#John B. Lowe

[clemsfilmdiary]

A Dream of Christmas (2016, Gary Yates)

12/10/23

[gameofthunder66]

-watched 12/7/2023- 3 [1/2] stars- on Amazon Prime

DAVID HARBOUR as Santa Claus in Violent Night (2022)

[gameofthunder66]

'The Haunting in Connecticut' (2009) film

-watched 8/21/2024- 3 [1/2] stars- on Netflix

17% Rotten Tomatoes

I read that this movie was a fictionalized true story by the author of the book, but I still enjoyed it, and thought it was pretty freaking scary!

[lifetimemoviereview]

Miracle in Bethlehem, PA (2023 Hallmark Movie)

Miracle in Bethlehem, PA (2023 Hallmark Movie) #Hallmark #MiracleinBethlehemPA #Christmas

Miracle in Bethlehem, PA (2023 Hallmark) 📺.  Stream/Watch the Movie (Ad): Watch or Stream via Hallmark Movies Now Cast:Benjamin Ayres, Amy Groening, John B. Lowe, Laura Vandervoort, Teryl Rothery Director: Jeff Beesley Writer: Laura Kampo Lennon ➡️    Check out our Youtube Channel: Lifetime Uncorked: Lifetime Movie Reviews 🎧   Listen to the Lifetime Uncorked Podcast: Listen Now 🍷  Support…

[bramblejammer]

Can you dig it?

[astralbondpro]

Black Roses (1988) // Dir. John Fasano

[starkeyshirt]

Kitchen Calls

jj x john b

i wrote this quite while ago! it's not necessarily an age regression story, but i imagine jj as an age dreamer of sorts, so i figured it kind of fits. enjoy!

tw//: abuse, blood, injuries, crying.

<<•>>

    JJ's ribs stung with an undeniable pain; echoing through his body with every kick. Blood dripped from his lips and his vision blurred in and out.

  "Piece of shit!" Luke screamed at his son, kicking him in the ribs one last time before chucking the almost-empty bottle at his head. The glass shattered against JJ's skin, causing it to erupt in an unbelievable amount of pain. "You're the damn reason your momma left, you know it too! Should've killed you a long time ago, boy."

   JJ watched with bleary eyes as his father stomped off, slamming their crappy door against it's hinges. He could hear the stomping until his truck started, then, he was gone. JJ knew he wasn't in the clear; his father would return, and nobody wanted to be around when he came home. Coughing up more blood, the blond boy forced himself into a sitting position. His soft, golden mop fell over his eyes, mixing with sweat, blood, and tears on his face.

  JJ's ribs throbbed almost unbearably as he stood up, leaning against the counter for stability. He was damn sure his stomach was blotches of any color but the pale tan it should be. It always was when his dad was done with him.

  JJ has learned overtime what to simply expect from his dad, what to know was going to happen before it did. He knew what pain was coming when he showed up at home after weeks without money for his dad. He knew what names he would be called, and that he probably wouldn't even make it to his room to grab the belongings he came there for. JJ knew all these things, yet he still went back. He probably always would; until the day his father killed him.

  Somewhere in his slightly brainwashed methods of thinking, JJ completely believed everything his father told him was true; Ungrateful, stupid, useless, unlovable. They were all things his father called him the most, and in some ways, they did in fact apply to JJ.

  He convinced himself he was ungrateful. He still cried when his father gave him what he deserved, even when he did nothing to contribute to their poverty. He did nothing to help his dad; he didn't give him enough money, he pushed him to drink. He was ungrateful.

  JJ convinced himself he was stupid. He failed classes in school and barely tried, too preoccupied with himself to focus on class. He led his friends into dangerous situations with dangerous people, simply because he didn't use his head. He thought with the weed he smoked, and all that did was give him a false sense of confidence. He was stupid.

   He convinced himself he was useless; never really needed to anyone, just there. He mooched off of everyone and everything around him, barely contributing to his friends or his own father. He didn't do them any good, only weighing them down with his own mental and emotional baggage. JJ was useless.

  And most of all, JJ convinced himself he was unlovable. It's the perfect word to describe him, in his own mind. Unable to be loved by his own father, who despises him because of his mother. At one point in time he earned his mother's love, only for her to rip it all away when she left without a warning. Without a goodbye. Unlovable to everyone and anyone, because nobody could love somebody as messed up as JJ Maybank.

  "Fuck!" The blond screamed, fist colliding harshly with the cheaply stained wood creating his father's joke of a kitchen. Tears flowed heavily down his cheeks, an expression filled with none other than emotion on his face. Simple emotion, that's the only way he would put it.

  Cuts from the glass dropped coppery blood down his face, and his ribs pounded from their squished position against his knees. JJ's hands intertwined into his hair, pulling desperately against his blond locks in a weak attempt to stop the wave of emotions threatening to rip through his tear ducts. JJ kept a firm grip on his hair, attempting to stand himself upright to no avail; waves of pain ripped through his ribs, sending him to the ground with a yelp of pain.

  He weakly wiggled his phone from his pocket, punching in a number he had memorized by heart. JJ hated with everything he had to call for help, fully believing he didn't deserve it. But he was wasting time, and he really didn't want to be lying on the floor when his dad stormed in again, more drunk than he was before.

  "J? What's taking you so long, I thought you only went for clothes?" John B's warm, concerned voice broke through the ringing, filling JJ's heart with a love he felt he didn't deserve. Sobs ripped from the boy's mouth; violent, harsh cries filled to the brim with pain and suffering, immediately making John B fill with panic. After all the years he'd been friends with JJ, been with JJ, he'd never heard him cry like that.

"I can't take this anymore," JJ sobbed, hearing the faint start up of their van, the Twinkie, while John B left the chateau. "I'm so tired."

  "Hey, babe, you've gotta breathe. I'm coming to get you, just breathe. Remember what we talked about?" John B soothed, listening to JJ's breathing becoming increasingly uneven and rapid, the boy spiraling himself into an anxiety induced panic attack quickly.

  "Yeah." JJ replied faintly, bringing his left hand up to his face. He held his thumb merely a few centimeters away from his lips, blowing gently onto it. As a kid, JJ would suck his thumb to calm himself down. He stopped by the time he was nine, his father having broken his left thumb after he caught him with it between his lips. Men don't need comfort, was what he had said. From that time until just a few months ago, JJ was at a loss for a way to comfort himself, always spiraling into horrible panic attacks until he'd choke on his own tears and throw up or breathe too fast and pass out. He hated it. After multiple situations in which John B was left to slow his boyfriend's rapid breathing, he noticed how he always had his left hand near his face, fisted with only his thumb out. Anybody else might not have noticed it, but after multiple times, John B caught on. Together, they had done some testing and came up with another thing that helped JJ focus and calm himself, a coping mechanism without the trauma his father caused him so early in his life.

   John B smiled fondly as he sped down the street light roads, listening to JJ softly blowing against his thumb time after time again, his breathing obviously recovering in the slightest.

  "Good boy, J. You're doing so good." John B praised softly, pulling in outside JJ's broken home. He didn't hesitate to fly up the old steps and into the other boy's kitchen.

  The sight would've been deemed precious by John B if it we're for the circumstances. JJ was sat against the cupboards, his right arm tightly around his knees, holding them close to his chest. His thumb was still held against his lips, although his mouth was parted slightly. Instead of blowing on his finger he had settled for resting it in-between his lips, having grown tired of blowing air out of his lungs.

  "Hey, c'mon. Let's get home," John B offered, crouching down carefully next to his wounded boyfriend. JJ shuffled ever so slightly, just enough so John B could swoop one arm under his legs and his other supporting his back. A whine escaped his breath when his ribs were jostled, John shushing him. JJ stuck his face into the other's horrible, horrible brightly colored shirt, breathing in the scent he loved so much.

  John B hummed softly as he carried JJ to the car, hating how small and fragile the boy seemed in his arms. He was probably one of the only people to ever see this side of JJ; he was always cracking jokes and rambling off, making himself the loud, boisterous one of the group to cope. JJ was never sad, and it hurt to see him hurting. John B would never get used to it.

  "Hey, I'm gonna run in and grab your clothes and stuff, okay? I don't want you coming back here for a while," John B explained gently placing the blond down in the front seat. Not much more than a wince escaped his lover's lips, a small nod being given in response to the question. "I'll be right back."

  JJ's busted lip left an imprint of coppery blood on John B's lips when he gave him a small peck, only making the brunette feel guilty. Guilty, only that he couldn't protect his boy.

  John B gathered both things JJ needed and things he knew JJ would want, because those were two completely different things. Shirts, shorts, sunglasses, toothbrush (JB would never admit it out loud, but he truly didn't appreciate sharing his own toothbrush every single morning); all things JJ would need. Then, he tossed in extra hoodies and his blanket, grabbing his fluffy (and in JJ's words very manly) pillow and stuffing it under his arm. That's another thing he's learned about JJ over the years. Despite living in the Outer Banks, the blond boy always insisted on piling himself under as many soft things as he could find after something traumatic happens. It was always a few hours later, after things settled and his wounds or anything else were cared for, but it happened everytime without a doubt. The first few times John B had witnessed JJ do this, he quite frankly thought the boy was going to suffocate himself. Overtime, though, JJ even managed to get John B to join him under all the blankets and pillows, cuddling together as if they were in Antarctica and freezing to death. It was a comfort thing, he supposed.

  The sky was dark already, the day having passed quicker than either boy expected. JJ was slowly bouncing back to his usual self on the way back, still very much hurt and upset, but just a little tiny bit less miserable.

  "C'mon, Princess. It's time for the chateau nurse to take over your injuries," John B joked, playfully bowing down as he opened JJ's car door. He (carefully) scooped the boy into his arms, listening to the small, wet giggles escaping his boyfriend's throat. JJ sniffed repeatedly, having been too stubborn in the car to blow his nose. Sometimes, John B wondered how he ever started dating such an man-child, but he'd love him nonetheless.

  John B carried everything in with only one trip, JJ in his arms, the bag slung over his neck. JJ held onto his pillow. Everything got tossed beside the couch, JJ being set delicately on one of the cushions. John B turned towards the bathroom for their medical supplies. "Don't move."

  "It's not like I'm gonna limp to Figure 8," JJ replied sarcastically, rolling his eyes.

John B rolled his eyes as well. "Happy to see you're feeling better."

  John B returned within seconds, carrying an arm-load of bandages, antiseptic, cotton rounds, and a joint. He handed JJ the lit joint, placing it in-between the boy's lips directly. John B then bent down to lift JJ's shirt over his head, the smaller blond purposefully blowing the smoke from the joint into his face.

  John B sighed, glancing at the variously unnatural colors covering his boyfriend's midsection. JJ's ribs were swollen black and blue, bits of yellow mixed in with it. It hurt him everytime he had to see his love like that, beaten like a dog by the person supposed to love him most. John B knew JJ saw the look on his face, watching with soft eyes as the boy looked away guilty, looking much like a kicked puppy.

  "Hey, look at me," John B instructed, dragging his hand up to JJ's chin. He redirected his focus, turning his head until the boy was meeting his eyes. "None of this is your fault. You don't deserve to be treated this way, by anyone. You're perfect."

  Instead of avoiding his gaze, blue orbs simply stared into brown ones, a sinful guilt trickling out of them. "I do deserve it, John B. I drove him to be like this."

  "You didn't drive anyone anywhere, JJ. He's not a real man, only an excuse for a coward who takes his own misfortunes out on his child," John be signed, dabbing a cotton rounds with alcohol, bringing it up to JJ's face. "This might sting, bud."

  The alcohol did in fact sting, strangled and suppressed whimpers escaping the blond's lips until John B was finished. "Sh, we're all done now."

  With his face now free of glass shards and blood, the only noticable injuries were the scrapes left and the puffiness of his busted lip. John B could see the tiredness in his boyfriend's eyes, releasing the boy from his couch captivity whilst he left to return the first aid supplies to their normal places.

   JJ was quick to hop back off the couch, scurrying around in a slightly handicapped manner; gathering all the blankets, pillows, and hoodies he could find. He made a small nest on the couch, draping a fuzzy blanket over his bare shoulders, wrapping it around himself before holding it tightly against his chest.

  Bundled up and content with the amount of soft items he found, JJ set off towards John B's bedroom to find the older boy. John B was stood by the bed, preparing to toss an old Heywards hoodie over his bare torso. JJ assumed that Pope left that hoodie at the chateau sometime a year or two ago, and it ended up being one of the 'community' hoodies. JJ was pretty sure everyone in their group had worn it at some point, even Kie.

  John B caught his boyfriend's eye quickly, stopping his movements when JJ shook his head firmly. "I can't wear a hoodie?"

  "Nope," JJ stated firmly, shuffling forward to grab the brunette's hand. He tugged him right to the couch, shoving them both into the small den of blankets formed. John B didn't even have time to protest before he was covered in soft material, not that he would anyway. JJ was quick to curl himself into John B's bare torso, feeling all the tension slip from his body at the contact. Skin-to-skin contact was another thing JJ loved, it calmed him effectively and quickly. John B knew this, giving he was one of the only people JJ would allow himself to be that close with. Kiara and John B, that was it. He didn't know why, but stemming from his home life, JJ assumed he saw them almost as parental figures - except he was dating John B. It may not make much sense, but a lot of things about JJ don't make sense.

  "Can we go surfing tomorrow?" JJ asked suddenly.

  John B laughed, lightheartedly, loving everything about the boy in his arms. Giving a quick kiss to JJ's head, he smiled fondly.

  "Of course we can go surfing tomorrow, sunshine."

[kallypsos]

You sound like my dad, John. My father liked to drink. When he drank, he gambled. I can’t tell you the amount of nights I spent sleeping on benches in Casper’s Parlours and Pony Tracks. Didn’t matter if it was a ball game, horse, dog, game of cards - he��d bet. He’d usually lose.

MASTERS OF THE AIR - PART TWO

[sirenemale]

Okay I'm desperately trying to find examples of horror film artbooks, or ANY concept art for older low budget horror films. I'm not finding much at all, which does track bc of the nature of these productions but they still would have had production art, that art has to be somewhere. SO if anyone has book recs or blog posts or anything pleaseeee drop them. Rn the best I have is the mars attacks artbook, the return of the living dead art book and some really shoddy production art for house of 1000 corpses I got off a prop site. Long shot too but any kind of concept work for John Water's films would go crazy as well, so far I've only got tangential stuff like the scrapped designs for the Pork stageplay with Divine and the paper doll book that Van smith illustrated (costume designer and stylist for his films and for Divine).

[06strawberrylemonade28]

guyyyysss i might start watching the outer banks???? 'cuz the summer vibes are there and the ships are lowk cute like lowk i was a hater 4 years ago but then i saw some jjxkie content (and this always happens to me -- like i get into a ship BEFORE i get into the actual content?? it's weird). but i may start watching it-- fear not i will continue writing JELSA ONCE I GET A STUPID BREAK. and i neeeed to keep consuming everything @therentyoupay has ever written of course. (on frosted sea glass rn and its so good) but i also recently got a job and im in school full time. bUT BASICALLY. outer banks. might be worth a watch.

[rafe-cameron]

are we gonna talk about the emotionally abusive bitch that is toppers mother tho

[clemsfilmdiary]

A Kiss Before Christmas (2021, Jeff Beesley)

12/1/22

[fangomusic]

Please, Try Again

While Kanye West updates some of his songs directly on streaming services and Taylor Swift has re-recorded dozens of her own songs to regain control over her rightful work. The re-recording of a song can sometimes breathe new life into a track that initially went unnoticed. Often, an artist revisits a piece with a fresh perspective, an updated production, or a different approach, which can resonate more strongly with listeners.

These new versions might capture the attention they originally missed, connecting with an audience in a way the first recordings did not. Whether it's due to changes in musical trends, the artist's evolving style, a better production approach, or simply better timing, the re-recorded version can lead to the song's long-overdue success, showcasing the transformative power of reinvention in music. We can call them demos if they went unpublished, other can be named early or original versions if they didn't get the attention they deserved on the first try. Anyway, in this playlist you'll find 20 examples (plus an honorable mention not available on Spotify) of revered songs that were re-recorded.

A-ha, Take On Me A-ha first released "Take on Me" in 1984, but the initial version failed to gain much traction. Despite its catchy melody and innovative sound, the single didn't chart significantly and received limited attention. However, the band remained determined, leading to a re-recorded version and the creation of an iconic music video that would eventually propel "Take on Me" to global success.

Blondie, Heart of Glass Blondie initially released "Once I Had a Love" in 1975 as a raw, disco-influenced track during their early recording sessions. Regardless of its potential, the song didn't make a significant impact at the time. However, the band later reworked the track, transforming it into "Heart of Glass," which became a massive hit in 1979 and one of their most iconic songs. The evolution of "Once I Had a Love" into "Heart of Glass" highlights Blondie's innovative approach to blending rock and disco elements. Coldplay, Don't Panic Coldplay first released "Don't Panic" as part of their debut EP The Blue Room in 1999. This early version of the track showcased the band's budding sound but didn't receive widespread attention. However, when the song was re-recorded and included on their 2000 debut album Parachutes, it became more widely recognized, helping to establish Coldplay's signature style and contributing to the album's critical and commercial success.

Due to character limitations on Tumblr 😟 if you want to read the whole article click here.

[bumblesimagines]

I have a bad feeling about OBX4

Watched the teaser trailer and that mf said 'we found the gold and that's where the story should have ended' yOU FUCKING THINK??

There's new characters and a new villain 😮‍💨 at this point I'm just gonna watch it for the pretty people 🤷🏻‍♀️ OBX lost it's charm in S3 and now it's not even being released in summer time. Midnight Beach Y/N got so lucky

[tracing-lines-in-the-infinite]

Any episode of Person Of Interest can make you cry if you think hard enough about it

[goldenmusicmoments]

Float In The Magic That Is Calico By Ryan Beatty:

Ryan Beatty is not a new artist, however one that is yet to be discovered by the masses. However his new album Calico that he dropped this year is bringing him more and more attention. Pointing to the fact that making a great body of work itself can lead to an artist gaining recognition and that happening through word of mouth. He has been around for a moment now and started out making covers on YouTube around the same time as Justin Bieber. Then went on to working with the likes of Brockhampton, after which he started his journey of releasing music of his own. He has now released three albums so far and has shown artistic growth from one to the next. All three being great bodies of work and he definitely deserves to be heard. An intriguing artist with such a beautiful creative vision when it comes to making music. You also feel hints of influence from artists like Frank Ocean who he admires in the choices he makes when it comes to things like production. Zane Lowe went out of his way to push others to check the album out as he was so moved by it, and since then others like Elton John who had a sit down conversation with Ryan recently has shown love for his music as well. Zane was the one that got me to listen to the album and I was left mesmerised by the record. To such an extent that I had to go listen to the albums that preceded it as well. Now let's take a walk through this masterful record.

Ribbons - Ryan opens the album with this sombre piano driven moment. There is a sense of vulnerability in his vocal delivery, however the production gives it this feeling of vastness that you find yourself captivated by. Drawing you in for the experience he is about to deliver. He is moving cities as an escape from what he is leaving behind. He is overwhelmed by this love that he is experiencing, however as the song progresses it seems that he may have been dreaming and once he awakens reality kicks in that he is all alone. Finding solace in the thought that it is brave being nothing to no one. The song closes out on a dreamy outro that features strings over which he lightly vocalises in which you find yourself completely lost. A beautiful start that sets expectations high. 

Bruises Off The Peach - This tender self-reflective track reminds you of a cool summers day, which is achieved through its production and Ryan’s gentle vocal delivery. Then in the chorus you get a lift in his vocal to a more projected height. You find yourself caught in its magic as it takes over you. Here he seems so lost in his thoughts that he is no longer aware of his surroundings. He is seated somewhere staring up at the ceiling, in wonder as he questions ‘What did it ever have to do with me?’. It continues that feeling of vastness from the previous track and the build in the bridge and final chorus with the layers of vocals coming in provides this song with more of a dynamic. The background vocals near the end in particular give it a hint of soul.

Cinnamon Bread - The piano and guitar find themselves in an interesting fusion on this track. It seems like the person of interest wasn’t the right person for him and neither were they for those they had previously dated. That whenever they’d come over, he’d feel a shift in himself and the atmosphere amongst the two. The bridge makes you think he doesn’t trust this person as he questions whether they’d be able to keep him safe and that will this relationship last for the long run. 

Andromeda - On this guitar led track it seems like something is stopping him from giving his all to the person he is with as he finds himself not putting in much of an effort. He’s unsure of what exactly is hindering him here. His songwriting intrigues you into remaining focused in order to follow the story. You are fully immersed in this record and the journey he is taking you on. The cinematic outro adds drama to the track as it transcends into these strings before ending.

Bright Red - The strings at the end of the previous track find their way into this tracks opening in the background and then are threaded in small moments along the track. However the piano is the pinnacle instrument used in the production with a bit of bass. Though his vocals stay at the forefront and the way his vocals are used on this track make you feel like you are floating on them. He finds himself wanting to making the most of this relationship as he is happy with who is with. As he is aware that at any moment things can change and what the two are experiencing right now could be gone tomorrow.

Hunter - Ryan is continuing on from the previous track in that now here he seems to feel as though he’s either woken from a dream he was having or that things have changed from what they were on ‘Bright Red’. By the end of the song he wants to escape it all for a moment, not wanting to be found. He is seeking momentary seclusion. The production here gives this track such a dramatic feel and its as though you are sat there watching a stream flow. There is something hypnotic to the guitar that is featured throughout this track which is the longest song on the album being a little over seven minutes long.

White Teeth - This guitar driven track is an experience in itself as it takes you on this journey through this relationship. Where it seems that the two are detaching, though they try to connect it just isn’t working. He sings about there being both good moments and then those that weren’t so good. The bridge is such a beautiful moment on this track where he sings about if he could he’d have tried harder to keep the relationship alive. However it takes effort from both to make things work. A bittersweet end to a relationship. You feel the R&B influences on this track particularly through his vocal delivery here.

Multiple Endings -  Here the piano takes charge as Ryan looks over the relationship that once was. He acknowledges that he had shortcomings, however he says that what they did was much worse. He is clearly hurt over how things went down, and the relationship seems to have been one sided with him giving more than what he was getting in return. The way that the piano is played on this song plays to what’s being depicted through the lyrics really well. 

Little Faith - We reach the closing moment on this record and what a stunning note to end things on. You find hope seeping through as he sings about the power behind having even a little amount of faith. With self-doubt and personal growth taking centre stage. You get lost in this track as it overtakes everything around you, inclosing you in its tender nature. He ends it with an outro that is so dreamy with his ‘Oooh’s’ being at the front and the instrumentation rather faded in comparison to the outro on the opening track where it was the opposite. 

Overall this is a stunning body of work from start to finish, in total honesty I don’t think I’ve done it justice in the slightest when trying to describe it in words. It is one that you yourself have to listen to in order to fully grasp the art that Ryan Beatty has created. So far Calico is putting up a strong fight to be named 2023’s album of the year, and it seems like it will take the title. It is sonically cohesive and divulges on a sombre journey through life. It feels cinematic and dreamy. The lyrics leave you with a lot to think about as they aren’t exactly clearcut, leaving things open to interpretation. This is one of those records that artists aspire to create, but oft times are unable to. He definitely deserves the recognition and it would be such a moment if this record were to end up being nominated at the upcoming Grammy Awards for Album of the Year. Go and listen to this record if you haven’t yet, it is a must listen from amongst this years album releases.