For those of you who remained, hello. 2011 has been a massively exciting year for me (like Liam Neeson's cock-level of massive) and I felt the need to get a touch reflective. Alas, here I am, breaking up my end of year lists with another list - Movie Mazzupial's top six moments of the blogging year.
I went to Comic Con
I fulfilled a lifelong dream and made the geek pilgrimage to San Diego in July to attend COMIC-FREAKIN-CON (official title). This is something I've wanted to do since I was a tween. It was everything I wet-dreamed and more. So, so, SO much more. The five 19-hour days were long and sure, I spent two days after the Con in a sleep coma. But when it was on, it was ON. I got to attend some of the biggest press conferences in the world (The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn Part 1, The Adventures Of Tintin etc), interview some of the biggest names (Nic Cage, Danny Pudi, John Boyega, Peter Dinklage, Steven Spielberg, Peter Jackson, Taylor Lautner, Joe Cornish, Robert Pattinson, Kristen Stewart and more), meet some of my favourite artists (John Picacio and Scottie Young, the last who turned out to be a douche),
buy a total of 9 geek shirts and an entire suitcase of geek merch, see 13 heavily guarded Frank Frazetta originals, watch a festival worth of incredible films (including Attack The Block and Captain America: The First Avenger) and literally - physically - bump into Kristen Stewart, Guillermo del Toro and Adam Brody, the latter who was so lovely we sparked up conversation and he introduced me to his friends aka the red headed delight that is T.J. Miller. My Aussie accent also made me an amusing novelty at the amazeballs Comic Con parties and I got to meet a posse of rad movie bloggers from around the world - writers who I'm now lucky enough to call friends. The highlight? Ryan Kwanten recognising me in the middle of the Knights Of Badassdom press conference and pointing me out with a "hi Maria" even though I'd only interviewed once six months earlier. Yes, I did pee myself a little.
I met my hero . . . Robert Rodriguez 
This is really an extension of the Comic Con thing, but since he's been my hero since I was 13 I figured he deserved his own mention. Yep, I met Robert `he of the many Troublemaker hats' Rodriguez at Comic Con. How you ask? One of the things about the Con is once you're signed on as media you get invited to more parties, screenings and interviews than you can ever possibly attend in a month let alone five days. I was at the Rodriquez' post-panel after party at the Hard Rock (surrounded by the mentioned Frank Frazetta paintings) when I saw him arrive. It took me 15 minutes to work up the courage to approach him. But I did, sweaty palms and all. I said (and I shit you not): "Hi Robert, my name's Maria and you've been my favourite filmmaker since I was 13. I'm from Australia and I was wondering if I could get a quick photo with you?'' He agreed even though he said I made him “feel old” and the result is what you see above; the single greatest photo of my life. Did I mention my voice broke mid-sentence? It did. I was also so nervous that as soon as we got the photo I excused myself, ran to the bathroom, locked myself in a cubicle and cried like a Justin Bieber fan. I. Was. That. Happy.
You have to understand, the films of Rodriguez changed my life and made me the movie fanatic I am today. I rate his entire filmography amongst my all time favourites and I worship at his writing, editing, producing, directing, scoring, one-man-film-crewing altar. For the rest of the night I was terrified the camera would break or it would get stolen before I had a chance to upload the photo to my computer. I clung to it for the remainder of the party, after party, screening and car trip home. Go on, judge me.
I was quoted on the Thor movie poster 
It's funny, I always thought that the first time I'd be quoted on a movie poster it would be for some low-budget indie horror film that no one saw. Instead, it was the God Of Thunder. To be fair, it was a one word quote - "Thorsome''. However, seeing "Maria Lewis, Gold Coast Bulletin'' on the national print ad for Thor is the highlight of my film critic career. The above is a cartoon my talented artist pal Ant did for me in celebration.
I joined the Bloodydisgusting.com team 
When I was in high school I got detention once after my English teacher caught me looking at a "disgusting'' website. No, it wasn't www.ChrisBrownnude.com. It was Bloodydisgusting.com and Mrs Mullins had an issue with the blood-splattered background. Turns out Mrs Mullins was a bitch and I ended up joining the BD team this year as their Australian correspondent. The title is fancier than it sounds, but it sure is fancy. As someone who has been a lifelong fan of the horror genre I'm truly honoured to be able to say I write for these guys - the leader in online horror news.
I babbled the fuck on
While in the US I stopped in at Universal Studios to catch the best podcast on the internet - Hollywood Babble On - live with Kevin Smith and Ralph `Roger' Garman. After hours of listening to these guys, sitting down in the Jon Lovitz Podcast Theatre to watch them was . . .*resists the urge to use surreal* . . .wicked. Incredible. Memorable. All of the above. In summary, Garman called me a whore as Sean Connery and I was okay with that. Listen to the audio here. GARMY STRONG!
The readers, the tweeters, the commentators.
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