ConnectiCon 2013: Everything for the Geek in Everyone

Now that's what I call a Thor helmet!

One of my favorite conventions to attend is ConnectiCon in the capital city of Hartford for a number of reasons - it is close to where I live, located right off the highway, and has convenient garage parking which is not outrageously priced. Also, the physical layout of the building makes it easy to get around, with handy escalators for its three levels of geeky fun and water coolers around every corner. 

The event has grown into its tagline of "A Massively Multi-Genre Convention" since 2005 when it first opened its doors in the then-newly completed Connecticut Convention Center. The souvenir program book IS a book, with its hefty binding holding 120 pages packed with guests, activities, and panels. And as always, the tabletop gaming scene is impressive in its diversity and scope, a core staple of the con since its early years. As you can see from the photo reel of the con goers and guests, there was everything from Attack on Titan cosplayers to Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back. What used to be a slightly more diverse anime convention has truly evolved into an event for the individual geek in everyone. My only regret? Only having gone for Saturday!  

The Critic, Casey, and Marina Sirtis!

One of the real highlights for me and my companion, Casey, was meeting Marina Sirtis, a classically trained British actress who is best known for her role as Counselor Deanna Troi on Star Trek: The Next Generation. Smart, funny, and outspoken, her Q&A panel played like a stand-up comedy about the highs and lows of TV and movie stardom. One of my favorite episodes of Next Generation is called "The Child" where a formless being from another distant galaxy decides it wants to experience what it is like to be human and chooses Counselor Troi to be its mother. Sirtis's role was so sincere I was surprised when she mentioned she had no children. I asked her what the experience of making that episode was. It was interesting to me that she had to pause before giving her answer - obviously it was not one of the "standard" questions she usually got. After a moment, she gave a very funny story about how all the men on the set - including Patrick Stewart - were unusually kind to her when she had to wear her fake pregnant belly while shooting, giving up their seats for her as they would to someone who really was pregnant! Then she said that when she was holding the tiny baby, covered in mayo and raspberry jam to look like a newborn, she had that sensation of love and bonding, as if it really were a child of her own that she had given birth to. She also said that particular episode has special significance for her - there had been talk of cutting her character after the first season, and of course she was very worried about the future of her TV career. When she was told that the first episode of the second season would be a Counselor Troi episode, THAT particular episode, her relief was tremendous.


Check out my video of Marina Sirtis's panel here!

Jim Cummings with fan at CTCon 2013

Another great panel was with Jim Cummings, who has pretty much done every voice of every Disney character ever. Okay, I exaggerate, but he's done a lot, such as Winnie the Pooh, Tigger, and  Darkwing Duck. It was a real pleasure to get to hear his take on the last scene Gone With the Wind with Rhett Butler having the voice of the Louisiana cajun firefly, Raymond, from Disney's Princess and the Frog, with fellow voice actress Lauren Landa (known for her work as the English voice of Kyoko Sakura in the anime series Puella Magi Madoka Magica) as Scarlett. Talking to him afterwards, Casey and I found out he actually lived in New Orleans in his youth and helped design Mardi Gras floats. Casey, who was born and raised in New Orleans, got to have a brief chat about what Mr. Cummings calls "the good eats" down in the Big Easy. My only issue was that the panel room was TINY for someone of his fame - it definitely should have been held in the ballroom area where Marina Sirtis's Q&A took place.

Charles Dunbar (left) and Aleks Prince (right) during the horror panel

The panel that wrapped up the day for me was presented by my colleague and friend Charles Dunbar and his companion Aleks Prince with Are You Scared? A Look at International Horror Films. As someone who has cautiously made her way into the horror genre, having had a low tolerance for blood and gore as a youngster, I came to the panel hoping to get some good ideas for films to watch that I might not have heard of. The panel used its 1.5 hour slot well by delving into the subgenres of horror as well as how different countries around the world put their own spin on what goes bump in the night; including clips from each discussed feature. One French film discussed that I'm particularly interested in seeing is Peur(s) du Noir (Fears of the Dark), an animated feature created in 2007 that is a series of short stories that revolve around one central theme - greatest phobias coming to life. The co-presenters had a good balance with one another that allowed each to give their individual perspective without overloading the audience with information. The short clips also gave me a good sense of what films to personally avoid - for example, the three minutes I saw of Susperia, an Italian film made in 1977, was just way too gruesome for the likes of me. But much like the con itself, whether it was gore, suspense, psychological or just downright weird, everyone left with something new to watch and think about.

Best cosplay on Saturday - entirely handmade!

 As shown in the photo reel above, there were also some  incredible costumes - this woman shown on the right cosplaying as Esther Blanchett from the anime series Trinity Blood handmade every part of her costume over the course of a year and a half, right down to the hand-painted roses on her dress! Talk about dedication.

 All in all, the day and the con exceeded expectations and left me wanting to stay for more.It is gratifying to me how it has evolved over the past several years due to the dedication and hard work of fans and volunteers. I  look forward to what the con will have in store for 2014, and this time, I'll stay for the whole weekend!

Con organization:





Overall experience:

Current Reels: Love and mayhem is in the air in Despicable Me 2

Image courtesy of Universal Studios and Illumination Entertainment

Sugar and spice and everything nice - that's what Despicable Me 2 is made of.

There were moments where the film became SO sweet I was tempted to dart into the bathroom to check  for cavities. Which isn't to say it wasn't entertaining, but much of the gothic charm from DM1 got sacrificed for lighter fare - and I blame Lucy Wilde.

In this roundup, we see a much mellower and significantly less grumpy Gru (voiced by the ever-versatile Steve Carell) as the doting father of his three adopted girls, Margo, Edith, and the ever-quirky Agnes. The movie is successful in the gentle way it addresses the importance of mothers (for both the child and the father) without dimming the impact of Gru's role in his little girls' lives, but it fails in the introduction of the paramour herself, the aforementioned Ms. Wilde (voiced by an overly-enthusiastic Kristen Wiig).

At first, she severely grated on my nerves. But similar to how the semi-acidic taste of a Sour Patch Kids gummy segues into a more pleasant mild flavor, she does mellow out into something semi-palatable towards the end - but it's still not your theatre candy of choice (at least for my particular Gru-ish soul, sorry for any Sour Patch fans out there).

The writers try hard to make her quirky in the slightly sinister way that Gru is, but while he succeeds at continuing to be downright nasty at times - although a lot less than in the first film, to my disappointment - Lucy's bubbly, bright-eyed personality clashes mightily with Gru's purposeful Addams Family vibe.

Bottom line -  its hard to buy the romance. It's easy to see why the girls adore Ms. Wilde, with her bright fashion sense and James Bondish gadgets, but it was hard for me to see what Gru finds so appealing about her (beyond her shapely physique, and the fact that Gru apparently hasn't had a date since The Mary Tyler Moore show was premiering).  And well, maybe the reasons I mentioned are enough, but I would've preferred something more for dear Gru.

Ms. Wilde is not the only romance floating in the air, however. Margo, on the cusp of adolescence, falls for the cute guy at the mall that has a definite swagger akin to a young Johnny Depp. Gru, of course, has fits, considers buying a shotgun, and basically has every loving parents' personal nightmare of coming to terms with their sweet, adorable little child awakening to sexual desires and attraction. Even worse when that particular parent hasn't had much action lately in his fabulous G-monogrammed silk pjs. (Who wouldn't love a guy with some of those?) We even get a small glimpse into what a Minion may find attractive - yes, it's true, those adorable goggle-donning penicillin tablets, for all their silliness, long for romance to call their own as well.

All of these more profound themes are wrapped up in a crazy plot involving lots of gadgets, a poorly organized and executed Anti-Villain League,  Minions bouncing around doing what they do best - causing mayhem, a villain who is more than he appears to be, and one very pissed off chicken. While the first movie had an elegant compactness in plot and execution, the thematic elements of DM2 seem jumbled. It all adds up to a lot of fun, but it is something akin to an under-baked cake - lots of good ingredients, but not quite able to hold its own in the same way as predecessor.

Still, it has something for everyone. The film  boasts the best 3D effects of any feature I've seen so far this year, and the textures, from clothes to metal to food, are eye-poppingly realistic. And the deeper themes of the challenges of single parenthood, dating after a certain age in an incredibly judgmental society, and a parent coming to terms that he will someday have to share his child's affections with someone else make for a film that is just as enjoyable for adults as it is for children.

AnimeNEXT 2013: The Wrath of CON

The Critic interviewing J-Pop band Moon Stream!

 I've had about two weeks to catch up on sleep and clear my head from the blitz that is AnimeNEXT to gain a little perspective, and overall the experience was very positive!

AnimeNEXT 2013, the annual convention celebrating Japanese pop culture and animation held in Somerset, NJ, did not start out auspiciously for me. My fearless companion Casey and I got on the road later than we meant to, charging through the pouring rain, and halfway there I realized I forgot two major components to a costume I was planning to wear. I got there slightly less exhausted than in years past, but still feeling the effects of a too-busy week and a too-busy weekend ahead. Thankfully, that appeared to be the worst of it - upon arrival things moved along swimmingly, albeit hectically, but that's pretty much the nature of the beast that is a convention.


First off, what you're all actually here for:  the obligatory photo reel! A lot of cosplay and a little of esteemed associates of mine.  Let me know if anyone recognizes themselves; I will be more than happy to email a high-res picture to you if you like what you see.

The panels that my team of colleagues and myself presented ended up being well-attended by thoughtful and interesting people, with Collecting Original Japanese Animation Art drawing a small but interested crowd on Sunday morning. I also had fun showing off my prized Anthy cel from Revolutionary Girl Utena, and talking a little bit about the remastered series.  For those of you who were there, here's the link to presenter Dr. Bill Ellis's online anime art gallery.  

Anime Under the Radar was a particular success. (It even got a very nice review here.)  Because I learned my lesson last year with the unreliability of the Doubletree Hotel’s Wi-fi, I had downloaded and embedded the video opening of Attack on Titan, which played in its full-throttle glory with no hitches whatsoever. Dr. Ellis successfully showed a few entertaining and touching sequences from the ridiculously obscure Maeterlinck’s Blue Bird and Ai to Yuki no Pig Gril Tonde Buurin and Dylan Ferrara discussed the virtues of Chuka Ichiban! Cooking Master Boy with enough time at the end to ask the audience to share their favorite obscure anime series.  I’ve made a list of them here in case anyone wants to check out some of these titles: 

Our Home's Fox Deity 

Legend of the Galactic Heroes

Saikano: She the Ultimate Weapon

Angel Beats

Detroit Metal City

Touch

Beck

Monster

Great Teach Onizuka (GTO) 

Girls und Panzer 

Ottoman

I also attended Disabilities in Anime and Manga panel, presented by Ro Pirog, which was an interesting overview of Japan's fascination with characters with disabilities and what the reality of how disabilities are viewed and treated in Japanese culture. I included a short video clip of it here for your enjoyment:

The Bronies Uncensored panel drew a large crowd despite being held at 11:30 at night, who were well-behaved and asked fun and insightful questions. It was interesting to see the new My Little Pony series and the cultural phenomenon of Bronies put into an academic light, relating both topics to contemporary myth and queer studies. Here's a short clip that gives the flavor of insight balanced with some good, geeky humor this panel had in spades:

The best part of the con for me this year ended up being part of my staff duties – video interviews with guests! Hopefully the AN crew will be getting those on YouTube soon; but I had the fun task of interviewing the J-Pop band Moon Stream, who rocked the con on Friday evening, voice actor/DJ Greg Ayres, and voice actress Michele Knotz. It was fun hear what it is about AN that attract the guests, and why some such as Ms. Knotz and Mr. Ayres (who comes all the way from Texas!) keep coming back. Also, it was interesting to discover how both Ms. Knotz and Mr. Ayres continue to evolve their craft over the years to keep their talents relevant and fresh in the rather fickle market of anime, which has experienced its share of highs and lows in terms of audience interest and engagement over the last decade or so.

Greg Ayres and I putting on our con faces

 I also found myself wondering in the post-con comedown - after seven years of attending, what keeps ME coming back to AnimeNEXT? As I face the reality of turning 30 next month, I wonder if I’m growing “too old” to be a part of these cons. They are so much work to prepare for and they take so much energy.  But then I get there and I see the awesome responsibility that so many people take on, all volunteers, mind you, to keep putting on this show year after year, and the interesting guests and panelists that are drawn in, and I realize the passion and efforts behind all of this is awe-inspiring. I did see improvement this year over last year - despite the uptick in attendance from 9,800 to probably over 10,000, I found it was much easier to get from point A to point B than in years before, due to dutiful con staff making a noted effort to keep crowds moving along and not allowing a giant cosplay photo shoot to commence in the middle of a narrow hallway. There was a better overall gauge of what panels would draw bigger vs. smaller crowds and assigning them accordingly, and the staff was better at holding panelists accountable to time in order to allow the next round-up to get set up and ready to roll.

My only regret is not having more time to wander the hallways, the Artist Alley, and the Dealers Room to soak up the experience from more of an outsider's perspective, but between the interesting panels, awesome guests, and fun events, AnimeNEXT continues to remain one of my favorite experiences year in and year out.

Gatsby: All that glitters isn't gold

Image courtesy of Warner Bros.

 "Do you think its too much?"

"I think it's what you want."

"...I think so too."


This exchange between Nick Carraway and Jay Gatsby really says it all about Gatsby, Australian director Baz Luhrmann's overpuffed pastry of a reboot of The Great Gatsby, F. Scott Fitzgerald's iconic work capturing the glitz and depravity of the roaring 20s. It is not so much the film the audience wants to see, but the film that Luhrmann wants to see.

The first 45 minutes of the film are basically Moulin Rouge: Gatsby Edition, (referring to Baz Luhrmann's 2001 feature) with jittery camera work and way, WAY too much going on, all gauze and diamonds and confetti cluttering up the scenery. It is not until Gatsby comes onto the scene, with Leonardo DiCaprio "old sporting" it up every chance he gets, that the glittery scrim that obscures much of the first part of the film gets pulled aside and the audience gets a chance to see into the heart of the story. There's no denying it is a rich visual spectacle, but one that I enjoyed more when the cameramen decided to cut back on the caffeine.

 One thing is clear - Luhrmann is obsessed with writers, and that's a good thing because it is the writing that gives Gatsby his greatness. I recently started rereading it, and I realized its not Luhrmann's fault - it is virtually impossible to make a movie worthy of the book because it is the way the written words weave the incredible, sorrowful beauty of the plot - how the quest for a dream can go so wrong - are so much a part of the soul of the book itself that when you take the story out of the book context, something gets lost in translation, more so than usual. Its like reading a book in English when it was originally written in Spanish - you get the flavor, but not the full body. (I'm not a huge fan of the 1974 film featuring Robert Redford and Mia Farrow, either.)

But there are lovely moments, such as when my favorite quote from the book “In his blue gardens men and girls came and went like moths among the whisperings and the champagne and the stars" appears across the screen as we see Nick, played by the eternally fresh-faced Tobey Maguire, typing the words diligently into his typewriter (a la Ewan McGregor in Moulin Rouge). The words flit across the screen in a pale blue color to flit away and disappear.

It's those tiny, singular inspired moments that makes the film worth seeing, but not enough to make it truly shine. In the words of Gatsby: "Nice try, old sport."

Steam heat: Riveted gears up for high adventure and romance

Image courtesy of Tantor Media, Inc.

People are often surprised that as a former English major and writer, I like electronics and gears. The first thing I do when I get a new computer, be it a desktop or laptop, is take it apart. I like to see what’s INSIDE. I may know only some basic HTML code and I’m no programmer, but when it comes to installing hardware, give me a screwdriver and I’m your lady.  Also, the 19^th century  (think Jekyll and Hyde, pocket watches, Oscar Wilde) is something that has always captivated me.

This is probably why when Riveted, by Meljean Brook, came my way as a proofing project for work, I was ecstatic. Tough female mechanic on an airship? A sexy expedition leader with a mechanical eye and metal arm? All that spells steampunk, and I am SO on board for that.

The tale is artfully expressed through the soft tones of Alison Larkin,  famed British narrator and actress, who artfully captures the complicated tones of an Icelandic accent in the main character of Annika. Indeed, she slips in and out of various accents as the text dictates with all the ease of a master storyteller. The relationships in this book are complex and daring; defying the concept of “normal,” and widens its scope past the two main characters of Annika and David (the aforementioned sexy expedition leader) without sacrificing the significance of their storyline. The third book in the Iron Sea series; it works very well as a stand-alone, and the author is adept at getting the listener up to speed with the circumstances of the world and the characters.

What truly made this a great listen was the unexpected twists and turns of the plot, and the compassionate themes regarding humanity and its significance amid a cold, hard world of ice, gears and airships. Despite its length (a significant 14.5 hours, take this one with you on a road trip to make the hours stuck in traffic fly by) the pacing of the story is masterful and keeps the listener eager for what’s waiting around the corner while creating room for meaningful dialogue and the cultivation of close relationships – friendships as well as romance.

Ms. Brook’s complex tapestry of technology merged with emotions results in a tale that is truly unique, and will leave you "riveted" long after the final words are ethereally spoken by Ms. Larkin.

Click here to listen to an audio sample.

The Critic is coming AnimeNEXT 2013!

the cover of this year's program guide!

 Hey everyone! I will be attending and staffing this year's roundup of AnimeNEXT, the convention held in Somerset, NJ celebrating Japanese anime/pop culture from June 7-9.

I'll be participating in the following panels, along with Dr. Bill Ellis, professor emeritus of Penn State University and owner of Sensei's Anime Gallery, and my colleagues Dylan Ferrara and Casey Schoenberger. Panel descriptions are courtesy of Dr. Ellis.

10 a.m. on Saturday: 

Anime Under the Radar

What's the greatest anime you've never heard of? Maeterlinck's Blue Bird? Alps no Shojo Heidi? Ai to Yuki no Pig Girl Tonde Burin? Gegege no Kitaro? This panel will survey out-of-the-way anime series, some of which are thus far unknown to most fans.



11:30 p.m. on Saturday: 

Bronies Uncensored!

This panel will look at some of the controversial issues raised by the recent emergence of "bronies," or adult fans of the Hasbro "My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic" series, and how such issues relate also to certain Japanese anime magical girl series. 

11 a.m. on Sunday: 

Collecting Japanese Animation Art

Original animation art from many Japanese anime series, classic and new, is easy to collect at affordable prices. This panel will survey the kinds of art that is available, including cels (painted plastic sheets used in the making of the anime), original production backgrounds, and key animators' sketches. Strategies for acquiring and conserving these artifacts will be covered.


I hope to see you there! Be sure to grab a program guide; I edited and wrote for it and my friend Sarah Moulder of Studio Kitsu designed it.

ALSO: I'll also be taking photos of creative cosplayers and posting the images in a slideshow on my blog here after the con. If you run into me, you'll also get the opportunity for some Insatiable Critic swag; this bangin' bookmark designed for me my Tina Pratt, the creative mind behind the webcomic Paul Reveres.

Check it out:

front of said bangin' bookmark

back of said bangin' bookmark

Iron Man 3: The Defense of the Self-Made Superhero

Image courtesy of Marvel Entertainment, Inc.



In the world of American comic book superheroes, most fall into one of two camps: those who were born  or acquired superpowers and those without conventional superpowers who make themselves into a hero anyway.

Pixar's 2004 feature The Incredibles drew this distinction clearly; although the Tony Stark-esque character of Syndrome proved to have malicious intentions built on a platform of poor self-esteem. In fact, one could make the argument that Syndrome and Tony Stark have much in common - Tony, of course, choosing to take the moral high ground.

Iron Man 3 revolves around striving to answer this question both the villain and the hero have:  Is there any way to build yourself into the super that you've always wanted to be, and still love yourself at the end of the day?

Third films are tricky territory for most filmmakers. Audiences are already well-acquainted with base characters so after a requisite catchup a decently paced plot has to carry it through. Robert Downey Jr. has all but adopted Tony Stark as a second skin; a near-absorption shaped equally by the character and by Downey himself. Iron Man 3 had quite large super boots to fill being the first individual Avenger film after the sweeping success Joss Whedon's The Avengers was and is. Also, let's face it, Iron Man 2 sucked. With the exception of a humorous performance by Mickey Rourke, a combination of a fast-talking obnoxious and dopey villain combined with Tony's whining and sniping with Rhodey - it was a weak follow-up to a near-flawless debut.

Another potential concern was switching directors from Jon Favreau, an everyman in every sense (if you've never seen Swingers, which he wrote and starred in, stop reading this post, get it on your Netflix list, and come back to the program) to Shane Black, best known for his Lethal Weapon films. But the switch proved to be a much-needed breath of fresh air, and keeping Favreau as a producer and actor as Tony's overprotective bodyguard was a smart move, since it's clear the Favreau wit of the first two films remains intact.

The Insatiable Critic flashing her arc reactor after viewing Iron Man 3

In this roundup, Tony suffers from a loss of personal identity. His work and home life clearly aren't meshing, taking a toll on long-suffering Pepper and on top of it all, there's a terrorist threatening America through creative means. Then enters the ever drool-worthy Guy Pearce as a possible contender for Pepper's heart. Quips, bullets, bombs and plot points whiz by and hit their intended targets with blazing accuracy. The two-plus hour film keeps up its pace without being breakneck and sticks to its essential plot points. There's too much to show and explain to waste time on the extraneous; thankfully there's no "scene fillers" like the totally unnecessary machismo fight between Rhodey and Stark in the second film. We even get to see Pepper suit up, albeit all too briefly, but it gave me nice Metroid flashbacks all the same.

To almost an extreme effect, Iron Man 3 goes to great lengths to distinguish the man from the suit, to the point of where Tony and the suit are sitting next to one other on a couch and Tony is talking to it as he would an old friend via Jarvis, his eloquent A.I. we've become increasingly familiar with as Tony's voice of reason (and voiced brilliantly by the ever-talented Paul Bettany.)  But towards the end of the film, that envelope gets pushed a tad too hard, and I start getting the sense of the Syndrome character effect mentioned earlier- he has to prove to Pepper and the world that he doesn't need the suits in such an over-the-top way that it smacks of massive insecurity. The ending has such a sense of finality, and yet at the end of the credits we get a note, done in a Bond-like fashion; "Tony Stark Will Return."

WARNING- after this, there be potential spoilers, matey. 

Yes, it's true we love Tony Stark and we love the man that he is. But come on, we all know that we want him to suit back up again. He mutters gravely at the end that it was "just a cocoon." Will he build another one? In essence, he seems to throw that chapter of his life away at the end and me, as a devoted fan, am left unsatisfied (although the bonus scene at the very end of the credits is fantastic.)

It's a great kickoff the summer season, to be sure, and an exhilarating ride - no need to see in 3D; the non gives you a clearer picture and you can save yourself a couple of bucks - but it left me wishing for more of a happy medium between being Tony Stark and being Iron Man. Tony Stark owns unlimited assets, the love of his life, and his sanity again -we know he doesn't NEED the suit, but considering his own creation has saved his life so many times, shouldn't it deserve better?