Holy Boobies Batman! - Poison Ivy Burlesque coming right up~!

Holy Boobies Batman! is an awesome title, I'm just going to say it.

I'll be performing a brand new, Poison Ivy inspired burlesque act at the Toronto Underground Cinema June 4th, with a bevy of wonderful boys and girls dressed up as Batman characters. Dressed up for a little while, anyway. 

Burlesque tends to have naked people. Naked super hero/super villain people. Yes, this is Batman burlesque.

It's kind of awesome.

Other performers will include...

Dolly Berlin (who some may remember seeing as the opening act to last year's Babes in Space as the sexy Darth Vader)

Sevvy Skellington

Lola Ebola

Leelando

Betty Quirk

Dew Lily, from Boylesque TO. Way too hot to handle. Please bring sunglasses, as this sexy man will blind you.

If you're local, or pilgrimaging to see naked nerds, pick up some  advance tickets available at Borderline Plus ( 425 Queen St. W) and The Original ( 515 Queen St. W) so grab some before they sell out!

I have on good authority that there  geeky raffle with fantastic prizes! Plus a Bat bake sale & other Bat goodies. Costumes are highly encouraged!

~Red Herring

Sucker Punch Review - G33KPRON Posts!

Remember when I went into the theatre with fangirlish glee, somewhere mid-March, and promised you all a review of Sucker Punch?

I suck. So here it is now.

The overall reaction to the movie from the critics and fanboy base was 'Meh' and frankly to them I give a glittery manicured middle finger.

What, you boys are having a hard time relating to women an action movie with no male lead characters? Who's surprised.

Yes the movie was shallow, largely centering around action and fire and explosions. It was also the only movie of its kind: Female ensemble lead with NO romance. It's basically a female version of The Expendables, minus the romance.

Here's a challenge: What other movies can you think of with strong female leads that aren't motivated by some dude?

Badass. Any questions?

Some people bring up the Angelina Jolie movie Salt when I mention a lack of female leads. FYI, it was written for Tom Cruise originally, and she's motivated by the husband's death (I think, I don't remembe.r It was a bad movie and I've already seen Bourne Identity*). Rarely has the Sucker Punch kind of movie been done before.

Not that I'm bitter or anything, but seriously? Your male action movies are so deep and meaningful. Who goes into a movie like Sucker Punch hoping for a deep and meaningful Oscar nominee? There are dragons and guns and knee socks in the trailer. This is female wish fufillment, just like superhero films for guys.**

And for the record, where are all the female pro movie critics? There's a serious lack in the field.

Jessica from G33KPRON shares my opinions on Sucker Punch, and is also a cool new site. Take a look, and comment here or there with your agreement or disagreement. She brings up the same points I've been harping on, and has a great quote from Mr. Snyder about the extended length of the director's cut. And a great quote from Jess herself:

"No damsel waiting for some jacked up, knight-in-shining-armor type to rescue her. These chicks are brutal, unflinching, and you believe every second of it."

Go. Discuss. I only hope for more female centered movies that don't end with a romance. We've got other shit to do.

EDIT: Bunnyhero on twitter linked me to this amazing in-depth review from Tor. Go, read it. Part 1 and Part 2. I love it. I love Tor, how did I miss this?!

"It amazes me how, even regarding a movie about women, straight men dominate the conversation."

~Red Herring

* The similarities are striking....except that BI was better.
** COOL female wish fufillment. If your wishes are more in the line of Twilight or Sex in the City I'm probably not your friend. Girls who want to fight dragons? Come chill.

In which I ramble on about my Easter chocolate of choice (cadbury creme eggs!), a photoshoot with Craig Cochrane at Dragon Lady Comics, and more, plus! My tits say Ka-Pow.

I think the sound-to-video sync on this is off. I'm not sure why. Anyone have any tips? I'm using photobooth on my mac to film...

~ Red Herring

Ad Astra 2009 - Burlesque, Steampunk, and Alcoholic Cupcakes

Ad Astra passed about a week ago, and thanks to the dashing Kenneth Shelley, I was invited to perform and promote myself and the upcoming Babes in Space The Sequel: The Wrath of Thong (my yearly Star Trek vs Star Wars burlesque show)

Kenneth. I told you he was Dashing. Photo by Tina Olah

The duration of the convention saw me seated beside the beautiful Emi Joy Lim, of the webseries Trapped in Terra, and Todd Clark of the Toronto Steampunk Society. Hilariously, Emi recognized me from an audition I did for the webseries way back when I first moved to Toronto. Seems the character I auditioned for is coming up in this season. Hmm...will I get a callback?

Emi Joy Lim and Todd Clark. Photo by Tina Olah

Todd is just dashing. He certainly helped pimp out our wonderfully alcoholic cupcakes, made by the same Brook Alviano that spends hours sewing the amazing costumes that Obskyura and I (among others) remove.

Below is a photo after my performance. Clearly, I have been photobombed.

No, I'm not wearing anything behind that fan.

Costume by 3B Artistry

Also making up some of the amazing company was Adam Smith, the Epic Dude* of the Canadian National Steampunk Exhibition, which will be running for the first time in Toronto. You should go. Adam can always be counted on as a repository of information (and occasionally, delicious booze). I may live in his pocket.

Kristen Thoms, pictured below, was my saviour and glorious companion for the convention. She may or may not have used that gun, and her feminine wiles, to pander cupcakes like the fiend she is. Look out for her bits on stage, if I have any say in the matter.

~ Red Herring

* Not his actual title. Should be, however.

Blog Spotlight! - Fish nor Fowl by Freya West

Fish Nor Fowl - Freya West

Miss Freya West and I met one fateful night at the Toronto Burlesque Festival last year. This damsel in nodress was without a place to stay, and I (ever the knight in shining glitter) took her in and fed her egg sandwiches at midnight while discussing hanging participles and the quirks of freelance writing.

But look at her. Who wouldn't take her home?

Freya West, photos by Stephanie of La Photographie Nashville

She's gorgeous, with a hint of a Southern accent (which she can turn up high at will) and she's smart as hell.

We skype date. It's hot.

She has her own blog over at Fish Nor Fowl and is an experienced writer and editor whose text has graced the pages Huffington Post, Chicagoist, Examiner, and more.

Here's a tidbit snatched from her About page:

The foxy firebrand of the South, Freya West began her burlesque career as a student under the whipsmart talents of Michelle L’Amour. She studied for a year under the burlesque star before performing in the Studio L’Amour student showcase. Since then she has performed internationally, including main showcases at several burlesque festivals and was named a Rising Star at the 2010 Toronto Burlesque Festival. Freya has represented Dos Equis Most Interesting Show in the World, performed with Shiny Toy Guns, and continues to teach the art of the shimmy to Nashville’s elite. Freya is a member of Music City Burlesque. Freya writes about burlesque and other things on her website, Fish nor Fowl.

After heating up that stage, she heats up the classroom with Delinquent Debutantes as "Headmistress Freya West" where she teaches burlesque basics, advanced choreography, a twelve week performance class, and  workshops in tassel twirling, costuming, vintage make up and hair, and MORE.

Internet stalk her on Facebook, Twitter, Examiner or at her literary magazine The Paper Colony.

Oh...and she eats fire too.



~ Red Herring