In an age of oversized headphones with garish logos on them, the Jabra Vox in ear headphones with in-line mic are a breath of fresh air.
Design:
Black with red accents, the Jabra Vox are a 2013 red dot design award winner. The buds themselves are curved and fit the contours of our outer ear very well while the EarGels™ fit very snuggly and comfortably in our ears. The cord is a black tangle resistant rubber with a reinforced Y where the cord converges. The 3.5mm plug is a right angle design with a thin amount of insulation so they fit all of the cases we tested without issue. SnagIt™ magnets keep the right and left ear buds from tangling and make unwinding them a cinch. It is obvious Jabra paid attention to details when they made these because they exhibit a truly thoughtful design. The in-line controls are curved and pleasing to the touch, however during our review here the buttons simply wouldn’t respond unless you clicked a few times or in just the right spot; a disappointing note on an otherwise stellar design.
Sound Quality:
Overall, the buds performed well. High and midrange tones were clear and crisp in each of our tests. Low end tones were sometimes muddy and overwhelming in absence of an equalizer. The in-line microphone worked pretty well, though we were told on a few occasions that we sounded tinny. The Jabra Vox comes with an activation code for the Jabra Sound App, specially designed to work with Jabra’s different lines of headphones. The app integrates Dolby Digital Plus sound along with a graphic equalizer to help you customize your sound according to the audio source. The application itself worked reasonably well, though it lacked some of the intelligent design of the stock players we tested it against.
Conclusion:
For a pair of sub-$100 earbuds, the Jabra Vox are definitely a great choice. They offer intelligent design, comfort, and above average sound quality for an affordable price.
Tiffen is a well known name in the film and video world by almost everyone working in the industry. Tiffen is mostly known for their lens filters and other equipment such as Steadicam. However, beyond their camera equipment, they also have a software division that has peaked interest in the post-production world. There are many different software that Tiffen offers such as plug-ins and standalone software. For this review, I’ll be focusing on Tiffen’s Dfx for Video/Film software.
If you’re trying out Tiffen Dfx for the very first time, it’ll be handy to have the user guide open. You can do this by pressing F1 (or fn+F1 on a Mac) on your keyboard. I found myself going to this guide when I was unsure what a plug-in or affect did.
The Tiffen Dfx software has a lot to offer to many people but with it’s price point of $599 it probably wont be the first choice for many. There are other similar softwares on the market that are much cheaper such as CoreMelt, FxFactory, Technicolor CineStyle.
Luckily, there is a 15 day free trial for Tiffen Dfx so you actually play with the software and decide it’ll be something to add to your toolkit.
Pros:
• Very simple and easy to use
• I like how you can make simple changes in the inspector in FCPX or launch the Dfx
editor to fine tune the effects
• The presets in the Dfx editor are nice as well because I can simply place them on the
still image of the clip and get an idea of how it’ll look on the clip while making small
adjustments to make it my own.
• The side by side, vertical split, and horizontal split comparisons in the Dfx editor are a
nice touch since I can easily compare the before and after of the effect applied
• There are a lot of presets to choose from so if you have an idea in your head of what
you want it to look like, there is probably a preset for it or one that is fairly close and you can adjust it. To add to this, you can also click on different parameters to see the different variations for the possible outcome for your clip
• You can favor presets, so if you like a certain preset or use it a lot, you can favorite it so it’s easier to find the next time you need to use it.
• There is a 414 page user guide with images and it’s simple to get to with a keyboard short cut.
• The ability to use dual monitors and have your presets and variations on one display and your viewer and parameters on the other.
• There are seven groups of effects broken down into easy-to-understand categories
• I loved the ability to work with Gobo and Lights. It’s easy to add gobos to your clips
and the amount of gobos to choose from is outstanding. With dfx i no longer need to create a gobo in Photoshop and place it in FCP, I just have to add the affect to my clip(s) and adjust the gobo in Dfx.
• Tiffen Dfx package are several image repair tools, including DeBand, DeBlock and DeNoise.
Cons:
• Doesn’t use meta data so it has to render each time you make a change
• Cannot play or scrub the clip in Dfx while fine tuning the effects, it’s a still image so I
have to save the change then switch back to FCPX to see how the effect looks on the entire clip. Other plug-in softwares do actually allow you to scrub the clip to see how the effect works with entire clip.
• You can only select two parameters at a time to see different variations. It would be nice to be able to click at least three parameters.
• The gear at the top left means done, which I thought was a settings menu and I’m sure first time users will think this as well.
• The Price is hefty at $599 however if gets you the installer for Adobe After Effects and Premiere Pro, Apple Final Cut and Motion and Avid.
SEGA® Europe Ltd., and SEGA® of America, Inc. in collaboration with Disney Interactive announced the upcoming digital release of Castle of Illusion Starring Mickey Mouse™, a complete re-imagining of the iconic Mega Drive/Genesis side-scrolling adventure first released in 1990. Developed by Sega Studios Australia, Castle of Illusion Starring Mickey Mouse will be available worldwide for digital download on Xbox LIVE® Arcade for Xbox 360®, PlayStation®Network and Windows PC in summer 2013.
Castle of Illusion Starring Mickey Mouse first debuted on the SEGA Genesis/Mega Drive in 1990 to critical acclaim. Excellent controls, music, and graphics helped to bring the magic of Disney to millions of SEGA fans around the world. Castle of Illusion Starring Mickey Mouse will continue this tradition. Completely rebuilt from the ground up, Castle of Illusion has stunning visuals and new gameplay mechanics. Fans will enjoy the original storyline as they help Mickey save Minnie from the evil witch, Mizrabel.
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“The original Castle of Illusion was tremendously entertaining and has a well-deserved reputation as a SEGA classic. Castle of Illusion Starring Mickey Mouse brings this great game to a new generation,” said Chris Olson, vice president of Digital Business at SEGA of America. “Mickey is back and he looks fantastic.”
The wait is finally over for Star Trek fans, with the release today of the highly anticipated, unparalleled new game experience of STAR TREK: THE VIDEO GAME from Paramount Pictures and NAMCO BANDAI Games America Inc.
Offering amazing co-op play in the roles of iconic space adventure heroes Kirk and Spock, players will board the U.S.S. Enterprise and uncover a seemingly insurmountable threat by the rapacious enemy Gorn throughout the game.
STAR TREK: THE VIDEO GAME features the voice talent of Chris Pine as Kirk and Zachary Quinto as Spock, reprising their roles from the blockbuster 2009 film Star Trek and the upcoming Star Trek: Into Darkness. Offering 3D-compatible adventure, STAR TREK: THE VIDEO GAME requires players to work together as Starfleet officers Kirk and Spock by utilizing the intense co-op play that is at the core of the game.
The game is available NOW at national retailers for players on the Xbox 360® video game and entertainment system from Microsoft, the PlayStation®3 computer entertainment system, and PC download. STAR TREK: THE VIDEO GAME has a suggested retail price of $59.99 for the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3, and $49.99 for PC, through STEAM, Amazon.com and GameStop Impulse. STAR TREK: THE VIDEO GAME is rated “T” for Teen by the ESRB. It is produced under license by CBS Consumer Products and distributed worldwide by NAMCO BANDAI Games Inc.
The previous Disneynature films tended to focus on the most exotic locations and epic wildlife the world has to offer. With Wings of Life, they have taken a slightly different approach, toning down the epic for something a little more intimate, but just as beautiful. Rather than focus on a single animal group (lions, chimpanzees), this film takes the viewer into the world of butterflies, hummingbirds, bees, bats and flowers, focusing on the interconnectedness of these creatures and the links between them that make up part of the great invisible design of life.
As always with Disneynature, the film is a technical marvel, utilizing multiple cameras with varying frame rates to capture the minute details of every activity on display. For example, a droplet of water becomes a thing of sheer beauty, reflecting the image of the flower it trickles down. The filmmakers must have an almost inhuman amount of patience to capture the images on display, having to sit and wait for these beautiful moments of routine to present themselves.
While the film is a gorgeous accomplishment, I have to admit that it isn’t quite as captivating as there other works, probably due to a complete lack of narrative. Meryl Streep narrates the film in what I’m sure is meant to sound like a soothing tone, but it almost comes across as if she is just bored, keeping things too low key. At the beginning of the film, she identifies herself as a flower who is going to explore the creatures named above from her perspective. It works as a way of bringing the narrator into the film, but there isn’t a true purpose to this angle. The film would have worked just as well if she had simply narrated the film as is.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_VRvhFLRCk0
Of course, as the film progresses, we learn about the dangers humanity presents to the creatures we have just witnessed. The film does get a tad manipulative, and rather than just focusing on the majesty of the world we have just seen, tries to shoehorn in a message. I suppose that isn’t necessarily a bad thing, but it did feel a little forced.
Unfortunately, there are no extra features on the recently released Blu-Ray and DVD combo pack beyond a look at the Disney Worldwide Conservation Fund and a quick preview of what there next film, Bears. I would have liked to see the methods they utilized in order to capture some of these images, but for some reason they left the behind-the-scenes footage out this round.
This one’s a mixed bag for me. It’s visually stunning as expected, but all rather dull. It was a neat idea, trying to get away from some of the more extreme wildlife and show us a sampling of the world that secretly exists right under our noses, but they didn’t entirely pull it off this round. Still, it’s effective enough for what it is. This is an unusual but worthy entry into the Disneynature family.
Marvel’s “Thor: The Dark World” continues the big-screen adventures of Thor, the Mighty Avenger, as he battles to save Earth and all the Nine Realms from a shadowy enemy that predates the universe itself. In the aftermath of Marvel’s “Thor” and “Marvel’s The Avengers,” Thor fights to restore order across the cosmos…but an ancient race led by the vengeful Malekith returns to plunge the universe back into darkness. Faced with an enemy that even Odin and Asgard cannot withstand, Thor must embark on his most perilous and personal journey yet, one that will reunite him with Jane Foster and force him to sacrifice everything to save us all.
Starring Chris Hemsworth, Natalie Portman, Tom Hiddleston, Stellan Skarsgård, Idris Elba, Christopher Eccleston, Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje, Kat Dennings, Ray Stevenson, Zachary Levi, Tadanobu Asano and Jaimie Alexander with Rene Russo and Anthony Hopkins as Odin, Marvel’s “Thor: The Dark World” is directed by Alan Taylor, produced by Kevin Feige, from a story by Don Payne and screenplay by Christopher Yost and Christopher Markus & Stephen McFeely and is based on Marvel’s classic Super Hero Thor, who first appeared in the comic book “Journey into Mystery “ #83 in August, 1962.
“Thor: The Dark World” is presented by Marvel Studios. The executive producers are Alan Fine, Nigel Gostelow, Stan Lee, Louis D’Esposito, Victoria Alonso and Craig Kyle. The film releases November 8, 2013, and is distributed by Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures.
Disney Store invites guests to celebrate Earth Day on April 22nd and to visit their local Disney Store where they can recycle five plastic bags in exchange for a free reusable shopping tote (up to 200 totes, one per guest per store). Guests can pick between a Disney·Pixar Brave reusable tote featuring everyone’s favorite heroine, Merida, or a Cars reusable tote featuring Lightning McQueen. Disney Store’s reusable tote bags are made of 80% recycled materials.
To further inspire guests to be eco-conscious, Disney Store welcomes guests to explore the Disney Store “Track My T” program, featuring t-shirts made from organic cotton, certified under the USDA’s National Organic Program. Select tees for the whole family include a label with a special code allowing guests to follow their shirt’s creation from its very beginning. Guests can learn more about the Track My T program by visiting www.disneystore.com/trackmyt.
“Disney Store encourages guests to celebrate Earth Day, but also to make eco-friendly choices in their households every day of the year,” said Paul Gainer, Executive Vice President of Disney Stores Worldwide. “Earth Day is an opportunity for everyone to come together and think about how small changes can make a big impact for our planet.”
Disney Store offers products to help the whole family be eco-friendly:
Reusable totes featuring beloved Disney characters, $3.50
Tees for kids and adults, made from organic cotton, $12.50 and up
Disney Store’s Disney Baby apparel collection, made from organic cotton, $12.50 and up
Reusable aluminum bottles in Disney character styles, including favorites Mickey Mouse and Minnie Mouse,: $8.50 and up
A brand-new Star Trek story awaits players of STAR TREK: THE VIDEO GAME, which is available on Tuesday, April 23, for the Xbox 360, Playstation 3 and PC. Written by BAFTA-award-winning writer Marianne Krawczyk, it whisks players into the heart of an adventure that takes place in the time between 2009’s blockbuster film Star Trek and the upcoming Star Trek: Into Darkness.
In a new video feature released today by Paramount Pictures, STAR TREK: THE VIDEO GAME executive producer Brian Miller delves deeper into this rich, exciting story and examines the plot that awaits players.
It’s finally here. The first teaser poster for Thor: The Dark World. We are so excited to share this with our readers.
Marvel’s “Thor: The Dark World” continues the big-screen adventures of Thor, the Mighty Avenger, as he battles to save Earth and all the Nine Realms from a shadowy enemy that predates the universe itself. In the aftermath of Marvel’s “Thor” and “Marvel’s The Avengers,” Thor fights to restore order across the cosmos…but an ancient race led by the vengeful Malekith returns to plunge the universe back into darkness. Faced with an enemy that even Odin and Asgard cannot withstand, Thor must embark on his most perilous and personal journey yet, one that will reunite him with Jane Foster and force him to sacrifice everything to save us all.
Starring Chris Hemsworth, Natalie Portman, Tom Hiddleston, Stellan Skarsgård, Idris Elba, Christopher Eccleston, Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje, Kat Dennings, Ray Stevenson, Zachary Levi, Tadanobu Asano and Jaimie Alexander with Rene Russo and Anthony Hopkins as Odin, Marvel’s “Thor: The Dark World” is directed by Alan Taylor, produced by Kevin Feige, from a story by Don Payne and screenplay by Christopher Yost and Christopher Markus & Stephen McFeely and is based on Marvel’s classic Super Hero Thor, who first appeared in the comic book “Journey into Mystery “ #83 in August, 1962.
“Thor: The Dark World” is presented by Marvel Studios. The executive producers are Alan Fine, Nigel Gostelow, Stan Lee, Louis D’Esposito, Victoria Alonso and Craig Kyle. The film releases November 8, 2013, and is distributed by Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures.
Coming off a transformative year in which it launched the global blockbuster HUNGER GAMES franchise, acquired Summit Entertainment and continued to build and diversify its television business, Lionsgate (NYSE: LGF), a leading global entertainment company, today unveiled its new corporate logo as the Company took center stage at the CinemaCon theatrical convention as one of the world’s most dynamic entertainment brands.
The logo kicked off Lionsgate’s introduction of its upcoming feature film slate to the theatrical exhibition community during its star-studded CinemaCon presentation inside The Colosseum at Caesar’s Palace in Las Vegas.
“2012 was a transformative year that reflected 13 years of patient and disciplined growth, and our new logo reflects the limitless opportunities we see in our future,” said Lionsgate Chief Executive Officer Jon Feltheimer, who introduced the new logo at CinemaCon. “The breadth and excitement of the film slate that we previewed today reflects our continued momentum and is just one example of our emergence as a global content leader.”
Designed by Devastudios, under the direction of Lionsgate Chief Marketing Officer Tim Palen, the new logo is being launched during a watershed period in the Company’s growth. Led by its blockbuster HUNGER GAMES and TWILIGHT SAGA young adult franchises, Lionsgate grossed $1.24 billion at the domestic box office in 2012, becoming the first nontraditional major studio to break the billion-dollar mark at the domestic box office in a single calendar year, and generated more than $2.5 billion at the box office worldwide.
Lionsgate’s feature film leadership is complemented by a television business that encompasses 28 shows on 20 different networks, including the multiple Emmy Award-winning Mad Men as well as Nurse Jackie, Anger Management, Nashville and the upcoming Orange Is The New Black for Netflix.
“Lionsgate has always distinguished itself in the marketplace with bold, original and provocative films and TV shows, and our Company’s character is defined by our innovation, ingenuity and willingness to think outside the box,” said Palen. “We wanted a logo that captured all those traits while still paying tribute to our entrepreneurial and independent roots.”
Lionsgate’s momentum has carried into calendar 2013 as the Company kicked off the year with hits such as TYLER PERRY’S TEMPTATION, WARM BODIES, SNITCH and TEXAS CHAINSAW 3D. The upcoming slate is anchored by: the next installment of the blockbuster HUNGER GAMES franchise, THE HUNGER GAMES: CATCHING FIRE; emerging young adult brands such as DIVERGENT and ENDER’S GAME; star-driven action films including NOW YOU SEE ME, featuring Jesse Eisenberg, Mark Ruffalo, Woody Harrelson, Michael Caine and Morgan Freeman, and RED 2, starring Bruce Willis, John Malkevich, Helen Mirren and Mary Louise-Parker reprising their roles from the original hit; continued strength in African-American fare with TYLER PERRY’S A MADEA CHRISTMAS, the Tyler Perry-produced PEEPLES and comic superstar Kevin Hart’s LET ME EXPLAIN; the horror thriller YOU’RE NEXT; and the comedy THE BIG WEDDING, featuring an all-star cast including Robert De Niro and Diane Keaton.
THE DIRECTOR, is premiering this weekend at the Tribeca Film Festival on April 21st. THE DIRECTOR, from producer James Franco and director Christina Voros, is the story of Gucci under Frida Giannini: the portrait of a designer who has nurtured a deep connection to the past in order to carry forward a legacy into the future.
An intimate portrait of Gucci’s Creative Director, Frida Giannini, THE DIRECTOR spans 18 months behind the walls of the iconic Italian fashion house, exploring the intricacies and inspiration behind the quietly brilliant power woman, whose own evolution as the creative force behind force the brand is as nuanced as that of the storied fashion house itself.
It’s 1984 and young Billy has been forced to decide between making his father and family happy by growing up as an average small-town fighting boy that frequents boxing class or rather follow his dreams by not following the status quo and joining ballet class. His adventurous yet secret plan to train as a dancer may be the only way to unite his coal-mining town under union dispute.
Billy Elliot The Musical follows the battle of a boy who must face his ignorant family of meat-head men who only believe ballet is for sissy’s and a grandmother who stars as the beginning motivation for Billy to go toward the right direction. The story truly deals with relationships between Billy (currently alternating between Ben Cook, Drew Minard, Noah Parets and Mitchell Tobin) and his family at home of his dad (Rich Herbert), grandmother (Patti Perkins), and brother, Tony (Cullen R. Titmas).
The aspiring ballet dancer quickly begins ballet class when he stays late after boxing practice. Here he meets offbeat teacher Mrs. Wilkinson (Janet Dickinson). Meanwhile he finds support from unique, one-of-a-kind, eccentric friend Michael (Sam Poon) and a group of ballerinas all while struggling with the recent death of his mother.
As Billy hides his passion for ballet and sneakily takes his ballet lessons, his father and the rest of the community has been in a large battle between the British National Union of Mineworkers and Margaret Thatcher whom wants to destroy the unions. This has brought the town to shambles. It will ultimately come down to a decision for Billy’s family to decide if this is the best path for him to take.
The musical is based off the internationally acclaimed film by the same name; however the stage production was of course adapted as a musical. Billy Elliot the Musical is the winner of 81 awards worldwide including best musical awards in London and Australia and of course ten 2009 Tony Awards.
With that being said, I actually was not aware of much about the show. I have seen the movie, but had no idea of the music style or even who composed the score. Psst… it was Elton John. This always makes a show more exciting for me and yet can give me doubts as well. I really didn’t know how Universal Pictures Stage Productions, Working Title Films, Old Vic Productions and NETworks Presentations, LLC. would be able to capture the raw emotion delivered in much of the film.
Little did I give thought about how the musical adaptation could build emotion just with the music let alone add to areas in which the movie was weak. There were some pretty memorable parts of the film that the audience misses out on in the stage production. A perfect example would be the incredible tear-jerking moment in the bathroom with Mrs. Wilkinson and Billy as he yells at her for pushing him through ballet only to end up falling into the brace of her arms as both cry. Of course the availability of close-ups definitely help, but I saw a lack of tension here and almost felt the importance of this scene was hardly touched upon.
I was also hoping for a better climactic moment when Billy’s dad finally sees him practicing his large ballet number. Unfortunately that moment still feels abundantly anticlimactic. This isn’t to say the scene isn’t still notably amazing and powerful in its own right. In fact, every large dance number by Billy (Mitchell Tobin performed the night reviewed) was absolutely breathtaking! There is also several dance numbers and a bit of a montage scene with the ballerinas from Billy’s class that were dare I say, adorable, yet also quite comical while still proving most talented.
It was the moment where the set was completely, and quickly, transformed during a big tap-dance spectacular that had me saying “wow” and smiling from ear-to-ear. Ian MacNeil did a fantastic job creating a believable scenic design with many creative elements within in a small space while being able to give the illusion of full immersion. Of course the captivating story, music and lighting help set the mood as well.
The first act, 84-minutes-long by the way, builds a great amount of momentum as the musical numbers build larger and larger with a very creative and powerful act-one finale. I couldn’t help but just say “yes” to Billy Elliot at the end act-one. The momentum continues in act-two, but loses itself after the first two numbers. There may just be a little too much intended awkward pauses that appear unclean and imprecise. Some of these moments are creating comical moments however are lost by the reaction of the performers. There were areas that I felt would have benefited from some over-the-top performances. I definitely felt Mrs. Wilkinson character could be a little more outlandish, but instead I felt they were holding back.
Luckily there really isn’t anything major to express concern about. It was even a challenge to bring up the few negative comments above as Billy Elliot truly was phenomenal. The performances by most were strong and memorable. It’s the children that really make this show though. You won’t get over at how talented these young performers are. It’s not a short show, but I left wanting more! More of the emotion, the singing, and most definitely the dancing! Billy Elliot brings delivers that little spark that we should do what we love and not listen to what others have to say about it. Yet there are many underlying subplots that aren’t terribly deep, but add to the show. Billy Elliot is undoubtedly an exciting time at the theatre that remains entertaining from start to finish.
Be careful bringing children as there is some bad language, but just remind them that it’s Northern England in 1984.
Follow more of my adventures throughout Southern California on Twitter @OCescapism.
Billy Elliot The Musical is now playing at Segerstrom Center for the Arts – Segerstrom Hall
April 16 – 28, 2013
Tuesday – Friday at 7:30 p.m.
Saturday at 2 and 7:30 p.m.
Sunday at 1 and 6:30 p.m.
The 2 p.m. performance on Saturday, April 27 will include audio description, open captioning and sign-language interpretation.
In an age of oversized headphones with garish logos on them, the Jabra Vox in ear headphones with in-line mic are a breath of fresh air.
Sound Quality:
