Category Archives for inspiration

Inspired by: Push

I have a thing for B-rated sci-fi movies. I would say most of my favorite movies fall into this category. Anything stylistic with a cool story and some badass females usually catches my interest. Push came out in 2009 to pretty low reviews by critics, which is no surprise since critics and I rarely seem to agree on movies. But the positive user reviews on IMDB assured me that this movie was worth a shot. And of course I watched it and it’s totally awesome.

Basically, the film is about a group of people with cool powers, all who are trying to evade the Division–a controlling government agency that uses these people and tries to weaponize them. There are different powers–people can be Movers, which is essentially like having telekinesis. Others are Pushers, who can push new thoughts into peoples’ minds. There are also Bleeders who can make people bleed out, and Sniffers who can smell things to trace a person’s actions. Etc. etc. This film has been compared a lot to X-Men and Heroes but I think that’s just because those things were relevant at the time. I don’t really find it very similar other than that basic concept of superhumans. Push is set in Hong Kong which makes it feel very cyberpunk, although there aren’t a ton of cyberpunk elements besides that.

I really loved the cinematography of this movie, and I was also pleasantly surprised by how clever the story was. I was expecting a fun action film but it had a unique story. Plus, Camille Belle and Dakota Fanning are both pretty awesome.

If you like a good, cool-looking sci-fi film, I suggest checking it out!

Inspired by: Sky Captain and the World of Tomorrow

Somehow I missed this movie when it came out in 2004, but it came up recently when I was working on the sci-fi issue of Wildflower. I’m so glad I finally watched it. It’s one of those movies where it feels like it emerged directly from my imagination. Set in the late 1930s, it’s a fantastical adventure film about a young journalist (Gwenyth Paltrow) who pairs up with a handsome captain (Jude Law) to save the world from an evil scientists. It has robots, cool laboratories, international travel, airships, eyepatches and more–basically, everything I like is in this film. It’s pretty steampunk/dieselpunk in aesthetic. It does have a few plot holes and at times is a little silly, but that didn’t stop me from enjoying it immensely.

It’s also visually stunning and incredibly stylistic! And the clothing is pretty much to die for. I especially want some aviation goggles like Jude Law.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Inspired by: Drive

I’ve been trying to catch up on the movies I didn’t see last year, including Drive, a film directed by Nicolas Winding Refn. And holy cow, this is a fantastic movie. It reminded me a lot of the movie Brick, one of my all time favorites–it’s a bit noir, but modernized, and both films have unique protagonists who aren’t very emotional creatures, except when it comes to the women they care about. It also had some of those long, silent shots that made it more than just an action film–it was a story about consequences, too.

It’s also a beautiful looking film. The lighting is cleverly used in almost every shot, and I thought the soundtrack was a nice juxtaposition from the violence of the film.

I love these fanmade images based on the movie (click for source).

And just because Gosling’s style in the movie is so wicked, I put together a female-interpreted version inspired by the film.

I definitely need to get me some driving gloves. Are driving gloves acceptable for a VW Beetle driver? ;)

What’d you think of the film?

Wallpaper roundup: Stormy skies

Today was one of those Mondays where I just wanted to be outside hiking in the mountains or driving along the coast of California in the rain with a canteen full of hot chai… sigh. I’m actually having a pretty good day but I could really go for a nice rainstorm or something. I feel cooped up. So since I have to spend so much time staring at my computer screen, I decided to change things up on my desktop. Looking at great photos of nature often makes me feel calm, especially epic storms and grey skies. I know some people think it’s silly to have images of nature on a technological device, but as someone who is equally interested in both the outdoors and gadgetry, I find it’s a nice way to bring the two together.

I wrangled up a few of my favorite wallpapers that feature some epic stormy skies. They are all from http://www.wallbase.cc. Just click on the image to go straight to Wallbase and download the size that works for your computer. Enjoy!

That last one is just because I’ve been watching too much Top Gear. ;) But doesn’t that look like the coolest thing ever? Driving through the stormy mountains in an Aston Martin? Yes, please!

If you end up using one of these wallpapers, take a screenshot and send it to me! I love seeing other people’s desktops and homescreens… which reminds me that I should do another Rainmeter post here soon.

P.S. After I posted this, a friend of mine sent me a link to RainyMood.com if you need a little help creating a moody, stormy atmosphere in your office or home. ;)

Inspired by: The Book of Eli

So I finally watched The Book of Eli–took me long enough! And wow, this is probably my new favorite movie, and definitely my favorite post-apocalyptic movie. This film got mixed reviews, largely due to its religious overtones–it is, after all, about *SPOILER* a guy trying to bring a Bible out west during the aftermath of an apocalypse. However, I didn’t see the film as overly religious. As a writer and a researcher of literacy–and an atheist–it’s hard to deny the impact the Bible has had on human history. I liked how one of the last shots of the film was of the newly-printed Bible being placed on a shelf along with other religious texts. That showed me that this film was less about the Bible itself, and more about the preservation of history, and the start of a new era–which is what the best post-apocalyptic stories are about, I think.

Anyway, enough of that. The story of the film is great, but the cinematography is really what makes this movie awesome. Each shot could easily be in a graphic novel or video game. I like how it captured the grittiness of a wasteland, but still made it seem beautiful. And the costumes are epic. Can’t we all just dress like this already?

Inspired by: Holes

Holes is, without a doubt, my favorite movie of all time. It was one of my favorite books as a kid, and when the movie came out in theatres several years ago (okay, almost a decade ago), I saw it on opening day and fell head over heels in love with it. It then became the movie I used to watch all the time with my little brother (seven years younger than I, who just turned 16) when I lived at home. We still consider it “our movie” and can recite almost the entire thing. I’ve probably watched it more than 100 times… and that is not an exaggeration.

As I was working on Electric Desert the other day, I was thinking a lot about Holes because the setting of the story is very important. My favorite books are ones where the environment is just as important of a character as the people. And I’m just a sucker for good adventure stories. This movie is like a western, a romance, and a bildungsroman all in one.

Inspired by: Kill Bill 1 + 2

I’m a big Quentin Tarantino fan–several of his films are in my top favorites list. The Kill Bill films are especially awesome. I’m obsessed with women who know how to use weapons and kick ass, and I love how stylistic and unique these films are. There are some interesting archetypes, and I like how it pulls from different cultures and film styles. I’d be interested to look at some of the themes more in depth–such as motherhood, woman on woman fighting, revenge, etc. In any case, these are amazing films with some wickedly awesome style and characters. And apparently, they are making Kill Bill 3!

Inspired by: Resident Evil

I am glad so many of you enjoyed my post from the other day, “Planning my battleroom | Inspired by: Watchmen.” It’s nice to chat with other Watchmen fans, many of you whom enjoy both the book and the film like I do, and you diehards who still prefer just the book. ;)

Today’s Inspired by is not specific to my battleroom, although I am sure my room will end up reflecting elements of it anyway. I’m a big fan of the Resident Evil movie franchise. I will admit that I have never played a Resident Evil video game, so I can’t speak to how it compares (I probably should get around to playing one of the installments one of these days…). But, I know that I’m a huge fan of a) apocalyptic/post-apocalyptic stories, b) kick-ass female characters who use awesome weapons and c) Milla Jovovich. These movies never get good reviews, but there seems to be a dedicated (albeit small) following. Count me in.

I’ve mentioned a few times that I’m not much into “fashion,” but I am a sucker for the style in post-apocalyptic and cyberpunk stories. And I have to say, Milla has some wicked style in this franchise. I also love the setting and cinematography of each film. I consider Resident Evil: Extinction to be my absolute favorite, since it’s set in the Nevada desert, but I enjoy them all.

I started a Polyvore account (a year ago, apparently, but just now using it) to play around with outfits inspired by my favorite games and films. Polyvore is a website that lets you put together a collage of items to create ensembles. Here are two sets of outfit ideas. I wanted to create sets that I would and could actually wear in my day to day life, using colors and textures derived from Milla’s clothes in the films.

I have to admit, it was pretty fun using Polyvore. Maybe I do like fashion more than I let on… or maybe Milla just makes it look easy.

If you use Polyvore, add me here and share some of your favorite ensembles!

Okay, time to get back to killing some zombies–or at least, daydreaming about it. Have a nice Saturday night!