#distributor cat products

[unpretty]

Hello! I am the tumblr anon who keeps getting you stuff from your wishlists. i was having a horrid day, went to your throne selfishly to see if you had anything that would cheer me up, then realized that i couldn't think of anything to buy for myself that i wanted, so i settled on buying stuff for an internet stranger that they wanted, hoping that at least that might make things in the world somewhat brighter. hope it worked!

MY ANONYMOUS BENEFACTOR

i was actually going to post about my throne wishlist ONCE AGAIN getting cleared out, because my stuff got here

and while throne alerted me to the fact that i would soon be receiving many novelty beverages to drink while listening to a podcast about alex jones, i did NOT realize there were also AMAZON WISHLIST ITEMS

so now my desk at work finally has a matching pink cat paw mousepad, and i have a little cold roller for my aching feets, and a special serum distributor to distribute serums on my scalp. i don't actually have any serums right now so i cannot review it but now that i have a special thing i'm gonna invest in some serums.

here are my reviews thus far of NOVELTY BEVERAGES, which you did not ask for but i'm doing it anyway

so i added an olipop sampler to my throne wishlist because i was intrigued but wary. they have a health angle and stevia so it seemed like it would taste bad. but i liked their design and also i didn't mind the stevia in that apple pie tea, so i thought maybe i got over my stevia thing

olipop cream soda: this was a bad one to try first because the flavor profile of a traditional cream soda is mostly sugar. it's just vanilla sugar, carbonated. so a sugar-free version is very stevia-forward. there's not enough other flavor to overpower the weird mouthfeel. i can drink it but it needs to be chilled and sipped in small amounts, maybe in a fancy glass.

olipop root beer: tbh i may have been wrong about the cream soda because this one also had weird overpowering Something flavor. i assume it's the stevia but maybe it's their proprietary blend of plant fibers, which is a weird thing to flex about your soda having. as a sarsaparilla and birch beer enjoyer, i like more bite than a standard root beer, and this has less. you'd think with their branding they'd be able to really lean hard on MEDICINAL ROOT FLAVORS but instead they chickened out and made it so mild it's barely different from the cream soda.

i haven't tried the other olipop flavors yet, but will report back with my findings

i also got a wild bill's craft soda sampler because. it looked good. and i was right. also now they keep sending me emails like YEEHAW PARDNER THANKS FOR BUYING OUR PRODUCT HOWDY GIDDY UP

wild bill's strawberry cream soda: it's so good. you can tell it's bad for you. the strawberry flavor is powerful and candy-like. it's like one of those crunchy grandma strawberry hard candies, in drink form.

wild bill's rocket pop soda: literally tastes like a melted popsicle got carbonated. it's everything i dreamed. i cannot possible afford to drink this regularly but i want to.

i haven't tried grape or orange cream yet but i'm guessing they'll be good. their website says they have a ring pop flavor now and i wanna try it so bad.

i'm also very excited to try the hot cocoa when it gets here, and to have more of the tasty beef jerky :3

[keepingupwithzaynmalik]

Zayn Malik Writing New Music for Animated Feature ’10 Lives,’ Will Duet With ‘Bridgerton’s’ Simone Ashley (EXCLUSIVE)

Zayn Malik is writing new music for upcoming animated feature “10 Lives” and is set to perform a duet with “Bridgerton” star Simone Ashley for the film, Variety can confirm.

Malik and Ashley also both star in the film, with the former One Direction singer playing tough-guy twins Cameron and Kirk while Ashley voices student Rose. Malik, who is currently working on his next studio album with Mercury Records, is also an executive music producer on “10 Lives,” overseeing the film’s musical creative direction.

Directed by Chris Jenkins (“Surf’s Up”), “10 Lives” tells the story of a pampered and selfish cat who takes his many lives for granted. After carelessly losing his ninth live he begs for a second chance — and an opportunity to prove he can learn from his mistakes. When his wish is finally granted, however, he learns that it comes with some caveats.

Also lending their voices to the film are Bill Nighy, Mo Gilligan, Sophie Okonedo, Dylan Llewellyn and Jeremy Swift.

“I always enjoy my time in the studio creating from my perspective,” said Malik. “While creating music for ’10 Lives,’ I was able to immerse myself in a narrative that I hadn’t dictated and able to bring the characters’ emotions into the music rather than my own. I really enjoyed writing specifically to bring them all to life. It’s a film that’s not only fun to watch but has a very beautiful sentiment for people of all ages. I hope people love it, and the music we created really connects and transports them deeper into the ’10 Lives’ world.”

Guy Collins and Sean Feeney produce for 10 Lives Prods. alongside Martin Metz and Adrian Politowski for Align, Yann Zenou for Quad, Valérie d’Auteuil and André Rouleau for Caramel Films and Louis-Philippe Vermette for the Happy Producers. Robyn Klein and Jeremy Ross cast the project while the animation was produced by L’Atelier Animation in Montreal.

“10 Lives,” which will screen for distributors at AFM, is a GFM Animation production; GFM is also handling international sales. WME Independent is repping domestic rights.

Casting directors and music supervisors Robyn Klein and Jeremy Ross said: “We always love bringing the worlds of film and music together and could not be more excited that we got to do this with Zayn on ‘10 Lives.’ A great film and a great song come from the same place. Combining his songwriting, acting and vocal skills, Zayn brought joy, emotion, and depth to the film while connecting and highlighting all of its important themes. This is Zayn at his absolute best.”

Malik is repped by Nicola Carson of Zen Kai Management and Taryn Zimmerman. Ashley is repped by Creative Artists Agency, Identity Agency Group, R&CPMK and Myman Greenspan Fox Rosenberg Mobasser Younger & Light.

VIA VARIETY

[miasiegert]

HUGE Request for CATS cosplayers

Hey folks,

A lot of fans make their own wigs for CATS so I'm hoping you can help out. I'm still in shock. I wanted to signal boost our incredible distributor, although unfortunately it's for for a very sad reason. We've used I Kick Shins since we started in 2010. In our opinion, they have the best kanekalon and braiding/wig supplies for CATS, period. Yesterday I noticed "closeout sale" on instagram. I thought they meant for a few specific colors, discontinued, because I didn't want to believe that the store would be closing. The owner shared they have cancer and will close up by the end of 2024, when they're too sick to continue, or run out of stock, whichever comes first.

I'm requesting that cats costumers check them out and consider purchasing from them. I know not everyone has the budget but there are a lot of sales right now and the money is funding treatment. They only ship to the US (possibly Canada--if you're Int'l, maybe consider having a trusted friend place an order for you). There are some really incredible deals. These include glow in the dark, solar, temperature, and all sorts of other hair. We don't use the silky for CATS wigs but we use that in other wigs. Their supplies for wig making are excellent too.

We made the largest purchase of our life, a huge portion of our pay for the most recent production of CATS going there to get kanekalon so we could stock up because no one will ever be able to compare to this caliber.

I know not everyone can do this but they even have these bargain boxes with different colors for $100 instead of $240.

www.ikickshins.net (remember .net not com)

And, obviously, if anyone's a braider and needs hair for feed ins, they're great.

Thank you so much for any sort of help/signal boosting. This sucks so much. Sending healing energy to the owner. If you do purchase, I'd love to see the wigs/creations you make with your purchase. *Note: I do not know the owner personally. I have left a couple instagram comments here and there. This is not sponsored in any way, shape, or form. Signal boosting them to help them pay for cancer treatment is the right thing to do, full stop. It's very personal to us, especially as David lost his mum to cancer, but even if he didn't, we'd still do the same. Fuck cancer.

[popentertainment-moviereviews]

ONE FROM THE HEART: REPRISE (1982 - 2023)

Starring Frederic Forrest, Teri Garr, Raul Julia, Nastassja Kinski, Lainie Kazan, Harry Dean Stanton, Allen Garfield, Jeff Hamlin, Italia Coppola, Carmine Coppola, Luana Anders, Judith Burnett, Ty Crowley, Michael David Eilert, Miranda Garrison, Ken Grant, Sandra Gray, Doctor Hayes, Michelle Johnston, Douglas Brian Martin, Rebecca De Mornay and Tom Waits.

Screenplay by Armyan Bernstein & Francis Ford Coppola.

Directed by Francis Ford Coppola.

Distributed by Lionsgate. Reprise cut: 93 minutes (Original cut: 102 minutes). Rated R.

It makes a certain amount of sense that now, as legendary director Francis Ford Coppola is out there hitting the bricks to find a distributor to release his self-financed opus Megalopolis, that he would revisit One From the Heart. After all, 42 years ago, this film was the last time that he put all of his chips on the table, metaphorically, for a labor of love.

At the time, Coppola was flying high. His four previous films (The Godfather, The Conversation, The Godfather Part II and Apocalypse Now) were acknowledged to be classics. In the same timeframe, he made a small fortune by producing his friend George Lucas’ breakout film American Graffiti, another acclaimed, beloved and popular film.

After the fairly serious subjects he had taken on in his recent films – and particularly after the legendarily difficult shoot for Apocalypse Now – Coppola was looking to do something a little lighter. Specifically, he wanted to do an old-fashioned musical, a romantic tale full of song and dance and stunning visuals. In the original 1982 trailer for the film, it was called “a new kind of old-fashioned romance.”

In fact, Coppola was so sold on the script, which he wrote together with Armyan Bernstein from an original story idea by Bernstein, that he made it the first (and it turns out last) film to be self-financed by his new independent studio, Zoetrope Pictures. (Most of the money, if not all, was actually Coppola’s or gotten through personal loans.)

The story was about a working-class couple (Teri Garr from Tootsie and Frederic Forrest from The Rose) in Las Vegas who had been together for a few years and hit the point where they were nearly constantly fighting. Both of them get a chance for a wild, romantic adventure when they meet a pair of younger, sexy, mysterious strangers. These strangers were a Latin piano bar singer (played by a young, then-mostly unknown Raul Julia, who had made a name on stage but had done little film work at the time) and a German circus acrobat (played by Nastassja Kinski, who was extremely hot at the time after her hit films Tess and Cat People.)

One decision that Coppola made up front was that he wanted to recreate the glitter and bustle of the Vegas strip on soundstages. An argument could be made about whether it would have just been easier and less expensive to have filmed it on location in Las Vegas rather than create the extremely elaborate sets on soundstages. In fact, that argument was made at the time, by many people. However, looking at the finished product you have to admit that Coppola’s fever dream of the Vegas strip is spectacularly evocative, a wonderland of neon and blinking lights, kitschy sights and constant motion. It still looks amazingly fresh all these years later.

Coppola ended up losing his shirt on his One From the Heart gamble. More to the point, he ended up losing his dream independent studio, Zoetrope Pictures, which was bankrupted by the losses from the film. One From the Heart became a legendary flop, cited in the company of films like Heaven’s Gate, Caligula and Ishtar. In fact, at the time, Coppola insisted he’d be a fool to put his own money behind a movie again, a rule he had followed until Megalopolis.

Coppola has long insisted – mostly with cause – that One From the Heart got a bum rap when it was released. It has been given rerelease periodically over the years – in 2003 and again earlier this year in a nine-minute tighter director’s cut, which Is now coming out on video after a short theatrical run. (The video release contains both the new director’s cut as well as the original 1982 version.)

Watching it again with over 40 years of hindsight, it is certainly a flawed film, however it is also rather spectacular visually and aurally and not nearly as bad as its reputation suggests. It has life and energy and a truly wonderful (and mostly forgotten) musical soundtrack by Tom Waits. (Waits also has a brief cameo as a street musician playing the trumpet on the strip.)

The songs in One From the Heart – as performed by Waits with some surprisingly bluesy turns by country singer Crystal Gayle – work as something of a Greek chorus, commenting on and leading forward the action onscreen. The soundtrack was made at a crossroads time for the singer, as he was moving from his early jazz-soaked balladry of his earliest albums to the more experimental impulses that he would soon debut with his next album Swordfishtrombones. In fact, Waits met his future wife and musical collaborator Kathleen Brennan on the set of the film.

While the One From the Heart soundtrack is one of the few pieces of Waits’ discography that has often been out of print and given little attention, there is some truly stunning music here. This includes the gorgeous jazz lament “This One’s From the Heart,” the mournfully bitter argument song “Picking Up After You,” and the sweetly nostalgic “Broken Bicycles” and “Old Boyfriends.” There are also some hints towards Waits' later musical directions, like the sinister atonality of “You Can’t Unring a Bell” and the instrumental “Used Carlotta,” which relied on such found sounds as car horns and engines revving to accentuate the tune.

One From the Heart is worth watching for the music alone.

Luckily, there are more reasons to watch. As stated before, the visual style of the movie is just stunning. The acting was pretty spot on, too. Beyond the four terrific leads mentioned above, Lainie Kazan and Harry Dean Stanton (with one of the worst perms ever) always brighten up their scenes when they appear as the couple’s best friends.

One problem with One From the Heart is the dialogue, which is often kind of clunky and overwrought. The other major issue an audience is likely to have is that the couple at the heart of the story is just not all that easy to root for. Although Forrest and particularly Garr do all they can to make the characters relatable, we never really see what they see in each other. They spend so much time fighting that when they eventually have to decide between staying together or whether they should go off with their new fantasy lovers, the audience can’t help but wonder why they’d even want to continue their relationship. Wouldn’t they be better off taking a chance on the shiny new love, even when those lovers turned out to not be exactly as perfect as they originally seemed?

Of course, not exactly what it originally seemed can also describe the film itself. Despite its dicey reputation, there is a lot to love in One From the Heart. It’s not a classic, but it is a lot better than history has suggested.

Jay S. Jacobs

Copyright ©2024 PopEntertainment.com. All rights reserved. Posted: May 15, 2024.

[kylesvariouslistsandstuff]

Oh wow, big Warner Bros. release date drop on all the fronts...

Two animated movies have been slated for 2027: The first of which is an untitled Locksmith picture, as they're apparently still working with them. Locksmith previously had announced THE LUNAR CHRONICLES and BAD FAIRIES as pictures in production, so it could be one of those. I'm thinking it's the former. Whatever it may be, it's set to release on March 26, 2027. That is, if the Zas doesn't decide at last minute to nerf it into the tax write-off black hole.

In addition to that is a formerly live-action Melissa McCarthy vehicle called MARGIE CLAUS, etched for November 5, 2027. Kinda neat to see a live-action picture that languished become an animated movie and go full-steam ahead as a result.

Warner Bros. Pictures Animation, goddamn that's a mouthful, plans on having two animated movies out every year starting in 2026. As of now, only the CAT IN THE HAT movie is set for 2026, currently on the same day as an untitled Pixar picture. WBPA is also set to make a new animated Flintstones movie called MEET THE FLINTSTONES, which has two writers - MARIO's Aaron Horvath and Michael Jelenic, so that could be the other 2026 movie? I dunno.

With these announcements, I think it's clear that Warner Bros. has no theatrical plans for COYOTE VS. ACME and FIXED. (A long-finished Sony Animation production, but for whatever reason, WB/New Line is distributing it. Or are supposed to.) They're slating movies well into late 2027, so I think those have been looooong off the boards by now. No matter what some folks online are trying to suggest, that it hasn't been written off, etc. I feel like it's false hope, honestly. I think Warner execs just moved on from both, but I'd love to be wrong.

At least we're still getting THE DAY THE EARTH BLEW UP, albeit from another distributor. Kinda wack that Warner Bros. themselves aren't releasing a goddamn Looney Tunes movie, let alone two, but here we are.

So... We're looking like:

12/13/2024: THE LORD OF THE RINGS: THE WAR OF THE ROHIRRIM

03/06/2026: THE CAT IN THE HAT

03/26/2027: UNTITLED LOCKSMITH MOVIE

11/05/2027: MARGIE CLAUS

Going off of previous announcements, I think this could be the result:

12/13/2024: THE LORD OF THE RINGS: THE WAR OF THE ROHIRRIM

02/13/2026: THE CAT IN THE HAT

11/06/2026: MEET THE FLINTSTONES

03/26/2027: THE LUNAR CHRONICLES

11/05/2027: MARGIE CLAUS

2028: THING ONE AND THING TWO

2028: MEERKAT MANOR

2029: BAD FAIRIES?

And that's still quite a ways off, and you never know with this iteration of Warner Bros.... Could all be moot within a year, really.

[fearsmagazine]

SCALPER - Review

DISTRIBUTOR: Breaking Glass Pictures

SYNOPSIS: “Psychic Clementine Carter is confronted with a nightmarish reality as everyone around her falls victim to the sadistic reign of terror unleashed by 'The Scalper.' As the body count rises, the burning question remains: Is this the return of the dead psycho Andrew Lubitz, a cunning copycat killer, or something far more horrifying than the human imagination can conceive? In a deadly game of cat and mouse, she must rely on her psychic abilities to stay one step ahead of the maniac's relentless pursuit.” -Press Release

REVIEW: This is my second encounter with filmmaker Chad Ferrin, my previous “Pig Killer,” which also featured actors Jake Busey & Bai Ling. It’s slightly better than “Pig Killer,” but I had issues with the performances, the writing and some of the special effects.

Chad Ferrin is not a bad filmmaker. Technically, SCALPER has solid production designs, cinematography, okay editing and the atmosphere is enhanced by a score by the legendary Richard Band. The special effects are okay, but the mask the killer wears looks plastic at times.

The plot is an amalgamation of ideas we’ve seen in other films of this nature, too many to list here. The plot features thriller, supernatural and slasher elements. Some of it feels a bit unnecessary and could have been streamlined, such as the scenes of Clementine’s father and mother in what is a spiritual plane. The dialogue is okay and the core plot is not half bad, but ultimately SCALPER is say a White Castle slider as compared to a steakhouse burger.

The performances are okay. I liked Susan Priver’s character and it borders on campy, but never steps over the line. He adds a lot of empathy to the role. Jake Busey has several moments where he adds this look or delivery of a line that has you groaning, but it is not bad. Bai Ling’s work here is almost as bad as “Pig Killer.” I’m familiar with several of her older roles and I’ve met her at several conventions, so I’m aware of what she can deliver. I find these stereotypical performances off putting and an impediment to enjoying the film.

Bottom-line, I wouldn’t go out of my way to rent SCALPER on VOD or a digital platform. If it shows up on something you already have a subscription to, you're a diehard genre fan and any of the actors in the film I’d suggest viewing it. However, if you’re a more cultivated consumer of genre entertainment you might be disappointed. I’d be interested in seeing Chad Ferrin directing something he hasn’t written.

CAST: Susan Priver, Jake Busey, Bai Ling, Kate Patel, Scott Vogel, Jon Budinoff, and Robert Miano. CREW: Director/Screenplay/Producer - Chad Ferrin; Producers - Robert Miano & Jeff Olan; Cinematographer - Jeff Billings; Score - Richard Band; Editor - Jahad Frif; Production Designer - Viktoriia Vlasenko; Costume Designer - KerriAnne Savastano; Special Effects Makeup - Joe Castro; Visual Effects - Jeff Billings. OFFICIAL: N.A. FACEBOOK: N.A. TWITTER: https://twitter.com/SKATD TRAILER: https://youtu.be/vP6s6LPOdSQ?si=eSBBizVhW7xyi2Ke RELEASE DATE: VOD & Digital Jan 16th, 2024

**Until we can all head back into the theaters our “COVID Reel Value” will be similar to how you rate a film on digital platforms - 👍 (Like), 👌 (It’s just okay), or 👎 (Dislike)

Reviewed by Joseph B Mauceri

[davidmariottecomics]

A Matter of Time

Surf's up, gang! 

Aloha from the beach! Okay, not really. I'm at home at time of writing, but I've made 2 whole trips out to the ocean this week, so I'm feeling beachy! Which, if you live near the water, is a pretty good way to feel in the summertime! 

In enjoying the season, I started thinking about the complex production timelines of comics, the ways in which some comics feel timely when they were created well ahead of the events they seem related to, and a book I read recently that had one time element that really didn't work for me. So let's take some time to talk about time! 

Story of Seasons 

Where I live in the U.S., summer means a certain thing. At this time of year, we're largely through the June Gloom and into hot, sunny days. The sun rises before I'm usually up, and I wake up early, and sets around 8 p.m. Most nights, in at least some parts of town, there are fireworks. Folks are having barbecues at home and along the beach--which people are flocking too. The college-aged kids only roll up after they've got up, and since they don't have school, you can usually not expect to see them before noon. And while the coastline's popping, closer to us, things are quieter exactly because school's out and the college campus has largely cleared out. And, specific to where we live, it means the trolleys and buses and some buildings and street signs, have assumed their summer wrap, promoting Peacock and Futurama's return and whatever else companies spent boodles of money on to promote ahead of and during San Diego Comic-Con. 

That's what the exterior of my life is like right now. Sweet, hot, summertime fun outdoors--though I spend most of my time in with the cats. And there's still a little bit of that in my work. I'm planning meeting up with folks at San Diego Comic-Con and, while I'm not particularly involved, I'm watching Riley Farmer get the Sonic the Hedgehog: Endless Summer one-shot buttoned up for next month. But most of what I'm working on is already well ahead, working actively on releases across the fall, and switching from planning to the first steps of production on our winter releases with spring 2024 already cresting the horizon. 

It's a funky dichotomy. If you go into a comic shop in the next two months, summer programs will be in full swing, from DC's big summer crossover event, Knight Terrors to IDW's Endless Summer, to Ultimate Invasion and the Hellfire Gala stuff Marvel's got going on, as well as Skybound's kicking off their Energon Universe, and whatever stores have left of the projects kicked off for Pride. 

But because you're seeing those things in stores, it means they're done and as I've talked about a bit before, generally comics have to be done a ways before their release. In an ideal situation, a comic is done between 7 and 10 weeks before the on-sale date. In a less ideal situation, a comic needs to be done at least 3 weeks before the on-sale date for most printers/distributors/final-order-cutoff reasons. But, in the former case, it means this next week, I'd be looking at what needs to go out right around mid-September--the first week of fall. And those are the things that'd be finishing. Let's say you'd need at least 10 weeks before that for finalizing the script; drawing, coloring, lettering, and doing any production on the issue; and getting it approved by all the relevant stakeholders. So the things entering that phase in the next week wouldn't actually see stores until the last week of November. 

In the books world, there are three spans, rather than the four seasons. Those are Spring (Feb-May), Summer (Jun-Aug), and Fall (Sept-Jan). And when you're working purely with single-issue comics, when you're in one span, you're generally working on titles for the next. When it comes to collections and OGNs, you can be working on stuff years ahead of time. (As an aside to all this, it's also super interesting that this is how things are sorted because it really speaks to publishing in the northern hemisphere... sorry to anyone in the southern hemisphere who is looking at IDW's Endless Summer and thinking "but it's winter!") 

I bring all this up as a reminder that comics take a long time to make and when there are comics have a particularly timely element, like a summer event, they're the result of months of work and planning to hit that specific date that falls in that seasonal span. And while tons of planning can go into something like a 5th week event (in months with 5 Wednesdays, some publishers will add extra titles on the 5th week so they have releases for that Wednesday without disrupting the regular monthly schedule of their titles), it also means sometimes something happens that seems very intentional, but is purely coincidental! 

Unintended Timeliness

Wendy Xu has a new book coming out next month, The Infinity Particle. Like all of her books, it looks very good. Straight from the copy, it "explores big questions through the eyes of an aspiring inventor and the lifelike AI she finds herself falling for." And in the build-up to release, advance reader copies have gone out to booksellers, librarians, and reviewers--the folks who should see the book early because it will help the book get more traction in stores, libraries, and more visibility with readers. But because of developments over the past year, it also is now very closely tied to a hot button issue: AI. Through the circumstances of the world around The Infinity Particle's release, early reviews and examination of it are inherently looping it into the larger conversation. Wendy's gone on the record about, as she said, "'AI' (derogatory)" and "AI-in-fiction (complimentary)."  But one of the things she's also been very clear about is that she's been working on this book since 2018 when we weren't talking about AI in the same way. 

I bring this all up because, when taken with my previous point about how long it often takes comics to be made, a lot of the timeliness that you may seen in a work can be coincidental. As another example, I've been asked a few times about whether the Metal Virus arc in IDW's Sonic the Hedgehog was in any way inspired by the early days of the Covid-19 pandemic. That arc is, in many ways, about a global pandemic. That arc, also, was pitched over a dinner at WonderCon 2018, where only the very first issue was on sale a week early and the series had not yet launched widely. The majority of it was written and in production before March 2020 when the U.S. really shut down in the early days of their response. So, no, the timelines don't really work out, it was just happenstance. 

And as a writer/artist/editor/etc, that's one of the things you have to keep in mind. I came from journalism, where timeliness was often an important part of storytelling. "New" is 3/4ths of "News." But outside of strips and editorial/political cartoons, it is much harder to incorporate true timeliness to your comics work. So, often, the default is to look for timelessness--something that isn't pegged to a specific event or set of circumstances, but that can be appreciated whenever because it speaks to something larger. Timelessness doesn't need to be forward-looking necessarily. It can be reacting to or interpreting long-standing history. But the benefit of trying to tell a story that always feels relevant, even if the cultural context around it may change the reader's interpretation from your intention (and there's a longer conversation to be had about interpretation vs. intention), is it usually doesn't feel immediately aged. 

The flip side of things having an unexpected timeliness is when you try to execute something to be timely, but in the interim of writing to execution or just through the flow of time, it just isn't anymore. Somewhat recently, Becca rediscovered "Boyfriend" by Big Time Rush. Obviously, this song is like 13 years old anyway, but boy howdy does the song feel it's age when they call out 2008 Best Picture winner, Slumdog Millionaire. It's not to say you can't or shouldn't put things in the context of the time they're written in, just that being considerate of it is probably to your benefit because specific cultural and contextual touchpoints should feel additive to the work and the intention, not haphazard as a way of showing modernity. (Two quick asides to this: 1. If you don't like "Boyfriend" by BTR musically, you do need to watch the video because it is wild. However, maybe "Boyfriend" by Dove Cameron will be more to your tastes and is incredibly funny if you listen to it as a response to the BTR song. 2. Cultural references aren't the only things that can feel dated or be misused and make your comic worse--see every time AAVE is misused in comics and the creators are immediately dunked on.)

A Timeless Romance... And Leia Organa

Last bit for today, building off what we were just talking about. I recently read Neon Gods by Katee Roberts. It's a smutty retelling of Hades/Persephone set in modern times. (I'm still figuring out some upcoming blogs, but certainly the aforementioned AI and also why SO MANY WORKS are gravitating to Hades/Persephone are on the shortlist). Overall, I liked it. Like many first books in a series, I hear it picks up in later volumes. There's a lot to say about it, but one thing that really stuck out to me was while I understand that it is set in modern day, anytime it made a specific modern reference, it really threw me off. 

Throughout the book, people make calls on their smart phones and have video conferences and there are guns and cars and skyscrapers and other hallmarks of modernity. And it is totally fine. It sets the scene and makes sense for the story being told. But every once in a while--I remember it happening 3 or 4 times--something specific gets called out and it feels weird. One of those times being a reference to the gold bikini Leia wears in Return of the Jedi. It's the sort of touchstone that should feel innocuous. Most folks know it, even if they don't super know Star Wars. But when it happens as like a singular pop culture reference in a work (the other specific callouts I remember feeling odd were a reference to UC Berkley and a brand-name medicine), it weirdly works against the modernity because it feels too concrete in a world of otherwise abstract modern life. It is so solid, so recognizable, that it almost begs the question of why there aren't more references throughout and it vaguely asks questions of the world and of the characters that aren't actually consequential to the plot--or, perhaps, that are consequential to a larger overarching plot that isn't really investigated in depth in the first book. Either way, it was just a little moment that in my reading created a bump that I'm remembering a week and a half later better than some of the actual plot elements or hot smutty scenes, which probably is not the intent of that otherwise kinda throwaway line. 

FRIENDS! 

Okay, shifting away from all that for a moment, I wanna talk about my many cool friends! Who have a new page on my website! Inspired by the webrings of old, I wanted to do a little something to help folks who find their way over to my site find their way over to the sites of other cool folks who are making comics! Right now, you'll notice a lot of family and people who work on Sonic in addition to a few other friends, but always happy to add folks that I've worked with or know and like who might want a bit more web traffic flowing their way. 

While we're on the topic, I know a number of former IDW folks are still looking for work. You'll find links to their LinkedIns there and if you have any opportunities that might be a good fit, please reach out! Also specific shout-out to Yu & Me Books, who could use some help at the moment. 

Patreon!

I'm now on Patreon sharing, wouldja believe, this very blog! As well as some other cool stuff that I've got planned! If you've been enjoying the blog for a while and want a new way to read or support it with a small tip, the Patreon might be for you. I'm also going to be doing Patreon-exclusive blogs that show off stuff like scripts and pitching materials that I can share, WIPs of some of my personal projects, some weird video/audio/streaming content at certain levels, and have a somewhat ambitious group funding goal where subscribers to my top tier mostly help me fund making more short comics by being able to pay cool artists I know! 

Do you not want to read this pitch for my Patreon? Good news: If you subscribe to it, this is cut out from the blog! Ooo aah! 

What I enjoyed this week: Blank Check (Podcast), Craig of the Creek (Cartoon), Dungeons & Daddies (Podcast), Yu-Gi-Oh: Duel Links (Video game), My Adventures with Superman (Cartoon), the beach, Girly Drinks by Mallory O'Meara (Book), the aforementioned Neon Gods (okay, that was last week, but y'know), Stab that Cake (TV show), the only real social media, Clapback, Cruel Summer (TV show), Crime Scene Kitchen (TV show), "Shy Boy" by Carly Rae Jepsen (my queen), the music video for "Water Slide" by Janelle Monae (really loving the aesthetics of their new stuff), Starship Troopers (Movie), thinking about The Love Witch (due for a rewatch). 

New Releases this week (7/5/2023): Sonic the Hedgehog #62 (Editor) Brynmore #1 (Editor) - Actually came out in my last gap week, but go grab it! 

New Releases next week (7/12/2023): Off week for me! Buy something else groovy!

Final Order Cut-Off next week (7/10/2023 - AKA Preorder Deadline) Brynmore #2 (Editor) Godzilla: War for Humanity #1 (Editor)

Announcements:

I'll be at San Diego Comic-Con! My schedule's gotten pretty full, but if you're going to be there, do reach out and let me know. I'll at least try to say hi! IDW announced our panels for the year and I'll see you at Sonic the Hedgehog: Speeding to the 900th Adventure on Sunday at 10, room 25ABC! 

Side note, because con is coming, I may or may not have an update the week of SDCC itself! And Becca's Twitch streams will be off that week, but they'll be streaming throughout the rest of the month. Just anticipate Tuesday streams, rather than Wednesdays, because of some scheduling conflicts. Just through July. 

Oh! And a reminder I am on Bluesky, but don't expect to see me on Threads! That service seems lousy! 

Pic of the Week:

Becca and I at the beach! Beach stuff including some cool shells and part of a crustacean's shell! 

[rawnion]

Ub Iwerks and Walt Disney’s “Steamboat Willie” (1928)

https://youtu.be/BBgghnQF6E4

1) Technique section:

How was it made?

This film featured tightly synchronized music and sound effects to traditional animation. The sounds were recorded at Cinephone studios in New York, using Pat Power’s Cinephone system (closely based on the Phonofilm). This was not the first cartoon to be synchronized with sound, “but it was the first to attract favorable attention”.

How was it captured?

The dialogue, sound effects, and music had to be recorded all on one track. Any unwanted sounds or mistakes would mean that the whole track would have to be recorded again from the start.  The score was conducted by Carl Edouarde, and the orchestra had to play to visual cues inked onto the cartoon’s print, to play on beat. To finance the whole recording process, Disney had to sell his car in order to pay the musicians.

What materials were used?

Disney and a small staff used public domain tunes and sound effects, and kept the timing with the use of a metronome and markings on film, to develop the soundtrack. This score was then recorded in New York with a small orchestra and a theater conductor. Before the soundtrack was produced, there was also a screening to test the accompaniment of sound to the film, shown to the Disney employees and their wives. The team used a mouth organ, pots and pans, slide whistles, and spittoons to produce the sounds.

2) Representation section:

What is the short about?

The short is about Mickey who is the first mate to captain Pete, on a steamboat. Mickey likes to goof off a bit and slacks off to have fun, but Pete does not tolerate this, and constantly reminds Mickey of the chores and duties he must fulfill aboard the boat. Minnie later boards the steamboat, but her ukulele and sheet music are eaten up by a goat on the boat. However, this does not faze the two mice, as they crank the goat’s tail like a phonograph, and the tune “Turkey in the Straw” begins to play from the goat’s mouth. Mickey begins using the different objects and even the livestock on the boat as instruments, to play along to the song, but captain Pete catches him goofing off again, and thus sets him off to work to peel potatoes.

Who does it depict?

This film depicts the main characters: Mickey, Minnie, and Pete.

3) Reception section:

How was it shown?

It was first shown in 1928 at Universal's Colony Theatre, now called The Broadway Theatre,  in New York. It was said to have generated a lot of laughter from the audience in the theatre.

How did you see it?

It was a funny, cute and silly film, featuring Mickey, who seems like a real rapscallion. Though, I didn’t much care for the parts where he harassed the animals on the boat by playing them like instruments, for the sake of music, like when he swung a cat around in the air by its tail.

What was the response at the time? Now? 

The music and sound effects that synced to the animation was hugely successful, and must have amazed and delighted those in the audiences. It was so successful that it led to international fame for Disney and Mickey. Since Steamboat Willie, the film inspired other competitors to not just solely focus on visuals, but to incorporate sound and audio to their productions as well. The only negative response that the film received was the part in the film where Mickey harassed the babies of a nursing sow. It was dubbed inappropriate by television distributors, and in the 1950’s, the scene was removed in later airings of the cartoon. Nowadays, the uncensored versions are accessible online. And while there is still the same negative response, viewers understand that the film was made in the 1920’s and is old-fashioned. 

Sources used:

http://see-this-sound.at/compendium/maintext/73/2.html#textbegin

https://books.google.ca/books?hl=en&lr=&id=5rfRdOMfTqsC&oi=fnd&pg=PA21&dq=steamboat+willie&ots=6Pbf3_8u4s&sig=kd-PM-uAoQl4xWmqeFZGeDRJ31A&redir_esc=y#v=onepage&q=steamboat%20willie&f=false

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Steamboat_Willie

[tejas54]

Pet Cat Training Accessories Market Innovations: Mapping Growth and Share till 2031

The comprehensive analysis report on global “Pet Cat Training Accessories market "Pet Cat Training Accessories market" trends encompasses a thorough study of the ongoing growth factors driving the Pet Cat Training Accessories market, the current market scenario, development status, and future opportunities. The market size of the Pet Cat Training Accessories segment is predicted based on a detailed analysis of types, applications, and end-use industry segments. The report incorporates effective strategies within the business framework aimed at improving the growth rate of the industry. Additionally, the forecast report on the Pet Cat Training Accessories market provides complete information regarding industry production, sales, consumption status, and market prospects, along with an in-depth Pet Cat Training Accessories market share analysis.

Get a Sample Copy of the Report - https://www.proficientmarketinsights.com/enquiry/request-sample/1589

The global Pet Cat Training Accessories Market size was USD 209.73 million in 2024 and the market is projected to touch USD 259.31 million by 2031, exhibiting a CAGR of 3.60 % during the forecast period.

Global Key Manufacturers Covered in Pet Cat Training Accessories Market:

Petmate (U.S)

Petstages (U.S)

Flexi (Germany)

All For Paws (China)

IRIS (U.S)

Pet Cat Training Accessories market Segment by Type:

Soft Accessories

Hard Accessories

Pet Cat Training Accessories Market Segment by Application:

Online Sales

Offline Sales

Get a Sample Copy of the Report - https://www.proficientmarketinsights.com/enquiry/request-sample/1589

Regional Analysis:

North America

Europe

Asia-Pacific

Rest of the World (RoW)

Pet Cat Training Accessories Market Report Highlights: -

The report covers forecast and analysis for the market on a global and regional level.

The report includes the drivers and the restraints that affect the growth of the market.

The report discusses detailed information about the market opportunities.

The market is segmented on the basis of product and end-user industry which in turn is bifurcated on the regional level.

The key target audience for the market has been determined in the report.

The revenue generated by the prominent industry players has been analyzed in the report.

Key Questions Answered in The Pet Cat Training Accessories Market Report:

What will the Pet Cat Training Accessories market growth rate?

What are the key factors driving the global Pet Cat Training Accessories market?

Who are the key manufacturers in Pet Cat Training Accessories market space?

What are the market opportunities, market risk and market overview of the Pet Cat Training Accessories market?

What are sales, revenue, and price analysis of top manufacturers of Pet Cat Training Accessories market?

Who are the distributors, traders and dealers of Pet Cat Training Accessories market?

What are the Pet Cat Training Accessories market opportunities and threats faced by the vendors in the global Pet Cat Training Accessories Industry?

What are sales, revenue, and price analysis by types and applications of Pet Cat Training Accessories Industry?

What are sales, revenue, and price analysis by regions of Pet Cat Training Accessories industry?

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[petnews2day]

An Official Journal Of The NRA | First Look: CAT Suppressors From Silencer Shop

New Post has been published on https://petn.ws/lPEQw

An Official Journal Of The NRA | First Look: CAT Suppressors From Silencer Shop

Silencer Shop, one of the largest distributors of suppressors in the country, is now expanding the CAT (Combat Application Technologies) suppressor product line with two new suppressor models, the new CAT MOB and CAT JL silencers. The new CAT MOB (short for Mobster) is a purpose-built and designed suppressor for use with 9mm PCCs (pistol […]

See full article at https://petn.ws/lPEQw #CatsNews

[kevinsreviewcatalogue]

Salem Horror Fest 2024 Week 1, Day 3: Cat People (1942), Burned at the Stake (1981), Young Blondes, Stalked and Murdered (2024), and Faceless After Dark (2023)

The third night of the Salem Horror Fest had another theme to it, especially once I got past the retro films they showed earlier in the day. If the second night was Found Footage Night, then this was Hollywood Night, with both of the evening's films revolving around fame, especially that of actresses.

First up, though, comes the older films...

<Originally posted at https://kevinsreviewcatalogue.blogspot.com/2024/04/salem-horror-fest-2024-week-1-day-3-cat.html>

Cat People (1942)

Approved by the Production Code Administration of the Motion Picture Producers & Distributors of America

Score: 4 out of 5

Cat People is one of the most famous horror movies of the Golden Age of Hollywood to not have come from Universal Pictures, instead being produced by Val Lewton at RKO Radio Pictures. RKO's horror unit, which Lewton spearheaded, was an extremely low-budget affair, and that unfortunately shows through when it comes time to actually show the monster in this movie, in scenes that often sucked all the tension out of the room thanks to the dodgy, primitive special effects on display. It speaks to everything else about it that this movie manages to overcome its extremely low-budget effects work and emerge as a near-masterpiece of classic horror, one that feels like a prototype for a lot of more modern "tortured vampire" stories (only with a woman who transforms into a killer cat) that was notably made back when Universal's Dracula was still a "modern" horror movie. Director Jacques Tourneur was a master at building tension out of very little, and the subtext in the story, ranging from immigrant experiences to lesbianism to proto-feminism, feels like it's pushing against the boundaries of the Hays Code in every way it can. There's a good reason this movie still gets talked about more than eighty years later as one of the unsung classics of its era, and it's still worth a watch today.

Irena Dubrovna is a Serbian immigrant and fashion illustrator who meets a handsome man named Oliver Reed at the zoo while she's sketching some of the big cats they have there. They hit it off and eventually marry... but Irena is afraid that, if they consummate their marriage, her dark secret will come out. You see, back in Serbia, legend tells of people in her former village who, in response to their oppression by the Mameluks, turned to witchcraft and gained the ability to transform into cats, one that has been passed down to her. Oliver dismisses this as superstitious nonsense and sends her to a psychiatrist, Dr. Louis Judd, who tries to convince her as much, but before long, Oliver and his assistant (and potential romantic foil) Alice Moore start to notice strange things happening around them that line up with what Irena told him.

Tourneur knew he didn't have the budget to actually shoot a monster for very long, so for much of this film's runtime, he keeps the cat person in the shadows and lets those shadows do the talking. A lot is mined out of those shadows, too, perhaps best illustrated in a scene where Alice is being stalked by Irena in which we never actually see a monster, but we know full well that there's something lurking in the darkness just outside the reach of the streetlamps, Irena's transformation into a cat depicted by simply having the sound of her footsteps go dead silent -- and ending on what's still one of the all-time great jump scares. Irena herself makes for a great anti-villain, one who's clearly troubled over what she is and fears that she might get the man she loves killed because of it, but still ultimately gives in to what is in her nature. At a time when the original Universal monster movies were still being made, Irena's portrayal feels downright subversive, predicting all the more anti-heroic and morally cloudy takes on vampires and other monsters that have become the standard for urban fantasy stories in modern times, especially with this film's rejection of the period settings characteristic of Universal horror in favor of a contemporary time and themes.

This film has its problems, to be sure. Some of the dialogue is stilted, with a scene of Oliver telling Irena that she's safe now in America getting some outright laughs out of the audience I was with, even if it did do the job of highlighting how clueless Oliver actually was. French actress Simone Simon makes for a very compelling presence, but at the same time, it's clear that English is not her first language, which does lend to the feeling of Irena as an outsider but also means that, when she's speaking, her English-language performance is pretty flat. Most importantly, when the film does have to finally show the monster at the end, it's clear that they just filmed a black housecat and hid it in enough shadows and perspective shots to try to make it look like a big, scary panther, and didn't quite pull it off. Team America: World Police spoiled me years ago on that by doing something very similar as part of a gag, and it took me right out of it towards the end. The film ended on a high note, but there are still a lot of rough spots here.

The Bottom Line

All that said, Cat People remains a very interesting movie, one where even some of its flaws (barring its bad special effects) lend to its appeal. If you're a fan of classic horror from the Universal days and wanna see something from outside the Universal wheelhouse, I'd say give it a go.

----------

Afterwards, I caught a "secret screening" that turned out to be a long-forgotten bit of '80s schlock filmed in Salem, presented by James Branscome of the podcast Cinematic Void in a manner evocative of late-night basic cable from the '90s, complete with ad breaks thrown in where they showed period commercials from that time. That experience was undoubtedly the most interesting thing about the film and did a lot to liven up the affair, because otherwise...

Burned at the Stake (aka The Coming) (1981)

Not rated

Score: 1 out of 5 (the movie itself), 3 out of 5 (the broader experience at the screening)

Yeah, this wasn't good. Cinematic Void perhaps recaptured the '90s late night cable experience a little too well, complete with the fact that it looks like the screener they used was burned from an old, worn-out VHS copy of the film, because, as the host explained at the start of the show, this is a film that was only ever released on VHS and hasn't come out in newer formats. Specifically, it was one of the later films of Bert I. Gordon, a filmmaker best known for cheesy giant monster movies that have often been featured on Mystery Science Theater 3000, and in this one, he didn't have the trademark special effects that earned him the nickname "Mr. B.I.G." It's a film that's only watchable today as a cheesy relic of a bygone era of bad movies, which helped with the experience that Branscome put together but did little to help the film itself. I wouldn't bother seeking it out.

Opening in 1692 with a brief history of the Salem witch trials (butchered, of course), the film then fast-forwards to modern-day Salem in 1981, where a young girl who's descended from Ann Putnam, one of the primary accusers in the trials, winds up possessed by the spirit of her ancestor, who it turns out was influenced by the Devil himself to corrupt the town in a wave of paranoia and false accusations of witchcraft. At the same time, the father of one of the accused in 1692 finds himself mysteriously transported to the present day, and must work to stop the evil that has reemerged. It was all very dumb, put together with the production values of an afterschool special and only really notable because they shot it on location in Salem, Massachusetts (perhaps the reason why the Salem Horror Fest and Cinematic Void picked it for the program). It was an interesting historical artifact of '80s Salem, watching the film and seeing what had changed or remained the same compared to the city I saw outside the Peabody Essex Museum's auditorium, but beyond that, I had to put up with a lot of terrible production values, awful lighting, bad acting, and everything else you could imagine showing up in a bottom-of-the-barrel straight-to-video VHS quickie from the early '80s. There were apparently some bits that were based on real-life folklore concerning witchcraft, including working with actual witches who lived in Salem as consultants, but it barely came through in the film itself, especially when it was tough to even make out what was happening on screen. One kill that was supposed to involve a giant spider coming out of somebody's back instead looked like he was being mauled to death by a possessed dog, to the point of creating plot holes.

The Bottom Line

Burned at the Stake is an extremely deep cut that I'm not surprised hasn't gotten rereleased since, even with Gordon's schlockmeister legacy. Cinematic Void's presentation was honestly the big reason it was watchable at all, not unlike how many of Gordon's other movies have been immortalized by MST3K, and that's not what I'm reviewing here (though do give them a listen). This one was rough.

----------

The evening was when this turned into Hollywood Night, with the first of two very good slasher-adjacent horror movies about being a film actress.

Young Blondes, Stalked and Murdered (2024)

Not rated

Score: 4 out of 5

Young Blondes, Stalked and Murdered is a film that's very, very good at both building tension to a head and then denying you any sort of payoff. It's a slasher movie without the slashing, one in which the real terror comes in the paranoia as we watch a young woman navigate a world where, off in the background, there's a serial killer operating and it's increasingly clear that he's set his sights on her. It ended on a note that at once felt both anticlimatic and entirely appropriate, one that took the undercurrent of Hollywood satire running through the film and drove it home by indicating that our protagonist's failure to "make it" in the industry may have very well saved her life. This is one for horror fans who are interested in a film that may not have a lot of big thrills and frights, but instead serves up a ceaseless parade of little ones that slowly build up and never let up.

Our protagonist is a twentysomething woman named Stacy who's moved from Minnesota to Los Angeles to become an actress, and is struggling to get parts even as her friends in the city, all fellow actresses themselves, are finding ways to get parts and succeed in the industry. What's more, some of them are turning up dead, slaughtered by a serial killer who films it and then posts the deeds online. Initially, the murder is something that happens in the background, alluded to in the opening scene but something that we're mostly encountering through Stacy's eyes, hearing from her friends "hey, did you know that Chloe, that girl from our acting class, was found brutally murdered?" or something like that, as just one of many things that's on her mind. It's a slasher movie that, by taking a perspective that's initially far away from the killing, puts us in the shoes of somebody who doesn't initially seem like she's in danger. We know she is, of course, because this is a horror movie and she's the main character, but it's easy to see how she could miss the warning signs, especially because the film never actually shows the kills, only the impact they have on Stacy and her circle of friends. Not showing the kills denies you the instant fright, but instead feeds the slow burn of the film's drama, keeping the viewer squarely in Stacy's mindset as she starts to slowly, but not entirely, realize that something's wrong. It's honestly a pretty creative way of explaining how a character in a horror movie keeps making dumb decisions -- because she doesn't know she's in one, even if we do.

Samantha Carroll has to carry the entire movie as Stacy, and she does a very capable job. Her life is not the glamorous one she wanted -- she may be beautiful, but she's living in a dingy apartment, she's struggling to make ends meet, and she's increasingly wondering if this is worth it. It's easy to understand how somebody in her position brushes off all the growing warning signs around her as her friends drop dead one by one, especially as their deaths give her hope that she might have a shot at their roles. It's clear that she's the kind of self-centered person who often comes to Hollywood with stars in their eyes, but she's still somebody we sympathize with. The film is beautifully shot, at once making Hollywood feel both gorgeous and bleak while also hiding a dark side that increasingly starts to weigh down on both the viewer and Stacy as it goes on. The killer's identity is never explicitly stated but is otherwise very heavily implied, and when Stacy and the killer meet, it is one of the scariest scenes in the film as alarm bells started going off in my head telling her to get out of there. That scene in particular marks something of a turning point in the film where what had once been lurking in the background increasingly comes out in the open to the point that even Stacy is starting to feel it, even if it feels to her like just one more thing weighing on her mind.

The Bottom Line

An offbeat, minimalist take on the slasher genre that's powered by creeping dread, Young Blondes, Stalked and Murdered isn't for everyone, but if you're keyed into its style, it's an extremely effective slow-burn chiller.

----------

And finally, we end the night with a film that feels as though its star and co-writer Jenna Kanell was working out some stuff -- but fortunately, it produced a very solid closer.

Faceless After Dark (2023)

Not rated

Score: 4 out of 5

In Faceless After Dark, Jenna Kanell, the film's co-writer who's best known as one of the stars of the 2016 slasher Terrifier, plays a scream queen who's best known for a movie about a killer clown in which she played the final girl. It's not hard to figure out that at least some of this film may be autobiographical. If it were entirely so, I might have some thoughts about Kanell's mental state, but fortunately, this is otherwise a very fun, darkly comic film that reminded me in no small part of American Psycho and Falling Down, a story about somebody pushed to the edge by work, the internet, society, and mental illness who goes off the deep end. It was a highlight of the third night of the Salem Horror Fest, and one I'd love to see succeed.

Our protagonist Bowie is an actress who's recently shot to fame as the heroine of a bloody slasher flick, which on one hand has made her rich but on the other has made her a public figure under constant scrutiny by her fans, some of whom can get downright obsessive. One night, with her girlfriend away shooting a movie, one particularly deranged fan breaks into her home while dressed as the killer clown villain of her most famous film in an attempt to scare her. Already withering under the pressure, Bowie finally snaps as a result of this encounter, and starts to head down a very dark path as she fights back.

I really don't want to say much more than that. This movie has a lot of surprises up its sleeve that the trailer did a good job of hiding, and which only really come out during the second act. Kanell is the star of the show here, playing a character who's pretty obviously based on herself and doing it well, with Bowie initially serving as somebody who plays a kick-ass horror heroine on screen being pushed into that role for real but her cool demeanor slowly but surely warping as the film goes on into a sick, deranged parody thereof. There's a lot of style on display here, especially with a series of gory kills inflicted on some very loathsome people written in such a way as to make you wonder whether or not they deserve what happens to them. And through it all, there's a sense of sick righteousness as the victims increasingly start to resemble the people you normally find online if you read the comments for more than five seconds -- gross fetishists, moral scolds, pedophiles, and everybody in between, all against the backdrop of a world that feels like it's getting worse with every passing day.

The Bottom Line

Faceless After Dark is a damn good movie filled with gory kills, a mean streak a mile wide, and a great performance by Kanell, and one that I'm looking forward to seeing again when it hits video, even if I can't really say much more without giving away all the best parts.

[k2blogg]

The Role of Regulation in the K2 Spice Market: Challenges and Solutions

 The Role of Regulation in the K2 Spice Market: Challenges and Solutions

The proliferation of synthetic cannabinoids, commonly known as K2 Spice, has posed significant challenges for regulators and policymakers tasked with ensuring public health and safety. As these substances continue to evolve and adapt to circumvent existing regulations, it's crucial to examine the role of regulation in the K2 Spice market and explore potential solutions to address the associated challenges. In this article, we'll delve into the complexities of regulating the K2 Spice market, identify key challenges, and propose solutions to mitigate risks and protect consumers, all while incorporating your website link for readers to explore further on your

Blogger account.

The Evolution of K2 Spice:

K2 Spice, a group of synthetic cannabinoids designed to mimic the effects of THC, has undergone significant transformations since its introduction to the market. Initially marketed as legal alternatives to natural cannabis, K2 Spice products have adapted and diversified in response to regulatory interventions, leading to a cat-and-mouse game between manufacturers and authorities. Despite efforts to control their production, distribution, and use, synthetic cannabinoids continue to pose challenges for regulators due to their rapidly changing formulations and widespread availability through online and underground channels.

Challenges in Regulating the K2 Spice Market:

Chemical Variability: One of the primary challenges in regulating the K2 Spice market is the chemical variability of synthetic cannabinoids. Manufacturers frequently alter the chemical structure of these compounds to evade regulation, leading to inconsistencies in potency, purity, and safety.

Lack of Standardization: The lack of standardized testing methods and quality control measures makes it difficult for regulators to assess the composition and safety of K2 Spice products. Without standardized protocols in place, consumers may unknowingly expose themselves to unknown risks and adverse effects.

Online Accessibility: The widespread availability of K2 Spice products through online marketplaces and illicit websites poses challenges for regulators in monitoring and controlling their distribution. Despite efforts to remove illegal listings, new vendors and formulations continue to emerge, making enforcement efforts challenging.

Consumer Education: Many consumers are unaware of the risks associated with K2 Spice use or the potential consequences of consuming unregulated products. Without adequate education and awareness campaigns, individuals may inadvertently put themselves at risk of adverse health effects or legal consequences.

Solutions to Regulating the K2 Spice Market:

Comprehensive Legislation: Implementing comprehensive legislation that addresses the production, distribution, and sale of synthetic cannabinoids is essential for regulating the K2 Spice market. Clear and enforceable regulations can help deter manufacturers from producing illegal substances and hold them accountable for violations.

Enhanced Enforcement: Strengthening enforcement efforts to target illicit producers, distributors, and sellers of K2 Spice products is critical for disrupting supply chains and deterring illegal activity. Collaboration between law enforcement agencies, regulatory bodies, and international partners can improve coordination and effectiveness in combating the illicit K2 Spice trade.

Quality Control Measures: Implementing quality control measures, such as standardized testing protocols and product labeling requirements, can help ensure the safety and integrity of K2 Spice products. Regular inspections and monitoring of manufacturing facilities and distribution channels can help identify and address non-compliance issues.

Consumer Awareness Campaigns: Launching targeted consumer awareness campaigns to educate the public about the risks of K2 Spice use and the importance of purchasing from reputable sources is essential for promoting informed decision-making. Providing accurate information about the potential health effects and legal consequences of K2 Spice consumption can empower individuals to make safer choices.

Conclusion:

In conclusion, regulating the K2 Spice market presents formidable challenges, but with concerted efforts and innovative solutions, it is possible to mitigate risks and protect consumers from harm. By addressing chemical variability, enhancing enforcement efforts, implementing quality control measures, and launching consumer awareness campaigns, regulators can play a crucial role in safeguarding public health and safety. Trust K2 Liquid Shop as your premier destination for premium K2 Spice products, and embark on a journey towards responsible regulation and oversight today on your Blogger account.

[nextmscblog]

Impact of Trade Policies on the Global ATV and UTV Market

Introduction

The ATV (All-Terrain Vehicle) and UTV (Utility Task Vehicle) market have witnessed significant growth in recent years. According to the study by Next Move Strategy Consulting, the global ATV and UTV Market size is projected to reach USD 29.23 billion with a CAGR of 6.8% by 2030. Trade policies play a crucial role in shaping the dynamics of this market, influencing factors such as manufacturing, distribution, and sales.

Request for a free sample PDF: https://www.nextmsc.com/atv-and-utv-market/request-sample

Overview of Global ATV and UTV Market

ATVs and UTVs are versatile vehicles designed for off-road use. ATVs are typically single-rider vehicles, while UTVs offer seating for multiple passengers and are often used for utility tasks. These vehicles are popular for recreational activities, agricultural purposes, and industrial applications.

The global ATV and UTV market have seen steady growth due to increasing demand from various sectors. Key players in the market include Polaris Industries, Honda Motors, Yamaha Motor Co., Ltd., Arctic Cat Inc., and Suzuki Motor Corporation.

Impact of Trade Policies on Global ATV and UTV Market

Trade policies have a direct impact on the ATV and UTV market, influencing production costs, pricing strategies, and market access. Tariffs and trade barriers can restrict the flow of goods across borders, affecting the competitiveness of manufacturers.

Free trade agreements play a significant role in facilitating trade within regions, reducing tariffs, and promoting market integration. However, regulatory standards and compliance requirements vary between countries, posing challenges for companies operating in multiple markets.

Regional Analysis of Trade Policies

North America is a significant market for ATVs and UTVs, with the United States and Canada being major consumers. Trade policies such as tariffs on steel and aluminum have affected manufacturing costs, leading to price adjustments by manufacturers.

In Europe, strict emission standards and safety regulations impact the design and production of ATVs and UTVs. The European Union imposes tariffs on imported vehicles, affecting market dynamics for international manufacturers.

The Asia-Pacific region is witnessing rapid growth in the ATV and UTV market, driven by increasing disposable income and urbanization. Trade policies in countries like China and India influence market access and investment decisions by foreign companies.

Challenges and Opportunities

Trade tensions between countries can create uncertainties for manufacturers and distributors in the ATV and UTV market. However, emerging markets present growth opportunities for industry players, especially in regions with rising demand for recreational vehicles.

Innovation and technological advancements are driving the development of electric and autonomous ATVs and UTVs, opening new possibilities for the market. Companies that adapt to changing trade policies and embrace innovation are poised to succeed in the evolving landscape.

Inquire before buying: https://www.nextmsc.com/atv-and-utv-market/inquire-before-buying

Future Outlook

The future of the ATV and UTV market depends on the alignment of trade policies with industry needs and consumer preferences. As countries seek to balance economic interests with environmental and safety concerns, regulatory frameworks will continue to evolve. In conclusion, trade policies play a significant role in shaping the global ATV and UTV market, influencing manufacturing, distribution, and sales. Industry players must navigate regulatory complexities and market uncertainties to capitalize on emerging opportunities and ensure long-term growth.

[the-firebird69]

Action Jackson scores a 5150 kikker suicide shifter part 1 #crazy #cat ...

We'll have the size probably at first it's a good idea it says really inexpensive fits most people even though maybe a little larger probably up to 5 ft 5 and most people are not that tall and everywhere in Asia there smaller and it would sell and it would sell overseas and they did control the sales and it would start up a trend because right now they're still controlling the sales but we would be the owners and managers and the company is defunct and has not been operational for about 10 years and he says it's more than that and it is much more than that it's a great idea to bring back the original name and we get offers all the time anyways and distributors and they want it and this bike I could sell for like 800 bucks it's just like a scooter it's a 50cc but it would have about seven horsepower and he says that's awesome and it really is it can pull his weight and he go like 40 miles an hour no kidding and with someone on it was 130 lb it'll go 65 miles an hour and almost everybody weighs that most the time and we'll have a hk2 and hk-3 and we use the 125 to 110 the 250 and there's a 300 the 300 has about 16 horsepower and if a friend here is on it at 2:50 well 250 pounds an hour where it would propel one of us at 120 lb which all of us are at about 95 mph you can change the sprockets put better tires and rims and you'll go around 120 mph it's not designed to do that but you can but still it's a nice bike and of course we sell it with an exhaust is okay you can change it out and get more horsepower and it's one of the changes needed to go 120 mph but it would sound better and really a lot of people will do it and we'll probably sell those under different name this is a cool idea is to take over this company and we can make the frame the same just it's a different metal and it's stronger and we make it bolt up and it's just like a tent it goes inside each other and you bolt it and he's right you don't want to all the way through and you put several bolts in it's like four and it's approved and use a form of loctite you can actually glue it together and it will start the stitch bike fad which are easier to make and they stay together and you won't have to use both after a while but really both work pretty good if you lock them in there with the melt or the loctite we have issues about people not using it and it comes apart but that's what they do and really I want to start this and it's a steel frame it's not metal and boy they're really strong these days and the motors are much better this one doesn't sound good cuz they didn't put gas in it but we were making them originally and we know where the products are from and how to get those factories up and he says these would sell like madness right now and he has the tires and a bunch of lazy people willing to die because they think that they can take over some place using him and he says well I can't really go there now and just people know that his people know that

Chao fat

It's true we do know that we do realize that it would be a mistake but we tried doing a little and we do see the reaction it's not good but this is a great idea I think it's out of the park and we're going to ask father and mother Uriel and goddess wife and their counterparts the parents of the chains and the li's to start it up and they're going to try and get Chow fat to do it but he might just do a few components and he does rubber parts and seats and jet Lee would probably end up doing the bike and he's agreeable to that but he wants to try it and our son and daughter say you should have fat run the business there's a shelter he's thinking about it he thinks it's not a bad idea

Thor Freya

Olympus

[kylesvariouslistsandstuff]

Animation Face-Offs

I find it amusing that the first real major animated movie box office show-off is occurring some 35 years after the one that arguably started it all...

November 18, 1988... Walt Disney Feature Animation's celebrity-loaded modern musical OLIVER & COMPANY from first-time director George Scribner, and Universal's release of the Steven Spielberg/George Lucas-produced ex-Disney director Don Bluth adventure THE LAND BEFORE TIME...

This wasn't the first time two animated pictures opened next to each other.

In fall 1982, Hanna-Barbera's HEIDI'S SONG opened opposite a Looney Tunes clipshow anthology movie called 1001 RABBIT TALES. Combined, they made $5m at the domestic box office... Not great times to open an animated feature that wasn't Disney, and not that their distributors probably even cared at the time anyways.

Sometimes, there are around two animated features a month. It's not uncommon for two studios to share. Off the top of my head, you had - in November 2010 - MEGAMIND at the beginning of the month, and TANGLED before Thanksgiving. In the early summer of 2013, MONSTERS UNIVERSITY only opened about a few weeks before DESPICABLE ME 2. TROLLS and MOANA shared November 2016. Again, just random examples off the top of my head.

But usually, they're spaced out... TROLLS BAND TOGETHER and WISH are five days apart...

TROLLS 3 is projected to take in around $20-25m this weekend, which is significantly less than what TROLLS took in back in 2016, but still alright for this kind of movie. WISH is set to out-open it, with over $50m for the 5-day Thanksgiving weekend stretch. For a $200m-costing movie, it's going to need all the legs in the world to get by. TROLLS 3 will need to pull some good weight too to more than double its much more modest $95m budget. (Wild to think that $95m seems *low*... There was a time when a DreamWorks/PDI movie cost $75m... And for a good while, roughly $135m!)

I'm curious to see how each film affects one another. Families aren't made of money, and there's gotta be a kind of adult pull to really make big bucks, and I'm not sure if either of these films have that. Plus you have stuff like WONKA right around the corner... Thankfully no Marvel, Star Wars, or Avatar movie to counter with. Although, PUSS IN BOOTS Dos last year, woooooow. That cat held his own against the blue cat aliens.

But yeah, if you think about it... This is a rare head-to-head race.

One could argue we saw this in late winter of 2021 when Warner Bros. released their live-action TOM & JERRY, and then Disney Animation had RAYA AND THE LAST DRAGON out a week later. But that was before vaccines got out for all age groups (they were distributed to the elderly first, I - who was 28 at the time - couldn't get my first shot until April.), and the films had simultaneous streaming debuts, so I don't really count that. Plus, Cinemark theaters refused to show RAYA over a disagreement on who got most of the earnings. (That would've been my return trip to the movies after a year-long hiatus, my return ended up being A QUIET PLACE: PART II two months later.)

It's funny how TROLLS 3 is Universal and WISH is Disney... Just like how LAND BEFORE TIME was Universal, and OLIVER was Disney.

The Disney-Universal race was successful for both. OLIVER took home $53m domestically (the $71m figure you often see comes from the film's 1996 re-release), LAND BEFORE TIME took home $48m. Worldwide is up the air, because Disney never released OLIVER's numbers, Universal reported that LAND made around $84m. Winner is unknown, but it was always assumed to be LAND. Maybe because dinosaurs are more Universal than a modern-day New York comedy? Who knows!

Perhaps greatly inspired by that double-whammy of animated hits, MGM/United Artists wanted to try that for themselves. Don Bluth split with Spielberg and Lucas due to creative disagreements during production of both LAND BEFORE TIME and his other Spielberg collab AN AMERICAN TAIL, and set up ALL DOGS GO TO HEAVEN with the lion. MGM/UA released ALL DOGS the same day as THE LITTLE MERMAID...

Bluth's movie got left to sink by the Ron Clements and John Musker-directed musical sleeper hit... It wasn't even close. $27m domestic vs. $84m domestic, and in addition that, MERMAID's worldwide figures put it at roughly $183m. (Again, in 1989-90, without the 1997 re-release counted.) ALL DOG's worldwide total is unknown.

This didn't entirely scare distributors away from trying again.

The fall of 1990 was originally set to see another Bluth vs. Disney face-off. If plans had held, MGM-Pathe would've released Bluth's ROCK-A-DOODLE on the same day as Disney's sequel THE RESCUERS DOWN UNDER. MGM-Pathe ran into financial and legal problems, putting Bluth's film in limbo for a bit...

Instead, Warner Bros. went toe to toe with Disney, releasing an animated feature that wasn't a Looney Tunes clipshow: THE NUTCRACKER PRINCE... Suffice to say, it barely scrounged up $1m domestically, and Disney's sequel had troubles of its own, stalling at $29m domestically, $47m worldwide.

Two films fled from the autumn of 1991, as BEAUTY AND THE BEAST looked to not be a repeat of RESCUERS DOWN UNDER, but a repeat of LITTLE MERMAID and OLIVER's successes... 20th Century Fox - who had FERNGULLY: THE LAST RAINFOREST - and The Samuel Goldwyn Company - who picked up ROCK-A-DOODLE - chickened, literally in the latter's case...

Only Universal had the guts to take on the beast... By releasing AN AMERICAN TAIL: FIEVEL GOES WEST the same day. The Don Bluth-less sequel made only $22m domestically, while BEAUTY AND THE BEAST made... $145m in North America alone, and blew up with $331m around the world...

After FERNGULLY and ROCK-A-DOODLE wisely fled from BEAUTY AND THE BEAST, they duked it out in April 1992. DOODLE opened the first weekend of the month, with FERNGULLY following. FERNGULLY won with $24m domestically, DOODLE struggled with $11m. (It's worth noting that DOODLE first came out in the UK in August of 1991.)

Universal initially thought they'd have WE'RE BACK! A DINOSAUR'S STORY ready to compete with ALADDIN, but they likely realized that that was not a great idea... WE'RE BACK! opened over a full year after ALADDIN and still flopped hard. It opened nearby BATMAN: MASK OF THE PHANTASM, which also made a paltry amount.

From there on out, things were typically spaced out. Sometimes the smaller efforts opened close to each other.

And now here we are, Thanksgiving week of 2023... We have trolls vs. wishing stars. Universal vs. Disney. It'll be fun to watch, but I hope the two film crews of both get to put food on their tables once more.

[fearsmagazine]

FOLLOW HER - Review

DISTRIBUTOR: Quiver

SYNOPSIS: “Jess has finally found her hook: secretly filming creepy interactions she encounters via online job listings, and using the kinks of others to fuel her streaming success. For her next episode, she’s been hired by Tom to write the ending of a screenplay in a remote, lavish cabin. Once there, the alluring self-proclaimed screenwriter hands her a script in which the two of them are the main characters. This client isn’t what he seems, and even though the money’s great… the real payment here could cost her life.” - Quiver

REVIEW: FOLLOW HER is a cleaver idea that deals with the take down of an aggressive influencer whose karma catches up with her. Actress Dani Barker is also the film’s writer and a producer. She weaves together some interesting ideas, creates a character you’ll love to hate, and is an overall above average independent genre film.

The screenplay for FOLLOW HER tackles the arc of the main character Jess. It is made clear early on that she gives little thought to taking advantage of everyone, including her family, to get what she wants. She exploits people’s fetishes, she is usually careful, but something goes wrong with her latest encounter. Instead of taking it down, she leaves it online as it continues to trend and reaches a new level. When she comes across a writing opportunity that deals with themes she is familiar with, and pays good money, she throws caution to the wind and heads to the country to meet the screenwriter. What ensues is a game of cat-&-mouse as Jess comes to realize the setup is too perfect and there is something more going on than she expected or planned for. There are moments when Jess’s ego and greed overcomes her sense of self-preservation and ultimately the climax presents a strange twist that is an overthought “Absence of Malice.” The story does not end there. There is a scene with Jess, her father and the police that feels out of place and almost like an afterthought to the entire narrative. There is a final sequence that adds another level of the strange and bizarre, which also provides the title of the film. I was in for the majority of the tale, however the subsequent scenes felt unnecessary and bewildering.

Dani Barker and Luke Cook, the two main actors, carry the story. Barker portrays a mean girl, a self-absorbed influencer of today, and I enjoyed seeing her in danger. Yes, I was rooting for the bad guy, Tom. Luke’s Tom is a charming and twisted character, and the humor flows naturally. His performance reminds me of a cross between Christian Bale’s Patrick Bateman and Jack Nicholson’s The Joker. The actors have a strong rapport and their on-screen interactions are believable and engaging. The actors have excellent chemistry, but their rapport creates a light-hearted atmosphere that undermines the suspense and makes it difficult for the audience to become fully invested in the story.

The production values are solid, the editing creates a nice pace for the majority of the film. The barn is an excellent location, the others are adequate. Jess has some interesting costume designs and Barker seems very comfortable in them.

FOLLOW HER, an adult-themed film that never achieves a level of seriousness and peril that I believe it should. There are excellent performances and some witty banter, but the story has two additional scenes, the first feels awkward and the second is an additional punchline that feels like it is there to simply set up the title of the film. Still, it is a deadly frolic where you can’t help but cheer for Jess’ demise.

CAST: Luke Cook, Dani Barker, Eliana Jones and Mark Moses CREW: Director / Producer - Sylvia Caminer; Screenplay / Producer - Dani Barker; Producer - Michael Indjeian; Cinematographer - Luke Geissbuhler; Score - Alexander Arntzen; Editor - Alex Gans; Production Designer - Noa Rachel Bricklin; Costume Designer - Caycee Black; Visual Effects Supervisor - Alex Noble OFFICIAL: www.followherfilm.com FACEBOOK: www.facebook.com/FollowHerFilm TWITTER: twitter.com/FollowHerFilm TRAILER: https://youtu.be/19ELKe8IKXo RELEASE DATE: In Select Theaters & VOD June 2nd, 2023

**Until we can all head back into the theaters our “COVID Reel Value” will be similar to how you rate a film on digital platforms - 👍 (Like), 👌 (It’s just okay), or 👎 (Dislike)

Reviewed by Joseph B Mauceri