ARTS / ENTERTAINMENT
Reviews of movies, tv shows and ssbbw/bbw art and artists
 | Do you know of a movie or tv show that features ssbbw/bbw that you'd like us to review? Or perhaps you want to write a review yourself and see it in print! Or maybe you know of some great ssbbw/bbw art you want us to showcase. Let us know at info@ssbbw-magazine.com. |
Travel the World for the Holidays!
The holiday season is around us! Tough times and uncertainty be damned!! Around the globe there are feasts for the eyes, indoors and outside. The fee for such delightful fare? Nothing, if you join us for a virtual tour of arts and lights and sounds that are available via the internet.
For your delight, we have amassed some of the best websites for your enjoyment. View holiday lights in real time or tour a museum. We've even thrown in a couple of suggestions that are smartphone-friendly.
Happy Holidays!
Holiday Lights on WebcamStay warm and toasty inside while watching these beautiful light displays. |
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 | Alek's Controllable Christmas Lights for Celiac Disease |
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Millennium Square German Market - Leeds, UK |
 | Christmas at Graceland |
 | Christmas Market at City Hall, Vienna, Austria |
 | Rockefeller Center Christmas Tree, NYC http://www.nbcnewyork.com/on-air/Happy-Holidays-NY.html?fullSite=y& |
Museum ToursSo may museums, so little time! We've chosen some the most impactful and fun! |
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 | The Louvre, Paris, France http://www.louvre.fr/llv/musee/visite_virtuelle.jsp?bmLocale=en |
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Smithsonian Museum of Natural History, Washington, D.C. |
 | The Moon, Milky Way Galaxy http://moon.arounder.com/en/sightseeings/moon and why not see Mars, as well: http://mars.arounder.com/en/sightseeings/mars |
 | V&A Museum of Childhood, London, England http://www.revolvingpicture.com/virtual-tours/moc/hd/tour.html |
Best of the Smartphone AppsAway from home? Here are a couple apps for your smartphone, so you can enjoy the holidays anywhere! |
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| The Louvre, Paris, France iPhone only: http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/musee-du-louvre/id337339103?mt=8 (Sorry, too superior to pass up although iPhone only!) |
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Brooklyn Museum of Art, Brooklyn, NY Android: https://market.android.com/details?id=org.brooklynmuseum.android.bmm |
 | MOMA, Museume of Modern Art, NYC iPhone: http://www.itunes.com/app/moma |
 | MoCA, Taipei, Taiwan iPhone: http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/moca-taipei/id413500442?mt=8 |
Written by: Anita Williams
Jeff’s Movie Review: The Muppets
“It’s time to play the music/it’s time to light the lights/it’s time to meet the Muppets/on the Muppet Show tonight!”
I can’t count the number of times that unendingly catchy theme tune came out of my television speakers when I was young. In fact, thanks to the advent of DVD box sets, it happens with increasing frequency as I get older. The Muppet Show was a cultural phenomenon, taking two then-dated concepts (rod puppets and sketch comedy variety shows) and combined them into a sensational, colorful mind-blowing comedy enjoyed by kids and adults alike, starring the likes of the humble and meek Kermit the Frog, the world’s most famous bear, Fozzie, the… uh… The Great Gonzo, whatever he may be, and (naturally) the best-known diva of all time, the beloved Miss Piggy.
Following Jim Henson’s death, Frank Oz’s retirement from acting and Disney’s acquisition of The Muppet license, many fans were skeptical to hear of the new team working on the new feature simply entitled The Muppets. However, the team took the marketing and ran with it in a brilliant way, releasing dozens of teaser trailers (which were usually “all-in-good-fun” parodies of other movies, like Green Lantern or the Girl with the Dragon Tattoo) and even a full Muppet rendition of Queen’s Bohemian Rhapsody. The movie debuted Thanksgiving 2011, so, what did I, a skeptical movie critic think?
I think there’s a darn good reason it’s the #1 rated movie of 2011! The charm, the wit, the rapid-fire fourth wall gags are all present in this astoundingly fantastic romp through the world of The Muppets. The story follows a new Muppet (or maybe he’s not a Muppet? The movie’s a little ambiguous about what it IS to be a Muppet but I digress) named Walter and his (human) brother, Gary (portrayed by Jason Segel) growing up as fans of the Muppets. As adults, Walter, Gary and Gary’s girlfriend, Mary (played by Amy Adams) take a special trip to Los Angeles for the happy couple’s 10th anniversary and to visit the old Muppet Studio.
To make a long story short (too late, right?) Walter ends up overhearing oil tycoon, Tex Richman (played by Chris Cooper, who chews the scenery nearly enough to qualify as a Muppet by de facto) and his cohorts’ plan to turn the studio and theater into an oil field, demolishing the Muppets’ history (this is played completely for laughs, of course). Throughout the events that ensue, Walter meets Kermit the Frog and the four decide the only option is a legal point in the contract, that if the Muppets raise 10 million dollars, they could buy back their studio and theater. The only choice is clear: they have to get the gang back together and put on The Muppet Show one more time.
The hour-and-a-half (plus change) feature flies by with fast-paced comedy, heart-tugging drama, a solid soundtrack (though, admittedly, some of the songs are non-sequitur, it doesn’t stop them from being enjoyable) and really memorable moments, which fly by in no time at all. It really felt like a feature-length episode of The Muppet Show of yesteryear, complete with both new talent (Kermit here is voiced by Steve Whitmire, the student of Henson himself whereas Fozzie and Piggy are portrayed here by Eric Jacobson) and some returning voices (Gonzo’s original voice, Dave Goelz, returns to play the part in this film as well). The cast is star-studded, ranging from Muppet vets like Whoopi Goldberg to more recent names like Jack Black, who features prominently in the film’s climax.
For those more concerned about the movie being “family friendly” without being intellectually degrading like most “family” films are, have no fear. The Muppets is a family-friendly romp with jokes both kids and adults will appreciate. It has its own special sense of continuity, opening jokes for old fans and newcomers alike (though I must say if you weren’t already a Muppets convert, this isn’t the one that’ll make you see the light) and the songs are not only clean, they’re addictive and catchy (sans one very unusual instance involving chickens incoherently “singing” what I can only refer to as a nonsense iteration of “Cluck You”). The themes of family, friendship and love run through and through this masterfully-designed bit of cinematography, striking a powerful and moving chord. If this movie doesn’t make you cry or laugh during its runtime, check in with a doctor and make sure you’re not part of SkyNet.
All-in-all, The Muppets is easily my #1 movie of the year and the fact that it isn’t #1 at the box office right at this instant really is a shame. It’s touching, it’s beautiful, it’s fun, it’s hilarious, it’s wonderful. Go see it as soon as you can – it’s worth it even at full-price ticket times. You won’t be disappointed.
Written by: Jeff M.
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"May the lights of Hanukkah usher in a better world for all humankind." |
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"[I]t is the one season of the year when we can lay aside all gnawing worry, indulge in sentiment without censure, assume the carefree faith of childhood, and just plain "have fun." Whether they call it Yuletide, Noel, Weinachten, or Christmas, people around the earth thirst for its refreshment as the desert traveller for the oasis." ~D.D. Monroe |
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