So how else can you save money on your campaigns using postcards? By presorting your campaigns before they leave the building. Your postcard’s aspect ratio has to measure between 1.3 and 2.5 take the length of your postcard and divide it by the height to get that figure. And you’ll have to meet certain design standards. Machinable means that you have an accurate address and have met the correct size and weight standards.Īutomation means that you’ve done some of the work for USPS by helping to process the mail with a delivery point or Intelligent Mail barcode. Depending on how your mail is printed and prepared, your bulk campaign can qualify for either machinable or automation rates. Let’s say that you have that amount and more. To mail at commercial rates, your campaign needs at least 500 pieces. And because of that, it has to mail at letter rates. A jumbo measuring 6” X 11” is a popular size … but to the USPS, it’s not a postcard. Many other single-sheet mailings can really stand out in a mailbox and drive response. That’s about it … no official postcard size, just a range of allowable sizes for the paper you’re printing on so that your mailer gets through USPS’s equipment more easily. Have finished corners that do not exceed a radius of 0.125”īy the way, the length is the measurement of the side that’s parallel to the address.Īnd as long as you meet thickness guidelines, use UV coating on the front side to make your postcard’s color images and graphics pop more.No more than 6” high X 9” long X 0.016” thick.At least 3-1/2” high X 5” long X 0.007” thick.To qualify as a postcard, a mail piece must be rectangular and meet these dimensions (per USPS regulations): The larger size allows for more room for your message, white space, eye-catching CTAs and QR codes, and all of the other benefits of mailing in that class. Starting in 2021, cards measuring up to the popular 6” X 9” postcard size became eligible for First Class postage. And it can be mailed at First Class rates, saving you money on your campaign. It can be economically printed while providing room for an offer or message. It is the most popular postcard size because it works well for any type of campaign for any industry. USPS Postcard SizeĪn ideal postcard size is 4” x 6”. To find out, and avoid frustration, please check out this quick review of USPS postcard specifications and dimensions, as well as postage rate guidelines. Compared to other options, they’re usually inexpensive to produce, and they allow you to quickly get your message across.īut is that single-sheet mail piece you’re so set on using for your next campaign really a postcard? Postcards are great examples of direct mail that work well when done well. Do not confuse theĪ-4 size with metric A4 paper, which fits into a DL size Commercial envelope.Editor’s Note: This post was originally published in June 2018 and has been updated for accuracy and comprehensiveness as of June 2023. TYPEĪlso called A-style, this contemporary design is idea for photographs, greeting cards, small booklets, and promotional pieces. TYPEĭeep pointed flap traditionally used for formal announcements and invitations. Square envelopes are nonstandard and require additional postage to mail. This unusual shape attracts attention to contents. These envelopes can not be processed through inserting equiptment or run through a laser printer. The open side makes it acceptable for automatic insertion.Ĭenter seam makes this style more durable for mailing heavy-weight materials. This style is ideal for annual reports, brochures, sales materials, and more. Square flaps are contemporary, but not recommended for machine insertion. Wallet flaps provide a largeĪrea ideal for imprinting. Commercial and Side Seam flap styles are ideal for machine insertion. Widely used for business and personal correspondence.
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The rejuvenating benefits of green light therapy can help to improve pigmentation issues that have come from causes such as sun damage. It can improve the function of alternating use of cells and oxygen and activate the micro-circulation function of body surface which helps with skin discoloration. Green light- discoloration treatment- between red light and blue light is suitable for mixed skin. The mild wave length is suitable for surrounding eyes and forehead. Heating can improve blood circulation and collagen albumen hyperplasia to reduce wrinkles and make skin more elastic and smooth. Red light- Wrinkle reducer- penetrating 8-10mm is suitable for any type of skin it can reach derma to stimulate fiber cells. * Restore your natural current and get rid of saggy skin. * Reduce the appearance of fine lines & wrinkles. It is is a pain-free, non-invasive, soothing and rejuvenating skin treatment. As you continue to use the device, the light penetrates on a deeper level to work on deeper wrinkles and discoloration. Almost instantly the texture of your skin is improved. The light-based part of the treatment gently warms the top layer of your skin to target the most visible fine lines and enlarged pores. 77% reported their face looked more toned.80% reported their skin felt smoother and.85% of people from the study, experience improved facial contour.The microcurrent therapy included the following results: Microcurrent Therapyĭemonstrates a significant improvement in facial contour, skin tone and wrinkle reduction after 60 days of use of the 2face time keeper. The micro-current therapy mimics the natural current and goes beyond skin deep to tone facial muscles to reduce fine lines an wrinkles. With age, our natural current begins to slow down, leading to sagging skin and wrinkles. Why settle for only half the skin benefits, when you can achieve twice the immediate results in 5 minutes or less? Using Time Keeper will i mprove facial contour and skin tone, reduce wrinkles to give you a more radiant, younger looking appearance. It is a Dual solution that pairs LED-light based treatment along with micro-current therapy which emits pulsating currents of electricity on the cellular level. To treat signs of aging and skin problems. If you choose to do business with this business, please let the business know that you contacted BBB for a BBB Business Profile.Īs a matter of policy, BBB does not endorse any product, service or business.Time Keeper is a revolutionary device that combined LED & MICRO-CURRENT FACIAL TONING THERAPY BBB Business Profiles are subject to change at any time. When considering complaint information, please take into account the company's size and volume of transactions, and understand that the nature of complaints and a firm's responses to them are often more important than the number of complaints.īBB Business Profiles generally cover a three-year reporting period. However, BBB does not verify the accuracy of information provided by third parties, and does not guarantee the accuracy of any information in Business Profiles. BBB asks third parties who publish complaints, reviews and/or responses on this website to affirm that the information provided is accurate. BBB Business Profiles may not be reproduced for sales or promotional purposes.īBB Business Profiles are provided solely to assist you in exercising your own best judgment. With the modified Time Seal, Julius has returned to his original age and power albeit for 15 minutes per day, and can back up his reputation as the Wizard King as he defeated Cardinal Yakuma and his three Bishops easily and healed the wounds of everyone across the Clover Kingdom with Time Magic.Įven the Matriarch from the Cult Of The End acknowledges the power of the Wizard King when he tried to attack her but states that he is no match for her power of Dispel after stopping his Time Magic attack nonchalantly. Sojiro seeks out Julius because as Wizard King, he is the reasonable authority figure with the Magic Knight Captains under his command in the Grimoire World who can listen to his warning about the Cult of the End's threat to their world and would agree to help stop them compared to the arrogant, close-minded and prejudiced nobles of Clover Kingdom. The nobles has contempt for the Wizard King and seeks to replace Julius who had been depowered and de-aged at the time with a new one as their puppet if it weren't for Caligula Kira slaughtering them at the Magic Parliament court house. And the Wizard King is now the legit ruler of Clover Kingdom everyone wanted him to be. The common people adored the Wizard King and preferred him as their ruler over King Augustus Kira Clover 13th, who is now a literal figurehead after being demoted and under house arrest. People will usually address The Wizard King by Lord along with the number of succession. The Magic Knight Captains follows the orders of the Wizard King and respects him too as their leader. The Wizard King is considered as the strongest mage that all Magic Knights respected the holder of the title for his or her merits and strength and they aspire to become the next Wizard King as competing rivals. Julius as the Wizard King is able to effortlessly defeat and capture the Eye of the Midnight Sun members, hold his own against Patolli despite holding back to not harm William Vangeance's body the Elf leader inhabited, undo the country-scale barrage of Light Swords before it harmed the citizens of Clover Kingdom which led to his temporary death and loss of power upon revival, and after temporarily regaining his power, subdued Yakuma and his Bishops on spot. Yami explained to Asta that in order to become Wizard King, the person will have to surpass all of the 9 Magic Knight Captains who are the strongest mages by their own right in the country and they answer to the Wizard King as their leader. Since there can only be one Wizard King, the person who holds this title to be acknowledged and recognized must be the most powerful mage in the Clover Kingdom after gaining results, rising up the ranks of the Magic Knights and building up a reputation through hard work and effort. Lemiel Silvamillion Clover (1st Wizard King). It is because for every generation of Knights, only one mage could have the privilege of holding the title. Other duties consist of delegating missions to Knights, or personally going to the battlefield in an effort to defend the Kingdom against foreign invasions.Īchieving the title of Wizard King is an effort of high significance. The Wizard King also holds near equal authority to the King or Queen of the Kingdom in terms duties and passing laws. The title was created in honor of the 1st Wizard King Lemiel Silvamillion Clover after defeating a Giant Demon and saving the Clover Kingdom. There has currently been 28 people who have held the title of Wizard Kings for 500 years in the Grimoire World. Is the title held by the most powerful Magic Knight within the Clover Kingdom and is also the leader of Kingdom's Military. The startup type should be set to Disabled to'', change it to 'Manual'. When your Java installation completes, if you are using webstart, you may need to restart your browser (close all browser windows and re-open). The Java error code 1618 is a common error that you will come across when trying to install Java on your Windows PC. In the list of 'services (local)' find the entry 'Windows Installer' and open it with a double click. By downloading Java you acknowledge that you have read and accepted the terms of the Oracle Technology Network License Agreement for Oracle Java SE. You can try installong Java in a new folder # This issue has been reported by multiple users, and it could pop up because of another instance of Java running on your PC. You should be able to resolve this issue by doing the following: Press CTRL, ALT and DEL keys simultaneously. Restoro has been downloaded by 0 readers this month.Īfter some research, we have found out a few of the most common reasons why you will get the Java error code 1618: Java error code 1618 is another dreadful error that prevents you from installing Java on your PC.You can resolve it by disabling the Windows Firewall or installing the latest Windows update.We would also suggest you try a clean boot and see if this resolves the problem or not.ĭownload Restoro PC Repair Tool that comes with Patented Technologies (patent available here).Ĭlick Start Scan to find Windows issues that could be causing PC problems.Ĭlick Repair All to fix issues affecting your computer’s security and performance Ahmir Comments Off NovemWhat is error code 1618 Error 1618 is a Windows error that happens when another program is already in the process of being installed.Java installation: In case you have Java installed on your PC, then you will get this error.Antivirus is blocking Java: Aggressive antivirus settings can often lead to it blocking the Java installation.The installation file is corrupt: Corrupt installation or program-related files can also trigger this problem, so don’t hesitate to refer to our below solutions.This error has also been observed before during the installation of Skype on windows 10. Windows installer service is not running: A third-party program might have turned off the Windows Installer service. Java error code 1618 arises because of the windows installer issue.Here’s what to do if the Windows Installer service can’t be accessed.As mentioned, this is the MSI service of Windows itself. Corrupt registry keys: If some important registry entries are missing or corrupt then they can cause multiple issues. Why do I get error code 1618 when I install Java Users are facing Java error code 1618 error while trying to install Java on their computer.Read More Fix 1: End the MSIEXEC.EXE Process process named MSIEXEC.EXE will run and display in the Task Manager when you launch Java installer. This process works for installing modules from. msi installers, and the installation will fail if it is not working properly. How can I fix the Java error code 1618? # In this case, you can end the process and try installing Java again. Close any other instance of the Java setup running on your PC.Restart your PC as it will load all the system-related files from scratch.Here are some quick fixes that you can apply before applying the advanced troubleshooting methods: Flour Tortillas, Roasted Peppers & Onions, Guacamole, Spanish Rice, Charro Black Beans, Salsa Roja Chopped Onion & Cilantro, Grilled Corn Tortillas, Salsa Roja & Salsa Verde Smoked Pork Carnitas Street Tacos, 3 for $12 | Additional $4 per taco. Pomegranate Paloma $12 (Choice of Tequila or Mezcal).Desert Pear Margarita $12 (Tequila Base).Oaxan Old Fashioned $14 (Choice of Tequila or Mezcal).7th StreetĬelebrate Cinco de Mayo on the highest rooftop in the Valley! From 3 pm - 8 pm, experience a specialty food and drink menu, live music and a pinata giveaway (must be present to win). Skysill Rooftop Lounge at The Westin Tempe, 11 E. Earn 10 points for every $1 spent on delivery, pickup, curbside, or in-house eats & drinks. Download the app from Google or Apple stores and receive a free small chips & dip for signing up! Enjoy all day Happy Hour featuring $1 house and coin-style margaritas, all draft beers, large chips & queso or guac PLUS free chips & salsa if your're drinkin' at the bar! Cinco de Drinko bonus: Pete's has a new loyalty app - aka Pete’s Perks. Mill AvenueĮnjoy Cinco de Mayo on one of Mill Avenue's best patios with misters. Here are a couple of can't-miss places to hit up this Cinco de Mayo. Cinco de Mayo festivities are approaching! Whether you celebrate the Mexican Army's victory over the French Empire at the Battle of Puebla by snacking on tortilla chips and salsa, or by sipping on a couple of frozen margs, Downtown Tempe is the perfect place to be on Thursday, May 5 (and always, duh!). The month of May has begun, so you know what that means. Crafted from safe and durable wood, the set is designed for hands-on play and imaginative adventures. It promotes number recognition, counting skills, and early numeracy development. The set includes a wooden train engine and nine detachable train cars, each displaying a different number from 1 to 9. The Wooden Digital Number Train 10 PCS is an educational toy that introduces numbers and counting to children. The cube is light and durable at the same time The plastic from which the cube is made is of very good quality. It is very solid, fast and perfectly constructed to make its operation very comfortable and fast The puzzle is handy, you can take it almost anywhere with you, on the train, for a picnic, for a break or for a walk The perfect way to spend your free time in an interesting way and relax When arranging the cubes, you develop patience, persistence, and the ability to remember individual movements in order to achieve the final effect Suitable for all ages, the Jiehui Carbon Cube is a captivating and engaging toy that tests problem-solving skills and provides a sense of accomplishment upon completion.Ĭonsists in arranging the blocks in such a way that all blocks have one color on each wallĮxtremely addictive, mind-developing puzzleīy placing the cube you exercise the spatial imagination. The compact size makes it portable for on-the-go puzzle-solving fun. With smooth movements and precise engineering, it provides a satisfying tactile experience. It offers varying levels of difficulty, challenging users to strategically solve the puzzle. The Jiehui Carbon Cube is a lightweight and durable puzzle toy made from high-quality carbon fiber material. Material: ABSSize: 6*6*6cmColor: Multicolor This classic puzzle game will never go out of style. Perfect Christmas gift/ birthday gift for kids. Īs it is the twist design and well crafted, this is cube is not as sturdy as many of other cubes ,Not for beginners, which need take you a little longer for your first solve ,as long as you do not drop it or twist wrong ,which will provide a fun challenge to your puzzle cube collection or make a nice challenging cube. Made of high-quality ABS material that is safe and durable to use.the traditional stickers have been replaced with original and ABS material, which mean no fading, peeling. The Twisty Skew features a variety of anti-popping and anti-locking mechanisms that make it perform very well right out of the box. The Twisty Skew Speed Cube is an exquisite-looking skew shape mod designed ,It looks like a curved hillside. Engage your mind and test your skills with the mind-bending Jiehui Twisted Cube. The compact size allows for portability and on-the-go puzzle-solving fun. With smooth movements and durable construction, it offers precise rotations and long-lasting use. Its irregular shape and twisted layers present a unique puzzle-solving experience. The Jiehui Twisted Cube is a challenging and visually captivating puzzle toy. I now find drinking water to be more delightful as a result. Users who have included the Cirkul water bottle into their everyday routines have given it favourable reviews. Continual flavour possibilities are provided by the reusable flavour cartridges without the need for additional purchases. wherever you are, stay hydrated and enjoy flavoured water.Ĭost-Effective: Purchasing single-use flavoured beverages can cost more than investing in a Cirkul water bottle over time. You might instead savour the pure flavours of fruits and herbs.Ĭonvenience on the Go: The Cirkul water bottle is perfect for people who are constantly on the go due to its portable design. Improved Hydration: By infusing your water with energising flavours, the Cirkul water bottle stimulates higher water intake and makes it simpler to reach your daily hydration goals.Ĭustomizable Flavour: You may alter the flavour strength to fit your taste preferences, resulting in a wonderful and distinctive hydration experience.Ĭhoose the Cirkul water bottle instead of sugary beverages and artificial sweeteners, which are frequently present in flavoured drinks, for a healthier alternative. Utilise the straw-like spout to drink, andīeyond hydration, using the Cirkul water bottle has a number of advantages: To change the flavour intensity, turn the flavour dial on the bottle. The bottle should be filled with water to the required level.įill the flavour chamber of the bottle with a flavour cartridge. You may decide whether you want a flavour that is more overt or subtle.Ĭirkul water bottles are made with a leak-proof construction that keeps spills at bay and keeps your luggage and valuables dry.īPA-Free Materials: The bottle is built from premium, BPA-free materials, guaranteeing that your water is safe and uncontaminated by dangerous substances.Ĭirkul encourages sustainability by providing refillable flavour cartridges, which reduces the waste produced by single-use water bottles.Ĭonvenient Shape and Size: The Cirkul water bottle is a convenient size and shape that is simple to carry in a bag or backpack.Ī straightforward yet creative method is used to make the Cirkul water bottle function. The Cirkul water bottle has a number of outstanding features that are intended to improve your experience with hydration:įlavour Cartridge System: The Cirkul uses flavour cartridges that are simple to put into the bottle, giving you the option to customise the taste of your water by selecting from a range of flavours.Īdjustable Flavour strength: The Cirkul gives you the freedom to customise the flavour strength to suit your tastes. Contrary to conventional water bottles, the Cirkul has a flavour cartridge system that adds mouthwatering flavours to your water, making it more attractive and fun to drink. Is there any BPA in the Cirkul water bottle? What is the Cirkul Water Bottle?Ī cutting-edge hydration method that lets you personalise the taste of your water while remaining hydrated is the Cirkul water bottle. Is it simple to clean the Cirkul water bottle?Īre there any artificial elements in the flavour cartridge?Ĭan I alter the Cirkul water bottle’s flavour intensity? Table of Contentsīenefits of Using the Cirkul Water BottleĬomparing the Cirkul Water Bottle with Other Hydration SolutionsĬan I brew hot beverages in the Cirkul water bottle? To assist you in making an informed choice regarding your hydration requirements, we will examine the features, advantages, and user experiences of the Cirkul water bottle in this post. Innovative devices like the Cirkul water bottle have become more well-known in an effort to make staying hydrated more practical and fun. Numerous health advantages of drinking adequate water include better digestion, more energy, and healthier skin. It is crucial to remain hydrated throughout the day in today’s hectic society.
Obviously it isn't one massive file (it would need 26 MILLION frames! so it would be quite large) so how did I do it?Īs pointed out in a comment by this is a lot of effort for a countdown timer! In fact you can check for the accuracy of my timer here, it should be within a minute when you first load this page! I think it is pretty cool that for the next 200+ days (at time of writing) that Gif will always be within one or two minutes of an actual countdown timer! If the GIF doesn't load you can view an old version of the GIF here. The GIF-encoder tricks the email client into thinking the php link is actually a GIF.The GIF below is counting down to the 3rd January 2022 at 09:00. So you take that link and whack it in an image tag to add it to an email, like this: īut Alex, you can't use that PHP script as an image src in email!!!Īctually, yes I can. Hopefully you can see how it's working there. This will countdown until Christmas 2014. Open a browser and go to: YOURHOST/countdown/gif.php?time=YOUR-TIME-TO-COUNTDOWN-TO Ok, now we've got all our variables set up it's time to generate the image. Now to define the font: 'file'=>'./GillSans.ttc', // Font pathĪnd finally to colour the text: 'color'=>imagecolorallocate($image, 55, 160, 130), // RGB Colour of the textīoom, we're done! Move on to the next stage, adding your image into an email. Same as above, but the verticle alignment. Then the y-offset: 'y-offset'=>30, // The vertical alignment, trial and error between 20 and 60. It can be fiddly to get this where you want it. Now the x-offset: 'x-offset'=>7, // The larger the number the further the distance from the left hand side, 0 to align to the left.Īs you can see by the comments, it's the distance from the left hand side. I'm guessing most of the time you'll leave this at 0, unless you're doing a crazy angled banner or something. Then the angle of the text: 'angle'=>0, // Angle of the text You'll just have to get as close to what you need as possible. Unfortunately, as this is a PHP script we don't have huge control over font size. Lets run through them one-by-one.įirst up, the font size: 'size'=>23, // Font size, in pts usually. Now is the important part, the variables that control the text style. Next up is: $image = imagecreatefrompng('images/countdown.png') įor the sake of this tutorial we'll leave that as it is for now, but when you add more images you'll need to change this. The first thing you'll want to change is this: date_default_timezone_set('Europe/London') A lot of the code here you don't need to worry about and I have added comments to help you with the parts you do. Don't worry, we'll get through this! Open up gif.php in your editor of choice. Now, this is where it can get a tiny bit scary. For this tutorial we'll use the one that comes with the code: save this in the images folder. Next, you'll want an image to impose the countdown onto. Add them all to a folder such as Countdown. The font you want to use's font file (eg futura.ttc)įirst of all, download all the files from this link.* Displays first frame of animated GIF only. The likelyhood of a user watching it reset is very low. However, if they leave the email and return it will have adjusted to countdown again. When a user receives it in their inbox, they'll see it loop for 1 minute and reset. It takes a flat PNG and super imposes the countdown based on your variables in the PHP script onto it. This works by taking a PNG and using a PHP script to create a looping GIF counting down to a time. This can help create a sense of urgency for events or product offers you may be using email for. We'll be making a nice little GIF like this that counts down to a specific date. How to: Add a Countdown Timer to your Email When HTTP Out feature is used with a 3rd party load balancer, LB_CHUNK_BREAKER prevents partial breaking of a data, and sends a complete event to an Splunk Indexer. Use this configuration on the Universal Forwarder to break events properly before sending the data out. Additionally, a new configuration LB_CHUNK_BREAKER is introduced in nf. The Splunk Universal Forwarder HTTP Out feature also supports batching to reduce the number of transactions used for sending out the data. The URI address within this configuration is the Load Balancer DNS address which will handle the connection requests to Splunk HTTP Event Collector endpoints on the Indexers. For ease of deployment, the nf configuration file is packaged in a Splunk application and deployed to the laptop to enable data forwarding via HTTP. We have installed the Universal Forwarder on one of our laptops and created the following configuration within the nf file. The last step is to install Splunk Universal Forwarder on the roaming user’s laptop and configure HTTP Out using the new httpout stanza in nf. Step 3: Configure The Universal Forwarder The AWS Application Load Balancer provides a DNS A record which we will be using in the Universal Forwarder outputs configuration. The Load Balancer has a listener created for receiving connection requests on port 443 and forwards them to the Splunk Indexer on port 8088 (the default port used for HEC). For this use case, we have created an Application Load Balancer in AWS. HTTP Out on the Splunk Universal Forwarder supports Network Load Balancers and Application Load Balancers. The next thing we need is a Load Balancer which is Internet facing. Detailed steps for enabling HEC and creating a token can be found on the Splunk Documentation site here. On our Splunk Indexers we have already configured the HTTP Event Collector (HEC) and created a token for receiving data from the Universal Forwarder. Laptop with the Splunk Universal Forwarder (8.1.0).Splunk environment in AWS with 2 Indexers and 1 Search Head.Let’s take a look at how we can use the HTTP Out feature of the Splunk Universal Forwarder to transmit data from the laptop of a roaming user, or generally a device outside of our corporate perimeter, which is an occurrence that has become more and more common with the shift to work from home during the pandemic.įor the purpose of this demonstration, we will be working with the following environment configuration: HTTP Out now allows the Universal Forwarder to make use of a standard protocol and port (443), which is generally open and trusted, for outgoing traffic. Typically in these situations it would require more complex network configuration, or network traffic exceptions, to support traditional S2S for the connection from the Universal Forwarder to the Indexers. Where the new HTTP Out feature is especially useful is in scenarios such as collecting data from systems in an edge location or collecting data from a roaming user’s device. To date, this is a practice which has not been recommended, or supported, for traditional S2S based data forwarding. Additionally, this now enables the use of a 3rd party load-balancer between Universal Forwarders and Splunk Receivers. What this feature does is effectively encapsulates the S2S message within a HTTP payload. Using the ‘HTTP Out Sender for Universal Forwarder’ it can now send data to a Splunk Indexer using HTTP. Traditionally, a Splunk Universal Forwarder uses the proprietary Splunk-to-Splunk (S2S) protocol for communicating with the Indexers. The release of version 8.1.0 of the Splunk Universal Forwarder introduced a brand new feature to support sending data over HTTP. In Detroit, Michigan in 1968, the three Anderson sisters-19-year-old Sparkle, middle sister Delores aka Dee, and eldest Tammy aka "Sister"-are approached by aspiring record label executive Stix to form a music group after he sees Sister perform a song that Sparkle wrote at a nightclub. Sparkle also marks Whitney Houston's fifth and final feature film role before her death on February 11, 2012, three months after filming ended. This film is the debut of R&B/ pop singer and American Idol winner Jordin Sparks as an actress. Sparkle features songs from the original film written by soul musician Curtis Mayfield as well as new compositions by R&B artist R. The film stars Jordin Sparks, Whitney Houston, Derek Luke, Cee Lo Green, Mike Epps, Carmen Ejogo, Tika Sumpter, Tamela Mann, and Omari Hardwick. The remake takes place in Detroit, Michigan in 1968 during the Motown era. Inspired by The Supremes, Sparkle is a remake of the 1976 film of the same title, which centered on three singing teenage sisters who form a girl group in the late 1950s. It was released on August 17, 2012, by TriStar Pictures. Visually, the film evokes the 1960s era well enough, even if Martin Luther King Jr's assassination is bizarrely left out.Sparkle is a 2012 American musical film directed by Salim Akil and produced by Stage 6 Films. There is great music, too, of course, both of the period and (curiously) more current (R Kelly supervises and Cee Lo Green cameos). 's Jennifer Hudson before her, delivers a solid turn on screen) and Ejogo, whose powerhouse performance as Sister is so astonishing you'll wonder where she's been hiding (expect to see her nominated in the coming months). Houston's muted but committed performance of the hymnĪt the end serves as a sad but rousing farewell.Īttention will undoubtedly also tend towards the "Was my life not enough of a cautionary tale for you?" she says to her girls, seemingly as unaware as they were of the events that would unfold. Such stuff pales in comparison, though, to the most poignant of lines, which Houston herself utters. Similarly, Sparkle admonishes her mother for being "laid up in your own vomit" when they were kids, which must have felt painfully close to the bone for Houston, given those ugly paparazzi photos of her later years. Sister soon suffers at the hands of the oily Satin (Mike Epps), a comedian-turned-drug pusher whose violent behaviour recalls the brilliant but brutal figure of Ike Turner. (itself a fictionalised account of the rise of The Supremes), and like any rags-to-riches tale, pain and heartache are required before redemption and a resolution are found. The middle sister, Dee (Tika Sumpter), is the most pragmatic of the three. The meek youngest sister, Sparkle (Jordin Sparks), quietly writes the songs. The most confident of the three girls, Sister (Carmen Ejogo), is all shimmying and sultry soul. Opts for the looser, racier environs of 1960s Detroit over the original's darker, 1950s Harlem vibe. She plays Emma, a stern mother of three girls who want to do more than sing in their local church. She looks positively vibrant - delighted, in fact, to be back in the saddle. Yes, her voice is hoarse and raspy, but her screen presence is very much intact. Thankfully, Houston (also the film's executive producer) comes across well in her final performance. Not surprisingly, it was being prepped as a comeback vehicle for the star, last seen on screen in 1996's The singer, who died suddenly while the film was in post-production in February, had long wanted to revive the 1976 hit musical that had inspired her as a teenager. It is impossible to view this likeable, breezy remake without homing in on the late Whitney Houston. Starring: Whitney Houston, Jordin Sparks, Carmen Ejogo |
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