"I Found You" - Review of True Blood's Season 7 Episode 2

Damn! Last nights episode of True Blood certainly has boiled the tempers of some viewers. And not only in a good way. Anyways, here is Icon Art Marilyn’s review of “I Found You”. If you haven't read last episodes review, do so here.

For starters, I don’t get people being angry at True Blood and its storyline. For me the show actually did not jump the cliff, just rather has fallen into its phase of maturing and finally in its saturation phase. All this talking about the show has lost its edge and really gone to big of a scale and too damn easy to look through is really just mourning for more Bill and “Soookie!”. And frankly spoken, I do rather prefer a stir the pot, kill characters off, apocalyptic study in what vamps on a rant would be then having character focused drama infused with a side note of vampirism. Sure the show has some flaws but believe me, it still is better then that “The Wire”. (Yes, I don’t like heat many people call HBO’s best show ever!) 

But: back to the review. The episode was pretty intense as it opens with Jason having a sex dream about him and Eric. And boy that got pretty physical! You pretty much could hear the gay gasp around the world and the fapping is next to come. And by the way: shout out to these two straight gentlemen who played this scene so well. And not backed out like a bitch. I’m looking at you, former actor of Jessica’s boyfriend! Anyway, Jason wakes up after that church meeting, and then he Sookie, Alcide (Who, thank god, has more sentences then “I’m the pack master!”), Andy, Jason and Sam seek out that dead girl from last episode, check her ID and head to her town. And boy that town has been eated dra by these vamps. 

Sideburn: That damn diary. I mean nice play on showing that Sookies love story is not the reason this all happened, but too cheesy! However, it shows the hopelessness of the situation these people are and were in. 

Meanwhile in Fangtasia: One of the hep-V vamps turns out to be the former teacher of Arlene’s and Holly’s kids, the convince her to help them, however she dies of Hep-V the moment the rescue begins. (Bummer!) On another note the Bon temps folks slowly go mad and steal the weapons from the police station cause Sams former mayoral election competitor agitates them. Adelaine gets locked up, Jessica feels it and exposes herself to Andy to save her. (I think we are setting up a healing process here.)

Bummer here: That goddamn victim racism allegation on Andy by a black woman to agitate Kenya. Damn gurrl that is weak and a low shot. Your self esteem went right out of the window, didn’t it?

Yet on another note Tara can be seen by Letti Mae when she is high on V, and Tara is caught in a Jesus meets Adam and Eve thing story. Lemme see how that plays out!

Biggest bummer and best thing ever (kinda): Pam finds Eric in France (THANK GOD FOR PAM!), however he is infected with Hep-V. WHAT the hell? Hep-V and Eric? NO! Yet, totally understandable cause this Eric comes back and saves the day thing, no that would not have worked once more. Yet I am extremely pissed that Pam has not even shad one tear on Tara meeting the true death. Damn. Yet I am hooked as ever before. Come on next week! I wanna see my True Blood!

What If Charlie Chaplin was female and loved glitter? - Transformations

Hello there art fans, photography enthusiasts and make up fanatics! It is time for another round of "Transformations" in cooperation with the fabulous Dita Whip. Our lovely volunteer this time: Lisa.

Now it is time to hand over to Dita: The look I and Lisa were going for with this transformation in the first place was to make it an extravaganza of glitter. Really over the top and already Capitol like from the Hunger Games. Ridiculously fabulous you may say. However, when taking the pictures we reversed more and more towards poses that rather resembled old Hollywood glamour meets humor. And as we finally added a hat and pearls the decision was kind of made in the progress that this futuristic over the top look we were going for was not what came out.

In the process I as well had my hard time to put the glitter on. It was one of the first times I worked with the material, however yet it is an integral part of my make up. But a big thanks to Lisa for enduring the procedure. Yet I am extremely happy with the outcome of the pictures. They might not be perfect, and the make up might not be as flawless as wished for, however it really shows what a beauty Lisa is, with and without make up.

The picture have been taken in February, and since then I was really able to work on my craft, however the pictures remain amazing. Finally I asked Lisa to frame the experience in her own words. This is how she felt about the process: 

The first minute, I saw my friend Lisa’s pictures as the one and only Sexcretary, I simply couldn’t believe my own eyes! This transformation (and of course all the other transformation Dita Whip created) was totally awesome and I instantly knew: I just had to become a part of it!

So I literally begged Lisa to ask Dita, if she could also work her magic on me. And as you can see my begging was totally worth it! During my first night in Great Britain, she transformed me into a gorgeous glitter-amazon and made me feel like a real mermaid princess…. Even considering it being a hard way to go before I finally became this awesome new me - I never thought that I needed strong duct tape to keep away my own hair (argh…it really hurts when you take it off at the end!) as well as tones of hairspray to glue glitter on my face (memo to myself: never ever get hairspray in my eyes again) - as I’ve mentioned before: it was totally worth it! ;)

Getting to the moment of the photoshoot, I thought for the first moment that a stranger is looking at me. But after a while this strange new person surprisingly became a new and exciting part of me and we started to perform like crazy!

Finally, when Dita told me that my photoshoot has to come to an end, I really felt sad that I have to lose all my make-up and return to my old me?! But I still think that this gorgeous glitter mermaid princess and I will at some point in the future meet again... at least I hope so! And for now I’ve got all those incredible memories…

Lana Del Rey's "Ultraviolence" - The Question of Likability

Picture used under the intent of reviewing. Picture rights
remain with owner.

Lets be frankly honest: Tropico was one pretty much awesome, 30 minute long, metaphor for America, in the form of a film / Music video with super 8 optics. You know, the classical banning from paradise and redemption story. It felt like an end to the whole Born To Die thing. A worthy, and very over the top, typical Lana Del Rey, end. And Ultraviolence, as its follow up, opening her new creative endeavor, is kind of not what could have been expected from an artist of Lana's caliber. 

Sure you will have noticed by now that this album review is not an album review per se. I have attempted quite a few times to write a review about her new album with a mixed feeling of trashing it, loving it, hating her, loving her and emulating her sadness. However I found it quite difficult to review the album song by song, as my whole expectations and feelings towards her and Ultraviolence felt more of like a need for an overall comment. 

When I had a closer look at Tropico a while ago I described her as " Hollywood back in the days, and not big blockbuster L.A." (To read the whole analysis of Tropico and why Lana Del Rey is the most American thing since Coke, click right here!) And I stick with this for sure. However I start to doubt that Lana will ver be only one thing more then old Hollywood. And as well all know old Hollywood was practically doomed from the beginning. It was fake, for apart, alcoholic, drugged up, fake and depressed. The dream factory was woven from nightmarish strings. And I fear that Miss Del Rey is just that and nothing more. Kind of like a one trick pony.

But before you turn on me lat me say that the album has no song that really is not a good song, however I feel that lana has turned darker, and yes that is hard to imagine. The songs sound more chilly, more depressed and somewhat replaceable between each other. She is not able to pick up where she left and bring her best like she did on Summertime Sadness e.g. This vibes she may be giving with this LP might be James Bond like, 70's and 60's inspired, less hip hop influenced and more Curt Cobain goes pop. However I don't see a real development there. I mean I don't expect her to go all Beyonce' or whatever on us, cause that is not her, however the development she made is, for my taste too marginal. The album bares no landmarks for me as you listen trough it and nothing sticks. Maybe this is reasoned within the topics she sings about. Cause sad to say they have not changed since Born To Die: Paradise Edition.

On the other hand it seems good to know she stays true to herself and so indie. Yet again her absolutely no desire to be a pop princess thing and her low attitude now only translates into boring and to be honest, the album sometimes seems like recorded whilst still half asleep. Not to mentioned that some tracks remind me of these songs off her that are online and officially unreleased. 

And on another note, that I don't want to tickle too much, as I am not quite informed enough o speak eloquently, Lana's romanticization of death, her obsessions with club 27 and that "I don't think Feminism is an interesting concept." line don't shed her in such a good light. Okay I get it: club 27 and death re romantic topics and they are mystery covered all over, however there is a limit of overall sadness. And that feminism line. If its true or not, I don't know. However she is pretty stupid to say so, as her whole life is feminism influenced and basically funded. As without feminism she would be nowhere where she is now. 

In closure I can say that Lana's Ultraviolence still is a beautiful listen, yet a boring one in a sense. The facet of colors is not the biggest one and the variety of lyric topics is limited. Yet the whole thing is worth listening to. It is up to the listener what to make of it, but please Lana, don't be so stupid and deny feminism its interest or even its impact. Educate yourself goddammit! 

Alison Jackson & The Public Obsession With Celebrity Status

Famed photographer Alison Jackson has a special oeuvre that distinguishes her from the myriad of other photographers out there: she gives her spectators none other then the Queen of England on the throne aka. the toilet, reading a newspaper. You think it’s a fake? No it is not…

… however the originality of this picture rather points out the originality of the idea. Not that there actually are pictures of the queen on the “throne” rerading all about the latest developments in the Middle East or gossip. Alison Jackson has specialized in creating staged pictures that would make every paparazzo’s heart bounce and gossip fanatics unconscious out of sheer happiness. She takes celebrity lookalikes and doppelgangers, dresses them, and a scene, up and then takes their picture. Kind of paparazzo, kind of not. In some way kind of artsy already.

Picture courtesy of Alison Jackson, Retrieved from: http://www.alisonjackson.com/wp-content/uploads/Screen-Shot-2014-06-07-at-10.04.02.png

One could ask why this seems to be a real thing, and by real I mean a quite successful thing, but Alison Jackson provides the answer with her pictures. These photographs have an almost symbolical function as they show one thing very clear (With a little blur to give paparazzo effects.): The, in our society common, human desire to see the human, flawed, normal and vulnerable, behind the fame. What we want are not the glam shots from the magazine covers, the perfect images from their websites or the beautifully airbrushed promo pictures from an album campaign. We want nasty pictures, imperfect one and derpy ugly faces. It is our inner most desire for decay that makes us love such pictures as they rest our own desire. The desire to be unattainably perfect, poised, trim and waxed to the nines. They destroy the celebrity’s notion of perfection and give us just the material to gossip and allege. And a good rest of our vain and expensive strive for airbrushed perfection.

Jackson’s pictures give us access to parts of these celebrities, or royals, that remain untouchable for us “normal” people. These pictures represent the photographed equivalent of a celebrity’s humanity. If there is one thing we think about a gigantic piece of work, as a celebrity career, it sure is: What is all behind all of this and what effort has been put into it? And as the actual celebs would never be up for such pictures Jackson makes them up. However they do not mock or ridicule the celebrity impersonated, just give him or her more depth then their public identity has. 

I guess what I am really to transgress over here is the simple fact that these pictures show our societies obsession with owning a piece of someone, even if this piece is just a mock photo. It triggers our inner voyeur and fulfils our wish to see exhibitionism all over. Even if no one really likes to admit to that fact. Yet, I cannot say that one of my many guilty pleasures wouldn’t be gossip magazines!

Make sure to pay Alison Jacksons website a visit right here, and go see her exhibition if it hits a town near you!

"Jesus Gonna Be Here" - True Blood Season 7 - Review

Okay, give me a minute to start this review of season sevens first episode “Jesus Gonna Be Here”, because even after watching it like three times it still is kind of… well different. And I am not sure in what way different.

The episode starts off with a recap of season six and the after HBO’s logo black and whites in goes straight to Sookie in the middle of the Hep-V vamps attacking the mixer at Bellefleurs. And boy, these vampires are the shit! They hungry for blood, as they are gonna die anyway. And for real, who can blame them? They basically got screwed over by the government, so why not go savage? However Holly, Arlene and Sam’s girlfriend get kidnapped amongst others while Olivia give some hot staking action saving Jason. Yet the scene has a major bummer as True Blood makes decided to let Tara be killed in the fight for her mothers safety. What a damn bummer! Seriously? We have been waiting to see more of her. That is kind of sad to kill her off after just about 15 seconds on screen time of the season. 

Anyways, as the vampires retreat after a whistle (Why did they retreat?) everyone thinks one thing while hiding in Bellefleur’s Bar and Grill: Its all Sookies fault. She is a vampire whore who, would she have kept her legs shut, would have not caused all this. And Sookie, the fae she is, hears these thoughts. Even Alcide thinks its kinda crazy that Sookie likes vamps. All I can say to that: Ya’ll in Bon temps overreact. As if it was her fault alone! (I’m looking at you Bill, Governor Bourell, Sarah Newlin, Vampire Authority, Lillith etc.)

As the people of Bon Temps start to get home protected by their assigned Vamps, Jessica protects Andy’s remaining fae daughter Adaline from a Hep-V vamp all night long, Adaline drinks her blood and invites Jessica in. Possible friendship ahead? Yes. Meanwhile Sam is exposed as a changer to his former opponent in the mayoral election, Bill and Andy search trough an old Slaughterhouse to see if the Hep-V’s are nesting there. In a confrontation with Sam’s former opponent in the election Andy saves Bills life, however reminding him he only did so cause they need him, and he really has done unspeakable to him and his daughters. Good for you Bill, and Andy, well at least you did the right thing. Bon Temps Sheriff seems to have been elected right. 

Meanwhile Jason and Olivia check out another possible nesting place, and once again are confronted with Sam’s former opponent. Tides get wobbly, Olivia gets cocky as fuck and Jason annoyed by her taking control all the time. On the way back home they fight, and Jason finally is allowed to fuck her. And his rant was apparently all she has been waiting for. Could this be a relationship that works out for once? I mean True Blood is not famous for happily ever after! 

Lafayette is brought home by Jessica’s vampire boyfriend James, they talk, smoke and the talks get quite intellectual. You know, about war, violence, peace, pity, loss and the feeling of it. Oh, there is mourning for Tara (?). Our beloved first bitch in charge , Pam, is seen in Morocco playing Russian roulette to get info about Eric’s where about. She looks broken and her monologue reveals her emotional crisis. I mean how else would one describe sentences as “You and my god can get together and have a circle jerk in a motel. Meanwhile ill be in hell having a threeway with the devil!” Seems like the woman has lost it all, as I don’t even see perfect eyeliner. I mean she even wore flawless make up in vamp camp last season. But thank god her swearing has not run down. (Lovely, aint she?) On another note: Tara’s mom goes nuts on vamp blood given to her by Willa to heal, as she sees Tara. Poor Letti-Mae (?). Willa now protects letti-Mae and the reverend, who offers her a place to stay, as she has no one left and does not feel she is up to go back to Fangtasia. (You know, with Taras stuff there and all!) She should have on the other hand, as that is where the Hep-V’s hold their abductees and nest. By the way: they kill them by their ability to scream. (And hello: that really s scary and savagely bestial if you give it a thought!). 

The episode ends by the morning after in church where Sookie can hear everyone’s thoughts that basically say: Get out of here you whore!” She then gives a “ I love you all, even though you hate me, I love Bon Temps etc talk”. Oh, by the way, she and Alcide made up. Good for her.

All in all: the episode was what was to be expected: unexpected. It felt a little long and dragged out, just like season six first episode, with good and bad pieces. However we might not fear, at least I think so, as last season got better as well. However the major disappointment of no Eric and Tara no more lays pretty crude. But thinking about all of it: Willa is the one that totally get screwed over: She really has no one left. For next week: Lets hope True Blood comes back from the dead and not finalize jumping the shark. On a scale of one to ten, well let’s give this episode a six and a half and since its True Blood and I am an optimist, make it seven.

True To The End - True Blood Time Tomorrow!

Trubies out there unite and get you fangs on! After what seemed an eternity of wait, tomorrow it finally is time to sit in front of your TV or Laptop and crave for blood, sex, lust and Bill saying "Soooookie"! Come on season seven let's get sucking!

And yes, its totally normal that we all might be wondering about three things: (1) Where the heck is Eric, (2) will Violet ever let Jason hit it and (3) what will we see Pam wearing? (Okay, maybe number two and three just happen to have me asking.) However, as a show the size and magnitude of True Blood we may very well expect the thing to go out with a bang, and no this was not a reference to the countless sex scenes. (However, according to Sam McNeil there will not be a shortage of male or female nudity in this season!)  And Certainly there will be drama between Sookie and Eric and Bill and Alcide, who, lets be hones, hopefully will have more lines then "I'm the pack master!". 

Well lets all just hope that the season con jour up a worthy end to our Bon Temps favorites. Cause otherwise fans will go nuts on twitter, and hunt I gotta keep my timeline clean!