Category Archives: Featured

Star Wars Fans Say No to Darth Vader’s Noooooo!!!

“Noooooo!!!”

What’s that the sound of? It’s the scream of about a million Star Wars fans*, upon learning the addition of a new sound byte to their beloved original Star Wars trilogy.

The original Star Wars trilogy is being released on Blu-rays. Some review copies have come out and in the final climactic scene of Return of the Jedi, where Darth Vader saves Luke by throwing the emperor over the railing, Vader now says “No. Noooooo!!!”

Watch the following clip (from WideAsleepFilm):

Many devote fans do not like this addition. In fact, they loathe George Lucas even more. (Remember, how much hate Lucas got for adding Hayden Christensen to the end Jedi-ghost scene of Return of the Jedi?) There are more changes in the Blu-ray, such as the animal scream that Obi-wan uses to scare off the Sand people in Episode 4, or that Ewoks can blink now.

No one likes messing with a “winning formula”, especially Star Wars fans. Time and time again, it seems George Lucas, whether he means to or not, tests the loyalty of his fans by adding things that weren’t part of the original, or by creating a new trilogy that is both laughable and cringe-worthy (episodes 1-3).

As much at it hurts not to have Star Wars in Blu-ray beauty, in the end, if you don’t like it… don’t support it.

What are your thoughts on this addition?

Watch more Star Wars Blu-ray additions on WideAsleepFilm YouTube

* – Rough guess of the number of fans screaming.

Lost: iPhone 5 – Found: New Viral Marketing Strategy

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In what seems to be an annual tradition, Apple has once again lost an iPhone 5 prototype in a bar. Of course the internet is now abuzz and curious about this prototype, like what is it capable of, does it sport a larger screen, can it still play Angry Birds? As for me, I’m calling shenanigans! Why, you ask? Because I can’t help but wonder if this is the equivalent of viral marketing to give iFans a sneak peek and build hype. We’ve all seen viral marketing used on youtube, heck even some companies got in trouble for faking a leak only to be the originator of the “leak.”

Much like many of those leaked screenshots of the latest phone, such as Motorola’s Droid Bionic, this all helps to build speculation and fuel dreams as to what the phone may be capable of. The results can help drive sales and earn “free advertisement” in one fell swoop. Looking back, the results of the iPhone 4 caused a huge surge of demand that Apple had to suspend advance sales so they didn’t exceed their supply. Of course retailers couldn’t keep up with the demand and the supply eventually dried up. 1.7 million iPhone 4’s were sold in the first three days of availability.

Currently, Apple went to the police after it was reported missing but nothing has turned up yet. Last year, the phone ended up going to Gizmodo for $5,000 after it was found, the people who did find and sell it got a misdemeanor fine for selling it and Gizmodo got off scot-free (not to take anything away from Jason Chen, editor responsible for reviewing the prototype, whose house was raided looking for the missing prototype). Gawker (parent company of Gizmodo), got a lot of traffic and publicity for the iPhone 4 due to this mishap.

Don’t be surprised if another publication ends up with this prototype (we’re not in San Francisco where the phone “disappeared,” so it won’t be us) or another manufacturer “misplaces” a product in the future.

For more information go to The Register about the Missing prototype.

UPDATE: Included an article from PC Magazine implying this is a hoax

Charlie’s Angels versus Pan Am

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Fall 2011 offers many new shows for TV watchers. Two ABC shows have caught my attention as they both revolve around the adventures of a group of girls. Since life is crazy and time is money, are either of these shows worth your time and emotional investment? You COULD watch both and do a weekly analysis, but how about I just settle things right now with my thoughts on which show will have your heart thumping more.

Charlie’s Angels (Thursday, September 22, 2011)

Once upon a time, Charlie’s Angel was a series on TV. It had a run for 4 seasons and is STILL referenced whenever people think of a group of sassy, formidable vixens. Nearly two decades later, the franchise returned to fans on the silver screen not once, but twice. Both films did well for their studios and helped launch the career of McG. I wouldn’t hold my breath on the return of Cameron Diaz, Lucy Liu, and Drew Barrymore for a third installment, but is anyone clamoring for the return of Charlie’s Angels to TV?

Production

The show is stamped with Drew Barrymore’s seal of approval as an executive producer. That’s pretty big, right? Barrymore has quite a resume in Hollywood for work both in front and behind the camera and she actually seems to be getting HOTTER (have you guys seen those Covergirl commercials?!?). Her last producer credit is “Whip It”, which I rather enjoyed. She obviously knows how to an all-girl ensemble work, but making a show is tough! In this age, first impressions (ratings) are crucial in surviving.

The show is set in Miami which means there will be drugs, gangs, half-naked women, hurricanes, boats, and dolphins; the list goes on. Such a colorful town sets the right tone for a fun, modern television action series. Plus, even IF the show jumps the shark, there’s always a sweet opportunity to make a crossover episode with CSI! Imagine a story where Lt. Horatio Caine kidnaps Bosley and discovers he is actually a bastard step-brother!

Cast

Annie Illonzeh (left) plays Kate Prince, the former Miami cop. FORMER cop?!? Oh no!!!! What could she have possibly done to get kicked out? You mean, we’re supposed to trust a girl who swore to uphold the law but possibly broke it? Maybe she got framed! Yes… because there’s no such thing as a bad cop that ends up being a protagonist. Remember guys: Ray Liotta. He’s ALWAYS the bad cop, right? Regardless, this show looks like a pretty good opportunity for fans of Annie Illonzeh’s role in Melrose Place and Entourage to follow her in a new role. Go Texas! (That’s where she’s from)

Minka Kelly (right) plays Eve French, the street racer. Do you guys think she was named Eve because she’s the hot sauce in the group who ate the apple first in the garden of Eden? I also really hope the producers required she learn how to drive a manual transmission. I don’t care which car maker is doing product placement in the show. If there isn’t a cut where she’s shifting gears, this show is OVER! Eve French appears to be the alpha in the show and this just in: Minka Kelly is single!!! I wonder if she broke up with Derek Jeter because he was jealous she was on set having so much fun partying, shooting guns, and driving fast cars while he and the rest of the MLB was getting tested for steroids.

Rachael Taylor (middle) is Abigail “Abby” Sampson, the thief. Think about it. She steals things and that probably means she’ll be the one that will unexpectedly take your heart! Awww. Born in 1984, she’s also the youngest of the bunch too. ABC fans will recognize Rachael Taylor from her role in Grey’s Anatomy where she played an OB/GYN surgeon. I wonder if she will inspire girls across the globe to become sneaky little heartbreaking kleptomaniacs.

Oh. I’ll also be REALLY disappointed if there isn’t at least one scene in every episode where one or all of them are dancing.

Source: ABC

Pan Am (Sunday, September 25, 2011)

“You’re so beautiful. You could be an air hostess in the ’60’s”

– Flight of the Conchords

Pan Am takes place during the 1960’s, which also happens to be the same time period of one of my recent obsessions, Mad Men. That means viewers will be even offered more insight to a beloved era that seems to be trending (e.g. The Playboy Club). Since the show focuses on an airline, it’s safe to assume there will literally be a world of settings to choose from.

Production

ER writer, Jack Orman and West Wing director, Thomas Schlamme have the opportunity to appeal to a different audience with Pan Am. While Charlie’s Angel may tug at the hearts of fantasy loving action fans, trailers of Pan Am hint creators will be appealing to fans who dream of a work place that’s also a forum to self-discovery, romance, and certainly a few entries into the mile high club. With a legendary brand in tow, the show will definitely evoke nostalgia among baby boomers.

Cast

Christina Ricci (third) appears to the strong supporting role of Maggie. Christini Ricci has a special place in my heart. If I’m not mistaken, my crush on Christina Ricci originated from Casper. There’s just something about her that projects a real person in any role she’s in, even if it’s Wednesday from Addams Family. Since then, she’s gone onto various roles in different genres establishing herself as an actress with range. As far as her role goes, we don’t know much about Maggie from the trailers except she appears to be assertive and the mastermind of the group.

Kelli Garner (first) plays Kate. I’m going to GUESS and say she’s the one that’s trying to prove her worth to the world. She won’t be taken advantage of. She wants to be treated as an equal. She wants a deep monogamous relationship.

Margot Robbie (second) plays Laura. In the trailer, we see Laura as a runaway bride. She might be the naive, unassuming character that needed an eye opening experience of being a stewardess the most. Laura is the new girl we connect with as viewers, distant and unfamiliar with the world she will soon discover. I also get the feeling that she’s the girl that other girls will envy, completely unaware of all the men that see her as an object of desire.

Karine Vanasse (forth) is Colette. I’m going to be honest: I might watch the show JUST for her. She interjects throughout the trailer with clever one-liners and has already peaked my interest with her foreign appeal: she’s French Canadian. She doesn’t need to be the lead but her beauty will be what you remember the most from each episode. Her perky smile is innocent but has the power to cause men to twist their wedding band back and forth in confusion.

Source: ABC

And the winner is…

Wait… isn’t there supposed to be a winner? They’re both on ABC! From a network point of view, they BOTH CAN be winners. As an action show, Charlie’s Angel HAS to be explosive right out the gate. That’s what what viewers are expecting: fun. Pan Am will certainly need time to develop and let viewers slowly but surely realize an obsession to an era they once belonged to or wish they could have lived in. They appeal to different audiences and can coexist with the possibility of overlapping viewers.

One question still remains though: how do we get white gloves to be a trendy fashion?

Try Restarting If It Doesn’t Work

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Doomsday is coming August 31st, 2011 to the DC Universe! It’s the end of the universe as we know it! Sorry this isn’t the character named Doomsday, but this is a reboot of many of the franchises out there. How many you ask? Try 52 brand spanking new series! Okay so many of them are from the same franchise like Batman (Batman, Detective Comics, Batman: The Dark Knight, and Batman and Robin just to name a few). But you do have a name like Jim Lee as co-publisher! Likewise some folks get new shiny costumes!

Yes those are blue tights on the bottom, not red.

But what does this really mean though I’m not quite certain. Does this destroy 70 years worth of lore and streamlined to newer folks, or perhaps a different way of retelling a story without having to dig through priceless comic books that can’t be opened to retain its sell value? I can’t help but reflect what Marvel tried around mid 90s by rebooting various comics like the Fantastic 4 and the Avengers after Onslaught.. the idea was scrapped of course and any mention of it was considered an alternative reality. Perhaps the same may occur if it doesn’t do well and we’ll consider it Earth 3 or something.

Rebooting isn’t technically anything new, folks die one day and then resurrect the next time following (Jason Todd comes to mind), but a whole universe is another story! Some may find some form of success like the “Ultimate” series from Marvel, others may not. Smallville seemed successful (to some extent, but that was TV). It does raise questions about the current storyline that exist right now, do they continue or just a dream and filler for the reboot. Is Dick Grayson back to being Robin or does he continue on as Nightwing? Which Green Lantern is coming back first, Hal Jordan or John Stewart or do they both represent different sectors of the Green Lantern corp? In the end I can’t help but think of a computer when something goes wrong, the first question that comes to mind from any technician was, did you try restarting? Was it really broke in the first place? Guess time will tell.

For more information go to DC’s 52 Page

Heroes in a Half Shell Return to Comics

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IDW today announced Kevin Eastman returns to the franchise he helped started, the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. Originally conceived by Eastman and Peter Laird in 1984 as a one-off parody, it ballooned into a cultural phenomenon, that includes multiple television series, four featured films, numerous video games, and a wide range of toys and merchandise. Being a kid in the 80’s you couldn’t help but be a part of turtle power!

Imagine my surprise to hear that Eastman had returned to his beloved franchise, after selling off his stake in the franchise in 2000, and will be co-writing, doing page layouts and providing variant covers. He will be assisted with his co-writer, Tom Waltz (Silent Hill: Past Life, Infestation: Outbreak) and art work by newcomer Dan Duncan. The first two issues will feature covers by Walter Simonson and Sam Keith, while Fred Hembeck will take on issues 3 through 5 with homage’s to the classic covers. Eastman himself will help provide some variant covers. The comics itself is a reboot of the franchise that features new storylines that they hope to bring to millions of fans.

I will be the first to admit however that I haven’t read much of the comics growing up, I remember my cousin had the first volume and we would read it and was completely fascinated with it but that was decades ago. The cartoon was iconic growing up and probably helped sell a ton of pizza in the process.

However one wonders does being away for over 10+ years take away any of the edge? Only time can tell but here’s hoping to a legion of new and returning fans of the “Heroes in a Half Shell.”

TEENAGE MUTANT NINJA TURTLES #1 ($3.99, 32 pages, full color) is now available in comic stores throughout North America.

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Where’s Wall-E?

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Where’s Wall-E?

I don’t know who the artist is of this beautiful image, but somewhere in the mix of classic to modern robots is Disney’s Wall-E. I haven’t found him yet, but I recognize a bunch of famous robots from all decades of television, movies, cartoons, and even reality (find the Sony original bi-pedal walking robot QRIO).

I’ve found Cylons from Battlestar Galactica, the Lost in Space robot, that robot from the old 80s movie “Millennium”, Scooter from GoBots, Dotty from Spaceballs, even the Humping Robot from Robot Chicken! The artist even put robot Bill and Ted from “Bill and Ted’s Bogus Journey.” The list just goes on…

It makes me feel nostalgic.

But… I still haven’t found Wall-E. Can you?

What other characters can you all name/find?

(Update: I have found Wall-E)

Taylor Swift Speak Now World Tour…A Fans Perspective

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Last night was the culmination of almost a year in the making. I remember the excitement when I first heard the announcement that Taylor Swift would be coming back to Staples Center to do another tour, Speak Now World Tour. Finally I would get my chance to see her live! I was admittedly more excited back then and the excitement tapered off…

I didn’t know what to expect as I walked in and sat down. This being my first big concert experience, there was definitely more of an audience to the female teen crowd but there were also the scattered male counterparts as well as females of other ages. I saw self made signs and lights from all parts of the venue. I also learned something new, I had no idea what the “13″ meant from Taylors perspective so I asked the nice lady next to me and she explained that it was her lucky number. I’m going to dedicate this line to her and say that she was a pleasure to talk to, and wish I had caught her name.

After a pair of opening acts, by Josh Kelley and Need To Breathe, and a brief stage set up behind the curtain, the lights dimmed. Audio plays and a text montage appears on the monitors, she rose up from center stage and the excitement had returned! You could hear all the screams from albeit mostly female teenagers with probably their moms enticed by their kids. That didn’t bother me, I was way too excited to finally see her live. She started with “Sparks Fly”, one of her hits from her Speak Now album that was released in October of 2010. Once the intro song completed, she welcomed the crowd and thanked them for spending the evening with her even though there were plenty of other things to do.

As the concert proceeded, she continued on to sing a total of about 16 songs from her latest album Speak Now as well as her previous album, Fearless. I had read on the internet Taylor would be doing covers from “local bands” at the venues she would be playing, after reading this I was definitely excited to see who she would choose to cover. The covers were of Jason Mraz with “I’m Yours”, Beach Boys with “God Only Knows” and Gwen Stefani with “Sweet Escape”. In my opinion, she definitely came through with the covers with her added touch. She also added a small bit from One Republic in one of her songs “Back To December” which was a nice addition.

Apparently the biggest highlight, judging by the crowd volume, was when Justin Bieber was introduced to sing a duet of “Baby” with Taylor. I’m honestly going to say I am not a Bieber fan but there was definitely a crowd for him there. The moment he was introduced, my ears started piercing from all the screams of teenage excitement.

After her set of 20 songs, she concluded with “Love Story” while introducing her stage / band members and a final bow. As the curtains went down the audience cheered, or I should say screamed, and applauded. At that moment, I was excited, yet sad. I truly did not want the concert to end. From start to finish, she delivered. I came in as a fan and came out as a an even greater fan.

You can contact Samuel Tjuatja, the author of this post, at sam@wu-e.com

How to Survive a Taylor Swift “Speak Now” Concert

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I just got back from a Taylor Swift concert at the Staples Center. I didn’t actually plan on going but decided to support a friend who’s friends turned out to be flakier than me. Here are a few tips you should know if you’re going to a Taylor Swift show

Take care of your body

Get off work early. The earlier you get there, the more time you have to comfortably enjoy a meal. Grab a $5 foot long sandwich from Subway and load it with veggies. You’ll be standing on your feet for 3+ hours so eating right before the show will ensure you have the energy just in case you get too comfortable and decide to rest during one of her outfit changes. Buy a Frappuccino. You’ve probably lost sleep the night before wondering what tracks she’ll play and in what order. Also stretch. You wouldn’t want to hurt your neck while tracking Taylor Swift as she’s floating around on a 3’x3′ platform for her closing song.

Understand the audience

Remember age is just a number. The tween with braces who’s accompanied with her parents, the 3 bros that are wearing matching shirts with custom messages declaring their love for Taylor Swift, the recent MBA graduate who decided that separate seats from her friends wasn’t a deal breaker: they’re all like you. You all understand the emotions of longing and heartache.

Do mark your skin or clothing with “13”. Every TRUE Taylor Swift fan will have this emblem stamped on their body somewhere. If you don’t have one, you’re obviously seeing her for the first time and not going to be singing along to songs that weren’t aired on the radio.

Don’t forget that declaring your love for Taylor Swift is most effective when done in high volume (quantity and decibel). The chances of her hearing your distinct message from hundreds of feet away are certainly much more slim if you’re doing it alone. Go with a group who understands this or join another group.

Covers

Study the lyrics to songs she’ll cover: Gwen Stefani – Sweet Escape, Justin Bieber – Baby, The Beach Boys – God Only Knows. When she does these songs, you want to look like a cultured fan who knows her range. Singing along to covers will definitely give you the necessary credibility to talk to fellow fans at the show. When Justin Bieber shows up on stage, don’t be offended. You can’t like one and hate the other. Trust me, Bieber fans definitely hope Taylor Swift makes a cameo at the next show they go to.

Understand the career path of a pop artist

Haters always go “Dude. I hate that she’s so popular now. These $30 Ticketmaster fees suck!”. Taylor Swift blew up, deal with it. Do you honestly think that her talents should be limited to a small corner in a coffee shop? Of course not! Her lyrics can only be realized through the magic of theatrics, giant high definition monitors, pyrotechnics, dancers, and moving platforms.

Charge your phone/camera battery

This one is a no-brainer. You’re not a true fan unless you post status updates/tweet about what songs Taylor Swift is singing so all your closet fan friends can feel like they’re there with you. Network coverage will be sparse, so be sure to post carefully and not waste everyone’s time with messages like “Taylor Swift looks soooo good in purple and a ponytail”. When that exclusive live cover happens, you’ll have two options: call your good friend who will appreciate hearing it over a cell phone the most or be the quickest to alert all your social network friends. No one wants to be the last to break news like “Dude, she just mixed in a little Mraz into one of her songs”.

Prepare a defense

You will undoubtedly shock some friends. When they ask you how much you paid and why you went to a Taylor Swift concert if it wasn’t a date, just respond: “Whatever. I wanted to diversify my musical taste. Plus, she’s really great live! I listened to the album and she’s DEFINITELY better live. Oh… She also plays guitar AND piano. That means she’s a true musician” Remind them you were the first in your group to listen to dub-step, loved the Black Eyed Peas when they were just 3 dudes, and were listening to Arcade Fire before they garnered critical acclaim and awards.

The Tale of Two Todds

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Truth be told, I haven’t been much of a “TV” kind of person this past decade of my life. In between work, life, and relationships, television was something I turned to when I needed to fill in the cracks of my day. That all changed when I lost my job. It was great, really. Wake up late, turn on the tube, and hang out all day with my sweet 42″.

Soap operas were definitely not my thing. My mother was a big fan of Days of Our Lives and used to have me record it for her while she was away at work. As a kid, the show never really stuck to me. I knew the characters and watched it, but couldn’t follow the story lines from my lack of interest. My little interest turned to zero when I noticed how ridiculous the story lines turned out to be. A ghost possessing the main character? A man who was known as someone else is no longer that person? What the? I’m over it.

But this was plenty of years ago. The time is now.

All I got to say is… One Life to Live. I was somewhat ashamed of my interest in this soap opera that has been running since 1968. This show has been running longer than my existence on this planet! The many stories in this series revolve around rape, murder, cheating, the changing of paternity tests, conspiracies, DID (dissociative identity disorder), and the list goes on. Needless to say, I am now a fan.

The running story line that I’ve been quite hooked on is the story of Todd Manning.

I seriously cannot describe the history of Todd Manning, as I don’t know all of it, but here’s a little rundown:

He’s famous for his rape of Marty Saybrooke
He was married twice and has 4 kids
He had a scar on his face
He went missing and when he returned, he had a new face
He owns a newspaper
He has a ton of money
His son, Jack, was accused of murdering Gigi Morasco (which he did, but not intentionally)
He paid off Jack’s friend’s father to take the blame for the murder
He has temper problems
He helped Marty Saybrooke leave the town after she murdered her doctor and kidnapped someone else’s baby
and more!

The list goes on! I mean really… how intriguing is all of this? But wait, it doesn’t stop there. There are TWO.. TWO, Todd Mannings. How is this possible? What in the world is going on?

Two Todds? What?!

That’s exactly what the characters and all the viewers thought when the “old” Todd (left) came face to face with the “new” Todd (right). As I previously mentioned, before Todd had went missing, he had a very distinguishable scar on his face. When he returned, he came back a new man. As expected, DNA tests were done, but what did the results show?

Both men came up as Todd Manning.

WTF?!

Turns out, both Todds are twins. There’s a-whole-nother story behind that, which I will briefly touch. Their mother, Irene Manning, had twins but could only support one so she gave the other one up, but kept a close eye on him when she started working for the agency (FBI). From there, she managed to kidnap the old Todd and brainwashed the new Todd (real name Victor) into believe he was the REAL Todd Manning. Knowing that Todd was a target, she decided to have his face changed to someone else. For 8 years, he managed to live a life that was implanted into his brain.

So… much… DRAMA!

The Todd’s themselves are going through absolute hell; Todd is trying to reclaim his life as Victor is trying to figure out what he’s going to lose from this truth. The families of Todd Manning are currently trying to figure things out. Do they remain loyal to the man they’ve know for the last 8 years, or do they run back to the man who is the original Todd?

What would you do?

My Man Crush on Don Draper

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Television series have a double edged sword when it comes to character development: every episode presents the opportunity/challenge of developing a character. Remind the viewers why they love OR hate a character and they’ll keep coming back.

I’m barely finishing Season 1 of AMC’s Mad Men and am having trouble thinking of another male lead in television that I’ve been so attracted to. A lot of guys would suggest Jack Bauer (from Fox’s 24 series) as the ideal male character to vicariously live through. Bauer represents many of the adolescent fantasies one could conjure up: firing guns, pounding faces with our bare hands, and making things explode all for the sake of protecting the United States. Although Don Draper doesn’t have as many action scenes as Bauer, they both are a vessel for a multitude of issues and inner demons. Here’s a list of qualities for Don Draper, that I’ve become rather infatuated with.

(Note, if you haven't seen season 1, then there are spoilers)

Looks

Mad Men takes place in the 60’s. If there ever was an era that produced respectable fashion that stands the test of time, it’s the 60’s. Guys just look like such gentlemen with their skinny neckties/bows, perfectly cut, pressed suits, plastic/horn-rimmed glasses. Compared to the rest of the male cast on Mad Men, Draper, in particular, grabs your attention. Is it just a coincidence he also has the nicest hair in the show?

Jon Hamm, who plays Don Draper, has hit the big 40, but I could definitely see him as a great candidate for Superman. If there ever was a modern advertisement for cigarettes, this show would be it. At times, I think the show should include a warning that cigarette addiction can occur from watching it. One time, I had a moment where I was holding a screw in my hand and caught myself holding it between two fingers like a cigarette.

Most importantly, the show has redefined how I measure success: if I don’t have a stack of fresh shirts in my desk drawer, I have not made it.

Power

Who couldn’t use a little more pull? Professionally, he’s THE guy who’s opinion matters the most. In any meeting, there could be 10 other guys chiming in with advertising thoughts on how to sell a product, but in the end, it’s Draper’s opinion that hooks the client. His ability to seduce initially unimpressed prospective clients never fails to be fascinating. Beg to differ? Opposing his opinion most certainly makes you an enemy (Pete Campbell). The key to his power is also the fact he almost never feels threatened. Control is everything

Issues

If I’m being honest with myself, I think my the biggest draw of Don Draper is how much of a mess he is and we all know everyone loves looking at a train wreck. Draper represents the American dream of rags to riches formula with a generous pinch of self-destructive crazy. Let’s review what we know of him so far:

He’s a bastard: I can only imagine how big the chip on my shoulder would be if I was also a bastard child. Being a mistake never feels good, ESPECIALLY if you’re, literally, the son of a whore.
He changed his identity while serving in the Korean War. Um yeah… who does that? Who goes “I just saw my superior get blown apart. Wow! This corpse is super toasty and gooey. Oh hey, look; his dog tag is still in tact. Score!”?
He made eye contact with his half-brother while faking his death and denied him.

Don Draper is clearly a sex addict. He demonstrates how married men can have their cake and eat it too. Any pretty women that crosses his path are not safe from his charm and insatiable appetite for sex. Even after he’s done gallivanting during office hours, he’s still the man of the house at home.

If you were to look at the cast without seeing an episode you’d probably go “Wow. He’s married to January Jones! What a lucky guy. How could he possibly want to cheat on her?”. Well… Just watch the show, you’ll see how. Having sex with women appears to be as addictive to Draper as the cigarettes he smokes. If you haven’t figured out how Don Draper’s mind works when it comes to women, here’s the formula: if he finds you attractive, he WILL have sex with you.

Sigh.

HBO’s Guide to a Game of Thrones

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HBO has provided a lovely family tree with a little description to help identify who is who. Very helpful for those who struggle a bit with the names or just needed a refresher (it looks to be spoiler free).

Hopefully it’ll be updated when season 2 comes around. Likewise there is also an interactive map outlining the plot of season 1 (which doesn’t seem to be as Spoiler free) and the locations each episode takes place.

http://viewers-guide.hbo.com/game-of-thrones/#!/guide/houses/

A Look At Cosplay Fans (Los Angeles Anime Expo 2011)

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This year, I attended my first Anime Expo at the Los Angeles Convention Center. I had a brief love affair with anime during high school but I have since been a bit out of touch with the latest franchises and hottest series. The wonderful thing about expos is that there really are no qualifications into getting in besides your ticket and an open mind. One can visit to see characters they love have developed or discover and fall in love with new ones. The Los Angeles Anime Expo is North America’s biggest convention that caters to hardcore fans and recent converts alike. One of the distinct features of an anime expo is that the show isn’t just made up of vendors, publishers, and creators. The fans play a huge role in creating a world that attendees are transported to once they enter the building and sky’s the limit when it comes to how far some fans will go to express how much much they love the genre.

Here are some things I discovered while at the Anime Expo, watching and talking to cosplay fans

Disconnect from reality

Anime has a huge following but relative to live action, it’s fan base is still considered minor. When you think about it, anime isn’t very different. It’s all about story telling. Unlike western cartoons and animation, there’s an anime series for every genre one could ask for: sci-fi, love, action, adventure, comedy, and that other category (the one with tentacles and other interesting visuals). The great part about a scene that’s so big is that outsiders like myself can’t even tell the difference. Once you take the red pill, even security guards, janitors, and information booth attendants look like they are cosplaying!

Come as you are

Anime comes in all different forms. Artists embrace liberties to alter your notion of realism with elements like gravity defying hair, disproportionate female measurements, vibrant eye colors, vampire fangs, giant impractical weapons… just search youtube for clips and you’ll get the point. Humans, in contrast, are pretty boring. We come in a few sizes and colors and that’s it. The key part of making a great cosplay outfit is really ignoring any of your limitations. Disregard differences in height, weight, skin tone, age, sex, cup size (In fact, NEVER get implants for any reason. It will just look even more silly if you are cosplaying), ethnicity, and MOST of all, don’t be discouraged to cosplay if you have braces. Regarding age, it actually seems the younger you are, the more drive you have at making an awesome costume. I was totally blown away discovering that high school students were making such detailed, professional looking costumes. Maybe there’s a connection between growing up and losing a connection with dreaming.

You don’t need THAT much time to make your costume

Some of THE best costumes/makeup I saw were done by fans that claimed the time they spent was only days. Don’t listen to what Hollywood tells you. All the required materials can be found at your local Michaels/Home Depot! The most important ingredient in your costume is sheer determination. If that means calling sick from your H&M part time job or missing a day of class to complete your costume, it will be worth it. Honestly though, some costumes obviously require more time than others. I met one fellow who cosplayed a Space Marine Scout who spent two months making his awesome costume. It definitely turned heads. On the flip side, the most affordable costumes I saw included a simple inkjet print and some tape to cover your face (I’m looking at you Mr. Trollface)

Mashups = fun!

My biggest takeway from the Anime Expo was discovering the Pokemen. That’s not a typo! I’m talking about the fit Asian guys who wear bright colors, suspenders, and wafer sunglasses. Who says you can’t add your own twist on a series.

Mobility is inversely related to costume appeal

Let’s face it: there are a lot of guys into photography, and what do guys LOVE? Duh! Girls cosplaying. This is Los Angeles. Fashion is always evolving. We’ve seen attractive people in those same outfits our favorite celebrities rock. But the Anime Expo is like an alternate fashion show for outfits that will never make it to retailers. So if we see fantasy become reality, we are most certainly obligated to document it. If you’ve invested enough time and resources into your costume, chances are people will stop you to take pictures and this is how that goes:

Me: “Awesome work! Mind if I take a picture?”

Fan: “Sure”

Me: “Great… 1 sec”

(30 seconds to pull out phone from pocket and switch to camera mode or 1 minutes to put down backpack and take out camera out)

Me: “Cool! 1 sec”

(5 shots quickly taken that all look identical)

Me: “Oh shoot! I had it on the wrong setting. Can I redo those shots?”

Just remember: that exact scene will happen with multiple people all starting at different times. Looking for the most popular person on the floor? Just stand still and look for the person with the biggest crowd around him/her looking around in all angles in confusion trying to figure out which camera to pose for.

Sorry ladies. The ratio of topless guys with 6-packs to pretty girls in costume is roughly 0:(pretty girls in costume)

Have fun

Trolling is not allowed! If you think there’s any costume that you can’t do, you’re doing it wrong! One of my favorites was a mid twenties red-head guy who cosplayed Misty from Pokemon. Check out the video after the break for some Q & A with cosplay fans.