#Ch: Jason Kingsbury

[tveitxwrites]

I love playing characters when one  of their biggest personality traits is being hopelessly in love with their so ok

[kcaruth]

Movie Mania: Top 10 of 2018

This one was difficult. Those who have followed this blog for a while will know that for the past two years I have done a top 15 list of favorite films. That is largely because 2016 and 2017 cranked out so many great films, and I could not restrict myself to 10. However, 2018 turned out to be a rather lackluster year for film, in my opinion. Sure, there were some high points, but overall it was disappointing. It was actually easy to stick to a list of 10 this time, and those 10 films are all deserving of praise. I just wish they had some tougher competition to go up against. I digress, though. I now give you my spoiler-free list of favorite films of 2018.

Honorable Mention: Bumblebee

A collaboration between Travis Knight, the director of Kubo and the Two Strings, and Hailee Steinfeld? Count me in!

I stopped following the Transformers franchise after 2011′s Transformers: Dark of the Moon. One can only endure so many mind-numbing Michael Bay explosions before all of his or her brain cells die out. Here is a fun exercise that one of my college professors taught me; try it next time a Michael Bay Transformers movie comes on. Every time there is a cut, tap a pen or pencil or clap your hands. Frankly, it is quite overwhelming and hard to keep up with, and it is difficult not to notice every single unnecessary, jarring cut after becoming conscious of them through this exercise.

Contrast that with 2018′s Bumblebee. At Knight’s direction, the film forgoes most of those flashy explosions in favor of a more intimate approach to actual character development. Knight wisely chooses to keep the audience grounded and focused on the human characters, namely Steinfeld’s Charlie Watson, a teenage girl who is still struggling to come to terms with the death of her father while harboring resentment of her mother for remarrying. As far as the robots go, while the other Transformers movies went overboard with filling the screen with as many Decepticons and Autobots as they could, Knight really only has the titular Bumblebee and a couple of Decepticons hunting him down, ensuring that the action scenes and the film itself do not feel too bloated. Bumblebee is the course correction that this franchise so desperately needed.

#10: Eighth Grade

I was cringing throughout the run time of Eighth Grade, but somehow that is a compliment to this film. Uncompromising in its excruciating honesty, Eighth Grade hits the bullseye when it targets the audience’s empathy for an anxious 13-year-old during her last week of eighth grade named Kayla Day, played by Elsie Fisher. As his debut feature film, writer-director Bo Burnham has stated that he drew inspiration from his own struggles with social anxiety, so the script feels genuine and absent of any Hollywood edits. While Kayla is certainly the main focus of the film, Burnham provides a surprisingly touching character arc for her single father, Mark, played by Josh Hamilton. Mark desperately attempts to connect with his teenage daughter, but it seems like all she cares about having a connection with is her phone and social media. With themes of mental health, heavy use of social media, and sexuality, Burnham delivers one of the most uncomfortable scenes I have ever sat through in a movie theater, which is most likely exactly how he intended it to feel.

I cannot help but compare Eighth Grade to 2016′s Edge of Seventeen, another coming-of-age comedy-drama about a teenage girl by a debut director. If I was given the choice between the two films, I would pick Edge of Seventeen, which I believe is much more re-watchable, garnering that intended empathetic response from the audience with half the cringe. Both are brilliant, but those who have not seen Edge of Seventeen should do themselves a favor and give it a watch.

#9: Won’t You Be My Neighbor?

With so much hate and negativity in the world today, Morgan Neville’s documentary about Fred Rogers is a shining beacon of hope that restores one’s faith in humanity. Using archival footage as well as interviews with those closest to Rogers, Neville paints an intimate portrait of the man who welcomed audiences into his neighborhood through his pioneering television program. Without deifying Rogers, Neville shows how this American treasure dedicated every fiber of his being to teaching children how to be upstanding human beings who care deeply for one another, despite our differences. This documentary proves that Rogers’ lessons were not just for children, though. In fact, Won’t You Be My Neighbor? often feels like a one-on-one session with Rogers, encouraging audience members that they are all capable of good through simple acts of kindness.

#8: The Ballad of Buster Scruggs

Unfortunately, this American western is sure to fly under most people’s radar because it was a Netflix release that I do not recall having much fanfare and advertising. Written and directed by Joel and Ethan Coen, this film is an anthology of six different vignettes set in the American West. Sporting a stellar cast with the likes of Liam Neeson, Tim Blake Nelson, James Franco, Zoe Kazan, Brendan Gleeson, and more, The Ballad of Buster Scruggs flexes the Coen’s signature style of dark drama and black humor while impressively tackling all of the sub-genres within the greater Western genre.

Each of the vignettes are tied together by death in some form or fashion. While my ranking of them changes from day to day, my favorite and least favorite remain consistent. It is virtually impossible to not fall in love with the first vignette, “The Ballad of Buster Scruggs,” which is about a cheerful outlaw known just as widely for his singing as his gunslinging. The final vignette featuring a handful of characters cramped together on a stagecoach ride called “The Mortal Remains,” on the other hand, feels somewhat out of place and ends the film with a bit of a dud. Along the way between these two vignettes, however, viewers encounter enchanting tales of a bank robber, an impresario and his artist, a prospector, and a wagon train on the Oregon Trail.

As the Coen’s first film to be shot digitally, The Ballad of Buster Scruggs boasts some impressive cinematography, especially when it comes to wide sweeping shots, like any decent Western should. It also features a wonderfully delightful score that I desperately hope gets an Oscar nod. Not a week has gone by since I have watched this film where I do not find myself humming one of the songs or music from it. The acting throughout the different vignettes of the film is topnotch, and the actors look like they are having a blast in their roles.The Ballad of Buster Scruggs is a fun time that leaves viewers longing for more time in the American West. For those who cannot find the time to sit down for the whole film, I must urge them to at least watch the first vignette about Buster Scruggs, which is worth the price of admission on its own.

#7: Isle of Dogs

Set in a dystopian Japan, Wes Anderson’s stop-motion animated Isle of Dogs tells the story of a boy searching for his dog on Trash Island after an outbreak of canine flu. Voiced by an all-star cast including Bryan Cranston, Jeff Goldblum, Scarlett Johansson, and Bill Murray, Isle of Dogs is an epic adventure with its fair share of plot twists along the way. Alexandre Desplat provides a brilliant score for the film that matches Anderson’s comedic quirkiness and thematic choices. I would not consider myself a fan of Anderson’s distinct film style, but I do consider myself a huge fan of dogs and enjoyed Isle of Dogs. (Get the title of the film? Pronounce it out loud quickly. I Love Dogs.)

#6: Game Night

Game Night made me laugh out loud like I have not done in a long time at the movie theater. Starring Jason Bateman and Rachel McAdams, the film follows the hilariously ridiculous premise of a group of friends whose game night gets wrapped up in a criminal escapade. In addition to Bateman and McAdams’ great, fun chemistry as the husband and wife duo of Max and Annie Davis, Jesse Plemons’ portrayal of Gary Kingsbury, Max and Annie’s weird neighbor, delivers some moments of pure laughter. For a film that is high on laughs, Game Night manages to string the audience along with its surprisingly competent mystery, complete with reveals and twists that both shock and amuse viewers. Be sure to stick around for the credits and post-credits.

#5: A Quiet Place

Anyone who knows me knows that I am a big baby when it comes to horror movies. I absolutely loathe jump scares and will watch horror movies through my fingers if I am forced to watch one. However, I had heard so much positive buzz about John Krasinski’s A Quiet Place that I could not allow myself to make this list without seeing it first, and boy am I glad I summoned the courage to see it. A Quiet Place is a masterclass in tension, tone, pacing, sound design, and character development.

The plot centers around the Abbott family in a post-apocalyptic world inhabited by blind monsters that attack any source of sound with their heightened sense of hearing. Nothing is known about the origins of these monsters, only that they have wiped out most human and animal life on Earth. In this hopeless world, Lee and Evelyn Abbott struggle to fill their children with hope for the future.

The performances in A Quiet Place are some of the best of the year. The actors have an added degree of difficulty of having very minimal to no dialogue during the entire film, so their facial expressions and body language have to do most of the talking. One of the more impressive feats of A Quiet Place is the characters communicate in American Sign Language, and the actors actually learned ASL for the film. Millicent Simmonds, who plays Regan Abbott, is deaf and knows ASL, so she was able to help her co-stars with ASL, make corrections, and suggest improvements.

Krasinski has said that A Quiet Place is all about parenthood. Along with this theme, the film contains many Christian images and themes that are fascinating to pick apart and ponder. With so much depth, A Quiet Place delivers an original story that grips audiences. Although I did not see it in theaters, I am sure that people could hear a pen drop in their viewings.

#4: Bohemian Rhapsody

For all of its inaccuracies, creative liberties, and unevenness, Bohemian Rhapsody took the world by storm as the highest grossing music biopic and reinvigorated a love of Queen and its leading man, Freddie Mercury. Rami Malek runs away with the film as he disappears into his role as Mercury, so much so that audience members might have to pinch themselves to remember that they are not watching the real Freddie Mercury. Seriously, Malek has to be a surefire Oscar contender for this performance. Not only does he masterfully recreate Mercury’s mannerisms and moves onstage, he also channels his pain and feelings of isolation to bring audiences a fully realized depiction of the superstar. The supporting cast is good too, although Malek’s stellar performance does overshadow them, through no fault of their own.

For its finale, Bohemian Rhapsody gifts audiences with one of the most moving, memorable set pieces in all of film for 2018, the 1985 Live Aid concert. In a word, it is epic. Bohemian Rhapsody teaches lessons of acceptance, love, individuality, and the power of music and leaves viewers wishing they could have had a few more years with the amazing Freddie Mercury. This is one of those instances where the majority of critics should be ignored. Even if viewers are new to Queen, they should not miss this film.

#3: Green Book

Bolstered by fantastic performances by Viggo Mortensen and Mahershala Ali, Peter Farrelly’s Green Book takes a relatively unknown true story about a concert tour to the Deep South in the 1960s with African-American pianist Dr. Don Shirley (Ali) and his driver/bodyguard, Italian-American Tony Vallelonga (Mortensen), and tackles its subject matter without being too heavy-handed and maintaining respect for its characters. The script treats Vallelonga and Shirley as real human beings. Contrary to most film tropes, neither completely changes his character after a single event or incident. Instead, that change occurs slowly over the course of their road trip. Both men learn from one another, despite their disparate backgrounds. Mortensen and Ali are both worthy of Oscar nominations, though I think I would give the edge to Mortensen.

For a film about racism, identity, and the dangerous Jim Crow South, Green Book remains accessible to all audiences. It is full of heart and is brimming with that feel-good aura. As Mick LaSalle wrote in The San Francisco Chronicle, Green Book is “so big in its spirit, that the movie acquires a glow. It achieves that glow slowly, but by the middle and certainly by the end, it's there, the sense of something magical happening, on screen and within the audience.”

#2: Annihilation

I have not stopped thinking about Alex Garland’s Annihilation since it came out way back in February. Garland, the director of one of my favorite films released in 2015 Ex Machina, puts together an impressive cast starring Natalie Portman, Jennifer Jason Leigh, Gina Rodriguez, Tessa Thompson, Tuva Novotny, and Oscar Isaac to deliver a truly intoxicating film that leaves audiences deep in thought well after the credits roll. Based on Jeff VanderMeer’s novel of the same name, Annihilation follows a group of scientists who enter a mysterious quarantined area known as the Shimmer. Inside the Shimmer, flora and fauna undergo uncontrollable mutations. The scientists explore the Shimmer in an attempt to learn its secrets and discover what happened to the military team that was sent in before them.

The atmospheric, bone-chilling score sticks in viewers’ memories and adds to the intense tone of the film. Speaking of tone, Annihilation might bring audiences to the verge of suffocation because of how breathtaking it is. It has possibly the scariest, most dreadful scene of any film from this decade that comes from the stuff of nightmares and leaves audiences haunted. For all of its terrifying elements, however, this sci-fi film also showcases some downright gorgeous scenes that let the imagination run wild. Unlike many sci-fi films these days, Annihilation is not afraid to slow down and let scenes marinate in viewers’ minds. With so many avenues to explore as far as themes go, from ethics to grief to depression to humanity’s propensity for its own self-destruction, Annihilation is a film that should be talked about for a long time to come.

#1: Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse

This was the easiest decision on my whole list. No other film came close to the number one spot after I saw Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse. I remember seeing trailers for this film throughout 2018, but I did not have high expectations for it and almost blew it off. After all, with all of the Spider-Man films we have had in recent years, how could this one stand out apart from its animation?

The hype is real. Spider-Man is one of the most well-rounded films of 2018. It expertly balances its genuinely funny comedic moments with its emotionally moving dramatic ones. It takes risks that pay off with its bold storytelling, which is full of charm and satisfying superhero action. There is obvious care and attention to detail poured into every frame of this film, a work of art that is a love letter to superhero comic books. The creators of the film wanted it to feel like "you walked inside a comic book," and they hit it out of the park. The computer-generated animation works in concert with line drawings, paintings, dots, and various comic book art styles to make the film look like it was created by hand. It even has word boxes and bubbles that somehow are not too obstructive or distracting. As Todd Howard, the director and executive producer at Bethesda Game Studios, is famous for saying, “all of this just works.”

For such a large ensemble of characters voiced by ingenious choices like Mahershala Ali, Hailee Steinfeld, and Nicolas Cage, Spider-Man gives each of them equal footing while keeping the spotlight squarely on Miles Morales (Shameik Moore), the new Spider-Man. Lily Tomlin voices what may be my favorite version of Aunt May, and many other Spider-Man staple characters make great appearances.

The soundtrack is catchy and fits the bill for what a kid Miles’ age would listen to. There are tons of Easter eggs for hardcore Spider-Man fans to uncover, and there are pop culture winks and nods that most people familiar with the Spider-Man franchise will understand and enjoy. Of course, the late, great Stan Lee has a touching cameo, one of his best yet.

Every part of this stand-alone story feels fresh, and the characters have so much depth to them. It is hard to come up with an original concept that reinvents the superhero genre, but Spider-Man has done just that and more. This revolutionary, culturally important film was a joy to watch, and it may go down as the best Spider-Man film yet. Certainly, it has to be a serious contender for the best film of 2018.

The following are a list of all of the films I saw from 2018, in no particular order:

·         Green Book

·         The Ballad of Buster Scruggs

·         Pope Francis: A Man of His Word

·         My Hero Academia: Two Heroes

·         Black Panther

·         Annihilation

·         Game Night

·         Ready Player One

·         Isle of Dogs

·         A Quiet Place

·         Avengers: infinity War

·         Deadpool 2

·         Solo: A Star Wars Story

·         Incredibles 2

·         Ant-Man and the Wasp

·         BlacKkKlansman

·         Bad Times at the El Royale

·         Mowgli: Legend of the Jungle

·         First Man

·         Ralph Breaks the Internet

·         Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse

·         Aquaman

·         Bumblebee

·         Bohemian Rhapsody

·         Bird Box

·         Won’t You Be My Neighbor?

·         Eighth Grade

My 2017 film list: http://kcaruth.tumblr.com/post/171040800751/movie-mania-top-15-of-2017

My 2016 film list: http://kcaruth.tumblr.com/post/156340406236/movie-mania-top-15-of-2016

[tveitxwrites]

💘 Eleanor and Jason (ofc)

where they first met and how

Most definitely camp, but I imagine it would have been sometime in Eleanor’s first year there, probably not right away?? And then that would have been that for awhile!

how long their ‘flirting’ phase was before feelings got involved

Not long at all omg. Feelings were pretty immediate.

who fell for who first ( if applicable )

I feel like they both fell for each other pretty quickly?? Maybe Jason really fell first.

where their first date was and what it was like

Oh gosh! I feel like they probably would have had a picnic or something a little lowkey?? Oooo or maybe stargazing. That’d be cute. Like Jason just shows up outside of her cabin and asks her to go star gazing with him??

who asks who out and how ( with a sign? spelled out on a cake? just a simple ‘will you go out with me’? )

I’m really not sure! I feel like they just sort of fell together.

who proposes first

Jason!

if they keep / kept their relationship secret or let everyone know right away

I think they were pretty out there about it?? Mostly because Eleanor was also trying to get it through to Shaun that she wanted nothing to do with him omg

where the proposal happens and how ( kiss cam at a baseball game? on a hillside surrounded by ducks? at a disney park? )

CONFIDENTIAL.

if they adopt any pets together

Definitely. I could imagine them having a dog or two but also like a bunny??

who’s more dominant

Eleanor. 

where their first kiss was and what it was like

It was at some kind of camp bonfire event and Eleanor kissed Jason because she was trying to get it through Shaun’s thick skull that she wasn’t interested in him. 

if they have any matching couples stuff ( mugs? sweaters? pillowcases? )

SO MUCH. I feel like they definitely have matching mugs (especially after they get married) and Christmas sweaters for sure. 

how into pda they are

They’re so bad with pda omg. They’re gross

who holds the umbrella when it rains

Jason. I feel like before Eleanor he would have never used an umbrella but afterwards, he always has one available.

where their usual ‘date spot’ is ( if applicable )

Picnics for sure. 

who’s more protective

They’re both very protective?? I think Eleanor is more outspoken about being super protective just because Jason is so amiable and like subtle with it??

how long it is before they sleep together ( can be as in ‘had sex’ or as in ‘shared a bed’ )

I feel like it would have taken them a little while! Definitely longer than their friends? I’m not sure though!

if they argue about anything

Stupid stuff, nothing really important tbh. 

who leaves more marks ( lipstick, hickeys, scratchmarks etc. )

Eleanor def leaves more marks. Everywhere.

who steals whose clothes and how often

ELEANOR. She steals Jason’s stuff all the time. 

how they cuddle ( spooning? facing each other? )

They definitely spoon a lot and I’d imagine that Jason is mostly the big spoon, but they also just fully entangle themselves in each other. Like facing each other with their legs all tangled up and holding each other close.

what their favourite nonsexual activity is

Teasing Noelle.

how long they stay mad at each other

Not long at all. 

what their usual coffee / tea orders are

Jason is definitely a one cup of black of coffee in the morning and then sugary drinks all day. Eleanor is much better, I imagine she’s a tea drinker?? Something with just a little sugar added.

if they ever have any children together

They do! They have the twins Reagan and Cora and then they have at least one boy on the way as well!

if they have any special pet names for each other

Mmmm...I don’t think so?? Jason will call Eleanor “Elly belly” occasionally??

if they ever split up and / or get back together

Nah. Once they were together there was never really any looking back.

what their shared living space is like ( messy? clean? what kind of decor? )

Super clean! Eleanor makes sure of that. I’d imagine it’s very elegant farmhouse kind of inspired with a lot of plants?

what their first christmas / hanukkah / etc as a couple was like

Oh gosh I feel like it actually would have taken a little while for them to spend a holiday together?? Just because they live so far apart during the year for awhile. But I’d imagine it was kind of emotional tbh?? It would have been Jason’s first Christmas with like a family around him.

what their names are in each other’s phones

Eleanor would be “LOML 😍”in Jason’s phone.

Jason would be like “Jason💖💖💖” in Eleanor’s phone.

if they have any ‘couple traditions’ ( buying a new mug for their collection every year? baking every friday evening? )

Awwww! I’d imagine that later they would do a lot of different traditions! I’m so bad with them though omg

who falls asleep first and who wakes up first

Eleanor and Eleanor.

who’s the big spoon / little spoon

Jason is typically the big spoon and Eleanor is the little spoon.

who hogs the bathroom

I think Eleanor is more likely to?? But I don’t think it would be too bad tbh

who kills the spiders / takes them outside

Eleanor. She’s so used to them from the garden that they wouldn’t even bother her.

[tveitxwrites]

✵ Jason and Eleanor! ✵

who spends hours putting up lights only to get tangled in them and storm off?

Ooooo definitely Jason. I feel like the enter untangling lights territory together and then Eleanor is very patient about untangling and eventually Jason either a. gets bored or b. storms off. 

who accidentally eats a whole box of christmas chocolates in one sitting?

JASON. It is no accident at all. Eleanor when she’s pregnant with the twins though. 

who insists on watching the cheesey hallmark christmas movies?

Eleanor. She’s definitely more of the fan of the Hallmark style Christmas movies whereas Jason wants to watch Elf and Snow Buddies. On repeat. 

who insists on playing nothing but michael buble in the few days running up to christmas?

Eleanor. Jason will very loudly (and very poorly) trying to imitate the music. 

who gets their presents wrapped at the mall so the other cant go snooping

Omg I feel like Jason definitely has to get his wrapped at the mall? In part because he just can’t wrap presents and also because I have a feeling Eleanor would go sneaking around to see. 

who insists on making snow angels?

Jason. Especially when Reagan and Cora are around. 

who put christmas outfits on all the pets?

Eleanor. She has little pajamas for each animal and they match the family Christmas pajamas. 

Do they go to family’s or have a quiet day in?

I feel like they would probably go to visit Eleanor’s family just because of how close she is with them. Henry definitely comes and spends Christmas with them too.

who insists on wearing matching ugly christmas jumpers?

Jason. Eleanor picks out nice matching Christmas outfits and pajamas for the family, but Jason always buys them the ugliest Christmas sweaters. The bigger the pompoms the better.

Who waits up until midnight to give the other their present?

I feel like Jason? Like I could see him waiting until it is exactly midnight and then presenting Eleanor with a gift. 

Who insists on hand-made presents only one year?

Eleanor. 

Who puts mistletoe on every door frame?

Jason. He puts mistletoe everywhere. 

Who gets too drunk at the work christmas party and has to be picked up at 9:15pm?

More likely to be Jason just because Eleanor doesn’t really drink. 

who gets angry and almost tells kids that santa isnt real?

I can’t imagine Jason angry??? Like maybe back when he was very young and alone he might, but definitely not later. And I feel like Eleanor would want kids to have a really great Christmas so I don’t think either of them.