Film #121: Smokey and the Bandit

I can still vividly remember, as a 10-year-old Atlanta kid, first seeing Smokey and the Bandit. My parents had taken me to the Northeast Expressway Drive-In Theater on opening night (if you look at the top right hand corner of this blog, you can see a torn ticket from the theater). The film's star, Burt Reynolds, was then the number one box office attraction in the country, and nowhere was this

Film #120: Play Misty For Me

I have a vague idea why Clint Eastwood's Play Misty For Me is such a sentimental favorite of mine; I think it was one of the first horror movies I ever caught on the big screen (its original title, by the way, was The Slasher). But, seeing it now, Play Misty For Me is really only decent in very limited ways--a rarity among Eastwood-directed projects. The iconic actor debuted as a feature

Elegy: Maurice Jarre (1924-2009)

Here it is, a day or so since my last post about Ryan's Daughter, and I discover that the film's great composer, Maurice Jarre, passed away in Los Angeles after a short illness. This, of course, fills me with as much sadness as his movie music moved me to excitement, tears, or even laughs. Jarre began his career in the mid-1950s scoring French titles, the most famous of which is now Georges

Film # 119: Ryan's Daughter

I had long stayed away from David Lean's Ryan's Daughter (1970) because it had been so thoroughly drubbed by critics upon its release. But, in watching it in its newest DVD release, I was convinced that it was nearly as fine, in its own way, as Lean's previous efforts; it was really given the shaft by snooty film writers who expected something more "important" from the Oscar-winning director who

Film #118: Mothlight

Watching the works of Stan Brakhage is like looking at a field of daisies: why ask why? The best of his films are pure magic, and this is one of the best. Watch it with the sound off. It was made in 1963; Brakhage took strips of 16mm splicing tape and embedded in them the wings of moths he accumulated at his New England home. This was the first Brakhage film I KNEW I had to see, and I

SIDE ORDERS #10

To start off in the latest edition of SIDE ORDERS, I have the simple but powerful video that pops up in the middle of Barry Shear's 1968 movie Wild in the Streets. An incendiary work like this couldn't be produced today; its premise: the youth have taken over America, and a pop star, Max Frost, is elected to the U.S. presidency. All people over 35 are put into concentration camps and fed LSD (

The Femme Fatale

A sneak peek of my monster girls for the Ringling Illustration Senior Show 2009, and our poster, very kindly designed (and photographs taken) by Jessica Willet and Matthew Crotts.



My little pic is smack dab in the middle right with a burgundy border. You can see a larger version of it here. They also used my Bitch sketch on the other side of the poster.
I wish there's a way to show the larger version of the other student's portraits and sketches too, they're all awesome <3 You'll just have to come to the show to see it for real! ;)

Film #116: Begone Dull Care and Film #117: Neighbours

"I was inspired to make Neighbours by a stay of almost a year in the People's Republic of China. Although I only saw the beginnings of Mao's revolution, my faith in human nature was reinvigorated by it. Then I came back to Quebec and the Korean War began. (...) I decided to make a really strong film about anti-militarism and against war." --Norman McLaren The Scottish-born McLaren had been

MASTER LIST #11: The 150 Best Movie Songs

In doing this list, I had to come to terms with one fact about myself: I just LIKE the music of the 60s and 70s a lot more than that of any other era (though I think the 1980s REALLY has a killer showing here). I know there were better songs written in the 30s, 40s and 50s, but the problems there are that (a) I'm not as familiar as I maybe should be with many of hits popular then, (b) some of

13 VERY POINTLESS (BUT FUN) MOVIE LISTS

For the past year of this blog's life, I've included these lists as part of my ongoing sidebar features (which I change fairly often, though not as often as I'd like). For those who haven't noticed (and I don't blame you), here's some fun fer ya. We start with the most current list (retired as sidebar fodder--there's a new list up now, "The 10 Best Drag Performances"--as of this publication):

SIDE ORDERS #9

For my first entry into this month's quickly-written SIDE ORDERS, we have the opening scene of Morton DaCosta's 1962 musical masterpiece The Music Man. If one were listing great opening scenes of any movie or stage production, one would have to include "Rock Island," the incredible white-rap penned by Meredith Wilson. The amazing thing about this scene is that only two of the characters on this

MASTER LIST #10: The 170 Greatest Movie Soundtracks

I'm a big soundtrack geek. Many of the following scores I'm about to list are ones I've owned on vinyl or CD for years--some since I was 10 or so. Almost all of the works mentioned here are crafted so brilliantly that the often-superlative movies they were written for now seem like gravy; this is a list of records that are all great to just sit down and listen to on their own. So, for your

Butterfly Kisses

Longing or loss?

The bottom right red space is meant for text.

Lose Weight with Fashion

Slimming Clothing Tips and Tricks to Help You “Lose” Those Last 5 Pounds!


Don’t worry about eating that extra piece of pizza or if you just didn’t have the time to run today, because we have a little secret to tell you! Not to say that eating healthy and exercising regularly aren’t good habits to get into, but we all know that sometimes life gets in the way. For those moments, there are certain clothing tricks, colors, and silhouettes that can give the illusion that you are actually 5 to 10 pounds thinner. So, what are you waiting for?


5 SLIMMING WARDROBE TRICKS

1. Try a Bootcut Style
Although one of the current trends includes skinny jeans, this style is not for everyone. If you don’t think skinny jeans suit you, then try a pairboot cut jeans. A of boot cut style is "ultra-flattering" on most shapes, and has low back pockets to give your bum a subtle lift.

2. Accentuate your Middle
Drawing attention to your waistline instantly creates a feminine silhouette. With that being said, no outfit is not complete until it is belted. Belts instantly create shape by defining the waist. Try a brown or beige belt like this fabulous Marc by Marc Jacobs Clasp Belt, which will match almost anything in your wardrobe. In addition to the belt, the staple top that every girl must own is the

wrap top. The wrap waist accentuates the middle and can also be layered over a slimming cami.



3. Smaller Isn’t Slimming
Don’t wear a size smaller just because it makes you feel better, or bigger because you don’t want to "show your figure". If the clothes are too big, the perceived boundaries of your figure will be extended to the edges of the garment; if the clothing is too small, the fabric will bunch and draw attention to bulges.

4. Wear Slimming Undergarments
Nobody has to know what’s underneath; if you would like some added oomph, wear a below-the-waist shaper, such as Spanx. Choose bras and underwear with nonbinding bands to avoid unwanted rolls. Also, don’t buy one to wear with everything. You need various styles for different outfits.



5. Maintain Balance & Proportion
If you are wearing something tight on your bottom half (like leggings or skinny jeans), then pair it with a loose-fitting top. If you are wearing something form-fitting on top, pair it with something that has some volume (like wide leg trousers or bootcut jeans). Simple as that!


4 OUTFITS THAT WILL MAKE YOU LOOK SLIMMER

1. Create Shape with Flowy Dresses & Cardigans
The perfect outfit for the warmer months is a flowy dress paired with a loose cardigan and a belt to give you shape. The light fabric of this dress style floats over curves instead of clinging to them, and the loose "cardigan’s shape" covers the arms and frames the silhouette so you, in turn, look thinner!.

2. Hide Bulges with Oversized Cardigans & Skinny Pants
Another cardigan option that slims is an oversized lightweight cardigan worn with skinny pants and heels. The skinny pants emphasize your slim lower legs, while the heels (preferably in the same color) not only give you glamorous height, but also elongate your legs. Again, the cardigan does not add bulk and skims your sides to hide any bulges.

3. Lengthen your Body with a Monochromatic Palette
An outfit consisting of monochromatic colors instantly streamlines your shape and effortlessly lengthens the body. The colors do not have to be the exact same, as long as they are in the same color family. Shades of white and cream keep the effect airy and light, while black and grey hues create a great night-out outfit.



4. Trim your Figure with Layers
A calculated combination of layers trims the figure. Try a cropped jacket over a "baby doll" top, paired with slouchy pants and wedges. The top covers up the tummy while the cropped jacket defines the waist and slims the upper arms. The dramatic length of the pants automatically makes legs look extra long, especially with the added height from the wedges.

Use these tricks to help you look and feel better. You can easily slim down with the use of a few key items in your wardrobe and some careful planning!

Film #115: Mystery of the Wax Museum

Mystery of the Wax Museum has an fascinating pedigree. Released in 1933, it was one of the only horror movies to be shot in two-strip Technicolor (the majority of Techicolor films were three-strip--cyan, yellow, and magenta). A precursor to Andre De Toth's more famous 1953 3D classic House of Wax, Mystery was believed for years by film historians to be lost. When faded prints of it were

Film #114: Vanya on 42nd Street

It's Anton Chekov's naked sadness that finally makes Louis Malle's Vanya on 42nd Street so superlative. However, the trouble with doing the play on film is that with the excitement of a live performance absent, the picture might seem dull to audience members who aren't in step with this pure-bred brand of Russian fatalism. That's why Malle's choice to record one of Andre Gregory's many

Film #113: The Outfit

Just look at this cast! Robert Duvall, Robert Ryan, Timothy Carey, Joe Don Baker, Karen Black, Richard Jaekel, Henry Jones, Bill McKinney (one of the villainous hillbillies in Deliverance), Sheree North and a very young Joanna Cassidy (maybe best known as the fleeing stripper replicant in Blade Runner)! They're all milling about in this blood-drenched 1973 gangster film that has Duvall and

Love & Lies

Progress of the Snake Woman, second in series of my senior project "Monstrosities of the Femme Fatale."

Yes, INGLOURIOUS BASTERDS excites me very much.

Am I wrong, or am I sensing a massive Tarantino backlash afoot? I've seen some very dismissive things written about his upcoming release Inglourious Basterds, and I have to say: I don't get it (could it be leftover hate from the not-well-received Grindhouse?). Sorry, naysayers, but Tarantino is one of our greatest, most vivacious filmmakers. I mean, every Tarantino movie is an absolute

Film #112: Henry V (1989)

Kenneth Branaugh had been acting on stage, TV and screen--all mostly in Britain--just a little over five years before he captured the public eye with his masterful 1989 directorial debut Henry V. It ended up netting him two Oscar nominations, for Best Actor and Best Director (the film only ended up winning one award for its costumes). This energetic helping of Shakespearean political intrigue

Film #111: The Great Santini

Love me some Robert Duvall. He eats up the screen here, and got his first Best Actor Oscar nomination, in 1979, for his title role. He plays the gruff, unmanagable, unBEATable Lt. Bull Meecham, a 50s-era Air Force warrior-without-a-war whose stern belief in discipline is unfairly extended to his genteel Southern family (led by syrup-voiced mother Blythe Danner), Michael O'Keefe co-stars as Ben,

Film #110: 12

Without fear of overhype, Lawrence Bridges' 12 can safely be called an epic. This amazing movie is the result of fifteen years worth of production work by writer/director Bridges, and you can feel each bit of impassioned care that went into each of its smudged, torn, spliced-up frames. Watching this grandly-scaled, literary comedy is like watching the most beat-up work print you can possibly

I shoes you!

I got the idea for this during the Hallmark workshop, but it was passed over for my donuts picture. I still like the concept, so I doodled the watercolor in my sketchbook and rigged up this design.

Swapping shoes and socks is another silly thing I like to do, too :D.

The batter to see you with

A greeting card illustration that I did during the Hallmark Ringling College Workshop. I don't know about you, but I always have the urge to do something silly like use donuts as glasses!

Film #109: Brazil

It was very much in character for Hollywood—and particularly, the meddlesome 70s/80s-era brass at Universal—to hold a movie like Terry Gilliam’s Brazil back from the masses. Completed in 1985, Brazil was first unspooled to the studio bosses in an infamous screening that resulted in abject anger from those who bankrolled the project; one wonders what they thought they were going to get, since we

A Designer Purse for You

The need for high quality is important in today's designer purse world. People demand high quality, especially when choosing a designer purse, but they also want fashionable and unique items as well. And, the market is responding. With so many choices out there for the average consumer, designers need to produce a unique, but fashionable piece.
High fashion names like Louis Vuitton and Coach are leaders in the industry.But, as more and more average consumers are purchasing these, there are still others who are looking for something even more unique. Then, of course, there are the designer purses look a-likes that cost less, but look like the originals.

Designer purses are known for their styles. The colors, the collections, and the styles are all important aspects. Availability is also important. Being well known is something that will make or break the designer. Having a good product is great, but having the fame of a designer purse is quite another.

To find designer purses check out some of our suggestions on this web page. You are sure to find a wide selection available, many designer purses can be found here and can be shipped right to your door.

Designer purses are a hot item. While they are widely available, there are also many options for locating the right purse by looking online, in department stores and maybe even in a catalog. Finding the right brand, whether widely known or smaller, local designer can lead you to the right color, style, and fashion that you are looking for. Finding the designer purse of your liking is easy
when you know what and where to look.

by: Mike Yeager

Get the Latest Scoop on what Fashions are Out

Just as fashion ebbs and flows, yesterday’s fashion ins are shut out in the cold! A true fashionista keeps careful track of what items have jumped to the out list. No one wants to be seen in a trend that expired yesterday, so if you are used to wearing trendy items, you may want to keep an eye out to see what’s out! The ever revolving door that is the fashion industry regularly makes and breaks fads in the blink of an eye. Look to your fashion magazines, cable channels that specialize in clothing and style, or great articles on the "World Wide Web" to determine when it is time to hang up your out clothing and accessories

What’s out this season :

1) Say good-bye to low cut pants today

The parents of the world let out a collective sigh when the ultra low cut pant waist line was declared dead. The days of a thong peeking out from the back of your trousers are a thing of the past, so pack away your crack-baring duds for their next time around! Today’s fashionable pants still feature a lower cut that seasons past—including the popular above-the-navel waistline of the 1950s—but are well above the modesty mark than in the recent past.


2) Personalized Items are so old school, don’t ya know

Unless that “L” on your sweater stands for Laverne, put it away! The era of personalized items, from jewelry (remember the “Carrie” necklace?) to purses to clothing is in the past. Even though you searched an hour at your local bargain basement store to find that bag with your initial embroidered in leather, it’s time to say goodbye.


3) Newsboy Hats Are Yesterday’s News

Extra, extra, read all about it: newsboy hats are out! Put down those papers, get off the corner, and ditch the hat! Even though cooler weather has arrived, find another way to keep your head warm than covering up in a newsboy hat. Consider donning a jaunty fedora cocked to one side—it’s the latest rage!

If you are concerned about items in your wardrobe or accessory closet becoming out of date, consider purchasing classic items. Look into wardrobe staples that are permanently found on the in list, so you will not have to juggle and reevaluate your closet. Furthermore, you may find a piece of clothing or accessory that you absolutely love has been retired to the out list. Instead of giving up a favorite, consider alternative ways to turn an out into an in!



By : Bridget Allen

Finding the Dresses and Fashion you need !

When you look in your closet do you see dresses that you like or are there many, many old, out of style dresses that you wouldn’t dare be seen in? Fashions do change over time and naturally the cut and style of modern dresses is very different from even 20-30 years ago. Why? Fashions change, tastes change and of course people simply get bored of wearing the same old dresses.

The 1970s and 80s saw the beginning of more divergent trends in fashion. This was the result of the increasing popularity of ready-to-wear collections by major designers, which made fashionable label conscious dressing possible for the middle class. You’ll find that every store has dozens of trendy labels that portray the image style and class. Today most people simply buy their dresses of the shelf, no need to have each individual item of "clothing hand made".

When you’re looking for the right dress to wear, don’t worry too much about it being the perfect one. Dresses come in all styles, shapes, colors and materials. Try this approach: choose a dress style that you feel comfortable and confident in, accessorize it with a few tasteful choices (such as a nice purse) and enjoy your evening out.

We’ve searched the web and found some very interesting selections for you to choose from if your looking for a new dress or dresses. The power of the internet allows you to thoughtfully choose and select the dresses that would look best on you. So the next time you look into your wardrobe closet and you’re wondering what to wear, you’ll have a wide range of comfortable, attractive dresses to choose from.




By : Mike Yeager

MASTER LIST #9: The 101 Greatest Romantic Movies

I was once a romantic. I used to want to be in love, and the movie helped me get there. But life taught me that romance isn't for all, and certainly isn't for me. I don’t believe, now, that there’s someone for everyone. I now see it as a paradigm set up by the mass media (with movies at the forefront) to keep the machine working. I think, now, that most of the problems that pop up in people’