadly, he never made it past 30. He had quite a tormented life & put a bullet in his brain hours before the death of his mother. I will always wonder what other characters full of rawness, freedom, & wanderlust REH might have conjured up. I smile a little whenever I see anything with sword swinging barbarians on it. If it wasn't for REH, they might never have existed. This is a great example of what Joseph Campbell meant when he said, "The artists function is the mythologization of the environment and the world". Thanks REH for all the inspiration. Go check out the official Robert E. Howard website HERE.

Art Tuesday!!!!

It's Tuesday & that means it is time for some art! I know this brilliantly talented woman who is a writer, artist, & great singer and has a great website featuring her art. She was born in Ohio & moved to Oklahoma in her 20's. She has her Bachelor's from the University of Oklahoma in anthropology & history & is working her way through the Master's program in Professional Writing now. She has several of her paintings up for sale as prints on her site. She also takes commissions. Her studies in history & anthropology heavily influence her work. She was really taken by the rich cultural history of China & ancient Greece.

Go check out her sight here: Jen Elsner

If you want to commission a work, her e-mail address is: jen@jenelsner.com

A side note....

You may have noticed I fell a little behind on my posts. Unfortunately I have a good reason for this. I've had to have some x-rays & visits to the Doctor. Apparently I am suffering from a condition called cricopharyngeus spasm & I have tennis elbow as well as a couple of small tears in my right rotator cuff. I had to have x-rays for the first time ever & was pretty excited. I find x-rays fascinating & being able to see your own skeleton is pretty cool. The bad news is the amount of discomfort & pain I am in right now. I'm going to try & keep on it with the blog, but some days it may just be a little too much. Let's hope with the physical therapy & steroids everything heals itself back up & I am A-ok in no time. So please, if you stop by & enjoy my blog, bear with me. Thanks.

Movie Review Monday

This week's movie review is for the recently released on DVD movie "Whip It". "Whip It" is a movie about a girl coming into her own by falling in love with Roller Derby. Being a Derby fan myself & making it to as many Tornado Alley Roller Girls matches as possible, I was interested to see this film. It is Drew Barrymore's directorial debut I believe & she has done a great job. We find ourselves in a sleepy little Texas town named Bodeen. We travel from Bodeen to Austin as our main character transforms from a beauty pageant reject to a skilled Roller Derby girl. The cast is great in this movie. You have Zoe Bell, Drew Barrymore, Juliette Lewis, Eve, Kristen Wiig, & more! It's a fun feel good no-brainer of a film to just kick back & enjoy. I'd give it an A for just being what it was trying to be & being fun.

We interrupt this previous Movie Review Monday for....

Usually on Mondays I do a movie review, but this Monday I am going to do a little local review on a delicious restaurant I had the pleasure of eating at tonight. I went to a place called Ray's Smokehouse BBQ & boy was it good. I had a chopped pork dinner with homemade Mac n Cheese & fried Okra. Ray was there to greet us & took our order. He checked to make sure everything was good & we were happy. It was a truly wonderful dining experience with down home really good BBQ. T & I went because one of our friends had said Ray's was the "real deal" and man, he wasn't kidding. If you get to Norman, Oklahoma & are looking for a great place to eat, you have got to swing by Ray's. Check out reviews, articles, & directions here: Ray's

Action Figure Friday

Okay, there's an American Toy Company called Quantum Mechanix that has a license to produce Serenity products. They've come out with shirts & figures & key-chains & other stuff. Now they have the mother of all Serenity collectibles available for pre-sale. It's called: Serenity – The Big Damn Replica

What is the Serenity-The Big Damn Replica of? The ship of course, from Joss Whedon's show "Serenity". According to QM website: "Serenity – The Big Damn Replica is a professionally-crafted filming miniature made in the U.S.A. by Hollywood special effects model makers. Each ship takes over 46 hours to make, includes hundreds of parts, dozens of lights and and mulitple coats of paint.

This is how models are built so they can fool the eye on the big screen. And you can own Serenity for a fraction of what a movie production company would typically pay for a film-quality miniature of this caliber."

That being said, a fraction of the cost still ain't cheap. This baby will set you back $2,500 US dollars. Still, if you are a collector or the #1 Serenity fan, then you are going to have to own this.

For more of a description & further details go check it out here: Serenity

New music Thursday Feat. Ladytron

Better late than never....right? This week's New Music Thursday brings you the Band Ladytron. Ladytron was introduced to me by a guy at work when he heard me listening to Enigma. Ladytron considers themselves part of the new wave of electronic rock. Ladytrons debut album "604" hit back in 2001. That was the first album I got my hands on. I won't lie either, that guy friend at work burned it for me. Proof that pirating doesn't hurt the band, I have PURCHASED almost every album since. Check out the video for "Runaway" from their last non-live album here: VELOCIFERO

I really like these guys. They really set a calming mood for painting & working on my art that has a little bit of a 80's pop feel to it. Good 80's pop. I also enjoy the imagery their lyrics bring about. If you haven't had a chance to hear them, check them out. Here's their official site: Ladytron

Website/blog Wednesday feat. postwartrade.com

Back again? Awesome! Glad to see ya. This Wednesday our Website of interest comes from Post War Trade

Post War Trade is a merchandising & online art store. The main name behind the store is a musician named Amanda Palmer. Amanda Palmer is a performer, director, composer and musician who is best known for her role as front woman and keyboardist for internationally acclaimed punk-cabaret band The Dresden Dolls.
The idea to create one of a kind merchandise for her fans while helping them at the same time earn some dough on the side is what the idea is really all about. She doesn't have to pay for same old same old merchandise like posters, stickers, shirts, etc., but instead has unique items & makes profit off them, sharing with the artist & creators of those items.
Artists hand craft merchandise for sale to the public. Anyone can submit their artistic creations to be considered for sale in the online inventory.
Go check out the site, see what they are all about, and maybe find a unique way to sell some art or crafty type things & make some dough.
Oh, and go pick up Amanda's album...it ROCKS!

Art Tuesday feat. Sarah Larnach

Okay my friends, this week's Art entry is going to send you Sarah Larnach's way. Here's a link to her blog: Sarah Larnarch

Sarah does artwork for the band "Ladyhawke" as well as other works of art. Her watercolors are amazing. Right now though she needs everyone's help. She has family in Haiti.

She is now accepting artwork & accepting bids on artwork to help people in Haiti. Her niece Zenzi, aged 3, and brother-in-law, Emmanuel, have lost their lives. She & her family are still desperate to find Kofie-Jade, age 5.

If you have art to donate or want to help out she has an e-mail posted on her blog & what she is looking for as far as artwork.

Please at least head over to her site & check it out. Maybe you can do something to help.

Thanks for stopping by.

Movie Review Monday!

Welcome back! Back in 2001 a great little black & white sci-fi film titled "The Lost Skeleton of Cadavra" was released on DVD.

"Writer-director-star Larry Blamire has had a life-long love of low-budget sci-fi/horror flicks and wanted to make a film that looked and sounded exactly like one, playing it perfectly straight—which of course makes it an out-and-out comedy." -from the official site


Let me tell you, they pull it off perfectly. This movie is absolutely hilarious. The dialouge includes gems like:

Ranger Brad: Oh, say... You don't believe those old legends about the Lost Skeleton of Cadavra, do you?
Dr. Roger Fleming: Ranger Brad, I'm a scientist, I don't believe in anything.

If you like b-movies, godzilla films, & old sci-fi films, you should go rent this. The director just announced recently that a sequel will be released this year as well! Check it out here: The Lost Skeleton Returns Again

This movie is full of cheesy goodness.

Thanks for stopping by! Now go rent the movie, kick back, & have some laughs!

Action Figure Friday feat. Maleficent!

I know, I brag on Sideshow constantly, but the truth is, this company rocks. They just last year or late 2008 acquired a deal with the Disney Company to be allowed to create figures, statues, collectibles, etc. and have really had some impressive items to purchase. The one being released next week has me all a twitter. The sexiest & greatest villainess perhaps of all time. Maleficent. There is a link to a video that Sideshow has produced to give you a glimpse of what she will look like here: Maleficent Video by Sideshow

If you are a big Disney fan, make sure to check out all of their Disney items. They are some of the best I have ever seen, and with Sideshows limited releases they will be sure to grow in value. Check out the info & comment section for Maleficent here: Maleficent

Thanks for stopping by, and remember to always keep playing, no matter how old they say you are!

Music Thursday feat. local bad asses Circe

Okay, I admit it, I slipped up. I was supposed to go to Circe's show last night so I could write a good honest review about the live performance & show. However, I ended up passing out on the couch before the show was even supposed to start. Maybe I'm getting old...lol...I don't know. So I won't have a live review for you, but I can send you in the direction of their MySpace page to listen to them yourself. It is here: Circe on MySpace

I can also let you in on a little secret. They are going to be playing LIVE again tonight at The Deli in Norman, Oklahoma & at Coach's Brewhouse Friday night, also located in Norman, Oklahoma. If you are anywhere near Norman, Oklahoma, come out & show them some love.

Wesite/Blog Wednesday

Happy middle of the week to ya! For those of you that work weekends or mixed up crazy schedules, happy day to you as well. Today is Website Wednesday & I decided to go with a recent find. I am working really hard at getting the female form down in pencil & paint. Being in Oklahoma, you don't find many females willing to pose for art. So, I decided to do an internet search & see what I could find as far as poses & female anatomy.

Now, trust me, this is trickier than it seems. Since the #1 function of the internet is access to porn, steering clear of those sites proved a little tough. I did however, eventually find one that I found helpful. It has hundreds of poses that are free as well as pay images. It even lets you search for images based on age, body type, race, pose, clothes, etc. The really cool part is that you can put in a request for a particular pose. So if you don't see what you want, you can still get it. Now you do have to pay a subscription for that perk, but the cost isn't too bad. When you consider the cost of art books, it is pretty reasonable. I haven't subscribed yet, because so far I've found what I needed in the free sample pages. Right now they have 62.857 photos available on the site & more coming in all the time. Be aware though, these are nude pictures. They are not pornographic, so if you are strongly against such things you should be okay, but poses sculptors, painters, or comic artists would be searching for.

If anyone who does subscribe happens to read this, or if you read this & decide to subscribe to their site, please swing back by here & let us know how it is & if it is worth it.
To check it out, head over here: Female Anatomy For The Artist
They also have a male anatomy, animals & other sites as well.

Thanks for stopping by!

Art Tuesday Feat. Stephen Schwake

Hey, it's Art Tuesday. Every Tuesday I'm going to share with you an artist I like or some crazy art I've found. This week, it's a guy named Stephen Schwake & his cool artwork. Think skater punk meets the 50's. At least that's the feeling I get from much of it. It's a good feeling. Something comforting, yet just slightly skewed in time & space. He even has a great Youtube page where you can watch the artist at work. Find it here: Stephen Schwake on Youtube

Make sure to browse his site often as he updates often. His work is for sale on his site & if you can't afford one of the big pieces, then make sure to pick up one of his $20 drawings. He has PayPal all set up for an easy contribution to keep his art going.

Head on over there now & get cultured people! Go here: Stephen Schwake

Movie Review Monday: Terminator Salvation

Happy Monday to you! Yeah, I know, I dislike Mondays as well, but what are you going to do? So, I finally got around to watching Terminator Salvation. Now, first off, I want to tell you that I absolutely love the Terminator films. So if you don't, then you won't like this one either. The first Terminator film was an amazing concept. The fact that a machine just kept coming after Sarah Connor, a simple waitress, and just wouldn't stop, even after it was just an upper torso with no legs, scared the crap out of me. The effects were awesome & Sarah Connor, played by Linda Hamilton, very quickly became one of my favorite heroes. T2 I saw in the theater opening weekend & was completely blown away by. T3 I rented due to no Sarah Connor in the film, but really enjoyed. (No, really, I thought it was great!) That leads us to my review of T4 or Salvation. This film was directed by McG. I love & dislike some things McG does in his movies. He obviously has a love for the Terminator mythology and it was really great to finally move into the time where John Connor is the legend we have heard he becomes. I'm not a huge fan of Christian Bale, but I think he was a fairly good choice for the role. McG didn't do any harm to the original mythology, but he really didn't give us any great new moments or aspects to add to it. I thought that using Helena Bonham Carter as the face of Skynet was pretty cool. I almost wish he hadn't let us in on who Marcus was in the past until later. Knowing from the start that he was a terminator left what could have been an exciting twist, unexciting & predictable. We could have learned of his past little bits at a time through clues or something, but instead we followed him all the way from start to finish knowing full well what he was & what he was going to do. It was nice to see how Kyle came into the storyline. I also enjoyed that John listened to the tapes Sarah had made for him as well as the moment John hands Kyle the photo from the original Terminator movie. I think Bale's acting was a little emotionless & confused at times. My biggest problem with the movie was the over the top explosive scene where Marcus & one of John's team try to escape John's hideout. John & the others have made it very clear that they are hiding from Skynet, Terminators, & Hunter Killers in bunkers & small pockets of resistance all over the world. They have magnetic mines & people on watch all around their hideout, yet once Marcus tries to escape they put on a fireworks show that you could see from Mars. They needlessly waste ammo, lose a helicopter & team members, & light the night sky up brighter than the fourth of July just to try & prevent this terminator/man Marcus from getting away. The worst part is John has just admitted right before the scene that he feels like Marcus is telling the truth. That he is a good guy. The whole scene screamed of a scene inserted in the middle of an otherwise solid story just to blow stuff up & waste a bunch of money. As if some executive came in & said "You need more action...more explosions". If they were really hiding & ammo, people & vehicles were really that important & John had really been as smart or as good of a leader as we had been lead to believe, he would have NEVER done this. The explosions & ruckus would have certainly allowed Skynet to pinpoint their location & eradicate them. I was really into it until that scene. From there it was really quite predictable. Everything you think is going to happen does. Still, overall it was fun to finally end up in post nuke earth with John Connor. I think the story could have been deeper & more emotionally driven, but it was a fun ride. However, be warned, this movie really isn't about John Connor, or Skynet, or the Terminators. It's really about Marcus & getting a second chance to right wrongs. Everything is really about him and it is Marcus we follow from beginning to end. Overall, if you like the Terminator movies, go rent it. I'd probably give it a C. This has been your movie review Monday!

Goals

Okay, so the new year has begun and so far I'm loving 2010. Everyone has done the resolution thing and blah, blah, blah. Count me in as someone who dislikes resolutions. No one ever adheres to even one of them most of the time. Still, I do like trying to get organized and planning goals. Goals are more realistic than over the top resolutions. My goals this year?

1. Blog 5 days a week.
2. Rework & launch the JenTuckerArt.com site.
3. Sell one piece of art
4. Become social with one of the local art communities or start my own group.
5. 25 crunches 6 days a week.
6. Take my camera with me everywhere (and get a new one).
7. Relearn how to correctly burn a screen for screen printing.
8. Learn Wordpress
9. Submit something for publication. (Children stories I have written, Short story, Novel, Art, something)

and really that's about it. Nothing really too tough. Just things that will make me happy. So far # 1, 2, & 5 are already working out great.

Action Figure Friday!!!

Well hello! This post was a no-brainer for me. I am so excited about this next piece I can barely contain myself. Sideshow Collectibles has a magnificent polystone diorama coming out Jan 14th, 2010. It is slave Leia choking the life out of the vile gangster Jabba the Hutt. They have given Leia a heroic pose and Jabba's tongue is protruding from his mouth and his eye protrudes as he struggles against the chain.

Video of Diorama

They have announced a price yet. Many of the dioramas from Sideshow range between $200 to $500 dollars. I am hoping that this one will stay around the $200 mark, but with the large amount of materials & attention to details this diorama includes I have a feeling it might be closer to $400. It looks gorgeous so far. Go check it out here: Sideshow's Leia/Jabba Diorama

Music Thursday!

Okay...hmm...music Thursday. Who to chose? How about Shakira?! Shakira has a new album that came out in October 2009 outside the US & November 2009 in the US. Her first single "She-Wolf" is quite a wiggling your butt tune! Of course I just can't sit still when I listen to Shakira. The new album is good, but not great. Personally, I like Oral Fixation 1 & 2 better. There are two really catchy tunes on this album, including the title track, a couple of other good ones & the rest are really forgettable except for the one that mentions suicide, which is rather disturbing. Still, Shakira's charity work & positivity always make her shine for me. Here is a link to her site: SHAKIRA so you can go check out all the news & info on the artist & her music. She's also on Twitter & Facebook. I would recommend previewing the songs on ilike or some other service & buying the ones you like through Itunes, Amazon, or Target. This one isn't quite worth a full album type purchase unless you're just a hardcore Shakira fan.

Website/Blog Wednesday

Do you enjoy concept art? Looking for some great inspiration? Wanna see what the pros are doing? Looking for what is relevant in the illustration market right now? All of these things can be accomplished by heading over to: Concept Art There is a forum as well as thousands of artists displaying their newest works. Some of the stuff on there will blow your mind. So go check them out. Get inspired.

Getting a Little More Organized

So I have been thinking about my blog here. I love this little blog. I have no idea how many people wander by how often, but that's not really what it's about. However, maybe I should care a little. I mean, if you do wander by, I want you to enjoy it. So, I had an idea. A way to help me blog more often & possibly increase my traffic, & make it more exciting. I can have a theme a day. I have a friend that does things like "Love Friday" & "Thankful Thursday" & it occurred to me that I could do something similar. How about "Movie Review Monday", Art Tuesday, Website/Blog Wednesday, Music Thursday, Action Figure Friday? That way I find something exciting every week day to post & I know what to post when. So if you come here for the art, you know on Tuesday there will be a new post. Action figures? Friday is your day! Sound good? Okay. I'm going to give it a shot. So what's today? Oh yeah, Website/Blog Wednesday. Let me go see what I can find.

Happy 2010!

Finally a fresh start! I am happy to see 2010 finally appear. 2009 seemed to be like a trek in the swamps of sadness. Foggy, unclear, depressing, but you had to keep trekking through it to get to your destination. I feel such good positive energy in 2010. I have momentum & enthusiasm and feel like everything will start fruiting. The seeds have burst through the soil & with the right care & watering, by the end of the year I will have a big basket full of peaches. It's time to dry or dust yourself off & make your dreams come true! Good luck to all of you! Cheers!