#I want another caper movie

[sittinwithyou]

if I won the lottery right now, Power Ball and everything, I would give 98% of that to fund this project. The other 2% would be for the tickets later.

After watching him play Benoit Blanc I think we all know that folks need to give Daniel Craig more roles he can have fun with, and by that I mean I need him to be the only human in a Muppets movie

[aethon-recs]

2024 Update to Tomarrymort Longfic Recs — 8 additional fics

I wanted to add 8 lovely new longfics that have been published since the last time I put together this rec list — 6 more for the Intermediate reads list and 2 more for Advanced. Hopefully you’ll find something within these additional 950k words of absolutely brilliant Tomarrymort fic to sink your teeth into and enjoy:

Longfic rec list collection:

Tomarrymort Beginner reads are the fics I would use to introduce someone to the ship and help them get a baseline for the variety, themes, and tropes that best represent our ship;

Intermediate reads are for readers that are already familiar/sold on the ship, and are looking for fics that explore interesting new facets of the Tomarrymort dynamic; 

Advanced reads comprise challenging works of some nature, whether the writing features more complex subject matter and/or pushes the boundaries of what’s possible in a piece of fanfic.

Please enjoy these 8 additions to the list, all of which are either completed or still updating as of 2024!

*

Intermediate Longfic Recs

A Light That Never Goes Out by @kippipies (M, 80k, WIP)

Setting: Non-Magical AU Premise: If Harry is the target of a dangerous crime lord called Voldemort and his gang of Death Eaters in a modern mafia AU. Why I rec it: This is a delightful, high-energy caper of a fic in which Harry is a scrappy low-time criminal who accidentally crosses crime boss Voldemort. Naturally, Voldemort sets his sights on getting revenge, but Harry slips through his fingers at the last minute each time. The action scenes in this fic are incredibly dynamic and super fun — I felt like I was watching an action movie at each confrontation between Harry and Voldemort.

And the Living Will Envy the Dead by @k-s-morgan (M, 81k, WIP)

Setting: Time Travel (1940s) Premise: If Harry were flung back in time to Tom’s sixth year and almost immediately reveals he is Tom’s horcrux, setting off a chain reaction of obsession and control.  Why I rec it: An intricately crafted character study of Tom and how he gained control over the rest of Slytherin House by the time Harry meets him at the start of sixth year. Harry’s arrival throws Tom’s plans off-kilter, especially once Harry reveals he was Tom’s horcrux in another timeline. This leads Tom to believe the other version of him had somehow loved Harry, and shows him that it’s possible to form such a connection with Harry here if he wants, despite how dark, cruel, and violent he turned out and how little he cares for others. 

By Any Means by @corpium (E, 74k, WIP)

Setting: Alternate Universe Premise: If Harry has a younger brother Evan who is the Boy-Who-Lived, yet Harry’s overprotective actions towards Evan end up attracting the attention of Voldemort directly onto himself. Why I rec it: This is a really engaging and fast-paced adaptation of canon events if Harry were born 2 years earlier and his younger brother were the one that the prophecy applied to. The relationship between Harry and Evan is really sweet, as they share the burden of growing up at the Dursleys and all the adventures that Harry underwent in canon. There’s also such a fascinating exploration of magic as Harry gradually becomes more powerful as a result of all the trials that he’s put through, eventually becoming powerful enough to attract the attention of Voldemort. 

Pledged by @moontearpensfic (E, 118k, WIP)

Setting: Alternate Universe Premise: If Harry and Tom are best friends that enter together into a Hunger Games-crossed-with-Triwizard Tournament in their seventh year.  Why I rec it: This fic depicts co-dependency to such an intense degree between Harry and Tom. Not only are they inseparable best friends throughout their time at Hogwarts, they also perform a cooperative magic ritual that binds their magic to each other permanently, and allows them to share thoughts and feelings with each other across a mental link. There’s also an intriguing mystery at the heart of this story, as Harry and Tom try to figure out the origins of the Triwizard-style tournament that they enter into in their seventh year. 

Revolution of Configured Stars by @tollingreminiscentbells (E, 153k, WIP)

Setting: Voldemort Wins AU Premise: If Harry was raised in a pureblood family in a universe where Voldemort wins, and ends up attracting the attention of Voldemort in his seventh year at Hogwarts.  Why I rec it: This is such an intricate, incredibly thoughtful depiction of a society where Voldemort won and Harry was raised as a ward of a pureblood family. By the time it’s Harry’s seventh year, he’s a budding Arithmancy scholar who wants to explore whether it’s possible to choose the optimal timeline via arithmantic calculations, which catches the attention of Voldemort. Voldemort and Harry’s relationship unfolds in such a steamy way, and they truly feel like equals who hold each other in high regard, as Voldemort reveals that they have been inextricably linked by fate, whether or not he ended up trying to kill Harry as a baby in this particular timeline. 

the stars, my destination by @milkandmoon-ao3 (M, 15k, WIP)

Setting: Time Travel (Marauders Era) Premise: If Harry is sent back in time as an infant and adopted into the Potter family, growing up and attending Hogwarts alongside James.  Why I rec it: There is a dearth of Harrymort fics set in Marauders Era so it is such a delight to read about Harry’s friendships and rivalries with Marauders Era characters, like being best friends with Regulus and Quidditch rivals with James. As Harry starts his sixth year, the First Wizarding War heats up in the background and begins spilling into their life at Hogwarts as many of their classmates are recruited to fight on either side of it. All the while that he has to keep secret the strange mental connection that he’s had with the Dark Lord all his life. 

*

Advanced Longfic Recs

Hearthstone Abbey (Series) by @ramabear (E, 152k, WIP series)

Setting: Soulmate AU Premise: If second year Harry is plucked away from his canon universe by Voldemort from another universe who is his soulmate. Why I rec it: I wholly melted at all the ways Voldemort takes care of Harry in this fic, better treatment than Harry’s ever gotten in his entire life, and Harry is so lovable and adorable in turn. Voldemort has established himself as a religious figurehead/cult leader in the alternate universe, and it was very interesting to read about his alternate path to power. The soft grooming in this fic was so so delicious, ramping up in intensity as the fic progresses; Voldemort completely dotes on Harry and their dynamic is so sweet and tender, a very nice counterbalance to the sinister and predatory tones that underlie their relationship.

if we were lovers by @reggieblk (E, 277k, complete)

Setting: Non-Magical AU Premise: If Harry and Tom meet in a prestigious drama programme and fall for each other against a backdrop of high stakes threatre productions.  Why I rec it: The character work is so rich and detailed in this coming-of-age story in a modern AU setting. It’s clear there was so much thought that went into all the character interactions here, not only between Harry and Tom, but also the ensemble cast of characters who inject so much heart and humor into this story as well. I love the way that @reggieblk cleverly weaves in elements from Shakespeare’s plays and uses the theatre backdrop to depict how the love story between Harry and Tom unfolds — their developing relationship feels, at the same time, both very immersive and cozy, as well as highly fraught with tension. (As a bonus, there is an absolutely amazing original play in the interlude chapter that was written specifically for this fic!)

*

[n01r-kn1ght]

I’m no expert at writing but came across an old and abandoned draft of a not official continuation of the The Party Incident and Other Embarrassing Anecdotes so I thought I’d share it

Lovingly titled:

The Sleepover Incident

a fanfic of a fanfic

Tonight was the night, you spent a good half of your day prepping your living room to sleepover perfection. When was the last time you had hosted a sleepover let alone been to one? The last one you can recall was around middle school, just before high school, with a couple of your classmates. You were giddy, though you know that movie nights weren't uncommon for you and your friends but a sleepover is a whole different ballpark. The coffee table in the living room was pushed to the side, making way for the ultimate blanket fort. The fort's main structure was made up of the couch and armchairs with your wooden easel as additional structure. The inside of the fort was the fluffiest rug you had as the base, a couple of blankets and meticulously placed pillows. As the cherry on top, you had strung up some fairy lights leftover from last Christmas which gave the fort a warm cozy glow. Smiling and nodding to yourself as you admire your handiwork.

Glancing at the clock, you had a few minutes to spare before someone arrived. Taking the opportunity to finish setting up the snacks and whipping up your infamous cracker dip. It was a recipe passed down from your favorite uncle, a simple dip with Mayo, capers, dill and walnut. Nutty, salty and dilly? What more could a girl want, if you could you'd eat it by the spoonful but then you'd get judging glances from the others. Paps especially, exclaiming "NOT ANOTHER CONDIMENT CONSUMER, YOU AND MY BROTHER COULDN'T BE MORE PERFECT FOR EACH OTHER". After setting up the snack station on the coffee table you heard the sound of familiar footsteps approaching your door, glancing at the clock the door knocked right on time. Making your way to the door, the usual scenario play out.

"knock knock".

"Who's there?" Wondering what new knock knock joke he's whipping out from the seemingly endless supply of jokes he had.

"nobel".

"Nobel who?" You asked as you opened the door.

"nobel, so I knocked", sans shrugged with that playful grin on his face, Papyrus groaned behind him. The two were dressed comfortably, Papyrus in his pjs with rubber duckies on them and Sans in a black tee and a pair of sweatpants.

You rolled your eyes playfully, a smirk forming on your face "Very funny", stepping aside to let the two skeletons in. The two walked in, with Papyrus making a beeline for your cat who was curiously poking its head out to see what all the fuss was  about.

"it's not no-bell prize worthy, but if you like it then it's good enough", giving you a nuzzle on the cheek.

A bit of warmth crept on your face "That would have been really cute if it wasn't for that pun".

Papyrus walked over with you cat comfortably curled in his arms "AGREED, YOUR ROMANTIC GESTURES ARE SOURED BY YOUR CONSTANT NEED FOR PUNS BROTHER", he huffed.

The three of you moved over to the living room, you looked at the brothers with anticipation, waiting to see their reaction to the blanket fort. Papyrus's reaction was immediate, an excited noise escaped his teeth as he gently placed the cat and bags he had been carrying down to admire your work.

"WOWIEE HUMAN, YOUR BLANKET FORT HAS EXCEED MY ALREADY HIGH EXPECTATIONS!" He exclaimed, crawling in only to be delighted even more so that he could comfortably sit without having his skull bumping into the blanket ceiling "I DON'T EVEN HAVE TO SLOUCH TO FIT IN", you felt a bit of pride.

"heh, trying to one up my fort?" Sans asked keeping his eyelights on the fort.

"Me? Trying to one up you? Please, that's a blanket statement". Papyrus poked his head out with a look of betrayal as you punned.

Sans smile grew "if you say so, I'll try not to get too wrapped up with it". With that, the taller skeleton got up and grabbed his bag to set up the food he brought on the coffee table, leaving the two punners behind.

"but in all honesty, it's a great fort, puts mine under the covers", Sans stated nodding in approval.

Your smiled softened "Come on yours was great too, especially since you made it on the fly. I had hours to perfect this, do you know how many times it collapsed on me? Be glad that I'm not an architect".

"i'd say the results would be pretty concrete, wouldn't want you to crack under pressure", you move your arm to punch his shoulder but as usual he dodged it effortlessly.

As he dodged your futile punch, you noticed the small bag he was carrying on left "it's the movies me and paps picked out" he answered the question forming in your head, he sat down in the blanket fort setting his bag aside.

"Oh? And may i know what these movies are? Well I mainly wanna know yours, I'm guessing Paps picked an adventure film or a family film", you say, sitting down next to him, your knee touching his knee cap.

"right on the money with paps", he leans back on a pillow, propping himself up with both arms behind his skull "and i ain't telling ya, these metaphorical lips are sealed".

Joining him, leaned your head against him "Oh come on, at least tell me what genre it is. Is it a comedy or one of those movies that are so bad their good".

"gonna have to get that information from my cold dead hands".

"Really now?" you lean over to face him, your hands resting on each of his sides "Wonder if i could tickle your funny bone to get that info out of you".

"do your worst, nothin gets under my skin", he said cooly.

Just for that pun, you attacked with a barrage of tickles. Fingers tickling in spots you'd typically be most sensitive to, but to your dismay his face gave no reaction except for that ever growing smug grin.

"told ya", he said before sitting up and pushing you down, effectively switching positions.

He was on top of you with his phalanges intertwined with your fingers, keeping you pinned down. His face, mere inches away from yours and his face was shadowed with only the warm lights of the fairy light illuminating the edges of his skull. His eyelights were soft and dilated, the only sound you could hear was your ever increasing breath and the sound of your soul stuttering.

Thump Thump

Your cheeks grew warmer, as he slowly made to move in closer to your face. A kiss? You closed your eyes, happily accepting a kiss. For a moment, nothing happened then you felt his phalanges leave and move to your sides. When suddenly you felt a sharp tickling sensation of bony phalanges dance across your skin under your shirt. Your eyes shot open as your burst out laughing, you move your hands to push away his but he deceptively had a strong hold of you.

"S-Sans!" you barely spat out between laughing fits, snorting in a breath "That's cheating!" he moved from your sides tickling your armpit and neck.

"what? this ain't tickling your fancy?"

"No!" you spat, feeling the tears streaming down your face "Make it stop" you pleaded.

"alright, say uncle", he briefly stopped to let that sink in.

...

You blinked, taking the opportunity to catch your breath "Are... Are you serious...?"

...

He stared at you for a moment before resuming his attack in response. A snort got caught in your throat as you sharply inhaled the air. You can feel your cheeks starting to ache from the smiling and your stomach cramping from laughing fits.

You were even getting a little lightheaded "U-uncle!" you surrendered. He quickly retracted his phalanges from your ticklish spots. You panted, taking a moment to calm down and catch your breath.

Once calmed down, you sat up face to face with him, pouting "You're the worst, catching me off guard like that".

"hey pal, just dishing back what you were serving", he chuckles.

"Ugh, to think you faked out a smooch. Unbelievable", crossing your arms.

His cheekbones dusted with a light blue, he cupped your face in his hands "if you wanted to smooch you could have just asked", he said warmly.

Thump thump

The warmth crept back in "Please", you softly said, you're lips feeling tender and tingly.

"well, since you asked so nicely", he pulls you in, his teeth nuzzling against your lips. Small warm tingles peppered your lips, you reciprocated with applying back your own pressure from your lips. You felt warm, loved and safe with him.

The two of you pull back, you're face glowing with red and warmth and Sans literally glowing. The two of you looked at each other longingly, fingers and phalanges intertwined. The quiet tender moment was interrupted with a small squeal of delight. Looking out the entrance of the blanket fort, you see Papyrus crouching down with his hands cupping his jaw. Realising the two of you noticed him, he cleared his throat and quickly left with your cat to give you space. You shook your head, chuckling softly.

[orbot5]

I need another Mst3k movie.NOW!!but they should do something like muppet caper bro it bee so good id eat it up IMMEDIATELY!!!like oh my god bro literally!!!like kinga and max have this idea to make there own bad movie, (maybe they’ve already done this idk,,) so it’d be like a mix of most wanted n muppet caper bro OH MY GOD PLS RIFFTAX🙏and they’d get to go to earth it be actually so cool please guys guys guys please…..(please🤗) (and mahbe they’ve already done this, if they have, please tell me!!!) (I love muppet caper so much)(the soundtrack goes so hard)

[frances-baby-houseman]

This morning on my run I listened to the PCHH about hit man and multiple people on the panel said they didn't like it because it wasn't a good rom com. That's because it wasn't a rom com!! Just because Glen Powell was in a different rom com and there is a lady in this movie who he kisses, doesn't mean that THIS is a rom com! It's basically a noir crime-caper. Everyone wants everythign to be a rom com but you know what we need more of? erotic thrillers! The 80s and 90s were full of them and I guess now we're relying on Glen to bring back BOTH genres, which are not the same, LINDA!! Sorry you wanted a rom com but this wasn't a bad rom com, it was just... something else!

AND ANOTHER THING!!

People are also talking about this like it was a Steven Soderbergh movie or something. but it's Richard Linklater! He's just a little texas man! He just makes little shaggy texas movies except when he gets better money to make a shaggy texas movie set in new orleans!

I don't know why I even care what PCHH had to say, I don't like them at all anymore. Like it's fine to not like the movie, it was not for everyone! I did like it but I also really like richard linklater! but it's not fine to dislike it bc you thought it would be a rom com and it wasn't! Especially if you're a cultural critic! this is your JOB. Don't go to Tacos El Norte wanting lo mein and then be mad you got a burrito!!

[legally-brief]

MOVIES WITH MEN IN UNDERWEAR (This is outdated- website shutdown early 2000’s)

“H-I”

Hadley’s Rebellion (1984) Griffin O’Neal at 15 wearing just underwear.

Hail, Hero! (1969) Michael Douglas makes a big splash in his first film by stripping down to his plaid trim-cut boxer shorts, then jumping bare-ass into a pond.

Hair (1979) Another army physical scene.

Halfback of Notre Dame, The (1996) (TV) There is a lockeroom scene after a football game where the quarterback of the team (young guy) stands in the middle of the lockeroom talking about a party in his underwear (white boxer briefs).

Hamburger Hill (1987) Vietnam war drama. The entire cast is HOT. Tons of bare-chested boxer scenes (was waiting for some jockey ones though).

Hamburger... The Motion Picture (1986) Guy strips to his jockeys in a helicopter.

Hands Across the Table (1935) Fred MacMurray. Gets drunk, sleeps in woman’s apartment in suit. She walks in on him while he’s standing in his boxers, pressing his pants. Then date comes to her door, he answers it in his underwear ... then lounges about in boxers, shirttails, shoes, socks and garters.

Hanky Panky (1982) [? c/f Haunted Honeymoon (1986)] Gene Wilder in long white drawers riding a stuffed moose.

Happy Together (1997) (Cheun gwong tsa sit) Drama. Visually impressive movie about a gay Hong Kong couple's doomed relationship in Argentina. Several scenes with the principals in their underwear.

Haunted Honeymoon (1986) Comedy. Gene Wilder, escaping from a snake, climbs up onto a stuffed moose head on the wall - he's in his shoes, dark socks, garters, white undershirt and pale boxer shorts.

Hazing, The (1977) (Campus Corpse, The) Comedy. Long frat initiation scene with two guys running cross country in jockstraps.

He Got Game (1998) Drama. Ray Allen, woken by the phone, lying on the sofa in his white boxer briefs.

Heartbreak Ridge (1986) Mario Van Peebles and several other marines standing talking in their underwear, about 90 minutes into the movie.

Hearts of the West (1975) (Hollywood Cowboy) Comedy. Jeff Bridges joyfully greets the morning, stepping out on the porch roof in his white boxers and undershirt. Sitting below on the porch, the landlady hears him and looks up to see what’s going on. Embarrassed, Jeff slinks back inside through the window.

Heathers (1989) Couple of young guys run around in their Jockeys and white sweat socks while Christian Slater chases them with a gun.

Held Up (2000) Comedy. "We see some overweight and skinny local men in just their underwear as Rodrigo makes them strip down to that point so that there are no surprises when he has them move a crate inside the store".

Help! (1965) Beatle Ringo Starr is strapped into a metal-expanding machine in a bid to get a ring off his finger. It has no effect on the ring, but causes his pants to unzip and fall, revealing his striped boxers.

Hero and the Terror (1988) Chuck Norris gets out of bed in blue bikinis.

Hidden in America (1996) (TV) Very brief shot of Beau Bridges getting out of bed dressed in T-shirt, boxer shorts, and black dress socks.

High Risk (1981) Heist caper. Two men see a chance to escape from their police cell, and get a boy passing by outside to help by offering him a watch. The kid accepts, then reconsiders and says he also wants their shirts and boots. They try to bargain and he agrees to take just the shirts, but by the time the guards return, the boy has gone, taking their shirts, their boots, and their trousers. The guards find them, the white guy sitting in his socks and white briefs, the black guy standing sheepishly in his socks and red, pin-striped briefs. Great sequence ensues as the guards chase them through the crowded streets.

High Time (1960) Bing Crosby, Richard Beymmer, and a couple of other guys in the dorm, wake up during freshman year and get dressed. Bing wears his white boxers, Richard wears large printed boxers. Boxers were the rage in this sped-up scene.

Higher Learning (1995) Drama. Chasing after his date who runs out on him, guy finds himself standing in the hall with everyone laughing at him, and realises his pants have fallen down, revealing his tartan boxers.

Highway Patrol (Inhand Video) XXX Contains lots of sex scenes with policemen working hard on their boners in briefs and jock-straps, letting others suck at underwear etc.

Highway to Hell (1992) Young Chad Lowe ... near beginning a quick scene where he is roughed up - his jeans slide down for a glimpse of briefs ... the entire second half of the movie is Chad in the hottest white ribbed cotton undershirt, if that counts!

Hill, The (1965) Drama. Outraged by brutal treatment and racist insults, prisoner Ossie Davis defiantly ‘quits the army’ by stripping off his uniform and ripping it up. In his white undershorts, he then marches out across the prison compound to confront the commandant.

Hollow Man (2000) Sci-fi horror. "We briefly see Josh Brolin in his boxers".

Homegrown (1998) Comedy thriller. Billy Bob Thornton in robe and boxer shorts.

Home Alone 3 (1997) Juvenile comedy. "If Hughes isn't pummeling his characters senseless, his wit is benign to the point of nonexistent: His idea of a huge laugh is sending Dad off to work in a suit coat, shirt and tie--and boxer shorts."

Honkytonk Man (1982) A drunken Clint Eastwood is bleary-eyed, lying on a bed in just his white boxers and A-shirt.

Hooper (1978) Comedy. Burt Reynolds crawls out of bed while Sally Field is sleeping. Stands in front of the bedroom mirror and rubs his belly. He's just wearing navy blue low-rise jockey shorts. Nice bulge. Hot scene!

Hornet’s Nest Young boys run around in skimpy shorts and underwear.

Horse Feathers (1932) Marx Brothers comedy. Baravelli is forced to strip to his underwear as Pinky watches. Modestly, he turns the ballerina's poster toward the wall for Baravelli's sake. But then Pinky is forced to strip as well, and he is coyly embarrassed. The two athletes leave them locked in the room and then depart to play in the big football game. The climax of the film is the funny sequence of the wild Huxley-Darwin afternoon football game. Pinky and Baravelli are still in their underwear when the game begins. They escape by sawing into the next room below and falling into a ladies' card party.

Hot Tubs ?

Hotel de Love (1996) Stephen (Simon Bossell) is undressed by a woman (down to his underwear).

House Party (1990) Teen comedy. At the end of the film, after narrow escapes from hoods, the police and his dad, Kid (Christopher Reid) finally sneaks home late, strips down to his white briefs, and is just getting into bed when his father catches him.

House Party 2 (1991) College comedy. Inferior sequel, superior boxers. Catch a glimpse of some lovely big colorful boxer shorts at the pajama party, and in the opening scene.

Houseguest (1995) Comedy. A group of boys challenge Sinbad and his young friend in a basketball game. Sinbad suggests they play for his car against their clothes, and the overconfident boys rashly agree. Game over, they're seen standing in the park in their underwear, acutely embarrassed and begging for their clothes back (unsuccessfully).

How Stella Got Her Groove Back (1998) Romance. Whoopi Goldberg adds some padding to shop-window mannequins displaying assorted CK underwear. Angela Bassett's fine young Jamaican lover (Taye Diggs) apears several times in his underwear, the first time at a pajama party where he wears a brilliant red ganzie and colourful boxer shorts. Several other partygoers are well worth a look, too.

How to Be a Player (1997) Comedy. An underwear scene, but can't recall details.

Hucksters, The (1947) Clark Gable changes his pants revealing full-cut white boxers, in front of his valet. The scene is early on in the film.

Hudsucker Proxy, The (1994) Both Tim Robbins and Paul Newman exhibit their proud hairy legs in corporate boxers and garters in this film about big business.

Huevos de oro (Golden Balls) (1993) Spanish movie. Two guys running around on beach in briefs. Another guy spends most of movie in a Speedo.

Hunk Do not know the actor’s name (C-movie player) in this HORRID fantasy/comedy. Many scenes of near naked/bikini or towel-wearing California-boy type. Much partial nudity throughout.

Hurricane, The (1999) Drama based on true story. Denzel Washington a couple of times in his prison cell in white boxers.

========================

I Love You to Death (1990) Kevin Kline in blue briefs.

I Still Dream of Jeannie (1991) (TV) Weak comedy based on 60's TV sitcom. Tune in about half an hour before the end, and catch the scene where the black MP (D.J. Jackson) is sent to arrest Jeannie. She lets him into the house, then uses her magic to make his combat uniform instantly vanish, leaving him standing shocked and embarrassed in his boots, red socks and underwear - white T-shirt and heart-spotted boxers. She then ties him up with rope, and leaves. We see him later, still tied up, trying to phone for help.

I’m Gonna Get You, Sucka (1988) Blaxploitation spoof. Incidental extra flees brothel raid in open shirt and white briefs, putting his trousers on while he runs (try it - it’s quite difficult!). Also features bizarre ‘Pimp of the Year’ beauty contest with swimsuit line-up.

Ice Castles (1978) Robbie Benson in briefs.

Ice Storm, The (1997) Nice shots of Kevin Kline lounging around the house, no pants and black socks.

If.... (1968) Kid gets his pants taken off and is turned upside down into a toilet - a slow pan of him upside down in his underpants.

If Looks Could Kill (Teen Agent) (1991) Comedy. Richard Grieco hopping around in white briefs.

Impostors, The (1998) Comedy with at least Oliver Platt, Stanley Tucci and Billy Connolly in their underwear.

In Crowd, The (1988) Donovan Leitch about 15 min. into the movie in white briefs and sharing his bed with younger brother also in briefs.

In The Army Now (1994) Pauly Shore in grey briefs

In the Company of Men (1997) Chad, dressing down a young black intern, insists that the intern drop his pants and show him his balls. After the intern sheepishly drops his trousers, Chad completes the ritual humiliation by asking him to fetch a cup of coffee.

IN THE LINE OF DUTY (?) Maybe the wrong title but definitely the right actor. Adam Baldwin as part of a family of cops He is sleeping in V-neck white T-shirt and briefs. A recent TV movie in the states

In the Name of the Father (1994) Rebellious Irish kids ordered by IRA men to drop their pants on a busy street. Daniel Day-Lewis in patterned briefs.

Indecent Proposal (1993) Woody Harrelson in white boxer briefs with Demi Moore

Independence Day (1996) Sci-fi action. In an early scene, Will Smith gets out of bed in his light blue boxer shorts.

Infinity (1996) Matthew Broderick

Innocent Man, An (1989) Thriller. Tom Selleck prepares for a shower at the start of the movie. He strips off his black T-shirt and is in his white briefs for a moment.

Internal Affairs (1990) Bad cops (Richard Gere is one I think) break into a house with a guy sleeping in white T-shirt and briefs, then kill him.

Into the Night (1985/I) Russian communist changing in Tiffany’s wearing white collar shirt and white briefs then runs outside in them when he sees Jeff Goldblum (the man he’s after). Also has bodybuilder Jake (Bodies by Jake) in black bikinis.

Irony of Fate (Ironiya sudby, ili S lyogkim parom!) (1975) (TV) Nadya enters her apartment and finds a man without trousers in her bed. What's more - Nadya's fiance also finds him there...

Ishtar (1987) Warren Beatty has a moment in his full-cut boxer shorts. The film is considered a bomb by most critics, however - with occasional funny moments.

It's a Wonderful Life (1946) James Stewart dries out in his long underwear after being rescued from an icy river.

[nysocboy]

Who is Theo James, and why is he naked all the time?

In White Lotus Season 2, Cameron and Ethan (Theo James, Will Sharpe) and their wives visit the Italian resort, and start flirting with every woman in sight, plus each other. In Episode 4, Cameron even says "I want to be inside you.  I want to do stuff to you."  But it is just queerbaiting; the two never lock lips.  In fact, they hate each other.

You could probably figure that White Lotus, well known for its shocking homophobia, would never portray an actual gay romance.  After all, it was created and written by Mike White, aka The Devil. 

But Theo James is not personally homophobic; he has been interviewed an a dozen gay magazines, he wants to play a gay action-adventure hero, and he was in the running to play gay pop star George Michael.  Let's check his previous work for gay roles. The Time Traveler's Wife (2022) features (straight) lovers stymied by the guy's frequent involuntary time slips.  Heterosexuals all the way down, although it does give us some nice rear and frontal nudity.

Sanditon (2019-22) is an adaption of a novel that Jane Austen left unfinished at her death in 1817. There is actually a gay character, outed in the second season. Theo plays Sidney Parker, whom focus character Charlotte love/hates with the "He's arrogant!" trope.  

In the animated Castlevania (2018-21), Theo plays Hector, whose plot is propelled by that horribly cliched Dead Wife Trope.  

Archive (2020)?  Another guy with a Dead Wife, who he tries to recreate with an android.  Yawn.  I'm beginning to think that it will be tired cliches as well as heterosexuals  all the way down.  Are the butts and dicks worth the trouble?

Lying and Stealing (2019)? Caper romance between two thieves.

How it Ends (2018)?  "In the midst of an Apocalypse, a man struggles to reach his pregnant fiance, who is a thousand miles away." That's actually the motive behind about half of the characters on The Walking Dead: "I'm looking for my wife!"

Before The White Lotus, Theo was most famous for the Divergent series, four movies set in a teen dystopia where people are classified according to their primary virtue: Candor, Dauntless, Erudite, Abnegation, and Amity.  He plays Four, a Dauntless instructor who romances focus character Beatrice. 

Ok, let's try Theo's future projects.  In the upcoming The Gentleman (2024), he plays Eddie Halsted, who inherits his father's estate without realizing that it is the front for a drug empire.  And he...falls in love...with...

I give up.

The nude photos are on RG Beefcake and Boyfriends

[frogosaurus]

photos and details under the cut

shocking absolutely nobody i have lots of feelings on this but i want to see what the consensus is. please rb for larger sample size for this ridiculous poll

Season 1

there's a special place in my heart for this pathetic little guy

Season 2/3

my personal favorite, clearly, since the S2 one is my icon- i like that he has his pathetic charm but isn't perpetually sad

The Muppet Movie

a classic! this version of Gonzo seems to have shorter and thicker fur/hair/feathers? and more slight color changes- this is when we start to go blue rather than purple

S4/Great Muppet Caper

this is when his head gets a lot fuller and he (at least to me) starts to feel older and more relaxed, secure

Muppets Take Manhattan/Muppets Christmas Carol

this is another classic- at this point, the character was becoming solidified and changes became far less frequent- it might be the lighting but the beak/nose is far less fleshy than it was before and is now, it's a lot more purple-y than the pink gray brown that we've seen since S2/S3

Muppets Tonight - Present

not a lot of change here, but i FEEL it. physically, his head feels longer and his neck is thicker. aside from Letters to Santa (idk why) im not the biggest fan of the version of Gonzo we know today compared to past puppets- but you might be, and that's awesome!

[kmomof4]

Fic authors self rec! When you get this, reply with your favorite five fics that you've written, then pass on to at least five other writers. Let’s spread the self-love 💗

Awwwwww!!! Thank you so much, my dear!!! And VERY sorry for the late reply… it has been A WEEK…

Five favorite fics… have to agree with Joni… that’s hard… I’ll probably have to take a page out of her playbook, too, and have some honorable mentions…

In no particular order…

The State of Emergency series- SoE was the second fic I ever wrote, inspired by the Tommy Lee Jones movie Volcano. At the time it was a pretty huge undertaking, and ended up being almost 18k words long! All the fics were soooo much fun to write, even with the addition of another natural disaster in Code White. I was just super happy with how the whole thing turned out.

Of Darkness, Vampires, and Soulmates- This fic is one of my favorites because it was the first time I wrote something for my own event, the CS Supernatural Summer, and because of HOW HARD it was to write. It was the first time I wrote something COMPLETELY out of my own head- no inspiration whatsoever other than a vision of vampire Killian turning Emma- and it took me around seven full months of actively writing to complete it. It was also a lot of fun to include several characters that aren’t often used in fic. @hollyethecurious and @wistfulcynic were very nearly co-writers with me with everything they did to help me finish it.

In the Viper’s Den was written for the @cshistfic event. It’s one of my favorites because I think I did some of my very best writing in it. I’ve also been told by several people that it’s their favorite of my fics. That the action and the romance was very well balanced. It was inspired by the movie Shining Through staring Melanie Griffith and Michael Douglas. The movie is really great and I highly recommend it, but I was especially proud of two extra scenes I included that weren’t even suggested in the movie.

A Family Affair series. Probably not fair that a big series is among my favorites, but sorry, not sorry… I am soooooo STINKIN proud of these fics!!! Inspired by a romance series by Nora Roberts I read in high school, this series tells the love stories of 4 siblings, triplet sisters Emma, Regina, and Ruby, and their older brother David. I’ve had several folks ask for Regina and David’s story as CS fics, but I’m too happy with the stories as they are. And I have a Christmas addition in this universe just waiting for December to get here.

A Christmas Surprise was from a prompt by @gingerpolyglot return from military deployment. I still think it’s one of the cutest things I’ve ever written. It also has an addition ready and waiting for December to get here- the original fic in Killian’s pov and then going forward to their wedding day.

I know that’s five, but I have to include A Mistress to No One, bday fic for @hollyethecurious this year. There are so many things I love so much about this fic that make it a true favorite of mine rather than an honorable mention, not the least of which it’s based on my favorite of the Bridgerton series.

And now to the Honorable Mentions…

Cave Cruises, Cabin Capers, & Cracked Craniums: affectionately nicknamed CC3, this was a collaborative fic with @jrob64 @snowbellewells and @whimsicallyenchantedrose based on our girls vacay to Pigeon Forge earlier this summer.

Out of the Fire, Into Tomorrow: bday fic for @snowbellewells last year. Bar wench Emma Swan meets pirate captain Killian Jones and her life is changed forever.

Dream a Little Dream: bday fic for @jrob64 last year set in the Fairytales universe written by @kymbersmith-90. One of both mine and Joni’s very favorite fics.

Thank you so much for the ask, darlin!!!

To spread the self love, I’m gonna tag everyone mentioned above and anyone else who wants to do it!!!

[agentnico]

MaXXXine (2024) review

Maxine is a star, yet this movie lacks that X-factor.

Plot: In 1980s Hollywood, adult film star and aspiring actress Maxine Minx finally gets her big break. However, as a mysterious killer stalks the starlets of Los Angeles, a trail of blood threatens to reveal her sinister past.

X was one of the creepiest and entertaining horror films of recent years, as it was a delightful homage to the 70s slasher horror genre, featuring brutal kills, a tense atmosphere, uncensored self-aware sexual sequences and surprising dashes of humour. Still recall the bloodshot red scene where the creepy old lady dances over the dead body of the guy she just brutally stabbed to death as Blue Öyster Cult’s “(Don’t Fear) The Reaper” blasts through the van’s radio. It was such a stylistic thriller that was a blast. Then the prequel Pearl was a delightfully disturbing companion piece. Mia Goth’s acting was so good in that as every time she started to scream or have a mental breakdown it gave me sheer anxiety. So when I heard Ti West was making a third and supposed final entry to this unique horror trilogy, I was naturally excited and was looking forward to seeing how the third film would connect the aspects of the previous two and deliver another thrilling slice of the X-factor.

The movie is fine. Think 1984’s Body Double mixed in with the love-letter/memory of star power in Los Angeles from 2019’s Once Upon a Time in Hollywood. Like it’s predecessors X and Pearl, this is a gleeful dive into retro 80s move tropes with vivid period evocation, and Ti West’s ambition with this entry is clear - ‘it’s a B-movie with A ideas.” At least that is how Elizabeth Debicki (very reminiscent of Cate Blanchett in this role) as an ice-cool British filmmaker trying to break the status quo describes her ambition, which feels like that came right from Ti West’s heart. If we look at the trilogy as a whole, that’s what he seems to have been doing - paying loving homages to filmmaking aesthetics of particular eras, whilst trying to add a modernised spin. In X we had the Texas Chainsaw Massacre dark and dirty grindhouse flair; in Pearl he tackled midcentury melodrama through the lens of Technicolor musicals; now with MaXXXine we have the 80s murder mystery. In regards to the look the film nails that 80s vibe, from the soundtrack picks to the filters to reimagining the trashy-flashy sleaze of Hollywood Boulevard in that era, the aesthetic is spot-on. The ensemble supporting cast is bigger this time around too, with a lot of familiar faces appearing and having fun in their over-the-top performances.

That being said MaXXXine is easily the weakest of the three films. There’s a real lack of actual horror in the film, as well as the aforementioned X-factor. Look I’m not saying I want to perv on lots of sexual content, but the previous entries have had a lot of fun at mocking the pornographic industry, and I enjoyed how those films let loose and fully embraced the lack of censorship. With MaXXXine however it felt like Ti West all of a sudden became afraid of showing too much, and that included the gore also. I enjoyed the multiple instances of goopy practical effects, however aside from a foot-to-the-nutsack moment, there wasn’t any bloody or violent moments that really gave any shock value. It’s strange, it felt like something was stopping this movie from fully stretching itself. Narratively also this movie suffers from a severe identity crisis, where on one side it wants to play out its 80s murder mystery, but on the other hand it also is the trilogy caper to the X films. It’s with the latter where it really loses itself, as there is no sense of cohesion. Mia Goth is again fantastic in her role (since A Cure for Wellness she’s a unbreakable force among the scream queens), however Maxine as a character is completely different to what she was in the first film. Also from how X ended, I felt like her character was going a certain way, and with how Pearl emphasised the ideology of going psychotically mad for star power, it felt like Maxine was going to go that more mentally turning route, but no, the movie goes for the more generic killer route which was disappointing. I feel as a stand-alone MaXXXine is a passable whodunnit mystery set under the 80s LA backdrop (even if it’s filled with cliches and predictable twists), but as part of an ongoing franchise it fails majorly.

As for the aforementioned cast - Mia Goth is a star indeed. Maxine is the least interesting character she has had to work with during the course of this trilogy, yet she still manages to bring the intensity and determination to bring this persona to life. Her delivery of “MAXINE FUCKING MINX” is spot-on. Giancarlo Esposito for once actually playing a good guy was pleasantly goofy and silly. Bobby Cannavale and Michelle Monaghan make for a fun cop duo, with Halsey and Lily Collins in glorified cameos. Kevin Bacon gets to have way too much fun as a sleazy PI, and he chews up every line he gets, even if his role in the long run turns out to be pointless and wasted. Overall though this is Mia Goth’s show through and through, and props to her for managing to make a one-dimensional character pop.

As a major fan of the previous two films I cannot deny finding MaXXXine to be hugely disappointing. On its own it stands as a fashionable knock-off of Body Double (those that movie did it better, just saying), but this is a baffling conclusion to what was a promising trilogy. Ti West you almost had me fooled there for a couple of movies, but no, this one is a waste of potential. That being said I still enjoyed it for what it was, and if ever a boutique physical media label like Arrow Video or Second Sight decide to release a special nifty looking Blu-ray box-set of the X films I’ll happily and proudly have them in my collection.

Overall score: 5/10

[sleekervae]

Yoü & I [2.3]

Masterlist

A/N: Happy Wednesday everyone!

Warnings: some angst, mentions of depression

--

"I know it's warmer where you are, And it's safer by your side, But right now I can't be what you want, Just give it time"

Charlotte nodded along to the building beat, her own voice a foreign entity as it floated through the air in the -- soundproof -- studio in LA. The demo was beautiful but it needed that extra push to make it a hit lead single. A lead single for an album that was months away from being completed. 

"And if you and I, Can make it through the night, And if you and I, Can keep our love alive, we'll fight, We can meet in the middle, Bodies and souls collide Dance in the moonlight, Where all the stars align, For you and I, for you and I"

The girls were impressed however, with Chloe claiming it was some of their best work yet. It was more electronic than their previous pop/rock sound, with humming bass lines and ethereal echoes that wailed from verse to verse. And Charlotte's voice was the pinnacle, reaching a prominent gravelly growl when she'd sing the long notes, paired with Maria and Kim's backing vocals, it was eargasmic bliss.

Kim was the type of person who used a Pinterest board religiously and was already culminating ideas for what the video would look like: black and white obviously with animated doodles, black paint, and fast-flashing lights. And maybe some mild nudity?

"That's sexier than Brendon Urie in 'Miss Jackson'," Maria said. 

"It's beautiful," Charlotte had to admit.

Chloe slapped her on the back, promptly shocking her, "You outdid yourself, Lottie! So smile a little more!" she told her. Charlotte forced a really big Joker smile. 

Kimberly elbowed the drummer, who now had galaxy-ombre hair. The girls swore with all the hair dye that Chloe must've switched to wigs when they weren't looking. 

"Well... I couldn't have done it without you guys," Charlotte said, smiling at each of her friends. 

"We got to stick together," Maria claimed, "We're all we got in each other," 

With the demo complete, Charlotte gave the approval for the tape to be sent to be remixed and produced for the final product. She was nervous to hear it, but there was also an element of excitement coursing through her. There was immense pressure on following up the success of the first LP with the second, but she was confident with the way Catch the Caper were growing musically that it would be some of the best material they put out yet. 

Charlotte still had reservations about only letting key personnel in on their material, not eager to replicate the first mess of 'Heaven'. The song would still be on the album, but it would be released later on. Maybe within the summer of next year when the album was more grounded for release. And then there was 'Saint', the song that she and Luke agreed would be a shared piece between them, but he insisted it should go on her album. Three songs down, another seven or so to go...

For the two and half weeks they had back home, she and Luke spent some of it rehearsing 'Saint'. Unlike 'You & I', this was a song she was actively getting excited about, heartbreaking yet it held a particular bite that could be the backing track to the lead in an indie movie finally taking back control of her life. Well, there's the saying that we're all the lead in our own stories, Charlotte was still working on getting to the end of hers. 

Luke was supposed to meet Charlotte that afternoon. She left her apartment door open for him, got out her guitar and put out a plate of shortbread cookies for them to munch on while they worked. He was a few minutes late, but Charlotte chalked it up to Luke being Luke. He was always late for shit. 

However, ten minutes late soon turned to thirty, then forty five, then a whole hour. Charlotte sat on her couch, eating her cookies and watching Dr. Who, trying to ignore the fact that she was just stood up. No phone calls or texts were sent, and there was no miraculous knocking at the door. What the hell could he possibly be doing? It wasn't like Luke to stand Charlotte up like this; if he couldn't make it he would call her first. 

Charlotte soon realized she that the cookie plate was nearly empty, and Luke was two hours late. Something was wrong here. Unless she got the date wrong? Maybe she should phone him?

Luke was fine -- physically speaking. Let's just say that he got a little ahead of himself with the time. Melody opened her big mouth again and they went at it, she was upset again because Luke was spending more time with Charlotte on his break than he was with Mel. She did have a fair point, but Luke just wished she wouldn't fly off the handle so over dramatically. He couldn't help it that he was working on something that he was quite proud of with one of his best friends.

A minutes-long fight had elongated into an hour, and soon enough Luke gave up; frustrated and itching to take some control back. And take control he did. Anger turned to an afternoon of passion-fuelled angry sex, both he and Melody taking their stress out on each other in the best way possible. And Luke couldn't deny afterwards how much better he felt by the time the late afternoon arrived.

It was by the end of her fourth Dr. Who episode that Charlotte's phone finally rang. Luke was calling; this ought to have been good. 

"You better be fatally injured or missing a pint of blood," Charlotte said when she picked up, "I just ate three-quarters of a bag of cookies and I'm not proud of myself," 

Luke was standing in his kitchen, dressed only in some slacks while Melody showered upstairs. By the time they were both exhausted he realized the time, and his lust for his girl was replaced by guilt for his friend. Of course he had to call her, but he hoped Charlotte would understand.

"I am neither one of those things, and you have no reason to be ashamed. I think we've all been there," he said, trying to sound cheery.

"Dude, what the fuck?" Charlotte asked, clearly annoyed, "Where have you been? I was about to send out some K9 units," 

Luke grimaced, knowing fully-well how upset she was, "Charlotte, I'm sorry. I-I got a little caught up in some things. I'll definitely make it up to you, though," 

It was then a terrifying thought entered Charlotte's head -- did Melody do something? Throw another mass tantrum? What was she saying to him? About Charlotte, namely.

"Is everything okay?" she asked, now a little concerned.

"I'm okay," he assured her, looking up when he heard the shower water stop running, "I'm sorry, love. But how about I come over tomorrow instead?"

Charlotte noted how quiet his voice suddenly became, he didn't want Melody to know he was talking to her. It was a strange, complicated plight: suddenly becoming a secret to your best friend. If Luke was so afraid to talk to her when Mel was around, then what the point? It was clear Melody was drawing some lines -- so Charlotte figured she should do the same.

"No, it's okay. We leave again in a few days, you should spend the time with Melody," she told him. 

Luke could hear the bite in her voice, "Charlotte, I really am sorry,"

"I know," Charlotte nodded, "I'm not mad at you. I swear. Spend some time with your girl," 

"Alright, I love ya," he mumbled.

"Love you too," Charlotte said listlessly, then hung up without another word. Groaning aloud, she then grabbed the plate and dumped out what was left of the cookies. She felt sick now, and not just from the sweets. She was mad at Luke, pissed off that he blew her off. Then she felt stupid for being jealous of Melody. She was jealous of Melody, but at the same time Charlotte had probably seen more of Luke this year than she had. 

You have no right to be upset with him, his girlfriend comes before you. That's the way it should be. Leave them alone.

Charlotte decided that it only hurt more because she knew how hurt Luke was by Melody. He used Charlotte as a vessel to blow off steam, to laugh for a while, pretend he was something he wasn't when he'd go back to her. Charlotte knew he could be so happy, she could make him so happy. But time and time again, he would go crawling back to her. 

Meanwhile, Luke quickly shoved his phone away as Melody came sauntering in to the kitchen, adorned in only his t-shirt. Her eyes glimmered with the Devil as she stood before him, smelling of fresh coconut shampoo with a smile that could stop any man dead in his tracks. He held her and gave her a kiss on her head, but he averted his eyes to the wall behind her. 

"What do you wanna' do for dinner?" she asked sweetly. 

"Anything you like," he affirmed, "We can cook, we can order in," 

"Let's order in," she decided, pulling away to go for their drawer of various take-out menus. 

Luke watched Melody from where he stood. He felt better, he felt happier, relaxed -- but he didn't feel whole. Then fear settled in, the fear that he was indeed falling out of love with Melody. Because when he looked at her, his mind raced back to mornings with Charlotte, sitting at her kitchenette as she made them both coffee and would go on and on about whatever had captured her interest in a dream she had. Her thoughts were as beautiful as her face.

Melody was beautiful, she shone like a strobe light. But Charlotte was a damn lighthouse beacon, burning so bright and full that she washed Melody out. However, there were some days Luke feared Charlotte may just burn out. 

A half empty bottle of wine sat on the coffee table, beside it an empty glass that Charlotte had just finished. She poured herself another glass, guitar perched in her lap and she began to play again, singing a wistfully sad melody about feeling, well... used.

"You see, I want the world to believe, That there's a light inside of me, But it's time that I come clean. I'm not what I seem, no, Some would say I'm possessed, yeah, But I'll confess I've just been obsessed With life and death and emptiness, I guess. Can't you see all of the change in me?"

The more she drank, the more emotional she became. The more poems she wrote, her voids once filled now flooding out. She was lonely, felt more lonely tonight than she had in so long. She could hear memories of her own words echoing in her head, like a bad dream. 

"Three years I let myself get tossed around in a salad spinner of emotional turmoil. Now I'm watching Luke go through what I went through; we both see the same thing in each other and yet willingly stay in a precarious and chaotic situation. I mean -- that must register as clinical insanity!"

"Well, ask yourself: why did you stay with Ben? When you had every single person in your life telling you how toxic that relationship was, why did you stay?" 

"I didn't want to be alone," 

What did she mean by that? Of course Charlotte wasn't alone, she was surrounded by friends! Friends who told her hours ago that they would support her no matter what. And yet, drunk on wine and emotions she felt more empty than she had in months.

The last time she felt so lonely she had been dumped. Eight months ago, she was tossed aside like a pebble on the street. Ben abandoned her, and in her less than cognitive state of mind, Luke abandoned her too. She was abandoned for something better, something closer, easier. Something she could never get within arms reach of.

"You took these starving limbs, tried to see. Tried to see what they could be, But I thought I'd be something.I thought you'd complete me, That you'd erase all the pain that I felt in my brain. If you filled my heart with love, Then you'd fill my voids above. Now you see, that didn't change a thing,"

She recorded her voice as oppose to write, she gave up writing as her penmanship was a little sloppy now. Tomorrow she'd decide whether or not to put this song on the album. Tonight the only guest in her apartment would be her perilous brain.

[rueitae]

Season 1, Episode 8 the lucky cat caper for @csweekly

Another of my favorite episodes almost entirely thanks to Chase Devineaux and his beloved coat. RIP

The screen is SATURATED in red the ENTIRE exam. Trying to show that Black Sheep was SAFE even if she didn’t realize it at the time.

I find it a neat detail that Carmen here isn’t looking to see if she has the dollar until she’s tried several pockets and has stopped to rest. The scene is really effective for me to show exactly how good she is.

More of Player and Carmen talking through nightmares for their health, please. How many times has this happened before and where are the fics. In general I crave to see more domestic in between caper scenes like this. The downtime. On that same vein, love the insight into the team that the whole scene provides. Player just literally hangs out on the phone with Carmen all day, just for fun. Presumably this is what they always do. Nice reminder that capers aside, they are still each other's best friend and they want to hang out.

CARMEN WANTS TO SPOIL HER FRIENDS. I love the entire auction sequence because probably unsurprisingly her love language to others is gifting/acts of service. Zack’s favorite movie? Yeah let’s get him the car because he’s my driver and I can’t wait to see his reaction. Player wants to spontaneously take up stamp collecting? Yeah I’ll get him the one of a kind stamp to START. Yeah I love Carmen loving her friends. This episode is so chalk full of between the lines team red bonding.

IM SORRY. THE SHOE kills me every time. Season 1 Chase is such a good fumbling foil. I love him so much. He’s on the right track usually but soooooo wrong. Julia again has such patience that she really shouldn’t have to put up with. She’s the most right track but everyone around her has blinders on. Otherwise this show wouldn’t be near as long lol.

First episode with Mime Bomb in the field! He’s such a funky dude. Nice to see that the Faculty have become proficient in mime for him. They took a while to get what he was saying in the opening episodes but now Maelstrom gets him right away. There’s a fic in there somewhere with several (probably creepy) one on one sessions between the two.

I really love that the Cleaners actually clean throughout the show lol. They don’t seem to mind. Probably my favorite of the VILE operatives. They’re just so. Done. Dangerous. Chill.

AND they pause for TEA and gossip. As in Coach Brunt and Shadowsan tensions. Love these guys.

No one backs up Brunt that VILE is family. Like yeah she can live in her own little world. It’s such a pity the show wasn’t able to explore this fully you can see the set up. They wanted to do something and it needed another season to bring it around.

FINE FINE SEND WHOMEVER. The Faculty are simultaneously the cruelest and absolute silliest people on the planet. I love them muchly. Their interactions with each other tickle me to bits.

Assuming The Troll has always been with VILE (since Shadowsan is aware of his existence), he totally made that bomb icon for the tracker app.

Mime Bomb is super clever honestly, to do the bait and switch like that. He uses Tigress and the cat and the store to make a clean getaway (at least from Carmen) WITH the stamp. The entire sequence of events in this episode is extremely entertaining. There’s so much cool stuff going on, either paralleling a previous episode or something new and fun.

Love the shop owner lol. Takes everything in panicked stride.

Chase and Julia are SO close. (Look at that lack of keycard) I'm amused that Carmen gets to witness part of that. And speaking of this interrogation scene, I do think of the interrogation scene from Detective Pikachu every single time I watch this episode. Then I double over laughing.

ON BASTILLE DAY

And the stamp goes into the lucky coat. I'm always in awe of so many moving parts to this episode that all tie neatly together at the end.

When I first watched this i really thought that Carmen would get there in time but Chase’s coat getting shredded is better because then we get one of the best deliveries of any line in the show. The *cracked sob* of SHE iS VICIOUS AND CRUEL is magical. Please appreciate this with me.

Even VILE makes sure their operatives use a seat belt.

LOOK AT HOW HAPPY ZACK iS. And how he wants to replicate the movie he is absolutely a top notch driver but he is a cinnamon roll. The duality of Carmen’s focus and Zack’s childlike delight makes me so happy. And then when he gets into serious mode LOOK at Carmen. She’s halfway convinced she’s not going to make it lol. Take notes, Carmen does not like not being in control of a situation that makes her uncomfortable. She’ll fall off buildings but when she’s being driven somewhere in a high stress situation she fears for her life.

For the record, I hope team red watches the whole Rogue Vendetta series for movie night.

Also the music in this sequence slaps.

“THIS IS EXACTLY WHY IM NOT INVITING YOU ALONG. I CANNOT BE SLOWED DOWN BY CAUTION WORDS” This man. These writers. Off the wall bonkers great.

“The woman beams herself from a fountain pen she can do anything.” Fhfhfgcff

What car number is this again the ongoing joke is superb.

The amount of upper body strength from both women to climb the bridge.

So cool that it’s all parallel to the exam and Carmen gets to sorta put her nightmares to rest. Just in time to have new nightmares next week! :D

I like how the Cleaners just stand by with their metaphorical popcorn and shine a spotlight. Running theory is that they just like the drama.

She got the phone too! I love this ending. Carmen got validation on her own, she doesn’t need the answer over the coat. Even though she gets it next episode haha. It’s freeing though for her to get some resolution here. She’s not dependent on Shadowsan’s reasoning in preparation for the next episode. It’s the message that she’s continually freeing herself from VILE every day.

Oh boy oh boy I can’t wait for next week. The angst monger in me is SALIVATING.

[infiniteoreos]

I have hit Post Limit so I am responding here:

So Lupin the Third:

This is an Adult series written specifically for Adults. It's crude, sexual, and violent. It is also complex and heartwarming and MOST OF ALL: IT'S HILARIOUS

Lupin III has the slapstick flirty hilarity that original Loony Tunes has but for more adult audiences. Lupin definitely has a joy of life and mischievous Buggs Bunny energy to him.

Arsene Lupin III is the third of a line of master thieves. This manga from the 60's (technically ongoing) and anime from the 80's is (very very very very loosely) based off of the french Arsene Lupin stories where Famous detective Herlock Sholmes chases after the titular master theif who bests Herlock on many occasions. (Originally it was Arsene Lupin v Sherlock Holmes but that was a very early and famous case of IP/Copyright and his name was changed).

Lupin's partners Jigen Daisuke (half Italian and half Japanese raised in NY half his life) and Goemon Ishikawa XIII (descended from a Samurai theif from IRL history) work with him to pull off incredible capers.

Goemon is a master swordsman with yakuza history and Jigen is a master marksman with mob history.

Lupin is in love with Fujiko Mine another master theif (imo) who is the femme Fatale of the series. She's sometimes a member of the gang and sometimes not. Lupin will do almost anything to get into her pants and she uses that to her advantage regularly to manipulate him into stealing things for her. She's sort of similar to Nami from One Piece in a lot of ways.

Zenigata is the intrepid Inspector/Detective thats chasing after our titular theif and his gang. He's a lot like Gumshoe from Ace Attorney. He's sweet, and deeply cares about Justice and Lupin is his Arch Rival. His luck is terrible and his pay is low but the people that love him are very loyal. He will chase Lupin to the ends of the earth. He's a major comic relief character even in the more serious entries.

Hayao Miyazaki worked on Lupin III in the second half of the first arch Green Jacket and the movie Castle of Cagliostro was his first big movie break. They're beautiful to watch and very heartwarming and he had a lasting effect on the media canon.

A lot of this information will be repeated in the video essays I'm about to reccomend but honestly she'll do a WAAAAY better job of singing this series praises than I will.

Check out the video essays by @infinitesnowpro (Infinite Snow Productions on youtube).

Her essays -Miyazaki's Lupin- and - The Mystery of Mamo (Will be in the Criterion Collection) - are fantastic and the Miyazaki Lupin video confirmed some of my suspicions about Green Jacket.

She goes over good places to start in the video but if you want a small taste : Lupin the 3rd The First is on Netflix I believe. It'll give you an idea of what the characters are generally like.

Some of the series is on TMJ's official YouTube. They actually put a lot of their stuff on their channel for free. Not just Lupin stuff.

My favorite arch is Red Jacket the second arch but I watched Red Jacket for the first time back in the mid to late 00's so it'll always have a special place in my heart. ❤

If you like funny cops vs robbers type storylines and like a lot of the tropes of detective or heist media I think you'd like it. It's a very fun watch.

It's infinitely memeable and there's a ton of hilarious shorts compilations and soundbites floating around the internet.

The music is fantastic btw. There's compilations on youtube thst are like an hour or more in length under funny names that reference memes and they're nice to listen to while doing housework. -It's a beautiful morning and you're a Terrible Theif- or -A five minute egg cooks in 5 minutes- etc.

Bonus: As a series for adults with adult characters it will appeal to Middle Aged Men Enthusiasts so even if that's all anyone takes out of it I've still done my job promoting it. o7

sounds cool as fuck 👍

[byneddiedingo]

Jules Dassin in Rififi (Jules Dassin, 1955)

Cast: Jean Servais, Carl Möhner, Robert Manuel, Jules Dassin, Janine Darcey, Pierre Grasset, Robert Hossein, Magali Noël, Marcel Lupovici, Marie Sabouret, Dominque Maurin. Screenplay: Jules Dassin, René Wheeler, Auguste Le Breton, based on a novel by Le Breton. Cinematography: Philippe Agostini. Production design: Alexandre Trauner. Film editing: Roger Dwyre. Music: Georges Auric. 

The success of Rififi had a lasting effect on the "caper" or "heist" genre, which is still with us in one form or another, including the Mission: Impossible movies. Dassin's 30-minute sequence depicting the break-in and safe-cracking was hailed as a tour de force. I can't help wondering if Robert Bresson saw Rififi before he made his great 1956 film A Man Escaped, which takes a similar wordless and music-free approach to showing the preparations for Fontaine's prison break. Other than that, of course, nothing could be further from Fontaine's noble efforts to find freedom than the larcenous thuggery of Dassin's jewel thieves. Dassin knows, of course, that audiences respond positively to cleverness and skill, which is virtually all that his quartet of thieves have going for them. Tony (Jean Servais) is a brutal ex-con who beats his former mistress (Marie Sabouret) with a belt; Jo (Carl Möhner) is a swaggering, handsome guy for whom Tony took the rap for an earlier heist because Jo has a wife and child; Mario (Robert Manuel) is an easy-going ne'er-do-well; and César (Dassin under the pseudonym Perlo Vita) is a professional safe-cracker. Dassin manipulates us into thinking of these guys as heroes, if only because the gang led by Pierre Grutter (Marcel Lupovici), who wants to muscle in on their ill-gotten gains, is even worse. In the end, both sides are wiped out, but not before Jo's little boy (Dominique Maurin) is kidnapped and held for ransom. The final sequence of the film is particularly harrowing, especially to contemporary viewers used to mandated seatbelts and conscientious childproofing: A dying Tony drives the 5-year-old boy across Paris in an open convertible as the delighted kid stands on and even clambers over the seats of the speeding car. For all its unpleasantness, Rififi is as memorable as it was influential. It led to countless imitations, usually more light-hearted, including Dassin's own Topkapi (1964). It also revived Dassin's career, which had been at a standstill after he was blacklisted in Hollywood; Rififi's international success was a defiant nose-thumbing directed at HUAC's witch hunts.

[kevinsreviewcatalogue]

Review: The Big Lebowski (1998)

The Big Lebowski (1998)

Rated R for pervasive strong language, drug content, sexuality and brief violence

Score: 5 out of 5

<Originally posted at https://kevinsreviewcatalogue.blogspot.com/2023/01/review-big-lebowski-1998.html>

The fact that The Big Lebowski isn't the defining film of Joel and Ethan Coen's careers speaks less to its own quality and more to the remarkably high bar the sibling team of writers and directors have set for themselves before and since. Despite being a box-office dud in its day, its unique blend of a crime caper, a noir mystery, a slacker comedy, and all manner of other influences both cinematic and psychedelic quickly helped it find its audience and build an enduring following on home video, quoted in fraternity houses and analyzed in philosophy 101. It tells the kind of story that the Coen Brothers specialize in, smart comedy about really stupid people who get into something way over their heads that turns out to be a lot simpler and dumber than it seems, taking classic film noir tropes and turning them upside-down. All of it is elevated by an all-star, larger-than-life cast of actors giving instantly memorable performances, crafting a world of ordinary and not-so-ordinary people that feels lived-in and authentic even as everything goes increasingly crazy. It's the kind of mystery where the protagonist figures everything out about thirty minutes in, instead being more interested in exploring the lives of its distinctive characters. Either way, it's a trip.

Set in the early '90s against the backdrop of the Gulf War, the film opens with a pot-smoking, middle-aged slacker named Jeffrey Lebowski, who prefers to go by simply "The Dude", getting his home raided one day by a pair of crooks on the orders of a porn producer named Jackie Treehorn, who beat him up and soil his nice rug. As it turns out, they got him mixed up with another Jeffrey Lebowski, the "Big" one, a millionaire philanthropist whose sexy trophy wife Bunny owes a ton of money to Jackie. The Dude, wanting some compensation for his ruined rug, heads to the Big Lebowski's house, which gets him and his bowling buddies, the hot-tempered Vietnam veteran Walter and the oblivious Donny, sucked into a bizarre tale that involves kidnapping, German nihilists, Jeffrey's artist daughter Maude, a punk kid from the suburbs named Larry, and more, all while an old cowboy who's seemingly wandered in from a Western narrates the tale.

This is not really the easiest movie to describe, in no small part because, like any good mystery or comedy, describing what happens ruins most of the fun. Like I said, it's a Coen Brothers movie, and the main appeal here isn't really the central mystery to start with. No, this is a hangout movie centered on The Dude, Walter, and Donny, a group of friends whose ordinary lives are thrown into disarray by unforeseen circumstances and then go even more askew thanks to their own blunders and stupidity. The central character, The Dude, is a guy who looks at first glance like he's the biggest idiot in the film. He's an aging hippie who took part in protests back in the '60s and has drifted through life ever since doing odd jobs in a world that's left him behind, as the Big Lebowski rather bluntly informs him the first time they meet. ("Your revolution is over, Mr. Lebowski! Condolences! The bums lost!") And yet, he's also the guy who manages to correctly guess what's really going on thirty minutes into the movie, and the only reason why it takes so long for him to do anything is because, well, just look at him. He's lazy, and even if he weren't, he doesn't really care either way, except for the fact that he's being pulled around by the people around him. The Dude may just be the most clear-eyed character in the entire movie, a guy whose philosophy of life is to let nothing get to him and just brush off what others have to say. It may have turned him into a layabout who's doing nothing with his life, but at the very least, he's happy and doesn't seem to be overburdened with problems in his life. It's no wonder that Julianne Moore's Maude Lebowski, arguably the only other character in the movie who seems to have her head on straight (and even she's a rather eccentric, smugly superior asshole), takes her own weird sort of liking to this guy, or that fans of the film have turned "Dudeism" into an actual spiritual code.

Everybody else, meanwhile, is going through life like they're in a completely different sort of movie, and most of the fun comes from watching them butt heads with one another. John Goodman's Walter, the hothead who can't stop going on about the war, is a Vietvet out of a prestige drama about a guy trying and failing to adjust to civilian life (though if you take the original screenplay as canon, it may just be stolen valor coming from a man with a few screws loose), one who winds up causing more problems than he solves. Peter Stormare, Torsten Voges, Flea, and Aimee Mann play a group of German nihilists who act like the hip, quirky protagonists of a contemporary Quentin Tarantino crime thriller as they try to exploit the situation, and simply make things worse for everybody. John Turturro's rival bowler The Jesus is the villain of a sports movie. Tara Reid's Bunny is someone lifted straight out a '70s porno who's directly responsible for the entire mess (noticing a trend here?). The only characters in the movie who aren't stupid are those who've either been dragged into it or, like Sam Elliott's mysterious narrator, are simply observing it all from afar, and yet, this is not a stupid movie. Rather, these characters, each brought to life by an amazing all-star cast, are stupid in their own unique ways, the jokes coming from how their unique brands of stupidity interact and form all manner of unique cocktails of mayhem. It's a movie where everything is constantly flying off the rails because none of these idiots know what they're doing, and just like The Dude, you're just along for the ride of a lifetime.

The Bottom Line

This is just, like, my opinion, man, but The Big Lebowski deserves its reputation as one of the greatest crime movies of a decade that had no shortage of them, a twisted tale of a bunch of idiots falling into a larger-than-life yet all-too-real maelstrom. See it, learn to quote it, and abide.

[fabcreature]

i know like. no one will see this reblog since the post has already made its rounds (8k notes in 3 days....) but i just wanna compile some thoughts and responses to stuff people have said on this post.

yes, in the great muppet caper kermit and fozzie are meant to be twin brothers, and there's a photo of their father who seems like basically a hybrid between kermit and fozzie. THIS IS NOT CANON, kermit and fozzie are NOT brothers or related in any way. they're playing characters in the great muppet caper, which the movie makes clear. however i do think the photo is worth examining and taking into consideration in the conversation, but seen as it's not canon, i wouldn't take it as gospel, just another possible angle.

muppets most wanted has miss piggy fantasizing about growing old with kermit, including having children. they are pictured as a pink frog and a green pig. once again, this isn't something that actually happens in canon, but it is something worth noting.

and those who said that while the kids in christmas carol aren't their actual kids, they probably would do the casting to be accurate to how their children would look. i like your thinking! but i think you (and literally everyone else) are overlooking one thing...

No one actually knows what Kermit and Piggy's hypothetical children would look like. Not even Kermit or Piggy themselves.

this is something that has come up in a couple of interviews, i'm pretty sure, or at least one. it is a topic of discussion among muppets themselves as well, and kermit and piggy in interviews together have wondered what the children would even be or be called. would they be tadpoles? polliwogs + piggies = piggiwogs? They're Not Sure. implying that frog/pig muppet babies haven't happened before, meaning the casting director of christmas carol for example couldn't be sure what the most accurate child actor would be. we're all confused together!

and also to all of those who said muppets make babies by getting some felt and starting to sew: that's pretty funny. but as kermit has said in an interview before, he is not a puppet, but a muppet, and the difference is that puppets are controlled by humans, while he, a muppet, is a real life talking frog. i personally don't like treating the muppets (in these cases and discussions, it's different if we talk about the media more seriously) as puppets, it kind of takes away from the magic of everyone accepting the muppets as real life celebrities.

and also i don't like the way you guys refuse to accept the muppets fucking. learn about the muppet show: sex and violence, and get some perspective

forever sick and tired of people bringing up the muppet christmas carol when talking about interspecies muppet reproduction

the kids kermit and piggy "have" in that movie are not hypothetical children they could have. they're actors. in all the muppet adaptations of classic literature the point is that the muppets are acting. kermit is acting as bob crachit, piggy is acting as emily crachit, and so on and so forth. it's literally in the opening credits. tiny tim isn't kermit and piggy's child in an alternate universe. it's robin, kermit's nephew, playing the part of tiny tim.

please use actual canon muppet material and muppet interviews in your reseach