last night, i attended a reception hosted by the stuart foundation, the san francisco-based organization that funds SU's fostering scholars program (for which i currently serve as acting director). the reception brought together folks from education - seattle public schools, tacoma's school of the arts, seattle university, rainier scholars - and child welfare - DSHS, treehouse, YMCA - in an attempt to streamline the ways we all work to serve kids.
the best part of my night? meeting malory graham, the executive director of reel grrls! reel grrls is a "unique after-school media & technology training program that empowers girls to critique media images and to gain media technology skills in a safe, open environment, mentored by a network of multi-cultural women media professionals." they are located next to the central cinema and hold workshops on screenwriting, storyboarding, camera operation and film making. they even host their very own oscar party!! in short, this is an amazing organization working to empower young women through media. love it.
Pajiba has its take on the Ten Most Terrifying Creatures From Your Childhood. Totally with them, although I have a few additions and changes in ordering (and also, Jareth? If by terrifying you mean hot and David Bowie-like, then yes, I agree). So, with some overlap, here are the top five (and a half. yeah, i forgot about one when I started this post) nightmare inducing creatures from my childhood...
5. Pink Elephants on Parade
fairly certain nothing I was ever told as a child dissuaded me from drinking alcohol more than that video. The elephant made of elephant heads (around 2:18)??? pretty sure i could have lived my whole life without ever seeing that.
4.5. The Harpy from The Last Unicorn I couldn't find video, but this picture says it all. i don't know if it's the 3 boobs (on a bird!), but something about that creature scarred me.
4. Oompa Loompas
I actually still consider Charlie and the Chocolate Factory to be less of a kids movie and more of a crying myself to sleep movie. Seriously, that blueberry shit? I'm not sure I will ever get over that.
3. The Wheelers
these are less "things that gave me nightmares as a kid" and more "things that still haunt my dreams." I'm telling you, the flying monkeys have NOTHING on the Wheelers.
2. Those Guys from Labyrinth
I have a hard time with the original Pajiba post because it claims Jareth is one of the most terrifying creatures and yet completely overlooked these guys. They pull of their heads and throw them around! how is that okay?? I watched Labyrinth again the other day and, as an adult, was still terrified. The 80's blue screen special effects don't help.
1. Gmork
The Neverending Story wins many awards from my childhood. Coolest friend/pet? duh, Falcor (tell me you didn't dream of having a luck dragon, i dare you). Saddest moment on film? Atreyu's horse Artex being swallowed by the Swamp of Sadness (yes, I was a horse kid, and yes, I totally just teared up looking for that clip). Most meta/dream destroying lie of an ending (How does the Empress know about me watching Bastian read about Atreyu??! My mind is blown. And, really?? my wishes will all come true as I help bring Fantasia back into existence??? Bullshit, Empress, that looks like Bastian riding on my luck dragon).
Finally (and most relevantly to this post) Gmork, that freaking wolf agent of the Nothing. It's the eyes.
Thanks to Vanessa for the original Pajiba post. I will now proceed to not be able to fall asleep for a week.
We here at 3pies4rolls would like to extend our deepest gratitude for giving us, your most loyal fans, AN EXTRA TWO WEEKS to see all TEN best picture nominees this year. You are too kind.
Until March 7th ... we remain your humble and obedient servants.
because, hey, this is a pop culture site for awesomeness. which is an area the following video totally falls under. celebrities? check funny? check mention of mini-zoos? check
that NPH would be amazing at the Emmys? Our love affair with Neil Patrick Harris has been well documented, but it was nice to see other people give him some love on stage, including Jon Stewart and member of last year's five host debacle, Survivor host Jeff Probst.
Here are a couple of my favorite moments:
side note: living in a household that loves sports almost as much as it loves pop culture, i missed part of the awards due to Sunday night football. Please, tell me what other favorite moments I missed.
and finally, because it won an emmy and I love it, let's relive the opening number from last year's oscars. Just a little over 5 months until Oscar day!!!
Mr. B, I just don't know where to begin. I know your life's been a little empty since Zack left the hallways of Bayside, taking his giant cell phone with him. you even tried to fill that space with a new class (and screech).
but now, when asked about what you're up to, the answer is a karaoke cd???
Mr. B, do you need me to explain to you the purpose of karaoke? there's not supposed to be anyone singing along with you. that's kinda the whole point. If there were, we'd just call that a regular old CD. I think you're the only one who can fully express my reaction...
oh, and by the way, I was much happier when the answer to "where are they now?" was "hanging with the cobra kai":
winner of a gazillion awards, including the 2009 golden space needle for best documentary at the seattle international film festival, the cove is a documentary-lover's documentary. it blends great directing, fascinating players and a slice of horrifying reality to produce a film that is emotional, engaging, funny, thrilling and poignant.
but the cove is much more than a movie about dolphins: it's also activist richard o'barry's mea culpa. o'barry is the film's central player, and its his 40-year fight for both dolphin justice *and* his own redemption that make the cove the one of the best films of the year.
and also, I think this may be a new award for my top ten list: "a film that would have garnered a mountain of awards if the Academy recognized outstanding achievement in the field of making audiences want to punch a film projector until it explodes" Margot at the Wedding, anyone??
seriously, has clooney made a bad movie since destroying the batman franchise? (which, ultimately, led to the end of the Joel Schumacher era (nipples on the batsuit!) and the beginning of the Christopher Nolan years. So, really, maybe we have to thank him for that, too)
