#my impression is that theater is cheaper than film and tv

[tanadrin]

There’s an interesting tension in complaints about capitalism or executive meddling for marketability purposes ruining tv and film, just because they are two of the most capital-intensive art forms ever devised. You can write a novel for the cost of pen and paper, or more realistically these days a cheap netbook. Painting or sculpture or other static visual media can be more expensive, but the initial capital outlay is like hundreds of bucks, or if you really need particular tools, thousands.

Meanwhile a film on a hilariously small shoestring budget can run tens of thousands of dollars—you gotta pay for actors and equipment rental and stuff. And more ambitious projects basically require the backing of large production companies, who—if they do not concern themselves with marketability—may rapidly cease to be large production companies.

And on top of all this, the scale of such productions means they are inherently collaborative in nature. That’s been true of performance arts for centuries, of course, but when a key element of your production is the Money Guy, it makes sense he has to worry about his ability to be the Money Guy on similar projects in the future. And given the vagaries of show business, and that there are way more consistent ways to make money, I don’t think there are many people in the business of film or TV or for that matter theater production who don’t care about the medium to some degree.

And in some ways capitalism is the ideal system to produce big film and TV productions in, at least for the would be auteur. If capital is allocated solely by private whim, you just need to get one loaded producer on your side to realize your vision—you don’t necessarily need to justify the existence of your art to a philistine public, or to bean-counting government bureaucrats, or to the people who process grant applications at arts funding councils.

Still, loaded producers are in limited supply, and it’s much easier to get their attention for your non commercial vanity project if you are already famous and well respected as a director. It’s not a system optimized for producing really top notch art! But the problem of where to get the money can only be shifted around, while actors and animators and sound technicians and so on and so forth are a finite resource.

(Notably the auteur’s incentives are in many ways directly opposed to the acting and technical staff’s incentives—a world where even big name actors get paid peanuts or are replaced entirely by computers is a world that removes a lot of financial limits on an auteur’s creative vision! Of course a lot of directors and showrunners want their employees to be paid well; they recognize there is more to making TV and film than minimizing costs. But in terms of the labor economy of show business, the auteur or showrunner is management, not labor, and auteur theory is a justification of that arrangement.)

[franki-lew-yo]

I really hate 2d purists. No, not 2d animation. Not 2d animators.

2d purists.

The sad thing is it’s gotten to the point that I really cringe hearing any pro-2D sentiment at all. I hate the arguments I agree with because how often they're misused and weaponized by idiots.

Let me make my stance here clear - 2d is NOT appreciated and 3d is used for everything! The layman Karen-mom who doesn’t have an artistic bone in her body looks at stupidsmooth 3D Grubhub ads and assumes quality cause it “looks more real” (aka ‘rendered’). I know as much is true because I literally have a member of my family who told my sister and I that she thinks 3d is better (and also that she “tolerated THOSE movies for us kids”. Touching words. My sister was taking an animation course by the way). Combined that with the studios either using 2D for cheap stuff or finding good 2d animation too “costly”, I get it and I’m not even any animator. I'm just a worm an illustrator.

but holy HELL -

There’s a backlash from the artistic community that's it's own kind of insufferable and deserve to be addressed.

“(insert2Danimatedfilm) is better BECAUSE it's 2D!”

followed by: "Animation is a visual medium and the quality of the art affects how much the story means !!!!”  

Yes. Totally. Animation is a visual medium and the look and style is important. Sadly, people use this excuse to really obnoxious ends, insisting that design being pretty is '' everything ''. When you treat a movie more as a special effects demo I get why you talk about the artistry at hand; but I’m sorry, visuals are not the only thing important and it’s why I’m also getting sick of the sameElsafacesyndrome rants too! There’s this attitude that's reads as "but it LOOKS better fromaproductionimage/teasertrailerwhichapparentlyisindicativeof all themovieactuallyis so it MUST BE better".

-“3D should only be used to make things look realistic!”

I think I know the logic this criticism is made in response to, and that’s the Sony + Illumination films which look just as good in 2D as they do in three dimensions. I know it feels like people are twisting this medium to try and make it like a classic cartoon when by all means people can and would love a classic cartoon being a classic cartoon. That I get- From the unsung 2D animator’s perspective, that’s more than valid !

But it’s a huuuuuuge slap in the face to 3d in saying it should only be used for "realistic animation" because

1: It’s not like realistic animation could age badly or look uncanny in the next few years. It's almost like technology is constantly improving, which I guess 2d animation never did and it was always the same technique and quality as every film that came after it.

2: The industry does treat 3d as a magic-moneymaker for this reason. Just listen to these people call the 2019 LION KING “live action” as if they’re embarrassed to call it animation. It IS animation! It would be impressive if you acknowledged that what it is, but like the CATS, you basically are treating it as just a neato tool to better your live action and not it's own artform - which it is!

3: By this “three-deeonly gud when real liek in da toystories” non-logic I guess 2d should ONLY be for flowyflowy SPACE JAM cartoons and maybe some Disney*. Just that though. You can’t do anything more with 2d. It’s never supposed to be realistic I guess. Good thing Richard Williams only did 'toons' and just toons that’s why we need 3d in the world I guess.

Wait no - that’s stupid.

"I HAVE to see the “Land Before Time 14″ when it comes out! I mean it’s a 2D animated film!"

Lost in the aether that is Youtube comment chains removed from kid's videos is a stream of this very VERY stupid argument supporting the buying of the 14th LAND BEFORE TIME film because it’s supporting 2D. My sister and I can be found on that chain arguing against this stupidity. All you have is my word, but trust me: it really did happen.

I’m sorry but...no.

Unless you have a friend or a family member who worked on these movies there’s no reason to see this and ESPECIALLY no reason to insist it’s a win for the 2D community if you buy up this crap - and I'm not judging if you do like it, but come on! LAND BEFORE TIME 14 isn't where your money should go if you really like this medium.

What’s so infuriating about this argument is you can tell it’s made by nonanimators. Real animators will tell you to support their movies cause they want some respect for their artform which is why there’s such a push from the PRINCESS AND THE FROGcrowd that you SEE and LOVE every 2d thing out there, regardless of how good it is because any recognition for it is k i n d o f what they're after!

Kiddy sequel schlock isn’t even in the same ballpark as KLAUS or WOLFWALKERS; these films DID have very limited theatrical runs (Klaus so it could be nominated; Wolfwalkers in places where theaters opened up after Covid) and should have been supported because they were labors of love made by people who love animation.

As other people have already pointed out, one of the reasons for the lack of interest in 2000sera2D animation is that the only films released alongside critical+financial 3D hits were cheaper 2D films that either coincided with daytime tv shows or should have been just direct-to-video. It’s not to say art couldn’t come out of these flicks, but dayum if it wasn’t abused as much as the texture software that era's CG used... Point being, should the world ever go back to normal: If you hear about an out-of-town showing an acclaimed 2D animated film, make time to trek out and see THAT!

Don’t give your money to see yet another made-for-tv movie on the big screen because all that tells the studio is: “yeah 2d IS cheap and only good for cheap stuff let’s just keep it cheap. Only 3d is important 8D 8D 8D !!!"

“I don’t understand how it works. So it sucks.”

This text is from an ANIMATOR btw.

“I don’t understand how it works” and “it’s just some computer rendering” is the exact same wave of logic the people who prefer cgi use.

The plebian Karen I mentioned earlier? She understands the basics of 2D animation as much as you did from one of those cruddy flash classes you took in middle-school. She 'understands' the basics cuz she watched how it was made on the DVD features or maybe back on the WONDERFUL WORLD OF DISNEY. To her, the illusion is broken and she’s not impressed by 'just some drawings on paper'. You, an animator, know the process is more complicated and is intrigued by knowing how it’s made - not bored or disinterested -

Neither you nor Aunt Karen have really good cg-animation software at your house and unless you ARE a 3D animator you probably DON’T know all the ins-and-outs of how these movies are modeled, rendered, and animated.

Aunt Karen is bedazzled by them cause she doesn’t know how it works and the technical aspect makes her brain hurt so it might as well be magic and she can feel like a cool kid sharing Minion-memes. Aunt Karen is the nonartistic type who just wants to feel safe. You're not. You want to feel challenged.

I get it: you’re pissed off cause you’re in a field no one, including Aunt Karen, appreciates; told to work in cg which it's an artform you didn’t devote your life to and told to learn it cause THIS style sells! 3D is everywhere and is starting to look like 'garbage' even if you don’t animate 3D models yourself you just KNOW, I guess. Besides, you know all there is to know about 2d!! You know all there is to possibly know about this artform and have to fight this 'war' against "r e a l" animation! And I mean even when 3d software is there to use, it's not like you can actually make anything worth while in it, especially not anything that transcends the medium. Right Worthikids?

TL;DR: This argument is basically just " BWAAAAH I’M NOT GONNA USE IT I HAVE STANDARDS (a chip on my shoulder cuz art should be what I deem it to be) "

“PRINCESS AND THE FROG is-”

There’s a reason I can’t say I truly like PRINCESS AND THE FROG even though it's not even a bad movie! Like, stop reading this and watch PATF if you haven't it's good. It's my 'FROZEN', in that; I see a lot of potential in it I just think it needs some serious rewriting and that bugs me. Always have felt that way, tbh.

I dislike this movie because the response from the animation community seems to be it was perfect and the Academy was just Pixar-crazy with UP ((ftr, the Academy IS Pixar’s bitch and I personally advocate a sequel be made to WAKING SLEEPING BEAUTY about Mike Eisner’s sabotage of the 2D department at Disney which is still in place now!- but that’s a story for another day)). I’m sorry but UP was just a better story. So was CORALINE. So was FANTASTIC MR. FOX. Honest to god it feels like poor PATF is brought up as just a talking point and never for it's own worth as a labor of love - which it was! I'd like to honestly know: had PRINCESS AND THE FROG come out now and been cg if it would have even half the defenders for it because now it doesn't "look" like how a Disney movie "should" look...

If you like PatF more than the currant Disney lineup because of it's culture, it's music, it's feminism, it's black representation? Awesome. Great. Those things should be appreciated and I never want that taken away from you. But if you seriously think PatF is better just for how it was animated and looks - I lowkey may hate you.

“ALL OF DISNEY’S LATEST MOVIES SHOULD HAVE BEEN 2D! THEY ALL LOOK AWFUL IN 3D!! ALL OF THEM!”

TANGLED, FROZEN, and MOANA? Yeah. Sure. But um, e x c u s e y o u- WRECK IT RALPH sooooo doesn’t work in 2d! It could have used different between the various worlds but it’s about hopping through different video games. I’m also of the opinion that ZOOTOPIA and BIG HERO 6 are fine the way they are. Their 3d is awesome.

The latest fairy tale Disney films are really big on their place alongside the 2D canon esp in marketing. They keep trying to mimic 2D to varying results though I don't think it works as well as the movie's I'd previously mentioned. Me personally, I would love a mix of 3D and 2D technology, like if the backgrounds in FROZEN still got to be 3D but the characters were handdrawn and shaded ala KLAUS ((sweet sigh)). But even then are they truly unwatchable just based on how they're animated to you?

MOANA would have been incredible in 2D but for the record - I don't think it feels out of place in it's style. It reminds me more of a Pixar movie with the heart of a Disney classic which is it's own just as good.

“2D is the oldest form of animation and it’s being replaced.”

Actually, if we’re talking animation in film, stop motion is the earliest form of animation. The stop motion animated THE ADVENTURES OF PRINCE ACHMED and TALE OF THE FOX predate Disney’s SNOW WHITE. And yes: stop-motion IS still a form of animation even if it’s a serious of pictures taken of real life things and not drawings, so don’t you dare come at me with the "but that's not animated"/"Technically it’s LIVE ACTION" crap or I’ll envoke the spirit of Sandman to get you at night.

“Every animated film would look better in 2D! Even PIXAR would look better in 2D!”

Again, Stop Motion.

No, I mean it.

Lemme ask: Would ISLE OF DOGS or FANTASTIC MR. FOX carry any of the same effect if they were generic 90s toons? I know NIGHTMARE BEFORE CHRISTMAS wouldn’t. Christ, don’t even get me started on Svankmajer!

Sometimes the problem is that a movie is envisioned with a specific artform in mind. Pixar started out with toys and bugs for a reason and that’s cuz they were always gonna be a 3d studio and they needed to first overcome the placisity of the models. Over the years they’ve gotten really good at effects and blending unrealistic proportions with real textures (and also not so much- ONWARD and THE GOOD DINOSAUR really needed some different character designs and yeah, I do think would have looked better with a 2d artstyle, but not the ones they had in their films. THE GOOD DINOSAUR needed more realistic-speculative looking dinos and ONWARD needed a grittier HEAVY METAL/BLACK CAULDRON appeal to its designs.) My point being that the problems with these movies aren’t even inherently the animation as much as it is a problem of style. As someone who runs a group speculating different styles and designs for movies and tv shows I’m all for envisioning a 2D ZOOTOPIA or Bluth-inspired FNAF. That’s amazing!

But that’s also the talk of fan artists and nerds and not the professional artists working on visualizing their stories!!

Since I ate, slept, and breathed NIGHTMARE in my youth I’ll use it as an example: All the concept art ever done for TNBC was on paper and 2D was used in the final film. However, even when Tim Burton was thinking of making it just a tv special it was always going to be stop-motion. NIGHTMARE’s puppet cast do work very well in two dimensions, believe me, but the film was made as a love letter to Rankin/Bass and the art form of stop-motion. Skipping to another Henry Selick-helmed project (haha), JAMES AND THE GIANT PEACH was also always envisioned as a multimedia film to give it a truly dream-like atmosphere. If you know anything about Henry Selick you’ll know he’s 1) a perfectionist, and 2) loves mixed media and different types of animation and puppetry at once. That’s why he was the perfect pick to direct TNBC at the time, why JAMES AND THE GIANT PEACH and CORALINE are so beautiful and why MOONGIRL, his only fully 3d film, doesn’t have the same appeal.

As for what films I couldn’t imagine NOT being 3D? Probably; 9, Padak, Next Gen, Soul, Finding Nemo, the Toy Story films, Wreck-it-Ralph (as previously mentioned), Wall.E, Waltz with Bashir, Robots, Inside Out, Arthur Christmas, The Painting, Happy Feet, Shrek, Enter the Spiderverse, Megamind… just naming a few here.

“I want a traditionally animated film [and by that I mean a 90s-Disney/Don Bluth looking movie] of ‘x'-popular live action/stage thing!”

Okay I’m cheating a bit but it’s my blog and so I’m gonna stick this one in because it’s related.

When I see musings about wanting live-action or CGI shiz to be in 2d again a lot of the time this argument actually boils down to " I want this to look like a 90s Didney movie ". Or, if it’s about animals - " I want it to look like a Don Bluth film! "

Like...there ARE other styles of animation out there...you know that right?

Frack, Disney themselves tried different styles throughout the 90s it’s just that the peak of the Disney renaissance films (LITTLE MERMAID, BEAUTY AND THE BEAST, ALADDIN, THE LION KING) and the many imitators that followed tended to have the same look to them where only film/animation nerds kept watching into the era that was TARZAN, HERCULES, and ATLANTIS along with the kids. Aunt Karen wasn't singing Part of your World in the carride with you every day.

The Don Bluth argument is especially irritating because...what exact feeling do you WANT from a movie if it looked Bluthish? Each of the four ‘quintessential’ Bluth movies (NIMH, AMERICAN TAIL, LBT, and ALL DOGS) have such a different feel to them that’s complimented by that style; SECRET OF NIMH is a drama about wild animals trying to understand humans; LAND BEFORE TIME is even more squarely about an animal’s perspective as there’s literally no humans around; AMERICAN TAIL uses animals stowing away on the ship to tell a story about refugees; and ALL DOGS GO TO HEAVEN is ALL DOGS GO TO HEAVEN.

What the frack are you even asking for with that because I think there’s a certain flavor to the Bluth-styled oeuvre as well as the 90s Disney catalogue that would clash too much stylistically with some films.

Also come on! Like some Bluthian-style 2d would really fix THE SECRET LIFE OF PETS or SCOOB!, bite me.

I think this fixation solely on these two hand drawn styles and nothing else is based on nostalgia goggles, refusing to step outside the norm and discover different films and feelings than Disney and Bluth, and just preference. Goin back to NIGHTMARE there will always be a special place in my heart for Henry Selick’s stop motion, but I couldn’t imagine CHICKEN RUN or ANOMALISA in it's unique style.

Also I’m tired of every time there’s a "lets make an animatic to ‘x’ musical theater song" it’s reliably just Disneyesque or realistic. WHY envision an animated version of the show at all if it doesn’t have A STYLE to it??!?! I’m sorry but 90s-Disney does NOT fit CABARET!

“3D is so CHEAP now! Why can’t they just do 2D again?”

I think - on the cusp of the 2020s and the Grubhub hatedom, there ARE changing times ahead for 3d and 2d. The general public are starting to get tired of the same looking 3d films and wanting some 2d back, but they don’t have the best resources or opinions on animation to know what it is they want. Meanwhile, the animation community + industry is trying to figure out what to do and you have a lot of turmoil between the monopoly that is the industry, the high standards of the artists, and the mixed wants of the animation fanbase deciding what art needs to be.

It’s a tough business. And in the spirit of that tough business - maybe DON’T act like the means of a film’s production is solely your control, that you know best, and know definitively what the artists should have done....cuz you don't. Sorry my fellow criticalfanomanalysist-folks we DON'T and in an age of standom where fans and critics think it's okay to hackle indie animation studios about not getting their pitched cartoon out fast enough - we need to reserve these discussions to our circles and not treat them as gospel.

3d animation and 2d animation have to share this world. Stop acting like they’re either interchangeable in terms of budget, means of production, or artistry or that one has to be superior to the other.

The industry already says one art form is better (spoiler: it’s always live-action), we don’t need anymore of this purist garbage. Just stick to what you like while trying new things on the side. Be critical while also being compassionate. And remember:

[surveys-at-your-service]

Survey #427

“don’t pray for me when you’re the one enslaved”

Your ex taps you on the shoulder and says, “I still love you.” You say? I wouldn't say anything, I'm pretty sure I'd just break down. Do you play video games? Not really anymore. :/ I probably would, though, if I had the appropriate consoles for games I want. You can only replay PS2 games but so many times before you're tired of them. Do you spend a lot of time with family? No, honestly. Is your house more than two stories tall? It only has one floor. Have you ever hit your significant other? Has he/she ever hit you? I'm not in a relationship, but I have most certainly never hit an s/o, and they've never hit me. I wouldn't tolerate that shit. What makes you an attractive person? (Talk about your personality too!) I'm not. What color is your hairbrush/comb? White. What snacks do you have available in your household atm? Hm. Just some fruity grain and oats bars, as well as cashew ones. We try to keep sweets out of the house. Has anyone recently told you that they like you, or find you attractive? No. Are you attracted to the last person you Facebook messaged? Holy fuck yes, she's drop-dead gorgeous. Do you care about anyone that doesn’t care about you? Ha, I'm sure. Was your last Facebook friend requests from a male or female? Some random middle-aged man, like who are you sir. Which one of your relatives is most likely to embarrass you? My dad. He can be so rude to people sometimes. When was the last time you ate a bar of chocolate? Not sure. It's been quite a while. Do you play any games on Facebook? No. What would you like to get a degree in? It'd be nice to get a degree in Arts, but yeah... I'm never going back to school. Do you wake up a lot in the middle of the night? Pretty much every night. Would you prefer to read a book, watch a movie or TV show, or play a video game? Play a video game. Do you usually get popcorn or soda at the movie theater? Almost without fail. You've got to, it's part of the experience. What genre of films do you like the best? Horror. How many bank accounts do you have? None, actually. Have you ever had the flu? No, thankfully. What is your goal for the next few months? To start getting in shape/losing weight. I seriously hope this gym routine works out. Have you ever had some kind of sleep-disorder? How did it affect your life? I have seveeeere sleep apnea. It's shocking, I never would've guessed it, though, so the diagnosis (I had a sleep study, so yes, it's legit) was an extreme surprise. I don't snore at all, nor do I like pass out in the middle of something, but I stop breathing A LOT. For a year or two (no, that is not an exaggeration), it caused consistent, horrible, and violent nightmares/terrors. It made sleep frightening to me, and I was never getting a truly restful sleep. Now, I have an APAP mask (like a less extreme version of a CPAP mask) that helps me greatly. I only very rarely am surprised by a more subtle nightmare now. Have you ever had food poisoning before? Describe the experience. No, thankfully. What are two things that you have no problem paying full price for? Quality tattoos, for one. And maybe uhhh... idk. We're the kind of family that buys off-brand foods and drinks all the time because it's cheaper, so I can't say that. Maybe health care? Like I wouldn't want service from a sketchy dentist or something. Funny, charming, cute, romantic, smart - choose only 2 for the opposite sex. Charming and romantic. Have you ever let somebody use you? Why did you do it? No. You can go back in time & change something in your mom’s past - what is it? That's hard for me to say. She doesn't seem to like talking about her past very much, because I know it's turbulent with her mother. I would say her being disowned, but I don't know how that *actually* affected her. Maybe it was for the better she wasn't under her mom's authority anymore. Do you know anybody who is around the exact same size as you? Who? I guess my mom, but she's actually smaller than me now. She's lost a lot of weight and is still going at it. Ever been to a haunted house? How scared were you? Not a house, but rather hay rides and those places you just walk through and experience different stuff. They don't scare me at all; I love 'em. Been on any websites today you wouldn’t want your parents to see? No. Which is worse: dusting or mopping? Ugh, mopping. I don't mind dusting. Would you marry somebody who was intensely religious? No. Did you pull a senior prank? No. That shit is so dumb. Did you graduate? High school, yes. Have you ever been unfaithful in a serious relationship? No, and I never would. What was the last song you listened to? I'm listening to Lauren Babic and Halocene's cover of "Bleed It Out" by Linkin Park right now. It's great. Are you one of those lucky people with 20/20 vision? Heeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeell no. Is fashion one of your interests? No. Do you think you’ll eventually find that special someone? Hell if I know. Do you care what people think? Way, way more than I should. Is acting something you enjoy? NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO. I feel so stupid. What was the last thing you broke/sprained? I tore a ligament badly in my foot maybe a year and a half ago. I was SO sure it was broken. My mom had to help me walk everywhere, and even when she did, I'd be whimpering and seething. Have you ever fought with a friend because of their boyfriend/girlfriend? Because of yours? No. Has a stranger ever yelled at you for your language? No. Whose house, other than yours and your families', are you most comfortable at? If we're excluding all family, I suppose Sara's? Has any of your friends’ family ever yelled at you? Probably at some point as a kid. Did you ever play a sport as a little kid? Did you enjoy it? I played a lot. The only two I really didn't like were soccer and cheerleading. Did you ever watch the show Full House? Hell yeah, I loved it as a kid. Is there a celebrity you are just DETERMINED to marry? Ha ha y'all know I joke about it, but no, not legitimately. It's not like I know him personally at all, and I'm not chasing him to California either. Just let me dream still lmao. Have you ever burned someone’s picture? No, but I've actually heard it's truly therapeutic and not just for dramatic effect, so I wouldn't be opposed to doing so if you handed me a picture of him and a lighter. What’s the longest hike you’ve ever been on? I've never hiked before. Would you ever get a lip tattoo? Uh, no. Who is the first person of the opposite sex that pops into your head? Jason. Do your parents smoke cigarettes? My dad smokes like a chimney and is 100% going to end up with cancer because of it. You should hear his cough. Mom smoked for a very, very brief period before I was born. What does one of your T-shirts have written on it? "Equal in our bones" is on my favorite shirt. Name a pet you definitely wouldn’t want. Certain inverts people are wild enough to get, like giant African centipedes in particular. Would you prefer your partner smaller or taller? Can't say I care. do you enjoy going through old pictures? Sometimes. Other times, it's too painful. It also depends on the era of the pictures. Do you believe people when they say they don’t judge people? Ha, no. We all have natural first impressions and things like that that just... happen. What did you love the most about the town you grew up in? Nothing, really... besides just childhood memories that inevitably came. My hometown was dangerous. What’s a movie that you laughed the hardest during? I'm not sure. What’s a movie you cried the hardest during? I want to say Old Yeller, but I'm not sure. What’s your favorite restaurant? Olive Garden and The Cheesecake Factory. Is there a dessert you don’t like? Yeah; I don't like pie, strawberry shortcake, and I know there're others. Favorite album? Ozzy's Black Rain. It was my introduction to metal, so there's nostalgic value there, but I also just LOVE every single song. What’s a book that you read because everyone else was reading it? None. I don't read books for that reason. Underwater or outer space? Both kinda frighten me to a degree, but I find outer space to be way cooler. So many colorrrrrrs. Dogs or cats? Cats. Kittens or puppies? Ugh, both are so cute, but I gotta hand it to kittens. Bird watching or whale watching? Whale watching would blow me away. Whales are such magnificent, awe-inspiring animals. What is your spirit animal? Probably a deer. Skittish, shy, and quiet. What was your best subject in school? English. What was your worst subject in school? Math. What is one thing you wish you knew in high school? You and Jason aren't going to last, hunty. Who is your fashion icon? I don't have one. I wear what I want/what's comfortable. Diamonds or pearls? I think diamonds are a lot prettier. What color dress did you wear to prom? First one was maroon, last one was black. What’s your favorite plot-twist? Silent Hill: Shattered Memories. My jaw actually dropped. Honestly, are you jealous of someone right now? Yes. Honestly, what’s the worst thing you’ve done when you were mad? Said things I shouldn't. Honestly, ever made anyone cry when you were mad? Yes. Honestly, when was the last time you REALLY cried your heart out? Two weeks ago or something like that. Ever pop someone else’s pimple? OH MY GOD NO alskdfa;wekrwer; Do you need to return anyone’s phone call? No. Who are you closest to? My mom. Have you ever had a bad concert experience? No. Are you currently sad about anything? A number of things. Have you had any form of exercise today? No, but tomorrow is day #2 at the gym! Can you handle blood? Yeah, np. Has any place hired you underage for a job? No. Have you ever carried a concealed weapon? No sir=ee. Are you currently searching for a job? Not anymore, at least not actively. I was going to after TMS, but I'm just... still not ready. Right now, I'm focusing on the gym and getting healthy again, but if the seemingly perfect job comes along, I'm not opposed to taking it up. Does eating breakfast make you sick? No, I've got to have breakfast or else THEN I feel awful.

[spicynbachili1]

The greatest facial hair to ever grace a screen belongs to Kurt Russell

When beards get severe, Kurt Russell will get seriouser

Each November a motion happens during which individuals elevate funds to assist help these battling most cancers by not shaving. There’s No-Shave November the place of us are inspired to place down the razor and as a substitute donate the month’s shaving funds to most cancers analysis or to these in want of monetary help as they undergo chemotherapy. Then there’s Movember, the place the main focus is on letting that lovely higher lip hair develop to assist elevate consciousness surrounding prostate and testicular most cancers, in addition to suicide. 

Whereas not one of the workers at Flixist are manly sufficient to develop any facial hair in any respect, in honor of this facially targeted month, we are celebrating our favourite completely groomed beards, mustaches, and Fu Manchus as seen all through cinema. To kick issues off, I current to you the one true best face fluff: Kurt Russell in Hateful Eight. 

“Grizzled” is the very best phrase to explain John “The Hangman” Ruth. His mustache solely amplifies his demeanor as he rides to assert the bounty of the recalcitrant Daisy Domergue. Ruth’s gloriously overflowing whiskers portend his inside angle. He is over-confident and direct, not one to draw back from confrontation or be the one to instigate it. He instructions consideration and the free-flowing facial fur solely bolsters the respect he feels he deserves. In a film with gruff outlaws and demise hiding across the nook, Ruth’s mustache has a je ne sais quoi that simply merely suits the bounty hunter’s aura. 

The Wonderful Mustache Gary (Remaining Area) – Sian Francis-Cox

Gary is a prisoner aboard the Galaxy One, a lonely spacecraft drifting via the void. Serving a 5-year sentence for destroying 92 star cruisers at a Mexican household restaurant (in an effort to impress the gorgeous however aloof pilot Quinn) – properly, life isn’t actually going nice for him. However when he meets Mooncake, a wonderful lil’ gumball of affection of an alien, who occurs to be a planet-destroyer and hunted by an evil overlord, issues begin to warmth up. And with a view to face what lies forward, Gary has to face what’s inside himself.

What’s inside himself occurs to be The Wonderful Mustache Gary, an infinitely superior imaginary iteration of Gary with a wealthy, thick, luscious mustache. He is aware of it. He flaunts it. He even has a tiny little comb to maintain it clear. A comb! The Wonderful Mustache Gary completely embodies all the things Gary desires to be in life, all the things he is aware of he should reside as much as, all the things he’s not. It’s a second of readability, an identification epiphany for Gary: realizing he’s solely human, and may solely be the Gary he’s proper now, mustache or no mustache.

It’s profound. It’s inspiring. And it’s what will get Gary able to face the final word evil. All I can say is that Olan Rogers can have my timeless affection for bringing The Wonderful Mustache Gary into existence.

All of The Dude’s Hair (The Huge Lebowski) – Drew Stuart

Lengthy, flowing, soiled blonde hair. A goatee, fairly unkempt. That is The Dude’s coiffure. And it is excellent. To The Dude, it says that he is a float form of man. He is all the way down to see your band subsequent Friday, and he does not even have to know what vices your lead singer has. Alternatively, he is a slacker. A loser. A halfwit. A numbskull. That is all properly and good too. It is the form of hair that matches in with a T-shirt or a gown. With a desecrated rug. With something, man….

The Dude’s hair is so iconic due to how ubiquitous it’s. Everybody is aware of The Dude. We have all met him, in his many alternative types. And his goatee, his lengthy flowing locks, are a lifeless giveway for somebody who’d favor something however The Eagles.

The Complete Solid of Tombstone’s Higher Lips (Tombstone) – Rick Lash

The wild, wild west. Whiskey. Mud. Gunfights. Gold! Ranches. Cattle. Whiiiiiiiiiskey. And mustaches, the deadliest mustaches that e’er lived. Positive, Tombstone is in regards to the increase and bust mining city of the 19th century, made singularly well-known by the Gun Combat on the O.Okay. Corral involving each Wyatt Earp and Doc Vacation. However extra so, it’s a few civilization constructed round facial ornamentation backed up with chilly metal and sizzling lead. In a world the place tempers ran excessive, fueled by a ne’er ending swimming pools of whiskey, a person might be judged not by his phrase or ethical fiber, however by the machismo, pomp, and circumstance of his whiskers.

Suppose on it. Each desperado, miner, card shark, bartender and cowboy on this movie is adorned with face fungus most distinguished. These soup-strainers are wild, gentle or organized rank and file. The face lace is available in all varieties, however their mannerisms imply, severe, lethal and don’t fuck with me. When a person crossing the road was as more likely to have a gunfight as attain the opposite aspect, one’s nostril bug was the primary line of protection in deterring the riffraff. Positive, the pistol in your hand despatched a message, however your finely trimmed (or careless and unkempt) taste saver backed it up. 

Henry Cavill’s Million Greenback Mustache (Mission: Not possible—Fallout, Justice League) – Chris Compendio

Anybody who is aware of me properly will probably not be stunned that I’m nonetheless far too obsessed over this absurdity. Any cultured moviegoer will keep in mind the predicament that ensued because of reshoots for Justice League and manufacturing of Mission: Not possible—Fallout, with Henry Cavill starring in each. Cavill sported facial hair for the latter movie, and the Superman we all know doesn’t sport any as such. A compromise between Justice League studio Warner Bros. and Mission studio Paramount had Cavill, facial hair and all, carry out as Superman, with stated facial hair being eliminated in post-production. The outcomes had been delightfully eerie, with Cavill trying like he was affected by extreme allergy symptoms at factors, and at some angles, showing as an unintentional John Travolta.

It is all humorous by itself, however what makes the story extra stunning is the truth that Paramount reportedly declined Warner’s provide of getting Cavill’s face shaven and masking the prices of getting CGI facial hair, which theoretically was extra sensible and cheaper, to not point out it in all probability would have appeared higher. However no, the stache needed to keep, as a result of… the facial hair was essential to Cavill’s character? I can solely think about Paramount executives making an attempt to stifle their snickers whereas on a convention name with Warner Bros., and I would wish to assume that this was a deliberate act of sabotage in opposition to Justice League, not that it wanted that yet another factor to make that movie even worse. Having seen, reviewed, and liked Fallout, I could not inform you why the facial hair was important for Cavill’s character of August Walker, however I assume it helped me to distinguish this character from Superman and his Man from U.N.C.L.E. undercover agent character. Cavill is a monster on this movie, a hulking cannonball of testosterone, so in a manner, maybe it was important.

Nonetheless, Warner Bros. may have saved some huge cash if they simply gave Superman a mustache.

Cesar Romero and The Unique Superhero Mustache Coverup (Batman) – Matthew Razak

Chris is manner off base together with his choose and that is due to the straightforward indisputable fact that Henry Cavill’s mustache controversy was merely a pale reflection of the unique superhero mustache kerfuffle. You see, again when the Batman TV collection was casting its Joker the producers wished Cesar Romero, he of the debonair appears and iconic mustache. It’s kind of of casting that on its face worth appeared off as Romero was a Hollywood heartthrob (Sound acquainted?). Romero agreed to play The Joker, however he refused to shave off that horny mustache. The answer? Paint over the factor. 

Here is the distinction between captain digital-no-stache up there, and Romero’s Joker: the unshaved mustache match completely into the splendidly odd and campy manufacturing that was each the Adam West Batman TV present and Batman film. The white mustache is the proper metaphor for the present’s deadpan supply of its distinctive model of madness. Not that we would realize it, however had the Joker not had a mustache he would have been lower than, regular, run-of-the-mill. Romero’s guffawing and manic interpretation of the clown prince of crime was good, but it surely was the not-so-hidden mustache that pushed it into true camp. How was this their resolution to this drawback? The reply, it seems, is as a result of it was the appropriate one. For that, it’s clearly the only best piece of facial hair identified to any display.

Groucho Marx’s Greasepaint Mustache (Marx Brothers movies) – Hubert Vigilla

The perfect cinematic facial hair doesn’t have to be actual. Groucho Marx’s iconic mustache is as pretend as a three-dollar invoice, however that’s by design. It’s facial hair that performs to a budget seats, which had been all paid for with three-dollar payments (I’ll inform you, that millionaire theater proprietor goes to change into a thousandaire very quickly, and a hundredaire by the point I get via with him.). The thick greasepaint mustache was pure serendipity. Groucho didn’t have time to placed on an actual fake-mustache earlier than a vaudeville present. As a fast repair, he painted on a pretend mustache, and a legendary look was born. All through the Marx Brothers’ basic movies, the stache was all greasepaint, on a regular basis. Later in life, Groucho Marx would develop an actual mustache, which might be seen clearly from a budget seats so long as these seats had been close to a TV.

The Groucho Marx look is so iconic that it gave delivery to Groucho Glasses. what they’re: thick-rimmed glasses, pretend eyebrows, pretend schnozz, and an actual fake-mustache. These ubiquitous tchotchkes allowed regular of us to change into the snarky, quip-a-minute nogoodnik everyone knows and love. Groucho Glasses additionally gave financial institution robbers who don’t have time for greasepaint a helpful disguise that might be bought on the nearest Cracker Barrel for a crisp three-dollar invoice.

Mr. Turtle and the Full Lack of Hair (The Grasp of Disguise) – Bradley Sexton

This complete matter was a trick query for those who ask me as a result of clearly, no hair is the very best form of facial hair. Why waste precious time sustaining an unsightly, itchy tuft of facial hair when you possibly can have a easy, clear look and a robust jawline as well. No, facial hair will get in the way in which of the golden ratio faces we anticipate our stars and starlets to have.

Because of this Dana Carvey as Mr. Turtle is the proper sort of facial hair. Not solely does he not have a beard or mustache, however he does not have any hair in any respect! Positive, he often is the most unfunny, obnoxious character in a film that perfected unfunny, obnoxious characters, however have a look at the shine on his head. You possibly can fry an egg on prime of that factor or rattle off a sick bongo solo. If he had hair, this scene could be silly, ugly and dumb as a substitute of simply silly and dumb.

Pei Mei’s Legendary Fu Manchu (Kill Invoice) – Jesse Lab

It stuns me how we have gotten to the ultimate entry on this checklist, but nobody determined to speak about Pei Mei and his legendary facial hair! It could not have value hundreds of thousands of , however I might argue that there is no such thing as a higher facial hair in existence than Pei Mei’s wonderful stache. I am tempted to not even name it a stache since there is a good lengthy white tendril rising down from his chin. In my books, Pei Mei has the very best mustache in addition to the very best beard. 

After which you will have his wonderful beard/stache flip. Let me set the scene for you. The Bride travels the world over to be skilled by Pai Mei, creator of the 5 Fingered Dying Punch. When she meets him, he berates her after which promptly kicks her ass. However that is nothing in comparison with… the flip. Laughing at her face, Pai Mei gently strokes his Fu Manchu and offers it a stable flip up, giving it just some seconds of hold time to actually rub it in her face. His mustache and beard combo turned the cinematic definition of badass facial hair. It is a look that may solely exist on display, by no means in actual life. THAT’S a film mustache.

You might be logged out. Login | Join

        Filed beneath…

from SpicyNBAChili.com http://spicymoviechili.spicynbachili.com/the-greatest-facial-hair-to-ever-grace-a-screen-belongs-to-kurt-russell/

[skincare-us-blog]

Dee Poku, Women's Advocate + Entrepreneur

New Post has been published on http://skincareee.com/dee-poku-womens-advocate-entrepreneur/

Dee Poku, Women's Advocate + Entrepreneur

“I grew up in London, but lived in Ghana for a few years, which was a very formative experience for me. My parents missed home and wanted their children to have the same experience that they had. I think particularly as a woman of color, it was very grounding for me to be in that environment where everybody looked like me. I was able to aspire to be anything I wanted to be, without worrying about any sort of impediment to my success. In Ghana, education is everything so I really thought about my studies in a very serious way.

I was a young teenager when I went back to London, which is a very insecure time in anyone’s life, particularly for young girls. I was different, I had picked up a bit of an accent, and was a bit of a nerd. As far from being in a cool crowd as you can get. [Laughs] Going to university was a revelation for me. It was very freeing. I initially wanted to study chemical engineering, but I ended up switching to math. It’s so interesting that now there’s this push to girls into tech…at the time I remember thinking, what am I doing here? Out of my class of 150 people there were only 2, 3 girls. It didn’t feel like a very comfortable place for me to be in.

CAREER My initial plan was to go into finance—which would have made my parents very happy—but I just had a change of heart and I decided to take a year off. I think I’ve always tried to be creative and I was boxed into a science box. I interned at this fashion PR company, called Lynne Franks, and then they offered me a job. Its claim to fame is the founder Lynne was the inspiration for one of the main characters in Absolutely Fabulous… Do you know that TV show? It’s actually really funny. Then I moved out of fashion and into film marketing, which is where I spent most of my career for 15 years. Before I had any commitments in my life, I would just sit in movie theaters all weekend long and just watch movies. I found my calling in them. I was very lucky in respect that I got to work with such incredible filmmakers. I’ve worked on so many good movies—Lost in Translation, Brokeback Mountain, Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind…

For a while, I was using my marketing background to consult for various non-profit companies—quite a few in the women’s space. That ended up segueing into the global branded company I founded, WIE, Women in Inspiration and Enterprise. It kind of happened by accident. I was at The Important Dinner for Women in 2010, which brought together all these powerful, impressive women—Queen Rania, Wendi Murdoch, Christy Turlington, Hillary, Oprah, you name it. We were all asked to make a pledge, to go off and do something with it. I was just so in awe of the success, intelligence and experience I was surrounded by and thought how incredible that women like me and behind me can have this sort of access in such a rarified environment. We started out with just one conference, and it has since grown into a network of women with a variety of different events designed to create those connections and learn from one another. I didn’t know I had a voice in making a difference in that space, and then the more I got to learn about other people, the more it inspired me to do that, too. Ultimately I just want to see parity in the workplace, more women in leadership positions, founding and growing major companies.

SKINCARE My philosophy is that beauty absolutely comes from within. I always look my best when I am looking after myself. For me it starts more with little rituals—diet, lemon water in the morning, pure cranberry juice—things that are constantly cleansing. I don’t drink coffee at all, I like to drink green tea. My skin is really in-between and when I am not looking out after myself, I can breakout. I just got a breakout today. This week I had a gazillion things going on, and I didn’t sleep much or eat well—it’s just that simple. I was like, ‘Great, I have a photoshoot and a zit.’ [Laughs]

I started using Ole Henriksen years ago because their headquarters was right by my apartment in LA. I used to go there for facials. In the morning, I use the On The Go Cleanser [ed note: discontinued] with a mitt and then once a week, I use the Clarisonic brush. I also use the Aesop Fabulous Face Cleanser because it smells really nice, and it’s not too harsh. I think I’m always looking for things that are not too drying or stripping for my skin. I gravitate towards clean beauty and I love Gwyneth and Goop. [Laughs] I love the philosophy, so that’s what I started to use and that worked well for me. I really like the Replenishing Night Cream, but I have run out. I also like using the Skinceuticals CE Ferulic Serum, which a facialist told me about. Sometimes at night I will use micellar water and wipe that off, because I can’t be bothered washing my face. I also like to use the No7 Total Renewal Micro-Dermabrasion Exfoliator once a week. That’s from my English days, its super grainy. I also like the Boots Botanicals Ionic Clay Mask which I use once a month.

MAKEUP In my fashion PR days, I experimented with makeup more, although I don’t know that I did it very well. [Laughs] Now, it’s about finding that confidence in yourself and knowing what you look like. It comes with age, it’s like when you know what suits you when you go to the store and pull out what’s best for you.

If I wear foundation, it’s always so hard to get the right shade so I mix two. I like the Make Up For Ever HD Foundation in #178 and the Obsessive Compulsive Cosmetics Tinted Moisturizer in R5. A makeup artist first suggested that I mixed them and I was thrilled. I used to have a fear of photoshoots because makeup artists just never get it right on my skin. I mean unless you’ve got Pat McGrath, it’s not the right shade and you just have to kind of take your own.

My lashes aren’t very long, so I am always looking for anything that enhances my eyelashes and eyes. I find that Maybelline brands are just really good. I use the Maybelline Falsies Push Up Angel Mascara. It’s not a brush, it’s a thin comb but it really coats the top and bottom lashes. I’ve run out but I really like the Bobbi Brown Long-Wear Gel Eyeliner that comes in a pot with a brush. I do the whole of the top and half of the bottom. And I love it. People are always talking about Ruby Woo, but it’s really the best lipstick ever invented. It’s not too bright, not too pink, it’s a deep, rich red. Sometimes I don’t wear any makeup during the day and then if I have a meeting or if I go out, I put mascara and lipstick on and that does me fine.

HAIR I cut my hair last year and it’s the best. Just so freeing. I was definitely someone who liked to hide behind their hair. I just felt I couldn’t pull off short hair, and my husband really thought that I could. He has fancier hairdresser than I do—so does my son—they both use Mika at Salon AKS. They were having their hair cut and my son was just like, ‘Mommy get your hair cut, too,’ and suddenly that was that. There’s still such a gap in the market and there really aren’t any great salons for black hair. I find the women from the Caribbean and Islands just get it, so I go to Harlem for a great, cheap blowdry or braids. I really like the Aveda Be Curly Shampoo and their Brilliant Conditioner. I also use the Organic Root Stimulator Hair Mayonnaise as a really good home treatment, it’s very enriching and puts moisture back in your hair. The Redken Glass Look Smoothing Complex is great when I am using a straightening iron and then I would use the Living Proof Frizz Nourishing Oil to protect it.

BODY Having moved to Brooklyn three months ago, my routine has definitely changed. I have a 5 year old who’s very active—he wants to ride his bike, scooter, play basketball and run around obviously here he can do those things. The thing about LA or London is that you have a garden, and parks on every corner, it’s just different. But I love it here, I’m definitely a city girl. I’ve lived in cities my whole life, I crave that hustle and bustle.

Right now we’re very into oils. When my son was born in 2012, I did so much research into products for him that I could use as well. We use these cocoa butters from Everyday Shea, they’re very simple and great. There’s this brand called Daughter of the Land, and it’s an organic, fair trade oil that is great to use all over the face and body. They have three different ones with different grades of heaviness and I combine them all. I do like fragrances though. Over the years I’ve gone through four bottles of the Bvlgari. It’s really great and clean. I also love the Cartier So Pretty. I used to wear it all the time although I think it was discontinued, and I certainly haven’t seen it in America.

Once in awhile and I’ve been meaning to go back, I get facials with Mamie, she’s kind of the one. She’s great with black skin and there are a lot of people that go to her, she has very fancy clients. I try to go to her every few months for a deep clean facial, and I feel like it lasts a long time. I love, love saunas, Hammam, anything with steam. I used to go to a spa on Greenwich street in Tribeca—Aire Ancient Baths. I also used to be obsessed with Russian Turkish Baths. It wasn’t the most glamorous place, but I loved it.

I think that in general, the more I can incorporate my beauty and health routine into my day to day, the better it works for me. I don’t exercise that much, I’m very simple. I used to run and do yoga, but that had fallen by the wayside a little bit. I would rather not take a car or subway than go to gym, so I just walk everywhere and take the stairs. It’s cheaper, and you can multitask. I am about to try—just because I’ve been hearing so much about her and following her on Instagram—Taryn Toomey’s The Class. It looks amazing. I’m about to give that a go, maybe I’ll do it by the time this comes out. [Laughs]”

—as told to ITG

Dee Poku photographed by Tom Newton in New York on June 2, 2017.