Picture of the week:
I could have posted something from The Hunger Games premiere. Or the Lone Ranger photo that everyone has seen. Or something from SXSW like Cabin in the Woods (“I want you all to enjoy the movie. And then keep it to yourselves.”) but that was two weeks ago. There was probably also some great pictures from WonderCon.
Ultimately, I couldn’t decide that I liked any one picture enough in a week where there’s nothing really else to look at is as good as any. To make up for it, I plan to make this the most pictured Event Horizon yet.
Book of the week:
Froi of the Exiles.
Really you should read Finnikin of the Rock first because it’s also amazing but Froi was released in the US this week, so it’s the “official” pick of the week.
Both are astounding stories of depth with complex characters and strong, fierce, indomitable women. If I can do anything, use any small influence I might have in the world, to help more people read Melina Marchetta then it’s well worth it.
Lesson of the week:
courtesy of The Avengers, if you’re afraid people aren’t talking about your movie release another poster. Even if we all know you’re just reconfiguring the same images over and over and over again.
Article of the week:
A glimpse into Snow White and the Huntsman (which, released a stunning new trailer this week after Wonder Con).
I like the director’s distinction between fairy tale and fantasy, as if fairy tale is historical magical realism.
Fantasy, to me, I think is anything goes. The world is fantastic; it’s not a real world. Whereas ours is a real world where magical things happen and people believe in them. It’s much more historic, I think. Our world, for all intents and purposes, could have happened in 1480 when they believed that these things existed. And that was where most of these stories came from–in that period in the Middle Ages. Whereas fantasy, to me, it never existed; it’s a parallel world. This is our world, as it was in that time.
News of the week:
Since my weekly feature is on Fridays I get to include the fact that last night The Hunger Games broke all sorts of records and they’re projecting it will make more than Breaking Dawn part 1‘s $138M this weekend. (alright, fine! Here’s a picture of the Hunger Games premiere).
$19.75M last night made it the #1 highest grossing non-sequel midnight show and the #7 highest midnight gross (you know, without the sequel caveat). On a side note, sometimes with all these specialized categorizations of movies it totally feels like people are making up things to break records for. Please don’t ask me to include the “Highest IMAX 2D” numbers or the “Highest Grossing Non-Lord of the Rings film on a Tuesday night” record (there is no such thing, officially. Unofficially anyone can make up any record they want to break.)
Interview of the week:
Joss Whedon, who else, discussing network tv and tv vs. movies and marketing and web series. My favorite quote actually is from Felicia Day, though.
“Now we have to figure out what they think they bought.”
That’s so hilarious because it’s true. The marketing department will tell you very clearly what a studio thinks a show is. And if the creator’s idea of what a show is doesn’t align with the studio/network’s idea of what it is… well that’s how shows get cancelled. And Joss has experience with that.
Video of the week:
Geek Therapy – Got Game