Mary, Mary, Aquaman and Cheney (Movie Monday New Year's Eve Edition!!)

We have quite a few movies to review this week! Let's get it started, shall we?

"Mary, Queen of Scots" (director: Josie Rourke)

I have always been a fan of movies about queens: "Elizabeth," "Elizabeth the Golden Age," "The Queen," you name it. So when I saw the previews for this movie, I was hyped. And I’m sorry I was. The film is meant to chronicle the 1569 conflict between the two cousin monarchs of the time, who both were trying to rule to the best of their ability, but were basically ruled by the men who surrounded them. However, the potential that this movie has to be majestic is unfortunately like Mary’s reign: curtailed at every turn.

Saoirse Ronan as Mary, Queen of Scots and Margot Robbie as her cousin Queen Elizabeth I, are both magnificent in their respective roles. Saoirse commands the screen as Mary Stuart, with a force and passion that I’m sure only another queen could understand, taking her mistakes in stride, insisting on what is rightfully hers, and showing a spine that her half-brother does not. Even Margot does justice to the portrayal of Elizabeth, the queen who decided to be married to her country, for what little time she is on the screen. However, it is the script that rules this movie and not in a good way: beautiful acting by the two leads is overshadowed by a script that seems half baked. The entire time is focused on trying to get Mary to come to heel to Elizabeth through means of marriage and control from her Protestant half-brother, all the while Mary tries to assert herself as the dominant monarch while trying to be respectful of her cousin. Honestly, the back and forth about who is in the right about who should rule over England and Scotland reminded me of quarrels between siblings over who got the last slice of cake, while indulgent nannies looked on in the form of the privy council members. I became bored to the point where I found myself thinking of the silly Saoirse song from SNL: “it’s Saoirse with an r not Saoirse with an...”

"Mary Poppins Returns" (director: Rob Marshall)

Mary is back! Well, sort of. This was probably not the best thing to go see after waking up at 4am and having no sleep the night before, but there was “no time like today” to go see it. 

This was a very “eh” movie, with the key mistake being trying to make everything feel like it was a counterpart to some other song from the original. Emily Blunt blows back into the lives of the Banks family as the one and only Mary Poppins (although many will agree that while she does a very good job, she had very little to work with by way of a script and she is no Julie Andrews). Lin Manuel, while a great writer of song and verse but not of speaking with a London accent, attempts to steal the show in a forced love story between him and the now grown up Jane Banks, who is helping grown up Michael deal with the aftermath of his wife’s death and the inevitable foreclosure of the family home. The romance never amounts to anything so there’s no point, as if the writers are trying to make something happen that was supposed to occur in the first movie. The ending feels very Deus ex machina, as Disney movies tend to do, the answer coming in on a kite in more ways than one.
The hand drawn graphics, meant to pay homage not just to Disney's heritage but what was revolutionary at the time of the original, now just feel underwhelming. The music numbers feel like they are trying to make up for lack of script that can’t make up its mind about which plot to follow, complete with lamp lighter number that is a mirror image of the chimney sweep number from the original. Overall, in trying to breathe new life to a classic, Disney should take a lesson from Mary and “leave when another door opens.”

"Aquaman" (director: James Wan)

We all know that Warner Brothers has struggled to keep up with the juggernaut that is Marvel/Disney when it comes to movies. In fact, there have been very few times have I even cared to see a DC movie in theaters, the last being "Wonder Woman," when it seemed DC may have actually done something RIGHT and then they screwed themselves by rushing "Justice League." And now we get another origin story in the form of "Aquaman," aka Arthur Curry, aka hot Jason Momoa, and just like "Wonder Woman," this does not disappoint.

The film starts with learning about how Arthur came to be, and Nicole Kidman kicking some SERIOUS ass! Then we get to the meat of the story—proving Arthur is the one true king, which honestly makes the whole thing feel like the legend of the sword in the stone. And after basically a treasure hunt and a random bad guy in the form of Black Manta (in the comics he’s one of the major foes of Aquaman), it might as well be. After pulling the sword from the stone—I mean trident from the hands of the first king of Atlantis, it’s back to stop his half-brother Orm from becoming Ocean Master (which honestly is a title I’d like to have). 

Unlike "Wonder Woman," which felt more gritty and faded in its cinematography (which is exactly what was called for), the visuals in "Aquaman" are bright and bold. You could almost call this the DC version of "Black Panther" when it comes to looks—"Black Panther" was stunning on land, "Aquaman" is stunning under the sea. There are some great one liners, and the acting of both Momoa and counterpart Amber Heard is fantastic, giving us the beginnings of their future as a couple. While I may not go back and see this movie twice more like I did with "Wonder Woman," "Aquaman" definitely has picked up some of the DC slack.

"Vice" (director: Adam McKay)

Christian Bale brings a surprise to the table for winter movies—playing former VP Dick Cheney in the new movie "Vice." To say that this movie is not thought provoking would be a gross miscalculation; indeed the director Adam McKay brings the same attitude to the film as he brought to "The Big Short," with little intervals throughout to help explain the things that the average person doesn’t know (my personal favorite being when Alfred Monila comes in as a waiter and explaining different ways to get around the torture laws). But this is a more somber note. And just like in "The Big Short," Bale delivers—this time, though, his performance (and transformation) are scary in the reality check they deliver to the viewing audience. Even the beginning of the movie warns us that “they did their f***ing best” in trying to show what VP Cheney did while in office. With Amy Adams backing him as Lynne Cheney, Bale powerhouses through the years that Cheney basically silently climbed up the politically ladder, becoming president in all but name, the perfect puppet master. And the hard part is that you start to WANT to have sympathy for him, especially when you hear his initial “line in concrete” on going against his younger daughter Mary’s lifestyle of being gay and then the ending monologue directed to the viewer where he defends his actions. And when you hear it laid out as he does, it’s only the cold reality of facts that show up afterward that make you ask the question: “Was this really for the good of the country?”

Steve Carrell is definitely a figure to watch in this movie as he portrays Don Rumsfeld, and while Sam Rockwell did not physically transform into former president Bush, the mannerism is still there, which makes him more believable. And make sure you stay for a bit after the initial credits! "Vice" is definitely not one to miss.

Little SPS

Hello everyone! Welcome to SPS! So, there's not a lot to report this week, but I wanted to get a few updates out there.

First up, two of my pieces were recently featured in Equestria Daily! The last time this happened was like two years ago, when I made this insane Princess Luna statue that took me 6 months!:

Butterfly Rarity and my Gift Givers set were both featured in EQD. Check them out here:

 Butterfly Rarity

Gift Givers of the Grove

I also know we are starting to get close to con season. I have applied to BronyCon, which will be in it's final year. I am truly hoping that I will get in to BronyCon, as it was the first convention I ever sold at, and I would love to be a part of the final year.

I am also definitely going to CT GamerCon, Hudson Valley ComicCon and to LockCity ComicCon. I have also been keeping an eye on UndiscoveredCon. But, as we begin to enter con season, I am trying to keep one thing in mind: I am in my last year of grad school, and so, that means a lot of testing and projects to submit. So, in that regard, while I am not taking a break from conventions or selling, I do need to give myself a lot of time to work.

In the meantime, not a lot to post this week otherwise. Come back tomorrow and check out my Movie Monday reviews! I have four to share with you! 

Movie Monday

Welcome to my first Movie Monday review!!!! I definitely love going to the movies, and I love giving my opinion--who doesn't, honestly? So, here are some of the latest movies I have seen, and what I think of them, starting with a review that has quite a few other reviewers laughing:


"At Eternity's Gate" (director: Julian Schnabel)

 

After "Loving Vincent", it is extremely hard to follow such a masterful cinematic work of one of the masters of art. While William Dafoe looks exactly like the painter himself, and is somehow able to capture the torture that was Vincent’s soul before he died, his magnificent performance is about the only thing that shines through this “ugly” movie, a movie that is perhaps very much like a reflection of Van Gogh’s work: made for people who are not yet born (and probably never will be). Oscar Isaac as Paul Gauguin does not have nearly as much time as he should portraying the painter whom Van Gogh shares many of his late ideas with. The camera work is probably the worst part of this whole film, being shot completely on what was probably a GoPro camera through someone’s bi-focal glasses. The cut to black scenes were especially frustrating, making you think that you had escaped the madness, when in reality, the movie just kept going. In the end, while both "Loving Vincent" and "At Eternity's Gate" focused on the same time frame of Van Gogh's life and practically had the same plot line, the latter lacked something that the former had: a plot. 

"The Front Runner" (director: Jason Reitman) 

So, it seems that you can have an appreciation for politics and politicians without having any knowledge of it. In this day and age, when every time you turn on the news you just want to scream, “The Front Runner” shows us when politics became about scandal, and who we have to blame for that: the media. The same people who we rooted for when watching “The Post” are the now the same people who we want to hate, especially when you watch A.J. Parker (played by actor Mamoudou Athie) hesitate as he knows he’s about to torpedo the career of Gary Hart (played magnificently by Jackman). Hugh Jackman has had quite a few roles during his tenure as the Wolverine, but he might have Wolverine to thank for the hard look that comes over him wh en he turns into the politician Gary Hart, which is a look that many of us are familiar with whenever we turn on CNN. You find yourself rooting for Hart, and wondering how we, as a country, became like Hollywood and focusing on scandal when we should focus on the issues, which is a point Jackman brings up so passionately. You want to feel such a range of emotions, but you don’t feel like you deserve to. In the end, you are brought back to the point: when did we stop focusing on the bigger picture when it came to politics? “The Front Runner” shows us exactly where we went wrong with politics, but like much of the media, we won’t focus on the point, just the juice.  

"Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse" (director: Bob Persichetti, Peter Ramsey, and Rodney Rothman)

Take everything you know about all the previous Spider-Man movies and throw it out the window! Everyone knows the backstory of how Peter Parker became Spider-Man, but that's not what we are focusing on in this absolutely wonderful animated movie. There have been many iterations of all superheroes, but with the recent passing of Stan Lee fresh in everyone's mind, this new iteration of Spider-Man hits home. The leap of faith that the directors for this movie took in making it has paid off as we follow Miles Morales in his journey in becoming Spider-Man. Even if you do not know anything about the comics, you can still follow this movie, feeling the pain that everyone feels at the death of Peter Parker that Miles witnesses just after getting bitten by that mutant spider--spoiler alert: the Stan Lee cameo in this movie is timed perfectly that he shows up during this death montage which brought tears to my eyes, and if it doesn't bring tears to yours, you have no soul! The meeting of Miles with the alternate Peter feels very much like a reluctant hero taking on an overeager sidekick, but it's Miles who kicks Peter into shape, with Peter beginning to act fatherly towards Miles. With the multiple Spideys showing up in Miles' world, he gets a crash course it what it takes to be a superhero, including another death that brings out his different Spidey powers--that's right, friends, this Spidey isn't just a web-slinger, he's brought more to the table! Any fan of Spider-Man, whether you read the comics, know the old cartoon TV shows, or just know the movies, will love this movie.

The one-liners made me laugh, the action sequences were perfect, even Aunt Mae was badass!  The animation is fantastic, giving nod to the old time comics but putting a twist on it with the computer animation, and despite some blurring on the edges that probably can be accounted for the fact that this movie was also made for 3Dd. The soundtrack is one that reminds me of the "Tron: Legacy" soundtrack--absolutely epic (and it's still a shame that Daft Punk didn't get even an Oscar nod for that soundtrack.)

If this movie doesn't get the Oscar for Best Animated Film, let alone an Oscar nod, then someone needs to open up the portal King Pin tried to and send the critics elsewhere.  

HAPPY SPS!!!

Hello everyone! And welcome to this Holiday edition of Self-Promotion Sunday! I hope everyone has been having a safe and healthy holiday season! I apologize for my absence, but I have been quite sick myself, falling down, once again, to both a viral and bacterial infection that had put me out of commission for quite some time. This is the second time this has happened, I am hoping it will be the last.

I am hoping to get back into doing Fluttershy Fridays, and I want to start something new on this blog: Movie Mondays. I have been seeing a lot of movies lately and I want to give my opinions of them. So come back tomorrow, I got a few reviews I am going to share with you!

In the meantime, my shop on Etsy is unofficially closed for a few weeks. Why unofficially? Well, because I need to keep it open for conventions to take a look at my work, because otherwise, I won't get into said conventions. Meanwhile, I will be away to see my family, and I do plan to do some cleaning around my office/art studio. It is desperately needed! I haven't done anything in there since I moved into my apartment 2 years ago! I definitely need to go through it, organize it, and make more room for stuff.

However, that doesn't mean I stop work all together. I have been doing some digital work, as well as finalizing some pieces that I will do before it's too cold to sand. There are a few pieces that won't get touched again until warmer weather starts to come, but I can show you those on Wednesday. But today is for COMPLETED work, so let me show you what I have completed!

First up, in terms of figurines, check out the latest pieces, the Gift Givers of the Grove, who are available on my Etsy shop:

I am also putting up my Bowsette's on the shop, after I came up with a cool idea for some custom stands, which you can see right here:

I am also slowly adding more stuff onto my Redbubble shop, such as my Christmas Bear and my ode to the Queen movie, with one of my favorite quotes!

Check out some of the cute designs I have been working on:

Also, make sure you check out my Deviant Art page, which I have FINALLY been adding to! I need to do that more often.

Once again, come back tomorrow for my Movie Monday reviews! I'm going to have at least 3 reviews for tomorrow.

Happy SPS!

Whew! It's been a bit of a hectic time! For those of you who work in schools, you know that especially for the young ones, now is the time when the winter concert starts getting put together, which causes all kinds of chaos. That's basically what I have been dealing with since the beginning of December, although it feels like longer. However, I am still finding time to get my current projects completed hopefully before the new year (or almost done). I want to take a little time for a break before I get into con season, and let myself rest, as well as clean up the space that is where I keep my supplies.

Don't forget about my sales guys! Check out the Etsy store and make sure you use the coupon code before it expires!

But, I do not wish to disappoint those of you who enjoy seeing my latest creations, so let's check them out!!! First up, I am adding a few new styles for my Last Unicorn designs, including some MINI designs, so check them out:

Next up, a new Luna, who is epic!:

Then we have THIS sparkly Rarity! I have been DYING to do a Butterfly Wings Rarity for some time, and while she is quite different, she is no less fabulous!

Then, I have been working on the reindeer from the newest holiday episode, and I finished Alice first, so check her out:

Keep an eye out for more, and also check out Wednesday, I am going to try and start going back to a Work In Progress Wednesday report!

Happy SPS!!!

Hello everyone! Sorry this is a later post. I am finally getting a chance to post some work. I am going to try and go back to doing a WIPW post, cause it's a lot to try and get everything up in one post.

So! Let's first remember to SHOP SMALL this holiday season! You guys are the reason I stray in business! Make sure you go check out my Etsy Shop Here and use the coupon code CYBERSALE to get 15% off your total order! This is going until December 16th people, and my store will be on a short break from December 20th until January 1st. 

Now, let's take a look at the new pieces!!! They should be up on my Etsy store before Wednesday!

First up, I have FINALLY finished my Mistmane pony, with her head still mobile!

Also, I have been working on a fun little project, to add to my Last Unicorn sizes. I have made mini ones! Check them out:

I have finally finished the last two Holiday Bears that I have on me at the time, and I also updated the current ones!:

Lastly, here's Sombra finally!

I am trying to finish up a few more projects before I shut down sculpting for a little while, so I can thoroughly clean out my studio! It needs it, as I don't think I have done a thorough cleaning in there since I moved into my apartment!!!