Trailer: The Wind Rises (Official)


TheWindRisesThe Wind Rises aka Kaze Tachinu is the latest anime offering from Studio Ghibli and will be getting an Oscar-qualifying run later this year. It’s the latest from acclaimed Japanese director Miyazaki Hayao (My Friend Totoro, Princess Mononoke, Spirited Away) and, most likely, his final work as he’s announced that he’s retiring.

The film is a fictionalized account of one Jiro Horikoshi. It’s a decades-long retelling of Jiro’s early life as a boy through his post-war life. Those who know their history will recognize the name of Jiro Horikoshi as one of the engineers responsible for the development of the legendary WWII fighter most commonly-known by the name given to it by the Allies during the war, The Zero.

While all of Miyazaki’s films have always have had the mature element in addition to the whimsical nature of the story he’s telling in his anime it look like The Wind Rises may just be Miyazaki’s most mature offering to date.

The Wind Rises has been making the film festival rounds of late and hopefully gets limited release dates announced before year’s end.

Artist Profile: Jerome Rozen (1895 — 1987)


Jerome Rozen was born in Chicago and grew up in Arizona, where he first took art classes from a local teacher.  After serving in the army during World War I, Rozen visited the Louvre in Paris and was inspired to pursue a career as an artist.  Upon returning home, he studied at the Art Institute of Chicago.  He was eventually hired as an instructor at the Institute.  He also found success painting covers for pulp magazines like The Shadow, Battle Stories, Wu Fang Mysteries, and Western Story.  During World War II, Rozen also designed several patriotic posters and magazine advertisements.

A small sampling of his work can be found below.

Rozen1 Rozen2Rozen3 Rozen4 Rozen5 Rozen6 Rozen7 Rozen8 Rozen9 Rozen10

Hottie of the Day: Roxanne McKee


ROXANNE MCKEE

Game of Thrones is a series about power, and it has never been inclined to tone down the sources from which power is derived. With that in mind, David Benioff and D. B. Weiss were tasked with the not so unpleasant challenge of recruiting a number of highly attractive women willing to take most or all of their clothes off. Canadian-born Roxanne McKee was one such cast member, playing the role of servant and seductress Doreah.

Before the lovely Ms. McKee was conspiring with Xaro Xoan Daxos to steal Daenerys’ dragons, she graduated from Royal Holloway, University of London, and won a talent contest which landed her a spot in the British soap opera Hollyoaks. Her acting career has since landed her a variety of supporting roles, including a handful of horror films. Like our last featured hottie, Michelle Ryan, McKee has also played a role in EastEnders. She seems to have a bright future ahead of her.

PAST HOTTIES