#This dude' acting range needs a standing ovation

[spookyunknownmoon]

Daniel Riffert from HTSDOF needs the biggest hug in history, and honestly? I volunteer.

[moshymosh]

Double Identity

Pairings: Steve Rogers x Enhanced!Reader

Warnings: Tooth rotting fluff, mutual pining.

Songs used in this fic (Credits go to Lin-Manuel Miranda): Alexander Hamilton- Listen to this here, Burn- Listen to this here, Who lives, who dies, who tells your story- Listen to it here

A/N: I love the play, Hamilton, though I've never seen it in person, I've watched an animated version and I honestly cried like a baby, this is the animated version I love to watch check it out! Listening to some of the songs on the soundtrack it gave me some inspiration so I cranked out a fic for you guys, enjoy. I might turn this into a series or a mini one if everyone seems to like it and would like the idea of the series Feedback is appreciated and encouraged, send me some request too (Song lyrics are in Bold, Thoughts in Italics) None of the gifs are mine credits go to the owners. First part of Drunken shenanigans will be coming up tomorrow, ill try to write it out, when I have a break from the holidays. Also Happy holidays.

Summary: What would you do if your secret double life is about to come to light? Y/N is an avenger by day and a Broadway star by night. When the Captian decides that the team needs a break, why not go to a Broadway show. Most importantly why not go to the one she’s been secretly starring in?

Steve calls the team to the common room, telling them that he has a surprise for them. Once everyone was in the room, he grins, holding up tickets to see the Broadway show "Hamilton."

"I've decided we're all in need of a little R&R." Steve smirked at the awestruck team.

"Yo, Cap? You feeling ok?" Y/N said, holding her hand up to his forehead in a joking manner. She couldn't stop the thumping heartbeat in her chest at the feeling of her hand, touching his smooth skin.

Steve batted her hand away, laughing all the same at her teasing, despite that his heart was going crazy for the girl. The girl he has been head over heels for since she joined the team. He fell for the sound of her laugh, the sound of her voice when she sang, even if he wasn't her intended target.

See, Y/N was a human siren, much like the mythical creature, minus the fins and only being in the sea part. Y/N learned to hone in her powers, controlling it to affect only who she wanted. Even without being under her spell, she had a beautiful voice; it sounds like freshly falling snow or the peaceful quiet morning after a night of storms.

"I got the best seats in the house." Steve said, waving the tickets in his hand, grinning like an idiot. Y/N's heart stuttered at the sight of his child-like excitement.

"What's the play called?" Natasha asked, looking at Y/N beside her, knowing about Y/N's massive crush on the Captian.

"It's a play called "Hamilton". I've heard good reviews." Steve said, looking at Natasha, not noticing Y/N's face paling at the sound of the play's name. Y/N coughs to cover her nervousness, causing everyone to look at her.

"I think I'm going to stay here. I don't feel so good." She says before turning around and heading to her room, leaving no room for arguments. What the team doesn't know is that she is in that play. She is one of the main characters, Eliza, who is Hamilton's wife.

After sometime hiding in her room, she made sure the team had left. They planned to go for an early dinner. Y/N snuck off to the theater after setting F.R.I.D.A.Y. to tell the team that she was resting if they would call to check up on her.

When Y/N arrived, she was quickly ushered to the dressing rooms to get ready. After she was in costume, she peeked out from behind the red velvet curtains. She spotted her teammates in the fifth row in the center seats. Getting nervous, she closed the curtains and went to her place on the stage.

The opening song began to play as the curtains opened, and a hush fell over the crowd. Y/N fell into her element. She never used her powers on anyone who didn't deserve it, like the crowd in front of her they didn’t need her influence to fall in love with her voice.

When it was her part to sing, she stepped forward to her second mark. Her voice rang clear.

"When he was ten, his father split, full of it, debt-ridden. Two years later, see Alex and his mother bedridden, half dead. Sittin' in their own sick, the scent thick."

The cast members that were singing the opening song with her began to sing as she stepped back in line with them

"Alex got better, but his mother went quick."

A sense of recognition fell over her teammates, but they all shook it off, remembering that Y/N was at home. The play continued on, but Steve couldn't shake the small feeling that he knew the woman who was playing Eliza. His thoughts drifted to Y/N vowing to bring her to see them play, thinking she would like it.

When the first intermission started, Steve stepped out into the lobby with the team. Some of them went to use the bathroom, others to get some refreshments. Everyone who saw them decided to not interrupt their night with pictures and autographs. Steve stepped to a quiet spot and called F.R.I.D.A.Y. to check on Y/N. F.R.I.D.A.Y. said her programed response. Steve sighed, wishing she was here and hung up.

Steve headed back to his seat despite another twenty minutes remaining on the intermission. Behind the stage, Y/N chatted with her castmates, while checking her phone, seeing that F.R.I.D.A.Y. messaged her about Steve calling to check up on her. She sent a message back telling F.R.I.D.A.Y. that if Steve calls back to tell him that she is asleep. Receiving a conformation, the call for places rang out backstage. After a costume change, and putting her phone away, the play was reaching the point for her solo song.

Reaching her place and began to sing while acting out what she was supposed to.

"I saved every letter you wrote me, from the moment I read them. I knew you were mine, you said you were mine, I thought you were mine." 

Steve almost choked on his own tongue. 'That can't be her; she's sick at home.' He thought he glanced over at his team, who all looked like they thought the same thing. Shaking it off as it's someone who has a similar voice, he settled back into his seat.

Y/N reached the end of the song, singing out the final line of the song, with the emotion her character required.

" I'm watching it burn. The world has no right to my heart. The world has no place in our bed. They don't get to know what I said. I'm burning the memories, burning the letters that might have redeemed you. You forfeit the place in my heart. You forfeit the place in our bed. You'll sleep in your office, instead, with all of the memories of when you were mine. I hope that you... burn."

Steve's suspicions were slowly being confirmed. He was in awe that if this was Y/N, she fooled all of her teammates. Steve was falling even more for her if that was the case. He felt a sense of pride that his girl was on Broadway, singing for the whole world. Steve shook off his thoughts as the end of the play approached. Y/N took to the stage again as the final song started.

Y/N felt the spotlight on her again and began to act and sing her part.

"I put myself back in the narrative. I stop wasting time on tears; I live another fifty years. It's not enough. I interview every soldier who fought by your side. I try to make sense of your thousands of pages of writings; you really do write like you're running out of time."

At this point, she's facing the crowd, arms outstretched holding papers in her hands. That's when it hits the team that it is, in fact, Y/N. Standing on a stage, singing her heart out and not at home in bed. Steve begins to grin like a fool, heart beating wildly at the sight. Steve was hanging onto the edge of his seat. He vows to confess his feelings after the play is over.

"Oh, can I show you what I'm proudest of?" 

Y/N's voice drops, so she sings softly.

"I established the first private orphanage in New York City. I helped raise hundreds of children."

Her voice raises to project more emotion into the song, giving everyone in the crowd chills.

"I get to see them growing up! In their eyes, I see you Alexander! I see you every time! And when my time is up, have I done enough?"

Her castmates join in with her singing.

"Will they tell your story?"

The song dies down to a softer pitch, and Y/N wraps her arms around herself as instructed to do, as she sings her final line. Tears are running down her face, putting emotion into her character.

"Oh I can't wait to see you again, It's only a matter of time."

The play comes to an end, and the crowd gives a standing ovation. The cast bows and gives their thanks to the crowd who came out to see them perform. The cast left and went their separate ways after the crowd had left. Y/N stepped outside, exiting through the back, in hopes of sneaking back to the tower before everyone got back. Her duffle bag was slung over her shoulder, carrying her change of clothes. Closing the door behind her, trying to make as little sound as possible. When she turned, she saw Steve, leaning up against the building.

Y/N stopped short with a gasp. "Steve!" Putting a hand over her heart, to try to slow its rapid beating. "Wha-... Uh... How did you find out?"

"That doesn't matter now. There's something I need to-" Steve was cut off by Bucky, rounding the corner of the building.

"Hey, Steve! You find Y/N?" Bucky said but stopped walking towards him at the sight of Y/N.

"Dude! Trying to confess my feelings! Get out of here, jerk." Steve said, making a shooing gesture that caused Y/N to giggle. Y/N stepped forward, placing a hand on Steve's shoulder, causing him to turn around.

Y/N crashed her lips to Steve's, throwing her arms around his neck. She ran her fingers in his hair, which had grown slightly longer over the past months. Steve's eyes widen in shock but quickly closed them, pulling her closer as he melted into the kiss. 

Y/N pulled back, gasping out an "I feel the same way." Before Steve crashed his lips back to hers.

"Good, cause I don't think I'm going to let you go again." Steve mumbled against her lips.

"Good." Y/N whispered as they pulled apart, resting their foreheads against each other. 

"Good." Was Steve's reply.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------"Do not pity the dead. Pity the living, and, above all, those who live without love." - Albus Dumbledore

[toldnews-blog]

New Post has been published on https://toldnews.com/technology/entertainment/the-latest-all-stars-close-out-rock-hall-with-performance/

The Latest: All-stars close out Rock Hall with performance

The Latest on the 2019 Rock and Roll Hall of Fame induction ceremony (all times local):

———

12:20 a.m.

The 2019 Rock and Roll Hall of Fame concluded with a surprise all-star performance of a song written and produced by the late icon David Bowie.

Def Leppard, Ian Hunter, Queen’s Brian May, Steve Van Zandt, the Bangles’ Susanna Hoffs and the Zombies’ Rod Argent joined forces to sing Bowie’s “All the Young Dudes” at the Barclays Center.

They jammed together onstage as the audience in Brooklyn sang along at the event that ended early Saturday morning.

“All the Young Dudes” was originally recorded and released as a single by Mott the Hoople (Hunter was the band’s lead singer).

———

11:59 p.m.

Def Leppard closed out its 2019 Rock and Roll Hall of Fame induction moment with a rocking performance, but before that Joe Elliott gave a rousing speech that ranged from touching to funny.

He began by thanking the band members’ parents, saying without their help it would be a lot “tougher to be standing on this stage tonight.”

The speech took an emotional turn when Elliott spoke about Rick Allen losing his left arm in a car crash in 1984. Allen had tears in his eyes and earned a standing ovation from the audience. He then embraced Elliott, Phil Collen, Rick Savage and Vivian Campbell onstage.

Elliott said: “He survived it, and came out the other side stronger.”

Steve Clark, who died from alcohol poisoning in 1991, and Pete Willis, who was fired from the band in 1982, were also inducted as members of Def Leppard. Campbell announced in 2013 that he was battling cancer.

Elliott added: “If alcoholism, car crashes and cancer couldn’t kill us, the ’90s had no (expletive) chance.”

———

11:25 p.m.

The Zombies were first eligible for induction into the Rock Hall about 30 years ago.

They didn’t make it then, and were passed over again in 2017 and 2018. With their fourth nod, the band is finally part of rock ‘n’ roll royalty.

Lead singer Rod Argent said: “To have finally passed the winning post this time — fantastic.”

The Friday night induction at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn had special meaning — the band said their first gig was in Brooklyn in 1964.

Argent was joined onstage with Hugh Grundy, Chris White and Colin Blunstone. Paul Atkinson, who died in 2004, was also inducted.

———

10:55 p.m.

Janet Jackson said watching her brothers, the Jackson 5, get inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1997 was a proud moment.

She added that “never in a million years” did she expect to follow in their footsteps, then said with a smile: “Tonight, your baby sister has made it.”

Jackson said she was “determined to make it” on her own after seeing her brothers find success in music. She said: “I wanted to stand on my own two feet.”

She started her speech saying that her dream wasn’t to become a singer, but to become a lawyer. She added that her late father Joe helped her see that music was her passion.

“I want to begin by thanking my incredibly strong family, my wonderful mother and father as well as my sisters and my brothers,” she said.

When thanking the choreographers she’s worked with over the years, Jackson said she never thought she was a good dancer, which made the audience laugh.

Jackson was touching when she thanked her 2-year-old son onstage, saying: “You are my life and you have shown me the meaning of real, unconditional love,” she said.

She closed her speech with a message to the Rock Hall organization: “In 2020, induct more women!”

Of the seven inductees in the 2019 class, Jackson and Stevie Nicks were the only women.

———

10:25 p.m.

As Janelle Monae entered the stage to induct Janet Jackson, she took in a deep breath before she honored one of her personal heroes.

“I’m here tonight to induct the legendary queen of Black Girl Magic into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame,” Monae said.

Monae said watching Jackson on her TV was refreshing because she saw someone “who looked like me.” She went on to call Jackson “our fearless leader,” ”a bold visionary,” ”a rule breaker,” ”a risk taker” and “a boundless visual artist.”

Monae said a Jackson photo was the screen saver on her cellphone for several years and she even wore an outfit like Jackson’s all-black ensemble from “Rhythm Nation” at the induction ceremony.

Monae said Jackson “gave me the confidence to embrace all of me” while she worked on her personal and revealing album, “Dirty Computer.”

———

10 p.m.

The Cure’s Robert Smith’s kept his Rock and Roll Hall of fame induction speech short, and wished that it could have even bit a bit shorter.

“Where is my wrap it up sign, I need my wrap it up sign!” he joked on stage.

Smith was joined by past and present bandmates, alluding to the group’s revolving door of band members by noting they helped “for better or for worse.”

He closed his speech in tribute to the people they want to thank the most — the fans.

“I’d like to thank all the fans, everyone’s who bought a record…,” Smith said before a fan loudly yelled to the band at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn.

“We love you, too,” Smith said with a smile on his face.

Smith said he wanted to use the rest of his time onstage to play some music. The post-punk innovators went on to perform a number of songs, including “Lovesong,” which Adele famously covered on her best-selling “21” album.

Trent Reznor inducted the Cure, who were last nominated for the Rock Hall in 2012. The band made it into the Hall with their second-ever nomination.

———

9:35 p.m.

Roxy Music, one of the five English acts to make up the Rock and Roll of Fame’s 2019 class, treated the audience with a mini concert after their induction.

The band performed five songs at the event, playing the songs “In Every Dream Home a Heartache,” ”Out of the Blue,” ”Love is the Drug,” ”More Than This,” ”Avalon” and “Editions of You.”

Bryan Ferry, Phil Manzanera, Andy Mackay and Eddie Jobson accepted the honor at the Barclays Center on Friday night. Brian Eno and Paul Thompson didn’t attend. Graham Simpson, who died in 2012, was also inducted.

Roxy Music were inducted by John Taylor and Simon Le Bon of Duran Duran.

Radiohead and Janet Jackson were two of the inductees who didn’t plan to perform at the ceremony.

———

8:45 p.m.

Stevie Nicks isn’t the best at boy band trivia: The icon confused ‘NSync with One Direction at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame induction ceremony.

One Direction’s Harry Styles inducted Nicks on Friday night, and when she was asked about him backstage, she said: “When he decided to make a solo record from ‘NSync…”

Members of the press corrected Nicks as others playfully laughed and she smiled.

Nicks says she admired Styles because of the old-school rock sound he took on when he released his first solo album in 2017, in contrast to the pop music his band made. Nicks added that Styles “toured that record right into the ground.”

“He should have been born in 1948, too,” the 70-year-old rocker said.

Nicks and Styles performed her hit with Tom Petty, “Stop Draggin’ My Heart Around,” at the Barclays Center before she was officially inducted for a second time.

———

8:35 p.m.

The entire band didn’t make it to their Rock and Roll Hall of Fame induction ceremony, but the two members or Radiohead who did were emotional when they accepted the honor Friday night.

There was some doubt whether anyone from the band would even show up given their past ambivalence about the Rock Hall. But Philip Selway called the moment a proud one for the band and said he didn’t take the induction for granted.

Ed O’Brien said he wished the rest of his bandmates could be with him and thanked them for the magic they made over three decades.

He also thanked the fans and anyone who had ever been touched by their music.

Radiohead also includes Thom Yorke, Jonny Greenwood and Colin Greenwood.

———

8:02 p.m.

Stevie Nicks is encouraging women in groups or bands to break away to record solo music — so they have a chance at being inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame twice.

Nicks became the first woman to be inducted into the Hall for a second time at the organization’s 2019 ceremony Friday night. She was originally inducted as a member of Fleetwood Mac.

She told female musicians in groups they shouldn’t break up their bands, but to break away “just to do an album.”

Nicks says she knows female musicians will achieve the Rock Hall feat she accomplished because she’s “going to give you all the directions.”

She says, “What I am doing is opening up the door for other women.”

———

7:40 p.m.

Stevie Nicks, the first woman to be inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame twice, kicked off the 2019 ceremony with a superb performance of her 1983 solo hit, “Stand Back.”

Nicks was originally inducted into the Hall in 1998 with Fleetwood Mac. After the performance she said she was wearing “the original ‘Stand Back’ cape.”

“Not one thread’s out of place,” she said.

Nicks was joined by Don Henley onstage for “Leather and Lace,” while former One Direction member Harry Styles — who inducted Nicks on Friday night — strummed his guitar as they both sang “Stop Draggin’ My Heart Around.”

“So tonight, standing in for Tom Petty is Mr. Harry Styles,” Nicks said.

She closed her performance with “Edge of Seventeen.”

———

4:15 p.m.

Janet Jackson, Stevie Nicks and a quintet of British bands are being honored with induction into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame on Friday at Brooklyn’s Barclays Center.

The rock bands — Def Leppard, Radiohead, the Cure, Roxy Music and the Zombies — represent a variety of styles and eras.

Jackson will join her brother Michael and the rest of the Jackson 5 as rock hall members. Singer Janelle Monae is lined to induct Jackson, whose hits include “What Have You Done For Me Lately,” ”All For You” and “That’s the Way Love Goes.”

Nicks is already in the hall as a member of Fleetwood Mac, but she joins a more exclusive club of double inductees in being saluted for solo work like “Edge of Seventeen” and “Stand Back.”

[transannabeth]

some people were interested in hearing more about my high school’s production of les mis, so here’s a massive screaming post (also i don’t want to forget a minute of it)

hello i like to talk it’s under a cut

our pit was behind us

like the orchestra was hidden behind a canvas at the back of the stage

so our music director was watching us from a live feed with an audio feed and we saw her through a tv on the floor in front of the stage covered with a black sheet

also the feeds went out opening night so she did act one blind  

our valjean not realizing how heavy the pickaxe he was using for the prologue was and hurting his back and shoulder. 

and then switching sides the next night and hurting the other shoulder

one of the boy’s quick changes from prisoner to farmer oh my god talk about me panicking 

all the struggles getting the silver into that bag

me scrambling offstage for the factory girls’ embroidery hoops and getting shoved by the foreman 

getting felt up by the foreman oh boy

shouting slut in a high school auditorium 

the costumes for lovely ladies were just a+

corsets and bold colors and black and fishnets

versus fantine’s pure white prostitute dress oh it was gorgeous

all the nonofficial lovely ladies walked through the audience and flirted with the people on the aisle seats

we tattooed 24601 on our valjean with henna 

when fantine died valjean blew out a candle 

because we did the school version, instead of the confrontation, valjean and javert just stare at each other intensely for like 20 seconds 

all of master of the house

what a gift

our thenardiers were incredible just so so good

thenardier sliding between the prostitutes’ legs as we lifted our skirts 

‘thinks he’s quite a lover but there’s not much there’ 

madame laying on the table and us lifting one end and sliding her off as she sang ‘master and a half’

our gavroche. just everything about him

during the beggars madame has a loaf of bread wrapped in a blanket as a ‘baby’ and literally the second and last show the poor people ripped pieces off and ate it 

stars was so good we had star lighting and a bridge we flew in 

also at the end gavroche lays on the ground and listens up to javert before singing his lines it’s adorable

the first night our enjolras sang the wrong verse for do you hear the people sing

he had a nightmare about it that night and nailed it both other shows

(i love him) 

the girls walk through the aisles during do you hear the people sing and man is it awkward

fun but awkward, especially when you make eye contact with someone texting during the show

our cosette was just so pretty and good and she wore a pink dress and had a pink flower

the goddamn chain on that goddamn gate

it worked the last night finally but the other nights smh

during in my life marius pulls on the gate and realizes it’s not locked well and then he stands there unsure with this look on his face for like the last 30 seconds of the song and i love it 

marius kisses cosette’s hand before he starts singing a heart full of love like talk about doing it all wrong 

one day more

i could talk about this song for hours

i just want to say 

at the end, gavroche climbs up on enjolras’ back and waves a flag

but he’s too short to really wave it

so enjolras has to twist back and forth to move it well

and it’s adorable

ACT TWO 

god our intermission is just us sobbing 

on my own is beautiful as always

our barricade b r u h 

ok so it’s two staircases on wheels that we lock and clamp together

with some old things on it like chairs and railings and hat racks and a coffin 

and it looks so good

ok we gotta skip stuff so we can talk about bring him home

our valjean is actually our lowest bass, so bring him home is way at the edge of his range

he has done it!!! but they had him sing it down the octave and dude 

cue me crying 

each time gavroche gets shot, the lights turn red for a moment 

he stumbles down the stairs

‘when the pup grows—’ and throws his entire weight into enjolras’ arms

oh boy

there’s silence, and you can hear a pin drop as enjolras turns to the audience

a high school senior who is 6 foot 4 inches

hunched over an 11 year old boy

face crumpled, sobbing and shaking

and tonight, he shook gavroche, like he was trying to wake him up 

it’s way worse than you think it is reading it

and then enjolras hands gavroche off to grantaire

gav comes offstage to hug all the sobbing girls in the wings, including his sister who’s on the ground a complete mess

also gavroche cried every night when he died, and god it was painful

enjolras is the last barricade boy standing

he’s at the very very top of the barricade

he throws his arm out as he gets shot and then covers his chest with his hand, staring down at his ‘wound’ 

tonight, he did it different

when everyone else went down, he grabbed the red fabric we used for the flag and started waving it

when he got shot, he did what he always did

he falls onto the coffin on the barricade as he dies

and then, as he’s dying, he lifts the flag in his arm one more time

and the lights on the barricade change from red to pure white

cue literally all of us sobbing

seriously me and my friend playing fantine had to run back to find enjolras every night to hug him 

the freaking sewers the barricade boys never knew when to get up

first night, someone sat up, realized no one was getting up, and laid back down 

second night, someone stayed on for most of the valjean/javert confrontation, sat up, went ‘oh shit’, and got offstage

tonight, one person was left and it took both valjean and javert kicking him multiple times to get him to leave

boy

javert’s suicide

oh man 

so the bridge comes back and he does his thing and it’s awful and sad and we cry

and when he jumps, he throws his arms in the air, the bridge flies up, there’s a blackout, and the stars that were on the stage move out into the audience in some lighting magic

hooooo

turning? i cried for all of turning 

we walk in circles and stuff it’s not a big deal, we were just all sobbing

e m p t y  c h a i r s 

marius is sitting where he sat in the abc cafe

all the boys come out with their chairs and lit candles and set up their chairs exactly where they were 

eponine comes out the opposite side of the stage with her candle

they all stand on their chairs at ‘all my friends my friends don’t ask me’ 

and then as the song ends, they blow out their candles one at a time, ending with eponine 

also marius is crying the whole time

it’s fine

man ok the wedding is just a fun disastrous mess of us guests being horrified by the thenardiers

the epilogue 

where to begin 

ok so everyone is in white and they just glow 

and fantine stands behind valjean and cosette is crying the whole time

and valjean stands when fantine says ‘take my hand’  

him, fantine, and eponine, hold hands as cosette is reading valjean’s letter

then valjean turns and picks up a lit candle that was next to him 

‘to love another person is to see the face of god—’ 

valjean blows out his candle

cosette starts sobbing 

(tonight, all five of them were crying) 

this is all you need to know for the last song

(good things said to me in particular and other random things that i want to save and remember: 

my director thanking me for everything i did for the show and saying it wouldn’t have been possible without me

our choreographer hugging me and crying each night

valjean’s dad hugging me and saying that i have a vibrant stage presence that’s just incredible and a real gift [i was sobbing into his shirt]

valjean’s mom asking if i was going to continue to do theater and perform because i have such talent and gift

someone legitimately asking for our autographs

the standing ovation we got for master of the house opening night

enjolras crying tonight after the show and hugging us all 

me and the sister of marius hugging backstage as fantine died and trying not to cry too much 

the senior support group valjean made as we all cried backstage during intermission

all of the girls piled up for the barricade scenes backstage on fantine’s dying bed, holding each other as we cried 

the music director saying that i have a fantastic presence and amazing expressions during lovely ladies, and saying that her eyes kept being drawn to me during it

everyone loving the dance behind the scrim during i dreamed a dream 

when we first did the lift with the light change during the dress rehearsal and everyone screamed

our director calling this the peak of his career)

[lindyhunt]

TIFF 2018: We Hand Out the Awards You Won’t See at the Oscars

As always, the selection of films at TIFF runs the gamut—from A-lister-packed films like Widows to low-budget indies like Firecrackers; from quiet, reflective sci-fi films like High Life to soaring romances like A Star is Born. That range is what makes TIFF such an exciting festival for film buffs and critics alike, but this year, there did seem to be a bit of a theme: Pretty Damn Dark. Seriously, it’s been an emotionally draining festival, what with young kids OD-ing, people dying (so much dying), and institutional racism ruining people’s lives. But you know what this also means: Oscar Bait. We’ve already done our round-up of the films getting the most awards buzz, but there’s plenty else we felt deserved, um, a different kind of recognition. Here, our favourite moments from the festival that won’t snag an Oscar but did earn some accolades in our book.

So-Good-You-Wished-It-Was-Real Chemistry

The Lady Gaga and Bradley Cooper lovefest is one we hope never ends. And we’re not just talking about those hand-in-hand red carpet photo-ops. (Though we’ll definitely take more of those too.) After receiving her second standing ovation of the night for A Star is Born—in which people were brought to their feet mid Q&A solely in recognition of her incredible acting talent—Gaga was left speechless and moved to tears. And even then, in her moment in the spotlight, she talked about Cooper. “I am spoiled,” she said, “I watched [Cooper] work tirelessly on this film, giving it everything. You never stopped.”

To which Cooper said: “I can’t imagine having the courage to do this without her. I knew she was going to give all of herself to me and become the actress she wanted to be, and I would give all myself to her and be the musician Jackson had to be.” I know, we’re crying too.

Most NSFW Scene of the Festival

Not to give too much away—though there’s no way to verbally paint an accurate picture of this highly visual and confounding scene anyhow—but there’s a bit in Claire Denis’ High Life in which Juliette Binoche enters a ‘Fuck Box’ and well, proceeds to help it live up to its name. There’s waist-length hair flying about, pulleys and ropes, and a silver dildo. Need I say more?

Most Jaw-Dropping Visuals

Nope, I’m not talking about First Man, though the claustrophobic camerawork of the film was exceptional. I’m talking about Free Solo, an awe-inducing documentary about Alex Honnold, the first man to scale the 3000ft El Capitan cliff in Yosemite National Park without any safety equipment. Yep, with just his fingers and toes, and a little sack full of chalk to help with his grip. The film’s team of cinematographers and directors are expert climbers themselves, and the sweeping shots of Yosemite, bird’s-eye view of Honnold’s ascent, and close-ups of his intricate movements (that at any moment could send him plummeting to his death) are truly a sight to behold.

Most Unexpected Celebrity Guest

This one was close. The Right Honourable Justin Trudeau showed up at Patria for the First Man post-premiere party, where he shook hands with fellow Internet boyfriend, Ryan Gosling. Iconic? Yes. Strange? Also yes. But having a government official show up to a TIFF party is not nearly as strange as having Paris Hilton show up to a TIFF party. Hilton, Queen of selfies, hotel chains and the 2000s, arrived at Soho House for The Death and Life of John F. Donovan post-premiere party, a film that her Ken doll-esque fiance, Chris Zylka, makes a brief appearance in.

Most Batshit Wild True Story

There are several moments—in fact the entire film is a series of these moments—where you find yourself thinking: this shit is NUTS. It’s unbelievable. It’s surreal. It’s absurd. And you have to keep reminding yourself that it’s all true. Based on the story of a writer, played by Laura Dern, who writes a best-selling series of novels under a pseudonym and then enlists her boyfriend’s sister, played by Kristen Stewart, to play the role of that fictional writer in real life, it’s a wild ride: there are bad accents, bad wigs and hard-to-believe turns of events. Except, again: it’s ALL TRUE.

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Giving us life on #TIFF18 Day 10/11: Kristen Stewart, dressed in head-to-toe couture, crouching in a garden 🌺, looking like the Avenger we wish we had. . Her film JEREMIAH TERMINATOR LEROY (with your BFF Laura Dern) premieres today and you can still snag ����s to this and more at tiff.net/available . . . . . . #kristenstewart #lauradern #jtleroy #jeremiahterminatorleroy #avengers #netflix

A post shared by TIFF (@tiff_net) on Sep 15, 2018 at 6:18am PDT

The Big-Hearted Heartthrob

First off, Timothée Chalamet should take home all heartthrob-related awards, from now until eternity. When the Oscar-nominee stepped onto the red carpet for Beautiful Boy, he spent nearly 30 minutes posing for selfies with screaming fans, and entertaining weird requests like signing a burger and a peach. (The latter, of course, in reference to his infamous Call Me By Your Namescene.) Here’s a guy who doesn’t seem to hate the spotlight, and who graciously shows his Chalamaniacs all the love and attention they so desperately desire.

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Most Badass Female Cast

We are conditioned to expect heist movies—or any gritty crime movies, really—to have men at the centre. Which is why this film, directed by Steve McQueen and co-written by McQueen and one Ms Gillian Flynn, is such a breath of fresh air, despite its dark subject matter. Viola Davis is the fierce commander of this ship, which Elizabeth Debicki and Michelle Rodriguez hesitantly climb aboard. It’s rare enough to see a film in which women commit “bad” acts but rarer still to see one in which the women’s guilt, shame or redeeming qualities aren’t needlessly played up. Only complaint? Carrie Coon is criminally (ha) under-used.

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#Repost @ViolaDavis: It was such an honor to join our Director Steve McQueen and this phenomenal cast at the World Premiere of #WidowsMovie. Thank you for having us, Toronto! #TIFF18

A post shared by Widows (@widowsmovie) on Sep 10, 2018 at 3:32pm PDT

Best On-Screen Lewks

There’s some amazing costume design driving some of this year’s best films: Colette’s Belle Epoque-era Parisian flair—especially powerful because it helps underscore Keira Knightley’s character’s own evolution and self-acceptance; the 1990s grunge of Jonah Hill’s Mid90s; If Beale Street Could Talk’s saturated 1970s outfits; and Natalie Portman’s wild, sequinned get-ups in Vox Lux. But Mahershala Ali steals the damn show. In Green Book, he gives us a masterclass in style: from impeccably fitted tuxedos to casual plaid suits to a dramatic gold-embroidered kaftan draped in gold chains. Like I said, lewks.

Photography via IMDB

Most Huggable Hound

A tie between the miniature goldendoodle Lady Gaga and Bradley Cooper bring home in A Star is Born—which I have convinced myself is Cooper’s pet IRL—and Ponce, the scruffy mutt that’s dog-napped from Lucas Hedges and Julia Roberts in Ben is Back.

Makes-You-Wish-it-Was-Still-the-90s Soundtrack

Jonah Hill’s directorial debut, Mid90s, had the best—and most nostalgic—soundtrack of the festival. Sadly, the song list isn’t yet available anywhere on the Internet. But here’s what I can tell you: it features Seal and Morrissey, and was composed by the same duo of dudes behind the music in The Social Network and Gone Girl. One Twitter user went so far as to say that the film “literally might have the single greatest soundtrack of any movie ever.” It’s a bold claim, and I can confirm Mid90s lives up to the hype.

Most Stressful Experience

Hotel Mumbai is 125 minutes long, and those are 125 incredibly stressful minutes. Based on the horrific 2008 terrorist attacks on the city of Mumbai, the film fills viewers with dread right from the opening sequence: when the half-dozen terrorists arrive on the shores of Mumbai and immediately begin setting their plan into motion. For the next two hours, aside from the sounds of gunfire, explosions and screams on screen, the theatre was about as silent as during a screening of A Quiet Place. People were literally sitting on the edge of their seats, hands over mouths, shoulders stiff with tension. In other words: this film does its job of depicting a harrowing, terrifying ordeal exceptionally well.

Photography via IMDB

Most Gender-Balanced TIFF Yet

TIFF’s programming team has long been dedicated to creating a more gender-balanced festival, and this year it hit its highest mark yet, with 36 percent of its 2018 slate of films directed by women. The festival’s artistic director, Cameron Bailey, also signed a gender parity protocol during the Share Her Journey rally on opening weekend. This year’s festival also boasted a huge line-up of films with women at the center: from Nicole Kidman in Destroyer and Melissa McCarthy in Can You Ever Forgive Me? (both films directed by women) to Natalie Portman in Vox Lux and Julianne Moore in Gloria Bell. Canadian films Mouthpiece and Firecrackers also come from all-women teams, with two female protagonists in each, as well as female directors and cinematographers.

[writekin]

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"R, this idea is freakin' crazy," He hissed into his phone. "You should see the amount of people here, someone's bound to recognize me." "This isn't about you, D. It's about him. You know that. We need to make sure he's on our side. God knows what he's been doing all these years." Sighed the voice on the other end. Dave Strider shifted uncomfortably in the hot, packed room. There was chatter all around him. A few people snuck suspicious glances at him, though luckily, none looked like they worked for the empress. None had that glazed-over look that indicated that they were under her control. "Christ, I know. I know. I just can't believe intel would say that there's even a slight chance that he'd be on her side. He's always known what's right." He muttered into the phone. More looks his way. He swallowed nervously. The lights in the room started to dim. Dave looked up and sighed. "Listen, R. I gotta go. The show's about to start. I'll update you afterwards." "Okay. Good luck, D. Don't do anything I wouldn't do." "Right, and you're so full of great ideas." Dave snorted. "Goodbye, D." Click. He was on his own now. He put the phone into his pocket, and looked up to the stage. A stagehand walked up and put down a stool, a microphone stand and a few bottles of water. Then, he walked off. A few people enthusiastically applauded him. Dave rolled his eyes. But then his heart started beating rapidly. This was it. Any moment now, he'd come out. It's been years, I wonder how much he's changed. Then he walked out. His shirt wrinkled in a few places, a blue striped bowtie around his neck, sleeves rolled up. Jeans. White socks and loafers. That dark, messy hair, forever sticking up in about a hundred places. Blue eyes (definitely color contacts, they were so blue) long eyelashes and rectangle frame glasses. That awful overbite. Such familiar details from so far away. He walked up to the microphone, tapped it to see if it worked, then picked it up. "Good evening New York. I'm sure you all know what you're here for. If you're here for the male stripclub, you're in the wrong place. You'll wanna go a few blocks east of here. It's called the Bear Cave. I hear they have great cocktail wieners there." Pause for effect. Laughter rang through the room. "Yeah... I've been to a couple male stripclubs before. Don't you hate when you get there and they're already requesting you to dance?" A couple groans and giggles. "Joking. If anyone wanted to see a jelly roll on stage, they could go back in time 70 years. It's okay, you can boo me." He grinned at the audience's reaction. "Anyways, I'm John Egbert. You've all heard of my awful jokes. And if you haven't, you just got a taste of the entree. If you want to leave, go right ahead." Nobody moved. "Shit, who's paying you guys? Can I get in on that?" Laughter. Dave snorted. "Alright, this show is dedicated to my friends back home. And a special shoutout to Rudy. I know you're here man, give me my five bucks already." He took a sip of water and started.

The show was phenomenal. The reviews were terribly understated. John's jokes were all fresh, except the ones he said himself were used in other shows. Everyone seemed entranced, and they gave him a standing ovation when he left the stage. Dave remembered his mission before he walked out of the building. He turned and went back into the auditorium, but everything seemed packed up already. He cursed himself and walked briskly outside. He turned a corner and went down an alley, scaring off a raccoon. He leaned against a wall next to a door, and pulled a lighter out of his pocket. The cigarette pack was already halfway out when he heard the door open loudly. A happy voice was saying goodbye, and the door closed again. Then something bumped hard into Dave, making him stumble, making his glasses fall off, and the contents of his pockets fall out. Dave dived to the dirty alley's floor, groping for the glasses in the dark. The person gasped. "Oh shit, I'm sorry, let me help you!" They dropped down next to Dave, and picked up the phone and cigarette pack. They handed the things to Dave. "Here you g-" Dave looked up, into the eyes of John Egbert. "John--" "DAVE??? OH WOW MAN!!!!" John exclaimed loudly. "IT'S SO GOOD TO SEE YOU!!" Dave took a step backward and shoved the items into his pockets, and his glasses back on his face. They stared at each other for a while. Dave glanced nervously around a few times before John talked again. "Haven't changed much, have you? That's alright.... Hey, you wanna come over to my place for, like, a drink?" John smiled. "Uh....." Dave glanced at his watch. 11:34 PM. I should get back to Rose, He thought, at the same moment he said, "Sure." Fuck.

Dave sat in the passenger seat of John's dark green Ford Bronco, and closes the door. He checks his watch again. 11:45 PM. Rose has gotta be so pissed. John clips his seatbelt on and fires up the ignition. He leaves the gear in park. Dave leaves forward and stares at John. "What's the hold up dude?" John stares back at him with an eyebrow raised. "This car doesn't move without the seatbelts on, Dave." "Really?" Dave snorts indignantly and pulls the seatbelt over, putting it in the clip. John shifts to reverse, backs out of the parking space, then to drive.

Dave's hands tingle halfway through the drive. He rolls down his window and reaches into his back pocket for his cigarettes. Not there. He starts to panic and pats himself up and down for the cancer sticks. "John, we gotta go back, I left my uh, my--" He looks over at John. The box lying on one of his legs. "I swiped those from you. You know they're not good for you, Dave?" John says grimly. "I have half a mind to throw them out of the window. But I won't. Just don't smoke them in my car, okay?" He reaches over to Dave's side, eyes still on the road, and opens the glove compartment. "There's some water and gum in there. Help yourself." Dave sighs, wiping sweat off his neck, and cracks open the water bottle, letting the cool water run down his throat. He opens the pack of gum (peppermint flavored) and chews three sticks nervously. "I really missed you, Dave." John said suddenly. Dave looked over at John, chewing loudly. "Rose, too. And Jade. And I've watched some of your movies. They're pretty awful, huh! You must be rich." John smiles. "And I've read a little bit of Rose's book, but it's really confusing. Have you talked to her lately?" Dave pushed the gum into his cheek. "Er.. yeah. We talk often." Dave nods. "We kinda have to stay together, y'know?" John laughs. "Yeah, you're both getting into that uprising, huh?" Dave swallows nervously and opens his mouth to speak, when his phone beeps. He makes and face and looks at it.

[stupidass 🥀] [Calling iPhone]

He declines the call, silences his phone, and shoves it into his pocket. "Who was that?" John asks curiously. ".....Ben Stiller." Dave lies quietly. "Oh, shit really? He's in your movies right? Wow! Wow, hahaha! I bet he thinks you're a total nerd for owning his glasses. You're welcome for those, by the way." John looks at Dave and grins. "Still wearing them?" Dave flushes. "I've only recently grown into them. You have no idea how long I had to wear those things and they were huge." "Yeah, yeah, okay. No coincidence either that they look so clean and not scratched, huh?" John teases playfully. "Aw whatever, I bet you still have that stupid bunny." Dave groans. "Ahah, I actually do. It means a lot that you'd get that for me, y'know? I can admit that I'm grateful for a gift." He says smugly. "Even if Con Air is garbage." "So you finally admit it." Dave smiles. "Duh!! I mean, Cage's accent is so fake! The acting is horrible, and they basically casted every ham and egger white dude who played a funny character in a movie once." Dave feels his phone buzz. He gingerly pulls the phone out, pretending to listen to John go on about the movie, and checks the screen.

[stupidass 🥀] [Missed Calls (3)] Where the hell are you? Why aren't you answering me? What's going on!?

Dave sighs, and types quickly.

got caught u pwith jhn up with john* might be a while might learn more yw

[stupidass 🥀] Oh my god.