#also can we talk about how movie 5 came out in april 2001. did the writers have prophecy powers and decide to use them on adding twin towers

[velociheroviridi]

watched detco movie 5 last night, the Ectoberhaunt prompt for next week is murder mystery... my thinkies are thoughting

[rainy-day-gracie]

America’s Sweetheart 2

Hey guys :)

Part 1 <<---

Spencer and Reader go on their first real date, but the mood is quickly killed by an unwanted package at YFN’s house. 

MASTERLIST

__

“Spill the beans, pretty boy,” Morgan sat on Spencer’s desk with a smirk. “I hear you’ve got some Hollywood honey in your pocket.”

Spencer gave a small smile, not looking up from his book. “Nothing much to tell, we get coffee a few times a week. With both of our schedules, that’s all we can manage for now.”

Morgan furrowed his eyebrows. “So, have you even taken her out on a real date before?” Spencer shook his head, a small pit of guilt in his stomach. Why haven’t I done that? He thought to himself. She deserves at least that much.

Morgan tilted his head, considering something. “Have you kissed her?”

Spencer still didn’t look up, but his cheeks did turn a little red. "Yes, but... nothing too impressive. Just a few sweet pecks.”

Morgan was silent for a moment, completely confused as to why YFN was interested in a guy that wouldn’t even make out with her after seeing her for three weeks. “Huh,” he said, wandering back to his office, lost in thought.

Meanwhile, Spencer devised a plan. 

Reader’s POV

Spencer called me as I walked out of an audition in New York. “Hey, what’s up?”

“Are you free tonight?” Spencer asked bluntly. 

“Um, well, right now I’m in New York for an audition, but I should be back in DC before 5 o’clock... what did you have in mind?” A small smile came to my lips, wondering what he had planned. 

“A surprise. Just dress nice, and I’ll pick you up at your apartment at 7,” he said, slight mischief littered in his words. 

“Okay... how nice?”

“Black tie,” Spencer answered, hanging up promptly. 

A goofy smile plastered itself on my lips, not even fading when I heard the sound of a camera clicking as I walked down the street to my car, a junker 2001 Ford-150. Just another paparazzi wanting to pay their bills. 

After the three hour drive back to DC, the nerves started to settle in, which was ridiculous. Why would I be nervous? I had been to the Oscars with some of the greatest actors of all time and I wasn’t nervous then, so why the hell was I nervous now?

After over an hour of deciding what to wear, I settled on a dark forest green dress that showed off my curves and slit at the knee. The clock read ‘6:37��, and I scrunched my hair with product to give it curls and quickly slapped on some makeup. 

I heard a knock on my door promptly at 7:00 and my rose gold heels clicked excitedly against my wood floors. I opened the front door to Spencer in a black tux, causing many inappropriate thoughts to run through my mind. “Woah,” I breathed, a smile coming to my mouth. 

He looked equally stunned. “You... you look beautiful. Um... wow.”

We both chuckled as we snapped out of our daze, and he held out his arm like a gentleman. “Why thank you, kind sir.”

“Anything for you, my lady,” he joked, leading me out to his old car. 

“Are you going to tell me where we’re going now?” I asked when we had both settled into our seats. 

He shook his head with a smile. “Nope, you’ll find out when we get there.”

We rode in silence, but a comfortable one. Light orchestra music played on his radio, and he drove us a good 45 minutes before stopping at a very fancy looking restaurant with a name in French. 

“’Bouchée parfaite,’“ I said, hand in hand with Spencer as we walked up the steps. “‘Perfect Bite.’“

Spencer glanced at me in awe. “You know French?”

I nodded, pride swelling in my chest. “And Spanish. My mom wanted me to be well rounded so she taught me both languages including English while I was growing up.” I didn’t elaborate further on my parents, and thankfully Spencer was so impressed he didn’t ask. 

A man with a curly mustache and slicked back hair greeted us at the door. He looked me up and down, his smile widening. “What can I do for you, beautiful?” He said flirtatiously. 

Spencer wrapped an arm around my shoulders. “Two for Spencer, please.” 

The man’s smile dimmed as he led us to the best place in the house. Spencer ordered champagne, neither of our glasses going dry the entire night.

“So, if I were a color, what color would I be?” I asked once we were settled at our table. I always asked this question on first real dates, something random to start the conversation.  

Spencer glanced at me, happily confused. “Um, blue is said to be a more relaxing color, yellow inspires happiness...” he looked at me deeply, staring at me intensely in my eyes. After a moment, he spoke again. “Red. You’re red.”

“Why is that?”

“You have a drive... a passion around you,” a sly smile graced his lips. “You have a grit, a determination, that comes into your eyes whenever you talk about your work. You’ve said over and over that you’ve gotten into trouble on movie sets because you speak your mind. The color red represents-”

“Passion. Love. Anger. Sex,” I said with a twinkle in my eyes. 

Spencer nodded, chuckling. “Yes, that is correct.”

The dinner went by smoothly, both of us making friendly conversation until the bill came, him picking up the check without hesitation. 

I was giggling like a college student while walking down the steps from Perfect Bite, Spencer laughing at my buzzed state of mind. I pulled on Spencer’s tie towards me, crashing his lips onto mine. This kiss was much more passionate than any of our other small pecks, and my back hit the car as our tongues met gently in the middle. The breath caught into my throat and I smiled wickedly. 

“Wanna go back to my place, pretty boy?”

“Uh, I don’t know, wouldn’t I be taking advantage of you?” He said hesitantly, leaning my back against the car and his chest pressing to mine.

“No, I’m not drunk,” I said, putting my hands to his cheeks reassuringly. “I’m just buzzed a little bit.”

Spencer eyed me suspiciously, then eventually caved. “Okay, let’s go back to your place.” __

I fumbled with the keys to my front door, distracted at Spencer leaning in behind me, playing thoughtfully with my curls as his slight scruff scratched against my cheek. As soon as the door opened, Spencer pushed me into my house and slammed the door behind him. 

My back hit my bedroom door, Spencer already seeming to have the floorplan in his mind despite never entering the house before. He is a genius, after all. 

Spencer’s hands slipped around my back, unzipping my dress with ease. I had already pulled off his tie, now working on his suit jacket. He chuckled, his breath hot against my neck. “You’re eager, Hollywood,” he murmured, and I gasped at his new nickname.

In practically no time at all, both of us were stripped down to our underwear. Spencer practically threw me on the bed, quickly following by pinning my hands above my head. 

“You knew what you were doing when you wore that damn dress, Hollywood,” Spencer muttered. “I’m gonna prove to you that I can screw you much better than those Los Angeles boys.” __

A pounding at my door at 4 AM woke us both up from our sleep. “The hell...” I murmured sleepily. 

Spencer was already wide awake, walking towards my bedroom door cautiously. I slipped out of bed and joined him, both of us creeping through my hallways quietly as the pounding continued. 

Spencer was the one that opened the front door finding... no one there. Nothing except a package wrapped in red construction paper with the words ‘For the Lovebirds’ written in black cursive on the top. 

After deeming the package safe, we both brought it into the house, each of us carrying an end. We opened it on my kitchen island, finding a stack of drawings and pictures, all of them depicting me. Some were photos of me at various events, others were ones taken of me on the streets. A newpaper was also included, one that had an article and picture of Spencer. Every photo of me was in pristine condition, but the article of Spencer was practically torn to pieces. 

A message was left at the bottom of the box on torn out notebook paper.

Lovers, are we? Let’s see how much you love each other after the princess gets her next big role.  I hear it might be of a missing dead girl? Documentary, maybe?

We stood in silence for a moment, neither of us knowing what to do. Spencer looked at me with wide eyes, and I joked nervously. “Well... that’s one way to kill the mood, right?”

Part 3

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[purplesurveys]

1257

Have you ever watched a movie in class/school that made you cry?  Oh for sure. We had to watch It’s A Beautiful Life and I know I cried every single time I watched that movie, whether for school or on my own time.

What’s the earliest you could go to bed at night and feel okay about?  I don’t really get this question. I feel like it would make more sense if it asked how early I’m willing to wake up in the morning...? Anyway, I don’t pay attention to the time I sleep at night. Sometimes I’ll pass out as early as midnight, and sometimes I’ll be up until 3; it doesn’t matter to me.

What is you favorite type of lunch meat?  I’m not into those in general.

What time of the year do you dislike the most?  The heat in April and May is just brutal and uncalled for. It gets so hot and disgustingly humid and most times the aircon can’t even do much to quell it.

Do you put ketchup on your scrambled eggs?  Yeah, banana ketchup since that’s what we usually have a bottle of. Generally, I have banana ketchup with most of my breakfast dishes too.

What is your favorite color to wear? I don’t really have a favorite to wear those days mostly because I barely go out anyway and there’s been little need to update my closet.

Are you an overachiever?  Seems like the type of question you should be asking my parents, not me haha. Personally, though, I’m fairly proud of what I’ve accomplished.

What physical feature do you wish you had (i.e. freckles, curly hair)?  Maybe longer legs and smaller teeth, but I’m not exactly insecure about mine.

What fictional character (i.e. Bambi, Scarlette O'Hara) would you marry? Did you just raise the possibility of marrying a deer? Anyway...since I mentioned Two for the Road in the last survey, I’ll go with Mark from that movie. Seems like my type of partner. 

How long have you gone without shaving (girls- legs, armpits; boys- faces)?  With legs...around 2-3 weeks. Armpits, maybe about a week or so. Never more than a month for either.

What is the meanest thing you have ever said to someone else?  For the most part I’ve always been cautious of what I say; writing, on the other hand...I’ve written stuff on my diary wherein I let out all my frustrations against my mom. I know they were mean because she cried over them – but that also entailed snooping through my stuff, so I’ve never felt bad about it. I meant those things as I wrote them because it was my safe space, and she violated that. That’s on her.

Did you ever go through a phase where you wrote bad poetry?  I did, but I instantly realized it was bad so I stopped as soon as I began.

What is your favorite thing about your life?  How everything seems to have fallen in its place these days. There’s really little to complain about and I’m grateful for that.

Save all the animals that die during road kill or save 1 human from a fire?  Animals.

Have you ever painted a picture of somebody?  No.

How many real bfs/gfs have you had?  One.

Did you enjoy your past relationships?  I did.

Name a comedy that you like. White Chicks. << I love this choice, let’s just go with this one lol.

Could you wait until marriage for sex?  Sure.

What’s the best Nirvana song?  I don’t listen to them. I know a couple of songs but I don’t like them enough to be my favorites.

What was the last thing that impressed you?  The new Butter remix with Megan Thee Stallion.

When was the last time you were in a pet store?  Years, years ago.

What nationality is your last name?  Spanish or Portuguese, I’m not super sure.

What’s your favorite kind of chips and dip?  I never dip my chips; I just have them as is.

Who was the last boy that you saw cry?  Idk...maybe one of my cousins from one of our family reunions last year. I don’t get to be around a lot of boys or guys.

Does your mom know you do surveys?  No. I’ve never had to raise it and I can’t see a situation where I would have to.

Have you ever had a serious injury?  Yeah, I got a big wound from when I went snorkeling around a decade ago. I wasn’t provided flippers so when I was kicking to stay afloat I managed to hit the coral reefs underneath repeatedly, which majorly scraped and gashed my left foot until it was an open, bleeding mess. It was infected for weeks and I’m surprised it didn’t leave any kind of mark or scar.

What was the last thing you achieved?  Handling a campaign for a major client successfully and getting good coverage and results for it.

Would you enjoy being famous?  Probably, but I wish I had some sort of talent or skill that would propel me to popularity in the first place hahaha.

What’s under your bed?  Some things I collected from past hobbies and interests, like all my old wrestling magazines.

Do you enjoy travelling?  Love it.

Have you ever belonged to a club? If so, what was it?  I mean I joined an org in college, which technically makes me a member for life. I’m not name-dropping but it’s one of the two journalism organizations in my alma mater.

When was the last time you drank strawberry milk?  I can’t recall. I don’t drink strawberry milk.

Have you ever managed to collect all the fast food toys in a set?  I never collected those.

Do you have a clock in your room?  Nope.

Did you have a good driver’s ED teacher?  I honestly can’t remember. I only had like three sessions with different instructors for each, and the one instructor I remember having was extremely cranky and impatient.

Which of Britney Spears’ songs is your favorite?  Hold It Against Me is pretty fun.

Does mind over matter work for you?  Sure.

Are you paranoid?  Oh yeah. Overthinker is pretty much my middle name.

What is the best thing about winter?  I wouldn’t know but considering the things associated with it, I’ve always believed it would be my favorite season.

Have you ever been truly in love?  Hmm. I think so, yeah. I’d give myself that.

Are you currently planning a trip?  Nah. Nothing set in stone, but Angela, Reena, and I have been talking about flying to South Korea next year. We’ll see.

How many plants are in your home?  Several. My mom is a bit of a fan, but it’s nothing obsessive.

What is your favorite possession?  I treasure my BTS merch, I guess haha. Nobody is allowed to touch them or move them around without my permission. As often as my mom likes to barge in my room and touch my stuff, she seems to understand and doesn’t lay a finger on any of the merch either.

Have you ever felt like you were too nice and way too often overlooked?  Sure. But it's never really mattered to me; it just feels nice to be nice and do nice things for people. It does feel nice to be thanked, but I don’t necessarily do it for the recognition.

What movies have tripped you out?  I’m Thinking of Ending Things, Midsommar, Anomalisa, Under the Skin, 2001: A Space Odyssey, and The Killing of A Sacred Deer are a few of them.

Did you rollerblade as a kid? Do you still rollerblade?  Yesssss, I even had a pair as a kid. I got into it because I loved to ice skate, but it turned out I wasn’t as good as gliding on the ground so I ultimately preferred ice skating. Anyway, no, I haven’t done rollerblading in years.

Would you ever settle into a relationship that wasn’t right for you? Do you know friends who are in relationships just so they have someone to sleep with at night?  I did. I stayed because it’s where I felt safe and I didn’t know where else to go or what else to do outside of it.

Would you take a dirty picture of yourself for someone you are dating?  Sure.

Do you use earplugs or a sleeping mask when you sleep?  Nope. I find them more distracting than anything else, and they actually keep me from sleeping.

What summertime treats do you love?  I don’t have any.

How picky are you when it comes to choosing who to kiss or not kiss? I am VERY picky. I have to be really interested in you. < Yeah, this sounds about right.

What do you hate most about moving?  The last time we moved was in 2008...and I don’t really remember disliking any part of it. I was actually excited for us to have a home all to ourselves after living with extended family in a cramped house all my life.

Do you feel that having sex anywhere but a bed is more exciting?  Depends where. Sometimes it can be exciting, sometimes it can be inconvenient but you kinda do it out of desperation lol.

Do you drink 5 hour energy drinks or any other kinds of energy drinks?  No, I’m scared of how it would affect my body so I’ve never tried.

Has anyone ever whistled at you?  Countless random men.

Do you like scarves?  They can be comfy if I’m traveling somewhere cold...but I don’t really get to do that often, so.

Is your father homophobic?  I haven’t seen any signs from him. My mom is much more likely to exhibit internalized homophobia – she just did the other night.

Do you take gummy vitamins?  No, only when I was a teenager.

Have you ever applied make-up on a guy, for any reason at all?  I don’t think so, nothing I can recall.

Who would you like to meet before you die?  I don’t have any goal person in mind.

If your dream was to be a model, and a big opportunity came up, but you had to be nude, would you take it? Hmm, probably not. What’s the most ridiculous conspiracy theory you’ve ever heard of?  The Avril Lavigne doppelganger one is extremely hilarious and I read up so many thread about it on Twitter just so I can see how far people can stretch it.

If Heaven and Hell exists, where are you going when you die?  I don’t care.

Who is the person that you are afraid of losing, above everyone else?  Either of my best friends.

What is one thing that pisses you off pretty much everyday?  The weather.

Is there anyone you know that you feel should consider therapy?  My mom.

Do you like any of the songs on Twilight, or the actual movie/saga itself?  Yeah the soundtracks are actually fucking great. The person who took this survey before me named Supermassive Black Hole by Muse, and that’s one of my favorites from all the soundtracks. The song Slow Life in New Moon is nice, too. How old was the first person you kissed?  She was 17, going on 18.

Will you be a strict parent one day?  I’d have some rules set but I wouldn’t suffocate my kids.

Last person to stand up for you?  Heck if I know. I can do that for myself.

Have you been to a baby shower?  No.

Who were you with the last time you went to the movie theater?  My ex.

What’s your favorite high school memory?  Hiding a same-sex relationship from my conservative, homophobic Catholic teachers.

Do you like relationships, or do you prefer to be single?  I like being single these days.

What is one adventurous thing you’d be willing to do?  Trying out the Nevis Swing in New Zealand.

What subject at school did you absolutely hate?  I saw no point in studying chemistry.

Italian food or Chinese food?  Chinese. I like Italian cuisine, but sometimes I find it a tad bit salty for my taste.

Do you like to make flash cards when you study?  Not flash cards but sometimes I’ll write my notes down in several index cards because for some reason I retain information better that way.

Has anyone ever told you that you’re a good singer?  No.

Do you ever watch TED talks, live or online?  No. I never saw the appeal of most of them, honestly.

I dare you to write the name of a person you strongly dislike.  Gabie.

What do you think about Marilyn Manson?  I have nothing to say about him tbh. 

Biggest trouble you’ve ever gotten into at school?  Nothing beyond getting into an argument with this kid in 2nd grade and getting sent to the counselor’s office for it.

Do you own one of those “professional” DSLR cameras?  I used to, until I handed it down to my sister...and until she let it smash onto the ground because she didn’t place it on her tripod properly when she was filming one time. I still don’t get why she’s so defensive about it; I wish she’d just admit she majorly fucked up on that. Does it bother you when you see a 6th grader with a bunch of gadgets?  It makes me silently judge the parents more so than letting myself be bothered by a child.

Did you buy yearbooks every year in high school, or did you not bother?  We’re not offered the chance to get yearbooks unless we’re in graduating years.

Do you have Restless Legs Syndrome?  No.

Jalapeños: yay or nay?  YAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAY

Did you ever play Minecraft? No. I can’t care less.

Did you ever have a Club Penguin account? Were you a member?  I didn’t.

Do you know anyone that seems to not have any common sense?  Me, sometimes. Hahahaha.

What do you think is the biggest injustice that was ever done to you?  The way I was broken up with, like what the person who last took this said. I’m not tortured by it and her anymore, but I don’t think I deserved to intensely mull over about what I could have possibly done to be broken up with the way she did.

What type of person angers you the most? Abusive people that think only they matter and have no consideration for how their actions affect other people. < This pretty much hits the nail on the head on how my ex is, so I’ll just go ahead and agree.

If you could change your appearance, how would you alter it?  I’d get braces again and...that’s it, really.

What are your feelings on feminism?  I support it and I support how it advocates equality.

Describe your first relationship?  I’ve only had one relationship so I’ll just answer the following question.

Describe your last relationship?  Internally toxic; uhhh healthy at some points I guess, when she wasn’t being a selfish prick; a disaster towards the end.

Can you honestly say that you always practice safe sex?  I honestly don’t know what constitutes ‘safe sex’ in a same-sex relationship, sooooo idk if I have.

Why do you think your most favorite film touches you so deeply?  It’s a realistic take on love and I appreciate that it took its sweet time to highlight the ugly sides of love and marriage. Also, Audrey Hepburn taking her acting chops to the next level was just beautiful to watch. She was always a fantastic actress in all her movies, but I could tell her acting in Two for the Road had just a little bit more depth to it.

What do you want people you meet for the first time to think about you?  That I’m nice and approachable.

Do you feel protective over someone?  My friends.

What perfume/cologne do you wear?  Heat Rush.

Where did your vehicle come from?  My parents got it for me as a high school grad gift.

What was the color of the bridesmaid dresses of the last wedding you went to?  I haven’t been to a wedding since 2007, and back then I was designated as a flower girl lol. I’ve never been to a wedding where I was chosen to be a bridesmaid.

What is your favorite way to eat chicken?  CHICKEN SANDWICH. Also chicken wings.

It is your birthday. You hope the cake is:  Oreo cheesecake topped with 24 macarons.

What do you wear to bed?  Something thin and airy.

What were you doing at 8pm last night?  I was watching Bon Voyage.

[kittybellestark]

Falling Apart At The Seams

Part 4 of 5

Read Part 3 

Read on AO3

Part 5 will be out a little bit late because I have to drive across the country and back to get my brother, but it is already written so have no fears, you will receive the final part.

TW: conversations about past sexual assault, ptsd, trauma post kidnapping.

-

Tony was used to being kidnapped. 

It was old hat. An easy routine. Get kidnapped, find out who has him, learn the motive, then pull out a bad ass move and break out. 

Simple. 

Coming back and re-adjusting to regular life though? That always hurt. Sometimes it was physical but most of the time it was mental. Finding a new pattern and safe space. Places where Tony used to feel his safest were regularly torn from him, beds, showers, garages. He didn’t find much comfort in the dark, or looking up at the sky at night, pools and baths were a nightmare and these were all things he once loved. Tony just needed to do this again.

It was always a struggle for Tony. His mind was always too fast, it was why he couldn’t sleep as a child or even now. His mind goes too fast and it’s impossible to stop. Tony was never able to describe what it felt like to think to others, but he imagined it as NASCAR on drugs with trains derailing, there was heaviness and music and commercials, impossible to solve problems and lectures from MIT. Where most people would already be moving on from being kidnapped Tony was still living through it, the entire experience on repeat, volume turned all the way up. Re-adjusting was the hardest part.

If he was anyone else, it probably wouldn’t be like this. 

Tony hated the shame he felt being wheeling into the tower. He hated that Peter was in the room, listening to Mary shouting her confessions as she pulled and pushed trying to get out of the grips of Natasha and Clint. Screaming desperately to Peter that she wanted to give him another sibling, how Peter was named after his father. Watching Peter’s face fall, watching him realize who Tony was as he was rolled in behind Mary on a gurney- that was torture. 

And Tony was helpless. Normally Tony would talk, say something to Peter, anything to get that look off his face. The look of betrayal, hurt, denial. But none of this was normal. It’s not normal to find out you’re abandoned child is also the one you invite into your home and watch movies and create things with. 

Tony was still dealing with the effects of the drug as he was wheeled in, which left him incapable of doing anything. Useless, even.

Peter didn’t deserve this.

“... Because it was an Avenger arrest and Mary admitted to what happened in 2000 she’s going to be held in a secure Avengers facility instead. Jimmy said the FBI approved Peter and May staying in New York because of everything.” 

Sure, yeah, an Avenger arrest. It was mostly a Pepper arrest. Pepper was definitely the strongest Avenger. And she wasn’t even an Avenger. Well a case could be made for her being an honourary Avenger. An Avenger by association. 

“Rhodey, I appreciate you, but I don’t want to talk about it.”

Pepper moved across Tony’s Medbay room, staying behind Rhodey, careful to keep her distance. Rhodey frowned, squeezing Tony’s hand. Tony squeezed back, thankful to have a wonderful med-team who reversed the drug’s effects instead of making him wait it out.

“Tony,” Pepper spoke softly, carefully, “Peter is your child, he is upstairs hurt and confused. I know it’s going to take you time to come to terms with everything, no one is expecting any less. But, that child you thought you’d never meet is here and you know how good he is.”

Peter was good. Undoubtedly one of the best kids out there. Kind, caring, doing his absolute best. Peter was a treasure. An anomaly. Spent the first half of his life in an abusive home, put into witness protection, full identity change and still lived a life full of trauma. And yet Peter was full heartedly kind. And he was Tony’s son. His child. The one he sent years running away from. Peter came from bad, lived right through it all still trying to make it to the other side. 

He was a ray of sunshine to Tony and the Avengers. Bright eyed and still so innocent, yet incredibly snarky. But the memories, they’re tainted now. Which of Peter’s mannerisms come from Mary? What parts of Peter come from Tony. Every moment from lab days to movie nights, team dinners all covered with the memories of what Tony did to Peter. And what Mary did to Tony. Tony left him with Mary to grow up, let him be in her presence and learn from her. 

It’s been fifteen years of guilt. Sixteen years of self-hatred. Twenty-four hours a day re-living the feeling of absolute torture. Five years of not being able to wear a watch because it felt too much like he was being chained. Eight years where Tony couldn’t sleep on a bed that touched a wall. Tony has struggled since the moment he woke up on the creaky mattress. He has struggled every time he goes outside to see someone who is pregnant, and whenever he see’s a child.

“I don’t know if I can. I’m not- I can’t- what if I look at him and can’t see anything past her. I can’t be a person he can go to if I see him and only remember where he came from.”

Peter was upstairs. His child, his son, who he abandoned. Tony knew that child Mary was carrying was his, of course he knew. He was forced to watch her as her pregnancy progressed up until the start of the third trimester. Mary ruined Tony’s life in the quest for a child. Tony didn’t want to ruin Peter’s life because he was running from the months of torture and a child he never met.

It isn’t like Peter’s life hasn’t already been filled with trauma. Peter already had to deal with being in witness protection, Mary trying to kill him, kidnap and sell him. Now not only would Peter learn how he was a product of rape, but he’s been raped too. Not only was Peter the product of rape, he was named after Tony. Mary had named Peter after the person she raped, and how was Peter supposed to live with that knowledge? Tony could hardly stand it himself.

“If you’re worried about Peter because of your past, then you’re already doing better than you think you are.” 

Pepper was too nice to him. She was too nice to a person who knowingly abandoned their child. Tony set Peter up for a life of misery. Because of Tony Peter had to go through all that he did. What happened to Peter was all Tony’s fault. He should have done better. Tony should have done better the night he was taken, and he should have done better when his fate was sealed. Instead Tony didn’t only let himself suffer but Peter as well. 

A knock at the door stopped the conversation from moving any further.

May Parker stood there, and it was obvious that she was tired. Her hair was pulled back into a sloppy bun, her face red, and there was a fading water stain on her old grey sweater. Even though she looked exhausted she kept herself to stand in a guarded way, like she was trying to keep the exhaustion and emotions away.

“I have a teen upstairs who exhausted himself out from his hysterical crying. A super soldier had to restrain Peter to stop him from hurting himself. We need to talk. Any chance we can be alone?”

Peter needed to be restrained. He was hurting himself in his hysteric’s and Tony couldn’t help but blame himself. If he had done better, looked at the pictures or not been kidnapped again Peter wouldn’t be in pain. Mary said everything, she screamed it all for Peter to know and now Peter was hurting. Tony should have been better. He could have done more to make sure this never happened. Peter was hurting because of the truth and the way it was delivered. Things should have been explained to Peter in a better way. Peter didn’t deserve this.

“Uh,” Tony hesitated. Pepper left the room but Rhodey stayed. “I’m sorry, Rhodey needs to stay here. I can’t- uh, we’ll not even get to a conversation if he leaves.”

Her eyebrows raised, but she seemed to accept this stepping into the room anyways.

Tony tried to pretend that he wasn’t bothered by her presence. That her brown hair wasn’t actually brown, that May wasn’t a woman standing over him in bed. She was just Peter’s aunt. May wasn’t Mary even if her name was one letter removed. Rhodey is here and he won’t let anything happen. He’s had Tony’s back since MIT, it’s not like Rhodey will turn his back on Tony now. They’ve been through too much together.

“So you and Mary?” The rest of the question left unsaid.

“He was born in April, right? Of 2001?”

Looking at May wasn’t going to work. She wasn’t using her nice face. She was too close. Tony was too guilty. He never should have left that party, not with Mary. It would have been so much easier if that night he’d gone to Happy and Rhodey before he left. Everything would have been easier had he just taken some responsibility.

“So you knew you had a child,” Angry, May was so Angry. Tony just needed to not think about it, “you knew about Peter.”

Rhodey’s hand was warm. Tony appreciated the comfort he was getting despite not doing anything that deserved it. If anything Tony deserved to be punished for what he’d done. For abandoning Peter with Mary. For letting himself get kidnapped by her again.

“I went missing in 2000. About half way through the year. Suddenly I reappeared in January of 2001. Rumors went around that I was in rehab or other’s believe it was a really bad bender, we never denied any of it. No one knew what actually happened until two years ago when I told Pepper what happened. I was supposed to be a playboy, no one was going to believe me.”

The silence was deafening. 

Every second that May didn’t speak was another second that Tony imagined a slow, painful death at her hands. She wouldn’t believe Tony, there’s no reason she should. Tony had a reputation, and people couldn’t see past that. He put on an impeccable mask for the public to tear apart so no one would know what he’s actually like. It was a great mask, a great cover, a great story, but it had come back to haunt him before and this will just be the same. May wasn’t going to believe that Tony Stark, Iron Man, an Avenger, was kidnapped by some Mary Benson. No one was going to believe him.

He never wanted anyone to know. 

What if no one believed Tony? He would lose all his friends, his life. Tony would only have Pepper and Rhodey. While once in his life they were all he had, now Tony had so much more. He didn’t want to lose the people he had now because of one person.

Tony needed to be alone. He can’t do this. Mary ruined his life, both now and sixteen years ago. She took a hold of Tony’s life and wouldn’t let go.

“So Peter is... Mary raped you?”

That was disbelief. That was disbelief. May didn’t believe him. Tony never gave her any opportunities to actually believe him. He took Peter out of the country without her consent and never told May about Spider-Man. Those were very big reasons to never believe a word out of his mouth. Tony wasn’t trustworthy. May will think things were the other way around. Of course she will, these things don’t happen to a guy because of a girl.

Tony needed to breath. He needed to answer May.

Words. Tony just needed to find words. He needed to answer her. Words. They do the things that lets him communicate. Words have always been easy. He just needed to vocalize. Admit what happened to someone who isn’t Pepper or Rhodey. Just confirm it.

Speak, Tony. Speak!

“Yes,” Rhodey answered, his voice strained, “Mary kidnapped him and abused him for months. Peter only exists because of it. Tony never wanted what happened to him and he’s been struggling ever since.”

Again there was silence.

The silence wasn’t very nice. It was tense and it hurt, sharp around all the edges. And Tony’s chest hurt and this was all his fault. There was no one else to blame. Tony should have done better.

“Oh. Tony... You- oh.”

She understood?

May understood. She understood. There wasn’t going to be screaming or yelling or arms waving in the air. No telling Tony he’s a bad person or that he’s a liar and did everything that Mary actually did. He wasn’t being told he was wrong for abandoning Peter or that he should own up to his mistakes. There was just understanding.

Tony finally looked up at her. His eyes were filled with tears making May blurry. But he could see her enough to see the pain she was in. The pain he created was written all across her body. Her hunched shoulders, the hands covering her face, the space between her eyebrows creased, the way May was leaning completely forward. Tony caused her pain.

“I’m sorry. I’m so sorry, May.”

May straightened herself out, letting herself sob only once. “Tony, it’s not your fault. I don’t blame you. Peter won’t either. We’re family now so we’ll get through it. We’ve got this”

Family. Huh. How about that.

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[scrambledgegs]

Too Late the Hero

    It was Harvey Dent who uttered the famous lines, “You either die a hero, or live long enough to see yourself become the villain.” A foreshadowing statement, as Dent later on personifies his very words when he goes on to become Two Face in the “The Dark Knight” Batman movies.

     This statement cannot be any truer, and we all can recount both real-life and fictional characters who easily represent this notion. The true-to-life “villains” we know of today may have actually started out as idealists, heroes, or savior-like archetypes that we used to looked up to – and looked past whatever side blemishes they also possessed in order to justify their actions. I think the best contemporary example of this – is the person whom Filipinos notoriously love to discuss nowadays – the person that needs no introduction, President Duterte.

About to Croak?

     President Duterte has recently been the talk of the town all the more when rumors circulated that he may have contracted COVID-19, while other rumors pointedly said that he was already on his deathbed. To augment such rumors, it was said that he may have allegedly even flown to Singapore to have himself checked. His office was quick to quash any such news by posting proof of life photos of the President, where he is seen to be eating a meal with the first family in Davao. Well, one thing we can all agree on however, is that he did not look his best. 

     The more significant and underlying message in this recent raucous is that, the general consensus on social media is that many had their fingers crossed for a new President. It looks like Duterte’s star power is quickly fading.

RUDY and RODY

   I was reminded of a conversation that a friend and I had around three weeks ago. During our usual, light political banter, I suddenly remembered how my parents used to compare President Duterte to American political icon, “Rudy” Giuliani. Quite serendipitously (and as though Netflix read my phone messages or possibly my mind), minutes later, I came across a new Netflix documentary entitled “Fear City: New York vs. The Mafia” where Giuliani is documented to have played a significant role in.

     This true crime documentary examines the rise and fall of organized crime in New York in the 1970s to early 1980s. It narrates the dark tale of how the Big Apple once transformed into the playground of underbelly operations of The Mafia – composed of the five major Italian-American crime families and their sophisticated network of ruthless henchmen. Law enforcers could not put a stop to their rings of crime, or even implicate them, and others that dared come close, found themselves or their loved ones in a rather, messy situation. These crime families of Italian descent were basically your true-to-life gangsters from which The Godfather Trilogy was based on.

 Batman, Robin and Commissioner Gordon in Gotham City

     Bringing down the Mob back then was a feat everyone thought impossible. Nevertheless, joint forces between the FBI and Giuliani (then U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York; 1983 -1989), and his handpicked team of prosecutors were able to do so – and with much required grit and tenacity. Giuliani especially, was credited to be the single piece of rice that tipped the scale in this momentous moment in the history of criminal justice. After which, Giuliani’s political career began to skyrocket. Despite losing his first election in 1989, he eventually gets elected Mayor of New York in 1993, and then reelected in 1997 to hold the position until 2001.

    During his term as Mayor of New York, Giuliani’s most popular platform was his “toughness on crime.” Such that, the gentrification, revitalization and “clean-up” of New York and significant decrease in crime rates during those heyday years are largely attributed to him. His appointment of NYPD Chief of Police, Bill Bratton also proved effective, and is often the popular topic of business case studies today. Bratton did not resort to brute force alone. In fact, he was said to be data-driven, resourceful and efficient. His non-traditional, out-of-the-box thinking, many would agree, had indeed brought about real, lasting positive change in New York.

    Giuliani was also known for making popular what is known as the “perp walk”, wherein he would orchestrate public arrests, worthy of media frenzies and major headlines, of high-profile suspects, usually of white-collar crimes. The nature of these arrests garnered some criticism of course, but it was not enough then to tarnish his image and push him far away from the good graces of the American people, especially New Yorkers. He is also highly commended for his post-9/11 (2001) disaster responses and was even knighted by Queen Elizabeth II for these tremendous efforts. He was even named TIME magazine's Person of the Year in 2001.

 Fall from Grace   

    However, fast forward years later to now 2020, many of Giuliani’s constituents and longtime supporters who once held “America’s Mayor” of the highest esteem, often say that the Rudy Giuliani of the past is long gone. Embroiled in various controversies and investigations, not to mention issues that involve being President Trump’s current legal adviser, he has said to have become the very type of white-collar “perps” he used to round up and arrest. It is quite unfortunate, isn’t it, these kind of tragic hero to zero stories. Time is not on his side now, but who knows if there is still a chance for a comeback.

 Rudy Giuliani’s story sounds very familiar.

Rody

    Meanwhile, on the other side of the world, in Davao, Philippines to be exact, during the same time that Rudy Giuliani was rising to fame, there lived and breathed another Mayor with a very similar tough guy image – Rodrigo “Rody” Duterte. An attorney as well, he also began his career in the prosecutor’s office.

Photo taken from The New York Times: Rodrigo Duterte posing with an Uzi submachine gun in 1994, when he was mayor of Davao City in the Philippines.

 Duterte Harry

    Duterte “made his bones” by allegedly taking crime into his own hands. Before assuming the Presidency, he was known as the gun-toting, smart-talkin’, fearless and tough Mayor who cleaned up Davao which back then, was supposedly a war-torn region due to the emergence of the New People’s Army (NPA) post Marcos-regime. People nodded in approval because he produced “quick” results.

    If Rudy Giuliani had his Chief of Police, Bill Bratton and the NYPD, Rody Duterte had a comparable squad as well. With the help of his elite unit of police enforcers, coined as the “Davao Death Squad” (DDS), they were able to arrest crime suspects, such as alleged (but non-convicted) drug dealers and petty thieves and parade them throughout the streets, for behold, all to know and see. This sounds like the Filipino version of a perp walk. In extreme cases, sometimes suspects were allegedly found dead in alleys or eskinitas, their bloody bodies mutilated.

     Yet, it could be said that quite a number of Davaoenos, as well as Filipinos beyond the Mindanao region, supported this kind of vigilante method because they felt safer, and they felt that finally, the wheels of justice were turning. To simplify this narrative by using a fictional analogy again, it is the same train of thought on why we have a great admiration for Batman and the like.

     Many believed this was what the Philippines truly needed - a “strongman” to discipline the country, which to be fair, is an idea that can understandably seem like the right and sound solution, given the Philippines’s web of problems. Not many are willing to further dissect, assess and accept what is truly needed to lead the Philippines. Duterte’s notoriety thus gained much popularity, and his savior persona spread like wildfire throughout the country, propelling him to the Presidential seat in 2016.

One-Trick Pony in a Small Pond

    Four years later, come 2020, and here we are, amidst a terrible pandemic with no signs of turning the tide in favor of a victory. I’ve heard one too many times, friends and colleagues say how they despise being a Filipino, and are looking for opportunities to leave and start a new life elsewhere immediately. I can’t say I blame them.

     The once highly respected and beloved Davao Mayor has become the Philippines’s Public enemy number one, for reasons we all know today such as, but not limited to:

Militaristic and shotgun approaches instead of “comprehensive, scientific and systematic policies” to mitigate the pandemic  (Read: Lives vs Livelihood Tradeoff?, August 5, 2020)

Lack of economic and fiscal planning and No transparency on stimulus packages and foreign loans (Read: A Perfect Storm, May 22, 2020)

Preferential treatment towards those in positions of power and unequal application of the law (Read: On lockdown and pushed over the edge, April 30, 2020)

Playing Russian Roulette on community quarantine implementations

Deflecting faults and shortcomings through the “Pasaway citizen” narrative

Demeaning local government leaders/efforts when they come up with their own local initiatives

Putting China’s interests ahead of the Philippines (Read: From Ugly Duckling to Black Swan, April 3, 2020)

And some of the more specific controversies that we can’t help but feel overwhelming emotions for:

Trial of Maria Ressa and his attack on free press and journalism

Shutdown of ABS-CBN which includes 11,000 employees to lose their jobs during a time like this

Inaction of recent PhilHealth scandal

  Perhaps si Mayor should have stayed as Mayor, or perhaps evolved to a different role beyond public service, instead of eyeing gargantuan tasks too big for him to handle. He may have been “effective” as Davao’s Mayor, but running a country is a whole different ballgame.

     It was in fact, the late Miriam Santiago, during the final 2016 Presidential debate held in Dagupan, Pangasinan (April 24, 2016) who pointed out, “We are not choosing a manager, administrator, etc. We are choosing the next President of the Philippines for the next 6 years.“ She even went on to enumerate three minimum criteria that a President must have in his or her arsenal in order to effectively lead, such as “1) Academic Excellence; 2) Professional Excellence, and 3) Moral Integrity” – all of which majority Filipinos flippantly shrugged off as useless qualities. I agreed with her which is why I voted for Mar Roxas. Maybe those who voted for Duterte regret this decision now, and hopefully see the wisdom behind Santiago’s statements.

     As I’ve said many times over, Duterte peddled a dream that the Philippines can only be great again with an “iron-fisted” leader, and sadly but quite expectedly, our misinformed voters ate it all up - hook, line and sinker. (Read: ORAS NA, April 26, 2016).

    I’d like to believe that Duterte perhaps started out as an idealist, with the genuine desire to carve out change where he thought he could. However, somewhere along the way, he lost himself and what he stood for when he let his ego get in the way. I think he himself now knows, but cannot admit to the public, that a one-trick pony has no business leading a highly complex, difficult and problematic country such as the Philippines.

More Analogies in 2020: The Year of the Rat led by the Pied Piper

    Other than Duterte, three other political personalities that will forever be remembered as the shameful faces of the COVID-19 situation in the Philippines are Presidential spokesperson Harry Roque, Speaker of the House Allan Peter Cayetano and the ever-infamous, Department of Health Secretary Francisco Duque. I surmise history will not be so kind to them, and their roles and decisions in this crisis will continue to be told on, even when “this is all over.”

Infestation of Rats

    These three loyal lackeys of Duterte can be likened to the rats in the children’s fairy tale of the Pied Piper who is no less than Duterte. Roque, Cayetano and Duque seem like educated and smart people, leaving no other explanation for their horrible decisions, except that they have long sold their souls to Duterte, and are in too deep to back out now. They’ve let themselves fall under some kind of spell. A consolation in the story of the Pied Piper, is that the entranced rats follow the Pied Piper’s hypnotizing music to their eventual demise and drown at sea. The Pied Piper however, just leaves them there and walks on. Seems like a foreboding scenario, figuratively speaking.

      It would be best if the story ended there. However, we find that the Pied Piper, like our very own version, is a vengeful one, and will stop at nothing until he has accomplished a personal vendetta towards whomever crosses him. In our Pied Pier’s skewed view, he feels that his opponents have gravely wronged him, or have been incredibly ungrateful for all the “work” he has achieved. His next plan of action is to hit them where it hurts the most – by getting to the children or those “most vulnerable and without a voice”. Seizing the power of his position, he is able to demonize multitudes through his filthy words, terrorizing laws and drug wars. (Read: Dead Kids, February 20, 2020).

     In so many dark metaphors, in the dead of the night, while everyone cluelessly sleeps, the Pied Piper plays his hypnotizing song that “vulnerable communities” are uncontrollably drawn to, forced to follow, or fooled into blindly following, until they all disappear without a trace, possibly never to be found again.

Light at the end of a Long Tunnel    

    However, I think our Pied Piper may have made a costly miscalculation. He may have robbed the country blind and killed countless lives (directly and indirectly), while we ignorantly slept, but he has ignited a fire. He has seemed to awoken a sleeping giant – a sleeping giant, unified in anger against this administration and what it stands for. Is Change Coming?

[luwucas04]

About 4000 (I am so sorry) Words Concerning Films that Helped Define My Existence

Ah, movies. So much in one package. Story, music, visuals, what’s not to love? Today I shall be elaborating on the most noteworthy films in the thrilling ever-changing saga that continues to be my life. Screenplay alongside a screenplay, if you will (please take this statement as modestly as you can).

The first ever thing in my entire life that I remember being an avid and enthusiastic fan about was the original Star Wars saga, written and directed by George Lucas, spanning May 1977 (A New Hope) – May 2005 (Revenge of the Sith).

As mentioned in the podcast and as you may be able to tell from said podcast, I can’t really pinpoint an exact point in my life where I was introduced to it as it was kinda integrated into my upbringing from the get-go—and due to this it’s a very near and dear franchise to me. And oh boy fun fact my first ever childhood crush was Luke Skywalker (I vividly recall my uncle asking why I had his page bookmarked haha). I remember it was something that I would always watch with my dad and or grandpa, and then when I couldn’t find the VCR set that we had for it, I officially commenced my illicit streaming career (not really though, I didn’t get very far. Only crappy 20-minute clips on YouTube). Star Wars for me was the first thing that I actively sought out stuff for or showed genuine interest in pursuing if that makes sense. Like, you’d watch whatever movies or shows were thrown at you and you never thought much of them. Ohoho not Star Wars, though, that one lasted years. My cousin and I would always bring our little action figures to play with whenever we visited—or we’d find long-ish sticks in the backyard and have lightsaber fights, I got the video games, posters, Lego sets of ships (X-wing and Y-wing to be exact), an entire encyclopedia that I still own to this day (I just checked and there’s a date written inside, April 9th 2010 (which is my 7th birthday)), and of course inspiration for my own art and such. I remember I made this magazine that was essentially just me redrawing pages from the guidebook I had. I still have it, too! Sitting at the bottom of a drawer right now. Also, later on for some reason I absolutely loved drawing Ashoka Tano. Over and over again man. I drew her taking up my cousin’s entire driveway in chalk once.

Not only are the Star Wars films a nostalgic and comforting series, but it held onto its marvel throughout the. Wow well over 10 whole years, I’m getting old. Additionally, because at the time we didn’t have as much access to the things we can achieve with modern technology, I was basically all on my own with it. I fueled my own fascination. And shockingly, not a lot of people in my elementary school (up until maybe grade 6-7) showed much interest in it either. So it was pretty much just me myself and I, and occasionally my cousin whenever he visited, and I think that made it all the more special to me. Also, at the time I think it was geared way more toward kids. There weren’t series like The Mandalorian or active internet communities that were obsessed with the series as far as I was aware, so there wasn’t the same quantity of content nor overall enthusiasm around it. Nonetheless, it was and still is a very personal series due to how engrained it is into basically every aspect of my childhood. I’ll try not to be too repetitive with what I said in the podcast, but ultimately the clear nature of the franchise (attractive character designs, colours, setting in general (it’s an action-packed space adventure what’s not to love)) is what really made me latch onto it, and it kickstarted my interest in the very essence of media and understanding the film medium and what it has to offer. I remember asking how they got Jar Jar to exist on screen and he told me they made him out of CGI, and I interpreted that as they somehow made a real-life computer model out of him and that they were actually interacting with like a physical, solid hologram. Anyway, revisiting the franchise and diving into more of its intricacies now (like the production diaries) is like an absolute goldmine. There are so many aspects of it that 100% contributed to and nurtured my goals, passions, and ultimately who I am as a person. Here is some of my very recent art for good measure:

Up next up we got Lord of the Rings (dir. Peter Jackson, December 2001 – December 2003) or I guess a better way to put it would be those plus The Hobbit (December 2012 – December 2014) trilogy. I think it was earlier than the Marvel phase (which follows this section) because like Star Wars I can’t really remember my first viewing of it, but I definitely watched it all. It might’ve been around grade 3 so 2011-ish? Quick anecdote, one time I had a sleepover I was really excited for, and as we all know when you’re excited for something as a kid and it’s later on in the day, time doesn’t actually pass at all, and so my genius ass decided to flip on The Fellowship of the Ring and boom it was 5 pm and time to leave. Also my grandparents from my mom’s side of the family (they’re German so we call them oma and opa) were visiting once and my opa (grandpa equivalent) wanted to watch something so I was like “omg Lord of the Rings is perfect there are so many characters he can feel empowered by (Gandalf and Saruman because they’re old)”. Phenomenal logic—now thinking back it was probably much too violent for his tastes but yknow.

I love Lord of the Rings so much because it’s the true embodiment of an ideal fantasy story; there’s such pure character dynamics and personalities and Tolkien created such an incredibly solid world in which these stories take place. Man knew his stuff, and in turn provided a charming and utterly wonderful scape for young minds to roam free within. I was going to talk about this if I did my other culminating idea regarding masculinity within the media, but I have the perfect opportunity to do so here: something so great about said world is how sincere and genuine a lot of the male characters are (yknow minus people like Denethor and Alfred). Namely the fellowship, they all openly care for and are affectionate towards one another, something we rarely see between men both in modern media and in real life. Aragorn is a perfect example of someone owning and being comfortable in his masculinity. He is kind to and uplifts others, and communicates openly with them. He isn’t afraid of being intimate and vulnerable towards them, either. We see this in Boromir’s death scene. Aragorn doesn’t patronize him for trying to take the Ring, he consoles Boromir in his last moments and they treat each other with the utmost tenderness and respect—not callously or stiffly. Right after decapitating an orc, Aragorn is still able to run to his side, hold him, and kiss him on the forehead following his passing. Aragorn also isn’t afraid to share fame or glory, in fact he never seeks it out in the first place despite his lineage. It was at the battle of Helm’s Deep that he embraced that destine to be king, not out of lust for power, but because these people needed guidance and leadership and he could provide it for them. He elevates others in an incredibly positive and empowering way, especially Frodo and Éowyn, and is content with the fact that the story is not about him. Even at his own coronation, he directs every single person’s attention to the literal earth-saving feat that the hobbits have achieved in light of his own massive accomplishment. He is such a great role model to have been able to look up and aspire to be like, and I wish there were more characters and people like him.

I was a fan of those original films at an earlier point in my life, but the thing that brought that interest back a little stronger was undoubtedly the release of the Hobbit prequels. Like the Star Wars prequels, everyone can say what they want but they are very gorgeous to me. I skipped out on seeing Frozen with my class to go see The Desolation of Smaug with my dad and that was SUCH a good decision. Although, I’m rewatching them all now and Battle of the Five Armies kinda sucks at the beginning. They kill Smaug in like the first five minutes and like it wasn’t bad but it was very anticlimactic. I also don’t like how they shoved Legolas in there, his personality is really jaded and he’s kind of a big prick in those films. But it’s fine I love Martin Freeman and Richard Armitage and the rest of the dwarves the most. They were obviously the most significant and I like them a lot, and there are three movies as opposed to the one book so there’s even more content!

WHEW sorry about that anyway The Hobbit really was the revival/rekindling of that past love for Tolkien’s world. I also had a good close friend who was also along for the ride as well—being able to be into these things alongside someone is always fun and I’m grateful she was there and shared my same energy. She had the Lego game for that one, very similar free-roam concept as my Marvel one (coming up next), so we had lots of fun with that too. To reiterate, I am rewatching these movies again now as an older person with like an actual conscience, and my takeaway from them is vastly different on more of like… a philosophical level, I suppose. I appreciate the process of things more and the backstory behind Tolkien’s lore and the timeless characters and deeper meanings that he’s conceived. But that wouldn’t be very chronological of me to go into it here so moving on.

Proceeding next, around grade four at the most (so just after it came out), I watched The Avengers (dir. Joss Whedon, 2012). Not only did this single-handedly make my art convictions explode (in a good way), it also instigated my love for soundtracks (and also the entire Marvel universe but we’ll obviously be covering that very soon).

The Avengers was like an epiphany for me. Literally ground-breaking and earth-shattering. Changed my entire 10-year-old life. It was all that I ever wanted and more, and since it was around 2012-13 that I became aware of its existence, the internet community was blossoming with possibilities and content. That same friend liked it as well! My Avengers/Marvel phase definitely rivals my Star Wars phase; I think I watched The Avengers first, and then my dad was like “yeah ok you need to watch everything else now” and so henceforth Captain America and Iron Man and Thor. Those were very good times, and I actually remember experiencing all of them for the first time ever. The Christmas of 2013 was absolutely wild. I only got Marvel related gifts which was incredible at the time. My first ever ‘art of’ book was for the Avengers film, too! I also got an arc reactor shirt that actually lit up and I thought that was the absolute coolest thing ever, and then I remember I cut my tongue on this candy I was eating and my mouth bled profusely for a while. However the most iconic gift of all was my copy of Lego Marvel Superheroes for the PS3. I finished it in about 2 days, and it’s the only Lego game that I’ve gotten 100% completed progress on. I love that game dearly and still play it sometimes. The thing that I love specifically about it was the ability to free-roam the entirety of New York City as any character you wanted, me and that friend would do that exclusively for hours on end and make up our own stories with all the characters. Here is Galactus perusing the streets

Speaking of characters, this was the first thing that really got me making up and drawing a shit ton (apologies for lack of a better phrase) of original characters. I’d make superhero characters for me and my friend (ok I guess I should give her a name huh), Mackenzie, and even for random people in my class cause we needed to fill in some blanks in the stories we’d make. I’d create comics, write little stories, make variation after variation of these people we came up with, and of course like normal children me and Mackenzie would go to the park near my old house and pretend we were said characters. Man it was so fun. Then we’d do all those personality quizzes to find out which member you were most like. Mackenzie and I would do these quizzes on none other than our state-of-the-art BlackBerry playbooks. For me it was usually either Iron Man or Thor, and Mackenzie had this weird curse where she’d only ever get Loki as a result for anything at all which was very hilarious to me. Circling back to soundtracks, The Avengers OST was one of my first full album purchases. The main theme was my favourite track out of all of them for obvious reasons, but I still paid respects to all of them and listened to it often. Since I bought it with my dad’s Apple ID, it’d show up on the communal iPad that we used for music in the kitchen and I have full recollection of my grandpa playing it on blast in the morning to wake us up one time. I was aggravated at first but then when I realized what it was I was like ah yes of course. After the Avengers soundtrack, I got the Wolverine (2013) OST and that was fun but I didn’t like all the tracks in the same way, but THEN I got the Days of Future Past soundtrack. THAT is a good soundtrack AND a phenomenal film.

Anyway, after that I was a Marvel connoisseur for a little while. Like Star Wars I got an entire character encyclopedia, a bunch of comics, posters, you name it. My parents and sister also enjoyed dabbling in stuff too; we’d watch the animated series together on Netflix and eventually ended up seeing all the new movies together when they came out in theatres (except not my mom though cause she gets motion sickness from action films). Marvel was a staple in the adolescence stage of my life before I was introduced to anime (then it was all downhill from there (I am kidding anime was a part of my life that I look back at with great fondness)). It was reason for so much of what I explored with my art and my own imagination, and was one of my first experiences in what it was like to be a part of a fandom-esque community. There were also memes ripe for the picking when it came to Marvel; as one can assume I had no access to memes in kindergarten to grade 1 in the late 2000s. It was such a lovely and warm point in my life, something that established what kind of passion I really poured into something when I really liked it. And akin to Star Wars, there’s just so much to like about it. There’s so much to offer, an array of colourful characters and storylines—and of course, creative liberty when it came to superpowers and that whole narrative. The sky was literally the limit. Here is some of my ancient 2014 portraiture that I dug up for the sake of this assignment

Ok heads up we are now veering AWAY from childhood content and touching on a film that played a more personal part, namely during a very pivotal point, in my life. I picked up The Perks of Being a Wallflower (Stephen Chbosky, 1999) at a bookstore and read it at the speed of light; I was crying in my room on my bed by the time I finished it. I love how we see Charlie’s character change over the course of the novel, not only through what he describes or how he perceives things but his style of writing in general. Anyway, I wanted to read the novel first before I watched the movie (dir. Stephen Chbosky 2012), and I was pleasantly surprised by how accurate the movie is to the book (well duh the author directed it). I read/watched this right before I started high school, so I was kind of (but not really considering the built-up childhood trauma he has yikes) in the same position as the protagonist, Charlie, as he was starting out (minus a lot of the major aspects of his character and what he went/goes through (like drugs)). A lot of the things that he learns were really important takeaways for me before heading into that new chapter of life like he did.

Contrary to the title of the (I know it started out as a novel but I’m just gonna say film) film, you need to put yourself out there and advocate for yourself in life. It’s great to be a trustworthy individual whom everyone is vaguely aware of and likes, but you need to approach things with reason and make yourself known somehow. At the time, both before and during grade 9, and even still sometimes in the present (though I do it more deliberately now), I found myself just standing on the sidelines as life happened before me and I let it sweep me away without having any feet planted on the ground. It was like I wasn’t in control of it, and in turn I might’ve struggled in some areas more than I should have. I didn’t own anything, like I wasn’t totally present. Similar to Charlie, I was a person who’d always be there for others, someone people could talk to and confide in, and ultimately someone people truly enjoyed having around—which is pretty great. But I didn’t fully know my position or what I ultimately wanted in any of those situations. Don’t get me wrong, I am incredibly grateful for my entire freshman experience and I absolutely wouldn’t have wanted it any other way considering all personal circumstances, but with that foreknowledge of the importance of making a name for yourself, especially in high school, I think I was able to branch out with ease a bit more than I would have without it. I at least was aware of what was going on in that sense. That movie is really special to me because it ended up being a pseudo-mirror of my own experiences. Charlie’s English teacher, Bill, embraced his writing abilities and urged him to participate more, share his own thoughts, and express more of his personality by giving him books for extra reading. My first ever semester of Laurier did the exact same for me as Bill did for Charlie. It fostered my interests and intellectual abilities, and you guys constantly urged me and everyone else to go above and beyond what we were used to because you knew we could do it (even though I feel like I could’ve done a lot better on some things as my marks in grade 9 are a bit lower than I’d like them to be, but hey it was a time of adjustment and I did my best and that’s what matters). As a direct result of Laurier, I’m really lucky to have been surrounded by an amazing group of passionate students, a handful of which became my closest friends throughout high school, and that my very first teachers of the day were people who uplifted me and genuinely cared not only about furthering my academic work, but about my growth as a person.

Whew let’s wade out of the sap and get into some more energetic stuff!!! To tie off this recollection of my life through film the most recent and notable movie that impacted my life was, the one and only, Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse (dir. Peter Ramsey, Bob Persichetti, Rodney Rothman, 2018). Similar to The Desolation of Smaug and Frozen, I went with my dad to the cinema but parted ways with him to watch this movie by my lonesome (he went to the Aquaman theatre instead smh). Again, phenomenal choice. I talked about this in my grade 11 blog, but Spider-Verse is an absolute masterpiece in every way shape and form.

At the point I watched it, I knew what I wanted to generally do with my life (be part of the art industry) and the visuals of this movie alone were enough to make me want to elope with it and never see or talk to anyone ever again. It is such a gorgeous film. The way they strayed from the yucky 3D conventions norm—and there is literally no way they could’ve done the majority of what they did in that movie effectively if they did it live action. Or, they could definitely try and make an attempt, but it’d look like garbage. For example, a lot of the action scenes in general and also when they become abstracted like with the particle collider. 40-60 fps would not do that sense of movement justice at all. Too smooth. Not enough grit and personality.

Anyway, they also pioneered new animation techniques in mixing 2D and 3D, and explored a newer superhero trope where the main character’s own mundane life struggles are equally as important as him trying to sort things out with these new powers. It’s more of a battle between what Miles wants with his own personal life—new school, the friends he won’t be able to see because of said new school, owning his own abilities and adjusting to change. Then on top of that he’s met with all these alternate-dimension people that he has to work and be on par with. Aside from the art, I thought the overall message was every special: Miles learns through trial and tribulations, unsureness—and most importantly, failure. Confidence and optimism, in regard to what he thinks he can and can’t do, is vital. Amidst everything he is faced with, he starts out as just another kid who wants to be just another kid. But we all have something special inside us that we must choose to embrace if we want to truly flourish. We see him come to terms with the fact that he really is capable of greatness if he sets his mind to it—and that’s the main message: anyone can wear the mask. And can we talk about that soundtrack??? Not only the instrumentals, but the actual songs were great too! “Sunflower” and “What’s Up Danger”? Lovely and fitting. And back to the OST, the Prowler’s theme??? Shivers.

There is such a unique and beautiful vibe to this movie, and it’s inspired me in more ways than one. Aside from that nice motivational stuff, it also has recently played a tremendous part in developing my own art. All of the artists who worked on the film are people I immediately tried to find on social media so I could see more of their work. I purchased the art book, and even bought a 2D sequence illustration course provided by one of the art directors, Patrick O’Keefe. That course also came with the (digital) brushes he uses, and I’ve used them in pretty much every single one of my pieces since downloading them. This movie really showed me the possibilities of what could be achieved in the art industry, and it made me want to be a part of it so much more than I was before. I want to be involved in revolutionary visual achievements, and I want to develop characters and stories and worlds that are as interesting and loveable as the ones in Spider-Verse. (my stuff featured below)

So there you have it folks, 5 (five) of the most significant movies in my life relayed in a whopping just over 4000 words. I hope this has been enlightening for all you readers out there, perhaps you now have a better understanding of how I came to be personality/interest-wise, and I hope you can catch a glimpse of that same importance these pieces of media have in regard to me and my values.

[rockyrunrun]

The Decision.

Beginning of 2017, I was in Sacramento, still looking forwards for a chance to chase a dream and working hard and looking for a promotion. In early March, I took my talents back to the Bay Area and got hired for the new job. Then 2 months of licensing and another month of training, July 24, 2017. I made a decision. I'm leaving a job that I've had since April 13th, 2001 and I'm going to leave it all out on this blog. Reason being? I loved it for a lot of years and I want to remember what I can remember. So if there were anyone and anything that you can blame me for, then, here's my side of the story. 16 years at a company, I think I have the rights to say whatever I want to say. '''Twas was the day that was senior year in high school. I went and started looking for a job because I chose to go to Chabot College, a community college local to most of the East Bay. I went in, first one I met was the General Manager, Eric Martin. When anyone ever talks about first impression, that guy impressed me. I was a 17 year old, looking for a job with no resume in hand. He professionally told me to fill out an application and asked if I wanted to be interviewed immediately. "Sure, let's do it." Two days later I was sitting in the middle of a store front inside Bayfair Mall going through orientation with a bunch of other future co-workers. First person I met, Nam Huynh. We eventually even served popcorn and trained together in Union City. We took over the A side and we had tons of fun. If you want to teach your employees to upsell, just say "managers said if we don't make enough profit, they won't give us raises". Never not upsold ever since then. I met a lot of people like Yolanda, and later on "Army" (yeah I graced him that name) and also Soap, his friends, his family. Hell, we even joked and called ourselves a race team, "Century B16" as in Bayfair 16. The chance came around August, Rush Hour 2 weekend. One of the managers asked if I was interested in working in the booth, turned out to be one of my future best friends, Marvin Capistrano. On to the booth I went. Talking about building up movies, breaking down movies, hanging out with Duane talking about Pootie Tang. Man, crazy days. First time I ever built a movie was, Zoolander. Dry runs after dry runs, hot print break downs on Thursday. I slowly but surely deterred from going to school. Then, a GM put me on probation and wanted to fire me. I will never forget this, simply because I wasn't properly trained and this 30 day probation, I lasted longer than the GM and his crew. I learned one important thing, training. Which is also another thing that I've learned, to be a people's person. Next GM came, Charles, I breezed through it and apparently we were doing a bad job. Let me remind you, at the time, the ATM at Bayfair was stolen!!!! Then, during that time I met my little big sister Erica. Although we didn't exactly work together all the time but we were always close. I love Erica to death. She's definitely bff status. Meanwhile, supposedly the theater wasn't doing good, so this Latino dude name Lazaro came along, and this other Asian ricerocket driving dude name Anthony Tan came about... with Brian Pacquing.... The rest was history. Rios, if you ever get to read this, I still hate you for making me cry. But it was definitely tough love. I learned the most from him. I learned how to be tough on someone, but real. You can't yell at someone that consistently yell, nags and bitch about things. You MUST teach. For that, Rios, I forever owe you. To Anthony Tan, you taught a young kid what's right and what wrong. You taught me how to grow up and be a man. I might not always understand you at the time, but boy I sure received the message. Rios did good and took over and taught me how to be good, but when it was his time to leave, here comes Julius. David Wilson-Scott bka Julius Pirie Scott, you are way beyond a father figure to me and even more as a brother. You taught me how to trust my skills and be great. We went to see Usher, we saw Kanye, and we saw riots at the theater, but you taught me everything and you did not hold back any knowledge. I learned from you to give your knowledge out unconditionally. Thank you. Then, it was time for me to leave. Cinedome 8 East Fremont. Ben Lin, Montry Souvanthong, Ashley Perreira. You three were more than what I can ask for from a new GM, Ben knowing me the most by working with me at Bayfair but the other two kept me sane. Jeff Herzstein, thank you for trusting a 21 year old kid to tell you to spread your wings and trust your skills, thank you for helping me become a fair and smart GM. Adam Bebee and Adam Bauer, you guys were good and ya two taught me how to be a fair GM and I love the fact that you guys gave me respect. To the late Jane Benjamin, may you Rest In Peace, or well, keep going to forever create havoc! I love you Jane, I love the fact that you wanted to work and you love me and respected me. When everyone told me to avoid you, I didn't, I got close to you. Thank you for the countless meals of country way, Disneyland Mickey ears and the bottle of champagne for the holidays. I love you. I hope you look after me. Two years later, when Cinemark came running and bought out Century. I took my talents to Union Landing. Jacqueline Brooks, for the record, I hate you as a co-worker, but I love you as a brother. We never get along not because we have differences, but we don't get along because we all want to look out for each other. Two years at 25 made me love you like you're the big sister I never had. To Leticia Gonzalez Solis, you, you're a beast. Hug hug, kiss kiss, little hug big kiss little kiss. I taught you everything I got and you gave me all your effort every day. Out of all people that followed me, you were not the smartest but I know 100% you worked the hardest. Baby boy Ali, I know you got my back and I'm sorry I wasn't there for you when you needed me, but trust me, if you ever need anything, you know I for damn sure wish that was me that took that bottle to the head instead of you. The two years of 25 was so good, it exhibited my skills. Then I earned a promotion to open my own theater. For the fucking record. These years at Hayward, forever let me say what I feel, because I am, and still am very angry about the process on how and what happened. First, when the audit program happened, I was opening the theater. Second, my self destruction and choice of going back to school was directly affected by Cinemark. I opened the theater, the shopping complex and the recession hit hard, so the projected attendance was short by almost 40%. It was 2008. Then Cinemark gave all the managers in the Bay Area reduction in geographical allowance. Mind you, all managers in the Bay Area were "century" pat while I was "Cinemark" pay but the cut was all across, so I got less money. Not to mention, the first day the paycut happened was at a Cinemark conference, that's not encouraging to me. Not to mention, my superior discouraged me for getting higher education, simply telling me to focus more at work and talk about how great advancement is. Then came the budgeting process, I was compared to a 8 screen cinedome on payroll, to reduce payroll at a new location, I was told to also act as the MR guy and the GM 5 days a week during slow season. Then I was blamed for lack of production, bad audit scores, no bonus and also more paycuts. 1600 bi-weekly check to 1200 when I decided to leave. So I'm tired of people saying "you were never there" or "you fucked up the payroll", because I didn't. Snitches gets stitches and even if I blamed my regional manager or higher ups, the small potato in me would never win. The Cinemark algorithm on reduce cost of living in 2009, made us, the managers get a pay cut. I have yet seen the facts and studies. And the small potato in me never mattered. Cinemark, century pay grade, they didn't care. For the second time I'm mentioning it, you take 1/4 of my paycheck and decrease my pay within 3 years, trust me, you would be as mad as me. I did have a good time at Hayward because it was challenging, look at it now, not too shabby, but I hate it. While I was working at this location. I lost my girlfriend. I never get to see her and I was stressed all the time. Don't like Hayward. The city hall wanted the theater to play at least 2-4 art films every week, so they can "attract" people. I was invited to the city hall meeting to have almost 2 hours to answer the fine citizens of Hayward on how a movie theater should be ran. Same people that discouraged me to be around and just wanted things their way. Not a happy place. Then due to poor mid 80s audit scores, I was told that I would have no chance to survive as a general manager, for the third time, let me remind you that you lost 1/4 of your pay at the same time since the beginning. I chose to go to Fremont. I will end this chapter like this. Fremont. It was a time for me to leave the moment I got there. Jason Cardosa, I gave you my all. I don't like to belittle people and it doesn't make me feel good. Countless times I was reminded how poorly I ran Hayward and how much I wasn't trustworthy enough to run a department, while every single department I ran was the best that you ever got when I was there. Strange. Apparently because I have GM experience then it's expected. I know I got skills, but you never really cared and tried to find a solution to solve the issue. You provide patchwork and I provide solutions. We had our differences, but it was much like Jackie and I, because we care. You stuck with me for 2 more years and how ungrateful am I but to leave you so shortly and with pretty close to no notice. I popped my last batch of popcorn, sold my last ticket and used my last set of movie theater broom. I don't care what anyone says, you out of every one that I know have the best potential and you're definitely not too young for a regional leader role, but be personable. That's what Farley taught me. Be there for your people and understand how they feel. I got to know you so much more when we went to watch Oblivion in LA and that was a good trip. I was happy we made that trip because I feel like you actually do care about people, but try that on some other people, they respect you more that way. To every single person I've trained, thank you for listening. To everyone that I screwed over. 16 years later, I am 100% proud to say that I don't have any. So, boom. Cinemark, Century, thanks for the memories. Notice I put all the memories on people? The people made it for me. The lives that I made better and taught, I'm proud of that. I always said I'll go back to Bayfair and kiss the floor before I quit. Well, I'll officially do that on Friday, but 100%, my theater life is done and thank you all.

[bharatiyamedia-blog]

Surprise Girl 1984: Photographs, launch date, plot particulars, forged and extra

http://tinyurl.com/y4eujck6 She’s a Surprise. Overlook the invisible-jet-flying Surprise Girl from the delightfully tacky SuperFriends cartoon. Followers met a wholly new heroine within the 2017 blockbuster feature merely referred to as Surprise Girl. We have been ready for the sequel virtually since strolling out of the theater and can acquire information and views about it right here. The fundamentals: It is referred to as Surprise Girl 1984, and filming wrapped in December 2018. (Learn: Wonder Woman 1984 en español.) In early June 2019, precisely one 12 months earlier than the brand new movie is scheduled to open, director Patty Jenkins shared a surprising picture of star Gal Gadot in a shiny golden costume. Surprise Girl is rocking some severely 1980s armored shoulder pads, plus lengthy sleeves, her iconic bracelets, a excessive neck, and tall boots. Jenkins issued an apology for not attending San Diego Comedian-Con this 12 months, noting that the total promo marketing campaign for the movie will not start till December. However the brand new picture ought to soothe any fan upset over that. By now you’ve heard: WB isn’t going to Corridor H this 12 months. We’re so unhappy to overlook you there! And ready till Dec. to begin our official #WW84 marketing campaign in full–  However the reality is… we are able to simply… barely… wait… pic.twitter.com/QllFzhYRA6 — Patty Jenkins (@PattyJenks) June 5, 2019 The golden look could also be acquainted to comic-book readers. CNET sister site ComicBook.com notes that the brand new type seems to be a mixture of appears from the comics, together with the Golden Eagle armor that permits Surprise Girl to fly. In December 2018, Gadot thanked Jenkins, the character’s followers, and the almost 1,000 crew members “who got here to set day-after-day, giving all the things they’ve into our film.” View this post on Instagram We did it. Again!! And as much as the first time shooting Wonder Woman was amazing, this time was even more unique and special.. We shot in 4 very different locations in 3 countries, and I’m so soooo proud of the almost 1000 crew members who came to set every day, giving everything they have into our movie. Couldn’t ask for better partners on this.. I’m so lucky to have the one and only Patty Jenkins, as my director. She always has our backs, she gives us the wings to dare, and everyday she helped us find the most creative version of ourselves .. I am so grateful to call her my friend. And to our AMAZINGly talented cast who made every day enjoyable and fun, thank you! Honestly.. Words cannot describe this experience.. This journey was so demanding and challenging but we all came and did our very best every take, every day, putting our all out there and I’m so proud… Thank you universe for this opportunity. I love this character. And thank you to all of you for being the best fans in the world. It was you that made me push myself every day. I’m so happy and excited, can’t wait to share it with you in 2020! ❤️ Gal A publish shared by Gal Gadot (@gal_gadot) on Dec 23, 2018 at 9:35am PST Do not line up but to purchase tickets for the sequel. It was initially scheduled to come back out in November 2019, however again in October 2018, Gadot and Jenkins introduced the move to June 2020. Now they might be regretting that change. In Could 2019, Jenkins stated in a video interview that she’s simply screened the movie and longed to launch it immediately. “I am dying to launch this movie,” she stated. Patty Jenkins on Surprise Girl 1984. (She’s already screened an early model of the film!) (📸: vanzekin018) pic.twitter.com/KmlMoQHNNN — Surprise Girl Information (@WonderWoman84HQ) May 18, 2019 The newest In late April 2018, Jenkins wished Gadot a cheerful 34th birthday on Twitter, writing “I like you greater than phrases can say.” Yeah, yeah, that is all effectively and good, however we’re right here for the picture Jenkins shared, which seems to be from Surprise Girl 1984 and exhibits Gadot clad in crisp white trying over a bannister. Numerous media sources claimed the look is mimicking completely different eras. The Deseret News says it is a homage to the 1970s Lynda Carter Surprise Girl collection, whereas The Hollywood Reporter says that the look harkens again to a 1960s comedian storyline. Do not name the subsequent film a sequel. Producer Charles Roven told Vulture that director Jenkins is “decided that this film ought to be the subsequent iteration of Surprise Girl however not a sequel.” He notes that the film is ready in a totally completely different timeframe and tells a really completely different story than the unique.  The fundamentals So what do we all know thus far? We all know the sequel’s title will probably be Wonder Woman 1984, and it is set within the neon-splashed Reagan Period. Two photos released in June 2018 present Diana marveling at some very 1980s TV screens (J.R. Ewing!) and in a potential spoiler, Steve Trevor getting his shopping center on. (Is that this actually Steve? How can that be… by no means thoughts, it is the flicks.) And director Patty Jenkins could be very enthusiastic about one other character, the unidentified man performed by Pedro Pascal, star of Netflix present Narcos. On July 30, Jenkins tweeted out a photograph of Pascal with a loud tie and a few severe 1980s Ken doll hair, declaring she “cannot…cease…watching” the actor’s work. The character Pascal is enjoying continues to be a secret, although followers on Twitter guessed he is perhaps supervillain Maxwell Lord or, presumably, Vandal Savage.  Jenkins and Pascal labored collectively on the 2015 TV film Exposed. Game of Thrones followers will know Pascal for his position as dashing however doomed Oberyn Martell. At Comic-Con, attendees were treated to some new footage. You possibly can’t cease Surprise Girl. She’s coming again for a sequel. Warner Bros. With Gadot because the lead in Surprise Girl, the heroic Amazon lastly landed a full-on movie of her personal, and a few critics name it the perfect characteristic ever within the DC movie universe. (Batman v Superman must console itself with its shelf full of Razzies.) The movie was the third-highest-grossing movie of 2017, behind solely Star Wars: The Last Jedi and the live-action remake of Magnificence and the Beast. In mid-June 2018, Gadot released the first photo exhibiting her in costume for the sequel. She’s apparently landed herself a really 1980s curling iron, and the costume is trying shiny. And in late June, director Patty Jenkins launched a photograph of Kristen Wiig as Barbara Minerva, aka supervillain Cheetah, although Wiig is proven standing in a museum in a very-1980s outfit, not in full villain garb. (Minerva is an archaeologist within the comics, so the museum location is sensible.) Surprise Girl proved, as soon as and for all, that feminine superheroes can headline their very own film, if it is achieved effectively. Appears ridiculous this was ever a query, however as Deadline wrote, “there appeared (to be) a motive studios put capes totally on males, as a result of it was thought they have been the rabid fan base that camped out early and got here again usually and made big opening weekends.”  Welcome to the 21st century, filmmakers, the place women and men might be equally devoted followers of each female and male heroes. A sequel was inevitable, as a result of DC execs are not any dummies. Fans worried at first about whether or not director Patty Jenkins would return for the second movie, however she signed on in September 2017. Selection stories Jenkins will earn around $8 million to direct, produce and work on the script, which might make her the highest-paid feminine director of all time. Launch date, manufacturing information Surprise Girl 1984 is now scheduled for a June 5, 2020, launch, moved again from its unique December 2019 to keep away from competing with Star Wars: Episode IX. The title was confirmed by director Jenkins earlier this 12 months, so get out your jelly footwear and Members Solely jackets for the journey to the theater. Jenkins wrote the script with Geoff Johns, president and chief artistic officer of DC Comics, and screenwriter Dave Callaham. And in August 2018, phrase got here that Oscar-winning composer Hans Zimmer would score the film. Zimmer initially composed Surprise Girl’s theme music for her movie debut in Batman v Superman: Daybreak of Justice in 2016. As talked about above, star Gadot noted on Dec. 23, 2018, that filming had wrapped, after taking pictures in “four very completely different areas in Three nations.” Solid: Who’s who? Returning characters How is Steve again?!?? Warner Bros. Photos New faces Plot information, rumors and theories Do not be a Cheetah! Director Patty Jenkins confirmed on Twitter in March that Kristen Wiig will star as the supervillain Cheetah, calling Wiig “sensationally gifted.” Cheetah has lengthy been a nemesis of Surprise Girl, with 4 completely different incarnations since her 1943 debut. (In 2001, a man briefly took on the title of Cheetah, however the different three have been ladies.) Early Cheetahs have been simply ladies in costumes, however more moderen variations morph right into a human-cheetah hybrid and have enhanced energy and agility, plus lethal claws and fangs. Due to a photo Jenkins d in late June 2018, Wiig’s model of Cheetah seems to be archaeologist Dr. Barbara Minerva, however there’s additionally no want for the movie to stay intently to any comics story. Completely superior ’80s: We all know from the title that the film will probably be set in that absolutely tubular decade of the 1980s. Gnarly! But additionally, severe! Screenrant says the brand new film “will ship Diana in opposition to the forces of Soviet Union within the closing days of the Chilly Struggle.”  To be particular, the movie will probably be set in 1984, the 12 months of the Los Angeles Olympics. To get into the 1980s spirit, the forged additionally posed for a photograph that mimics the poster for John Hughes’ 1985 hit, The Breakfast Membership. Pining for Pine: Many followers puzzled if Chris Pine, who performed Steve Trevor within the first movie, could be again. Spoiler forward: He sacrificed himself within the first movie, so it might appear… tough. However something goes in comedian resurrections (simply ask thawed-out Captain America over at Marvel). And now that Jenkins has released a photo labeling it Trevor, we’re left to marvel precisely how he makes his return. Now enjoying: Watch this: High 5 methods ‘Surprise Girl’ saved the DC film universe 3:02 Right here comes the final: In October 2018, Robin Wright confirmed to Variety that she’s going to as soon as once more play Common Antiope within the sequel. (Spoiler: It’s going to should be in flashback or another twist as a result of the final sacrificed herself for Diana within the first movie.) “It should be an iconic time: somewhat Surprise Girl within the vortex of this motion,” Wright stated whereas discussing the state of ladies’s points as we speak. “And…Surprise Girl, who was created within the ’40s, what does she symbolize? Justice and equality and talking the reality. So to be part of that enhancement, as Surprise Girl’s basic, it is so nice.” Seventies celebrity: Till Gadot got here alongside, the enduring onscreen Surprise Girl was Lynda Carter, who starred within the 1970s tv collection. Might Carter make a cameo look within the sequel? In early 2018, Jenkins was requested about that. “We’ll see,” she told Entertainment Tonight’s Mary Hart. “Lynda is likely one of the dearest individuals to us, has been an important mentor and expensive pal. And we truly desperately tried to get her within the first one and we had the scheduling that could not work, so she’s all the time been part of our Surprise Girl household. We cannot say something but, however we actually — there is not any lack of making an attempt.” She’s coming to America: The primary movie was set in wartime Europe, however for this one, the star-spangled superhero is coming to the nice ol’ USA. “The story will happen within the US, which I believe is true,” Jenkins told Entertainment Weekly. “She’s Surprise Girl. She’s acquired to come back to America. It is time.” Cheetah, however no copycat: Jenkins told Entertainment Tonight the 2 movies will not march in lockstep. “We’re truly making a very completely different movie with a number of the identical … issues that we love, however (the sequel is) its personal film fully,” she stated.  Rumored Riz? There’s also a rumor that Riz Ahmed, star of HBO’s The Night Of, is being pursued for a job, based mostly on an announcement made by Jeff Sneider,  editor in chief of The Tracking Board, during a March podcast. Ahmed can be on this 12 months’s Venom, which can imply he is too busy to select up one other main superhero film. Dream come true: Indian actress Soundarya Sharma will play a job within the movie, The Hindu newspaper reported in August 2018. Whereas her position has not but been revealed, it sounds main. “This I can say is a ‘dream coming true’ state of affairs,”http://www.cnet.com/” the actor stated. “It is exhilarating to be part of such a larger-than-life character movie the place you get to play your dream position. I’ve all the time dreamt of enjoying such a personality.” Sharma is probably finest identified for starring within the 2017 Bollywood film Ranchi Diaries. She’s additionally studied dentistry, and that is the tooth. This piece was initially posted Could 9, 2018, and is up to date as new particulars come out. Culture: Your hub for all the things from movie and tv to music, comics, toys and sports activities. Movie magic: The secrets and techniques behind the scenes of your favourite movies and filmmakers. Source link

[ceaselessly-into-the-past]

the return

 It’s been a while since I last posted – mostly because school had gotten too busy for being too miserable, partially because I’ve managed to lock down drinking as an effective tool for handling seriously shitty times, e.g. every time I had to speak to my mother on the phone, rather than drowning in self-pity on a blog that to my knowledge only about one to two people actively read, neither of whom can do much of anything besides say ‘well that fucking sucks’. 

I’m now at a summer camp – Perlman Music Program. Thankfully alone for the most part – we’re on Shelter Island in Long Island, so my parents plan to come over once each of the following three weeks. And being alone, at this camp, I suppose that it’s an optimum time to revive the blog and give myself something to do aside from all the chamber music that I’ll be doing. 

I suppose that I’ll start, in a perhaps unusual way, with whatever comes to mind first. I don’t have a particular grievance or strong emotion that I’m dealing with tonight, for reasons which I might arrive to if it comes organically.

Going back to the drinking - an alcoholic highlight that I recall not fondly, but I suppose I could say with interest, was a night in April a few weeks before finals had begun where an hour-long, ultimately pointless conversation with my mother had left me feeling particularly destructive. (I realize now that my writing has gotten god awful and it reads like a pretentious young adult novel marketed towards impressionable 13 year old girls. Whatever. I hope it gets better). So, with that goal in mind, I went out at around 5 pm, neglecting all of my short-term responsibilities, and headed up to Heights Wines and Liquors on West 140th Street. It’s a really solid store that doesn’t card - I remember I found some decent sake there on a couple of occasions. In this case, though, I picked up a small-size bottle of Ketel One, and then a few blocks down a can of RedBull, and then a few stations down the 1 line a small mason jar.

Snap open can – empty RedBull in jar – add vodka – shake and mix – let it sit for a minute.

Three chugs down. The entire fucking world suddenly comes into focus. The freedom of the downer and the awareness of the upper combine to set my goddamn brain on fire. I am a god. I have the simple superpower of autonomy. I alone control my fate. 

I took a pleasant jog around Central Park with my mason jar of liquid fucknuts sloshing around in my hand. I waved HI to the Chinese girl two years above me at Juilliard – I remembered I once had a dream where she’d asked me out and I couldn’t believe it. She, like literally fucking everyone, was way out of my league, but fuck that, my heart is edging on insanity and I don’t give a shit – I can’t give a shit now – I’ll let my soul clench about it when I’m sober and vaguely suicidal again in 3PM ear training.

Hitting home runs in my brain. I could almost cry from how little I cared about my body, about how I looked and sounded. It didn’t matter. I was not beautiful but that instant was beautiful. 

I sat on a bench and watched the sun go down on the lake and sipped some more. I was about a quarter through.

I miss Hanna. I hope she’s well. She’s a good soul.

Holy shit that movie, that movie, what did I wanna watch, I KNOW there was something out then that I was looking forward to that I didn’t have time for. But I’d smashed a giant fucking baseball bat into the skull of my schedule - fucking buried that thing right in the brain matter of it - so I was free to do whatever. Flipping through my phone - the lights zipped by way goddamn quicker than usual like the fucking Stargate in 2001: A Space Odyssey - 

Yes - You Were Never Really Here. Starring Joaquin Phoenix of Her, of The Master, of Inherent Vice, of Signs - ha, of Brother Bear. Written and directed by Lynne Ramsay - I remembered We Need To Talk About Kevin fondly. 

(A small part of my flashing mind was annoyed that the movie, created largely by a woman, was flying so under the radar just because it wasn’t a fucking blockbuster superhero / Disney property movie. ‘More women in film’ my fucking ass - Alex Garland’s Annihilation starring almost all women, depicted as intelligent and capable scientists and totally unbound by their gender, passed with little fanfare because it was ‘too slow’ for general audiences. ‘Feminism’ in movies doesn’t count unless it’s Wonder Woman deflecting a hundred bullets with her sword or dropping down from the sky to punch a god in the face. But whatever, this is a useless tangent. Jumping this ship now.)

You Were Never Really Here is playing down at the Anjelika Film Center on West Hudson Street. Let’s fucking go. Jump on that fuckin express 3 train. Sit a little ways away from everyone - somehow I had the sense to keep my disgusting substance consumption away from innocent bysitters.

I felt a mad rush and, between 28th and 23rd, dumped about half the jar into my body. 

I stumbled out on the 18th street platform, my eyes were lasers, my blood was oil, my bones were stainless steel, my soul was the vivid sheen of a budding porn star.

I ran to the Anjelika Film Center. I could only run now - I was stuck firmly in GOGOGOGOGOGOGOGOGO. I sat on the steps, drank some ice-cold water from the thermos I had the sense to carry. Settling myself. I remembered that I’d seen The Florida Project here in the beginning of the year - what a charming film, what a touching performance. That Willem Dafoe.

Hanna would like that movie.

I go inside - a little push from the jar before the film starts, but I put it away. I need to focus on the art before me.

Yes, You Were Never Really Here was fantastic. Such a lowdown, subtle, sparse story of vengeance. 

Rundown: An ex soldier in Afghanistan breaks up a child trafficking ring. Has PTSD. Becomes a private investigator and dedicates his life to rescuing missing children from child traffickers and shitbag pedophiles. His signature is purchasing a hammer from the convenience store every job and smashing their skulls in. Pushing the girl behind him. ‘Close your eyes.’ God, Joaquin Phoenix was a miracle in that movie. 

And the most vivid and accurate depiction of panic attacks, intrusive thoughts, and anxiety I’ve ever seen in a film. It was gratifying to see my moments be understood and played out by Lynne Ramsay.

I left. Wandered around in the in betweens between Tribeca and Greenwich Village. Ended up in Madison Square Park. Chucked the jar at a brick wall to see the million pieces soar through the night like magic somewhere on the way. Took a power nap on a bench. Somehow got back to Juilliard before 1 am. Crashed. Got up at 8 am the next morning. I felt refreshed.

It was spectacular

I learned after the fact that the Vodka RedBull cocktail has a similar effect on the mind to cocaine. 

It was spectacular.

I’ve also developed a taste for Evan Williams bourbon. 

I’ve been remembering my two friends often the past few months. Wishing they could see that thing, hear what someone said in the other room. Wishing they were nearer.

One of them visited my parent’s place yesterday with one of her parents. Those three sat us all down for a dinner that turned out to be a misery of inanity - as I expected, but I feel like it was to my friend’s surprise. We shared some time alone beforehand, and it was a golden moment that I hadn’t felt since the last time I’d seen her a year previous.

I gave her some gifts I had picked out over the course of the school year. About an hour later, the dinner conversation came around to how I’m more decisive than my older brother - a topic that, much like every other topic, seemed to drag on far beyond its welcome despite its meaninglessness. I mentioned offhand how I’m more careful and deliberate with gifts and I noticed she smiled a bit from across the table. Her heart shows when she smiles. It’s warm and it glows gently.

It was a perfectly pleasant, pleasantly perfect night when all was said and done.

[traciedemars]

Winter market... right time to buy, or not? Home buyer education & free/non-promotional home buyer & seller classes  Upcoming Free (& non-promotional) Home Buyer Classes:   Saturday, January 6, from 9am-12 (ish)       Marshall Community Center, conference room                                         1009 E. McLoughlin Blvd, Vancouver WA (kitty corner from Clark College) Thursday, January 11, from 5pm-8pm (ish)   Marshall Community Center   1009 E McLoughlin Blvd, Vancouver WA (kitty corner from Clark College)                         Saturday January 20, from 12pm-3pm (ish)       Vancouver YMCA        11324 NE 51st Circle, Vancouver WA (SR 500 & 112th/Gher Road)  If these class dates and/or times don't work for you, please let us know.  We understand that you have lives, and families, and work.  We will work something out that works better with your schedule.  Just let us know....                                                                                   ....we also have home seller classes available too...link on left on website                                                    Remember...with reservation...we will throw in lunch, or dinner!  :-D                                  ~~~~~~~~~                                                                                                                                           Hi!  I am so, so sorry... I have been delinquent on getting these out.  My last one was right before Thanksgiving and vacation.  Then....when we got home we all got that super nasty crud that is going around.  Oh my stars.... we have been so sick!  I never get sick (for which I am ever so grateful), but this year...ugh... not so lucky.  I guess I was due?  Anyhow, between vacation, sickness, and Client Appreciation... I have been very behind.  My new years resolution is going to get back on track with the home adventure blog, exercise more, eat healthier, and ok... who am I kidding on the last two?   I will do better with the home adventure blog though, and getting information out about the classes.  :-)  I can handle those ones.     Thank you to everyone who came to the client appreciation event last Saturday for the new Star Wars: The Last Jedi movie!  I hope everyone enjoyed the lightsabers & holiday hats.  Chris Berg (pinnacle mortgage, 503-320-0925, cberg@pcmloan.com) and I are very grateful for everyone who let's us be part of their home adventures....whether you are buying a home, selling your home, refinancing... or know someone who wants to.... you know we got you!  Thank you for your continued business & your referrals.  We couldn't do this without you!!  :-)     So, this week, let's talk about the current market for a quick moment.....I know that it's winter, and it's the holidays, but honestly, if you are even 'thinking' about buying a home....NOW is the best time.  Yes, there are not a whole lot of homes on the market, but the market is not as competitive as it is during the spring time.  Remember that from offer to keys it will take about 6-7 weeks.  The market tends to pick up and start getting crazy again right about March-April when folks start getting their tax refunds.     So lately I've had a few clients lately asking me where all the homes are.  Well, it's the holidays...  and many folks will wait until after the new year to put their home on the market...new year, and fresh start.  I know of a few homes getting ready to go on the market within the next month.  If you're thinking about buying ....January through March is a great time to be out there.  :-)   Now...please remember that my magic wand is broken, and the magic 8 ball exploded all over my house with the holidays... so no one really knows what is going to happen.  However, most people in the real estate industry agrees that in 201i, we will see interest rates go up. This is a very solid bet.  It's a split decision with industry sources on when prices should plateau off.  With Seattle and the Portland area being 2 of the top markets in the United States, it really depends on how soon we will see more homes on the market.  This is a lot like foretelling the weather right now... as it really depends on when things happen.  Most industry sources do say that home prices should start plateauing though.  This doesn't mean that the home prices will not go up...they just shouldn't go up like last year.  They should steady out. As people see the change in the market coming, more homeowners should put the home on the market so they can begin their move to their new home, and this will help all the price ranges see more homes on the market...which should help with the multiple offers that we saw so much of during the spring of 2017.  2016, & spring of 2017 were awful for multiple offers. This summer, and fall were not as bad.       So yes, prices are still going up, but let's talk about how all that works.  I bought my old home in late 2001, with a 6.875% interest rate....don't feel bad, or shocked....in a 'healthy' market, a 'normal' interest rate would be about 7%.  We were THRILLED to be under 7%!   We sold that home this year, and it was harder than I thought it would be.  It was our first home, and we had lived there for 16 years.  It was the craziest thing, but did you know that when our buyers purchased our home for the $285,000 it was worth, with the 4% interest rate.... our mortgages were almost THE SAME!   Wait...I'm not (that) crazy...it's economics.  Yes, they bought it for more than I owed, but with a much lower interest rate.   That equaled my lower owed amount, but higher interest rate. How crazy is that???  Now, here's the crazy part... in 2016, my old house was only worth about $245,000.  NUTS!!!  My mother purchased a home in the 80's for $70,000, but her interest rate was 18.375%!!!   ....now that is crazy!!    The point of this is that while yes, prices are going up, the interest rates are still really low, so you can purchase more home.   When this changes, and interest rates rise it doesn't mean that home prices will immediately start dropping, they should start leveling off ...it will take a bit of time to balance out though.         I have clients asking me if they should just settle then on a home, and frankly this is a tough question.   No, you shouldn't 'just settle' on a home, but you may have to adjust either the type of home you want, the location, or be able to go up in purchase price to get what you want.  Please remember that this most likely is not your last home, but your home for the next 5-10 years....that's the average.  Whether you are buying a home, or selling a home...it is exciting, scary, fun, and frustrating.  It's a lot like a roller coaster, or driving down Mill Plain during rush hour,....or during that last month of pregnancy. I tell you....there's a reason I don't drink often.....I'm afraid once I start that I won't stop!  ;-D  (just kidding)  Having bought and sold a home this year myself, I can assure you that even if you help 40+ families a year....it's still a roller coaster when it is you on the ride.  We're here though to help...that's what we do.  When you are looking for a home,  you need to consider more than just the house.  You are also buying the neighborhood, the schools, the property taxes, the local parks, the neighbors, and the local infrastructure.  The home needs to 'fit' you like your favorite pair of pj's. For example....this last weekend I had a client look at a home that she liked.  On paper it was everything she said she wanted, and she couldn't find anything against the house that would cause her to not want to write an offer. So why was she hesitant?  Because this home was that sweater or shirt that looks good on the rack, and so you try it on.  It fits ok, and it looks all right, but there is just 'something' that is 'off' with it.....you can't figure it out either.  Sometimes you buy it, but never wear it, and sometimes you put it back.  Buying the 'right' home is a lot like that.  You can, and will, see homes you like, but they just don't 'fit'.  Put that home back.  Sometimes you see an item of clothing on the rack that you really don't know about....but you try it on anyway and BAM!  you look AMAZING!  Some homes don't look like much from the outside, but you get inside and they are amazing.  Remember that internet home photos are a lot like internet dating....you never know what you are going to see when you get there, and many agents hire professional photographers for a reason.  I can always tell which photos an agent did themselves, and who hired someone.   Finding the 'right' home is like sliding into your favorite jeans, or boots.....there is just something about it that 'fits'.  I see homes I 'like' all the time, but just because I like it doesn't mean it fits.  If you are obsessed with a home that you have seen though.   You really like the home, and you keep going back to the pictures, and driving by the house.....that's the 'right' home....even if it was one of the first homes you saw, or it was something you didn't think you wanted, or weren't sure about.  That home is that sweater/shirt/shoes that you just weren't sure about....until you tried it on.  Darling, you look AMAZING!   Trust your instincts....this is YOUR home, and YOUR mortgage.    With rents going up so much lately you can buy for about what your renting...or close to it.   What is the best time to buy, or sell?  Whenever YOU are ready.  Sometimes waiting makes sense, and sometimes it really doesn't.  I am a firm believer that the right home will always be ready when you are, and that it will all fall into place.  Remember....your agent works for you.   YOUR agent isn't a salesperson.  We shouldn't be trying to 'sell' you on anything.  YOUR agent works for YOU....not the other way around.  When you hire an agent you are hiring a representative; someone who should be looking out for your best interests. Information is power, and I hope that I am able to help you.  Good luck, and as always...May the odds be ever in your favor out there....  If you are looking for a real estate agent, I would love to be able to help you.                                                                                                                                                                                      As always....this is just a quick overview.... please remember that your agent, and your lender work for YOU.  You drive the bus...we are merely GPS to help you get to your goals.  Like the classes, this weekly blog email is to help you with your home adventure.  The goal is to be informative and non-promotional.  :-)  We are, however, hoping you will call and want us to help with your adventure.                                                                       If you have any questions about this, or something you have heard...or if you would like me to help you with your home adventure, please call, email,                                     text, or facebook me anytime.  I am, as always, happy to help!                                                                        Thank you again for your business and your referrals!!  ...and thank you for referring these classes to your friends, family, and co-workers.                                                                           .                                      ..disclaimer...if you have already purchased a home, or would no longer like to receive these emails, please let me know and I will be happy to remove you from any further mailings...                                                                                                            Upcoming Topics:  When is a pre-approval not a pre-approval? Last Week:   55 things NOT to do when buying a home                                   Have a great day, and I will talk to you soon, ;-D Tracie DeMars Real Estate broker Re/Max - Van Mall 360/ 903-3504 cell 360/ 882-3600 fax www.traciedemars.com traciedemars@aol.com   “Interested in free and non promotional home education classes?  Go to www.freehomebuyerclasses.com for local upcoming home buyer and home SELLER classes, or facebook: Tracie DeMars Real Estate for my home buyer education blog.” "Listen to the mustn'ts, child. Listen to the don'ts. Listen to the shouldn'ts, the impossibles, the won'ts. Listen to the never haves, then listen close to me... Anything can happen, child. Anything can be."    - Shel Silverstein, American poet, cartoonist and composer, (1930 - 1999).   Reply Reply All Forward SlideshowDelete More  

[markjsousa]

The Cars Revving Up 2017’s Summer Blockbuster Movies

Youth interest in driving cars is at its lowest in generations. But interest in putting cars in youth entertainment is at an all-time high. This summer’s Hollywood film slate is all about the automobile, with the apex being a sneak peak of a Ford concept.

Call it Fast and the Furious: The Next Generation. Sony’s Baby Driver, now in theaters, aims to make auto stunts as slick and stylish as possible. As much a music video as a movie, Baby Driver is already lighting the world of gear-heads ablaze much the same way Fast and the Furious did in 2001.

#BabyDriverMovie is “the movie everyone will be talking about.” Certified Fresh! NOW PLAYING! Get tix (Link in bio)!

A post shared by Baby Driver (@babydrivermovie) on Jun 29, 2017 at 6:55pm PDT

But where that bloated—and profitable—franchise came to be more about the over-the-top stunt pieces than the cars, Baby Driver is pure gasoline and rubber and music.

Audiences leaving Baby Driver are going to be wanting three things. First, the numerous sunglasses the protagonist sports throughout the film (list here) and the Subaru, Dodge and Mercedes-Benz cars he drives (while wearing those sunglasses).

I think that Baby Driver may influence me to want a red 2006 Subaru Impreza II WRX at some point in my life http://pic.twitter.com/Wq0J0iB8Nd

— Panzersexual (@ThotlineMiami) June 24, 2017

Subaru doesn’t have an official tie-in with the film but local Subaru dealerships are already teasing the WRX’s star turn on social media.

The heist film “Baby Driver” opens tomorrow, with a #Subaru #WRX chase scene that came to the director in a dream. https://t.co/4GoT27kVlq http://pic.twitter.com/7t75CrC3oI

— Subaru Canada (@SubaruCanada) June 27, 2017

Baby Driver is opening in theaters June 28th with a #SubaruSTI as the feature getaway car!#BabyDriverMoviehttps://t.co/K5KCTBxYGc http://pic.twitter.com/VhCyuTyjp1

— Subaru of Orillia (@orilliasubaru) June 26, 2017

See the @thedrive's article to find out how Baby Driver's main star fell in love with a Subaru #WRX https://t.co/aB1iiqRZGA #BackedByBerman

— BermanMidCitySubaru (@MidCitySubaru) June 23, 2017

Did you notice the souped-up #Subaru WRX in the trailer for the new action movie "Baby Driver?" https://t.co/ugp2FTBlbo

— Subaru Orange Park (@Subaru_OP) April 30, 2017

In the upcoming movie Baby Driver, it's a Subaru that steals the spotlight: https://t.co/nkysyjrf42 https://t.co/R6lWjGzopw

— Dunning Subaru (@dunningsubaru) June 23, 2017

The Subaru WRX seen drifting in the film should see a premium in increased interest.

And the Dodge Challenger—seen already in Fast and Furious franchise and films like Nightcrawler—will be a standout. Baby Driver’s Instragam account teased the film with a gif of the Challenger’s characteristic taillights.

4 days until the #BabyDriverMovie trailer. #WrightRemixed Vol 2. @edgar_wright

A post shared by Baby Driver (@babydrivermovie) on Mar 7, 2017 at 3:24pm PST

The new Mercedes-Benz S 550 also makes a cameo in the movie, as teased on its Instagram feed.

Be sure to catch #BabyDriverMovie in theaters beginning today, and see the S 550 in action .

A post shared by Mercedes-Benz USA (@mbusa) on Jun 28, 2017 at 8:36am PDT

Other 2017 summer box office contenders with auto co-stars include Spider-Man: Homecoming, Disney-Pixar’s Cars 3 and Transformers: The Last Knight.

Spider-Man brings Audi into the story, both offscreen and on, with the film’s young star appearing in an Audi ad and behind-the-scenes clip.

Meanwhile, the latest Transformers films returned with its Bumblebee Camaro. But it wasn’t just Chevy’s hot rod Autobot—Transformers again features a stable of high performance dream machines.

Disney-Pixar’s Cars 3 continues its tradition of featuring “based-on” models. There is now a car that looks a lot like a Tesla. Another that winks at a BMW model. The Cars gang was introduced at the 2017 Detroit Auto Show.

Meanwhile, carmakers are already goosing audiences with auto eye candy for the 2018 movie season. A recent Instagram post by megastar Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson about his 2018 film Rampage included a glimpse at the Ford Bronco concept model.

SHE BRINGS IT. Thank you to my amazing costar, the Oscar nominated @naomieharris for the energy, focus and discipline you bring to set daily. What a mix of beauty and talent, but don't let the pretty face fool you, she can still take down any gigantic genetically modified monster that gets in her way. Grateful to share the screen with such a class act. #Rampage 4-20-2018 : @masistills

A post shared by therock (@therock) on Jun 22, 2017 at 5:00am PDT

With a Lexus concept vehicle poised to be a big part of this summer’s tentpole film Valerian and the City of a Thousand Planets, we recently looked at the long tradition of automakers creating concept cars for Hollywood. Like the movies themselves, some were winners and others fell flat. But with Ford Bronco’s nostalgic and fiercely loyal following, it’s likely some might go see Johnson’s films as much for the car as the star.

The post The Cars Revving Up 2017’s Summer Blockbuster Movies appeared first on brandchannel:.

[montydozier]

The Cars Revving Up 2017’s Summer Blockbuster Movies

Youth interest in driving cars is at its lowest in generations. But interest in putting cars in youth entertainment is at an all-time high. This summer’s Hollywood film slate is all about the automobile, with the apex being a sneak peak of a Ford concept.

Call it Fast and the Furious: The Next Generation. Sony’s Baby Driver, now in theaters, aims to make auto stunts as slick and stylish as possible. As much a music video as a movie, Baby Driver is already lighting the world of gear-heads ablaze much the same way Fast and the Furious did in 2001.

#BabyDriverMovie is “the movie everyone will be talking about.” Certified Fresh! NOW PLAYING! Get tix (Link in bio)!

A post shared by Baby Driver (@babydrivermovie) on Jun 29, 2017 at 6:55pm PDT

//platform.instagram.com/en_US/embeds.js

But where that bloated—and profitable—franchise came to be more about the over-the-top stunt pieces than the cars, Baby Driver is pure gasoline and rubber and music.

Audiences leaving Baby Driver are going to be wanting three things. First, the numerous sunglasses the protagonist sports throughout the film (list here) and the Subaru, Dodge and Mercedes-Benz cars he drives (while wearing those sunglasses).

I think that Baby Driver may influence me to want a red 2006 Subaru Impreza II WRX at some point in my life pic.twitter.com/Wq0J0iB8Nd

— Panzersexual (@ThotlineMiami) June 24, 2017

//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js

Subaru doesn’t have an official tie-in with the film but local Subaru dealerships are already teasing the WRX’s star turn on social media.

The heist film “Baby Driver” opens tomorrow, with a #Subaru #WRX chase scene that came to the director in a dream. https://t.co/4GoT27kVlq pic.twitter.com/7t75CrC3oI

— Subaru Canada (@SubaruCanada) June 27, 2017

//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js

Baby Driver is opening in theaters June 28th with a #SubaruSTI as the feature getaway car!#BabyDriverMoviehttps://t.co/K5KCTBxYGc pic.twitter.com/VhCyuTyjp1

— Subaru of Orillia (@orilliasubaru) June 26, 2017

//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js

See the @thedrive's article to find out how Baby Driver's main star fell in love with a Subaru #WRX https://t.co/aB1iiqRZGA #BackedByBerman

— BermanMidCitySubaru (@MidCitySubaru) June 23, 2017

//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js

Did you notice the souped-up #Subaru WRX in the trailer for the new action movie "Baby Driver?" https://t.co/ugp2FTBlbo

— Subaru Orange Park (@Subaru_OP) April 30, 2017

//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js

In the upcoming movie Baby Driver, it's a Subaru that steals the spotlight: https://t.co/nkysyjrf42 https://t.co/R6lWjGzopw

— Dunning Subaru (@dunningsubaru) June 23, 2017

//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js

The Subaru WRX seen drifting in the film should see a premium in increased interest.

And the Dodge Challenger—seen already in Fast and Furious franchise and films like Nightcrawler—will be a standout. Baby Driver’s Instragam account teased the film with a gif of the Challenger’s characteristic taillights.

4 days until the #BabyDriverMovie trailer. #WrightRemixed Vol 2. @edgar_wright

A post shared by Baby Driver (@babydrivermovie) on Mar 7, 2017 at 3:24pm PST

//platform.instagram.com/en_US/embeds.js

The new Mercedes-Benz S 550 also makes a cameo in the movie, as teased on its Instagram feed.

Be sure to catch #BabyDriverMovie in theaters beginning today, and see the S 550 in action .

A post shared by Mercedes-Benz USA (@mbusa) on Jun 28, 2017 at 8:36am PDT

//platform.instagram.com/en_US/embeds.js

Other 2017 summer box office contenders with auto co-stars include Spider-Man: Homecoming, Disney-Pixar’s Cars 3 and Transformers: The Last Knight.

Spider-Man brings Audi into the story, both offscreen and on, with the film’s young star appearing in an Audi ad and behind-the-scenes clip.

Meanwhile, the latest Transformers films returned with its Bumblebee Camaro. But it wasn’t just Chevy’s hot rod Autobot—Transformers again features a stable of high performance dream machines.

Disney-Pixar’s Cars 3 continues its tradition of featuring “based-on” models. There is now a car that looks a lot like a Tesla. Another that winks at a BMW model. The Cars gang was introduced at the 2017 Detroit Auto Show.

Meanwhile, carmakers are already goosing audiences with auto eye candy for the 2018 movie season. A recent Instagram post by megastar Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson about his 2018 film Rampage included a glimpse at the Ford Bronco concept model.

SHE BRINGS IT. Thank you to my amazing costar, the Oscar nominated @naomieharris for the energy, focus and discipline you bring to set daily. What a mix of beauty and talent, but don't let the pretty face fool you, she can still take down any gigantic genetically modified monster that gets in her way. Grateful to share the screen with such a class act. #Rampage 4-20-2018 : @masistills

A post shared by therock (@therock) on Jun 22, 2017 at 5:00am PDT

//platform.instagram.com/en_US/embeds.js

With a Lexus concept vehicle poised to be a big part of this summer’s tentpole film Valerian and the City of a Thousand Planets, we recently looked at the long tradition of automakers creating concept cars for Hollywood. Like the movies themselves, some were winners and others fell flat. But with Ford Bronco’s nostalgic and fiercely loyal following, it’s likely some might go see Johnson’s films as much for the car as the star.

The post The Cars Revving Up 2017’s Summer Blockbuster Movies appeared first on brandchannel:.

from WordPress https://montydozier.wordpress.com/2017/07/03/the-cars-revving-up-2017s-summer-blockbuster-movies/ via IFTTT

[glenmenlow]

The Cars Revving Up 2017’s Summer Blockbuster Movies

Youth interest in driving cars is at its lowest in generations. But interest in putting cars in youth entertainment is at an all-time high. This summer’s Hollywood film slate is all about the automobile, with the apex being a sneak peak of a Ford concept.

Call it Fast and the Furious: The Next Generation. Sony’s Baby Driver, now in theaters, aims to make auto stunts as slick and stylish as possible. As much a music video as a movie, Baby Driver is already lighting the world of gear-heads ablaze much the same way Fast and the Furious did in 2001.

#BabyDriverMovie is “the movie everyone will be talking about.” Certified Fresh! NOW PLAYING! Get tix (Link in bio)!

A post shared by Baby Driver (@babydrivermovie) on Jun 29, 2017 at 6:55pm PDT

//platform.instagram.com/en_US/embeds.js

But where that bloated—and profitable—franchise came to be more about the over-the-top stunt pieces than the cars, Baby Driver is pure gasoline and rubber and music.

Audiences leaving Baby Driver are going to be wanting three things. First, the numerous sunglasses the protagonist sports throughout the film (list here) and the Subaru, Dodge and Mercedes-Benz cars he drives (while wearing those sunglasses).

I think that Baby Driver may influence me to want a red 2006 Subaru Impreza II WRX at some point in my life pic.twitter.com/Wq0J0iB8Nd

— Panzersexual (@ThotlineMiami) June 24, 2017

//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js

Subaru doesn’t have an official tie-in with the film but local Subaru dealerships are already teasing the WRX’s star turn on social media.

The heist film “Baby Driver” opens tomorrow, with a #Subaru #WRX chase scene that came to the director in a dream. https://t.co/4GoT27kVlq pic.twitter.com/7t75CrC3oI

— Subaru Canada (@SubaruCanada) June 27, 2017

//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js

Baby Driver is opening in theaters June 28th with a #SubaruSTI as the feature getaway car!#BabyDriverMoviehttps://t.co/K5KCTBxYGc pic.twitter.com/VhCyuTyjp1

— Subaru of Orillia (@orilliasubaru) June 26, 2017

//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js

See the @thedrive's article to find out how Baby Driver's main star fell in love with a Subaru #WRX https://t.co/aB1iiqRZGA #BackedByBerman

— BermanMidCitySubaru (@MidCitySubaru) June 23, 2017

//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js

Did you notice the souped-up #Subaru WRX in the trailer for the new action movie "Baby Driver?" https://t.co/ugp2FTBlbo

— Subaru Orange Park (@Subaru_OP) April 30, 2017

//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js

In the upcoming movie Baby Driver, it's a Subaru that steals the spotlight: https://t.co/nkysyjrf42 https://t.co/R6lWjGzopw

— Dunning Subaru (@dunningsubaru) June 23, 2017

//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js

The Subaru WRX seen drifting in the film should see a premium in increased interest.

And the Dodge Challenger—seen already in Fast and Furious franchise and films like Nightcrawler—will be a standout. Baby Driver’s Instragam account teased the film with a gif of the Challenger’s characteristic taillights.

4 days until the #BabyDriverMovie trailer. #WrightRemixed Vol 2. @edgar_wright

A post shared by Baby Driver (@babydrivermovie) on Mar 7, 2017 at 3:24pm PST

//platform.instagram.com/en_US/embeds.js

The new Mercedes-Benz S 550 also makes a cameo in the movie, as teased on its Instagram feed.

Be sure to catch #BabyDriverMovie in theaters beginning today, and see the S 550 in action .

A post shared by Mercedes-Benz USA (@mbusa) on Jun 28, 2017 at 8:36am PDT

//platform.instagram.com/en_US/embeds.js

Other 2017 summer box office contenders with auto co-stars include Spider-Man: Homecoming, Disney-Pixar’s Cars 3 and Transformers: The Last Knight.

Spider-Man brings Audi into the story, both offscreen and on, with the film’s young star appearing in an Audi ad and behind-the-scenes clip.

Meanwhile, the latest Transformers films returned with its Bumblebee Camaro. But it wasn’t just Chevy’s hot rod Autobot—Transformers again features a stable of high performance dream machines.

Disney-Pixar’s Cars 3 continues its tradition of featuring “based-on” models. There is now a car that looks a lot like a Tesla. Another that winks at a BMW model. The Cars gang was introduced at the 2017 Detroit Auto Show.

Meanwhile, carmakers are already goosing audiences with auto eye candy for the 2018 movie season. A recent Instagram post by megastar Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson about his 2018 film Rampage included a glimpse at the Ford Bronco concept model.

SHE BRINGS IT. Thank you to my amazing costar, the Oscar nominated @naomieharris for the energy, focus and discipline you bring to set daily. What a mix of beauty and talent, but don't let the pretty face fool you, she can still take down any gigantic genetically modified monster that gets in her way. Grateful to share the screen with such a class act. #Rampage 4-20-2018 : @masistills

A post shared by therock (@therock) on Jun 22, 2017 at 5:00am PDT

//platform.instagram.com/en_US/embeds.js

With a Lexus concept vehicle poised to be a big part of this summer’s tentpole film Valerian and the City of a Thousand Planets, we recently looked at the long tradition of automakers creating concept cars for Hollywood. Like the movies themselves, some were winners and others fell flat. But with Ford Bronco’s nostalgic and fiercely loyal following, it’s likely some might go see Johnson’s films as much for the car as the star.

The post The Cars Revving Up 2017’s Summer Blockbuster Movies appeared first on brandchannel:.

from WordPress https://glenmenlow.wordpress.com/2017/07/03/the-cars-revving-up-2017s-summer-blockbuster-movies/ via IFTTT

[joejstrickl]

The Cars Revving Up 2017’s Summer Blockbuster Movies

Youth interest in driving cars is at its lowest in generations. But interest in putting cars in youth entertainment is at an all-time high. This summer’s Hollywood film slate is all about the automobile, with the apex being a sneak peak of a Ford concept.

Call it Fast and the Furious: The Next Generation. Sony’s Baby Driver, now in theaters, aims to make auto stunts as slick and stylish as possible. As much a music video as a movie, Baby Driver is already lighting the world of gear-heads ablaze much the same way Fast and the Furious did in 2001.

#BabyDriverMovie is “the movie everyone will be talking about.” Certified Fresh! NOW PLAYING! Get tix (Link in bio)!

A post shared by Baby Driver (@babydrivermovie) on Jun 29, 2017 at 6:55pm PDT

But where that bloated—and profitable—franchise came to be more about the over-the-top stunt pieces than the cars, Baby Driver is pure gasoline and rubber and music.

Audiences leaving Baby Driver are going to be wanting three things. First, the numerous sunglasses the protagonist sports throughout the film (list here) and the Subaru, Dodge and Mercedes-Benz cars he drives (while wearing those sunglasses).

I think that Baby Driver may influence me to want a red 2006 Subaru Impreza II WRX at some point in my life pic.twitter.com/Wq0J0iB8Nd

— Panzersexual (@ThotlineMiami) June 24, 2017

Subaru doesn’t have an official tie-in with the film but local Subaru dealerships are already teasing the WRX’s star turn on social media.

The heist film “Baby Driver” opens tomorrow, with a #Subaru #WRX chase scene that came to the director in a dream. https://t.co/4GoT27kVlq pic.twitter.com/7t75CrC3oI

— Subaru Canada (@SubaruCanada) June 27, 2017

Baby Driver is opening in theaters June 28th with a #SubaruSTI as the feature getaway car!#BabyDriverMoviehttps://t.co/K5KCTBxYGc pic.twitter.com/VhCyuTyjp1

— Subaru of Orillia (@orilliasubaru) June 26, 2017

See the @thedrive's article to find out how Baby Driver's main star fell in love with a Subaru #WRX https://t.co/aB1iiqRZGA #BackedByBerman

— BermanMidCitySubaru (@MidCitySubaru) June 23, 2017

Did you notice the souped-up #Subaru WRX in the trailer for the new action movie "Baby Driver?" https://t.co/ugp2FTBlbo

— Subaru Orange Park (@Subaru_OP) April 30, 2017

In the upcoming movie Baby Driver, it's a Subaru that steals the spotlight: https://t.co/nkysyjrf42 https://t.co/R6lWjGzopw

— Dunning Subaru (@dunningsubaru) June 23, 2017

The Subaru WRX seen drifting in the film should see a premium in increased interest.

And the Dodge Challenger—seen already in Fast and Furious franchise and films like Nightcrawler—will be a standout. Baby Driver’s Instragam account teased the film with a gif of the Challenger’s characteristic taillights.

4 days until the #BabyDriverMovie trailer. #WrightRemixed Vol 2. @edgar_wright

A post shared by Baby Driver (@babydrivermovie) on Mar 7, 2017 at 3:24pm PST

The new Mercedes-Benz S 550 also makes a cameo in the movie, as teased on its Instagram feed.

Be sure to catch #BabyDriverMovie in theaters beginning today, and see the S 550 in action .

A post shared by Mercedes-Benz USA (@mbusa) on Jun 28, 2017 at 8:36am PDT

Other 2017 summer box office contenders with auto co-stars include Spider-Man: Homecoming, Disney-Pixar’s Cars 3 and Transformers: The Last Knight.

Spider-Man brings Audi into the story, both offscreen and on, with the film’s young star appearing in an Audi ad and behind-the-scenes clip.

Meanwhile, the latest Transformers films returned with its Bumblebee Camaro. But it wasn’t just Chevy’s hot rod Autobot—Transformers again features a stable of high performance dream machines.

Disney-Pixar’s Cars 3 continues its tradition of featuring “based-on” models. There is now a car that looks a lot like a Tesla. Another that winks at a BMW model. The Cars gang was introduced at the 2017 Detroit Auto Show.

Meanwhile, carmakers are already goosing audiences with auto eye candy for the 2018 movie season. A recent Instagram post by megastar Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson about his 2018 film Rampage included a glimpse at the Ford Bronco concept model.

SHE BRINGS IT. Thank you to my amazing costar, the Oscar nominated @naomieharris for the energy, focus and discipline you bring to set daily. What a mix of beauty and talent, but don't let the pretty face fool you, she can still take down any gigantic genetically modified monster that gets in her way. Grateful to share the screen with such a class act. #Rampage 4-20-2018 : @masistills

A post shared by therock (@therock) on Jun 22, 2017 at 5:00am PDT

With a Lexus concept vehicle poised to be a big part of this summer’s tentpole film Valerian and the City of a Thousand Planets, we recently looked at the long tradition of automakers creating concept cars for Hollywood. Like the movies themselves, some were winners and others fell flat. But with Ford Bronco’s nostalgic and fiercely loyal following, it’s likely some might go see Johnson’s films as much for the car as the star.

The post The Cars Revving Up 2017’s Summer Blockbuster Movies appeared first on brandchannel:.

[davisgordonc]

The Cars Revving Up 2017’s Summer Blockbuster Movies

Youth interest in driving cars is at its lowest in generations. But interest in putting cars in youth entertainment is at an all-time high. This summer’s Hollywood film slate is all about the automobile, with the apex being a sneak peak of a Ford concept.

Call it Fast and the Furious: The Next Generation. Sony’s Baby Driver, now in theaters, aims to make auto stunts as slick and stylish as possible. As much a music video as a movie, Baby Driver is already lighting the world of gear-heads ablaze much the same way Fast and the Furious did in 2001.

#BabyDriverMovie is “the movie everyone will be talking about.” Certified Fresh! NOW PLAYING! Get tix (Link in bio)!

A post shared by Baby Driver (@babydrivermovie) on Jun 29, 2017 at 6:55pm PDT

//platform.instagram.com/en_US/embeds.js

But where that bloated—and profitable—franchise came to be more about the over-the-top stunt pieces than the cars, Baby Driver is pure gasoline and rubber and music.

Audiences leaving Baby Driver are going to be wanting three things. First, the numerous sunglasses the protagonist sports throughout the film (list here) and the Subaru, Dodge and Mercedes-Benz cars he drives (while wearing those sunglasses).

I think that Baby Driver may influence me to want a red 2006 Subaru Impreza II WRX at some point in my life http://pic.twitter.com/Wq0J0iB8Nd

— Panzersexual (@ThotlineMiami) June 24, 2017

//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js

Subaru doesn’t have an official tie-in with the film but local Subaru dealerships are already teasing the WRX’s star turn on social media.

The heist film “Baby Driver” opens tomorrow, with a #Subaru #WRX chase scene that came to the director in a dream. https://t.co/4GoT27kVlq http://pic.twitter.com/7t75CrC3oI

— Subaru Canada (@SubaruCanada) June 27, 2017

//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js

Baby Driver is opening in theaters June 28th with a #SubaruSTI as the feature getaway car!#BabyDriverMoviehttps://t.co/K5KCTBxYGc http://pic.twitter.com/VhCyuTyjp1

— Subaru of Orillia (@orilliasubaru) June 26, 2017

//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js

See the @thedrive's article to find out how Baby Driver's main star fell in love with a Subaru #WRX https://t.co/aB1iiqRZGA #BackedByBerman

— BermanMidCitySubaru (@MidCitySubaru) June 23, 2017

//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js

Did you notice the souped-up #Subaru WRX in the trailer for the new action movie "Baby Driver?" https://t.co/ugp2FTBlbo

— Subaru Orange Park (@Subaru_OP) April 30, 2017

//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js

In the upcoming movie Baby Driver, it's a Subaru that steals the spotlight: https://t.co/nkysyjrf42 https://t.co/R6lWjGzopw

— Dunning Subaru (@dunningsubaru) June 23, 2017

//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js

The Subaru WRX seen drifting in the film should see a premium in increased interest.

And the Dodge Challenger—seen already in Fast and Furious franchise and films like Nightcrawler—will be a standout. Baby Driver’s Instragam account teased the film with a gif of the Challenger’s characteristic taillights.

4 days until the #BabyDriverMovie trailer. #WrightRemixed Vol 2. @edgar_wright

A post shared by Baby Driver (@babydrivermovie) on Mar 7, 2017 at 3:24pm PST

//platform.instagram.com/en_US/embeds.js

The new Mercedes-Benz S 550 also makes a cameo in the movie, as teased on its Instagram feed.

Be sure to catch #BabyDriverMovie in theaters beginning today, and see the S 550 in action .

A post shared by Mercedes-Benz USA (@mbusa) on Jun 28, 2017 at 8:36am PDT

//platform.instagram.com/en_US/embeds.js

Other 2017 summer box office contenders with auto co-stars include Spider-Man: Homecoming, Disney-Pixar’s Cars 3 and Transformers: The Last Knight.

Spider-Man brings Audi into the story, both offscreen and on, with the film’s young star appearing in an Audi ad and behind-the-scenes clip.

Meanwhile, the latest Transformers films returned with its Bumblebee Camaro. But it wasn’t just Chevy’s hot rod Autobot—Transformers again features a stable of high performance dream machines.

Disney-Pixar’s Cars 3 continues its tradition of featuring “based-on” models. There is now a car that looks a lot like a Tesla. Another that winks at a BMW model. The Cars gang was introduced at the 2017 Detroit Auto Show.

Meanwhile, carmakers are already goosing audiences with auto eye candy for the 2018 movie season. A recent Instagram post by megastar Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson about his 2018 film Rampage included a glimpse at the Ford Bronco concept model.

SHE BRINGS IT. Thank you to my amazing costar, the Oscar nominated @naomieharris for the energy, focus and discipline you bring to set daily. What a mix of beauty and talent, but don't let the pretty face fool you, she can still take down any gigantic genetically modified monster that gets in her way. Grateful to share the screen with such a class act. #Rampage 4-20-2018 : @masistills

A post shared by therock (@therock) on Jun 22, 2017 at 5:00am PDT

//platform.instagram.com/en_US/embeds.js

With a Lexus concept vehicle poised to be a big part of this summer’s tentpole film Valerian and the City of a Thousand Planets, we recently looked at the long tradition of automakers creating concept cars for Hollywood. Like the movies themselves, some were winners and others fell flat. But with Ford Bronco’s nostalgic and fiercely loyal following, it’s likely some might go see Johnson’s films as much for the car as the star.

The post The Cars Revving Up 2017’s Summer Blockbuster Movies appeared first on brandchannel:.

from WordPress http://ift.tt/2tJwKF9 via IFTTT

[psychotherapyconsultants]

10 Famous People with Depression, Bipolar Disorder or Both

Whenever I hit a depression rut, where I feel disabled by the illness and therefore pathetic for being brought to my knees by a bunch of thoughts, it helps me to review celebrities — esteemed politicians, actors, musicians, comedians, astronauts, writers, and athletes — that I admire from both the past and present who have also wrestled the demons of depression and bipolar disorder. I feel less alone knowing that this infuriating condition doesn’t discriminate, and that I’m fighting alongside some of the world’s most talented and accomplished people.

Here are a few of the luminaries that have, over the course of their lives, shed some of the stigma of mental illness with their stories and who serve as inspiring role models for those of us in the trenches.

1. Ashley Judd

While visiting her sister, country singer Wynonna Judd, at a treatment center in 2006, counselors suggested that the actress and political activist check herself in, too. So Ashley Judd did just that and spent 47 days in a Texas treatment facility for depression and emotional problems. In a Today interview, she told Matt Lauer:

I was absolutely certifiably crazy, and now I get to have a solution. And for those who are codependent or suffer from depression, there is a solution.

In her memoir, All That Is Bitter and Sweet, Judd describes the abuse and neglect in her turbulent upbringing that led, in part, to her emotional pain and breakdown — and also the hope she feels by focusing on humanitarian work around the world.

2. Catherine Zeta-Jones

Academy Award winning actress Catherine Zeta-Jones never wanted to become a poster child for bipolar II disorder after she went public with her illness in April 2011, but she has nevertheless become a beautiful face behind the disorder. I, for one, am relieved the world can make a connection between one of the most talented and glamorous movie stars and a misunderstood illness.

I found it especially reassuring when she checked into a 30-day program in April 2013 to treat her disorder. The fact that a star can give herself permission to withdraw from the world in order to heal helps me feel less shame when I have to take a time-out for self-care myself.

3. Abraham Lincoln

Award-winning author Joshua Wolf Shenk did a masterful job of exposing the inner demons of the 16th president of the United States in his book Lincoln’s Melancholy: How Depression Challenged a President and Fueled His Greatness. I go back and read certain chapters whenever I need to be reminded that this curse can render gifts if we have the strength and perseverance to tame it, as Lincoln did. Shenk writes:

With Lincoln we have a man whose depression spurred him, painfully, to examine the core of his soul; whose hard work to stay alive helped him develop crucial skills and capacities, even as his depression lingered hauntingly; and whose inimitable character took great strength from the piercing insights of depression, the creative responses to it, and a spirit of humble determination forged over decades of deep suffering and earnest longing.

4. J.K. Rowling

When the author of the runaway bestselling Harry Potter series was a struggling writer in her twenties — a single mother and newly divorced — she suffered from severe depression and contemplated suicide. She sought help through cognitive behavioral therapy, and after nine months, the suicidal thoughts disappeared.

“I have never been remotely ashamed of having been depressed,” she said in an interview on Suicide.org. “Never. What’s there to be ashamed of? I went through a really tough time and I am quite proud that I got out of that.” Today she doesn’t hesitate to talk about her depression in order to fight the stigma associated with mental illness.

5. Jared Padalecki

Supernatural star Jared Padalecki openly talks about his struggles with depression and feels so passionately about supporting people battling emotional demons that he initiated Always Keep Fighting, his T-shirt campaign through Represent.com to benefit the nonprofit organization To Write Love on Her Arms (TWLOHA), which supports people struggling with depression, addiction, self-injury, and suicide.

During filming of the third season of Supernatural, Padalecki broke down in his trailer after shooting an episode. A doctor soon diagnosed him with clinical depression; he was 25 at the time. Padalecki recently told Variety:

I, for a long time, have been passionate about people dealing with mental illness and struggling with depression, or addiction, or having suicidal thoughts and, strangely enough, it’s almost like the life I live as well. These characters that we play on Supernatural, Sam and Dean, are always dealing with something greater than themselves, and I’ve sort of learned from the two of them that they get through it with each other, and with help and with support.

6. Brooke Shields

Brooke Shields had just released her book Down Came the Rain in 2005 about her bout with postpartum depression when I plunged into a severe depression and was hospitalized. A friend sent the book to me, and I’ll always remember the relief I felt when I read the back cover copy — feeling as though this actress-model was giving me permission to feel the pain: “Sitting on my bed, I let out a deep, slow, guttural wail,” she writes. “I wasn’t simply emotional or weepy … This was something quite different. This was sadness of a shockingly different magnitude. It felt as if it would never go away.”

She also wrote a brave op-ed piece for The New York Times following Tom Cruise’s infamous rant with Matt Lauer on NBC’s Today about psychiatry, lambasting Shields and others for taking antidepressants. “Once we admit that postpartum is a serious medical condition,” she writes, “then the treatment becomes more available and socially acceptable. With a doctor’s care, I have since tapered off the medication, but without it, I wouldn’t have become the loving parent I am today.”

7. Winston Churchill

British Prime Minister Winston Churchill referred to his depression as his “black dog”: recurrent episodes of darkness that permeated his life, influencing his career and political leadership. Some people surmise that it was Churchill’s depression that ultimately allowed him to assess the threat of Germany. British psychiatrist Anthony Storr writes:

Only a man who knew what it was to discern a gleam of hope in a hopeless situation, whose courage was beyond reason and whose aggressive spirit burned at its fiercest when he was hemmed in and surrounded by enemies, could have given emotional reality to the words of defiance which rallied and sustained us in the menacing summer of 1940.

He was born into a family of mental illness, and his daughter Diana committed suicide in 1962. Still, he managed to lead the United Kingdom as prime minister from 1940 to 1945 and again from 1951 to 1955, to thrive as a writer and historian, winning the Nobel Prize in Literature, and to be the first person to be made an honorary citizen of the United States.

8. Art Buchwald

He was one of the most successful newspaper columnists of his time, the recipient of a Pulitzer Prize, and a comic genius. But I appreciated Art Buchwald most as one of the three “Blues Brothers” (with Pulitzer Prize winner William Styron and former 60 Minutes reporter and cohost Mike Wallace), who spoke and wrote publicly about his bouts with depression and bipolar disorder.

Buchwald was hospitalized for clinical depression in 1963 and for manic depression in 1987. He was suicidal both times, and credited prescription drugs, therapy, and the hospital staff for saving his life. Had the nurses not been there to “rock him like a baby” during his harrowing dark night, he said he believed he might not have survived to see the light at the end of the tunnel.

9. Amanda Beard

Amanda Beard seemed to have the perfect life: four Olympic medals by age 18 and a promising modeling career. But in a People interview, she confessed that when she went home, “it was just darkness.” Her self-loathing led to bulimia, cutting herself, and depression. In September 2005, Beard began taking antidepressants and seeing a therapist. “It’s not like I went to therapy and — poof! better,” she said in the interview.

Today she’s off her medication, and she hasn’t cut herself since 2008. I admire that she’s real about the enduring struggle. “Even today I have my issues,” she says, “The key is saying, ‘Let’s enjoy this — life is short.’”

10. Jane Pauley

Jane Pauley, the former host of Today and Dateline NBC, was diagnosed with bipolar disorder in 2001 and wrote about her illness in her 2004 memoir, Skywriting: A Life Out of the Blue. During a leave from the network, she was admitted to a psychiatric clinic and treated, but no one at the time knew about her struggles. Now she is outspoken about living with bipolar disorder and depression and raises awareness about mental illness.

In a 2004 Today interview, Pauley explained that her diagnosis was a shock and a relief. She believes it surfaced due to a combination of antidepressants and steroids she took for a case of hives. About taking lithium, she said to Matt Lauer:

It just is stabilizing. It allows me to be who I am. A mood disorder is dangerous. You’ve got to get those dramatic highs and lows stabilized. It’s dangerous if you don’t.

Join Project Hope & Beyond, the new depression community.

Originally posted on Sanity Break at Everyday Health.

from World of Psychology https://psychcentral.com/blog/archives/2017/04/20/10-famous-people-with-depression-bipolar-disorder-or-both/