Robert Knepper Makes You Want To Join The "Cult"

The CW's new series "Cult" is one unusual beast.

At last year's Comic-Con's Preview Night, Red Dot Diva caught the sneak peek of the opening episode of "Cult" and thought it was a little hard to follow. Especially since there were several intricate side plots going on in different dimensions - one in the real world, and another in a so-called meta-world or "reality show" world also called "Cult". (And if one counts our "real world", there are three worlds!) Confused, yet?

(To read Red Dot Diva's thoughts on "Cult", click here for her previous blog post!)

The series is the brainchild of Rockne S. O'Bannon, who is known as the creator of "Farscape", one the more creative and quirkiest scifi series in recent times. And his excitement over the various plots and ideas in his head is evident in the premiere episode of "Cult", although when meshed together, the lines are all blurred (who knows? That may probably the point anyway) and seem quite unfocused.

But Red Dot Diva can't deny that "Cult" gives its audience a fair amount of the spooks and has a crazy enough concept. She just hopes that it knows where it is going. Or that it will slow down a notch and offer more chewable visual baits, so that the viewers can digest it more. If not, there could be a risk that their audience interest would fade quickly. A series like "Cult" depends on viewers who can get attached to the ride and the promise of a satisfying end game.

One main stronghold of the series has got to be Robert Knepper - a charismatic actor who is super-brilliant playing villains. And who also owns one of Red Dot Diva's most favourite pair of scintillatingly evil biceps. You would most probably remember him playing bad guys like "Prison Break"'s unforgettable T-Bag or Samuel Sullivan in the last season of "Heroes".

SDCC 2013: All Open Registration Tickets Sold Out!

Yes, they are ALLLLLLLLL GONE.

Online registration for Comic-Con badges was opened at 9am PST on 16 February. That was about 20 hours ago.

Within the hour of registration, all 4-Day + Preview Night badges were sold out, and a few minutes later, all 4-Day passes were gone too. Saturday 1-Day badges ran out shortly later and by after 10.15 am or so, all available passes were snapped up.

Compare this time frame last year, where passes were sold out within 7 hours. It is as if the Comic-Con passes are becoming to be more sought after than gold kryptonite!

Red Dot Diva was curious about the online registration process and decided to go through with it to see what the experience would be like. At 9am sharp, she clicked the "almost secret" registration link ("thanks" to a particular Comic-Con blog who posted the link publicly) but could not get into the online waiting room. The white page showed up and connection was spooling for a good 15 minutes.

After awhile, the message, "We are sorry, but the EPIC online waiting room has reached capacity and it is unlikely that badges are still available." Well, that's that then.

Book Review: Get Your Kids Reading with "Sherlock Sam and the Missing Heirloom in Katong"

While reading "Sherlock Sam and the Missing Heirloon in Katong", the first book of Epigram Book's new children's series by A.J. Low, Red Dot Diva found herself hurled back in time to when she was a long-haired little girl, devouring book after book that were investigative in nature.

Her love for investigative novels started early with Enid Blyton's "The Secret Seven", followed by "Famous Five", and progressed to a little of Hardy Boys/ Nancy Drew. Later on as a pre-teen, she especially enjoyed reading "The Three Investigators" series, relishing the more intricate plots and their witty dialogue.

These detective-mystery novels brought her farther along her book journey towards Dame Agatha Christie's works and inevitably, to one of her favorite writer of all time - Arthur Conan Doyle and his creation - the wonderfully eccentric master detective, Sherlock Holmes.

So it was of little coincidence that the Chinese name of "Sherlock Sam"'s main character is Cher Lock ("It's SHER-Lock!!!"). An intelligent, precocious young boy who's also growing up to be the typical Singaporean foodie, Samuel considers Sherlock Holmes (and Batman) to be his detective heroes.

SDCC 2013: Countdown to Open Online Registration on February 16, 9am PST

This is it.

The most dramatic pre-comic convention event is coming in less than 14 days. On February 16th, 9 am PST, badges for the San Diego Comic-Con will go on sale!

Badges are only available during the day via an online registration site. The actual link of which, will be emailed to potential registrants at least 48 hours before.

Those who had passes for last year's convention were able to participate in the pre-registration in August 2012. A few of Red Dot Diva's friends were lucky to score badges for themselves then. As Comic-Con registration rules went, she was not able to get one at that time because she had a press pass last year.

There has been no further news about when returning press will be able to register for their passes, other than the opportunity being available in "Spring 2013". Red Dot Diva admits that the suspense is killing her. For one thing, there are international flights that has to be booked early! Argh!

The Art of the Brick Exhibition – Where LEGO Is More Than Mere Child’s Play

Recently, Red Dot Diva received a text message from a friend one rainy afternoon, “Have you been to 'The Art of the Brick'? Is it worth going?”

A loud and emphatic “YES!!!” was her reply.

Like most children, Red Dot Diva owned a box or two of LEGO blocks when she was an ankle-biter. And she probably did build a decent thingamajig or two, but Red Dot Diva has always been more a thinker and writer than an architect or builder.

Since then, she’s always been intrigued by people and even children, who are able to construct their own creations or recognizable pop-culture models, like the Death Star or a Batmobile.

So, when famous artist Nathan Sawaya’s talked-about “The Art of the Brick” exhibition opened at the Art and Science Museum late last year, Red Dot Diva and her Evil Twin (also a LEGO-collector herself), couldn’t resist going to the show.

NY-based Sawaya has acquired quite an ardent following with his various art pieces built from LEGO bricks. This was the first time that the exhibition was being displayed in South-East Asia. And what a totally mind-blowing amazing show of LEGO art that was!

Nathan Sawaya’s vision and passion for the LEGO bricks were evident in all his showpieces – in fact, masterpieces would be a more suitable term for them. Many were made in astounding 3D and several were almost life-sized.

Go Visit Honnie's Hive! - Mashi's Mini Art Show On December 14th 2012

In the last couple of years that Red Dot Diva got to know Mashi aka Wendy Chew, she has seen the local chibi artist and illustrator's fandom increase from strength to strength. 

Her sexy-cute artwork now exhibits a growing sense of mischievous confidence and during the recent STGCC, she knew of many collectors who sought her out at the Invasion / 8-Bit Media booth for sketches. Mashi also had her own signing schedule at the Wall of Fame, which says a lot for the profile of a local artist.

Not contented with just drawings, Mashi had also showcased a sample of her very first vinyl toy produced by Vinyl-on-Vinyl at STGCC 2012. If you were at STGCC that weekend, you might probably have been one of those who fell in love with the cute voluptuous bee-lady called Honnie (see pic above).

Special Report from Wellington, NZ: Ground Zero at "The Hobbit" World Premiere

Elven statues guarding the red carpet area

Maybe one day Red Dot Diva will get to attend a Hollywood red carpet premiere.

For now, she has only been to very few glitzy ones held here, and those were mainly because she was working the media beat during Screen Singapore last year.

Until the time when international media marketing folks warm up to the idea that Red Dot Island may be a suitable stage for such glamourous premieres (in reality, the tropical humidity and heat doesn't quite help!), she will probably keep on dreaming of such large-scale star-gazing opportunities.

Wellington native Elizabeth E. Scrivener though, is a lucky gal to be living right where fantasy movie-style Middle-Earth is being created.

Naturally, she was at the sidelines of the exciting red carpet premiere for "The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey" this past week. Here's her report: