#Sydney and luca alone in ever kitchen

[unladyboss]

EXPLAIN THIS PLEASE? SYDNEY AND LUCA. SEASON 3 THE BEAR

Anybody wanna explain how Sydney and Luca end up ALONE in the EVER kitchen at 10:15 at night after eating dinner???

With wine in hand

Discussing very personal things (that she really hasn't talked to Carmy about)

Because I would like to know the conversation that LED up to that.

Was it like 'do you want to go somewhere and talk?'

Or it's so noisy out here let's find somewhere to go talk.

Because we all know they could have talked where EVERYONE ELSE WAS TALKING

These two felt the connection and wanted to be alone

Luca wanted to find OUT IF SYDNEY HAD A BOYFRIEND.

[daydreamgoddess14]

Everything More Than Anything pt. 1

Sydney Adamu x Carmy Berzatto, R rated in future chapters.

Syd works out what she needs to do to get those stars she's dreaming of. Carmy works out what he needs to do to support her.

Full Masterlist

Sydcarmy Masterlist

Chapter 1

In case there’s ever any doubt, knocking on your boss/partner’s door at 3am is never a good idea. Especially when you didn’t actually say goodbye until way past midnight. And he drove you home, and you’ve since undone that goodwill by getting up and walking to his apartment in the middle of the night… Syd considered. Sure, she had pepper spray and a swiss army knife, but she knew this would make him mad as hell. Still, she didn’t care. It wasn’t just a spur of the moment decision either. She’d undertaken specific, strategic research… and then she’d also tossed and turned for the best part of three hours until it became crystal clear what she needed to do, and she didn’t want to wait til 7am to have to tell him.

She’d taken food to Marcus. Trying to make amends, bury a hatchet, get back into his good books… whatever it was, she did it via the route she knew best. Through food. She’d taken the most gorgeous tagine over, warmed it for him, and sat while he ate. Still stilted, their conversation didn’t flow as naturally as it usually did. Their silences stretched out into awkwardness rather than comfort. She was almost relieved when he went to check on his mom, leaving her alone in the kitchen and nursing a mountain of couscous. His phone on the counter had rumbled across the surface with a call. LUCA, the screen flashed. She answered it almost on autopilot, “Hey man, how you doin’?” The figure on the phone wasn’t looking to the camera but at what looked like a tray of perfectly identical pastry cases. He did a double take at the sound of her voice.

“Uhhh hi. Marcus is just out of the room, he’ll be back in a sec?”

“You must be Sydney?” He grinned, she could have cursed, another pretty blond boy and their… eyes. Excellent.

“I am, Luca? Nice to meet you, kinda.”

“You too. Kinda. Have you been looking after my good friend Marcus?”

“Well. I’m trying,” his frown matched hers,

“Everything ok?”

“Long story. I’m sure you’ll hear his side of it.” “I already have.”

“Ahh,” 

“He’ll be ok.” He assured her. She suddenly felt a desperate need to change the subject, 

“So you knew baby Carmy, huh?”

“Yeah, we were just scruffy kids. I was scruffier.”

“I find that very hard to believe.” She replied with an arched eyebrow,

“S’true. And I got more deranged the harder I tried to keep up with him.” He laughed. Something fired in Syd’s brain,

“Say more?”

“I was telling Marcus when he was here. I thought I was the shit, y’know? The golden balls. Then, I had a few days trying to keep up with Carmen, and I was in pieces. Spent the rest of my time watching, learning… trying to keep up with him. It made me a good chef, and I got a really good mate out of it as well. Eventually, anyway. Once we’d stopped trying to kill each other.”

“You didn’t get better than him?”

“Nooo, god no. Not better than him. No one is better than him. Except maybe you, from what I’ve heard.” 

“Heard from who?” She asked curiously.

“Marcus, Terry… the man himself.”

“Now I know that’s a lie, he doesn’t answer his phone.” She cackled.

“He does to a select few. The important people in his life.” She thought back to the last few times she’d called Carmy since he’d emerged from the walk-in. Just stupid ‘what about this?’ kind of calls. He’d picked up before the first ring had even completed every time, answered every text. “We all talk, you know? Not all that often, but we keep up. It’s one thing we’ve never lost from our time with Terry. It’s like she honed in on the fact that we both had shit relationships with our parents and made sure we had her instead.”

“She sounds nice. I was really fucking jealous when Richie got to stage for her.”

“Nah, you should catch her for a cuppa - it’s much more fun. No milk, no sugar.” He advised. “So, I also know through the grapevine that you’re chasing stars?” Syd rolled her eyes, making a mental note to kill Marcus. Or Carmy. One of them, at least. 

“He’s such a little gossip!” She grumbled, “I just think it would be nice.”

“It would, you should go for it. And from what I’ve heard, The Bear is capable of getting them. I’m looking forward to a visit - there’s only so many times I can listen to how good you are. Plus it’s been a long time since Carm cooked for me.” Marcus came back through and took in Syd on the phone to Luca,

“Well, you’ll be welcome anytime. Marcus is here, I’ll let you off the hook now. It was good to meet you.”

“You too. Good luck with the stars.” She handed the phone over to Marcus and went back to her couscous, her mind ticking over.

~~~~~

The conversation with Luca had set things in motion in her brain. Three days later, she found herself loitering outside Ever on her way to work. Every day for a week she took the same route until she saw a figure emerge.

“Excuse me?”

“We don’t have any job openings. Check the website.”

“I’m not here for a job. My… friend, Richie, did a week here a few weeks ago? And my business partner, Carmen, knows Chef Terry and -”

“You’re Sydney?” Her jaw dropped,

“Uhh… yeah? I mean, yes, I didn’t mean that as a question,” she stammered, “that is me, I am her.”

“Richie talked about you a lot, and of course I know of Carmen. I’m Garrett.” The young man held out his hand and shook hers. “You coming in? I take it you’re here to see Chef Terry?” He asked, holding the door open on his way back inside. Though taken aback, Syd didn’t hesitate in following him. He gave her a whistle stop tour of the restaurant and kitchens before leaving her with Jess briefly.

“How’s Richie?”

“He’s good. Really good, actually.” “We miss him. Tell him I said hi?”

“Of course. You guys should come for dinner?” Syd invited,

“Oh god, absolutely. Garrett, Syd said we should go to The Bear.”

“We definitely should. Terry can’t see you today, she said she’s sorry, but she’s got a free hour tomorrow morning if you wanted to help her prep?” 

“Yes. Of course, I’ll be here. 6am?”

“Perfect. I’ll meet you outside.” She gave Jess a small wave and continued on to The Bear to start her day. The conversation with Luca and the quick preview of Ever buzzing in her mind, she felt like a bundle of nerves all day.

“Cariño, you good?” Tina asked as Syd’s knife narrowly missed her finger on its way to the onion she was making a poor attempt at chopping.

“Yeah, T. I’m fine.”

“Boy trouble?” She could feel Carmy, Richie and Ebra all raise their eyes as inconspicuously as possible. Thank fuck Marcus was at an appointment with his mother and Fak was under the pot wash sink.

“Fuck no. No time for that, mama.” She smiled down at Tina who was glaring at Ebra.

“Baby, you should make time for that. You’re like… buzzing. You should get laid.”

“Maybe she should keep buzzin’ an’ that’s the answer!” Richie called over,

“Ay, mind your business Richard! I ain’t talking to you right now, I’m trying to make sure this lady is getting what she needs.” Tina pointed at Richie with her knife.

“I’m just sayin’! She don't need a man, right Syd? Just some decent batteries.”

“Richie, shut the fuck up please. Tina, can we not be having this conversation right now?”

“Hey, it’s all good - you have needs, we all have needs. Might help you relax a little, y’know what I’m sayin’? You're very on edge.” Tina clicked her tongue between her teeth with a wicked grin. Syd scooped up her onions and dumped them into the empty container. 

“Behind.” She stuck her tongue out childishly at Tina and moved around her to the walk-in. With the onions on a shelf, she brought her hands up to her flushed cheeks. Eternally grateful her blushes weren’t broadcast to the world, only she could feel how hot her face felt. She fanned herself with her hand and took a minute.

“Behind, Chef.” Carmy stepped into the chiller with a container of mushrooms. “You ok?”

“Yeah, fine. Good to know there’s no escape from the probing mother figure. Poor Louis.” She grimaced at the thought of Tina’s teenage son trying to hide his sex life from her.

“She’s just looking out for you.” 

“I mean, I’m pretty sure then that she wouldn’t be encouraging… the things that she’s encouraging. But whatever. Either way, I still have no time.” Syd mused before realizing that they were still on Tina’s topic of conversation. “Thank fuck no one knows when I’m blushing.” She muttered, hand on the door to leave,

“I do.”

“Sorry?”

“I can tell when you’re embarrassed. You uhh become very interested in your shoes, and you pull your collar.” He explained, reaching out to put her jacket collar back into place. Her hands were fighting to stay away from it. True to form though, her shoes became very interesting indeed. 

“Didn’t know you were some kind of fuckin’ body language expert,” she huffed a laugh and left him in the walk-in.

~~~~~

The following morning, Syd waited outside with three takeout cups. As Garrett pushed the door, she handed him one.

“Coffee, to thank you for this.” “Nothing to thank me for. Come with me.” He raised the cup in salute and guided her down the previous day's familiar corridors.

“Sydney Adamu. I’ve been looking forward to meeting you.” A cheerful voice said as she rounded the corner. Garrett had disappeared already.

“Chef Terry, it’s… it’s an honor to meet you.” Syd put the takeout cups down and held out her hand, only to be pulled into a warm hug.

“You too, darling. Grab a sprig, we’re doing rosemary and basil.” She pointed to the bench where there was already a space out for Syd. 

“Thank you. I got you tea - no milk, no sugar.”

“Then it’s perfect. And very kind of you, thank you.” Syd picked up a bunch of rosemary and set about plucking the tiny leaves from the stalks. “I don’t pull them or drag them, I want the leaf to remain perfect.” Terry explained to Syd. “So tell me, how’s my boy doing?”

“Carmy? Well, I don’t know what your baseline is -”

“He was working for me shortly after his mother drove a car into their dining room.”

“Oh,” Syd realized she didn’t know that story, that there was so much she didn’t know. “Pretty low then?” “Pretty low,” Terry smiled.

“He managed to get locked in our walk-in on our soft open night a few weeks ago.”

“An interesting ploy to get out of appearing in front of the diners.” She chuckled. “Hmm. Broke up with his girlfriend while he was in there.”

“Ouch.”

“And since then, touch wood,” Syd brought a hand to her head like her mother had used to do, “he’s been better, I think? Calmer, more present. Like he’s really trying.”

“There’s a very big difference between the way he used to work in New York to the way I know he wants to work.”

“Yeah, we both don’t want that toxic, shouty,”

“Aggressive, demeaning,”

“All of that - we don’t want that, like, at all.” Syd emphasized, “sometimes it feels impossible, but we’re trying.”

“He’s told me about all of you, you know? How much he cares for you all and believes in you.”

“I think he needs to understand how much we want that for him too?” Syd paused with a sprig of Rosemary in her hand. Terry did the same with her knife hovering over a bunch of basil. “I swear he thinks he’s still alone, and he’s trying to keep all the plates spinning and… it’s a lot.”

“I agree.” She said finally. “It’s hard to convince someone they deserve to be loved or that they're not alone.” She said ruefully. “Is that why you’re here?”

“No. Yes? I’m not really sure. Luca suggested I meet you.” Syd shrugged,

“Ahh, my other brilliant young man. That reminds me, I need to call him.”

“He’d heard that I want us to go for stars at The Bear.”

“Well, I can’t advise you on how to get them, exactly.”

“Oh, I wouldn’t expect you to.” Syd assured her, “I guess I want to understand Carmy better? We seem to have this… unspoken language, and I want to build on it, and there’s so much I want to learn from him, but also I want him to learn as well? Sometimes, I feel like I should try and be more patient with him, but then he does stupid stuff that makes me want to kill him.”

“Oh I know that feeling all too well! The best thing you can do is to make your relationship airtight. The stars we earned here were earned together because we listened to each other and learned from each other.” Syd nodded in agreement,

“Exactly. He kept telling me the stars were bullshit, we didn’t need them, and why would I want them. Like I’m the only one who wants them.”

“There’s nothing wrong with ambition, Sydney. In fact, it suits you beautifully.” Syd smiled, bashful under Terry’s praise.

“I want them for both of us. I kind of want them so that I can use them to beat Carmy with for the rest of our lives to say, I dunno, ‘look what we can achieve when we believe in each other’? Because I do, I believe in him.” She said earnestly.

“I can tell.”

“He spoke to everyone I’d worked for in the past to understand why I wanted to work at the Beef.”

“Did he find the answer he was looking for?”

“I don’t know.”

“And what is the answer?”

“I wanted to work with him.” Terry smiled knowingly.

“Yes. He certainly has that effect.” She set down her knife and picked up her tea instead. “Keep doing what you’re doing, Sydney. He’s a total pain in the arse sometimes, but he’s worth the work.”

“Oh he is absolutely the biggest pain in my ass. Even more than Richie most of the time.” Terry laughed,

“You seem to have a good handle on them. Here, come and see this before I have to go,” she took Syd’s arm and led her down a walkway between the kitchen areas to a photograph on the wall of Carmy and Luca. “My lost boys. I am immensely proud of them.” She said fondly.

“He’s worth the work.” Syd said firmly, mostly to herself.

“He is. And so are you. I cannot wait to try your food. He tells me you’re the best he’s ever seen.” Syd scoffed,

“Oh, be serious right now.”

“I am, darling. I promise. He believes in you. I don’t think those stars are too far out of reach.” She patted Syd’s arm. “Now, I have to get back to work. Thank you for the tea. I hope you got what you needed from our time together?”

“I think I did, thank you, Chef Terry. Thank you for making time for me.”

“I would say anytime, but we both know that’s impossible in this profession. I’ll just say don’t be a stranger instead.”

“You too. He’d love to see you at The Bear, we both would.” As if by magic, Garrett appeared at the end of the corridor. Terry hugged Syd once more and disappeared around the corner. 

“Nice morning?”

“Why does it feel like I just met the Wizard of Oz? Or, like, Willy Wonka? How is she so cool and mysterious?” He smiled as he showed her out, 

“She’s Terry. She’s the best and she likes looking after the people she cares about. It was great to meet you, Syd. We’ll see you again soon.” He closed the door, leaving the building looking like an impenetrable fortress.

~~~~~

She rattled through another day at The Bear on edge, trying to decipher the things she’d learned over the course of the last couple of weeks. On the third attempt of placing a tiny flower onto a starter plate, she threw her tweezers with a groan of frustration.

"Ugggh, fuck me!"

“Breathe mija, breathe.” Tina set a hand on her arm. Syd nodded and stepped back while Tina gently dropped the flower into place. 

“Hands please.” Syd called out once the plate was completed, throwing a grateful look to her Sous.

“Try tellin’ me you don’t need an earth shakin’, mind blowing -”

“Tina, I beg you, do not finish that sentence.” Syd dragged her collar away from her neck, 

“Works wonders for your concentration.” The older woman wiggled her eyebrows.

“Please. Stop.” Syd hissed as Tina moved onto her next task. With a heavy sigh, she locked eyes with Carmy on the expo as he tried to hide a smile behind his hand. “Don’t you fucking start.” She warned.

And now here she was at 3am on Carmy’s doorstep. Another night owl had let her into the main building as they headed out for a run so she’d tiptoed up five flights of stairs and knocked loudly enough to wake him but not so loud it was disruptive to anyone else. The door flung open before she’d dropped her hand and he was pulling on a jacket,

“Woah, fuck -”

“Are you… are you going out? At 3am?”

“I was coming to see you. Wait, how’d you get here?” “Walked?”

“At 3am?” He pulled her into the apartment by her elbow. “Anything could have happened to you?”

“Why were you coming to see me?” She asked defiantly. “Why were you coming to see me?” He replied, avoiding the question completely.

“I need you,” she pleaded. His eyebrows shot up to his hairline,

“Is this… is this about what Tina was saying?” He asked quietly.

“What? No! Oh my god, Carmen! Is that why you think I’m here right now?”

“It’s 3am, Syd. It’s a pretty reasonable guess?”

“No, it is not a reasonable guess! There is… there is nothing reasonable about that guess!” Syd looked mortified.

“Well, look. Okay, thanks for that - thanks a lot -”

“Wait, I didn’t mean that it would be, like, horrible or anything! I didn’t say that, I’m sure it would be great…” She wrung her hands and sighed, trailing off into embarrassment. “Let me start over?” He nodded. 

“Good idea.”

“Hi, sorry to disturb you at 3am. I had an epiphany, and I needed your help.”

“I was up anyway. What can I do?”

"I know what I need to do for us to get those stars," she held her hands up as he started to protest, "I know, we don't need them, they're bullshit, blah blah blah."

"Blah blah blah?"

"I know what you're going to say, Carm. I know you think they're worthless"

"You know a lot, huh?" He said with a smile. 

"More than you give me credit for." She retorted. 

"Syd -"

"Carm. Please. I don't want it for me, I want it for us. I want it because we deserve it and we worked for it."

"What's your epiphany?"

"I need to care about everything, more than anything,” He arched an eyebrow,

“Well… yeah, I distinctly remember telling you that already?”

“I need to learn from you. Like, not just learn, I need to do what Luca did. Get better just by being near you." Both of his hands threaded through his hair and came to rest behind his head. She felt her stomach swoop. “I need to shadow you or something -”

"You are better. You don't need me, Syd."

"I do. I really do. I want you to help me make sure that we do this right. I get you've done the whole suffering for your art thing, but I want us and our team to thrive, not suffer." He fell quiet and watched her closely. "I don't want us to go through the same shit we went through before. We do this right and learn from each other and that is how we care about it more than anything else - by caring for everyone in it." He nodded. 

"Family style. A good, supportive family."

"Yes!” She beamed, “Yes, exactly.”

“OK.”

“And I'm gonna pretty much live in your pocket and you're gonna get so sick of me spending every fucking waking hour with you -"

"I said OK. And I won't get sick of you. Fuck, move in if that's what it takes." 

"Seriously?"

"We will do whatever it takes and we'll do it together. But I swear to god, Syd, while you're watching for fucking stars I'm gonna be watching you. Y'hear me? The second you're not eating or sleeping, I'm gonna be on your ass and we stop. And it takes as long as it takes. It’s not a goddamn race."

"Fine, yes. I'm in."

"It's not gonna be easy?" He warned. "Gets harder every year."

"Good. I know we can do it." He dropped his arms to his sides with a shrug. 

"Ok. Where'dya want to start?"

~~~~~

Phew! This is probably the longest I've gone without posting anything since the early summer! 😅 I couldn't hold off any longer. Fandom seems so quiet at the moment with shows finishing and others on a break... Just trying to keep us all busy and content until we have news!

Let me know what you think, would love so much to hear from you! 💜

[ahouseoflies]

The Best Films of 2019, Part V

(Sorry for the long wait.)  GOOD MOVIES

43. Luce (Julius Onah)- For every subtle, graceful moment, there's a spelled-out, maladroit moment, but this movie has a lot on its mind regarding race. Naomi Watts is great as a mother whose unwavering support of her son is as admirable as it is foolish, and Octavia Spencer plays a very real type that I hadn't seen in a movie, a teacher who uses her students to validate her own worldview. The film takes a long time to judge its characters, to the point that the title character could have done none of the things he's accused of (unlikely), some of the things he's accused of (likely), or all of the things he's accused of (unlikely). The dialogue is sometimes theatrical, but thankfully, so is the ambiguity. 42. A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood (Marielle Heller)- I appreciated the deft touch of Marielle Heller--stuff works in this movie that would look silly on the page--but I wasn't fully connecting. That is, until Chris Cooper got a tear lodged in the corner of his eye and said: "It's not fair. I was just starting to figure out how to live my life." That achieved what it was supposed to achieve. 41. Little Women (Greta Gerwig)- Gerwig takes chances with the structure, and it takes a long time for that gambit to pay off. Once it does though, such as when Jo comes downstairs to see a hearty Beth, which is only there to contrast Jo coming downstairs minutes later to an empty kitchen without Beth, the reinvention pays dividends. I liked whenever the film was winking at the audience, showing its own strings, but that first half was a lot of "Amy, you're Amy, right? And the audience can tell us apart, right, Amy?" The Chalamet-Pugh scenes, to use a phrase that a Sacramentonian like Gerwig might approve of, just hit different. Especially in the scene that most directly addresses Alcott's division between obligation and personal responsibility, their chemistry crackles. Can someone please cast those two as reporters stepping over each other while trying to crack the same scoop? Please? 40. Dark Waters (Todd Haynes)- In the Todd Haynes filmography, this is an effective if weird entry: He makes the procedural, research-based parts of a legal thriller exciting while the actual courtroom stuff falls flat. And it's a strange challenge for a director with such a sumptuous eye for design to capture the flat textures of Cincinnati office space or the sacky suits of a guy who is consumed by a case. That being said, the film is a work of conscience and compassion. It's no small feat to call out DuPont by name over a hundred times. The first half moves nimbly. When it works, such as the creative montage that explains Teflon to the audience, it resists the crutches of its genre. But the story suffers from having to compress so many years in the second half. Those broad strokes affect both the supporting performances--only Tim Robbins is able to sell his character's change of heart in limited screen time--and tone. Sometimes the "None of this matters" scenes are right next to the "Maybe I've made a difference" scenes, and it's jarring. 39. One Child Nation (Nanfu Wang)- It's a cool trick for something so handmade and personal to also stand in as a story of a country. And it's as affecting as you would imagine images of discarded fetuses would be. If I sound dismissive though, it's because I don't know quite to do with this. China...sucks? 38. Ford v. Ferrari (James Mangold)- Hard to argue with the craftsmanship of a film that cares so much about its structure on a scene-by-scene level. Ford v. Ferrari is two-and-a-half hours (four hours on TNT every Sunday forever), but, if anything, the forty minutes dedicated to Le Mans could be longer. Josh Lucas nearly tanks the thing with his smugness, but the other performances are fun. My take on why the film is a guide for being a Republican is still charging.

37. Us (Jordan Peele)- Us made $70 million in its opening weekend, which is a lot for a David Lynch movie. It's amazing that a film this artsty and accusatory toward its audience (Us=U.S.) is immensely popular. The imagery of Us is arresting (and so so funny). Within the first two shots, you know you're in good hands, and my Tumblr feed is going to be full of, say, Elisabeth Moss, whose expressions are the best effect in movies, giving herself a smile with scissors. Scissors that always create a division in their "tethered" subject, that are handled by Freddy Krueger gloves that are clearly an influence on Jordan Peele, that make construction paper cut-outs that mirror the bougie family decal on the back of the Wilson Family's station wagon. This device is a thought-out visual component. But Us is all too often a subtext in search of a text. When we really start to unpack the shadow people, they might not even make literal sense. I say this as I plan a second viewing that the movie deserves. On one hand, I admire Peele's search for a metaphor for political division or homelessness or late capitalism. On the other hand, a metaphor for everything is a metaphor for nothing. 36. Richard Jewell (Clint Eastwood)- Like most Eastwood directorial efforts, things are a little too neat and fixed in the setup: This character saying something a bit too on-the-nose and biographical, those characters probably not being in the same place at the same time. And the female characters, especially Olivia Wilde's rapacious, promiscuous Kathy, would have felt out of place thirty years ago, let alone now. There's barely anything on the page for her, and, to be honest, I don't think she does much with what she was given. Once the film settles into what it's actually about though, the drama is graceful and potent. The attorney-client relationship is specific and interesting, and in a less loaded year, Paul Walter Hauser and Sam Rockwell would be clearing their mantles. Hauser, in particular, is great, free of any of the vanity that might go into making Jewell more perceptive or self-aware. 35. The Peanut Butter Falcon (Tyler Nilson and Michael Schwartz)- Derivative of even something like Mud from a few years ago, poisoned by an abrupt ending, but ultimately sweet as hell. Shia and Dakota play off each other with Movie Star fireworks, so the film kicks into a different gear when they're together. The scene in which LaBoeuf stands at the Salt Water Redneck's screen door is a heartbreaker. 34. Pain and Glory (Pedro Almodovar)- A little less formally inventive than I was expecting, Pain and Glory is mostly good and sometimes great, especially in the heartbreaking Federico sequence. In another mother-son story, one that brings up the word "autofiction" without prompting, Banderas is even styled to look like Almodovar. This might be his first "old man" role, and he wears it well. 33. Where’s My Roy Cohn? (Matt Trynauer)- The Donald Trump section, the one that all of Cohn's situational morality and empty power-grubbing had been leading to all along, is illuminating because it goes deep into specific deals. (And because the relationship is recent enough for the interview subjects to have first-hand knowledge.) I wish that Trynauer had slowed down that much elsewhere--especially to get to the bottom of the frog collection. But if the object is to get you to go, "What an asshole," then mission accomplished. 32. The Lighthouse (Robert Eggers)- Eggers lays the doubling on pretty thick in the last half-hour, but he goes to great lengths to make this like nothing you've ever seen or heard before otherwise. He's a filmmaker who cares deeply about the composed image on a shot by shot and possibly a frame by frame level. The Lighthouse was less thematically rich than its predecessor, but I'm pretty sure I felt as confined and unnerved (and as tickled by the salty dialogue) as I was supposed to. 31. Amazing Grace (Sydney Pollack and Alan Elliot)- Amazing Grace is one of the best reviewed movies of the year, in part because no one is going to say that listening to Aretha Franklin sing is a bad experience. It's not. But she's stationary as a performer, and I would be lying if I said that the movie didn't get tedious. In its best moments though, one of which is Aretha's dad wiping sweat off her face while she ignores him and plays the piano, it's high, high art. 30. The Inventor: Out for Blood in Silicon Valley (Alex Gibney)- A typically solid Gibney effort: never boring, articulate in its aims, poised to expose fraud for the public good. The film builds quite a bit of momentum as it gauges Elizabeth Holmes on the scale of American showmanship and Silicon Valley's fake-it-till-you-make-it ethos, and its strangest moments are its best. (See: The C.E.O. and C.O.O. giddily jumping on a bounce house because one of their two hundred tests got approved by the FDA.) I like that no one explicitly comments on Holmes's looks, using words like "captivating" or "presence" instead, letting her undue influence on men hang over the proceedings the same way it did in real life. There's a lot left unsaid about how she might have been held back but then pushed forward, underestimated until she was overestimated, because of the lack of women in her field. At the same time, the film repeats itself and ties itself into knots by insisting that Holmes is a complicated figure. She's a person so driven by a desire for greatness that she can't listen to reason or admit defeat. Are we sure that's revolutionary or unique? 29. Dragged Across Concrete (S. Craig Zahler)- A) All of S. Craig Zahler's movies are above average in execution and downright special in aspiration. B) All of S. Craig Zahler's movies are too long. C) If S. Craig Zahler's movies were not long, they would not be special.The guy keeps introducing characters and threads, but each one is interesting, and I keep rolling with him. (Until the Jennifer Carpenter subplot, which is ten minutes of emotional manipulation.) That same critical tangle extends to the idea of whether or not this movie endorses the racism that it depicts. I thought it did until I didn't, and maybe that wishy-washiness--dingy, dingy wishy-washiness--is what I'm supposed to feel. 28. Honey Boy (Alma Har’el)- Honey Boy isn't much of a movie, but it is an exorcism. Especially in the Lucas Hedges rehab arc that we've seen a million times, the story is thin. The film's reason to exist is emotional catharsis though, and it has that in spades. It's worth seeing for the traumatic three-way phone conversation alone. Hedges banks another good performance in what is basically a Shia impression: falsely gruff voice, t-shirt collar in mouth, crew socks peeking out of combat boots. But what LaBoeuf himself is doing is a force of nature. His performance in American Honey was my previous favorite, and he taps into the inverse of that charisma here: seductive in the former, repellent in Honey Boy. Most people can play insecure motormouths, and most people can evince pain. But to play a person who talks non-stop as a coping mechanism for pain, and getting across to the viewer that even the character knows he's not good at such a thing? Those are some shades of gray.

27. Once Upon a Time...in Hollywood (Quentin Tarantino)- Tarantino's best film, Inglourious Basterds, is gauged for maximum suspense and audience involvement. This one, which is one of his worst on this first viewing for me, is made entirely for himself. I appreciate that artistically, but the film never stops--especially in the clunkily paced middle--indulging itself. Oh, I get it: It's a film about growing older and dealing with possible obsolescence, but the nuts-and-bolts storytelling is too digressive for me. That dilly-dallying is the point, of course, as the film attempts to hang on to a dying moment, luxuriating in its painstakingly recreated setting and hanging out with men's men played by actors who are at their absolute peak of Movie Stardom. It's a Tarantino film, so it's not without its sublime pleasures. Hell, I'll go back just for that montage of the neon signs turning on. 26. Her Smell (Alex Ross Perry)- Grating in a way that Alex Ross Perry's films have not been before and redemptive in a way that his films have not been before. Over the course of five mammoth real-time scenes--Perry cites Steve Jobs as a structural influence--the viewer is dragged through scuzzy, abusive ugliness right to the authentic final line. It's a rewarding experience that I never want to experience again. More than anything else, the film is an additional exhibit in the case that Elisabeth Moss can do anything. She shined in Perry's Listen Up Philip and gets a similar long zoom here to showcase ten emotions at once. She plays the part of Becky Something like a glass on the edge of a table: that delicate and precarious, useful but with the potential for harm. She screams, she cries, she sings, she plays guitar, she plays piano, and she could probably float if the screenplay really required it. 25. Transit (Christian Petzold)- The only thing I knew about Transit going in was that it took place in an indeterminate time period. And that one studied aspect of the film, the ideological rootlessness of the fascists responded to with a papers-focused isolation, is what powers everything. Manohla Dargis aptly called it "temporal dissonance," and it adds real teeth to the film's allegory. The second half becomes more contemplative and less literal though, and I think it's less urgent as a result. I didn't know quite where Petzold wanted me to go in the final moments. But the stateless throng of people waiting for their number to be called at a consulate? I know what that is supposed to make me think about. 24. Mary Magdalene (Garth Davis)- I didn't like Garth Davis's last film, Lion, because the protagonist seemed listless and dumb and weak. Turns out, Jesus Christ and Mary Magdalene are upgrades. There's a feminist bent to the proceedings, thanks to its two female screenwriters and a focus on the agency needed for a woman in 33 to spurn marriage and family to follow a whispery firebrand. Phoenix's performance is uneven, but, especially when he passes out bringing Lazarus back to life, he does a great job of showing how exhausting it must have been to transcend this world. The film kind of comes across as a greatest hits of Jesus, but so do the Gospels. 23. Sword of Trust (Lynn Shelton)- Sword of Trust, as thin and bite-sized as it is, carefully parcels out backstory and deepens as it goes. Without really forcing the issue--Lynn Shelton never does--it becomes a timely and witty story about the consequences of a society relativist enough to give consideration to even the most absurd viewpoints. Toby Huss as Hogjaws is a Best Supporting Actor nominee for me, and I am not kidding at all.

[prettylittlepickups]

S7 E14 - Reaction post

Ok so this is the first time I've ever done this but while watching this ep I've noted down my reactions/thoughts

 Let me know if you enjoy and I'll do this every week. 

 Oh yeah Nicole is back. 

Thanks for texting me - yeah more than you ever do Ezra you douche lord. 

She's gonna have a lot of questions in the morning - BITCH SHE CAN JOIN THE CLUB WE ALL GOT QUESTIONS. 

oooh creepy box in the kitchen. Ali is so observant. 

Ayyyyyy Spencer is that you?? Banging officer Fury - Get it gurlllll

I love that we get sex scenes / half sex scenes to remind us they grown. 

Oh now you can't talk about a case? 

So Hanna's investors are out? 

Emily is such a dumb dumb. Why do they let her do things alone? 

Oh no Paige are you leaving? Don't let the door hit you on the way out. K bye thanks for stopping by. 

PETER SLUTTING IT UP HASTINGS AKA ROSEWOODS BABYDADDY IS HOME. 

OOOH SPENCER THROW THAT SHADE. TELL HIM ABOUT HIMSELF. 

Oh she gonna abort the baby?? Until she finds out it's Emily's baby I bet! 

If it's not her baby then I'm expecting some damn answers about where her eggs went. 

Nobody cares about Nicole man where are my answers. 

I have been such a crappy fiancé - no shit Sherlock. 

This case is now a homicide - rosewood police finally stepping up their game by one. 

Nobody can screw up her turn - then side eye at Hanna oooh spencer you so shady these days 

Again NOBODY CARES ABOUT NICOLE

Ooooh AD on FaceTime. He/She has Arias File - and the voice distorter from Scream

Yasssss Aria throw your figure 

Really Marlene? Another old character. Yawn

Paige you so rude. Mind your business and leave. 

Ted you shady shady man. Why you got this hoe in your house? 

Omg is Aria on the A team? Are the Aria theorists cheering?? 

Loool AD is ruthless. I actually feel for Ali

EMILYS EGG I KNEW IT - well everyone knew it but finally a half answer

Oh come on Sydney is NOT AD. Let's be real.  AD is probably driving the limo. 

See earpiece - Aria is smart nowadays 

AYYY TED IS CHARLOTTES DADDY 

IS LUCAS THE THIRD DRAKE CHILD????

I was worried sick - where were you when she was shot tho peter lol

Oh so Mary was in the house. Being all creepy. 

Mary killed Jessica and tried to frame Peter. Ok well that was not a great reveal but Marlene is known for disappointing reveals. 

Oooh Mumma Em is getting all angry and protective. 

Ayyy Alison knows

Don't do it Aria

Well damn that was probably the best one we have had so far. 

[bellabooks]

“Pretty Little Liars” recap S7 Ep14: Power Play

Previously on Pretty Little Liars, Spencer played ping pong until her bullet wound bled, Caleb got gassed in the face by the Liar’s Lament, and Aria was the most adorable little bad cop you’ve ever seen. We pick up at Ezria’s apartment, where Ezra arrives looking for Nicole, who went rogue after a therapy session. Aria tells him that Nicole is asleep in their bed, and leaves to go crash at Ali’s place. I’m placing bets now that Nicole goes full tilt bonkers and tries to murder Aria. Here’s hoping she’ll go after Ezra instead?  I was gonna sleep on the couch, but Nicole said my jacket was keeping her awake sooo… Over at Ali’s place, Ali offers to make Aria some dinner, but they are both shocked to find the evil board game has been moved to Ali’s house. Damn Ali, how did you not notice a giant honking black box in your kitchen? Also, it’s been seven years of this nonsense: does no one in Rosewood have a security system? This is not the edible arrangement I ordered!!   They call Spencer, who has just spent the night rolling around with Marco. She blows off the Liars for some morning cuddles, but Marco soon has to leave to work on a “classified” case. Before we’ve even recovered from seeing Spencer Hastings in that underwear, we zoom over the Lucas’s loft, where Emily makes Hanna smell her shirt to make sure she can wear it to work. Emily takes off her ratty t-shirt and Hanna tosses her a new one: I know we joke about Hanna and Mona’s lesbian endgame, but if you can watch Emily Fields change shirts with zero reaction, you are probably straight. Emily has spent all night tracking Sydney and spilling coffee on herself with nothing to show for it. While Hanna worries about her lost puzzle piece, Emily steals her toast and tells her not to worry about something she can’t control. Guys, I don’t think Emily realizes what show she’s on. Yes, I know, Emily in a bra = swoon, but how about that see-through fridge?!   Emily rushes into work late, where Paige is just leaving the staff meeting. Emily invites her to lunch, but Paige is distant, telling her that she got offered the assistant coaching gig at U of Iowa. Paige tells her that she doesn’t have a reason to stay in Rosewood, but before Emily can protest, she’s distracted by Alison. Paige rolls her eyes and storms out. Spencer arrives home to see her dad’s luggage, and immediately starts rifling through his briefcase for clues. Never change, Spence. Peter walks in and finds her, but Spencer has already discovered that Peter arrived in the states a week ago and was secretly hunting down Mary Drake instead of visiting his daughter in the hospital. His daughter who got SHOT IN THE CHEST. He tells Spencer that he did what he did to protect her, and that he’s working with a private investigator to find Mary. Cool story, bro. Peter was too busy touching up his roots to visit his daughter in the ICU.   Ezra and Aria get coffee, where he tells her that Nicole found her wedding dress and realized they were engaged. He apologizes for being a shitty fiancée, and assures her they can go back to normal. Moments later, Aria finds Ezra picking up the scattered pages of their book: Nicole read it and flipped out, but not before scrawling on a page that one of their memories kept her going while she was in jungle prison. If this season doesn’t end with Nicole standing over Aria wearing that wedding dress and holding a weapon I will eat my freaking hat. Back at school, Ali tells Emily that she’s decided to have an abortion. She tells Emily that she was manipulated by Archer throughout their relationship and feels like he robbed her of making her own decisions. Emily tells her that she doesn’t need any excuse: it’s her body and her choice. They’re interrupted by Marco, who tells Ali that someone mailed Archer’s finger to the cops. He asks her who would want to kill Archer, and she’s like “I don’t know, every patient at Wellby and probably me?” She tells him she’s not sorry he’s dead, and he tells her that he’s still looking for Mary Drake. Maybe you can open an investigation into all the f#&@s I give. The Liars convene around the board game, where Hanna is flipping out about Archer’s finger. She wonders if they are being punished for not finding Charlotte’s killer, which I totally forgot was the main plotline of the first half of the season. That story never made sense to me, because of A.D. wanted to find Charlotte’s killer, they have all the resources! Like, instead of spending hours painstakingly crafting an evil board game, they could have solved that shit by now. Priorities, people. The game whizzes to life and selects Alison as the next player, with an additional threat: they have to solve the puzzle before the cops figure out they killed Archer. There can be no more screw ups. Hanna and Spencer talk about Marco, and Hanna is concerned that Spencer is sleeping with a cop who isn’t Toblerone. Spencer wants to find Mary Drake before her dad can, so they call up the P.I. to get some leads. Aww look, A.D. built a teeny tiny box of pasta filled with money in Hanna’s kitchen!   Emily and Paige are at the high school, where Emily tries to convince Paige to stay, hoping for another shot at their relationship. Paige tells her that she came back to Rosewood for her, but instead of feeling confident, she feels like her scared, closeted high school self all over again. It also doesn’t help that everywhere she turns, there’s Ali and Emily whispering secrets and touching each other’s hair. So this board game has a teeny tiny figure of me kicking some trash cans? That’s on brand.   Ali tells Aria over Skype that A.D. has sent her coordinates for a location. Aria agrees to go with her, but when Ali ducks offscreen to puke, Aria gets a private message from A.D. telling her that Ezra would leave her if he knew the truth. Aria picks up her game piece and throws it with surprising accuracy at a wine glass. Meanwhile, Hanna and Spencer are going door to door, where Hanna is harassing residents about Mary Drake’s whereabouts. When they visit the last house on the street, they are shocked to find Pastor Ted answering the door. You remember Pastor Ted, right? Hanna is shocked to see him and they catch up. He tells her he hasn’t seen Mary Drake, but as soon as the girls leave, there’s Mary creeping over his shoulder. So I creep creep yeah, just creepin on the down low, cuz nobody is supposed to know…   Back at the teacher’s lounge, Paige sees Ali’s abortion pamphlet and receipt, which are sitting in full view on the table. Ali then storms in and snatches it out of her hands, but come on girl…don’t just leave your receipts for your secret abortion floating around. Paige realizes that this is what all that whispering was about, and that maybe she does have a shot to win Emily back. Aria and Ali follow the coordinates and end up at a baby clothing store. Wow, A.D. is a real dick. Ali goes in and is given a scanner by the employee and told to register for ten items. Meanwhile, Aria gets a set of coordinates of her own, and wanders off, leaving Ali alone. my OTP is Queers and Bicycles   Paige and Emily grab some pizza, and Paige tells her that she’s holding off on her Iowa decision. She puts her decision to a race: apparently during their relationship, they would have races to make life decisions, which explains SO MUCH about Emily’s post college life. Emily takes her up on the challenge and they start a bike race, which is adorable and sweet and ever so gay. Just two sporty lesbians pedaling their hearts out. They stop biking, and Paige tells her she’s already made her decision and they kiss. And it’s a nice kiss too, with a sweeping camera pan, and laughter and hugging. Is Paily finally, after all this time, endgame? I’m rooting for them, but a lot can happen in the remaining 6 episodes.   Ali finishes her registry and the clerk hands her a bag with a gift for the donor. Ali is like, “the what now?!” and opens the bag to find a necklace with Emily’s name on it. She has flashbacks of being forcibly inseminated in the hospital and realizes that she’s carrying Emily’s eggs. I know this is supposed to be a SHOCKING reveal, but we all called this from the moment Emily’s eggs “disappeared” from the clinic. Ali feels faint and stumbles out of the store. Aria arrives at her location to find a limo waiting for her. She hops into this strange car filled with her mortal enemies because at this point, why not? She finds Sydney waiting for her in a dramatic black cloak, offering her a whiskey. Aria accuses Sydney of being the second shooter/game maker, and Sydney is like, “sure, whatever”, but Aria notices she’s wearing an ear piece. She goes to roll down the privacy screen, but Sydney warns her not to. Apparently, A.D. has smelled Aria’s desperation, and wants to use it to make her switch sides. Aria refuses to join A.D. in torturing her friends, but Sydney tells her she should take the deal and peace out while she still can. Look, I know this sitch is bad, but we can still get drunk in this limo senior prom-style   Ted visits Hanna at the loft and reveals that he lied about Mary Drake. He tells her that they had an affair in college, and that he is Charlotte’s birth dad. He shows her a picture of Charlotte (then Charles) at summer camp with another kid…a kid named Lucas. DUN DUN DUN. Ali shows Emily the necklace and tells her that she’s carrying her baby. Emily is devastated, and Ali recalls getting impregnated at the hospital. Ali calls the clinic and cancels her abortion appointment. Spencer comes home and her father is pissed that she went behind his back, which is rich. No one is here for your tears, Peter! Spencer wants to know why he’s keeping her from Mary, and we FLASHBACK to Mary (disguised as Jessica) creeping on Spencer in her bedroom. She sneaks out past Veronica, but is busted by Peter. She tells him that she just wanted to see her daughter, and that she just found out that Charlotte was not dead but alive. She asked him to help her kill Jessica, but he refused, so Mary killed her sister with Peter’s heart pills and buried her in the Hastings backyard as revenge. Normal non-creepy parental things, nothing weird about this!   Back in the present, Spencer realizes that her dad knew about Charlotte all this time. He promises to protect her, which LOLOLOL you’re about 7 years too late for that. Also, I love how NONE of this was revealed to the cops throughout Spencer’s months-long incarceration in the doll house. These Rosewood parents hold onto their secrets tight, y’all. Aria finally arrives at Ali’s house, where she’s confronted by all the Liars for abandoning Ali. Emily is heartbroken, and everyone is upset about the pregnancy. Aria says that they can’t let the game tear them apart, and on cue the game lights up and pings Hanna as the next player. Hanna is pissed that she has to go again in Aria’s place, and Aria gets a text asking if she’s picked a side yet. Will Aria betray her friends, or will she go double agent and save the day? If this series ends with Aria fucking Montgomery saving the world, I will never stop laughing. Whelp, this baby shower is gonna be awkward AF! In two weeks, Mona FINALLY gets to play with the board game and put her adrenalized hyperreality to the test and we get the return of Wren. Last week, I mentioned that Charlotte’s birth dad could be in play as A.D., and now we know he’s Pastor Ted. We still haven’t seen Jason or Melissa, who could easily be suspects as well. Tweet me your PLL conspiracy theories @ChelseaProcrast and I’ll see you in two weeks! http://dlvr.it/P6TRCh