#Watch out for Matthew Thompson

[coochiequeens]

The dude raped girls and the courts let him leave the country because he had a prebooked vacation?

A convicted pedophile was allowed to take a week-long vacation to Greece while awaiting sentencing for a slew of horrific offenses against children and animals.

On October 19, Matthew Thompson, a 48 year old man from Barnsley, United Kingdom, pleaded guilty to ten charges at Bradford Crown Court. But despite the sickening nature of his crimes, Thompson was given the okay to take a vacation to Greece ahead of his sentencing hearing in November.

Thompson was convicted of abusing two young girls, both of whom were under the age of 13 at the time. Five of his ten charges referenced child rape, with Thompson admitting to four separate counts of assault by penetration, and one of sexual activity with a child. 

In addition to the assaults, Thompson was convicted on five charges related to creating child sexual exploitation material, and possessing extreme pornography depicting sexual activity with animals.

Despite pleading guilty, Thompson was allowed to embark on a week-long vacation to Greece prior to being sentenced. Barrister Gillian Batts had told the court on Wednesday that Thompson had a pre-booked trip to Kos that he wanted to go on, and that had already paid for it.

According to Yorkshire Live, Batts said that Thompson’s vacation would go from October 20 to the 27th. She stated that Thompson would register as a sex offender prior to his departure, and that after he returned to the United Kingdom he would “sign on” with the Barnsley police. 

Despite calling Thompson’s crimes “extremely serious,” Judge Gibson declined to revoke Thompson’s bail and take him into custody, noting that Thompson “[had] entered honest pleas.”

Gibson also assured Thompson that he would get “proper credit for [his] guilty pleas in due course” once being sentenced.

The court made it a condition of Thompson’s continued bail to report to Barnsley police on October 28, the day after he is is scheduled to arrive back from his vacation in Greece, to prove he had returned to the UK. 

Thompson’s sentencing hearing is set for November 18. 

By Yuliah Amla Yuliah is a junior researcher and journalist at Reduxx. She is a passionate advocate for women's rights and child safeguarding. Yuliah lives on the American east coast, and is an avid reader and book collector.

[hotjaneaustenmenpoll]

Semi-Final One

Propaganda...

Colonel Brandon (1995):

Alan Rickman has the sexiest voice. Just listen to him reading poetry to Marianne at the end to witness how hot he is.

Alan Rickman simply embodies the truth of Col. Brandon in a way that no one else every could. It's the perfect merging of actor and role. He brings the perfect combination of honor, decency, sensitivity and passion. He is the ultimate mensch.

Brandon propaganda in which even the film's director agrees that Brandon is sexy.

More Brandon propaganda! This photo could only be published in black and white because it would have been too powerful in color (the original color version is currently being used to provide electricity for a medium sized town in Devon. It's THAT powerful).

The brim of the hat falling over his eye. The casual lean. The hunting rifle slung across his leg. The puppy bestie. The fact you know he could row that boat while you watch and wish you were the boat.

From Emma Thompson's diaries which she kept while they were shooting Sense & Sensibility. Emma Thompson said vote Colonel Brandon.

Mr Darcy (1995):

Colin Firth (1995) is book Darcy brought to life. He uses tiny gestures and looks to communicate with us and Elizabeth… his struggle is so subtle but so palpable. A beautiful asshole with a creamy nougat center. Just perfect.

GIF by sunsetboulevards

Those heart-eyes right up above☝️? Hot!

Passive-agressively drinking tea? Hot!

GIF by jaeausten

The way he rushes over to see Elizabeth at Pemberley on those delicious long legs of his with that slutty wet curl hanging over his forehead? Hot!

GIF by didanagy

Fencing? Hot!

GIF by greengableslover

The way he is so concerned about Elizabeth crying and takes her hand even though he shouldn't? Hot!

GIF by greengableslover

This dimple-y smile of pure joy because he knows he's married to Elizabeth freaking Bennet? Hot!

GIF by didana

Colin Firth Darcy is simultaneously immaculately put together and entirely falling apart internally. The wet shirt scene is so iconic not (only) because ‘oooh almost-shirtless sexy man’, but because it’s a metaphor for how he’s absolutely falling apart!!! This is a private moment, when he doesn’t think anyone can see him. And then he bumps. into. Lizzie. At his house!! And the entire sequence that follows with him rushing out still doing his jacket up to catch her before he leaves. They are both on the back foot and it’s THAT moment of confusion that opens a more honest dialogue between them.

Without Firth in a lake you wouldn’t get Macfadyen in a downpour!

There's a reason why Colin Firth is forever known as Mr. Darcy above all other roles he's had and will have! Even ignoring the wet white shirt, which has become A Thing now, he is so hot with his curly hair and his little half smiles and his intense looks of longing and his legs that go on for milessss.

This cannot be real. My fellow Jane Austen people. Without Colin Firth’s Darcy we wouldn’t have 90% of modern JA content. He opened a door and there was no turning back for modern culture. There would be no MacFadyen standing half undressed in a field at dawn without Firth jumping into a lake first. There would be no hand flex if there hadn’t been Firth doing his best impression of a man undressing Elizabeth Bennet with his eyes and hating himself for liking it. There would be no Bridgerton without Bridget Jones. Let’s face it people. We wouldn’t be here having these arguments if Colin Firth had not been Mr Darcy.

Colin Firth understood Mr. Darcy in a way no other actor ever has. He is awkward as fuck in a way that comes across as snooty and judgmental on a first watch-through, then can be read as awkward and longing on a second time. His performance had such depth while looking extremely shallow at first glance. This man WAS Mr. Darcy. (I love 2005, as well, and I love Matthew McFayden, but he was awkward for awkward sake.) Colin Firth made Darcy's awkward look snooty and aloof.

THE socially awkward Darcy is the 1995 Darcy - look at him coming and sitting in awkward silence with Elizabeth pointedly asking her if she wants to live a long way from her family (to obvious relief) and then abruptly leaving - vote for him please 😭😭😭😭

GIF by my-little-random-world

Colin Firth served so much as Darcy that when they did Bridget Jone's diary, they brought him back.... AS DARCY. The smoulder. The angst. The man is the quintessential Darcy.

“Firthing” is an actual term that is used now to describe someone yearning intensely. It is named after Colin Firth’s Mr Darcy performance.

Colin Firth all the way. He's known in our household as Owl Eyes because in every frame he's mooning over Elizabeth Bennet. Unsurpassable, unmatched, golden television (and some of the worst dancing you've ever seen).

Colin has beautiful, touchable curls.

Link

My high school English teacher was very into using movies to teach alongside literature, which was a great teaching tool. When we read Pride and Prejudice, he used both 2005 and 1995 for various scenes. What stands out to me all these years later was when it got to the part when Lizzy went to help Georgiana after Caroline dropped Mr. Wickham's name and Darcy gives Lizzy this look:

My teacher stopped the film and pointed at Darcy's face and said, "See that? That is THE look. If someone ever looks at you like that, you know they're in love." And what is hotter than that?

Also this teacher had two cats named Lizzy and Darcy. Not relevant to the poll but I wanted you all to know about them.

Colin Firth dazzles and amazes in the nuanced performance that just blows all other attempts away.

The best thing about the Colin Firth wet shirt scene is actually the scene that follows where him and Lizzie are both just dyinggg of embarrassment but Darcy pulls himself together refuses to lose his advantage and runs to get dressed and chase her down before she leaves - just the mix of cringe and hopefulness at seeing her again is so well done and so attractive!!! (this is just the bit where he's running after her but I love it all!)

[hypahfixations]

~ Hello One and All! ~

And Welcome to a Thrilling Breakdown of Dimension 20!

You’ve met our humble dungeon master Brennan Lee Mulligan, and now you’re curious on what other stories he and his crew have told. Whether you have encountered Brennan as a player from his various one-shots across different Actual Play TTRPG brands or have fallen from the heights of Avalir itself during Exandria Unlimited: The Calamity, it can be a little daunting figuring out where to start.  

Allow this Intrepid Hero to be your guide, Gang!

~ Who is the Core Cast? ~

The core cast for Dimension 20 are a group of seven improv comedians, but don't let that fool you into thinking that they are not masterful storytellers.

From Left to Right: Brian Murphy, Lou Wilson, Emily Axford, Brennan Lee Mulligan, Siobhan Thompson, Zac Oyama, and Ally Beardsley.

~ Where to Watch ~

The first episode of every campaign can be watched for free from Dimension 20’s YouTube channel, with some of the older seasons being fully available for free. To gain access to all Dimension 20’s content, along with everything else on Drop Out (including Game Changers and Um, Actually?), you can either become a member on College Humor’s YouTube channel or sign up for DropOutTV. The subscription price is the same for both, just $6 a month, but the DropOut app allows you to download as many episodes as you’d like to watch in offline mode, as well as offer podcast versions.

~ List of Campaigns ~

Dimension 20 has 17 seasons, nearly half of which are played by the core cast while the others are a rotation of guest players and GMs. Rather than listing the campaigns in just release date order, I opted to list by congruency as well for those of us who like to experience one story fully.

~~~

In the World of Spyre

Genre: Fantasy John Hughes movie

System: DnD 5e

Fantasy High

Core Cast

Meet our Intrepid Heroes in their first recorded DnD campaign as teenagers attending Aguefort’s Adventuring Academy! Watch as they overcome the trials and tribulations of high school life…oh, and saving the world.

Full Season Available Here

Pirates of Leviathan

Players: Aabria Iyengar, B. Dave Walters, Carlos Luna, Krystina Arielle, Marisha Ray, and Matthew Mercer

Aboard the floating city of Leviathan, our players discover an incredibly powerful artifact and an incredibly devious scheme. Will they be able to contain it or will they sink the city into the briny depths.

**Note: This was recorded at the start of the 2020 pandemic partially through the recording of Sophomore Year.

Fantasy High: Sophomore Year

Core Cast

It’s sophomore year, baby, and you know what that means! That’s right, time for young love, tragic backstories, and hiring your parents as your employee while on a quest that 70% of your final grade!

First Six Episodes Available Here

** Note: This season is a bit heavier and has aspects of psychological horror.

The Seven

Players: Aabria Iyengar, Becca Scott, Erika Ishii, Isabella Roland, Persephone Valentine, and Rekha Shankar

Playing as the Seven Maidens set a year and a half after the finale of Fantasy High, the girls have to come to terms that their party will be broken up at the end of the year due to being in different graduation classes…or do they?

~~~

Escape From the Bloodkeep

Players: Amy Vorpal, Erika Ishii, Ify Nwadiwe, Matthew Mercer, Mike Trapp, and Rekha Shanker

Genre: Lord of the Rings Parody

System: DnD 5e

Fighting for the side of Darkness and Evil, the players are the elite advisors of the Lord of Shadows. Except the Dark Lord just suddenly died and now they have to figure out how to thwart Good once and for all!

Full Season Available Here

~~~

In the World of Actual New York City

Genre: Urban Fantasy / Superhero Adjacent

System: DnD 5e

The Unsleeping City

Core Cast

Inspired by concepts from Neil Gaiman’s Neverwhere, natives of the Big Apple discover the city has so much more than meets the eye. They must come together and discover their power to defeat corruption before it destroys everything.

Full Season Available Here

The Unsleeping City: Chapter Two

Core Cast

Taking place three years after the finale of the first chapter, the players must reunite to confront the evilest enemy of them all: Capitalism Part Duex Electric Boogaloo!

~~~

Tiny Heist

Players: Clint McElroy, Griffin McElroy, Jessica Ross, Justin McElroy, Lily Du, and Travis McElroy

Genre: Ocean’s 11 meets Toy Story

System: DnD 5e

Our players embody the whimsical personas of bugs, toys, and Bitty folk to take down an overreaching mafia boss. After all, there is only one thing more motivating that the love of a child, and that’s a roll of quarters.

~~~

A Crown of Candy

Core Cast

Genre: High Fantasy / Medieval Political Intrigue

System: DnD 5e

The epic story exploring the world of Calorum, where each kingdom is comprised of different food groups that their citizens are made of. Our players are members of the House of Rocks, rulers of Candia, on their way to the naming of the next Emperor of Calorum during a time of great strife.

** Note: This campaign is perhaps the most serious out of anything else in their compendium. They explore themes of war, death, and betrayal with the gravity those topics deserve.

~~~

Mice & Murder

Players: Ally Beardsley, Grant O’Brien, Katie Marovitch, Raphael Chestang, Rekha Shankar, and Sam Reich

Genre: Whodunit / Murder Mystery

System: DnD 5e

In a world where the denizens are anthropomorphic woodland critters, the players have been invited to a fancy birthday party…where a tragedy most foul occurs.

~~~

Misfits And Magic

Guest GM: Aabria Iyengar

Players: Brennan Lee Mulligan, Danielle Radford, Erika Ishii, and Lou Wilson

Genre: Harry Potter Parody

System: Kids on Brooms

Set in the modern day, our players are invited to a prestigious wizarding school to participate in the foreign exchange pilot program, where they discover magic, themselves, and just how impractical this school can be.

** Note: There’s a Holiday Special too!

~~~

Shriek Week

Guest GM: Gabe Hicks

Players: Ally Beardsley, Dani Fernandez, Lily Du, and Ify Nwadiwe

Genre: Monster College

System: The Mythic System

Follow our players in their final semester of university as they try to find a Roëmænce Partnær before the end of year rager, as well as fend off some unwelcome visitors to their campus.

~~~

A Starstruck Odyssey

Core Cast

Genre: Sci-fi / Space Opera

System: Star Wars 5e

The players are a rag-tag group of down-on-their luck spacers just trying to survive the rough and tough galaxy of Starstruck, a technicolor multiverse based on the series of comic books created by Elaine Lee and Michael Kaluta.

~~~

Coffin Run

Guest GM: Jasmine Bhullar

Players: Carlos Luna, Erika Ishii, Isabella Roland, and Zac Oyama

Genre: Gothic Horror

System: DnD 5e

The followers of Count Dracula eagerly await his return home only to find their dark lord has been ambushed. The players are tasked with desperately trying to get his coffin back to the safety of the Castle.

~~~

A Court of Fey & Flowers

Guest GM: Aabria Iyengar

Players: Brennan Lee Mulligan, Emily Axford, Lou Wilson, Omar Najam, Oscar Montoya, and Surena Marie

Genre: Whimsical High Regency

System: Homebrew blend of Good Society & DnD 5e

Fey from all corners of the Faerie gather for The Bloom - a celebration of society, propriety, and abundance of arcane power. Sipping and serving piping hot tea, all eyes and ears are upon the players as they navigate rumors, scandals, and mysteries.

~~~

Neverafter

Core Cast

Genre: Twisted Fairytales

System: DnD 5e

Once upon a time has been cast into happily neverafter; a drought of shadow and misery plaguing the land and players of timeless storybook fame. When awareness of the wrongness is gleamed, and stories intersect in ways they should not, a glimpse between the lines and into the maw of cosmic horror spur our heroes to define destiny.

~~~

TBD

Guest GM: Matthew Mercer

Players: TBD

Genre: TBD

System: TBD

Release Date: May 2023

~ That's a lot. Recommendations? ~

Honestly, I would start with Fantasy High! It's a really good introduction to both the core cast and the way Dimension 20 sets itself apart from other Actual Play shows. From there, you can either go in order (release or series), or simply dabble with whichever genre or campaign trailer catches your eyes most.

As for my personal favorites:

Core Cast would be between A Crown of Candy and A Starstruck Odyssey. A Crown of Candy has some of the most incredible storytelling I have ever had the pleasure of experiencing - Game of Thrones wishes it could be as good! Meanwhile A Starstruck Odyssey is perhaps the funniest games I have ever watched.

Guest Cast is A Court of Fey and Flowers with a very close second being The Seven. I had never understood the appeal of regency before A Court of Fey and Flowers absolutely rocked me with the slightest brush of an ungloved hand. And no media has truly captured what it's like to be in that weird, volatile transition of teenager to young adult quiet like the Seven in the most unhinged way possible.

Wanna do a deeper dive? Visit the Dimension 20 Fan Wiki!

[denimbex1986]

'Present Laughter starring Andrew Scott and Indira Varma will return to the big screen in July with National Theatre Live.

Filmed live from its sold-out run at London’s Old Vic in 2019, Scott and Varma’s Olivier award-winning performances will be available to watch from cinemas worldwide from July 18.

Directed by Matthew Warchus, the production also features Sophie Thompson and follows the identity crisis of a star actor, played by Scott, preparing to embark on an overseas tour.

Caroline Maddison, deputy director of digital products at the National Theatre, said: “Present Laughter is a fan favourite for National Theatre Live audiences and a brilliant addition to the NT Live programme this year, following our successful releases of Dear England, Vanya, The Motive and the Cue and Nye.

"We’re thrilled to rerelease this incredible production from the Old Vic to cinemas this summer and make it accessible to ever-wider audiences.”

Sky Arts is the headline sponsor of National Theatre Live in the UK.'

[asgoodeasgold]

When you are having dinner with the Spanish Inquisition.

Charles has been invited by Lady Marchmain to dinner with the family. He is not to a great start as he is wearing flannel. Shocking, I am telling you.

You could cut the atmosphere with a knife. Lady Marchmain (brilliant Emma Thompson) proceeds to grill Charles to work out what his proclivities are and what's his relationship with her son. But when one is a Lady, one doesn't just ask, one talks in riddles and metaphors. The dialogue is priceless!

"Are you a Bridie or a Sebastian Mr Ryder?"

"And what form do your pleasures take Mr Ryder? ... Sorry, hobbies."

"Has this [living near a train station] led to an interest in trains?"

"Are you close with Sebastian's crowd?"

And for desserts, let's move on to religion (Charles is an atheist, oh shock horror).

Awkward. Matthew Goode is fantastic at portraying guileless Charles's discomfort and nervousness. Very funny to watch. And also 🔥 (he is doing that lip licking thing and that blinky eye thing and that side eye thing again).

📷 Brideshead Revisited (2008) my edits

If you 💜 Brideshead, check My Archive for more - I am blogging about the whole film.

[bookgeekgrrl]

My media this week (19-25 Nov 2023)

📚 STUFF I READ 📚

🥰 Old Town Road (Singles series) (Chris Molanphy) - Part of Duke University Press' series Singles, chart geek/music historian Chris Molanphy dives deep into "Old Town Road" which he describes as a 'one of one' phenomenon. To quote the book blub, which sums it up nicely: Molanphy shows how “Old Town Road” channeled decades of Americana to point the way toward our cultural future. Fairly short and incredibly readable.

🥰 Ordinary Numbers (BootsnBlossoms, Kryptaria) - 44K, canon-divergent meeting for 00Q

🥰 The Ruin of Gabriel Ashleigh (Society of Gentlemen #0.5) (KJ Charles, author; , narrator) - short story, kicking off KJC's incredible romance series set in during the Regency and political unrest around the time of the Peterloo massacre

😍 [Podfic] Mr Webster's Wager (fahye, author; HowOldAreWe, narrator) - 29K, very slight canon-divergent expansion of The Ruin of Gabriel Ashleigh, expanding on Francis & Ash getting together - so well done I almost consider it a part of the series, at least for my own rereads - this is a really great podfic of it!

😍 A Fashionable Indulgence (Society of Gentlemen #1) (KJ Charles, author; Matthew Lloyd Davies, narrator) - exquisite Julian finds purpose and love transforming young radical Harry into a gentleman. Plus there's the Peterloo massacre and personal murder plots

😍 A Seditious Affair (Society of Gentlemen #2) (KJ Charles, author; Matthew Lloyd Davies, narrator) - Tory/Radical romance with some incredible digging in to what it means to be a man of principle ('Wednesday by Wednesday, I have loved you')

💖💖 +75K of shorter fic so shout out to these I really loved 💖💖

Art Nouveau (voluptuous_panic) - MCU: shrunkyclunks, 12K - reread, forever fave - Cap!Steve has a disastrous first date at a hipster cider bar but luckily the hot, tattooed bartender is there to distract him. Short & very, very hot.

📺 STUFF I WATCHED 📺

Hot Ones - Melissa McCarthy

Screen Rant - Siobhan Thompson Talks Dimension 20 Burrow's End & Fantasy High Junior Year

Screen Rant - Brennan Lee Mulligan Talks Dimension 20 Burrow's End & Fantasy High: Junior Year

QI - series S, ep 1

Dirty Laundry - s3, e6

D20: Burrow's End - "Five" (s20, e8)

D20: Adventuring Party - "Everything, Every Stoat, All at Once" (s15, e8)

D20: Fantasy High: Freshman Year - e1-10

🎧 PODCASTS 🎧

What Next: TBD - Bedbugs Are Back, Baby!

⭐ Endless Thread - The Grand Can-Spiracy

Song Exploder - Paramore "Liar"

⭐ Hit Parade - Ride ’til I Can’t No More Edition

⭐ Hit Parade - The Bridge: Can’t Tell Me Nothin’

Shedunnit - Death at the Club

You're Dead to Me - Shakespeare

Desert Island Discs - Patrick Grant, designer and broadcaster

The Atlas Obscura Podcast - A Gaga Tour of the Town

Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus - Julia Gets Wise with Carol Burnett

NPR's Book of the Day - Jamie Loftus' 'Raw Dog' investigates the social and culinary history of the hot dog

Cautionary Tales - Photographing Fairies

Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus - Julia Gets Wise with Isabel Allende

What Next: TBD - Inside OpenAI's Implosion

The Allusionist - 185. Gems and Patties

Cautionary Tales - The Art Forger, the Nazi, and "The Pope"

Today, Explained - How Cassie sued Diddy

99% Invisible #561 - Long Strange Tape

Pop Culture Happy Hour - Scott Pilgrim Takes Off

One Year - 1990: Pizzastroika

Ologies with Alie Ward - Abstract Mathematology (UH, IS MATH REAL?) with Eugenia Cheng

⭐ Off Menu - Ep 215: Paul Rudd

⭐ Pop Culture Happy Hour - Rethinking Killers Of The Flower Moon

NPR's Book of the Day - In 'Blackouts,' Justin Torres shines a light on silenced LGBTQ history

What Next: TBD - Where Scams Are Born

🎶 MUSIC 🎶

Rockstar [Dolly Parton] {2023}

Modern Sounds in Country and Western Music, Vols 1 & 2 [Ray Charles] {1962}

Presenting Massive Attack

Presenting Nine Inch Nails

New Blue Sun [André 3000] {2023}

[apinchofm]

Uncle Phillip

@spitefularmand @torchwood-99 @viscountessevie @hptriviachamp @enigma-the-mysterious @alrightsnaps @datsusara84 @problematiquefics @angel-starbeam @ietss @jeanvanjer

Among more things Eloise did not think she would do, was do picnics in the park. But she and were sitting on a large blanket. Neddy and the twins were running around.

"How's Marina?" Kate asked.

"Stressing over Fashion Week." Eloise sighed, thinking of her hardworking, "I managed to spoon solid food and not coffee into her mouth yesterday as she made a phonecall about tulle."

"Edwina and Daphne are the same," Kate laughed, "Simon and Matthew are getting worried. Well, Simon is more used to it. If I ever doubted Matthew's devotion, I may have to eat my words - he goes with her to fittings and everything!"

Eloise had noticed the man watching her and the children for a while. Some tall white guy dressed like a lawyer. Lawyers could be creeps.

"Hey, Kate, can you watch the twins?" She asked her sister-in-law, cutting off the conversation.

"Yeah, of course." She said, confused as Eloise stormed up to a man she did not recognise.

He did not seem to realise Eloise was approaching him and his eyes widened in surprise.

"May I help you? Or do I need to call the police?" Eloise asked him sharply.

"I just wanted to see them." He told her apologetically.

"Excuse me?!"

"Okay, wait, that came out really wrong!" He said holding up his hands, "My name is Phillip Crane and I believe I am the uncle to those children."

---

"Philip Crane?"

Marina stopped twisting her hair when Eloise told her about what had happened.

"He's George's younger brother. Gosh, I haven't seen him in years!" She continued, then turned around, "I didn't even think he was in the country."

Eloise who was sitting on their bed, in pyjamas sighed, "He didn't know?"

"None of them knew."

Marina sat down on the bed next to her, sighing, "I wasn't allowed to go to George's funeral. I decided I really did not want the children around them."

The Cranes were an old family, with a long history in the British military at all ranks and were very strict about who they associated with. Marina Thompson, a half French, black, bisexual stylist was far from the ideal but George fell in love with her. She loved him too, a gentle giant and Navy man. Then he had to go away and his submarine sunk off the coast of Somalia. And his family told her not to come to the funeral. She and George were not married, after all.

"What if he tries to take the twins?" Marina asked quietly, "He could use our sexualities, my depression." But Eloise was having none of it, clutching her hand tightly and looking at her

"You were depressed because the guy you loved died and his family treated you like dirt. And if he wants to take our children, he will have to go through me." She said determinedly, "You are a brilliant mum and he has no claim. He's an uncle who is turned up out of nowhere!"

---

The Bridgertons heard, because Kate told Anthony what happened and no one in that family could keep anything to themselves.

"Do you want us to pay this Phillip Crane a visit?" Anthony asked over Sunday Dinner, "Ben, Colin, Greg?"

"You three are the least intimidating idiots I know." Marina deadpanned. Then she smiled at Gregory, "But thank you." He was her favourite of the bunch, aside from Eloise of course.

--

Philipe came to their home on Saturday.

"You cut your hair." Marina said. He looked so much older than when she last saw him.

"You stopped straightening yours." He said with a small chuckle.

They fell into an awkward silence, so Eloise stepped forward, "Nice to see you again. Glad you are not a child predator."

He looked embarrassed, "I'm so sorry about that. I just had been walking past and saw..."

"It's fine." Eloise said with a small smile.

"How long have the two of you been together?" He asked.

"A year and a half." Marina said, a smile to her, "We're getting married in July. It would be sooner, but this one has a book tour and I have pieces to finish - fashion week, the Met Gala."

"Again, this is why we should elope rather than let Daphne plan." Eloise said, fondly rolling her eyes, "I'll marry you anywhere."

Philip smiled at the two of them, "Congratulations."

"I'll leave you two to talk." Eloise said, "I think an impromptu game of hide and seek has begun!" With that, she made her way upstairs, where she knew the twins were hiding.

Marina and Philip sat down in the living room, tea prepared on a tray, "My parents always said tough conversations needed tea. Actually, my father prefers whiskey as part of the drink."

"How are your parents?" Phillip asked

"Good. They retired to the south of France last year. Got another farm, because Dad can't just retire." Marina said and he smiled, "How have you been?"

"Good. Good. I came home for the funeral, left soon after. I'm sorry for not calling."

"You were grieving." She pointed out.

"So were you." Phillip said, shaking his head, "I just got back from Cape Town." He explained, "And a friend of mine told me that you had children. Toddlers."

"And you did the math." Marina finished and he nodded.

"I can't believe you were pregnant." He said, "Did George know?"

"No." Marina shook her head, "No, he never got my email and well, your family were not exactly the most welcoming bunch."

"I'm sorry about that. Truly." Philip said. He had liked Marina. She made George happy. He was free from the pressure from their father when he was around her.

"I did love George. I hope you know that."

"I do." Phillip said, "I was sad that we didn't get to know each other better. But I want to now, especially with the children."

"The twins do know. Who their dad is." Marina informed.

"Oh, they do?" He blinked, surprised.

"I would never want to hide that away from them. They just know that their father was in the army and he passed away." She explained and he nodded, "I do not need to get into family politics of your racist father."

He grimaced at her frank tone, but could not disagree, "Well, I do wish to help. I'm based in Kent, but am in London rather often. Anything you need-"

"Oh, Phillip, you owe me nothing." Marina said gently.

"You're family, it's not about debt. I don't want to disrupt your life or relationship. But I do want to know my niece and nephew, that is all." He said with a shy smile.

She brought him to the playroom, where Eloise was lying down on the plush carpet, passing blocks to Oliver and Amanda.

"Mummy, look!" Oliver said excitedly but frowned at the stranger.

"I see, my love." Marina smiled, "This is your uncle Philip. He was your daddy's brother."

Oliver stayed by Eloise, his stepmother sitting up to hug him reassuringly. He was nervous when it came to new people. Amanda, on the hand, stood up, looking at Phillip curiously.

"Hello." Amanda said, "You were our dad's brother?"

"He was my older brother." He explained, kneeling down to her height, "I'm guessing you are the oldest." She grinned and nodded.

Oliver looked like George. He had his mother's skin town and curly hair but George's eyes and nose, "Hello Oliver." Philip said gently.

In response, Oliver whispered something to Eloise who nodded.

"Olly wants to know if you like Legos." Eloise asked of him.

"I very much do like Legos." Philip confirmed, making Olly smile.

"Good." Amanda grabbed his hand, pulling him to the floor, "We are making a zoo. Have you been to the zoo?"

"I have been to many zoos. I once saw a lion up close!" He said and Amanda launched into questions as he helped them build their zoo.

Eloise stood, going over to Marina who was watching on with a smile, "Quite the unorthodox family, aren't we?"

"Well, there is no fun in convention." Marina whispered back.

[byneddiedingo]

Carey Mulligan and Bradley Cooper in Maestro (Bradley Cooper, 2023)

Cast: Bradley Cooper, Carey Mulligan, Matt Bomer, Gideon Glick, Maya Hawke, Sarah Silverman, Vincenzo Amato, Michael Urie, Greg Hildreth, Brian Klugman, Nick Blaemire, Mallory Portnoy, Yasen Peyakov, Zachary Booth, Miriam Shor, Alexa Swinton. Screenplay: Bradley Cooper, Josh Singer. Cinematography: Matthew Libatique. Production design: Kevin Thompson. Film editing: Michelle Tesoro. Music: Leonard Bernstein. 

The Aussies call it "tall poppy syndrome." It's that tendency to try to undermine or underestimate the achievement of anyone who excels. And I think we saw it directed at Bradley Cooper when the first big wave of negative publicity came out from a critic from the Hollywood Reporter who saw the trailer for Maestro and called the prosthetic nose Cooper wore to play Leonard Bernstein "ethnic cosplay." The word "Jewface," analogous to blackface and "yellowface," labels for white performers pretending to be Black or Asian, was tossed about, as if Cooper were somehow guilty of antisemitism, or even depriving a Jewish actor of the role. Defenders came to the fray, including Bernstein's family, who indicated their approval of Cooper's choice, and others who pointed out that Cooper wasn't playing a negative stereotype, or even a character like Shylock or Fagin, but an authentic musical genius. But the damage was done, and the controversy continues to be a kind of scrim through which we watch and assess the film. I think much of it stems from the fact that Cooper is one of the most exceptional talents of our time, recognized for excellence as an actor, director, and screenwriter  -- a tall poppy indeed. He has a total of nine Academy Award nominations in all three of those fields plus producing -- for Todd Phillips's Joker (2019) and Guillermo del Toro's Nightmare Alley (2022). He won a BAFTA for the music of A Star Is Born (2018), for which he wrote and sang several songs, and for which he also won two Grammys. He was nominated for a Tony in 2015 for his performance on Broadway in The Elephant Man. (One of the critics of the prosthetic nose observed that he wore no disfiguring makeup for the role of John Merrick, suggesting that if he's that good an actor, he should have played the role of Bernstein without the help of makeup.) All of this is preface to saying that Maestro is an exceptional film that only adds luster to an already distinguished career. It has been labeled a biopic, which is inadequate. Biographical films are usually distanced from their subjects, dramatizations of events in a career. Maestro is more intimate than that, a portrait of a man and a marriage. Cooper goes beyond mimicry of Bernstein in a serious effort to suggest the social and sexual and artistic tensions seething within the man. If I have to voice a criticism it's that he doesn't quite bring it off -- it's a little too much for any actor or screenwriter to achieve. But Cooper shows us the depths even if he doesn't plumb them. He wisely lets us have our own thoughts about something even Bernstein probably couldn't define about his sexuality: whether he was gay or bisexual, or whether that question is stupid and irrelevant. Carey Mulligan's performance as his wife, Felicia, brittle and burning, is a perfect match for Cooper's. If they don't have the chemistry that Cooper had with Jennifer Lawrence in Silver Linings Playbook (2012) or Lady Gaga in A Star Is Born, that's partly the point: The marriage of Lenny and Felicia was one of unresolved tension. Hence the epigraph for the film: "A work of art does not answer questions, if provokes them; and its essential meaning is in the tension between the contradictory answers." I have the feeling that Maestro will be remembered and studied for years to come.

[frxgmcnts]

@theolderhenderson asked: Ship Bias again cause i’m curious lol

Send ‘Ship Bias’ and I will share up to 5 Ships I have a bias for for my muse!

thea moore & matthew evans ( @lcstinfantasy ):

Thea, my girl, might make it incredible difficult for Matt, but as much as I love these two as much she does love him. But you know how much I love all our ships and the mutual obession they have with each other. All your ocs are so fun to write with and witnessing their development within our threads is the best thing. Also the canon muses you have picked up are top notch. I love every single one of your muses and of course, you ♥

evan wright & emma thompson ( @redemptivexheroics ):

Those two are still developing, but I love how Emma has managed to prove Evan wrong about the first impression he had of her. I have a feeling they will be really cute when Evan manages to stop being his awkward self that comes through at times. And Kyle, I'm impressed about all the different muses you manage to handle at the same time. I'm coming for more of your muses, just watch out, haha.

leighton rennell & beckett moore ( @lungsandlips ):

Okay, those two we have started writing a good while back, but they are the first who brought me to their blog, therefore I hold them dearly in my heart. I also liked the vibe Skyler & Kade and Liam & Evan had so far and I'm looking forward to explore all of them more. Generally they're really an amazing writer and such a chill and lovely person whenever I write ooc with them.

evan wright & kelsey heyward ( @entangledmuses ):

If I tell you Evan is crushing hard on her, then what? I know they are still developing alongside Evan & Heather and Maxwell & Sofia, but I already love the little things I have written for them so far with Kayla. I also love all the other potential pairs we have in store and I'm looking forward to develop them all with her.

leighton rennell, noah phoenix kane-christensen & scarlet rose, wolfgang park ( @dozenzofrozez ) & sage thompson ( @lcstinfantasy ):

Another one of my favorite poly ships along with Zander, Eric & Evan. We haven't written them much yet on the dash, but I think Moni and Tin already know how much I love both of those ships. One has the chaos potential while the other has the angst and I'm here for the journey they will take us on. I've mentioned it before, but I'll do it again I love you both for how amazing writers you are, but also for allowing me to link my muses to yours.♥

special mentioning:

the chaos mansion ( @dozenzofrozez & @notfrsalestuff ):

This huge poly ship Moni, Rose and I have created. I love when we throw random musing stuff or ideas around and how our muses simply embrace it. How the mansion didn't go up in flames yet is a mistery to me, but then again, there's a witch among them who might be the reason it hasn't happen, haha. Honestly, I love your creativity and I love you two. ♥

[bookclub4m]

Episode 192 - Non-Fiction Graphic Novels & Comics

This episode we’re discussing the format of Non-Fiction Graphic Novels & Comics! We talk about what we even mean when we say “non-fiction,” comics vs. graphic novels, art vs. writing, memoirs vs. other stuff, and more. Plus: It’s been over 365 days since our last gorilla attack!

You can download the podcast directly, find it on Libsyn, or get it through Apple Podcasts or your favourite podcast delivery system.

In this episode

Anna Ferri | Meghan Whyte | Matthew Murray | Jam Edwards

Join our Discord Server!

Things We Read (or tried to…)

Moi aussi je voulais l'emporter by Julie Delporte

This Woman's Work by Julie Delporte, translated by Helge Dascher and Aleshia Jensen

Sông by Hài-Anh and Pauline Guitton

Kimiko Does Cancer by Kimiko Tobimatsu and Keet Geniza

Why I Adopted by Husband by Yuta Yagi

The Art and Life of Hilma af Klint by Ylva Hillström, translated by Karin Eklund

Go to Sleep (I Miss You): Cartoons from the Fog of New Parenthood by Lucy Knisley

Nuking Alaska: Notes of an Atomic Fugitive by Peter Dunlap-Shohl

My Brain is Different: Stories of ADHD and Other Developmental Disorders by Monzusu, translated by Ben Trethewey

The Comic Book Guide to Growing Food: Step-by-Step Vegetable Gardening for Everyone by Joseph Tychonievich and Liz Kozik

Other Media We Mentioned

Fun Home by Alison Bechdel

Fun Home (musical) (Wikipedia)

Maus by Art Spiegelman

Persepolis by Marjane Satrapi, translated by Mattias Ripa

Ducks: Two Years in the Oil Sands by Kate Beaton

Understanding Comics by Scott McCloud

The Essential Dykes To Watch Out For by Alison Bechdel

Displacement by Lucy Knisley

Pedro and Me: Friendship, Loss, and What I Learned and Judd Winick

Melody: Story of a Nude Dancer by Sylvie Rancourt, translated by Helge Dascher

Kid Gloves by Lucy Knisley

The Mental Load by Emma

The Secret to Superhuman Strength by Alison Bechdel

What Is Obscenity?: The Story of a Good for Nothing Artist and Her Pussy by Rokudenashiko

Homestar Runner

Button Pusher by Tyler Page

Last of the Sandwalkers by Jay Hosler

Clan Apis by Jay Hosler

Ping-pong by Zviane

Dumb: Living Without a Voice by Georgia Webber

When David Lost His Voice by Judith Vanistendael

Blankets by Craig Thompson

Smile by Raina Telegmeier

Dog Man by Dav Pilkey

Sensible Footwear: A Girl's Guide by Kate Charlesworth

Links, Articles, and Things

Harvey Pekar (Wikipedia)

Joe Sacco (Wikipedia)

Japanese adult adoption (Wikipedia)

In the name of the queer: Sailor Moon's LGBTQ legacy

The Spectre of Orientalism in Craig Thompson’s Habibi

Cultural Appropriation in Craig Thompson’s Graphic Novel Habibi

35 Non-fiction Graphic Novels by BIPOC Authors

Every month Book Club for Masochists: A Readers’ Advisory Podcasts chooses a genre at random and we read and discuss books from that genre. We also put together book lists for each episode/genre that feature works by BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, & People of Colour) authors. All of the lists can be found here.

This Place: 150 Years Retold

Zodiac: A Graphic Memoir by Ai Weiwei with Elettra Stamboulis & Gianluca Costantini

Nat Turner by Kyle Baker

The Talk by Darrin Bell

The Best We Could Do by Thi Bui

I’m a Wild Seed by Sharon Lee De la Cruz

Messy Roots: A Graphic Memoir of a Wuhanese American by Laura Gao

Stamped from the Beginning: A Graphic History of Racist Ideas in America by Joel Christian Gill and Ibram X. Kendi

Wake: The Hidden History of Women-Led Slave Revolts by Rebecca Hall and Hugo Martinez

The 500 Years of Resistance Comic Book by Gord Hill

Good Talk: A Memoir in Conversations by Mira Jacob

The American Dream? A Journey on Route 66 Discovering Dinosaur Statues, Muffler Man, and the Perfect Breakfast Burrito: a Graphic Memoir by Shing Yin Khor

Banned Book Club by Kim Hyun Sook, Ryan Estrada, and Ko Hyung-Ju

In Limbo by Deb J.J. Lee

This Country: Searching for Home in (Very) Rural America by Navied Mahdavian

Mexikid: A Graphic Memoir by Pedro Martín

Monstrous: A Transracial Adoption Story by Sarah Myer

Steady Rollin': Preacher Kid, Black Punk and Pedaling Papa by Fred Noland

Citizen 13660 by Mine Okubo

Your Black Friend and Other Strangers by Ben Passmore

Kwändǖr by Cole Pauls

Worm: A Cuban American Odyssey by Edel Rodriguez

Power Born of Dreams: My Story is Palestine by Mohammad Sabaaneh

A First Time for Everything by Dan Santat

Persepolis: The Story of a Childhood by Marjane Satrapi

Grandmothers, Our Grandmothers: Remembering the "Comfort Women" of World War II by Han Seong-Won

Death Threat by Vivek Shraya and Ness Lee

Palimpsest: Documents From A Korean Adoption by Lisa Wool-Rim Sjöblom

Big Black: Stand at Attica by Frank "Big Black" Smith, Jared Reinmuth, and Améziane

Victory. Stand!: Raising My Fist for Justice by Tommie Smith, Dawud Anyabwile, and Derrick Barnes

The High Desert by James Spooner

They Called Us Enemy by George Takei, Justin Eisinger, Steven Scott, and Harmony Becker

Feelings by Manjit Thapp

The Black Panther Party: A Graphic Novel History by David F. Walker and Marcus Kwame Anderson

Now Let Me Fly: A Portrait of Eugene Bullard by Ronald Wimberly and Braham Revel

Bonus list: 21 Non-Fiction Manga

Give us feedback!

Fill out the form to ask for a recommendation or suggest a genre or title for us to read!

Join our Discord Server!

Check out our Tumblr, follow us on Instagram, join our Facebook Group, or send us an email!

[charliethomascoxuniverse]

Charlie Cox's 'Boardwalk Empire' Performance Prepared Him to Play Daredevil

By Liam Gaughan  December 31, 2022 (X)

By elevating one of the greatest shows of all time, Cox signified that he was ready to lead a gritty series of his own.

It’s Charlie Cox’s world right now, and we’re all just living in it. 

Although many Marvel fans feared that Cox would never get the chance to play Matt Murdock again after Daredevil was shockingly canceled on Netflix, Cox returned for a surprise cameo appearance in Spider-Man: No Way Home. It wasn’t just a brief wink to the fans; it was an announcement that the devil was back. Cox returned for a featured role in She-Hulk: Attorney At Law and is prepping work on the upcoming Disney+ series Daredevil: Born Again. In the meantime, he already has another hit series on his hands with the Netflix spy thriller Treason. It seems like Cox had returned out of nowhere, but anyone who watched him on HBO’s Boardwalk Empire knew that he was always destined to be a star.

While Cox had been positioned as the lead of Matthew Vaughn’s Stardust in 2007, the film unfortunately failed financially, despite promising reviews for the exciting Neil Gaiman adaptation. It would be almost a decade before Cox stepped into the role of “The Devil of Hell’s Kitchen,” but he wasted no time by stepping into playing one of the best characters in Boardwalk Empire. The HBO crime saga was one of the buzziest shows of the early “peak TV” era, and Cox was already stepping into a critically-acclaimed hit that featured one of the all-time greatest television characters in Steve Buscemi’s Nucky Thompson.

Cox first appeared in Season 2 as Owen Sleater, a young IRA volunteer who comes to join Nucky’s enforcers in Atlantic City. While adding another face to the rich tapestry of characters could have complicated a story that was already dense, Cox was able to explore the all-consuming nature of the criminal lifestyle with his emotional performance. Owen is an endearing, spirited idealist who serves as a bright spot in a very bleak series, and his grasp on reality evolves in utterly heartbreaking ways. With charisma, moral ambiguity, and romance, Boardwalk Empire’s Owen Sleater set the precedent for Matt Murdock.

When you’re acting alongside an actor as legendary as Buscemi, you have to differentiate yourself in order to stand out. Cox doesn’t look or act like any of Nucky’s other goons; he seems like a straight-laced political revolutionary who is willing to sacrifice his life for a good cause. While he easily charms Nucky’s wife Margaret Schroder (Kelly Macdonald) and the housemaid Katy (Heather Lind), he doesn’t leave his initial meeting with Nucky without making a promise that he can handle the rougher sides of the bootlegging business. These are quickly shown to be no false claims; Owen brutally stops Commodore Louis Kaestner's (Dabney Coleman) men from disrupting Nucky’s casino in a shocking moment of violence.

It could have been hard to relate to Owen after seeing what he was capable of, but Cox shows how his blissful ignorance has led him to this line of work. He’s grateful to prove himself to someone as influential as Nucky, and he takes every opportunity possible to show that he will follow his duty to the bitter end.

Nucky finds that he’s willing to confide in Owen because of his loyalty, and makes the decision to give him the role of his personal driver and bodyguard. It’s here that we see how ambition corrupts Owen’s soul; by being so close to Nucky’s inner circle, Owen begins to pick up on the skills that could make him a career criminal. He deals with some of the same moral quandaries and Catholic guilt that made Daredevil one of the MCU’s most interesting heroes.

Owen’s Importance to Nucky Is Clear

Owen is particularly needed in Season 2 as Nucky begins to distance himself from Jimmy Darmondy (Michael Pitt), his previous protégé. Jimmy turns from gratefulness to resentment, betraying his former mentor in order to make a bid at leading his own crime ring. It feels like Nucky has a paternal role to fill (as he’s sworn to keep his own children out of harm’s way), and Owen’s dedication gives him a new potential heir. Boardwalk Empire is rarely heartwarming, and while it’s clear that Nucky still sees Owen as a pawn. However, there’s a tenderness to their conversations that has become absent from his relationship with Jimmy.

Owen shows his fierceness when he cuts down the traitor Del Grogan (Gary Tory) in “Peg of Old,” which only makes his disruption of the Thompson family unit more interesting. Despite his romantic fling with Katy, Owen is unable to deny his attraction to Margaret, who is similarly helpless to resist his charms. Margaret and Owen are two outsiders who haven’t totally figured out their futures; Owen is still an immigrant who isn’t used to American culture, and Margaret has had to set aside her concerns about her children’s safety in order to stay with Nucky. They’re two young members of the faith who must deal with never having a normal life again; this was one of the essential elements of Daredevil, as Matt found that he would never be able to restore his romance with Elektra (Elodie Yung) or Karen (Deborah Ann Wolf).

Owen Ultimately Reaches a Heartbreaking End

This doomed romance serves as one of the critical plot points of Season 3. Despite saving Nucky’s brother Eli (Shea Whigham) and landing a critical deal with Arnold Rothstein (Michael Stuhlbarg), Owen finds comfort in his breaks from duty in the moments he gets to share with Margaret. Despite everything that he has seen, Owen still holds on to the dream that one day they will be able to run away together. If Matt’s belief in the goodness of people served as his moral compass in Daredevil, Owen’s faith that his romance will be lifelong only signifies his destiny. His death in “A Man, A Plan…” is jaw-dropping, but it comes as a needed shock to finally show the splintering of Nucky and Margaret's relationship.

Boardwalk Empire never returned with the same vigor after Cox’s absence; Seasons 4 and 5 failed to introduce new allies for Nucky that were able to show the complexity of criminal duty. While Owen’s death is shocking, it’s an effective moment in the series that sets it forward toward a path of no return. By elevating one of the greatest shows of all time, Cox signified that he was ready to lead a gritty series of his own. It finally feels like his continued excellence has been appreciated.

~*~

[wizardysseus]

10 favorite movies

tagged by @jadesabre301 <3

i had to axe disney movies from this list to make myself look more interesting. y'all know the ones i axed though. i have chosen to order them by release date rather than ranking the list.

return of the jedi (1983) is the best star wars movie, you can pry the finale scenes out of my cold dead hands

ladyhawke (1985), THE 80s fantasy romance that dares to ask the question 'what if matthew broderick was a medieval thief who was bisexual and hated magic?' and gets away with it

labyrinth (1986), jim henson Got teen girls and it's on the critics that they didn't see his vision, i admire sarah and always try to model her petty bullheadedness in my own life

much ado about nothing (1993), while this play and this version are both a little bit broken, it is: my favorite and did: introduce me to shakespeare, and dear god emma thompson is hot

ever after (1998) uses so many tropes that i stand against and yet it melts my heart into a pile of sap every damn time

the prince of egypt (1998), despite years of watching it every time my sunday school teachers ran out of ideas for class, this may just be my favorite movie

10 things i hate about you (1999), teen romcom of choice, heath ledger would have made such a beautiful lesbian

spirited away (2001), traditionally i've cited princess mononoke as my favorite ghibli but today i'm really feeling spirited away, chihiro is so precious to me

the lord of the rings (2001-2003), the yearly marathon that makes me cry like a baby as soon as the howard shore music hits

song of the sea (2014), the animation and the story and the music are all pitch perfect to me and i can't get through it without choking up

tagging @kareenvorbarra @syhrinx @nativehueofresolution @thisbrilliantsky @hummingbirdsaltimolockia

[guardianreadersofthegalaxy]

My 2022 film ranking:

1.       Roald Dahl’s ‘Matilda’ – The Musical (AKA ‘Booksmart’) – [Musical] A highly intelligent child starts primary school and confronts the evil headmistress. I’ll get this out of the way, the sight of precocious children jigging about like they’re in a TikTok makes me nauseous. Otherwise, M:TM is perfect, thanks mostly to Dahl’s charming story and Tim Minchin’s wonderful songs. Director Matthew Warchus leans into stylisation, bringing colour and magic that puts more ‘grounded’ musical directors like Tom Hooper to shame. Emma Thompson chews the scenery as the child-phobic Trunchbull, and Alisha Weir holds it all together as the cute and capable heroine. For fans of Paddington.

2.       The Lost Daughter (AKA ‘Mamma Mia! But Sad’) – [Drama] While on a solo holiday to Greece, Leda meets a young mother who reminds her of her own struggles as a parent. This could have been a slow burn, but an early reckless choice by the protagonist infuses the film with simmering tension. It’s a great character study, and director Maggie Gyllenhaal gets brilliant performances from Buckley and Colman as the quietly abrasive Leda, who’s unpredictable without seeming inconsistent. I like Gyllenhaal’s use of quick edits and closeups to deliberately disorient the viewer, as well as Dickon Hinchliffe’s score which swings from melancholy to upbeat, ensuring things never get dull. For fans of Fleabag.

3.       The Quiet Girl (AKA ‘All Quiet On The Girl Front’) – [Drama] A young girl is sent away from her neglectful family to stay with kindly relatives for the summer. I wasn’t initially sure where the story was going to go, given this starts where most adoption stories end. But I realised very soon that it was about the journey, not the destination. The direction’s subjective, showing you the world from a child’s perspective while still providing insight to the adult characters. The ending’s wonderfully bittersweet and, most impressively, it’s a tight 90 minutes. For fans of Goodnight Mr. Tom.

4.       Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery (AKA ‘Janelle Monáe, Janelle Problems’) – [Murder mystery] Eccentric detective Benoit Blanc is summoned to a Greek island to solve the ‘murder’ of a tech billionaire. It’s only a prolonged an uneventful first act that keeps this from reaching the perfection of ‘Knives Out’. After the mid-point gamechanger, Rian Johnson provides wall-to-wall payoffs that satisfyingly recontextualise previous clues and red herrings. As for Benoit Blanc, I thought he worked better as a co-lead with Ana De Armas than in his more central role here, but he’s still extremely charming. For fans of the end of Prisoner Of Azkaban.

5.       All Quiet On The Western Front (AKA ‘Insert Hilarious WW1 Gag’) – [War] In the final months of World War I, a naïve German recruit enters the meat-grinder of the Western front. It's the sort of thing you only want to watch once, like '12 Years A Slave'. With hand-held direction that puts you at the heart of the action and nightmarish gore worthy of a horror film, AQOTWF is experiential filmmaking at its best. You could have lost the Armistice subplot and cut things down to a lean 100 minutes, but the prospect of a ceasefire lends extra pathos to the lives taken in the final hours of the war. For fans of 1917.

6.       Ali & Ava (AKA ‘Disc-eo & Folk-iet) – [Drama] An EDM-loving landlord and a folk-loving teaching assistant find common ground. Director Clio Barnard finds magic in the drizzle and concrete of Bradford. There’s some great use of symbolism: a glance at a rocking chair or a pair of boots can tell you everything you need to know about a character. Her script deals with a lot of different issues (a few too many), and maybe should have zeroed in on the themes of mental health and the power of music. For fans of Ken Loach

7.       Nope (AKA ‘Cowboys Vs Aliens’) – [Sci-fi/horror] Two siblings attempt to save their family business by capturing footage of the UFO terrorising their farm. It’s been a long time since I last said “Oh my god” out loud in a cinema (I’m British). ‘Nope’ takes a bit of time to get started, but once things kick off in earnest it’s a real thrill. The second act in particular is terrifying, thanks to a genuinely hard to watch scene of Lovecraftian horror. There are a few odd choices, like the distractingly gravelly director character who’s introduced too late to be properly characterised, but otherwise I’d say that Jordan Peele’s done it again. EDIT: Oh yeah, what was the deal with the floating shoe? For fans of Steven Spielberg.

8.       Doctor Strange In The Multiverse Of Madness (AKA ‘The Power Of The Doc’) – [Superhero] A sorcerer has his ex-girlfriend’s wedding interrupted by a multiversal war. This was really entertaining! The action was occasionally hard to follow and the plot, while coherent, was little more than a vehicle for increasingly bizarre set pieces. But what set pieces! I know MCU directors often feel handicapped by studio interfering but, in this case, it seemed like Sam Raimi was able to make the film his own by leaning into the goofy soft-horror he’s best known for. And the, now obligatory, fan-service cameos were wisely confined to one scene. For fans of Sam Raimi.

9.       Everything Everywhere All At Once (AKA ‘Racocoonie’) – [Sci-fi/action] A laundry owner has her tax audit appointment interrupted by a multiversal war. Co-directors ‘Daniels’ should be applauded for their boundless creativity, though I do have notes. There’s an incredible 100 minute film in there somewhere, but many moments dragged out for way too long. EEAAO rises above other Matrix knockoffs by remembering to have fun, with plenty of ‘Rick & Morty’-style comedy to complement the competently handled emotional story. By turns surreal, hilarious, tedious, and genuinely moving. And too long. For fans of Rick & Morty.

10.   The House (AKA ‘There’s A Moose Loose Aboot The Hoose!’) – [Adult animation] Three generations of cats, mice, and humans try their best to settle into ‘the house’. I mean, I just love stop motion so maybe this had an unfair advantage. Design and direction are both on point to make ‘The House’ as beautiful as it is unsettling. Thematically though, it suffers from ‘French Dispatch syndrome’: with neither the variety of an anthology miniseries like ‘Inside Number Nine’, or the coherence of a standard 90-minute film. The first and last parts had decent messages, but I never felt like Jarvis Cocker’s mouse estate agent was getting his just deserts. For fans of Henry Selick.

11.   The Power Of The Dog (AKA ‘Doctor ‘Straight’ In The Closet Of Sadness’) – [Drama] A macho cattle-rancher takes against his brother’s new wife and her aloof teenage son. I thought Jessie Plemons’ understated performance was the highlight. His tearful relief at finding an alternative to his bullying brother really struck a chord, and it’s a shame that he faded into the background later on. The actors convey a lot through physicality, like Dunst’s shaking hands as she sits at the piano, or Cumberbatch and Smit-McPhee’s gait as they respectively strut and mince around the farm. Dialogue schmialogue. For fans of There Will Be Blood.

12.   RRR (AKA ‘Rajamouli’s Ridiculous Romp’) – [Action] Sparks fly in 1920s India when officer A. Rama Raju meets the revolutionary Komaram Bheem. They don’t make films like this in the West any more, and I think that’s a shame. RRR is camp and earnest, always somewhere between ‘so bad it’s good’ and just genuinely good. While there were literally hundreds of moments of unintentional comedy, I couldn’t help but get swept up in the epic drama and spectacle. For fans of Stephen Chow.

13.   See How They Run (AKA ‘Who Has Done This?’) – [Comedy] In the 1950s, a murder is committed on the West End stage of Agatha Christie’s ‘The Mousetrap’. This was more enjoyable on the rewatch, with lowered expectations. Sam Rockwell's still wasted and the premise still isn't as original as it thinks it is. But the jokes (both verbal and physical) all land, the payoffs and reveals are satisfying, and the cast mostly live up to their potential. And Saoirse Ronan carries the whole thing, doing double duty as moral centre and comic relief. For fans of Inside No. 9.

14.   Don’t Look Up (AKA ‘Leostorm’) – [Drama/comedy] Two astronomers desperately attempt to warn the world’s governments about an approaching comet. This was a really tense watch. It felt like a modern update of ‘Dr Strangelove’, where the people with the power to avert Armageddon are too inept to do so. There’s a hefty dose of Black Mirror in there too, with humanity’s stupidity on full display. That said, I didn’t leave feeling like we deserve annihilation, which might have been some consolation. Instead I was angry that we put our lives in the hands of the Musks and de Pfeffel Johnsons of the world, and that’s not as cathartic. For fans of Charlie Brooker.

15.   The Banshees Of Inishirin (AKA ‘The Irishmen’) – [Drama] During the civil war, an Irish farmer is baffled to learn that his friend doesn’t like him any more. You can tell Martin McDonagh’s a playwright – the slow pace, the few locations, the focus on dialogue. And like most plays it gave me a lot to think about, whilst also being a bit boring. The jokes all landed but they were few and far between. It was like feature-length ‘This Country’ episode, but with more fiddles and misery. And Barry Keoghan was fantastic as ever, if typecast, as Dominic the village eejit. For fans of Samuel Beckett.

16.   Turning Red (AKA ‘Meilin, Wailin’ & Big Fluffy Tailin’) – [Family animation] A thirteen-year-old girl turns into a giant red panda. I feel like, as with the MCU, Pixar films have somewhat reached a point of competent homogeneity. I could copy and paste most of this from my last two Pixar reviews: the animation’s beautiful; good insights are made about the human condition; the message is hindered by over-specific lore. And that’s fine, I guess. For fans of Luca.

17.   Pig (AKA ‘Baken’) – [Drama] A former expert chef turned lonely truffle hunter searches for his stolen truffle pig. I felt like there could have been something profound going on in 'Pig'. The juxtaposition of a dirty, bleeding man sat in a fancy restaurant probably signifies… something. But there were just too many off-putting elements, like the random fight club scene, for me to grasp what it was all about. Cage does your standard 'Sadman McDeadwife' performance, but I much preferred Alex Wolff's nervous yuppie. For fans of John Wick… or Ratatouille

18.   Prey (AKA ‘Nevertheless, Coman-she Persisted’) – [Sci fi/ action] A precocious young Comanche woman confronts an extra-terrestrial ‘Predator’. It’s such a shame this never got a theatrical release. The ‘Revenant’-style nature shots were amazing but would have been so much better on the big screen. It’s a lean 100 minutes and a little light on substance, meaning everything hinges on the action, which is… decent. The Predator’s kills are gleefully bloody, but the final fight is hard to follow in the dark, making it a bit of a limp climax. For fans of The Revenant.

19.   The Batman (AKA ‘Twi-knight’) – [Superhero] Batman uncovers corruption in Gotham City while facing a serial killer known as the Riddler. Director Matt Reeves draws on the serial killer films of David Fincher, emulating their tone but unfortunately also their three-hour runtimes. I’m afraid I found The Batman to be heavy on plot and light on theme, leaving me with little idea of what it was ‘all about’. Paul Dano’s a brilliant actor but he’s only really given one scene and, sadly, I think he botched it. Still, I enjoyed the action, the cinematography and Michael Giacchino’s already iconic score. For fans of Seven.

20.   Smile (AKA ‘Upside Down Frown Town) – [Horror] A psychiatrist is fatally cursed when she witnesses one of her patients committing suicide. This script really could have used another pass. The scares are effective but the premise is generic and the dialogue laughably bad, particularly the overuse of the f-word worthy of an A Level drama class. Worst of all, thematically it seems to come out against seeking help for mental health problems, an idea I thought it would subvert but then it just… didn’t. That said, there are a few brilliantly nightmarish images and an incredible score from Cristobal Tapia De Veer. For fans of It Follows.

21.   Thor: Love & Thunder (AKA ‘Why, Waititi? Why?!’) – [Superhero] Thor teams up with ex-girlfriend Jane Foster to fight Gorr the God Butcher. I think Marvel Studios might be drunk on their own power. Indeed ‘Love & Thunder’ feels like it was written and directed while drunk. It brings back a lot of the elements that made ‘Ragnarok’ work, but underdelivers on both humour and pathos. Thor’s new multi-coloured costume is a huge downgrade from the streamlined look in his previous solo film, and Guns ‘N’ Roses can’t hold a candle to Led Zeppelin. For fans of Ghostbusters (2016).

22.   Ennio (AKA ‘The Good, The Bad & The Long) – [Documentary] A documentary celebrating the life and work of Italian film composer Ennio Morricone. Honestly, I love Morricone but after two and a half hours I was sick of the old codger. Insights are made into the great man’s process but they’re drops in an ocean of runtime. I wish, instead of trying to cover every film Morricone ever composed, director Giuseppe Tornatore had just picked a few ‘greatest hits’. Or at least devoted more than 60 seconds to the scoring his own ‘Cinema Paradiso’. For fans of BBC 4 music documentaries.

23.   The Worst Person In The World (AKA ‘Nor-way Home’) – [Drama] I’m sorry, so little happens in this film that I’m not sure that I can summarise it. My favourite part was finding out, to my relief, that my wife didn’t like it either. Perhaps I shouldn’t have had a couple of drinks before watching something where I’d have to read both subtitles and actors’ facial expressions. Either way, I mentally checked out after the first hour. TWPITW uses a prologue to establish Julie’s personality before instantly contradicting it, introduces numerous disparate plot elements that didn’t go anywhere (drugs, families, offensive cartoons) and has basically nothing happen for two hours. For fans of things that are shit.

And a dishonourable mention to The Lost King (AKA ‘Knowing M.E., Knowing You’), which Cate said it wouldn’t be fair for me to review because I walked out after 30 minutes. Also No Time To Die, which I couldn’t finish because my plane landed but was also pretty bad.

[average-guy-reviews]

Matilda The Musical (2022)

"Matilda, an extraordinary girl armed with a sharp mind and a vivid imagination, dares to take a stand against her oppressive parents and head teacher to change her story with miraculous results."

In 1988 one of the greatest storytellers ever introduced the world to a young girl with “magical” powers. Roald Dahl put pen to paper and gave us the story of Matilda, a young girl who inspired a lot of people at the time, and who continues to do so to this day. I won’t give any specific spoilers here but I think the majority know that this is about good v evil, the battle between authority and those kept down by that authority. The overarching story hasn’t changed in 34 years. What has changed is the way it is told.

Tim Minchin and Christopher Nightingale took on the task to translate one of the most popular children’s books of all time into a stage musical. This can’t have been an easy task, trying to make it new while still doing justice to the characters. The stage show went onto to become a beloved favourite for a great many people. Eventually the time came that someone opted to bring this musical to the big screen, and this could have been a big mistake. Theatre shows work in the theatre for a reason, and not all of them transfer very well to cinema.

I’m very happy to say that this show seems to have survived the transition extremely successfully. It works brilliantly on screen, with fantastic music and slick choreography. The level of professionalism on screen from the dancers etc. is really quite impressive. Important note here......the majority of the cast, performers and singers, is children. They have a level of skill and talent that a lot of more mature people would kill to have.

The entire young cast is great, and the future of musical theatre is in good hands.  The films focuses on three main characters, but before I get to them I want to highlight two of the children specifically. Charlie Hodson, as Bruce Bogtrotter, and Meesha Garbett, as Hortensia, are simply magical and they lead the ensemble like they were born to it. They have, potentially, very bright futures ahead of them.

The three main characters are Matilda, Miss Honey and The Trunchbull. Emma Thompson, almost unrecognisable as the terror that is the hammer throwing headmistress of Crunchem Hall, is just fabulous. She exudes an aura of fear and hatred of children that radiates off the screen.....and yet there is one moment where we do see a slightly vulnerable side to her. Yes, she is imagining a world without children but the moment is still there. It is a great performance from one of my favourite actresses.

Lashana Lynch is the timid, and downtrodden, Miss Honey. Having most recently seen her in James Bond and Dr Strange this was a delightful change. From one extreme to another, she has gone from action roles to bringing to life a wonderful, warm, joy of a woman, and it is always a good thing to see the range an actor has. She inhabits each role, making them individual and a pleasure to watch. One thing I wasn’t aware of before this was just how well Lynch, and Thompson, could sing.  Lynch’s powerful vocals were firmly on show in the songs she sang, a heck of a voice. I’d love to see her in many more musical roles.

The main character is, of course, Matilda. Alisha Weir is a real star in the making. Matilda is an innocent girl, but she has a dark side when she is plotting, and carrying out, her revenges on those that have wronged her. One of my favourite things about this iteration of the character is the way Weir plays both sides with equally joy, and ability. The way she draws you in when she’s telling her story, and the way she almost makes you a co-conspirator is just awesome. If she keeps performing, in theatre or film, she has a long impressive future ahead of her.

Matthew Warchus, from the director’s chair, had the difficult job of making the stage show work on film. Whatever changes he had to make worked really well, and the film works seamlessly. The transitions from scene to scene, the choice of shots, and the performances he drew out of the actors, were all done with a skilled hand and an eye for detail of a person with a lot of talent and experience. I have nothing else to say other than, Bravo, Sir, for a job more than well done.

Overall this is brilliant, fun, storytelling that is aimed at a younger audience, with more than enough to keep adults entranced. Just to put this into perspective.....I am 45. I grw up loving, and being inspired by, the books of Roald Dahl. Watching this film brought back a flood of memories of the joy I felt when I was immersed in his worlds. This is getting a really well earned 9/10, with the highest of recommendations to go and sww it on the big screen before it hits streaming, if you can.

[denimbex1986]

'National Theatre announces the multi award-winning production Present Laughter is returning to the big screen on 18 July 2024 with National Theatre Live. Matthew Warchus (Matilda The Musical) directs the ‘slick, witty and unexpectedly tender’ (★★★★ The Stage) production of Noel Coward’s provocative comedy, filmed live from its sold out run at The Old Vic in 2019.

Audiences worldwide can watch Andrew Scott (Vanya, All of Us Strangers, Fleabag) in his Olivier award-winning ‘revelatory performance’ (★★★★★ Telegraph) as Gary Essendine, a star actor preparing to embark on an overseas tour, alongside Indira Varma (Game of Thrones), who also won an Olivier award for her ‘excellent’ (★★★★ Guardian) performance, and Sophie Thompson (Four Weddings and a Funeral).

Engulfed by an escalating identity crisis as his many and various relationships compete for his attention, Gary’s few remaining days at home are a chaotic whirlwind of love, sex, panic and soul-searching. Audiences can find their nearest screening at Presentlaughter.ntlive.com

Caroline Maddison, Deputy Director of Digital Products at the National Theatre has said, “Present Laughter is a fan favourite for National Theatre Live audiences and a brilliant addition to the NT Live programme this year, following our successful releases of Dear England, Vanya, The Motive and the Cue and Nye. We’re thrilled to rerelease this incredible production from The Old Vic to cinemas this summer and make it accessible to ever wider audiences.”

Sky Arts is the Headline Sponsor of National Theatre Live in the UK.'

[epicmiscellaneousponderings]

Thirteen Thursday Thoughts concerning romance/Valentine movies to watch

It is that time of year where everything is covered in reds and pinks and hearts! Everyone is thinking about love in some way or another, fondly or with an eye roll. I commonly watch movie with some friends or siblings this year while eating some chocolate and thought I'd leave Thirteen Thoughts in no particular order on movies to watch for the Valentine season. As always feel free to buy me a coffee and to leave your favorite romance/Valentine movie in the comments!

Starting off with Pride and Prejudice: whether it is the 2005 version with Keira Knightley and Matthew Macfadyen or the 1995 mini series with Colin Firth this is a classic watch.

An obvious companion to the one above is of course Sense and Sensibility: the 1995 movie with Alan Rickman and Hugh Grant is the one that I watch most but I have recently discovered the 2008 series with David Morrissey and thought that it was enjoyable in its own way.

Now those might be too dramatic for you and for those who might be in the mood for a bit of comedy, Much Ado About Nothing: the 1993 movie is the most easily accessed one and it stars Emma Thompson and Keanu Reeves in it, for those who truly want a rip roaring time I suggest finding through Youtube the version with David Tennant and Cathrine Tate in it.

Another more comedic romantic movie would be The Importance of Being Earnest: the 2002 movie staring Judi Dench, Reese Witherspoon, Rupert Everett, and Colin Firth.

We're going to go for a sharp turn and enter musical territory here for a moment with Phantom of the Opera: the 2004 movie with Gerard Butler, I don't know what to say about this other than that the opening scene is not something to miss so you want to have your drink and snacks and be comfy before you start this one.

Keeping with the musical theme but going for a lighter note there is Mamma Mia! This 2008 musical has quite the star studded cast and is a simple joy filled pleasure. It's also the third movie that I've listed that has Colin Firth in it, huh.

Leaving the musical theme but keeping the simple joy we have The Inheritance: the 1997 movie with Thomas Gibson. This movie also is wonderful for any horse loving peeps out there cause part of the conflict revolves around a horse competition. This is a bit of an underrated gem in my opinion and I would love for more people to see it and give it the love it deserves.

Another hidden and underrated gem is Dear Frankie: a 2004 movie with Emily Mortimer and Gerard Butler. This sweet film also introduced me to the song The Great White Horse by Buck Owens and it plays as a connecting moment between the characters.

Fantasy and Romance come together in The Princess Bride. If you haven't seen this movie than you are in for such a delight. It has everything from giants to sword-fights and of course a few kissy scenes for the romantic element.

Fantasy and Romance are also the main genres of Ladyhawke: this movie was made in 1985 and is one that so few people have heard of. Two lovers cursed to be forever apart but always together is such an interesting concept and pulled off very well. I will warn that the movie starts off slow but it has a good ending worth the effort in my opinion.

A bit of espionage with romance is found in the classic Scarlet Pimpernel movie of 1982 staring a young Ian McKellen alongside Jane Seymour and Anthony Andrews.

Returning to classic romance there is Our Mutual Friend the 1998 tv series. This series features multiple relations to follow as they intertwine around each other.

A final choice for this list must be made and it is a difficult choice. I am going to recommend the Jane Eyre series of 1983 staring Timothy Dalton. Now admittedly Timothy Dalton is a tad too handsome to fit the character of Mr. Rochester but this is the only adaptation of Jane Eyre that I've actually enjoyed watching despite the other adaptations having brilliant actors and actresses in their own right.