Pizza, I didn't order any pizza! A.K.A. Research Project

O.k. now ladies and gentlemen.  Its time to put on our grown-up faces, hunker down, and get serious.  There is no reason to be bashful, or embarrassed or judgmental here.  We're amongst friends (right?).  I was recently asked by an anonymous friend if i could recommend some couple friendly, mildly pornographic films.  You know, something that might appeal to both men and women - or perhaps just women (although i cant imagine a porno in existence that wouldn't appeal to men.  I mean, come on, as long as there's 2 or more people having sex, how could it NOT?  Am i right men?).  So, here is what I've decided I would do for you ladies equally curious, and men looking to introduce something to your women...I would do a XXX movie review, for you!  Stay tuned - as my horizons broaden, I'll keep you posted.

Dakota Skye - An Enjoyable Indie Flick

Lately I've been poring through Netflix searching for random movies to add to my Watch Instantly Queue, mostly searching for fun indie flicks and science fiction "B" movies.  Earlier this week I came across "Dakota Skye", which Netflix describes as follows:

Superpowers rarely come without a price, and for 17-year-old Dakota Skye (Eileen Boylan), the price is cynicism that stems from spotting the truth in every lie.  Disengaged, she watches life go by from the sidelines … until she meets the unfailingly honest Jonah (Ian Nelson).  Problem is, Jonah is her beau's best friend -- which leaves Dakota navigating the treacherous waters between friendship and romance in this well-crafted indie drama.

Sounds intriguing, right?  I was expecting it to be a bit fluffy, but it really wasn't.  It was quite serious, and quite good.  Since I didn't really have any cons about the movie, here are some of my non-spoilery pros:

1.  Good acting - could have gone either way given the actors are all playing high-school to college-aged kids, but they all play immature well without actually being immature
2.  Along these lines, the characters are all likeable, even when being annoying - it's easy to remember being that age and making stupid choices, so you end up identifying with them without even meaning to
3.  Cute story - although mostly predictable, there are one or two times where it can go either way on a plot line, which keeps things interesting even though you know how the movie is going to end
4.  The characters pose a few thought-provoking questions to one another that get you thinking outside of the movie
5.  The way in which they show Dakota's superpower throughout the movie is well done

The hubby also approved - as it turned it, it was a total date movie and perfect for the two of us.

~Dorkopotamus (aka Katy)

The Pillow Book - a worth while watch for me

Disagree - i really enjoyed The Pillow Book...and not just because of Ewan McGregor's bits and bobs - I first saw the movie after a course in Eastern Modern Art and History...and i felt the movie truely captured the angst of some modern Japanese artists to break out of a stereotypical past while still paying homage to it - i thought this was captured both visually in the shots that resembled works of art itself, as well as the lead characters struggle with self/identity and finally making her own pillow book - a book originally by the court lady Shonagon - a book of musings, poetry, and thoughts, deeply personal and touching.  The plot line btw the Vivian Wu and McGregor is weak..but the larger message of exploring new territory in art and culture i found to ring true and contemporary.
I will conceed however, having come on the heals of a thouroughly captivating and rich course, i had a bit of background to go into the movie with - and was more impressed with what the movie tried to capture than any plot line. 

But i still love you Kt :)  sorry to respecfully disagree on this one :) 
~Kim

Two Quick Non-Spoilery Movie Reviews

Alice in Wonderland

Overall:  Worth seeing, but very disappointing (though this may have been due to my ludicrously high expectations).

Pros:

• Helena Bonham Carter, Mia Wasikowska, Alan Rickman
• Visual effects were stunning
• I like 3D anything
• The Tweedles
• The nods to the animated Disney version (the flowers, the dragon-fly, the rocking-horse-fly)

Cons:

• Johnny Depp (I know, he's usually amazing, but he just wasn't in this)
• Story was sooooooo flat, boring, and predictable
• Mashed together Alice in Wonderland and Through the Looking-Glass without staying true to either
• Unbelievable in the "real life" portions
• Looked like the Mad Hatter and Alice were going to make out at one point - EEWWWW

The Pillow Book

Overall:  BORING.

Pros:

• Fairly interesting concept for a story
• Ewan McGregor's penis
• Turning it off half-way through to play Boggle instead

Cons:

• Slow and boring
• Weird, hard to read, subtitles
• Artsy-fartsy, but not in a good way

~Dorkopotamus (aka Katy)

Red Is The New Alice

So lately there's been a big Alice in Wonderland resurgence, something I've had zero complaints about as I am a long-standing member of the Alice in Wonderland fan club.  I even have plans for an epic Alice tattoo one day.  But I digress.  

Syfy's (stupidest name change ever, btw...it was much better as SciFi, but again I digress) original miniseries, Alice, was quite good.  Very offbeat retelling of the story, in which a new Alice has to save Wonderland, and our world, from the Queen of Hearts.  Many more science fiction touches to the story, as it revolves around the baddies of Wonderland kidnapping people from our world, more or less turning them into zombies, and then milking them for their emotions.  Said emotions are then later sold to the people of Wonderland by the Queen as a kind of drug.  The acting is decent, and I personally enjoyed the weirdness of it all, even if the pacing was a bit slow.  Plus, Hatter was pretty cute.  ;)

Now we have the giant, zomg, huge names, billboards, big production, big-screen retelling by Disney and Tim Burton of Alice in Wonderland.  Another cute guy playing Hatter, although Johnny Depp doesn't look quite so attractive under all the Hatter makeup.  I am CRAZY (the caps mean I'm serious) excited for this one.  I'm seeing it in 3D IMAX on Saturday night, and I cannot wait.  So while I can't review it yet, I can be fairly certain that my inner fangirl will ensure I like the movie, even if it's terrible, which it won't be.

Now if you're looking for an awesome book series that's a retelling of the Alice story, I highly recommend The Looking Glass Wars series by Frank Beddor.  It's well-written (if a bit fluffy, but I think that's to make it accessible to readers of various age groups), and the story is such a creative retelling that it sucked me in immediately.  Here's a synopsis of the first book from the website:

Alyss Heart, heir to the Wonderland throne, was forced to flee through the Pool of Tears after a bloody palace coup staged by the murderous Redd shattered her world. Lost and alone in Victorian London, Alyss is befriended by an aspiring author to whom she tells the surreal, violent, heartbreaking story of her young life only to see it published as the nonsensical children’s sojourn Alice in Wonderland. Alyss had trusted Lewis Carroll to tell the truth so that someone, somewhere would find her and bring her home.

But Carroll had got it all wrong. He even misspelled her name! If not for the intrepid Hatter Madigan, a member of the Millinery (Wonderland’s security force) who after a 13 year search eventually tracked Alyss to London, she may have become just another society woman sipping tea in a too-tight bodice instead of returning to Wonderland to battle Redd for her rightful place as the Queen of Hearts.

One of the coolest things about this series is the way in which the people of Wonderland can use their imaginations to bring things to life.  Alyss battles her foes by conjuring things up out of thin air through the sheer power of her imagination.  Too awesome.

But then, I heart anything Alice-related.

Now, I also heart anything fairytale-related.  Especially if it's a dark re-telling of a familiar story.  Which leads me to my blog title.  Lately it seems that every website I go to (especially io9) is full of rumors of Red Riding Hood projects in the works.  Which I'm pretty excited about.  I mean, if done correctly, both Alice and Red can show strong, female characters kicking ass.  Which is something I always enjoy (Buffy, anyone?).  So here's what I've seen so far...

SyFy has cast the always adorable Felicia Day to play "a werewolf-hunting descendant of Little Red Riding Hood" in Red.

Amanda Seyfriend (who I adore) is slated to play the title role in a gothic adaptation to be directed by Catherine Hardwicke (of Twilight fame).

"American McGee's Alice PC game is best known for it's warped take on the fairy tale, by making Alice (a) suicidal orphan. His next fairy tale victim is Little Red Riding Hood, and here's a glimpse at the gory concept art."

On that last one, American McGee's Alice remains one of the best games I've ever played.  It was a deliciously dark spin on the story, and the gameplay was excellent.  If his take on Little Red Riding Hood is anything close to that, I will be picking up the game the day it comes out.  Whenever that may be.

So, Red is the new Alice.  And I'm okay with that.

~Dorkopotamus (aka Katy)