Completely Unrelated to Sewing

This is my review of the movie Sucker Punch.

I was really excited to see it, because the trailers had made it look so epic! The costumes looked.. standard for this kind of actiony flick. Lots of skin, not much design. Very anime like. I ended up seeing the movie twice.

Here's the summary from Buzzsugar.com:

Sucker Punch is an action-fantasy hybrid that tells the story of a young woman known only as "Baby Doll" (Emily Browning). In an engrossing prologue, we're introduced to Baby Doll's plight; when her mother dies, she and her sister become the targets of their sadistic stepfather. In a tragic twist, Baby Doll is involved in an accident that lands her in a dilapidated mental institution. Unable to accept her new reality, Baby Doll escapes into a fantasy world in which she imagines that she and the other female patients (Vanessa Hudgens, Abbie Cornish, Jena Malone, and Jamie Chung) are beautiful dancers in a burlesque theater.

Even in Baby Doll's parallel world where she and the others are gorgeous seductresses, there's still danger from the evil club owner. Fixated on escaping from the theater, Baby Doll learns from a mysterious mentor that she needs five tools to earn her freedom. The other girls are willing to help, and each time they retrieve one of the tools, they all disappear into a second fantasy world in which they're gun-toting, sword-wielding warriors tasked with defeating a variety of faceless enemies.

The story was so rushed that it felt like the whole thing was only half an hour long. the long fight scenes and strange "reality" of the "club" melt away in your brain to the point where you can only remember five or six plot points.

There was zero character development outside of the character of Baby Doll. It was a really hard story line to follow the first time through. I got really confused when the first transition into the fantasy world happened. It was pretty smooth and I didn't notice it, but that kind of plot manipulation has to be made more easily recognizable or the audience will just end up confused, like I was. Or maybe I was just distracted, but still.

Every chance Zach Snyder had to make the characters look like strong empowered women, they instead became sniveling little crying girls! Baby Doll's face every time she started to dance made her seem like she really was unsure of herself, and was going to "regret this later". Blondie is a mindless drone to Sweet Pea and has no backbone when it comes to the only significant part in the movie she had! She has no courage of conviction and therefore doesn't follow through (I also don't like Vanessa Hudgens. so it's tough luck for her lol) Amber, when confronted with anything other than dancing around and being shiny, stands there in her miniskirt and cries. Sweet Pea is a coward. Every chance she gets to make her situation better, or stand up for herself she withers away to a voiceless wonder with sad puppy-dog eyes. Madam Gorsky does the exact same thing, except with a terrible accent. When the going gets tough, The tough ..put on miniskirts?

the costumes are boring. the dance costumes for "on stage" were the same tops and skirts they were already wearing in shinier fabric, with polished pyramid studs and flat metal pieces? they didn't even get creative.
VS

Each time they go in search of one of the five tools they need for escape, the shtick is that Baby Doll will dance for them and they will be so mesmerized that the other girls can pickpocket them and none will be the wiser. You never even got to see this apparently amazing hypnotizing dance! All you ever see is the very beginning swaying back and forth of Baby Doll, then it transitions into her fantasy warfare. poop.


I give it two out of five stars

The Only March Post

just kidding! I may squeeze some extra posts in tomorrow or something.

So my official march dress was the dress Rapunzel wears in Disney's Tangled.

It looked relatively easy but I ended up being a bit overwhelmed. Grecia (who the dress was for) says it was great and she loved it, but I honestly think it could have been done significantly better. It was too purple :/ and plain and poorly made. I blame myself.




















She loves it. I guess that's all that matters.

I'm still riding high on my finished garment buzz though and am itching to make something else. I've considered finally making my cape, but it's getting too warm. I also want to make a skirt, but I feel the weight of Susan on my shoulders, reminding me that I promised her a dress... oohhh but what's the point of sewing if it's not for me! lol.

my month has been so busy you guys! I have an amazing costuming class on wednesdays! My class is working with The Lamplighters, a theater group based in San Francisco, and we got to go to their official Costume Shop.

Can.
I.
Just.
Say.

wall of hats.



I LOOOOOOVVVEEEE BIG HATS. They have a whole wall of hats. My boyfriend hates them. He really doesn't understand my love of big hats, but BOY do I love big hats. They have amazing hats.

Speaking of hats, I had a three week course the last three saturdays in Millinery! That's hat making! It was so much fun!!

this is my Buckram hat. it's covered in cotton, and I made it! the whole thing!
this is my fascinator! I assembled everything! So much fun.

I also did a straw hat but I don't have a good shot of it yet, so when i finally wear it out i'll make sure someone snaps a pic.

back to costuming class!

that's the panorama i took of the costume shop. it was so much fun. we used industrial machines, and got a tour of all the costumes that were being kept in the shop. So awesome. Also in that class we had a professional Tutu maker come in and show us his Ruffler. it's a specially adapted old sewing machine. It's also 400 dollars. but look how beautiful it is!?!




browsing around on stumbleupon i found a painting and I decided that the dress in the painting, while barely visible, is necessary to my existence.


I haven't been losing weight as quickly as I thought I would have since I started back at school, aaaaand its because I drink so much. I spend too much free time at Single Barrel, THE best bar i've ever been to. They make the most amazing cocktails. They cater everything to your specific tastes and its amazing.


sooo There you have it. My month. I promise i'll resume posting regularly so there's no more blog vomit like this again. :)

Yay sewing!