#Kym watches a film

[stagefoureddiediaz]

One person joined me about 10 minutes in but that’s ok!

My review is that it’s was a little long in places and there were a few moments where interesting acting choices were made that I don’t think were quite right (nothing major just lacking a bit of emotion or expression!) . But overall it’s an incredible film and possibly one of the best broadway musical to the screen adaptations I’ve seen. I loved the fact hey were able to expand the story - adding in more background etc

Cinthia Evero was amazing - stand out performance (which it needed to be so I’m so glad she delivered) Ariana was very very good and the work she did on her voice was impressive so kudos to her for putting in that much effort. Jonathan Bailey was perfect as Fyerio - cannot wait to see how he plays it in part 2 - which is when he should really get to shine. Michelle Yeo cannot really sing - but they covered it well and made it more of a talking singing part which I fine with - the rest of her performance was brilliant (her harder song is in part 2 so it will be interesting to see how they pull it off) and I look forward to seeing her really lean into the evil more in part 2!

They really brought the world to life is a fantastic way and it really goes to show how much more engaging a film is when you have practical sets (take note Disney with all your live action remakes!!) and it’s not all just green screen. The cgi was used well and in just the right places. The sets really are stunning - I cannot emphasise that enough - I’m excited to be able to watch it again when it’s out on streaming so I can pause and really look at all the details! And I adored the various nods to the original wizard of Oz film - they really worked and were well done (I’m sure I missed a few Easter eggs!)

Incredible dancing talent used for the big numbers, loved the cameos we got and everyone was perfectly cast. Costumes were next level good and if Paul Tasewell doesn’t walk away with the Oscar then a crime has been committed. Only downside was not having Glinda in yellow for the emerald city stuff - especially with how they expanded the wizards plans section - a yellow dress would’ve made that scene make more sense than it did with her in pink! But that’s a small thing in the scheme of things!

That is my quick review of wicked part 1! Now I just have to wait for part 2 (le sigh!)

When you come to the cinema to watch wicked and you’re the only one in the screening 😳😳😳

(And yes I do have elphabas glasses because I am super cool like that 😎

[aliciaphen]

☆ ALICIA’S MONTHLY MEDIA MENTIONS: JANUARY `23

Hi. School projects have eaten up all my time and I haven't posted on this account. Also, the beautiful women who have recently followed me have been blowing up my notifications and it's been quite annoying. On the bright side, I have a lot of art to post! Here is all the media I consumed in January!

Visual:

Frances Ha (2012) dir. Noah Baumbach. It tells a beautiful narrative of coming of age in your twenties.

Billie and Jean. Another chill, kinda dumb podcast but it's something fun to play in the background. Gives some good laughs.

Titanic (1997) dir. James Cameron. Needed something after watching Avatar TWoW.

Mileage (2022) created by Jennifer Wu (PM) Kym Santiana (PM) Ruyee Lu (PM) Christopher Hsueh Joy Zhou Miranda Li Nicole Taylor-Topacio Ruby Saysanasy Saul Benavides. My friend made a really awesome short film for her 3rd year! Please check it out. The music suits it so well and the story is very exciting!

Cruella (2021) dir. Craig Gillespie. I wasn't going to watch this but Josiah mentioned the same person directed I, Tonya (2017) which I thought was great. I watched with a dog that I was dogsitting.

Goodfellas (1990) dir. Martin Scorsese. A pretty good story. I think the acting in it was great as well. The slurs threw me SO off guard.

Puss in Boots: The Last Wish (2022) dir. Joel Crawford. I'm so excited for Shrek 5. This was great. Love how Spiderverse is bringing about a new age of animation.

The White Lotus, Season 1 (2021). I'm only watching this for Jennifer Coolidge.

Emergency Intercom - Enya Umanzor, Drew Phillips, Ky Newman. It's an every-month thing.

TXT Live at Lollapalooza 2022 (Full Performance) - Tomorrow x Together. Just very upset that they announced tour dates and Toronto wasn't on there.

Fall (2022) dir. Scott Mann. Why would they do that?

The Menu (2022) dir. Mark Mylod. Nice.

Audio: January 2023 Spotify Playlist

Space 1.8 - Nana Sinephro. Love this album SO MUCH.

Animation Happy Hour - Garrett Lewis, Katie Low, Ben Girmann. I'm excited to have found this podcast! I feel like it'll be a good resource in helping me with my future endeavours.

The Whole of the Moon (Fiona Apple cover) - Fiona Apple. Mother. Inspiration.

ATTENTION: MILEY LIVE - I'm so happy for Miley's success and I'm very sorry I was part of the crowd that shunned her post-Disney era. She's an amazing artist and I could listen to her sing rock songs all day.

Time is Way Weirder Than You Think - The Ezra Klein Show. A podcast episode we listened to for class. Confusing and it raised more questions.

Ditto - New Jeans. The girls have done it again.

Don’t Forget My Love - Acoustic - Diplo, Miguel. Fuck the original. This is it.

VIBE (feat. Jimin of BTS) - TAEYANG. Taeyang is so funny. Whenever I think of him I think of that video where he sings thank you and I love you for 2 mins.

Reading:

Howl's Moving Castle - Diana Wynne Jones. After watching the Ghibli film, I wanted MORE.

Sketching for Animation - Peter Parr. A book I have downloaded and have seen the first few pages of. I have yet to really get into it but it also seems like a great resource to improve my art.

Gesture Drawing for Animation - Walt Stanchfield 

What They Don't Teach You at Film School: 161 Strategies For Making Your Own Movies No Matter What - Camille Landau, Tiara White

[ausetkmt]

There are so many well-executed music videos that are considered timeless. From the greats of Aaliyah to DMX, these artists have never fallen short to deliver out-of-the-box visuals.

Here are some of the music videos that we think are most memorable!

Tell us what’s your favorite memorable music video!

Like TV One on Facebook and be sure to follow us on Instagram and Twitter.

1. “The Rain (Supa Dupa Fly)” by Missy Elliott

From the iconic garbage suit, to the fish eye view Missy Elliott’s “The Rain” music video will forever go down in history as one of the most memorable music videos of all time!

2. “On and On” by Erykah Badu

The moment was far more than just a very loose interpretation of (or homage to) the film The Color Purple; it marked the start of Erykah Badu’s tyrannical rule over all neo-soul performers for the ensuing ten years.

3. “Remember the Time” by Michael Jackson

“Remember the Time” isn’t just a music video, this was a short film with a lot cameos of several heavy-hitters in the entertainment industry, such as Eddie Murphy, Iman,  Tommy “Tiny” Lister and Magic Johnson.

Michael Jackson was master of giving fans top-notch visuals as he extracted a genius story plot, dance numbers, theatrics, and etc. from a 4 minute song.

It’s truly a testament to how talented of a performer

4. “No Scrubs” by TLC

After seeing TLC’s “No Scrubs” video, we all wanted to live in the famous future space station!

5. “What’s My Name?” by DMX

If you ever wanted to get hyped up while watching a hip-hop music video, “What’s My Name” by DMX will surely get you riled up!

6. “Try Again” by Aaliyah

The late Aaliyah really became a futuristic pop star when “Try Again” was released.

From the video’s setting of  a hall of mirrors, and a room with a shallow pool to Romeo Must Die star, Jet-Li cameo and Timbaland’s adlibs, and Aaliyah’s signature look this music video captured millions and further pushed Aaliyah into stardom.

7. “Pass The Courvoisier Part II” by Busta Rhymes

Rapper Busta Ryhmes is known to have out-of-the-box music video concepts and “Pass the Courvoisier Part II” is one of the most memorable music videos of the early 2000s.

This music video will go down in music video history due to Mr. T, Spliff Star, Mo’Nique, Kym Whitley, and Jamie Foxx made cameo appearances in the video, which was influenced by the glorious films, Harlem Nights and Rush Hour 2.

8. “Doo Wop (That Thing)” by Lauryn Hill

The music video of “Doo-Wop” by Lauryn Hill will forever live in our hearts.

We can’t get enough of the concept of showing two different generations of men and women, to the singer’s message: “Don’t be a hard rock when you really are a gem!”

9. “All I Need” by Method Man ft. Mary J. Blige

If you’re a hip-hop fan doesn’t matter where you are, you’ll always sing and dance to “All I Need” by Method Man ft. Mary J. Blige!

It is a classic 90s bop!

10. “Roses” by Outkast

Words can’t describe how we feel about Outkast’s “Roses” music video.

From it’s clever references to West Side Story and Grease we get to see how Andre 3000 and Big Boi come together and create this amazing visual for their double-album Speakerboxxx/The Love Below.

Were you a Speakerboxxx or a Love Below fan?

[productsreviewings]

Does anybody work more durable than Taylor Sheridan? The screenwriter who first rose to prominence for his glorious scripts for the flicks Sicario and Hell or Excessive Water has since develop into one of many trade's prolific creators, not solely creating the smash hit Yellowstone (and its quite a few spinoffs) lately, however various different exhibits as properly. Now that Tulsa King—Sheridan's foray into the world of organized crime led by Sylvester Stallone—has wrapped up its debut season, the author/director/producer is bringing his motion again to the world of jail cities with Season 2 of Mayor of Kingstown. The present, with stunning twists and considerably based mostly on a real story, was a shock hit a 12 months in the past for Paramount+, and now the present will proceed its story with solid members Jeremy Renner, Dianne Wiest, and Tobi Bamtefa in tow. Season 2 of Kingstown additionally comes at a time of aid for followers, as star Jeremy Renner continues to get better from a scary accident involving a snowplow that left him in essential situation not lengthy after the beginning of 2023. The Marvel star and two-time Academy Award nominee (for The Harm Locker and The City) assured followers in an Instagram submit that he appreciated their concern and could be higher: "Thanks all in your sort phrases. 🙏. Im too tousled now to kind," he wrote in a January 3 submit. "However I ship like to you all."We nonetheless haven't got a ton of particulars on the aftermath of Renner's tough accident, however his Kingstown co-star Hugh Dillon (who additionally performed the sheriff in Yellowstone) advised USA At this time that the actor despatched him a "profane" video from his hospital mattress, whereas Kym Renner (Jeremy's sister) advised Individuals that the household was "thrilled together with his progress." Whereas we proceed to await information on the star's restoration, it is good to know that followers of his Paramount+ star flip can take a look at a model new Season 2. Paramount+When is the following episode of Mayor of Kingstown Season 2 popping out?Every episode of Mayor of Kingstown debuts on Paramount+ on Sunday nights at 9:00 PM PST (3:00 AM EST), and the following episode is ready to debut on Sunday, January 29. What number of episodes of Mayor of Kingstown Season 2 are left?Season 2 of Mayor of Kingstown will likely be 10 episodes in whole, identical to Season 1. Which means there are nonetheless eight extra episodes—and eight extra weeks of Mayor of Kingstown in Season 2.Stream Mayor of Kingstown Right hereThis is the entire launch schedule for Mayor of Kingstown Season 2.Episode 1 - Now streaming as of January 15Episode 2 - Now streaming as of January 22Episode 3 - Now streaming as of January 29Episode 4 - Now streaming as of February 5Episode 5 - Streaming on February 12Episode 6 - Streaming on February 19Episode 7 - Streaming on February 26Episode 8 - Streaming on March 5Episode 9 - Streaming on March 12Episode 10 - Streaming on March 19 Evan is the tradition editor for Males’s Well being, with bylines in The New York Occasions, MTV Information, Brooklyn Journal, and VICE. He loves bizarre films, watches an excessive amount of TV, and listens to music extra typically than he doesn’t. #Jeremy #Renner #Season #Mayor #Kingstown

[caityrayeraye]

3 non-romantic duos: Anakin and Ahsoka, Anakin and Obi-Wan, Ahsoka and Obi-Wan

Ships that might surprise others: idk lol

Last song: the rain sounds I fall asleep to.

Last film: Shrek the Third

Currently reading: Mortal Engines book 1 by Phillip Reeve

Currently watching: Little House on the Prairie

Currently eating: about to go have cereal

Currently craving: not sure right now

@ferryportlandingmayor @jokerislandgirl32 @m0thisonfire @kym-truestory @ladyelissarose @rainyhoundanimemusic @fuckyeah5sostakemehome @witchcraftandgeekness

9 people you'd like to know better

Done this one recently, so I'm changing the questions up. Thanks for the tag @authortobenamedlater.

1. Three non-romantic duos: Anakin & Rex, Nancy & Peggy, Christina & Melanie

2. A ship that might surprise others: Ben/Rey. Except not the way it's done in the movies.😅 There's a bunch of AU versions I've seen in fanart that made me start liking them, and now I have my own AU for them.

3. Last song: 'The Force Theme' by Samuel Kim.

4. Last film: Revenge of the Sith last night with my big brother.

5. Currently reading: lots of SW fanfic, Jedi Trial by David Sherman and Dan Cragg

6. Currently watching: Loki w my sister, Book of Boba Fett w a friend

7. Currently consuming: last thing I ate was a bowl of granola for breakfast

8. Currently craving: to turn my phone off and concentrate on writing for a solid hour. I have a fic to finish.

Tagging @dont-do-rice-babes @stargazer-luna @helloalyss @clawedandcute @kraytwriter @musewrangler @thefinaljediknight @sailforvalinor @ablatheringblatherskite

[oatmilkovich]

90s romeo and juliet supremacy forever

okay, you didn’t ask for this at all but i’m just extra and going to give it to you anyway. 

one thing i will never understand is people disliking that movie — especially bc the only ‘consistent’ (eg over the years the handful of people i’ve met that say they don’t like it) surface level criticism i ever see of it is the fact that it’s the original elizabethan text set in modern day and that ‘doesn’t’ make sense.

how?! how does it not make sense 😭not to sound like i’m up some 500 year old man’s ass (except that i completely am) but shakespeare’s original language enhances the storytelling bc the words and praises he uses open the door to so many more ways of expressing feelings and emotions. romeo and juliet has some of the most beautiful dialogue and by placing it in modern day, it’s made so much more accessible because the context is so much clearer and relatable. (did anyone else watch the 60s adaptation with the zac efron look alike in school? love it, but why would you go w that one for teenagers to try and connect to the work) 

baz luhrmann’s adaptation is camp, unique and all over the place in the best way. maybe i’m biased because i’ve always loved baz’s slightly off kilter signature style, but he took a story we’ve heard hundreds and times injected it with a new lease of life. shakespeare’s work is and will always be timeless – his words will exist long after we are gone, but how often does an adaptation of a play get referenced and drawn from consistently in media? for example, jules’ halloween costume on euphoria or hell, the entirety of skam season 3. the fish tank scene alone is iconic enough to garner it’s own references! shakespeare was a punk of his day and i truly believe that it’s exactly what he would’ve wanted for his work – especially 500 years later. 

plus, we get great performances from harold perrineau as mercutio – his queen mab speech is legendary, claire danes – who was only 17 and kills it and john leguizamo as tybalt – who is one of my favourite actors ever. to top it all off we get 2 hours of 90s leonardo dicaprio delivering poetry in a hawaiian shirt and wielding a gun – like, what more could you ask for in life? is it his career defining performance? no, but it’s still a bloody good one and i’ll argue with anyone over how he alone is worth the film’s icon status. 

this isn’t even mentioning baz’s music choices and how they too have earned their own reputation. kissing you by diseree? young hearts run free by kym mazelle? quindon tarver’s rendition of prince’s when doves cry? and my personal favourite talk show host by radiohead that kicked off my love for the band at 13. one of my favourite aspect’s of baz’s personal style is making music and the soundtrack as significant to the story as the characters are – and he does it so explicitly well in this film. 

this is barely even scratching the surface of why I think this film deserves all the love it gets and how it is possibly the single most influential shakespeare adaptation... pretty much ever. i’m also a big believer that romeo and juliet (it’s one of my favourite plays and juliet is one of my favourite characters) gets misunderstood because of it’s reputation and that this is the perfect way to make his work accessible and fresh. anyways, if you unlocked a pandora’s box and if i don’t stop now, i probably won’t ever. in short: 90s romeo and juliet supremacy forever. 

[incorrect-purple-hyacinth]

-Hermann, standing in front of a camera with March filming and the precinct watching-

Hermann: Ugh, look I am not going to - 

March: DO IT!

Hermann: I'm Hermann and I was wrong. I'm singing the Hermann wrong song. I shouldn't have taken that chance, now here's my remorseful dance!

March: DO THE KICKS!

Hermann: - half hearted kicking - 

Kym: JAZZIER!!

[4homiesfilm]

So I had to talk about this with you all. This weekend Thomas has been out of town so I have been trying my best to use this time of solitude to my advantage. I definitely went into it with high hopes of productivity, still on the creative high from the time spent with you all. But then Saturday morning came. It was rainy in Atlanta. Gloomy, muddy, gross kind of rain. The kind of depressing rain that weighs down trees like saggy skin and the robs the recently bloomed flowers that optimistically promised a new season of their colorful petals. It was a low day for me. I spent far too long laying in bed, unable to find any strength to get out. It was the kind of day where you probably need to just go for a walk to feel better, but the weather won’t allow it so you end up wasting the hours feeling sorry for yourself listening to sad music (which ultimately does more damage and brings you lower). I anxiously searched in vain for an umbrella just to be able to leave, but ended up collapsing on the couch in defeat. Trying to avoid being the victim of yet another empty Saturday, I took out some paper and began just recollecting moments of my life in an attempt to work on my film idea. It was a painful and gritty process, often leaving my in angry tears. I couldn’t physically write much. Just small bullet points of moments of feelings, remembering being a teenage girl.

After a small writing session I wanted to watch a movie that would make me ache. I felt like I had these feelings inside me that desperately needed some cathartic release. I went to Videodrome and pick up a couple of things. I began watching A Elephant Sitting Still by Hu Bo. It is definitely a thick movie. I have yet to finish it (since it is like over 3.5 hours or something). About two hours in I turned it off because I knew what I needed to watch. I’m not sure if any of you have seen Jonathan Demme’s Rachel Getting Married. It is a film that I have been putting of since it came out in 2008, because I was nervous. I knew it would hit a little close to home, but a gloomy, lonely Saturday night, after couple of beers, it felt like the right time

Kym (Anne Hathaway), a recovering drug addict, gets released from rehab for the weekend to attend her sister Rachel’s (Rosemarie DeWitt) wedding at their large house in the countryside of Connecticut. As you can imagine, the weekend opens old wounds and resentments. You find yourself simultaneously hating and rooting for the egotistical Kym. Your heart aches for her despite probably never wanting to spend a minute with her.

The camera weaves its way through the weekend like a silent observer. You get the sense that camera captures moments by simply being in the right place at the right time. It feels far from a planned movie. You feel like you’re there dancing and eating and crying and laughing with everyone There is no soundtrack, but it is a gathering of musicians so there’s constant music being played. It feels like a beautiful home video. Actually, I think I read Demme and the DP, Declan Quinn, described it as “the most beautiful home video.” The house is always a flurry of people coming in and out chaotically prepping for the wedding. Some of the most intense conversations happen with a gathering of people around, but this never feels strange, because Demme creates such a rich tapestry of minor characters from the step-mother to childhood friends to in-laws. Despite the tensions, it is a house of love. The great Bill Irwin plays the father and he just fucking nails it. He is overly attentive to the struggling Kym yet at the same time Rachel yearns for his attention. There is this scene of an innocent competition between him and his soon-to-be son-in-law that is fun, chaotic, and high energy, but it abruptly ends when an item from the past is found and the good-nature mask that Irwin holds for most of the film cracks.

There is a lot going on. And there are a lot of scenes that impacted me. In the wedding scene, there is a moment where the groom, played by musician Tunde Adebimpe, from the band TV on the Radio, sings an a cappella “Unknown Legend” by Neil Young and it just found it so fucking beautiful. Despite the tension and the history and the pain, there is so much love and joy.

There is this continuous tension with Rachel. She is obviously very torn between loving her sister and desiring to connect, but also despising her and her constant need to take up every inch of a room. It is her wedding weekend yet her father is so intent on making Kym feel included that Rachel bristles. There is a moment when Rachel and Kym just had a fight and Kym is missing. Rachel is talking to her father, Paul.

PAUL:(not getting it) Where is she now?

RACHEL: Where am I now, Dad?

Later in the same scene, Kym returns and they have a discussion about the past that really fucking hit me.

KYM: Why would anything I said or didn't say at the hospital hurt you? It wasn't about you!

RACHEL: Why not? Why wasn't it about me?

PAUL: Rachel...

RACHEL Dad, stop. (to Kym) Why not? I was hopeful. I was on your side. I still am. Do you have any idea what that means? Do you have any idea how lonely it was with everybody gone into your terrible world? There was nothing left. Everybody was just empty. You think they remembered I was alive or needed anything during your... life? And after all that loneliness and Mom and Dad blaming each other and worrying and death and divorce and that stupid hopefulness and Dad not even being able to listen to music, you were in the hospital, lying about us! Instead of telling the truth about yourself!

This struggle is something that I am trying to figure out how to put on paper. The simultaneous need for love from the very person who caused you hurt. The desperate need to forgive yet also needing your anger, hurt, and resentment acknowledged. Or not knowing what you need from someone in order to forgive them or if it’s even fair to need that. How do we forgive people who have shattered us? I don’t know, man. I am just rambling. Trying to figure out how to put what I want on paper.

I miss you all like crazy. Having you here filled me with air that I haven’t breathed in a long time. I just needed to get this all off my chest. I wrote it pretty quick so I’m sorry if some of it doesn’t make sense. It just was a movie that stuck with me and I was in a pretty vulnerable place after writing a bunch about my own sister.

Love you all.

[caityrayeraye]

Last song: Get On Outta Here - FF5

Last film: Beyond the Mask(it’s a Revolutionary War movie based on a true story)

Currently reading: Dunkirk: The History Behind the Major Motion Picture by Joshua Levine

Currently watching: Gilmore Girls, H20: Just Add Water

Current obsession: The Chosen, FF5, Ashton Irwin from 5SOS, Taylor Swift, Little Mix, Six of Crows

@ferryportlandingmayor @jokerislandgirl32 @m0thisonfire @kym-truestory @darkestmoon-98 @ladyelissarose @rainyhoundanimemusic @fuckyeah5sostakemehome @witchcraftandgeekness

thanks for the tag @wesperbrekkered 🫶🏻

last song: old money by lana del rey (my gf sent it to me and said. blind wylan au) (she is so right😭)

last film: aftersun (beautiful)! and i started train to busan (i dig zombie stuff but i can't get much into it🤷🏻)

currently reading (or last read): slowly reading the secret history (last read the priory of the orange tree and i loved it!)

currently watching: the new castlevania and shameless

current obsession: still the crows😪 im bringing them to my deathbed

tagging: @sunfl8wer @americanbeautiies @jazzythursday @oneofthewednesdays @catboyjosten @caityrayeraye & whoever else wants to do it :)

[stagefoureddiediaz]

Kym thank you for your wonderful answer to anon. I think a part of fadom freaks out easily because the reporter scared everyone for a lifetime. Last year we were all here celebrating how good for buck would have been having a friend outside of the 118, and we got a terrible friend then and an horrible gf now that basically monopolized 2 entire episodes of 5a, probably she'll be gone soon but her presence is still to much compared to others So yeah I don't think lucy will be a LI but who knows

Awww Nonnie 🥺🥺🥺 tysm

Tay Kay is definitely scarring!! I'm gonna be upfront - I have never ever liked Taylor and I never saw her as a friend to Buck (idk how anyone could tbh but maybe thats just me!!), so I never joined in the celebrations of Buck having a friend outside of the 118 - I've only ever viewed her as a narrative device- her character has always been selfish and self serving and if the writers wanted me to feel differently about her they would have invested the time and effort into showing character growth - addressing all the bad choices she made previously. The fact that they didn't, and actually went the other way - showing how much of a hypocrite she is on top of everything else - spoke so loudly to me.

If, like me, you've spent years working in the industry, and studying how film and television is created and developed, I guess you spot things a mile off. I do think they wasted a lot of time and energy on giving her a back story and using it to fill time that could've been better spent elsewhere, but I'm also of the view that theres a very good chance that we'll see what we learnt coming back into play in the first part of 5b.

I think the writers have spent time creating that backstory for a reason - because it's what they've done historically and if it wasn't important they would've used the time elsewhere - showing us more of other characters and doing further world building. The entire season is planned out at the beginning - the arcs will have been decided- even beyond just the season - and they will have spent a lot of time figuring out how to get the characters from a to b - what needs to happen, what road blocks to put in their way etc.

That is why I'm sure that there are plans to make further use of what they have chosen to give us (and why ghost stories got such a drastic rewrite) and I expect it all to come into play in 5x11 and 13 with repercussions further into the season as well. Im actually looking forward to the summer hiatus so I can really look at how it all plays out in more detail - when we know where it all leads to - only then will we truly know if they short changed us and put in a load of unnecessary filler we could've done without!

For the most part the section of fandom that freaks out over this kind of thing tend to be young with little experience of the real world who will (hopefully) learn as they get older - I don't tend to see to much of it in my little corner of the internet as I curate my experience - I'm here for a good time, to have fun and for healthy debate, Im not here to stress myself out or make myself miserable. Its also easy to forget that many of these people freaking out have grown up in a world which has always had internet and so they are not used to being made to wait for things in the same way as those o us who existed before the world was at our fingertips - when binge watching was only possible if you recorded each episode every week or bought the vhs/dvd box sets!

Sorry Nonnie - i've got up on my soap box again 🤣🤣🤣 I've never bee none for brevity!!! As always great to have you appearing in my inbox!

[smokeybrand]

Smokey brand Reviews: Bad Romance

Palm Springs was probably my favorite film from last year. It was this quirky, time-looping, hilarious, romantic comedy with one of the dopest casts I've ever seen. It was headlined, and championed, by Andy Samberg but it would have been nothing without the brilliant chemistry between his co-lead, Cristin Milioti. This chick is fantastic! She’s been in a ton of stuff I've loved, Fargo, The Wolf of Wall Street, and Venture Bros. immediately come to mind, but never really had the opportunity to actually excel in her own vehicle. Always the Bridesmaid never the Bride, you know? And then i heard the buzz about this little HBO max show called Made For Love and it is lead by Milioti, herself. Finally, my girl has her wedding day! So, does this show live up to all the hype or is it just middling entertainment like all the other critics seem to think. Let’s get into it.

The Good

Immediately, I'm struck by how well this film is shot. This f*cking thing is gorgeous to look at. Seriously, they do so much with the camera work, so much dynamism, you kind of forget that this is basically just a cable sitcom. The quality put into this show is borderline cinematic and it really shows.

Another big thing that stands out is the music in this show. This soundtrack is exceptional. It feels almost as good as the tunes in Letterkenny. Almost. Letterkenny comes with the f*cking heat but this show, Made for Love, has a perfectly complimentary soundtrack.

I have to say, the writing in this thing is on point. It’s easily one of the wittiest, wryly hilarious, smartest, series of scripts i have ever had the pleasure of seeing performed. Seriously, I'm kind of in love with all of this dialogue. It feels very Lonely Island-esque, very Tina Fey-ish, and it’s right up my alley.

As a cat that has watched a ton of television and cinema, I've seen this actual plot before. Several times actually. That said, the way this cliche is executed in Made for Love is rather refreshing. The modern and technological framing is a really interesting take on this particular trope. I genuinely loved this story and it’s unique spin on things.

This cast is pretty dope. Ray Romano, Kym Whitley, Dan Bakkedahl, and Noma Dumezweni are all great in their supportive roes but this is, one hundred percent, Milioti’s vehicle. I’ll get into detail about that later but everyone in this show is excellent in their perspective roles.

That supporting cast are gems in Milioti’s crown but Billy Magnussen is definitely the prize. Dude’s Byron Gogol is f*cking repugnant, man, and Magnussen effortlessly captures that scumbaggery. Like, by the time this first season ends, you definitely hate dude and for good f*cking reason. That said...

Cristin Milioti wears the f*ck out of her crown. This is HER show and it wouldn’t work with anyone else. Milioti is hilarious and vulnerable and crazed and triumphant and defeated and that range is so palpable in her performance as Hazel. you can tell she was able to actually show her stuff in this role and she puled out all of the stops. This is definitely a star making performance and i think, if this wasn’t a pandemic release, she would be one. Time will tell. Personally, i think awards are bullsh*t but, in the context of the industry, the doors those things can open, they are still relevant. Milioti definitely deserves all of the awards for this run.

The Bad

I didn’t really like the ending. It felt out of character, especially that last shot. I understand why Hazel did it, that make sense, but it still feels off. After you’ve spent seven hours and fifty minutes with this character, seeing what she does in the last ten is kind of bonkers. Actually, that revelation early on feels a bit contrived altogether. I imagine, considering this show is a book adaption, it works better in print but onscreen? Kind of blergh. Especially considering this leaves the show on kind of a “cliffhanger” for a season two.

This isn't a dig on the show, itself, but i f*cking hate these weekly releases. Let me binge, man. I don’t want to wait a week to see new episodes constantly. These ain’t Saturday morning cartoons. We grown and this sh*t ain’t TV. Get your sh*t together, HBO!

The Verdict

I really liked this show. Made for Love was a fun watch in the same vein as Palm Springs but with a much harder edge. The writing is on point, funny in a macabre sort of way, but entertaining as a whole. It is chock full of great performances, headlined but the ever excellent Cristin Milioti. It starts fast and never really lets up, until it does. That ending, man, was rough. I understand why it went out the way it did but i don’t like. It feels disingenuous to the Hazel we’ve spent this last month with, ultimately sacrificing the character’s spirit for season two bait and i kind of hate that. Made for Love is a fun watch at a brisk eight episodes but kind of flubs the landing. If you can look past that and just accept this hing as a vehicle for Cristin Milioti to really show her stuff, i think you’ll have a great time with it. Questionable conclusion aside, i think everyone should check this one out.

[hovershiplogos]

There’s one thing that I really like talking about. it’s Matrix world building and research! And for today’s slightly disjointed ramble is on the costume design/fashion of the Matrix. More specifically, focused on the costume design for the Zion portions on the films!

There’s not a lot of reference images out there for any of the costumes from the Real World/Zion portions of the Matrix films (not including the standard hovership uniforms), so a lot of this is my own best guessing, and a few cropped images/images I grabbed from the films and documentaries.

First up, concept art!

So this kind of design seems to be common for the Zion residents, that kind of wrap around style can be seen in a couple of places, most notably on the APU operators, and on Niobe’s gathering dress (y’know, that sweet red one during the Zion rave scene?).  Also seen further down on Zee’s dress as well!

More concept art that I grabbed from one of the documentaries on the Matrix reloaded dvd, you can definitely see the more African styling here, the robes are nice and loose (which considering Zion is an underground city, and is supposed to be warm and humid, makes a lot of sense). (also, for anyone curious, the above bit of concept art is capped from this documentary here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vm5JNyRovyE , I’ll do more caps in the morning!)

Couple of screenshots of Cas from reloaded, she has this sheer poncho on over a loose, possibly knit fabric dress. Notice the metal bracelets she’s wearing in the first pic as well? Metal jewellery all around!

Now moving on Zee, another wrap around dress, the dress has this really nice texture to it, with quite a long hem at the bottom to weigh it down a bit.

Another note to make is that Kym Barrett, the series costume designer, has stated that most of Zion’s outfits are made from hemp material, as it’s easy to grow in the hot, humid underground atmosphere of Zion. I think they’ve woven it into a few different types of fabric, as there’s various thicknesses and weave styles seen throughout. Unless they scavenged a whole lot of different fabric from the surface? Maybe, who knows?

I wanted to deconstruct some of the councillor’s outfits as well, as they seem to be a heck of a lot fancier than the standard outfits as well. The linen on Councillor West’s shirt was pretty easy to spot, not sure what’s going on with Dillard’s sleeves though? Both my mum and I looked at it and we weren’t entirely sure what it could be, not with that ribbing to it. Not sure what DIllard’s beads are made out of either, could be something scavenged from the surface, could be glass, could be painted metal, who knows?

The brocade seems to be relegated to the more...I’m loathe to say the higher ups but unless I’ve missed it elsewhere, it only seems to show up in a few places.

And to finish off, since this is probably as good an image I’ll be able to find of this dress, Niobe’s gathering outfit. More brocade, very rich colours, pretty sure it’s a wrap around dress like Zee’s normal dress, but who knows?

Anyway, I’ll do a small follow up to this at some point. Also if you guys have any thoughts, let me know, I’m always happy to talk Matrix stuff :D

[tabloidtoc]

Us, May 25

Cover: Is Ellen DeGeneres a Monster? 

Page 4: Who Wore It Best? Camilla Luddington vs. Scarlett Johansson ✅, Bella Hadid ✅ vs. Leomie Anderson, Melissa Gorga ✅ vs. Brooke Burke 

Page 6: Emily Osment ✅ vs. Ming-Na Wen vs. Laura Marano 

Page 8: Loose Talk -- Mindy Kaling reminiscing about work, Chris Hemsworth on his dog gracing the cover of GQ with him, B.J. Novak joking about screen-time alerts, Mark Consuelos on the time he hopped a flight to NYC and staged an elaborate ruse because he thought wife Kelly Ripa was cheating on him, Miley Cyrus on FaceTiming with mom Tish Cyrus all day long 

Page 10: Contents 

Page 12: Hot Pics -- Tobey Maguire and girlfriend Tatiana Dieteman take a stroll, Carrie Underwood and son Jacob, Meghan Markle reads to son Archie 

Page 13: Katy Perry dressed up as Mrs. Jumbo and her dog Nugget as Dumbo, Stacy Keibler and newborn daughter Isabella Faith 

Page 14: Chrissy Teigen and daughter Luna, Joan Collins, Arnold Schwarzenegger pretend to do the splits, Neil Patrick Harris and daughter Harper and dog Gidget 

Page 16: Stars proudly show off their grays -- Tia Mowry-Hardrict, Tamera Mowry-Housley, Hilarie Burton, DJ Khaled with kids Asahd and Aalam 

Page 17: Salma Hayek, Nikki Bella and fiance Artem Chigvintsev, Eva Longoria, Christie Brinkley, Sarah Silverman 

Page 18: The stars rock colorful eyelids -- Kate Beckinsale, Barbie Ferreira, January Jones, Jennifer Lopez, Elle Fanning, Sadie Sink 

Page 19: Tracee Ellis Ross, Cara Delevingne, Margot Robbie, Keke Palmer, Zendaya, Dua Lipa, Lizzo 

Page 20: Stars They’re Just Like Us -- Reese Witherspoon has a hobby, Casey Affleck hydrates, Lucy Hale walks her dog Elvis 

Page 21: Martha Stewart mows the lawn, Sylvester Stallone takes a nap, Shia LaBeouf goes running, Brie Larson and Elijah Allan-Blitz go shopping 

Page 22: Love Lives -- Wells Adams and Sarah Hyland quarantine really well together 

Page 23: Cynthia Bailey and fiance Mike Hill are being tested by the pandemic, Avril Lavigne and Pete Jonas are in tune with each other, Robert Herjavec and Kym Johnson no date nights are no problem 

Page 24: Hollywood Moms -- Shawn Johnson on her daughter Drew 

Page 25: Denise Richards’ three daughters have grown up watching her play with beauty products but she had strict rules for when her oldest girls Sam and Lola could start experimenting with makeup, Bekah Martinez’s 15-month-old Ruth hasn’t yet noticed her mama’s big belly pregnant with boyfriend Grayston Leonard, Shay Mitchell loves taking pictures of baby Atlas 

Page 26: Hot Hollywood -- Kim Kardashian feels she needs some space from Kanye West 

Page 27: Kate Middleton is the queen of recycling outfits, Kristin Cavallari and Jay Cutler it’s war 

Page 28: A Day in the Life At-Home Edition -- Mike Colter 

Page 29: The stars give us more reasons to smile during these trying times -- the biggest bop to come out of quarantine so far belongs to Justin Bieber and Ariana Grande in the form of their new song Stuck With U, Michelle Obama’s new Netflix doc Becoming filmed while on tour for her bestselling memoir serves as inspiration, Harry Potter News -- as part of the Harry Potter at Home project fans can listen to the first book read by Daniel Radcliffe and more, Rupert Grint and his longtime girlfriend Georgia Groome welcomed a baby girl 

Page 30: Cover Story -- The Truth About Ellen DeGeneres -- monster or misunderstood? Ellen’s reputation has taken a beating in recent weeks 

Page 34: The Ex Factor -- these former couples may have their differences but they make it work for the sake of the kiddos during the pandemic -- Anderson Cooper and Benjamin Maisani, Tarek El Moussa and Christina Anstead

Page 35: Ben Affleck and Jennifer Garner, Gwen Stefani and Gavin Rossdale, Khloe Kardashian and Tristan Thompson 

Page 36: Style -- Countdown to Summer -- Jennifer Lopez and Alex Rodriguez and their kids 

Page 37: Hailey and Justin Bieber, Reese Witherspoon with husband and kids 

Page 40: Entertainment -- Monica Raymund on Hightown 

Page 42: Take Five with Shameik Moore 

Page 43: Logan Paul on the Valley Girl remake 

Page 48: 25 Things You Don’t Know About Me -- Neve Campbell 

[angelholme]

May, Myself and I

Day 26 (Delayed) - Curtains & Day 27 - Stars

So apparently Kym Karath couldn’t swim when she was seven years old. Which seems like a very odd and random fact to start a post with and an even more odd fact to know.

However Kym Karath is probably the most famous of the Gretl Von Trapp’s in history, as she played her in the 1965 film along side Julie Andrews, Christopher Plummer and six other pretty famous children (at least relatively famous) and so it turns out I know more about her when she was seven than I do about most seven year olds. 

But since she couldn’t swim the whole “they’re singing in the boat and the boat flips over” scene was apparently a tad more complicated. Especially when on the second take Julie Andrews - who was supposed to catch her and save her - fell out of the wrong side of the boat and could find her, so Heather Menzies had to rescue her instead. (There’s a story to tell your children). 

The Sound of Music is one of my favourite films, even if I don’t watch it all that often - which I don’t because it is very, very long. It has everything you can ever want - singing, dancing, romance, Nazis who get screwed over, Nazis who get screwed over by nuns, a Nazi who gets screwed over by his girlfriend because she wants nothing to do with him......

So yes - the entire second half of the film is about saying “fuck you” to the Third Reich, which (bizarrely) is really quite ahead of its time. Except back in 1965 it was really not ahead of its time because back in 1965 saying “fuck you” to the Third Reich was literally all people did.

And the songs just last for ever. You say “Doe” almost everyone will respond “A deer - a female deer” (even people who’ve watched The Simpons and now associate “Doh” with Homer, because even they go “Doh! A Deer”)

The jokes about “The hills are alive and they are eating people” are pretty well known, 

And - of course - the song that I now always confuse with the opening song in Les Miserables, because of the radio show “I’m Sorry I Haven’t a Clue” and the game “One Song to The Tune of Another”

Now I’m not certain if you’ve heard of this game, or if you know the rules, but it is pretty self-explanatory. 

And after someone pointed it out on line, I have been unable to hear anything else but this :-

When I hear the Von Trapps singing “So Long, Farewell, Wiedersehen, Goodbye” it almost always morphs into a bunch of convicts singing “Look down, Look down, You’re here until you die”

Which is bad enough, but it gets ever so much worse because then you get to Gretl’s line....

“THE SUN..... HAS GONE....... TO BED AND SO MUST I” “LOOK DOWN! LOOK DOWN!!! YOU’RE HEAR UNTIL YOU DIE!”

Suffice to say the idea of mixing up the Von Trapp children and a bunch of convicts is quite entertaining - especially since I suspect the Von Trapp kids were probably far more dangerous and had far more criminal intent. 

Although when you consider the life of Jean Valjean it does become more of a close call, because when you look him from a certain point of view he really screwed things up.

He lied, he mislead, and there is every chance that he was the one who caused the collapse of the revolution. 

So all in all - depending on your point of view - Valjean could be considered a villain. And in the current climate there’s an argument for needing more people like Javert to be maintaining our law and order. 

And if you take this out into other fandoms you see that Sisko agrees - once he is confronted by Eddington (the Valjean character) he turnes into Javert and goes on a tear and destroys him using some pretty desperate tactics.

Then - a few years later - he uses some even more underhand tactics to achieve the same ends. 

Is Javert really a bad guy? Is Valjean really a good guy? Can you turn a good guy into a bad guy? Can you have two bad guys and no good guy?

Have I entirely lost the thread of what I was writing originally? 

Maybe.

But just look at Valjean’s story from an entirely neutral point of view, and you’ll realise there are problems with his actions.

However I am going to drag myself back to the original thread, which was that the Von Trapp kids are kind of mischievous and not at all evil, and most definitely shouldn’t be thrown in the river again (all except Gretl because she clearly can’t swim and you can’t trhow people in the river who can’t swim - that’s just mean) while wearing curtains, and both Valjean and Javert are either the heroes of the villains of the piece - depending on your point of view - but either way they are most definitely the stars of the show.

[angiealal]

“I am Shiva the destroyer, your harbinger of doom this evening.” – Kym Buchman 

First things first: I want to share with you all a movie that defined me.

I've always enjoyed movies but when I was 13, I watched "Rachel Getting Married" and this movie made me fall in love with films. The emotions portrayed in this film reached me in such a way that after watching it, I couldn't stop thinking about it for several days. The film is both an intimate story of an addict’s troubled past returning to hunt her at a family gathering, as well as a fun, languid wedding celebration. 

Anne Hathaway's portrayal of Kym is so raw and real that it made me understand why people enjoy movies so much.

This film was my entry to a new world and I'll forever be grateful for it.

I hope that if you see this, and feel curious about "Rachel Getting Married", you'll give it a try and fell in love with the seventh art like I did.