Bobblehead Hall of Fame opens in Milwaukee

The latest physical hall of fame recently opened in Milwaukee and it’s devoted to bobbleheads. That’s right; it celebrates those collectible figurines with bouncy, oversized heads.
The National Bobblehead Hall of Fame and Museum officially opened to the public on Feb. 1. It houses the world’s largest collection of bobbleheads from sports, popular culture and other genres. It also features exhibits related to the history of bobbleheads and making of bobbleheads.
I wonder about the sustainability of bobbleheads when other figurine types are emerging such as Funko’s vinyl Pop collectibles.
By my count there are now 435 physical halls of fame in North America that you can visit. They span sports, entertainment, aviation and a host of industries. (Check out this Google map of physical halls of fame.)

Related articles:

National bobblehead museum is open in Milwaukee’s Walker’s Point area (Journal Sentinel; Feb. 8, 2019)

Nod of approval: Go inside Bobblehead Hall of Fame and Museum near downtown Milwaukee (Milwaukee Business Journal; Feb. 9, 2019)

Attraction at New Museum: 6.5K Bobbleheads (Newser; Feb. 6, 2019)

Bobblehead Museum Opens in Wisconsin (VOA; Feb. 10, 2019)

Fake Monica Lewinsky photos, fake Old West photos, fake North Korea photos

Since May 2016, I have been writing about the deceitful practices of online content promoters. I have written 80 articles on the topic of lying clickbait.
I have shamed clickbait purveyors like Revcontent, Taboola and Outbrain for not policing the articles they promote.
But frankly little has changed, so I’m hanging up my hat with this post.
These companies are still using the same shameful tactics and likely will continue to do so. It’s just too lucrative for the distribution services and content sites that carry these ads.
So for my final post on the subject, I’m going to shine a spotlight on some greatest hits. These are ads I’ve seen recently that repeat the same lies I’ve written about previously.

A sponsored article on Yahoo titled “Ever wonder why Monica Lewinsky never got married?” used a photo of Lewinsky lookalike and porn star Nikki Loren (top photo) alongside a picture of Lewinsky.
I first noticed the use of Loren photos with Lewinsky articles back in December 2016.

An Outbrain article titled “Unedited Wild West photos show what life was really life” used a grainy, black-and-white photo of a pretty young lady holding a shotgun.
As I noted in December 2016, the photo is actually of actress Adriana Torrebejano from the Spanish TV series “Tierra de Lobos” (2010-2014)

Outbrain also ran an article titled “These photos are not Photoshopped – This is North Korea.” It used a photo of South Korean model Kang Taeri. (See her Instagram and Twitter accounts.)

Finally, an Outbrain post titled “Virginia may pay off your home if you live near Great Falls” used a photo of former Circuit Judge Mary Ann Gunn of Fayetteville, Arkansas. The picture is from her reality TV show “Last Shot with Judge Gunn.”

Worst twist endings in modern movies

In the movie “Goosebumps” (2015), author R.L. Stein, played by Jack Black, says there are three parts to a story: “the beginning, the middle … and the twist!”
The concept of twist endings in movies is back to the fore with the release of the movie “Serenity” on Jan. 25. Many critics hated the big twist in the movie calling it “ridiculous,” “insane” and “bonkers.” I, on the other hand, liked it.
What works for some people in storytelling, doesn’t for others.
For instance, I thought the critically acclaimed USA Network series “Mr. Robot” was fantastic until it was revealed that a main character was just a figment of the lead character’s imagination. I couldn’t take the show seriously after that.
Among popular or well-reviewed movies, some titles with big twists that didn’t work for me include “Arrival” (2016), “Predestination” (2015), “Shutter Island” (2010) and “Identity” (2003).

Note to film critics: Saying a movie has a big plot twist is a spoiler

The new movie “Serenity” starring Matthew McConaughey and Anne Hathaway was always going to be a tough sell to audiences. The genre-defying noir thriller is difficult to explain without giving away what makes it unique.
Critics generally didn’t like the film and focused on its out-of-left-field plot twist in their reviews. Some writers went ahead and explained the twist.
Whenever there’s a plot twist late in a movie that forces viewers to reinterpret everything that preceded it, critics should not reveal that. Otherwise audiences that know there’s a big twist coming will go into the movie with their guard up, looking for signs of what’s to come.
It’s much better to be hit with the twist naturally for that major “whoa” moment. I remember that rush of excitement on seeing “The Sixth Sense” in the theater before anyone spoiled it for me.
At least with “The Sixth Sense” reviewers could focus on that fact that it was a scary movie about a boy who sees dead people. They didn’t have to spoil the ending.
But with “Serenity” all they had to work with was a mostly paint-by-numbers noir flick about life on an island where everything isn’t what it seems.
I agree with McConaughey and Hathaway who criticized distributor Aviron Pictures for its poor handling of the film, including lack of advertising. McConaughy thought the movie should have been rolled out slowly and given time to build word of mouth, according to Deadline.
Critics slammed the film and initial audiences were negative on it. “Serenity” currently has a score of 22% positive reviews on Rotten Tomatoes. The audience score is only slightly higher at 30%.
Personally I liked the movie. But I wish I hadn’t known there was a twist going into it. “Serenity” isn’t going to be for everyone though. I think “Serenity” will become a cult movie over time.
If this had been a “Black Mirror” movie, people would have really liked it.

Sample reviews of “Serenity” that spoil the ending:

You Will Not Believe Serenity Is a Real Movie (GQ)

Serenity Sets a New Bar for Ridiculous Movie Twists (Vanity Fair)

‘Serenity’ Review: No One Is Prepared for This Bonkers Movie (Collider)

Matthew McConaughey's Serenity Is So Insane That No Headline Can Begin to Do it Justice (Esquire)