Gender: Male
Status: Married
Age: 102
Sign: Scorpio
City: Denver
State: Colorado
Country: US
Signup Date: 4/9/2006
|
|
|
|
Tuesday, January 05, 2010
|
Current mood:  excited
Category: Movies, TV, Celebrities
AVATAR - The Reviews Are In  Wanted to pass on this review of the movie AVATAR written by a friend of ours, Tim K. If you haven’t had a chance to see this movie yet…read on.
Hi All..!
AVATAR is the kind of flick you can write chapters on, but I’ll keep it short and spoiler free.
I’ll also borrow a Q&A format from a friend of mine.
Q: Should I go see it..?
A: YES — as my buddy Kevin said: “Run, don’t walk to see this movie..! Every single dollar spent on this one is up there on the screen…”
Q: Isn’t the story simplistic..?
A: Say rather that the story is simple in its heart, complex in its implications and mythic in its structure.
Its a classic tale of good vs. evil; enlightenment vs. blind ambition and the always popular good guys vs. the bad guys.
You know, like almost every other movie made since the dawn of cinema…
Q: What about the negative reviews I’ve heard..?
A: The scattered negative reviews and comments I have read (apart from those with the fatal flaw of trying to imprint their own private expectations on another artist’s work) largely come from voices who have failed to connect their shriveling soul to any form of understanding for the story that Cameron is trying to tell here. Likewise, comments concerning the perceived “cheesiness” or “dopiness” of the events portrayed can only come from those who have been over-soaked in the brine of cynicism, leeching out whatever small amount of spirituality they may have once possessed, drowning away whatever feeble ability they may have retained to appreciate the pure and innocent wonder of a wholesomely unspoiled world.
Q: Are the effects the “star” of the flick..?
A: Depends upon your perspective. Were the FX the “star” in STAR WARS or LORD OF THE RINGS..? Not really — they were only the background against which the environment of the story was framed.
Besides, as far as AVATAR goes, I think that the FX have now moved beyond considering whether they are the “star” of the movie or not.
The kinds of FX that Cameron’s team have created for this story are certainly the magnet that pull you in, but once “inside” the world of Pandora, you forget that your watching FX. You are simply “there…”
As one wag quoted: “This film is a fraud! They didn’t do special effects, they just went to Pandora and filmed the whole thing on location…..!”
Q: At 2 hrs. 40 min. isn’t it too long..?
A: Nope. In fact as the end credits started to roll, my reaction was: “Don’t tell me its over ALREADY..?”
Q: Isn’t the “political” message a little heavy handed..?
A: Not in my opinion — it never gets in the way of story but rather serves to define the motivations of the main characters.
Besides, its relevance is echoed by the whole of our human history and is, unfortunately, appropriate to current events.
As our hero quotes in the film: “Isn’t that they way it’s done..? Someone is sitting on something you want, you declare them to be “the enemy” and it makes it easier to justify killing them….”
If some people are uncomfortable with this theme, it may be time to examine the deeper reasons…..
Q: Isn’t this movie just like a bunch of other SF&F blockbusters..?
A: In its tone, perhaps — as it does address classic themes and character archetypes.
In its execution, no way — as this kind of story has never been told this way before.
And also, this is something new — a fresh and original look at the world of SF&F. This is not a “sequel”, a “prequel” an “adaptation” or anything else other than a refreshingly original view of the larger Universe.
Q: Is Cameron just jerking us around for the sake of ego and/or profit..?
A: Again, it depends upon your perspective. This was the very first time that I felt like I had visited a truly alien planet.
Of course a lot of that has to do with the quality of the special FX, but more so it has to do with the extremely overwhelming attention to detail — from the moss growing on the trees to the buzzing insects in the air to the textures of skin and hide on the various lifeforms.
But it encompasses far more than just the environment. This isn’t simply recreating some stylish clothing and erecting some familiar sets to tell a period piece kind of story. From a production design point of view, this is world-building on the grandest of scales as well as the creation of totally new culture along with all of its accouterments, lifestyles and belief systems.
This is also the first time that I felt I was watching true aliens, not just actors in prosthetic makeup and rubber suits. The subtlety of eye movements, skin wrinkles and body language is unsurpassed and all combine to provide a visceral experience unlike any other film to date. I cannot stress enough the feeling that we were actually inside a completely alien and, at the same time, completely realistic environment.
As Darien noted during the climactic battle scenes: “Gee, not only can you see the texture of the aliens’ skin, you can see the texture of the war-paint on top of that skin..!”
And the amazing FX don’t stop with the biologicals. Cameron is a well-known hardware geek and it shows here in the attention to detail in the movie’s technology. There is a spacecraft design that sports cooling fins for the nuclear power source, glowing cherry red as they dissipate the heat buildup from deep space travel. The military hardware is of evocative design, and the CGI is assembled and used in such a way that its seamless blending with human actors gives it a paint-scratched, bullet-hole riddled presence that screams reality. You can almost bang your hands on the metal hulls and lean against the smoky, abraded and finger-printed windscreens and view ports to peer through to the jungle foliage beyond. And all of it — all of it — exists only in the layered ones and zeros painted on the digital canvas, rendered by master craftsmen of visual storytelling at the top of their game.
Q: Finally, do I have to see it in 3-D..?
A: In my opinion, YES..!! The creative and artful use of 3-D that Cameron employs here is almost like another actor in the story — not only broadening the scope of the things we see but also broadening our participation inside that world.
Those of us who are photographers know the challenge of very carefully composing and executing a photographic shot, perhaps faithfully capturing the color, the shape and the form of whatever things were viewed through the lens — but feeling somewhat disappointed that the stark presence of the scene is missing something from what we remember seeing with our eyes. Flat 2-D can never approach the “life” of stereoscopic vision.
Cameron is dead-on with this one — a 3-D movie executed the way that AVATAR has been has no rivals for actually experiencing the “life” of an imaginary universe. Here’s to improving that technology so that we may experience , more and better journeys into a myriad of such fantastic worlds throughout time and space.
Will this particular story change the world of cinema..? No, since it is only but another chapter delineating the long twilight struggle of the oppressed against the hired mercenaries of the corporate greed machine.
Will this particular movie change the world of cinema..? I believe it most certainly will. The bar has been raised a goodly distance, perhaps beyond the reach of many, but then that is a good thing since, as Robert Browning said, “a man’s reach must exceed his grasp.”
>>TimK
Wanted to pass on this review of the movie AVATAR written by a friend of ours, Tim K. If you haven’t had a chance to see this movie yet…read on.
Powered by  | | English | | Albanian | | Arabic | | Bulgarian | | Catalan | | Chinese | | Croatian | | Czech | | Danish | | Dutch | | Estonian | | Filipino | | Finnish | | French | | Galician | | German | | Greek | | Hebrew | | Hindi | | Hungarian | | Indonesian | | Italian | | Japanese | | Korean | | Latvian | | Lithuanian | | Maltese | | Norwegian | | Polish | | Portuguese | | Romanian | | Russian | | Serbian | | Slovak | | Slovenian | | Spanish | | Swedish | | Thai | | Turkish | | Ukrainian | | Vietnamese |
|
|
|
|
Thursday, April 16, 2009
|
..
Airbrush Experience
Cost $10 per person. Teen and Adult con members can paint and keep their own version of an original piece designed by instructor Tom Grossman. Airbrushes and paints provided by Iwata. Templates provided by Artool.<?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" />....
StarFest Airbrush Special: Use your own equipment and take it home ... ....
|
.... | ..
.. ..
..
After Hours Modeling
 Bring your stuff and work on a kit or come hang out with Colorado’s highest concentration of highly skilled imaginative scifi modelers, the Commies! Come talk models at StarFest! All con members welcome!.... | ..
Alien Crafts
Come join the USS Pioneer for some fun alien-crafting activities. Along with coloring for the smaller cadets, bigger cadets and adults can participate in making paper people and creatures, paper bag puppet aliens, furry aliens, origami and who knows what else! We welcome participants of all ages, but those under 10 need to be accompanied by a responsible party.....An Introduction to Podcasting
Dave from ScreenGeeks Radio is joined by Billy Flynn from Geek Radio Daily and Chris from The Jesus Geeks to talk about what you need to start a podcast. From finding a topic, to getting equipment to finding someplace to host your podcast and marketing it, we'll answer any questions and have some fun along the way.....Anime
The StarFest Japanese animation room presents today's hottest and most exciting Anime. Check out the Anime Schedule for all the titles and times.....Art Show
We want to encourage all you budding artists to enter the StarFest 2009 Art Show. Past entrants have included Peri Charlifu, Jim Humble and Tim Kuznair, whose work is pictured here. The Art Show will be held in the Conifer Ballroom next to the Dealer's Room. No pre-registration for the Art show is necessary; your artwork can be entered at any time during the convention. Enter your science fiction, fantasy, portraits, 3-D, sculpture or any related artwork. For all the art show rules and information go to starlandartshow.com. ....Autographs
Complete information on our Autograph program is available in the Tickets Section.....Avistrum Academy of Sorcery
Avistrum returns StarFest with wand-waving fun to everyone. Some of their events planned for the weekend are the Quidditch Tournament and Tri-Wizard Tournament....There is an exciting schedule for this year's curriculum. Space is limited to 30 students for each class, so you will need to register for classes early! Courses offered are: Auror Training: Forensic Magic, History of Magic: The Salem Witch Trials, Charms, and Herbology. The Avistrum Academy is located just off the atrium in the Marriott hotel. For Complete details visit the Avistrum Academy Page.....Charlotte Herring of About Face Painting will be in the Avistrum Lounge Friday and Saturday! Stop by and see her work!
....
....
B9 Robot Builders Club
The B9 Robot Builders Club (B9RBC.com) is a group of dedicated and talented people who have focused their passion for the 1960's "Lost in Space" TV icon into something more than just a hobby. To the members, the Robot is a life-long project that is never "really" finished. With the ongoing development of new technology, continual upgrades and improvements are constantly required. Sometimes, when a deadline looms on the horizon, there is nothing that will stop the building frenzy. One member described it as feeling like a "Robot-building junkie with a screaming monkey on my back!" The club's unoffical motto is "Out Sand, Out Spend, Out Build," and their results demonstrate the dedication to accuracy and superb building techniques used on every Robot. The Club has a world-wide membership with talented builders in Australia, Brazil, Canada, England, Greece, Japan, Spain and the US. Come visit with us and our Robots in the Model Room.....
9 Balcony Challenge
Everyone with balcony rooms in the Atrium of the Marriott Hotel is encouraged to decorate their balconies. The last few conventions we have handed out prizes to the best decorated balconies. Prizes are awarded for the "Choose Your Own" and "Sponsored" theme catagories.....
This year, the "Sponsored" catagory is the number 9 - for the movie 9. You might want to visit the 9 movie website for ideas. The studio is putting together an incredible prize booty for anyone that participates in this catagory. Additionally, the winner will be able to take home an incredible prize package. Special consideration will be noted for subtle and fun design elements incorporated into your decorations. There will be guests from the film at Starfest - it would be worth your while to impress them.....
The movie 9 revolves around a rag doll-like creature named 9 who appears to be the last of his kind. He wanders through the ruins of a decaying world parallel to our own. 9 is in possession of a glowing, container-like artifact that becomes the key to his survival as he faces a twisted mechanical monster that has been killing his kindred.....
Bat'leth 101
Come learn the basics of Bat'leth and Mek'leth combat. Prepare yourself for the tournament and have a good time. We promise not to hurt you ... much.....
Battle For Terra
Aristomenis "Meni" Tsirbas will be presenting special footage from his 3D animated feature at Starfest on Saturday in the Main Events Room. Meni was the Digital Effects Supervisor for A Wrinkle in Time, and Paramount's Star Trek: Deep Space Nine. Battle for Terra is his first full-length animated feature film.....
Battle for Terra is a story about Senn (Justin Long) and Mala (Evan Rachel Wood), two rebellious alien teens living on the beautiful planet Terra, a place that promotes peace and tolerance. A planet that has long ago rejected war and weapons of mass destruction.....
When Terra is invaded by human beings fleeing a civil war and environmental catastrophe, the planet is plunged into chaos. During the upheaval, Mala befriends an injured human pilot (Luke Wilson) and each learns the two races are not so different from one another. Together they must face the terrifying realization that in a world of limited resources, only one of their races is likely to survive. Read more.....
Battlestar Galactica Discussion
All this has happened before... but will this all happen again? One hour open mike discussion on BSG including the upcoming pilot to Caprica and the two-hour movie "Battlestar Galactica: The Plan" coming in the fall. Got praise? Gripes? Satisfaction? Were you let down by the finale? Join Denver's premiere Galactica Fan Group, the Battlestar Stormbringer, as we show you that it's not over... til it's over. Cylons welcome.....
Battlestar Galactica - Filming Miniature Replicas
Model Builder Sean Sides will have an exact replica of the original Battlestar Galactica model used in the original TV series on display. The model is fully lighted and consists of thousands of the same model kit parts used on the original. There will also be three "rag tag" ships -- Colonial Movers, Livery Ship and Picon Maru -- on display. These replicas can be seen in the Model Show room where he will also be available for question and answer sessions during the show.....
Battlestar Trivia Contest
Think you know your BSG? Brush up on your skills, and join us as we stump you with the easy, not so easy and totally obscure trivia. Get your geek on with members of the Colonial Defense Forces and match wits with experts in the BSG community. Prizes will be awarded. Sponsored by the Colonial Defense Forces and the Battlestar Stormbringer.....
Bellydance Workshop with Serpent Moon
Join the ladies of Serpent Moon (aka Terran Empire Dancers), and learn the slinky, seductive art of bellydance! This workshop will teach you basic moves to light up the dance floor, and we'll even work on a short choreography. Be ready to shimmy, shake and undulate!....
BSG Costuming 101
Join award winning costumer Frances Simmons for a discussion on making costumes from the show. Costumes will be on display for your close inspection, and photos are welcome. Tips and hints from one of the best BSG costumers in fandom are yours to be had. We'll tell you where to find the props and hard to find items like buttons and buckles.....
Bleeding Ear Theater with Kevin and Dayton
Come on in and unwind from the Convention Chaos! Spend an hour with authors Kevin Dilmore and Dayton Ward as they offer readings from their recent work— perhaps even a special little thing they put together just for StarFest! Once they’re done divesting themselves of all remaining dignity, they’ll hold a Q&A about their upcoming projects and whatever else they might be working on, as well as answering any and all questions from aspiring writers looking to bend someone’s ear (whether it’s still bleeding or not). ....
Board Games and Puzzles
Need some time to unwind? We'll have an assortment of board games to play and puzzles for you to work on. Bring your favorite games ... you may just find some new gaming friends!!....
Browncoats Trivia Challenge!
How big is your brain-pan? Test your Firefly/Serenity knowledge against other Browncoats for fun and shiny prizes. Not playing? Everyone is welcome to watch, cheer, and, in true Browncoat spirit.... mock!....
Chapa'ai of Fortune
Join us for an exciting game show where you spin the wheel and guess the puzzle on the board. All puzzles are based on Sci Fi. We will be choosing players from our studio audience to play in each round. The winners of each round will be awarded fabulous prizes. We will be handing out tickets at the door to randomly draw our contestants, so don't forget to pick up your ticket. Your ticket is good throughout the entire show, so be sure to stick around -- you might get chosen to play. The games promise to be fun and challenging. If you have puzzles to submit to the game, please email them to Charles@homecostumers.com. SEE YA THERE!!!....
Creating A Parade Float
The Rocky Mountain FanForce have been participants in Denver's St. Patrick's Day Parade for the past several years. Last year, we built our own float in the form of Luke Skywalker's landspeeder. And this year, we brought both the speeder as well as the LucasFilm X-wing. Join us as we explain how we did it and show you what a great time was had both by us and the spectators.....
Conspiracy Theories in SciFi
X-Philes and conspiracy theorists UNITE! Come join us for a discussion about how conspiracy theories have been used in your favorite TV shows. ....
X-Men Origins: Wolverine Costume Contest
Our Costume Contest takes place on Saturday night in the Main Events room. Prizes are awarded in several categories. If you are interested in participating - read our contest rules and enter. It's a lot of fun, and exciting, too! Imagine appearing on the same stage as our Hollywood Stars!....
Cross Genre Detectives Investigated
From Jim West to Harry Dresden, detectives don't always wear fedoras and don't always chase human criminals. Who are the best, the worst, and the forgotten?....
Crypto Science Society
The Members of the Crypto Science Society will explain the tools and techniques for conducting investigations into all manner of strange and unusual phenomena. They will discuss the every day endeavors of these dedicated college students to make science fiction into science fact. The Crypto Science Society is a student organization from the Metropolitan State College of Denver. For more info go to http://www.mscd.edu/~crypto/.....
..
Digital Destiny Reading and Discussion
Jeromie Carr & James Dunn, Denver-area authors of the futuristic crime thriller Digital Destiny will be reading a selection from the novel and have time for open discussion afterward. Fans of Blade Runner and Minority Report won’t want to miss this. For more details on the novel, go to www.DigitalDestinyBook.com..... | ..
Doctor Who - Torchwood ... Past, Present, and Future
Discussion of both original and new series of Doctor Who and the spin-off Torchwood. What is the history of Who and how did it get to be such a phenomenon? Who is your favorite doctor or villain? What is your favorite episode? What is coming up next year? All this and more will be discussed. Beware -- you may encounter some spoilers if you haven't seen everything up to date.....Fan Clubs
All the local science fiction fan clubs will be at the convention. Various presentations will be made in the panel rooms during the convention. If you want to make your science fiction infatuation more of a social thing, be sure to check into the club activities at the convention. They will be more than happy to let you know what kinds of activities are available throughout the year.....Farewell to Arms, a Galactica FRAK Party
What is a FRAK Party? A FRAK Party is a celebration thrown at cons across the country celebrating our favorite scifi series. The Battlestar Stormbringer is pleased to sponsor this get together of costumed fans from the local community. Join us on the bar patio Saturday night for a Colonial themed Mixer. The Atrium bar serves some of the finest drinks and snacks from around the galaxy. Presentations will be made and fun will be had. Cigars optional. Remember, you must be 21 to imbibe alcoholic beverages served by the hotel bar staff and also... don't forget to tip your waitstaff.....Federation Ball
The Federation Ball is back in the Atrium this year. The Ball starts at 9 pm Saturday, so be ready! It doesn't matter if you're in costume or not, it's always fun. Every member of the Federation needs to have a place to party!! Come join Feddies, Klingons, Vulcans and more (including the occasional celebrity) at the Ball Door prizes awarded; must be present to win! Enter the dance contest for a chance to win a pair of tickets to the next convention!! The audience gets to help with the judging! Cost is only $3.00 each or 2 for $5.00. Music is provided by professional DJ company ACES, and the Ball is sponsored by the USS Pioneer and the USS Omega Glory.....Fiction in print, Past, Present and Future
Round table discussion with authors of today's Sci-fi/fantasy/horror. How has it changed and how do they compete with the visual world of the genres today? Q&A if time allows. Presented by jonja.net.....
..
FREE Model Make & Take
Junior con members can build and paint a free scifi model provided by Hawk and Polar Lights. Acryl Paints from Model Master. Airbrushes from Iwata. Templates from Artool. Staffed by TAG Services and the CoMMiES.... |
| ..
.. ..
..
FREE Paper Models for Kids of All Ages
Come sit with Brad Guy and other CoMMiES and build a free paper model. Several styles available. All materials are provided..... | ..
Gorram Browncoats!
Join the Mile High Browncoats, Colorado's Official Fan Group, for a lively discussion centered on Joss Whedon's Firefly / Serenity 'verse. Learn about our upcoming group activities, monthly shindigs, and the June CSTS screening of Serenity. Share with us your love of this shiny tv series and film. Join us on our website at www.cobrowncoats.com.....House Call Saturday Night at Starfest
Robert Picardo and Ethan Phillips to perform live on the Starfest Main Events Stage
Starfest Saturday Night will feature a special play presentation on the Starfest Main Events Stage. This performance will star Robert Picardo and Ethan Phillips reprising the Star Trek Voyager roles they created for the television series. The one act comedy will be a seperately ticketed event currently scheduled for 7:00pm. Following the play we'll resume the night's regularly scheduled festivities including the Costume Contest on our Main Events Stage. The Costume Contest is included at no additional charge with your regular Starfest convention membership. Purchase your play tickets here online.....
HorrorFest at StarFest 2009
We have several rooms dedicated entirely to Horror for the weekend with special guests and presentations just for those interested in the scarier aspects of entertainment. We'll be presenting several world premiere movie screenings, performances, actors, writers and more. ....
The Improvatons: Whose Ship is it Anyway?
Join our intrepid comedy crew as we explore depths of interphasic extra-dimensional improvisational space. The Improvatons always venture forth with an audience (holographic or live), so be prepared to think up new ideas, quotes, and situations for our hilarious and talented cosmic adventurers.....
Information Session: International Plastic Modelers Society
Members from several of Colorado’s IPMS chapters will be on hand to answer questions about the IPMS experience and how to become a member. Come by and talk modeling! 3pm Saturday in the Model Show room. ....
Ink Screening
The movie Ink follows 8-year-old Emma, portrayed with excellence by Quinn Hunchar, through a mysterious dream-world. Dragged along by the mercenary Ink, colorful characters emerge to fight for Emma’s life. This fight also rages within Emma’s tragically broken father, played by the outstanding Chris Kelly, who must come to terms with his demons. The independently produced sci-fi fantasy is described as It’s a Wonderful Life meets Sin City. It is set in a fantastical dream-world battle between forces of good and evil, an allegorical tale of love, loss and the search for redemption. ....
The film will be shown on Saturday, April 18th at 10pm in the StarFest Main Events Room. Following the screening, the movie's Writer/Director Jamin Winans, his producer/wife Kiowa Winans , and Jeremy Make one of the film's stars will be available to take your questions. ....
Intergalactic Karaoke
It's all about transforming from a meek, mild-mannered individual into a singing star... or just having some great fun trying! Yes, American Idol wannabe's, we have a home for you at StarFest 2009. Sponsored by the Intergalactic Fleet of Honor.....
..
.... |
SPECIAL 10th Anniversary 2nd Karaoke Show
Do you have little singers in your family that have a song in their heart? Addicted to Karaoke? Need another fix?
Come join us for Intergalactic Karaoke II. Saturday afternoon in the Atrium. Lite snacks provided in honor of our Anniversary..... | ..
.. ..
Kickoff Party & Concert
Great People, Great Desserts, Great Sounds....
The Castle Rock Orchestra Jazz Ensemble will be performing with Robert Picardo (on vocals) at the Starfest Kickoff Party & Concert Friday, April 17, 2009 at 7:00pm. The ensemble, a small group consisting of members of the Castle Rock Orchestra and the Denver Philharmonic Orchestra, has performed at the First United Methodist Church of Castle Rock, the Castle Rock Ducky Derby, and the Parker Branch of the Douglas County Library. The ensemble features Bruce Blomquist on bass, Ken Metz on sax, Rick Packard on drums, Matt Rose on piano and vocals, and Keven Stewart on trombone.....
The party starts with a casual reception at 7pm and many of our Starfest guests will be in attendance. After we've all had a chance to become acquainted over desserts and refreshments, we'll be treated to a great show. There just isn't a better way to start off the convention! ....
Tickets for the Kickoff Party and Concert are available for $44.95 per person. You are strongly urged to purchase your tickets online or by phone prior to the convention. Seating is limited.....
..
Kids Klingon Warriors' Tournament
Join House VamPyr as we teach the young warriors how to use a bat’leth. This is the junior version of the Klingon Warriors' Tournament. There will be prizes for the top three winners and all participants under 12. .... | ..
Klingon Kulture
Admiral K'Var and friends are back to educate all on Klingon kulture -- among other things! Come see Admiral K'Var in his element and come asking questions that need answers.....Klingon Language for Earthers
Come learn the Klingon Language. General VamPyr will be teaching the language of the warriors. You will be learning phrases and words that will impress Martok! Learn to count to 10 in Klingon! Learn the Skill of Klingon Cursing. More information can be found on our website http://www.housevampyr.com.....Klingon Warriors' Tournament
Come test your physical and mental combat skills in the Klingon Warriors' Tournament. All skill levels invited to participate in one or all of the three events: Curse Warfare (if time permits), Mek'leth Combat, and Bat'leth Combat. Win or lose, everyone always has a good time. Brought to you by the Galactic Warriors Academy. ....Kookin' with Kroesh
Kroesh Septaric, the Klingon Da’Har Master of Battle and Food has returned to StarFest for another year of what he enjoys to share most – his view on how to enjoy cooking by looking at it as therapy, not a chore. Come see Kroesh entertain the audience with his wild and spontaneous style of cooking. Share in the one hour frenzy as volunteers from the audience will participate in the preparation of these culinary adventures. Watch as they transform earthly ingredients into dishes that will satisfy a Klingon yet delight the human taste buds … and when it’s all done these foods will be shared with his loyal fans and the audience. Oh yes, there always is food.....Looney Labs "Little Experiment" with the Maquis
Come and play Monty Python Fluxx, Aquarius, Nanofictionary, Volcano, Are Your a Werewolf? . . . We have them all! Come relax and learn a game or two and maybe win a prize. What!? never heard of Looney Lab Games? Please check them out at looneylabs.com.....Marc Gunn, Celtic Geek
Experience Celtic music the way you do in the movies with a Geek theme. Celtic songs inspired by Star Wars, Firefly, Red Dwarf, Lord of the Rings and more. Marc will also present selections from his hit cat CDs, "Irish Drinking Songs for Cat Lovers" and "Whiskers in the Jar."....Mask Decorating Workshop
We're back again this year! All are welcome to attend. One mask per person. Supplies will include, but not be limited to: ribbons, foam cut outs, glitter, feathers, and much much more. A group of helpers will be on hand to help with little hands. Donations are welcome to help expand choices for decorations, but are not required. Hope to see you there!....MileHiCon Challenge Panel: Who is Sci Fi’s Top Fashionista?
Clothes make the man (and woman), they say—and what they wear in our favorite movies and shows says a lot about the characters and the world. What’s your pick for the best-dressed character in SF/fantasy? From the comfortable military khaki of Gen. Jack O’Neill to Seven of Nine's va-va-va-voom catsuit, the casual elegance of David Tennant’s Doctor Who or Halle Berry’s black leather fetish-friendly Catwoman, choose your favorite and come prepared to champion their sartorial honor!....Model Show
Do you build models? If so, bring it by the Model Show and share your work with the world! Our show includes science fiction, science fact, fantasy, and horror subjects. Are you amazed by detailed artwork in miniature? Come on by and cast your vote for the People's Choice Award! Do you want to improve your skills? Our friendly staff of qualified volunteers will be happy to talk to you about your work.....There are a lot of model-related events at this convention. Be sure to check them out!....Mystery Science StarFest
Do you enjoy bad films? Do you enjoy making fun of them? Do you think that these activities are even better with friends? We do. Come to Mystery Science StarFest and have a good time with a bad film and join us as we endeavor to make the best of the worst even better by shouting hilarious comments at it.....The Next 50 Years in Space
Karl Henriksson of the Denver Space Society will discuss man's next step into space. Space-based solar power satellites will permanently solve energy and climate change issues on Earth; humanity will be enabled to do other things in space, becoming space-faring. Come see this exciting future!....Star Trek: Of Gods and Men Screening
Striving to go where no internet film had gone before, Star Trek: Of Gods and Men was released on the internet as a three-part mini-series featuring many Trek alumni, with a cast that spans all 5 Star Trek TV series, as well as eight of the Star Trek feature films. ....The ultimate salute celebrating Star Trek 40-plus years, Star Trek: Of Gods and Men is now a feature length movie on DVD. Star Trek: Of Gods and Men stars Walter Koenig, Nichelle Nichols (Uhura and Chekov of the original series) and Alan Ruck (Captain John Harriman of the 7th Trek feature film, Star Trek Generations) along with Grace Lee Whitney (Janice Rand of the original series). Joining them are Garrett Wang (Star Trek: Voyager) and Ethan Phillips (Star Trek: Voyager as well as Star Trek: The Next Generation); Cirroc Lofton, Chase Masterson and JG Hertzler (Star Trek: Deep Space Nine), Gary Graham and Crystal Allen (Star Trek: Enterprise), Herb Jefferson (Battlestar Galactica) plus Tim Russ (reprising his role as Tuvok from Star Trek: Voyager), who also directed. Star Trek: Of Gods and Men was Produced by Sky Conway and written with Ethan Calk and Jack Trevino.....Open Filking
If music is the language of the soul, then what a geek sings must be pretty weird stuff. At open filking we explore that aspect of the uber nerd in-depth, discovering songs about cats, computers, interstellar battles, Vampires, tribbles and whatever else takes your fancy. Everyone is encouraged to join in, and often the best parts are when we get everyone singing together. Bring whatever material you like and help us sing the Fest down.....People with Disabilities at Conventions
People with disabilities at conventions and the challenges they face with costuming, parking, crowds and accessibility to activities. What can be done to make conventions more enjoyable for all?....Photo with the Stars Program
Details on the Photo with the Stars Program is listed in our Tickets Section.....Pirate vs. Ninja OLYMPICS!
This event is a follow-up to our popular Pirate vs. Ninja voting event two years ago -- only now we are going to settle the age-old question of Pirates vs. Ninjas once and for all through a series of tests: agility, endurance, strength, smarts, and more! Come cheer for yo
Powered by | | English | | Albanian | | Arabic | | Bulgarian | | Catalan | | Chinese | | Croatian | | Czech | | Danish | | Dutch | | Estonian | | Filipino | | Finnish | | French | | Galician | | German | | Greek | | Hebrew | | Hindi | | Hungarian | | Indonesian | | Italian | | Japanese | | Korean | | Latvian | | Lithuanian | | Maltese | | Norwegian | | Polish | | Portuguese | | Romanian | | Russian | | Serbian | | Slovak | | Slovenian | | Spanish | | Swedish | | Thai | | Turkish | | Ukrainian | | Vietnamese |
|
|
|
|
Thursday, April 16, 2009
|
Category: Movies, TV, Celebrities
X-Men Origins: Wolverine Costume Contest
Starfest Costume Contest Prizes
There is going to be a lot more than just a trophy for those that enter the costume contest at this year's StarFest. The Best of Show winner will recieve an X-Box 360 game system and a $100 gift card to the Rock Bottom Brewery. Winners in the other categories will be getting some great stuff too. Items to be awarded include some great $25 gift cards and boxed sets of the previous three X-Men movies. The studio also has some cool Wolverine foam claws that they'll be handing out thoughout the weekend.....
The X-Men Origins: Wolverine Costume Contest
Registration - Rules - General Information
Registration....
The Contest will be held Saturday night right after the play House Call with Robert Picardo and Ethan Phillips. Be sure to register at the Costume Contest Registration table with Susan if you wish to participate or register online. If you have pre-registered online, you MUST check in at the Registration table and let us know you’re here! You may not participate in the Contest if you don't check in at the convention.....
There is a limit of 70 entrants. ....
Rules ....
Costume Presentation
- All costumes must be ORIGINAL. If you bought or rented your costume as one unit (i.e. a Batman costume as opposed to purchasing your tights here, your cape there, and your leotard somewhere else and customizing it to fit your character) points cannot be given for anything except presentation. ....
- All winning costumes must be retired. They may be scavenged for parts, but refurbishing doesn't constitute a new costume. ....
- Dramatic speeches, skits, and singing will be allowed. You may have a CD with your presentation. You will have 60 seconds. ....
- If you have a CD with your presentation, you must make sure we know about it when you register and give it to us before 5:30pm Saturday. CDs can be collected immediately after the Contest or at Convention Information the next day. You can help us out by giving us a CD with only the music that you want played. ....
- Cassette tapes will not be played in Main Events; if you need to use a tape, you will need to take your own player on stage with you. Make sure it runs on batteries since power will not be available. ....
- A written description of your costume can be given to Kevin for reading while you present your costuming skills onstage. The description will be limited to a maximum of three bullet points, so make sure you know what you want to say. You will not be able to have something read if you choose to sing or say something yourself. ....
- You must let us know if you are going to use any props and/or special effects. Figure if you can't carry it on stage with you, it probably won't be allowed. If there is any question about what can and can't be done, you need to ask about it before the convention. We wouldn't want you to invest in equipment you can't use. ....
In this presentation, judges will be evaluating overall stage appearance and costuming skills. Your singing or speaking may detract from your overall score.....
Things We Shouldn't Have to Tell You, But Here It Goes:
- We strongly urge you to have a costume that is somewhat comfortable to wear. Sometimes you have to wait quite a long time before your turn, and we would hate to have you pass out before you were able to show off your creation. Be sensible -- make sure your costume is well-ventilated. ....
- NO NUDITY! No Band-Aids stuck in strategic places, no loin cloths that show too much, no see-through flimsy outfits that leave nothing to the imagination . . . if you feel you must flaunt it, do it in the privacy of your own home. All costumes will be viewed at the Contest Lineup. Because everyone has a different idea as to what constitutes a rather questionable outfit, the Contest Staff will have the final say. What they say goes! You can be disqualified and asked to leave the convention. (This is actually handed down from the entire Convention Staff and constitutes official policy for the whole convention. Please be forewarned that KathE is very serious about this rule being enforced.) ....
- No offensive or coarse language (this is a family convention). ....
General Information ....
- There will be one winner and runner up selected from each presentation in each category listed below. Costume Best of Show will be the highest judged costume from Media Science Fiction, Fantasy/Literary/Anime, Masters and Groups. The costume categories for this convention's contest are: ....
- Media Science Fiction -- Costumes inspired by TV, movies, live or animated. ....
- Fantasy/Literary/Anime -- Costumes inspired by a Sci-fi/fantasy/anime book or characters (also Original characters) ....
- Horror -- Costumes inspired by Horror movies or characters ....
- Masters -- For costumers having placed in three StarCon/StarFest Contests. ....
- Juniors -- For young costumers 13-17 years of age. ....
- Children -- For young costumers 12 and under. ....
- Small Groups -- Any presentation containing 2-6 people on stage in costume (this includes all Sci-fi, literary, media, etc.) ....
- Large Groups -- Any presentation containing 7-12 people on stage in costume (this includes all Sci-fi, literary, media, etc.)....
If there are some costumes that are qualified for more than one category, effort will be made to put them in the most appropriate category. ....
- Prizes will be awarded during and just following the contest. The Best of Show winner will recieve an X-Box 360 game system and a $100 gift card to the Rock Bottom Brewery. Winners in the other categories will be getting some great stuff too. Items to be awarded include some great $25 gift cards and boxed sets of the previous three X-Men movies. ....
- Contest lineup will be in the exercise room near the pool beginning 1 hour before the contest begins. Please do not arrive later than 15 minutes before the Contest is scheduled to start. ....
If you have any questions, just ask the staff at the Costume Contest Registration ta....
.. ..
Powered by | | English | | Albanian | | Arabic | | Bulgarian | | Catalan | | Chinese | | Croatian | | Czech | | Danish | | Dutch | | Estonian | | Filipino | | Finnish | | French | | Galician | | German | | Greek | | Hebrew | | Hindi | | Hungarian | | Indonesian | | Italian | | Japanese | | Korean | | Latvian | | Lithuanian | | Maltese | | Norwegian | | Polish | | Portuguese | | Romanian | | Russian | | Serbian | | Slovak | | Slovenian | | Spanish | | Swedish | | Thai | | Turkish | | Ukrainian | | Vietnamese |
|
|
|
|
Monday, March 02, 2009
|
Current mood:  geeky
Category: Movies, TV, Celebrities
Esurance is hosting an awesome contest where trekkies can upload their video explaining or showing why they are the biggest trekkie to win 2 tickets to the hollywood premiere of Star Trek! :D http://www'>http://www.msplinks.com/MDFodHRwOi8vd3d3LmVzdXJhbmNlLmNvbS93ZWxjb21lL2xhbmRpbmcvc3RhcnRyZWsvd2VsY29tZS5hc3B4">http://www. esurance. com/welcome/landing/startrek/welcome. aspx
Powered by | | English | | Albanian | | Arabic | | Bulgarian | | Catalan | | Chinese | | Croatian | | Czech | | Danish | | Dutch | | Estonian | | Filipino | | Finnish | | French | | Galician | | German | | Greek | | Hebrew | | Hindi | | Hungarian | | Indonesian | | Italian | | Japanese | | Korean | | Latvian | | Lithuanian | | Maltese | | Norwegian | | Polish | | Portuguese | | Romanian | | Russian | | Serbian | | Slovak | | Slovenian | | Spanish | | Swedish | | Thai | | Turkish | | Ukrainian | | Vietnamese |
|
|
|
|
Tuesday, April 22, 2008
|
Current mood: geeky
Category: Movies, TV, Celebrities
Another wonderful convention has come and gone like a leaf on the breeze and I'm sad. *Sniffle... excuse me a moment.....
Ok, I'm back. YES the convention was too short. YES I start jonesing for another about the end of August and it would be nice if we had Starcon back, but StarFEST does seem to pull in more people than StarCON. Hubby and I already talked to KathE about it and we understand why they don't do the Fall con anymore. But there's always Worldcon Denvention 3 in August and Mile High Con in October (Hubby and I are looking forward to meeting Jim Butcher, author of The Dresden Files) to look forward to so the year isn't a total waste of calendar days this year. Personally, for me there's the Colorado Renaissance Festival coming up in June and July, too.
Congratulations to those who participated in and won the numerous contests this year. Oh heck, everyone who attended can count themselves winners. Give yourselves a pat on the head from me. :) It was great seeing friends I'd made through this page although I'm sorry Anginet and I never got to meet in person. We really have to fix that. We live on opposite ends of the same town... you'd think we could at least meet at a local convention. THAT in itself proves how big this convention's become. So much to do, do little time to do it in. *sigh. I came away feeling achey, but it was that sort of thing that told me I'd had so much fun. You know what I mean? And it wasn't due to the Klingon Blood Wine or the Gallifreyan Swamp Water either. (Which was yummy BTW.
Thanks Cyndy! Let's do it again next year!)
Ok, what is all this leading up to? A Q&A of course, silly.
Q: Did you like the convention?
Q: If YES, what did you like about it? If NO what didn't you like about it?
Q: Would you like to share any of your happy memories of the convention with us for everyone to see? That sounds like a good subject for a blog. Hmmm....
And remember, you can always pimp our site out to your friends and loved ones who love the convention as much as you do. If they don't have a MySpace page talk them into it so they can keep up on all the juicy information, too.
On behalf of the Starland/Starcon Staff I'd like to thank you for making this convention another wonderful success and we hope to see you at our other wonderful events. We couldn't do it without you. Ok, maybe we could, but it just wouldn't be any fun without you guys and gals.
- Dark Phoenix
Powered by | | English | | Albanian | | Arabic | | Bulgarian | | Catalan | | Chinese | | Croatian | | Czech | | Danish | | Dutch | | Estonian | | Filipino | | Finnish | | French | | Galician | | German | | Greek | | Hebrew | | Hindi | | Hungarian | | Indonesian | | Italian | | Japanese | | Korean | | Latvian | | Lithuanian | | Maltese | | Norwegian | | Polish | | Portuguese | | Romanian | | Russian | | Serbian | | Slovak | | Slovenian | | Spanish | | Swedish | | Thai | | Turkish | | Ukrainian | | Vietnamese |
|
|
|
|
Monday, April 21, 2008
|
Current mood:  tired
As this question comes up quite frequently, this seems like a good time to explain how to transfer a room to someone else without losing the room in the process.
1. Add the other person's name to your room -- if you have other names on your room at the time, take them off. You don't want to run the risk of the hotel charging a higher rate for a triple or quad (not all of our properties have flat rates across the board).
2. Change the credit card guaranteeing the reservation to the other person's credit card (s/he will have to call the hotel to do that).
3. The other person then takes your name off the room.
Following this procedure ensures that the room won't slip back to the hotel's control, because if it does, it most likely will not go back into our block at the convention rate.
Powered by | | English | | Albanian | | Arabic | | Bulgarian | | Catalan | | Chinese | | Croatian | | Czech | | Danish | | Dutch | | Estonian | | Filipino | | Finnish | | French | | Galician | | German | | Greek | | Hebrew | | Hindi | | Hungarian | | Indonesian | | Italian | | Japanese | | Korean | | Latvian | | Lithuanian | | Maltese | | Norwegian | | Polish | | Portuguese | | Romanian | | Russian | | Serbian | | Slovak | | Slovenian | | Spanish | | Swedish | | Thai | | Turkish | | Ukrainian | | Vietnamese |
|
|
|
|
Monday, February 25, 2008
|
Category: Movies, TV, Celebrities
Join the Starland Message Board and chat with old friends, make new friends, tell the staff who or what you would like to see at StarFest.
http://starland.com/phpBB3/index.php
Powered by | | English | | Albanian | | Arabic | | Bulgarian | | Catalan | | Chinese | | Croatian | | Czech | | Danish | | Dutch | | Estonian | | Filipino | | Finnish | | French | | Galician | | German | | Greek | | Hebrew | | Hindi | | Hungarian | | Indonesian | | Italian | | Japanese | | Korean | | Latvian | | Lithuanian | | Maltese | | Norwegian | | Polish | | Portuguese | | Romanian | | Russian | | Serbian | | Slovak | | Slovenian | | Spanish | | Swedish | | Thai | | Turkish | | Ukrainian | | Vietnamese |
|
|
|
|
Monday, February 25, 2008
|
Category: Movies, TV, Celebrities
 Get Your Room Reserved Right Away!
Starfest is an all-weekend event, therefore, we recommend that you stay at the convention hotel. We have events scheduled pretty-much around the clock. I you have a room, you'll be able to relax occationally and not miss-out on a lot of the late-night activities and fun.
Kevin Atkins, our Master of Ceremonies, took some great photos from his room at Starfest 2003. Since then the light rail station has been completed and is located just across the walkway from the hotel. Now coming to the convention is more convenient than ever before! Take a look at what you'll be seeing out your window at this beautiful hotel!
If you are driving to the hotel for the convention, make sure that you get your parking ticket validated at registration during the show. There is no charge for parking at the hotel for convention attendies.
The Marriott DTC is accepting room reservations for Starfest 2008. For just $89 per night (plus tax) you can rent a single or double room for up to 4 people. Make sure you tell the operator that you want the Starfest group rate or they could end up charging you a lot more. Parking at the hotel for the convention is free.
Call the hotel directly to make your reservations at 303.779.1100 - operators are standing by.
If you'd like to see what kinds of amenities are available, click here.
Powered by | | English | | Albanian | | Arabic | | Bulgarian | | Catalan | | Chinese | | Croatian | | Czech | | Danish | | Dutch | | Estonian | | Filipino | | Finnish | | French | | Galician | | German | | Greek | | Hebrew | | Hindi | | Hungarian | | Indonesian | | Italian | | Japanese | | Korean | | Latvian | | Lithuanian | | Maltese | | Norwegian | | Polish | | Portuguese | | Romanian | | Russian | | Serbian | | Slovak | | Slovenian | | Spanish | | Swedish | | Thai | | Turkish | | Ukrainian | | Vietnamese |
|
|
|
|
Wednesday, February 20, 2008
|
Current mood: mischievous
Category: Movies, TV, Celebrities
1) CRACK open your briefcase or handbag, peer Inside and ask "Got enough air in there?"
2) STAND silent and motionless in the corner facing the wall without getting off.
3) WHEN arriving at your floor, grunt and strain to yank the doors open, then act as if you're embarrassed when they open themselves.
4) GREET everyone with a warm handshake and ask him or her to call you Admiral.
5) MEOW occasionally.
6) STARE At another passenger for a while. Then announce in horror:
"You're one of THEM" - and back away slowly
7) SAY -DING at each floor.
8) SAY "I wonder what all these do?" And push all the red buttons.
9) MAKE explosion noises when anyone presses a button.
10) STARE, grinning at another passenger for a while, then announce:
"I have new socks on."
11) WHEN the elevator is silent, look around and ask: "Is that your beeper?"
12) TRY to make personal calls on the emergency phone.
13) DRAW a little square on the floor with chalk and announce to the other passengers: "This is my personal space."
14) WHEN there's only one other person in the elevator, tap them on the shoulder, then pretend it wasn't you.
15) PUSH the buttons and pretend they give you a shock. Smile, and go back for more.
16) ASK if you can push the button for other people but push the wrong ones.
17) HOLD the doors open and say you're waiting for your friend. After a while,
let the doors close and say "Hi Greg, How's your day been?"
18) DROP a pen and wail until someone reaches to help pick it up, then scream: "That's mine!"
19) BRING a camera and take pictures of everyone in the lift.
20) PRETEND you're a flight attendant and review emergency procedures and exits with the Passengers.
Powered by | | English | | Albanian | | Arabic | | Bulgarian | | Catalan | | Chinese | | Croatian | | Czech | | Danish | | Dutch | | Estonian | | Filipino | | Finnish | | French | | Galician | | German | | Greek | | Hebrew | | Hindi | | Hungarian | | Indonesian | | Italian | | Japanese | | Korean | | Latvian | | Lithuanian | | Maltese | | Norwegian | | Polish | | Portuguese | | Romanian | | Russian | | Serbian | | Slovak | | Slovenian | | Spanish | | Swedish | | Thai | | Turkish | | Ukrainian | | Vietnamese |
|
|
|
|
Thursday, January 03, 2008
|
Current mood:  bouncy
Aside from the DVDs and CDs I got a Marauder's Map, a Fawkes plush, Money from Gringots, an Order of the Phoenix pendant, the whole trunk set of Harry Potter books (and that's one heavy box set) and Minerva McGonagall's wand. (All I need is her costume and I'm all set. I have the hat already.) Then there was the statue of Phoenix from the X-Men. Then there was the silver phoenix pendant (Yep, I love phoenixs just as much as others love dragons.) There's more but let's hear from you now. What did YOU get?
Powered by | | English | | Albanian | | Arabic | | Bulgarian | | Catalan | | Chinese | | Croatian | | Czech | | Danish | | Dutch | | Estonian | | Filipino | | Finnish | | French | | Galician | | German | | Greek | | Hebrew | | Hindi | | Hungarian | | Indonesian | | Italian | | Japanese | | Korean | | Latvian | | Lithuanian | | Maltese | | Norwegian | | Polish | | Portuguese | | Romanian | | Russian | | Serbian | | Slovak | | Slovenian | | Spanish | | Swedish | | Thai | | Turkish | | Ukrainian | | Vietnamese |
|
|
|
|