#We Still Say Grace

[moviereviews101web]

We Still Say Grace (2020) Movie Review

We Still Say Grace – Movie Review Director: Brad Helmink, John Rauschelbach Writer: Brad Helmink, John Rauschelbach (Screenplay) Cast Holly Taylor (The Americans) Bruce Davison (X-Men) Arianne Zucker Rita Volk Dallas Hart Frankie Wolf (Monsters and Men) Xavier J Watson Plot: The teenage daughter of a religious fanatic attempts to escape her father’s delusional suicide pact after three…

[somewhereincairparavel]

a huge chunk of the pjo fandom has turned into such a superficial, judgemental and PROBLEMATIC group who defeat the purpose and point that the books were trying to make, it's so fucking atrocious. the prime example of mischaracterizing/reducing the value of characters who are already misunderstood/misjudged in canon. this fandom does this to every.single.character.ever omg

percy jackson is so relatable to many people is because he didn't have to capacity to absorb textbook knowledge but was HIGH on street smart knowledge that got him to succeed. the whole point of his character is that he had low self esteem because he was ridiculed at school by the faculty and the students for being a 'dumb' and 'useless' guy that made him think he's an inconvenience to his mom. the baggage he carried is so overlooked.

the fandom saying stuff like 'annabeth had adhd and dyslexia too but she carried percy' is so fucking disrespectful. one, she's an athena kid who's supposed to be smart that's like the whole point, and that does NOT mean percy wouldn't survive without her. he's a DIFFERENT character and he doesn't need to be a scholar to be a powerful demigod who has his own identity. stop belittling him and comparing all of their adhd/dyslexia struggles. just because annabeth is smarter does NOT mean percy has less value than her, and that whatever comes out of his mouth is just silly gibberish, which is exactly what y'all are trying to imply. no he did NOT get by with just "luck" he's smart and capable enough to actually achieve things. It isn't rocket science.

making jokes like his only purpose is to have a goofy personality and wondering how he 'pulled' annabeth is NOT cute whatsoever. just deprives him of his canon developement and fails to recognise him as an important person because he is not book smart. the level of belittlement. in a way rick also contributes to this character assassination because he added another scene of piper saying something along the lines of 'thank god annabeth is there to keep percy from going wild/doing something stupid' like no miss girl

I could go on about how the fandom infantilizes nico, brushes of hazel's flaws/traits because she's a 'smol' bean (when she literally cusses out octavian, why do y'all hate the idea of her being bold/badass when she literally is??) belittling frank's power because he's 'just an innocent goof', saying stuff like 'in my head leo is a tall guy because rick did him dirty with the height when he is so hot' that's basically implying that he loses his attractiveness because he's short and wanting to confine him into those toxic masculinity standards

slandering rachel and calling her a pick me for liking annabeth as though annabeth already had a claim over percy in BOTL when he wasn't even in a relationship and even had a small liking to rachel (belittling BOTH rachel and percy in the process, is percy not allowed to have feelings too? is he only obligated to like annabeth?), also with the fandom's clear misogyny in their treatment of nico liking percy vs rachel liking percy, go on a moral policing hunt when it comes to jason, piper and percy but goes right ahead to defend and glaze luke's behaviour to annabeth, percy and silena (also victim blaming silena because she was manipulated as a teenager by a fully grown adult who KNEW what he was doing, using her)

stubbornly not wanting to recognise jason as an important character and reducing him into a 'whiney pick me guy who wanted everything to be about himself' and that he's 'boring' not realising that his abusive environment both as a baby and as a teenager suppressed him into struggling and not being able to feel worthy to even have feelings of his own, villianizing and getting on pipers throat for calling percy unimpressive simply because she LOVED and was LOYAL to her then boyfriend?? is she not allowed to have a preference??? heck id be more concerned if she did call percy hot whilst being in a relationship wtf.

and DONT get me started on the grover belittlement and erasure please, saying that percy and grover are only annabeth's 'sidekicks' on quests, as though he wasn't capable to go on a hunt for pan all by HIMSELF not knowing he'll ever be back.

[witchofthemidlands]

everytime i watch anything that has paul mcgann in it i always sit there afterwards thinking what a fucking tragedy it was that he never got seasons as the doctor.

[haveyouseenthishorrormovie]

SUMMARY: The daughter of religious fanatic Harold attempts to escape when three strangers seek help after their car breaks down. Interrupting his plans for a family suicide pact, Harold won't let her go and seeks to punish the men for their sinful behaviour.

[leveragedlibrarians]

Alright I have now actually been working in a bank for a while and I gotta say,,,,,, it kiiiiiinda takes the drama out of Leverage.

Like. Do you know how easy it would be to rob us? Currently the only alarm that requires a code has been permanently disabled for over a month due to construction on the upper floors. The key cards that let you access the vault are given to the tellers- aka the college kids who let just about anyone in if they ask. Hell, I've given spare keycards to employees I didn't even recognise because I'm bad with faces and didn't want to be rude, they were wearing the company color so I just said sure here you go. There's just physical keys lying around everywhere. We also technically have a vault inside the vault that only head tellers can access, but I have never seen it closed.

Like. Robbing us wouldn't take an episode, it wouldn't even take a whole scene. Parker would be downright offended if she came to rob us. She wouldn't even have to crawl through any air vents, pick any locks, anything- literally just wear blue and ask politely to be let into the vault.

We would disappoint Parker so bad

[h0n3yk1tt3n]

"Dywh served no narrative purpose outside of breaking up puppylove and upstage because it's never brought up again in any meaningful way and really should've been replaced and/or written differently" and "male victims of s/a from female perpetrators need their stories to be told and taken seriously instead of being relegated to a scene set up seemingly for shock value (see sexy baby costume and no effort to address the trauma of this scene later as bmc was never going to Be A Story About That)" and "Chloe is a tragic and complex character that pins most if not all of her self-worth on being desirable as a conventionally attractive teenage girl and it makes her act out in cruel ways (bringing down the other girls around her and trying to sleep with her best friend's boyfriend on her ex's parents' bed to rile up said ex)" and "while Chloe should've backed off sooner and the alcohol is no excuse for her actions, her drunken mind had very little way of knowing that Jeremy wasn't interested as the squip FORCED him to participate in something he didn't want and is MORE at fault for deliberately ignoring his pleas to 'make it stop' than Chloe getting mixed messages and not understanding what Jeremy wanted when the squip MADE him stay, drink, and kiss her" are all sentences that can and should coexist.

Including the tags in the actual post because I'm not gonna have anyone try to twist my words against me

[man-down-in-hatchet-town]

Brad Callahan, Quarterback

So Brad, instead of Max, being the Nighthawks QB is one of the more interesting minor details in Yellow Jacket. Of course a lot of time has passed since the timelines diverged, so it's perfectly possible that Max's family moved, or that the try-outs played out differently. But also could there be the Implication(TM) that Max is, you know... dead?

I highly doubt that a version of Nerdy Prudes played out in this timeline, since it's hard to see Steph and Pete going along with anything Grace says now that they're free of the Witch Wood and her reign of summer camp terror. But we still have Grace herself, who in this timeline possesses both untainted prudishness and an alliance with Little Jerry, and is already a bit mad with power by the time their senior year starts. And it's hard to imagine a version of Max who doesn't hit on Grace any chance he gets. So what if, to punish him for his carnal desires, the Grace of Nightmare Time 2 lured Max out into the woods (just as, a couple of branches over, she had him lured to the Waylon House) and let the Axe Man do his work on her behalf? Leaving Brad Callahan to step forward and torment Hannah with his enlarged ego and Justin Bieber haircut.

I know there's a lot of what-ifs in this, but we can't deny that the Max of the Nightmare Time 2 timeline is conspicuous in his absence. It just makes sense to me, that the Grace of Abstinence Camp would also rain demonic justice down on Max and call it divine. And I love the idea that Max and Grace are another pattern that echoes out across the web of timelines, like some twisted inversion of Paulkins or Lautski. Paul and Emma will always find each other, as will Steph and Pete. Lex and Ethan will always love each other and it will always be doomed. And Grace Chasity will oh-so-righteously send Max Jagerman to his demise. Even if we don't see it happen.

It's just so fucked up and therefore so very Them.

[reddamselette]

tw: depersonalization, feelings of lost identity (just in case bc. yeah), child soldiers

please for the love of the gods, proceed with caution. like genuinely

Jason pursed his lips, his gaze falling to his hands as he threaded his fingers together unsure of what to say, how to say it, if he should he say it. Years of restraint and forging and discipline weigh on his shoulders, clawing at his back, all the while chaining him to the ground he found himself suffocating under.

Even as he glanced at Reyna who stared at him expectantly, her eyebrow raised as her hand rested limply, lazily on the handle of her sword, the words were lodged in his throat and unable to push past his teeth.

Uncertainty is a weakness, Jason Grace. Lupa’s voice rang through his head. Remove it, shatter it then burn it until there is nothing left. Uncertainty will kill you. She reminded him firmly, strictly with authority and no concern for the fragility that was taken the day he was abandoned.

Jason had never been defiant, he has never found the courage to break the barrier of orders programmed into his mind, his body, his soul. As the system of his brain threatened to shut down, errors covering every corner of his vision, he swallowed thickly. His breath hitched as if his lungs ceased to function, his oxygen stolen. “Do— do you ever…feel like you’re not— not real?”

Reyna furrowed her brows, tilting her head slightly to the left and Jason could see her mind working at a rapid pace. Her eyes almost glazed over, a look so distant and so far as she thought and thought and thought.

Years forced to hold his tongue, play the role with obedience, he learned to observe. It wasn’t the observation of a predator that was drilled into the core of his being, chipping away anything but a killing machine. It was also the observation of simply just existing on the sidelines.

How certain people moved, their habits and their tells, the rubbing of one’s fingers against the palm of their hand, how tones never match their gazes. Eyes are windows to the soul and Jason knew then, not many soldiers of the Legion were human. Their eyes dulled over time, losing the shine and although most would smile and laugh and joke, it never reached their eyes. Guilt and remorse written over their expressions but never reflected in the empty wells void of water.

Jason watched silently as Reyna followed through the same struggle of wanting to speak but unable to say it unless she forced herself to. It was eerie, almost impossible, for his throat to feel scratchy and hoarse like he screamed and shouted for hours. He swallowed again, resisting the urge to rub his throat and grimace as he tasted the faintest hint of metallic iron on his tongue. As if he ripped the stitches that held his vocal chords speaking out of line.

“I—“ Reyna began, turning her head to the side to cough with the back of her hand pressed to her mouth. A flicker of emotion fell through and her face faltered from the usual blankness they each held. “I don’t— I don’t. I don’t feel—“

Jason nodded and they fell silent. He watched as Reyna lowered her head, her eyes wide as short breaths escaped her lips like she ran for miles and she couldn’t stop. She had. They both had.

Reality suddenly warped around them and zeroed in like cameras, they were aware and everything felt wrong.

Each inhale felt foreign, every thought wasn’t their own and their bodies weren’t theirs to begin with. They remained standing, frozen and locked in place as they spiraled. Jason couldn’t see from his eyes the way he used to. His arms and his hands felt far away, fisheye lens placed over his vision to disorientate him and throw him off balance. He broke off from the act he was in, refused to read from the script given to him like he became a sentient robot.

But that’s what he was. It was what he and Reyna both were. Puppets on string, never deciding their own choices as they walked the plank over an endless drop. He was aware that each person there had free will, what they do or say or act determined their future.

Yet at this moment, like a deer in headlights, never breathing and stuck encased in glass, Jason didn’t know what to do with himself. Because in truth, fate determined his free will. And relief settled in his chest hours later knowing Reyna felt the same.

They were human but they weren’t human enough. They each lacked identity, basing their lives around the legacy they built for the world until Jason’s question acted like a wake up call. He was sure, though.

He was sure that he would never be more than a soldier but less than a human. Trapped in a loop of obedience and order, never to change or destroy, always to walk forward and refrain from jumping off the plank.

[musical-chick-13]

Yes, capitalism is bad. Yes, we should dismantle capitalism. No, capitalism is not the Sole Thing Responsible for every single bad thing that has ever historically happened to anyone.

[send-me-a-puffalope]

happy nat day to all that celebrate

[i-dreamed-i-had-a-son]

“because he never accepts that it's never been about righteousness--it's about repentance.” except javert killing himself IS repentance.

well, it’s like 12 different things, because bro had gone days without sleeping and very little food and water and he already had low self-worth and kept asking the amis to kill him and just assumed he was going to die AND THEN valjean upended his understanding of the world and morality. he was really going through it & there are a lot of overlapping reasons for why he jumps into the seine.

but javert is like Number One Most Responsible guy in the whole story. taking responsibility is his Thing (forever bitter the musical doesn’t include the punish me monsieur le maire scene). how else, in his derailment, could he atone for his conceived misdeeds other than by handing in his resignation to god? in the brick he had already left a note urging his superiors to treat convicts at toulon better, which is another step in his repentance (and another crime the musical commits by not including it). jumping into the seine was another step.

honestly a lot of ppl who like the book think the musical was dead wrong to exclude him from the big heaven group sing, because it COMPLETELY undermines the themes of forgiveness and compassion threaded throughout les mis. like the musical was simply wrong lol.

This is helpful context! I am still finishing the brick, although I have fully read the abridged version, and that detail about the letter wasn't included, so I didn't know that occurred! (And thank you for the message--this is a long response but I'd love to hear more of your thoughts!)

I agree that Javert is certainly deeply distraught and remorseful; like you mentioned, his worldview is literally falling apart, and his actions reflect his mental state. But his death isn't really repentance--in the sense that it's not what God would have wanted. To me it reads like a Judas situation: a desperate realization of a huge mistake, and doing the only thing you think can make it right, namely, ending it all. That's the just punishment for someone so wrong, isn't it?

But true repentance, meaning the repentance that the Lord desires, is about changing your ways, not "paying a price." Had Javert really understood the beauty of Valjean's mercy (an image of Christ's, just as the bishop's undeserved mercy was to Valjean himself), rather than killing himself, he would have lived to also become "an honest man"--in heart. One who could forgive and understand forgiveness, for himself as well as others. One who could recognize that he is not The Law, that he can fall, but that he can also be "brought to the light." One who could accept that men like Valjean, and men like himself, CAN change, and be changed.

It's tragic to me because so much of "Stars," and his character in the book as well as the musical, is about wanting to be righteous, to rise above his birth and the sinfulness he associates it with. It's about wanting to please the Lord by his actions. But in his end, he shows he never understood what God really wanted from him, and that's where my original phrase comes in: not righteousness, but repentance. To live, and face the man you were, knowing it's no longer the man you are. That it's never been about what you've done or can do, but about what's been done for you. That's the Gospel that he could never fully accept.

To use another example you mentioned, that misunderstanding drives why he asks the Mayor (Valjean) to punish him--in his worldview, mercy is unjust, or at the very least, unfair. Evil must be punished; "those who fall like Lucifer fell" receive "the sword." But "as it is written," God "desires mercy, not sacrifice" (Matthew 9:13). God would have wanted Javert to live, and Javert couldn't see that, and that's why it's devastating to me. In his misunderstanding of the heart of God, he misses what would have set him free from the chains of sin he's always been trying to escape.

That's why he's contrasted with Valjean, who (though he carries guilt about his past till the end of his life) is eventually able to face it and confess what he had done to those he loves. He knew there was mercy to be found, if only it was asked for. Javert was too blinded by pride and shame to realize it, and so, while broken, he never was able to truly repent.

For that, you must go on.

[softspeirs]

for the prompt: stress or caffeine ~or both~

A/N: Friend, you asked for this so long ago. I'm so sorry! You also asked for Crosby - this is my first time writing for him and it's a platonic relationship, I hope that's okay.

"Will you check on Croz?" Jack Kidd catches Grace Fleming in the infirmary before her shift is over.

"I'm a little busy, Major, but I'll see if I can track him down. Any idea where he might be?"

"He's still in his office."

That gives Grace pause. "Still?"

Kidd's hands are on his hips and he gives her a look as if to say see what I'm saying? Jack gives Croz a hard time, but the two of them have been here together since the beginning, and she knows they have a bond that's hard to find anymore.

"I'll see what I can do." Grace concedes, smiling at the worried Major.

"He hasn't been sleeping. I just--" He runs a hand through his hair, "He's putting too much pressure on himself."

Grace finds Crosby at his desk, a steaming cup of coffee next to him. She doesn't have much reason to worry yet, but she knocks on the doorframe to get his attention anyway.

He looks up, startled. "Lieutenant." He says, an exhausted smile on his face. "Almost gave me a fright."

"That's Captain to you, now." She says, a little haughtily, her own grin overtaking her features.

"I'll be damned. Congratulations, Grace."

"Thank you, Harry." She takes a few steps closer, and sits in the spare chair next to his desk without asking. "I've been hearing some rumblings." She says, gauging his reaction.

"Oh?" He's back at his maps, pencil tucked behind his left ear. "Anything useful?"

"More worried chatter about everyone running themselves into the ground before the next big one." She says it as if the "b" and "o" are capitalized. He raises his eyebrow - probably suspects some of the rumblings she's been hearing are from Rosie, and that she shouldn't really know anything about it.

"Between you and me, Captain, this is a big one. Everyone's working hard."

Grace hums. She wonders if she should even be in here, though who's she going to tell, anyway? Even so, something in her keeps her from glancing too hard at his maps to figure anything out. "Any advice for the stress?"

He chuckles. "Seems people should be asking you that, Gracie. Not me." He straightens, stretching his arms overhead. "I'd tell them to take a break so their minds are right. It's too important."

Grace nods slowly, eyes back on the heavy bags underneath Crosby's eyes. "Don't suppose you'd take your own advice?"

He freezes, meeting her gaze with wary suspicion. "Starting to think someone put you up to this visit, Captain."

Grace shrugs.

She's seen Harry Crosby evolve over the last few months, and she has no desire to put him on bedrest or anything else drastic, but she has worried about him. Ever since Bubbles Payne-- well, ever since all of it, really, he's been throwing himself into his work more than anyone.

He sits back so the chair tilts dangerously. He wipes a hand over his face. "I'm fine, Grace."

"You know, everyone always tells me that."

"Then it must be true."

"Or everyone around here has gotten really good at lying." She scoots a little closer. "I worry you're not getting enough rest. I know you're busy, but you have to take care of yourself."

"I'm fine." He says firmly. His eyes are dark and wide, begging her to believe him.

Something tells her that every working moment for him for months has been to try, somehow, to make up for all the losses. He thinks that if he works himself to death, he can at least keep everyone else alive.

"Fine." Grace concedes. "If you need something to help you sleep rather than keep you awake--" He at least has the decency to look sheepish, at that, "-- let me know."

She's halfway out the door when she hears his voice, uncharacteristically quiet. "Thank you, Grace."

.

When Harry wakes up days after the landings have already happened, his first instinct is to panic, and then he feels the frustration and disappointment all at once at the thought that he just slept through the biggest invasion the world has ever seen.

When Rosie is finished laughing at him, Harry sits heavily down at the edge of his cot.

"Did we-- did it--"

"Yeah, Croz. They did it."

Harry lets out a breath he hadn't realized he was holding. "I can't believe I slept through it."

"You passed out, literally."

"But why didn't anyone just let me get a few winks and then wake me? I had so much to do!"

"You did it all, Croz. I've never seen anyone more prepared than you were for that mission."

Harry shakes his head. "This was Grace, wasn't it? Her orders-- she--"

Rosie's eyes have gone a little flinty, and he shakes his head slowly. "Easy, Harry."

Rosie, ever jovial and friendly with Harry, doesn't give anything away, but Harry realizes his mistake and treads lightly.

"I just-- she came to see me a few days before. Tried to convince me to take a break."

Rosie is still giving him a wary look, arms crossed over his chest. "Seems she was right."

"I better go grovel."

Harry finds her in the hospital, a clipboard in one hand as she talks with three other nurses. She sees him out of the corner of her eye, and excuses herself.

"What are you doing out of bed?"

"Jeez, Captain. Give me a second before I get in trouble again?" He smiles, trying to let her know he's alright. "I owe you an apology, Grace."

She rolls her eyes. Gesturing for him to follow her outside, away from prying ears and eyes. They sit on a bench nearby, and she straightens her skirt. "Go on with that apology..." She says, looking out onto the airfield.

"I didn't mean to..." Harry says, trailing off, unsure of himself.

"To... ignore my advice? To take so many pills you didn't sleep for three nights? To keel over in the middle of the day and almost crack open that thick skull of yours?"

They're both quiet for so long, Grace starts to worry that she's actually overstepped.

Then he starts to laugh. It's the first real laugh she's heard out of him, out of anyone in... weeks? Months?

"Now I know you've lost it." Grace mutters, but she can't help her grin either, a giggle escaping her.

He leans towards her, bumping their shoulders together. "Thank you, Grace. I think I need some tough love once in awhile."

Grace makes a sound of agreement. "Next time I won't be so nice about it, Croz." She turns to face him. "You're one of our best. We can't afford to have you out of action. Not when our boys are going up."

She thinks of Rosie, still flying missions far past his twenty-fifth. Her heart clenches, but she forces it down.

He's one of the best, and so is Harry Crosby. As long as The 100th has them, they'll live to see the end of this war.

She's sure of it.

[owl-it-here]

Deuce, after seeing Ace tear up for the fourth time, looking at Luffy's first wanted poster, even though he had just beaten up some thugs who had laughed at said poster a few seconds ago: Are you even a man at this point, or are you just pretending? Ace, without hesitation: Of course I'm a man, I'm a manACE! If I were a woman, my name would have been Ann.

[icewindandboringhorror]

"We can get through this by working together, reach out to your friends, community is all we have, a social network will be your security in the world, now is the time to lean on others!"

I do agree, and it's scientifically sound (pretty sure there is data about how people with better social networks live longer and etc) but also....augh..... what about the severe social issues, difficulty to leave the house, physical issues which lead to like zero socialization energy a majority of the time, etc. etc. Social support can be a replacement for structural support, but.. I guess I just wish it didn't have to be. Community is extremely difficult to build, even moreso if you're someone who has issues with social cues or group conversations or even just being around others in the first place. And blah, nuance, of course I'm just complaining or maybe being too negative or maybe misunderstanding, but, I hardly have the energy to brush my hair once every 2 months.. how am I supposed to maintain a wide social network and be active in a Community and Join Groups lol... sometimes it kind of feels like "er.. well if thats my only option then...... ruh roh". It's overwhelming

[mabaris]

I know it’s probably just my age and I’m Too Young To Possibly Get It and You Had To Be There but I’ve always kinda rolled my eyes whenever people talk about how joss whedon was some titan of nerd media and everyone loved his work

avengers came out when I was 13 and I thought that was. all right. at the time, everyone on the internet was nostalgic for firefly, so I watched that and found it extremely underwhelming, and wasn’t interested in seeking out more of that writing. but it is inescapable huh

[gxlden-angels]

I don't know entirely how to explain this, but I think an important part of healing from religious trauma is learning about substance use disorders and shifting your views on drugs to neutral