Hell Week: A Call to Persevere

     With the end of the year approaching and deadlines arriving many are going through, have recently gone through or will go through, what is known as, hell week. For high/middle school students this is that exam period you face prior to Christmas break, for undergrad and grad school students this is that period of papers that need to be turned in followed by exams (I salute you all), for everyone out of school in the real world deadlines are approaching, or even that payment that needs to be taken care of by the end of the month, all of you are going through a difficult time, this is a call, a plea, if you will, for you to persevere and seize the day!

       Every year this week comes, may it be one single hell week or a combination of weeks that compose your hell well, we all go through it, we are all facing it head on, and in the end of the day the sense of accomplishment for having survived hell week is unparalleled by any another accomplishment. So persevere my brothers and sisters, though you may be tired, though you may find yourself thinking about quitting, persevere. It is unfortunate that hell week doesn't end at school, but such is the way of life, where school prepares you for the trials of the real world, and much like school, those that prepare for hell week usually do better than the rest and have less stress due to it, but for the rest of us out there struggling I sympathize, and encourage for you can do this, believe in yourself.

       Exams aren't fun, true I'll give you that, and papers are hard to finish, and an angry boss is not easily calmed, and sometimes that payment just doesn't come through, this is also a reality of hell week. Some out there will not survive this week, for a reason or another you will not be able to finish the race, still I urge you to hold your head up high and persevere, for not all will survive all hell weeks that is a simple truth. So have a cry, mourn for a few days, then pick yourself up and start over, fight to the finish, do not give up, look at the world and scream "Who do you think I am?" and though you might fall and fail from time to time always fight on, and one day, one day you will see victory and it will be grand.

      So as you go through your own hell week hold your head high and fight to the finish, give it your all, truly all that matters in the end is that you did give it your all, that you fought with all your might, don't let the world bring you down, always seize the day, always look upon tomorrow as a new opportunity to excel, always give it your all even when you can't find the energy to do so, face life head on, face hell week head on, and fight to the finish, show the world what you can do and persevere.

     So may it be a job, a performance, a competition, a paper or a test that makes up your own hell week, I urge you to face this beast and persevere, no matter the outcome persevere, never let anyone look down on you, but give it your all, remember that we all have our own unique talents, no one has the mind of another, and no one has the same creative talents that you do, so go and be encouraged during this hell week, fight with all your might, and persevere!

     Be encouraged, you got this, believe in yourself, and believe in the you that I and those around you, who love and care about you, believe in.

Love from your humble blogger, 

An Evening With Anne Polajenko: "Dancing With The Stars"

“DANCING WITH THE STARS”: THREE CHEERS FOR THE CHOREOGRAPHERS

    I happily admit to being hooked on “Dancing with the Stars”. All in all, it’s a happy show, entertaining, generally in good taste if you can overlook the over-the-top Bruno antics which threaten to turn this family show into an X-rated version of itself. However, ratings are soaring and the show deserves the credit for turning millions of viewers on to ballroom dance.

    It’s always a pleasure to watch the contestants evolve and my admiration goes out to the pros who must make their celebrity partner look good, even when they have two left feet.

Sometimes their task is easy, sometimes excruciatingly hard.  

    I must confess that most of the time I have no idea who the “celebrities” are. So I get to know them through their dancing. Some disappoint terribly but the majority are a pleasant surprise. I also confess to having a soft spot for the male contestants because, in addition to dancing, they have to partner. And that is no mean feat. By far the one who has impressed me the most with his partnering skills is J.R. Martinez. Karina, his pro partner, really took some chances by pushing J.R. to the limit last week. I don’t think I have ever seen so many intricate lifts successfully performed by a non – professional.

    Which brings me to the subject of the day: the choreography the pros must come up with week in, week out, no matter what the talent at their disposal. This has got to be the hardest part of all and totally goes unsung on the show. I really wish the choreography could be rewarded in some way. Maybe a separate trophy at the end of the show?

    The choreography can make or break a dance. Sometimes, the dancer is criticized for poor performance when, in reality, the choreographer was at fault. I will hastily add though that it is extremely difficult – sometimes impossible – to choreograph on someone who simply cannot move nor feel music. But, a professional has to make the best of bad circumstances and frankly, some do not. I get a little irritated when I see really poor choreography from someone who should know better. I have a feeling the judges have something to say about this too, in private away from the cameras. 

    On the other hand, there are those pros who never disappoint. Derek Hough to name one. He excels at the intense creativity needed to sustain a show like this. Think about it. You can have all the dancers, costumes, lighting and music you want. But if you don’t have the dance, you’ve got nothing. So three cheers for these guys who grind it out week after week! We love you!

      ---Anne Polajenko

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      We hope you all had a fantastic thanksgiving week and for the students out there cramming for exams and finishing final papers we wish you luck and hope you all finish this semester well. 

   Love from your humble blogger,    

An Evening With Anne Polajenko: Ballet in Cinema!

   
     There is an interesting development going on right now in the ballet world. Full length ballets are coming to movie houses all over the country at affordable prices.

    These are really top international companies whose major productions are being filmed for wide audiences. It gives audiences a chance to see ballets from Moscow, Paris and more. The link below provides info on where and when these films are shown. Example: Shadowood in Boca Raton has two showings of the Bolchoi Ballet "Sleeping Beauty" on Tuesday. If you don;t go to the ballet because of cost, this is your chance!

    A film you might also want to see is "Only When I Dance", the story of Irlan Silva who rose from the Rio favelas to winning international competitions to American Ballet Theater.

http://www.balletincinema.com/

       --- Anne Polajenko
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   We hope you had a fantastic Thanksgiving and have an even more amazing black Friday! Remember to eat as much as you can and get plenty of rest ^_^

Love from your humble blogger,

Happy Turkey Day!

        Thanksgiving has evolved in many ways since its creation but the main aspects of the holiday are still the same, thank God that they are! Food, tons of glorious food, seating with family, friends or loved ones, having the good times and bad times of family gatherings, the love, the fights, the reconciliation, the glorious amounts of food, Thanksgiving is one of the best holidays out there, even with everything good or bad that comes with it. Its the whole of the experience that counts, the act of being together, the freedom to eat as much as you want, and taking the time to be thankful for the blessings in life, that is the most important aspect of thanksgiving, right after family and food.

         Taking time out of your busy schedule to think about life and be thankful for all the good things that are going on is paramount to living a healthy and happy life. There is nothing that brings more joy in life than being thankful, and nothing that laughs at the face of chaos more thoroughly than when you are thankful. Its important, and we have a holiday devoted to it, devoted to taking that time off, to raise awareness of it, and raising awareness to the good things in life is what we are all about. There is much to be thankful for, lets start with the simple one, LIFE! let's celebrate life, and love, and freedom, and glorious foods!

         Some of you will not be able to be near family, some will have to work all day tomorrow, others will spend the holiday alone, though it is unfortunate that this is happening we wish you a fantastic thanksgiving, and raise a glass to you, for we have been there before, we have all experienced being alone during the holidays, having to work, or being far away, it is never an easy thing, and we wish you a happy thanksgiving, may you cling to happy memories and close friends, memories of times past are a great thing to be thankful for, and keep in mind that Christmas is right around the corner, so smile and be merry my friends!

        So we hope you all have a glorious thanksgiving, may you eat tons of turkey and ham, and may it be a glorious occasion with much laughter and love. If you feel down at any point, just imagine what America would have been like had Benjamin Franklin had his way and the turkey had become our national bird, lol at that thought, for it truly is a funny one.

      Love from your humble blogger,
      

An Evening With Anne Polajenko: A Trip To The Store

Purchasing Pointe shoes

     Some students try to cut corners by purchasing Pointe shoes online. While this may work when you already know your brand and fit, it is not a good idea in general. A trip to a professional fitter is always the best and may save you considerable expense in the long run. Here are a few reminders of things you should do:

•     Make a fitting appointment with the store. Some fitters are not there all the time or there could be other people ahead of you.

•  Be prepared for a fitting fee. Some stores will charge you for a fitting if you do not buy the shoes. This is to protect themselves from unscrupulous dancers who get fit in a store and then go buy the shoes online from someone else.

•    Fittings can take up to 45 minutes so leave plenty of time. Nothing worse than rushing a fitting. You may have to try on many brands and sizes to get the perfect fit.

•    Bring an open – to – suggestion attitude. The fitter is specialized in all the different brands and sizes and knows a lot more than you do.

•   Bring your tights and toe pads. You should always try shoes with your usual foot protection.

•  Try shoes on when your feet are rested. If you have been dancing all day, your feet will be slightly swollen. This could alter your shoe fit.

•  Give the fitter your undivided attention. Do not text or play games on your cell phone during the fitting.

•  To get the best fit you must have some knowledge of your foot construction. You will purchase a style of Box depending on the shape of your toes. The retailer will assess your foot and offer appropriate options.

• The most important thing is to get the right Box and width. Afterwards, you want to consider the Shank strength and length. Again, the fitter will help with this.

•  ¾ lengths are very popular today because they allow more flexibility on the demi-pointe. Always ask your teacher before buying ¾ shanks; some teachers prefer a Full Shank.

IF YOU MUST GET THE SHOES APPROVED BY THE TEACHER, REMEMBER NOT TO SEW RIBBONS NOR DIRTY THE SHOES IN ANY WAY IN CASE YOU NEED TO EXCHANGE THEM.

                      --- Anne Polajenko

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    We at So Danca wanted to wish everyone that is driving home for thanksgiving a safe trip home, and a glorious time with your loved ones and friends!

  Love from your humble blogger,

Let "The Fairest Of Them All" Win!!

     Unbeknownst' to us but knowst' to Hollywood sometimes we get movies that come in pairs, think of it as a battle royal within the movie world and in the end we all win, or we all lose when they are both terrible. This next year we get a chance to watch two different Snow White movies, both of which look ok, obviously after you watch the previews you will clearly know which one I am looking forward to the most, no hidden secret there, but here are both previews, let the battle begin!

   Mirror Mirror

A solid cast, agreed, but watch this other preview prior to making a decision:

   Snow White and The Huntsman

    Insane right! Why do movie companies think that its a great idea to create movie battles? I have no idea, politics, rivalries, who knows really but this is not the first time this has happened. The most memorable ones for me had to be:

"Armageddon" vs "Deep Impact"

Winner: Armageddon, though I recently watched Deep Impact again and really enjoyed it, very emotional movie.

"The Prestige" vs "The Illusionist" 

Winner: The Illusionist, though the prestige has a solid cast and story, the awesome love story behind the Illusionist is epic and Edward Norton is a boss.

"Antz" vs "A Bug's Life"

 Winner: A Bug's Life, for some reason Antz thought it could stand up to a disney flick, and obviously failed, no contest there. Lesson to learn? "Never fight against Pixar *period*"

"Surf's Up" vs "Happy Feet"

   Winner: Surf's Up, this is one is tough, honestly very difficult, cause both movies are really good, but Surf's Up has more likable characters, you leave that movie liking more characters than while watching Happy Feet. In the big scheme of things I guess I have to admit that Happy Feet won being that it's getting a sequel....but everything gets a sequel now-a-days so that doesn't say too much.

"Dante's Peak" vs "Volcano"

   Winner: NO ONE, we all lose, both these movies were wretched, it was a battle of horrid proportions, you watch one and think "there is no way the other can be equal or worse to this" but it is TRUST, they accomplished a movie history DOUBLE FAIL with this pair.

And so the polls are open, which Snow White movie do you think is going to win this battle?

   Love from your humble blogger,

The Blessing Of Having Good Friends

      Life will throw many curve-balls at you, many times you'll find yourself in the corner surrounded by challenges and not knowing what to do, but then out of nowhere those that love and care for you will show up and help you through all of it, not only giving you hope but aiding you in this conquest called life. There is a huge importance in finding good reliable friends, people that will stay by your side through thick and thin, always aiding, and sometimes even self-sacrificing, which is the ultimate form of true love and friendship.

      For some reason when we face problems individually many a times we cannot see a solution alone, it is as if there is something covering our eyes not allowing us to find the right path that will lead us away from the problem and  towards the solution. Friends are the blessing that come and help us take off what is blinding us and see the light, see what we could not see before and understand that which was right in front of us but was being ignored due to our own self-blinding.

    After you're no longer blinded by a situation the reality of the whole dilemma might overwhelm you, it might cause you to stumble and feel like you have no way out, as if you were alone all along, and again a friend comes to the rescue and aids you through it all, helping you with advice, filling your head with alternatives and possibilities, that aid you to think outside of your own box and find the solution you've been looking for.

    One of the most important things to remember is that friends help each other grow, as the old saying goes "just as iron sharpens iron, so does a friend sharpen another friend". Meaning, yeah you can mature face situations alone and grow by yourself, but only so much, there is only so much that one can do alone, we need good friends, people that will tell us when we are wrong, encourage us when we are right, fight along side us when we need help, and love us when we feel like no one else does, this is what a true friend is, someone who is always there for you no matter what, telling you the matter of fact, even if you don't want to hear it, when the occasion calls for it.

     All these things are a blessing in life, and all are gifts that should not be overlooked, but there is another element to friendships, a huge blessing, the blessing of good times and laughter. There is something to be said about the freedom the occurs when you find a group of friends that you can be completely honest with and still be loved. One should never overlook those friends, they are few and far between, a good friend is worth more than gold, remember that, keep them close, always by your side, acknowledge them and love them, seek to be the best friend you can be, for good friends are hard to come by and truly, as the Beatles song goes, "I get by with a little help from my friends", taken from the movie "Across The Universe"

     Take the time today to call a friend and thank him/her for being there for you, there is nothing wrong with telling a friend you are thankful for them, and hey, it's a great thing to hear, so make a friend's day by letting them know that you care.

Love from your humble blogger,

The Cost Of Doing The Right Thing

         It is always better to do the right thing than to do what you know is wrong in order to please those around you. This is a simple fact, it might not seem that way while you are going through the trials of doing the right thing, but in the end it is always worth it. For some reason in this life doing the right thing is not an easy thing to do, sometimes it's even opposite our desires or instincts and therefore many times the right thing to do gets ignored and evil runs free unchecked. There is a sickness in this world, and doing nothing is only aiding this sickness to grow.

        The right thing can be something simple like helping that kid that gets picked on at school, or buying a homeless person a meal, or even something as simple as not littering. It can also call on bigger things like standing up to a teacher or authority figure when they do or say something that is inherently wrong, or even harder standing up to your friends when you know they are wrong. In fact it is easier for people to go, take up signs, and protest the streets than  for that same person to confront himself/herself or a close friend. This is a step above family even, we critique family all the time, but when it comes to our closest friends we become shy and decide to not act on it. There is a sickness in this world, and you could help fix it.

      Of course there is a right way to go about doing the right thing, anything to the extreme is an evil, meaning anything taken to the extreme becomes something destructive, take truth as an example. Truth is something good, something we should all carry with us, something we should rely on and fight to protect, but at the same time complete honesty can be brutality. One could seriously hurt another by stating truths that do not need to be said, this is using truth as a weapon, and truly there is nothing as dark in this world as when one uses something good for a wrong reason. So everything in it's time and season, nothing to the extreme, including the good. There is a sickness in this world, and it taints the good sometimes as well.

      This topic could be taken as polemic but it is not, there is nothing new within this topic nothing dangerous, nothing that you have not already seen or that you don't already know, there is a need in our world for people to stand up for truth, for kindness, for love, and to help spread hope to those that have none, while spreading joy to all around us. I do not think this is a dream that cannot be accomplished, I do think that a complete accomplishing of this dream is impossible but not all of it. So we can't change the world 100%, then let us fight to change it 20% or 50%, I would rather live in a world where people fight for the right things to prevail, than to live in a world we have given up and accepted that there is no changing the world around us.

      Pay it forward, if you haven't seen this movie, drop everything you are doing, go home and watch it, and learn something from it. Try to include at least one random act of kindness in your day today, and maybe even throughout your week, let us come together and fight to make a difference.

    Love from your humble blogger,

An Evening With Anne Polajenko: "Y.A.G.P. 'A Closer Look'"

http://www.yagp.org/eng/index.php

       Y.A.G.P.: THE SELECTION PROCESS

   I’ve been asked so many times about the selection process for the Youth America Grand Prix final in New York , I figured this might be appropriate time – as semi final rounds begin for 2012 – to give the following description.

   In order to reach the final rounds of Youth America Grand Prix, dancers must first compete in a semi-final round in a location of their choosing. This can be in any number of places from Brazil to Mexico, Europe, Japan and in eleven locations around the United States. Semi finals take place between Sept. 2011 and March 2012. All locations and dates are listed on the Y.A.G.P. website, www.yagp.com.

   The earliest on the schedule is usually Brazil where Marisa Pivetta of the arts organization Passo de Arte is in charge of organizing the event. Dancers may come from as far as Argentina for the several day event. In addition to competition, they have the opportunity to take classes from master teachers. The competition is open to soloists (Men and Women), pas de deux and ensembles. Each are judged in their own category.

   Solo competitors are divided into three age groups: Pre Competitive (ages 9 – 11) Juniors (ages 12 – 14) and  Seniors ( ages 15 – 19). All perform Classical Variations from a selected list and a Contemporary solo. Judges award scores based on performance but also on technique they have observed in the classes. Only competitors achieving very high scores are eligible to continue on to the New York finals. 

   Judging the competition are the representatives of the international schools offering the coveted scholarships. These are only awarded at the Gala performance concluding the final rounds in New York. This year’s panel in Brazil included:

 

Tara Mitton Catao from the Harid Conservatory – USA
Christine Gunn – New Zealand School of Dance
Luca Massala – Princess Grace Academy Ballet - Monaco
Tadeusz Matasz – John Cranko School – Stuttgart Ballet - Germany
Nancy Raffa – American Ballet Theatre – JKO School – USA
Carlos dos Santos Jr. – Alvin Ailey School – USA

   30+ international judges rotate for semi final rounds. Eventually all will come together in New York.

   To view a video and learn more about Passo de Arte and the Brazilian portion of the Y.A.G.P. international selection process, go to www.passodearte.com.br.

   2003 was the first year dancers from Brazil participated in the New York final rounds. With Anne Polajenko of So’Dança (bottom center) are a few of that year’s big winners:

Daniel Deivison (San Francisco Ballet School, now a company soloist) at the back right;

Paulo Arrais Neto (Paris Opera Ballet school, now soloist with Boston Ballet) behind Anne; Isabella Gasparini – Gold Medal Juniors (National Ballet of Canada School) next to Anne, and Flavia Carlos – Silver Medal Juniors – next to Paulo.

   --- Anne Polajenko

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     And here we are, the weekend is at hand, let us go out and rejoice in the awesomeness that will occur, hope you all had a fantastic week and hope you have a glorious weekend, 

 Love from your humble blogger,

An Evening with Anne Polajenko: Tommy Batchelor's New Film

          TOMMY BATCHELOR TO STAR IN NEW FILM:

    15 year old dancer/actor Tommy Batchelor has signed on to play the lead role in a new film "The Prize Guys". The movie centers around a very current topic: bullying in schools. Filming begins in Philadelphia at mid 2012. Actors have returned from the second script reading in New York. Tommy says, in a recent interview, “The reading was really fun. I enjoyed hearing all of the new people in their roles. This is going to be an amazing movie. I can’t wait to start filming.”

    So'Danca followers remember Tommy as the young Prince in Miami City Ballet's "Nutcracker" and as Billy Elliott both on Broadway and in Chicago. Since outgrowing the part, Tommy has returned home and continues his dance training at Palm Beach Ballet Center and still professes his love for Tap dance. He wears the So'Danca Pro Tap TA 700.

    To read more on Tommy just Google his name and a ton of information pops up, including his recent interview about "The Prize Guys."
 

       --- Anne Polajenko
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     Wednesday is finally here, the weekend is approaching, and so is thanksgiving, so work hard and have a great rest of the week in anticipation of all the good rest that will come this weekend and the glorious meals that will come during thanksgiving.

   Love from your humble blogger,

An Evening With Anne Polajenko: "Y.A.G.P."

http://www.yagp.org/eng/index.php

 DANCERS WORLDWIDE COMPETE FOR PLACES IN THE Y.A.G.P. FINALS

    It’s that time of year again! Thousands of dancers all over the globe are traveling to the Youth America Grand Prix semi - finals in Brazil, Europe, Japan, Mexico and the United States in the hope of qualifying for the New York finals in April 2012. In its thirteen - year existence, Y.A.G.P. has become the definitive place to be seen and, more importantly, it is the one place where a future career can be made.

     Launched in 1999 by two former dancers of the world-renowned Bolshoi Ballet, Larissa and Gennadi Saveliev, Youth America Grand Prix (YAGP) is the world’s largest student ballet scholarship competition that awards over $250,000 annually in scholarships to leading dance schools worldwide. The competition is held annually around the world and in New York City, and is open to dance students of all nationalities 9-19 years old.

   Youth America Grand Prix has become an internationally known meeting place for dance students and teachers, where they can exchange ideas, share their experience and learn the most up-to-date information on a variety of issues in ballet and contemporary dance. YAGP's level of reputation as a showcase for dance students from America and abroad is such that even passing the preliminary round to be selected to participate in the New York City Finals gives a participant an important distinction and a boost to their professional dance career. Over 25,000 dancers worldwide have participated in YAGP’s international workshops, competitions, and audition classes. Over 200 YAGP alumni are now dancing with 50 companies around the world, including American Ballet Theatre, New York City Ballet, Paris Opera Ballet and San Francisco Ballet, among others. YAGP’s contributions to international dance education were recognized by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) with a membership in UNESCO’s prestigious Conseil International de la Danse (CID).

Photo: Isabella Maylart, 13, wins 2004 Youth Grand Prix

  THE BRAZILIAN CONNECTION

  So”Dança has been involved as a major Y.A.G.P. sponsor for a number of years both in Brazil and the United States. Our commitment to the advancement of the art form and its aspiring performers has assisted many a young dancer achieve their dream of being seen by the directors of the major schools and companies in the world. Currently, countless Brazilian dancers are studying or performing with major schools and companies after receiving coveted scholarships through YA.G.P. A few of these success stories are:

Isabella Gasparini – Gold Medal 2003  (scholarship to National Ballet of Canada)

Daniel Deivison –   Full scholarship to San Francisco Ballet, now a company Soloist

Paulo Arrais Neto – Full scholarships to Paris Opera Ballet, the Royal Ballet and now

                                Soloist with Boston Ballet

Isabella Maylart –  Winner Youth Grand Prix 2006. (Full scholarship to School of the 

                               Stuttgart Ballet)

Irlan Santos -         Full scholarship to ABT II and star of the film Only When I Dance

Mayara Magri –     Winner Y.A.G.P.  2011 Grand Prix and Prix de Lausanne

   For more information and results of the recently completed 2012 semi-finals in Brazil, go to www.yagp.com and click on the Brazilian flag

         -- Anne Polajenko

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    We hope you have a fantastic week, and make sure to check out the YAGP website for info, pics and more!

  Love from your humble blogger,

Marvel's Big Move: "The Avengers"

    There are many ways that one could come and finish this week's comic book segment, but there is only one proper way to do it, and that is to point out the significance of The Avengers movie that is coming out next year. This movie is a big deal for a series of reasons, we're talking Marvel having to plan about 10 years of marketing in advance in order to pave the way for this movie to be a success. There are a lot of heroes involved, if you don't give each hero a solid fan base then you got yourself just another flop, but if this movie goes well and everyone loves it, then the way is already being paved for a sequel, the possibilities are endless, and their marketing team deserves not only a raise but a medal, for being awesome.
 

     This whole movement was done in two movies per year segments, though it started a little before then, with the release of the X-Men in 2000. X-men being a huge success Marvel decided to incorporate more of its heroes into the big screen and there we got Spider-Man. The issue here was that both these movies made tons of money and so they decided to give both series more funding for their second release, and thank God that they did, cause both movies had fantastic sequels, X-Men 2 and Spider-Man 2 were accepted by the whole populous and become huge hits, specially Wolverine (who was played by Hugh Jackman, who is now the permanent actor for that role). But then we hit some rough times, after a successful sequel Marvel decided to do a third segment for both movies, and we know how that turned out, X-Men 3 wasn't good but it was watchable, Spider-Man 3 was horrible, beyond horrible, the third segment of this movie successfully destroyed this franchise, it was almost sad to watch. But then, out of the horizon, we found hope.

   In 2008 Marvel released two movies that changed the game forever, the first was Iron Man and boy that movie did serious work. Till this time we didn't really have a wide mass love and respect for super hero movies, but after RB Jr. came into the scene that all changed. This movie pushed the boundaries it showed us a very corrupt arrogant prick who becomes a leading superhero, basically saying, "Hey, yeah you aren't perfect, but even with your character flaws people can change", which wow'ed the masses, the first realistic character in the sense or portraying the filth that consumes humanity sometimes. The big deal of this movie was it's ending, with Samuel Jackson coming into the scene as Nick Fury and recruiting Tony Stark for a team, now that is a huge deal, that changed the game. Two months after this we have the same thing going on with the Hulk, Nick Fury comes in and it's time to play ball. Let's not remember the 2003 Hulk, that was a definite fail, but the 2008 one was a lot better, oh reboots, sometimes I love you.

     Then we fast-forward to 2011 where we get both Thor and Captain America being released, both solid movies, Thor wasn't fantastic I would admit, but it was a Thor movie, and for that fact alone it was a job well done....think with me for a second, how does one create a good Thor movie....right...agreed...you can't, so I feel that the director came mighty close to something good, which in turn deserves major props. Within both of these movies we get Nick Fury, teasers, little easter eggs here and there, it's quiet impressive how they accomplished so much and done so well in such a short time. With The Avengers coming out next year, I would say Marvel did well in preparing us to be blown away by their awesomeness.

        Oh, it doesn't stop there, here are a few more things to consider. First is recognizing the director of this flick Joss Whedon who's work can be seen in the movies and shows: Toy Story, Firefly, Serenity, Buffy: the Vampire Slayer, Angel, Dr. Horrible's sing-along-blog (a must watch if you're an NPH fan), and his work on the show Dollhouse, the man is practically a writing deity and therefore deserves some respect. Secondly is the fact that if this movie goes well then the possibilities are endless for the sequel. Did you know that Wolverine and Spider-Man where part of the Avengers? Yeah, why do you think they're rebotting the Spider-Man series, for show, nah, it's to open doors of opportunity. Can you imagine what that movie might look like with the inclusion of both Wolverine and Spider-Man to the picture, yeah, I know, I just blew your mind.

    To close let me put all this into context for you, here is the big deal that is going on around you, we have a huge selection of comic book induced tv shows and movies that have come out or are coming out, some of these movies tie into each other and for some of them even the tv show ties into the movies as well. We have not only amazing directors working on these movies but also a huge cast of actors that want to be part of this as well. This movement is just beginning, Marvel is making moves which means that DC will soon respond with it's own slew of movies. This is going to be a beautiful war where the winner will be us the consumers.

     Be sure to have a fantastic weekend and get some rest if you can,

    Love from your humble blogger,

Holy Reboot Batman!

     Let's be honest for a second, not all reboots are bad, we've had some horrible film making over the years and for a person to take a bad project and attempt to make it better is, even at some level, rather noble. Of course you know where I am going here though, there is a darker side, a money machine behind this reboot movement that has been re-making movies that are only a few years old, and though I cringe a little when I say this, for some of those movies I am applauding that they are.

The Good

The Amazing Spiderman (2012)

   
     Let's be honest, Spiderman 3 sucked, it was the worst superhero movie of all time, and though it's only been a few years I find myself being ok with this reboot. This movie looks legit though, we're talking it has a good cast, it follows the comics rather well it's directed by Marc Webb (500 Days of Summer), and Emma Stone is in it. The Emma comment might seem random, but ask yourself this question, "of all the recent Emma movies which one has sucked?", so yeah, it's a good point. This movie brings back the web shooters and a promise of a job well done. Hopefully there will be no dance sequence or emo hair thoughout this movie, every time I remember Spiderman 3 I cringe a little.

Man Of Steel (2013)

      What! Another Superman remake?! Yup, and boy do we have high hopes for this one. Zack Snyder is directing it, should I say more? The cast they pulled together for this reboot is of epic proportions, what's going on here is that Snyder is attempting to do to Superman what Nolan did with Batman, and I think he has a real shot at succeeding. The movie cast is impressive but the script has not been released yet, meaning we don't know the main plot yet, so we can't make a good call on it. We can make jokes about how the actor that is going to play Superman is British, that took me by surprise, I lol'ed. Anyway, every Superman movie attempted so far has sucked, drastically, but I have faith in Snyder's work, after you do 300, The Watchmen, Sucker Punch, and Legend of the Guardians, I'll believe in any project Snyder is involved in, even Superman.

The Bad

Conan

      Argh, do I even need to say anything about this one? The first Conan was pretty bad, but it was Arnold's rise to fame, it came out in 1982, so yeah it's going to be pretty bad but they had a very good comic book following at the time. Believe it or not but Conan was a very popular comic around that time. Right now though, Conan is one of the neglected comic book series, it just doesn't relate to this generation well and thus has been left to the side. What boggles my mind is the fact that they knew this was the case and they decided to go through with this project anyway, the whole thing makes no sense and so, to no surprise, the movie flopped. Good riddance Hollywood.

The Incredible Hulk

      Let's be honest here, this movie was not good, it was better than it's predecessor by a lot, that is true, but it was not a "good" movie. There is only one reason why this movie could even be considered to be a decent flick and that is Edward Norton. I think the directors knew that, they knew that any project done with the Hulk would automatically flop, thus they sought to get an actor that is generally respected by most if not all and cast him as the green monster. A bold move really. The beginning of the movie is not half bad, but the more the story progresses the more you start to feel all the good feelings going away, and soon all that is left is this taste of muck in your mouth, where again you can't help but ask the question: "Was this the best you could do Hollywood?"

The Ugly


Dredd

Stallone, smh.....

      Judge Dredd is considered to be one the worst movies ever created, right there next to Waterworld. This was Stallone's baby, and boy did this movie just suck from beginning to end, but don't you worry, you thought the nightmare was over but Hollywood won't let this bad dream end, this series is set to reboot on 2012, replacing Stallone with Karl Urban, which is a solid move overall but still just the thought of this movie being made and being released makes me cringe. Can this movie be good you ask? Maybe, really a super far fetched maybe, the comic book was pretty good, but honestly it isn't a good adaptation to film comic book, though I will end up going to watch the movie when it comes out, I still am repulsed by the thought of it all.

    I think one movie in the "ugly" category is enough, the thought of digging deeper in that subject will cause me to cringe even more and maybe lose a little sanity. Let's leave it at that. Either way, there you have it, the reboots to look forward to, the reboots to avoid, and the reboots to run away from.

  Love from your humble blogger,