CGG Reviews: LUCY--More Than An Action Movie

by Jordan Danger and MJ Baker

LUCY: SO MUCH MORE THAN AN ACTION MOVIE

I opted to review Lucy because I enjoy movies with theoretical science as a catalyst for the plot line. I expected something akin to Elysium or Limitless, but what I got was so much more.

The premise of Lucy is simple: a young American woman, living in Taipei, is accidentally dosed with a large quantity of a drug that opens up her brain’s full potential, revealing a myriad of skills like telekinesis and telepathy. I had assumed the rest of the movie would be Lucy, played by Scarlett Johansson, wreaking vengeance on the drug cartel that had dosed her. Boy, was I wrong.

The movie was a cleverly cloaked commentary on the human condition and humanity’s eventual evolution. In the words of my co-reviewer, MJ Baker, “It was like a new age science class wrapped in an action movie”. Director Luc Besson, also famous for his film The Fifth Element, takes us on a journey from the beginning of homo sapiens all the way to modern day life, somehow intertwining this story with a hell of a lot of theoretical neurophysics and sugar coating it in a thrilling Bourne Identity-like storyline.

Johannson is not an actress that has, honestly caught my attention much in the past; however, her performance in this role was exceptionally well done. She spends a good deal of the film in an emotionless state, but unlike Keanu Reeve’s portrayal of the famous Neo, it didn’t come off wooden or flat. We found ourselves swept up in feeling what Lucy must be feeling, thinking what she must be thinking, and yet wondering what would happen next.

The film presented some intriguing theories that have been explored by scientists in real life, in way that was accessible and exciting. “Let’s face it,” says MJ, “Morgan Freeman can explain anything to you and it sounds completely reasonable.” Besson’s intermingling of documentary footage, a monologue in a lecture hall by Freeman, and scenes of the actual plot line were seamless. What was cool about this film was the number of ways the director conveyed a message or emotion without any words at all. Indeed, some of the most poignant parts of this film were completely without dialogue.

Do not go into Lucy expecting another action film; you won’t get it. However, if you are looking for something that combines all the energy of a thriller with the art house quality of a foreign film (and a heavy dose of an episode of Carl Sagan’s ‘The Cosmos’), you’re in for a treat. The teenagers behind us were entirely displeased with the film, and loudly proclaimed this at the end; however, my science geek comrade was rendered mute by the climax and I personally found myself wanting to stay for a second screening so I could soak up all the philosophical dilemmas presented.

In short, this movie was so much more than we expected. It’s a shame that it is likely to be overlooked as so many films are that successfully marry the genres of science and fiction.

MJ Baker is a baker (no lie); she owns Bake It So! Bakery, a custom-order bakeshop in Ottawa. She is also a lifelong geek, first and foremost a fanatical Star Wars fan. Her head holds more geek and science trivia than Wikipedia. MJ is the co-star of Capital Geek Girls' YouTube show, 'Two Girls Talking'. She loves fireflies, coffee, and books of all sorts.

Jordan Danger is a veteran blogger, writer, and marketing consultant based in Ottawa, Ontario. She is also President and Editor in Chief of CapitalGeekGirls.com. Jordan blogs at GirlCrafted.com, a lifestyle blog about crafting life both literally and figuratively. She loves DIY projects, her dog, and Oxford commas.

Dear Bronies: An Open Letter to My Little Pony Fandom

DEAR BRONIES: AN OPEN LETTER TO MY LITTLE PONY FANDOM
By Mj Baker

     I was browsing around on Netflix last night looking for a new documentary and “Bronies: The Extremely Unexpected Adult Fans of My Little Pony” turned up as a suggestion for me from the Netflix Wizards. My initial reaction was a snort and an eye roll. I’m going to be honest; like many others, I have definitely participated in the joking about Bronies and their deep love of My Little Pony (henceforth referred to as MLP) fandom. After the eye-roll though, I realized that when all was said and done; I honestly didn’t know anything really about MLP or the Bronies. How could I in good conscience make the jokes then? The answer to that was that I just can’t. I don’t want to be that person. I hit ‘Play’ and you know what? I am so glad that I did!

     I realized that Bronies are no different than any other fan base for anything else. That should be obvious right? I feel ashamed that I hadn’t thought about it like that before. Being a geek and having some cos-play good times myself, how could I not realize this? I hadn’t given it any thought and was quick to judge. As I watched the documentary and saw so many young men being interviewed said  they felt like they had to hide it from their parents. They were scared to tell their family, they were scared of getting beat up by other guys, they were scared what their friends would think. As a queer individual I was shocked by hearing such familiar sentiments. I had just never given it any thought. Seeing all of the Bronies at BronyCon just made me smile and my heart happy. They were in a safe space where they all had something in common, which was how I felt when I went to my first Pride parade and it’s how I feel whenever I go to a ComicCon.

Pictured: Menaces to Society and Gender Roles

 I also hadn’t thought about how terrible it is that we are faulting boys for liking ‘girl’ things! I mean seriously, the show is called ‘My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic’ and promotes the values of generosity, kindness, loyalty, honesty and laughter. How could we not want to encourage these things in everyone!! Some make the argument that Bronies  are creepy/perverts/weirdies and turn MLP into something dirty. You know what? There will always be some who do that with anything. Rule 34 and all that. Why paint everyone with the same brush? Some argue that the shows target age is for kids, and I reject that. I never get tired of watching Sponge Bob and Bugs Bunny. Has the world forgotten that The Transformers was a kids cartoon? Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles? Maybe the lesson is that if Michael Bay reboots it, grow-ups can like it too. If you want to see some of the ‘creepy/perverts/weirdies’ that make up Bronies then I encourage you punch “Bronie fundraising” into your Google machine. The Bronies have done an incredible amount of fundraising for a wide variety of causes including sick children, international aid, and setting up a permanent scholarship fund at CalArts for aspiring animators. 

Those Inhumane Beasts!

I guess ultimately what I want to say to all the Bronies out there, I’m sorry. I’m sorry I judged you when I had no understanding about you or MLP. I was completely wrong and I see that now. I’m currently watching an episode of MLP while I write this and you know what? You guys are right! This show is awesome! It’s not even a guilty pleasure because a guilty pleasure is something you feel bad for liking and I don’t. Not one bit. I think maybe MLP has actually made me about 20% cooler.

MJ Baker is a baker (no lie); she owns Bake It So! Bakery, a custom-order bakeshop in Ottawa. She is also a lifelong geek, first and foremost a fanatical Star Wars fan. Her head holds more geek and science trivia than Wikipedia. MJ is the co-star of Capital Geek Girls' YouTube show, 'Two Girls Talking'. She loves fireflies, coffee, and books of all sorts.

Cosplay Double Trouble: Tank Girl and Jet Girl at Ottawa Comiccon '14

by Jordan Danger
COSPLAY DOUBLE TROUBLE: JORDAN AND MJ DO TANK GIRL AND JET GIRL

For Ottawa Comiccon 2014, CGG contributor MJ Baker and I did a very special cosplay. Special, because in all our years as besties, and all our years as Tank Girl fans, we have never done a Tank Girl duo cosplay. So, after a lot of planning and hard work, we did the con this year as Tank (MJ) and Jet (me)...and it rocked. Oh yes, it rocked.

MJ spent hours on her helmet, and for a point of reference for other DIY cosplayers, about $60 in materials. It was a huge undertaking and it was worth every penny and every minute.

We both agreed, it was a) almost too easy to put together our outfits from existing clothing we owned, and b) we felt way more ass-kicky dressed up this way than on a regular day. I proposed we just dress like this all the time. It could be our new signature looks in our day jobs. No? Yes, I say.

Anyway, it was a ton of fun and a great bonding experience. It gave a special pageantry to the entire weekend, and it was a wonderful conversation starter. If you haven't cosplayed, girls, I suggest you get out there and try it. Every time I do, I find more things to love about it.

Capital Geek Girls News Update

We’ve had some exciting news this month at Capital Geek Girls. Let’s walk through it!

CGG IS PRESENTING AT OTTAWA COMIC CON!

Join us at the Ottawa Comic Con to attend our workshop, The Girl’s Guide to Being Geeky! In this session, CGG Editor, Jordan Danger, will walk you through a how-to guide of being a geek or taking your geekdom to the next level. Special focus on some of the unique experiences, barriers, upsides, and challenges of being a woman in the geek world will be addressed. Can’t wait to see you there!

WE’RE FAMOUS: OUR DOCUMENTARY!

Local filmmaker Emma Paling created a five minute documentary about the Capital Geek Girls. You can check it out right here:

It was tons of fun, and you get to meet a few of our geek girl writers!

IN THE NEWS: SUPPORTING HOLLABACK’S WORK AT COMIC CON

Your CGG fearless Editor Jordan Danger was also quoted in this recent article about harrassment at comic cons. The article highlights that Hollaback Ottawa will be presenting a workshop at the convention about harrassment. You can read the article here. 

IN THE NEWS AGAIN: THE GEEK GIRL EXPERIENCE

Here’s another news story (video this time) in Ottawa’s Centretown News, about the geek girl experience..and yes, we’re interviewed in it again! Here’s the link. 

FOR GIRLS WHO LOVE BLOGGING GEEKS

The annual Blog Out Loud Ottawa event is taking place this April 29^th at the Knox Presbyterian Church downtown, from 6:30-on. This event features blog posts read out loud by the authors themselves, who have been selected by jury to provide a wide range of fun and interesting readings. CGG Editor Jordan Danger will be reading a piece from the ‘mother blog’ of CGG (her original blog), GirlCrafted.com. The event is free and lots of fun!

STAY TUNED, FOLKS…

Same bat time, same bat channel. You never know where we’ll pop up next!

Divergent: Geek Girls Movie Review

by Jordan Danger and MJ Baker
DIVERGENT: A HUNDRED TIMES BETTER THAN EXPECTED 

MJ and I are huge fans of dystopic fictional novels. We also read both The Hunger Games  and Divergent before there was talk of movie deals. Of course, like all bibliophiles, we were concerned about how these two movies would turn out. And given their similarities in genre, it’s impossible not to compare the two a little bit. So let me just start by saying: the film adaptation of Divergent kicked Hunger Games’ ass.

In a very tiny nutshell, Divergent is about a post-apocalyptic world where all the survivors are fenced within what remains of Chicago. Everyone is divided into five sections called factions; each one is known for a different quality or trait. A special test is administered to determine one’s faction, but for Beatrice, a young woman from the political faction, the test is inconclusive and she is deemed ‘divergent’. She chooses a new faction, and finds herself in a Fight Club-esque/GI Jane/Lord of the Flies type world.

OUR THOUGHTS ON THE MOVIE

1. Beatrice (‘Tris’) from Divergent is a way cooler, more empowered and appropriate role model for the new wave of ‘girl power’ heroines we are seeing.

2. Despite dumbing down the violence by at least 60%, the movie managed to keep most of the ‘feel’ of the book.

3. It’s harder to really lose yourself in what’s happening because, unlike the book, there’s no running monologue. But that was our complaint about Hunger Games, as well. If you hadn’t read the book, you were probably pretty confused on what parts of Katniss’ romance with Peeta were faked or real. The loss of monologue isn’t as jarring in Divergent, but it still leads us to say, GO READ THE BOOK.

4. In MJ’s words, “If the book was a river you were panning for gold in, the movie version managed to keep all the crucial nuggets.”

5. Once more about the violence: while we understand movie makers want to appeal to the younger crowd with a movie like this, the violence was really, really dumbed down; and sometimes, like in both Hunger Games and Divergent, that violence serves a purpose in building empathy, understanding, and motivation. So we’re a little disappointed with the PG-ifying of these books.

OVERALL RATING:

Totally worth seeing twice, and we’re both going home to reread the second book.

Capital Geek Girls is on YouTube!

by Jordan Danger
Good day, avid geek girl followers!

Today, I'm officially announcing that Capital Geek Girls has a YouTube show. Lacking for better inspiration, it's called "Two Girls Talking". It features....two girls talking. Namely, yours truly (Jordan Danger, Editor of Capital Geek Girls) and MJ Baker, owner of Bake It So! Bakery. We discuss various topics of geekery. Episode 2 playlist is here, and here's just the blooper reel, for those who appreciate such things:

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I hope you appreciate the homage to Star Wars scene transitions. Fade! Crossfade! Diamond fade!

Episode 1 is up there, too. The sound, lighting, and autofocus are a nightmare. But the content is fun. Here me repeatedly screw up basic information, like who's in the X-Men movie, and whether or not Jude Law is gay. Here's a link to that playlist.

We encourage you to comment in the comments, and subscribe to the channel. To give you an idea of what you're in store for, the working title of the show was, "MJ is Quippy and Jordan Can't Stop Giggling".

Courtney's Cosplay Confession: Day 1

Day 1: HOW I GOT INTO THIS

I was at the Comic Book Shoppe working on some Capital Geek Girls  stuff with editor/founder Jordan and writers MJ and Jenn.  The topic of cosplay harassment and Cosplay is not Consent came up and I admitted that I had a cosplay I wanted to try, but was scared of the comments I would get.

As some of you may have noticed from my bio, writer’s card, or if you’ve met me in person, I absolutely adore the show Torchwood. It has become one of my go to comfort programming options and I am likely to recommend it at any opportunity. Did I mention my laptop is named Toshiko? Since last year’s Comiccon I’ve thought about what I would cosplay as, if I could, and one character’s name pops into my head more than any other: Gwen Cooper. A former police constable who finds herself chasing aliens with Captain Jack Harkness while trying to hold together some semblance of a normal life with her in-the-dark-for-his-own-good partner Rhys. Gwen’s not the most popular person in Torchwood fandom but I’ve always found something in her story that spoke to me. I also happen to adore the actress that portrays her, Eve Myles.  A butt-kicking brunette with great style who personally inspires me? Why wouldn’t I cosplay  as her?

Because Gwen Cooper looks like this: 

And I look like this: 

This is where that lovely little voice in my head comes to remind me that I’m not going to look like Gwen because unless I go on The Biggest Loser until Comiccon I am not going to magically shrink in half. I see every negative comment I have ever read on a cosplay review board or Facebook group flash before my eyes. If I can’t find a screen accurate biker jacket with zipped pockets in a size 22/24 why should I bother?  If I’m not going to “do it right” should I do it at all? 

According to my fellow CGG’s the answer to that question is a resounding Yes.  With their help, and probably a good dose of caffeine from time to time,  I’m going to attempt to leave my baggage behind and rock this Comiccon, Cardiff-style.

  

66 Days to Go.

[Editor's note: I think Courtney is amazing. The idea that she would have held off trying out cosplay based on snarky comments hurts my heart. I am super excited to support her on this adventure, and I hope you all will, too. -Jordan]

Courtney Lockhart lives in the west end of Ottawa with her husband and step-cat.  She is polishing her skills to pursue one of her dream careers as either a costume drama character, Torchwood operative or executive assistant to a billionaire vigilante. You can follow her daily mission to DFTBA on Twitter @corastacy.

Handmade Geek: Hobbes the Tiger Amigurumi

Crocheting a New Best Friend – My First Foray into Amigurumi 

I was 9 years old when I first picked up a crochet hook. I decided that Marie Magdalene, my Cabbage Patch Kid (yes, that was her real name), desperately needed a blanket. I can’t remember whose idea it was, but before I knew it, my mom had taught me how to crochet one giant granny square made of scrap yarn. 

My crocheting skills have come in handy through the years – my friends always knew what to expect when they moved into their first house or had their first child. About two years ago, though, I reached an age where all my friends had settled into their homes and started their families, and my house was saturated with blankets. What were my itchy fingers to do while watching Game of Thrones?

While searching for something new to make, I stumbled across a pattern for a hat in the shape of a minion from Despicable Me (my son’s favourite movie). I had never crocheted anything other than a blanket, but I ordered the pattern and was surprised at just how easy it was. With that one simple pattern, my eyes were suddenly open to all the fun, cool and geeky crochet opportunities out there!

Late last year, I was asked to crochet my first amigurumi. Amigurumi is a Japanese term used to describe crocheting stuffed animals, people and other creatures. MJ had found a pattern for her favourite comic strip character, Hobbes. I will admit I was nervous taking on the project. Blankets and hats are one thing, but stuffed animals seemed out of my league.

 

MJ with her new best friend.

With a bit of apprehension, I applied my almost 30 years (!?) of crocheting and gave it a go. I started crocheting Hobbes in September and finished in January. While the stitches were mostly basic, he was by far the most complex thing I’ve ever made. The hardest adjustment was the amount of attention it took! I was used to monotonous patterns (perfect for crocheting while watching TV), but amigurumi patterns change quite frequently. He took a lot of concentration and patience, but the satisfaction once he was stuffed and sewed together surpassed anything I’ve made before. And the look on MJ’s face upon receiving her new best friend was completely worth it.

I’ve learned this past year that there is a world of crochet patterns for every geeky pursuit, from Star Wars to My Little Pony. I would recommend beginner crocheters start with basic blankets or hats (like my minion one). Given their complexity, amigurumi should probably be left to intermediate to advanced crocheters with lots of patience. Many crochet patterns are surprisingly cheap and easy to fine with simple online searches.

I’m always happy to discuss crocheting, so if you have any questions on the hobby itself, please ask below.

If you’re interested in making your own Hobbes, the pattern I used can be found online for free at: http://sukigirl74.blogspot.ca/2011/03/free-hobbes-crochet-pattern.html.

Happy hooking!

Sandi is a 30-something environmental engineer and mother of two from the metropolis of Stittsville, Ontario. Writing for Capital Geek Girls is a new adventure for her, with previous writing experience limited to technical documents, briefing notes and Facebook updates. In her spare time, Sandi enjoys playing board games and video games, reading books, watching movies, and crocheting. She looks forward to sharing her geeky endeavours with you, as well as reporting on the next generation’s response to those endeavours.

The Bake It So Story

This post was originally shared on our sister site, GirlCrafted.com
by Jordan Danger

Five years ago, my best friend MJ left cooking.

She was good at it. In fact, she was great. She made her way up to Executive Chef status by her twenties, and all that without a formal education. But she was tired of working in male-dominated kitchens where sexual harassment and homophobia was the norm. She was tired of getting passed up for promotions, paid a sub-standard wage, and never getting a long enough leash to do her best creative work.

So she left, and took a somewhat less prestigious job--though ironically, better-paid--as a barrista. We supported her in this decision, because she was burnt out and didn't love cooking anymore. But we kept her in the kitchen at home...in a positive way. We encouraged her endless baking of key lime pies, coconut macaroons, meringue eggs, and truffles.

Slowly, the love returned, and a desire to fulfill her passion was rekindled. So MJ enrolled in the bakery program at college. There, she has been kicking ass for the last three months.

Recently, MJ had a project to do: make an outgoing voicemail message for your future self, in five years' time. It was a Business Communications assignment, but it was also an assignment in self-affirmation. Because after years of being beaten down and made to feel less than awesome, MJ recorded this as her 'dream' outgoing message:

You have reached Mission: Bake It So, aboard the International Space Station. We are currently somewhere over Europe, travelling in excess of 17,000mph, and can't take your call right now, but we'd love for you to send us an email at _____, or you can learn more about us online at NASA.gov/bakeitso. Bake It So: literally as close to heaven as you can get.

Me (left) and MJ (right).

I should probably have mentioned, MJ is an uber-nerd. For both the written and recorded 'future self' assingments, all of her science was verifiably accurate. This message is not a joke: if MJ had a genie, she would wish to be baking on the International Space Station doing science and food wizardry.

MJ is my hero. She makes me believe that you can be true to yourself and succeed in your goals. Make your own music, sing your own song, and soon the whole world will be singing along.

Tuition is tight and there's a long road ahead of MJ before she reaches her goal of universal baking domination. But we, her family and chosen family, stand behind her. In a way, a win for MJ is a win for all of us.

(And of course, I can't help but put it out there that if you, too, want to support MJ, you can like her Bake It So facebook page in preparation for when it really gets going, and if I knew how to set up a scholarship fund for her, I'd do that too. I don't, but on the off-chance there's a rich and powerful benefactor out there looking for a place for their money to go, they can email me.)

MJ is my hero in many ways, not just baking and goal-setting. She is the only person who knows exactly who I am, exactly how I think, and exactly what I want when I'm having a meltdown. She is an unwavering friend to all her loved ones, and a daily good Samaritan. These things all make her great. But her ability to say, "I'm a grrl, and a world-class baker, and these things can co-exist!" makes her my hero today. Her straight-A grades don't hurt, either.

Comment below to say congrats! 

Geek Girl Review: Star Trek, Into Darkness

This post was originally shared on our sister site, GirlCrafted.com
by MJ of Bake it So

This Capital Geek Girl movie review is by Geek Girl MJ, owner of Bake It So Bakery. She got to see the new Star Trek movie before the rest of us and had a lot to say, so I asked her to share her thoughts in a review; here it is. 

MJ REVIEWS STAR TREK: INTO DARKNESS 

MJ

I need to say first off that I absolutely acknowledge that my Star Trek knowledge is not as vast as so many others out there.  I’ve always been a Star Wars kid; that being said, I do love my Trek.  

When I went to the screening of Iron Man 3 last month, I thought to myself, ‘Man, that is setting the bar pretty high for the other summer movie competition!’. Well, J.J. Abrams took that bar, set fire to it, used it to draw a line in the sand and then dropped it like a mic. Abrams out.

I want to avoid any spoilers because no one likes those. If they did they’d be called “Information Gifts” instead of spoilers.  I purposely avoided trailers so I could go in with a totally open mind and let the movie unfold and try to take me along with it.  Into Darkness had me completely immersed within the first 5 minutes and I stayed there, right on board the Enterprise for the whole 127 minutes.  The movie moved at a good pace and didn’t feel like it was dragging me anywhere.  There were solid performances given by all of the main crew, with fairly good performances by Peter Weller and Alice Eve.  Benedict Cumberbatch created a stellar character as a top-notch  villain and disappoints no one.  Indeed all of the awesome you love about him as Sherlock Holmes [from the BBC series, Sherlock] is here with so much more awesome added on top of that.