Disney released a trailer for a remake of everyone’s animated childhood movie, The Lion King on November 22, 2018. The first trailer began with Simba’s father’s Mufasa’s (James Earl Jones) speech “Everything the light touches is our Kingdom”. The trailer included memorable cinematic scenes previously released in 1994. The live action movie was directed by The Jungle Book‘s remake director Jon Favreau and will be released July 2019.
Disney’s Lion King cast will star in the summer 2019 childhood live remake. Photo Credit: Disney.
Rapper and actor Donald Glover will star as Simba, with Beyonce Carter-Knowles as Nala, Alfre Woodard as Sarabi, and James Earl Jones as Mufasa. The movie will also include everyone’s favorite characters such as Pumbaa (Seth Rogen), Zazu (John Oliver), Kamari (Keegan-Michael KEy), and everyone’s favorite lion villian, Scar (Chiwetel Ejiofor), so mark your calendars and relive your childhood with your children and families.
If you’re looking for questions, I’ve got your answer. The second part of the newly hatched Fantastic Beasts series, Fantastic Beats: The Crimes of Grindelwald(2018) series opens a lot of new doors and doesn’t close any on its way out. Granted, it does a fine job at following upon the first film and does offer some important plot development, but all in all it’s just far too nonlinear to measure up to the awe of the first. The main issues resonate in the plot.
*SPOILERS*
Compliments of IMDB
Beginning the story, it becomes clear very quickly that there is no central focus to the film. This is because of the number of main characters present. Returning characters are Newt Scamander, Gellert Grindelwald, Jacob Kowalski, Queenie Goldstein, Portpentina Goldstein, and the once dead Credence Barebone (among other side characters). Normally this wouldn’t be a problem. Audiences love familiarity. However, these characters each have their own storylines going on alongside what’s assumed the main plot. Because of this, its hard to tell who the main focus of these movies is. Newt? Grindelwald? Credence?
Recall from the first films the sequence of events. The audience begins by following Newt through New York to capture released beasts. Due to Credence’s magical abilities as an “Obscurial” (something thought of as dangerous to the wizarding world), Newt seeks to capture him in order to prevent magical authorities from harming him. Grindelwald, a wizard seeking power, develops an interest in Credence because of his power. Everything is circular and all stories tie into one. Here, there still is not a central character per se. Newt would be a protagonist, Grindelwald the antagonist ad Credence somewhere between as he has not chosen any side.
Compliments of CNet
The second film, however, rips this premise apart. Credence is on a search for his mom, Newt is trying ultimately to replenish his lost relationship with Porpentina, Grindelwald is trying to coerce credence while also grow a magical regime, Jacob and Queenie are trying to hash out their muggle non-muggle relationship, and somewhere along the line Albus Dumbledore, another main character brought in from the original Harry Potter series, enters the scene to create another story line regarding his relationship with Grindelwald.
In a few side notes we also learn that Credence is not the son of a Lestrange (a point also brought up in this film, not the first), another characters switched him with a Lestrange on a boat as an infant and is actually a dumbledore, we don’t know where his real mom is, Grindelwald remains interested (presumably because of his lineage but that was never answered), Dumbledore has a pact with Grindelwald which prohibits their fighting, and so on. That’s just a few new tidbits offered in a 2 hour-long movie.
Compliments of threeifbyspace.net
The problem with all of this is that it creates too many stories presenting themselves to the audience at once. It is a lot to remember and a lot to take in. Granted, much of this might be hashed out in future films (the ending set up a continuance), but it doesn’t resolve the fact that all of this information becomes muddled due to the sheer volume of new facts. It might have been better as a season on Netflix or Hulu.
This is definitely a lot to register, but it’s worth seeing. It is very well done in terms of casting, directing, graphics, and much more. It is a beautiful piece. The plot line just muddles things a bit. However, there is no doubt that there will be answers to all of questions presented to us and if you’re a Harry Potter fanatic, the series is worth your time.
“When their heart is hurt, especially in that age range they feel like it’s the end of the world. It is so depressing,” says Producer Brigette Talbert, who will be showcasing the stage play Outside Child (Inside Pain) in the Sullivan Performing Arts Center, on Saturday December 1, 2018.
“It’s a learning experience, it’s about old secrets. Learning how to love again through heart ache, infidelity and lies, the Outside Child (Inside Pain) setting is an African-American community, portraying a family learning to love again, overcoming infidelity, while saving a lost tradition. This play can relate to any race. Think about all of the single parent households, they don’t have to be black”.
Brigette Talbert has been involved in radio, film and production for over 15 years. This will be Bridgette’s second play to independently write and produce. “I’m always nervous when its time to hit the stage, because you know what you have written, you know what your words are and how you want them to be portrayed. You know that it tells a story. You just wondering if that audience is picking up the story that you’re trying to tell.”
Brigette casting role involves plenty of personality and experience that makes the play better. “When you have a cast that feels like family then you’ve cast the right people.” The cast includes Fel Davis, Sharnette Hyter, Jousha Fitzpatrick aka J-Fitz, Jordon Ballard, Alicia Gulley-Malone, Nikki Wadley, and Amanda Virtuous Henderson.
“Community should support community.We’re bringing entertainment to the community,It’s a small town setting and there’s not really a lot going on. There will be lots of laughter, crying, you’ll feel every emotion while having a learning experience”.
Get your tickets today at the Golden Lady Restaurant in Texarkana, Texas, KZRB studios in Hooks, Texas or from cast members Lisa Gulley-Malone and Amanda Henderson. PayPal is accepted. betalbertproductions@gmail.com
Despite the prospect of WWII soldiers going up against twisted Nazi experiments being an exciting premise, audiences may want to temper their expectations.
Image Courtesy of Paramount Pictures
Produced by J.J. Abrams and directed by newcomer Julius Avery, the film tells the story of a small group of soldiers who barely make it into France as D-Day approaches. Their mission is to destroy a communications tower near a Nazi-occupied village to clear the way for their oncoming troops. However, things become complicated as they uncover the secret of what the Nazis are doing to the people of the village: creating an undead, superhuman army for Hitler’s Thousand-Year Reich.
The premise alone was enticing enough to inspire attendance, but, unfortunately, the film’s balance between war drama and horror schlock tends to lean toward the former.
There are some positives to the film worth addressing. The action scenes, especially the way in which the film opens with the soldiers in a plane being fired upon, and visuals are impressive and atmospheric. When the film does get down to the nitty gritty horror aspect, it does unleash some impressively startling visuals. The acting was also very commendable, with Jovan Adepo, as the wide-eyed, pacifistic lead character, Wyatt Russell, as the battle-hardened soldier in command, and Pilou Asbæk, as the film’s deliciously sadistic antagonist, the standouts. Even when the film dedicates its time towards being a war film it manages to engage with legitimate emotion and tension.
Despite this, that’s not exactly what the film advertised.
Image Courtesy of Paramount Pictures
While the film does well enough with both sides of the equation, one is given more time than the other. For instance, the film lingers often on Adepo’s character objecting to leaving people behind to die or torturing the enemy for information. It’s executed fairly, but the problem lies with the fact that it’s difficult to take the moral quandaries and the horror of a war as seriously as the filmmakers want when the villains are cartoonish in their deviousness and the characters are going up against zombies with super strength. When you have a villain with half of his face blown off, sneering like a supervillain at a certain point, it puts the first two acts of the characters going through what feels like a different film into perspective. The film even opens with a title sequence that harkens back to the days of pulp adventure stories, something the film does evoke later when it does get to the zombie experiments attacking people, so one would think the filmmakers would’ve opted to go for something less serious and just go for over-the-top spectacle. It’s especially disappointing considering the unique opportunity that Bad Robot had with such a unique premise that normally wouldn’t be given such high production value.
Image Courtesy of Paramount Pictures
Overall, while the film has its moments of gory fun, impressive visuals, and a somewhat engaging cast to keep the film grounded and watchable, it feels as though it shies away from what audiences may have been hoping for. While not terrible by any stretch, I dare to say that it is a mostly good film, it’s one that should be approached with certain expectations in mind before seeing. If you enjoy war films, you’ll be pleasantly surprised. If you enjoy horror, it has it’s spots, but you may not be satisfied.
Looking for a diversion only a couple of hours away this weekend?
“It’s not a competition, but a display of talent. We have various makeup-artists, barbers, stylists, and fashion people. As entrepreneurs, these people making a living using their gift in their field. Displaying their talents in front of audience and their peers takes courage and boldness”, said Entrepreneur and Guest Host, Eric Lockhart.
Dallas fashion industry professionals will showcase their creativity when Lavish Lounge Cutz & Stylz hosts their 3rd Annual Showcase December 2nd Sunday evening, 5-10 p.m. at The Highland Dallas Hotel 5300 East Mockingbird Lane Dallas, TX 75206.
A list of Lavish Lounge Showcase 2018 participants. Photo Credit: Lavish Lounge Cutz & Stylz.
Attendees will see creative, unique, yet stylish pieces among showcasing participants. “It will include conventional makeup, body makeup, various haircuts/beards, various hair styles and fashion from boutiques to actual designers”, said Lockhart.
Before being selected for the showcase, participants must follow proper standards and procedures. “They have to own their own brand and display qualities in their work product & service”, said Lockhart.
The stylish salon set a professional theme for fashion industry business — “Excellence”. Attendees will also support regional business vendors, including hair, real estate, clothes, and makeup.
Frederick Johnson aka Sipp the Surgeon will be honored within the 3rd Annual Lavish Lounge Showcase event December 2nd. Photo Credit:@sippthesurgeon
The third year showcase will also honor fashion industry guests Bridgett LaDawn, Sipp The Surgeon, Meke Stephens, and Princess The CEO. “These individuals have exhibited excellence and longevity in these fields with influence, giving back and power”, said Lockhart.
All proceeds will go towards the non-profit organization, IMAGINE WELL, Inc. “We are the founders of IMAGINE WELL, a non-profit organization that works with kids and the adult entrepreneurial industry”, said Lockhart.
With great expectations, Lockhart looks forward to the high-end, energetic showcase. “A unified, high energy show with great host, comedian, food, networking, vendors, great time”, said Lockhart.
PrincesstheCEO will be honored within the 3rd Annual Lavish Lounge Showcase December 2nd. Photo Credit: PrincesstheCeo.
A wide range of individuals are welcome. “Dress to impress. Attendance of 500-600 people to come out with energy and enjoy a great show”, said Lockhart.
Make-up artists, stylists, models, hair stylists, barbers, or fashion industry professionals are welcomed from all areas including Texarkana.
With David Gordon Green’s Halloween setting box-office records, is it possible that we might see a resurgence of the slasher genre?
Image Courtesy of Paramount Pictures
This year saw the release of the film (confusingly) titled Halloween. Written as a direct follow-up to the John Carpenter classic, the film followed an elderly Laurie Strode, once again played by Jaimie Lee Curtis, as she encounters Michael Myers once again after 40 years. While a bit jarring in its tonal shifts, the film, for the most part, was well-received by fans and critics, leading to the thought: will history repeat itself, generating more entries in the genre?
Back in 1978, Halloween revolutionized the slasher genre in horror. While certainly not the first slasher film, with some citing Black Christmas or even Psychoas the first, the film did popularize the idea of masked psychopaths attacking and killing young folk one by one. With a measly budget of approximately $300,000, Halloween easily made back twenty times what was given to the creators, and thus started a trend of creators using what little they had to create horror films of their own in a similar style. From smaller fares such as Prom Night, The Burning, and My Bloody Valentine, tothe famous Friday the 13th, this gave birth to what many believe to be the “Golden Age of Slasher Films,” going from 1978 to 1985, much to the dismay of film critics.
Image Courtesy of Miramax Studios
However, the genre’s popularity would eventually die down near the end of the decade. With the next two decades, there was a dip back into the spotlight with the likes of Wes Craven’s Scream, a step back down with the onslaught of critically panned remakes put out by Platinum Dunes that kept many franchises on the back-burner for years. While you had the occasional cult classic, such as Behind the Mask: the Rise of Leslie Vernon or Adam Green’s Hatchet trilogy, there hasn’t been stable momentum for the genre since the 90’s.
Then there came the past couple of years…
Image courtesy of Universal Studios
Slasher films have been steadily reemerging from their hiatus. With films such as Hush, Tragedy Girls, and even the return of Chucky from the Child’s Play series, filmmakers have shown that slasher films not only still have a place in the public mind, but could also be positively received by critics and fans. The only perceivable reason that they haven’t broken the floodgates is due to their relative obscurity.
The closest to overcoming this was 2017’s Happy Death Day, receiving fairly positive reviews and admirable box-office numbers. This could very well change with Halloween (2018), as it did currently sits at having a $250 million box-office against a $15 million budget. Not only that, but there have been recent announcements of Friday the 13th coming back in the next few years, spearheaded by Lebron James’ production company, Springhill Entertainment, as well as hushed whispers of Robert England returning to the role of Freddy Krueger from the Nightmare on Elm Street series after donning the glove and sweater in the show The Goldbergs.
With slasher franchises attracting renewed interest, this could be the start of a new era for slashers. It could just be a lot of talk between actors and studios that goes nowhere as before with such projects, but if these endeavors are successful, then there could be hope for the genre regaining a bit of the spotlight it once had.
The attention to film detail is ever-expanding, and the emphasis on societal traumas touched upon in film is larger now than it has ever been, particularly in terms of race and gender studies. Many films over the last few centuries host a variety of equivocal themes and questionable content, and even alarming, by today’s standards. To address such a field of study, Texas A&M University – Texarkana’s Dr. Drew Morton, alongside Rachel Stonecipher and Dr. Jaime Cantrell, hosted a screening of Jon Avnet’s Fried Green Tomatoes (1991).
As it turns out, this film adaptation deviates far from its original, textual source. According to Dr. Cantrell, the lesbian relationship between Idgie and Ruth and the depth of the African-American characters drive the plot of the book. The film mostly utilizes the murder case. This analysis reveals the tendency of Hollywood to create false scenarios and make adaptations that appeal to its audiences mindset, rather than explicitly reveal contexts. For example, as both Rachel Stonecipher and Dr. Cantrell discussed, the film uses nuances, such as the kitchen food fight between Idgie and Ruth, to suggest a lesbian relationship. The book makes known that the girls have romantic feelings toward one another.
This restraint can also be seen in relation to the African-American characters of the film. The book creates more depth and pulls from historical occurrences to create a more realistic scenario for the people of Whistlestop. The film deems the characters as simple people devoted entirely to helping their white counterparts. Big George being whipped by Georgian KKK members and, instead of crying for his own life, insisting that Idgie return indoors for her protection shows this. In this way, the film creators have managed to create a perfect fantasy land for viewers. There is no tension between African-American and Caucasian people.
Photo by Allison Hall
In the same regard, the lesbian relationship between Ruth and Idgie is also accepted in the text. However, the film adopts a certain amount of ambiguity that allows the viewer to decide whether this relationship actually exists. If the viewer decides that Ruth and Idgie are just good friends, then there is nothing controversial present and the story becomes a less dense, more feel-good scenario.
The film is a great example of Hollywood symbolism and strategic ambiguity that offers different contexts to a variety of audiences. A viewer today might read the scenarios differently than someone watching it in 1991, just as a twenty-year old will see something different from what a fifty-year old might. In the end, the lecture was an attempt to strike up a conversation about these types of Hollywood effects and to provide a specific situation in which this happens.
iLash Magic held their eyelash workshop November 17th 8:00-1:00pm. Photo Credit: iLashMagic
Eyelash specialist and iLashMagic owner, Tiffany Brown (no relation to this writer) held an eyelash workshop Saturday morning, November 17th in Dallas, Texas. Attendees of all levels learned lashing techniques 8:00am-1:00pm.
“The workshop event is a lash extensions certification workshop. I included a kit, manual, certificate of completion, and a mannequin to practice with”, said Brown.
For the past two years, she has specialized in eyelashes and have taught more than one course in Dallas, Texas. “This is not my first lash workshop. I’ve been lashing for almost two years. Proudly can say I walked away from corporate 9 months ago”, said Brown.
With a leap of faith and great ambition, the iLashMagic owner created her own brand within the fast-growing makeup trending business. “I came up with the workshop because, as the lash industry is growing there is a need for lash extension education”, said Brown.
The eyelash course included proper eyelash applications, a little history behind lashes, and business techniques. “The students learned the introduction to the history of lashes, how to apply and remove lashes as well as proper sanitation, and marketing”, said Brown.
iLashMagic graphic art. Photo Credit: iLashMagic.
Makeup experiences were not required, however certain requirements were met before registry. “They must be 18-years of age and did not have to be experienced or have a certificate to attend the class. The class was for education purposes only”, said Brown.
For the next upcoming eyelash course or bookings visit, www.ilashmagic.net or call 214-702-8377. You can also follow iLash social media below:
Is it love we’re looking for, or just something tolerable? An emotion sharing common features across cultures might be less of a romantic devotion and more of a search for gratification. Thinking of love in terms of socialization. Why did you or your last significant other end the relationship? Was it because they left their socks all over the place? Did they always forget your date night? Did you consider these qualities a lack of care? Maybe these things are simply intolerable for you. But to others, they are not. Many of our relationships end as a result of conflicting attitudes, behaviors and values. Social Exchange Theory, coupled with rational Choice Theory and ideas of Erving Goffman, tells us why. Social media tells us how.
“George Homans,” from the article “George C. Homans, the human group and elementary social behaviour,” by Dr. A. Javier Treviño on infed.com
George Homans adapted this theory in the late 1950s, that we base our relationships on a scale of costs versus benefits. When the costs outweigh the benefits, we tend to leave the relationship. People use their comparison levels, by which they compare current relationships to those from the past, and their comparison levels of alternatives, comparing current situations to other available options. These are what help shape our ideas about romantic behaviors. These comparisons come from our schemata, or set of experiences that create our expectations. According to “Romantic Exchanges,” a blog post written by Bradley Wright, social exchange theory suggests that “people think about relationships in terms of various benefits and costs available to them…” and then make choices in their own favor. We make attempts to establish romantic exchanges based on what we think to be worthy of our time and efforts.
Rational choice theory takes these internal monologues and brings them into reality. From available options, one makes a selection based on the shared, consistent schemata of society. These collective thought processes help individuals make daily decisions. Popular choices typically win the fight. Individuals let these normative behaviors to influence their own choice, which is how we know what others expect of us.
“Erving Goffman,” compliments of ThoughtCo.com, from the article “A Biography of Erving Goffman: Major Contributions, Education, and Career,” by Ashley Crossman
Erving Goffman says we use these concepts to control perceptions of us. Our front stage is where all that is socially acceptable remains, while the backstage is the opposite. Social exchange theory is what gives us a reason to act in this way, because of our alternative choices. Goffman’s ideas about front and backstage behavior demonstrates the ways in which social media is a prime example of social exchange theory. Let’s look at the social media dating applications, Match.com and Tinder.
Match.com argues that their ultimate goal is “to help singles find the kind of relationship they’re looking for.” This is an obvious example that they’re promoting social exchange theory. They are encouraging members to highlight their best attribute to find the best buyer. The website even has a blog with helpful hints on how toseem more attractive for other online users.Tinder is similar, but not so subtle. They offer a blatant goal: supporting individuality. They offer no suggestions for relationship building.Tinder’s goal “is to allow users to express themselves freely as long as it doesn’t offend others.” This is more obvious in presenting the idea that these websites are a way for people to use edited photographs and conscious dialogues to entice strangers.
In2015, eighty-five percent of Tinder users claimed to “look after” their appearance on the app, giving in to the collective social schemata. Social exchange theory says that this sense of rational choice is what will guide people in and out of relationships. Match.com and Tinder open the door for rating. With each application, users are picky about not only what they put out there, but also who they continue contact with. They are not obligated to respond to anyone. People take a few short minutes to look at their match and decide whether that person is right for them. Keep in mind that these people are just scratching the surface. They generally know very little about these people they are connecting with.
Each program allows users to designate a set amount of images to their pages and couple them with a description. Both sites reiterate a need to make oneself look attractive by some means.Eighty-four percent of Match users say that they are more selective now than ever of their dating partners, an example of weighing ones options. Match provides more lengthy content, which might mean that its target audience are those people who are looking to engage in something long-term while Tinder is often associated with hook-up culture. This could be the reason that roughly seventy percent of Tinder users also visited other online dating websites in2015.
Complements of Pixabay
A few demographics are notable here. First, a small but visible percent of Tinder users are married. Why is this important? These people are benefiting only themselves. even if the couple is in an o[en relationship, the two are still using other people to fulfill needs not met at home. And, people who would initially be monogamous may take on multiple romantic relationships if they feel that their needs are not being entirely met. In a closed relationship, the person is only concerned with their own desire.
“Only14 percent of boomer women and 22 percent of boomer men…” use Match to marry. These people are seeking a way that they can meet short-term needs, but are open to finding love. We tend to use the social exchange theory very extensively. Online users are very interested in keeping their options open.
These two applications offer participants anonymity and a way to easily filter through comparisons. Rational choice theory tells us how people use such little information to make such a large choice. Individuals purposely create situations where people have to choose swiftly from small amounts of information and, in doing so, lower their chances of someone else finding any bad quality.
Social Exchange Theory is rich in its possibilities to convey an understanding of social relationship building. Though this article has not discussed all aspects of the theory, we can still see a strong correlation between social exchange theory and how people today search for love.
A&M Texarkana’s Multi-Media Specialist offers practical advice acquired from a lifetime of experience.
Casey Roberts’ sixth grade teacher wrote a note to his mother at the bottom of his final report card saying that he would have a career in TV or radio.
The teacher was correct. Inducted into the Nevada Broadcasters Hall Of Fame in 2002, Roberts’s experience in multi-media production spans over 45 years.
“I’ve been doing this my whole life,” Roberts said. He started off at the age of 17 as a disk jockey for a small south Texas radio station, where he soon became the program director. The company that owned the radio station also had several cable TV stations, one of which his father was the general manager of here in Texarkana.
Roberts began producing local public access programs as well as cable ads.
“I was responsible for getting commercials on the air,” Roberts said. He also pioneered a system, now the norm, called “local commercial insertion,” where local cable commercials are seamlessly integrated with national ones.
Roberts’ passion and diligence were noticed. He would spend the next 35 years honing his craft in the markets of Louisville, Kentucky, and Las Vegas, Nevada, holding a range of positions.
One of Roberts’ favorite moments was filming an interview with Muhammad Ali, after his defeat to Larry Holmes in Louisville, 1980.
“He came down to our little studio and spent an hour and a half with us, then invited us to a party that evening, where we got to hang out with him,” Roberts said.
“I like to tell people, I shot for Playboy and Disney channels in the same day,” Roberts reflected.
His journey came full circle, returning to Texarkana in 2005 to help out family. As fortune would have it A&M Texarkana, at the old location, had an open position to teach mass media production and a studio that needed to be rebuilt. Roberts has been employed with A&M Texarkana for the last 12 years.
“What I taught was the difference in being in a high-school TV class and real professional broadcast standards,” Roberts explained, “The rules of television are the same, and it’s about production values and technical standards.”
Lessons from the popular mass media class, 417 Advanced Television Production, focusing on making documentaries.
Casey at work. Photo by Stephen Parker
“Documentaries require a more polished production; Learning how to shoot, interviewing people, doing research, doing reenactments covers many important aspects,” Roberts assures.
His most practical advice for students is: preplanning, knowing what you want to do and maintaining high technical standards.
Suggesting that students often have really good ideas in their head, but loose the intended message because they have not tried to see how their message might appear to someone first viewing the idea.
“Always a good idea to bounce things off other people,” Roberts said.
There are no current video production classes offered at A&M Texarkana because the lack of a TV studio “made it difficult to keep classes going,” Roberts allowed.
“I have two jobs here now,” Roberts stated, “Production, which is near and dear to my heart, and facilitating event technology.”
Eagle Hall hosts several big events throughout the year. He makes sure that everything technical is working and familiarizes speakers with the equipment, assuring any hiccups will be dealt with promptly, putting speakers at ease.
Roberts shares his thoughts on the necessity for media production classes at A&M Texarkana.
“All the things that go into a real comprehensive university are important. I think news/journalism and the media-arts are essential for a liberal-arts education, hopefully we get to that point. With the introduction of athletics there is a need to cover athletes and broadcast games, giving students a hands on opportunity to work within professional standards and guidelines. I hope we get TV multi-media back in the curriculum. There are ways to do it, even in conjunction with the community college where the studio sits.” Roberts concluding with, “It would add a lot to the atmosphere to the campus with students more involved.
