I'll begin by saying I was simultaneously the worst and best person to attend a #healthgoth SoulCycle spinoff. I'd never done a spin or SoulCycle class. I'd seen them in movies and have always wanted to try them, but they're generally weirdly expensive and I was afraid of being pushed too far out of my comfort zone. So I was really excited—and really anxious—about checking out Monster Cycle, a health studio with a goth, raver twist, on Lafayette Street in Manhattan. (Admittedly, not the most "goth" neighborhood in New York City.)
I arrived about 45 minutes before class. I'd been running around the city for 24 hours in 80-degree weather and felt dirty and exhausted. As soon as I walked into Monster Cycle, I felt better. The young woman at the counter, Heatley, was personable and charming. A mini-fridge full of liter-sized Fiji waters sat behind her.
I told Heatley I had to pee before I could think, so she sent me downstairs to the bathroom. She told me that I might run into the owner, Michael, down there.
I have a thing for bathrooms: I like comparing their different features and failings. So when I walked into the bathroom to pee, and found a shower and outlets and fresh towels, I was pleasantly surprised. To get the optimum experience of the studio, I decided to take a shower using the provided Monster Cycle brand shampoo and Dr. Bronner's soap. (Note: after class and right before class, the lines for the restrooms and showers were insane. I enjoyed this luxury only because I came early. I highly recommend it.)
Another extra touch at Monster Cycle is that they have the things you sometimes forget when you go to the gym; they had bowls overflowing with hair ties and socks. (My friend got a pair with unicorns on them, making me wish I'd also forgotten socks.)
The owner of Monster Cycle, Michael Macneal, has been featured as a leader in the health goth scene by the New York Times. Macneal grew up in Pennsylvania on the DJ/rave scene, and he explained that he had wanted to own his own SoulCycle studio by his thirtieth birthday. He's ahead of the game, because he just turned 30, and the studio is two years old. Macneal says that he and his partner—Demetre Daskalakis, a doctor—have been called a "health power couple." Macneal told VICE he was "obsessed with the high from group cycle classes" but felt that something was always missing—he wanted to feel like he'd attended an event while exercising. His idea evolved into his Monster Cycle class: 45-minute exercise sessions in the pitch dark, while music videos play to motivate and inspire you. Macneal says what sets Monster Cycle apart from other studios is that they embrace all types of music styles with specials rides like Metal Monday, Goth Pop, Punk, and Trap Week.
You can reserve which bike you want, which is cool—if you're a frequent flier you probably have a spot you like. I chose the back row. Macneal was our leader (Teacher? Coach? Cycle Messiah?), and he was fantastic and unpretentious and inclusive. I like that in an exercise teacher. He had to come help me get my shoes into the slots. I kept my bike on really low resistance most of the time. (I'm not a runner or a biker.)
When we were two minutes into class, I turned to my friend, smiling, and said, "I love this! I'm into it!" Looking back, I cannot believe I was so naive.
My internal monologue went something like, Oh my God, when will this be over I hate it I'm so out of shape what time is it, this is fucking horrible actually it's kind of awesome I'm burning so many calories I love that it's pitch black this music video is fucking cool, the chick is like in her underwear drinking champagne with a gun to her head, oh there's Taylor Swift in the video, cool, if I lived in NYC I'd come here a few times a week and be in amazing shape I'm so fucking healthy that I'm here on a Friday night ARGH this can't be good for my body I can't do it I want to stop I hate this if I lived in NYC I would never come here! This feels really good no it feels really bad. And so on. Classic ego chatter.
Macneal swooped by and danced around through the bikes, checking in on a few people, encouraging them. When he came up to me, I said, "I'm dying." He turned my resistance up a little, put his hands on my hands, and said, "You're doing great, see? You're not dying yet!" I have to say, it boosted my ego—this dude is good at what he does.
If the music videos weren't playing, it would be really hard to be in that class. I might have had to leave. But the videos made me want to dance.
Macneal danced and cheered us on the entire time, in a way that was not annoying at all. "Don't slow down!" "Don't take it easy on yourself!" "Push it!" (The opposite of the yoga classes I normally frequent: "Take it slow, take it easy, don't push yourself.")
It wasn't till afterward that I realized there were no goth people in my class. I thought I was going to see lots of decked-out piercings and tats and black, but everyone looked normal. Apparently, bankers love this place. They sit in their offices all day and then go hard at Monster Cycle. I mean, they flow hard.
I didn't know how to get off the bike, which kind of gave me a panic attack, so I just took my feet out of the shoes and left. I was covered in sweat and stickiness like never before. It scared me. I stripped my clothes off and put my dress back on.
My friend and I left and went for pizza and wine in Little Italy, and that's when the effects kicked in, super similar to taking a taste of MDMA. We were giddy and high. My body was relaxed and loose. I could see that people go to places like Monster Cycle to drink the Kool-Aid. And I respect that, because you can feel like you did drugs without doing drugs, which at this point in my life is profoundly important to me.
So it's a happy ending. Overall: Monster Cycle has fantastic service, an unpretentious vibe, and generally wants the best for you and your body and mental health. Michael says that the Monster Cycle Studio is the edgiest and sexiest studio you will ever encounter and that they will continue to push the envelope every chance they get. I believe him.
Though, I do think it would be more inclusive if they had one night a week where they offered classes at a sliding scale or a cheaper price. (Classes currently run around $35 a pop.) When I win the lottery, I'll go there every day of my life and find my higher self.
Plants and Animals
Photo credit:
The new species found in the port of L.A., Exosphaeroma pentcheffi / Kelsey Vo Bailey CC-BY 4.0
A new species of pillbug has been found, not in some remote pristine marine environment, but less than one mile from the busiest port in the United States. It was discovered whilst students from the Loyola Marymount University were on a college field trip scouring the beaches of the southernmost tip of the city of Los Angeles.
I haven’t been a “professional” writer for very long but I’m pretty sure that today, when I received this assignment, I heard the voice of a thousand angels whisper a single word: “Pulitzer.”
Of course, I was mistaken and may have actually blacked out for a moment on account of the conflicting simultaneous feelings of both hunger and disgust. Those two feelings don’t normally coincide, but the restaurateurs behind Zombie Burger certainly made it possible with their latest creation.
Horrifyingly delicious or deliciously horrifying?
That appetizing culinary atrocity is called the “Martin’s Revenge” burger at the Des Moines, Iowa eatery Zombie Burger. The name is a nod to the horror series (there were two, can we call it a series?) Human Centipede. Oh, and there’s a third movie in the series and it comes out this week. Sometimes, I really hate when I Google things. For readers unfamiliar with the movies, they are essentially about madmen who surgically fuse people together making, you guessed it, human centipedes.
Named after the second film’s antagonist Martin Lomax, the burger is described as “a three-piece slider bun, with a different burger in each segment. The first burger is steak with cheddar, bacon and red raw onion. The second is a burger patty with American cheese, pulled barbecue bacon and sauteed red onion. The third burger is a loose meat sandwich with house-made cheese whiz and bacon-red onion jam.” Hungry yet? I was only a bit peckish before, but now after the descriptor “loose meat sandwich” there’s no stopping me from getting to Iowa!
I suppose we have to give credit where credit is due, and a zombie-themed restaurant putting that much thought into a dish is impressive. The first burger is “digested” bit by bit in each segment. You know, just like the movie! Uneasy feelings aside about a meal with a nod to the only horror movies that I sincerely felt uneasy watching, the burger still looks great.
Would you eat “Martin’s Revenge”? What would your horror-themed burger be? Let us know in the comments below.
The 31st annual Twilight Concerts at the Pier has announced this year's lineup! The all-ages concert series will take place at the Santa Monica Pier starting Thursday, July 9, with Morris Day. Also on the schedule are Real Estate, Ariel...
Play too much Katamari Damacy and the real world may begin to take on the appearance of the game. That is, suddenly you find yourself looking at all the objects you could - and really, really want to - roll up into an increasingly large ball. Bento art maven Anna The Red (previously featured here) loves to place the game and, instead of trying to roll up all the trees in her neighborhood, made this awesome Katamari Damacy bento meal.
The Prince is made of potato salad wrapped in lettuc leaves with parsley stems for his arms and legs. The Katamari is a Japanese chicken curry-filled bowl of rice covered in miniature foods and characters from the game made of vegetables, meat, and eggs.
On Saturday night, Heart N Soul Gallery in Culver City joined forces with some all-star New Contemporary artists to raise funds for the Aurelia Foundation. The foundation was created to provide funding and support for programs like "Step by Step", enriching the lives of disabled adults. The charity is very close to home for the gallerist, whose daughter is one of the many young adults that receive assistance from these programs. Among the artists who have contributed both original, new and previous works to the cause include AJ Fosick, Ana Bagayan, Bob Doucette, Clayton Bros, James Jean, Lola, Marion Peck, Mark Ryden, Martin Witfooth, Naoto Hattori, Nate Frizzell, Shepard Fairey, Steven Daily, and more.
Skill-based gambling is now legal on gaming machines operating in the state, where in the past only games of pure chance (a slot machine, typically) were allowed. This means that "bonus rounds" can be tacked on to a regular game of chance, with a payout corresponding to a player's skill at them.
The change comes with the passage of Senate Bill 9, which the Association of Gaming Equipment Manufacturers lobbied for. AGEM's president happens to be Thomas Jingoli, the president of Konami's gambling division. Konami itself is a "gold...
It appears that Bungie stealth-restored Destiny's most notorious line — "That wizard came from the moon" — and not only that, did it about 5 months ago.
You can hear the line in the video above, uploaded yesterday. Some are only noticing it now because it occurs very early in the game's main story and the player's Ghost doesn't always utter it.
Have some free time this week? Looking for something to waste it on? We're here to help!
If you're a frequent Polygon reader, you've probably noticed a Bloodborne gameplay walkthrough video going up every day or so for the last month-and-a-half. We've been chronicling our full journey through From Software's latest ultra-hard action-RPG alongside our player-created hero, the legendary Pickle Hedgehog.
As of this week, we have finally finished the game. In the video above, you can see our very first episode. Or you can click the playlist link below to watch the whole thing, from the creepy opening cutscene to the baffling finale and every hilarious falling death in between.
This was only the second full-length Let's Play series that...
Already the world’s largest aquarium with over 100,000 animals from around the world, Georgia Aquarium welcomed a new addition to their beluga whale family last week – befittingly born on Mother's Day (May 10).
Hummingbirds change the position and motion of each wing independently as those wings beat 40 times a second. And they do it in the space of one wingbeat http://nyti.ms/1GUOJIm
i'm starting to feel like the rest of game of thrones won't be released this year either
Despite the fact that Telltale’s The Walking Dead season two concluded in August of 2014, we won’t be seeing any story progression at all for the rest of the year. C’mon, Telltale, we’re approaching Mad Men levels of season gaps!
Telltale’s PR director Job Stauffer took to Twitter to announce the fact that we’ll be waiting nearly two years for new Walking Dead episodes:
To re-clarify, no, TWD S3 is *not* starting in 2015. But what I am seeing this week will be, and it is insanely cool. Stay close, news soon!
Now, we did experience a similarly long wait between the first and second seasons – between November of 2012 and December of 2013 – but this was punctuated by the release of 400 Days, a quick DLC episode with five new characters that came out in July 2013. Still, that’s just six months between new episodes instead of two years! How will we stand the wait?
In the meantime, Tales from the Borderlands episode 3 and Game of Thrones episode 4 are expected to drop very soon (fingers crossed), and season two of The Wolf Among Us is… coming, I guess. Oh, Telltale; giving us things we love and then making us wait desperately for more since 2004.
i still have mixed feelings on this. that scene was completely horrible and i felt sick after, but i mean, it was also very obviously going to happen even if you hadn't read the books. i wonder if there could've been a way to have handled it better?
The Mary Sue has decided we will no longer be actively promoting the HBO series Game of Thrones. Allow us to explain.
As I write this, I sit within five feet of no less than ten Game of Thrones promotional products — some of which I’d been sent as a member of the press, but most of which I spent my hard-earned money on. It’s no secret that I’m an enormous fan of George R.R. Martin’s A Song of Ice and Fire book series and, in turn, HBO’s adaptation, Game of Thrones. But I honestly didn’t think we’d find ourselves here again, and the fact that we have fills me with utter disappointment.
[Editor’s Note: Trigger warnings for sexual assault. To find out more about support options available for survivors of sexual abuse, visit the official website for RAINN, the nation’s largest anti-sexual violence organization.
Spoilers to follow for the Season 5 episode “Unbowed, Unbent, Unbroken,” as well as the differences between the similar plot threads from the books.]
Just over a year ago, the TMS staff and I felt the need to have a serious discussion after the Season 4 episode “Breaker of Chains.” As you may recall, a scene between two characters which was seen by many as consensual in the books was seen as quite the opposite by many when it was adapted to screen. The consensus from us at that time was that, though we wished the scene hadn’t happened, we were going to continue to watch — but we were not going to let the creators off the hook. Many felt differently, and that scene was the last straw for them. Others had already given up on the show because of its depictions of sexual violence toward women, and saw this as confirmation that they’d made the correct decision.
Showrunners David Benioff and Dan Weiss had discussed further, conscious changes they were going to make to the book storylines for the sake of streamlining the television series. One was the removal of the Lady Stoneheart plot, and another was the serious alteration of Sansa Stark’s journey. To give actor Sophie Turner a larger role and prevent the introduction of yet another character, they merged Sansa’s role with that of Jeyne Poole, a Winterfell resident made to pretend she’s Arya Stark and married off to Ramsey Snow. Book readers hoped against hope it would not mean what we thought it did.
Those hopes crumbled into a million pieces last night, when Sansa was raped by Ramsey as Theon/Reek was forced to watch.
Before we dive into why we felt this was a choice which would cause us to stop promoting the show, allow us to say something very important: rape is not a necessary plot device. Really think about that before shouting “creative freedom” in our direction, please.
Note: FURY ROAD is an R-rated movie w/ a sexual slaver villain yet Miller & co. didn’t feel the need to include a rape scene. #GameOfThrones
The show has creators. They make the choices. They chose to use rape as a plot device. Again.
In this particular instance, rape is not necessary to Sansa’s character development (she’s already overcome abusive violence at the hands of men); it is not necessary to establish Ramsay as a bad guy (we already know he is); it is not necessary to prove “how bad things were for women” (Game of Thrones exists in a fictional universe, and we already know it’s exceptionally patriarchal). Rape here, like in all instances, is not a necessary story-driving device.
Let’s talk about what this means for Sansa, now. Many assume Sansa’s current plot is leading her to become “The Queen in the North.” Will she rise to power in that way? That seems like a given at this point, but I don’t care. Why? Because Game of Thrones just took her journey, and put it into the hands of Theon.
In Martin’s books, Theon (like Sansa) is a point-of-view character, meaning we see a chunk of the story from his perspective. The extent of Theon’s torture at the hands of Ramsey is barely covered in the show. When he meets Ramsey’s intended, he knows immediately she’s actually Jeyne. Jeyne even pleads with Theon to help her escape before she can be married off to the monster, but having been broken down so badly by Ramsey, Theon can’t bring himself to disobey. On their wedding night, Theon is forced to actively participate in the sexual assault on Jeyne, who goes on to be horrifically abused by her husband going forward. Theon reluctantly takes part in an escape plan a while after.
Using rape as the impetus for character motivations is one of the most problematic tropes in fiction. Rarely is it ever afforded the careful consideration it deserves. Was there more gravity given to the act on Game of Thrones than in the past on the series? I would say yes; however, it took Sansa from her growing place of power, cut her off at the knees, and put the focus on Theon’s ordeal, instead.
I honestly did have hope Benioff and Weiss wouldn’t go there, especially after the huge and thoughtful discussion by countless journalists and fans surrounding last year’s controversy. But looking at what has taken place this season so far — from Ramsey’s promise to Littlefinger, “I’ll never hurt her. I swear,” to Sansa’s friends at Winterfell, Brienne keeping close watch, and Stannis close to arriving — I assumed Sansa would not go down the same path as Jeyne, especially when you consider Sansa’s own inner strength. As the scene played out, I though she might pull a dagger out of her wedding gown and end Ramsey once and for all.
She didn’t. What a missed opportunity to do something that would have actually surprised your audience. Rape, on the other hand, is expected.
As far as character growth goes, Sansa has been in this exact narrative place before. It was made painfully obvious when Ramsey ripped her dress open like Joffrey did back in the throne room at King’s Landing. Sansa managed to get herself out of one abusive relationship before it went too far, only to find herself in the exact same position. What does this do for her story? Nothing. Sansa is already a survivor. You’ve put her through another trauma for the sake of another character.
After the episode ended, I was gutted. I felt sick to my stomach. And then I was angry. My next thought was, “I’m going to have to spend part of the next six months explaining why this was a bad move over and over.” Not only will there be those who hand-wave the scene simply on the basis of artistic integrity, there will be those who still don’t consider it rape. Which, when you think about the last time we had this conversation, is going to make it all the worse. The cast and creators couldn’t decide if it was rape last time. (They’re still debating it as recently as March of this year.) There are those who won’t call it rape this time. Why? Because she didn’t say no. Because they are husband and wife. Because any of the other hundreds of reasons rape is justified in the real world every single day.
Producer and writer of the episode, Bryan Cogman, spoke to Entertainment Weekly about the scene:
My first question to Cogman was what would he say to fans who ask: “How could you do this to Sansa?”
Cogman seemed to take this question very seriously and took a moment to consider his response. “This is Game of Thrones,” he said soberly. “This isn’t a timid little girl walking into a wedding night with Joffrey. This is a hardened woman making a choice, and she sees this as the way to get back her homeland. Sansa has a wedding night in the sense she never thought she would with one of the monsters of the show. It’s pretty intense and awful and the character will have to deal with it.”
ENTERTAINMENT WEEKLY: What was your reaction when you got the scripts and realized what was going to happen this season?
SOPHIE TURNER: Last season [Thrones director] Alex Graves decided to give me hints. He was saying, “You get a love interest next season.” And I was all, “I actually get a love interest!” So I get the scripts and I was so excited and I was flicking through and then I was like, “Aw, are you kidding me!?” I thought the love interest was going to be like Jaime Lannister or somebody who would take care of me. But then I found out it was Ramsay and I’m back at Winterfell. I love the fact she’s back home reclaiming what’s hers. But at the same time she’s being held prisoner in her own home. When I got the scripts, it was bit like, dude, I felt so bad for her. But I also felt excited because it was so sick, and being reunited with Theon too, and seeing how their relationship plays out. Theon’s a member of the Stark clan but she thinks he totally betrayed and killed her brothers. It’s a messed-up relationship between them.
EW: And then there is the scene described in the production breakdown as “romance dies.” Sansa’s wedding night in episode 6.
Turner: When I read that scene, I kinda loved it. I love the way Ramsay had Theon watching. It was all so messed up. It’s also so daunting for me to do it. I’ve been making [producer Bryan Cogman] feel so bad for writing that scene: “I can’t believe you’re doing this to me!” But I secretly loved it.
Seeing the instant and powerful reaction fans had following the airing of the episode, George R.R. Martin took to a closed-comments posting on his blog. “I have been saying since season one that this is not the place to debate or discuss the TV series. Please respect that,” he wrote in part. “David and Dan and Bryan and HBO are trying to make the best television series that they can. And over here I am trying to write the best novels that I can.”
There’s only so many times you can be disgusted with something you love before you literally can’t bring yourself to look at it anymore. That is where I currently find myself in relation to Game of Thrones. The staff of The Mary Sue feels the same. You may feel differently.
So, from this point forth there will no longer be recaps, photo galleries, trailers, or otherwise promotional items about Game of Thrones on The Mary Sue. The newsworthiness of other items will be discussed by the editorial team on a case by case basis.
We apologize to the cast and crew of the show, as well as countless others invested in the show through their own work, but also to our readers who may feel negatively impacted by this. We’re constantly asking for better from those creating the media we love, for them to really think about what they’re putting out into the world. We simply can’t bring ourselves to be excited by a product which no longer meets our needs as fans.
traffic is going to be a nightmare around here, jesus
Big news for fans of U2! In addition to the iNNOCENCE + eXPERIENCE tour dates at the Forum on Tuesday, May 26; Wednesday, May 27; Saturday, May 30; Sunday, May 31; and Wednesday, June 3, U2 announced this morning on...
Congresswoman Loretta Sanchez, who is running for Barbara Boxer's Senate seat, was caught on video making a gesture mocking Native Americans. [ more › ]
This weekend marks the beginning of Star Wars Weekends at Disney’s Hollywood Studios. Running every weekend from now through June 14, the event celebrates the galaxy far, far away with character appearances, shows, merchandise, special guests, and yes, themed drinks and food. I’ll be sharing more of my Star Wars Weekends experience soon, but first, I need to show you around the new Star Wars themed restaurant put together for the event: the Rebel Hangar. You never know who you’ll see wandering around this lounge while you eat Yoda Key Lime Cake and sip on drinks with Star Wars spaceship glow cubes.
Disney transformed half of the quick-service restaurant Backlot Express into a cantina-esque setting. Tucked into a corner by Star Tours and the Jedi Training Academy, the location is ideal. And it’s smart for Disney to take existing space and dress it up to add even more dining options for Star Wars Weekends. Like most things Disney-related, the Hangar has a story. It used to be a hangar at a thriving port, but now, the hangar is abandoned and it’s been turned into a makeshift home/hang-out by anyone stopping through the area. Sort of like a rest stop, but with Rodians instead of truckers.
The decor is appropriately rough and tumble. Empire recruitment posters adorn the walls—I like to think they were put up sarcastically since it’s the Rebel Hangar—X-wing pilot helmets, Mandalorian helmets, an old Imperial probe droid, and more artifacts are on display in the space. Twelve inch figures and spaceships serve as centerpieces for the table, which means you can pose them with your food and drinks. Maybe I made the Kanan Jarrus toy on my table hold a french fry. Maybe.
Chef Mike Reitzler developed the menu for the Rebel Hangar, and it’s certainly unique. Star Wars Weekends has had some themed desserts in the past and foods at two other restaurants have light galactic touches, but Reitzler went all out for the Rebel Hangar, creating a hummus dish that looks like Darth Maul, waffles with Darth Vader, and plates like Ilum Fruit and Cheese Sabers with C-3PO crackers (Ilum is the planet where Padawans build their lightsabers in Star Wars: The Clone Wars). I spoke with Reitzler about developing the menu, and he said they made an effort to offer unique items that can’t be replicated at home. Designing dishes that could be easily and accurately be reproduced for large volumes of orders was key, too. I like to imagine there’s an assembly line in the kitchen and that a single person is responsible for putting on the Bugles that make Darth Maul’s horns in the dish of hummus. Because everything ties together, Reitzler said Lucasfilm representatives did approve the final look of the dishes and the naming of them. I would like that job, please.
On to the food! The Rebel Hangar serves up a menu of small plates and beverages (photos of the entire menu are in the gallery below). As part of a party of two people, we had no trouble taking down four plates of food. I sampled the following items:
Chips and Sith
Make food look like Darth Maul, and I’m basically sold. The Darth Maul hummus is definitely the most eye-catching item on the menu. It’s unflavored hummus topped with a red pepper coulis. His facial marks were made with black sesame dust, and his horns were Bugles. It’s served with a side of multi-colored tortilla chips. This was a delicious, light snack perfect for the very hot Florida weather. The red pepper coulis was flavorful but not too strong, and I had no problems polishing off Darth Maul’s face.
The Dark Fried
My other top choice is the chicken and Darth Vader waffles combo. The waffles were crispy on the edges with a nice, softer texture on the inside, and the chicken was fried just right. The dish comes with syrup and barbecue sauce—please try dipping the chicken into the maple syrup.
Pilot’s Pomme Frites
These garlic fries were only themed by name, but that doesn’t matter. They were crispy, not overly greasy, and they were served with a decorated wonton. That and the Star Wars print paper in the cone were a nice to way to add some flair from the saga to the dish. Bonus: it comes with a very garlic-y aioli.
Slider Sampler: The Sith and the Jedi
Experience the real balance of the Force with this barbecue pulled pork brisket slider and a barbecue pulled chicken slider served with house-made chips. One slider features a dark side bun, the other is light. These sandwiches were a little bit bigger than your average sliders with tangy sauce. I’m not the biggest fan of potato chips, but they were excellent dipped in the barbecue sauce that came with the chicken and waffles.
And then there were the specialty drinks. They have non-alcoholic blue milk available as well as a variety of fruity alcoholic beverages. I sipped on a Rebel Red with vodka, Chambord, sweet and sour, and grenadine. It was definitely on the sugary side and because it’s Mustafar-hot in Orlando, you have to use caution and not toss drinks like this back too quickly. The drinks come with glowing spaceship “cubes,” and the Rebel Hangar is the only place at Star Wars Weekends where you can find the glowing X-wing (other locations have Millennium Falcon and Death Star cubes). It was served clipped onto the side of my glass and after I finished my drink, I decided to wipe it off and clip it into my hair. A quick note about the glow cubes: They cost $4-5 each so if you don’t want or need them, let your server know.
While I ate my way through the menu, surprise visitors came into the Rebel Lounge. Members of the Modal Nodes stopped by the table (they weren’t taking requests), Ezra Bridger and Sabine Wren from Star Wars Rebels roamed around, and an energetic Rodian practically bounced through the lounge and had very amusing interactions with the Han Solo figures posed on the tables.
Overall, the Rebel Hangar is my favorite experience of Star Wars Weekends so far. I liked the a la carte menu and enjoyed being able to sample several delicious dishes. Plus, I was pretty excited to fangirl over the Modal Nodes. The Rebel Hangar is open every day of Star Wars Weekends at 4:00pm. Try to make reservations if you can ((407) WDW-DINE) but know that they do take walk-ins. If you want to walk-in, go early. I enjoyed the experience and food so much that I plan to make a repeat visit this weekend.
Follow along with all of my Star Wars Weekends adventures at Twitter.
There is just something about practical effects which CGI cannot replicate. Special effects wizards have been bringing directors’ visions to life since the dawn of cinema, occasionally winning awards for their efforts. Their talents play a tremendous role in capturing the audience’s imagination and leaving them in awe.
They can thrill or even sometimes horrify the audience. . From the stop-motion effects of King Kong (1933) by special effects pioneer Willis O’Brien, to the age of geniuses such as Rick Baker and Rob Bottin, practical effects have had an undeniable effect on cinematic spectacle.
This is a list of 10 classic films which best utilize practical effects. It ranges from the science fiction and horror genres, to a modern mind-bending classic by an acclaimed director who has a reputation for using CGI as sparingly as possible.
10. Evil Dead II (1987, Sam Raimi)
Sam Raimi’s 1987 sequel to his 1981 cult classic, The Evil Dead, greatly ups the sheer amount of laughs and craziness. It is considered by many critics and fans to be a superior entry. It is a landmark film in what has come to be known as the “splatstick” genre. The stop-motion and gore effects, coupled with veteran cult horror film actor Bruce Campbell’s zaniness as the character, Ash, are what make Evil Dead II a work of genius.
Although a bit dated, some of the stop-motion effects towards the beginning of the film are a wonder to behold. These techniques are seen when Ash’s girlfriend, Linda, rises up from her grave and begins dancing, and when her headless corpse comes after Ash with a chainsaw.
Later on in the film, Sam Raimi’s brother, Ted Raimi, portrays the demonically-possessed Henrietta. He is put in a full-latex body suit, which was agonizing for the actor due to how much he sweated. The result is a creature which brings even more wackiness to an already overwhelmingly wacky horror-comedy classic.
9. RoboCop (1987, Paul Verhoeven)
In Paul Verhoeven’s ultraviolent 1987 masterpiece, Detroit Police Officer Alex Murphy (Peter Weller) is gunned down by a gang of thugs led by Clarence Boddicker (Kurtwood Smith). Murphy then awakens to find that most of his body has been replaced by mechanical parts, and he has been recreated as RoboCop – a cyborg crusader for justice.
RoboCop was released in the heyday of 1980s action films. All of these classic films required a considerable amount of practical effects, and RoboCop was no exception, especially considering how it had a more sci-fi twist to it. Special effects guru Rob Bottin was hired to design and create the RoboCop suit. It cost a total of $1 Million to create. Actor Peter Weller was placed inside the suit and wore a bald cap to allow the helmet to slip on and off more comfortably.
RoboCop was one of the last significant films which brilliantly utilized stop-motion animation. RoboCop’s mechanical adversary, ED-209, was designed by Craig Davies and brought to life by Phil Tippett. The result is a classic battle between two mechanical titans which takes out the floor of an entire building.
8. Godzilla (1954, Ishiro Honda)
Director Ishiro Honda’s original Godzilla movie was a stunning achievement full of social commentary pertaining to Man’s ascent into the nuclear age. When the 2-million-year-old creature, Godzilla, is awakened by hydrogen bomb testing, he goes on a fiery rampage through Tokyo, only to be ultimately defeated in the end by the scientist, Dr. Serizawa’s “oxygen destroyer.”
Godzilla is a dark, bleak, and ultimately haunting film. It is also famed for being the first film in the Japanese kaiju (giant monster) genre, and the first film to utilize the talents of an actor in a rubber monster suit to create a pioneering effect at the time.
Up until 1954, cinematic monsters were always created through stop-motion animation by artists such as Willis O’Brien and Ray Harryhausen. Godzilla was the first film to ignore this and try something more distinct. The effect is largely accomplished through low-angle shots which successfully create the notion than Godzilla really is a large and impending menace who threatens mankind.
It takes an admirable actor to go through all the pain of playing Godzilla in the suit. It is reported that stuntman Haruo Nakajima was only able to wear the suit for three minutes at a time in order to avoid suffocation. This agonizing process shows dedication to one’s art. It is also important to note that all the miniature sets in this film, as well as in all of the sequels, had to be built, only to be destroyed later on in a single take.
7. Inception (2010, Christopher Nolan)
Christopher Nolan can be looked at as a modern blockbuster auteur. With his Dark Knight Trilogy, Nolan gave Batman the cinematic treatment he has always deserved. His most recent hit, Interstellar, took the audience on a stunning journey through time and space; an experience which echoed Stanley Kubrick’s 2001: A Space Odyssey.
Throughout his career, Nolan has had a knack for focusing on practical effects and using as little CGI as possible, leading to incredible outcomes. One of the most prominent examples of a sequence in one of his films where no CGI was used was the spectacular zero-gravity hallway fight scene in his 2010 dream thriller, Inception, for which the film won the Oscar for Best Visual Effects.
The scene involves Arthur (Joseph Gordon-Levitt) fighting off wealthy businessman Robert Fischer’s (Cillian Murphy’s) militarized subconscious in the second of three dream levels while the rest of the crew is attempting to plant an idea into his mind in the third level. The scene was crafted by using a 100-foot-long, 360-degree rotating hallway. Not an ounce of CGI was utilized in this particular sequence, nor was there a hint of green screen technology present.
There are other examples of practical effects in the film as well, such as when Saito’s (Ken Watanabe’s) dream collapses on Cobb (Leonardo DiCaprio) in the beginning. Gallons upon gallons of water are sprayed onto Cobb when he is submerged into a tub of water in one dream level, which carries on into the next.
One might think this was accomplished through CGI. Water cannons were placed on the outside windows of the set, and 3,000 to 4,000 gallons of water were sprayed from them onto DiCaprio. The hallway fight and Saito’s collapsing dream are merely two examples of practical effects which added a layer of realism to Nolan’s masterpiece.
6. Jaws (1975, Steven Spielberg)
Jaws is the original summer blockbuster. It is the film which took an entire generation of moviegoers by storm and made them afraid to go in the water. 40 years later, it still remains a landmark film in the suspense genre as well as a piece of motion picture history.
As any fan of the film is aware, a mechanical shark was used to depict the monstrous Great White which was eating swimmers and tourists off the coast of Amity Island. The shark, nicknamed “Bruce” by the crew, was infamous for almost constantly breaking down. The frequent failure of the shark to work properly was what actually enabled Spielberg to make a much more effective film by showing it less, and therefore focusing more on script and character development throughout the film’s first half.
The shark isn’t even shown until about an hour into the film. When it is, it proves to be well worth the wait. It is a technically outstanding achievement in practical effects history. Unfortunately the film was snubbed of an Academy Award nomination for Best Visual Effects in 1976.
The effectiveness of the animatronic shark is largely based on what the audience doesn’t see. The painstaking process of getting the shark to work, and ultimately having the effort pay off in the end, can be seen as an example of art through adversity.
On Saturday night, Heart N Soul Gallery in Culver City joined forces with some all-star New Contemporary artists to raise funds for the Aurelia Foundation. The foundation was created to provide funding and support for programs like "Step by Step", enriching the lives of disabled adults. The charity is very close to home for the gallerist, whose daughter is one of the many young adults that receive assistance from these programs. Among the artists who have contributed both original, new and previous works to the cause include AJ Fosick, Ana Bagayan, Bob Doucette, Clayton Bros, James Jean, Lola, Marion Peck, Mark Ryden, Martin Witfooth, Naoto Hattori, Nate Frizzell, Shepard Fairey, Steven Daily, and more.
In case you ever wanted to know what Killer Mike and El-P sound like rapping over auto-tuned meowing and purring. More »
The Mary Sue has decided we will no longer be actively promoting the HBO series Game of Thrones. Allow us to explain.
![Video: O.C. Congresswoman Makes 'Shocking' Gesture Mocking Native Americans [UPDATE]](http://laist.com/attachments/laist_carman/loretta_sanchez_restrict_width_110.jpg)
Congresswoman Loretta Sanchez, who is running for Barbara Boxer's Senate seat, was caught on video making a gesture mocking Native Americans. [ more › ]
