But surprisingly less luxurious is their former home on the grounds of Kensington Palace, where the couple lived early in their relationship. The realities of living in the “tiny” 1,324-square-foot Nottingham Cottage are revealed in the documentary’s home movie footage.

Affectionally known as “Nott Cott,” Nottingham Cottage is among the smaller houses on the palace grounds, containing two bedrooms, one bathroom, a kitchen, small living spaces, and a petite back garden. Harry first moved into the cottage in 2013, and Meghan joined him in 2017, shortly before the couple’s engagement.

Home movie footage depicts interiors that look cozy and relatable. The proportions are small, the materials similar to those you’d see in any other modest home. The kitchen features a checkered black and white floor, white cabinets, and unremarkable gray countertops. This is where Harry proposed to Meghan while roasting a chicken. The compact living room is featured in a scene in which the couple announces their engagement to the world.

Closet space is apparently tight, as the prince is pictured dressing in his officer’s uniform with a freestanding rack of clothing behind him. In another shot, Meghan stands in the doorway of an apparently carpeted bathroom. “It was just a chapter of our lives where I don’t think anyone could believe what it was actually like behind the scenes,” she said of the couple’s time in the home.

“It is on a slight lean with really low ceilings,” Harry said. “I don’t know who it was for. They must have been short,” Meghan added, “He would just hit his head constantly because he’s so tall.” Oprah was apparently astonished by the size of the cottage when she visited. Harry said, “Well, Oprah came over for tea, didn’t she? And when she came in, she sat down, she goes ‘No one would ever believe it!'”

Nottingham Cottage was designed by architect Christopher Wren for William III and Mary II in 1689. The decor and finishings have changed several times since then, as the cottage was occupied by various generations of royalty. Queen Elizabeth II’s uncle, Prince Henry, Duke of Gloucester lived there prior to the 1950s before it became home to several senior members of the royal family’s staff.

Notably, the cottage was once promised for life to Marion Crawford, a former governess of then-Princesses Elizabeth and Margaret, but her rights to it were revoked after she published a tell-all memoir about the royal family.

Other occupants included Miles Hunt-Davis, the Duke of Edinburgh’s private secretary; Robert Fellowes, Queen Elizabeth II’s private secretary, and his wife Lady Jane Fellowes, who is the older sister of Princess Diana; and Prince William and Kate Middleton, the then-Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, prior to the birth of Prince George. After Harry and Meghan moved out, Princess Eugenie moved in along with her husband Jack Brooksbank and their son August.

As for Harry and Meghan’s Montecito home, where they live with their children Archie and Lillibet, it seems that the couple may find it not quite private enough given their ultra-high profile. Though the seven-acre estate is located off the beaten path about 90 minutes north of Los Angeles (near the estates of Oprah Winfrey and Ellen DeGeneres), the family still has trouble with trespassers and paparazzi.

Realtor.com reports that police were called to the residence nine times in nine months, once resulting in the arrest of a man named Nickolas Brooks, who drove over 2,300 miles from Ohio to intrude on the property. Next up for Harry and Meghan might be a more secure residence within a guard-gated community.

The post Netflix’s “Harry & Meghan” Doc Gives Us a Peek at Nottingham Cottage, the Couple’s First Home first appeared on Dornob.

Now, Anderson has brought those same sensibilities to a real-world environment, a 1950s-era Cygnus carriage that’s one of eleven aboard the Belmond British Pullman train that operates from London’s Victoria Station. This train, initially made famous by Agatha Christie in her 1934 book Murder on the Orient Express and the subsequent 1972 film starring Dustin Hoffman and Vanessa Redgrave, is made up of Pullman coaches dating from the 1920s to the 1950s. Anderson was given free rein to transform the Cygnus carriage into his personal ideal, no doubt a treat for someone who’s so clearly enamored with old trains.

In fact, as Anderson exclaimed in a press release, “I love trains! I have often had the chance to invent train compartments and carriages in my movies – so I was immediately pleased to say ‘yes’ to this real-life opportunity, and very eager to make something new while also participating in the process of preservation which accompanies all the classic Belmond train projects.”

The carriage was already practically begging for Anderson’s touch, given that it’s named for the Greek god of balance, often signified by a swan. Anderson’s design incorporates angularity, symmetry, and intricate motifs to the Cygnus, including a pastel pink ceiling, a complement of jewel-like green tones, and ornate marquetry work like wood panels featuring sunbeams, clouds, stars, and waves. Little swans can also be found throughout the carriage in reference to its name.

“Guests can ride in Cygnus on any journey on the British Pullman, a unique travel experience that rumbles across the rails all over England,” reads the Belmond website. “Whether a murder mystery lunch through the Kent countryside or a sparkling dinner hosted by an up-and-coming guest chef, a ticket in Cygnus means you can experience the Golden Age of Travel while appreciating the beauty of modern design. With two private four-seat coupes or seats in the open carriage, the choice is yours.”

If you’re hoping to book a ride on the Belmond yourself, expect rates for an open table to start at $545 per person. Or, you can book one of two private coupes with seating for four guests, who’ll also enjoy unlimited champagne at a price of $2,455. You can even book the entire carriage for a private event hosting up to 26 guests (price upon request).

Occupying a space designed by Wes Anderson himself is certainly a rare experience, but you can also visit places that were explicitly inspired by his aesthetic, but designed by other people. The Budapest Cafe by Melbourne-based firm Biasol is one of those places, itself an eatery located in Chengdu, China that aims to capture Anderson’s visual flair. And if you dream of making over your own interiors in Wes Anderson style, we have some fun tips to try out.

The post Wes Anderson’s Restored 1950s Train Carriage Looks Like a Scene Straight Out of His Films first appeared on Dornob.

Shengge, also known as “The Tireman” on his YouTube channel, actually modeled this fearsome creature after a fandom addition to the Alien universe, the “Alien King.” In 2016, to celebrate the 30th anniversary of the thriller movie franchise, designer toy studio Sideshow Collectibles created an Alien King maquette – an artist’s preliminary rendering – of the rare form of Xenomorph, meant to complement the famous Queen character from the movies.

Even though it has not yet been added to the official Alien history, Shengge used that grizzly maquette as the basis of his savage, rubbery monster. The original figure was just 20 inches tall, but this new iteration towers six feet above the ground.

In a video of the process, Shengge shares how he first started with his own mini polymer clay replica before moving on to the giant, real-life version. Next, the Tireman shaped a Xenomorph skeleton out of wire before wrapping that huge form with bike inner tube pieces for stability and a layer of “muscle.” Then, with 200 used tires, he got to work on the painstaking art of applying the “skin.”

“Unlike ordinary aliens, Alien King has more tentacles. He has a lot of gully and scales on his body. It is necessary to cut the tires into very thin strips to simulate the texture of his skin, which is very difficult to make. But I feel quite satisfied with the presentation of the finished product,” the artist said in a statement on his YouTube channel.

The Xenomorph is one of the most iconic and villainous extraterrestrial species of all time, and Shengge has done an exquisite job in recreating it. The final artistry is stunning in its incredible detail. Thanks to its piercing claws and teeth and a real sense of movement, one could almost believe this Alien King could attack at any moment. And to top it off, Shengge says the sculpture took him only 20 days to complete.

The Tireman states that his goal “is to bring new life to those disused tires.” It is unclear where he gets his supply of discarded tires from, but the fact that all his magnificent creations are made from recyclable materials gives them an extra “wow” factor.

Shengge has produced more than a dozen full-size characters out of tires since 2020 and has gathered a following of 100,000 viewers. His “War Elephant” from the Romance of the Three Kingdoms XIV video game is spectacular with its red and gold paint, while his Kong versus Godzilla sculptures are nothing short of epic in their texture and kinematics. His model of Eren Yeager from the Attack on Titan manga series is his most popular conception yet, racking up over 12 million views so far. An oversized statue of a Lycanthrope from the Chinese anime Incarnation is also well-liked, with the Youtube video receiving over a million views in six months.

The post Recycling Sculptor Makes Life-Size “Alien King” Out of Used Tires first appeared on Dornob.

Since the movie is about a scientist who can help people relive their pasts, after uploading a photo of yourself on this website, the AI-driven tech animates your mugshot and guides you through the process of revisiting the past, seeing yourself smile, move, and blink in a pretty convincing manner.

“It’s a new kind of experience,” said D-ID CEO and co-founder Gil Perry in an interview with Fast Company of the eerie personalized trailers. “The audience can engage and kind of feel the emotions of being inside the experience, the movie.”

At the end of the video, the website gives you option to buy tickets to the real movie in theaters or share your clip on social media. This kind of individualized marketing strategy is quickly gaining traction as it’s proven to lead to greater audience engagement and more movie theater foot traffic. In fact, Perry says his company is already working with other studios to create similar marketing promos.

D-ID, founded in 2017 by Perry, COO Sella Blondheim, and CTO Eliran Kuta, started as a privacy protection service, giving businesses the ability to “de-identify” photos, removing any “sensitive biometric data and personally identifiable information from facial images.” To the naked eye, the photos look the same, but a computer would be unable to decrypt or reverse-engineer it, thereby providing anti-hacking protection.

The Tel Aviv-based company made waves back in February when it partnered with genealogy website MyHeritage to let customers bring pictures of their deceased ancestors to life. “We’re basically transforming all the photos in the world to videos – we like to say we ‘Harry Potter-ize’ the world.”

The photo/videos are disconcertingly realistic. D-ID has worked tirelessly to achieve this effect with all different types of images. “The hard part is when you have no different angles – for example, you can upload a photo which is very frontal and without teeth,” Perry said in a piece for Tech Radar. “Our algorithms know how to predict and create the missing parts that you didn’t have in the photo – for example, ears, teeth, the background. Basically, we cross what people call the uncanny valley.”

Perry believes there are ample possibilities for his company’s deepfake capabilities, especially in the entertainment field. Most notably, it allows movie directors to play around with stunts and special effects before even casting the actors. “We can animate and bring to life things that are not real humans, but animals, cartoons, paintings,” he explains, adding that “it really helps save money for pre-production, when filmmakers are not really sure what the movie is going to look like.”

Currently, D-ID is in talks with stock photo companies, a place where customers might want the ability to change the expressions or angles of the models for their own needs.

“What we offer companies or businesses is the ability to create meaningful, creative reality experiences,” Perry says. “We give them the tools to do things they couldn’t do before — creative things that can engage an audience.”

The post This AI Startup can Deepfake You into a Hollywood Movie first appeared on Dornob.

Green, known for directing such movies as Pineapple Express, Joe, and the 2019 remake of Halloween, found the 1,250-square-foot loft shortly after the release of Halloween and was bursting with ideas of how he wanted his new place to look. Enter Lembo —familiar with the building where Green’s loft had sat untouched for over 30 years, and, most importantly, a lover of cinema.

Their connection was immediate. Green describes himself as “[being]…drawn to that weird place where nature and industry meet,” a sentiment no doubt inspired by the overgrown, dilapidated buildings found in the Arkansas and East Texas neighborhoods of his childhood. He’s also drawn to Stanley Kubrick, an iconic director known for his distinctive sets that pushed the limits between reality and sensory overload, often with the help of saturated colors and mind-bending twists. Though Kubrick’s films run the gamut from dystopian to satirical, what inspired Green and Lembo initially was one of late director’s most well-known movies: 2001: A Space Odyssey.

What emerged was a spacey vibe underscored by lots of steel and glass, changing colors throughout the day to create a fantastically futuristic environment that’s still approachable and comfortable. The spaciness doesn’t create a feeling of alienation; rather it acts as a pleasing contrast to the otherwise plush and cozy home.

The living room is the epicenter of the Kubrick-inspired decor, with a fireplace wall that evokes the shape and look of the distinctive monolith from 2001. Lembo explains that they “approached it like a floating plane.” And truly, it does seem to almost hover, as it both dominates the room yet somehow complements it perfectly.

This may also have something to do with the room’s distinctive wall prints, the 20-foot long deep-plum colored sofa, or the kitchen mirror reflecting a spacey round light to create the illusion of depth – which itself bears an odd resemblance to the same film’s “Discovery One” spacecraft.

The second bedroom, which “looks like an escalator mall in the ‘80s,” according to Green, is replete with dichroic glass that appears to shift in color throughout the day. Pinks, oranges, and shades of green shine through like magic, further completing the futuristic vibes that permeate the rest of the apartment – sometimes more subtly, like the wavy mirror above the main bedroom’s bed, and sometimes more obviously, like the kitchenette that resembles a spaceship enclave with its small, square cabinets and sharp, angular corners.

Green admits to telling Lembo, “Let’s go too far and see what’s realistic.” And Lembo, himself an imaginative, intrepid designer who likes to play with shapes and colors, was all too happy to oblige. The result is a spacey NYC retreat where Green can recharge, “write, listen to music, read, cook, and rest.” In other words, a home that even HAL 9000 would approve of.

Images courtesy of Eric van den Brulle

The post This Director’s New York City Loft was Inspired by Stanley Kubrick, and It Really Shows first appeared on Dornob.

So what would happen if some of the most iconic rooms from Studio Ghibli films were reimagined as actual, real-life living spaces?

HouseholdQuotes recently took interior design imaginings to the next level with their renderings of popular Studio Ghibli settings: the perfect inspo for anyone looking to reimagine their living space with an eye for the dreamy and distinctive aesthetic Miyazaki is known for.

Arrietty’s Bedroom (The Secret World of Arrietty)

This eclectic mix of vintage furniture and lush plant life makes for the perfect recreation of Arrietty’s bedroom. Magical, homey, and oh so comfy, this room would be an ideal haven for anyone looking to redesign a cozy space like a bedroom or study.

Get inspired: This colorful vintage quilt from Etsy would be the perfect centerpiece for your Arrietty-inspired room.

Zeniba’s Kitchen (Spirited Away)

A Miyazaki classic, Spirited Away is a fantastical tale of a young girl who enters the world of kami (Shinto Japanese spirits). Zeniba is a central character in the film. Represented as a sweet little granny, her kitchen is the perfect representation of a warm, inviting, and eclectic cookspace. HouseholdQuotes depicts this room perfectly by focusing on its charming mix of rustic touches and warm intimacy.

Get inspired: This hanging mini pendant light from Home Depot adds character to any kitchen, and its colors perfectly echo the unique character of Zeniba’s kitchen.

Howl’s Bathroom (Howl’s Moving Castle)

Howl’s Moving Castle is a wonderland of surreal architecture and distinctively imaginative design inspiration. In the film, Howl’s bathroom is a vision of vintage fixtures and explosive color, and the design by HouseholdQuotes echoes that steampunk-like aesthetic perfectly.

Get inspired: This antique copper faucet would add a hint of Howl’s steampunk-y look to any bathroom.

Anna’s Bedroom (When Marnie Was There)

Anna visits the home of her relatives but finds more than she bargained for when she meets a mysterious neighbor. The light, breezy guest room where she stays is accented with vibrant hues of green and is evocative of the iconic lo-fi study girl. By combining an open canopy bed with warm wood and tones of muted green, this HouseHoldQuotes interpretation captures the dreamy nostalgia of Miyazaki’s vision perfectly.

Get inspired: This cilantro-colored throw pillow from Crate & Barrel adds a forest-y pop of color to any room in the house.

The Cat Bureau (The Cat Returns)

When Haru faces the prospect of an arranged marriage with a cat she, must visit The Cat Bureau for help. The furniture in this scene is cat-sized and cozy, with a lovely bureau and symmetrical design that creates an office that’s both ordered and inviting.

Get inspired: This Victorian bookcase is the perfect example of classic architecture that’s elevated through little details like claw feet. Made of mahogany, this wooden shelf would look perfectly at home in any sitting room.

Get inspired with these Studio Ghibli-influenced rooms that perfectly reflect the fantastical and imaginative world of Hayao Miyazaki. From distinctive details to surreal touches, all five designs will make you want to add a bit of magic to your everyday surroundings.

The post Get Inspired With These Studio Ghibli-Influenced Room Designs first appeared on Dornob.

Well wonder no more, because this series of “e-imagined” vehicles literally draws it out for us. Dreamed up by Money.co.uk, these fantasy makeovers transform the A-Team van, Herbie the Love Bug, the Ghostbusters Ecto-1, Back to the Future’s DMC DeLorean, and James Bond’s Aston Martin DB5 into electric cars without sacrificing the look that makes each one iconic.

The E-cto-1

Who you gonna call when you need some eco-friendly ghostbusting? The reimagined Ghostbusters Ecto-1 brings this film and TV franchise’s unforgettable 1959 Cadillac into the 21st century. It’s the very same vehicle we all know and love, but subtle new additions hint at what’s going on under the hood. The designers explain that “while the new movies still feature a petrol-powered ghostbusting machine, we opted to give our heroes a cleaner, greener way of saving the city, with Slimer-approved (and inspired) lime green lighting.”

The E-Lorean

Arguably cinema’s most famous sci-fi car, Doc Brown’s time-traveling DMC DeLorean has got to be the coolest car from any 1980s movie, period. At the time, it was also the most futuristic car design on the market. Produced for just two years between 1981 and 1982, the rear-engine, two-door, two-passenger sports car by the DeLorean Motor Company was best known for its gull-wing door style and stainless steel body panels. It was ultimately the only model produced (with about 9,000 units sold) by DMC before the company filed for bankruptcy and shut down.

Part of what sunk the DeLorean was its lack of power, especially for the high price. This fantasy “E-Lorean” overcomes that issue with an electric engine, and of course, the doors are still a primary feature. The Money.co team notes that “these days, the DeLorean has enjoyed cult appeal and is still popular with collectors due to its short life span and association with the franchise. While rumors of a Back to the Future reboot have never come to fruition, with our 2021 concept E-Lorean we hope Doc Brown might one day fire up the ‘Musk Capacitor’ to go back to the 80s and warn DMC.”

The Volkswagen E-tle

There’s a lot to love about the adorable Volkswagen Beetle, especially the 1960s iteration so beloved by the hippies. There’s simply no other car like it. The Beetle had a long and historic production run between 1938 and 2019, when it was finally discontinued, and now, vintage models are highly sought by collectors who want to restore them to their original glory (and/or convert them to run on electricity). On the big screen, the Beetle is most often associated with the 1968 Disney hit The Love Bug.

“Our E-tle concept oozes cool and 60s chic, while staying true to the ‘flower power’ essence of the 1960s. With Volkswagen firmly declaring their future as electric, with its new I.D range and success of the E-Golf, we’re hoping that our concept E-tle might not be too distant of a dream.”

The E-Team

Okay, so this one is definitely unlike any GMC Vandura you’ve ever seen. Instead of taking the subtle route, this electric makeover totally changes the A-Team’s classic ride, which was probably the most awesome Chevy van to ever exist. And what provided the inspiration? No less than the controversial Tesla Cybertruck.

“Originally a GMC Vandura, which ran production from 1964 to 1996, our reboot takes inspiration from the upcoming Tesla Cyber Truck, allowing the E-Team to supercharge their van in between their escapades.”

Aston Martin EB5

James Bond has had no shortage of luxury vehicles over the decades, but none say “007” quite so distinctly as the Aston Martin DB5 featured in Goldfinger (1964), Skyfall (2012), and other films from the franchise. 25 of them were commissioned for the latest film No Time to Die, which is set to premiere in October 2021. When you can find one of these rare classics, you’re looking at a price tag of around $1 million USD.

The designers had no intention of messing with perfection on this one., explaining that “unless you’re James Bond or Q and you’re fitting rocket launchers or an ejector seat to it, it’s probably best to leave the iconic DB5 alone. Our EB5 retains all the classic features of the car, with just a touch of EV styling and modern curves, including a Porsche-style front storage trunk for gadgets or golf clubs.”

The post From Ghostbusters to James Bond: 5 Classic Movie Cars Get Electric Makeovers first appeared on Dornob.

Commissioned home improvement connection site HomeAdvisor, Wharton created a poster series immortalizing the most famous Bond movie architecture. Graphically designed in simple, high-contrast lines, she chose at least one location to highlight from each of the previous 25 films. With one poster featuring all 48 places and individual posters of each, these dramatic red, black, and gray illustrations also include a short description of the events that took place there in each movie.

Here are some of our favorites For Your Eyes Only, even if it does feel like Tomorrow Never Dies until the new No Time to Die film comes out:

Skyfall Lodge

The Bond family home, featured in the 2012 film Skyfall, was a stately mansion located in the Scottish Highlands. Designed by art director Dean Clegg, the gorgeous estate (that was later blown up on screen by terrorist villain Raoul Silva) was based on traditional Scottish stone homes with their small, mullioned windows and mossy walls.

Volcano Lair

Perhaps one of the coolest evil lairs of all time, Wharton created a succinct outline of the hollowed-out volcano from 1967’s You Only Live Twice. While exterior shots of this location were filmed at Mount Shinmoe-dake on Japan’s southern island, the interiors were manufactured on the British Pinewood Studios lot.

King’s House

Jamaica was the tropical paradise depicted in the very first Bond motion picture, Dr. No (1962). For this poster, Wharton captures the majestic building where the spy meets with the island’s acting governor.

St. Petersburg Square

This building has actually played double roles in Bond films: first as itself in 1995’s GoldenEye, and then as the MI6 headquarters in 1997’s Tomorrow Never Dies. In England today, its real purpose is as an arts center.

Blofeld’s Lair

The minimalist home of villain Ernst Blofeld in 2015’s Spectre is actually known as the villa Dar Bianca in real life, located in a surprisingly lush park-like setting in Morocco. Film producers used CGI to place it in the inhospitable desert mountains we see in the movie.

Willard Whyte’s Summer House

This is the bold, modernist home where Bond is detained by Blofeld’s comrades in Diamonds Are Forever (1971). Called the Elrod House in our reality, its striking design was drafted in 1968 by architect John Lautner.

Fort Knox

The Kentucky safehold for U.S. gold was the target of the Bond villain in 1964’s Goldfinger. Best of all, this cool graphic has the fortress sitting atop the radiating red sun.

Castle Thane

Last but not least is another temporary HQ for the British Secret Intelligence Service: Castle Thane. Modeled after Eilean Donan, a 13th-century estate in the western Scottish Highlands situated at the confluence of three gorgeous sea lochs, Castle Thane was a beautiful backdrop for Bond and M to rendezvous in 1999’s The World is Not Enough.

The post HomeAdvisor Explores Iconic James Bond Buildings With Flashy Graphic Posters first appeared on Dornob.

Now, kids (and kids at heart) all over Japan can travel to a recreation of this heartwarming scene in the rural town of Takaharu, Miyazaki Prefecture, where a “life-sized” Totoro stands waiting at a (fake) bus stop. A couple marking the milestone of turning 70 years old wanted to celebrate by creating the attraction for their grandchildren, as well as other children who might derive joy from seeing the cuddly replica.

The grandfather, who worked as a plasterer for 50 years, started by creating a wooden barrel as the base and layering cement on it. His wife and other elders from the neighborhood helped smooth out the surface and add details like the pointy ears, whiskers, and big round belly. They then set their replica on a bed of gravel and bricks on their own private property, placing a bus stop sign directly beside it. They have since installed a “fortune telling” vending machine in the area and begun renting out red umbrellas as photo props.

https://www.instagram.com/p/B8q1qfTpflC/?utm_source=ig_embed

https://www.instagram.com/p/BpsnamZltuR/?utm_source=ig_embed

Naturally, it wasn’t very long before the installation started to draw visitors. The couple’s grandkids loved it, and so did just about everyone who learned of its existence. It quickly became such a big tourist attraction, the local town authorities had to release guidelines about respectfully visiting it, going so far as to recommend convenient guest houses located nearby. They even added three parking spaces so multiple people can visit at once to try out their best poses and post their photos on social media.

https://www.instagram.com/p/BpRqRaSgUEU/?utm_source=ig_embed

The couple’s hard work helped bring the magic of the film to life, and the result is undeniably adorable. It’s no wonder Totoro fans from all over the world are starting to make their way there.

Totoro himself is inspired by legendary creatures called Koropokkuru from the Ainu tales of Japanese folklore. Unlike Totoro though, they’re not furry creatures, but rather tiny humans. Their name means “people below the leaves of the Fuki” in the Ainu language, and as the story goes, they were the original inhabitants of the northern Japanese islands. Short, agile, and skilled at fishing, they are often depicted holding leaves over their heads.

If you want to visit the Tonari no Totoro Bus Stop yourself, it’s marked on Google Maps at 7538-6 Kamamuta, Takaharu, Nishimorokata District, Miyazaki 889-4414, Japan. You’re welcome to give him a hug and take your photos between 8 am and 6 pm each and every day.

Are you a big Studio Ghibli fan? You’ll love the artwork of Japanese artist Monokubo, who creates fantastical digital paintings featuring friendly oversized animals like wolves, cats, foxes, and birds, all of whom similarly watch over, protect, and play with their human companions.

The post Japanese Couple Builds Totoro-Inspired Bus Stop for Their Grandkids first appeared on Dornob.

Of course, the most recent movie release also instigated a firestorm of chatter regarding the look of the titular character. After all, you shouldn’t mess with a classic, right? Or should you? That debate seems to be at the core of the endless stream of online comments aligned with the topic of Sonic.

It’s a conversation that came about as a result of the initial 2019 trailer released in advance of the film. Criticism was so strong of this trailer, in fact, that the movie release was delayed three months while they gave Sonic a digital makeover.

In the initial draft, Sonic appears — different. Perhaps a little evil, or two-dimensional, or lacking in cartoonish appeal. Commenters reported that he could be “any blue hedgehog” and didn’t stand out as an iconic representative of the Sonic name. Other common descriptions were “generic” and even “hideous.”

Another train of thought suggests the original character sketch was nothing more than a placeholder, armed with the intent to cause exactly the chatter it received. Perhaps it’s a bit of conspiracy theory, but could it also be a dash of brilliant marketing? After all, it did drum up a flurry of newfound interest in the movie’s release.

Some folks say the initial look was great and argue that only so many things should change in a 14-year period. The first draft made Sonic appear more real, and that appealed to some in a live-action film. This group of Sonic groupies felt it was unnecessary to make Sonic more cartoonish, especially considering the aging fanbase who played the original games making comments along the lines of “who is this movie being made for?” and “It doesn’t really matter since no one is going to watch the movie, anyway.”

Clearly those comments came before the movie’s release, where it set the record for the biggest opening weekend for a video game film in the United States and Canada. When all was said and done, it grossed $306 million worldwide, becoming the second highest-grossing film of 2020 to date and the highest-grossing video game film adaptation of all time in North America.

In the end, it appears the outcry was justified and the re-work was worth the effort. The strong support for the film also proves that the Sonic story resonates with a new generation of game and movie enthusiasts. Speaking through the perspective of the three young adults (ages 16 to 22) who I interviewed separately on the topic, the initial design was “janky,” “boring,” and “too lifelike.” So anyone doubting the perspective of those in the generation between the 90s and now can rest assured the Sonic following will continue. A sequel is already scheduled to be released on April 8, 2022.

The post What Changed? Old Vs. New “Sonic the Hedgehog” Movie Designs first appeared on Dornob.

Can the holiday season be the same without a new Star Wars movie? Fans of the series may mourn the lack of a live-action flick this year, but they’ll still have something new to celebrate. A special titled The LEGO Star Wars Holiday Special will premiere on Disney+ November 17th, referencing the Star Wars Holiday Special that aired on the same date all the way back in 1978.

The original 90-minute holiday special, which followed Luke, Leia, Han, and Chewie after the events of Star Wars: A New Hope, wasn’t exactly a huge hit for CBS, and it’s never been made available again. But it did introduce the concept of “Life Day,” an important holiday for the Wookiee planet of Kashyyyk, which happens to fall on November 17th.

The new animated 45-minute special will reunite Rey, Finn, Poe, Rose, R2D2, BB-8 and, of course, Chewy for a “joyous feast.” It’s the first LEGO special to debut on the Disney streaming service, and with it comes a host of new holiday-themed merchandise like the 2020 LEGO Star Wars Advent Calendar and sticker book.

An official synopsis for the special explains: “Set after the events of Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker, Rey leaves her friends to prepare for Life Day as she embarks on a new adventure with BB-8 to gain a deeper knowledge of the Force. At a mysterious Jedi temple, Rey finds herself hurled into a cross-timeline adventure through beloved moments in Star Wars cinematic history, coming into contact with Luke Skywalker, Darth Vader, Yoda, Obi-Wan Kenobi, and other iconic heroes and villains from all nine Skywalker saga films. But will she make it back in time for the Life Day feast and learn the true meaning of holiday spirit? You’ll have to watch to find out!”

It’s unclear whether the entire cast from the most recent live-action films is returning for the special, including Daisy Ridley, John Boyega, Oscar Isaac, and Kelly Marie Tran. The animated film is directed by Ken Cunningham and written by David Shayne, who’s also co-executive producer.

Here’s some more info about Life Day, via Star Wars Fandom:

“Life Day was a Wookiee holiday celebrated by the inhabitants of Kashyyyk. It was a celebration of the planet’s diverse ecosystem and the many forms of life it encompassed. It was also a time to remember family members who had died, and the young ones who continued to bring new life to a family. Life Day was a sacred holiday, and many Wookiees considered it their duty to return to Kashyyyk in order to celebrate it. Life Day was held once every three local years for many generations, but it became celebrated more frequently as its popularity slowly grew to the wider galaxy. By the time of the Galactic Civil War, Life Day’s importance to the Wookiees had become more pronounced.”

The new holiday special is just the latest crossover between the toy company and the sci-fi franchise, who have also released collaborative films, television specials like The Padawan Menace, six video games, and many, many themed LEGO sets.

The post LEGO Star Wars Holiday Special Coming to Disney+ This Fall first appeared on Dornob.

Any casual lover of architecture knows the names Mies van der Rohe, Le Corbusier, Louis Kahn, and Robert Venturi, but far fewer have heard of Phyllis Lambert, Blanche Lemco van Ginkel, Cornelia Hahn Oberlander, or Denise Scott Brown. But that’s not because their work was any less important to the field.

City Dreamers, a documentary directed by Joseph Hillel, sheds light on the work of these four influential women in architecture and design. All now between the ages of 87 and 97, the women broke into the traditionally masculine industry just after the Second World War, when the work to rebuild was plentiful but prominent woman architects were not.

The film’s subjects were chosen because their careers “intersect, resemble, and complement each other,” says Hillel. For starters, their highly original work addressed major societal issues rising at the time, like traffic, population density, green spaces, ghettoization, urban sprawl, and heritage preservation. Sound familiar? We’re still dealing with all these issues today. By examining creative solutions from the past, maybe we’ll be inspired to improve upon them for the cities of the 21st century.

Shot on location in Philadelphia, Vancouver, Toronto, and Montreal, City Dreamers features interviews with Lambert, van Ginkel, Oberlander, and Brown, shows off some of the greatest examples of their respective bodies of work, and includes archival materials illustrating how cities have changed since the mid-20th century.

You may not be familiar with these women, but you’ve almost certainly seen their buildings before. And if it weren’t for the patriarchal glass ceiling they continually had to fight back against throughout their careers, they’d probably be celebrated alongside their most famous mentors and colleagues.

The doc’s official website explains: “Phyllis Lambert, for example, was responsible for the construction of the Seagram Building in New York, in addition to being the founder of the Canadian Centre for Architecture and Heritage Montreal. Blanche Lemco van Ginkel is credited, along with her husband, with saving Old Montreal from being destroyed to make way for an expressway and with helping develop the master plan for Expo 67. Cornelia Hahn Oberlander, for her part, reinvented how we develop urban green spaces and introduced the concept of green roofs in several major cities. And Denise Scott Brown revolutionized the way we think about contemporary architectural and urban heritage, along with her husband Robert Venturi.”

“These women, who are for the most part still active, hold the titles of architect, urban planner, landscape architect, curator, educator and/or activist, and have amassed a long list of illustrious accomplishments, publications, honorary degrees, and other distinctions over their respective careers. But while the credentials and achievements of these great women deserve to be more widely known and celebrated, they are not the only focus of this feature documentary. City Dreamers is above all inspired by what has united these four women throughout their careers: the ‘dream’ of a fundamentally human and inclusive city.”

Nominated for a Canadian Screen Award in the Best Cinematograpy in a Documentary category, the film was released widely in 2019. In Canada, you can watch it on the Documentary Channel. In the U.S., it’s available to stream on Amazon Prime.

The post “City Dreamers” Documentary Highlights 4 Influential Women in Architecture first appeared on Dornob.

This year, for the first time ever, the city offered a free boat-in movie theater with a screen erected along the banks of the Bassin de la Villette. As you can imagine, these narrow waterways can only handle so much traffic, and demand was inevitably high. To earn a spot, hopeful movie watchers entered a raffle to reserve one of 38 electric boats operated by Freshwater Sailor. 150 deck chairs were also placed on the opposite bank for those who didn’t win.

https://www.instagram.com/p/CC9Dz2_qFXO/

The 2018 French film Le Grand Bain, a comedy/drama about a men’s synchronized swimming team, was selected as the first movie for the “Cinema on the Water” event, which took place on July 18th to overwheling success. The organizers partnered with MK2 Cinemas to pull off the event, with the company’s CEO Elisha Karmitz saying, “after a few months of confinement, we thought we needed a way to tell the people and to tell the world that cinemas are open in Paris, [and] that Paris is one of the worldwide capitals of cinema.”

https://www.instagram.com/p/CC6RpaSAtNU/

https://www.instagram.com/p/CC2zsJfHrVz/

Movie theaters have reopened in Paris at this time, but so far attendance has been low as concerns about the spread of the novel coronavirus remains. COVID-19 has killed more than 30,000 people in France so far, and some European countries fear an oncoming second wave of infections. Outdoor activities are considered fairly safe, however, so open air theaters — like the rare remaining drive-in theaters in the United States — are thriving.

In fact, Cinema Sur l’Eau is such a great idea, it would be a shame if it didn’t catch on all over the world (as weather permits), adding to other socially distanced outdoor moviegoing options that might be available right now. Paris mayor Anne Hidalgo hasn’t revealed whether or not there will be additional movies or showings on the Bassin this summer, but she did say that Paris Plages is a great way to entertain locals who currently aren’t traveling.

“Many Parisians will not go on holidays. Many visitors might come to Paris, especially visitors from other French regions rather than abroad, and we really want to welcome them and keep this festive spirit up in Paris.”

The Bassin de la Villette is the largest artificial stretch of water in the city at 800 meters (2,625 feet) long and 70 meters (230 feet) wide, and it’s not unusual to see all sorts of concerts, theater productions, and other shows there all throughout the year. Officials weren’t sure whether demand would still be high this year due to coronavirus, but it’s as popular as ever, it seems, with measures like distancing stickers on the ground and plentiful free hand sanitizer helping everyone stay safe.

Images courtesy of Sortira Paris

The post Boat-In Movie Theater Opens on the Seine River in Paris first appeared on Dornob.

Appropriately named “2020: A Spa Odyssey,” the day spa set on a bustling street in Caracas, Venezuela, feels surreal yet serene. Retro-futuristic science fiction visuals merge with soothing pastels and a few grounding earthly elements for an effect that looks a lot like a set for a contemporary film, or the wellness center of a utopian space colony on Mars.

“Considering that the location is in a considerably busy area of the city, [the clients] desired it to act as a pleasant hermetic bubble, an airtight space isolated from the noise of the city where its frequently polluted environment simply would not exist or apply,” say the architects.

“Contemplating the concept of ‘outer-worldly’ led us very quickly to consider analyzing and dissecting the visual aesthetics of Stanley Kubrick’s seminal sci-fi movie 2001: A Space Odyssey, in its staging and scenarios, and we decided to undertake architecture following those cues. We would endeavor through the deconstruction of the sets and scenography created by Kubrick and Harry Lange to generate more than a spa, to create a space of surreal perspectives, a diffuse threshold between earth and outer space.”

To keep it from feeling too much like a medical facility — or the probing room of an alien spaceship — the architects also added some warmth into the color palette. The walls and ceiling glow a comforting salmon pink, while pipes and translucent privacy screens enhance them with pops of red. Natural terrestrial materials like wood and stone, along with the occasional oversized leaves of philodendron, give the space a sense of gravity.

The sci-fi elements are there in the form of glossy white plastics, giant frosted oculus-shaped windows meant to evoke the movie’s sentient computer HAL, and capsule-shaped openings in formica walls. Bright white strips of LED lights mimic those seen in the film, but they’re softened and broken up into asymmetrical arrangements. You’ll also find the occasional sinister visual, like a tiled room with an Astroturf floor, a ceiling light fixture dangling by its wire, and even a fake skull in one corner. If you’re familiar with the film, more references make themselves known; even the rock supporting the reception desk is meant to evoke a meteorite.

Would you feel relaxed and ready for a spa experience in these surroundings? Perhaps, if you’d just entered from the chaos of the urban environment outside, you’d feel relieved for the temporary break from reality, even if it comes with a vague sense of foreboding.

Atelier Caracas was founded in 2015 by Julia Kowalenko and Rodrigo Armas, drawing “strong influences from pop culture and everyday, as-found objects to create alluring spaces and objects at once humorous, thought-provoking, and symbolically charged.”

The post Caracas Spa Interiors Recreate the Sci-Fi World of “2001: A Space Odyssey” first appeared on Dornob.

In a partnership with designers Numen/For Use and Simon Morasi Piperčić, furniture manufacturing company Prostoria has placed wall-less living spaces in the forest near the company’s Croatia factory. Upon first glance (and even for a bit after you arrive on the scene), the display looks like a house with transparent walls, allowing visitors to walk directly into the living room, or perhaps more accurately, several different living rooms.

Large square blocks make up the flooring, set beside each other in a meandering layout that changes in elevation with steps between each section or island. Although they initially appear to be interconnected, each island is not only physically separate, but also encompasses a unique design element.

This venture comes as a result of Prostoria’s “Revisiting Analogue” project, which combines elements of architecture, design, and film into an event for local creatives. With the framework in place, the brand provided the sofas, chairs, and other dressings to soften the spaces and bring a sense of lounging around the house, albeit beneath a canopy of trees. One space features Prostoria’s Polygon easy chairs, while another offers an invitation to sit with the company’s Absent sofa.

The restful tan-leather version of Prostoria’s Kontrapunkt chaise lounger beckons a rest the moment you set eyes on it, and the modular Layout sofa offers versatility with separate components that can be arranged endlessly. Yet another island features the Bavul, which are long, upholstered rectangular cushions that can easily be stacked and aligned to form bench seats or temporary beds.

To add a level of depth and contrast to the outdoor space, the wood material used for the foundational units features varying shades of light and dark in patterns that highlight different geometric aspects. “This dialogue between geometry, nature, and people provides a surreal setting for experiencing Prostoria’s artifacts,” explains the brand.

Prompted by the onslaught of canceled events as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, Revisiting Analogue aims to give a tangible existence to a typically digital world. The company adds that it’s their “attempt to digitally share the experience of materiality, through the forest room and products that embody nature-based materials and design.”

While the event provided a discussion and gathering point for the local design and architecture community, it also served as a set for Prostoria’s film by Rene Gallo, itself an art piece designed to reflect humanity’s nostalgia for materiality and nature.

Prostoria is an award-winning design studio who is singularly focused on innovative design coupled with social responsibility.

The post Revisiting Analogue: Prostoria Places Furniture Pieces in Croatian Forest first appeared on Dornob.

Erica will be playing a robot in the $70 million film, titled b, which is still in the early stages of production. That might not sound terribly groundbreaking, but not only is Erica a special robot, the news of her casting also illuminates what could be the beginning of a brave new world for Hollywood.

The film, financed by Bondit Capital Media, Belgium-based Happy Moon Productions, and New York-based Ten Ten Global Media, will be the first to rely on an artificially intelligent actor for the bulk of its storyline. According to The Hollywood Reporter, “b follows a scientist who discovers dangers associated with a program he created to perfect human DNA and helps the artificially intelligent woman he designed (Erica) escape.”

No director is attached to the film just yet, but Erica has already filmed some of her scenes in Japan, and the rest of the movie is expected to be shot in Europe next summer.

Erica is the work of Japanese scientists Hiroshi Ishiguro and Kohei Ogawa, who taught her how to act by applying method acting principals to her AI programming.

“In other methods of acting, actors involve their own life experiences in the role,” producer Sam Khoze told The Hollywood Reporter. “But Erica has no life experiences. She was created from scratch to play the role. We had to simulate her motions and emotions through one-on-one sessions, such as controlling the speed of her movements, talking through her feelings and coaching character development and body language.”

Most robots, Erica included, are still a little too stiff to convince anyone they’re real people. For Ishiguro, that’s the point.

“They don’t use real robots in movies, it shows halfway humanity under computer control and that makes a perfect presence of ‘androidness,’” Ishiguro says in a 2018 interview with Yoichi Matsuyama. “Well, it is not what I want — instead, I want to realize a robot-like presence that leaves awkward controls that cannot be a perfect human being. In order for the robots and the androids to be unique, it is necessary to have some uncanniness in them. It would be ok to make them look completely human, but it becomes just a person who you cannot tell from one another. I don’t feel that can make a story.”

Ishiguro believes western cultures like the United States and Europe have a “human supremacist” point of view that Japanese people don’t share. Westerners are not willing to “welcome a new kind of species,” but “Japanese people may not really care about that and accept them, just like welcoming a new friend, I guess.”

“I think we could see the real possibility of robots as new species when people see them as unique beings, or robots talk about things from ‘the robot’s point of view’ or something that cannot be said by humans. I wanted to make such a movie. I think it would be very interesting if I could make a movie which represents that robots may be the crucial beings contributing to human evolution with explanations based on the principle of human evolution.”

In 2008, Ishiguro developed a robot based on himself, Geminoid HI-5. As you can see, it’s actually more realistic than most, though still firmly lodged in Uncanny Valley.

Given that the novel coronavirus is expected to be just one of many new pandemics we’ll face in the near future, using robots as actors could become a lot more common if Hollywood and film studios around the world want to continue filming safely. And who knows what AI robots will look like a decade from now? Maybe by then they’ll be playing humans, and Erica will be celebrating an Academy Award triumph.

The post A.I. Robot Trained in Method Acting Lands Lead Role in $70M Sci-Fi Film first appeared on Dornob.