#Phoebe goes to comic con

[princesssszzzz]

Phoebe Campbell 🙏 Phoebe is harder to find info about than Ewan and Bigfoot combined. The pretty lady in orange is acting coach Adele James she interviewed Harry Collett last year and played Pheobe’s sister in this play.

[papermoonloveslucy]

LUCY: 40 YEARS OF TELEVISION

1954  Part One ~ JANUARY to JUNE

Season three of “I Love Lucy” concludes with another Emmy win for the series and for Vivian Vance.  February would see the premiere of the film “The Long, Long Trailer.” 

"The Million-Dollar Idea" (ILL S3;E13) ~ January 11, 1954

Lucy takes a page from Jackie Gleason with this get-rich-quick scheme selling salad dressing on television!  Frank Nelson is back as yet another TV host, Dickie Davis.  Filmed November 26, 1953. 

"Ricky Minds the Baby" (ILL S3;E14) ~ January 18, 1954

Ricky takes a page from “Father Knows Best” when telling a bedtime story to his son. To assure that the potential crying of the Mayer Twins (Little Ricky) didn’t hold up the filming, this is one of the few episodes not filmed in front of a live audience. Filmed December 3, 1953.  

"The Charm School" (ILL S3;E15) ~ January 25, 1954

Best remembered for Natalie Schafer (”Gilligan’s Island”) as Charm School proprietress Phoebe Emerson. The week before this episode first aired, Schafer made an appearance on CBS TV’s "Topper” as a character named (coincidentally) Mrs. Vance. Filmed December 10, 1953. 

"Sentimental Anniversary" (ILL S3;E16) ~ February 4, 1954

This episode was filmed on December 17, 1953, just two weeks after Desi surprised Lucy with a 13th wedding anniversary party at the Mocambo. Includes real snapshots of Lucy and Desi that were taken from Lucille’s dressing room!  Despite the color photo above, the episode was shot and aired in black and white and has not (to date) been colorized. 

"Fan Magazine Interview" (ILL S3;E17) ~ February 8, 1954

This episode marks the first appearance of Kathryn Card as Minnie Finch, although she would be best remembered for playing Lucy’s mother, Mrs. McGillicuddy.  Best remembered for a joke about the controversial Kinsey Sex Study.  The first episode filmed after the holiday break, on January 7, 1954. 

“Sixth Annual Primetime Emmy Awards” ~ February 11, 1954

Only broadcast on local television station KHA (aka KCLA-TV). The series won for Best Situation Comedy, as did Vivian Vance for playing Ethel Mertz. Lucille was nominated but lost to Eve Arden in “Our Miss Brooks” (ironically filmed at Desilu Studios).  William Frawley lost to Art Carney as Ed Norton on “The Honeymooners.”  

“Toast of the Town: The MGM Story" ~ February 14, 1954

Lucy and Desi appeared on Ed Sullivan’s show to mark the 30th Anniversary of Metro Goldwyn Mayer (MGM). Three days later, their MGM color film The Long, Long Trailer premiered.   

"Oil Wells" (ILL S3;E18) ~ February 15, 1954

It was a bit of a stretch for the Ricardos and Mertzes to strike oil in midtown Manhattan, but that didn’t stop the writers!  Featuring Sandra Gould, who is probably best remembered as the second Gladys Kravitz on “Bewitched” (1966-1971). Filmed January 14, 1954. 

“What’s My Line? (S2;E25) ~ February 21, 1954

As Mystery Guest, Lucille Ball uses the same voice she created when she played a Martian at the top of the Empire State Building in “Lucy is Envious” (ILL S3;E23). Host John Daly tells the panel that Lucy is speaking Martian. That  episode was filmed on February 16, 1954 just five days before this quiz show. 

"Ricky Loses His Temper" (ILL S3;E19) ~ February 22, 1954

Includes an appearance by Madge Blake (Aunt Harriet on “Batman”) as Mrs. Mulford, who owns the hat shop Lucy patronizes. Famed Western ventriloquist Max Terhune makes a brief appearance with his dummy, Elmer Sneezeweed!  Filmed January 21, 1954. 

"Home Movies" (ILL S3;E20) ~ March 1, 1954

Home movie technology was new in the 1950s, but that doesn’t stop Ricky. Due to logistics, this episode was filmed (January 28, 1954) without a studio audience. Once the gag reel of Ricky’s audition had been created, the entire episode was shown to an audience and their laughter recorded for the final broadcast.  Includes the songs “Vaya Con Dios” and I’m An Old Cowhand (On the Rio Grande)”. 

"Bonus Bucks" (ILL S3;E21) ~ March 8, 1954

The episode was inspired by the popular newspaper contests of matching serial numbers on a bill which were called ‘Lucky Bucks’ but due to the show’s sponsorship with Philip-Morris cigarettes, the word ‘Lucky’ [as in Strike] was to be avoided.  Once again Lucy tries to outpace a speedy conveyor belt, this time one that leads to a laundry starch vat!  Filmed February 4, 1954. 

"Ricky's Hawaiian Vacation" (ILL S3;E22) ~ March 22, 1954

Hawaii was a favorite get-away for the Arnaz family, but the Ricardos never leave their living room.  Includes Frank Nelson reprising his role as quiz master Freddie Fillmore hosting a TV show called “Be A Good Neighbor.”  Lots of physical comedy by Lucy adds to the fun!  Filmed February 11, 1954, the same day that the show won its second Emmy.  

"Lucy Is Envious" (ILL S3;E23) ~ March 29, 1954

“It’s a moo-moo!” Inspired by Orson Welles’ “War of the Worlds” radio broadcast, Lucy and Ethel take a promotional gig as women from Mars atop the Empire State Building!  Mary Jane Croft makes her first appearance as Cynthia Harcourt, the socialite Lucy is envious of, and Herb Vigran plays the publicity agent who hires the girls. Filmed February 16, 1954. 

"Lucy Writes a Novel" (ILL S3;E24) ~ April 5, 1954

Having already tackled a play (”A Tree Grows in Havana” / “The Perils of Pamela”) and an operetta (”The Pleasant Peasant”), Lucy tackles a novel, a roman a clef she titles “Real Gone With the Wind.”  Filmed March 4, 1954. 

"Lucy's Club Dance" (ILL S3;E25) ~ April 12, 1954

This episode was rerun in season five with a new opening that set the rerun up as a flashback. Lucy is back on the sax and TV Guide gets some publicity as a thank you for putting Desi Jr. and Lucy on their first national edition’s cover. Filmed March 11, 1954. 

"The Black Wig" (ILL S3;E26) ~ April 19, 1954

Inspired by the Italian film stars of the time, Lucy wants her hair short and dark.  While Ricky disapproves, he (amazingly) fails to recognize her setting off an elaborate charade to test his fidelity; one that ends up with Ethel dressed up “like a trip around the world.”  Filmed on March 24, 1954, in black and white, despite the colorized photo above. 

"The Diner" (ILL S3;E27) ~ April 26, 1954

This episode and the “The Black Wig” (ILL S3;E26) had their filming and broadcast order switched so that Bill’s Diner ended up becoming the set for Tony’s Restaurant where black wig Lucy and Geisha/American Indian/Eskimo Ethel meet Ricky and Fred for their fake blind date. The episode ends in true vaudevillian comic style with everyone getting a cream pie in the face.

"Tennessee Ernie Visits" (ILL S3;E28) ~ May 3, 1954

The first of two linked episodes guest-starring country music personality Tennessee Ernie Ford.  Not only would he return during season 4, he would guest-star on “The Lucy Show” and “Here’s Lucy.”  This is the first mention of Mrs. McGillicuddy, Lucy’s scatter-brained mother.  Filmed April 1, 1954. 

"Tennessee Ernie Hangs On" (ILL S3;E29) ~ May 10, 1954

Lucy tries everything to get rid of her country-fried house guest.  The finale finds Ernie and the gang on television singing “Y’All Come!”  Filmed April 8, 1954. 

"The Golf Game" (ILL S3;E30) ~ May 17, 1954

Lucille Ball was a golf widow on camera and off. Desi Arnaz even built a home on a golf course. Even her second husband Gary Morton was addicted to the game.  This episode features real-life golf pro Jimmy Demaret.  He returned for another golf-themed episode on “The Lucy Show.”  Filmed April 15, 1954.

"The Sublease" (ILL S3;E31) ~ May 24, 1954

So that the Ricky can take a booking in California, the Ricardos sublet their apartment to Mr. Beecher (Jay Novello) who jumps at his own shadow. When the booking falls through, Lucy goes to extremes to get Mr. Beecher out!  Filmed April 22, 1954.

ALSO IN 1954...

“THE MILTON BERLE SHOW” (S6;E23) ~ May 4, 1954

Berle's guests include Vivian Vance and William Frawley from “I Love Lucy” (1951) and singer/actress Janet Blair. Miltie rents a new rehearsal hall from landlords Fred and Ethel Mertz.  Lucille Ball and Desi Arnaz do not appear. 

[biofunmy]

‘Friends’ Central Perk couch goes on tour for 25th anniversary

CLOSE

Warner Bros. made 30 replicas of the iconic “Friends” Central Perk couch and is placing them at locations around the world, including the Grand Canyon, to celebrate the 25th anniversary of the hit comedy’s premiere, on Sept. 22, 1994. (Photo: Warner Bros. TV)

Fans around the world can get comfy with “Friends.” 

As part of a flurry of promotions celebrating the 25th anniversary of the NBC hit comedy’s premiere, 30 replicas of the iconic fringed orange couch – seen in the Central Perk coffeehouse and in the show’s original opening credits – are going on tour this month to locations around the world, USA TODAY reveals exclusively.

From the Grand Canyon to the Empire State Building, from Stonehenge to the Eiffel Tower, fabric and waterproof versions of the sofa are being placed at key locations surrounding the Sept. 22 anniversary of the show’s premiere. (See the full list of sites below).  The stunt hearkens back to a similar effort by HBO, which hid six Iron Throne replicas around the world last March to promote that series’ final season. 

Jennifer Aniston, Matt LeBlanc, Lisa Kudrow on the couch, and Matthew Perry and Courteney Cox (standing) in an episode of NBC’s “Friends,” celebrating its 25th anniversary in 2019 with a sofa tour. (Photo: Warner Bros. TV)

“If you had told me that we’re going to come up with a show that, 25 years later, one piece off furniture is so iconic you could put it in the Empire State Building and you’d know what it is, It’s beyond surreal,” says co-creator David Crane in an interview.

The history of the orange ‘Friends’ couch

Where did the couch come from? Not a thrift store or swap meet, despite searching for the perfect boho piece by set decorator Greg Grande, who eventually found it combing through the basement storage area at the Warner Bros. studio in Burbank, California. “Literally in the back corner, shoved under another piece, was this sofa with beautiful carved wood,” he recalls. 

Phoebe (Lisa Kudrow), Rachel (Jennifer Aniston) and Monica (Courteney Cox) relax on the orange Central Perk couch in a scene from NBC’s “Friends.” (Photo: Warner Bros. TV)

Grande thought it was perfect for Central Perk, for which he took design inspiration from the Insomnia Cafe in West Hollywood. But the first rehearsal for the show’s pilot episode drew criticism: “I remember explicitly, there were network and studio notes because there was a rip in the back of the sofa and it was a little tattered on the arms. I had to redo some of the fringe.” But director James Burrows went to bat for the Central Perk couch as “absolutely believable and real,” Grande says. “The compromise was for me to take a piece of tapestry throw” and cover the biggest rip.

After the series won a pickup and prepared to begin its historic 10-season, 236-episode run, Grande found the same fabric in Europe and reupholstered the sofa. Then he put a piece of plywood under the cushion to keep the actors from sinking into it too deeply.

Eventually, he had a second couch made; the first can still be seen on the Warner Bros. studio tour, as a cultural touchstone for both older and younger fans, who weren’t even born when the show premiered in 1994 but have binged every episode on Netflix. (It’s moving to the new HBO Max service next year). 

What’s “amazing” to Crane is “that there are kids who are discovering the show and liking it, that it’s still somehow relevant. That’s the part that’s absolutely surreal.”

Other ‘Friends’ anniversary events

A sampling of other official celebrations

The “Friends” Pop-Up Experience, a memorabilia museum and gift store, will open in New York’s SoHo neighborhood from Sept. 7 to Oct. 6. (Tickets are sold out).

Crane, co-creator Marta Kauffman and executive producer Kevin Bright will reminisce at a Tribeca Television Festival panel in New York on Sept. 13.

Twelve top episodes will be screened at movie theaters across the country Sept. 23, Sept. 28 and Oct. 2.

A Central Perk Lego set is now available in stores and on Lego’s website. 

And a collection of “Friends”-inspired home furnishings, including an apothecary coffee table, is available at Pottery Barn stores, although Phoebe (Lisa Kudrow) notoriously despised the chain. (Grande says his pitch for a furniture line to Warner Bros. was shot down years ago.) 

Build it: Lego offers a ‘Central Perk’ set to celebrate Friends 25th anniversary

See it: Could we be any more excited? ‘Friends’ pop-up exhibit is coming to New York

Sit on it: Sorry, Phoebe: Pottery Barn’s ‘Friends’ collection is here, Apothecary Table

Where to find the ‘Friends’ couch

United States

Empire State Building (New York) (Sept. 21-22)

Friends Pop-Up Experience (New York) (Sept. 7-Oct. 7)

Tribeca Television Festival (New York)

Grand Canyon (Arizona)

Maggie Daley Park (Chicago) (Sept. 21)

Willis Tower (Chicago) (Sept. 20-22)

Jackson Square (New Orleans) (Sept. 19-22)

Klyde Warren Park (Dallas) (Sept. 13-29)

Reunion Tower (Dallas) (Sept. 16-30)

US Bank Tower (Los Angeles) (Sept. 16-22)

AT&T stores (Chicago, Seattle, San Francisco, New York, Anchorage, Alaska; Mall of America in Minnesota)

Canada

Toronto International Film Festival

Europe

The London Eye (U.K.) (Sept. 22)

Abbey Road (London) 

Venice International Film Festival (Italy)

Stonehenge (U.K.)

Ross Fountain (Edinburgh, Scotland) 

Cardiff Castle (Wales) (Sept. 19) 

Potters Field/Tower Bridge (London) (Sept. 20)

Triton Fountain (Rome) (Sept. 21-22)

Royal Palace (Madrid) (Oct. 1-Nov. 30)

Sony Center (Berlin) (Sept. 21-22)

Jardin du Palais Royal (Paris) (Sept. 12) 

Elsewhere

Burj Khalifa (Dubai, United Arab Emirates)

Comic-Con Africa (Johannesburg)

Bogota, Colombia

Mexico City

Sao Paulo

Buenos Aires, Argentina 

Autoplay

Show Thumbnails

Show Captions

Last SlideNext Slide

Read or Share this story: https://www.usatoday.com/story/entertainment/tv/2019/09/03/friends-central-perk-couch-goes-tour-25th-anniversary/2191416001/

Sahred From Source link TV and Movies

from WordPress http://bit.ly/2LoQDb1 via IFTTT

[jstar97]

Writing Prompt: You’d never believe me

So I got the writing prompt “You’d never believe me,” from @somethingmoreclever (thanks btw and hope you like it) and this story came out of it but I’ve been kind of chicken to post it. So, here it is. And if you have a *cough* helpful *cough* or *cough* constructive *cough cough* critique or want to say something positive, then please go ahead. Also, anyone who has sent me a prompt, I’m working on it and thanks :)

________________________________________________________________

I'm passed out on my bed, sleeping on top of papers, books, and pens when I feel something large and soft slap me in the face. A pillow. My roommate, more dreaming than awake, mutters, "Eggs."

I whine, "Why me?"

"Because my paper's due at 12 P.M. and you're free today."

Figures. As I push myself out of bed, crumpling color-coded notes and over-priced textbooks in the process, I grumble, "Never telling you my schedule again."

I grab my wallet, walk out the door and down eight flights of stairs, past the front desk to the bus stop. The driver today is Lena. All smiles, she asks, "Trouble getting up, Sunshine?"

"Huh? How'd you guess?"

"First of all, you don't usually take the bus on Fridays and second…well, you didn't look at yourself this morning, did ya?"

She hands me her compact and points to the chair behind hers. It's only then I realize why I got so many funny looks at the stop. My hair is in knots and tangles and there's a white strip of dried drool  running down the corner of my mouth. Plus, I was still wearing my Pikachu onesie and matching slippers. You know, the ones that go "Pika, pika," if you stomp your feet. After handing back the mirror, I check my breath. Crap, forgot to brush my teeth. It was a mistake to eat everything-on-it pizza with extra garlic sauce last night. Pulling the hoodie up, I slouch and cross my arms.

Finally, my stop. I race out of the bus, jumping through the sliding doors and over wet floor signs until I'm at the back of the grocery store. "Ha," I groggily laugh, "Eggs in the Dairy Section."

There's cheese, butter, margarine. But no eggs. Not even those expensive free-range ones.

A stock clerk is shelving out butter where the eggs should be. "Um, excuse me -" He turns and smirks. "Dude, Comic Con was last week."

"Haha, you're hilarious."

"Ooh, someone woke up on the wrong side of the bed. Whatcha do, get stuffed in a Pokeball?"

"Look, you wanna help or should I call the manager? I need eggs, man, so I can hibernate till Monday."

"We don't have any."

"Really? A grocery store that doesn't have one carton of eggs at 9 A.M.? Not even in the back?"

"Nope."

"I'm just gonna check with the manager -"

"No!" He yells abruptly. "I mean, did you say eggs? I thought you said pegs -"

"Because it makes perfect sense that I ask for pegs while standing in the Dairy Section -"

"Come with me." We walk to the "Employees Only" door.

"Um, I'm not supposed go in there."

"I'll let them know you're with me." I want to go back to bed as soon as possible so I go in.

We went in. It was pitch black. "Hey, where's the - ?"

Next thing you know, I'm pushed into a giant cell and fall on something soft. Someone turns on a light switch. It looks like most of the employees are here.

"Hey, how'd you get into this?" Sam, who's usually at the cash register, asks. From the coffee in his hand, I could tell that he must have got caught up in this when he came here for his break.

"Eggs."

I look down and realize that the soft something was actually a very annoyed someone. Nina, to be exact. We're both in Linear Algebra.

"Do you mind getting off of me?"

"Oops, sorry."

After we get up, she asks, "You've been coming here for two years and it didn't occur to you once that he's new?"

By 'he', she means the jerk who brought me here. He looks the same, mostly. I mean he's still wearing the uniform and that sarcastic smile.

But his skin is now purple and his eyes are blood-red.

"Huh, that's new. Am I on one of those hidden camera shows?" My fellow prisoners shake their heads. "Back to your question, Nina, am I supposed to memorize everyone's name? By the way, hi Bob, Larry, Leia, John, Sharon, Aaron and Phoebe. Oh, and Phil's in the back? Hi Phil! We're still on for chess next Tuesday, right?"

"Yup. Nice onesie by the way!"

Nina raises her eyebrows. "Okay, fine, I know everyone's names. Sue me. But how was I supposed to know you guys didn't hire someone new?"

I turn back to our captor. "Hey, Purple-Face - nope, that would be rude. Do you have a name? I mean, I was kinda crabby earlier and I'm really trying to -"

"For Pete's sake, he locked us in a cell!"

"I am Autoraun 319, an android from the planet you Earthlings call '55 Cancri e'. My model is the most advanced of its kind. I can change appearance, am virtually indestructible, can display over 4250 different emotions, and can process information at lightning speed, allowing me to assimilate with the surrounding population. I also can fly and have an arsenal of weaponry at my disposal. Since I am so powerful, only one of me was need for my important mission."

"And that is?"

"Collecting a rare but powerful nutrition source for the people of my planet -"

"Human brains?!?" Sam panics, dropping some of his coffee on my slippers.

Autoraun rolls his - its - eyes. "Human brains are neither rare nor nutritious. I'm talking about chicken eggs."

We all burst out laughing.

"I'm telling ya, this has gotta be a hidden camera show!"

"I've never heard of anything stupider in my life!"

"What's next? You'll want to steal our milk and cookies too?"

After a minute or so, when the android's glowering intensifies, we realize that he may have laser eyes and stop immediately.

"So," I start, "Why not just take chickens? That way you'll have a constant source of this source."

"You mean those tiny feathered monsters? Are you out of your mind? When they had been plentiful, they destroyed wiring, tore up the ground, and dodged laser blasters at breakneck speed. Plus, they defy all semblance of logic so we disintegrate them. Unfortunately, in our zeal, we forgot to keep a few for egg production."

Nina is furious. "Are you telling me I'm stuck in a crate instead of working my minimum wage job because your idiot overlords can't handle a couple of chickens?!?"

The android nods.

"Now if you'll excuse me, I have to collect all of these eggs. And when I get back, I'll - "

"Eliminate us?!?" Sam and his paranoia.

"No. We're civilized. I'll just wipe your brains. There's a fifty percent chance that you'll lose your minds in the process but surely your doctors have the facilities to bring it back to order."

"Ha!" Nina shoots back, "Not with our healthcare. And you said you did your research."

The android leaves.

"Okay," I start, "So what kind of cage are we in?"

"Steel, with an electronic lock." Sharon observes, "Not a very good one too, since the back of the control panel is easy to reach from my side. These aliens really underestimate us." I squeeze by Leia, Larry, and Aaron to see that back's screwed in. "If only we had a - " As I reach into my pockets, I feel a bunch of miscellaneous objects.  I pull out some soft caramels, half of a chocolate bar, an assortment of screws, and a Phillip's head screwdriver. "Perfect!"

Everyone turns to me. "I'm an ME, remember? And onesies are great for late night projects…and I get hungry."

Unscrewing the back reveals intricate wiring. "So, what now, ME?" Sam asks, sipping his cold coffee.

"Uh, I don't know. An EE would be better for this but honestly, I don't even think they would have a clue. Different planet, different wiring systems and designs - but similar problems! Can I have your coffee?" Sam hands it over to me. "Stand back! If this works, there'll be sparks everywhere. If it doesn't work, the aliens have perfected waterproofing electrical components, so good on them."

"If they're still afraid of bringing in chickens because of how much damage they've caused than I doubt that they've made any huge advancements."

"Okay, here goes!" And I quickly throw the coffee onto the circuit board and try to get as far as possible.

Good news, it worked! We hear a click and race out of there.

Bad news, the cage isn't that big. As we all run out, I realize that my onesie, part of my hair, and slippers are on fire! As I stop, drop, and roll on the hard concrete ground, Nina gets the fire extinguisher and sprays me.

"Thanks," I say as Nina and Sam help me up. "Now, let's get that android."

___________________________________________________________________________________

We know why Autoraun left George - the manager - alone. It wants to know the different times of the eggs were coming in and could masquerade like all of us. No one would be the wiser. We sneak around, looking for the android (and creeping out shoppers in the process) when we spot Autoraun. It looks like the jerk in the dairy isle and was at the cashier with a customer. As soon as she leaves, George takes it aside.

(Side note: Do I call Autoraun "him" or "it"? I mean, I know Autoraun's an android who doesn't have a gender as far as I know - that's a complicated talk in the immerging world of Artificial Intelligence - and Autoraun did lock us in a cage but 'it' sounds so rude. I'm going back to 'he'.)

Anyway George takes him aside. "Between the customers fleeing like rats off the Titanic and most of my employees AWOL, it's nice to see a dedicated young individual like yourself. Tell me, son, what's your name?"

"Otto, sir." He replies demurely. Seems like his sass left the motherboard.

"Now Otto, you wanted to see me."

"Yes, sir. I was wondering if you can tell me when the next shipment of eggs was coming in. We're all out."

George's eyebrows go up. "We just had a huge shipment this morning. Is there an omelet cook-off that I didn't here about because I make a mean Western -"

"No sir," Autoraun interrupts. "I guess people are just valuing their nutritional value."

"Huh, must have been something on the news. People these days, with all their crazy fades and doodads. In my day, we just relied on good old exercise and clean living -"

"This is all really fascinating but there are customers to help. When will the next eggs get here?"

"Oh, at 11. But let's go in the back. There have got to be some eggs around."

"I've already checked."

"The back can be a confusing place, especially when you're new. Let's check it out."

Autoraun cracks his knuckles. George enthusiastically does the same. "Oh, it's so nice to meet a fellow knuckle cracker. You know, people used to say it knuckle cracking causes arthritis but my doctor friend says that's not true…"

As George rambles on, I notice tiny sparks at the tips of his fingers. "He'll zap George!" I whisper, "Quick, get him!"

Nina, Bob, and Sam pull George away just as he was about to strike. Simultaneously, Aaron and Leia grab him by the arms and Larry and Sharon grab his legs and push him to the ground. Autoraun is so shocked that his purple skin and red eyes come back. He recovers quickly and throws them off. Not knowing what else to do, I pull out my screwdriver and grab his neck from the back. He tries to shake me off,  knocking me against various shelves and counters in the process.

"Th-is mus-ust b-e ho-w a- bul-lrid-ddd-er fe-els!"

"There are more ways than one to get rid of a pest!" The android's exoskeleton starts heating up, burning off more of the polyester from my onesie and the arm wrapped around his neck. I grit my teeth when I notice a small section on the base of his head with one screw keeping it in place.

"He-e-eelp! P-i-in hi-m do-wn!"

"Don't you mean 'it'?"

"Sam, really? Let's get in there! One…two…three…go!" Sam and Nina pin him to the ground long enough for me to unscrew the cover. He throws us all off.

"Quick, it's open! Get water, cola, anything liquid!" Phil directs. All around Autoraun, employees open up various bottles and unleash their wet, mostly artificially colored vengeance. Autoraun sputters and smokes before bursting into flames. Nina is again handy with a fire extinguisher.

We cheer as though we just survived Armeggedon.

"We did it!"

"We defeated an alien - "

"Android! But it's from space so technically an alien android!"

"We saved the world - from a shortage of eggs, maybe, but we still saved the world!"

George cut into our celebration. "COULD SOMEONE PLEASE TELL ME WHAT'S GOING ON HERE?"

Nina explained. After five minutes of silence, George asked, "So what should we do now?"

I answered, "Probably get the government to look into this. But that's your problem, not mine." I check the wall clock, "It's egg-actly 11 A.M. Can I have two dozen?"

George gets a text on his phone and goes to the back. A few minutes later, he brings back a box of those fancy cage-free, Eggland's best stuff. "This is kinda expensive. Have anything cheaper?"

"It's on the house."

"I can't -"

"Come on, you helped save my workers and my eggs. It's literally the least I could do. Is there anything else you want?"

"A pic with the android - crap, I left my phone at home. Could someone take one for me?"

Phil raises his hand. "I'll do it. Chess match still on?"

"Chess match still on."

Before I left, George stops me. "Hey, can you keep this between us? I don't wanna be in more trouble than I already am. Who'd come to a store with killer androids?"

"A lot of college students, actually. But I promise, what happens in the grocery store, stays in the grocery store. Thanks for the eggs!"

I grab the bus back (getting even more stares than I did this morning) and walk up eight flights of stairs. When I open the door, I see my roommate on her bed surfing the web.

"Where were you? I finished my paper an hour ago -"

She looks up, eyes widening. "What the heck happened to you?" At this point, my onesie, slippers and hair are singed and wet and I smell like coffee and burnt flesh.

I hand her the carton of eggs before going to the bathroom to clean my arm.

"Well, what happened?" She asks again.

I grit my teeth and I wash and sanitize the wound. After wrapping it in gauze, I lift my head, pull up my hoodie, and burst out laughing at the sight of my reflection.

"You'd never believe me."

[there-are-wolves-in-my-head]

When is Comic con? And do you know who from the cast is going? I wonder if Summer will go?!

It will be July 20-23. Usually only the regular cast goes, so I’m guessing Joseph, Phoebe, Daniel. Yusuf, Riley and Charles. Same as last year. I doubt Summer will go since we’re not even sure she’ll be on the next season. Also, someone asked Christina Moses if she would go and she said she wasn’t sure. So we’ll see ;)

[mrmichaelchadler]

Blue Iguana

In "Blue Iguana," Eddie (Sam Rockwell) and Paul (Ben Schwartz) are ex-con buddies, working at a New York diner and trying not to screw up their parole. Into their world strolls Katherine Rookwood (Phoebe Fox), a British lawyer for a sketchy international businessman named Arkady (Peter Polycarpou). It's hard to keep the details straight but the gist of it is: she's beholden to Arkady for some cash and he's making all kinds of threats. He tells her if she can retrieve some stolen bonds, he will forgive her debts. She hires Eddie and Paul to come to London (thereby violating their parole) and pull off the job. None of this makes much sense and it all goes down in the first scene, before you even get your bearings as to who everyone is, where they're coming from, what the stakes are. Written and directed by Hadi Hajaig, "Blue Iguana" is sort of a genre exercise, but there are moments when it wants to be taken seriously, too. It's a heist movie, where a ragtag group of con men and ex-cons team up, and then mid-way through decide to go for a much bigger fish. The inspirations for "Blue Iguana" come from movies and comic books, not from real life. There's not anything wrong with that necessarily (Tarantino has been very successful doing the same), but without an establishing tone or style—the first scene sits there on the screen like a void—it can come off as trying to jump on some already-long-gone bandwagon. 

Once they get to London, Eddie and Paul participate in a series of shoot-outs and fights filmed with a mix of slo-mo and speeded-up action. Bullets fly, bottles explode, wood shatters (nobody in the movie appears to be a good shot). These extremely over-stylized sequences really engage Hajaig. A lot of thought and care have gone into them, but the pumped-up fights come out of another movie altogether. They don't fit at all. "Blue Iguana" is about two goofy guys who get into a situation way over their heads. They aren't ninjas or masterminds. They're bumblers. The violence and gore in "Blue Iguana" is extremely jarring, underlining the impression that it's a feather-light romantic comedy yearning to be free of its Tarantino trappings. 

"Blue Iguana" is filled with many "hat tips" to other movies ("Reservoir Dogs," "True Romance," there's even a "Weekend at Bernie's" nod, and there's a gun hidden in the bathroom straight out of "The Godfather," ruined by Paul commenting on it with "I'm not Al Pacino!"). There's so much of this that "Blue Iguana" feels like a series of parody sketches. At times, though, "Blue Iguana" achieves a certain goofball charm. The movie finds a groove about 25 minutes in (a long time to wait). Hajaig leans heavily on the actors to fill in the blanks, provide humor. Rockwell and Fox, in particular, do wonderfully well with this—as does Amanda Donohoe in a small role, but it's too heavy a load placed on the actors. 

There are moments where you can feel something "real" bubbling up onscreen. Katherine may be a snooty British glasses-wearing woman but she speaks with her mouth full, her lips always covered in crumbs. There's legitimate sexual chemistry between Eddie and Katherine, but they are both so awkward they can't deal with it. Hostility signaling love/lust has a long movie pedigree, and in these sequences you can see what really interests Hajaig. Forget the Sergio Leone-via-Tarantino slo-mo shoot-em-up ballets. Forget the plot itself. The real spark onscreen is what is going on between the woman pigging out on a burger, and the guy staring at her from across the table, wondering why he's so attracted to a woman with French dressing dribbling down her chin. Rockwell and Fox are very funny and very strange together. You get weirdly invested in them.

In the mid-to-late 1990s, Sam Rockwell was a big fish in the small pond of independent film. Some of the films he made were very bad, some were very good ("Box of Moonlight," "Lawn Dogs"), but he always stood out. For those of us who had started to track him, he was often the reason to go see some of these movies. He was handsome, but in a very "real guy" way. He wasn't self-serious. He was a bit of an oddball. "Confessions of a Dangerous Mind" was George Clooney's directorial debut, and so it got a lot of attention. Clooney recognized Rockwell as an eccentric and gifted actor, and gave him free rein. "Confessions" didn't exactly turn Rockwell into an A-list star, but being a star didn't seem to be what interested him about acting anyway. One of his best performances was in Duncan Jones' "Moon," a haunting sci-fi film where he plays a double role (astronaut Sam Bell and his possible clone). He's the only person in the film and it's a mini tour de force. Taking small parts in movies like "Iron Man 2" and "Cowboys and Aliens" probably gave him the financial stability to keep appearing in theatre productions and smaller risky films. (I saw him play Stanley Kowalski in a 2011 production of A Streetcar Named Desire at Williamstown. He was breathtaking and—the biggest feat of all—made me forget Brando's original performance while I was watching him.) Rockwell won an Oscar last year for his supporting role as Dixon, the racist cop in "Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri," but if you look at Rockwell's career as a whole, Dixon is an anomaly. It's not really what he's all about. Last month came the news that Rockwell would be playing Bob Fosse in an upcoming limited series on FX. Rockwell can dance, in his own bizarre way, and the thought of him as Fosse is already thrilling. Time will tell. 

In his interview in the 2009 documentary "I Knew It Was You: Rediscovering John Cazale," Rockwell spoke eloquently about Cazale's influence and example, especially in regards to the goldmine that is the "beta male" character. Most male actors want to play Michael Corleone, Rockwell observed, but Cazale showed men the possibilities in Fredo. Rockwell brings that to bear in "Blue Iguana." He's not afraid to look foolish or weak. He can find the humor in a pause, a thought, a gesture. He dials it all down and focuses solely on Phoebe Fox. He understands that's the only arc that really matters.

from All Content https://ift.tt/2MLTrl7

[aion-rsa]

Fleabag’s Phoebe Waller-Bridge & Andrew Scott to Reunite in His Dark Materials

https://ift.tt/eA8V8J

San Diego Comic Con may not be the same this year, as the pop culture event is being held completely online, but that doesn’t mean it can’t pull out some exciting and unexpected surprises. One such reveal came during today’s His Dark Materials panel. The HBO/BBC series based on Philip Pullman’s iconic children’s fantasy series will be returning for an already-filmed second season and the cast and creators were on hand to promote the upcoming release (which has yet to get an official date).

Amongst them was Andrew Scott, who will be playing John Parry in the series based on The Subtle Knife, the second book in the trilogy. Scott has been a much-respected actor in fan circles for a long while, probably since his brilliant turn as villain Moriarty on BBC’s Sherlock, but he has more recently found himself in the glow of fan appreciation for his role as The Priest in the second season of the Emmy-winning Fleabag, written by and starring Phoebe Waller-Bridge. In a reveal exclusive to Comic Con at Home, Scott announced that Waller-Bridge will be voicing his daemon in the fantasy series.

“So much of the stuff that’s so beautiful to me about the books and the series is the relationship with the daemons,” said Scott during the panel, “so I do have a relationship with my daemon and I think this is the first time we’re revealing this, but my daemon is going to be played by somebody who is very close to me in real life, which is a young performer and a writer called Phoebe Waller-Bridge.”

Scott continued: “I’m really thrilled about that because it’s all about companionship and friendship and loyalty and that’s what I feel about Phoebe in my real life, so it’s wonderful that that’s happening.”

For those who are unfamiliar with the world of His Dark Materials, a daemon is a physical, external manifestations of a person’s soul or inner self. In the series, they are created using CGI and voiced by some very impressive actors. In the books, John Parry’s daemon is called Sayan Kötör and has the form of an osprey. If everything goes according to plan, Phoebe Waller-Bridge will be playing an osprey.

Speaking more generally about his role in the series, Scott said: “It was really exciting. I mean everybody just went ballistic about the first season so it was a little bit intimidating to come in and you don’t want to mess it up so hopefully the photo [John Parry is seen in a photo in Season 1] will be not as disappointing when it comes to life. But it was really brilliant and, you know, I got to work with incredible actors. A lot of my stuff was with Lin[-Manuel Miranda, who plays Lee Scoresby] and we had such a good time, we really did. It was a total joy to do that. “

More news on His Dark Materials Season 2 as we get it.

The post Fleabag’s Phoebe Waller-Bridge & Andrew Scott to Reunite in His Dark Materials appeared first on Den of Geek.

from Den of Geek https://ift.tt/2WSbvxE