The Italic Poster (!)

I love when I see really inspiring design work, that is either thought-provoking or just plain awesome that it completely blows my mind. I've found that I feel this a lot when I look at Massimo Vignelli's work, because he is my modernist idol. Ah, minimalism. Vignelli says it best:

"I like it to be visually powerful, intellectually elegant, and above all timeless."

Timeless. In an industry that changes trends on a daily basis. Oh, the preoccupation that rests on my shoulders as a designer. Here is a wonderfully minimal, incredible poster that I found today while surfing the 'net:

OMFG. The Italic Poster–totally brillz! I am certifiably in love.

Hip-Hop is ALIVE

For the longest time I was under the impression that Kanye West's new album, "808s & Heartbreak", was being released Tuesday, 11/25, which would be tomorrow. Yesterday I was perusing the aisles at Target and was very surprised to see the CD was available on their shelves. For $9.98. Perfect. You already know I snatched that right up, and for the first time ever, I had a Kanye CD before my brother. (He was not happy about not being in-the-know about the CDs availability.)

I really love his new sound. For a mainstream hip-hop artist, leave it to Mr. West to revolutionize his work once again. Instead of using a familiar sound and style to appease his audience, Kanye takes it upon himself to reinvent his style, implementing electro beats and synthesizers, with slower tempos, choosing to sing rather than rap. This CD is refreshing and brilliant; just like Mr. West himself.

Kanye West's 808s & Heartbreak Album Cover

Songs that I love so far from the album:
3. Heartless
4. Amazing (feat. Young Jeezy)
5. Love Lockdown
6. Paranoid (feat. Mr. Hudson) - this especially!
8. Street Lights

Amazing Artist

It's not often that I receive an email regarding artists, but this morning when I got to work, a coworker of mine had forwarded me an email with the work from a really great, talented artist. His name was Paul Smith, born in 1921. Mr. Smith suffered from spastic cerebral palsy which impeded his speech and mobility. Despite his hardships, Paul taught himself how to create masterful works of art using the typewriter; even going so far as to learn how to create shading, while only using the keys @ # $ % ^ & * ( ) _ . Paul passed away in 2007 but some of his work remains:

Top 10 Films I've Seen in 2008

This past year I've seen more films than any other year. That is probably because I haven't been as busy, given that I am a college graduate and spent the better half of the year only working three days a week. That allowed for going to the library and getting upwards to six or seven DVDs per visit to watch... for free. Thank goodness for free DVDs from the library. Most listed below were rented from the library or viewed in the theatres. Either way, here is the list of the top 10 best films I saw for the first time in 2008. I even made a short list of honorable mention.

Charlie Bartlett– 2007; Comedy/Drama; Starring Anton Yelchin, Robert Downey Jr., Kat Dennings; Directed by Jon Poll
Dancer in the Dark– 2000; Drama/Musical; Starring Björk, Catherine Deneuve, David Morse; Directed by Lars Von Trier
The Dark Knight– 2008; Action/Crime; Starring Christian Bale, Heath Ledger, Aaron Eckhart; Directed by Christopher Nolan
Forgetting Sarah Marshall– 2008; Rom-Com; Starring Jason Segel, Mila Kunis, Kristen Bell, Russell Brand; Directed by Nicholas Stoller
interMission– 2003; Drama/Comedy; Starring Cillian Murphy, Colin Farrell, Kelly Macdonald; Directed by John Crowley
Into the Wild– 2007; Drama/Bio; Starring Emile Hirsch, Marcia Gay Harden, Catherine Keener; Directed by Sean Penn
Little Children– 2006; Drama/Romance; Starring Kate Winslet, Patrick Wilson, Jennifer Connolly; Directed by Todd Field
Notes on a Scandal– 2006; Drama; Starring Judi Dench, Cate Blanchett, Bill Nighy, Andrew Simpson; Directed by Richard Eyre
The Painted Veil– 2006; Drama/Romance; Starring Naomi Watts, Edward Norton, Liev Schreiber, Toby Jones; Directed by John Curran
Role Models– 2008; Comedy; Starring Seann William Scott, Paul Rudd, Christopher Mintz-Plasse; Directed by David Wain

Honorable Mention
Candy– 2006; Drama/Romance; Starring Abbie Cornish, Heath Ledger, Geoffrey Rush; Directed by Neil Armfield
Lilja 4-Ever– 2002; Drama/Fantasy; Starring Oksana Akinshina, Artyom Bogucharsky; Directed by Lukas Moodysson
The Prize Winner of Defiance, Ohio– 2005; Drama/Bio; Starring Julianna Moore, Woody Harrelson; Directed by Jane Anderson
Twilight– 2008; Action/Romance; Starring Robert Pattinson, Kristen Stewart, Peter Facinelli; Directed by Catherine Hardwicke
Waitress– 2007; Drama/Romance; Starring Keri Russell, Nathan Fillion, Cheryl Hines, Jeremy Sisto; Directed by Adrienne Shelly

Twilight [and Rob Pattinson] Dazzles

Director: Catherine Hardwicke
Screenwriter: Melissa Rosenberg
Rating: PG-13
Runtime: 122 min

Twilight is the phenomenon of 2008. Despite the fact that I am currently working all day, I couldn't pass up going to the midnight showing, allowing myself only four hours of sleep after watching the most anticipated film of the season (and in my experience, probably ever). I think it'll be difficult properly critiquing the film, being that I am biased and thoroughly enjoyed (okay, obsessed over) the entire saga, but I will do my best to give you some sort of movie review, from the perspective of a self-proclaimed Twilighter.

I liked [director] Catherine Hardwicke's work in Lords of Dogtown and Thirteen, but was a bit skeptical when I heard she was directing Twilight. There were quite a few scenes, camera angles and transitions that clearly demonstrate her indie roots, but for the audience (who, as a whole, is far more hip to the alternative culture than I was at their age) I think it works for the most part. There are some lines and special effects that are somewhat hokey, but what's to expect when you're watching a movie about vampires? Twilight is definitely aimed towards 'tweens (with the exception of trying to break into the male market with the in-depth action sequence), but being 23 years old, I felt obliged to go into reading the series as well as seeing the film with the maturity of a grown woman. To my surprise, I only came out of both feeling like a giddy teenager. I'll go ahead and get this out of the way while I can: I never thought Rob Pattinson could get any hotter. I was sorely mistaken.

Robert Pattinson (once the doomed Cedrick Diggory in two of the Harry Potter films), who plays Edward Cullen, is a vampire who falls in love with Isabella (Bella) Swan, portrayed by Kristen Stewart (of In the Land of Women and Into the Wild fame). The scene in the biology room may have seemed poorly acted by Rob, but until you've read Midnight Sun, I don't think one can truly understand his reaction of pain, thirst, and the unrelenting desire to kill Bella as he portrays in this particular scene. It got a few laughs in the auditorium, but it wasn't supposed to be funny (oh the pain of watching with pre-adolescents). The romance was lacking (in comparison to the book, anyway) and their relationship seemed kind of rushed without all the back story. However, in all honesty, I don't think any actors could ever pull off what is experienced by the reader throughout their courtship when reading Twilight. Edward and Bella's first kiss was impeccable, and Rob did an incredible job portraying Edward's restraint, severe focus and caution. It was absolutely and unequivocally painfully beautiful to watch. [For those who have seen the many trailers with the kiss scene, I can assure you that it does not do the scene in the film any justice.]

The Cullen coven was enjoyable and the acting was fine all around, though they didn't get a ton of screen time. The same goes for the nomads and most other secondary characters. Billy Burke and Ashley Greene were impressive as Charlie Swan and Alice Cullen, respectively, as well as Nikki Reed's portrayal of Rosalie Hale. You could really sense the timid, loving relationship between Charlie and Bella, and the mutual respect they have for one another. Everything about Alice (her grace, bell-like voice, and pixie-like appearance) was spot on with Bella's description in the book, and the hatred that Rosalie has for our mortal protagonist was irrevocably evident. Peter Facinelli, who is most famously remembered as Mike Dexter in Can't Hardly Wait, was a pleasant surprise as the coven's patriarch, Dr. Carlisle Cullen. A very minor character whom I was really impressed with was Mike Newton (played by Michael Welch), the cute, average human guy who tries to win Bella over. With hopes that the saga continues on the big screen, I am most looking forward to Emmett Cullen's (played by Kellan Lutz) character development.

There were differences between the storyline in the book and the film, but for the sake of natural flow in a feature, it worked out well (and for the most part don't have any complaints in that regard). Melissa Rosenberg, responsible for the screenplay, did a sufficient job condensing the book into a feature film without losing vital information and key lines; a feat that I'm sure was not easy. Stephenie Meyer (Twilight's author) and Catherine Hardwicke refused to change imperative lines from the book, and some came off corny and contrived. Most, however, were great.

My only real skepticism with the film would be the special effects (i.e. vampires running and jumping). Only using a $35 Million budget, one has to realize how difficult it is to make the Cullen coven and nomads realistic. This will pose a problem in the future because the mythology of the saga will only deepen as the story develops, and in order to create more realistic effects, the budget needs to at least triple (I would guess. Clearly, I'm no professional).

The Twilight soundtrack felt as though it meshed well with the film, and Paramore even wrote "Decode" specifically for the movie. (I highly suggest that you listen to the acoustic version, available on the soundtrack.) Rob Pattinson contributed two songs as well ("Never Think" and "Let Me Sign"), which were really refreshing, and provided great, subtle background music, especially on their date at the Italian restaurant. "Bella's Lullaby" was used, in parts, for the score, which gave a sense of consistency and coherence coinciding with the story.

There were three scenes in particular that I was quite looking forward to: Edward playing "Bella's Lullaby" on the piano, the baseball game, and the scene in the meadow. All three were strong scenes in different ways. Robert Pattinson is very talented and did a great job playing her lullaby; the baseball game–until the nomads arrived, anyway–was very fun and entertaining (albeit kind of short); the glitter effect was subtle, yet effective. Again, the emotion and romance wasn't all there during the meadow scene, but you could really see the adoration and passion they share for one another, even after Edward instills the slightest bit of fear in Bella (though she would never admit it) after he shows her some of his more "monstrous" abilities (swift movement, jumping and strength).

I had very high expectations for Twilight, but was sure to go in considering the movie to be a different entity from the book (there was just no way they could stay 100% true in the adaptation from a 544-page book to the big screen). Even after all the hype and high expectations, I can honestly tell you that the film left me very satisfied and wanting more. But I wouldn't necessarily recommend viewing Twilight to the non-fanpire. I wonder what someone would have been thinking had they not read the books. Would their romance, relationship, and dedication to each other be convincing?

Rating: 7/10

Christmas Come Early!

(!!!!!)

I did not know that the MTA had an online New York Transit Museum! While reading "The (Mostly) True Story of Helvetica and the New York City Subway," I stumbled across where you can purchase vintage subway maps. I'm not sure if you know my obsession with maps (especially MTA's maps), but today really is like Christmas! Twilight comes out tonight and I found a place where I can purchase vintage subway maps. Ah, I'm so happy.

If anyone is feeling charitable, just buy one and have it sent my way! My favorite is Massimo Vignelli's 1972 map:

Play to Win, Not to Settle for Ties

Chad Ocho Cinco has been deactivated for tonight's game against the Steelers in Pittsburgh. Rumor has it that Chad made a comment about how the team should play to win and not settle for a tie, but Chad's reps could not be reached for comment and the Bengals refuse to make another statement until after the game.

He does, however, make a good point. There were many occasions in the game verses Philly where Marvin Lewis and the coaching staff played it way too safe. As my dad put it during the game, they were "playing like they're not trying to lose, but not trying to win either." I guess their scheme worked to their advantage since they clearly wanted to tie. The Bengals need to take chances. What do we have to lose now? Besides chances at a higher draft pick? Like that'll do any good anyway, since Mike Brown is still in charge; we're going to lose games regardless until he's gone.

I can't really fathom why our organization cannot properly punish criminals (let alone re-sign them!), and choose to suspend a guy who is just trying to win games. I side with Chad in his struggle.

Be seeing you, Moose

After 18 years in the league, Mike Mussina, who spent the past eight years (after ten with the Orioles) playing in pinstripes, is retiring. He is the first pitcher (out of only five) since Sandy Koufax in 1967 to finish his career with a 20-win season. In an era where players' integrity has been questionable at best, he will surely be remembered as a class act.

We'll miss you Moose. But we'll be seeing you in Cooperstown.

Image Courtesy of The New York Daily News: Mike Mussina is congratulated by catcher Jose Molina after winning his 20th game of the season Sept. 28.

[Side note: Gosh, he's good looking for 40!]

Here I go again...

As the Twilight premiere looms near, RPattz's appearance on Ellen's show proved to be entertaining (as her shows usually are). This Thanksgiving season, Ellen gives us a slice of heaven (screw the pumpkin pie!) by having Rob on her show, as well as giving him a pair of custom-made boxers with "BITE ME" embroidered on the bum (an ode to Rob's native slang). Rob will appear on Ellen today, 11/21.

T-minus 15 hours

To continue the hysteria that is the Twilight Saga, I completed a 30 question quiz that PARADE Magazine has on their website. (**Warning, there are spoilers in the quiz if you haven't read past New Moon!) See my results (and how unbelievably nerdy I can continue to be about this whole ordeal) here:


There were two questions about casting that I didn't know, and clearly haven't read in the plethora of articles I've read regarding the film, but I'm obviously not that bitter. From the looks of it, my blog has become purely dedicated to being a Twilighter fan site. Trust me, there are many that are far better (a few of my favorites being Twilighters.org, Twilight Guy, Twilight Lexicon, Twilight the Movie, and Stephenie Meyer's website), but as you can see, my life has been revolving around the phenomenon since I first started the saga and before its release in theatres. And speaking of release, I will be watching Twilight on the big screen tonight at 11:59pm EST. I am counting down the hours!

Because I didn't get a lot of sleep last night (working two jobs does this to me), I will be taking a nap immediately following work today so that I am 100% prepared and in tip top shape for my viewing experience. At this point, I know that more than 500 midnight showings across the country are sold out, and Rave Theatre (where Laura and I will be going to see it) currently has four, with the potential of five screens available for showing tonight. That means we will have to get there early. Thank goodness there are many delicious restaurants just across the street from Rave, so I can fuel up for, once again, a tip top viewing experience.

T-minus 35 hours...

Please click here to read a Twilighter's movie review after going to an early screening of Twilight, specifically written for Twilighters.

Thanks to Laura, we have already purchased our tickets for the 11:59 screening tomorrow night at Rave theatre.

Here are two gratuitous images, the first being a photo of the cast at the Twilight Premiere, and the second of Rob and Kristen at the premiere:

From left to right: Elizabeth Reaser [Esme Cullen], Jackson Rathbone [Jasper Hale], Christian Serratos [Angela Weber], Taylor Lautner [Jacob Black], Rachelle LaFevre [Victoria], Kellan Lutz [Emmett Cullen], Ashley Greene [Alice Cullen], Nikki Reed [Rosalie Hale], Kristen Stewart [Bella Swan], Billy Burke [Charlie Swan], Rob Pattinson [Edward Cullen], Catherine Hardwicke [Director, Twilight]

Rob Pattinson [Edward Cullen] and Kristen Stewart [Bella Swan] at the Twilight premiere

I, too, am a douchebag

For the first time in six years, an NFL game resulted in a tie yesterday. Leave it to the Bengals; the perennially bad, cellar dwellers of the NFL. As though a loss is bad enough, a tie is nothing, indifferent. It's like getting a nice swift kick in the ass; something Mike Brown likes to do to his fans week in and week out, so I guess that's at least fitting.

It's painful to be a Bengals fan. Depressing even. With the Colts and Peyton Manning only 90 miles away, it's very tempting to make the switch to a superior organization. But I am loyal and wouldn't do that to my team. By being a Bengals fan, I've committed to this relationship like I would a marriage. The whole "til death do we part... in good times and in bad... in sickness and in health" mantra applies. Sometimes it's rough, there are better days than others, and there's going to be temptation to stray, but I've made a commitment.

Because of this, I too, am a douchebag.

Three More Days!

Movie Trailers - Movies Blog

Here is a brand new extended clip of the van scene from "Twilight."

Collecting the Classics

I had an epiphany today.

When my pseudo-niece, Jersey (age 6), and I wanted to watch a movie this morning, we decided to watch "Monsters, Inc" (again) because I don't own any other animated films. Blasphemy!

So, thanks to all that is holy, that's where Amazon.com comes into play. If you don't frequent that site, I highly suggest that you start doing so. I've probably gotten about half of my DVD collection through Amazon, so I decided to start collecting animations and Disney films. It's even nice because some of these are back in the Disney vault and are not available for purchase in stores; talk about convenience! Here are the four DVDs that will soon be gracing my shelves:

Aladdin, 1992
One of the greatest Disney films of all time. They just don't make movies like this any more.

The Brave Little Toaster, 1987
The Brave Little Toaster will always hold a special place in my heart. I suppose any movie with Blanky as a character will always have a place in my heart.

Cinderella, 1950
Cinderella is my favorite Disney classic. I cannot wait to be able to watch it whenever I want!

The Lion King, 1994
I remember all the hype surrounding its release. It is the Disney film of my generation.

101 Dalmations, Pocahontas, Little Mermaid and Toy Story are next on the Disney purchase list. It's not often I watch animated films, but now I will be able to revisit my youth, while collecting the classics.

Top 10 Sexiest Musicians Alive [IMO]

Scott Avett Banjo/Vocals for The Avett Brothers
He's also a painter; very talented ... and hot!

Chris Carrabba Lead Vocals/Guitar for Dashboard Confessional and formerly Further Seems Forever
I felt like revisiting my days of being a die hard Chris Carrabba/Dashboard fan. Ever since "Vindicated" and "fans" of Dashboard ConfessionalS came about, I have been sure to boycott. He's still hot nonetheless.


Clifford Joseph Harris, Jr. Solo Rap Artist Better Known as T.I.
He's got thug appeal, and he will be serving a year in prison to prove it. He is, however, making amazing tracks ("Whatever You Like" and "Live Your Life" to name a couple) and is sexy as ever.


Jared Leto Lead Vocalist/Guitarist for 30 Seconds to Mars
I may not know anything about his band, but I do know he is beautiful.


John Mayer Vocalist/Guitarist
I'm not a huge fan of his music, but I've heard great things about the John Mayer Trio, which I still need to check out. And he's nice to look at.


Rob Pattinson Vocalist/Guitarist/Pianist
Rob has two songs "Never Think" and "Let Me Sign" (Bonus Track on iTunes) on the "Twilight" soundtrack, and will be featured in the film playing "Bella's Lullaby" on the piano.


Gavin Rossdale Solo Artist and former Lead Vocals/Guitarist for Bush
Gavin Rossdale is a newfound solo artist. Unfortunately he isn't solo in real life, and Gwen Stefani gets to wake up morning after morning to this beautiful man.


Justin Timberlake Solo Artist and Former Member of *N Sync
As a boy-bander, Justin Timberlake became famous. Post boy-band stardom, he has only become more popular as a Pop and R & B artist.


Kanye West Solo Hip-Hop Artist
This is our generation's most progressive and revolutionary mainstream hip-hop artist, and his style and swagger are unparalleled.

Here's to looking up

I think all Bengals fans alike are pretty much fed up with how the organization is run. Or not run; whichever way you see fit to look at the situation. There are numerous issues that start at the top (ahem, Mike Brown), and will never cease unless we look to the top to make some major adjustments. For example: hire a [good] General Manager. This first billboard is now up in four different locations in the Cincinnati area thanks to whodeyrevolution.com. It gets straight to the point:
As business partners, WEBN and the Bengals seem to have a good relationship. The billboard below proves informative in regard to where you can listen to the games on Sundays (because we all know we don't deserve any Monday night games). As a Bengals fan, I translate it to mean exactly as it reads, because clearly the team (as well as the offense and leadership, among the aforementioned numerous issues with the organization) has been MIA all season. Sweet irony.Here's to looking up for the possibility of a good game following the bye week. Or just looking up to good billboards; because they have proved to be much more entertaining.

Selfish+Blogger=Bloggish

I'm feeling pretty bloggish right now. (If you don't know what that means, check out the word hybrid in the title of this post. It's not one of my better ones, but it will do for this case) This domain is basically just a place for me to satiate my need to release creative energy in a way other than visually. And I love and live popular culture so much that I've found that I can kill the proverbial 'two birds with one stone' by expending this so-called creativity by picking up on a past time I've long since forgotten; writing ...About popular culture in particular. May it be by making top ten lists of really hot men, digging up extinct pop culture phenoms to remind you how glorious our youth was (i.e. MASH and slap bracelets), giving updates and recaps for professional and collegiate sports, or simply providing book/movie/music reviews, I'm your one stop (pop culture) shop for all that is entertainment.

10 Days Until the 'Twilight' Premiere!

I finished reading the Twilight Saga the first time a few weeks ago. I finished re-reading [skimming through some parts] the series two days ago. I miss it, but I've been reading through the Twilight Guy's blog, and he gives a recap and a lot of hilarious, awesome insight [as well as funny images] for each of the chapters, so I've been getting my fix through that. With only a little more than 10 days to go before the premiere [I will be going to the midnight showing. Who cares if I don't go to bed until 3am and have to work the next morning!], I just can't get enough.

Here's an excerpt from People.com on 'Twilight's' Rob Pattinson:

"Pattinson also revealed that he put off auditioning for the high-profile role for five months because the script described the character, created by novelist Stephanie Meyer, as 'the ideal, perfect man.'

"I felt like an idiot being like, 'Hi, I'm here for the ideal man audition,' he said."

Oh, Rob. Don't be silly. You ARE ideal.

Top 10 Sexiest Athletes Alive [IMO]

I was going over my first Top 10 Sexiest list with a few of my friends, and it was noted that they all happened to be actors. I knew that, but I feel it's only appropriate to create another; this time I would make a top 10 of athletes. Without further adieu, here is my Top 10 in alphabetical order; because trying to rate them in order from hottest of hot to just plain hot is criminal.

David Beckham
I'll make this short and sweet. His style is unparalleled, he seems like an all around good guy, and he was even hot with a mullet- an amazing feat.


Tom Brady
I may hate his team more than any other in the NFL, but somebody as attractive as him has to be recognized. And applauded. Because wow. [There, I said it!] It feels good to have that out in the open. It's like an addict's first step to recovery: the admission to having a problem; some deep, dark, secret addiction. 'My name is Linsey and I am secretly addicted to Tom Brady.' Now everyone can applaud me.


Sidney Crosby
Hockey is by far the sexiest sport on the planet, and the Captain and center for the Pens is the perfect poster child to exemplify that. And he can pull off a playoff beard, which will come in handy for many years to come.


Derek Jeter
Derek Jeter gets a lot of credit for his good looks. And rightfully so! He is simply beautiful- at least when he's wearing a hat. I just had to show a picture of him holding up the '4' because he's the only athlete on this list whose team has won more championships than Tom Brady has with the Pats.


Ryan Lochte
I swear, this Olympic swimmer is my other half. He just doesn't know it yet! And he is just as hot as he is funny. In my opinion, he is the sexiest athlete in the world. That's why he deserves a plethora of photos to let you see just how amazing he is. And if you're wondering: yes, he really did put in his grill piece when he won silver at the 2007 World Championships in Sydney. Like I said... soul mates.


Chad Ocho Cinco
I'll probably get burned at the stake for this one, but love him or hate him, this guy has serious sex appeal. And he's goofy. How could any girl [or at least myself] resist?


Brady Quinn
I have to be fair. I've heard that he was your typical Dublin Coffman guy [and that can't be a good thing], so he may be super-douchey. To give him the benefit of the doubt, I'll just say his looks alone have landed him on this list.


Andy Roddick
Ah, a tennis stud. Andy Roddick is as beautiful as he is talented. I'll even let it slide that he had a momentary lapse in judgment by dating Mandy Moore.


Alex Rodriguez
The Yankees Third Baseman is hot, and 'roids or no 'roids [we'll save that for a later debate], ARod is alpha male sexy.


Cristiano Ronaldo
He may be a skeez, but at least he's man candy for sure.

Yes We Did

I feel blessed and excited to be able to say that I have witnessed and been a part of history: the United States of America has spoken. And we have elected our first African-American President.

Barack Obama is our 44th President and I am anxious for the future. Yes WE can!