-- First up in this relatively quiet day Around the Blogosphere is a well put together list feature running through 11 short films that have been teased out into feature-length efforts. There are some surprises there to be sure, especially if you're not a film geek. "Napoleon Dynamite" and Wes Anderson's "Bottle Rocket" both started life in short form. The peg of course is Shane Acker's "9," which was an Oscar-nominated 2005 short film. The CGI animated feature, which is produced by Tim Burton and "Wanted" director Timur Bekmambetov, hits theaters on September 9. (Short Films that Grew Up)
-- Over at Cinematical, Jessica Barnes gives some love to superheroes who were thrown under a bus in their Hollywood treatments. Not literally of course; most heroes could survive such an occurrence anyway. Can you guess who the lucky contestants might be? Other than Elektra and Catwoman that is. (Superheroes That Deserve Another Chance) Read more...
Article by Ashley Mastronardi
I often associate the Metropolitan Museum of Art with Egyptian pyramids, campy Warhol portraits, and a great grilled chicken salad from the café near the Greek sculptures. But now superheroes are surprisingly getting recognition from the fine art world in "Superheroes: Fashion and Fantasy" -- the Met's latest exhibit that explains how the looks of some of our favorite childhood heroes (Superman, Batman, and Wonder Woman, among others) have influenced real world avant-garde fashion, ready-to-wear pieces, and high-performance sportswear.
As I navigated my way through groups of well-heeled fashionistas, comic book nerds, and a gaggle of NYC tourists in the exhibit this Saturday, I was pleasantly surprised to find everything from Superman's classic, but somewhat risqué skintight "S" unitard -- which I learned was inspired by costumes worn by circus acrobats in the 1920's -- to a beyond vulgar (but amazing) Thierry Mugler black vinyl body suit, mask, and cape, reminiscent of Michelle Pfeiffer's Catwoman costume in 1992's "Batman Returns." (Tons more plus pics after the jump!) Read more...
