#Strategy And Soul theater

[fightforthesoulofthecities]

Strategy & Soul Events: 1st Seminar on Trans-National Strategies in Erasing Black Ableism

Trans-National Strategies in Erasing Black Ableism A Krip-Hop Meet-Up Saturday October 26th 10am-2pm Strategy & Soul 3546 Martin Luther King Blvd. LA CA 90008 We so glad to work with our Bus Riders Union Member Pastor Kelvin Sauls to co-host a 1st Annual Krip-Hop Meet up to discuss erasing Black Ableism. Join us as we explore topics like Trans-National Strategies in Erasing Black Ableism,…

[avelera]

Random thoughts on the D&D movie in no particular order:

I loved the jokes. All of them. All the stupid jokes. I was their target audience and they succeeded at making me cackle at dumb shit while my partner's soul left his body

The landscape shots were breathtaking and honestly made me tear up at the beauty in places. In the theater, I remember thinking, "Yeah, FUCK yeah, these guys understood the assignment!" Nine out of ten times, I think fantasy should be animated, because if you don't pour millions into the budget, the action looks like crummy LARPers wearing silly costumes in the woods. This movie understood that if you're doing live action fantasy, you owe your audience some damn beautiful landscape shots and damn did they deliver on some beautiful landscape shots.

(cut for spoilers)

I sincerely appreciated Holga and her husband being divorced but still amicable. I'm so tired of the trope of exes being evil or awful. They just seemed like two adults who wanted to love each other but the circumstances of being together doomed them from the start. It was played for laughs but it was just a moment I genuinely enjoyed as divorcee. I also loved her ex's new wife looking exactly like her, both for the gag, and for what it said about both of them being each other's type even if it didn't work out.

I also cackled like a hyena at Holga's halfling fetish while also finding it rather sweet and enjoyed imagining all the reasons why she might have that preference lol

As a basic Drizzt Do'Urden loving bitch, I squeed when I saw Icewind Dale on the map. Then I had a moment between that and the Underdark of wondering, "Am I gonna see him? Even in the distance? Am I going to see my first love, Drizzt Do'Urden??"

And then I realized: the Paladin. The Paladin is Drizzt. Only good person who came out of a nation destroyed by evil. Too good for this world, too pure, to the point of being sanctimonious but is also a hottie. Xenk is Drizzt.

Oh, I also squeed when I saw the Underdark.

I appreciated how knowledge of D&D improved certain story beats (like the gelatinous cube or the displacer beast) but wasn't required to enjoy the plot. That's how references should be done.

The most agonizingly cringe moment for me was when Holga was dying. Just. I appreciated the beat. It couldn't go any other way. They delivered on their set up with the tablet, the only question was ever, "Who besides his wife is going to get saved with it?" And it made perfect sense who it was. I'm glad they didn't try to pull a fast one. But the scene was like... 10 seconds too long of her dying for me to not roll my eyes. We know you're going to use the tablet on her, dipshit, please keep this moving.

BUT I think the reason they did it was to land a sincere moment with the daughter, and I appreciated that. I think the scene could have been improved by Holga being like, "Don't you fucking dare use that tablet on me!" and then smacking him when he did it anyway and then he'd have to explain that he set out to save his daughter's mother, not his wife, who has passed on, etc etc. but I'm not sure that would have been much better so maybe the drawn-out opera death scene and the sincerity was better in the end idk.

I KINDA wanted to see the actors as the players playing D&D BUT I know why they didn't and it was a wise choice, it undermines the drama too much to say it doesn't matter because it's a game. Maybe if instead they'd should the characters playing D&D in universe as normal humans? Idk

I thought there'd be more Xenk? I thought he'd be in the arena with them? A little bummed but I also loved his GM NPC energy.

The combat and camera work was great! Genuinely enjoyable and well made, I appreciated the artistry that went into it.

Loved the bardic distraction scene for truly capturing the chaos of a D&D party's attempt at breaking and entering

Loved the portals bit for truly capturing the strategy and planning that can go into a functioning D&D campaign's clever heist, even if I'm sure it would have taken 5 sessions to plot out IRL

Honestly, it was just a fun, solid film! It's been a while since I've seen such a fun, solid film! I would buy it and put it on in the background to just enjoy and not angst over it! It was worth the price of admission, it was faithful to the spirit of D&D instead of sneering at it the way the early 2000s one did, and I had a good time! It wasn't the highest of art but it would have been weird if it had been! I liked it a lot!

[thereaperwatchesme]

Parker facts pleaseee ✨

Parker Facts

• Parker was a champion underground boxer before they became paranoid after seeing the Grim Reaper take souls. They believed too many concussions caused these visions, and therefore promptly quit boxing.

• Parker was bounced around foster homes, never finding a family before they turned 18. However, they found their forever home with the Onlookers.

• Parker loves scary movies, and going to watch a scary movie in the theater is always something they do for a first date. They time how long it would be until their date takes their hand in fright.

• Parker has a pet goldfish—Harry, who was named after their younger brother who was separated from them.

• Parker is insanely smart, mainly in mathematics. But they want to stray away from brains, and therefore, do not take on more of a proactive role in the group that involves strategy. However, they have their times…

[nachtsoklein]

thinkin bout kurt n his relationship w the dark.... he's never really been afraid of the dark in the literal sense, his eyes are as sharp in pitch darkness as anyone's in fullest light, his body naturally cloaks itself in shadow & that cloak envelops him in even simplest shade, leaving behind only his eyes as proof of a living thing's presence. he learned to move quick & silent in his childhood stealth endeavors through towns he could not visit in open appearance, hiding in rafters of theaters & museums & churches, crawling from one shadow to the next with bated breath when trying to avoid potentially hostile townsfolk, employed the same strategies within the circus' camps to sneak treats & pull pranks.

but he had to suppress those easy habits a bit when he joined the xmen because he didn't want to weird anyone out, or, worse, scare someone, & he especially didn't feel inclined to hide in shadow when kitty first joined, the girl already freaked out by his appearance in daylight. for many years he only allowed himself to be embraced by the dark during missions, preferably when he was alone, & strangely, only returned to comfortable habit range with the ability as he grew more confident in being seen in the light by even unfriendly eyes.

kurt has fear of the dark as apprehension of unknowns, fear of the figurative dark that encroaches on one's soul, fear of the literal beyond literal dark that resides in the various hells, has fear of the dark as an other-er, something that highlights his otherness to the unprepared & frightens them ; but he has no fear of the dark as fear of the lack of light, of the unknown of what lurks within, of the night — he lives in perpetual shadow, has always been safest at night when the monsters that have been humans have been asleep, & he knows what's in the dark : himself, & whatever else is lurking there often doesn't know that when kurt looks "through" them, it's no coincidence his gaze always finds the unknown's eyes.

[weaselandfriends]

So you are going to make a fanfic about Pokemon, huh.

Are you a pokemon fan? Or you known about the franchise enough? or is a case of you, waking up one day and thinking:" I'm going to make a Pokemon Fan-Fic!" And started to consume media from it in order to make a story?

I was a child in 1998.

During that initial invasion of Pokemon into the West, when Pokemon was far more than simply the "most profitable media property in the world" that it is today, when it was a tidal wave phenomenon that swept away an entire continent, I was something of a Pokemaniac. I had Blue Version, Red Version, Yellow Version, Pokemon Pinball, Pokemon Stadium, Pokemon Puzzle League, Hey You Pikachu. I had (and still have) every single card from the first three TGC sets, included the oh-so-vaunted holographic Charizard card. I had Pokemon figurines, I had toy Poke Balls, I had Pokemon stickers, I had Pokemon stamps, I had Pokemon clothes, I had Pokemon strategy guides, I had Pokemon choose your own adventure novels. I had the then-complete runs of both Pokemon Adventures and Electric Tale of Pikachu (I vastly preferred the latter). I would wake up early every day to watch the Pokemon anime on TV. I went to Pokemon The First Movie opening day and remember walking into a theater packed to the brim only to hear a man scream—to my delight and assuredly my mother's horror—"SEATS IN THE FRONT ROW!"

Of course, it's been 25 years since 1998. I've played most of the mainline games since then (GSC, RSE, DPP, SuMo, and recently SV). I've seen a few of the endless array of movies. For some reason I watched the entire SuMo anime. So yeah, I still like Pokemon.

Is it my favorite thing ever? No. The unfortunate reality is the games are pretty formulaic and often have questionable design choices. It's not like Mario or Zelda, other nostalgic Nintendo series, where the devs put their heart and soul into each new mainline installment.

But the fundamentally fascinating elements of its world continue to interest me. I've always seen the Pokemon world as a near-future nigh-utopia, clean and neat and orderly, with large swaths of the population free to pursue their hobbies rather than slave away at some useless job. I've always wanted to delve into such a world narratively, as opposed to the endless dystopias that seem to clog contemporary fiction.

Chicago was written as a kind of critical response to To the Stars, which is a utopian story that glosses over the steps taken to reach utopia. I wanted to peer more deeply at how a world akin to that in To the Stars might actually be created, the kind of political turmoil and upheaval required to eventually integrate the panacea to mankind's ill—magic—into functional society. A Pokemon story would instead be about the utopia itself. What does it mean for society that children are not simply allowed but encouraged to leave home at 10 to pursue a vague, unstructured path to become what is basically a competitive sports athlete? What has had to happen to society for such a thing to be not simply okay, but preferred? And what does it mean for that society's future development, especially considering a world where rapid evolution of generally symbiotic non-human creatures is possible? And why, in this peaceful and low-scarcity world, are there so many insane doomsday death cults essentially seeking to usher in the apocalypse?

There are two works of literature that particularly influenced the direction of my idea for a Pokemon fanfic. The first is Eyeless in Gaza (unfortunately topical title) by Aldous Huxley of Brave New World fame. Gaza is a mostly autobiographical story touching on a variety of topics, and one chapter near its end involves the main character traveling to Central America, where he meets a strange, idealistic man named Dr. Miller. Dr. Miller espouses many ideas about anthropology, especially ones critical of or antithetical to British imperialist pseudo-scientific anthropology: "An anthropologist is a person who studies men," he says, "but you prefer to deal with bugs. I'd call you an entomologist [...] the only remedy is for the bug-hunter to throw his bayonets away and treat the bugs as though they were human beings." But the most interesting thing he talks about, the thing that has stuck with me more than anything else in the otherwise mediocre novel, is soccer.

"But [football is] the greatest English contribution to civilization," said the doctor. "Much more important than parliamentary government, or steam engines, or Newton's Principia. More important even than English poetry. Poetry can never be a substitute for war and murder. Whereas games can be. A complete and genuine substitute."

Dr. Miller envisions a world where competitive sports replace the destructive and combative elements of humanity; he teaches soccer to small Mexican tribes as a way to settle their differences instead of war. What does a utopian society look like that has replaced conflict with competitive sport at a grand, worldwide scale? In our world, the Olympics are often spoken of in similar terms, but Pokemon appears to have actually accomplished this lofty goal, to the point that becoming a trainer at 10 is more important than standard education. By setting my fanfic at a prestigious, global tournament, I become perfectly posed to explore this question...

The other point of inspiration comes from Underground, Haruki Murakami's nonfiction account of the 1995 Tokyo sarin gas attacks committed by the cult Aum Shinrikyo. The book contains numerous interviews with both survivors of the attacks themselves and former members of the cult, and ends with Murakami's essay on how the Japanese social psyche allowed this event to occur. Describing the cult members he interviewed, he says:

To all of them I posed the same question, that is, whether they regretted having joined Aum. Almost everyone answered: "No, I have no regrets. I don't think those years were wasted." Why is that? The answer is simple—because in Aum they found a purity of purpose they could not find in ordinary society.

This idea of "purity of purpose unfound in ordinary society," what does that mean in a society like Pokemon's? In a utopian society, where nearly all needs are met? Where sports replaces conflict?

Anyway, I've started to veer off topic, so I'll cut it short there. I'm incredibly excited for this project, so I hope all of you decide to give it a read when I finish!

[diamondcrownacademy]

DCA Info Part 5: Subjects and Clubs

The following subjects are thought at Diamond Crown Academy

Basic Classes

Magic History - The study of the historical figures of the academy and the histories throughout the years.

Incantations - Verbal spells that require learning a specific language while waving the magic pen in a certain pattern.

Basic Etiquette - The study of proper manners, posture and communication.

Ancient Rune Reading - The study of ancient writing and spells that are cast through magic rune stones.

Animal Linguistics - The study of animal language, and conversing with animals.

Music - Theater and musical performances.

Alchemy - Minerals, plants and many other ingredients are fused to create something entirely new.

General Magic - Magical spells for offense and defense as well as spell breakers and minor hexes.

Study of Magical Relics - The study of old relics and the identification of their history and uses.

PE Subjects

Fencing/Sword Fighting - There is various swords used as well as various sword-handling.

Obstacle Run - The tracks are set with magic traps and obstacles that students need to overcome.

Derby Racing - Horseback racing.

Magical Shift/Maglift - Using magic to throw discs towards a goal.

Griffin Disc - Riding griffins while having to chase a gold disc and place it on the team's catching net.

Martial Arts - Taekwondo, Judo and many other physical combat activities.

Marathon Run - Running a set amount of kilometers.

Side Note: If a student does feel anxious then they're allowed to be excused, Actius dislikes forcing students to do physical activities if they feel uncomfortable. But since he is allowed to run the class however he wishes, he'll just have them write some papers regarding physical education as a substitute or maybe have them do light jogging instead.

Extra-Curricular Classes

Animal Care - Basic study of caring for animals and identifying what they require.

Magical Beast Study - Study of magical beasts as well as taming them for the purpose of gathering information before they are released.

Party Hosting - Learning how to host an event.

Needlework and Jewelry - Sewing clothes and making accessories. The finished products are worn by the students.

Cultural Dance - Dance to different cultures.

Art - Study of art and any form be it, sculpture, painting, metalwork and many more.

Ballroom Dance - Learning the steps of the waltz and many other dances performed by nobles.

Clubs

Theater Club - Stage plays performed by students, the club expects a lot from their members to deliver their roles to utmost perfection. Allison and Evonie are members of this club.

Horse Grooming Club - The horses are used for the derby but also performance. So this club focuses on taking care of the horses as well as training them to do tricks. Ella is a member of this club.

Gardening Research Club - Planting rare species or mixing seeds to see what plant will grow. Vidya is a member of this club.

Volleyball Club - It's volleyball. You smack a ball, also you get hand strength to slap the soul out of someone.

Chess Club - Students play a battle of wits and strategy.

Book Writers Club - Students write novels or short stories and present them during club meetings.

Comic Otaku Club - Fangirling over 2D boys or girls and having the waifu and husbando wars.

Fairy Keeping Club - A club for making sure that the fairies on campus are given proper treatment, such as treating broken wings, keeping their homes clean as well as learning about the body language of fairies.

Magical Artworks Club - Students paint with enchanted brushes to create moving portaits. Rozeline is a member of this club.

Roleplay Game Club - The students play, Dragons and Maidens (Note: This is likely Twisted Wonderland's version of Dungeons and Dragons) and sometimes play the game while wearing a costume of their avatar. Perrine and Cerule are members of this club.

Aviary Club - Bird watching, as well as bird keeping are the clubs main activities. Jinlong is a member of this club.

Asher Vs. Florence Club - A secret club made by Faustus. Only those who know the password are allowed to join. The password asks if you prefer the color pink or blue.

Griffin Scout Club - The griffins are ridden to forests and the students do the scout activities such as recognizing carvings to mark directions. There's also scout cookie sales where they train griffins to deliver packages of cookies to customers. Elu and Briar are members of this club.

The Griffin Scouts was an idea of Actius. He manages the club activities and schedules, and he also manages the griffins used for the scouting team.

The griffins are not like horses, they have a more high standard when it comes to people riding them. Only senior members of the club who has earned a number of badges to receive their senior badge could only ride griffins. Elu and Briar are two of the few who have senior badges. No one owns the griffins, they are called in the summer and autumn for the scout club activities and when winter rolls in, Actius lets them go to migrate to a warmer climate.

Novice scouts are the ones who have to get community service badges, expert scouts have to survive in the wilderness and learn secret codes and symbols to get badges and become senior scouts when they have a certain number of badges and have completed the griffin test. It's when the scout stands a meter away from a griffin flock and have a griffin approach them and offer them a feather as a sign of mutual respect and that they are a worthy rider.

Actius is still stern but a bit more hands on with his teaching, he will show the students how to properly tie a certain rope knot or how to pitch a tent. Even the griffin scout cookie sale was also being taught by him, his cookie recipe is to die for.

[cocoreallylovesraiden]

hihi!! how are you??? i see that you've started a bleach blog! may i ask ab your fave bleach charas?? 🩷

My favourite bleach characters!! (some of them at least)

Omg hai /// unfortunately the flood-gates have immediately opened…. My views on the characters might be a little skewed because i have so many random headcanons but!! I am always excited to share my Thoughts…

Shunsui 

I've always been a sucker for the ‘sleazy/ lousy older man’ stereotype in anime, especially when its revealed later on that they are super strong (kisuke is another one of my faves go figure) and Shunsui is That to a T

He seems really silly and carefree on the outside but melancholic on the inside which is such a nice contrast that works so well in his favour!! Especially paired next to Ukitake like the two literally fit together like puzzle pieces in both fighting style and personality

I am also a big theater nerd so when I was reading and found that his bankai was essentially a play come to life! I was sold like a cold drink during summer

His entire kit and how he uses it is really cool too; whenever a zanpakuto has multiple forms/ attacks it’s always a huge plus! Children’s games are such a neat idea and unexpectedly tie so well with his character (he does seem to represent alot of traditional Japanese sentiments with his character overall)

But mostly his morals and outlook of the world are really impactful. I think he serves as a great way to show the transition that the gotei 13 are going through after the passage of time- he is more accepting of newer ideologies and is much more flexible than yamamoto was/ but still cares deeply about the soul society just as much! His reluctance to battle is ironically also admirable, even if he does preface by saying that he’d just ‘rather not’ or wanting to drink instead. While the other characters fight for their beliefs, or to bring down a ‘bad guy’, Shunsui sees situations with more sobriety (haha) from an unbiased perspective. That the moment you enter battle everyone is evil, regardless of their intention from the beginning.

You see other characters next to Shunsui and would think that (for example: Byakuya or even Yamamoto) they would be more intelligent or insightful than he is, but would be pleasantly surprised! I can always appreciate a character with that kind of unpredictability,

Also I like pink and he wears pink. Like my first point I am weak for sleazy old farts so I have to admit when I was young reading bleach as it came out; all I could think was “man very pretty… me likey…”

Kenpachi 

It really helps that he is objectively one of the most unapologetically Cool characters in the series

But for me the main selling point is because the main thing he cares about is battle, he would be an entirely chill person otherwise. The fact that he always allowed his officers to basically do whatever, and puts ‘fun’ (read: brawling for your life) in front of everything? I do feel bad for Yumichika because i do think he’s the one doing all the admin work but oh well 

There is just something just so beautiful about this big chunk of man tearing through hoards of opponents just to go back to his barracks and loaf about for the rest of the day 

I also love how he’s wayyy more intelligent than you would first assume; he’s smart enough to devise little strategies like putting in the eyepatch, putting the bells in his hair etc. Even if they are just to hinder him you gotta give him props! 

This is a personal headcanon but I do think that he would be an excellent listener (especially with gossip) like he would not retain any of the information at all an hour from a conversation, and he would give the most rudimentary answers but a good listener all the same

He does not wear pink BUT Yachiru comes along with him like an accessory to his barbie set and she’s pink so it counts

Rangiku 

First and foremost. I am a woman lover

Bleach, out of all the shounens i’ve digested in my life, probably has some of my favourite female characters! I yo-yo between having rangiku, isane, riruka and soi fon as my faves 

But rangiku. Oh How I Love Her. I always love a sneaky gal who is not afraid to use her looks to get what she wants. A party gal and someone who just has a lust for life and wants to have fun! 

She also does seem like she would be terrifyingly real with you as a friend and never say shit just to make you feel better- like I need that in a friend. Tough love! 

Like the advice she gives to Orihime when she feels down about Ichigo (even if she did it butt ass naked) just shows that even if she presents as self-centered she is also aware of other’s feelings and knows when to cut the shit and give it to you like it is

When she’s most needed she is also incredibly loyal to her captain and peers, and puts her whole titty into the battle when it's necessary. It’s a pity that her zanpakuto isn’t more explored; either she hasn’t developed her methods well or hasn’t been shown to its full powers yet. It think of all the problems in bleach that might be its biggest issue (that there are so many characters that it's impossible to showcase them all)

She also wears pink and I like pink 

Shinji 

Shinji technically isn’t my favorite character but he is my number one enemy forever

I am currently going through some strange enemies to lovers (sans the lovers) with him and im not sure how to feel about it? 

Sort of like Shunsui he has that thing where on the outside he looks devastatingly goofy and greasy but is really experienced with lots of valuable insight 

Also I am a big voice person. Even though I am a manga reader I’ve watched most of the anime and his voice… the accent… God I hate him so much 

He also reminds me of a really naughty cat that will do little things to frustrate you but still jump onto your bed at night to snuggle with you and that’s the nicest thing I can say about him 

His music slaps violently hard.

This accidentally became way too long oops i will stop here but other characters that I am very madly deeply in love with with Many Thoughts about include;

Ukitake (my beloved),

Nemu,

Byakuya (because i do think that every bleach fan has a crush on him regardless of their orientation)

and yumchika!!

Also even if i know nothing about miss yaya i would die for her.

[bookish-library]

Observations of someone who is obsessed with dissecting theater pieces and how they tell stories and has to study them for college

In Puppeteer, Eurylochus starts the song saying he needs to get something off his chest, but we never get to hear what it is. I wonder what it could be?

The fact that Odysseus says "where's the rest of YOUR crew", not OUR, not MY, not THE, YOUR. He has distanced himself from the crew, he doesn't view himself as a part of or in charge of them.

The bass pumping in the background of Puppeteer sounds kinda like a heartbeat, which I love

The instrumentals in the background of when Eurylochus and Odysseus are talking about leaving are so gorgeous, the harp is *chef's kiss*

I love the detail of Circe not saying "gotchu now" (which is what most (American?) singers default to when saying the words "got" and "you" back to back, due to carrying ending consonants from one word to the next, to sound more fluid, but also gives a very bad habit lol) but instead going for the more proper sounding "got you", just a neat little detail that elevates how she could be above the crew

Hermes is just so....fun, I love him

The precision it takes to highlight the difference between "Be hurt or you could beat her" is so well done

Does the riff of "when you take her on alone" sound like a parody of when Odysseus says "alone" to Athena in "My goodbye"? It feels like to me it could lead straight into the "you're alone" line and I love that implication, the callback that he really is aline and doesn't have any gods on his side at the moment

The descending line that Jay has pointed out is so FUN to listen to, and it sounds even like Circe joins in in the background (gives kinda poor unfortunate souls vibes)

The Carmen reference combined with the throwback to "The horse and the infant" has me SCREAMING the first time I heard it, I love it so much

the callback to "the horse and the infant" when Odysseus reveals he can't be affected is so cool, because we have attached that motif to battle and strategy, so we get a sense of what is happening, even if we don't understand the lyrics first time through

The harmonies are so good aaaaa

The fact that you can still hear the "bum bum bumbum" in the undertones of the bass in "There are other ways" is such a good detail

The "just a man" reference also had me screaming it's so good

The subtle clash of their voices on "Forgive me" and "here" sounds so good, cause it sounds like harmony cause their vowels lock together and double but the notes are slightly off so it gives that "discomfort but somehow still works" feeling(in addition, circe is above Odysseus, which says something about what's happening here)

that "Penelope" violin motif was so good

You can hear shades of "just a man" in that section and just, ooooooo

whatever hand drum is playing in the background (djembe?, conga?) vibes

when everything comes back in at the end of "there are other ways" sounds like a hint of "just a man", and shades of Hermes' influence in the instrumentals

Also the crew voices, whoever riffs on "There's no puppet hereee" slayed that

Such a good album, throughly enjoyed listening to it, if you want to ramble about the music together, shoot me an ask!

[look-at-the-soul]

Look at the soul- Part 5 I run to you

Cillian Murphy x reader

Series Master list

🎭 These two are getting closer! I hope you like this story and if you do, your feedback is highly appreciated.

Thank you @heidimoreton once more for the moodboard you created for this story! 🥰 I wish you could know for real how much it means to me, you captured the essence perfectly and your theater input has been a great help!

And we get to meet a new character today too! Please note using the readers names, is as a thank you! For your constant support and encouragement to this or any other of my stories and it doesn’t reflect the reader/writer’s reality or background 💕 I’m just adapting their names to fit the storyline.

Song: I run to you by Lady A

Marianne adjusted her coat over her chest, the weather seemed to change a lot during the day, now it looked like the rain would start to fall at any minute.

“Hello Marianne!” Greeted the owner of the café leaning against the brick wall, she was finishing her cigarette.

“Hi Alex -I-know-your-name’s-not-Alex.” She joked, anticipating the usual reply the girl with rebel hair gave.

“Oh, damn you won my answer now I can’t use it.” Both girls laughed at the inside joke they started to share every time she visited the coffee shop. “Are you getting your usual?”

“Yeah, I’m just dropping my bag at the theater first, and then I’ll come back.”

“Perfect then, can’t wait to show you the new mugs with quotes I got, it was a great idea!”

Marianne smiled at her, they clearly spent a good amount of time chatting. “I’m sure you’ll have to order more.”

And with that she walked one more block, until she was in front of the theater, in an unusual turns of event, that venue ended up feeling so close to home, giving her the opportunity to learn new things, meet incredible people and do something she never imagined she would be doing, she now knew her spot, learned a bunch of things and terms she had never seen in her life, how to move on stage… Marianne kept staring at it for a few minutes until she reached the steps and noticed a couple of people waiting outside.

“Are you here for the auditions too?” A girl pulled her from her thoughts.

Marianne shook her head. “No, I already got a part.” She felt like saying she had the leading role was a bit presumptuous, it still felt surreal.

“Really? That’s so cool! This is the first audition I go to, took some time off, so I’m freaking about it.”

“I’m sure you’ll do it amazing, trust your talent.” She tried to help her ease her nerves, just like Cillian and everyone else had helped her. “I’m Marianne.”

“Lee.” The girl answered. “Thanks.”

“What role are you auditioning for?”

“One of the women, you know.” She added moving her fingers as the quote marks.

“You’ll get the role, I’m sure. Best of luck, even though I’m sure you don’t need any.”

Lee thanked her as Marianne walked into the theater, the door to the stage was closed so she walked through another way, stopping midway as she found a photo that caught her attention, one she hadn’t seen before.

“You’ll probably say you won and arrived earlier, but I’m sure I won this time.” Cillian joked about an inside joke they had of who arrived earlier to rehearsal and approached her. “How was school?”

And her face lit up. “Great! In one of my clases we already got a business case of a company with all the financial information, each week we’ll get different balances like the Cash Flow statement, revenue, expenses… to build a financial strategy that fits their needs better.”

“That’s amazing.” She talked about it as if he knew a shit about the meaning, but he smiled and asked more about her assignments. And he loved to learn more about her world.

“One of my Professors won the Economic Nobel Price a few years ago.” She stated, excitement oozing through every pore.

“That’s impressive, I’m sure you’ll make the most out every course.”

Cillian had invited her to see the auditions, he mentioned it was one of the greatest way to learn acting tricks and tips from each performance, so she was really excited and willing to do anything in the books to improve.

“You kept this a secret.” Marianne pointed at the photo hanging from the wall, with a younger Cillian.

He blushed and looked down, hiding his hands in the pockets of his jeans, too self conscious, avoiding his portrait staring back at them.

“You know, Heidi recommended me watching a few plays could help me… your performances are out of this world. Remarkable.” She didn’t want to overdo with the compliments, but his performances weren’t just completely different from one character to another, but also he seemed to be like a different person. “I’ve a lot to learn from you.”

He was truly an institution in theater, a great mentor to her, she was really grateful for all the time he was dedicating to help her improve.

“Thank you, it means a lot.” He looked at her, feeling so humble about her words.

But Marianne disliked uncomfortable silences and as she stared back at the photograph, one thing kept running in her mind…

“In this photo you look like you’re part of the movie Interview with a vampire.” She couldn’t stop the words flying out of her mouth.

And Cillian couldn’t stop the laugh that was produced from the deepest part of his soul.

“I can’t remember the last time I saw him laughing like that.” Heidi pointed out to Enda as the pair stepped into the theater.

Enda squinted his eyes while he cleaned his glasses with his shirt. “Yup, it’s been a while.”

“I’ve bad news… Laureen, I tried to talk to her about the leading role, but she was adamant to be in LATS* with the main role.”

The screenplay writer shook his head. “We got that role covered.”

“I tried to make her understand she would get a good role here and she could get back her leading role for the next play, but she said no.” Heidi looked between Enda and Cillian and Marianne, a few meters away.

“Most of the people from the previous play are staying right?”

“Yes, but we need to choose soon to complete the cast, so I booked all the castings already, we start in twenty.”

“My Adria.” Enda left all his worries behind as the pair walked towards them.

“Sorry I didn’t get the memo.” Marianne looked from Cillian to Enda, both dressed in striped tshirts and black jeans.

Heidi snorted.

“Are you teaching her about theater or how to tease like you?” Enda faked an insulted look and turned to Cillian.

“Man I didn’t say anything!”

As Heidi left them to organize the audition, Marianne asked if she could see the performances from one of the seats in the boxes.

Taking the opportunity that they were left alone, Cillian took the chance to speak with his friend about something that had been running in his mind.

“I need to ask you for a favor.”

“I don’t babysit.” Enda jumped to declare.

Cillian rolled his eyes. “It’s about the contract, I need you to switch Marianne’s salary with mine.”

“Are you out of your fucking mind?” Enda’s head snapped to look at his friend. “It’s the amount we’ve agreed for you.”

Crossing his arms in front of his chest, Cillian lowered his voice. “She has offers from Google and Amazon for her grades, what makes you think what you’re paying her is enough? It barely covers for expenses.”

“I can’t compete with companies like that, you know it.”

“All I’m saying is, if she gets a better offer and decides to take it, what will you do with her character? We’re weeks away from the big opening.” Cillian pondered.

Enda seemed stressed out with every second passing by. “Why?” Enda wanted to ask why was he willing to cut down his own salary over someone who wasn’t a professional actress. But he left those words hanging in the air.

Internally, Cillian was asking himself the same question.

“Because I want her in this play as much as you do. And you need to remember how you trusted me back then for a play nobody believed in years ago.”

***

“This is indescribable.” Marianne whispered watching the actors move across the stage as Cillian joined her in the box. “They’re so professionals.”

Her point of view was so refreshing, for him it was like rediscovering theater for the first time.

“Can’t wait till the cast is complete, to finally do a proper rehearsal, you’ll love it.” Cillian could already imagine the venue full of people, the lights off…

She took notes and asked him endless questions during the auditions, until they came down, ready to go to the café to keep working on her character. But Marianne stopped a few rows behind Enda, looking at the woman on stage.

“Do you know her?” Asked Cillian in a low voice.

“I just met her earlier today, but she was really nice… she seems to be more the type for the role of the waitress if you ask me.” That role was fundamental for Adria, since the character would be the one suggesting her to use her beauty to get the money she needs to help the prostitutes, and she would be also Adria’s confident.

“Why?”

“Because that role needs to reflect someone you can trust, someone who helps Adria to see the positive side when she’s struggling with her demons.”

Cillian stared silently at the woman on stage, reading the lines for one of the prostitutes complaining about not finding anything.

Trying to not disturb the process, he took a seat behind Enda, leaning against the row of seats in front of him. “Did you find the waitress already?”

Enda shook his head first, then let out a loud sigh, still taking notes about the on going audition.

“Why don’t you try her for the role? Maybe you’ll find your Rebeca.”

Turning around in his seat, Enda gave him a long look, then looked back at Marianne, who was making him a pleading sign with her hands.

“Why?”

“Just do it.”

Mumbling something to himself, Enda stopped the lecture and asked Lee to change her character. She immediately moved to gather the tray and empty glasses focused as the man leaning on the bar of the club complained about not getting Adria’s attention.

“Barry, Barry…” she shook her head dramatically, pretending to pour him a drink. “You don’t understand what a woman needs.”

“What does she wants then? I gave her a sapphire!”

“If I’ve to explain her… then Adria’s not the one for you.”

Later after finishing her shift a the bar, Rebeca rushed to Adria’s flat.

“Barry told me he gave you a gift.” She poured them the remaining of the bottle of wine, a luxury these days and accepted one of the sandwiches Adria prepared.

“Yes.” Adria sighed. “But why do I want that for? I gave it to the doctor who attended Rainbow, I didn’t have any money to help her, he told me he’d give it to his wife and he would pay Rainbow’s hospital bill.”

“God, she got a terrible beating.” Rebeca stated. “I don’t know how you do it… after all the troubles you’ve been through.”

“Someone once told me that no matter how much damage the world causes, you shouldn’t let your heart turn into stone.” Marianne murmured Adria’s words, most of the script now in the back of her mind, and watching it through Lee’s performance was a completely different turn.

Enda turned around in his seat, staring at Cillian with open eyes, a big smile on display. Standing up from his place in the front row, he rushed to the stairs on the side of the stage.

Cillian turned then, to look at Marianne, a wide smile reaching his eyes, “looks like we found Adria’s best friend. Well done.”

It was now Marianne’s turn to blush. Sometimes the intensity of his eyes was too much, so she decided to suggest a visit to their regular café to keep practicing her lines, tones, she had a lot of things to keep up, to learn…

“How are you enjoying Ireland?” Cillian asked as she took a sip of her coffee. “Have you done the beer tour yet?”

But she shook her head. “I mean, I’ve been to the factories and done the tour, but I skipped the tasting.”

Cillian leaned back as if he had been hit by a truck.

“You don’t drink?”

“Occasionally, yeah a glass of wine or a martini, but I don’t like beer.” She scrunched up her nose in a way that made Cillian laugh, but his good mood quickly changed as his phone interrupted their chat.

“’Lo?” Marianne saw his features tense suddenly, followed by a firm no. He walked then to the back of the café, to an empty spot, during a few minutes, Marianne decided to focus on the script and the notes she had been doing, but her eyes decided to do something different and she found herself sending quick glances at Cillian, the man who had been helping her build a confidence on stage she didn’t know she had, showing her how to articulate properly so the soul siting in the last row of the theater would be able to understand her dialogue… but that was just one side of him, the other part was a complete mystery.

I run from prejudice

I run from pessimists

“Sorry, you were saying?” He took his place in front of her one more time, thanking the boy who arrived to pick up their empty cups.

“Everything alright?”

But I run too late

I run my life

Or is it running me?

Run from my past

In an instant, his eyes screamed that no, things weren’t fine. And he found himself shaking his head, after taking a deep breath, Cillian intertwined his fingers over the table and decided to open a door he rarely held open for other people, he told her that his wife passed away a little over a year ago and how he had completely focused in his sons ever since, canceling several projects in the process, he talked about how his family didn’t think twice to help him with everything; school runs, food, everything they needed, sometimes even stepping on the line, making him feel useless, he talked about his sons and the things they liked to do and for a brief moment, his eyes seemed to sparkle.

This world keeps spinning faster

Into a new disaster, so I run to you

But then he mentioned Andrew wanted to go somewhere on a school night, that was the call he just got, and by saying no, he was automatically the worst parent of the year.

She now was able to understand the sadness she found occasionally in his eyes, rare moments like flashes, but she definitely had seen them there, in the surface.

“I’m really sorry.” She offered her sincere condolences and an apologetic look.

“The hardest part is… thinking am I doing it right? Am I educating them well? I’m torn between been too soft or too strict, there’s no point in the middle.”

And she listened as he expressed out loud for the first time his fears and doubts of being a good parent, of not being there enough for his kids, for dropping his career to focus on his family, he might even had been a bit rude to his sisters and mother at some point.

“I’m sure you’re doing it great, you probably worry more than you should, but that’s part of being a parent.” Marianne tried to comfort.

And when it all starts coming undone

Baby you’re the only one I run to

Cillian leaned his head against his palm, over the table and finally, looked at her.

By the look of his eyes, he didn’t believe her.

“If you give yourself to your kids the same way you’re giving it all into this play, I can assure you, you’re doing a good job.” She insisted. “And I think you should accept all the help you can get… you shouldn’t carry out all of it by yourself.”

Cillian realized then, that he never talked to anyone like this.

He stared at her, directly into her eyes. How did he end up talking to her about such an intimate thing like his grief? When did he open up his heart to her like that? To trust her with things he didn’t dare to say to anyone else?

“I can’t just break right in front of them.” He shuddered, used to the constant pressure now. “Like what will happen when my family stops helping? What the fuck am I supposed to feed them 24/7?”

“Cillian one day it will blow up. Right in your face.”

He sighed. “I just want to raise them right.”

“I’m sure they are good people, having you as the role to follow…”

Cillian gave her a sad smile. “All they say is yeah, whatever,” he imitated, “and then their noses are glued to their phones.”

“If you’ve been a good father, which I’m sure… sooner or later they’ll go back to you.”

Having someone tell him he was doing a good job was a balm to his heart, in a non cocky way, he was relieved to hear some positive words.

“Thank you for listening to my shit,” he now felt slightly embarrassed, “I feel a lot lighter now.”

He really did, she didn’t seem to be judging him despite his sudden outburst of parental panic, no, she helped him put his feet on the ground and focus on things that really mattered.

Placing her palm over his arm in a soothing motion, she wanted to give him back all the things he was helping her with, but this was different. Oblivious to her worries, Cillian stared at her hand still on his arm as he felt a comfort he didn’t found in anyone before, something ignited.

But when Marianne removed her hand, he had to stop himself from reaching out and place it back to where it was. Instead he saw her looking at the window, it had been enough of him, so he decided to change the topic. “Are you ready to do the lecture with the whole cast?”

“Ugh, don’t tell me or I’ll get nervous.”

Cillian chuckled, easing her nerves. “You’ve nothing to worry about, you’ll do it amazingly!”

“Ow stop flattering me, I’m just a rookie.”

“You’re learning everything at a surprisingly pace, trust me… now I’m going to tell you something that might help you bring to life Adria and take her to the next level.” He leaned forwards as if he would be sharing a secret.

Marianne mirrored his move.

“Take a look at photographs, magazines… anything that makes you think of Adria.” Cillian smiled when he saw the way she was processing his words. “Think of a mirror breaking, pearls, a lioness… that’s how I see her protecting the prostitutes just as they will later protect her back, quotes also can help you, the more visual you can make it, the better.”

“As some kind of collage?” Marianne asked enthusiastically, already seeing it in her mind. Cillian nodded. “I like it!”

“It might sound simple, but small things like that can help you get in the right mindset of your character, you’ll focus Adria better…” he encouraged her. “Actually, I can already see her already in the back of your mind, you just need to bring her to the front row.”

Surprised, Marianne leaned back, crossing her leg she asked; “do you think so?” A head tilt and holding his gaze and Cillian felt goosebumps running up and down his body.

“That,” Cillian snapped his fingers and then pointed one at her, “that’s Adria’s look.”

He knew it from the start, Marianne just needed a little push.

****

Next part

A/N: LATS= short version for Look at the soul ☺️ the title got long haha 😆 hope you enjoyed this part 🎭♥️

Tag list: @lyarr24 @gypsy-girl-08 @cillmequick @zablife @prettylittlehoneyeyesxoxo @kettlechips3 @heidimoreton @forbidden-forest-witch @kaitebugg03 @thenattitude @forgottenpeakywriter @onlydeadcells @babaohhhriley @lonelyweeb0044 @lovemissyhoneybee @ange-thoughts @already-broken144 @midnightmagpiemama @shelbydelrey @cutecurly-hair @winchestergirl22 @moral-terpitude @elenavampire21 @lespendy @kittycatcait219 @stevie75 @esposadomd @sloanexx @shaddixlife @rangerelik @peakyscillian @woofgocows @cillianlove @imichelle-l-rigby @emmanuelle19

[mariacallous]

During Russia’s wars on Chechnya, videos of beheadings of Russian soldiers shocked and dismayed Russian society. But only for a while. Today, that kind of brutality has become entertainment for mainstream Russian society—as long as Russians are doing it.

In a way, I wish I were shocked by the horrific video that came out last week of a screaming Ukrainian prisoner of war being brutally beheaded by Russian soldiers.

At the same time, how can I be? Russians have done the same in Syria. The brutality of Russia’s war in Ukraine is deliberate—and Russian society is caught in a paradoxical spiral of denial and applause for it.

The so-called Chechenization (a term frequently used by Russian dissidents and academics, originally to refer to Russian President Vladimir Putin’s strategy of leaning on local warlords) of Russian society has been a long time coming. I use that term with caution; there’s nothing inherently brutal about Chechen society itself, as horrendous as the wars there were. Chechen dictator Ramzan Kadyrov, propped up by Putin, has inflicted the greatest suffering on his fellow Chechens, whether through day-to-day oppression and corruption or through violent purges.

But the wars in Chechnya, in 1994-96 and 1999-2000, played a key role in brutalizing Russian society. The spread of technology allowed for the filming of war crimes, and, at the same time, the murders of Chechen civilians were routinely downplayed or excused in the Russian press. Violence against Russians was used to justify violence committed by Russians. Ensuing terrorism against civilian targets in Russia deepened the process of brutalization further: The Beslan school siege is one of the most soul-destroying examples.

Both then and now, what ends up in the news about Chechnya is usually the tip of the iceberg, as any seasoned observer will tell you, but even before Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, the violence sown in the North Caucasus found ways of rippling out elsewhere.

After opposition politician Boris Nemtsov was gunned down not far from the Kremlin in 2015, the men convicted of the killing would prove to be connected to Kadyrov, though who hired them remains undisclosed. At the time, the smartest people I knew in Moscow, including academics, law enforcement officers, and businesspeople already scrambling to get out, were muttering that the murder was a sign—the “marginal” politics of Chechnya had been normalized in the heart of the Russian capital. “Things will get worse,” these people said. And so they did get worse.

Recordings of the horrific violence had arguably also been normalized. When director Kantemir Balagov included authentic videos of the torture and murder of Russian soldiers in his 2017 film Closeness, Western critics were naturally upset—while Russians didn’t bat an eye. I was in my last months in Moscow when that film came out, and I remember fainting in the theater—I had been given no warning as to what I was about to see—while the rest of the audience didn’t think it was a big deal.

A society where citizens brutalize one another and are brutalized by their own government is inevitably going to commit even greater acts of violence against anyone it perceives as both evil and weaker—remember that Russians initially didn’t count on Ukrainians to resist and are therefore all the more enraged by how their war is going now.

This leads us back to the brutality of the present day. In the video from Ukraine, which was likely filmed last year, due to the foliage present in the video, the perpetrator wears a balaclava as he is being cheerfully egged on by his friends. That these people know to conceal their faces likely means that they’ve done it before or know friends who have. The comparatively small weapon used suggests the desire to prolong the victim’s torture.

Other footage of beheaded Ukrainian soldiers began circulating around the same time. In occupied Popasna last year, the severed head of a Ukrainian POW was placed on a pole.

Russian terrorists fighting in Ukraine think the whole thing is extremely funny and promise more videos like it. Bloodthirsty propagandists such as Anton Krasovsky are meanwhile attempting to excuse it by pointing out that Ukrainians “aren’t people, they’re cosmic trash” or otherwise claiming that the video is staged.

In fact, the plan to terrorize Ukrainians by adopting so-called Chechen methods and using prominent “attack dogs” among Chechens loyal to the Kremlin has been in the works for a while. Some Putinists may find it distasteful and look away, but they are still on board with the overall objective.

If I were to do a forensic analysis of the video and those like it, I could spend many words outlining how the likes of the Wagner Group and other mercenaries are likely responsible. There are times, however, when forensics feels useless. This is a society where barbarism has triumphed and where it sets the agenda.

The idea that Wagner does not represent Russian troops as a whole has, for years, served the Kremlin well. It engenders a kind of plausible deniability. This is not, however, correct. The head of Wagner may be engaged in an on-again, off-again power struggle with regular Russian military officials, but it’s the sort of struggle that Putin finds useful and beneficial for now. Clan wars aid his war machine in that they prevent a challenger from rising up to face him directly. As such, the Russian war machine is doing exactly what it’s meant to be doing—directly aiding Putin and his clutch of friends while making everyone else miserable.

Wagner’s actions result in no accountability. There won’t be any court martials associated with the beheading video and other atrocities. Nobody is going to be punished. Nobody is even that shocked.

Russia doesn’t fight wars the way the United States does, and pearl-clutching comparisons to Iraq and whataboutism here are largely useless, too. What is useful is understanding exactly what you are dealing with. Russia is lawless, with zero meaningful oversight of its regular and irregular troops; it is growing more lawless; and it will seek to export its lawlessness at every turn.

And much like the brutality in Chechnya, what we see of Russians’ actions in Ukraine is the tip of a bloody iceberg. Individual tragedies that comprise the collective tragedy of the war will be unearthed for generations to come. Some of the horrors will come to light, and some will not. All are ultimately acceptable to Moscow, which needs a blistering defeat. In any other scenario, its bloody nihilism will never stop.

[kylesvariouslistsandstuff]

Anyone here ever listen to the Fine Tooning podcast hosted by entertainment writers Drew Taylor and Jim Hill?

I tend to tune in every Tuesday. Sometimes I learn things about Disney history I never knew, in addition to hearing their takes on current animation news.

This week's episode was about Gary Rydstrom, long-time sound designer - especially for many Pixar films - and filmmaker who eventually directed the Pixar short LIFTED (attached to RATATOUILLE in theaters) and Lucasfilm's STRANGE MAGIC.

As many people know, he was set to direct an ill-fated Pixar film called NEWT, which would've - at one point - released in the summer of 2011 following TOY STORY 3. Before its cancellation, it swapped spots with CARS 2 and went to summer 2012.

What I never knew about this movie was that it was meant to begin a line of lower-budget, quirkier Pixar films. Similar to that of the films Disney Feature Animation's Orlando unit made before they were shut down in 2004.

And if you remember, back when NEWT was announced, it was supposed to share that year with THE BEAR AND THE BOW. That movie, of course, would later be titled BRAVE, and it opened in the summer of 2012. BRAVE would've been a holiday 2011 release if plans had held, and obviously would've been the mainline bigger budget movie opposite NEWT.

Pixar would try doing two-a-year again for 2013 - but w/ both movies being mainline big budget endeavors. So for 2013, the plan was: MONSTERS UNIVERSITY was set for the summer, and THE GOOD DINOSAUR - the thrown-out version that was being directed by Bob Peterson - following during the Thanksgiving frame. Of course, as we all know, that didn't happen either.

Finally, in 2015, they made it happen... INSIDE OUT was the summer movie of the pair, a huge hit all-around: Boffo box office, enthusiastic critical reception, an Oscar... THE GOOD DINOSAUR, the Thanksgiving movie, didn't enjoy any of that. Overshadowed completely by its sister picture, and it also lost money on top of being a very troubled production. Would it have fared well in a different year, on its own? Who the heck knows. It lived a nice second life through solid home media sales, and I'm sure someone somewhere is clicking on it on Disney+.

Then they tried again in 2017. The summer release, CARS 3, did so-so at best at the box office and got okay-ish reviews. CARS isn't everyone's cup of tea, so it was expected. Barely doubled its as-usual-for-Pixar gargantuan budget. Thanksgiving release COCO, by contrast, was the big hit. All of it: Great reviews, fantastic box office, and an Oscar.

2020 was another attempt, this time with a movie at the tail end of winter (the first weekend of March) and a summer movie... Well, COVID-19 happened. ONWARD was cut right off within a week of release, and SOUL went straight to Disney+. The recent theatrical release of SOUL sadly flopped. SOUL did, however, get an Oscar for Best Animated Feature 2020. ONWARD was also nominated for the award that year. So, the two Pixars finished the year with better than average reviews and Oscar noms.

2022 was the second attempt at this new strategy. TURNING RED in March, LIGHTYEAR in June... But Disney, concerned about COVID-19's Omicron variant, sent TURNING RED straight to Disney+. TURNING RED was well-loved and was up for the animated Oscar. LIGHTYEAR bombed in theaters, got okay reviews, and no Oscar nom.

This year was going to see that strategy again, until... Disney and Pixar delayed ELIO, which was set to be the March movie - with a trailer and everything, all the way back to summer 2025. The sole Pixar movie for that year... Leaving INSIDE OUT 2 as this year's Pixar film, and the summer release at that. I expect it to be huge, given that it's a sequel to a movie that clearly did so poorly years ago.

So... 2026, the current plan is for there to be two Pixars. A March and a June. We know TOY STORY 5 is in active development, and I suspect it'll nab the summer 2026 slot. Whatever is brewing in the hallway of the original movies for the March slot, I have no idea. It could be anyone's picture. Kristen Lester? Brian Fee? Rosana Sullivan? List goes on... We'll probably get an inkling of what it is sometime this year. Maybe for D23?

But here's the thing... We know Pixar keeps it all under one roof. After all, their Vancouver unit didn't make it, neither did attempts to collaborate with other filmmakers (see Henry Selick/CinderBiter's THE SHADOW KING). Every movie they make is some $175m+ costing behemoth...

And I think, why can't they do the big movie/small movie thing? It would allow them to double up production, while keeping costs lower on the quirkier movies, and allowing the filmmakers to experiment more. I mean, that's kind of the gist behind the SparkShorts, right? Or those few Co-op program shorts, like BORROWED TIME. Look at Illumination and their proposed adult animation label, Moonlight... That Pixar was attempting to do smaller and weirder films alongside their usual blockbuster spectacles tells me that... Maybe they should try again?

Though weirdly, TURNING RED was their usual $175m+ picture, and that had a different art style, was much more filmmaker-driven than usual, and was indeed a little quirkier. But even then, making a picture like that for such a massive budget puts it at risk. Remember, we watched ELEMENTAL open with a blah number and subsequently claw its way to a "just made it!" final gross. If that movie had cost around $85m instead and still looked as lovely, the near-$500m gross wouldn't even be an issue.

So why not have the next original after ELIO - should that be another triple-digit million movie - be this sub-$100m costing movie? Can it be done? Are they thinking about it?

I dunno, that podcast just got me thinking. I also found out a lot more about NEWT's production and rather mysterious cancellation from this very episode, stuff I was kinda dying to know for years... Yeah, Fine Tooning is worth listening to, check 'em out.

[fightforthesoulofthecities]

The Strategy Center is proud to support LA Commons' Festival of Masks JOIN THE WORKSHOP Friday June 14th @5pm

The Strategy Center is proud to support LA Commons’ Day of the Ancestors: Festival of Masks Workshop Friday June 14th @5pm Festival June 30th @12pm Strategy and Soul is proud to collaborate with LA Commons to celebrate the 14th Day of the Ancestors: Festival of Mask, Sunday, June 30th, 2024 from 12-6pm in Leimert Park and we want you to join us! Day of the Ancestors Festival of Masks is is a…

[seph7]

J.T. Walsh (1999)

I like Oliver Stone movies, but I stayed away from his Nixon when it was in the theaters in 1995, and never rented it on video. As the child of good California Democrats, I grew up hating Nixon. When I was in my twenties and he was president, he gave me more reason to hate him than I ever wanted. When he died I didn’t want to think about him anymore.

One night, though, flipping channels after the late news had closed down, I happened onto Nixon running on HBO, and I didn’t turn it off. I was pulled in, played like a fish through all the fictions and flashbacks, dreaming the movie’s dream: waiting for Watergate.

It came into focus with a strategy session in the Oval Office. Anthony Hopkins’s Nixon is hunching his shoulders and look­ing for help. James Woods’s impossibly reptilian H. R. Halde­man is stamping his feet like Rumpelstiltskin and fulminating about “Jew York City.” Others raise their voices here and there—and off to the side is J. T. Walsh, the canniest and most invisible actor of the 1990s, doodling.

As almost always, Walsh was playing a sleaze, a masked thug, here a corrupt government official, White House adviser and Watergate conspirator John Ehrlichman—as elsewhere he has played a slick Hollywood producer, a college-basketball fixer, the head of a crew of aluminum siding salesmen, a porn king who makes home sex videos with his own daughter, a slew of cops (Internal Affairs bureaucrat on the take in Chicago, leader of a secret society of white fascists in the LAPD), and a whole gallery of con artists, confidence men who seem to live less to take your money than for the satisfaction of getting you to trust them first.

Walsh in the Oval Office is physically indistinct; he usually was. At fifty-two in 1995 he looked younger, just as he looked older than his age when, after eight years as a stage actor—most notably as the frothing sales boss in David Mamet’s Glengarry Glen Ross—he began getting movie roles in 1986. Except near the end of his life, when his weight went badly out of control, his characters would have been hard to pick out of a lineup. Like Bill Clinton he was fleshy, vaguely overweight, with an open, florid, unlined face, a manner of surpassing reasonableness, blond in a way that on a beige couch would all but let him fade into the cushions. He had nothing in common with even the cooler, more sarcastic heavies of the forties or the fifties—Victor Buono’s police chief in To Have and Have Not, say, or the coroner in Kiss Me Deadly, their words dripping from their mouths like syrup with flies in it. He had nothing to say to the heavies appearing alongside of him in the multiplexes—Dennis Hopper’s psychokillers, Robert Dalvi’s scum-suckers, Mickey Rourke, with slime oozing through his pores, the undead Christopher Walken, his soul cannibalized long ago, nothing left but a waxy shell.

Walsh’s characters are extreme only on the inside, if he allows you to believe they are extreme at all; as he moves through a film, regardless of how much or how little formal authority his character might wield, Walsh is ordinary. You’ve seen this guy a million times. You’ll see him for the rest of your life. “What I enjoy most as an actor,” he said in December 1997, two months before his death from a heart attack, “is just disappearing. Most bad people I’ve known in my life have been transparent. Not gaunt expressions—they’re Milquetoasts. It’s Jeffrey Dahmer arguing with cops in the streets about a kid he’s about to eat—and he convinces them to let him keep him. And takes him back up and eats him. What is the nature of evil that we get so fascinated by it? It’s buried in charm, it’s not buried in horror.”

Walsh’s charm—what made you believe him, whether you were another character standing next to him in a two-shot, or watching in the audience—was a disarming, everyday realism, often contrived in small, edge-of-the-plot roles, his work with a single expression or a line staying with you long after any memory of the plot crumbled. As a lawyer happily tossing Linda Fiorentino criminal advice while an American flag waves in the breeze outside his window, Walsh taps into a profane quickness that for the few moments he’s on-screen dissolves the all-atmosphere-all-the-time film noir gloom of John Dahl’s The Last Seduction. In The Grifters, as Cole Langley, master of the long con, he radiates an all-American salesman’s glee (“Laws will be broken!” he promises a mark) that makes the hustlers holding the screen in the film—Anjelica Huston, John Cusack, Annette Bening—seem like literary conceits. Yet it all comes through a haze of blandness, as it does even when Walsh plays a sex killer, a crime boss, a rapist, a racist murderer, as if at any moment any terrible impression can be smoothed away: How could you imagine that’s what I meant?

In the Oval Office his Ehrlichman, whom America would encounter as the snarling pit bull lashing back at Senator Sam Ervin’s Watergate investigations committee, retains only the blandness, occasionally offering no more than “I don’t know if that’s such a good idea” before returning to his doodles. It was this blandness that allowed Walsh to flit through history—in Nixon playing White House fixer Ehrlichman; in Hoffa Team­ster president Frank Fitzsimmons, locked into power by a deal that Ehrlichman helped broker; in Wired reporter Bob Woodward, who helped bring Ehrlichman down—but as Walsh sits with Nixon and Haldeman and the rest you can imagine him absenting himself from the action as it happens, instead contemplating all the roles in all the movies that have brought him to the point where he can take part in a plot to con an entire nation.

What makes Walsh such an uncanny presence on-screen—to the degree that, as the trucker in the first scenes of Breakdown, or Fitzsimmons as a drunken Teamster yes-man early in Hoffa, he seems to fade off the screen and out of the movie, back into everyday life—is that while the blandness of his characters may be a disguise, it can be far more believable than whatever evil it is apparently meant to hide. Even as it is committed, the evil act of a Walsh character can seem unreal, a trick to be taken back at the last moment, even long after that moment has passed—and that is because his characters, the real people he is playing, can appear to have no true identity at all. You can’t pick them out of the lineups of their own lives.

At the very beginning of his film career, in 1987, in David Mamet’s House of Games, Walsh is the dumb businessman victim of a gang of con men running a bait-and-switch, then a cop setting them up for a bust, then a dead cop, then one of the con men himself, alive and complaining, “Why do I always have to play the straight man?” The straight man? you ask him back. In Breakdown, in a rare role in which he dominates a film from beginning to end, he first appears as a gruffly helpful trucker giving a woman a ride into town while her husband waits with their broken-down car. She disappears, and when the husband finally confronts the trucker, with a cop at his side, Walsh’s irritated denial that he’s ever seen his man before in his life seems perfectly justifiable—even if, as Walsh saw it, that scene “had a residual effect on the audience. ‘Don’t catch me acting’—when I lied, deadpan, on the road, you hear people in the audience: ‘He’s lying!'”The moment came loose from the plot, as if, Walsh said, “I’m not just acting”—and that, he said, was where all the cheers in the theaters came from when in the final scene he dies. He had fooled the audience as much as the other characters in the movie; that’s why the audience wanted him dead.

Walsh’s richest role came in John Dahl’s Red Rock West. The mistaken-identity plot—with good guy Nicolas Cage mis­taken for hit man Dennis Hopper—centers on Walsh’s Wayne Brown, a Wyoming bar owner who’s hired one Lyle from Texas to murder his wife. As Brown, Walsh is also the Red Rock sheriff—and he is also Kevin McCord, a former steelworks bookkeeper from Illinois who along with his wife stole $1.9 million and was last seen on the Ten Most Wanted list. Walsh plays every role—or every self—with a kind of terrorized assurance that breaks out as calm, certain reason or calm, reasoned rage. He’s cool, efficient, panicky, dazed, quick, confused. You realize his character no longer has any idea who he is, and that he doesn’t care—and that it’s in the fact that they don’t care that the real terror of Walsh’s characters resides. You realize, too, watching this movie, that in all of his best roles Walsh is a center of nervous gravity. His acting, its subject, is all about absolute certainty in the face of utter doubt. Yes, you’re fooled, and the characters around Walsh’s might be; you can’t tell if Walsh’s character is fooled or not.

At the final facedown in Red Rock West, all the characters are assembled and Dennis Hopper’s Lyle is holding the gun. “Hey, Wayne, let me ask you something,” he says. “How’d you ever get to be sheriff?” “I was elected,” Walsh says with pride. “Yeah, he bought every voter in the county a drink,” his wife sneers—but so what? Isn’t that the American way? Get Walsh out of ‘this fix and it wouldn’t have been the last election he won.

Watching this odd, deadly scene in 1998, I thought of Bill Clinton again, as of course one never would have in 1992, when Red Rock West was released and Clinton was someone the country had yet to really meet. In the moment, looking back, seeing a face and a demeanor coming together out of bits and pieces of films made over the last dozen years, it was as if—in the blandness, the disarming charm, the inscrutability, the menace, the blondness, moving with big, careful gestures inside a haze of sincerity—Walsh had been playing Clinton all along. He was not, but the spirit of the times finds its own vessels, and, really, the feeling was far more queer: it was as if, all along, Bill Clinton had been playing J. T. Walsh.

[influencermagazineuk]

Longlegs: A New Standard in Serial Killer Horror Films

"It legitimately had me on the verge of tears in terror," shared one early viewer. Early audiences are raving about Nicolas Cage's latest film, Longlegs, calling it the best serial killer horror since The Silence of the Lambs hit theaters in 1991. Directed by Oz Perkins (Gretel & Hansel, I Am the Pretty Thing That Lives in the House), the movie is set in the 1990s and follows FBI agent Lee Harker (played by Maika Monroe) as she delves into a series of murders linked to a Satanic killer known as Longlegs (played by Cage). Oz Perkins, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons Scheduled for release in the UK on July 12, coinciding with its wider US release, Longlegs has already garnered significant acclaim from early screenings. Matt Neglia, editor of Next Best Picture, praised the film on Twitter, describing it as "one of the best serial killer films in recent memory." He highlighted its "psychologically scarring" nature and called it a "sinister and unnerving descent into hell that will haunt your mind and soul." Another viewer confessed that the film left them "on the verge of tears in terror" and advised against watching it alone. Fans have lauded Perkins for infusing dread and terror into every frame, with Monroe delivering a hypnotic performance and Cage's portrayal expected to haunt viewers' nightmares. Audience members have reported lingering fear long after the credits rolled. One person remarked, "Saw Longlegs this morning and now I’m just supposed to… carry on with my day? It’s like Osgood Perkins saw Silence of the Lambs and thought, ‘Nah, not f***ed up enough for me.’” Cage's transformation into the killer is only hinted at in the Longlegs trailer. In an interview with Entertainment Weekly, Cage likened this approach to "driving people towards a freak show at a circus tent." He explained, "We’ve got the thing behind the curtain, and when there’s enough people gathered around, we’re going to pull the curtain." This strategy, he said, is akin to "putting a warning label on a jar of nitroglycerin." Describing his character, Cage warned, "The monster is a highly, highly dangerous substance. The way it’s moved, unveiled, deployed has to be treated very carefully. Forget about the movie theater blowing up; the whole city could blow up, nay the country, maybe even the world. He is going to change your reality. Your doors of perception are going to open, and your life is not going to be the same.” Following the intense reactions to early screenings, Perkins expressed surprise at how deeply his film has disturbed viewers. Longlegs promises to be a gripping and terrifying addition to the genre, leaving an indelible mark on those brave enough to watch. Read the full article

[avidlearning]

Upcoming Events, Concerts and Workshops in Mumbai, India by Avid Learning

Welcome to Avid Learning, where the past converges with the future, and where cultural exploration meets intellectual enrichment. Embark on a journey with us as we dive into the vibrant tapestry of events unfolding across India and beyond. From workshops redefining the cinematic landscape to soul-stirring concerts paying homage to musical legends, Avid Learning brings you a curated selection of events that promise to captivate, inspire, and enlighten.

Past Events in India:

India, with its rich tapestry of culture and history, has been a melting pot of artistic expression and intellectual discourse. At Avid Learning, we celebrate this heritage by curating events that offer glimpses into the past while embracing the future. From insightful workshops on traditional art forms to thought-provoking discussions on contemporary issues, our past events have left an indelible mark on attendees, fostering a deeper appreciation for India's diverse cultural landscape.

Workshops and Training Events in India:

In a rapidly evolving world, knowledge is power, and at Avid Learning, we empower individuals through our workshops and training events. Whether you're looking to hone your creative skills or stay abreast of the latest technological advancements, our expert-led sessions provide a platform for learning, collaboration, and growth. From AI-infused marketing strategies to the intersection of art and technology, our workshops cater to diverse interests and skill sets, equipping participants with the tools they need to thrive in an ever-changing world.

Upcoming Concerts in Mumbai:

Mumbai, the pulsating heart of India's entertainment industry, is set to come alive with an electrifying lineup of concerts in 2024. From soulful tributes to musical legends of yesteryears to cutting-edge performances by emerging artists, there's something for every music enthusiast to look forward to. Stay tuned as we bring you the latest updates on upcoming concerts, promising an unforgettable auditory experience that will leave you craving for more.

Best Upcoming Events in Mumbai 2024:

As we look ahead to the year 2024, Mumbai emerges as a cultural hub brimming with excitement and creativity. From thought-provoking discussions on the intersection of art and technology to captivating performances that challenge societal norms, the city is set to witness a renaissance of sorts. Join us as we explore the best upcoming events in Mumbai, curated exclusively for the discerning connoisseur of art, culture, and ideas.

Upcoming Events:

Lights, Algorithms, Action – Reimagining Cinema with Artificial Intelligence:

Explore the fascinating world of AI-infused cinema with our upcoming event, where industry experts will shed light on how artificial intelligence is reshaping the cinematic landscape. From scriptwriting to casting decisions, delve into the transformative power of AI in revolutionizing the way films are created and consumed.

Blast from the Past: A Tribute to Funk & Jazz from the 60s, 70s, and 80s:

Get ready to groove to the timeless tunes of funk and jazz as we pay tribute to musical legends from the 60s, 70s, and 80s. Join us for an evening of infectious rhythms and soulful melodies, as top-notch musicians take you on a musical journey through the decades.

Sakhi: Exploring Friendship Between Sita and Draupadi:

Experience a unique blend of Bharatanatyam, contemporary dance, and theater as we bring to life the untold stories of Sita and Draupadi. Witness their extraordinary journey through dance, as they explore themes of friendship, resilience, and female empowerment.

The Art of Looking at Art: Decoding Tech Art in the Post-Truth Era:

Join us for an immersive workshop that explores the intersection of art and technology in the post-truth era. Led by acclaimed cultural producer Trishla Talera, this session promises to unravel the mysteries of tech art and its impact on the contemporary art world.

Ebrahim Alkazi: Holding Time Captive - A Discussion Celebrating the Launch of Amal Allana's New Book:

Delve into the life and legacy of Ebrahim Alkazi, the father of modern Indian theater, with our upcoming book launch event. Featuring insightful discussions and captivating readings, this event pays homage to a visionary whose influence transcended the realms of theater and visual arts.

Nation Wants to Know feat. Anuvab Pal:

Laugh your way through a rollicking hour of comedy with Anuvab Pal as he takes a hilarious look at modern India. From colonial hangovers to digital dilemmas, join us for an evening of laughter and satire at the historic Royal Opera House.

Technology Events in India:

India's tech landscape is thriving, and at Avid Learning, we're committed to fostering innovation and creativity in this dynamic field. From AI-driven filmmaking to immersive experiences in virtual reality, our technology events provide a platform for thought leaders and innovators to explore the endless possibilities of technology in shaping the future of art and entertainment.

Events in Bengaluru:

As India's Silicon Valley, Bengaluru is a hotbed of innovation and creativity, making it the perfect setting for our diverse range of events. From tech conferences to cultural festivals, Avid Learning brings its signature blend of intellectual discourse and cultural exploration to the vibrant city of Bengaluru, enriching the lives of residents and visitors alike.

Events in Dubai, UAE:

Venture beyond the borders of India and immerse yourself in a world of cultural exchange and intellectual discovery with our events in Dubai, UAE. From art exhibitions to literary festivals, Avid Learning's presence in Dubai offers a unique opportunity to engage with diverse perspectives and ideas, fostering dialogue and understanding across borders.

At Avid Learning, we believe that learning never stops, and each event is an opportunity to explore new horizons, challenge assumptions, and broaden perspectives. Join us on this journey of discovery as we celebrate the past, embrace the present, and envision the future through the transformative power of art, culture, and ideas.

Website: https://avidlearning.in/

Email: register@essarservices.co.in

Contact: +919769937710

[courtierimmobilier]

Property for Sale: 10 Tips to Find a Luxurious One

In the real estate sector, the search for a luxurious refuge surpasses the dealing—it's an unraveling of tailored experiences and suitable lifestyles. From scenic opulence to curated luxuries, searching for the quintessential luxury home from property for sale in Montreal is tough. We are revealing ten secrets that will guide you and empower you to write your tale in the realm of wonderful living.

1. A Canvas for Personal Luxury:

Begin your journey by outlining your definition of luxury—a canvas that grabs your unique desires. Does it reverberate in a sleek urban loft, a sprawling modernist estate, or perhaps an oasis hidden in the folds of nature? Your dream becomes the north star guiding your bespoke exploration.

2. The Tapestry of Locale:

Luxury is not just found in establishments; it's incorporated into the very fabric of the locale. Seek such a one from the property for sale listings that whispers exclusivity, pledges security, and is canvases for your finest lifestyle. The locale becomes not just a setting but an essential character in your narrative.

3. Partnering with a Real Estate Broker:

This expedition requires a guide—a craftsperson in the craft of luxury real estate. Collaborate with a certified real estate broker who speaks the language of luxury, possesses the keys to exclusive listings, and directs negotiations with finesse. This association ensures your journey is seamless and a crescendo of rewarding discoveries.

4. Unraveling Artisan Stories:

Behind every luxury property lies the record of builders and architects. Your chosen property is not just a dwelling; it's a living testament to the artistry that created it.

5. Veils of Serenity and Shields of Security:

Privacy and security are the custodians of luxury living. Seek a property veiled in privacy—be it through natural barriers, gated entrances, or secluded vistas. Safety systems and focused concierge services form the fortresses of tranquility, allowing you to savor the nuances of grand living in a lavish home chosen from property for sale listings.

6. The Alchemy of Bespoke Amenities:

Luxury resides in the details, in the alchemy of bespoke indulgences. Your property should transcend the ordinary, offering not just spaces but experiences—a private gym that becomes a sanctuary, a home theater that hosts cinematic tales, and a spa-like retreat within the confines of your abode.

7. Resale as a Pinnacle Strategy:

Amidst the emotional tapestry of your quest, weave in the strategic thread of resale value. Explore neighborhoods with a history of appreciation and developments poised for metamorphosis. A property for sale with a robust resale potential is not just a dwelling; it's a strategic investment in your narrative.

8. Interrogating the Property's Soul:

Beyond the façade, delve into the soul of your selected property. Engage professional brokers to interrogate structural integrity, plumbing, and electrical systems thoroughly. It ensures your entrance into the lap of luxury is smooth and a journey free from surprises.

9. Communing with Local Artisans:

Luxury living is not restricted to your property; it extends into the community. Engage yourself in local events, explore nearby cultural attractions, and decode the character of your potential neighbors. A vibrant community enriches your experience, making it a holistic tale of lavish living.

10. Negotiation as a Choreography:

Armed with the nuances of your narrative and the intricacies of the property, approach negotiations. Beyond price, negotiate terms that resonate with your story—closing costs, additional perks, and bespoke elements that elevate your purchase beyond a transaction. In your quest for a luxury property, let these tips guide and inspire. It is more than a search; it's a journey into the extraordinary. Balancing personal tales with meticulous research and expert brokers' guidance will help you find a luxurious property and start a unique chapter in your life. Happy scripting! If you're searching for upscale property for sale, hire Luciano Messina Courtier Immobilier. The leading real estate broker will guide you in buying and selling properties.