#Mandy Ridley

[ushapixels]

Brunch with sis @amethystmoonsims

[ladiesofcinema]

DAISY RIDLEY — photographed for Porter Magazine by Matthew Sprout (2019)

[creamiumsplendor]

I tried to find good critiques about Mandy (2018) on YouTube, because I think it’s a hauntingly beautiful film and I wanted to see who else felt this way, and was instead greeted with a wall of videos with “ENDING EXPLAINED” plastered all over the thumbnails, and this drives me up the wall for two reasons.

Spoilers for Mandy I guess, but if you’re at these tags you already know.

First, the film is really not that complex, the plot is incredibly straight forward and it’s not shy about the primary theme being loss of both someone you love and the stability that comes with that person. If the actual series of events seems confusing, you had to really not be paying attention, like not just occasionally checking your phone, but just missing an entire chunk of the film, in which case you should just start over and not resort to content mill garbage to find out what you missed.

Second, the idea that the ending, an unapologetically abstract and evocative set of images as Red loses himself to The Darkness while still holding the pure image of Mandy in his memory, NEEDS explanation just feels so incurious as a way to engage with media, especially this film. Whatever ending you think happened (Red is just tripping super hard, Red has actually transported to a demonic realm, Red has been dead the whole time), or that there explicitly ISN’T a clear ending, are all completely valid readings of the ending, because it’s not meant to concrete, it’s not supposed to make sense, THAT’S THE POINT. Red has become unmoored from his reality by the shock, the trauma of having his whole life ripped from him, and the line dividing the fantastical and the “real” has blurred even further than it already was at the start of the film. Trying to assign a quantitative solution to “Red + Drugs + Murder=“ misses the point because the emotionality, the way Red is feeling, the way YOU are feeling as you watch the scene, is the important bit. The act of watching and experiencing IS the explanation.

I don’t mean to malign this entire genre of videos, there are definitely movies with complex plots where having someone who does understand it give you a quick breakdown can help one’s own understanding and therefore enjoyment of a film or series. If you watch these kinds of videos, or even one of them for this movie, that’s not a bad thing. I just don’t think it was necessary for this film, where I get a lot of joy just thinking about how it made me feel, and I want to hear how it made other people feel, not just providing a bland explanation to get views.

Anyways if you haven’t yet, watch Mandy and then DON’T go to YouTube to find other takes.

[amethystmoonsims]

Hunter and Mandy having a chill day

@ushapixels

[mandy-eminem-moxley77]

[the-worst-bracket]

The Worst Round Two

The first round is over! Our first round losers have been released into the wild, where they will decimate the local songbird population!

New Bracket under the cut, all times are in CDT

Bracket A (5/3 - 5/10)

Mineta Minoru (My Hero Academia) vs Iago (Othello) 11:15 AM

Mimic (Dark Souls) vs Dan (Dan Vs) & Pink Diamond (Steven Universe) 11:30 AM

Jurgen Leitner (The Magnus Archives) vs Zeus (Greek Mythology) 11:45 AM

Steve Cobs (Inanimate Insanity) vs Alex Eggleston (Yiik) 12:00 PM

Jerry (Undertale) vs Old Man Who Snitched on Haru (A:TLA) 12:15 PM

Ashfur (Warrior Cats) vs Mr. Burns (The Simpsons) 12:30 PM

Octavian (Heroes of Olympus) vs Gendo Ikari (NGE) 12:45 PM

Walter White (Breaking Bad) vs Medusa Gorgon (Soul Eater) 1:00 PM

Bracket B (5/3 - 5/10)

Jin Guangshan (The Untamed) vs Michael (Wii) 1:15 PM

Mitsuhiro Higa (Danganronpa) vs Creek (Trolls) 1:30 PM

Manfred Von Karma (Ace Attorney) vs David (Animorphs) 1:45 PM

Mayuri Kurotsuchi (Bleach) vs Cronus Ampora (Homestuck) 2:00 PM

Micheal Tritter (House MD) & The Director (Red v Blue) vs Lila Rossi (Miraculous Ladybug) 2:15 PM

Lord Henry Wotton (The Picture of Dorian Gray) vs Jodie Foster (Dungeons & Daddies) 2:30 PM

Bill Hawks (Professor Layton) vs Izaya Orihara (Durarara!!) 2:45 PM

The Dark Lord (Miitopia) vs Cybelle (Carole and Tuesday) 3:00 PM

Bracket C (5/4 -5/11)

Admiral Zhao (A:TLA) vs Rachel Berry (Glee) 11:15 AM

Darth Maul (Star Wars) vs Jessica (The Bastard Son & the Devil Himself) 11:30 AM

Pong Krell (Star Wars: The Clone Wars) vs Gamzee Makara (Homestuck) 11:45 AM

Dorodoron (Futari wa Precure Splash Star) vs Tate Langdon (American Horror Story) 12:00 PM

Izzy Hands (Our Flag Means Death) vs Spike (My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic) 12:15 PM

Orin Scrivello DDS (Little Shop of Horrors) vs Minecraft Skeleton (Minecraft) 12:30 PM

Major Frank Burns (M*A*S*H*) vs Carter Pewterschmidt (Family Guy) 12:45 PM

Borsolino (One Piece) vs Pennywise (IT) 1:00 PM

Bracket D (5/4 -5/11)

Pierce Hawthorne (Community) vs Whirlpool (Wings of Fire) 1:15 PM

Thaddeus Campbell (Dishonored) vs Takumi Ichinose (Nana) & Heimskr (Skyrim) 1:30 PM

Gale Weathers (Scream) vs Ianthe Tridentarius (The Locked Tomb) 1:45 PM

Director Ton (Aggretsuko) vs Odalia Blight (The Owl House) 2:00 PM

Kyubey (Madoka Magica) vs Dr. Gregory House (House MD) 2:15 PM

Rachel (Tower of God) vs Miki Kawai (A Silent Voice) 2:30 PM

John Winchester (Supernatural) vs Hippeux (Animal Crossing) 2:45 PM

Saint Charlos (One Piece) vs Dr. Janet Lubelle (WTNV) 3:00 PM

Bracket E (5/5 -5/12)

Martin Blyndeff (Epithet Erased) vs Calico Jack (Our Flag Means Death) 11:15 AM

John Gaius (The Locked Tomb) vs Crawlings (The Mysterious Benedict Society) & Liza Lotts (Scott the Woz) 11:30 AM

Zolf J Kimblee (FMA) vs Nandor the Relentless (WWDITS) 11:45 AM

Logan Roy (Succession) vs Fermet (Baccano!) 12:00 PM

Emperor Belos (The Owl House) vs Jar Jar Binks (Star Wars) 12:15 PM

Stuart Little (Stuart Little) vs Bibble (Barbie: Fairytopia) 12:30 PM

Grima Wormtongue (Lord of the Rings) vs Balloon Boy (FNAF) 12:45 PM

Felix (Red v Blue) vs Bro Strider (Homestuck) 1:00 PM

Bracket F (5/5 - 5/12)

Count Olaf (ASOUI) vs Phillip Anderson (BBC Sherlock) 1:15 PM

Drosselmeyer (Princess Tutu) vs Hiram Burrows (Dishonoured) 1:30 PM

Vriska Serket (Homestuck) vs Marty (Steven Universe) 1:45 PM

Norman Osborn (Marvel) vs Stregabor (The Witcher) 2:00 PM

Barney Stinson (HIMYM) vs Griffith (Berserk) 2:15 PM

Lionel Luthor (Smallville) vs Shadow Weaver (SPOP) 2:30 PM

Rand Ridley (Inside Job) vs Fire Lord Ozai (A:TLA) 2:45 PM

Joseph Sugarman (BoJack Horseman) vs Kylo Ren (Star Wars) 3:00 PM

Bracket G (5/6 - 5/13)

Ross Geller (Friends) vs Junko Enoshima (Danganronpa) 11:15 AM

Evil Do-er/Dark Blue (Animation vs Minecraft) vs Clint (Stardew Valley) 11:30 AM

Colin Robinson (WWDITS) vs Ghetsis (Pokemon) 11:45 AM

Billy (The Grim Adventures of Billy and Mandy) vs Servantis (Ben 10) 12:00 PM

Elias Bouchard (The Magnus Archives) vs Tingle (The Legend of Zelda) 12:15 PM

Trishna (Papa Louie) vs Unparalleled Innocence (Rain World) 12:30 PM

Vanitas (Kingdom Hearts) vs Suzy Johnson (Phineas and Ferb) 12:45 PM

Dr. Hotti (Ace Attorney) vs Sarah (Ed, Edd, and Eddy) 1:00 PM

Bracket H (5/6 - 5/13)

Barney the Dinosaur (Barney and Friends) vs Andy Bernard (The Office) 1:15 PM

Caillou (Caillou) vs Gideon Gleeful (Gravity Falls) 1:30 PM

Joshu Higashikata (JJBA) vs Touga Kiryuu (Revolutionary Girl Utena) 1:45 PM

Ambassador Udina (Mass Effect) vs Father (FMA) 2:00 PM

Akio Ohtori (Revolutionary Girl Utena) vs Kray Foresight (Promare) 2:15 PM

The Worst (Ben 10) vs Hisoka Morrow (Hunter x Hunter) 2:30 PM

Tony Stark (MCU) vs Clay Puppington (Moral Orel) 2:45 PM

Bling Bling Boy (Johnny Test) vs Enji Todoroki (My Hero Academia) 3:00 PM

[omophagias]

decided to do a thing i saw on letterboxd called “modular film festival” (original post here), putting the list up here b/c i’m very likely to lose the physical copy

self-imposed rule was it had to be something i either haven’t seen or literally can’t remember seeing. there’s no way i watch all of these in 30 days but i want to finish it by the end of the year.

✅ a winner of op’s moviebowl tournament -- metropolis (1927), fritz lang

✅ two movies thematically linked somehow -- theme: napoleonic era -- the duellists (1977), ridley scott

✅ see above -- the ashes (popioły) (1965), andrzej wajda

✅ a movie from eastern europe -- stalker (Сталкер) (1979), andrei tarkovsky

✅ a movie from the middle east -- death of yazdgerd (مرگ یزدگرد) (1982), bahram beyzai

✅ a movie from southeast asia -- a land imagined (幻土) (2018), yeo siew hua

✅ a movie from north africa -- wanderers of the desert (الهائمون) (1984), nacer khemir

✅ a movie from sub-saharan africa -- double-header: kwaku ananse (2013), akosua adoma owusu & touki bouki (1979), djibril diop mambéty

✅ a movie starring nicolas cage -- mandy (2018), panos cosmatos

✅ a kaiju movie -- shin godzilla (シン・ゴジラ) (2016), hideaki anno & shinji higuchi

✅ a movie based on a video game -- werewolves within (2021), josh ruben

✅ three movies by the same director i haven’t seen -- director: alfred hitchcock -- rebecca (1940)

✅ see above -- vertigo (1958)

✅ see above -- north by northwest (1959)

✅ a black and white horror movie -- the witch (häxan) (1922), benjamin christensen

✅ a non-english-language action movie -- samurai assassin (侍) (1965), kihachi okamoto

✅ a movie by an lgbtq+ director -- big eden (2000), thomas bezucha

✅ a movie by an indigenous director -- atanarjuat: the fast runner (ᐊᑕᓈᕐᔪᐊᑦ) (2001), zacharias kunuk

✅ a movie by a director neither white nor a man -- atlantics (atlantique) (2019), mati diop

✅ a movie from op’s list “the hundred” -- the third man (1949), carol reed

✅ a movie from roger ebert’s top 10 of my birth year -- maborosi (幻の光) (1997), hirokazu kore-eda

✅ two movies i have not seen whose directors were nominated at the 2022 cannes festival -- oldboy (올드보이) (2003), park chan-wook

✅ see above -- beau travail (1999), claire denis

✅ a movie from the “hideo kojima canon” -- blade runner (1982), ridley scott

✅ a movie that won best picture in the 1970s -- the french connection (1971), william friedkin

✅ an animated movie not made in the usa or by studio ghibli -- azur et asmar (2006), michel ocelot

✅ a movie 150 minutes or longer -- dwelling in the fuchun mountains (春江水暖) (2019), gu xiaogang

✅ a movie 90 minutes or shorter -- another double-header -- ruddigore (1967), joy batchelor & nezha conquers the dragon king (哪吒闹海) (1979), wang shuchen, yang dingxian, & xu jingda

✅ a niche documentary -- what counts as niche? -- cave of forgotten dreams (2010), werner herzog

✅ a black and white non-english-language movie from before 1970 -- snow trail (銀嶺の果て) (1947), senkichi taniguchi

[afaimsblog]

Zurück in die Vergangenheit - Prequels sind momentan in Mode und warum das nicht unbedingt eine schlechte Sache ist

Prequels sind zur Zeit sehr in Mode wie es scheint. Prequels und Spin-Offs, die irgendwo in der Zeitlinie der Franchise spielen, bevor diese endet um so mehr. (Manche nennen das Midquel, aber ich weigere mich dieses Wort zu verwenden). Natürlich gibt es auch immer wieder die obligatorische Fortsetzung (wie "Beetlejuice, Beetlejuice", jetzt im Kino), aber man kommt nicht darum herum zu bemerken, dass trotz dem Sparwahn von ungefähr Allen auf einmal Prequels, die gezwungeremaßen eben nicht in der Gegenwart spielen können, hoch im Kurs zu stehen scheinen. Alleine mit "NCIS: Origins" und "Dexter: Original Sin" treffen sich zwei namhafte Prequels in dieser Season, und wenn man "Georgie's and Mandy's First Marriage", was zwar eine Fortsetzung von "Young Sheldon" ist, aber vor "The Big Bang Theory" spielt, dazu zählt sind es sogar schon drei.

Und das ist wohl erst der Anfang. "Outlander" wird mit "Blood from My Blood" als Erben ebenfalls ein Prequel erhalten (und das obwohl es die entsprechende Buchvorlage noch nicht gibt), der nächste "Hunger Games"-Film wird zwar nach "The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes" spielen, aber vor den restlichen Filmen und Büchern der Franchise, "Ballerina" wird, wenn der Film endlich erscheint, vor den "John Wick"-Filmen spielen, die "Dune"-Fernsehserie spielt lange vor den Ereignissen des ersten Buches bzw. der neuen Filme, sämtliche neue Serien im GoT-Universum spielen wie "House of the Dragon" ebenfalls vor den Ereignissen von "Game of Thrones", Mitterde wird von neuen Filmen von vor dem Ende des "Herren der Ringe" genauso heimgesucht wie von neuen Staffeln von "Rings of Power", die ja ebenfalls vor dem Ringkrieg spielen, und in der "Star Wars"-Franchise sind beinahe nur Projekte, die vor Episode VII spielen geplant, nicht nur die zweite Staffel von "Andor", die vor "Rogue One" spielt, sondern eben auch die zweite Staffel von "Ashoka", der Film zu "The Mandalorian" und die neue "Skeleton Crew"-Serie. Der einzige Film, der definitiv nach Episode IX hätte spielen sollen, ist jetzt, kaum, dass er offiziell angekündigt wurde, wegen gesundheitlichen RL-Fragen rund um Daisey Ridley möglicherweise schon wieder vom Tisch. Also ja, offenbar ist es wirklich so dass Hollywood denkt, dass die Leute sich vor allem für das interessieren was vor den ganzen coolen Sachen, die wir gesehen haben, passiert ist (um Gail Simone zu paraphrasieren).

Aber dafür gibt es natürlich Gründe. Zum einen gibt es ja durchaus immer noch Fortsetzungsprojekte. "Dexter" kriegt neben "Original Sin" verwirrender Weise auch eine zweite neue Fortsetzungsserie, die das verbesserte Ende durch "New Blood" erneut verbessern soll oder so. NCIS hat den Tony/Ziva-Spin-Off für Paramount+, und die neueste "Star Trek"-Serie soll nach der Gegenwartshandlung des Finales der fünften Staffel von "Discovery" spielen, also sozusagen am weitesten Punkt in der Zukunft in der Trek-Zeitlinie, wenn man von den Vorblicken rund um Schiff und Familie Burnham absieht. Der UNIT-Spin-Off von "Doctor Who" wird wohl auch eher in der aktuellen Gegenwart und nicht irgendwann um 2015 herum spielen, und das MCU bewegt sich alles in allem gesehen vor allem weiter in die Zukunft und nicht zurück in die Vergangenheit, auch wenn das offenbar vielen Beteiligten anders herum lieber wäre.

Zum anderen ist es so, dass vielerorts Enden eben genau das waren: Enden. Sie lassen keinen wirklichen Platz für Fortsetzungen. Gerade "Star Wars" hat gezeigt was passiert, wenn man eine Geschichte, die auserzählt ist, planlos weitererzählt, nur um Fortsetzungen machen zu können, und ist damit im Endeffekt doch eher auf die Nase gefallen. Hinzu kommt, dass unsere Gegenwart eine miserable Zeit ist, in der im Grunde kaum jemand leben möchte. Kein Wunder also, dass wir uns nostalgisch ins 20. Jahrhundert zurücksehen, als alles noch so viel leichter zu sein schien, vor allem aus heutiger Sicht, da wir wissen, dass wir die Jahrzehnte des kalten Krieges überstanden haben.

Dystopische Zukunftsvarianten ala "The Testaments" haben ihren Reiz, sind aber im Großen und Ganzen nicht das, was die Mehrheit der Menschen sehen will (in diesem Fall wird es sowieso interessant, weil das bedeutet, dass es keine Hoffnung auf Besserung am Ende von "The Handmaid's Tale" geben kann). Franchises leben davon ihre Flügel in alle möglichen Richtungen auszustrecken, aber in letzter Zeit scheinen sie sie vermehrt zu Ereignissen in der Vergangenheit dieser Franchise auszustrecken. Und um ehrlich zu sein ist das keine wirklich schlechte Sache, im Gegenteil, oft haben dort die interessanteren Dinge stattgefunden.

Die Frage ist nur wann ein Prequel oder Spin-Off, der früher spielt, zum reinen Selbstzweck wird, der im Grunde keine eigenständige Geschichte zu erzählen hat, sondern einfach nur da ist um irgendetwas mit der Franchise zu machen. Hunger Games-Prequels erweiteren die Welt von Panem, Star Wars-Serien machen es dem alten dem gegenwärtigen Disney-Universum überlegenen EU nach und erforschen eine Galaxis weit weit entfernt vor nach längerer Zeit, die Abenteuer von Jamie Farsers Eltern haben das Potential interessant zu sein, doch keiner braucht eine Serie rund um den jungen Gibbs, nachdem seine Vergangenheit bereits in der Original-Serie genau erforscht wurde, ein Dexter-Prequel könnte problematisch und redundant werden sobald es mehr als eine Staffel läuft, und wann die Grenze zum "Goldesel Mittelerde melken" erreicht ist und wann nicht, muss jeder für sich entscheiden.

Prequels und (schauder) Midquels an sich sind nichts Schlechtes. Sie kommen nur bei Fans meistens nicht gut an, und dafür gibt es gute Gründe. Aber Fortsetzungen kommen mitunter oft genug auch nicht viel besser an. Sollte man davon ausgehend erfolgreiche Franchises also lieber ganz ruhen lassen?

Nein, stattdessen sollte man sich einfach Mühe geben und etwas Gutes produzieren und nicht einfach einen auf "Star Wars" machen und irgendwas machen nur um etwas zu machen, egal wann in der Zeitlinie es spielt. Das wäre ein guter Anfang alles zum besseren zu ändern.

Aber ob das irgendwann nach Pandemie und Streiks wieder der Fall sein wird, bleibt abzuwarten. Leider.

[ulkaralakbarova]

An affair between the second in line to Britain’s throne and the princess of the feuding Irish spells doom for the young lovers. Credits: TheMovieDb. Film Cast: Tristan: James Franco Isolde: Sophia Myles Marke: Rufus Sewell Donnchadh: David O’Hara Wictred: Mark Strong Melot: Henry Cavill Bragnae: Bronagh Gallagher Bodkin: Ronan Vibert Edyth: Lucy Russell Leon: JB Blanc Morholt: Graham Mullins Simon: Leo Gregory Orick: Dexter Fletcher Aragon: Richard Dillane Kurseval: Hans Martin Stier Kaye: Thomas Morris Anwick: Jamie Thomas King Rothgar: Wolfgang Müller Lady Serafine: Cheyenne Rushing Lady Marke: Barbora Kodetová Young Isolde: Isobel Moynihan Young Tristan: Thomas Brodie-Sangster Tournament Judge: Gordon Truefitt Young Melot: Myles Taylor Young Simon: Jack Montgomery Luther: Marek Vašut Irish Soldier: David Fisher Lady Aragon: Bronwen Davies Paddreggh: Philip O’Sullivan Tournament Crier: Nevan Finegan Coronation Priest: Jón Ólafsson Widseth: Todd Kramer Widseth’s Sister: Winter Ave Zoli Pict Guard: Miroslav Šimůnek Funeral Priest: Kevin Flood Film Crew: Director: Kevin Reynolds Music: Anne Dudley Editor: Peter Boyle Director of Photography: Artur Reinhart Executive Producer: Jim Lemley Casting: Kate Dowd Executive Producer: John Hardy Producer: Moshe Diamant Producer: Lisa Ellzey Producer: Giannina Facio Producer: Elie Samaha Executive Producer: Ridley Scott Executive Producer: Tony Scott Production Design: Mark Geraghty Set Decoration: Johnny Byrne Costume Design: Maurizio Millenotti Costume Supervisor: Hana Kučerová Writer: Dean Georgaris Executive Producer: Frank Hübner Executive Producer: Matthew Stillman Co-Producer: Anne Lai Co-Producer: Jan Fantl Co-Producer: Morgan O’Sullivan Co-Producer: James Flynn Stunt Coordinator: Nick Powell Unit Production Manager: John J. Kelly First Assistant Director: Robert Huberman Associate Producer: David Minkowski Associate Producer: Christian Frohn Associate Producer: Jennifer Leshnick Associate Editor: Pamela Power Associate Editor: Stephen Boucher Hairstylist: Stefano Ceccarelli Hairstylist: Jiří Farkaš Hairstylist: Alena Marečková Hairstylist: Mario Michisanti Hairstylist: Adéla Robová Hairstylist: Jaroslav Šámal Key Hair Stylist: Mirella Ginnoto Key Makeup Artist: Manlio Rocchetti Art Department Coordinator: Marketa Puzmanova Assistant Art Director: David Voborský Assistant Art Director: David Vondrasek 3D Animator: Ales Dlabac 3D Animator: Zbynek Travincky Visual Effects Supervisor: Jaroslav Polensky Title Designer: Anthony Wonsoff Visual Effects Coordinator: Jan Vseticek Visual Effects Producer: Vít Komrzý Visual Effects Supervisor: Marius Mohnssen Special Effects Supervisor: Pavel Sagner Special Effects Supervisor: Kevin Byrne Additional Still Photographer: Larry D. Horricks Camera Operator: Erwin Lanzensberger Camera Operator: Kacper Lisowski Second Unit Director of Photography: Miro Gábor Gaffer: Tony Devlin Key Grip: Helge Felgendreher Key Grip: Ivo Grešák Rigging Gaffer: Kriz David Still Photographer: Rico Torres Casting: Nancy Bishop Casting: Anja Dihrberg Casting: Kirsty Kinnear Assistant Costume Designer: Giovanni Casalnuovo Assistant Costume Designer: Mariano Tufano Costume Supervisor: Šárka Zázvorková Costume Supervisor: Sarka Zvolenska Key Costumer: Cathy Smith Seamstress: Larisa Šrámková Set Costumer: Rebecca Higginson Digital Intermediate: Mandy Rahn Assistant Editor: Geraint Huw Reynolds Music Editor: Sophie Cornet Music Editor: John Warhurst Script Supervisor: Catherine Allinson Script Supervisor: Peter J. Clark Choreographer: Lucie Samcova ADR Editor: Gareth Rhys Jones Boom Operator: Roman Rigo Foley: Jack Stew Foley Editor: Sefi Carmel Sound Designer: Samir Foco Sound Designer: Zeljko Lopicic-Lepierre Sound Effects Editor: Peter Crooks Sound Re-Recording Mixer: Howard Bargroff Sound Re-Recording Mixer: Graham Daniel Sound Re-Recording Mixer: Martin Schinz Sound Effects Editor: Srdjan Kurpjel Standby Art Director: Rory Bruen Movie Reviews:

[casspurrjoybell-25]

Cold as Ice - Chapter 34 - Part 2

*Warning Adult Content*

Landon Reilly

"Boys, enough," Leo Ridley cut in, looking confused and sounding resigned like he was used to having to get between his two sons.

"No, seriously, do any of you know who he really is?" Fox asked, looking around the table.

Wren glared at his brother.

While before he looked calm and relaxed, Wren now looked tense.

It was a strange look on him that I had never really seen before.

That look on his face distracted me from the embarrassment for a moment but once my mind caught up, I couldn't help but feel humiliated.

Fox was going to call me out in front of his family, which wouldn't have been half as embarrassing if I wasn't so involved with his brother but the embarrassment hit me with full force and I felt like getting up and walking out and never seeing anyone from this family again.

When no one answered Fox, he continued.

"He's the one who got us kicked out of the tournament last year," Fox spat.

"After he attacked me and he even gave Elijah hell before that."

Everyone was silent for a moment and I was mortified.

It wasn't like what he was saying was untrue.

The worst part about it was that it was true and couldn't help but think that this was why Wren was so reluctant to be serious with me.

He didn't want to meet the Hansons but he didn't really want me to be spending any time with his family either.

Maybe it was because he knew they would hate me when Fox found out and told them everything.

He knew we couldn't last because his family was important to him and I would only drive a wedge between them.

I wanted to shrivel up and vanish into nothing.

I wanted to cease to exist at all.

There was nowhere I could escape to.

I was frozen in place.

Wren hadn't said a word, he barely even reacted.

I didn't know what I expected.

Him to defend me?

From what?

Fox was telling the truth.

"And..." Fox started again.

"Fox, enough," Vanessa snapped.

It was the only time all night that she looked even remotely upset.

She had been happy throughout the whole dinner, laughing and smiling with her kids but now because I was here and causing all this tension, her night was ruined.

"I know very well who he is," she added, raising her eyebrows at Fox.

That meant that Dan and Mandy Ellis had told her about me after that time I saw them all at their house.

That only made me feel even more embarrassed.

Wren must have sensed my discomfort and started to stand, motioning for me to follow him.

I wordlessly left the able with Wren.

I should have thanked his parents for the meal, thanked his mother for inviting me but it was like I was on autopilot, my feet taking me wherever Wren went.

The two of us left the restaurant and went outside.

Wren leaned back against his car with his hands in his pockets while I stood in front of him.

"Well, that wasn't as bad as I thought it would be," Wren said in a light tone.

I wanted to cry.

I didn't know what I wanted from him.

No part of me wanted to remember anything that had happened tonight but I still wanted him to comfort me.

We were standing only a few feet apart but it felt like he was a mile away.

"It wasn't that bad?" I asked in disbelief.

My words were short and choppy, nearly caught in my throat.

I could feel my throat drying up while tears welled in my eyes.

"You're upset," he said it in a bland tone.

A statement, not a question.

It was like he couldn't understand why the whole thing upset me.

I let out a humorless laugh, a cough coming out at the end.

"Yeah, Wren, I'm fucking upset."

"You don't need to be."

"But I am, Wren. That shit was fucking humiliating."

"It was far more embarrassing for Fox," Wren said.

"He nearly threw a tantrum."

He was trying to play it off like that didn't bother him but there was a reason he didn't want Fox knowing about us, so there was no way this whole thing didn't affect him too.

I could feel him putting a wall up, pulling away from me and that made me want to cry even more.

The two of us didn't say anything else before his family eventually exited the restaurant.

Fox walked right past us and surprised everyone by getting into the passenger's seat of Wren's car.

I was shocked and didn't realize Vanessa had walked over to me until she put her hand on my shoulder.

She looked at me with kind eyes, reminding me so much of Mandy Ellis.

"Thank you for coming tonight, Landon," she said.

"Maybe we'll see you tomorrow at the game."

"Thank you for dinner," I managed to get out.

Leo walked over and patted me on the shoulder before the two of them went to their own car with Colt and Fawn.

With Fox sitting in the front seat of Wren's car, I had to get in the back behind the driver's seat next to Raven who was in the middle seat, Robin on her other side.

"You're dropping me off last," Fox said to Wren as he got into the driver's seat.

Wren let out a sigh and started the car.

Robin reached forward and smacked Fox on the back of the head.

"Quit being a dick," Robin said.

Fox didn't respond and the car ride back to my dorm was silent.

When we pulled up to my building, I couldn't get out of the car fast enough.

"I'll text you," Wren said as he rolled down the window, staring at me intensely.

I nodded at him before rushing into my building.

It wasn't until I was finally in my room that I let the tears fall.

[brookstonalmanac]

Birthdays 4.10

Beer Birthdays

Alexandre Bazzo (1976)

Five Favorite Birthdays

John Madden; football coach, television broadcaster (1936)

Mandy Moore; actor, pop singer (1984)

Daisy Ridley; actor (1992)

Brian Setzer; rock guitarist, singer (1960)

Paul Theroux; writer (1941)

Famous Birthdays

Claude Bolling; French jazz composer, pianist (1930)

William Booth; founded Salvation Army (1829)

Jim Bowie; explorer, pioneer (1796)

Chuck Connors; actor (1921)

Martion Denny; composer, actor (1911)

Bernard Gimbel; department store founder (1885)

Button Gwinnett; signer of the Declaration of Independence (1735)

William Hazlitt; English writer (1778)

Clarke Hinkle; Green Bay Packers FB (1912)

Orlando Jones; actor, comedian (1968)

Anne Lamott; writer (1954)

Clare Booth Luce; journalist (1903)

Don Meredith; Dallas Cowboys QB, television sportscaster (1938)

Harry Morgan; actor (1915)

Haley Joel Osment; actor (1988)

Frances Perkins; educator (1880)

Commodore Matthew C. Perry; naval officer (1794)

Joseph Pulitzer; Hungarian journalist, publisher (1847)

Junior Samples; comedian (1926)

Steven Seagal; actor (1951)

Omar Sharif; actor (1932)

Max Von Sydow; actor (1929)

Bunny Wailer; reggae musician (1947)

Robert Woodward; chemist (1917)

Sheb Wooley; actor, singer (1921)

[havenridgerp]

mwm and mwf?

Thank you for your question, Anon. While we would love any face you bring, here are just a few of our favorites:

Most wanted females: Pinar Deniz, Greta Onieogou, Hilary Duff, Chase Sui Wonders, Samantha Logan, Phoebe Tonkin, Elizabeth Lail, Alexandra Shipp, Tessa Thompson, Jessica Chastain, Aja Naomi King, Jennifer Garner, Madison Iseman, Brianne Tju, Ashley Moore, Brianne Howey, Riley Keough, Suki Waterhouse, Kiana Madeira, Adria Arjona, Aiysha Hart, Alicia Vikander, Annie Murphy, Camilla Luddington, Christina Ochoa, Chyler Leigh, Cote De Pablo, Daisy Ridley, Danai Gurira, Deborah Ann Woll, Dichen Lachman, Emma Mackey, Famke Janssen, Gemma Chan, Gina Torres, Han So Hee, Inbar Lavi, Jaina Lee Ortiz, Jamie Chung, Jessica Henwick, Kat Graham, Kate Siegel, Kimiko Glenn, Lauren Ridloff, Lesley-Ann Brandt, Lily Tomlin, Lisa Ann Walter, Mandy Moore, Marie Avgeropoulous, Meagan Tandy, Melissa McCarthy, Melissa O'Neil, Melissa Roxburgh, Ming Na Wen, Natasha Lyonne, Parveen Kaur, Sonequa Martin-Green, Tati Gabrielle, Victoria Pedretti, Viola Davis, Yael Grobglas, Zendaya

Most wanted males: Daniel Ezra, Luke Grimes, Daniel Kaluuya, LaKeith Stanfield, JD Pardo, Chris Evans, Jon Bernthal, Raymond Ablack, Rafael Silva, Henry Golding, Sam Claflin, Jacob Elordi, LaRoyce Hawkins, Ryan Gosling, Alex Meraz, Alfonso Herrera, Andrew Garfield, Andrew Lincoln, Avan Jogia, Boyd Holbrook, Casey Deidrick, Dan Stevens, Savid Castaneda, David Harbour, Dev Patel, Diego Luna, Eli Goree, Gabriel Luna, Giacomo Gianniotti, Hale Appleman, Hamish Linklater, Idris Elba, Jeffrey Dean Morgan, John Krasinski, Justin H Min, Kieran Culkin, Lewis Tan, Marwan Kenzari, Mena Massoud, Michiel Huisman, Milo Ventimiglia, Nick Sagar, Nyle DiMarco, Oscar Isaac, Osric Chau, Philemon Chambers, Rahul Kohli, Rege-Jean Page, Ricky Whittle, Riz Ahmed, Ronen Rubinstein, Sean Berdy, Sean Teale, Sinqua Walls, Steven Yuen, Tom Holland

Most wanted trans/nonbinary/gender fluid: Alex Blue Davis, Amandla Stenberg, Asia Kate Dillon, Chella Man, Elliot Fletcher, Elliot Page, Emma D'Arcy, Jamie Clayton, Laith Ashley, Liv Hewson, Nicole Maines, Quintessa Swindell, Sara Ramirez, Zión Moreno

[amethystmoonsims]

It’s been awhile 🖤 thank you my amazing bestie @ushapixels for being so patient and understanding. You are amazingggg

[jaumesclub]

En aquest nou capítol d’Un home 10, disponible al canal JAUTV de Youtube, hi tenim les notícies, efemèrides i tendències habituals, i a més: Repassem les carreres de: Ben Stiller, Gael García Bernal, Kaley Cuoco, Ridley Scott, Mandy Patinkin i Mia Goth! Irene Montero atacada per Vox! Bertín Osborne es posa catxas!!! S'estrena Willow, la sèrie, i molt més! Directes a: https://www.twitch.tv/jaufibla (en Barcelona, Spain) https://www.instagram.com/p/CmSMwSTtsid/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

[salient-sims]

They will make the best parents @adorablepixells

[nonsimsical]

Mandy Ridley

@sparklyunicornsims