Tag / Mabel

by WetheGeek

Rules of the Stage

Tis the season to be jolly!!!

And also apparently tis the season for families to figure out what the Heck their going to do to entertain their in-laws who came 3 weeks early for Christmas. I have recently discovered that there are a quite a few families who go out to different stage productions like opera, musicals, plays, and ballets.

As someone who likes to go to these throughout the year and performs herself, I would like to inform the masses about the proper etiquette to use, not that I think that everyone is ignorant and HAS to be educated on the subject but sometimes it’s nice to be a good audience and give what the performers are sometimes expecting. I remember my first jazz concert and being very confused when was the appropriate time to clap and I know that I can’t be alone on this.

So my Christmas gift to you guys a five part series of Mabel Rants dedicated to helping you become the best audience member you can be during this crazy season and maybe give a little courage to those who are afraid to try out some stage productions because of the unknown.

-Mabel

#wethegeek #wethegeekmabel #ballet #musicals #operas #christmasprep #tistheseason #mabelrants

by WetheGeek

Let’s do a Dance

The first thing that jumps to into my mind quite literally during the holiday season is Ballet.

It is often a Thanksgiving tradition for most families to go see the soaring grace of Tchaikovsky’s “The Nutcracker”. With it’s whimsical story and often colorful backdrops, “The Nutcracker” is the perfect choice for family fun.

Unlike the other artforms that I will be talking about later in this series, ballet is probably the most dangerous classical art with it’s lifts, jumps, and going on pointe so the etiquette is a bit different and more for the protection of the performers then just for tradition sake.

While in the audience:

Like any other performance or important event that requires silence, any noise making devices should be turned off at all times during the performance. The performers don’t mind if people converse amongst each other just do be aware of the people around you.

If, for any reason, you must leave the performance early to do something, please be aware that you typically will not be allowed back in until the intermission which is 15-20 minutes long. This is generally done for the safety of the dancers, since doors can let in unwanted light from the hall or create a sound that could be distracting.

When to Clap:

Clap when a scene ends, when the show ends, and when a performer takes a bow. Should you clap for each performer? You should! They have spent hours making sure that this performance is perfect and even some dance more then two parts which means costume changes and that is not easy. If you couldn’t possibly clap for the length of the curtain call, save your claps for the important role characters (e.g. Clara, The Nutcracker, Suger Plum Fairy, etc…)

It takes years of practice, discipline, and dedication for Ballerinas and Ballerinos to do the leaps, turns, and lifts that we, the audience, get to enjoy. When a dancer performs a lift or does multiple turns in a row, begin to clap to show the appreciation to their dedication.

Ballet is a unique art experience that combines the beauty of sound with the power of the human body. It is something that everyone should try to watch at least once. Even I, who cannot for the life of me understand why standing on your tip toes is considered “graceful”, am always left floored by these performances.

-Mabel

P.S.

I am certainly not the authority on this and if a dancer would like to comment more on this I would appreciate it!

Photo credit: @gracekoznarek

#wethegeek #wethegeekmabel #mabelrants #christmastraditions #thenutcracker #ballet #balletdancers #christmas #graceful

by WetheGeek

Is Nudity Nessessary?

unpopularopinioneWow! I love this movie! What amazing acting! What a beautiful plot! What incredible editing! This really is-and that’s a naked person…”

Why do films have nudity in them? Why do they think this is necessary? How does it add to the plot?

There are normally two schools of thought:
One:
The human body is beautiful and when put into shapes, like in dancing or a scene or a pose, making it a medium for art.
Two:
Yes, the human body is beautiful but that beauty should be reserved for your significant other. Seeing a naked body only encourages crude thoughts and shouldn’t be allowed in society.

The idea of beauty in the human body can be seen the best when looking back on Ancient Greece when their sculptures began to sculpt their gods using what we now call “The Golden Ratio”. When creating their perfect gods, the Greeks suddenly turned the human body from imperfect to perfect and soon hundreds of these statues popped up and continued into the Roman Empire.
From there, the knowledge of the Golden Ratio took over, notibally in the great ages of Baroque and Classical, and the human body was made a vocal point and was praised through mainstream arts in not only Classical art styles but also in the abstract and other Modern art styles

Now, I’m not the happiest person when it comes to nudity, I prefer everyone to be fully clothed thank you, but I do understand there is a thing called “Necessary Nudity” in media.

What is Necessary Nudity? It is one of two things:

1. Historically accurate (e.g. the ancient Olympics)
2. A character is in a spot that nudity is a reality (e.g. a brothel)

Sex scenes DO NOT COUNT as necessary nudity. I have yet to see a movie where a sex scene (nude or otherwise) has added to the plot. If you’re going to show that characters love each other, show the little lovey dovey moments, just because they had sex doesn’t mean they love each other.

I may be in the minority here but I’m completely fine with that. I will take a movie with less nudity and more plot any day.

Rant done.
-Mabel

by WetheGeek

Wanna play a puzzle game?

Love puzzle games but can’t find any that is more than one player?

Have you entertained the idea of going to an Escape Room but don’t want to pay $30 per person?

Are your introvert friends clinging to the front door, saying that the Sunlight is burning them when you try to even take them to an Escape Room?

Then look no further than Unlock! the Escape Room like puzzle card game!

Released in 2017, Unlock! offers unique scenarios in which players have to puzzle their way out of within a 60 minute timeframe. The game includes an app that not only provides the countdown but also ambient sounds and clues if the player gets stuck. There are 9 all together, each scenario costing a mere $15!

Though the game isn’t repeatable once you play it, have your other friends play it and watch in glee as the joy on their faces drain when pitted against these puzzles and time limit.

-Mabel

by WetheGeek

T.I.M.E. for a new game

Released in 2015 by Space Cowboys, T.I.M.E. Stories is a max four person choose your own adventure board/card game.
Players are introduced to the world of T.I.M.E. agents, where you are sent back in time to prevent human caused anomalies using bodies of people who are already there. You and the other agents have to prevent the anomaly before time runs out. Use logic, planning, puzzle solving, exploration, and dice rolling to play through the mysterious world you’re dropped into. Run time 2-3 hours with seven unique expansions.

I absolutely ADORE this game. It would probably be faster for you to play this game than for me to gush about this game. I will tell you my top two reasons why this is a fantastic board/deck game:
1: the stories-
With eight unique stories, you never know what kind of curveball is going to be thrown at you. Are you a fan of creepy mysteries? Got a taste for fantasy? Historical? T.I.M.E. Stories has got an expansion for you! After you play the base game and understand the rules, each expansion offers players new unique stories with their own mechanics and puzzles that spice up the already enthralling world.
2: you’re against the board-
I’m not a very aggressive person when it comes to games so when I find a game that I have to destroy an inanimate object, I’m happy. I sat down with my siblings, grabbed my brain and played.

Base game: $50
Expansions: $25

*WARNINGS!*
-The approximate game time is a nasty lie. My quickest game was 3 hours long and my lonest was 5. My brother has GMed a 7 hour game.
-Please take the age restrictions seriously! It is 13+ for a reason because of the frustrating puzzles and some ingame topics. There is an expansion that is marked 18+ and it is so FOR GOOD REASON.
-Once you play through a story there’s no reason to play again (in my opinion) unless you’re playing as a GM for a new group.

Happy Gaming!
-Mabel

by WetheGeek

The Spy who Dumped Me (and didn’t disappoint)

Ok, I swear that I don’t go out to see movies all the time but this was calling my name when I first saw the trailor for it.
The movie is about a girl who finds out her boyfriend is a spy after he dumps her via text (seriously, how dare he 😒) and it is up to her and her “too much” friend to save the world.
I frankly enjoyed this film. It’s hysterical to watch these two besties try to figure out the world of spys and sabotage while also remaining their quirky selves. Not too much of a head scratcher, it certainly is one of those movies you sit back and just let the story wash over you. A great movie to watch with your bestie and glance at each other while thinking “that would be us”.
Be warned: there is a reason why this movie is rated R and includes: violence, swearing, crude humor, and nudity.
Happy Watching!
-Mabel

As a follow up: Hi! Incensum here! I also went to watch the movie, and had a few things to add!

The movie is firstly, a great example of timing in film. Many of the jokes landed because of the perfect timing of said joke. The acting was spectacularly believable, and the characters were likable. Went into the film thinking ‘oh, this’ll be another campy spy movie like all the rest,’ came out loving it. I highly recommend it, but do offer the same warning about rating.
Two thumbs up!
-Incensum

by WetheGeek

The fantastic Christopher Robin

Disney has been doing a lot of movies that have taken their older productions and, basically, slapped a glossy finish over them via live action resulting in… Mediocre films in my opinion. The retelling of their classics like “Beauty and the Beast”, “Cinderella”, “Sleeping Beauty”, and “The Jungle Book” have always left me with the thought that the originals were better and why not just release the originals again in movie theaters for the next generation to enjoy on the big screen.
“Christopher Robin” isn’t just a simple retelling of “The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh”, since it is an elder Christopher finding his old friends again, but nostalgia plays a huge role in the movie. I wonder how good I would’ve considered the movie if I hadn’t seen the original animated classic. It does begin in right at the tail end 🎶 of Christopher’s childhood days 🎶 so we have some basis of the stuffed friends but without knowing the original classic, some jokes fall flat.
Either way, the movie was a warm hearted tale about a man rediscovering his childhood imagination and would actually be a great movie to take your child to if they’ve seen the original.
-Mabel

by WetheGeek

Dial M for Mabel

I’ve always wanted to watch an Alfred Hitchcock but I really didn’t have an idea about which to start with besides “Psycho” and I’m not basic so this is the result.
The plot is about a man who creates the perfect murder plot in order to kill his cheating wife but the murder goes sour and the man has to spend the rest of the movie trying to work with what he has.
I am a decent fan of murder mysteries and constantly listen to the podcast “Unsolved Murders” so it was very interesting to see the film unfold before me because, from the very beginning of the movie, you know the entire murder plot within the first 15 minutes. The way that Alfred directed each scene is gripping and I actually was holding my breath to see if the man is ever caught as he has constant brushes with the law as they investigate the scene of the crime.
Because it was a stageplay before it made it to the big screen, the entire movie works within the confines of the murder house with one exception so you can feel the stress that the man constantly faces as you watch him delicately weaves his murder.
You really need to pay attention to every detail to this movie so I would not suggest watching this as a “relaxation” movie.
-Mabel

by WetheGeek

Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon

Now, most of you are going to be like “I have no idea what that movie is and, more to the point, who you are” but that’s ok, I’ll get to my intro later!
For now I’m going to introduce this wonderful Chinese film that was nominated for 10 different awards after its release in 2000.
Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon is a martial arts movie that has many subplots to it but is grossly boiled down to: Man wants to renounce his art, old enemy returns with prodigy and now man wants save the prodigy. Since it’s originally in Mandarin, the movie graciously offers the option for either subbed or dubbed, which are both well done in each respect but I had to watch it in dubbed because the visuals are incredible.
The main reason why I wanted to watch this film was because of how often it was mentioned when people talked about visuals and I was not disappointed what so ever. The martial art is flawless, the costumes are beautiful, the flow from one shot to another is gorgeous!
If you do plan to watch it, do be warned that there is a sex scene right in the middle that adds nothing to the plot.
Happy Watching,
-Mabel

by WetheGeek

Song of the Sea is pure magic

I just recently watched Song of the Sea and I’ve got to say:
If you haven’t seen it or it’s sister Secret of Kells then you are missing out on something seriously different.
With it’s whimsical, almost Flannelgraphic, art style and calming Gaelic music, Song of the Sea takes the viewer along in the mystical world of Gaelic Fairies as a willful Ben discovers that his mute sister Seoirse is the sole hope for the Fairie Folk in Ireland. Though the story itself wasn’t that thought provoking to me in either movie, it was the way they painted the story with colorful characters that kept me gazing at my screen for the whole time.
I highly suggest this movie if you are looking for something different from the mainstream media.

-Mabel