#Melody Niemann

[autisticshadowthehedgehog]

Hey guys do u remember in Sonic X where they made a big-hearted all-loving human that Shadow accidentally becomes besties with and then rubbed it in by making them look like Maria (YOU HAVE THE SAME FUCKING FACE) for no “apparent” reason? Anyway what if they just straight up cast Melody Niemann as Maria would that be fucked or what

[naturesfirstgreenisgold]

Judd and Grace Ryder playlist {9-1-1 Lone Star}

In order of artists

Take My Hand- 5 seconds of Summer

505- Arctic Monkeys

Till Forever Falls Apart- Ashe, FINNEAS

Stand by Me- Ben E. King

Take My Breath Away- Love Theme from “Top Gun”- Berlin

Save a Horse (Ride a Cowboy)- Big & Rich

Honey Bee- Blake Shelton

I’ll Walk- Billy Covington

Cowboy Casanova-Carrie Underwood

Kiss an Angel Good Mornin’- Charlie Pride

Hold On- Chord Overstreet

This Side of Paradise- Coyote Theory

Can I Call You Tonight?- Dayglow

Islands In the Stream- Dolly Parton, Kenny Rodgers

I Will Always Love You- Dolly Parton

Can’t Help Falling in Love- Elvis Presley

Love Me Tender- with the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra- Elvis Presley, Royal Philharmonic Orchestra

Let’s Fall in Love for the Night- FINNEAS

Fly Me To The Moon (In Other Words)- Frank Sinatra, Count Basie

Love Me Tender- Frank Sinatra

Calling Baton Rouge- Garth’s Hits

Soldier- Gavin DeGraw

Write This Down- George Strait

Carrying Your Love With Me- George

Strait Check Yes Or No- George Strait

we fell in love in october- girl in red

Hey Good Lookin’- Hank Williams, Drifting Cowboys

BOYFRIEND-HARDY

Love Of My Life- Harry Styles

I Want You Back- The Jackson 5

When You Love Someone- James TW

Lover, Lover- Jerrod Niemann

Hey Good Lookin- Jimmy Buffett, Clint Black, Kenny Chesney, Alan Jackson, Toby Keith, George Strait

It Ain’t Me Babe- Joaquin Pheonix, Reece Witherspoon

Heaven Sent Me You- John Michael Montgomery

Sold (The Grundy County Auction Incident)- John Michael Montgomery

High School Heart- John Michael Montgomery

Cat’s In The Cradle- Johnny Cash

Ring Of Fire-1988 Version- Johnny Cash

I Walk The Line- Single Version- Johnny Cash, The Tennessee Two

SLOW DANCING IN THE DARK- Joji

Somebody Like You- Keith Urban

American Kids- Kenny Chesney

Hold My Hand- Lady Gaga

Atta Girl- Lainey Wilson

A Woman Like You- Lee Brice

I Don’t Dance- Lee Brice

Drunk On You- Luke Bryan

Fast Car- Luke Combs

Ain’t No Mountain High Enough- Marvin Gaye, Tammi Terrell

As the World Caves In- Matt Maltese

Ophelia- Matt Schuster

Vienna- Matt Schuster

Tennessee Orange- Megan Moroney

Great Balls Of Fire- Live- Miles Teller

Me and My Husband- Mitski

Sweater Weather- The Neighbourhood

Heaven- Niall Horan

Fishin’ In The Dark- Live At The Red Deer Fine Arts Center, Canada/1991-Nitty Gritty Dirt Band

Dixieland Delight (Alabama Cover)- Old Crow Medicine Show

Story of My Life- One Direction

Mr. Loverman- Ricky Montgomery

Unchained Melody- The Righteous Brothers

See You Tonight- Scotty McCreery

You Belong With Me (Taylor’s Version)- Taylor Swift

Everybody Wants To Rule the World- Tears For Fears

My Girl- The Temptations

Die A Happy Man- Thomas Rhett

Are You Gonna Kiss Me Or Not- Thompson Square

Always On My Mind- Willie Nelson

Something in the Orange- Zach Bryan

Oklahoma Smokeshow- Zack Bryan

[rockzone]

Jason Charles Miller - Cards On The Table

Release Date: 5 May 2023

'Cards on the Table' is an album that reflects on Jason Charles Miller's musical influences, including rock, Americana, country and even metal.

Thought-provoking, contemplative lyrics are interspersed throughout the album, along with monster riffs, unforgettable melodies, and chilling harmonies, as well as spectacular performances from guest performers Kenny Aronoff, Austin Hanks, Duane Betts, Eban Schletter, Paul Cartwright, and Cameron Stone.

An accomplished performer with more than two decades of professional experience as a singer, songwriter, producer and voice actor, Jason Charles Miller has quietly established himself as a veteran presence in Americana, Country and Southern rock.

As a solo artist, Jason Charles Miller has performed alongside and opened for country and rock greats including Billy Ray Cyrus, Alan Jackson, Eric Church, Toby Keith, Ashley McBryde, Allman Betts Band, .38 Special, Night Ranger, Gary Allan, Justin Moore, Big Kenny of Big And Rich and Jerrod Niemann.

Widely recognized as the frontman and founder of the rock band Godhead, he has over 2.6 million streams on Spotify and has toured the world with the likes of Ozzy Osbourne, Rammstein, Disturbed, Linkin Park, Slipknot, and Korn frontman Jonathan Davis.

[scenesandscreens]

Sonic the Hedgehog 2 (2022)

Director - Jeff Fowler, Cinematography - Brandon Trost

"You're still just a kid. Trust me, there will come a moment when your power will be needed. But you don't choose that moment, that moment chooses you."

[shadowcatgirl09]

“So you won’t hurt your feet anymore.”

Melody Nosipho Niemann as Jojo in Sonic The Hedgehog (2020)

[blackfemmecharacterdependency]

Astra Logue Onscreen Incarnations

Nina Galano: The Sandman on Netflix

Astra really is a character that they said, “She Black now,” about and that just became the truth from then on out, huh? 😭

[quiredaragoff]

Sonic 2 (2022) | República Cinéfila

Sonic 2 (2022) | República Cinéfila

Sonic 2 es la secuela del exitoso filme de 2020 es una película que apuesta por inflar todo lo que había hecho bien en la primera entrega pero está vez más es menos porque hace dos años celebraba en la reseña de Sonic: La película las moderadas intenciones de una producción que no se autocelebraba desde la grandilocuencia. Era claramente un relato más cercano al de aquellas pequeñas películas de…

[winterfieldfrontiers]

My fancast for Sonic The Hedgehog 3 (2024 film) (Warning for Sonic 2 Mid-Credit)

After Robotnik's disappearance in Green Hills, the peace Sonic thought he had with Wachowski family, quickly ended. When he is accused by the government of the San Francisco attacking and arrested by the G.U.N. without excuses, Tom, Maddie, Tails, and Knuckles join forces to find the truth with a new ally, Amy Rose, who has connection with Sonic for a long time and the only one who can save him. 

“Shadow The Hedgehog" The ultimate creature from the Shadow Project has been awakened. two anthropomorphic hedgehog are fighting to show the world who's the strongest to protect or destroy it.

Sonic The Hedgehog 3 directed by Jeff Fowler, the third and final installment of Sonic The Hedgehog Trilogy Films.

Voice cast

Ben Schwartz as Sonic the Hedgehog: An anthropomorphic blue hedgehog who can run at supersonic speeds. He wishes to use his powers to be a hero and save lives, but is too immature and reckless.

Colleen O'Shaughnessey as Miles "Tails" Prower: An anthropomorphic yellow fox who can fly with his two tails and quickly becomes Sonic's best friend. 

Idris Elba as Knuckles the Echidna: An anthropomorphic red echidna warrior with superhuman strength. He is the sole survivor of the echidna tribe after they were wiped out by the owl tribe.

Keanu Reeves as Shadow The Hedgehog  An mysterious anthropomorphic black hedgehog associated with a secret government experiment called Project Shadow.

Anna Kendick as Amy Rose An anthropomorphic pink hedgehog associated with Wachowski to save Sonic and have mysterious about her origins

Scarlet Johansson as Rouge The Bat An anthropomorphic bat, a beautiful treasure hunter.

Live-action cast

Jim Carrey as Dr. Robotnik, a mad scientist and Sonic's archenemy. who disappeared after losing to Sonic in Green Hills

James Marsden as Tom Wachowski, the sheriff of Green Hills, Montana and Sonic, Tails, Knuckles's adoptive father. 

Tika Sumpter as Maddie Wachowski, Tom's wife and the local veterinarian of Green Hills who is also Sonic, Tails, Knuckles's adoptive mother. 

Natasha Rothwell as Rachel Handel, Maddie's older sister who dislikes Tom due to the events of the previous film. She’s Randall’s wife

Adam Pally as Wade Whipple, the deputy sheriff of Green Hills and Tom's friend. 

Shemar Moore as Randall Handel, Rachel's husband and an G.U.N. agent.

Lee Majdoub as Stone, a former government agent who is Robotnik's obsessively loyal assistant.

Tom Butler as Commander Walters, the former Vice Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff who is now the founder and leader of the military organization G.U.N.

Melody Nosipho Niemann as Jojo, Rachel's daughter and the niece of Maddie and Tom.

Robert De Niro as Professor Gerald Robotnik, a human scientist and the grandfather of Maria Robotnik and Dr. Robotnik. A world-renowned scientist who is widely acknowledged as one of the greatest scientific minds of all time

Mckenna Grace as Maria Robotnik, a young human, the granddaughter of Gerald Robotnik and the cousin of Dr. Robotnik.

Paul Rudd as Tim Wachowski, Tom's late dad, who has the secret about 50 years ago

Frank C. Turner as Crazy Carl, a human that lives in Green Hills and was the first person on Earth to be onto Sonic the Hedgehog, but he might know something about what’s happened, 50 years ago, when he was in the government.

Sarah Surh as Sarah, a former G.U.N. Mean Bean Agent from three weeks ago, now she’s working to arrest Sonic by Commander Walters’s command.

[czolgosz]

image 1: I remember vividly the change in his face when I told him that my knowledge of the Polish language was too limited to converse in it. The Slavonian sound was soft and melodious, but his voice displayed a hard ring when he began to speak English. His entire demeanor became more rigid.

image 2: He had but a vague idea of Anarchism; his questions as to Anarchist organization were naïve. All this became clear to me only later. At the time of Niemann's visit I was preoccupied with other matters. I regret with all my soul not to have had the chance to know him better, to become more intimate.

image 3: Two weeks later a letter arrived from Cleveland, denouncing my visitor as a police spy. A terrible blunder of blockheads! I know not whether he ever became cognizant of this denunciation. If he did, it must have gripped him terribly. Again he had sought for understanding and kindred souls—in vain.

excerpts from “a reminiscence”

[katlyntheartist]

YES I HOPE JEFF FOWLER AND PARAMOUNT WILL ADD JOJO INTERACTIONS WITH THE TRIO!!!!!!

Me too!!  Melody Nosipho Niemann is such a good actor and I really liked her parts in both movies. I just hope that the third will give her more screen time and more interactions with Sonic and Gang!

But until that happens I will continue to fill that void :3

[the2ddragonsingerqueen]

Sonic Movie 3 Idea Rewritten

Title: Sonic the  Hedgehog 3

Running Time: 2 hrs 22 mins

Release Date: June 21, 2024

The Plot

 One year and a half after the events of the previous two films, Sonic, Tails, and Knuckles and the Wachowski family are on the way to New York City to help establish a new treaty between humans and Mobians. With the new arrival of Amy Rose, a pink hedgehog with a huge passion for heroism, and the boys trying to get their way into a Crush 40 Reunion concert, their fun is threatened by Shadow the Hedgehog, a deadly force of nature and a revenge seeking *Agent Stone, who plot to destroy humanity with the Bio-Lizard, a death killing device that can only be activated by the seven Chaos Emeralds. It’s a race between the two teams to see who can collect the Seven Chaos Emeralds, and as they discover the dark past of Project Shadow, and encounter new Mobian allies, Sonic is challenged with a new foe that’s more than he can handle.

*Dr. Eggman and (if Jim Carrey considers returning to the role if he likes the script.)

The Cast

Voice Cast

1. Ben Schwartz as Sonic:  An anthropomorphic blue hedgehog who can run at supersonic speeds. Upon meeting Amy Rose, he develops a crush on her. 

2. Jason Griffith as Shadow: An anthropomorphic black hedgehog created by Gerald Robotnik to be the ultimate lifeform. He seeks to destroy humanity with the Bio-Lizard.

3. Colleen O’ Shaughnessy as Tails:  An anthropomorphic yellow fox and inventor who can fly with his two tails and is also Sonic’s younger adoptive brother. He was shunned on his own planet for his two tails being seen as weird and was left lonely but became inspired by Sonic.

4. Idris Elba as Knuckles:  An anthropomorphic red echidna warrior with superhuman strength and Sonic’s older adoptive brother. He is the sole survivor of the echidna tribe after they were wiped out by the owl tribe.

5. Cristina Vee as Amy Rose: An anthropomorphic pink hedgehog from Knothole Village with a passion for rock music who hasn’t quite figured out who she is and is also Sonic’s love interest. She receives a hammer created by Tails to harness her emotions.

6. Vella Lovell as Rouge: An anthropomorphic white bat and wanted jewel thief who is also Knuckles’ rival. She has become an agent of G.U.N and pretends to ally with Shadow to find the Chaos Emeralds.

Live Action Cast

The Wachowskis

1. James Marsden as Tom: The sheriff of Green Hills, Montana and Sonic, Tails, and Knuckles' adoptive father. He travels to New York with his family to help organize a human/Mobian peace treaty. 

2. Tika Sumpter as Maddie: Tom's wife and the local veterinarian of Green Hills who is also Sonic, Tails, and Knuckles' adoptive mother. She travels to New York with her family to help organize a human/Mobian peace treaty.

Villains

(IF POSSIBLE) Jim Carrey as Dr. Robotnik/Eggman: A mad scientist and Sonic's archenemy. He learns of Shadow and plans to complete the Bio- Lizard. 

3. Lee Majdoub as Agent Stone: A former government agent who is Robotnik's obsessively loyal assistant. He infiltrates G.U.N and steals Shadow in order to honor Eggman’s legacy and helps Shadow with his plans to destroy humanity with the Bio- Lizard.

Badniks- Scratch, Grounder, and Coconuts 

The Handels

4. Natasha Rothwell as Rachel Handel:  Maddie's older sister who dislikes Tom due to the events of the first film and Randall’s wife. She joins her family in New York in hopes to strengthen her relationship with Jojo

5. Shemar Moore as Randall Handel: Rachel's husband, and Jojo’s father who  a G.U.N. agent. He goes to New York with his family to help with the peace treaty and later discovers about Shadow. 

6. Melody Niemann as Jojo Handel: Rachel's daughter and the niece of Maddie and Tom. She befriends Amy Rose after discovering her in her home and becomes and later learns of Project Shadow . 

Robotniks Family

7. Jack Black as Dr. Gerald Robotnik: A scientist of the ARK and grandpa of Dr.Eggman who created Shadow in an attempt to help cure his daughter. 

8. Matilda Lawler as Maria Robotnik; The daughter of Gerald Robotnik who had a illness that prevented her from living on Earth. She was the only friend to Shadow before she sacrificed herself to protect him.

G.U.N Agents

9. Tom Butler as Commander Walters; The former Vice Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff who is the founder and leader of the military organization G.U.N. He was a part of the ARK where they created Project Shadow

10. Misha Osherovich as Young Walters

11. Elfina Luk as Agent Topaz: The former Secretary of Homeland Security and second in command to Commander Walters. She is determined to solve the mystery of Shadow’s origins 

12. Adam Pally as Wade Whipple: The deputy sheriff of Green Hills and Tom's friend. He becomes a surrogate father figure to Amy Rose upon Rachel bringing her to Green Hills and later temporary G.U.N agent for Project Shadow. 

12. Sarah Nicole Robles as Agent Ella: An online influencer in cooking and medicine specialist in G.U.N who is one of Topaz’ friends. She is based on Ella from Sonic X 

13. Yuji Okumoto as Agent Tanaka: A fighting specialist in G.U.N and friend of Agent Topaz. He is based on Mr. Tanaka from Sonic X. 

Minor Characters 

14. Seth Rogen as Vector: An anthropomorphic crocodile detective in Green Hills and leader of the Chaotix and one of Knuckles’ friends from the past. He agrees to look after Green Hills while Sonic and the Wachowskis head for New York.

15. Zeno Robinson as Espio: An anthropomorphic chameleon and the most chill member of the Chaotix.  He agrees to look after Green Hills while Sonic and the Wachowskis head for New York.

16. Michaela Dietz as Charmy: An anthropomorphic bee and the youngest member of the Chaotix.  He agrees to look after Green Hills while Sonic and the Wachowskis head for New York.

17. Silver the Hedgehog appears in an non-speaking role

18. Chris Rock as The President of the United States. A fictionalized version of the US President.

[scenesandscreens]

Sonic the Hedgehog (2020)

Director - Jeff Fowler, Cinematography - Stephen F. Windon

"This is MY power, and I'm not using it to run away any more! I'm using it to protect my friends!"

[theheartoftv]

When music magazine editor Amber (Holly Robinson Peete) is passed over for a promotion that’s rightfully hers, she decides to spend Christmas with her Aunt Dora (Patti LaBelle), the famous singer Dora DuChamp, who is now retired and owns the Mountain Pines Inn in Silver Springs, Colorado. Picked up at the train station by a handsome driver, Amber doesn’t hide her Type A personality one bit and is embarrassed to learn he’s Alan (Dion Johnstone), her aunt’s friend who agreed to meet Amber when all the taxis were booked. Off to a frosty start, Amber later sees Alan at the tree lighting with his daughter Katie (Melody Nosipho Niemann), who asks if Amber is the “pretty bossy lady” he was talking about. Busted, Alan is the embarrassed one now, and just as upset as Amber is to learn Dora has volunteered them to organize the high school fundraiser together. In charge of the fundraiser for the past few years, Alan, the school music teacher, bristles when Amber pipes up with all kinds of suggestions to make the event more elaborate. He also doesn’t like the idea of adding more Christmas decorations to auditorium where the students will be performing. “The simplicity,” he says, “allows the audience to focus on the kids.” Amber argues for more festive and back and forth they go, each wanting to call the shots. Claiming the fundraiser is basically a showcase for the kids because the music program is backed by a grant, Alan is unconcerned when Amber finally walks off in a huff. But when the school board decides to cancel the grant, Alan becomes more open to Amber’s ideas. And, when he learns that her magazine has agreed to sponsor the fundraiser, he’s delighted. But there is one condition to the sponsorship: Amber must get her famous aunt, who’s not fond of the press, to consent to an interview. Learning that Amber will be the one writing the article, and because it’s for the kids, Dora quickly gives the okay. Aunt and niece actually enjoy the process, especially since it gives them a chance to catch up after Amber’s parents passed. As Alan and Amber warm up to one another while putting up Alan’s Christmas tree with Katie, shopping for decorations, and doing a food tasting for the fundraiser, everything seems to be on track for a successful event, until the pipes burst in the school auditorium. Unable to come up with a solution, Dora quickly comes to the rescue. She suggests they hold the event in the Silver Springs church, guaranteeing the fundraiser will be a success if there’s a concert with a big-name headliner who’s willing to come out of retirement for one night only. Going off without a hitch, the fundraiser and Dora’s concert are a big success, and the warmth that had begun developing between Alan and Amber has turned into a romantic flame. Too bad the promotion Amber was recently passed over for has now been offered to her. Unable to tell her he wants her to stay, Alan better find the words soon, or Amber might be off to the big city and an even bigger career soon.

[superpoweredfancast]

Sonic The Hedgehog 2 A Fancast Review

Sonic The Hedgehog 2 A Fancast Review

Sonic The Hedgehog 2 Paramount Pictures Written by Pat Casey, Josh Miller and John Whittington Directed by Jeff Fowler Starring James Marsden, Jim Carrey, Ben Schwartz, Tika Sumpter, Idris Elba, Natasha Rothwell, Adam Pally, Shemar Moore, Lee Majdoub, Colleen O’Shaugnessey, Melody Nosipho Niemann and Tom Butler Rated PG When the manic Dr Robotnik returns to Earth with a new ally, Knuckles…

[the2ddragonsingerqueen]

Sonic Movie 3 Cast Idea

Voice Cast

Major Characters

1. Ben Schwartz as Sonic:  An anthropomorphic blue hedgehog who can run at supersonic speeds. Upon arriving in New York City, he quickly falls in love with Amy Rose and becomes determined to save her after Shadow kidnaps her.

2. Jason Griffith as Shadow: An anthropomorphic black hedgehog created by Gerald Robotnik to be the ultimate lifeform. He seeks to destroy humanity with the Black Doom device.

3. Colleen O’ Shaughnessy as Tails:  An anthropomorphic yellow fox and inventor who can fly with his two tails and is also Sonic’s younger adoptive brother. He was shunned on his own planet for his two tails being seen as weird and was left lonely but was inspired by Sonic.

4. Idris Elba as Knuckles:  An anthropomorphic red echidna warrior with superhuman strength and Sonic’s older adoptive brother. He is the sole survivor of the echidna tribe after they were wiped out by the owl tribe.

5. Cristina Vee as Amy Rose: An anthropomorphic pink hedgehog with a passion for rock music and is also Sonic’s love interest. She gets kidnapped by Shadow and forms an unlikely bond with him. She later receives a hammer created by Tails.

6. Estelle as Rouge the Bat: An anthropomorphic white bat jewel thief and Knuckles’ rival. She has become an agent of G.U.N to assist Agent Topaz to learn more about Project Shadow.

Minor Characters 

1. Seth Rogen as Vector: An anthropomorphic crocodile detective in Green Hills and leader of the Chaotix and one of Knuckles’ friends from the past. He agrees to look after Green Hills while Sonic and the Wachowskis head for New York.

2. Diego Luna as Espio: An anthropomorphic chameleon and the most chill member of the Chaotix.  He agrees to look after Green Hills while Sonic and the Wachowskis head for New York.

3. Michaela Dietz as Charmy: An anthropomorphic bee and the youngest member of the Chaotix.  He agrees to look after Green Hills while Sonic and the Wachowskis head for New York.

4. Uzo Aduba as Vanilla: An anthropomorphic bunny who is Vector’s girlfriend. She doesn’t appear until the mid credit scene. 

Live Action Cast

1. James Marsden as Tom: The sheriff of Green Hills, Montana and Sonic, Tails, and Knuckles' adoptive father. He travels to New York with his family to help organize a human/Mobian peace treaty. 

2. Tika Sumpter as Maddie: Tom's wife and the local veterinarian of Green Hills who is also Sonic, Tails, and Knuckles' adoptive mother. She travels to New York with her family to help organize a human/Mobian peace treaty.

(IF POSSIBLE) Jim Carrey as Dr. Robotnik: A mad scientist and Sonic's archenemy.

3. Lee Majdoub as Agent Stone/Eggman 2.0: A former government agent who is Robotnik's obsessively loyal assistant. He infiltrates G.U.N and steals Shadow in order to honor Eggman’s legacy and helps Shadow with his plans to destroy humanity with the Black Doom device.

4. Natasha Rothwell as Rachel Handel:  Maddie's older sister who dislikes Tom due to the events of the first film and Randall’s wife. She joins her family in New York in hopes to strengthen her relationship with Jojo

5. Shemar Moore as Randall Handel: Rachel's husband, and Jojo’s father who was a G.U.N. agent. He goes to New York with his family to help with the peace treaty and later returns to G.U.N to find and capture Shadow. 

6. Melody Niemann as Jojo Handel: Rachel's daughter and the niece of Maddie and Tom. She wants to be able to hang out with kids like Sonic despite her mom’s hesitation.

7. Jack Black as Dr. Gerald Robotnik: A scientist of the ARK and grandpa of Ivo Robotnik who created Shadow in an attempt to help cure his daughter. 

8. Matilda Lawler as Maria Robotnik; The daughter of Gerald Robotnik who had a illness that prevented her from living on Earth. She was the only friend to  Shadow before she was killed in order to protect him.

9. Tom Butler as Commander Walters; The former Vice Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff who is the founder and leader of the military organization G.U.N. He was a part of the ARK where they created Project Shadow

* Misha Osherovich potrays a young Walters

10. Mae Whitman as Agent Topaz: The daughter of Commander Walters and second in command of G.U.N. She is determined to solve the mystery of Project Shadow 

11. Adam Pally as Wade Whipple: The deputy sheriff of Green Hills and Tom's friend. He joins his friend and his family in New York and becomes a temporary G.U.N agent to assist Topaz, and Rouge to uncover Project Shadow. 

12. Sarah Nicole Robles as Ella Aleena Rose: An online influencer in motherhood living in New York and is Amy’s adoptive mother. She hopes for her daughter to be a bit more sociable and learn to be out of her comfort zone. She is based on Ella from Sonic X and her middle name references Queen Aleena from Sonic Underground

[misterclandestine]

My Favorite Stuff from 2017

It’s been a tough one, but there was a lot of awesome stuff that made it easier. Here are some of my favorites in no particular order.

DAMN by Kendrick Lamar, Album - The World felt different once this was in it. Kenny’s 4th release proved he’s just as thoughtful, agile, and hungry as ever.

everyone’s a aliebn when ur a aliebn too by Johnny Sun, Book - You can go through this hybrid graphic novel/picture-book in one sitting, but there’s so much to chew on here that I recommend taking time with this story, which follows Jomny, a misspelling aliebn sent to earth to study human behavior. The brief, direct interactions simply, & hilariously reveal everything beautiful and tragic about what it is to be alive.  

Abstract: The Art of Design, Series - This Netflix series drops you into the lives of 6 masterful creators moving through subcultures of artistry (i.e Footwear Design, Illustration, Stage Design). Each revealing their varying methods, ideas, and joys about creativity. The standout episode follows Christoph Niemann, an illustrator for the New Yorker, and his blue-collar approach to his work.

Game of Thrones: The Spoils of War, TV Series - Though this season was rushed, clumsy and arguably unrecognizable from the compelling and prestigious drama that has unprecedentedly impacted our culture, you won’t find a more gripping hour of television. You know a show is wilding out when you don’t know who the hell to even root for anymore (Get em, Drogo! Wait, not Bronn! Wait, not the incestuous child killer!)

Insecure: Season 2, TV Series - The show you didn’t know you needed. Issa Rae’s hilarious dramedy paints a picture of what it’s like to be young, ambitious, unapologetic, lonely, intelligent, sexy, successful, and losing.

Last Week Tonight with John Oliver: Season 4, TV Series - Oliver’s weekly recap simultaneously manages to be enlightening, funny, depressing, and hopeful. His takedown of Alex Jones was one of the most satisfying things I consumed all year.

Do Not Disturb by Drake, Song - the final track of More Life, a surprise ‘mixtape’, samples ‘Time’ by Snoh Alegra, and is one of his most personal songs to date. Without a chorus, he raps for 3 minutes about not needing romance, fear of irrelevancy, and the quickening passage of time. Gracefully shifting between insecurity and arrogance with dizzying fervor, Aubrey continues to capture the emotional woes of an entire generation.

Get Out, Film - Jordan Peele’s directorial film debut is the rare instant classic, and it’s not because it has one of the most crowd-pleasing endings of all time. The satirical, social commentary cloaked in the guise of a horror comedy, refuses definition, and peels back layers of race, and class previously untouched in cinema.

Melodrama by Lorde, Album - With a kajillion pounds of pressure on her shoulders to follow up one of the best pop debuts of all time, Ella delivers. She croons on top of Jack Antonoff���s unruly production about heartbreak, fame, and the feeble impact of acclaim. As one Twitterer put it “I gain an extra chromosome when the beat drops in ‘Sober II’.

mother!, Film - I can’t say I enjoyed this movie because it was the second most excruciating sit I had at the theater all year (kudos to Justice League), but it left me SHOOK. It’s clearly allegorical, but what makes it masterful is that the way you take this movie in is colored almost entirely by your own personal experiences.

Master of None: Season 2, TV Series - A perfect double-feature to Insecure (give me a shared universe where Dev and Issa are a power couple). Ansari’s relentlessly entertaining series accomplishes what every second season strives for. It tops the first, while redefining and expanding itself. The show is tirelessly committed to the experiences of ‘others’ (a deaf person, a lesbian, a non-believing muslim, service workers in NYC etc.) It’ll leave you crying, laughing, and hungry.

Split, Film - When we’re lucky, films hit ya with “SURPRISE, muthafucka” moments that Jesus himself would not see coming. Shyamalan’s second hit in a row (after a run of all time duds) ends with one 17 years in the making. The iconic villain terrifyingly played with razor-sharp swiftness by the world-class James McAvoy is the icing on the cake.

Isaiah Thomas, Athlete - If not for Russell Westbrook’s record breaking response to Kevin Durant’s betrayal, the “King in the Fourth” takes home the MVP. Watching him play through tears the day after his sister died in a car accident will stay with me forever. His 53 point performance on her birthday a few weeks later starkly reminded me of the unifying, powerful spirit of sport.

Moonlight’s Best Picture Win - I’ll begin by saying that I really liked La La Land. A month after we swore in Don, we got it wrong again… psych! I’ll never forget the roller coaster of emotion that came over me in this moment. Barry Jenkin’s tale told through 3 untraditional acts (titled ‘Little’, ‘Chiron’ & ‘Black’) was gorgeously shot, flawlessly acted, and supremely helmed. It arrived at a time we needed it most and Mahershala Ali FINALLY got his shine.

Coco, Film - We got one shot this year, and we NAILED it. This breathtaking portrait of Mexican culture demands to be seen on the big screen and illuminates the importance of dreams, family, and tradition. No manches!

‘No Man’s Land’ scene in Wonder Woman - There were two times in the theater this year that I felt that sinking drop of a roller coaster in my belly, this was one of them. Gal Gadot and Patty Jenkins must be emboldened and protected at all cost.

Woody Harrelson, Actor - The rare movie-star actor quietly had a phenomenal year, further etching the grooves of his name into Hollywood lore. His turns in The Glass Castle, The War for the Planet of the Apes, and Three Billboards in Ebbing Missouri prove he’s STILL at the top of his game. I’m shocked that his heartbreaking portrayal of a drifting, alcoholic yet whimsical and passionate father in The Glass Castle hasn’t gotten more attention.

S - Town, Podcast - The colder you go into this one, the better. All I’ll say is that you’ll step away from this one feeling some type of way about people, the feeble sustainability of the planet, and clocks.

The World Series, Sports - The. Best. Ever. After being devastated by Hurricane Harvey, the Astros grant Houstonians some restoration via their first World Series Championship in a thrilling 7-game series that was literally witnessed by the World.

The Keepers, Documentary Series- This 7 episode series documenting the varying controversies surrounding the Catholic Church left me epiphanized about what it means to remove the seemingly impenetrable powers of institutions. Targeting one single individual, or a group of individuals or an organization won’t get it done. We must take down the viral ideas themselves.

Bladerunner 2049, Film - Aside from being wondrously constructed technically (you won’t see better production design or cinematography - give Deakins his Oscar now dammit), this story about a robot serves up a surprising amount of soul. Denis Villeneuve, solidifying his auteur status, delivers a nostalgic yet entirely unique follow up to the beloved sci fi classic.

‘Throne Room’ scene in The Last Jedi - This was the other time I felt like I was falling in the theater. Despite considerable problems, Rian Johnson showed us stuff we’ve never seen before in the SW universe. It’s the showdown you dream about as a kid.

The Big Sick, film - Kumail Nanjiani’s autobiographical story of how he met his lover is sorta the woke edition of Meet The Parents. Like Dev on MON, Kumail struggles to blaze trails while upholding loyalty to family and falls in love for a white girl along the way. Ray Romano and Holly Hunter turn in a pair of the year’s best performances.

Big Little Lies, Mini Series - I resisted the marketing for this one initially: dissatisfied, rich folk in Monterey. But the re-teaming of Jean-Marc Vallée (Wild, Dallas Buyers Club, Demolition) & Reese Witherspoon seemed promising. Momentum grew with each weekly installment (I overheard people theorizing whodoneit in restaurants), which is refreshing in the Netflix age. The leads are all stellar (believe the hype about Kidman) and Zoe Kravitz proves she should be working more.

Creature Comfort by Arcade Fire, Song - A painful examination of youth that’s equally heartbreaking and melodic.

Homecoming Season 2 - The fictional podcast about the remnants of a government coverup of a failed rehabilitation program for distressed veterans makes some questionable narrative choices in it’s second season and Oscar Isaac is absent throughout most of it (likely due to a loaded schedule). He does “appear” at the end of the second episode ‘CIPHER’, in a brilliant usage of audio storytelling, and it left me in puddles.

Mindhunter, TV Series - We all know Fincher is a technical maestro, but I don’t think he gets enough credit for being a complete storyteller, which he clearly is. The 13-episode made-to-binge Netflix series based off the book by the same name follows Holden Ford, an idealistic FBI profiler, and Bill Tench, played by Holt McCallany subverting every macho character role he’s ever taken on as a highly intelligent, hardened fed, as they attempt to break ground on our understandings of serial murderers. All of Fincher’s trademarks are there with sprinkled elements of Seven, & Zodiac.

Tyler the Creator’s Tiny Desk Concert, Podcast - I enjoyed ‘Flower Boy’, but didn’t find myself returning to it. That all changed after this. In a year of fantastic TDCs (i.e: Thundercat, Chance the Rapper) Tyler’s stands out. With help from a pair of stellar background singers, his array of talents are on full display, namely: composing and orchestrating melody and harmony.

Colin Kaepernick, Athlete - it’s not about the flag or the military don’t @ me.

20th Century Women, Film - Released wide in January, it remains one of the year’s best. Set gorgeously in 1970′s Santa Barbara, Mike Mills’ deeply personal tribute to motherhood, women, & outcasts overflows with heart.

Kamala Harris, (D) CA Senator - She is so bad, can we get started on the 2020 bumper stickers now?

What Now by Sylvan Esso, Album - ‘Hey Mami’ from their 2014 debut popped up on my Pandora one day and I was IN. Amelia Meath’s angelic vocals layered over Nick Sanborn’s unpredictable production is sublime. The “Echo Mountain Sessions” include dope af live recordings of the album’s standout tracks.

Logan, Film - The Wolverine movie we deserve also features a star-making performance from Dafne Keen and an unrecognizable Professor X. With a decade between the last time he inhabited his iconic portrayal of Charles Xavier, Sir Patrick Stewart strides (wheels?) back into the role with award worthy tact.

Fargo Season 3, TV Series - The best season yet and that’s really saying something. David Thewlis is haunting as Varga, the creepiest, most frightening villain in the series’ history and a collection of top-tier thespians rounds out the rest of the cast. There’s also a moment in one of the later episodes similar to the ending of ‘Split’ that’s a real delight.  

Mr. Robot Season 3, TV Series - Showrunner Sam Esmail moves us through this complex dystopia, which has begun to bear resemblance to our reality lately, with complete CTRL. We see Mr. Robot AND Bobby Canavale like never before. That oner episode is pretty cool too, but it’s not even the season’s best.

Other Notables: Patton Oswalt: Annihilation, Girls Trip, The Leftovers Season 3, Glow, Twin Peaks: The Return, Ingrid Goes West, BEAUTIFUL THUGGER GIRLS by Young Thug, Add Violence by NIN, Good Time, Stranger Things: Season 2, Legion, Dunkirk, Crashing, NO ONE EVER REALLY DIES by N.E.R.D, 4:44 by Jay-Z, Dirty John, Wind River, Dear White People

FYI: I still haven’t seen/listened to a lot of stuff, namely all the big award contending films.