Yalitza Aparicio as Cleo, Marco Graf as Pepe, Carlos Peralta Jacobson as Paco, and Daniela Demesa as Sofi in Roma, written and directed by Alfonso Cuarón.
Early this morning the nominees for the 2019 Academy Awards were announced. Social media churned the night before, almost eager to witness the possible trainwreck. I was admittedly curious when I woke up this morning, despite being mocked for my intensity by a friend who I’d argued with the night before about whole thing’s relevance. A writer myself, who happens to be in the middle of my Screenwriting MFA applications, there’s something mystical about the pomp and circumstance. I’ve sat back and pondered who I’d thank if I stood on that stage—if I could even get a word out in front of Gal Gadot without turning to a pile of mush—should a screenplay of mine be deemed worthy enough in some reality. I may have even scouted a few evenings gowns.
Most of the candidates were unsurprising, but I was pleasantly shocked to see Black Panther up for Best Picture. Not shocked because I thought the film was somehow unfit, quite the contrary as it was beautifully executed, but because it became the first superhero film to (arguably) grab the nomination. With Marvel and DC on the forefront of Hollywood today, it’s odd that it has taken so long for such a film to get a nod—but I personally can’t think of a more deserving contender. Alongside Black Panther, Spike Lee’s BlacKkKlansman was also nominated.
In addition to Black Panther, we saw a fairly diverse lineup of nominees: Yalitza Aparicio was nominated for Best Actress in a Leading Role for Roma, Marina de Tavira and Regina King were nominated for their roles in Roma and If Beale Street Could Talk for Best Actress in a Supporting Role. Other notable nominations include Ruth E. Carter for Costume Design and Hannah Beachler in Production Design for their work in Black Panther—also taking note that Beachler became the first black woman to be nominated for the award in Production Design.
GLAAD even noted that the 2019 lineup had a record number of LGBTQ-inclusive films among the nominees, such as The Favourite and Can You Ever Forgive Me? alongside numerous writers, directors, and actors for their work in multiple categories.
In years past, it’s become abundantly clear that the Oscars need to adapt and have needed to adapt for quite some time. There’s always room for improvement, regardless of medium or platform, but I think I can confidently attest that they’re moving in the right direction. To encourage this wave to keep on going, it’s just as important that we prop up and support diverse creators whose voices have yet to be heard: support writers, directors, actors, and artists whose stories and work could make a difference. Support education and those who seek it. Support each other, and don’t be afraid to tell us your story. We want to hear it, we want to see it, and we want to help you share it.
Do you love movies? Events? Community? If so, join us Friday, August 10 for the 16th Annual Skyway Outdoor Cinema Festival’s showing of Wonder Woman! GeekGirlCon will once again be emceeing the pre-show with a trivia contest to give away some 2-day passes to the con!
Source: Giphy. Description: a gif of Wonder Woman climbing out of a trench into enemy fire and stopping a bullet with one of her gauntlets.
The showing will take place at 12702 Renton Ave S, Seattle 98178 behind the 7-11. The pre-show will kick off at 8:00 p.m., so plan to arrive and get settled by 7:00 p.m.
For additional details, info about which food trucks will be there, helpful tips, and more, check out the Facebook event page.
As you’ve probably noticed (or are feeling yourself), reactions to Solo, the newest installment in the Star Wars film franchise, are, to put it simply, mixed. If you’re looking for a general consensus, the closest you’re going to get is a noncommittal “it wasn’t great, but it also wasn’t horrible.”
From Black Nerd Problem’s assertion that it’s fun if you’re not expecting a good origin story to The Atlantic’s claim that its difference from the other films is what makes it refreshing, everyone seems to have gotten something different out of it.
In trying to organize my own thoughts and feelings about it, I asked some fellow GeekGirlCon staff members about their first impressions. Unsurprisingly, it seems our responses were as mixed as those of the fandom at large. Here’s a selection of some of my favorite reactions. I know that reading about what everyone else has been thinking has been good for my excitable fangirl heart, and I hope it will be for yours too.
Though GeekGirlCon ‘16 has come to an end, those who support its mission will inevitably continue their work throughout the off season. The world is full critically-thinking geeks and we’re here to point you their way while we gear up for GeekGirlCon ‘17.
Just in time for the arguably greatest time of year, Seattle’s Central Cinema will be staging the latest installment of their series Serious Fun, which pairs panel discussions with film screenings in an attempt to illuminate the complicated relationship between the horror film industry and strong women. On this Thursday, October 13 at 8:00 p.m., three panelists will come together to discuss the need for more and stronger women leads in horror before participating in a screening of The Descent.
Check out these awesome events around Seattle this summer! GAT will now also feature events that are going on throughout the month, so you can plan ahead!
Written by GeekGirlCon Copywriter Sarah “SG-1” Grant
Role playing games are huge parts of the lives of many people I know in the Seattle area; two of my writer friends regularly run their own games out of their living room, as well as at AmberCon in Detroit every year. I know quite a few groups of people who have reservations at games stores and coffee houses for weekly games as well, and I even participate occasionally.
Live action role playing, or LARPing, is something that’s existed sort of on the periphery of my life for a while now; I have friends who LARP who will talk about it, and friends who LARP who won’t talk about it. It depends on their circles of friends if they share it or not; I’ve heard them say that people get a strange look on their faces when told what LARPing is. I don’t LARP myself, but I have been familiar with this look for most of my life when trying to explain why I love science fiction and fantasy books, films, and television shows.
On June 27, I was privileged to go to a screening of a documentary called Treasure Trapped. It was made in the United Kingdom and several Nordic countries by a film company called Cosmic Joke. I was very interested to see it; I’d been chatting via email to one of the film’s producers, Shona Brown, and she is very passionate about the project—and the fact that they were coming from the UK to the USA for a screening tour!
There’s not much I could love more in an action movie than giant robots and giant alien monsters, but in 2013 Pacific Rim brought me giant robots fighting giant alien monsters. In a futuristic world, an underwater portal allows monsters known as Kaijus to rise from the sea and destroy coastal cities, so, naturally, humans operate giant robots called Jaegers to fight them. The film tells the tale of an international team of Jaeger pilots ending the conflict.
But that’s not all. Pacific Rim brought me Mako Mori. She’s one of my favorite female characters ever, not just because she’s a dynamic woman of color, but because she represents the possibility that there could be such characters in Hollywood. In this post, I’ll discuss how she’s unique as a character, and why her presence is important for film.
It’s a few days before Christmas; the malls are mobbed from open to close, and you really need to find a stellar gift or two for some geeks in your life.
Who you gonna call?!? I’m pretty sure the Ghostbusters won’t be able to help on this one…
Never fear! GeekGirlCon’s Last Minute Geek Gift Guide is here!
Kinda Last Minute
There’s always Amazon, but if I can, I like to think a little smaller. CafePress, ThinkGeek, Etsy, and HalfPrice Books have a wide variety of products guaranteed to appeal to the geek in your life: t-shirts, toys (both pop culture and scientific in nature), coffee mugs, movies, books, bumper stickers — and the list goes on!
Local comic and games shops may offer gift cards or gift certificates if you’re overwhelmed by the amount of geek one place. Find out what genre your geek loves the best, then ask an employee to point you in the right direction. It saves time, and gives your shopping experience a personal touch–as well as giving that employee the opportunity to show off their own geek cred.
Mostly Last Minute
It’s definitely time to go local, people. If you’ve got a steampunker or a scientist in your midst, shops like UW Surplus, Second Use, and Hardwick’s are goldmines. New and used machine parts, tools, building materials, furniture, and stuff you never thought about using might be just what your geek is looking for.
There’s also a search option on Etsy for “shop local”. Find something you think your geek will like, and contact the artist. If that handmade awesomeness is available, it’s as easy as meeting the artist at a local coffee shop to exchange your money for the nifty gift.
TOTALLY Last Minute
Tickets to local events can be found on Brown Paper Tickets, a fair-trade ticket company; you can print them and hide them in a festive box for your geek to open. Brown Paper Tickets sells tickets to concerts, movies, author readings, and conventions. For instance, you can gift your geek with passes to GeekGirlCon ‘13! (shameless plug, I know…)
You can order tickets to other awesome Seattle geek events like Emerald City ComicCon and Sakura Con from other sites, as well.
I don’t know about you, but I love to poke around in museums and educational attractions. Don’t tell the kids about the educational part, though, or you might have a fight on your hands! Some suggestions for local places and events:
Pacific Science Center: The big one going on now through January 6, 2013 is the King Tut Exhibit. There are also rotating movies at the IMAX Theater, as well as camps and scientific exploration stuff for the kids.
Woodland Park Zoo: Memberships, which help support both the zoo and animals in the wild all over the world, start at just $42 for adults for an entire year.
Seattle Aquarium: Learn to make fish faces of all kinds at the Seattle Aquarium! Special exhibits and fun, on-going classes for kids make this a fantastic gift.
MOHAI
Museum of History and Industry (MOHAI): The grand opening celebration of the new MOHAI building at 860 Terry Ave N in Seattle promises to be a day to remember in the history of Seattle!
Starbucks
NO TIME WHATSOEVER
As an absolute last minute option, there is probably a gift card rack at your local supermarket or convenience store. Those racks have gotten bigger over the years, and sometimes that card is the gift your geek will value most. They get to pick what they want at their leisure, online or in a store, and you don’t have to worry about having your gift exchanged or returned. Some racks contain gift cards for iTunes, a favorite restaurant, or online gaming sites. Even a gift card to that Seattle coffee chain looks pretty in its little envelope, and geeks love their caffeine.
Barnes and Noble Gift Card
My favorite gift, for anyone looking, is a Barnes and Noble gift card. Any denomination welcome. *wink*
