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ear-worthy · 9 months ago

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Nobody Listens To Paula Poundstone: It's So Out There; It's In!

Do longer-running podcasts change from season to season? On TV, we witness shows that tackle new storylines, add or subtract characters, and even alter the "feel" of the show. The Walking Dead, Supernatural, NCIS, and The Big Bang Theory made substantial changes over the course of their long TV lives.

How about a podcast that's been on for over five years like Nobody Listens To Paula Poundstone? In case you're not familiar with the show, here is the show's synopsis: "Join Paula Poundstone, co-host Adam Felber and a long list of characters, real and imaginary, on Nobody Listens To Paula Poundstone (the comedy podcast), a podcast taking the fun of a late-night show, the wit of a public radio show, and the knowledge of a guest experts while setting the volume to the max. Acerbic yet infectiously funny, Nobody Listens To Paula Poundstone (the comedy podcast) invites listeners into the audience of this absolutely ludicrous variety show, if they can follow along…or not."

This comedy podcast mirrors the quirky stream of consciousness mindset of its eponymous host, Paula Poundstone. Known for her smart, observational humor and spontaneous wit, Poundstone is well known for her appearances years ago on A Prairie Home Companion, her current guest spots on Wait Wait Don’t Tell Me and her stand-up act, which gears up for more than 85 shows a year. Poundstone’s enduring strength as a comedian does not really depend on a tightly scripted routine, but on her magical ability to improvise and begin talking to an audience to uncover comedic nuggets from the mouths of admiring fans.

I've seen her live several times, and she often comes on stage and begins to talk to the audience. From those interactions, her improvisational comedy flows. Unlike a tightly scripted routine like Sebastian Maniscalco or Kevin James, Poundstone lives on the comedic edge. Her podcast reflects that spontaneous tone.

When you listen to Nobody Listens To Paula Poundstone, however, you are assaulted with a hail storm of sharp-witted jokes, zany characters, idiosyncratic contests, lunatic projects, cranky animals, imaginary celebrity guests and a carousel of talented musicians.

That part of the podcast has remained stable over the life of the show, yet the craziness changes constantly. The show has the weirdest book club imaginable -- now reading the Valley Of The Dolls by Jacqueline Susann. There are odd gardening tips, the ongoing search for a survivalist gone missing, and new musicians every episode that become the "house band." Co-host Adam Felber has been there since the beginning, clearly behind the wheel in the podcast episodes, trying – sometimes in vain – to keep the show on the pavement while Poundstone continues to try to veer off into comedy potholes. His ability to play off Poundstone for comedic effect is a virtuoso effort, and his apparent exasperation at Poundstone’s detours makes for comedic sparks. Poundstone’s manager, Bonnie Burns, is affectionately and derisively known as “Captain Crinkle” on the show, and her frenetic, haphazard and logic-destroying manner gives Felber and Poundstone comedy ammunition. Even the podcast's producer -- Toni Anita Hull -- gets in on the comedy action with her hilarious tale of a cruise gone horribly wrong with her brother, who left the cruise at the halfway point so she was forced to hang with a niece she doesn't get along with.

A big change has been the location of the podcast studio, and there have been several over the course of the show. In the beginning, the show was recorded at the Ray Horseman Studios on Miranda Street in Los Angeles, an area infamous for its urban decay.

However, the podcast found a new production home, and has also worked with several production studios during the run of the show. The show has expanded its episode length. When it started in 2018, an episode ran about 55 minutes. Episodes today typically run about two hours. That expanded length of an episode is a legitimate trend, especially with comedy / interview shows, with Joe Rogan marathon episodes driving that episode expansion. Poundstone's show benefits from compartmentalization, since you can listen to her weird openings, the book club, the expert guest, and her back and forth with Felber as discrete segments.

Over nearly 300 episodes, Poundstone and her crew have conjured up characters that will wrinkle your forehead, including Southern grand dame Mrs. Culpepper, whose husband, the colonel, died tragically from eating bad cheese. “Adam, it was the gouda that got him,” Mrs. Culpepper confesses to Felber in their ritual mock interview.

Recently, in episode 297, the show eschewed a special guest in favor of the crew playing games like Password. The show was laugh-out-loud funny. The people in the Chik-Fil-A drive up line did not appreciate my guffaws. Nobody Listens to Paula Poundstone has kept a key holdover from the earlier podcast Live from the Poundstone Institute, and that is the interaction of Poundstone and Felber with a guest expert every episode. These experts provide actual important information and often seem to understand that instilling the audience with new knowledge often takes a backseat to Poundstonian diversions into flights of observational humor.

Episode 78 was one of my favorites. Called “We’re Dying Up Here!” the show welcomed guest mortician and author Caitlin Doughty, who spoke about the rituals surrounding death with her own brand of irreverent humor seamlessly blending with Poundstone’s gallows humor.

The guest interview is where Felber shines. First, he has that dilettante quality where he seems to know enough about a lot of topics and second – and more important -- he keeps Poundstone from veering off the interview path where she can riff for five or more minutes while the guest is mute and momentum is lost.

Outstanding guest experts include Hulu’s The Orville writer and former Star Trek science consultant Andre Bormanis who “dropped science on them” and ecologist Dan Cooper who explained to Poundstone how to communicate with the birds in her front and backyards.

What's also changed -- and is an object lesson for indie podcasters -- is the energy that Poundstone and her crew invest in monetization via growing a loyal fan base. Loyal fans -- and Patreon backers -- are called "Nobodys." The Nobodys are referenced regularly, often feted, and quite often become part of the show. Poundstone puts a lot of effort into her merch for the show, and she's not afraid to aggressively sell her show to listeners.

Like all comedy podcasts, Nobody Listens to Paula Poundstone attracts listeners who like her as a comedian. That's the essence -- and the success quotient -- for comedy podcasts. "I think this person is funny, and now I can hear them regularly instead waiting for a live show or a Netflix special."

Of course, as Poundstone, who was once thought of as "edgy," has grown older, so too has her audience. The key here is to attract new listeners, since numerous podcast surveys reveal that podcast listening rates for people over 55 years old are low, and not appreciably climbing.

Listening to Nobody Listens to Paula Poundstone is akin to walking around a crammed antique store with narrow aisles and items stacked floor to ceiling. That’s where you’re likely to find treasures galore like Mrs. Culpepper, the store that sells dented appliances down the street, the missing survivalist, the kaleidoscope of musicians and the strange alchemy that makes Nobody Listens to Paula Poundstone a worthwhile listen.

#podcast #podcasting #comedy

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yessadirichards · 1 year ago

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Billy Idol talks upcoming pre-Super Bowl show, recent Hoover Dam performance, working on a new album

LOS ANGELES

Billy Idol normally takes advantage of riding his motorcycle on the open road knowing there’s hardly any traffic because millions are usually glued to watching the Super Bowl.

But this year, Idol’s bike won’t be leaving his garage on game day. Instead, the legendary British rocker will be strolling on stage to headline a pre-game concert in Las Vegas ahead of the big game on Feb. 11 just outside Allegiant Stadium, where the NFL’s two best teams face off.

Idol, 68, is expected to perform some of his biggest hits including “Dancing with Myself” “Mony Mony” and “Rebel Yell” during a 35-minute set on two different stages at On Location's Club 67 and Touchdown Club in front of nearly 9,000 anticipated guests. It’s the second time the singer has taken part in a pre-Super Bowl show after he rocked out with Miley Cyrus three years ago outside Raymond James Stadium in Tampa, Florida.

In a recent interview, Idol exclusively chatted with The Associated Press about his Super Bowl halftime aspirations, the inspiration behind his Hoover Dam show, if he would ever consider doing Broadway and looking to soon release his first studio album in a decade.

Remarks have been edited for clarity and brevity.

AP: What will be your mentality heading into your show hours before the Super Bowl?

IDOL: It’s about adding excitement to the event. You’re pumping people up. That’s a fun feeling. You can tell the people are excited, what’s going to happen and you’re entertaining them in those moments before it really happens.

AP: Would you ever want to perform during Super Bowl halftime?

IDOL: That would be incredible. But I don’t know. It would be fantastic, but I cannot imagine me being asked to do it. It would be great. I’d love to do it. It would be amazing if it involved some other artists or a combination of people. That would be great. It would be one of the craziest things in the world to play. Everybody in the country watches it. Playing the pregame for me is good. Pumping people up before it and getting them ready is kind of a fun thought.

AP: You celebrated the 40th anniversary of your album “Rebel Yell” and had a five-night residency in Las Vegas last year. How does it feel to have your music still resonating today?

IDOL: When we were starting out, I couldn’t have imagined the effect of (our) music. We were living one day at a time. The songs were for that time period. They were just for that moment. You weren’t thinking about any long-term effects. You’re just thinking right now. But the songs have legs. It’s like “Wow, people have really embraced this crazy idea I had years ago.” They’re still enjoying it, and I am too. Who would have thought that 40 years later? I’m still pinching myself.

AP: You released a couple EPs and recently rereleased “Rebel Yell.” Will you drop any new music soon?

IDOL: We have a new album coming out in October this year. We’re still carrying on and enlarging what my music is about. I enjoy doing it. Me and (guitarist) Steve (Stevens) are still finding ways to excite ourselves. We’re not out there going through the motions. We’re actually out there taking prisoners. That’s how we feel.

AP: How far along are you in the process?

IDOL: We’ve got most of it recorded with just some finishing touches. We’re doing a cover. We’re thinking about videos and all the promotional things that go along with it. There’s a lot of stuff we’re going to be thinking about this year. But. .... playing at the Super Bowl, that’s pretty fantastic.

AP: You have a built-in fanbase. With your new album, have you taken a different approach musically with your upcoming project compared to past works?

IDOL: Not really. We’re bouncing off our last album “Kings & Queens of the Underground.” We did that in England and had strings on it. With this, we tried to make a lot more of an up-tempo album. There are nine songs and six of them are up-tempo. Three of them are kind of slower. It’s more of a youthful sounding record. I think it’ll allow our audience to have a lot of fun.

AP: What inspired you to perform at Hoover Dam?

IDOL: It was something like I would see in movies when I was a child. There was an Alfred Hitchcock movie (“Saboteur”) that referenced Hoover Dam. There was another film “711 Ocean Drive” that ended on the Hoover Dam. You know, it had a shootout. For someone like me, growing up in England, I saw this iconic place in movies then I got to play in front of it. Hoover Dam was right behind me with my logo on it, which was insane.

AP: Are there any other locations like Hoover Dam where you would like to perform?

IDOL: Mount Rushmore. I couldn’t have ever imagined Hoover Dam, so now the world is my oyster. There’s the incredible Crazy Horse statue that’s carved out in the Black Hills. We can play anywhere. Nothing can stop us.

AP: Have you ever thought about doing Broadway?

IDOL: Of course, we have. We haven’t quite worked out our direction. We’ve had several different ideas we’ve sort of fielded. Nothing has come to fruition yet. As you can see, they’re doing Prince’s “Purple Rain” on Broadway, so it’s not out of the question that we would do one. It’s just been sort of trying to work out how to do it. That’s what’s fun about having a catalog. It does resonate with a lot of people and there are possibilities like that in the future.

#yessadirichards

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fanficimagery · 4 years ago

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Misery Business pt. I

Imagine moving in with the Molina's after an incident back home. Instead of being angry, you realize this is your second chance to be truly happy and you really hope it goes better than your first attempt.

Words: 6.1K Author's Note: I'm a sucker for three idiot ghost boys which is why I'm back, only in this imagine everyone is alive. Yes that includes Rose Molina as well :) Soulmate!AU too so have fun with that. FYI, Y/N will be "musically talented" but since I can't write music to save my life then "Y/N's music" will come from a little band that goes by the name of Paramore and by James Arthur.

Julie and three of her best guy friends are in the family studio outside, writing and jamming and just having the time of their life. Alex, Reggie, and Luke are about two years older than Julie, but the boys overlooked the teeny tiny age gap because her killer voice was exactly what their band was missing. The entire high school knew exactly who the boys of Sunset Curve were so they were all surprised when they took sophomore Julie Molina under their wing and rebranded their band.

Julie's family was very supportive of her music, especially her mother Rose, and she let Julie and the boys use her studio whenever they wanted so long as they all kept up their grades. They're usually left alone when Julie and Luke are in writing mode, so it's a bit of a surprise to see Ray and Rose entering the studio.

Alex is the first to notice them, nudging Reggie and gesturing to Mr. and Mrs. Molina, and then Reggie tosses a pillow at Luke's head to get his attention. Luke's rather rude remark is on the tip of his tongue, but his eyes widen upon seeing Julie's parents.

"Jules. Julie!" He hisses. "Your mom and dad are here."

"Hmm. What?" Julie finally looks away from her journal, her eyes widening before a beaming smile breaks out. "Mami! Papi. What brings you two here?"

"Hey mija," Ray says. "Can we talk real quick?"

"Of course!"

She glances at the boys and they're quick to start packing up, but Ray gestures for them to stay put. "It's okay, boys. You can stay for this."

Rose smiles. "After all, you are family too."

Every time Rose or Ray mention that the boys are family, they can't help but smile goofily. None of the boys have the type of relationship with their parents that Julie has with hers, so they're all grateful the Molina's accept them as if they were a Molina as well. Julie smiles as the boys, who are all practically older brothers to her, gather around her and Luke to hear what's going on.

On his way further into the studio, Ray grabs a chair for Rose and she takes a seat while Ray stands behind her, gripping the back of her chair. "Okay," he exhales a little roughly, "so you know the drama your cousin went through a few months ago?"

Julie frowns. "Yeah."

"Well it seems Y/N isn't doing so well," Rose says. "Your tía thinks a change of location is what's best for her."

"Y/N wants to move here?"

"Well not exactly," Ray says. "Y/N doesn't know. If we agree to take her in, then Y/N will be told of her relocation."

Julie nods, looking thoughtful. "Okay."

"Okay?" Ray muses. "What does okay mean?"

"Well I'm assuming you're only telling me because you never make a big decision without seeing what me and Carlos think," Julie says and then smiles brightly. "I love Y/N. Carlos loves Y/N, so I know he already voted yes."

Rose chuckles. "He did. I believe his words were I will throw down for Y/N any day of the week. Bring her home."

Julie snorts. "Of course he did." Then after glancing between her mom and dad, she nods with a gentler smile. "Whatever she needs. I'll even decorate the guest bedroom for her."

"That's nice, mija." Ray then looks over the boys, eyes settling on Reggie. "No flirting."

"I- what?"

"No flirting!"

Luke and Alex snort as Reggie gasps in mock outrage, but everyone knows Reggie is the one to flirt first and ask questions later. Ray and Rose laugh as they ready to leave the studio, Rose walking over to kiss her daughter on the temple before disappearing after her husband.

As soon as the teenagers are left alone, the boys whirl on Julie.

"So who's Y/N?" Alex asks, smiling innocently.

"And what was the drama a few months ago?" Luke wonders.

Julie glances between all three boys before sighing. "I'm only telling you this because it's highly likely she'll be coming soon." She has their full attention. "Y/N is my older cousin. Last year she met her soulmate."

"Aww," Alex coos.

"Or so we thought."

His smile immediately falls. "Oh."

Julie cringes. "Yeah. Apparently some new transfer student at her school liked my cousin so much that he decided he wanted to be her one and only. Really creepy dude," she says. "So somehow he figured out what her words were and made sure those were the first words he spoke to her." Their eyes widen. "When she spoke to him in return, he memorized the words and had them tattooed on. Then he refused to let her see the words, under the guise that they were in a private spot she couldn't see until they got to know each other better, until they healed."

"What the hell," Luke breathes. "That such a-"

"Dick move," Reggie mutters.

Alex nods in agreement. "Yeah. What they said."

Julie smiles sadly at her friends. "She was with him for a year before he met his real soulmate and then he tried to juggle them both. Y/N was really torn up about it."

"Who wouldn't be?" Alex says. "That is so messed up."

"It is. But if there's one thing I know about my cousin it's that she doesn't want people to tiptoe around her." Julie grins then. "So be yourselves like you are with me, just don't flirt with her."

Alex stares down his two guy best friends until they huff and nod in agreement. "I think they can handle that."

Stepping out of the Uber in front of your tío's house, you're grateful you stopped being annoyed with your mom for making you move long enough to accept the money she transferred into your bank account. The ride from the airport to the Molina household wasn't exactly a cheap one and you regretted not letting your family pick you up when you saw what you owed.

But now you're here, one duffel bag hanging from your shoulder and a medium-sized suitcase sitting by your feet. You only have a moment to take it all in before the front door is opening, and your tío and tía are exiting the house to greet you.

"You're here!" Rose smiles and is quick to pull you into a hug. "How was your flight?"

"Decent. Just a little turbulence. I might have barfed. Twice."

Rose and Ray laugh, and then Ray's tugging you into a hug of his own. "We're so glad to have you, mija. Julie and her friends have just about finished with your room. They're really excited to have you here."

"And I'm excited to be here." Pulling out of the hug, you're met with two identical expressions that practically say Are you really?. "Well now I am." All three of you chuckle. "I was a little upset at the short notice, but I'm totally over it. I am a little tired though, so yeah."

"Oh. Of course. Just head on up, mija. You know where the guest bedroom is," Rose says. "Ray and I need to go get some groceries for tonight. Does arroz con pollo sound good?"

You groan quietly. "It sounds fantastic. My mom could never quite make it like you do."

Ray laughs. "Well my sister is not the cook she claims to be. Now go on. Rest up and we'll see you for dinner."

As Ray and Rose take their leave, you grab your suitcase and drag it inside behind you. You can hear laughter coming from upstairs so that's where you head towards, and you're not surprised to see Julie, Flynn, and who appears to be Julie's bandmate Alex tacking up some fairy lights and draping them across your headboard. The bedroom, which was usually bare except for the bed and dresser, has many of your personal things scattered about that had been shipped a little over a week ago now. However the sheer black curtains, the maroon comforter bed set, and the lights they're hanging up are all new.

"A-hem." You clear your throat, smiling when all three teens freeze and turn towards you. "Are you guys seriously having fun without me?" The blonde boy grins as the two girls squeal, you dropping your duffel bag next to your suitcase just as Julie and Flynn launch themselves at you. Your arms are spread wide as they wrap themselves around you and you bring your own arms down around their shoulders to squeeze them in return. "Did you girls miss me?"

"Uh duh!" Flynn is the first to retort.

Julie pulls back just enough to look you in the face. "We're going to have so much fun."

"So much." You can't help but chuckle, your attention then sliding to the quiet blonde. "Alex, right?"

He smiles. "Yeah. Hi. It's nice to meet you."

"You too, man. I keep up with the band on Youtube and can I just say that you absolutely kill it on the drums? I mean holy shit. You're awesome!"

Alex blushes as Julie points at him. "See! Own your awesomeness. My cousin thinks you're cool, therefore you are cool."

Both girls finally release you, Flynn stumbling back to sit on the edge of what is now your bed. Julie stays right where she's at, arm wrapped around your waist as you both stare at her bandmate. You nod and smile at him. "You really are. We definitely need to jam some time."

Alex seems to perk up then. "Y-You're into music too?"

Flynn snorts. "The Molina's are all freakishly talented. I'm almost jealous."

You roll your eyes fondly at Flynn. "Shush. You're talented in other areas." Then looking at Alex, you grin. "I sing and write. Not as amazing as Julie, of course, but I can hold my own. I like to perform-"

"Just not in front of an audience," Julie muses.

"-and just let go. The rush of it all feels good." You turn to pout at your cousin. "And yeah, not in front of an audience of strangers." You stare at Alex once more. "Friends and family is fine, just not like a legit stage. I'll projectile vomit like that one girl in Pitch Perfect." All three teens snort, that movie having been popular with all of them.

Alex then grins. "We'll definitely have to jam then once you're settled in."

A brief moment of silence descends upon the room, but Flynn is not having it. She claps her hands once, garnering everyone's attention. "So before we get comfortable, lets address the elephant in the room." You groan as she smiles broadly. "How are you holding up?"

"I'm fine, guys."

"Really? Your sudden move states otherwise."

"Flynn!" Julie scolds. Alex seems to freeze, his gaze darting between you and Flynn.

Flynn grimaces as she seems to think she's crossed a line, but you merely roll your eyes. "What exactly did my mom tell your dad?" You turn to ask Julie.

"Um," she gulps and fidgets in place. "I was just told that you weren't doing so good after everything that happened."

You snort. "Seriously?" Julie nods and you chuckle, shaking your head. "Guys, I'm fine. Honestly! I got over the heartbreak like a week after it happened and then I was just pissed off. But my friends helped me realize some things and I'm good now."

"But then why did your mom say you weren't?" Julie wonders.

"I love my mom, but she's a moron," you say. You drag Julie over to your bed, kicking off your shoes along the way and crawl to sit against the headboard. Julie does the same and you gesture for Alex to join Flynn at the foot of your bed. He does, smiling to be included. Once everyone's settled, you say, "So Jerry, who was the guy pretending to be my soulmate," you explain for Flynn and Alex, "has been trying to get in contact with me ever since I blocked him on everything I could. A couple weeks ago while I was out partying with some friends, Jerry and his soulmate were at the same party I was at. I didn't notice them, but they noticed me and they somehow managed to come up with the idea that I was stalking them."

"What a bitch," Flynn immediately blurts. Alex nods along with her.

"Anyway, Jerry's soulmate confronted me and I was completely blindsided by how angry she was with me. I mean, Jerry's the one who tricked me! Not the other way around." You shake your head in annoyance. "She made some hella stupid accusations and she threw a punch."

Julie gasps. "She didn't!?"

"She did. Now I'm not stupid, so I let her hit me a couple of times before I took my first swing. Fortunately for me, she clawed me," you pull your shirt down to show them three marks just above your cleavage, "and she was arrested when the cops got there. After giving my statement and getting statements from the witnesses, they determined I acted in self defense and let me go home. Mom took the little altercation as me spiraling and acting out, so she shipped me off."

"Jesus," Julie sighs. "That's messed up."

"It really is. But oh well. What happened, happened, and now I get to live with my favorite people."

All four of you laugh before Alex gestures towards your chest, sobering up some. "I have some cream that you can use so it'll fade the scars. My soulmate likes to skateboard and he gets pretty banged up every now and then so I keep a stash of that stuff for him."

You smile fondly at him. "Yes, please. The first time my real soulmate sees the girls," you shimmy your chest just the slightest, "I don't want him to see my battle wounds."

Julie swats you with the back of your hand and you laugh at her exasperated expression as the other two break down into giggles.

Lounging around in your room, you ask Julie about her other two bandmates but Alex tells you they had family obligations they couldn't get out of. Carlos gets dropped off by his friend's mom and he joyously jumps onto the middle of the bed when he realizes you're finally there. So that's how Ray and Rose find the five of you, laughing and joking in your new room before dinner is ready and making plans to hang out the following day when everyone could meet up.

After explaining to your tío and tía the real reasoning your mother had you sent away, it was like a weight was lifted off their shoulders and they were more at ease in your presence. You laughed at their sheepishness, at how they thought they had a rightfully heartbroken teenager on their hands with no clue how to ease said heartache. But when all was said and done, everyone seemed to be themselves around you.

Alex had shown up that afternoon, soulmate in tow, and immediately you asked to play with Willie's hair. Both boys had laughed, Willie agreed and readily sat on the floor between your knees as Julie and Alex Facetimed Flynn about any upcoming open mic nights they could book. Willie had a box of random hair supplies in his lap and you saw how he kept running his fingers over a feather and some small silver hoops. Without even asking him, you grabbed a couple of silver hoops, a feather, and set them aside. You had him tilt his head and he did so without questions, closing his eyes as you started to part and section the hair on the right side of his head. Alex smiled every time he looked over at the two of you and you happily gave Willie three thin braids about five inches long before letting the rest of his hair hang loose. The two outer braids had the silver hoops clipped in and the braid in the middle held the feather you had braided in with a thin leather cord. When you were finished and then combed out Willie's hair one last time, you told him you were done and had to bite back a laugh at the way Alex gulped. Willie eagerly went to check himself out in the mirror, beaming at his reflection before turning around and pulling you into a hug.

While your tío Ray and tía Rose worked, and Carlos spent time at his friend's house, you and Julie ordered in some pizza for yourselves, Alex, and Willie. They had no plans at all for the day so the four of you went out to Rose's studio garage when Flynn finally showed up.

Flynn has the bright idea to do karaoke, pulling out the equipment and setting up a laptop Julie had in the studio for this occasion.

Flynn killed it on Nicki Minaj's Starships, you and Julie sang Mamma Mia and were joined by a very enthusiastic Alex. Willie absolutely refused to sing, but that was okay because he knew the choreography for Backstreet Boys Everybody and you eagerly pulled him up to dance with yourself and Julie. Tío Ray and Tía Rose showed up with Carlos in tow, and you and Julie laughed joyously as her parents sang through Journey's Don't Stop Believin'.

Everyone was laughing and having a good time, but as the sun was going down the parental figures went inside to talk through dinner ideas and clean up a little.

You ask Julie if she has any originals you have yet to hear, but as she goes to go grab a journal Alex speaks up. "What about you? You said you wrote, right? I need to hear an original."

"I, uh, sure." You shrug. You turn towards Julie, eyeing the laptop. "Are my instrumentals still on there?"

She grins. "Yeah. Can I choose?"

"Go for it." You get up to go see which song of yours she's going to choose, smiling softly when you see her choice. Alex is practically bouncing in his seat, Willie is shaking his head at him in fond amusement, and Flynn looks torn between recording with her phone. When you nod at her, she beams and gets ready to hit record on her phone.

"So before Julie hits play, I just want you guys to know I wrote this song while I was Jerry. He absolutely loathed it when he first heard it because he thought I was singing about someone else." You huff a laugh. "The song was honestly about a couple on a TV show I got fixated on, but he didn't believe me. So anyway, I might be a little rusty, but Julie loves it so here goes nothing.

Julie hits play. The violin starts and you smirk when you see Alex's eyebrows raise. Then the drums, guitar, and bass kick in and his eyes widen just as his jaw drops when your attitude completely changes.

"I'm in the business of misery, let's take it from the top. She's got a body like an hourglass, it's ticking like a clock. It's a matter of time before we all run out. When I thought he was mine, she caught him by the mouth."

You keep singing, singing to Julie, but then it goes silent before the chorus kicks in and you find yourself back to back with your cousin as she joins you. "Woah, it was never my intention to brag. To steal it all away from you now. But God, does it feel so good 'cause I got him where I want him now. And if you could, then you know you would 'cause God, it just feels so.. It just feels so good."

Willie whoops and you laugh your way through the next few lines, rocking your shoulders and even throwing in a couple of head bangs for good measure.

But then the music quiets just so and you face the boys. "I watched his wildest dreams come true and not one of them involving you. Just watch my wildest dreams come true. Not one of them involving.." You head bang now, twisting your head back and forth so your hair wildly flips back and forth. Julie plays the air guitar and you're laughing, having made yourself dizzy in the process. But then as one particular part comes up, you sidle up to Julie's side, your face just inches from the side of her own face as she stares forward. "Woah I never meant to brag, but I got him where I want him now."

Your chest aches from putting your all into your own song, sweat beading at your hairline as you jump around dancing. You're exhausted by the end of the song, but it's well worth it to see Alex's gobsmacked expression.

The studio falls silent, but it's Willie and Flynn who jump to their feet. Their utter amazement and joyfulness makes you a little sheepish, but then Alex is standing to his feet. "Holy shit."

"Right?" Julie cackles. "I've been begging her to play live with us for one song, but she won't."

"Are you frickin' kidding me?!" The new voice has your head snapping in it's direction, the boy in a leather jacket and red flannel wrapped around his waist staring at you in wonder. "What is it with you Molina's and your musical talents?"

Your face flames at his praise, eyes then darting to the boy with shaggy hair and a sleeveless shirt gaping at you. You chuckle nervously and Julie wraps an arm around your shoulders, grinning as she introduces you. "And here we have Reggie and Luke. Guys, this is my cousin Y/N."

"Dude, will you marry me?" Luke's words make everyone laugh out loud, but you freeze.

Julie, having felt you tense up, stares at you. "Y/N? Are you-"

But you cut her off, eyes solely on Luke as you say, "Bro, don't call me dude." Your mocking tone makes Flynn snort.

Not only is it Luke's turn to freeze, but so do Alex and Reggie. Their eyes widen as they stare between you and Luke, your heart beating triple when you realize just who this is.

"Oh my god," Alex mutters.

"Oh my god!" Reggie exclaims, smile instantly beaming.

"OH MY GOD!" Julie shouts, arm tightening around your shoulder. "Did he just- did you just say.." You nod, your breathing becoming a little erratic. Julie notices and turns you so she grips you by the shoulders and you're staring directly into her face. "Hey, it's okay. You're fine. Luke's one of the good ones."

You gulp. "I- it's not that," you murmur. "But he said.. and I need to see-"

Before you can finish, the presence of said boy is right next to you and Julie. You startle at his appearance, but then he's holding out his arm between you and your cousin and you glance down to see the words that have been stamped into his skin since the day of his birth. There on the space just below the crease of his elbow are the words bro, don't call me dude.

You laugh, a little wetly, but no one dares to call you out on it. Instead, you turn and lift your shirt so he can see his own words stamped on your ribs. A faint touch has you flinching away and giggling, and Julie snorts as you pout at Luke who seems to realize you're ticklish.

"OH MY GOD! YOU GUYS ARE SOULMATES!" Flynn shouts. "THIS IS SO COOL!"

And just like that the tension is broken, everyone laughing and cheering. You're having trouble holding Luke's gaze, his crinkled eyes and swoon-worthy smile making you want to reach out and hug him. So when you see his fingers twitch and tap out a beat against his leg before he clenches his fists closed, you cave and pull him into a hug. He hesitates a moment before he sighs, wrapping his arms tightly around you in return.

"Hey. ¿Qué está pasando? (What's going on?) Rose wonders. Apparently the cheering had caught tía Rose and tío Ray's attention.

You and Luke break apart, but your arms remain touching as you both stare at Julie's parents like you'd been caught doing something wrong. And since the two of you can't seem to form words, Julie giggles before filling them in. "Luke and Y/N are soulmates. They said each other's words."

Ray and Rose immediately look at you in shock, and you can feel your face heating up. Slowly, you smile at your tía's concerned expression and immediately she's beaming as she makes a beeline for you. "Mija! That's wonderful news." You laugh as she hugs you and then laugh even harder when you see your tío Ray clamp a hand down on Luke's shoulder. Then releasing you and turning towards Luke, tía Rose smiles as she opens her arms wide before moving in to hug him. "I'm happy for you too, mijo. Welcome to the family." Then pulling back, she says, "Not that you weren't already part of the family, but you know."

Luke chuckles, ears turning red. "Thanks, Mrs. Molina."

"Well this is a cause for celebration," Ray says. "Anyone feeling up to pasta?" Julie, Flynn, and Reggie all whoop in unison. "You going to join us, Willie?"

Willie, never usually around for long periods of time with Julie's family, is surprised to be invited. Alex beams at his soulmate and Willie knows he can't say no. "Sure, Mr. Molina. Thanks for the invite."

"Great," Rose smiles. "Well now that that's settled, I'm going to go make a reservation so we don't give the hostess a stroke when we all walk in. Everyone has two hours before we leave."

Tía Rose and tío Ray congratulate you and Luke one last time before they take their leave. Everyone follows after them, excitingly talking outfit choices, but Reggie remains by the opened doors smiling between you and Luke. A second later, Alex returns and marches a reluctant Reggie away.

Now that it's just you and Luke, the two of you laugh nervously.

"So.."

"So.." You both laugh nervously again and then you're groaning. "This is so weird, but like I'm also really excited."

Luke loses some of his nerves and his shoulders slump. "Really? You're excited?"

"Yeah. Why wouldn't I be?"

He turns sheepish then, averting his gaze as he shoves his hands into the front of his jean's pockets. "Julie might have explained the shitty thing your ex did and yeah. I would understand if you weren't stoked to meet me on your second day here."

He's so genuine in his explanation that you can't help but mentally swoon at this boy before you. You're not sure where the sudden confidence comes from, but you're grateful for it when you step closer and take his face in the palm of your hands so he's staring right at you. "Okay one, my mother didn't properly explain why she moved me here. I'll fill you in later, but I'm telling you right now it's not because I'm heartbroken or anything. And two, I am stoked to meet you. You wanna know why?" Luke can only nod as he pays close attention and you grin at him. "Because the moment realization sunk in, everything just felt.. it felt-"

"Right?" He asks, voice low.

You nod. "It felt right. There was no uncomfortable feeling in the pit of my stomach, there was just elation. Like I found something I didn't know I was looking for until you uttered the words etched on my ribs."

Luke slowly smiles and you let your hands fall to your sides, leaning in and quickly kissing his cheek. "Now come on. We need to get ready for tonight."

His cheeks turn red almost immediately, but you don't say anything as you grab his arm and drag his hand from his pocket. Then clasping his hand within your own, you drag him out of the studio and up towards the house.

Dinner was quite the affair, everyone pushing you and Luke next to one another at the table and cooing over how adorable you two were. Even his parents, Emily and Mitch, had been invited along and everyone smiled throughout the entire dinner. The table was quite loud, but not a single customer nearby or the waitresses could blame you when Reggie loudly explained that they were celebrating newly found soulmates. There was even applause that had you and Luke turning red in the face and then trying to aim a kick at Reggie's shin under the table. Unfortunately, Alex took the brunt of both kicks.

When the weekend was over, Luke and the boys stood by your side on your first day of school. The band had quite the following and those fangirls of theirs were not impressed to see you and Luke hand-in-hand. It was a bit daunting navigating the hallways with a majority of the school's population looking down their nose at you, but then Julie, Flynn, and surprisingly Carrie Wilson (your cousin's arch-nemesis) came to your aide. You understood Julie and Flynn's protectiveness, but Carrie's was a shock and she merely flipped her hair over her shoulder while giving the excuse that no one should be shit on just because they found their soulmate. The girls were stunned, but shrugged it off and let Carrie do what Carrie wanted to do.

Tía Rose and tío Ray saw a lot more of Luke at their home, but didn't put up any fuss. The only thing they asked was that if they were alone in the room, then the bedroom door was to remain open at all times. And not wanting to disappoint them, you and Luke abided by their rules. Because being with Luke.. it was the complete opposite than being with Jerry. There were no nerves, no second guessing, and no jealousy. You were happy to be with Luke and vice versa, and either of you could go out with friends with no twenty questions about who you were going with and where (Jerry seriously did a number on you).

You became Julie and the Phantoms number one fan, alongside Willie and Flynn, and sat up in the loft with Willie while the band rehearsed downstairs. The times you did go downstairs after rehearsals and Luke bounded over to you like an eager puppy, you had to fight the urge to chuck something at Reggie and Julie when they cooed over how cute you were together.

Luckily for you, Luke wasn't into PDA other than hand holding or hugs. But it still didn't stop your friends from mockingly groaning for you to get a room when Luke would hug you from behind and stay there with his chin hooked over your shoulder.

Today is one of the rare days the band left Luke alone so he could spend the time with you, but you're stuck doing Algebra II homework and Luke is going through one of your old writing journals for abandoned lyrics to give him inspiration.

You've been stuck on the same problem for what feels like twenty minutes when you hear Luke sharply inhale. You glance up at him, watching him read through something that's clearly caught his attention. You can't help but grin at his look of concentration and then his expression falls and your heart suddenly aches.

Luke glances up and you gulp. "What's this?"

"What's what?"

He glances back down at the journal in his hands before looking at you once more. "Something titled Train Wreck. It looks like a completed song."

Your expression completely goes lax then. "Oh. That's, uh, I wrote that a while back when my mom and dad were going through their divorce." You close the math book in your lap and hesitantly meet Luke's gaze. "That was not a fun time for all involved. My mind was kind of.. messed up back then."

Luke gulps. "I don't want to seem inconsiderate of what clearly was a dark time for you, but this- this is really good, Y/N. Do you have a melody for it?"

You huff a laugh, shaking your head in fond amusement. Only Luke would be this invested in a song. "I do. I think it's on the laptop in a password protected file.."

His eyes light up. "Can I hear it? You don't have to, I just-"

"It's fine." You get up, heading over to the laptop and powering it up to find what you need. After a bit of searching, you find it and open it up. Letting the melody play, you look up at Luke. "I won't sing the whole thing, but I'll sing a portion of it."

He eagerly nods. "I'll take anything."

You smile at him, nervously taking a seat on a crate in the middle of the room. He finds another crate and places it close to you, wanting to be as close as possible. You close your eyes, smiling, and let the melody wash over you as the lyrics come back to you in a flash. Your heart beat is beating double, but you inhale deeply and let it out slowly.

Losing yourself to the music, you mouth the lyrics to yourself until letting your voice ring out. "Underneath our bad blood, we've still got a sanctum. Home, still a home, still a home here. It's not too late to build it back 'cause a one in a million chance is still a chance, still a chance and I would take those odds."

You open your eyes, chest aching as all those feelings from so long ago come rushing back and make your voice just that much stronger. "Unbreak the broken, unsay these spoken words. Find hope in the hopeless, pull me out of the train wreck." Luke grabs your hand and you squeeze it for all your worth as you keep looking forward. "Unburn the ashes, unchain the reactions now. I'm not ready to die, not yet. Pull me out of the train wreck. Pull me out, pull me out, pull me out."

You meet Luke's gaze then, a little surprised to see his eyes red rimmed and teary through your own blurry vision. "You can say what you like, don't say I wouldn't die for it. I'm down on my knees and I need you to be my God, be my help, be a Savior who can-"

Your voice cracks on the next word and Luke tugs on your hand, pulling you into a hug. A sob escapes your throat as you cling to Luke, but you quickly stifle it against his shoulder. As the melody plays out, you press your forehead to his shoulder before pushing back and sniffling. "I, uh, I'm sorry about that. Everything came rushing back and I-"

"Don't apologize." Luke catches your face in the palm of his hands, thumbs brushing away your tears before his lips press against your forehead. The action is so soft that your expression crumples momentarily, but you quickly mask it when Luke pulls back to catch your gaze. "That was amazing, Y/N! So amazing. And I'm sorry it brought up bad memories, but.. wow."

You huff a laugh, pulling back so you aren't hunched over. Luke, however, refuses to stop touching you and catches your hands within his own. "I should have guessed you'd be easily impressed."

"For you? Always."

You shake your head, grinning. "You're so freakin' cheesy, Luke Patterson."

He chuckles and again you're hit with a sudden boost of confidence that you lean forward, one hand finding the back of his neck so you can bring him to meet you halfway in a kiss. He smiles against your mouth, but the smile quickly falls the second you tilt your head to deepen the kiss. Unfortunately, just as the tip of your tongue flicks against his bottom lip, you're interrupted.

"Can we come in now?" Reggie's voice rings out. "I really wanna give Y/N a hug after hearing that song."

"Reggie!" Julie scolds.

You and Luke pull apart laughing. You both straighten up and look towards the door just in time to see Reggie rubbing at the back of his head as he walks in with Alex and Julie behind him. Hand in hand, you and Luke stand up and chuckle at Reggie's put out expression.

Had you known that having a soulmate felt exactly as you feel right now, you would have known something was definitely up back home with Jerry. And though you will always hate your ex for tricking you the way he did, there's an ounce of gratefulness for the misery he put you through because had he not then you wouldn't have moved and met your true soulmate.

#julie and the phantoms imagine #julie and the phantoms x reader #jatp x reader #luke patterson x reader #luke patterson #julie molina #reggie peters #alex mercer

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whentheynameyoujoy · 4 years ago

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So the ATLA Movie Is... Good, Actually?

Just kidding, of course it’s not, it’s so bad it sucked the paint off my walls. But after ten years of people pointing out its glaring flaws, why would anyone bother talking about this garbage heap if not to go the other direction? So here’s a very brief and very superficial list of things the movie does get kinda... not atrociously wrong.

And they won’t be fake hipster pokes, like “It’s fun to laugh at”, “The Rifftrax for this is OK”, or “Kudos to the actress for managing to say we believe in our beliefs as much as they believe in theirs with a straight face”.

(though now that I mentioned it, it is fun to laugh at, the Rifftrax for this is OK, and massive props indeed.)

Rasta Iroh

Yes, I know it’s not exactly the aesthetic of the real Iroh or that it makes no cultural sense for him to sport this do when no one else in the racebended Indian “OMFG what were you thinking Shyamalan” Nation does but goddamn, long-haired dudes are my one mortal weakness and I will ogle the hell out of him.

Jesus is that a man bun I see that’s it mum I’ve been deaded

Yue’s hair

No.

Now we’re talking. Yue’s hair turned white when the Moon spirit gave her life, so it makes sense for it to go black again when she sacrifices herself to revive the koi fish. It’s a neat detail I find myself expecting whenever I rewatch the scene in the show. Yes, I realize it’d be a pointless hassle to animate since she, unlike in the movie, immediately goes on to become the Moon herself but still. I like.

The Blue Spirit’s mop

Zuko, hun, what’s with the dance-off?

First of all, I want to imagine that Zuko the Theatre Nerd was about to leave his ship with just the mask like in the show but then stuck his head into the cleaning cupboard and went, “Yeah, more coverage might be good, even though it do seem mighty fried to shit”.

Which makes me giggle. I like to giggle.

And secondly, the hair’s movement is what makes the static mess of the Blue Spirit’s solo fight scene appear at least bit more dynamic because God knows the cinematography isn’t doing it.

Any particular reason why it’s at the edge of the action, shot all boring-like?

Now, I get why circular shots would be reserved for Aang while he’s in the practice area and then used once the two join forces. What I don’t get is why Aang’s part of the action scene has a defined visual style while Zuko’s delegated to a few stationary wide shots from afar as though he’s a tertiary goon, meaning that when the time comes to combine the respective pieces of cinema language and visually convey collaboration, there’s not really much to combine.

But as long as Zuko is stuck in this static mess, it’s that awesome disaster on his head flopping about that draws the eye, helping me understand that something even is going on over there.

It also prevents me from paying much attention to how the extras are mostly just staying put and a lot of the hits don’t land, so that’s good.

The music slaps

James Newton Howard is too good for this.

youtube

Pls ignore that the word “gods” is used in the ATLA universe

I can’t be the only one who constantly uses this piece to daydream about writing specific fanfic scenes instead of, you know, actually sitting down and writing them. It’s just so good at communicating a sense of sorrow while speaking of rebirth that I find myself getting misty-eyed whenever I listen to it. Unfailingly, the soundtrack as a whole manages to break through the mile-thick crust of horrible acting, confusing writing, and uninspired cinematography and make me feel things. And considering how everything on screen is working against it, that’s no small feat.

Imagine what a powerful experience it would be if the score was used in service of an actual movie.

Dev Patel

No wonder since he’s the only one in the film occupying that crucial intersection between “is a good actor” and “was given something to work with”. It also doesn’t hurt that he breaks with the trend of actors starring in martial arts flicks despite never having done any martial art.

And all EIP-jokes about “stiff and humorless” aside, he’s a pretty decent Zuko considering how abridged this version of the character is. A while ago, I remember hearing a reviewer say that with his comedic chops, Patel should have been cast as Sokka. And on one hand, yes, god, absolutely, I need to see that asap. But on the other? He captures all layers of Book 1!Zuko, the desperate obsession, rage, and self-loathing, and at the same time gives you a peek at the soft momma’s boy dork that’s buried underneath. For Christ sakes, he exudes intensity and ambivalence even when acting against an emotionless hunk of wood that’s giving him nothing in return.

Oh, and I guess there’s a tree in the frame.

Ba dum tss

What can I say, the guy’s good.

Showing vs telling

OK, so this movie is all tell and no show, except for one single moment. And it’s the exact moment where the original goes in the other direction in terms of how information is conveyed.

See, I never liked this. The revelation is preceded by Iroh giving advice to Zuko who scolds him for nagging. Iroh then apologizes, moves in to say the line above, and is interrupted by Zuko who seems rather uncomfortable with Iroh laying his feelings out like this. And once they’re out, Zuko verbally confirms that he knew already and Iroh didn’t need to bother.

All this extraneous information and pussyfooting ends up weakening what should be a profound scene that reveals to us, the viewers, how deep the relationship between these two in fact runs.

Compare to the movie where Dadroh acts like a parent by fussing and worrying, with Sonion needing a single look to tell him and us that he understands what it’s all really about.

It’s genuinely efficient and just good.

No Cataang

Fine, a bit mean-girl bitchy from me since I only start minding the ship in Book 3. And probably unintentional on the part of the creators since there are moments where I think they’re trying to set the romance up? There’s a, well, an attempt to recreate the famous introductory shot of fateful meaningful destiny of meaningness, there’s some slight note of saving each other’s bacon going on, I’m pretty sure they’re the only ones in the film who smile, and oh, right, Katara’s shoved into her post-canon useless role where she doesn’t ever do anything, and is all about Aang right from the get go.

Yes, I will blame the “executive producers” because a) I’m incredibly petty, and b) it’s perfectly in line with their vision of the character so why the hell not.

Hilariously, none of it reads on screen because the actors are just... yeah. These poor kids are struggling so much with delivering their own lines and portraying their own characters they don’t seem to have any strength left to create something between them. To be fair, the bare-bones shot-reverse shot style of their scenes doesn’t exactly lend itself to the idea they occupy the same universe, let alone are friends or each other’s crushes.

And I enjoy this immensely because it allows me to forget the depressing horror show Katara’s life turns into post ATLA.

Yes Zutara

I need to delve into this because it’s fucking hilarious. So in a movie which fails to establish the original’s central romance so spectacularly that if Aang got lost in a crowd I don’t believe Katara would notice, SomEOnE thought it’d be a good idea to add an utterly unnecessary non-canon moment where Zuko for some reason feels the need to pause his character-defining hunt for the Avatar which otherwise has him ignore everything and snap at everyone, and explain his central conflict to an unconscious peasant he doesn’t know, complete with gently pushing the hair from the pretty girl’s the soulmate’s the Water Tribe Ambassador’s the Fire Lady’s the love of his life’s her face away, AFTER his uncle nagged him twice to find a girl and settle down.

I just wanted to make sure we’re all on the same page and this is what we really saw.

Celibate Avatars

I have no idea why the decision was made, if TPTB thought expecting viewers to understand the story through the lens of Buddhism would be too much, or if the “executive producers” already worked their retconny magic. What I do know, however, is that there’s a big shift in worldbuilding and Aang’s struggle with his role as the Avatar stops being a personal conflict defined by a) his grief for Air Nomads, b) his notion of being robbed of the loved ones in his life, and c) the selfish attachment to Katara he confuses with true love. Instead, what he has a difficulty to accept is apparently a general notion of who Avatars are supposed to be, i.e. a fantasy version of Catholic monks, no family and worldly relations, period.

I guess either someone understood the original’s portrayal of de/attachment as “hermit no freaky”, or thought the audience would so why not go there outright.

Now, do I like this on its own? No, God no, it makes the world infinitely poorer and changes the story from an exploration of ideas which aren’t all that ingrained in the West, to a cliché tropester about a Catholic priest going Protestant so that he could be with a girl.

At least I assume that’s where they were going to take this eventually.

I mean, I think the direction was “look conflicted, this isn’t the final stage of your journey”?

But consider this—the show went there, it built on the concepts of Eastern philosophy and touched upon the ideas of spiritual awakening, only to swerve in the end and strongly imply they’re bullshit and Aang should have never wasted his time with them.

So honestly, I much prefer scanty worldbuilding to an insulting retcon by a damn rock.

Multiracial Air Nomads

Probably the most substantial “no hint of irony” point on this list and a genuinely good addition to the universe’s worldbuilding.

See, the notion of the elemental nations being perfectly separate and never mingling before Sozin has always been sketchy but it’s especially ridiculous in the case of airbenders. It never made sense to me for all airbenders to be Air Nomads and for all Air Nomads to be monks and for all monks to be chilling at the temples all the time to facilitate a quick everyone-dies genocide should an imperialistic warlord ever decide to commit one.

Because committing everyone to a single way of life at a handful of places kinda goes against the central philosophy behind airbending. Like the freedom and nomadism part.

Instead, there should be more variety to the airbending culture, with some staying at the temples as monks, hermits, and teachers while others live as nomads, travelling the world and creating more airbenders, with the resulting children in turn being influenced by the non-airbending cultures they grew up in.

And thus, not only should airbenders not be modeled after a single culture to create a one-size-fits-all lifestyle, but they should have the most diverse and dynamic culture out of the four nations.

And it’d be precisely this diversity which would pave way for an eventual reveal that some of them survived, that their complete extermination is impossible.

Because they’re everywhere.

You know.

Like air.

#atla #atla movie #zutara #anti bryke #dev patel #the last airbender #anti-kataang

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karimjohnson · 4 years ago

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Falling: What If I’m Someone You Won’t Talk About?

Hey guys! Here’s another one for you all! It’s sad just like the last one! I hope you all like it as much as Cherry. This one is a bit long too lol. Thank you all for reading and sharing my stories. It really makes me feel good to know that you all are enjoying my stories! Please feel free to message me any ideas that you may have or something that you want to see me write! I will write any idea you come up with. I love to include you all into my writing. So don’t be shy! Like I said before, this Fine Line Series is on the top of my list to finish. But ideas are always welcome here. As soon as I finish this series, I will upload some other imagines for you all to read. I will add them to the master list once this is done. Much Love- K

Summary: You and Harry have been broken up for a couple of months. You have an interview for an upcoming movie you are starring in. You are going on the Late Late Show with James Corden. He asks you questions related to the movie but then he brings up some questions about you and Harry. You haven’t really talked about Harry to the public before, even when you two were still together. So you get really nervous to talk about his post break-up. But James surprises you with Harry’s new music video and song that an anonymous fan requested to play for you. As you watch the video, you notice someone in the crowd but you can’t quite place who it is. But James has an even bigger surprise for you after the show.

Pairing: Harry x Reader

Rated: PG

Masterlist

Being in the lime-light is difficult when it comes to relationships. Your schedule becomes extremely busy and even if you aren’t working, you are still working. Paparazzi are everywhere you go. It becomes difficult to hide your personal life. It ruins the intimacy for you and your partner sometimes. You feel responsible for protecting your loved ones when it comes to the public eye. It’s hard to keep up with relationships when everyone in the tabloids tries to tear you down. Fans are amazing. They are the reason you keep following your dreams. But other fandoms can tear down your confidence when it comes to their idol. But hey, that’s the price of fame. Not everyone will love you and not everyone will be rooting for you.

For me though, being a young actress and dating a mega superstar was so hard. I was super close with Harry before we dated. Our friendship started around the end of One Direction and through his making of his first solo album. We were best friends and I supported him through the end of One Direction. He was super nervous about releasing his first solo album. I told him that it will be worth it and everyone will still love him the same no matter the outcome. It became one of the top albums that year. He was so happy and I couldn’t deny how proud of him I was.

We stayed close together when he went on tour that year for the album. I tried my best to go out to his shows. It was a little difficult with me being in a few shows. Eventually, when he took his time off after touring, we reconnected and started dating in 2018. It became difficult to keep our relationship private. Everyone was watching us to see what would happen between us. Fans were blowing up online about us. Supporting us and others were jealous. It just comes with the business. I was trying to stay confident for Harry and our relationship. But it became difficult when the tabloids started saying they spotted Harry with other girls here and there. I’m not one to read into those things. Especially when I trusted Harry. I never once doubted his loyalty to me.

But as the tabloids went on, it became difficult for me to hang on to what we had. Then I got offered a job for a big movie that was coming out. Harry began to dabble into his second solo album. Our schedules became harder to see each other with our separate projects. Then one night, I got a call from a mutual friend of ours. They told me that they went out to a bar and saw Harry there. He was hammered and apparently was flirting with some other girl there. I was heartbroken at the news. I was panicking around my home trying to figure out why he would do such a thing. I tried calling him a few times and texting him, but I got no response out of him that night. I got zero sleep. Thankfully, I didn’t have work the next day.

When I woke up the next day, that’s when the pictures and videos were uploaded online of Harry’s scandal. I read the tabloids for once and watched the videos. I couldn’t believe my eyes. I was so broken. My heart was aching as I laid in bed all day. I cried and ignored everyone who tried to check on me… Even Harry. Later that night, I decided to check my phone. I read all of Harry’s messages. He was upset and apologizing left and right for what he had done. I told him that I couldn’t forgive him and that it hurt too much for me to keep this relationship going. I had to protect myself for once. I loved Harry whole-heartedly and I loved everything about him. We had so much fun together and laughed so hard at our horrible jokes. But it was like all of that was gone now.

I didn’t recognize him anymore. I trusted him with the most fragile parts of me. It felt like none of that mattered now. We broke up and the tabloids kept reeling in on why we broke up. Paparazzi followed us both everywhere and asked horrible questions about why we weren’t together anymore. I decided to focus on myself and my career and I suppose Harry did the same. He ended up releasing his second album this October. I listened to a few songs and watched the music videos even though my heart hurt and yearned for him. I was still going to support him. He was someone I always looked up to in my career.

Now, after a few months my movie was about to come out. I was busy with meetings and interviews with my cast mates. That’s what I always did when I went through a break-up. I just throw myself into my work and focused on my career when shit hits the fan. Tonight, I was going to be on James Corden to talk about the movie I was starring in. I was super excited because James was always someone that could make me laugh. He was always so sweet and kind to me. I was in my dressing room watching the show. I was in a shiny, navy blue dress that stopped at my thighs and some black heels. My hair was pinned back to show off the sliver hoops in my ears. My make-up was natural, but it still made my eyes pop. I was playing with my bracelets nervously waiting for my que to head towards the stage.

They were on a commercial break when I heard a knock on the door. The stage manager peaked their head in and smiled, “Places Ms. Y/L/N.” I smiled up at them and took a deep breath. I stood from the couch and followed them to the stage. There were a few crew members adjusting my mic for me. I smiled and thanked them looking over to the stage manager. They started to count down to signal that they were live again. “My next guest is incredibly talented and a truly wonderful young woman. She is starring in the new thriller movie called ‘The Chase’. Please welcome, Y/N Y/L/N everybody,” James spoke and the curtains pulled back for me to walk out on stage. I smiled bright and big walking out while the crowd cheered for me. I giggled and waved as I made my way over to James who was standing up beside his desk to pull me into a warm hug.

I open my arms wide and wrapped them around him. “Oh, it’s so good to see you,” I said as I pulled away and took seat on the couch next to his desk. “It’s always a pleasure to have you here,” James spoke with a huge contagious smile. I blushed looking down feeling my nerves calming slightly. “So, you have been busy,” James spoke up breaking my nerves from taking over. “Yeah, I’ve been very busy,” I nodded looking at him gleaming with joy. “You are in this movie and I couldn’t be more excited to see it. I have been waiting for this moment! You have starred on many T.V. shows on and off. How does it feel going into the movie business,” James asked while leaning forward on his desk. I giggled and nodded along with him in excitement. “It’s definitely different for me,” I blushed looking at my bracelets.

“I haven’t been around such a huge set before and it was so incredible to see how this story unraveled on set. It was interesting to see how everything comes to life with a movie script. Obviously with T.V. show sets, they aren’t as big as you would think. You don’t always get to do cool adventurous things like a movie. So, it was really amazing to be out of my element and learn new things about myself along with filming,” I smiled big to James and the audience who were in awe of my explanation. “Oh, of course. It’s completely different and so amazing with the story telling. So, tell us a little about the movie and who your character is in the film,” James said taking a sip of his water.

I smiled and looked to the audience, “Well this movie is a huge thriller. There is a lot of action in the film. ‘The Chase’ is about a girl named Claire Bennett which is my character in the film. She finds out that her family is being held captive by these group of investors that meet with her dad early on in the film. She basically fights to save her family and it begins a huge chase/countdown to save her family.” The crowd ‘oo’ed and ‘aw’ed at my description of the movie without giving too much away. “That just sounds incredible,” James smiled big and looked to his cards. “I heard that you did all of your own stunts in this movie. Is that true,” he asked shocked and very interested in this rumor.

I laughed and nodded slowly, “Yeah, that is actually true. I wanted to try something new for once. I met with the director and told him that this is my first big movie. I want to give it my all and I want to make him proud of my role. He was super cool about that and very happy to hear that I would be willing to learn something so difficult. We ended up finding the perfect stunt trainer for me and I started working with her. I’m so grateful for her and I’m definitely proud of myself for trying something so out of my comfort zone. I personally think it will make the film that much more great to see someone so devoted to their character.” James was stunned and started clapping. He stood up out of his chair and the crowd began to cheer with him.

I laughed and waved everyone off. “That is just brilliant. I love your devotion in fully taking something on like that. We actually have the never-before seen trailer right here. I’m so happy you chose our show to release this trailer. Here it is,” James says pointing to the camera men to switch it over to the trailer. The lights dimmed for the audience to watch on a big screen. I smiled and looked at the screen with so much passion. It was incredible to see this came to life. I peered around everyone’s faces to see their reactions. Everyone seemed to be on the edge of their seats and that was the best reaction to hope for. I giggled as it came to an end and the lights came back up. James’s mouth hung open in amazement and looked to me. “That was incredible. We are going to take a short break and we will be right back to ask some more questions with Y/N,” James smiled to the camera and we went to break.

As we took a break, I reached for my water and took a sip. “I just want to tell you how proud I am of how far you have come Y/N,” James spoke as we sat there waiting for us to go live again. I smiled and felt tears stinging my eyes. “Thank you, James. That means the world to me really,” I smiled and reached his hand holding it tight. He smiled and squeezed my hand, “Any time love.” I giggled and the management gave us the signal we were going live again. I smiled and leaned back on the couch holding my water. They counted down from three and pointed to James. “Welcome back to the Late Late Show. I’m here with Y/N Y/L/N and we are going to ask some more questions to get to know her a little better. We just discussed her new movie coming out and showed the trailer for the movie. Let’s get a little more in depth with who she is,” James smiled and the crowd cheered agreeing to his suggestion.

I felt myself growing nervous again and smiled to everyone. “So, what do you like to do outside of work Y/N,” James asks with a smile. “Well, I love to read a good book or write in a journal. I love to spend time with my friends and family when I get free time as well. I try to keep myself grounded,” I giggle as he nods. “Now, have you been dating since your break-up from the mega popstar and one of my great friends Harry Styles,” he asked raising an eyebrow. I felt my heart slowly sink to my stomach at the sound of Harry’s name. I bit my bottom lip and looked down. I know the crowd is on the edge of their seats waiting for this answer. “Not recently no. I have been quite busy with interviews with my cast mates and promoting the movie,” I smiled a small smile trying to ignore this feeling of being sick.

“Now, I know that it is a touchy subject talking about him. But you and him haven’t spoken publicly since the break-up about each other. Why is that,” he asked leaning back a little. I could see the nerves in his face. I looked off to my management and back to him. My hands started sweating as I set my cup down on the table in front of me. “Well, Harry and I started out as great friends. I think that our friendship and relationship was something so personal to us. I know that I haven’t spoken about it because I believe we are both healing from what we went through. I believe that neither of us have anything bad to say about one another. It’s just a little touchy for us and being in a relationship in the public eye is difficult you know,” I say looking down breathlessly. My heart was all the way to my stomach now.

I swallow hard as I gathered myself and looked to James with a little smile. “I can understand that, yeah. Have you listened to his new album Fine Line at all,” James asked trying to give me a reassuring smile. “I have heard a couple of songs here and there. It has been hard for me to sit down and listen to it with my schedule, but I still support him whole-heartedly. He is super talented and I will always be one of his biggest fans. I plan on listening to it all the way through very soon though,” I nod to him and casually wipe my palms along my dress. “Well, today he released a music video for his song called ‘Falling’. It sounds like something you may want to hear. Do you mind if we play the video,” James asked leaning forward and looking out to the crowd. The crowd roared and pleaded with me to say yes.

I can’t lie I was slightly curious as to what the song is about. I was also curious to see what the video looked like. I bit my lip again and looked to my management. They shrugged with a small smile telling me it was my call. I looked to James again and nodded, “Sure, I am a bit curious.” James smiled humbly and nodded to the camera men to play the video. As the song starts, Harry is sitting on a floor with water pouring in around him. He is leaned against a wall soaking wet breathing deeply. It pans to his hand on the piano and then a full body shoot of him laying along the piano bench.

I felt my heart pick up speed as I listened to the lyrics and felt tears at the brim of my eyes. That’s when he starts singing the chorus and the pain in his eyes isn’t hard to miss as he looks into the camera. “What am I now? What am I now? What if I'm someone I don't want around? I'm falling again, I'm falling again, I'm fallin' What if I'm down? What if I'm out? What if I'm someone you won't talk about? I'm falling again, I'm falling again, I'm fallin'.” My throat felt dry and like it was closing up now. I felt like I couldn’t breathe just watching this video. He was in pain and he was beautiful all in one. The water begins to rise in the video and can’t stop my eyes from letting the tears fall as the memories start to replay in my mind…

-Flashbacks-

*** It was a rainy night in L.A. Harry had come over and we were watching some random rom-com that he chose while I made the popcorn. We were curled up on the couch wrapped up in each other in a blanket along the couch. He was running his fingers through my hair as I watched the movie happily. He leaned down and started kissing my jawline and then down to my neck causing me to giggle at the feeling of his lips. He started to chuckle softly and ran his hand up my side. I felt myself stiffen at his touch afraid that he will start to tickle me. That’s when he stopped, looking me dead in the eyes. I couldn’t help but get lost in the jade green eyes of his. They always captivated me.

He then started to tickle me causing my whole body to jolt and squirm. Our laughter filled the air not caring about the movie anymore. I was squealing and trying to tell him to stop but he wouldn’t. He was determined to leave me breathless. Finally, after tickling me enough he slowed his fingers down. He started rubbing my sides gently to let me catch my breath. I looked up at him and smiling while panting. “What was that for,” I asked looking up at him with a playful smile. “I just love to hear you laugh,” he smiled big down at me and leaned down kissing my lips.***

*** I then began to picture him getting ready backstage in his dressing room at one of his concerts. I was drinking some tequila on the rocks watching him change. I was taking in all his features and how his tattoos shaded his toned body perfectly. I was so in love with this man. I could look at him for hours on end. I blushed when he turned to look at me. “What is it babe,” he asked looking at me raising his eyebrows. I looked down shaking my head and giggling, “Oh nothing.” I waved him off and he just smirked strutting towards me. “You know, it’s not polite to stare princess,” he had walked around the couch I was sitting on and leaning behind me. I could feel his hot breath against my ear as he spoke the words.

I squeezed my thighs together at the sound of his voice as he brushed my hair back. He attached his lips to my neck and I felt myself fall back against the back of the couch. I was in a trance at the feeling of his lips and hot breath against my skin. “Mm, I can’t wait get you alone after the show princess,” he smiled across my skin and I moaned softly looking to him. He pulled his lips from my neck and to my lips. I smiled into the kiss and pulled back slightly, “If only I can wait that long.” He chuckled and his stylist waved at us. “Hey lovebirds, I hate to break up the love-fest, but we need to get you dressed Harry,” she smiled at the sight of us and we both blushed this time. “Later, I promise,” he whispered to me and I nodded trying to hold it all in.***

*** I remembered the time we were at Harry’s place cooking dinner together. He had turned on some music and we both sang loudly with one another. We were laughing and dancing around the kitchen. He then pulled me into his arms and spun us around the kitchen. I giggled and held onto him as he dipped me down. I looked up at him with a lopsided grin. He chuckled and pulled me back up leaning our foreheads together. “You know I love you right,” he smiled down at me. I nodded slightly and placed my hands on his cheeks, “And I love you Harry.” He grinned and kissed my whole face causing us to break out in a fit of giggles.

*** The day the tabloids flooded online with the proof of Harry cheating on me was the hardest. I was unable to move in bed. I felt like I was glued down to the mattress. I couldn’t wrap my mind around the fact that he touched someone else the way he touched me. I couldn’t wrap my mind around the fact that he kissed someone the way he would kiss me. The fact that he had the nerve to take her back to his hotel crushed every ounce of me. He decided to be intimate with someone other than me. It hurt me because he had touched me in ways no other guy has. He taught me incredible things about how to make my body feel the way he made it feel. He took me to euphoria in our intimate moments. How could he throw that all out the window for some random girl?

My mind raced with so many questions that I honestly wasn’t sure I wanted the answers to. Was it worth? Was she good? Was she better than me? Did she make him feel the way I did? Was he faking it this whole time with me? Did he really love like he said he did? Why did he have to do it like this? Was he bored of me? Was he tired of me? Was he mad about our schedules? Was he just lonely and decided on someone random? Did he ask her to meet him there? Was this all just planned out to hurt me? Why me? Did he still love me even though he made his bed? How could this be the end? Who was he now? Do I even recognize him anymore?

There was a day we met up after our break-up to try and discuss things that popped into my head. We went to the Beachwood Café and sat there both unsure of what to say. “I-I didn’t mean for this to happen…,” he said softly. I felt my heart crack and I was unable to look at him. Who was this person sitting in front of me? “It was a mistake Y/N. I was drunk and I don’t know what had gotten into me. I was stupid,” he whispered trying to hold back his tears. I sniffled and tried my best not to cry. “Harry… I don’t think I can trust you… not now. You made the choice to leave with her and take her back to your hotel,” I felt a single tear begin to fall down my cheek. “Y/N… don’t say that please… I love you and I don’t want to lose you… not like this,” he was full blown crying now. “I’m sorry Harry… I just can’t right now,” I sniffled as my heart chipped away at the crack in his voice.

“Please don’t go…,” he sobbed quietly and I couldn’t bring myself to look him in his eyes. I took a shaky breath and looked down at my hands that were gripping the bottom of my hoodie. “I’m sorry Harry… I loved you and I cared a great deal about you…but I need to be alone right now… I don’t know what to say to you… I don’t even recognize you right now…,” I whispered as tears just spilled out from my eyes. Harry sobbed as I finally stood from our table. I slid my sunglass down so no one bothered me on my way out. If that was even possible at this time with our break-up still fresh in the public eye.

As I turned to leave, I felt his hand reach from mine. That was the breaking point for me. His touch. I didn’t want to be touched by him after his mistake. It made me feel disgusted with myself. It made the questions grow louder in my head and I clenched my hand into a fist before he had the chance to interlace our fingers. My heart finally shattered as his hand wrapped around my wrist and the words left his mouth. “Who would I be without you? What if I’m someone I don’t want around Y/N,” his voice was shaky and it cracked again. “I have to go…,” I whispered looking down to my feet. I gently pulled my wrist out of his grasp and headed out of the door making a beeline to my car. ***

-End of Flashbacks-

As I pull myself out of my head, I look back up to the screen as the water rises around Harry as the bridge of the song cuts in. “And I get the feeling that you'll never need me again,” he sang and there was the shatter in my heart once again. I needed Harry. I will always need Harry. This song was about us. It was about his mistake and how he was hurting due to his own actions. He admitted it in his lyrics. I was trying to hold back my sobs as James looked over to me and handed me his handkerchief. I thanked him softly and started to wipe my tears away. Harry was now completely under the water. He was drowning. The music went silent and he was just sitting at the piano in pain. I looked out into the crowd to see how everyone else was doing with the song and video to distract myself from falling more apart than ever.

I was watching some reactions. Some people were wiping their faces and sniffling. Others were mesmerized by Harry’s lyrics or just him in general. I bit my bottom lip to keep it from quivering still scanning the audience. I noticed a familiar figure sitting with a hand over his mouth and his hood was up. It looked like he was wearing sunglasses because the screen was reflecting off the lenses. I turned back to the screen at the sound of Harry’s voice.

I felt the pieces of my heart crumbling in my chest as I watched him on the big screen. How could he still be so handsome even though he was broken in this video? He was floating gracefully underneath the water as his shirt floated around him. I wanted to just reach in the water and pull him out. As the video ended, the lights came back up and looked down still wiping my face. “Well, that was… heartbreaking,” James says softly and looks to the audience. I knew everyone’s eyes were on me now. I was just trying to gather my thoughts and make the tears come to a halt so I could speak up. “Are you alright love,” James asks holding out his hand for me. I nodded slightly and giggle to reassure everyone. “Yes, I’m alright. Just wasn’t expecting it to be as deep as it was,” I smiled up at him taking his hand. “I understand. I think we all can understand that. I just felt you needed to hear that song in particular from the album,” he smiled sweetly at me as I nodded at his thoughtfulness.

“I appreciate that. It was an amazing song,” I say softly as he rubbed the back of my hand. “I just want you to know that this was an idea sent to me anonymously to surprise you in a way,” James looked out to the crowd and I followed his gaze to the crowd. I noticed the man that I saw before the video ended. He in fact, had his hood up and sunglasses on. I still couldn’t tell who it was underneath, but I felt like I knew them. I turned my attention back to James with a small smile. “Well, whoever it was I really appreciate it. It was kind of them,” I nodded. “We will be right back after this short break. Don’t go anywhere,” James said to the cameras. They cut to the commercial and I stood hugging James tightly.

As we pulled away, James held my shoulders keeping me in place. “Listen, I hope I didn’t cross any lines with tonight. I really am proud of you and everything that you are becoming in this industry,” James spoke softly to me. I nodded and smiled, “No you didn’t cross any lines. I think it was about time I talked about Harry and I for once. It has been a couple months post break-up. I will say I was surprised with his song and video.” James laughed lightly and nodded. “I was too when I got the request to play it for everyone and especially you. Would you mind staying until after the show? I have a special surprise for you,” James smiled a hopeful smile. “Sure, thank you. I will be in my dressing room until then,” I giggled and hugged him once more.

As I waited in my dressing room, I watched the rest of the show. James played a game with the audience before the show came to an end. I waited patiently with my management that praised me for doing so well with the interview, even if I did cry. They told me how I handled everything well when it came to Harry. I didn’t give too much away and that made me feel a little better. I was a little anxious while waiting on James to come back to the dressing room to give me my surprise. I felt like even my management knew something about it when I asked what they thought it might be. They didn’t really say much when I asked. I just shrugged it off as I played with my bracelets.

There was a knock on the door and I stood pulling myself out of my thought about Harry’s song. I opened the door and there stood James with a warm smile. “Y/N, would you mind following me out to the stage,” he asked holding out his arm for me to take. I tilted my head at first confused. No one was here now, so why did we need to go back out to the stage area? “Sure,” I smiled and put my arm in his as he led us back towards the stage. We talked about the rest of the show here and there on the way. I was feeling even more nervous as we approached the curtains. “I will let you walk out there for your surprise. I have a few things to finish up in my dressing room with my management. Is that okay,” he asked stopping us and I pulled my arm away.

“Yeah, I should be fine with that,” I said feeling very confused now. “Okay great,” he smiled and turned to walk away. I stood there for a minute trying to figure out why he wasn’t coming out to the stage with me. I shook my head slightly and slowly opened the curtain. I walked out and there stood the guy in the hoodie. He had his back towards me and was shuffling his feet around. I bit my bottom lip nervously trying to figure out why he was here. “Hey, is this my surprise? Are you the one that requested James to play the video during the show,” I asked nervously as I slowly made my way to the random guy. I saw him straighten his shoulders and stop his movements.

I stopped a few feet behind him still curious as to why he was dressed this way. He slowly turned with his head down, “Um, yeah that was… that was me.” His voice shocked me slightly because he sounded just like… “Harry?” I asked the guy as his hands reached for his sunglasses pulling them off. He let his hood fall and finally looked up at me. My heart started to pick up speed at the sight of him. His eyes were still a little bloodshot… like he had been crying? “Yeah… I know that this is a bit sad of me to do. But I wanted to show you that I miss you and that I’m truly sorry for hurting you. Writing my second album was really tough when I lost you. So, I wrote about us. I wrote that song about our break-up and I knew that I had to make a video to show the world and you, how I was truly feeling after my mistake…,” Harry spoke looking down while playing with his sunglasses nervously.

“I know that this is a bit much and it was probably hard on you. I saw how you reacted to the video. You were crying and I didn’t want to upset you more. I’m just really sorry. I’m stupid for ever letting you down. I was stupid for doing something unforgiving. I was stupid to let myself slip into someone you couldn’t trust anymore. It was all my fault and I take full responsibility for everything,” he sniffled and I could see the tears filling his eyes again. I didn’t realize that I was crying now too. He looked like he was going to break into a million pieces. He looked like he could crumble if I touched him. I slowly walked up to him and stopped in front of him. He looked up to me with his bottom lip quivering now unsure what to do with his self.

“I told you that day… I didn’t know who I would be without you. I had to realized that I didn’t want to be that person who hurt the only good thing in his life. Sure… I love my fans and my music. I love my family and my friends, but most importantly… I love you. I was surprised that you even talked about me. I just miss having you around. And I’m willing to do whatever it takes to get back to where we used to be. To show you that I will never do that to you again. To build your trust back up,” he whispered looking down into my eyes. I placed my hand against his cheek and softly rubbed it with my thumb wiping his tears away. “I love you Harry,” I whispered and his whole face crumbled into a sob as he leaned his forehead to mine.

He wrapped his arms around my waist pulling me into him and squeezing me tightly. I shushed him as he tried to steady his breathing. I wanted to just hold him together, but he was slowly crumbling into me. “God… I missed you so much… I missed your voice…,” he said as he buried his face into my neck. I ran my fingers through his tousled curls trying my best to keep him together. “I missed you too. And your voice,” I said softly, smiling to myself. He pulled back a little after calming his-self down again. He looked down into my eyes and then to my lips. I leaned up in his embrace and brought my lips to his. Our lips connected and there was that familiar spark again.

After all this time, the flame and the spark never disappeared. After all this time, he was still the only person who could make me feel this way. He deepened the kiss by picking me up slightly off the ground and I felt him smile against my lips. He placed me gently back down and pulled back leaning his forehead to mine again. “So, can we start over? One step at a time,” he asked rubbing my cheeks with his thumbs. I looked at him and we heard someone from behind us. “Oh, please say yes,” James said and we both turned to see the crew and management watching us with tearful and hopeful eyes. We both started blushing and laughing at the sight of our friends waiting for my answer. I turned back to look at Harry, “Yes, one step at a time.” He smiled and pulled my lips back to his as he spun me around happily.

#Harry Styles #harrystyles #harry styles imagine #harry smut #harry imagine #harry styles preferences #fine line #Fineline #falling #sad #sad story #harry x reader #harry x y/n

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imaginesxthevamps · 4 years ago

Note

I don’t know if this is angst or fluff or both.

People break into the venue before a meet and greet and see you and Brad sat on the stage. He’s playing something on his guitar and then kisses you but the fans catch everything and expose your relationship.

Thank you 🙏🏻❤️

Exposed | Brad Simpson

Words: 2.1k

Tags: Bradley Will Simpson, Brad Simpson x reader, the vamps, imagine, the vamps imagine, Brad Simpson imagine, fanfiction, request

Warning: none

A/N: I made it angst and fluff for you anon and I made it extra long so enjoy! And thank you for your request!❤

____________________

Today the boys have a show planned in Birmingham. It's in a smaller venue but that does not hold them back to build a big party. They are all excited as it was the first show of the year. To celebrate that family and friends are invited to come and watch the show.

You arrive at the venue together with Brad as you’re his girlfriend. He lives in Birmingham and went to the venue in his car, while the others have to come from London. That’s also the reason why you arrive first at the venue. When you pass by the entrance you see already a lot of fans standing in front of the doors while the show isn't starting for another six hours. Brad parked his car on the private parking where the backdoor is where artists can enter.

After you get out of the car and Brad picked up his stuff, a security guard let you into the building. He gives you both a pass, you don't have to explain who you are as you were noted down onto a list. The man leads you through the building to the dressing room where there is a sign with ‘the vamps’ on the door.

“When are the others arriving?”, you ask Brad when you’re left alone.

“I just got a message from Con, he says they will be here in half an hour”, Brad answers you while he’s unpacking his stuff.

You look around the room while Brad’s busy. It’s a quiet big dressing room, there are three sofas and a little table in the centre. There is also a table against the wall with food and drinks. On the other side, you see tables with mirrors where the boys can get ready for the show. And next to it there is a door that leads to a room with toilets and showers. Besides that, there is just a lot of space for guests.

“You okay?”, Brad asks you while his arms sneak around your waist.

“Yeah, I was just looking around”, you say and give him a small kiss.

Suddenly the door swings open and the other boys, their girlfriends and the manager enter the room.

“You guys are early”, Joe, their manager says.

“Yeah well I live here, I don’t have to ride an hour”, Brad says.

“So you already installed?”, Joe asks.

“Yes, that’s why I’m going to look at the stage with y/n”, Brad says and Joe nods.

After Brad and you have greeted everyone he takes your hand and leads you out of the room. It’s like he knows the building out of his head while you would never find your way back. The boys already played this venue a few times so he knows where he needs to go.

When you arrive at the stage you realise how big this venue is. It’s the first time you’re here with Brad, it’s the first time you will see them perform this venue.

Both of you take a seat at the side of the stage. Brad picks one of his guitars which are already set up and sits next to you again.

“So which song do you want to hear?”, Brad asks you with a smile.

“Surprise me”, you answer him.

Immediately Brad starts playing a song. When you hear the first chords you already know what he’s playing.

“I was walking away, but she’s so beautiful it made me stay”, Brad sings and you start to smile.

Brad knows this is one of your favourite songs of them, he has already sung it to you several times. He knows how much you enjoy it and that’s why you immediately start to sing along with him.

Caught up in the moment you don’t realise that a few fans managed to break into the venue. They found a way at the back of the venue and searched themselves a way to the stage where they see you and Brad. They watch how Brad sings to you and how you sing along and smile at him. After he is done playing the song he connects your lips with his in a passionate kiss, not noticing that fans are taking pictures. Although you guys have been dating for several months you weren’t out in the public yet, but that would change very fast as these pictures will spread like fire.

Suddenly the group of fans is storming to Brad, eager for a picture, eager to talk to him.

“Oh shit”, Brad says when he sees what’s happening.

You turn your head in the direction he is looking at, gasping as you see the group coming to you. The group consisted of ten fans.

“Go, I’ll take care of them”, Brad says.

“But I don’t know how I have to get back”, you say.

“Just run and call Joe”, Brad says and you do what he says and start running.

You try to remember the way back to the dressing room while calling Joe.

“Y/n? Is everything okay?” Joe asks.

“No, a group of fans managed to get in and stormed to Brad and me, I’m on my way back now to the dressing room but silly enough I don’t know how to get back as this building is a maze”, you answer, panic rushing through your body.

Joe explains how you have to go back to the dressing room before he ends the call and goes to the stage himself to handle the situation.

When you arrive at the dressing room you notice that more people arrived, probably family.

“Hey what’s going on?”, James asks when he sees your worried face.

“A couple of fans managed to get into the building”, you say and tell him what happened.

As bad as it sounds you are not so much worried about how they get in but about the fact they will expose your relationship with Brad. You know you have to do that eventually but not like this. You’re scared about the comments and everything that comes with it. There are definitely people who are going to be against your relationship. What if Brad listened to them and breaks up with you. You know that sounds silly but all these wrong scenarios are running through your head. Earlier today you were excited but right now you are scared as hell. Especially because the boys have to do a Q&A with fans that bought the VIP package.

As you already were expecting, the fans asked about your relationship with Brad. They wanted to know who you are. That’s what Brad tells you when the boys are back from soundcheck, Q&A and VIP. Now it is only an hour until the show will start.

“Everything will be fine, okay?”, Brad says to you and kisses you on the head.

The last hour before the show is the busiest, the boys are hyping up and getting ready. That’s why you don't have the chance to talk to Brad about how you feel in this situation.

The time was finally there, the boys enter the stage and the venue goes wild. You and the other girls are watching the show besides the stage. You enjoy seeing them perform but at the back of your head, you are still panicking. Scared, worried, it feels like everyone in the venue is looking at you although they can't see you.

When the show is done, Brad runs off the stage to hug you while he’s all sweaty.

“Babe, now your sweat is all over me”, you whine, Brad smiles in response and gives you a small kiss.

“We can shower together”, Brad says in a naughty way making you giggle.

Back into the dressing room, there is a small party going on. Everyone is talking, drinking and there is some loud music. The boys decide to shower first and get changed before joining the others.

“You sure you don’t want to shower with me?”, Brad whispers to you.

“Brad, not when everyone is here”, you say shocked.

With puppy eyes Brad leaves you to go into the shower alone, making you laugh.

It is already eleven O’clock when someone suggests taking the party else where as it is time to leave. You aren't really in the mood to party, partly because you are tired but also because you don't want to be in a public place right now. You are still kind of feeling odd about the situation from earlier.

“Is it okay if I go back to your house? I’m feeling tired and I’m not really in the mood to party”, you say to Brad.

“You sure? You want me to go with you?”, Brad asks.

“No, it’s okay, go make some fun with your friends”, you say with a small smile.

“I’ll drop you off at my house and then I will join the others”, Brad says.

Not much later you arrive at Brad’s house. You’ll be alone as his parents left earlier at the show because they booked a weekend in Brighton and his sister was also gone. It’s a relieve to know you’re alone as you have to process the earlier events.

“You okay babe?”, Brad asks before you get out of the car.

“Yes, I just need some alone time”, you say.

Brad pulls you in so your lips are connected for a sweet kiss.

“See you when you get home”, You say and peck his lips for the last time.

The first thing you do is taking a shower to wash off your thoughts. Brad’s home became your home too. The last few weeks you’re a lot there, and his family just makes you feel at home.

After your shower, you go to the kitchen to pick something to eat. When you have everything you head up to Brad’s room and install yourself in his bed. You put on the tv in his room and start watching something on Netflix while you eat. It’s already one O’clock but you’re not tired. The more time passes by, the more you’re wondering what people are writing about you on socials. You know it’s a bad idea to look at the comments but it’s stronger than yourself. You pick your phone and go to Twitter. Immediately when you refresh your feed, tweets about you and Brad are showing up. There are good reactions but also a lot of bad reactions.

“Who is she?”, “She doesn’t deserve Brad”, “Brad deserves better”, “She is ugly”, “What’s her name?”, “I hope Brad will break up with her”, “Who does she think she is?”, “They won’t last for a week”, “Brad’s ashamed of her, that’s why he held it a secret”, “whore”.

Tears start to flow and before you know it you’re sobbing, your phone falling onto the bed. Those comments are all rushing through your head. “They don’t like me”, is the only thing you are thinking. You start to believe every word, that you don’t deserve Brad, realising that reading those comments was a bad idea.

“Y/n?”, Brad says shocked when he enters the room.

You had been reading these comments for two hours, you can't believe it.

“Brad, you have to see what they are writing about me”, you sob.

Brad was already sitting next to you, his arm over your shoulder, trying to calm you down.

“Did you read those comments? Babe don’t believe them because you’re only looking at the bad ones. I know how bad they can be but please do not believe them okay?”, he tries to reassure you.

“I don’t deserve you”, you say.

“Baby that’s not true, listen here”, he tilts your head so you’re looking at him, “I love you, what they say is not true and I will never listen to that, hell I would never read them because they are jealous of what we have. What we have is something special and I will never let those comments ruin that okay. Listen here, you're the only one for me, I would be a fool to let you go”, Brad says honestly.

The only thing you do is connecting your lips with his. They are moving perfectly in sync like you’re made for each other.

“You want to cuddle and talk until we fall asleep?”, Brad asks and you nod.

While Brad makes himself ready for bed, you make yourself comfortable in bed. When Brad enters the room again he gets into bed and pulls you onto him, kissing you softly. You never felt this happy and you’re glad you could talk about what bothered you. He makes you feel loved and at home and that’s all you need. The rest of the night you spend cuddling and kissing with Brad until you finally fall asleep at five in the morning.

____________________

The Vamps requests open

New Hope Club requests closed

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natromanxoff · 4 years ago

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An Exclusive Interview With Queen!

Music Life September 1975 issue

By Kaoruko Togo and Keiko Miyasaka

[Original text in Japanese, translation by deathtoming]

Around noon on July 14th, we left the hotel by car, and around two hours later we arrived at the beautiful Ridge Farm, surrounded by trees. We were blessed with clear skies on this day, and the blue sky and the greenery of the farm were almost blindingly beautiful. It was a bit past 2 o’clock. When we arrived in the main building, we were first greeted by a large dog, followed by a familiar voice from a room in the back. It was a large food hall, with Freddie, Brian, Roger, and John present.

When they see us, the four of them say, “Hello! You’re from Music Life, right? Welcome!” and greet us with handshakes. The four of them rented this Ridge Farm to focus solely on rehearsing for their next album. “We’re about to have lunch. Want to join us?” We knew we couldn’t work while hungry, so we accepted their offer with thanks. When the meal finished, we could begin our interview at last….

Music Life (ML): Are you in the middle of recording now?

Roger: No, we’re not recording yet. We’re all practising our new songs together. Once we practise them, we get an idea of how we should record them, I think.

ML: When do you think you’ll start recording?

Roger Maybe in about 3 weeks…

John: We might use Rockfield Studios in Wales.

ML: Do you always record there?

Roger: No, not really, although we did a bit of recording there for our third album, Sheer Heart Attack.

Freddie. We used around five studios to record that one. We’ll probably use several studios this time around, too.

ML: You’ll do a bit of recording in London, too, right?

Roger: Probably a little bit, yeah. We usually do our mixing in London.

Brian: But when we first record the backing track, it’s better to do it somewhere where we’re nice and settled, so it’s good to do it while we’re holed out in the studio. By doing that, we’re able to relax and do the recording.

ML: Can you tell us something about your upcoming album?

Freddie: Yeah, well we only have the rough framework at this point, but I think it will be our best work so far. We’re in the middle of creating the songs now.

Roger: Nothing has really come together yet, so it’s difficult to explain.

John: When we first came here we presented what songs we had written so far to each other, and we had about two albums’ worth, haha.

ML: I hear you’re heading to the US on tour soon.

John: Probably. Our manager is in the US now, and he’s apparently in talks with a bunch of people.

Freddie: We have to decide whether to record the album or go on tour in the US like we had decided during our previous tour.

ML: How long have you been working with your producer?

Freddie: His name is Roy Thomas Baker, and he’s been with us since our debut album.

Roger: We’re co-producing the album with him. Our next album will be with him, too.

ML: This Ridge Farm is such a beautiful place. How did you find it?

Roger: Our mixer, John Harris, found it. The owner often rents out this place to rock groups, apparently.

ML: When you write your songs, do you do it individually?

Freddie: Yes, that’s right. Everyone writes their own songs in their own homes, and then brings it to places like this and we all work on it.

ML: How many songs will be on this album?

Freddie: I don’t know yet. Maybe around 12.

ML: When will it be released?

Freddie: That depends on a lot of things. But I want it out some time this year. It will probably be by the end of this year.

ML: What have you been up to since you came back from Japan?

Freddie: For several weeks, we kept on talking about our time in Japan, haha. We’d unwrap the presents we got from Japan. Please pass along our thanks to our fans in Japan, because we were really treated so kindly.

ML: Is there anything that stands out in particular from your time in Japan?

Roger: Aside from the people we met, probably our final show in Tokyo. Something felt special. It was also our final show in Japan. The atmosphere was wonderful.

John: I also remember appearing in a kimono on stage for the first time in that concert.

ML: What about Japanese food?

Freddie: Like, tempura, haha. We went to a Japanese restaurant with our bodyguards in Japan. Oh that’s right, please send our regards to those bodyguards; we owe them a lot.

ML: What do you want to do the most the next time you’re in Japan?

Roger: I’m going to go shopping for sure, haha! Things like tape recorders and other things. Last time, Freddie bought lots of ceramics, and Brian and John bought cameras.

ML: Brian, you like cameras, don’t you?

Brian: Yeah, I do photography sometimes, and I have lots of other hobbies. Right now I’m really into audio.

ML: Since when have you been taking pictures?

Brian: Since quite a long time ago. But I only recently got a good camera. In England, cameras are so expensive.

ML: This is especially the case in Japan, but you have a lot of young girls for fans. What do you think about that?

Roger: It’s outstanding, haha! Japanese fans in particular give us lots of presents. We don’t get too many gifts from other countries, but it seems to be a part of the Japanese tradition.

ML: Among your young, female Japanese fans, there are some who say that Queen is their first encounter with rock music.

Roger: Great!

Freddie: That’s a good thing. It was really exciting when we were in Japan, and I think it was probably the same kind of atmosphere as it was for the Beatles in the ‘60s.

ML: Were there any interesting gifts from Japan?

Brian: I received a lot of birthday gifts, so thank you very much to all of you for those presents. I received many works of art, and also things like dolls and traditional balls wrapped with beautiful string. We got lots of toys, too.

Roger: That ball with the string was hand-made, right? I got one, too.

ML: In your free time, what kind of music do you listen to?

Roger: I’ve been listening to Led Zeppelin's first album.

Freddie: Lately, classical. Like, Chopin. Also things like Led Zeppelin and John Lennon.

ML: Freddie, you have a broad range of interests.

Freddie: Of course. I’ll listen to anything that I like. That said, there’s no artist whose album I’d buy as soon as it was released.

ML: Brian, what about you?

Brian: Pretty much the same as everyone else. I often listen to Led Zeppelin.

ML: There’s a place called “Rhye” in the lyrics for Lily of the Valley, but is that a real place in England?

Freddie: No, it��s a land from my imagination. It’s also mentioned in Seven Seas of Rhye, and I guess it’s like a fairy tale.

Roger: There is a place called “Rye” in England, although the spelling is different.

ML: Your songs’ lyrics seem to be influenced by classical poets.

Freddie: You’re referring to lyric poetry. I don’t think we’re influenced by that too much. Truthfully, I don’t have time to read. I just like expressing myself in that way. Those kinds of expressions are easier.

ML: Do the really passionate lyrics for love songs come from your personal experiences?

Roger: Ahhhh--!! Haha, yeah right! But I guess there’s, uh, a little bit of something in there.<Grinning> But Brian sometimes writes really passionate ones.

ML: She Makes Me is quite the song, isn’t it?

Brian: No, it’s not like that at all. <Acting quite bashfully> Although there are times when my personal experiences are expressed in song lyrics.

ML: The band does a good job recreating the sound from your records live on stage, don’t you?

Roger: We’re not trying to reproduce what you hear on the record exactly, though. Of course we want to produce a good sound, but on stage we also need to add an exciting mood to the quality of the sound. So that’s why it needs to be a little different from the album.

ML: Which do you like better, recording or performing live?

Freddie: I like both. They’re both interesting in their own ways.

ML: Do you use any special equipment on stage?

Roger: No, although Brian uses echo machines and such.

ML: Do you have a lighting technician?

Freddie: We do have one, but the band comes up with the idea, and our lighting guy -- his name is James Dann -- takes care of the rest. We’ve already come up with our next stage design and it’s going to be interesting.

ML: Killer Queen was a big hit single; are hit singles important to you?

Roger: It’s not absolutely necessary. But we’ll keep on releasing singles. Of course we’ll only release ones we like, though.

ML: Which do you like better, singles or albums?

Freddie: Definitely albums! I think our music is geared more towards albums rather than singles.

Roger: Rather than releasing single after single, it’s better if there happens to be a song in the album that works well as a single, and we release it if the timing is right. It’s not good if we start thinking we need to release a single every 3 months.

John: On this upcoming album as well, we will record everything first, and then release something if it works well as a single. But we don’t particularly record only songs that would work as singles.

ML: Does it seem like you’ll have another song like Killer Queen?

Freddie: No, when Seven Seas of Rhye became a hit in England, the people at the record company wanted our next song to be like that, but we couldn’t do it. We go in the studio and record what we’re feeling at that time, and only after everything is finished do we decide as a group what to release as a single.

ML: So, you’re always looking for a new sound?

Freddie: It’s more interesting that way.

Roger: That’s why we come to places like this, and while we’re rehearsing we make a bunch of noise and form songs from that.

ML: Did someone serve as an inspiration for Killer Queen?

Roger: Freddie’s mom.

ML: Do you have plans for a British tour?

Roger: Yeah. Probably by the end of this year.

John: But first we need to record our album, and we don’t know what will come after.

ML: Which country’s fans do you like?

John: Japan’s, of course, haha!

Brian: <Speaking seriously> We were really surprised by the reaction of our Japanese fans. Honestly speaking, we didn’t realize it was at that level.

Roger: We thought there would be difficulties because of the language difference, but rock fans are the same around the world, in the end.

ML: Did you have a break after you came back from Japan?

John: Just a little. But we had lots of preparation to do, so it’s like we didn’t have a break.

ML: And uhh… now I’d like to ask about things outside of the music. It’s something Japanese fans want to know: when did you fall in love for the first time? What kind of person were they?

Freddie: Err… our first love is, of course, music, haha.

ML: Do you have any memories from when you were going to school?

Roger: I haaaaated school!

ML: What about you, Brian?

Brian: I went to an all boys school. I had no idea what girls were like, right up to when I graduated when I was 18. It was really a shock when I first got to know girls. But that’s the British school system for you. I was raised away from girls for so long that I was afraid to meet them.

Freddie: You’re still afraid of them, aren’t you? Haha. <This was a tough joke>

ML: Freddie, what subjects did you like in school?

Roger Oh, I know! ”Needlework”! <Everyone bursts out laughing>

Freddie: Art. I studied graphics and illustration at an art school for 3 years.

ML: What about sports?

Freddie: I did everything. Cricket, tennis…

ML: Do you still meet up with your friends from school?

Freddie: I often meet with around two of them.

ML: And, finally, are you married?

Roger: Japanese fans often want to know things like that, but I won’t say. <Roger winks mischievously.>

Freddie: We’re all single! But the Japanese girls have to find that out for themselves.

ML: Let’s get a message from each one of you to our readers…

And with that, the friendly interview came to an end. We were fortunate that the band talked to us in a relaxed mood while bathing in the bright sun.

#queen #queen band #roger taylor #freddie mercury #brian may #john deacon

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pwilzfan73 · 4 years ago

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In Praise of Patrick Wilson, Scream King

The classically trained actor has been acclaimed for his work onstage. But in ghost stories like “Insidious” and “The Conjuring,” he’s proven to be a master of horror.

Patrick Wilson in “The Conjuring: The Devil Made Me Do It.” The actor brings both an intensity and a reassurance to the franchise. Credit...Warner Bros.

By Calum Marsh, The New York Times.

June 6, 2021

Ed Warren is sitting in a musty living room in North London, trying to establish contact with a demon. Behind him sits a little girl, said to be possessed. The demon won’t talk, she insists, unless he faces away and gives him some privacy. With his back to the girl, Ed gets down to business. “Now come on out and talk to us,” he says brightly.

Out comes the demon, cackling and taunting in a fiendish, guttural voice, like a cockney Tom Waits. He wants to rattle Ed, but as played by Patrick Wilson, Ed’s not easily rattled. Alongside his wife, Lorraine, he works as a paranormal investigator, and this is hardly his first tête-à-tête with a malignant spirit. “Your father called you Edward,” the demon snarls, trying to get under his skin. But Ed just rolls his eyes and shakes his head impatiently. “You’re not a psychiatrist, and I’m not here to talk about my father,” he says. “Let’s get down to business. What do you say?”

This scene in “The Conjuring 2” (2016), the sequel to the sumptuous, vigorously terrifying “The Conjuring,” encapsulates what these hit movies do so well. The director James Wan shoots the entire conversation in one long, unbroken take, zooming in so slowly that the movement of the camera is virtually undetectable. The demon, in the background, is a sinister blur. Instead, our attention fixes on Ed, staring ahead.

In “The Conjuring 2,” a scene with a demon in the background depends entirely on the range of emotion in Wilson’s face.Credit...Warner Bros.

Wan is demanding a lot of his lead here — the effect of the scene hinges entirely on Wilson, and without a cut, in extreme close-up, he has nowhere to hide. But he proves more than capable. The five-minute scene is an acting tour de force, and one you might not expect in the middle of a haunted house picture.

The range of emotions in Ed’s face is mesmerizing. Wilson, a classically trained actor with a background in stage dramas and Broadway musicals, is able to do so much with subtle changes in the cast of his eyes and his manner that you can tell from moment to moment exactly how he is feeling — apprehensive, irritated, disturbed, chagrined. For a split second, his composure waivers. Then he steels himself, blinks and gains it back. This is a frightening confrontation, to be sure. But it’s compelling mainly for the intensity that Wilson exudes.

Of course, Wilson, who plays Ed again in the new sequel, “The Conjuring: The Devil Made Me Do It,” has been a known talent for more than 20 years. In the early 2000s, he earned Tony Award nominations for his starring roles in the musicals “The Full Monty” and “Oklahoma!,” and in 2003 he was nominated for an Emmy and a Golden Globe for “Angels in America,” the television adaptation of Tony Kushner’s play in which he played a gay Mormon attorney struggling with his sexuality during the AIDS crisis.

“Angels in America” is a more straightforward acting showcase, and Wilson’s performance, full of stifled passion and moral compromise, is sensitive and powerful. He shares scenes with Al Pacino and Meryl Streep, but his is the most affecting turn.

Like many celebrated stage actors before him, Wilson soon tried to parlay his growing prestige into movie stardom. The results have been mixed. Over the next few years, he appeared in a number of high-profile Hollywood movies, but many of them were poorly received, like the limp remake “The Alamo,” the over-the-top domestic thriller “Lakeview Terrace” and the big-screen version of “The A-Team.” When he starred as the reluctant superhero Nite Owl II in Zack Snyder’s ambitious adaptation of the graphic novel “Watchmen,” critics complained that he was miscast.

It was in 2010 that Wilson found an unexpected niche: the horror movie. That year, he starred in “Insidious,” an early experiment in the producer Jason Blum’s low-budget horror revolution and a creepy, atmospheric ghost story with a playful touch of David Lynch.

Wilson played Josh Lambert, who, for the first two acts, seems like the typical horror movie patriarch: stalwart, steadying and, as the haunting begins to escalate, staunchly disbelieving. He spends a lot of time reassuring his wife that she must be imagining the scary things she’s been seeing around the house and that ghosts aren’t real. Until it turns out that ghosts are real, and that in fact Josh has a history with them.

Patrick Wilson opposite Rose Byrne in “Insidious.” He does so much with a stock character. Credit...FilmDistrict

In “Insidious: Chapter 2,” he’s an evil spirit pretending to be human to his family, which includes Barbara Hershey, left, Ty Simpkins and Byrne.Credit...Matt Kennedy/FilmDistrict

At the end of the second act, it’s revealed that Josh had an encounter with a demon as a child, but that his memories had been repressed. And Wilson, as he accepts this information, manages to subtly disclose a lifetime of trauma. With a faint shifting of the eyes and delicate tensing of the muscles, he conveys flashes of bone-deep dread lingering at the back of his subconscious. Suddenly, a familiar and somewhat flat character gains a new dimension, as Wilson transforms a stock type into someone dynamic and real.

Wilson reprises the part in “Insidious: Chapter 2,” with Josh’s body inhabited by a malevolent demon and Josh’s soul trapped in the spirit world. As the demon-Josh, Wilson has the difficult task of playing an evil spirit pretending to be human, convincing his loved ones that he’s the same old Josh as he secretly conspires to kill them. Occasionally, the mask of the happy husband slips, and Wilson reveals a glimpse of frenzied menace. It’s a terrifying performance reminiscent of Jack Nicholson in “The Shining.”

Ed Warren is Josh Lambert’s opposite. Ed’s role in “The Conjuring” movies is a stabilizing presence.

He and Lorraine (played by the wonderful Vera Farmiga) are called on to investigate happenings that seem to defy scientific explanation, and their arrival on the scene, usually after ghosts and demons have done some preliminary haunting, is accompanied by a sense of reassurance that is rare in horror movies. Wilson gives the calming impression of unflappable expertise, an almost fatherly stolidity, not unlike what Tom Hanks brings to many roles. However frightened we may be, we’re heartened that Ed knows what he’s doing.

Patrick Wilson with Vera Farmiga in “The Conjuring.” Their chemistry helps ground the movie.Credit...Michael Tackett/Warner Bros.

Ed is a man of God, investigating the demonic possession on behalf of the church, and one of the most striking things about Wilson’s performance is the intensity of his religious conviction. When he thrusts a cross at a spirit to dispel its power or reads Scripture in Latin to save the day, he doesn’t seem to be simply holding props or quoting dialogue but to regard these objects and rituals with palpable awe. He makes you feel Ed’s faith, as well as his belief in evil and the supernatural. It makes the scary stuff scarier and feel more real.

Wilson and Farmiga’s screen chemistry has been widely praised, but it’s difficult to overstate just how potent they are together. Their warmth and tenderness are a crucial reprieve from the pulse-quickening horror around them, and the affection they show one another is appealing precisely because it contrasts so sharply with the rest of the action. They are so magnetic that their minor roles at the beginning of the “Conjuring” spinoff “Annabelle Comes Home” practically spoils the rest of the movie: Having had the pleasure of watching them at the start, you’re disappointed to see them leave.

Shortly after Ed’s confrontation with the demon in “The Conjuring 2,” he notices an acoustic guitar in the corner of the same room. The family of the possessed little girl hands it over to him, and he proceeds to imitate Elvis Presley and sing “Can’t Help Falling in Love” in its entirety. The scene does not advance the plot. It’s not a misdirect; it doesn’t culminate in some twist or revelation or jump scare. The openness and gentle humor Wilson embodies is worth a dozen heart-stopping scares: Indeed, that openness and humor are what makes the scares worth anything in the first place. “The Conjuring 2” is already 136 minutes — a more prudent editor might have advised cutting the extraneous scene. But this moment, so earnest in its sentiment, is the heart of the movie. Like Wilson’s performance, it’s perfect.

#patrickwilson #pwilzfan73 #actor #movies #verafarmiga #patrick wilson #theconjuringthedevilmademedoit #edwarren #lorrainewarren #insidiouschapter2 #insidious #rose byrne #the new york times

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gizopedia · 3 months ago

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Introduction Let's kick it off with the Oura Ring 4 – if you're into wearable tech or just someone obsessed with keeping tabs on your health, this little ring is probably already on your radar. It's like the James Bond of fitness gear, only way more discreet. The latest version of Oura’s smart ring has dropped, and it’s made some serious waves. Whether you’re a hardcore gym rat, tracking your sleep like it’s a full-time job, or just want something sleek to rock that doubles as a mini health advisor, Oura’s got your back. Or your finger. It’s not just a ring – it’s a whole vibe, especially for those who care about every little health stat imaginable. Design and Aesthetics Now, let’s talk style because no one wants to wear something ugly, even if it is smart. The Oura Ring 4 is all about that minimalist, slick look. It doesn’t scream, “Hey, I’m tracking my steps!” Instead, it whispers luxury – especially in that silver finish. And size 8? Well, they made sure to keep it diverse, fitting all kinds of fingers out there. If you’re unsure about your size, Oura’s got you covered with a sizing kit that’s basically foolproof. You get it, test it, find your perfect match – no awkward squeezing or loose fits that mess up the accuracy. It’s all about being comfortable and precise. Sleep Tracking Capabilities This is where things get real. The Oura Ring 4 isn’t just tracking when you close your eyes; it’s diving deep into what happens after you hit the pillow. It’s like having a sleep scientist on your finger. It breaks down your sleep stages – from light sleep to deep REM – giving you insights that make sense. If you're looking to improve your sleep game, this ring won’t just tell you how long you slept, but how well you slept. Imagine waking up, checking your app, and realizing, "Hey, I’m not just tired for no reason – I barely got any REM last night!" Heart Rate Monitoring Onto the heart stuff – literally. The Oura Ring 4 doesn’t slack when it comes to keeping an eye on your ticker. Heart rate tracking is smooth and accurate, and it gives you way more than just a basic reading. This is the data that can help you tweak your workouts, adjust your daily routines, and keep tabs on your overall health. Whether you're crushing a HIIT session or lounging on the couch, Oura is monitoring your heart rate like a hawk, feeding all that juicy info back to the app. It’s not just about fitness – it's about managing stress and even predicting when you might need to chill out for a while. Fitness Tracking Features Speaking of fitness – this ring might be tiny, but it’s got a big job. The Oura Ring 4 is on top of your activity levels all day long, tracking your workouts, steps, and even those lazy couch sessions. It doesn’t nag you about not moving enough (like some wearables), but it does give you subtle nudges based on your goals. Plus, it syncs up beautifully with other fitness apps and gear, so if you're already using something like Strava or Apple Health, Oura plays nicely with them. It’s all about giving you a bigger picture of how you’re doing – and not just at the gym. Battery Life and Charging Let’s be honest – one of the biggest dealbreakers for any wearable is a battery life of Up to 8 days. No one wants to charge their tech every few hours. The Oura Ring 4 doesn’t disappoint here – you get up to eight days of juice. That means less time worrying about the battery and more time focusing on smashing your health goals. Charging is easy peasy, and compared to a lot of other wearables, it’s fast. You won’t be tethered to a charging cable all day, which is a win. Sleeker, smarter, and made for you Sleeker, smarter – that’s exactly what the Oura Ring 4 is all about. It’s like Oura took everything great about their previous models and turned the dial up a notch. The new design? Smooth and polished, blending effortlessly into your everyday look without making it obvious that you’re wearing a mini health lab on your finger.

But it’s not just about looks – the brains behind it have leveled up too. Every feature feels tighter, more precise, and just smarter. Whether you're after a better night’s sleep or dialing in your fitness goals, this ring doesn’t miss a beat – literally. User Experience and App Integration It’s one thing to have a smart ring – but if the app’s a mess, what’s the point? The Oura app is just as important as the ring itself, and it’s designed to make sense. Everything is laid out in a way that’s super easy to follow. You get personalized insights based on your data, and it’s not just random numbers thrown at you – it’s stuff you can use to tweak your routine. The app’s smooth, and intuitive, and lets you dive deep into your health stats without overwhelming you. Comparisons with Previous Models If you’ve used an earlier version of Oura, you’ll notice some slick upgrades. The Oura Ring 4 has increased accuracy, especially with heart rate monitoring and sleep tracking. It’s also got a more refined design, meaning it’s less noticeable on your finger, but way more powerful inside. Compared to competitors, it holds its ground, especially when it comes to its balance of functionality and aesthetics. It’s still the smart ring to beat. Oura Ring 4 specs MaterialTitanium with a sleek silver finish (hypoallergenic)SizesAvailable in multiple sizes (size 8 option included)SensorsInfrared photoplethysmography (heart rate monitoring) Body temperature sensor 3D accelerometer (activity tracking) GyroscopeHealth MetricsSleep tracking (REM, deep, light sleep stages) Continuous heart rate monitoring Blood oxygen level monitoring (SpO2) Readiness score Activity tracking (calories, steps, workout monitoring)Battery LifeUp to 8 days on a single chargeCharging Time20-80 minutes (fast charging)Water ResistanceUp to 100 meters (suitable for swimming)CompatibilityOura app (iOS and Android), syncs with Apple Health and Google FitConnectivityBluetooth Low Energy (BLE)WeightApprox. 4-6 grams (depending on size) Conclusion The Oura Ring 4 is much more than a trendy accessory – it's a powerful health tool that seamlessly blends into your life. Whether you're obsessed with sleep stats or just want to stay on top of your heart health and fitness, it's got the smarts and the style to back it up. If you're on the fence, this ring is worth the investment for anyone serious about health tracking.

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not-wholly-unheroic · 4 years ago

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On the Origins of Hook: The Complicated and Often Contradictory Backstory of a Villain

The story of Peter Pan has been told and retold in writing, on the stage, and on the big screen countless times, yet in the original storyline, we are thrust into a world with a pre-established (and presumably long-standing) relationship between its hero and villain with little information regarding their pasts. So far as the audience is concerned, Peter and Hook have always been a part of the Neverland...yet as evidenced by the many retellings that attempt to answer the question of these characters’ origins, clearly, people want to know more. Barrie, however, leaves a great deal to the imagination and while he tackles a bit of Peter’s past in The Little White Bird, there is significantly less information about Hook in his writings, and much of it is up for debate, as Barrie arguably contradicts himself.

In terms of canon (which for the purposes of this article I am limiting to Barrie’s final published version of the novel), much of what we know about Hook can only be inferred from a few brief passages. In the initial introduction of the pirates, Barrie gives us the following description of Hook:

In the midst of them, the blackest and largest in that dark setting, reclined James Hook, or as he wrote himself, Jas. Hook, of whom it is said he was the only man that the Sea-Cook feared. He lay at his ease in a rough chariot drawn and propelled by his men, and instead of a right hand he had the iron hook with which ever and anon he encouraged them to increase their pace. As dogs this terrible man treated and addressed them, and as dogs they obeyed him. In person he was cadaverous and blackavized, and his hair was dressed in long curls, which at a little distance looked like black candles, and gave a singularly threatening expression to his handsome countenance. His eyes were of the blue of the forget-me-not, and of a profound melancholy, save when he was plunging his hook into you, at which time two red spots appeared in them and lit them up horribly. In manner, something of the grand seigneur still clung to him, so that he even ripped you up with an air, and I have been told that he was a raconteur [storyteller] of repute. He was never more sinister than when he was most polite, which is probably the truest test of breeding; and the elegance of his diction, even when he was swearing, no less than the distinction of his demeanour, showed him one of a different cast from his crew. A man of indomitable courage, it was said that the only thing he shied at was the sight of his own blood, which was thick and of an unusual colour. In dress he somewhat aped the attire associated with the name of Charles II, having heard it said in some earlier period of his career that he bore a strange resemblance to the ill-fated Stuarts; and in his mouth he had a holder of his own contrivance which enabled him to smoke two cigars at once. But undoubtedly the grimmest part of him was his iron claw.

From this, we may be able to draw a few conclusions about who Hook was before he came to the island. (1) He was likely a sailor, if not a pirate, BEFORE he met Peter, given that he had previous interactions with “The Sea Cook”--that is, Long John Silver. (2) He was alive and most likely an adult by the mid 1700s, as in Treasure Island, Billy Bones--a former crewmate of Silver’s--has the date 1745 in his log and the dates 1750 and 1754 on his treasure maps. (3) Hook’s hairstyle and fashion is similar to that of Charles II, whose reign ended with his death in 1685.

We are also informed by John that Hook was supposed to have been Blackbeard’s bosun. Blackbeard was born somewhere around 1680 and may have been a privateer earlier in his career at sea, but he didn’t actually take up piracy until 1716 and had only a very brief reign of terror before he was killed off the coast of North Carolina in 1718. Assuming Hook was meant to be Blackbeard’s bosun after he went pirate, this gives us a pretty narrow window of time during which Hook might have interacted with him. And, if we take the comment about the Sea Cook seriously, then Hook must have been pretty young at the time he worked for Blackbeard, given that there is a twenty-seven year gap between Blackbeard’s death and the earliest date Billy Bones offers in connection with Silver.

Hook also uses words and phrases such as, “Pan, who and what art thou?” which would seem to indicate that he is from a time period centuries before the Darlings come to visit. (“Thee” and “thou” had pretty much completely fallen out of common use in English by the late 1700s/early 1800s.)

So far, so good. The dates might make it a bit of a stretch, but we can pretty comfortably say that prior to Neverland, Hook was a sailor--and probably a pirate--during the 1700s, was likely born in the late 1600s, and was possibly a related to Charles II, who had many illegitimate children. This possibility fits nicely with Barrie’s statement that, “Hook was not his true name. To reveal who he really was would even at this date set the country in a blaze.”

We don’t know much about his parentage, however, except that Hook’s voice cracks when he is speaking to Smee about mothers regarding the neverbird’s refusal to leave her eggs even after the nest falls into the water. Whether this is because he was close to his own mother and is lamenting her loss or he had a rather indifferent (or even cruel) mother and he is lamenting his own lack of a loving childhood is up for debate, though the official sequel, Peter Pan in Scarlet--written in 2006 by Geraldine McCaughrean--favors the second interpretation. (Again, however, for the purposes of this article, I am only considering Barrie’s published novel as canon.)

We also learn that Hook attended Eton, a rather prestigious school for boys between the ages of thirteen and eighteen. Assuming Hook completed his schooling there and was, therefore, at least eighteen by the time he joined up with Blackbeard, it would place his being born somewhere close to 1700. Assuming his interaction with Long John Silver was, at the earliest, probably around 1745, and that this interaction happened prior to his visiting the Neverland, it puts Hook (physically) at approximately age 45 by the time we meet him in the book, give or take a bit.

There are two potential problems with that timeline, however. (1) In Barrie’s original novel, only Peter stays young forever. The boys can technically grow up, and Peter “thins them out” when they do. (Decide for yourself whether that means banishment or something worse.) If this is the case, Hook shouldn’t still be alive or, even if the aging process is slowed down, at the very least, he should be an old man, given that the Darlings visit in the early 1900s...making him at least two hundred years old. (2) Near the end of the book, when Hook is trying to convince the boys to join his pirate crew and John asks innocently whether they would still be loyal subjects of the king, Hook responds with, “You would have to swear, ‘Down with King George!’” John (and likely the audience) assumes here that Hook is talking about King George V, who would have been the present king of England at the time the novel was published. If this is the case, how does Hook know who the king is? Has he been able to leave the island and find out this information? Or is Hook, perhaps, from a more modern era than we suspect? Cleverly, Barrie leaves this question open-ended, as Hook could just as easily have been referring to King George the First, who ruled England from 1714 until 1727.

As for personal hobbies, we know only that he loves flowers and plays the harpsichord--an instrument that was once quite popular but which had fallen out of favor by the 1800s, replaced by the piano.

The rest of the information we get from Barrie about Hook’s origins comes primarily from his “Hook at Eton” speech, delivered in 1927--many years after his original play (1904) and novel (1911). And here’s where things get interesting (read: contradictory). Because he wrote the speech so many years later, as a sort of afterthought, and because of the inconsistences with the novel, I personally reject this information as canon. Nevertheless, it is Barrie’s take on his own character and, therefore, is worth at least considering.

In this work, we are told that Hook not only attended Eton but also--at least briefly--went to Oxford. This in and of itself poses no major problems for the timeline suggested by the novel. What DOES pose a problem, however, is the fact that Barrie claims to have been in contact with Hook’s “Aunt Emily”--apparently his closest surviving relative--and has been in search of possible photographs of Hook during his time there. This would indicate that Hook MUST be from a much later, more modern era than the book suggests, as photography didn’t really come into fashion until the mid-1800s, and even if “Aunt Emily” is quite old (and she is likely a good fifteen to twenty years OLDER than Hook if we assume she is near in age to one of his parents) at the time of Barrie’s supposed meeting with her, she couldn’t have reasonably been expected to have been born before the early 1800s, placing Hook’s own birth nearer to the 1850s. While some of the information in the novel might be explained away to fit with this date (his choice of dress and hairstyle, for instance), he could not possibly have interacted with Blackbeard or Long John Silver. In fact, he could not have been a pirate--at least, not in the traditional sense--at all, as the Golden Age of Piracy (1650s--1730s) had long passed and the Age of Sail ended in the 1860s. Because of this inconsistency, some have argued that Barrie may have intended Hook to be a more modern man who essentially became trapped in a child’s fantasy land. He became a “pirate” only AFTER his interactions with Pan--that is, he took on the role of a villain because that is how Peter and the children imagined him--and that John’s assertions about his interactions with Blackbeard and Silver are merely rumors that the boy has heard.

Setting aside this apparent contradiction in the timeline, we DO learn some other interesting facts about Hook. For instance, Hook’s blood (which was said in the novel to be thick and strangely colored), is specified as having been yellow. This, along with his appearance having been described in the novel as “cadaverous” has lead some to conclude that Hook was likely rather sickly as a child. We also learn that Hook enjoyed the Lake poets and strawberry mess (a dessert), collected keys, performed well in sports while at Eton (though he did not like water sports as he rather surprisingly hated the feeling of water on his skin), and played the flute. We also learn that he was politically conservative and was probably never in a romantic relationship.

There are a few other bits of information about Barrie’s idea of Hook that can be found in the early manuscripts for the play, which feature “deleted scenes.” One such manuscript--the earliest, I believe--can be found here. (Though good luck with reading it without going cross-eyed because Barrie’s handwriting is BAD.) However, I think this post has gone on long enough, yet we are still left with many unanswered questions. But perhaps this is what Barrie intended all along. Perhaps, fittingly, we are ultimately left to fill in the blanks about this villain of the Neverland with our own imagination.

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Thanks to @katherinenotgreat for asking me to do a post on Hook’s origins. Thanks also to @concordia-cum-sinistro for your input. Feel free to add your own information regarding the original manuscript drafts, as I know you are more familiar with them than I am.

#peter pan #captain hook #captain james hook #james hook #jm barrie

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nyarmand · 4 years ago

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my ranking of the alex rider original series (stormbreaker through scorpia rising) from ‘book i least enjoy rereading’ to ‘book i most enjoy rereading’ let’s goooo

spoilers for all 9 books under the cut

9. Ark Angel

...He went to space. He went to space. Also the entire plot could have been avoided if Drevin had actually bothered to provide a photograph of his son. I’m sure he had one. I still like this book but it’s literally so insane that I just don’t know what to do with it.

It is however really funny that Webber just goes and gives a speech insulting this super high-profile ecoterrorist group and acts like it’s no big deal and then they kill him. Shock of shocks.

8. Skeleton Key

Okay, points to this book for terrifying the shit out of me. God damn it does that shark scene scare me. Also, points for making me feel a little bit bad for a man who wants to nuke his own country because he thinks it will fix the place up. I’m still not entirely sure how that’s supposed to work, but that’s probably a good thing. I feel like understanding his thought process would say bad things about me. Still, I actually did feel sorry for him, if only a little. Dude was clearly mentally unstable and I doubt his son’s death helped at all. I also got sad about what happened to Carver and Troy. (Yeah, yeah, I’m a cringe fail American who has the American release. So sue me.) What a nightmare that must’ve been to endure... Otherwise, though, I’m not super into this book. The opening is just kind of meh and the way it leads into the rest of the plot seems a little bit unbelievable. Also, this might be an unpopular opinion, but Sabina annoys me. I would not get along with her at all and I can’t imagine her as a girlfriend. Skeleton Key does, however, absolutely excel at the emotional scenes.

Also, why are all the spy agencies so comfortable with sending in a 14-year-old? Especially when they outright admit that the other attempts have all died horribly? Bureaucracy’s a bitch.

7. Point Blank

Boo, Dr. Grief! Boo! We hate your white supremacy! I’m so glad you got a snowmobile to the face, you deserved it. (Perks of books written by Jewish people--we aren’t afraid to give the neo-Nazis an unpleasant death.) Anyway, this book definitely isn’t bad, but I wouldn’t really say it stands out in the series. It definitely does hammer home the point of just how trapped Alex is, since MI6 isn’t going to just let him go after one mission, and let’s face it, the plot with the clones is creepy as hell, if highly improbable. But I’m largely just here to see the neo-Nazi get snowmobiled. That’s right, I just completely changed the definition of a pre-established word. I’m a rebel.

Also, I hate Fiona Friend so much and overall think she just didn’t need to be in the book, but the line about ‘I’d rather kiss the horse’ made me laugh so hard. Alex, you sass.

6. Snakehead

Okay, let’s talk about how genius the plan in this book is. I love it! I love how Yu wants to kill the people involved in the peace conference without making them into martyrs, so he comes up with this whole elaborate plan to stage a natural disaster. It’s incredible. This dude was thinking so far ahead. And he would’ve gotten away with it, too, if it weren’t for that meddling kid... But anyway, I don’t see a lot of books where the villain really acknowledges that killing their enemies could just cause more problems for them via turning them into martyrs for a cause. Also, the way he’s so polite and soft-spoken while also being a complete monster... This book genuinely gives me chills. Extra bonus points for the part in the hospital, the absolute nightmare of having all your organs slowly removed and sold off and everyone around you is being so nice about it? ‘Oh, don’t worry, Alex, it won’t be so bad. Here, take your medicine. Do you need anything?’ Literally just. What the fuck.

Also Ash can fucking fight me. You put your own godson in horrible danger on purpose! You killed your best friend! Bastard.

...And just in case the book wasn’t disturbing enough, Yu’s fate at the end lives in my mind rent-free and I think about it on a concerningly regular basis considering that the chances of that happening to me are so low they’re practically in the negatives. Damn you, Horowitz.

I would also be remiss if I did not mention just how much I love the tagline ‘once bitten, twice spy’.

5. Crocodile Tears

Ah yes, the book that kickstarted my drift away from the church... I kid, of course. I drifted away from the church for completely separate reasons. But Desmond McCain is always going to scare the shit out of me. The ability to kill countless innocent people while blissfully quoting Bible verses (that he takes wildly out of context and uses for his own self-serving means) is... well, I could actually say a lot about what that reminds me of, but I’m here to rate books, not religion. Moving on. This book has some really stellar antagonists, and the plot is chilling in a way that feels a lot more realistic than most of the other books. Even if some of it is a bit farfetched (sabotaging a nuclear power plant? Really?), the idea of using disasters for your own profit... well. I’m sure I don’t need to elaborate on why that is so believable. The Poison Dome is also a really cool and chilling scene--even Alex, who has the luck of the devil, can’t get out of that one unscathed. Further scares come in with the fate of Harold Bulman--imagine having your entire existence wiped and your identity changed while you were asleep! The breakdown he has over it is almost enough to make me feel sorry for him, even though he was ready to exploit a teenager and make his life a living hell just to turn a profit. Note the word almost.

Also. The opening makes me cry. Specifically the line talking about how Ravi’s kids would ‘never meet Mickey Mouse’. I lose my goddamn mind every single time I read it. That little personal touch turns the scene from a statistic to a tragedy. Once again: Damn you, Horowitz.

4. Stormbreaker

Yeah, this one gets the special cover shot. And why not? What we are looking at here is the birth of a legend. Move the fuck over, James Bond, Alex Rider is on the scene now. Anyway, yeah, this book is pretty damn spectacular. It has its stumbles, but as the first book in a series, that’s to be expected. Still, it pulls you in from quite literally the first line and keeps you going right up until the end. (If you came here from my post of memes, you know how much the line ‘Killing is for grownups, and you’re still a child’ destroys me.) It has the debut of much-beloved characters such as, of course, Alex--but also Jack Starbright, and of course, the best MI6 agent of them all, which is to say Smithers. Hell, even Yassen Gregorovich, especially once you get through Russian Roulette... Man, that was a rough one.

Seriously, though. This is a really good book. The scene with the Portuguese man-o’-war still gives me the chills to think about. (Have you ever looked up pictures of those things? They’re beautiful, but holy shit will they make you regret being born. Nature is funny like that.)

We also get the introduction of, of course, Alex’s patented sass (his response to Sayle saying he relates to the man-o’-war is HILARIOUS) and we get the inherent humor of Alex screwing up an alias one time and then just going by Alex for the rest of the series so he doesn’t do that again. Really, kid, I know you’re not a trained spy or anything but did you never play pretend growing up? Ever? You can’t pretend your name is Felix for a little while? That sounds like a you problem.

3. Scorpia Rising

I distinctly remember when this book came out, actually. I was on vacation at the time, and I remember my brother annoying the hell out of the poor workers at a bookstore we frequented there to see if/when they were going to get it in. They did, finally, and we bought it immediately, and I was of course absolutely desperate to read it. He got to read it first, though. -_-

This is a great book, an absolute emotional rollercoaster all the way through. The way Blunt tricks Alex back into service by staging a shooting was exactly the kind of cold, brutal behavior I’d expect from him. Seeing Julius come back was shocking, but very exciting, too. And Razim makes an incredibly chilling villain, with his absolute disregard for human life and his desire to measure pain. Also, seeing Smithers’s house was so much fun. Smithers in this book was just really fun in general, but he’s really fun in every book, so... nothing unusual there. But also, I want an unwelcome mat. Please?

2. Eagle Strike

‘But Penny,’ you might ask, ‘why is this book so high on your list? It has so much of Sabina in it, and you said she annoys you.’ That is true. What does not annoy me, however, is basically the entire rest of the book. I love the tense opening, and then reading through Alex’s real-life ‘playthrough’ of Feathered Serpent is still one of my favorite scenes. Cray is absolutely incredible as a villain, with the way that he truly believes in his cause--which is undoubtedly a good one! Yet the extremes to which he will go for that cause, and the fact that he very nearly succeeds, are what elevate him to one of the most dangerous villains in the series. That scene with Charlie Roper and the nickels is something I can never seem to stop thinking about. Actually, I think about it basically whenever I think about large amounts of money paid in small increments...

Also, I really enjoy how he gets into the whole plot in the first place, and I really enjoy Smithers saying ‘ah, fuck it’ and helping him out anyway. Go, Smithers. You once again prove me right in saying that you’re the coolest adult in MI6.

The revelation that Yassen knew Alex’s father is one that absolutely blew my mind first time around. The way his life was threaded into the lives of the Rider family--he worked with John Rider, was saved by him, killed Ian Rider, and then died for refusing to kill Alex Rider--wow. Wow. It gets to me. It really gets to me. This book is a masterpiece. I heard that it’s going to be what the second season of the TV series is based off of, and I’m so hyped for that. We love to see it, we really do.

1. Scorpia

I don’t believe anyone who says this book didn’t get to them at all. I just think they are lying. I don’t think it’s humanly possible to not be affected by this book. God. Just thinking about it reminds me of why I don’t think it’s possible. I mean, come on. We get all this backstory about Alex’s parents, we get tricked along with him into thinking MI6 killed his father, then bam, that was a lie, and Alex may have just fucked himself over big time. Also, that plot is terrifying! (And I bet anti-vaxxers had a field day with it, huh.) Julia Rothman is a really great antagonist, one of the only ones who didn’t go and explain her plan in great detail to Alex--the fact that she didn’t actually being a plot point was something I personally found pretty clever. In general, this book is... I tend to hate when people say they ‘can’t put it down’ because it’s usually an obvious exaggeration, but that really is how I feel reading it.

And again. If that ending didn’t get to you... Well, I just think you are lying.

#alex rider #spoilers

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alexazbofficial · 3 years ago

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[INTERVIEW] Jenks K-pop star AleXa has a global following

A Jenks music artist has gone global.

AleXa is a K-pop star whose debut video accrued five million views in its first week of release.

Some of you may have this question: What’s K-pop?

AleXa has your answer: “In layman’s terms, K-pop is Korean pop music! I know the thought of listening to music in another language may be strange to others, but it’s more than just the music — it’s the visuals, the choreographies, the music videos, the performances. K-pop is just this delightful little multilayer cake and I encourage everyone to try a slice.”

A 2015 Jenks High School graduate, AleXa (Alexaundra Schneiderman) took part in an email Q&A session to update Tulsa World readers about her career.

What kinds of activities/groups were you involved in at Jenks that helped prepare you for what you are doing?

“When I first transferred to Jenks, I joined the Tulsa Dance Force, which was an extension of the Jenks cheer n’ pom team. In eighth grade, I officially joined the Jenks pom team. My freshman year I was on the JV squad and my sophomore year I was on varsity. I quit pom after sophomore year, however, because I became heavily involved in the theatre program as well as show choir. I made the roster for Trojanaires my sophomore year and stayed in show choir through my senior year. I did a handful of stage productions, both on stage and behind the scenes, for the theatre and musical department. Big shout out to Mrs. Boudiette, Mr. Hurst, Mrs. Hester and Mr. Downey for helping me along on my journey.”

When did you first learn about K-pop and at what point did you decide it might be a career path for you?

“I learned about K-pop through my best friend way back in 2008. I’ve always had an affinity for the stage and performing, so upon discovering K-pop, the dream of becoming an artist came to be.”

In your opinion, does K-pop have much of a following in Tulsa? (Editor’s note: Tickets have sold out for Tulsa K-pop Fanmeet 2021, a Saturday, July 10 event at Owasso Community Center for those who love K-pop).

“Back when I first got into K-pop, there weren’t many other people that I knew of who were fans. However, I know that the community has grown substantially since I left Tulsa.”

Did you immediately pursue a K-pop career or did you attend college and join the workforce?

“I started working in high school. I used to be a hostess/waitress/sushi chef at a Japanese restaurant when I was 15. I began working at LUSH Cosmetics in college and I started working as a hostess/waitress/sushi chef at a different restaurant. I attended college for a few years, but I left for Korea before I could graduate.”

For someone who grew up in Jenks, it seems like a long shot to “get there” as a K-pop artist. How did you get it accomplished?

“Anything is possible, no matter where you’re from. There are a few other people who came from small towns in Oklahoma that have ‘made it’ (like Bill Hader! James Marsden!) so to say, and I take a little bit of pride in the fact that I’m on my way! I wouldn’t say that I’ve ‘gotten there’ yet, but I’m working my hardest to one day be on that level.”

You posted on social media that you appeared on an ad in Times Square.

“Talk about a dream come true! Never in my wildest dreams did I ever imagine being featured on a billboard, let alone in Times Square. The ‘Is It On’ (collaboration with Kuwaiti-Saudi artist Bader Al Shuaibi) has led to so many wonderful things, the billboard being a major one. Forever thankful for everyone who made it possible! Spotify RADAR & Warner Music, I’m lookin’ at you.”

How big of a deal was it that you recently co-hosted and performed at the K-pop Superfest?

“I was honestly so excited to not only perform, but also co-host Joy Ruckus Club’s K-Pop Superfest. Getting to perform is always a blast, and for this festival we had a worldwide global audience, which was very exciting! I’m was kind of nervous to be co-hosting, but thanks to the wonderful energy from the fans and my co-host, it went smoothly.”

What part of your story should we know that hasn’t been asked about?

“There’s not much to say that hasn’t already been said, but I would like to add that should the day ever come, I’d love to perform at the BOK Center someday.”

#alexa #alex christine #kim seri #article #interview #210710

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isitgintimeyet · 5 years ago

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Just A Friend

Wow. I’m so, so grateful for the lovely response to chapter 1 of this story. I’ve never had so many notes on one of my posts before, so many, many thanks to everyone who took the time to read, like, reblog and comment on it. i do appreciate it

Thanks also to @wickedgoodbooks for the beta

Previous chapter

AO3

Chapter 2: From Scrubs to Sauvignon

Sunlight streaming through the shutters wakes me before the alarm. After the previous seventy two hours with too much alcohol, not enough sleep and shared hotel rooms, last night’s sleep was a solid nine and a half hours and I feel so much better for it.

Trying, for a moment at least, to ignore both the demands of my bladder and my desperate need for caffeine, I gaze up at the ceiling and contemplate the surgery ahead of me. Whilst it’s a comparatively routine procedure for me, I always think about the families — parents, grandparents, siblings. It’s an anxious time for them, never routine, a step into the unknown and they are putting their trust in me to look after their precious child. Their faith in me is something I take very seriously.

I have a ritual I follow every time before theatre. I take a few minutes to close my eyes and let the procedure play inside my head, my hands echoing the images in my brain. I trace the path my scalpel will take on the skin; I position, in mid air, the locations of the clamps; I work with my imaginary mallet and chisel honing the bone, the X-ray images clear in my head.

By the time I’ve finished closing the incision, the demands of my bladder can no longer be ignored. That’s my cue to get out of bed and start my day.

***********

Before I put my scrubs on, I pay a visit to the side room where Robbie, my seven year old patient has spent the night. His parents have already given consent for the operation, but I like to go and do a final check.

Robbie is sitting up in bed, a bit subdued but in good health. His mother is sitting expectantly, nervously playing with the skin around her nails. The foldaway bed has already been put away, but, judging by her red rimmed eyes, I don’t think it got much use. Robbie’s father follows me into the room, two coffees in his hands.

“Sorry, Doctor Claire,” he nods at the coffee. “I didna get ye one. D’ye want one?”

I let the doctor reference pass. As a surgeon, my title is no longer doctor. Officially, I am Miss Beauchamp, but prefer my juvenile patients to call me Claire. Quite a lot of the parents seem to call me Doctor Claire. I suppose they like the reassurance that I am actually a proper doctor.

“No, thanks.” I smile. “Are we all set then?”

They nod nervously.

“Aye,” Robbie’s father agrees. “We need tae get it done.”

“How long will it take?” Robbie’s mother looks directly at me, wanting a definitive answer.

I hesitate. I don’t like to give precise times. If the surgery goes longer then parents start to fear the worst, and that’s not always the case. So I give a vague answer. “‘Till lunchtime… you could always go and sit outside in the little garden, it’s a lovely day.”

His mother looks down at her hands and shakes her head. “No, I want tae be right here …”

She doesn’t finish her sentence, but she doesn’t have to. I know exactly what she’s thinking.

I turn to Robbie, blissfully unaware of his parents’ thoughts. He beckons me to him.

“When I wakes up,” he begins in a stage whisper. “Can I have a treat?”

“What sort of treat did you have in mind?”

“Can I have a MacDonald’s? But no’ a kid’s meal. I’ve never had a Big Mac.”

I glance at his parents who nod at me before I whisper back, “Of course you can, but don’t let nurse Geillis see, will you? She can be ever so naughty. She’ll be trying to steal your chips away, if you’re not careful.”

And with that, I stroke Robbie’s little cheek before saying my goodbyes and head out to get changed.

**********

Robbie’s surgery went to plan, no nasty surprises or tricky complications. I call in to check on Robbie’s parents before they head to recovery. They look totally different to when I saw them this morning. Still worn out of course, I don’t think they’ll sleep properly until their little lad is home with them, but their faces shine with sheer relief. I have warned them about the long road ahead, with many hours of physiotherapy and exercises, but, for today, I’ll let them have their moment of pure happiness. Reality will hit them again soon enough.

As I leave the waiting room, making my farewells, Robbie’s dad thanks me once more. I can tell he’s unsure whether hugging me is appropriate or not, so he settles for a handshake. His wife has no such qualms, wrapping me tightly in a hug, whispering her thanks until her husband reminds her that they need to be with their son. I point the way and head down to the nurses station.

Geillis is sitting there, looking very busy on the computer. I pull up a chair and sit next to her. The screen is filled with images of our weekend in Barcelona.

“What?” She looks at me as if I’ve accused her of something. “I’m on ma lunch, aren’t I?”

“How was your night then?”

Geillis beams from ear to ear— she’s like the cat who got the cream. “Nay bad, nay bad at all. After two nights away, Dougal realises what he’s got wi’ me, and he dinna hesitate tae show me, if ye ken what I mean?”

She winks at a poor medical student, who blushes and busies himself with a set of medical notes.

“Geillis,” I warn. “Behave yourself.”

“Anyway, pet, how was yer evening? Another tryst wi’ Professor Randall?” Her face says it all. Geillis thinks about as much of Frank as he does of her. Literally the only thing they have in common is me, and it’s getting pretty wearing.

“No, I was worn out and— oh, that reminds me.” I fumble in my pocket for my phone as I carry on talking. “I’ve got someone else’s suitcase. I hope they’ve got mine.”

I glance at the screen. Two missed calls and one message. All from the same number. All from the number I called last night, the James-Fraser-isn’t-here-don’t-call-again-ever number. Looks like this James Fraser has a jealous or suspicious wife-partner-girlfriend-housekeeper.

“Catch up later, Geillis, I need to deal with this.”

I rush back to my office to try and sort the suitcase problem out.

The message is brief and to the point.

Hi, Jamie Fraser here. I think I have your case too. Can we arrange a swap? I live in Glasgow. Hopefully you too. Where and when? I’m free after 5 today.

After five will work for me too, I just need to pop home and pick up his case. Now, based on his wardrobe choices and his one message to me, he doesn’t actually seem like an axe murderer or sex pervert, but you can’t really tell, so I think about a public location.

How about the benches by the cafe at Kelvingrove Park? 5:30? Claire Beauchamp

A couple of minutes later his reply appears on my screen.

Fine. See you then. I’ll be the one wheeling a black Samsonite. JF

**************

It’s another glorious sunny day here in Glasgow. Just ideal for going for a stroll in the park. I do feel a bit conspicuous with a suitcase trailing along behind me — kind of like an upmarket bag lady.

There are no other suitcases around, so I perch on a bench. I fire a quick message to Geillis, just so that she knows where to direct the police if I disappear and then wait. It’s not too bad waiting. The sun is still warm, so I stretch my legs out trying for a tan. With my eyes closed, I lift my face up to soak up the rays. I may get panda eyes with my sunglasses on, but I don’t really care. The warmth is so good and I can feel myself relaxing totally —

“Ahem.”

I am conscious of a shadow across my face. I open my eyes and quickly stand up.

He’s tall. That’s the first thing I notice. A good few inches taller than me, and I’m 5 feet 9. And broad. Broad enough to block my sun. His hair is red, very red and the sun behind him creates a fiery corona around his head.

He’s a Viking. A Viking in a navy blue suit and a crisp white shirt. How many of those white shirts does he own, I wonder?

“Claire Beauchamp, I presume. I recognise the case. That red ribbon on the handle, such a unique idea.”

He smiles, a lopsided half grin and holds out his hand for me to shake. “Jamie Fraser.”

“Claire Beauchamp,” I say somewhat unnecessarily as we shake hands.

He sits down. “So,” he begins politely. “I hope ye havena come far out of yer way.”

I join him on the bench.

“No,” I gesture vaguely to my right. “I live not too far from here. How about you?”

That lopsided grin appears again. “Nah,” he gestures to his left. “No’ too far at all.”

There’s an awkward moment of silence. We are not really here for small talk, but is it too rude to just dive in and do the swap?

“So,” Jamie breaks the silence. “About the cases…”

Apparently it’s not too rude.

“I ken ye have ma case there, on account of ma contact details being in it, but what about this one? How do I ken this is yers? Black Samsonites with wee red ribbons seem to be awfa common ‘round here. As proof, can ye mebbe tell me something that’s in it? Something identifiable?”

And at this, my mind goes blank, what did I pack?

“Er, denim shorts… black flip flops… white vest—”

“Weel, they’re all verra common. Is there anything a wee bit more… unique?”

Is it my imagination or is there a twinkle in his clear blue eyes as he says this? And then I remember exactly what’s in my case and start to blush.

“There may be some hen party bits and pieces in there too. It was my friend’s hen weekend, so I think there may be some, er, stuff from that, you know, er, handcuffs… shot glasses…”

He puts me out of my misery. “Och, that’s fine. It’s yers, right enough. Here ye go.”

And we do the exchange, just like in the spy movies. Except in those, the cases are filled with bank notes and the top secret blueprints for a submarine base, and not white dress shirts and an assortment of shot glasses shaped like penises.

Our phones beep practically simultaneously. I pull mine out of my pocket. Jamie does the same and glances at his phone.

Mine is a text from Frank confirming tonight’s arrangements “I’d better go. Plans for tonight, you know.”

“Snap. Plans here as well.”

“Goodbye then. I’m not sure whose fault it was, the mixup at the airport. So why don’t we both say sorry, or neither of us?” I suggest as I stand up and smooth the creases from my skirt.

“Sounds good tae me. How about neither?” He smiles again. “Ms Claire Beauchamp, nice to meet you.”

“Mr Jamie Fraser, likewise I’m sure.”

And with that we head off, me to the right and Jamie Fraser to the left.

************

Frank had said 7:30, and, sure enough, at 7:28 my intercom buzzes and I let Frank in. He arrives at my door carrying a large bunch of lilies and roses. No, not a bunch, I can’t describe it as a bunch… carrying a large bouquet of lilies and roses, beautifully arranged and hand-tied. Clearly not a supermarket purchase. Nor is the wine he also hands to me. A chilled bottle of my favourite Sauvignon Blanc, only available from quality wine merchants in the city.

Frank can be incredibly thoughtful and generous, and I am suitably grateful. I pop the flowers into the kitchen sink while I try to locate a vase big enough to hold them. He walks in as I’m scrabbling around on my hands and knees, bum in the air, head buried in the cupboard under the sink.

“So what are we having for dinner?” He asks as he pours the wine. “Are you cooking?”

I emerge victorious, having found the vase wedged between a bottle of sink unblocker and an unused can of spray starch.

“Sorry?”

“Dinner?” He repeats, helping me to my feet.

“I’ve not had a chance to cook. I told you about the suitcase confusion, didn’t I? Well, I had to get that sorted. I thought we could have something delivered. That’s ok, isn’t it?”

“I’m sure that will be fine, darling. What would you like?”

What would I like? What I would really like would be a huge, great pizza full of carbs and grease and pepperoni and cheese that pulls into strands when you try to take a slice. And to sit on the floor with the pizza box between us watching Netflix and drinking beer.

But, that is clearly a rhetorical question.

“Thai?” Frank doesn’t wait for my answer.

Thai is the only acceptable takeaway in Frank’s eyes, eaten at a table, on proper plates. I nod my agreement. After all, he’s brought me wonderful flowers, and a gorgeous bottle of wine. He deserves to have the choice. And I can have pizza with my friends any time.

“You ring the order through then, while I arrange these beautiful flowers.” I say and kiss his cheek.

And that is our evening sorted - takeaway, a couple of glasses of wine, Newsnight on the television and then to bed for a bit of sex.

So, that’s food, drink, mind and body all sorted. I should go to sleep feeling satisfied with everything. I should… shouldn’t I?

#outlander fanfiction #outlander fanfic #Just a Friend #Jamie Fraser #Claire Beauchamp #Chapter 2 #fluff

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solar-pxwered · 4 years ago

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A List Of Norman Reedus Movies/Shows I Have Seen And My Opinions On Them

1. The Boondock Saints

The Best. A classic. Bloody and inappropriate and if I remember my count correctly, contains 194 “fucks” or variations of it (this movie certainly illustrates the diversity of the word). Terrible Irish accents. A KICKASS soundtrack. Willem DeFoe crossdressing. Dropping toilets on people’s heads. Over the top action sequences. Cheesy dialogue. Campy as fuck. I freakin’ love it.

2. The Boondock Saints 2: All Saints Day

Some people didn’t like this one as much as the first one, and I admit that I wasn’t as fond of the new detective in this one as I was of Smecker...but, overall, I really enjoyed it and I drove 2 hours to see it in theaters. I love Romeo more than Rocco. The humor was on point. It was nice to see the original actors for Doc, Dolly, Duffy and Greenley. There was more terrible Irish accents, another KICKASS soundtrack, cheesy dialogue, over the top action sequences, still campy as fuck. I freaking love it.

3. The Walking Dead

Cannot even describe how much I love this show. I have ALWAYS loved zombie related shows and movies so this show was right up my alley from the very beginning all the way back in 2010. I watched it religiously every Sunday. I adore this roller coaster ride of a show and I especially adore Daryl, Carol and Jerry. This show has it all: Comedy, drama (hella lots of that), tragedy and triumph...and it never fails to pulls me in and hold my interest.

4. Mimic

Honestly, I saw this a LONG time ago and I hated it because...well, because I have a cockroach phobia, ok?! Don’t judge. Norman’s part was pretty small, not one of his lasting impressions on me.

5. Six Ways To Sunday

This is a weird one. It’s about an overly innocent 18 year (played by Norman) who gets involved in the Mob and develops an alter ego that’s violent and his complete opposite. There’s murder, prostitutes and good ol’ fashioned mother-son incest and it wasn’t a movie I suggest for the lighthearted or anyone with those sort of triggers.

That being said, I watched the whole thing and didn’t hate it. It was just uncomfortable...as seems to be a theme with Norman Reedus movies.

6. Dark Harbor

This fucking movie...

Ok, so, I’ll be straight with you: I really enjoyed this dumbass movie. It had me guessing right up to the very end and it took me on a very strange ride along the way.

If watching someone sexually feed a woman a poisonous mushroom, lots of dark eyed staring scenes or Norman Reedus making out with Alan Rickman is your thing, then go for it.

7. Let the Devil Wear Black

It’s modern Hamlet. What else is there to say? If you like Hamlet, you’ll like this movie. If you like pre-car accident, baby face Reedus with the black hair, you’ll like this movie. I liked it.

8. 8MM

You know what the best thing about this movie is? Nicholas Cage. He steals the damn show no matter what movie he’s in and no one can even deny that fact. Norman’s part in this one is pretty small too but I liked this movie anyway because...well, Nick Cage. Enough said.

9. Bad Seed

I honestly can’t remember how this movie ends, all I remember was that it wasn’t at all how I expected it. I liked this movie because it’s a psychological thriller and that’s my most favorite genre of all time. The movie’s premise is a guy suspects his wife of having an affair and comes home one night and finds her murdered so he goes after her lover (Reedus) to try and kill him because he believes he was the one who killed her. It’s a cat and mouse chase sort of thing...now I need to rewatch it because I can’t, for the life of me, remember how it ends.

10. Gossip

Ok, no JOKE, this is the best movie I ever randomly discovered and I can’t believe how many people have never heard of it! It’s got some big names in it (Lena Headey, Norman Reedus, James Marsden and Kate Hudson to name a few).

It’s a psychological thriller/mystery drama in which three friends start a rumor at their school as a social experiment for their class. The rumor grows, however, and suddenly it’s out of their hands and spiraling out of control. People start getting hurt, reputations get dragged through the mud and then it escalates to the point of someone losing their life. The three main characters {Reedus, Headey and Marsden) try to figure out the truth behind the out of control rumors and discover more than they ever imagined, or ever wanted.

I HIGHLY recommend this movie. I really, REALLY do. The ending is one of the best twists I’ve seen in a LONG time.

11. The Beatnicks

This movie is so weird. It’s like...it’s just really weird. It revolves around two beat poets who find a magic box that somehow magically helps them get good at being poets but it’s like...an evil box and so they decide to only use it once and then get rid of it. Yeah, it’s a weird movie. Not my highest suggestion.

12. Blade II

Ok, if you’ve never seen the Blade Trilogy then I just don’t even know what to tell you.

My favorite of the three movies, Blade 2 gives us the glorious Reedus character of Scud, the pot smoking, horrible-shirt-wearing, mechanical genius and Blade’s sidekick. Not only is he precious and adorable, the movie in all is enjoyable and has a fun rave-esque soundtrack.

The one thing I hate? *SPOILER ALERT* Scud’s scummy betrayal.

13. Tough Luck

This is another one of those movies that I liked but it’s just so freaking weird.

It’s a psychological drama where a down on his luck con artist, Archie (Reedus), tries to rip off a carnival worker and gets caught. As punishment, he’s hired to work at the carnival to pay off the debt. He gets involved in a scheme to murder the owner’s wife, but falls in love with her in the process.

Things go to shit. He gets the short end of the stick. More plots and lies develop. It’s all twisted until the end and the answers fall into place.

I really like this movie, it’s one that I kept and still have my copy of.

A word of warning though, never leave this movie on your movie shelf for your father to find and watch while you’re away at college, resulting in your mother calling you and asking you why you have such a nasty movie. Because the sex scene at the end is OUTRAGEOUS. I mean, it is the FUNNIEST fucking sex scene I have ever seen in my life and I can’t ever watch it without cringing and laughing. My mother, however, didn’t think it was funny at all and my father was too shocked to even form a sentence.

I highly suggest this trippy as hell movie.

14. Octane

Ok, to be fair, this movie is actually alright, although Norman’s character gets the shittiest death possible. I mean, imagine dying because some psycho vampire kisses you and bites your tongue out. That’s one shitty death.

But, overall, this is a good thriller. Johnathan Rhys Meyers plays the villain and he’s always pretty quality. The story is basically a teenager has a disagreement with her mom and gets picked up by this drugged up, blood sucking, vampire wannabe cult and indoctrinated joining them. Her mother joins up with a tow truck driver (Reedus) whose daughter was also kidnapped years ago and who has been hunting the cult down ever since.

It was a cringe filled, yet interesting, movie and I didn’t hate it.

15. John Carpenter’s Cigarette Burns

This is John Carpenter....OF COURSE I liked this one.

I won’t say what it’s about because that would ruin the story, but it’s part of an anthology and John Carpenter loved Norman’s role so much he STILL talks about it today and suggests Norman to people in the industry.

It’s a good one if you’re into horror shorts or anthologies or the genius of the legend that is John Carpenter.

16. A Crime

I had completely forgotten about this movie until I started making this post, but now that I remember...I REALLY liked this one!!

This is a pretty sad one, but it was very good and Norman’s acting in it is absolutely wonderful. His character’s wife was murdered and the suspect was never found so his neighbor, who really likes him, creates a fake culprit so that he can finally get some closure.

This is a good one. I suggest this one if you’re in the mood for a strange sort of romance movie that has underlying thriller tones.

17. Moscow Chill

I remember watching this one, and I remember enjoying it, but I honestly can’t remember anything about it except that it’s a Russian film in which Norman plays a computer hacker who gets hired to hack into a Russian bank and gets caught and put in prison. But I honestly can’t remember what happens in detail.

If you like foreign movies with hacking and subterfuge plots, then give it a try because I do remember enjoying it while I watched.

18. Red Canyon

This one is kinda fucked up. Imagine Daryl Dixon mixed with Breaking Bad mixed with Deliverance and you’ve pretty much got the story...

A brother and sister return to their mother’s hometown to settle things and put their horrible past behind them...but upon returning they end up reliving the nightmare all over again.

It’s a good thriller/horror watch, but there are scenes of sexual violence so if that’s not something you can handle, then don’t watch this one.

19. Hero Wanted

This. Is. A. GOOD. Movie.

Cuba Gooding Jr. is the lead and he does an AMAZING job. Gooding’s character is a garbage man who falls in love with a girl who never takes any notice of him. To get her attention, he stages a heist in which he is supposed to jump in, save the day, and win the girl...only the heist turns out to be real and he is shot and the girl is also shot in the process. He sets out for revenge and gets in way over his head.

Norman’s part in this isn’t very big...but HOLY SHIT, was it impactful. His character didn’t have a lot of screen time, in comparison to a lot of other people, but he had a solid backstory and reason for being involved and MY GOD did I cry about it. This was actually the first movie of his I watched AFTER discovering Boondock Saints and it solidified my love for his acting abilities.

A very good watch. Highly suggest.

20. Messengers 2: The Scarecrow

This one is pretty ok, actually, as far as lame horror movies go.

The plot is simple: Blonde, beardy, corn farmer Norman gets slowly driven insane by the haunted scarecrow in his field that he thinks putting up is a good idea for some damn reason. He starts to get more and more violent and rapey as time goes on until his family is forced to take up arms against him.

It’s not bad. Second part in what I THINK is a trilogy? I’ve only ever seen the first two. If you like horror movies then this one is a good watch. As I mentioned though, there is an attempted rape scene in this one so just be aware.

21: Pandorum

It’s an alien movie. Astronauts run into a species that is stronger and hungry for tasty humans. Shepard (Norman’s character) doesn’t make it out alive. If you’re not in the mood to see Norman get LITERALLY gutted or other characters get nommed by aliens, then don’t watch.

If you ARE, then go ahead and watch, because it was pretty alright.

#norman reedus #panja speaks #I just thought anyone wanting to check out more of his stuff should have a starting point

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