Shoes!

Hello Children of the Night! How many of you celebrated Mardi Gras yesterday? We did. We had dirty rice, king cake, and hurricanes. Dinner was amazing but my king cake was a mitigated disaster. Oh well try again next year.

For those of you that are unaware, I have an affinity for shoes. I had a girlfriend this week send me a link to a Glamour Magazine contest. Tweet them a picture of your favorite shoes. How am I to pick one pair? Here are the three pairs I'm deciding between.

Iron First Zombie Stompers

Torrid

Not Rated

Help me decide my leaving me a comment!

Tonight is Levar Burton on Face Off. Can't wait! That and I get to have my neck and shoulders adjusted today. Thank you Jesus!

Have a Wicked Wednesday.

Face Off Episode Three

Hello Everyone! Sorry I've been pretty absent lately. I've been feeling really really lousy lately. I actually woke up with another migraine today. However Face Off was on last night and I *really* wanted to do my post. Have you been enjoying the season of Face Off as much as I have? Last night's episode was not one of my favorites. While body painting is cool, it really isn't anything amazing, I like the monsters better.

Rock your body. Yeah I knew from the get go this was going to be a body painting challenge. Shame Nix got the ax last episode. This would have been a moment for him to shine.

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The foundation challenge for this episode was unique. Each randomly selected team were given a model with amazing contacts. Each artist got 15 minutes to work on a character based on the contacts the model was wearing. After the 15 minutes were up the artist ran back  to their team and tagged in their team mate. It was a very very odd sort of relay race. Each artist went through twice, trying to create this character. The models were hidden behind a divider so the other team members couldn't see the creature in progress. This meant the first artist had to make the vision clear form the start. The four looks were a zombie, a "star princess", an alien, and a demon. Can I just point out that Brea was a complete fail with her "star princess" concept? This was the only picture I could find. Now imagine this with a blue bob wig! It looked like my 6 year old playing dress up. *shakes head* The alien won, and Beki scored immunity for the spotlight challenge. 

The spotlight challenge was to create album cover art for hip-hop artist Asher Roth's upcoming album, Is This Too Orange? (side note I have *no* clue who Asher Roth is...) Each randomly selected team of two were given a background to choose with two nude models. Each artist could only work on their model so the concept had to be solid. One model was going to be a blend job, while the other was a 'character' interacting with the backdrop.

Tara & Jerry: They chose a black and white backdrop. The concept was a tagger painting the line "Is This Too Orange?". Yeah... no color, no contrast, and Tara's paint job was really transparent.

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Sue and Heather got the weirdest backdrop of all, a skateboarding elephant? They created another elephant handing the skateboarding one a peanut, while the blend is supporting the elephant.

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Race and Beki had a very dark and dismal scene. It's a dank, secluded barn, with a noose hanging in the middle. These two went very conceptual with a bright orange character trying to rescue the background from a dark fate. Honestly? I don't get it.

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Ian and Miranda had a very simple back drop, a park bench. They had a really hard time coming up with a concept and I think they seriously flopped. This was a vague attempt and being very safe, and they didn't even manage that. Ian's paint job was good but Miranda's blend was awful.

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RJ and Athena also went very conceptual with their pool background. Their models are throwing chakra balls at each other. (I actually got this one) I love their paint job.

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Brea and Matt ended up with the most complex backdrop, a wall full of shoes. Matt simply blows me away with his blend job here. He fashioned a stencil for the shoes and you actually lose his model in the background. Admittedly I was not impressed with Brea's basketball player. It wasn't anything to write home about. 15 minutes before the challenge was over Brea's model collapsed from dehydration and had to be rushed to a hospital. She got a second model and a second chance but that meant another 6 hours painting for a very long 12 hour day.

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Needless to say Brea and Matt took the day. Matt ended up winning the challenge for his amazing blend work with the wall of shoes. Ian and Miranda were the worst group of the night and they sent Miranda home. I honestly felt Jerry and Tara's was far worse. Oh well... that's two weeks in a row for Matt. His work is impressive.

Rumor has it Tom Savini is the guest judge next week! I simply cannot wait. I love his work. Here is a sneak peak of next week's horror monster challenge. Have a Terrible Thursday and hopefully I'll be feeling well enough to get a couple more posts in this week.

Face Off Episode Two

Greetings Children of the Night!

Last night was episode two of season two of Face Off. Can I just say this entire episode was a hot mess! I love the concept of the underwater creature. I spent a little over a year working for an aquarium and have lived near the water all my life. I am a fish nerd! I have never been to the Aquarium of the Pacific but now I'm dying to go.

Each team of two (which was chosen at random) had to go into the aquarium and find a creature that inspired them. I was amused with many of the choices and saw some real promise in the Zebra Shark and  The Leafy Sea Dragon. I was rather confused at first with the choice of the sea turtle by Jerry and Nix and the lyretail fairy basslet by Tara and Matt. They both seemed very safe choices. Here is the breakdown:

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Jerry and Nix: They chose the sea turtle. During the previous challenge they were at each others throats. This time they acknowledged the others strengths and managed to work well together. I think Ve Neil said it best though. Their creature was a turd-le. The paint job had a cartoonish quality and once the model hit the water the shell fell off leading the entire creature falling apart. 


Ian and RJ: They chose the Zebra shark. These two took a different angle and turned it into a character. They created a shark/lawyer (get it? Yeah, I know, lame). They too fell apart when they hit the water. The judges also questioned the decison to cover the body with a suit instead of painting it. 


Beki and Miranda: These two... oh someone let out the b*tch this episode. They were attacking each other the *entire* episode.  They were one of two teams that created a leafy sea dragon. While it appeared to be a total fail on land, in the water the extra fabric fluttered and looked amazing. 


Rayce, Sue, and Brea - After winning last week, Brea got to choose the group she joined. This was the other team to do a leafy sea dragon. I personally found their creation dull and completely unimaginative. 

Heather and Athena - They went with a lion fish. Heather has a background in Marine Biology and is in love with the lion fish. This team kept it simple and created a lion fish instead a fish/human hybrid like the other teams. When the fins they had created weren't working, they scrapped them. Both members of the team were concerned it would affect their score negatively, it didn't. 

Matt and Tara - This final pair went with a fish called a lyretail fairy basslet, a small fish with a striking magenta color. Their sculpting job was incredible but the edges of the appliances were rough and Tara covered them with swatches of iridescent fabric, cut to look like scales. Matt wasn't sold on the idea but the judges loved it. That was one of the selling points of their winning design.

Matt and Tara won the challenge and Matt eneded up winning this round for "contributing the defining conceptual piece." Sadly, Nix was sent home. Guess I'll have to find a new favorite. 


I was intrigued by the amount of drama they left in this episode but I was a bit disappointed they didn't go into more detail of the actual mechanics of making make-up and prosetics water proof. 


Here a clip of next week's episode.

Face Off Season Two

Happy Freaky Friday!

I hope y'all have something amazing planned for this weekend. I never did end up seeing The Devil Inside. The reviews from fellow bloggers on Twitter plus the paper and websites in general convinced me it wasn't worth wasting the time or the money. This week's fun budget was spent having dinner out with a friend after the memorial service Wednesday night. My next big movie is The Woman in Black. First of, yes... I am a Potter-ite and I am practically jumping out of my skin to see Daniel Radcliffe in something new. On top of that, it's my favorite genre, the haunted house film. *seal clap*

I made it home from the Memorial in enough time to catch the replay of the season opener of Face Off! I am beyond words with the happiness that his show made it for another season. This one looks like a good one too. Face Off is a Sy-Fy Channel original, elimination-style show, featuring special effects make-up artists. Click here for more information. For those of you that have never seen an episode (for shame. Unless you don't live in the US, then you're forgiven) here is my favorite scene from last year. Who doesn't love a Zombie Dance Party? Besides Natalia Kills makes me happy and this song is to die for. (He he he I made a funny.)

http://realitytvmagazine.sheknows.com

The first set of challenges were simple yet effective. I agree with the judges on the first challenge. What Brea tried to accomplish with her "human skin suit" was completely lame at best.

When I realized enough women were actually competing this year to have a complete women's team I got giddy all over again. They completely rocked the challenge too; re-imagining the Wizard of Oz. The complete shocker of the night though was that Brea went from the atrocity to the right to the best character of the night.

I don't have a favorite artist yet, it'll take a few weeks. Admittedly though, Nix does have an amazing mustache AND he's from Orlando. I count him as my home-town favorite.

Next week is an underwater challenge. Catch the preview here. I can't wait! Squee! Ok... I think I'm done now.

A life lost

Hello my Children of the Night.

Today I was hoping to have for you the season opener for season two of Face/Off. Sadly though, I was at a memorial service for a haunt co-worker and was unable to catch it. It's on the DVR to be watched today so I'm hoping to have that synopsis and part two of the zombie green mani by the end of the week.

Take care y'all

2011 Spike TV Scream Awards

Tonight was the 2011 Scream Awards on Spike TV and I must say I did enjoy them. Then again I always enjoy the spectacle. The set lends itself to a modernized Hell with fire and aerialists suspended from the ceiling. There was even a river Styx flowing through the center of the stage. Below, are some of the honors given tonight.

Best Thriller Nominees:  

Limitless

            Adjustment Bureau

Hanna

Red

Salt

Winner: Limitless

Best Supporting Actor Nominees:

            Alan Rickman- Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Pt2

            Kieran Culkin- Scott Pilgrim vs. The World

            Peter Dinklage- Game of Thrones

            Rupert Grint- Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Pt1

Tommy Lee Jones- Captain America: The First Avenger

Winner:  Peter Dinklage- Game of Thrones

Best Breakout Male Nominees:

            Michael Fassbender- X-Men: First Class

            Jon Bernthal- The Walking Dead

            Chris Hemsworth-Thor

            Joe Manganiello- True Blood

            Tom Hiddleston- Thor

Winner: Joe Manganiello- True Blood

Admittedly He had one of the best quotes of the night, “Werewolves do it in the daylight baby!”

 “Werewolves do it in the daylight baby!”

Best Director Nominees:

            J.J. Abrams- Super 8

Matthew Vaughn- X-Men: First Class

Edgar Wright: Scott Pilgrim vs. The World

Darren Aronofsky: Black Swan

David Yates: Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Pt2

Winner: Darren Aronofsky: Black Swan

Best Science-Fiction Actor Nominees:

            Daniel Craig- Cowboys & Aliens

            Chris Evans- Captain America: The First Avenger

            Harrison Ford: Cowboys & Aliens

            Matt Smith: Doctor Who

            Jake Gyllenhaal: Source Code

Winner: Matt Smith as Doctor Who

I must admit he is definitely one of my favorite Doctors. I won’t stick my neck out so far as to say he’s better than David Tennant or Tom Baker but for the youngest man ever to play this multi-dimensional character he really does a smashing job.

Best Comic Book Writer Winner: Ed Brubaker- Captain America, Captain America: Reborn, The Marvels Project, Steve Rogers: Super Soldier

Best Horror Movie Nominees:

            I Saw the Devil

            Insidious

            Paranormal Activity 2

            Let Me In

            Piranha 3D

Winner: Let Me In

I have a problem with this category. How do you even begin to compare a haunted house film like Paranormal Activity 2 or Insidious with a gore fest like Let Me In? There is very little that ties these movies together in a single genre. When it comes down to creativity and sheer ingenuity I would have rather seen a movie like Insidious win. Admittedly, that movie kept me up for days after seeing it. I highly recommend both the Paranormal Activity series and Insidious for audiences who enjoy films like The Exorcist or Poltergeist.

Best Science-Fiction Nominees:

            Captain America: The First Avenger

            Monsters

            Transformers: Dark of the Moon

Super 8

Tron: Legacy

Winner: Super 8

Best TV show nominees:

            Game of Thrones

            Doctor Who

            Fringe

            True Blood

The Walking Dead

Winner: Game of Thrones

Most Memorable Mutilation Nominees:

            Penis bitten off, then vomited up by piranha- Piranha 3D

            Transformed into swan- Black Swan

            Scalped alive by motorboat- Piranha 3D

            Head covered in molten gold- Game of Thrones

            The reverse bear-trap- Saw 3D: The Final Chapter

Winner: Scalped alive by motorboat- Piranha 3D

This category struck me as very odd at first. However it is hard to have an entire genre dedicated to making the audience squirm and scream without some mutilation and why not honor the best of the best?

The Ultimate Scream Nominees:

            Black Swan

            Captain America: The First Avenger

            Scott Pilgrim vs. The World

            Super 8

Thor

True Blood

The Walking Dead

Harry Potter and The Deathly Hallows, Pt2

Game of Thrones

X-Men: First Class

Winner: Harry Potter and The Deathly Hallows, Pt2

It was amazing to see the exaltation of this decade long franchise. Daniel Radcliffe was there to accept their award and his humble speech was punctuated by the world premiere of the trailer to his new film, The Woman in Black. I am very happy to see Radcliffe return to film and this one looks very promising.  Harry Potter also received several of the honors including Best F/X and Scream-Play and Daniel Radcliffe won best fantasy actor as well as Ralph Fiennes was honored with best villain as Lord Voldemort. It was rather surreal seeing Fiennes with hair and that rather bushy beard. 

Ralph Fiennes

Most Anticipated Movie Nominees:

The Dark Knight Rises,

The Avengers,

The Amazing Spider-Man,

The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn, pt1

            The Hunger Games

Winner: The Dark Knight Rises

I’m really not looking forward to Anne Hathaway playing Catwoman. To me she is far too girl-next-door to bring the kind of sensuality needed to Catwoman. To me there will never be a Catwoman that surpasses Eartha Kitt.

There were other single awards given such as Visionary going to Paul Rubens for his portrayal of Pee-Wee Herman and Hero: Robert Downey Jr. I enjoyed his montage and enjoyed even more the world premiere of the trailer for Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows. (I won’t get into it here about all the problems I have with RDJ portrayal of Sherlock Holmes. That is ENTIRELY off topic.) Maverick honored Nicolas Cage and was awarded by a far more prominent Maverick, Quentin Tarantino. My favorite though was Comic-Con Icon. That award went to the one and only June Foray. He voicing of so many memorable cartoon characters like Rocky the Flying Squirrel is legendary and to hear her voice again temporarily sent me back to my childhood. Ultimate Villain was given to Darth Vader and the awarding of the spike itself allowed for a rather humorous interlude with George Lucas himself. Personally, I don’t think Vader would be such a bada** without the iconic theme music provided by my personal God, John Williams.

Cuddly Vader?

Overall it was an entertaining exhibition and the many sneak previews given have me more than intrigued about some of the films coming out in the next year including Paranormal Activity 3 and The Woman in Black.

For the rest of the categories, highlights, photos, and winners you can go to  2011 Spike TV Scream Awards