#Harlem Saga

[o-the-mts]

Book Review: Harlem Shuffle by Colson Whitehead

Author: Colson Whitehead Title: Harlem Shuffle: A Novel Narrator: Dion Graham Publication Info: Random House Audio, 2021 Books previously read by the same author: Apex Hides the Hurt The Underground Railroad The Nickel Boys Summary/Review: Ray Carney tries to run an honest business as a furniture store proprietor in Harlem, but occasionally fences stolen items for his cousin Freddie.   When…

[skyfullofpods]

Happy audio fiction Sunday! It's been another big week of new episodes, and here are some of my thoughts about what I've been listening to - including new seasons of both Lost Terminal and @desertskiespodcast, and one heck of a two-part episode from @thesiltverses!

[komomn]

Lucia 💜🎀💜

[jadenvargen]

free online james baldwin stories, essays, videos, and other resources

**edit

James baldwin online archive with his articles and photo archives.

---NOVELS---

Giovanni's room"When David meets the sensual Giovanni in a bohemian bar, he is swept into a passionate love affair. But his girlfriend's return to Paris destroys everything. Unable to admit to the truth, David pretends the liaison never happened - while Giovanni's life descends into tragedy. This book introduces love's fascinating possibilities and extremities."

Go Tell It On The Mountain"(...)Baldwin's first major work, a semi-autobiographical novel that has established itself as an American classic. With lyrical precision, psychological directness, resonating symbolic power, and a rage that is at once unrelenting and compassionate, Baldwin chronicles a fourteen-year-old boy's discovery of the terms of his identity as the stepson of the minister of a storefront Pentecostal church in Harlem one Saturday in March of 1935. Baldwin's rendering of his protagonist's spiritual, sexual, and moral struggle of self-invention opened new possibilities in the American language and in the way Americans understand themselves."

+bonus: film adaptation on youtube. (if you’re a giancarlo esposito fan, you’ll be delighted to see him in an early preacher role)

Another Country and Going to Meet the Man Another country: "James Baldwin's masterly story of desire, hatred and violence opens with the unforgettable character of Rufus Scott, a scavenging Harlem jazz musician adrift in New York. Self-destructive, bad and brilliant, he draws us into a Bohemian underworld pulsing with heat, music and sex, where desperate and dangerous characters betray, love and test each other to the limit." Going to meet the Man: " collection of eight short stories by American writer James Baldwin. The book, dedicated "for Beauford Delaney", covers many topics related to anti-Black racism in American society, as well as African-American–Jewish relations, childhood, the creative process, criminal justice, drug addiction, family relationships, jazz, lynching, sexuality, and white supremacy."

Just Above My Head"Here, in a monumental saga of love and rage, Baldwin goes back to Harlem, to the church of his groundbreaking novel Go Tell It on the Mountain, to the homosexual passion of Giovanni's Room, and to the political fire that enflames his nonfiction work. Here, too, the story of gospel singer Arthur Hall and his family becomes both a journey into another country of the soul and senses--and a living contemporary history of black struggle in this land."

If Beale Street Could Talk"Told through the eyes of Tish, a nineteen-year-old girl, in love with Fonny, a young sculptor who is the father of her child, Baldwin's story mixes the sweet and the sad. Tish and Fonny have pledged to get married, but Fonny is falsely accused of a terrible crime and imprisoned. Their families set out to clear his name, and as they face an uncertain future, the young lovers experience a kaleidoscope of emotions-affection, despair, and hope. In a love story that evokes the blues, where passion and sadness are inevitably intertwined, Baldwin has created two characters so alive and profoundly realized that they are unforgettably ingrained in the American psyche."

also has a film adaptation by moonlight's barry jenkins

Tell Me How Long the Train's been gone At the height of his theatrical career, the actor Leo Proudhammer is nearly felled by a heart attack. As he hovers between life and death, Baldwin shows the choices that have made him enviably famous and terrifyingly vulnerable. For between Leo's childhood on the streets of Harlem and his arrival into the intoxicating world of the theater lies a wilderness of desire and loss, shame and rage. An adored older brother vanishes into prison. There are love affairs with a white woman and a younger black man, each of whom will make irresistible claims on Leo's loyalty. 

---ESSAYS---

Baldwin essay collection. Including most famously: notes of a native son, nobody knows my name, the fire next time, no name in the street, the devil finds work- baldwin on film

--DOCUMENTARIES--

Take this hammer, a tour of san Francisco.

Meeting the man

--DEBATES:--

Debate with Malcolm x, 1963 ( on integration, the nation of islam, and other topics. )

Debate with William Buckley, 1965. ( historic debate in america. )

Heavily moderated debate with Malcolm x, Charles Eric Lincoln, and Samuel Schyle 1961. (Primarily Malcolm X's debate on behalf of the nation of islam, with Baldwin giving occassional inputs.)

----

apart from themes obvious in the book's descriptions, a general heads up for themes of incest and sexual assault throughout his works.

[adamwatchesmovies]

A Quiet Place: Day One (2024)

Of all the ways to extend a franchise, prequels look like the most desperate option. What is there to show before the action in the original started? If it was anything worthwhile, wouldn’t it have been included from the beginning? If there are unanswered questions, how can we be sure they shouldn’t stay unanswered? Seems like someone in Hollywood has figured out the formula because we’ve gotten a string of pretty good prequels recently - Orphan: First Kill, The Omen: First Born, Wonka and Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga. Count A Quiet Place: Day One among them. Though it may not reach the same levels of suspense as the other chapters, it makes up for it with original, well-developed characters and never-before-seen visuals. Written and directed by Michael Sarnoski, it tells us more about what’s going on in this world without shattering any of the mysteries that got us invested in the first place.

Terminally ill cancer patient Sam (Lupita Nyong’o) is in New York City when meteor-like objects fall from the sky. Soon, the streets are overrun by blind, vicious alien creatures with an acute sense of hearing. As the US military tries its best to warn civilians about the dangers the creatures pose and rescue the survivors, Sam meets Eric (Joseph Quinn). Together, they navigate through the city, making as little noise as possible to avoid drawing the creatures to them.

A Quiet Place and its sequel showed the Abbott family in a world where the creatures had already taken over, civilization had mostly broken down and everyone left just did their best to survive. The nice thing about A Quiet Place: Day One is that the only recurring character (Djimon Hounsou’s Henri) plays a tiny part in the story. It still feels like there are many unanswered questions between this story and the ones that introduced us to this world. Why did the creatures land on Earth? We don’t find out because a) it doesn’t matter and b) Sam and Eric are not in a position to find out. Setting the film in New York right as the creatures land means the film has loads of new things to offer us. We’ve never seen this many creatures at once and never with this many people around. The film’s best scene has a crowd trying to make its way toward the safety promised by the government. There are so many people you know someone is going to screw it all up for everybody. Even if everyone is super quiet, the sound of all those footsteps and that collective breathing is on the cusp of being enough to get them noticed by the monsters all around.

But A Quiet Place: Day One isn’t only about Sam and Eric navigating through smashed-up streets while space beasties lie in wait. There’s a surprisingly emotional portion of the film: Sam’s quest to visit a pizza joint. We meet Sam at a hospice. There’s death everywhere now that the creatures have landed, but she was already going to die so she simultaneously doesn’t care if she goes and wants to survive - so she can visit Patsy’s Pizzeria (the East Harlem location) and protect her cat, Frodo. Of all the things to do when the world is falling apart, you think getting a slice should be the least of her priorities until we learn what the restaurant means to her. This quest provides the character with a reason to keep moving (rather than constantly hiding) bringing us from one blasted location to the next all while enriching the character.

In terms of scares and tension, Day One is the least intense of the series - we’ve seen the creatures so much now that even if they’re hiding in the dark, you know what to expect - but this prequel preserves many of the monsters' secrets and even gets us to ask new questions by showing some previously-unseen behavior from them. Ultimately, I don’t think this is a necessary or game-changing chapter but the story, characters and performances are strong. A Quiet Place: Day One is certainly worth your time if you've been following the series. It's also likely to bring new members to the fan club. (September 13, 2024)

[lemonlyman-dotcom]

Game: Add 10 gifs from your favorite shows and tag 10 people

Oh! Fun! Thanks @iboatedhere @liminalmemories21 @literateowl !

1. 9-1-1 Lone Star

2. Wu-Tang: An American Saga

3. New Girl

4. Brooklyn 99

5. Harlem

6. 9-1-1

7. Ted Lasso

8. Atlanta

9. Killing Eve

10. Schitts Creek

Tagging @thisbuildinghasfeelings @ladytessa74 @carlos-in-glasses @chicgeekgirl89 @guardian-angle22 @goldenskykaysani @toomanycupsoftea @herefortarlos @she-walked-away @sapphic--kiwi

[muchemovies]

DEFENDERS' SAGA: the DAUGHTERS OF THE DRAGON series we deserved but never got... Claire Temple, NIGHT NURSE, is the awesome thread that links all the individual Defenders' series, beginning with DareDevil, then Jessica Jones, Luke Cage & eventually Iron Fist & The Defenders. she's mortal, moral, courageous, trained & medical, & committed to helping New York's injured & needy. Claire's such a wonderful character, casting & performance. Mercedes "Misty" Knight, is a tenatious & dedicated Detective, who's not afraid of Harlem & it's underbelly, & who throws herself into Cottonmouth & Luke Cage's fued, only to immerse herself in bigger & bigger corrupt practices. she's fearless, fiesty, fun & unstopable. she's mortal. Colleen Wing is young, poor, moral, & also mortal. her training & skills & wits are her three points for survival. her dedication to her craft & students & her community is indefatigable. she supports & bands with Daniel Rand & The Defenders because her ethics pitch her in oppposition to The Hand & their lethal practices. These three mortal women find themselves entwined with several enhanced individuals, & after their educated skepticism & ethical distancing from them, Claire, Misty & Colleen dedicate their skills, energy & abilities to enhancing the cause. they join the fight against their better judgement. their ethics & morals fuel the best of their intentions & actions. they are us audience in amongst the mele. they are our eyes & ears & dilemas. and they are TREMENDOUS. the characters, actresses & we audience all deserved a spin-off from the Defenders that developed Night Nurse, Misty & the Daughter of The Dragon: instead of just cancelling products that "don't work" (aren't viewed "enough") developing a 6-8part Daughters of The Dragon or similar, centering around Claire, Misty & Colleen could've KICKED-ASS! so many perspectives & experiences & skills & connections, with Claire expereiencing new symptoms & side-effects from a new pathogen, Misty investigating it officially, & Colleen tracing the clandestine activities, could've been an immense series covering Hell's Kitchen, Manhatten & Harlem. Imagine a multi-female-lead series!!! 3 women. 3 slam-dunk individuals who took no shit from anyone. can you IMAGINE! i really wish production houses & studios would listen & learn instead of just abandoning. hey-ho. maybe D+/Marvel will realise what they had & resurect Claire, Misty & Colleen after DD:Born Again is a HUGE SMASH HIT?

[fullcolorfright]

@anti-gravity-insanity tagged me in this so let’s give it a shot

Last song: Harlem by Bill Withers

Last album: Carousel from Hell by Lustsickpuppy

Last book: The Nibelungenlied. Really strong character dynamics for a work of its time, which makes the narrative’s characterization shift between the 1st and 2nd parts especially interesting (it’s cool to me that we can track which older sagas were cobbled together to create the version that’s lasted)

Last movie: Le Samouraï (3rd watch, on a plane). Perfectly pares down This Gun for Hire into an existentialist drama that still thrills. The extreme coordination of the slate grey/tan color scheme boggles me every time

Last show: just finished Cowboy Bebop, finally. Love a genre mishmash. Really fantastic background design

Last google search: The Disintegrated Convict 1907 (great stuff. Surreal stop motion antics)

Favorite color: this is corny but I never really had one. Any color can be beautiful in the right context, it’s hard to pick one out

Relationship status: chillin with my partner + best friend @calvinbeemanart

Current obsession: It’s still silent film

Looking forward to: yesterday the long trip I was on just ended, so I’m looking forward to being back in my usual city, going out to old films, dancing at the goth club, and making art with more materials than what I can carry around in a backpack

Tagging @calvinbeemanart @psygull @phibes @bishopfish and anyone else who’d like to!

[howardhawkshollywoodannex]

David Barry Gray, Larenz Tate, Bokeem Woodbine and Chris Tucker in Dead Presidents (1995). Bokeem was born in Harlem and has 102 acting credits from a 1993 CBS Schoolbreak Special to seven episodes of Wu-Tang: An American Saga (2019-23). His entries among my best 1001 are Freeway, Gridlock'd and Ray. His other honorable mentions are Life, It's the Rage and Black Dynamite.

His other notable credits include Crooklyn, an episode of The Sopranos, 28 episodes of Saving Grace, an episode of Drunk History (as George Washington), Spider Man: Homecoming, Queen and Slim, and 11 episodes of Fargo.

[laresearchette]

Friday, November 10, 2023 Canadian TV Listings (Times Eastern)

WHERE CAN I FIND THOSE PREMIERES?: FOR ALL MANKIND (Apple TV+) THE CURSE (Paramount +) EVERYTHING CHRISTMAS (W Network) 9:00pm

WHAT IS NOT PREMIERING IN CANADA TONIGHT? AFTER THE BLAST: THE WILL TO SURVIVE (ABC Feed) BELLE COLLECTIVE (TBD - OWN Canada) THE CURSE (TBD)

NEW TO AMAZON PRIME CANADA/CBC GEM/CRAVE TV/DISNEY + STAR/NETFLIX CANADA:

AMAZON PRIME CANADA 007: ROAD TO A MILLION DINA HASHEM: DARK WHISPERS KANDAHAR TREVOR WALLACE: PTERODACTYL

CBC GEM CRIME (Season 2) LE COYOTE TRAMPOLINE GYMNASTICS WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS (starts today, goes until November 12th)

CRAVE TV A CHANCE FOR CHRISTMAS EVE AND THE FIRE HORSE FOUR CHRISTMASES GODFATHER OF HARLEM (Season 3, Episode 1) INTO THE DEEP THE JOURNEY HOME LAMBORGHINI: THE MAN, THE LEGEND MIRACLE IN MOTOR CITY ONE WEEK PUSS IN BOOTS: THE LAST WISH SISU STILL MINE VIOLENT NIGHT

DISNEY + STAR BOBI WINE: THE PEOPLE’S PRESIDENT

NETFLIX CANADA AT THE MOMENT (TW) THE KILLER TEAM NINJA WARRIOR (Season 2)

2023 FIFA MEN'S U17 WORLD CUP (TSN/TSN4) 6:48am: Spain vs. Canada

GRAND SLAM OF CURLING (SN) 11:00am: National - Draw 14 (SN) 3:00pm: National - Draw 15 (SN) 7:00pm: National - Draw 16

NHL HOCKEY (SNWest/TSN4) 7:00pm: Flames vs. Leafs (SN1) 7:00pm: Wild vs. Sabres (SN) 10:00pm: Sharks vs. Knights

NBA BASKETBALL (TSN/TSN3/TSN5) 7:30pm: Nets vs. Celtics (SN Now) 8:30pm: Clippers vs. Stars (TSN/TSN3/TSN5) 10:00pm: Lakers vs. Suns

AMPLIFY (APTN) 7:30pm: Anishinaabe electro-pop artist Wolf Saga draws inspiration for his music from a painting his grandmother bought, which connects him to his culture. This episode features Richard Gracious, Janis Monture, Elder Mary Lou Smoke and Betty Albert.

THE FATHER (CTV2) 8:00pm: A man refuses assistance from his daughter as he ages. As he tries to make sense of his changing circumstances, he begins to doubt his loved ones, his own mind and the fabric of his reality.

7TH GEN (APTN) 8:00pm: Matthew Monias - Mattmac: Many people know Matthew Monias by his stage name, Mattmac. Discover how this Oji-Cree blind recording artist from Garden Hill First Nation is taking the world by storm with his music and blazing a trail with his advocacy work.

THE REAL HOUSEWIVES OF JERSEY (Slice) 8:00pm: La Finn

PLANET WONDER (CBC) 8:30pm: How the language used about climate change affects the motivation to do something about it.

A DASH OF CHRISTMAS (CTV Life) 8:00pm: To apply for her dream job at a foodie startup, an executive must learn to bake. When she recruits a handsome baker to help her, she inadvertently ends up in a Christmas Bakeoff.

FRIDAY NIGHT THUNDER (APTN) 8:30pm: The inaugural NASCAR Pinty's race finally arrives at Ohsweken Speedway and Aaron Turkey proves to be a hometown hero in the historic event. Meanwhile, Joshua Hill hustles to get his car back on the track after getting into a wreck the night before.

THE FIFTH ESTATE (CBC) 9:00pm: The Girls Around Robert G. Miller: In partnership with Radio-Canada's investigative program, "Enquête," "The Fifth Estate" examines troubling claims that a Canadian billionaire had a long history of paying teenagers for sex.

TRANSPLANT (CTV) 9:00pm: Bash reconnects with the man who got him to Canada.

BEAT BOBBY FLAY: HOLIDAY THROWDOWN (Food Network Canada) 9:00pm (SEASON PREMIERE): Katie Lee Biegel cracks the wishbone with Turkey Day classics and makes this holiday reunion a surprise family affair. Chefs Darnell Ferguson, Bryan Voltaggio and Michael Voltaggio attempt to squash Bobby Flay with a new turkey tradition.

CATWOMAN: HUNTED (Cartoon Network Canada) 9:00pm: Catwoman attempts to steal a priceless jewel.

VIOLENT NIGHT (Crave) 9:00pm: An elite team of mercenaries breaks into a family compound on Christmas Eve, taking everyone hostage inside. However, they aren't prepared for a surprise combatant: Santa Claus is on the grounds, and he's about to show why this Nick is no saint.

W5 (CTV) 10:00pm: The Mystery Bomber: "W5" investigates the identity of a would-be bank robber who exploded in a dramatic heist.

CRIME BEAT (Global) 10:00pm: Nothing is What it Seems: Part 1: A man walking his dog comes upon a neighbor's garage engulfed in flames; when the smoke clears, a woman is found dead with drug paraphernalia nearby; nothing is what it seems, and police are left combing through a web of lies to find the killer.

[animusiem]

Billboard USA Exclusion Zone Episode 8 (04/01/2023)

The aftermath of an album bomb week can be chaotic and this is one of them. I'd say that I found myself one of the contenders of my favorite songs overall of 2023. But we'll get to it later. Anyways, let's get into this!

-----------------------------------------------------

5. "Set Me Free Pt. 2" by Jimin

Another week, another BTS member releasing their solo output. This will be a reoccuring thing folks for this year. Anyways this one is from Jimin and if I'm being honest here, this sounds like if J Cole made Middle Child but with the same producers that did Work Out.

14. "Ella Baila Sola" by Eslabon Armando X Peso Pluma

Can't believe that one of the breakout hits from this year would be Peso Pluma. Anyways this banda song at least the song have more body and groove than another banda song that we'll be talking about down the list

24. "All Of The Girls You Loved Before" by Taylor Swift

I heard that despite the Ticketmaster saga, Taylor Swift's ERAS tour has gone down as one of the best tours seems like. With that successful tour, she released new material with this one being the song that supposed to be on Lover. Honestly she should just released this song sooner because wow this song has some great production.

29. "Coco Chanel" by Eladio Carrion ft. Bad Bunny

I think anything with Bad Bunny in it is guaranteed to be a hit on Global 200. Even if the song is as goofy as this one

66. "Si La Calle Llama" by Eladio Carrion ft. Myke Towers

I feel like Eladio Carrion is the NAV of the Spanish speaking world. Seriously this is just a generic trap rap song you would hear in 2016.

78. "Remix Exclusivo" by Feid

I'm still trying to figure out the appeal of Feid honestly. Whenever that time come I would just say that his songs are decent at best.

138. "Eat Your Young" by Hozier

I'm still surprised how this song did so well in streaming even two weeks after it was released. Like his sophomore album didn't move any needles at all, and yet his comeback single about imperialism and how it crippled a lot of poor nations through the extraction of the resources backed by very bluesy production and gorgeous harmony is the one that people are wanting. Oh and also this song is one of my favorite so far this year and I hope to god it became a hit.

147. "Oi Balde" by Ze Neto & Christiano

We back to Brazil again and like the banda music, you really either gonna love it or hate it if you care about the composition or not. For me, the chorus sounds like Cercavo Amore.

157. "Mbappe" by Eladio Carrion

So this is the song that made Eladio Carrion famous huh. Yeah this is still not good. Even Future remix can't save this lackluster song that only got here due to the name recognition.

161. "Arcangel: BZRP Music Session Vol 54" by Bizarrap & Arcangel

You always follows your biggest hit to date with a banger and I'd say that he delivered once again. Also I have warmed up on Arcangel voice.

162. "Dijeron Que No La Iba Lograr" by Chico Pacas X Fuerza Regida

I think out of all the banda songs I have heard this year, this one might be the worst one. That big brass is clipped so hard in the mix that it is jarring to hear. Just awful all around.

168. "Vacilao" by Ze Felipe, Igow & Wesley Safadao

Well this is going into my ever growing penis music playlist beside How You Like That by Blackpink and Harlem Shake.

169. "lo que hay x aqui" by Rels B

That bassline kinda irk me to no end and that's a damn shame because I do like the production overall.

188. "Traumatizei" by Henrique & Juliano

You know I've always never been surprised by anything by doing this series and being an avid international chart nerd. But this song which is a country Brazilian song...yeah it really caught me by surprised.

196. "Style" by Taylor Swift

Seems like the Eras tour also affected old songs to have resurgence in streaming as they bring probably one of the best Taylor singles to date.

I highly recommend eveyone to listen to these songs

[iamsabrinakay210]

Let us challenge one another to parse and marinate the struggle, achievements, ingenuity, and noteworthy efforts of black individuals, groups, and social movements not typically referenced in the narrow narratives annually prescribed to us.

“Black history” is more vast and complex than what’s commonly referred to as the “Civil Rights Era.” Delve deeper into the inexcusable evil of slavery (check out the unique perspectives featured in Runaway Slaves and When I Was a Slave). Become acquainted with the context and particulars of Black Emancipation, Black Codes, Reconstruction Era, Jim Crow, the Great Migration, the Black Cabinet, the New Negro and the Harlem Renaissance, the Scottsboro Boys and back to Ancient Kemet.

Take the time to truly familiarize yourself with the motivations, vexation, and self-determination behind movements like the Universal Negro Improvement Association, New Negro Alliance, The Association for the Study of African American Life and History, National Negro Congress, Women’s Political Council, Student National Coordinating Committee, Black Panther Party, Black Power, womanism, and Black Lives Matter.

The curious will pursue knowledge while the incurious will remain content with unawareness and the whitewashed propaganda they were groomed to accept.

The purpose of Black History Month was set forth by its originators to motivate a more earnest study of black involvement in the making of this nation. There’s a tendency to examine the historical evolution of the United States apart from crucial developments in law, culture, and social order directly related to the black experience. Black History Month should be used as a way to expose the fact that black America’s saga is indivisible from what this country is and how it came to be.

Yes, Black history IS American history.

Despite this, our story is routinely diminished, erased, or co-opted to better jive with our white-oriented culture. To change "Black History Month" to "American History Month" is the president's efforts to dishonor and further mislead the real-life texture of this nation’s black legacy.

Signed,

All the black people who know our layered, pained, resilient, and beautiful history are far more than a “Holiday”, “Month’s Celebration” or Dr. King just having a dream.

EDUCATOR DR. W.E.B DUBOIS

Pres.NELSON MANDELA

"DRUM MAJOR FOR JUSTICE" REV.DR. MARTIN LUTHER KING JR.

PILOT BESSIE COLEMAN

POET, ACTRESS,ACTIVIST MAYA ANGELOU

BRO. MIN. MALCOLM X (Born Malcolm Little, later el-Hajj Malik el-Shabazz)

NAACP ACTIVIST, ✝️AME affiliate MRS.ROSA PARKS

FORMER PRES.BARACK OBAMA

[skyfullofpods]

Happy audio fiction Sunday! Here are my thoughts about some of the fiction podcasts I've been listening to this week - including the brilliant series finale of @wakeofcorrosion, an absolute rollercoaster of a @midstpodcast episode, and a very exciting @hellofromthehallowoods revelation!

[malcolmartist1977]

THE SAGA CONTINUES

ALEX STEALS A TROMBONE FROM A 8 YEAR OLD BLACK KID FROM HARLEM

HIM AND HIS MOTHER CHASES ALEX DOWN

MAMA: GIVE MY SON HIS INSTRUMENT

THE VAN STOPS

MALCOLM, CHRIS ROCK, CHRIS TUCKER AND JACKIE CHAN GET OUT AND BEAT UP ALEX.

THEY STOP.

JACKIE: WYDONIA IN CHINATOWN?

CHRIS TUCKER: LETS GO!

[rickrosset]

Best Movies of 2024

Looks like we made it... (cue up the Shania and pop the bubbly or sparkling water). I watched 400 movies this year. That is a lot. After 2023, I said I wouldn't watch 400 again but I'm an insane person when I put my mind to something. My best of 2024 list is far from complete but I've been staring intently at a two dimensional screen for awhile so I might as well share my extremely subjective results. Hugs and kisses to all you bitches. Now let's go get this paper in 2025.

1. Dune: Part Two ***** (3/2/24)

2. September 5th ****1/2 (12/31/24)

3. Sing Sing ****1/2 (12/26/24)

4. Conclave **** (12/21/24)

5. Anora **** (11/3/24)

6. A Real Pain **** (12/31/24)

7. Juror #2 **** (12/20/24)

8. A Complete Unknown **** (12/30/24)

9. Blitz **** (12/25/24)

10. The Substance **** (9/22/24)

11. Wicked **** (12/28/24)

12. Love Lies Bleeding **** (8/16/24)

13. Rebel Ridge **** (9/14/24)

14. Gladiator II **** (12/23/24)

15. The Friend **** (10/3/24)

16. Nightbitch **** (12/31/24)

17. The Bikeriders **** (6/21/24)

18. Blink Twice **** (11/17/24)

19. Civil War **** (5/18/24)

20. Anthony Jeselnik: Bones and All **** (11/28/24)

21. The Quiet Place: Day One **** (6/26/24)

22. Caddo Lake **** (10/22/24)

23. Trap ***1/2 (12/27/24)

24. Strange Darling ***1/2 (8/27/24)

25. Furiosa ***1/2 (5/27/24)

26. Lee ***1/2 (12/27/24)

27. Beatlejuice Beatlejuice ***1/2 (9/5/24)

28. Deadpool and Wolverine ***1/2 (7/29/24)

29. The Dead Don’t Hurt ***1/2 (6/3/24)

30. MaXXXine ***1/2 (7/6/24)

31. Late Night with the Devil ***1/2 (11/1/24)

32. Twisters ***1/2 (7/16/24)

33. Alien: Romulus ***1/2 (8/14/24)

34. Sorry, Not Sorry ***1/2 (7/12/24)

35. Monkey Man ***1/2 (7/6/14)

36. The Greatest Night in Pop ***1/2 (3/24/24)

37. HARLEM FRAGMENTS (8/11/24 - short film)

38. Abigail *** (8/18/24)

39. Longlegs *** (11/2/24)

40. Untold: Sign Stealer ***1/2 (9/2/24)

41. Drive-Away Dolls *** (2/24/24)

42. Challengers *** (5/12/24)

43. Nickel Boys *** (12/22/24)

44. The Fall Guy *** (12/16/24)

45. Carry-on *** (12/16/24)

46. Beverly Hills Cop: Axel F *** (7/5/24)

47. The Truth vs. Alex Jones *** (3/31/24)

48. The Killer *** (8/23/24)

49. The Instigators *** (8/15/24)

50. The Beekeeper *** (1/12/24)

51. Don’t Move *** (10/28/24)

52. Brats *** (6/16/24)

53. Road House *** (3/24/24)

54. Dave Attel: Hot Cross Buns *** (7/22/24)

55. What Jennifer Did *** (5/5/24)

56. Nosferatu **1/2 (12/26/24)

57. The Union **1/2 (9/29/24)

58. Untold: The Murder of Air McNair **1/2 (8/24/24)

59. Argyle **1/2 (1/29/24)

60. Horizon: An American Saga: Part 1 ** (6/27/24)

61. TMZ Presents: The Downfall of Diddy **1/2 (11/30/24)

62. Unfrosted ** (5/27/24)

63. Megalopolis 1/2* (9/27/24)

64. Madame Web 1/2* (2/18/24)

[eton75]

The Hypocrisy of Racism: A Closer Look at Donald Trump Jr.’s Controversial Emails

When Donald Trump Jr. was born to his Czech mother, Ivana, she wasn’t even an American citizen. None of her children were born when she had acquired U.S. citizenship, making her son, Donald Jr., an immigrant by heritage. This is the same man who has sent racist emails targeting Mexicans and Black Americans. How ironic is it that someone who is Czech and fluent in the language, and the great-grandson of a German immigrant who ran a house of ill-repute in San Francisco, feels entitled to spew such bigotry?

On his father’s side, the family history doesn’t paint a flattering picture either. Donald Jr.’s great-grandfather, Friedrich Trump, was a Bavarian immigrant who fled to avoid military service and made his fortune running brothels during the Gold Rush. His grandfather, Fred Trump, was infamously taken to court by the U.S. government for discriminating against Black tenants in his housing projects. And then there’s Donald Trump himself—a man whose racism has been documented so thoroughly that denying it requires willful ignorance or complicity.

Donald Jr.’s recently exposed emails, filled with racist slurs and offensive comments, are another chapter in this saga of inherited prejudice. These emails, exchanged with his friend Gentry Beach, reveal their contempt for Mexicans, Black Americans, and even Jews. Highlights include:

• Complaints about Mexicans refusing to learn English.

• Worries about speaking Spanish to his future grandchildren.

• Derogatory remarks about the increasing Black population in Manhattan, referencing Harlem and “The Jeffersons” theme song.

• The use of racial slurs like “w**backs” and joking about “hunting Jews and shooting Mexicans.”

These emails are not just offensive—they are a window into a deeply ingrained culture of racism and privilege.

What makes this even more troubling is the legal context. These emails are part of a court case involving Gentry Beach and Touradji Capital Management. Beach, trying to shield Trump Jr., has requested redactions of Trump’s name from the record. However, the court may soon make these emails public, exposing the blatant racism for all to see.

Donald Jr.’s behavior raises serious questions about accountability. His family’s wealth and status have shielded him from consequences, but his lack of intelligence, substance abuse issues, and offensive worldview make him a liability. While he attempts to position himself as a defender of traditional American values, his actions betray a legacy of hypocrisy and bigotry.

It’s ironic to see people like Trump Jr., who embody the immigrant story themselves, perpetuating racist ideologies. Instead of contributing to constructive dialogue, he doubles down on hate. Yet, his lack of influence and self-destruction through substance abuse make him less of a threat to society and more of a cautionary tale.

#DonaldTrumpJr #RacismExposed #Hypocrisy #Bigotry #Accountability #StopTheHate