#Matt McAllister

[spookytuesdaypod]

did anybody else develop romantic feelings for mike or was that just me

[rookie-critic]

Terrifier (2016, dir. Damien Leone) - review by Rookie-Critic

Terrifier had a lot of the same problems that All Hallows' Eve did. There are multiple counts of weird misogyny, with increased violence being targeted specifically at the female characters. Their deaths/disfigurements are significantly more brutal and disturbing than the male character deaths that happen (a few of which just happen completely off camera). It's frustrating to see that, in the 3 years that passed between this film and All Hallows' Eve, there was practically no personal growth on the part of Leone. However, I won't waste precious digital space rehashing the same complaints from the last review across this one, and instead try to focus on what this one did actually do better.

Let's get the easy one out of the way first, Leone's practical effects are even better in this than they were in the previous film, and they were already pretty damn good in that one. The budget is bigger for this than it was for Hallows' (this film was the result of a very successful Kickstarter campaign following a massive internet interest in the Art the Clown character), and it shows. The quality of makeup and prosthetic work Leone achieves with what, while bigger, is still a fairly low budget is quite impressive. Also, Art the Clown is the sole antagonistic focus of this film, and his screen time has grown exponentially. There's a change of actor from Mike Giannelli, who played him in All Hallows' Eve, to David Howard Thornton. This is a welcome change, as Thornton's physicality and facial expressions can read more sinister and goofier than what Giannelli was able to do in Hallows'. Art is more menacing in this one, and you feel the impending doom from the second he appears. Also, there were a few moments where the movie was able to break through all the groaning noises and eye rolling I was doing and pull a couple of chuckles out of me. The kills are creative (and would be really impressive if the film and the writing surrounding it weren't so lackluster), the atmosphere and vibe gives off 80s B-movie slasher (even if it is the bad kind of 80s B-movie slasher), and, again, Thornton's performance as Art is commendable. It just still has way too many issues for me to even remotely consider this a good film. It's better than All Hallows' Eve, for sure, but not by much.

Score: 4/10

Currently streaming on Tubi.

[likeawolfatthemoon]

books read in 2024 📚

💖 > 👍 > ✅ > 👎

The Dutch House by Ann Patchett ✅

The Guest List by Lucy Foley 👎

Remarkably Bright Creatures by Shelby Van Pelt 💖

Pageboy by Elliot Page 👍

The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue by V.E. Schwab 💖

Don't You Dare by C.E. Ricci 👎

Sure, I'll Join Your Cult by Maria Bamford ✅

A Good Girl's Guide to Murder by Holly Jackson (1/3) 👍

I'm Glad My Mom Died by Jennette McCurdy 💖

Counting the Cost by Jill Duggar ✅

Yellowface by R.F. Kuang 👍

The Lemon by S.E. Boyd ✅

The Woman in Me by Britney Spears ✅

Wrong Place Wrong Time by Gillian McAllister 👍

Kill Joy by Holly Jackson (.5/3) ✅

The Lost Apothecary by Sarah Penner 💖

Killers of the Flower Moon by David Grann ✅

The Book Thief by Markus Zusak 💖

Good Girl, Bad Blood by Holly Jackson (2/3) 👍

The Grace Year by Kim Liggett 👍

The Girls by Emma Cline 👍

Dyscalculia by Camonghne Felix 👍

Sharp Objects by Gillian Flynn 💖

As Good as Dead by Holly Jackson (3/3) 👍

The Girl on the Train by Paula Hawkins ✅

The Midnight Library by Matt Haig ✅

The Diviners by Libba Bray (1/4) 👍

I'll Be Gone in the Dark by Michelle McNamara 💖

The Wishing Game by Meg Shaffer ✅

Educated by Tara Westover 👍

The Butcher and the Wren by Alaina Urquhart 👍

The Heiress by Rachel Hawkins 👍

The Bone Houses by Emily Lloyd-Jones 👍

My Dark Vanessa by Kate Elizabeth Russell 💖

Lair of Dreams by Libba Bray (2/4) 💖

Crying in H Mart by Michelle Zauner 👍

Listen for the Lie by Amy Tintera ✅

The Wife Upstairs by Freida McFadden ✅

No One Is Talking About This by Patricia Lockwood 💖

Black Cake by Charmaine Wilkerson 👍

A Flicker in the Dark by Stacy Willingham 👍

[whump-mania]

Hello :)

I know it’s been like……..almost a year since I’ve posted here! But I’ve been very busy (I promise I’m not dead!) I’ve also been generally unmotivated with whump stuff lately, so that’s the major reason I haven’t been posting.

However, I did have a little spark of inspiration lately, and I did want to get one little story out. It doesn’t necessarily mean I’m back: I might pop in and out now and again.

Anyways, here’s my one-shot (maybe two-shot) under the cut! Hope you enjoy!

(tw: beating, mugging, blood, very slight homophobia, cursing)

The ring wasn’t all that pretty, Nicky thought. It could be cheap costume jewelry, for all he knew. But apparently, this thing costed a fortune, and that’s why he had it in his hand.

Nicky McAllister had a few bad habits. All of them were to provide for his family, of course—if his little sister Penny and sort-of-friend, sort-of-lover (he had no clue anymore) Ivan counted as family. How else was he supposed to get cash in their situation? Stealing and trading was all that was available for a young man with no other connections in this city.

Nicky threw the ring up in the air and caught it a couple of times in his hand. The gem was bright red, probably a ruby (he didn’t know, nor care), and the band was a matte gold. The one thing that interested him about the tiny thing was the engravings around the inside of the band. Little vines with leaves and thorns. He wondered about the ring’s possible history absentmindedly as he strolled to the agreed-upon meeting spot. Soon, that little ring would be exchanged for a wad of money. Enough to feed himself, Penny, and Ivan for a month. He needed this.

Nicky stopped at a corner in the alley, reaching into his pocket to examine the crumpled up sheet of notebook paper once again. He was in the right place, that was for sure—the alley on fifth street in the abandoned town next to the city—but no one was there. Nicky rolled his eyes and leaned against the wall. He waited, staring at the yellow sky, for minutes on end. For how urgent the letter had been about the trade, he didn’t think the buyer would have the nerve to be so—

“Late! I’m late! My bad, kid!” A voice broke through Nicky’s thoughts. He lifted his head to see a man jumping the fence nearby, followed by two other, larger ones. The man, who looked about ten years older than him, didn’t seem at all bothered by his own tardiness—he was carefree as ever, hands stuffed in his pockets as the other two men flanked him.

Nicky shoved the paper back in his pocket. “Took you long enough,” he muttered. He raised an eyebrow when he noticed the other men with him, gesturing to them. “What, you scared of me or something?”

The man laughed. “Nah, just precaution. I don’t believe we’ve met—I’m Marty Hughes.” Marty held his hand out, and Nicky shook it hesitantly. He wanted to get this deal over with, not make a friend.

“…Nicky,” he replied shortly, ending the handshake as soon as necessary. “Anyway, I’ve, uh…” He reached in his pocket, holding the ring, but not removing it just yet. “I’ve got the ring.”

Marty smiled. “And I’ve got your money. Look at that! All the two things we need for a trade.” He held his hand out and one of his bodyguards put a small satchel in his hand. He opened it and revealed a bundle of money.

Nicky’s eyes went wide. A break from stealing and bartering, even if only for a little while, was extremely enticing. Trying to keep neutral and hide his anticipation, he removed the ring from his pocket and held it out.

“Here.” Nicky stepped forward a little, eager to get the trade finished. “I’ll hand it to you, and you give me the money at the same time. Standard practice.”

Marty chuckled. “So serious. Talking like it’s the end of the world or something.” The other men laughed along with him as he shook his head and stepped forward.

Nicky tried not to roll his eyes. For him, not getting this money WAS the end of the world. Biting back his annoyance, he stood across from the older man with the ring.

He expected the trade to go agonizingly slow or straight-up wrong, but surprisingly to Nicky, it went smoothly. Marty handed him the money just as Nicky handed him the ring.

“See? Easy as that. No need to be all worked up, Nick. Pleasure doing business.” Marty patted Nicky on the shoulder a couple of times. Nicky cringed at the gesture, but he brushed it off and began counting his money.

“Yeah. Pleasure,” he muttered. He was just glad to have his money and be out of there.

Except, something was wrong.

Nicky turned around, having counted his money. “Hey,” he announced, stopping Marty and his men. “This isn’t the amount we agreed upon.” He held up the bundle of cash. “This is 250. We agreed on 400.”

Marty, still with his infuriating grin, turned around. “I don’t know what you’re talking about. Did you go to school? Don’t you know how to count?” He taunted.

“This isn’t a joke!” Nicky yelled, finally fed up with the man. He approached the three again. “You may have the money to fool around like this, but I don’t! I have to feed myself with this!”

“Then 250 should be just fine,” Marty replied calmly. “Look, kid. You seem new to this business. How many trades have you done? Two? Three?”

Nicky didn’t humor the man’s conversation. “Give me my money. I don’t have time for this.”

“This happens all the time!” Marty continued. “Every good barterer knows that whatever the agreed amount is can…slip a little.”

“I’ve been trading for months,” Nicky bit back. “And this has never been an issue. You’re just a crook.”

Marty raised an eyebrow and snorted a laugh. “I’m the crook?” He took the ring from his satchel. “How do I know this isn’t a fake, huh? You’ve been in the business for so long, how do I know you’re not the scammer?”

Nicky stared at the ring in Marty’s hand. A million thoughts and possibilities ran through his head. He could hear Ivan reprimanding him, and Penny egging him on. What consumed him most, however, was his anger. Whatever rationality he had went out of the window.

He swiped the ring from Marty’s hand, shoved it and the money in his pocket, and ran.

Nicky almost tripped as he turned the sharp corners of the alley. He bolted for the streets of the abandoned town, praying he didn’t forget the route out of the alley. He heard three steps of footsteps behind him. He didn’t dare look back.

Nicky faced the fence that led him to the streets and quickly hopped up to climb it. His foot got stuck for just a moment, sending a jolt of panic through his body, but he got it loose and jumped down. He heard the rattling of the others climbing it soon after, followed by the thuds as they hit the ground. Shit—they were faster climbers than him.

Nicky dashed through the streets, heading for the road that would lead him back to the city. At least with more people around, he’d be able to save himself somewhat.

As he ran, he felt something small hit his back. “Ow!” He yelled out, and quickly looked behind him. Marty’s bodyguards had rocks, picked from the cracked asphalt of the street. A jagged piece nearly missed his head. Nicky cursed and kept on running.

Another piece hit his back, then his shoulder, then his neck. They slowed Nicky down, but it didn’t stop him. At least, not until a particularly large chunk of concrete hit the back of his knee. He yelled out and his legs buckled, sending him to the ground.

“Months as a trader, and you pull something like that?” Nicky heard Marty’s voice approaching. He scrambled to get up, but his bodyguards were too quick. They held each of his arms, holding him at eye level with Marty.

“See, rats like you are why I bring backup,” Marty said with a smirk.

“I wouldn’t have taken it if you were a fair trader!” Nicky spat, struggling and pulling against the men. “You’re the rat!”

Marty looked Nicky up and down for a moment, his smile faltering a little. He sighed and decidedly stepped back. “Beat him and take his things,” he ordered.

“Wait—” Nicky had no time to prepare before he was thrown roughly back to the ground. The two larger men began kicking him, leaving no part of his body unharmed. One of them knelt down to use his fists instead. Marty watched, the smile having returned to his face.

When Nicky was bruised and bleeding to Marty’s liking, the men stopped. They handed Marty Nicky’s belongings—the money, the ring, and his wallet. The two men held Nicky up again.

“There’s nothing in there,” Nicky croaked weakly, trying to keep his head up. The sound of blood dripping from his nose sickened him. “Please, my wallet, lemme have it back, t-there’s nothing in there.”

Marty ignored Nicky’s pleas and filed through the pockets of the old leather, finding no money. “Huh. You’re right, you’re dead broke. You really did need this cash, didn’t you?” He kept skimming through until he found a small, grainy photograph. He raised an eyebrow. “What’s this?”

“Don’t touch that!” Nicky yelled, as much as he could. “It ain’t yours. Leave it!”

Marty examined the picture. “Well, isn’t this a nice little photo? That one in the middle looks like you…and who’s this pretty little thing?”

“Give it BACK, you maniac!” Nicky wanted the man’s eyes off of Penny. Off of the whole photo. It was his. It was private.

“And this other boy…sure doesn’t look enough like you to be a brother.” Marty smirked and peered up at Nicky.

Nicky swallowed. “He’s my—a friend, he’s a friend, just—just give it back, it’s no use to you!” That photo meant more to him than money. Those two were his world.

“Must be a real good friend to have a picture of him on ya.” Marty chuckled dangerously and stuck the picture back in the wallet. He threw it at Nicky’s chest, and the men dropped him.

Nicky crumpled to the ground, quickly grabbing his wallet and holding it close to him. Before he was able to stand up again, his hair was suddenly grabbed and his head was wrenched up. He only had a moment to see Marty’s face before he punched him back to the ground one more time.

Nicky groaned, holding back tears as he listened to the three men walk off with his money and the ring, laughing to each other at their success. He should have just taken the money, he thought. He’d be going home with nothing. Tasked with stealing some other expensive artifact.

Slowly, he made his way home before dark—as much of a home as it was, anyway. He lived with his family in a small portable shack they’d found in a trashyard. It was shelter enough for them.

He knocked a specific rhythm on the door and waited for the door to open. He heard footsteps quickly approach, and the door opened to reveal his sister, who gasped at the state of him.

“Don’t ask,” Nicky grumbled, pushing past her and collapsing on one of the mattresses.

“Of course I’m gonna ask, idiot!” Penny retorted. “What happened to you?!”

Nicky stared at the ceiling, saying nothing. When he felt himself tearing up again, he sighed and rolled over. “Where’s Ivan?”

“Not important. What happened?” Penny demanded, sitting on the mattress next to him.

Nicky swallowed and tried not to let his voice waver. “I fucked up. They skimped on the cash, I got mad, and I tried to take the ring back.” He sat up and gestured to his beaten face. “This is what I got. They took the money, too.” He slumped back down, ashamed of himself.

Penny looked down at her brother. “We…we’ll be fine. We’ll live,” she told him, trying to stay optimistic. “You stood up for yourself, right? That’s good. You wouldn’t—” She paused to cough. “…Wouldn’t let them cheat you.”

“But they did,” Nicky muttered, his voice muffled by the mattress.

“Well fuck ‘em,” Penny said back, crossing her arms. “I would’ve done the same if they tried scamming me.” She put a hand on Nicky’s shoulder. “We’ll be fine. Ivan’s out trying to get some food.”

Nicky sat back up. “Buying, or stealing?”

Penny looked to the side. “Um…well, we’re broke, so…”

Nicky groaned. “Ivan’s horrible at stealing. Why didn’t you go?”

“He insisted!” Penny threw her arms up. “He thinks I’m still sick. I mean…I am, but I’m well enough to go get food.”

“Whatever…let’s just hope he doesn’t get as banged up as I did.” Nicky lied back down and closed his eyes. He ruminated on his failure, still hating himself for letting the man get away with the money. Someday, he’d get back at him. Until then, he waited for Ivan to get back, coming up with a way to explain his face once again.

[wankerwatch]

Commons Vote

On: Passenger Railway Services Bill (Public Ownership) Bill: Committee: Amendment 14

Ayes: 111 (95.5% Con, 4.5% DUP) Noes: 362 (97.0% Lab, 2.5% Ind, 0.6% SDLP) Absent: ~177

Day's business papers: 2024-9-3

Likely Referenced Bill: Passenger Railway Services (Public Ownership) Bill

Description: A Bill to make provision for passenger railway services to be provided by public sector companies instead of by means of franchises.

Originating house: Commons Current house: Commons Bill Stage: 3rd reading

Individual Votes:

Ayes

Conservative (106 votes)

Alan Mak Alberto Costa Alex Burghart Alicia Kearns Alison Griffiths Andrew Bowie Andrew Murrison Andrew Rosindell Andrew Snowden Aphra Brandreth Ashley Fox Ben Obese-Jecty Ben Spencer Bernard Jenkin Blake Stephenson Bob Blackman Bradley Thomas Caroline Dinenage Caroline Johnson Charlie Dewhirst Chris Philp Claire Coutinho Damian Hinds Danny Kruger David Davis David Mundell David Reed David Simmonds Desmond Swayne Edward Argar Edward Leigh Gagan Mohindra Gareth Bacon Gareth Davies Gavin Williamson Geoffrey Cox George Freeman Greg Smith Gregory Stafford Harriet Cross Harriett Baldwin Helen Whately Iain Duncan Smith Jack Rankin James Cartlidge James Cleverly James Wild Jeremy Hunt Jeremy Wright Jerome Mayhew Jesse Norman Joe Robertson John Cooper John Glen John Hayes John Lamont John Whittingdale Joy Morrissey Julia Lopez Julian Lewis Karen Bradley Katie Lam Kemi Badenoch Kevin Hollinrake Kieran Mullan Kit Malthouse Laura Trott Lewis Cocking Lincoln Jopp Louie French Mark Francois Mark Garnier Mark Pritchard Martin Vickers Matt Vickers Mel Stride Mike Wood Mims Davies Neil Hudson Neil O'Brien Neil Shastri-Hurst Nick Timothy Nigel Huddleston Oliver Dowden Patrick Spencer Peter Bedford Peter Fortune Priti Patel Rebecca Harris Rebecca Paul Rebecca Smith Richard Fuller Richard Holden Robbie Moore Robert Jenrick Saqib Bhatti Sarah Bool Shivani Raja Simon Hoare Steve Barclay Stuart Anderson Stuart Andrew Suella Braverman Tom Tugendhat Victoria Atkins Wendy Morton

Democratic Unionist Party (5 votes)

Carla Lockhart Gavin Robinson Gregory Campbell Jim Shannon Sammy Wilson

Noes

Labour (351 votes)

Abena Oppong-Asare Abtisam Mohamed Adam Jogee Adam Thompson Afzal Khan Al Carns Alan Campbell Alan Gemmell Alan Strickland Alex Baker Alex Ballinger Alex Barros-Curtis Alex Davies-Jones Alex Mayer Alex McIntyre Alex Norris Alex Sobel Alice Macdonald Alison Hume Alison McGovern Alistair Strathern Allison Gardner Amanda Hack Amanda Martin Andrew Cooper Andrew Gwynne Andrew Lewin Andrew Pakes Andrew Ranger Andrew Western Andy MacNae Andy McDonald Andy Slaughter Angela Eagle Anna Dixon Anna Gelderd Anna McMorrin Anna Turley Anneliese Dodds Anneliese Midgley Antonia Bance Ashley Dalton Baggy Shanker Bambos Charalambous Barry Gardiner Bayo Alaba Beccy Cooper Becky Gittins Ben Coleman Ben Goldsborough Bill Esterson Blair McDougall Brian Leishman Callum Anderson Calvin Bailey Carolyn Harris Cat Smith Catherine Atkinson Catherine Fookes Catherine McKinnell Catherine West Charlotte Nichols Chi Onwurah Chris Bloore Chris Curtis Chris Elmore Chris Evans Chris Hinchliff Chris Kane Chris McDonald Chris Murray Chris Vince Chris Ward Chris Webb Christian Wakeford Claire Hazelgrove Claire Hughes Clive Betts Clive Efford Clive Lewis Connor Naismith Connor Rand Damien Egan Dan Aldridge Dan Carden Dan Jarvis Dan Norris Dan Tomlinson Daniel Francis Danny Beales Darren Paffey Dave Robertson David Burton-Sampson David Pinto-Duschinsky David Smith David Taylor Dawn Butler Debbie Abrahams Deirdre Costigan Derek Twigg Diana Johnson Douglas Alexander Douglas McAllister Elaine Stewart Ellie Reeves Elsie Blundell Emily Darlington Emily Thornberry Emma Foody Emma Lewell-Buck Euan Stainbank Fabian Hamilton Fleur Anderson Florence Eshalomi Frank McNally Gareth Snell Gareth Thomas Gen Kitchen Gerald Jones Gill Furniss Gill German Gordon McKee Graeme Downie Graham Stringer Grahame Morris Gregor Poynton Gurinder Singh Josan Harpreet Uppal Heidi Alexander Helen Hayes Helena Dollimore Henry Tufnell Ian Lavery Ian Murray Imogen Walker Irene Campbell Jack Abbott Jacob Collier Jade Botterill Jake Richards James Asser James Frith James Naish Janet Daby Jayne Kirkham Jeevun Sandher Jeff Smith Jen Craft Jenny Riddell-Carpenter Jess Asato Jess Phillips Jessica Morden Jessica Toale Jim Dickson Jim McMahon Jo Platt Jo Stevens Jo White Joani Reid Jodie Gosling Joe Morris Joe Powell Johanna Baxter John Grady John Healey John Slinger John Whitby Jon Pearce Jon Trickett Jonathan Brash Jonathan Davies Jonathan Hinder Josh Dean Josh Fenton-Glynn Josh MacAlister Josh Newbury Julia Buckley Julie Minns Juliet Campbell Justin Madders Karin Smyth Karl Turner Kate Osamor Kate Osborne Katie White Katrina Murray Keir Mather Kerry McCarthy Kevin Bonavia Kim Johnson Kim Leadbeater Kirith Entwistle Kirsteen Sullivan Kirsty McNeill Laura Kyrke-Smith Lauren Edwards Lauren Sullivan Laurence Turner Lee Barron Lee Pitcher Leigh Ingham Lewis Atkinson Liam Byrne Liam Conlon Lilian Greenwood Lillian Jones Linsey Farnsworth Liz Kendall Liz Twist Lizzi Collinge Lloyd Hatton Lola McEvoy Louise Haigh Louise Jones Lucy Powell Lucy Rigby Luke Akehurst Luke Charters Luke Murphy Luke Myer Margaret Mullane Marie Tidball Mark Ferguson Mark Hendrick Mark Sewards Mark Tami Markus Campbell-Savours Marsha De Cordova Martin Rhodes Mary Glindon Mary Kelly Foy Matt Bishop Matt Rodda Matt Turmaine Matt Western Matthew Patrick Matthew Pennycook Maureen Burke Meg Hillier Melanie Onn Melanie Ward Miatta Fahnbulleh Michael Payne Michael Shanks Michael Wheeler Michelle Scrogham Michelle Welsh Mike Amesbury Mike Kane Mike Reader Mike Tapp Mohammad Yasin Nadia Whittome Natalie Fleet Natasha Irons Naushabah Khan Navendu Mishra Neil Coyle Neil Duncan-Jordan Nesil Caliskan Nia Griffith Nicholas Dakin Nick Smith Nick Thomas-Symonds Noah Law Oliver Ryan Olivia Bailey Olivia Blake Pam Cox Pamela Nash Pat McFadden Patricia Ferguson Patrick Hurley Paul Davies Paul Foster Paul Waugh Paula Barker Paulette Hamilton Perran Moon Peter Dowd Peter Kyle Peter Lamb Peter Swallow Phil Brickell Polly Billington Preet Kaur Gill Rachael Maskell Rachel Blake Rachel Hopkins Rachel Taylor Richard Baker Richard Quigley Rosie Duffield

Rupa Huq Ruth Cadbury Ruth Jones Sadik Al-Hassan Sally Jameson Sam Carling Sam Rushworth Samantha Dixon Samantha Niblett Sarah Champion Sarah Coombes Sarah Edwards Sarah Hall Sarah Jones Sarah Owen Sarah Sackman Satvir Kaur Scott Arthur Sean Woodcock Seema Malhotra Sharon Hodgson Shaun Davies Simon Lightwood Simon Opher Siobhain McDonagh Sojan Joseph Sonia Kumar Stella Creasy Stephanie Peacock Stephen Kinnock Stephen Timms Steve Race Steve Witherden Steve Yemm Sureena Brackenridge Tahir Ali Taiwo Owatemi Tanmanjeet Singh Dhesi Tim Roca Toby Perkins Tom Collins Tom Hayes Tom Rutland Tonia Antoniazzi Tony Vaughan Torcuil Crichton Torsten Bell Tracy Gilbert Tristan Osborne Uma Kumaran Valerie Vaz Vicky Foxcroft Warinder Juss Wes Streeting Will Stone Yasmin Qureshi Yuan Yang Zubir Ahmed

Independent (9 votes)

Apsana Begum Ayoub Khan Imran Hussain Jeremy Corbyn John McDonnell Rebecca Long Bailey Richard Burgon Shockat Adam Zarah Sultana

Social Democratic & Labour Party (2 votes)

Claire Hanna Colum Eastwood

[augustusaugustus]

Past Tense

I found some old character/pairing lists on my long-defunct journal and they amused me so I am reposting them here.

Main thoughts: I have no idea why I thought I was most like Vicky, I like June a lot now, and 2024 me really wishes that there was way more Jim/Anyone than there is.

2011 Fandom Survey

Favourite male: Rod Skase. Always. He had so much innate ability, but he always cocked things up because he was too busy trying to look good. Favourite female: Viv Martella. She was such a brilliant character. She was in the show back when female officers were still a rarity and she dealt with the male characters' doubt in her abilities by showing, time and time again, that she could cope with anything the job threw at her while retaining her sense of humour and ability to care. Least favourite: Ugh, so many of the post-shark-jumping characters and the awful changes made to formerly-good characters. I'm going to run with the changed version of John Boulton, though, because the proper John Boulton was one of my absolute favourites and they absolutely ruined his character by making him into something else entirely. In a way, it was good that they killed him off (although HOW they killed him off was also ridiculous), because it hurt to watch such a fantastic character being so utterly ruined. Thank goodness Rod went out in a way that was perfect for who he was, staying in character from beginning to end. Who resembles me: Vicky Hagen. Three more characters that I like: Frank Burnside, Cass Rickman, Roy Galloway. SO MANY MORE. Favourite ship: Skase/Boulton. Pre-ruining of Boulton, thankyouverymuch.

2009 Favourite Characters List

CID * Rod Skase (duh) * John Boulton * Roy Galloway * Tom Proctor * Frank Burnside * Jack Meadows * Ted Roach * Alan Woods * Liz Rawton * Viv Martella * Alistair Grieg Uniform * Taffy Edwards * Matt Boyden * Steve Loxton * Reg Hollis * Yorkie Smith * Cass Rickman * Vicky Hagen * Nick Klein * Dale Smith (as he was the first time around) * Andrew Monroe * Gina Gold * Sam Harker * Bob Cryer * Derek Conway * Gary Best * Jim Carver (as in old-time Jim, not drunk!Jim)

2006 Fandom Survey

Favorite "Characters": Rod Skase, John Boulton, Tom Proctor, Gary Best, Frank Burnside, Mike Dashwood, Reg Hollis Least Favorite "Characters": June Ackland, Debbie McAllister, a large proportion of the cast that came in the couple of years following the Great Sun Hill Barbeque Favorite Ships: Rod/John, Rod/Tom, Des/Reg, Nick/Smiffy, Cass/Vicky Ships that make me nauseous: Oh God, the Dave/Jenny/George rubbish. Also anything that paired together people who had worked together for years without showing any interest in each other. Names commonly involved with this? Jim, June, Tony & Polly.

2002 Fandom Survey

Favorite Pairings: Skase/Boulton Skase/Proctor Boulton/Proctor Meadows/Monroe Stamp/Ashton Klein/Smith Hagan/Boyden Pairings I’m dying to write: Klein/Smith Pairings I’m not keen on reading: Jim/Anyone

[youhavetosmile]

KD Prompt: matt get jealous 😏

I wanted to get this done for Charlie's birthday yesterday, but no dice. Thank you so much for the prompt! Hope you enjoy it.

Find it on AO3

It wasn’t that Matt didn’t like parties, per se.  They were just—a lot.  The noise, the smells, the heat.  Sorting through that much sensory input was exhausting.  So he initially declined when Foggy asked him to please please please tag along to the Landman & Zack Christmas party he was attending with Marci.  Even when he begged him not to “leave him alone in the shark tank,” he refused.

Karen, however, was much more persuasive.  And so, with the promise that she would make it up to him, Matt found himself standing at the bar of some upscale hotel, nursing a whiskey neat and fighting off waves of nausea every time someone walked past him wearing too much cologne.

He was relieved when he heard the clicking of Karen’s heels as she came back from the bathroom.  It was so much easier when he could just focus on her.  But it suddenly stopped as, with all the narcissism of a hot-shot attorney who only did it for the money, a voice drawled, “Karen Page.”

“What?” said Foggy, noticing his scowl.

Matt tilted his head toward the other side of the room.  “Sean McAllister’s just intercepted Karen.”

“Shit,” Marci muttered from her seat on a bar stool between them.  “He’s such an asshole.  He called me ‘sweetheart’ last week.  I hate that guy.”

“Join the club.”

“Damnit, Karen.”  Marci took a sip of her martini.  “This is why we don’t go to the bathroom alone.”

Matt turned his attention back to Karen.  “Can I ask you a favor?” Sean was asking.

“That depends.  What is it?” Karen replied, her heartbeat calm and steady.

“I was hoping you could look into something for me…” Sean took a step closer as he explained the situation.  Matt heard the soft brush of his hand against Karen’s elbow.

He set his drink down.  “I’m going over there.”

“Oh, no, you’re not,” said Marci, grabbing his arm and pulling him back to the bar.

“Marci, that guy’s hated me since law school.  I can’t just leave Karen alone with him.”

He made another attempt to leave, but Marci pulled him back again.  “You really don’t get it, Murdock.”

“Get what?” Foggy asked.

“How hard it is to be a woman in this room right now.  Don’t you dare roll your eyes, either of you.  It’s true.  I have had to work my ass off to get the respect in this field that you two get just by existing.”

“Yeah, but Karen’s not an attorney,” Matt argued, “she’s a PI.”

“Which means she’s in an even more male-dominated field than I am.”  Marci huffed in frustration at the sustained looks of confusion on Matt and Foggy’s faces.  “Look, in this world, the worst thing for a woman is to be perceived as weak.”

“Karen is not weak,” Matt defended emphatically.

“I know that.  But if you go swoop in and save her, that’s exactly how she’ll look to Sean, and nobody wants that.  Trust me, Matt, it’s best if you don’t get involved.  Karen can handle him.”

“And if she can’t?”

“Then I see an unfortunate run-in with Daredevil in Sean’s future.”

Matt groaned in frustration.  “Fine.  But you can’t stop me from eavesdropping.”

And eavesdrop he did.  “I can’t make any promises,” Karen said when Sean had finished his explanation, “I’m swamped with Nelson and Murdock cases already.”

“I could really use the help.  Maybe we could grab coffee or dinner sometime and talk about it?”

“Ah,” Karen said with a click of her tongue, “there it is.”

“What?”

“The real reason we’re having this conversation.  You spun a great story, Sean, I’ll give you that.”

Matt’s discomfort was quickly turning to a possessive pride.  “You got me,” Sean admitted, because what else could he do?  “I guess I just wanted to make sure you’re okay.”

“Excuse me?”

“You look so good, Karen.”  He touched her elbow again, and Matt gripped his cane to keep himself from marching up and punching him right in his stupid face.  “You deserve someone who can appreciate that.”

Karen actually laughed in his face.  Matt scowled, pushing the thought of he’s right out of his mind.  But the uptick in her heart rate had him smiling despite the doubts.  He’d made Karen mad enough times to know what it sounded like—and to know this wouldn’t end well for Sean.

“I appreciate the concern,” Karen was saying, “but it’s unnecessary.” 

“You can’t tell me you don’t think about it.”

She leaned closer in that slightly threatening, incredibly sexy way she did and said (truthfully, he could tell), “I can’t tell you how little I think about it.  Matt appreciates me more with four senses than you ever could with five.  So you can take your suit, and your lines, and your made-up case and go find someone else to help you, because I’m doing just fine.”  Matt was grinning as she smiled at Sean and strutted back toward him.  “You heard all of that, didn’t you?” she asked as she approached.

“Every word,” he replied, reaching out to wrap his arm around her waist tighter than was strictly necessary.

He could feel her staring at him, licking her lips then running her teeth across them.  “Marci?  Is he still watching?”

Marci glanced inconspicuously back across the room.  “Yep.”

“Good.”  Then she put her hand on the back of his neck and pulled him into a kiss, just intense enough to capture Sean’s attention but not anyone else’s.  He could win a million fights and never feel this good.

He stayed close when she let him go.  “You’re incredible,” he whispered in her ear.

“Glad you enjoyed it,” she replied with a coy smile.

“Well,” Marci finished her drink and set it back on the bar, “I think we’ve had enough excitement for tonight, don’t you, babe?”

“Yeah, I think we’d better go,” said Foggy, “before Matt starts taking Karen’s clothes off right here.”

Matt smiled, kissed the side of Karen’s face, and didn’t deny it.

[manyfandomocs]

Doctor Who OC Masterlist

Name: Charles Pond

Fic: Sky Full Of Stars

Love Interest: Clara Oswald

FC: Eddie Redmayne

Name: Charlotte "Lottie" Tyler

Fic: There's a World

Love Interest: Captain Jack Harkness

FC: Dianna Agron

Name: Fiona Baker

Fic: A Companion's Companion

Love Interest: Martha Jones

FC: Anya Taylor Joy

Name: Malcolm McAllister

Fic: Alone In The Universe

Love Interest: Captain Jack Harkness & The Doctor

FC: Matt Bomer

[hellscupboards]

loved part three of your mattfoggy series :D

i look forward to whenever you post one, you are really talented !!

I'm being physically crushed under the weight of your love and affection anon ! thank you so much ! i hope every beverage you consume is to your liking and that you get to pet so many adorable animals in your near future!

I hope you don't mind, but I'm gonna comandeer your ask to tease a bit of bants i wrote while watching Home Alone

i'll put it under a cut -

“There is now a repeated history of child abandonment that could be brought up by the prosecution.” Matt said as he paced in the middle of Foggy’s living room, a folded piece of pizza in one hand and a beer in the other. He was wearing an old Columbia t-shirt that was just a touch too tight on his muscular body. Foggy loved it. “This is the second time now he had been forgotten at home. They could raise the point of neglect.”

“We could bring up the fact that the mother did her best to get back to him after it was discovered that Kevin was left.” Foggy said from his spot on the couch. “And bring in a character witness for her. The neighbor, maybe?” He leaned forward to grab another slice of pizza. “To prove this was a freak, one-time thing.”

“That’s a little shaky.” Matt made a noise as he ate his pizza. “Those parents did leave her eight-year-old kid at home before leaving for a vacation. Twice.”

“Yes, true.” Foggy sighed against the couch. “But, Joe Pesci and that other guy would’ve robbed that money whether or not Kevin had been forgotten or not. We would need to keep the prosecution from derailing the trial into territory we can’t defend. The McAllisters were not going to win the Parents of the Year, sure. But, putting Kevin in danger was more of a…coincidence than anything. And he was so resourceful defending himself that we could argue that the parents were actually pretty competent.”

Matt snickered around a mouthful of pizza, his eyes rolling to the ceiling. “How do our dates always devolve into this?”

“Well, it’s either this or sex,” Foggy pointed out, feeling very warm and fond for his boyfriend. “But, I wouldn’t call that ‘devolving,’ The opposite, actually. Evolving. Our dates start with your normal standard array – dinner, alcohol – and then get more interesting as the evening goes on.”

Matt beamed, going full crinkly eyes and humorous smile. “You’re lawyering my question.” He leaned down to put his half-eaten slice of pizza back in the box and set his empty beer down.

Foggy threw his slice down too and stood up. He moved around Matt’s coffee table to grab him by the hips and pull him into his arms. “Because we are two lawyers who are dating,” Foggy said. “Debating is like foreplay for us.”

[sims-and-shenanigans]

Meet the McAllister family! Vanessa and Matt are our Matriarch and patriarch for the first generation. Matt is a stay at home dad and aspiring masseuse, and Vanessa is a business woman!

[likeafolkssong]

Books Read in 2022

1. The Night Swim by Megan Goldin

2. The Stranger in the Lifeboat by Mitch Albom

3. Everything After by Jill Santopolo

4. The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo by Taylor Jenkins Reid (reread)

5. Someone We Know by Shari Lapena

6. It Ends With Us by Colleen Hoover

7. Garden City: Work, Rest, and the Art of Being Human by John Mark Comer

8. The Stranger in the Mirror - Liv Constantine

9. Lovely War - Julie Berry

10. To Kill a Kingdom - Alexandra Christo

11. It’s Not What You Think - Jefferson Bethke

12. Love That Lasts - Jefferson and Alyssa Bethke

13. The Fellowship of the Ring (audio book) - J.R.R. Tolkien

14. Not a Happy Family - Shari Lapena

15. The Midnight Library - Matt Haig

16. The Flatshare - Beth O’Leary

17. Get Out of Your Head - Jennie Allen

18. The Two Towers (audio book) - J.R.R. Tolkien

19. Verity - Colleen Hoover

20. Let Your Life Speak - Parker J. Palmer

21. The Kind Worth Killing - Peter Swanson

22. The Wives - Tarryn Fisher

23. Rules for Perfect Murders - Peter Swanson

24. Meet Me in Another Life - Catriona Silvey

25. And Then There We’re None - Agatha Christie

26. The Return of the King (audio book) - J.R.R Tolkien

27. The Bridal Party - J.G. Murray

28. The Christie Affair - Nina de Gramont

29. The Rules of Magic - Alice Hoffman

30. The Secret Bridesmaid - Katy Birchall

31. Unshakeable Hope - Max Lucado

32. A Grief Observed - C.S. Lewis

33. Just Last Night - Mhairi McFarlane

34. A Flicker in the Dark - Stacy Willingham

35. My Life Next Door - Huntley Fitzpatrick

36. Never Saw Me Coming - Vera Kurlan

37. Maybe in Another Life - Taylor Jenkins Reid

38. No Greater Love - Mother Teresa

39. The Siren - Katherine St. John

40. One True Loves - Taylor Jenkins Reid

41. American Dirt - Jeanine Cummins

42. Lies Beneath - Anne Greenwood Brown

43. Every Summer After - Carley Fortune

44. One by One - Ruth Ware

45. Three Single Wives - Gina Lamanna

46. A Theatre for Dreamers - Polly Samson

47. One of the Girls - Lucy Clarke

48. How to Stop Time - Matt Haig

49. People we Meet on Vacation - Emily Henry

50. In My Dreams I Hold a Knife - Ashley Winstead

51. Still Life - Louise Penny

53. Carrie Soto is Back - Taylor Jenkins Reid

54. The Paris Apartment - Kelly Bowen

55. Wrong Place, Wrong Time - Gillian McAllister

56. The Art of Racing in the Rain - Garth Stein

57. The Final Revival of Opal and Nev - Dawnie Walton (read half then quit)

58. The Bullet that Missed - Richard Osman

59. So This is Christmas - Jenny Holiday

[shaperaverse-brainrot]

Hi! Thought I'd link my stuff for NADS 2023 Secret Cupid:

A Final Stolen Kiss - Fay McAllister/Original Male character (Angst) (1106 words)

Eight. Damn. Legs. - Lloyd/Raven/Matt (fluff/crack) (114 words)

New Family - Raven & Marjolein & Han (fluff/comfort) (167 words)

[jxrm]

book log - 2023

the librarianist by patrick dewitt

same time next year by tessa bailey

did you hear about kitty karr? by crystal smith paul

lore olympus: volume one by rachel smythe

a court if thorns and roses by sarah j. mass

summer sisters by judy blume

the demigod files by rick riordan

mistletoe and mayhem by carly winter

you shouldn’t have come here by jeneva rose

a house with good bones by t. kingfisher

christmas presents by lisa unger

z: a novel of zelda fitzgerald

the storm runner by j.c. cervantes

just another missing person by gillian mcallister

take me home by beth moran

blood sugar by sascha rothchild

a court of mist and fury by sarah j. mass

the christmas orphans club by becca freeman

under her care by lucinda berry

paris: the memoir by paris hilton

our wives under the sea by julie armfield

the celebrants by steven rowley

keep it in the family by john marrs

housemoms by jen lancaster

the woman in me by britney spears

just like home by sarah gailey

trespasses by louise kennedy

silence for the dead by simone st. james

a good family by matt goldman

the fire keeper by j.c. cervantes

dead silence by s.a. barnes

sunshine nails by mai nguyen

lore olympus: volume one by rachel smythe

the mystery guest by nita prose

her little flowers by shannon morgan

woke up like this by amy lea

legendary children by tom fitzgerald

midnight is the darkest hour by ashley winstead

the leftover women by jean kwok

everyone here is lying by shari lapena

mother-daughter murder night by nina simon

you may now kill the bride by r.l. stone

the man i never met by elle cook

hold my girl by charlene carr

legends & lattes by travis baldree

the golden spoon by jessa maxwell

bright young women by jessica kroll

suddenly a murder by lauren munoz

the only one left by riley sager

zero days by ruth ware

good bad girl by alice feeney

the christmas wager by holly cassidy

fortune by elle won steil

theme music by t. marie vandelly

close to home by cara hunter

the true love experiment by christina lauren

penelope in retrograde by brooke abrams

everyone in my family has killed someone by benjamin stevenson

the modern girl’s guide to magic by lindsay hall

i feed her to the beast and the beast is me by jamison shea

hello stranger by katherine center

the unlikely pilgrimage of harold fry by rachel joyce

gone tonight by sarah pekkanen

the library of the dead by t.l. huchu

what never happened by rachel howzell hall

look out for the little guy by scott lang

the christmas mourner by marian mccarthy

every little breath by keri beevis

this might hurt by stephanie wrobel

the last word by taylor adams

a court of wings and ruin by sarah j. mass

forth wing by rebecca yaros

hello beautiful by ann napolitano

summer rental by rektok ross

the house across the lake by riley sager

a cursed covenant by leigh ferguson

her rebel highness by diana ma

stone heart by katee robert

the perfect match by dandy smith

camp zero by michelle min sterling

one by one by frieda mcfadden

the wishing game by meg shaffer

a court of frost and starlight by sarah j. mass

that summer feeling by bridget morissey

to die for by lisa grey

the wrong family by tarryn fisher

heiress apparently by diana ma

the school for good mothers by jessamine chin

tomorrow, and tomorrow, and tomorrow by gabrielle zevin

she started it by sian gilbert

best friends forever by shannon hollinger

the housekeepers by alex hay

secluded cabin sleeps six by lisa unger

lore olympus: volume two by rachel smythe

of women and salt by gabriela garcia

kismet by amina akhtar

the devil wears scrubs by frieda mcfadden

girl, forgotten by karin slaughter

come closer by sara gran

the exorcist’s house by nick roberts

august blue by deborah levy

hang the moon by jeannette walls

the thursday murder club by richard osman

a whole new world by liz braswell

run on red by noelle w. ihli

the last thing he told me by laura dave

lore olympus: volume three by rachel smythe

how to sell a haunted house by grady hendrix

the dead romantics by ashley poston

cassandra in reverse by holly smale

i used to be fun by melanie summers

the showrunner by kim moritsugu

runaway groomsman by meghan quinn

i want to die but i want to eat tteokpokki by baek she-hee

the whispers by ashley audrain

e. aster bunnymund and the warrior eggs at the earth’s core! by william joyce

allergies: poems on grieving and loving by maggie bowyer

hermione granger and the philosopher’s stone by sara baines-miller

the summer house by keri beevis

exiles by jane harper

just the nicest couple by mary kubica

the very secret society of irregular witches by sangu mandanna

have you seen her by catherine mckenzie

the shallows by holly craig

a love letter to whiskey by kandi steiner

hermione granger and the chamber of secrets by sara baines-miller

the coworker by frieda mcfadden

tiny beautiful things by cheryl strayed

you’re not supposed to die tonight by kalynn bayron

the little old lady who broke all the rules by catharina ingelman-sundberg

hermione granger and the prisoner of azkaban by sara baines-miller

the blonde identity by ally carter

nicolas st. north and the battle of the nightmare king by william joyce

women in white coats by olivia campbell

the ex talk by rachel lynn solomon

hermione granger and the goblet of fire by sara baines-miller

the wife before by shanora williams

gone again by minka kent

know my name by chanel miller

in the lives of puppets by t.j. klune

the homewreckers by mary kay andrews

going dark by melissa de la cruz

all the dangerous things by stacy willingham

counterfit by kirsten chen

the rewind by allison winn scotch

have i told you this already? by lauren graham

beyond the wand by tom felton

jana goes wild by farah heron

the perfect son by frieda mcfadden

america’s next reality star by laura heffernan

the new mother by nora murphy

georgie, all along by kate clayborn

the storied life of a.j. fikry by gabrielle zevin

a flicker in the dark by stacy willingham

the villa by rachel hawkins

device free weekend by sean doolittle

what the neighbors saw by melissa adelman

the library of lost and found by phaedra patrick

motherthing by ainslie hogarth

the block party by jamie day

tanqueray by stephanie johnston

the ex hex by erin sterling

rock paper scissors by alice feeney

the kiss curse by erin sterling

it ends with us - colleen hoover

the summer of broken rules by k.l. walther

the wife stalker by liv constantine

in my dreams i hold a knife by ashley winstead

the family remains by lisa jewell

my secret sister by lauren westwood

the engagement by samantha hayes

if we were villains by m.l. rio

the sleepover by keri beevis

twenty years later by charlie donlea

the doctor’s wife by daniel hurst

[wutbju]

Guy J. Hefner, 91, of Hamilton, OH went to be with his Lord and Savior Jesus Christ on August 18, 2023 surrounded by his loving family. He was born on September 25, 1931, in Charleston, West Virginia to Ellodean H. and Guy H. Hefner. He was married to Colleen J. Tandy on December 28, 1954 in Miami, Florida.

Guy is survived by his two children, Carolyn Jan McAllister (Dale) of Hamilton, OH and Bradley Jay Hefner of Mason, OH; two granddaughters, Marilyn Joyce Cameron (Brooke) of Nashville, TN and Nancy Jan McAllister McLain (Matt) of Susanville, CA; and two great-grandsons, Griffin Allister Cameron and Lochlan Gunner Cameron of Nashville, TN.

Guy was preceded in death by Colleen, his loving wife of 66 years, his brother Dave L. Hefner, and his parents Ellodean H. (Drake) Hefner and Guy J. Hefner.

Guy was a very positive, loving man, dedicated to God and his family. He was an active member of 1st Baptist Church of Hamilton for 58 years, serving as Sunday School teacher, on the board of Trustees and as Moderator for many years. He excelled in football, playing for Graham High School in Bluefield, VA and later at Concord College. Due to an injury, he transferred to Bob Jones University where he met his future wife, Colleen Tandy. Guy graduated in 1955 with a B.S. degree in Art and History, and was commissioned a Second Lieutenant in the U.S. Marine Corps upon graduation. He served as a Marine for 15 years, both active and reserve, and was discharged as a Captain.

In 1957 in Atlanta, GA, Guy began his 35-year career with The Prudential Insurance Company as a District Agent. A promotion to Sales Manager in 1961 relocated him to Birmingham, AL. Then in September of 1965, Guy was named the new District Manager of the Hamilton, OH District Office, serving 27 years until his retirement in 1992.

In 1993 Guy pursued his dream and thru hiked the 2,155 mile long Appalachian Trail. Then again in 2003, he completed the A.T. as a section hiker.

Guy enjoyed many special trips with his family, and was such a wonderful husband, father, and grandfather, supporting his children and granddaughters in their many activities. Popa was so very proud of his granddaughters, Marilyn and Nancy, and great-grandsons, Griffin and Lochlan. Guy and Colleen spent 66 wonderful years together and are now once again united. Even though he will be greatly missed, we all look forward to seeing Guy, Daddy, and Popa in Heaven some day!

[cpw-nyc]

Reese Witherspoon to return as Tracy Flick in Election sequel

Benjamin Lee Thu 8 Dec 2022

Reese Witherspoon is set to reunite with director Alexander Payne for an Election sequel.

The film will be an adaptation of Tom Perrotta’s Tracy Flick Can’t Win, his 2022 novel that follows the character of Tracy Flick as she battles to become the principal of a suburban high school. “She hasn’t fulfilled her dreams of a political career,” Perrotta said of Tracy in the book. “And she’s looking back and starting to realize that she wasn’t as extraordinary an individual as she believed. That she was a kind of representative woman rather than a unique superhero.”

Perrotta’s novel was released to acclaim this June with the New York Times’s Molly Young calling it “exquisitely drawn”.

Tracy Flick Can’t Win will be released on streaming platform Paramount+. Witherspoon will also produce while Payne will again write the screenplay with Jim Taylor.

The 1999 original was a breakout success, netting Payne and Taylor an Oscar nomination for best adapted screenplay and Witherspoon a Golden Globe nod for best actress in a musical or comedy. The Guardian’s Peter Bradshaw called it “a devastatingly clever and funny black comedy”.

Witherspoon has since gone on to win an Oscar for her role in Walk the Line and has most recently been seen in Apple TV’s drama series The Morning Show. She will next lead Netflix romantic comedy Your Place or Mine alongside Ashton Kutcher and Legally Blonde 3, co-written by Mindy Kaling.

In a USA Today interview from this summer, Witherspoon teased that out of the “dozen projects in various stages of development” she is handling, there was one that she “can’t really talk about”. She said she would be “reprising a character I played a long time ago”.

Payne’s last film was 2017’s high-concept satire Downsizing starring Matt Damon. The film received mixed reviews and was a commercial misfire. His next film The Holdovers stars Paul Giamatti was recently purchased by Focus Features for a worldwide deal that is estimated to be worth $30m and is expected to be released in 2023.

Tracy Flick Can’t Win is one of many projects heading to Paramount’s streaming network based on pre-existing studio property. Next year sees a TV remake of Fatal Attraction starring Joshua Jackson and Lizzy Caplan and a Grease prequel.

Election at 20: assessing the high school satire's brutal politics

Charles Bramesco Tue 23 Apr 2019

There’s a big M Night Shyamalan twist in the final minutes of Election, Alexander Payne’s searing 1999 high school satire. Tracy Flick, the irritating overachiever indelibly played by a breakout Reese Witherspoon, is a Republican.

Throughout the film, Payne prefers to think about politics in the abstract, as an illusory choice between interchangeable versions of the same bullshit. Odious civics teacher Jim McAllister (Matthew Broderick) explains democracy as having the option to select either an apple or an orange, represented with two identical circles on his chalkboard. The closest thing that this comedy of bad morals has to a hero is Tammy Metzler (Jessica Campbell), who galvanizes the student body with a promise to dissolve the school government in toto if elected class president.

Office Space at 20: how the comedy spoke to an anxious workplace

Read more

Payne narrows his blanket contempt for the two-party system in only one moment, just short of the credits. After McAllister has torpedoed his professional and romantic lives by sabotaging Tracy’s campaign for office at Carver high, after the scandal’s dust has died down, he engineers a second act for himself in New York City as a museum guide. He encounters Tracy years later in Washington DC, where he glimpses her getting into a limo as a staffer to the fictitious Representative Mike Geiger, identified as a Nebraska Republican. A minor detail, perhaps, but for a character as invested in the trajectory of her own future as Tracy, it’s a significant one. Payne doesn’t like picking sides, he’d rather withdraw in disgust, so it stands out that he picks one for her.

In her school days, Tracy Flick is “political” in the same holistic, imprecise sense that Burning Man attendees can be “spiritual” without subscribing to any formal religion. She’s invigorated by the nuts and bolts of the voting process, and as is the case with all of her numerous extracurriculars, she throws her entire self into running for class president. But the dirty secret about résumé-padders like Tracy is that their only real commitment is to the act of staying involved. It’s not like dictating lunch block policy requires a nuanced platform, and still her stump speech goes heavy on upbeat vagaries over substance. She imitates the habits of studied politicians, hitting her cadences and singling out her working-class constituents to score pathos points.

Which makes it all the more curious that posterity has cast Tracy Flick as an avatar for liberalism. At the time of the original release in 1999, audiences already knew to read Tracy as a stand-in for Hillary Clinton; Witherspoon herself has reinforced the comparison, claiming just last year that she would never portray Clinton in a movie because she already had. Clinton herself has told the star that even 20 years out, people still ask her about Election all the time. These details were foregrounded in essays around the 2016 lead-up to the Presidential vote, pieces with titles like The Very Uncomfortable Experience of Rewatching Election in 2016 and Hillary Clinton, Tracy Flick, and the Reclaiming of Female Ambition.

These articles identified Tracy Flick as a vessel for a determination and self-sufficiency that frightens men when not actively offending them, a reading more than borne out by the film’s active interest in exposing the ugliest, pettiest sides of the adults undermining and taking advantage of her. (She’s introduced mid-affair with a lecherous married teacher; later, McAllister fetishizes her severity during sex with his own wife.) Tracy’s been wronged, the argument goes, devolving into a cudgel that male commentators can use to trivialize preparedness and perfectionism in distaff candidates. Tracy’s only sin, by the ethical calculus of this reappraisal? “She cares, about her own interests and those of everybody else, so insistently, and so aggressively – indeed, so ambitiously – as to blur the line between the two.”

That’s a generous assessment of a character who thinks to herself: “Now that I have more life experience, I feel sorry for Mr McAllister. I mean, anyone who’s stuck in the same little room, wearing the same stupid clothes, saying the exact same things year after year for all of his life, while his students go on to good colleges and move to big cities and do great things and make loads of money – he’s gotta be at least a little jealous. It’s like my mom says, the weak are always trying to sabotage the strong.” She’s smug and annoying and surprisingly entitled for someone resentful of the upper class, and yet she has the upper hand by not being a serially dishonest pedophile. Tracy doesn’t have to be good for the men around her to be worse.

That’s the disillusioned soul of the film, entrenching it within the cynicism of the 90s and estranging it from the hopeful revisionism of modern discourse. Election hones itself into a war of attrition between an actively terrible person and one who is just obnoxious enough to keep an audience at arm’s length. A foil for Tracy arrived in the form of Parks and Recreation’s Leslie Knope, another irrepressible go-getter with an eye for climbing the governmental ladder. Except that her always-on energy and tireless devotion to work earned her lots of friends as it boosted her up the chain of command, a fittingly optimistic rework for the hope-fueled Obama administration and Clinton candidacy. What makes Election special, and thoroughly alien to entertainment in 2019, is its refusal to give Tracy any leeway. If she’s going to gain the political foothold she so desperately craves, she will have to shack up with the neocons to do so. Bleak, sure, but at least Payne’s honest.