League of Extraordinary [Women]

One of my fellow geek/Whovian/blogger friends Jamila (Girl Gone Geek) had the opportunity to be a part of a "Women in Comics" panel recently to discuss the role and depiction of women in comics and other media.

The panel brought up a lot of issues that I have thought about when it comes to how women are visualized in comic books, video games, art and other forms of media. They are either over-sexualized or seen as the 'damsel in distress." The issue of a lack of female characters of color was brought up as well, revealing that there are few examples of black and Hispanic heroines in comics and media for young girls of color to look up to. All of the heroines of color I can name off the top of my head are Storm (X-Men), Vixen (Justice League/DC), Martha Jones (Dr. Who), Zoe Washburne (Firefly), Sheva Alomar (Resident Evil 5), Michonne (Walking Dead) and Fire (DC). The problem is that the majority of heroes that young girls are exposed to (primarily in comics) are white males figures like Superman and Batman, while female heroes like Wonder Woman and Batgirl aren't marketed as much. It's worse for heroines of color because they are placed in a smaller category whom are forgotten or looked over. Other topics that were discussed were the trend of "fake nerd girls," discrimination of women in the comic/animated world and how being a female geek is something that shouldn't be proven, but respected. What I mainly got out of the panel is that it is important to be yourself, be the change you want to see, and seek out others who you can express your "geekiness" with. Being a geek myself, I related with everything the panelists said and I'm happy that the discussion is being brought more to the forefront.

Women in Comics Panelists

Geeks United!

Finally, I want to share a video for a trailer I saw long ago for a documentary about the image of Wonder Woman and the role of super heroines in the media. It addresses the same issues discussed at the panel. The documentary will be premiering on the PBS channel on April 15th.



-Video Vix[o]n

"And the Winners Are...": Oscar's 2013

I watched most of the Oscar's this past weekend, not for the fashion or the corny jokes in the host's monologue, but to see which nominated actors and films would win the accredited award for the best in their category. Some may say the awards are superficial and that "the academy" shouldn't be able to determine what movie/actors deserve an Oscar, but to me, it's more than just the award, it's the honor of being recognized for their hard work.

Here are some of the winners from the big night of the movies I've seen:

LIFE OF PI - BEST DIRECTOR/CINEMATOGRAPHY/FILM EDITING



I didn't see all of this movie, but the visuals and story was really good. While watching it, I connected with the main character and even the tiger and it was a beautiful story of connection and perseverance.

DJANGO UNCHAINED - BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR/ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY



As this was another Tarantino production, I loved the style of this movie. Many people complained about the subject of this movie revolving around slavery, but I realized that this movie wasn't suppose to be historically accurate and more focused on the hero's journey. Christoph Waltz and Jamie Foxx also did an amazing job acting in this film.

SKYFALL - ORIGINAL SONG/SCORE



I loved this movie, the opening sequence and the song by Adele. When I heard it, I know I had to get it on my iPod. Though her Oscar performance of the song, to me, wasn't as powerful as I would have imagined, it's deserved its awards.

ARGO - BEST PICTURE/EDITING/ADAPTED SCREENPLAY



Argo was a great film. It was shot well and Ben Affleck did a good job as a producer. It was entertaining, thrilling and based on a true story, so that gave the story more merit. Definitely a must watch for those who haven't seen it.

Those are my favorites from the Oscar's. Which ones are yours?

-Video Vix[o]n

Short Film: I'm A Queen!

This short film has made me think about watching/posting video on Vimeo again. I forgot how impressive some shorts can be, and this one is no different. I didn't see the twist at the end, but it was well shot and with all the awards that it received, I wish I had thought of it myself. Enjoy.

The Queen from Christina Choe on Vimeo.

-Video Vix[o]n

Harlem Shook Up!

I've been hearing the same question from  lately: What is this Harlem Shake thing? Welcome to the new internet meme that puts the "random" in random. All I know is the song used for the meme is by a group named Baauer. When I first heard of the video, I was thinking "Did the Harlem Shake dance come back into style?" I immediately thought I was late to the party. Then after I watch a couple of videos, I realized it was an excuse for people to act random and go crazy. I seen a lot of internet companies, as well as a group of friends getting together to make this meme what it is and I've seen some funny and crazy stuff. What makes this meme so viral is that these videos are so short; 30 seconds and you can make some hilarious content. I was thinking of making my own version, but I decided that I would rather watch them and enjoy them for what they are than take part in them (plus I wouldn't have enough people to make it happen). So, enjoy the "Shakes" while it last. Can't wait to see what the next meme to pop up will be.

-Video Vix[o]n

Short Films: Rock, PAPER, Scissors

For Valentines' Day, I want to share these two short films I seen recently that are all about love (and paper too).

The first one is an animated short from Disney, which has been nominated for an Oscar. I like the fact that is a noir silent film, with a small touch of color, which symbolizes the love interest. The lack of dialogue makes you pay attention more to what was happening and it's simplicity and "magical" elements makes it a tough contender for an award.



The second short is one that my girlfriend sent to me from "Free People" about this Brooklyn couple who uses "rock, paper, scissors" to dictate their fun, romantic evening. I loved the shots and editing in this short and it had a warm ending.



Which short was your favorite?

-Video Vix[o]n