#Edwina Wyatt

[breaniebree]

Kismet Characters & Family Trees Part Eight:

Charlie Weasley (12 December 1972) GRYFFINDOR bf. Lee Jordan (1978) GRYFFINDOR (officially since end of 2010): 1. Aydin Dora Weasley (1 December 1996) GRYFFINDOR m. Leo Black (31 December 1996) SLYTHERIN (2019): a) Colten Raleigh Black (4 March 2020) SLYTHERIN m. Florencia Fazio NA (2022) (2045): i) Misha Black (2049) HUFFLEPUFF ii) Leonardo Black (2051) GRYFFINDOR  iii) Raleigh Black (2053) RAVENCLAW b) Bram Charles Black (27 August 2022) GRYFFINDOR m. Rebecca Higgins (2028) HUFFLEPUFF (2051): i) Zoe Black (2054) HUFFLEPUFF ii) Cadence Black (2057) GRYFFINDOR c) Jordan Arthur Black (6 February 2024) GRYFFINDOR m. Jaya Mukherjee (2022) RAVENCLAW (2055): i) Ari Black (2058) RAVENCLAW d) Jackson Sirius Black (22 October 2026) GRYFFINDOR m. Deanna Finnigan (31 January 2026) HUFFLEPUFF (2055): i) Norah Edwina Black (2060) HUFFLEPUFF e) Zayn Harry Black (4 November 2029) GRYFFINDOR m. Nari Chung (2028) SLYTHERIN (2052): i) Dal-Rae Black (2054) RAVENCLAW ii) Ayla Black (2057) GRYFFINDOR iii) Hana Black (2060) HUFFLEPUFF f) Nova Molly Black (3 June 2033) RAVENCLAW m. Nick Buckingham (2028) GRYFFINDOR (2057): i) Maverick Buckingham (2059) GRYFFINDOR ii) Micah Buckingham (2061) RAVENCLAW g) Nevra Charlotte Black (3 June 2033) GRYFFINDOR m. Wyatt Williams (2025) GRYFFINDOR (2054): i) Walker Williams (2059) SLYTHERIN ii) Wilder Williams (2061) GRYFFINDOR

Sirius Black (3 November 1959) GRYFFINDOR m. Zahira Zacarias (7 April 1964) NA (1999): 1. Harry Potter (31 July 1980) GRYFFINDOR m. Ginevra Weasley (11 August 1981) GRYFFINDOR (2000): i) James “Jamie” Sirius Potter GRYFFINDOR (5 April 2004) m. Hadley Grace Pritchard (2005) RAVENCLAW (2029): a) Rhysand James Potter (28 May 2032) GRYFFINDOR b) Emerson Fleamont Potter (11 March 2035) GRYFFINDOR c) Flynn Harry Potter (2 July 2037) GRYFFINDOR d) Grace Ginevra Potter (18 December 2040) GRYFFINDOR ii) Albus “Alby” Fleamont Potter (1 June 2006) SLYTHERIN m. Scorpius Malfoy (6 January 2006) SLYTHERIN (2031): a) Lyra Astoria Malfoy (1 June 2037) RAVENCLAW b) Celeste Ginevra Malfoy (5 March 2039) RAVENCLAW c) Archer Kai Malfoy (6 July 2044) SLYTHERIN iii) Lily Luna Potter (3 November 2007) GRYFFINDOR m. Oakley Wood (8 January 2007) GRYFFINDOR (2028): a) Nash Oliver Wood (31 July 2030) GRYFFINDOR m. Nixie Sparks (2032) RAVENCLAW (2058): aa) Sirius Harry Wood (25 December 2061) GRYFFINDOR bb) Remus Oakley Wood (25 December 2061) GRYFFINDOR b) Noah Harry Wood (31 July 2030) GRYFFINDOR  c) Magnolia “Lia” Katherine Wood (2 May 2033) RAVENCLAW d) Zinnia “Zin” Ginevra Wood (11 August 2035) HUFFLEPUFF  e) Zahira “Zee” Sorcha Wood (11 August 2035) HUFFLEPUFF iv) Cedrella “Ella” Theodora Potter (21 October 2010) SLYTHERIN m. Spencer Kane-Nott (3 July 2010) SLYTHERIN (2036): a) Logan Theodore Kane-Nott (23 March 2040) GRYFFINDOR b) Zeke Harry Kane-Nott (21 January 2042) SLYTHERIN  c) Nolan Everett Kane-Nott (11 November 2044) RAVENCLAW d) Westley Sebastian Kane-Nott (9 December 2046) GRYFFINDOR v) Everett Arthur Potter (21 October 2010) RAVENCLAW m. Xara Scamander (13 September 2016) RAVENCLAW (2039): a) Hazel Ella Potter (2 September 2040) HUFFLEPUFF  b) Galina Xara Potter (28 April 2042) RAVENCLAW  c) Landon Everett Potter (19 June 2044) GRYFFINDOR d) Waverly Luna Potter (7 February 2046) RAVENCLAW vi) Genevieve “Evie” Zahira Potter (9 May 2012) HUFFLEPUFF m. Christian Lyon (2008) RAVENCLAW (2033):a) Leif Christian Lyon (1 October 2035) GRYFFINDOR b) Autumn Ella Lyon (21 September 2038) HUFFLEPUFF c) Winter Willow Lyon (21 December 2041) RAVENCLAW d) Summer Lily Lyon (21 June 2043) GRYFFINDOR e) Spring Rose Lyon (21 March 2047) HUFFLEPUFF vii) Henry Remus Potter (31 July 2020) GRYFFINDOR m. Daniella Zabini (7 July 2018) RAVENCLAW (2049): a) Cameron Blaise Potter (1 January 2052) GRYFFINDOR b) Aidan Hunter Potter (23 July 2055) GRYFFINDOR  c) Jameson Henry Potter (14 March 2058) GRYFFINDOR  d) Emilia Ginevra Potter (17 August 2060) RAVENCLAW viii) Hunter Colten Potter (31 July 2020) GRYFFINDOR m. Sloane Hart (2023) GRYFFINDOR (2046): a) Simon Hunter Potter (14 February 2049) RAVENCLAW b) Shay Cedrella Potter (14 February 2049) HUFFLEPUFF  c) Colin Fleamont Potter (7 March 2053) GRYFFINDOR  d) Beckett James Potter (19 June 2055) HUFFLEPUFF  e) Parker Harry Potter (24 September 2059) SLYTHERIN f) Noelle Ginevra Potter (25 December 2061) GRYFFINDOR 2. Minerva “Mina” Euphemia Magnolia Black (31 December 1996) GRYFFINDOR  m. Grayson Goyle (28 September 1997) HUFFLEPUFF (2017): a) Zelena Minerva Goyle (26 December 2019) GRYFFINDOR m. Katerina Baxter (7 March 2015) GRYFFINDOR (2040): i) Erica Goyle-Baxter (2043) GRYFFINDOR ii) Antonia Goyle-Baxter (2043) HUFFLEPUFF b) Ariel Sorcha Goyle (3 April, 2021) HUFFLEPUFF m. Philip Davenport (2017) RAVENCLAW  (2047): i) Siri Davenport (2049) SLYTHERIN ii) Gregory Davenport (2051) RAVENCLAW c) Helia Marguerite Goyle (14 February 2023) RAVENCLAW m. Henry Rawlings (2008) RAVENCLAW (2048): i) Julius Rawlings (2052) RAVENCLAW d) Orion Sirius Goyle (6 September 2025) SLYTHERIN 3. Leonardo “Leo” Mikhail Sirius Black (31 December 1996) SLYTHERIN  m. Aydin Weasley (1 December 1996) GRYFFINDOR (2018):(re above)

Thanks to @ellieoryan7447 for taking the time and effort to create these.

[the-witching-ash]

My turn to ask even though my list was long as hellll but crossover ideas???

Truly this is so long but here’s some ideas:

Bridgerton:

• Like you said, Ambrose Charles and Alexander because brothers but also consider: Priscilla Featherington/Ambrose au with Friedrich/Edwina happening in the background? (Alexander can be single he doesn’t mind)

• Pricilla Barington and Pricilla Featherington: yes absolutely to this one, name twins, besties, all around vibe.

Descendants:

• Annalise Andersen with Aria (sisters), Almeria (l cousins), or Melvin (because aunt)

• Brendan Marmontel and Edmund Tremaine (clone shinanigans, ship vibes if Brendan’s down.)

• Brendan Marmontel & Raphael Fitzherbert (definitely shipping, also Logan & Grant are my boys so I’m down.)

• Cadence De Vil & Andrew Radcliffe (Andrew’s the biggest reason as to why Ben chose Carlos as part of the original VK group and he’d try to extend that to her and would want to be her friend to.)

• Emmeline Fitzherbert & Atticus (besties for sure, but also I vote she gets a crossover with Raphael because siblings + Atticus is his bodyguard/head of security.)

• Kirsti Bjorgman and Princess Kristen of Arendelle (cousins so could be fun)

• Gabriel Legume & Edmund Tremaine (yes absolutely to ship energy Edmund is so here for it)

• Gabriel Legume & Gage Legume (Gage wants all the siblings he needs more family that’s not terrible also sorry Gil Gabe would be his new favorite brother.)

• Gabriel Legume & Jericho (Sorry Gage but always here for any Gabriel ship they’d be a fun vibe.)

• Zinnia Hook and Fabian Facilier (yesss to dating/ship vibes, possibly poly with Evie?)

• Stephen White & Barbie (admittedly Barbie has zero devlopment but yes absolutely they’d vibe so well)

• Doctor Who

• Fiona Baker & Maisie Cameron (Poly vibes with Martha please Martha deserves two girlfriends)

• Lottie Tyler & Gwyneth Boe (look this could be literally anything i just like the vibe of Katie McGrath & Diana Agron together.)(Gwyneth steals her future father’s girlfriend.)

Malcolm McAllister & Gwyneth Boe (yet again Gwyn steals her future father’s ship for herself they vibe as a ship so hard.) (They can also steal the Doctor and Jack can just have Ianto idk.)

Gilmore Girls

• Blair Lister and Lili Lister (because sisters, could do Blair/Jess and Lili/Rory?)

• Caspian Geller and Vienna Geller (siblings)

• Caspian Geller and Richie Gilmore (friends or ship energy idk I just think they’d look good together.)

• Daliah Gilmore and Richie Gilmore (siblings, also there’s irl connect with Melissa and Grant. 🥺)

• Dorian Gilmore and Richie Gilmore (Richie doesn’t always have a good relationship with Lorelai but he wants an uncle. 🥺)

• Lydia Millstone-Gilmore and Regina Gilmore (there’s an energy here i can’t explain but I like it)

• Lydia Millstone-Gilmore & Lili Lister (Friends?? Lydia steals Lili from Rory??? Idk but we have content can’t believe I’m saying this but thank you Riverdale.)(also yes to your Floyd suggestion for the same reason.)

• Theodore Gleason/Edgar more shipping vibes here, possibly poly with Harlow?

• Thomas Mayfair & Belinda Gilmore (sorry Rory your boyfriend is definitely getting stolen I like the vibes of these two.)

• Wyatt Hayden & Edgar Danes-Rygalski (also yes to poly with Harlow)

Glee:

• Annie Shuester and Steve Schuester (she’s technically his aunt but I feel they’d be close.)

• Andrew Berry and Felix Dosier (sorry Finn but I vote boyfriends au)

• Andrew Berry and Bentley Reynolds (look Andrew’s demisexual but his type is hot and knows they’re talented.)

Gossip Girl + Gossip Girl 2021

• Darcy Hearst and Earnest Applebaum (yes theme is understood and yes boyfriends.)

• Darcy Hearst and Eli Bass (yes to boyfriends please, tbd on poly with Romeo.)

• Darcy Hearst and Neveah Booker (they’d just be fun, either exclusive or poly with Chuck?)

• Miles Humphrey and Maggie Francis (she’s technically a 2021 girl but siblings, miles would be her favorite family member.)

Hunger Games

• Epithany and Eliana Trinket (sisters)

OUAT

• Aimee Grimard and Cornelia Sheridan (mostly because Bridgerton)

PJO:

• Austin Hayes and Cordelia Castellan (vibes, sorry Percy but potential poly with Annabeth?

Red, White & Royal Blue

• Sebastian Van Wyck and Remi Mcintire (I just like them, chaotic poly OT4 au with Alex and Henry?)

[dre4mers]

muses.

ORIGINAL.

SHANNON COOPER , " the it girl. " bisexual , rachel bilson / ella purnell. pos: loyal, outgoing, creative, efficient, bubbly. neg: dependent, melodramatic, tonedeaf, needy, arrogant.

SID WALTZ , " the menace / single dad. " bisexual , garrett hedlund / harris dickinson. pos: adventurous, humorous, protective, brave, persuasive. neg: childish, flirtatious, smartass, party - animal, loud.

SUNNY POPWELL , " the delusional. " , bisexual , katie douglas. pos: friendly, forgiving, compassionate, optimistic, curious. neg: delusional, sensitive, gullible, obsessive, dramatic.

ZACHARY POPWELL , " the realist. " , heterosexual , alex fitzalan. pos: realistic, protective, alert, selfless, witty. neg: impulsive, despondent, smug, cynical, secretive.

ESTELLA UNDERWOOD , " the bookworm. " bisexual , alexis bledel / zoe colletti. pos: bright, amiable, helpful, witty, creative. neg: naive, neurotic, awkward, push-over, cowardly.

WILLIAM LERMAN , " the himbo. " bisexual , rudy pankow. pos: joyful, humorous, loving, optimistic, caring. neg: immature, overly - sarcastic, dim-witted, lazy, chaotic.

JUNIPER CREEK , " the philosopher. " bisexual , bethany joy lenz / tbd. pos: intellectual, honest, patient, organized, adaptable. neg: feisty, clumsy, petty, anxious, aloof.

WYATT SOUTWARK , " the reclusive. " heterosexual , mike faist. pos: inventive, observing, romantic, easy - going, rational. neg: quiet, broody, guarded, lonely, blunt.

RAYNE JIMENEZ , " the rockstar. " queer , lizeth selene. pos: humble, idealistic, creative, honest, self - less. neg: rebellious, stubborn, loud - mouthed, feisty.

FINLEY HOOVER , " the egotistical. " heterosexual , gavin casalegno. pos: social - butterfly, optimistic, persistent, passionate, dreamer. neg: vain, clueless, possessive, critical, self - assured.

SUTTON CAMERON , " the mirrorball. " biseuxal , olivia scott-welch. pos: family - orientated, productive, ambitious, sharp - witted, understanding. neg: over - achiever, insecure, short - tempered, impatient, sensitive.

REGAN GILBERT , " the athlete. " heterosexual, michael evans behling. pos: athletic, focused, out - going, protective, head strong. neg: competitive, jealous, impetuous, arrogant, contemptuous.

SOLANA CUEVA , " the fashionista. " bisexual , zion moreno. pos: charming, understanding, focused, hard - working, witty. neg: stubborn, petty, blunt, smug, domineering.

HISTORICAL ORIGINAL CHARACTERS.

MAUDE CLIFTON , " the primadonna. " heterosexual , rose williams / tbd.

DODIE WESTON , " the poet. " pansexual , rose williams.

ALERIE LANNISTER , " the scornful. " heterosexual, celina sinden.

CANON.

KENDRA MASON , degrassi: the next generation, lola lung.

ADAM TORRES , degrassi: the next generation , fc tbd.

BENEDICT BRIDGERTON , bridgerton , luke thompson.

DAPHNE BRIDGERTON , bridgerton , phoebe dynevor.

THEO SHARPE , bridgerton , calam lynch.

EDWINA SHARMA , bridgerton , charithra chandran.

JAMIE SULLIVAN , a walk to remember , mandy moore / tbd.

BROOKE DAVIS , one tree hill , sophia bush.

ELLIE WILLIAMS , the last of us , bella ramsey.

FREDDIE MCCLAIR , skins uk , luke pasqualino.

SANSA STARK , game of thrones , sophie turner.

ROBB STARK , game of thrones , richard madden.

[roesolo]

Sometimes Cake finds reasons to celebrate

Sometimes Cake finds reasons to celebrate

Sometimes Cake, by Edwina Wyatt/Illustrated by Tamsin Ainslie, (Jan. 2022, Candlewick Press), $17.99, ISBN: 9781536217810 Ages 2-5 A little girl named Audrey happens upon a Lion holding a balloon and asks if it’s his birthday. It isn’t, but they discover a mutual love of celebrating, so they sing songs, have cake, and give a few cheers. When Audrey finds Lion again, he seems a bit down, and…

[peppermintstranger]

Hey Pepper! I need help finding a female whos redhead but a darker shade. Maybe short hair? Preferably pale skin and beauty marks/freckles tysm! 💞

Hello there!

You have: Edwina Preston, Kaila Wyatt, Bruna Drapper, Flora Marchon, Mallory Merk, Yeva Poduryan.

Hope it helps c:

[szpartytime]

What a wonderful NY send off. Thanks to everyone who came to the last monthly NY Party Time show (the show isn’t ending, it’s just moving to LA)! And thanks to Wyatt Cenac, Liza Treyger, Emmy Blotnick, Anya Marina and DJ Zephyr Ann for being incredible! And thanks to V Spot for the tasty vegan treats 🙏🏾

Also special thanks to Marianne Ways for being a phenomenal producer and helping the NY show grow immensely over the years ❤️

Next show is in LA! Wed Aug 22nd at Dynasty Typewriter: Get your tix

Poster by Hannah Adamson

Photos by Edwina Hay

[winningthesweepstakes]

Sometimes Cake by Edwina Wyatt,  illustrated by Tamsin Ainslie

Sometimes Cake by Edwina Wyatt,  illustrated by Tamsin Ainslie

Sometimes Cake by Edwina Wyatt,  illustrated by Tamsin Ainslie. Candlewick Press, c2020, 2022. 9781536217810 Rating: 1-5 (5 is an excellent or a Starred review) 4 Format: Hardcover picture book What did you like about the book?  Balloons and cakes are for everyday, not just birthdays! In this charming and pretty book, Audrey uses her imagination to conjure a gorgeous, friendly lion to…

[tukietaleschildrensbook]

Review of ‘The Secrets of Magnolia Moon’

It was hope that made grass grow and waves rise and babies stand. And when the grass got trampled, the waves crashed down and babies toppled over, it was hope that made them stretch up all over again. (‘The Secrets of Magnolia Moon’, page 34) Title: ‘The Secrets of Magnolia Moon’ Author: Edwina Wyatt Illustrator:… from Children's Books Daily… https://ift.tt/2JHU2la via IFTTT

[randomrichards]

I need to get back to get back in the game of writing reviews. To encourage more consistent writing, I decided end each month by writing a list of movies coming out in the next month. The movies I believe have the most potential to be exact. If you’re interested, you can click the film titles to watch the trailer. Keep in mind; just because I said these films have potential doesn’t guarantee they will be good. There has been great trailers for terrible movies. So proceed with caution. SEPTEMBER 1: VICEROY’S HOUSE – Based on the true story of the independence of India and the formation of Pakistan. At the centre of the film is Lord Mountbatten (Downton Abbey’s Hugh Bonneville), the last Viceroy of Britain. Mountbatten and his wife (Gillian Anderson) arrive in India to oversee its transition to independence. But it proves a challenge with disagreements amongst the locals, especially those of different religions. At the centre of the internal conflict is Jeet Kumar (Manish Dayal), who finds disapproval in his choice of a significant other. I don’t know if its religious differences or the chaste system, all I know is it has to do with some form of prejudice. This one looks like it will fit the tropes of the “White Savior” film; a film that has the white person solving problems for different races. The problem with these films is that they overlook the contributions of the locals, making it look like they need Caucasians to save the day. It doesn’t help that this film seems to centre around representatives of Britain; the country that violated India’s right to control its own destiny. However, there is hope in co-writer/director Gurinder Chadha, a Kenyan-born Englishwoman who took the world by storm with Bend it Like Beckham. She reteams with her Beckham co-writer Paul Mayeda Berges to tell this story. There’s a good chance she’ll present some bring some perspective as a person of colour. In addition, the film seems to divide itself into different perspectives, specifically Lord Mountbatten, his wife Lady Edwina and Jeet. I suspect Lady Edwina’s storyline will be more interesting than her husband, especially with her being played by the underrated Gillian Anderson. People focus so much on her role as Agent Scully they forget what a great actress she is in period pieces. I’d recommend watching her in The House of Mirth and Bleak House to see what I mean. But most likely, her plotline will pale in comparison to Jeet’s plotline. Here, we see India reclaiming independence form the perspective of the locals. Plus, we see the clash between Hindus, Siekhs and Muslims who lived there, leading to the formation of Pakistan, which in turn resulted in many people being forced out of their own homes. SEPTEMBER 8: HOME AGAIN – After a bad divorce, Alice Kinney (Reese Witherspoon) is forced to take her two daughters and move in with her mother (Candice Bergen). On her 40th birthday, she has a one night stand with Harry (Pico Alexander) a college student in his early twenties. Then, her mother lets Harry and his two friends move in with them. Awkward! To make matters worst, her ex-husband (Michael Sheen) has returned. This romantic comedy certainly has a vibe of Nancy Meyers (What Women Want, It’s Complicated). Its especially notable with that trademark Meyers scene where the romantic interests are caught in an awkward situation. Notable examples are Jack Nicholson catching Diane Keaton naked in Something’s Gotta Give or the laptop scene from It’s Complicated. In this case, it’s Alice’s kids coming home while Harry’s still in her bed. Of course, this similarity may have something to do with Meyers serving as producer with her daughter Haillie Meyers-Shyer serving as writer/director. Is her daughter copying her or will Meyers-Shyer find her own voice? The only way to find out is to watch the movie. IT – Stephen King’s classic horror novel is comes to the big screen. Sure It was made into a cult classic tv movie, but this is the first time It was made for the big screen. On the surface, Derry, Maine seems like your average American town. But within the sewers, a shapeshifting evil takes the form of Pennywise the Clown (Bill Skarsgard) to pick off local children. It’s latest victim is Bill’s (Jaeden Lieberher) little brother Georgie (Jackson Robert Scott). Forming The Loser Gang, Nick and a small group of misfits try to figure out the origins of this monster to stop this monster once and for all. Can they face up to a monster that can take the form of their worst fears? What I love about King’s storytelling is how he uses the supernatural to examine more personal themes. In the case of It, the theme is childhood trauma. Each kid is an outsider in his/her own way, from Bill for his stuttering or Mike (Chose Jacobs) for his skin colour. Each kid is also coping with their own trauma, which Pennywise uses to terrorize the kids. Bill in particular blames himself for his brother’s death, not helped by his parent’s emotional distance from him. Another strength of King is how he incorporates real life horror alongside with the supernatural horror. Kids don’t need to worry about shapeshifting clowns, but they do have to deal with bullies. In this case, the Bower’s Gang, led by the psycholtic Henry Bowers (Nicholas Hamilton). The bullies in King’s worlds are violent sadist, so prepare for some uncomfortable moments. Bowers reveals a theme of how children inherit their parents worst traits. Through his father, he develops sexism, racism and anti-semetism, which leads him to target Mike, Beverly (Sophia Lillis) and Stanley Uris (Wyatt Oleff). King’s one of those rare writers who can make teens want to read a thousand page book, myself included. But this giant book puts screenwriters in a bad position when it comes to adaptation. Even if the film were three hours, story elements inevitably have to be taken out. It is especially challenging, with the story switching between our heroes as kids and them as adults. This builds a theme of how child trauma affects people in their later years. While this works great for a novel, movies are very strict with story structure. I think writers Cary Fukunaga (Beasts of No Nation), Gary Dauberman (Annabelle) and newcomer Chase Palmer made the right choice by keeping the focus on our heroes as children. There’s a good chance there will be a sequel if this film proves to be a hit. The film does look terrifying. This version in Pennywise especially looks creepy. I noticed in the trailers that his eyes seem to cross away from each other. But I’m going to wait until it comes out to see whether or not it will live up to the novel. REBEL IN THE RYE – Since the late J.D. Salinger won’t let anyone adapt his stories, Hollywood’s went ahead and made a biopic about the notoriously reclusive author. The film focuses on his years as an up and coming writer (played by Nicholas Hoult). He returns from the war suffering from PTSD, with writing serving as his one salvation. So, he takes writing classes, led by the eccentric mentor Whit Burnett (Kevin Spacey). Despite many naysayers and his own self-doubt, J.D. Salinger pulls through, leading to the creation and publication of Catcher in the Rye. Salinger had been burned by a bad documentary, so there’s a lot of weight on this film’s shoulder. For an author known for avoiding clichés, this film seems to follow the usual tropes of the underdog stories, from the eccentric mentor to the endless naysayers doubting his books. What gives me hope for this one is writer/director Danny Strong, whose teamed with Lee Daniels to make the well done The Butler and created the tv sensation Empire. It could still be entertaining. SEPTEMBER 15: BRAD’S STATUS– From Mike White, the writer of School of Rock and the creator of Enlightened brings us this dramedy of a father’s midlife crisis. Brad (Ben Stiller) feels like a failure. While his other friends have their own success, he finds he has nothing to show for his work in nonprofit. He expects a brighter future for his son Troy (Austin Abrams), whose advanced enough to qualify for an Ivy League School. Now is the time for Brad and Troy to tour colleges and see which one’s the best for him. In the process, Brad will get a chance to reunite with the very friends (Michael Sheen, Jemaine Clement and Luke Wilson) who make him feel inferior. Whether it’s a rocker forming a band of prep school students (School of Rock), a former yuppie becoming an elightened activist (Enlightened) or a Latin American masseuse confronting a racist mogul (Beatriz at Dinner), a lesser writer would have made forgettable comedies with these premises. Mike White elevates these premises with complicated characters, memorable dialogue and subversion of tropes. I’m interested in seeing where he goes with this story. It’s interesting to see Ben Stiller taking on more mature comedies. He’s gotten audiences interested with The Secret Life of Walter Mitty and gained some indie cred with We Are Young. Now, he’s in a dramedy about a man’s feeling of insignificance. FIRST, THEY KILLED MY FATHER – Angelina Jolie directs another biopic, this time about a girl who grew up under the reign of Cambodian regime the Khmer Rouge. Based on the autobiography by Loung Ung (who also co-wrote the screenplay), the film centres on Ung (Sareum Srey Moch) as a little girl. She was a happy child with a loving family. And then Khmer Rouge came to town and the Ung were forced out of their home. As you may guess from the title, her father is killed. Then Ung is subjected to dehumanizing conditions as the regime tries to brainwash her into a child soldier. With this in mind, there will be moments the audience will find uncomfortable to watch. Fortunately, Ung was able to escape this horrible life and grew up to become a civil rights activist. As a writer/director, Angelina Jolie is a mixed bag. She hasn’t been successful with neither her directorial debut In the Land of Blood and Honey nor with By the Sea. But she has garnered acclaim with Unbroken. As a result, this film could go either way. MOTHER! – In a remote house, Mother (Jennifer Lawrence) enjoys a tranquil life with her husband (Javier Bardem). Then one night, a mysterious stranger (Ed Harris) comes to their house and the husband lets him stay. Then the stranger’s wife (Michelle Pheiffer) joins them. As more people come around the house, Mother grows more suspicious of her husband. Then she starts noticing strange things around the house, especially a hollow section of the basement wall. The film’s seems to have a Rosemary’s Baby vibe to it, what with the cult-like storyline or the suspicious husband. It doesn’t help that the film is called Mother. Knowing this is written and directed by Darren Aronovsky (Requiem for a Dream, Black Swan), the film is guaranteed to get weird. SEPTEMBER 22: BATTLE OF THE SEXES – From Jonathan Dayton and Valerie Faris, the Oscar-Nominated director team behin Little Miss Sunshine and Ruby Sparks comes this biopic of the unforgettable tennis match. Despite Billie Jean King (Emma Stone) rising as a major tennis star, women weren’t taken seriously in the game, or any sport. It really comes to a head when middle aged has-been and serial hustler Bobby Riggs (Steve Carell) challenges any woman to beat him in a match. At first, Billie Jean doesn’t want to feed this troll, but as he takes the misogyny up to 11, she finally challenges him to a one on one. Their battle came to be known as the Battle of the Sexes. I remember watching a documentary of Billie Jean King on PBS and it really goes into detail of the cringe inducing sexism women tennis players had to deal with back then. What was also clear from the documentary was how much of a self-parody Bobby Riggs was. It’s hard to tell whether he actually believed what he was spewing or if he was just playing it up for the cameras. Either way, you don’t know whether to laugh or cringe. Carell is clearly having a ball with his performance, bringing out how cartoony Riggs was. Stone also looks like she may have another Oscar nomination, blending into the role of King. KINGSMAN: THE GOLDEN CIRCLE – “Manners maketh man.” Eggsy (Taron Egerton) has come a long way, going from a gang member from the England’s underbelly to a classy secret agent of the Kingsman. All before he’s even it his mid twenties. Now, Eggsy finds the Kingsman under threat by Poppy (Julianne Moore), a CEO who believe the world would be better off without this agency. She goes as far as destroying their building. Now Eggsy and tech whiz Merlin (Mark Strong) enlist the help of their American equivalent The Statesman, led by Agent Champagne (Jeff Bridges) to stop Poppy from… Whatever she’s got planned. We also see the return of Eggys mentor Agent Hart (Colin Firth). The first Kingsman came out of nowhere to become a sleeper hit, embracing the goofy side of the Bond movies with glorious gratuitous violence over the top villains (that lady assassin with blades for legs) and extreme British politeness. With this film and Kickass, Matthew Vaughn has proved himself the perfect director to adapt Mark Millar’s graphic novels. He’s also excellent a directing action scenes, as you can see in the kickass church slaughter scene (in tune to Lynard Skynard’s Free Bird). This film looks like we’re going to get some glorious action scenes, guaranteed to be as ultraviolent. We got an all star cast, including Halle Berry and Channing Tatum. But it looks like Pedro Pascal (Oberon Martell from Game of Thrones) will steal the show as Agent Whiskey. Just watch him throw that whip. THE LEGO NINJAGO MOVIE – Another addition to the surprisingly well done Lego Movies, this time based on the franchise of ninja legos with big vehicles. A Chinese town finds itself at the mercy of supervillain Garmadon (voiced by Justin Theroux). The only thing stopping them is Ninjago, this universe’s equivalent to Power Rangers. There is one problem; Garmadon’s the father of Ninjago member Lloyd (Dave Franco). Everyone knows that fact, which has made Lloyd an outcast. With the help of his Sensei Wu (Jackie Chan) and his team Kai (Michael Pena), Jay (Kumail Nanjiani), Zane (Zach Woods), Nya (Abbi Jacobson) and Cole (Fred Armisen), Lloyd seeks the secrets of his father’s past. It would be easy if the giant monster known as Meowthra wasn’t unleashed on the town. When the Lego Movie was released in theatres, it blew everyone away with its quality storytelling and excellent animation. What made it special was how it subverted the tropes of the “chosen one” storyline while satirizing unkempt capitalism. Then along came the Lego Batman Movie, which deconstructed the mythology of the caped crusader. This begs the questions; will The Lego Ninjago Movie maintain this trend and if so, what will it subvert? What does stand out is the animation and design. The Lego movies have an animation style resembling stop-motion animation and this film is no different. The one notable difference is Meowthra, whose played by a live action cat. As for the design, Garmadon is a standout. Never have I seen a Lego character with two torsos, which gives the character an insect look to it. Plus, Garmadon is an awesome name for a villain. What I’m most curious about is the fight scenes. The film recruited Jackie Chan’s stunt team to choreography the fights. Judging by the clip of a ninjago fighting some ninjas with a fridge while holding a baby, it looks like there will be some funny fight scenes. STRONGER – Based on a true story, this biopic showcases the struggles and triumph of Jeff Bauman, a survivor of the 2013 Boston Marathon Bombing. Before that fateful day, Bauman (Jake Gyllenhaal) was an ordinary Costco employee. When his girlfriend Erin (Tatiana Maslany)Â ran that marathon, the most he was expecting was her seeing him with the sign. But his life changed it that explosion. He survived, but lost his legs in that explosion. The film focuses on his struggle to walk again, with the support if his love Erin. It’s interesting to see director David Gordon Green returning to drama. He’s known for directing comedies like Pineapple Express, but he’s made some amazing dramas including George Washington and Undertow. I hope this brings him back to top form. It certainly seems that way, portraying Boston’s sense of community and strength. VICTORIA & ABDUL – Dame Judi Dench reteams with Philomena director Stephen Frears for this biopic of Queen Victoria’s real life friendship with a young Indian Clerk named Abdul Karim. This is an interesting situation because Dame Dench’s first lead role was as playing Queen Victoria in Her Majesty, Mrs. Brown. It also centres around her majesty’s relationship with a servant. This film seems more lighthearted than the previous film, especially with the mango scene. September 29: AMERICAN MADE– Rarely are biopics as fun as this one seems to be. With Doug Liman directing, American Made is sure to be that fun. Tom Cruise plays Barry Seal, a real life pilot placed under extraordinary circumstances. He finds is ordinary life turned upside down when he’s recruited by the CIA to transport firearms from Central America. This would be enough for an average biopic, but Seal took it a step further by transporting drugs from the Medellin cartel. This are sure go get crazy from here. MARK FELT – THE MAN WHO BROUGHT DOWN THE WHITE HOUSE – “Follow the Money.” These three little words helped exposed Nixon’s involvement in the Watergate Scandal, leading to his resignation. Anyone who either watched All the President’s Men (or read the book), you’d recognize these words came from Deep Throat, a mysterious secret agent who offered this advice to world-renowned journalist Bob Woodward. Deep Throat’s identity wasn’t revealed until decades later, when Mark Felt revealed his true identity. Now we finally get to know the man who helped expose the Nixon’s disgraceful actions. For 30 years, FBI Agent Felt (Liam Neeson) has worked with integrity and respect, earning the admiration of fellow agents and president Richard Nixon. But then the 5 men are caught breaking into the Watergate hotel. Felt starts finding opposition in his investigation into the crime, raising his suspicions. To maintain his principles, he has no choice but to violate regulations by revealing information to journalist Bob Woodward (Julian Morris)

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Thursday Talk & Tea with Edwina Wyatt

Thursday Talk & Tea with Edwina Wyatt

It’s been a little while since I talked and tea-ed with a children’s author. But then, my good friend Edwina Wyatt’s new book Always Together was released this month, and I couldn’t resist asking Edwina a few questions.

By way of introduction, I met Edwina on my book tour last year. She too had recently published her first picture book. Edwina and I have been emailing ever since, and she is an…

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Children's books we love :: September

Ah September. One of the slightly more crazy months of my life. Can’t believe you are over!

One of the best things about Le Grand Tour De Book was hanging out in good bookshops and libraries all month. I may have *ahem* accumulated more books than what I started with!

Here’s our luscious pick of the month. {Click on the book to purchase. I don’t get any commission on this. Sharing for the love of…