#also more inspector valentine content

[finallyouttathatdress]

It's past midnight. I took my adhd meds too late in the day and now I cannot sleep. Do I get up and do something productive with my time? Work on one of my WIP fics? Work on the model I've been redesigning? Make those videos i need to have done by Wednesday? Don't be silly!

No, it's a much more efficient use of my time to scroll through the tags of my favorite side character from the show with a very small fandom that's become my most recent hyper fixation. Have I literally gone through every post with this character tagged? Yes. Yes, I have. But will I go through them again because I need more of this character? Also yes.

Will any of this help me sleep? No, absolutely not.

[nishaapologist]

THE WORK OF WOLVES - MASTERPOST

The new Overboss, in Nisha's mind, is too young to be as monstrous as she is; she looks like some young lamb, her flesh soft and tender under the harsh edge of a blade, and Nisha doesn't expect her to survive the cruelty of their world, bathed in blood and steel as it is. Yet, when she slaughters Colter with all the skill of an abattoir butcher, and smiles as brightly as a machete's glint in the light, it's clear there's more behind those big dark eyes than anyone could ever come to expect.

By their fruits shall ye know them, and all that.

Even hundreds of years after the bombs turned back the clock on what-once-was America, people still often underestimate the ambitions of dark-eyed little girls with a taste for poor behaviour. Andrea Jiménez intends to prove she’s the worst of them all.

A Fallout 4/Nuka-World DLC series about raiders getting everything they ever wanted, and maybe a little bit more. Featuring Nisha/f!Overboss, he/him lesbians, and a whole damn amusement park of queer people. It's going to be a great summer season of 2287.

FICS (full length):

The Work of Wolves (ongoing)

FICS (short length):

Welcome to Flavourtown

Kinktober 2022

ART:

Rottweiler Bandogge (your local Pack dog breeder)

A Quadruplet of Rotts

Andrea Jiménez Concepts

Nisha Concepts

There They Go, Kidnapping Baby Molerats Again

I'm Something of an Asshole

Nisha, Local Menace

Andrea, Nisha, Mason (1920x1080 wallpapers)

With Arms Like Those, Who Needs Knives?

Itty Bitty Overboss

The Work of Wolves, Cover Art

Nisha's Fat T*ts

S U C C (i'm sorry i draw memes sometimes)

so true best tits :)

Andy

Got Me Confused

i got worms :(

Andy Andy Andy

The Kill and Grill

Bite Bite

Tierney

+3 Charisma Drip

Thonkin' (i'm still drawing memes my bad)

Scalpel

The Work of Wolves, Cover Art V2

heehoo pupper :3

Cut Here

Lamb, She-Wolf, Overboss, Warlord

Batch of Andys

Valentine's 2022

Nisha's Haircut

Andy's Hangout

Local Twink

Open Jacket

👀

Arf

Andy + Alejo

do you see this shit alejo

Sorry Girls

GIRLS GIRLS GIRLS

cover them up, slut

Nukacade

Stupid Boy

Gender Envy

Nisha, Local Menace V2

Graffiti

Who Would Win?

Fun With Knives

The Jiménez Twins (2078 AU)

Itty Bitty Nisha

Lame-Ass Boyfriend

Cigars

Off The Leash

Nisha, Growing Up

Playing With Dolls

Bestial Warmonger

Nuka-Express

THE FOLLOWING IS PURE FICTION

negotiations

ART PART II:

60: Feeling Lucky? 61: Andrea Jiménez Concepts, Redrawn 62: Andrea, Nisha, Mason: Redrawn (1920 x 1080 wallpapers) 63: Andy, Getting Older 64: YOUR OVERBOSS NEEDS YOU! (Fallout Roleplaying) 65: Perfect Seat 66: F.B.I (Female Body Inspector)

MISC. STUFF:

The Work of Wolves tag

Cover art V1/V2

Andrea + Friends: Fallout Roleplaying stickers/emojis

TESTIMONIALS:

"I love these little murder gremlins. Your characterization remains spot on. Great job murph ily"

"Reading this makes me regret short-changing the disciples at every turn. But it's really nice to see the Commonwealth's resident murder queen unrestricted loathing. This is superb."

"got a VERY strong opening on andy's hot girl summer here i think id like to dip her low and kiss her so sweetly in the moonlight"

"ha, gay."

"They're gonna kiss while just covered in blood aren't they?"

"you can't catch me kinky thoughts!!! I am too fast!!!"

"This? THIS? Is the shit I've been looking, PRAYING, for, and oh boy, have I found it. JOLY.GOOD.SHOW."

[you can help add more testimonials by commenting on AO3!]

NOTES:

The Sole Survivor, aka Nate/Nora, does NOT show up in this series in any meaningful capacity. Also, pretty much every character unless implied/mentioned otherwise is queer, and the vast majority of the Pack are nonbinary because they tripped over and spilled all the gender juice. Whoops.

Given the nature of this content and subject matter, there are standing content warnings for explicit and bloody violence, drug use, alcohol abuse, mentions/scenes of murder/torture/suicide, sexual content (severity of which will be marked ahead of time), extremely bad language all the time, and people making bad decisions, intentionally, for profit. There are also tags and warnings for individual chapters on AO3.

Finally, this fic updates in batches because I am a chronic double-drafter, so there will be hiatuses between batches whilst I build a buffer! However, when chapters do go up, they will be (more or less) posted every Saturday at 4pm GMT (or 4pm BST if you're reading this between March and October), so look out for that!

If you like my fic or my art, why not leave some kudos, drop a comment, and reblog? It means the world to me! ♥️

[tremendousdetectivetheorist]

Since your blog became my sort of second home, you've just introduced me to Raffles and Bunny. Could you give me your top five reasons why to watch/read Raffles without spoilers? (I think I will do both anyway)

awww thank you anon for the lovely message. :) It’s a good time to ask, since the ides of March are coming...it sounds ominous, but in Raffles canon that’s when Raffles and Bunny reunite and begin their adventures! So here are 5 reasons I can think of.

I invite others to add their reasons as they wish! :) 1. In the tv series, Anthony Valentine and Christopher Strauli are *perfect* as Raffles and Bunny. They have great chemistry. They’re just....so hot together, agh!! 🔥 Go watch it! 2. Victor Carin as Inspector MacKenzie! He’s very sassy and brings a lot of personality to the part. He doesn’t appear right away; they sort of tease him out over time. We first see him onscreen in episode 5: The Chest of Silver, iirc. 3. The Raffles books by E.W. Hornung are super gay!! :D And angsty and heartbreaking at times. 😭 Even the first paragraph of The Ides of March is a lot: “It was half-past twelve when I returned to the Albany1 as a last desperate resort. The scene of my disaster was much as I had left it. The baccarat-counters still strewed the table, with the empty glasses and the loaded ash-trays. A window had been opened to let the smoke out, and was letting in the fog instead. Raffles himself had merely discarded his dining jacket for one of his innumerable blazers2. Yet he arched his eyebrows as though I had dragged him from his bed.”

I pulled that from Raffles Redux which has all the stories/books. Hornung/Bunny paints a scene and it’s so intimate. Also there’s something hilarious about watching Raffles and Bunny keep up their gentlemenly image...keeping up a “straight” appearance while they’re really gay. criminal. disasters. XD I mean, it’s hilarious until it’s heartbreaking..

4. The fandom! It’s small and friendly with talented content creators. I’m happy to point you to my fave videos, fic, and art if you’d like. Hmm, perhaps I’ll reblog some soon.... there are also the little “events” like Raffles Week which is coming up next month! Also Bunny Face Monday, which I still see others do sometimes...not to mention @the-prince-of-professors​ weekly gifs which give me a little happy boost when I see them. There’s also a discord which I can link you to if you ask! They’re doing a reading club in it btw and it’s chill :) 5. “Other things” ;D Jk, jk. Another reason to read the books is that Bunny’s the narrator and we get more of his character in them. In the series his role is more like that of a sexy sidekick for Raffles (which is fine and I appreciate that in its own way!), but in the books he’s a writer and more independent imo. 🎩

[sidneycarter]

I’ve been so thirsty for father brown behind the scenes content ;;;;; also Mallory and Sullivan would make a BRILLIANT double act with long-suffering adorable Goodfellow as their joint side kick... if I’m honest I wouldn’t say no to all of the detectives coming back permanently and being an amazing team :(

if ur a uk fan then i feel obliged to tell you that there are behind the scenes father brown clips on the bbc website (which i only found semi recently). and it includes this from the season 8 finale one and i mean, tom chambers took the words out my mouth!!

[rose-edith]

Also how about living in a QPR with Valentine?

Hope you like it!

Living in a QPR with Inspector Valentine would include:

-you’re both so comfortable around each other. When you’re close, maybe curled up on the sofa, or cooking together in the kitchen you both have perpetual smiles on your faces.

-speaking of cooking together, that’s you’re favourite thing to do. The two of you work in perfect synchronicity to prepare and cook a whole variety of tasty foods, sometimes you both really push the boat out and try to outdo the other! But it’s always good fun, and the atmosphere is one of peace and contentment.

-when you’re out together in public you both walk close together, so that sometimes your hands will brush as you’re walking. To the causal observer this is nothing more than an accident. But to the both of you it’s thrilling and you like the feel of it.

-when he wants a cigarette you’ll often spark one up for him from his cigarette case and pass it over once it’s lit. The smile he gives you makes your heart beat at a million miles per hour.

-the two of you drink lots of tea together, in the evenings he’ll often make it Irish and add some whiskey to his and he’ll always offer you the same and he smiles everytime when you are greeted with the bitter taste.

-every morning you straighten his hat and pass him an apple to take to work, you absolutely refuse to let him leave the house without a piece of fruit or without his hat being on properly. He likes the fuss that you make over him, and you like the tender smile that grows on his face as he watches you make sure he’s ready to be seen by the outside world.

[utaprifanzine]

Concept Pitch: Prismatic v2 + Fantasy AU Zine

(Quick reminder that secondary admin applications are also still open! So, if you’re interested in helping us out with the project outlined below, feel free to apply here!)

To start, I want to clarify that either project, regardless of it we go forward with only one or both, would not be starting until next year.

This concept pitch is being released now, rather than closer to the end of the year, because if we do go ahead with both projects, there will be a smaller round of applications in November in preparation for the main round of applications in February. This will be explained in further detail below the cut.

There is also a feedback form (link) for this pitch that we’d like to ask everyone interested to fill out. As per last time, if it gets over 70 responses then we’ll do at least one of the zines, but whether or not we do both and/or how we do them will depend on the responses.

Two main things will be decided by the responses in this form: -> Whether or not we do both projects or just one (four possible scenarios explained below the cut) -> The exact theme of the AU zine (“ ”)

 The following information will be split into three categories: “Zine Content”, “Applications”, and “Possible Schedules”

“Possible Schedules” is where you’ll find all four advancement options outlined and explained, and “Zine Content” will contain the possible themes we’re looking at for the AU zine.

That being said, this will still be a strictly non-profit project (not affiliated with a charity), and the content rules set in place for the first volume of prismatic will not be changing. 

However, we will allow submitted AUs to have more mature plots/themes as well as implied/referenced ships provided that the content produced for the zine does not contain those themes or those ships (i.e. if the plot for AU ends in a particular ship, that’s fine, as long as the final writing/art that goes into publication for the zine is generic. Your AU won’t be penalized in the application review for simply containing ships or mature themes).

 There’s a lot of information below the cut, so we’ve highlighted the most important pieces in bold!

Zine Content

In this section, we’re going to be talking about each zine in it’s own subsection, so that it doesn’t get confusing. Prismatic first, followed by the AU zine.

Prismatic V2 (Working Title)

This would be a second volume of Prismatic. It would pick up where the first volume left off and cover the next 7 gacha and 14 events leading up to (and including) the 1st anniversary of the game. The cover, prints/merch, and overall design would be based on the “My Only Prince” UR set.

All events/gacha will be represented by a double page spread, that has an A4 illustration on the left hand side and a piece of flash fiction on the right. The MOP gacha will have four double page spreads (for a total of eight pages) that would feature four A4 illustrations and four pieces of flash fiction. The estimated page count is 60.

The gacha and events to be featured are as follows:

 Gacha:                                                                           Events:

Cheerful & Happy Valentines                                         The Confused Soloist

Grateful White Day                                                         Aqua Crystal

Shining Sports Day                                                     Inspector Kurusu’s Pursuit

Fantasy Circus                                                         Professor Renarty’s Scheme

Caught in the Rain                                                        Shining Solo Series Cecil

Marine Festival                                                             Shining Solo Series Tokiya

Glittering Summer Festival Night                                         No More Say

MOP: A Class + Cecil                                                          No More Bets

MOP: S Class                                                             Shining Solo Series Masato

MOP: Reiji & Ranmaru                                                        Resolute March

MOP: Ai & Camus                                                           Renegades in Unison

                                                                                    Starflowers Bloom at Night

                                                                                            Steal Your Heart

                                                                                      Shining Solo Series Ren

 As far as contributors, we would have 25 writer slots and 45 artist slots, the latter including print, chibi, and cover artists.

  AU Zine

This zine would feature fanmade AUs involving the Utapri characters.

There would be six featured AUs (two per idol group, so Starish, QN, and Heavens would all be represented), that would have eight pages each; four for art and four for writing. There will also be a four page story to go with the cover design, but the cover (and, by extension, the cover story) will depend on the final theme for the zine.

We’re looking to make this zine fantasy-themed, and have narrowed down three distinct themes that we could use. You can vote for your favourite one in the feedback form!

Possible Themes: -> High Fantasy: Mythical Creatures and Magical Powers -> Dark Fantasy: Monsters and Mayhem -> Urban Fantasy: Steampunk and Sci-fi

 The estimated page count for the zine is 64 pages, and we would have contributor slots for 7 writers and 20 artists (incl. cover, chibi, and print). There would be three contributors working on each AU – one writer and two artists – and the creation period would also be longer.

  Applications

Once again, this section will be split into two subsections for each zine!

 Prismatic (“regular” applications)

Applications for Prismatic would be our main application period and would be open for three weeks (last week of Jan 2020 through Feb 15 2020).

The process would largely be the same as it was for the first issue, with separate forms for artists, writers, and cover design. However, in response to feedback from our first zine, there would be changes to the limitations on those forms.

Firstly, artists will be able to submit more than 5 samples, provided that all their samples are in one folder. There will also probably be a limit in the total number of samples/images, but that will be decided later.

For writers, we will be introducing a limit of 5000 words across all submitted samples per application. This means that the total word count of all the samples a writer submits for their application must not be greater than 5000 words.

Secondly, unlike last time, at least one of a writer’s samples must be a stand alone piece that does not exceed 1000 words, given that the pages you’d be applying for would be flash fiction pieces of 500 words or less.

The applications and review would still be done by page, so your application would only be reviewed/considered for the specific pages that you select on the form. However, since this time we know in advance that we’d be accepting print and chibi artists, artists will be able to select which positions they would like to be considered for.

  AU Zine

If we go ahead with the AU zine, there would be two opportunities to apply as a contributor.

The first application period would be held over the entire month of November, and would only be for interested applicants to submit their AU ideas to the zine. We would be holding this round of applications separate to “regular” applications in order to pin down which six AUs will be featured in the zine, so that we can allow interested contributors to apply for both zines at the same time in February, during the main/second round of applications.

As mentioned before, there would be three people working on each AU, but one of these three will be the creator/owner of the AU. They can be either the writer or one of the artists and would also be submitting samples of their own work alongside their AU information, since they would also be required to be a contributor, should their AU be chosen for the zine. We would not be accepting AUs without their creator.

 To submit an AU idea, applicants would need to provide the following information on their AU:

-> a character relationship chart -> rough outline of at least three plot/story arcs (among these, there must be at least 1 main plotline and 1 subplot) -> character designs for each member of the group to be the focus of the AU (can be rough sketches/concepts) -> description/explanation on the lore of the fantastical elements of the AU (dependent on the type of fantasy we settle on for the theme) -> basic worldbuilding (incl. social hierarchies, environmental information, general landscapes and territories, historical information relevant to major plot points/places/characters) -> brief backstory for each member of the group in focus

(It’s also worth noting that the submitted AUs must be noticeably different from any similar existing official utapri AUs or collaborations. i.e. you can’t submit a vampire AU with the QPot Sweets Vampire designs and you can’t submit a Pirate AU that has the same plot as Pirates of the Frontier)

(you will also be allowed to submit an AU that you’ve already posted content for online. However you will be required to produce new content for it should it be accepted into the zine)

 The idea behind having all these requirements, is to show us that you, as the creator, have fleshed out the AU enough so that a writer or an artist can easily write or draw something for it using the information that you already have. The two contributors that would be working with you to produce content for the zine are not responsible for creating/fleshing out your AU for you and should ideally be able to work from the information you already have.

You will also not be expected to uphold a high level of quality for the positions that you are not applying for. That is to say, if you submitted your AU and are applying as the writer for it, don’t worry about the quality/skill level of your artwork. Likewise, if you’re applying as an artist, don’t worry about the craftsmanship of your writing.

(We’re also looking into providing templates for people to use for the AU application, to make the process easier).

 After the six AUs have been picked, the types of AUs (i.e. Starish Vampire AU, Heavens Pirate AU, etc.) and the remaining positions for each would be announced before “regular” applications in February and interested contributors would be able to apply for those positions at the same time as Prismatic. Both would be available on the same application form.

However, unlike Prismatic, the owners of the AUs will not be announced until after the main application period is over, to prevent people from applying to contribute to a particular AU just because a specific person created it.

   Possible Schedules

 The whole idea behind running two zines at once was to not only allow more people to participate, but also to avoid running a zine where the contributor slots were too few and too limited (as is the case with the current concept for the AU zine). 

My original planned schedule was to run both at once, have pre-orders for both open at the same time, and have both release on the same day for the sake of simplicity - however, this hypothetical schedule received a rather mixed response, particularly in regards to selling both zines at the same time.

In response to this, I’ve instead planned out four possible schedules going forward: two where both zines are done, and two where only one of the zines is done. In terms of feedback, I’m asking anyone interested in either contributing or buying the finished product to read over schedules and consider which one you think is better, then let us know on the feedback form! 

Ultimately, this is purely a passion project for the fanbase, so it does matter a lot to us what you all think is best.

 Schedule #1: Both Zines Run at the Same Time This was the original concept, where both zines were run, went up for pre-order, and were released at the same time. The rough schedule was: -> November: 1st round of applications (AU ideas only) -> December: AU ideas reviewed -> late January – February: Main applications for Prismatic & AU zine are opened, closed, and reviewed -> March 1st: creation period begins -> late April: Prismatic final submissions -> early-mid May: AU final submissions -> late May: pre-orders open (both zines) -> mid-June: pre-orders close (both zines) -> mid- July: both zines release

 Schedule #2: Both zines are released separately

The idea here was in response to the concern of having both zines for sale at the same time and scheduled for release at the same time being counterproductive to the success of the project, given the utapri is still a relatively small fandom in the west. For this variant, the schedule remains the same, right up until pre-orders open: -> late May: pre-orders open (Prismatic only) -> mid-June: pre-orders closed (Prismatic only) -> mid-July: Prismatic releases -> mid- August: Prismatic contributors can post their works online -> mid-September: pre-orders open (AU only) -> mid- October: pre-orders closed (AU only) -> mid-November: AU zine released (US orders sent) -> mid-December: International AU orders sent

*Note: the delay in shipping between US and international orders would be due to Jinx being in the US from mid-August to mid-December. No-one wants to ship internationally from the US. It’s a nightmare.

 Schedule #3: only Prismatic runs

In this case, the schedule would remain the same as it is in schedule #1, except that any AU-only related dates would be taken out, since Prismatic would be the only zine running.

 Schedule #4: only the AU zine runs In this case, the schedule would remain the same as it is in schedule #1, except that any Prismatic-only dates would be taken out, since Prismatic would not be running.

In addition, here we would also have the option of either running a double volume of the AU zine (i.e. take all the specs outlined for the content and double it) or producing two volumes, each with a different theme. If this is your preferred schedule, make sure to vote for which option you’d prefer!

 And that wraps up our concept pitch! Thank you to everyone who’s read this far and please consider (if you are able and have the time) to fill out the feedback form to let us know what you thoughts are for this project!

Sincerely,

The Utapri Fanzine Team

[pass-the-bechdel]

Continuum s03e10 ‘Revolutions per Minute’

Does it pass the Bechdel Test? 

Yes, four times.

How many female characters (with names and lines) are there?

Six (40%).                                                                                                            

How many male characters (with names and lines) are there?

Nine (60%).

Positive Content Rating: 

Three.

General Episode Quality: 

Better.

MORE INFO (and potential spoilers) UNDER THE CUT:

Passing the Bechdel: Sonya picks ups Christine. Kiera speaks with Catherine. Sonya drops off Christine. Kiera picks up Christine.  

Female Characters:                                                                          

Kiera Cameron (OTL)

Betty Robertson

Christine Dillon

Sonya Valentine

Jacqueline

Catherine

Male Characters:

John Doe / Brad Tonkin

Alec Saddler (Green)

Jason

Carlos Fonnegra

Inspector Jack Dillon

Lucas Ingram

Matthew Kellog

Julian Randol

Warren

Other Notes:

A low-key but really interesting detail this episode is that both Sonya and Dillon each feel like they’re losing the war against each other. 

Of course the present day has a proto-Corporate Congress.  Only they could make this version of Alec--who organizes a memorial for Green Kiera partially so that he can conceal evidence that he scavenged her CMR--seem less-than-sinister. 

After ending their partnership on a cordial note, Kiera and Catherine are suddenly frosty. I’m interested.

Brad, it seems fairly clear, is from a different future than Kiera’s. Interestingly enough, it’s one where Kellog is well-known, and Alec isn’t. 

There are again suggestions that a sexual / romantic connection between Kiera and Brad is imminent, if not already in existence. I don’t get these. Granted, Kiera dismisses these comments herself, but the show is also pushing the parallels between them--they’re both married parents from the future!--fairly hard. 

One thing Brad’s presence does highlight, though, is just how asexual Kiera comes off.  She obviously cares about Brad--weirdly so, given how little they know about each other and Kiera’s trust issues--and yet there’s not an ounce of heat between them.  

Is it a coincidence that the episode where the male:female character ratio has returned to average is also considerably better than the one that came before, and had almost no female characters?  Probably, but still. 

[gwenpaint-blog]

A Couple of Cute-cumbers

((In which PI and Miss Paint go on their afternoon Valentines date and adorkableness ensues.

@dilldaydreamer​

Pembrooke

Your name is Pembrooke Ingleton and you are on a date for Valentines Day!  Well, sort of yes date but light completely no pressure it's just a thing to do for Valentines Day date.  Date-lite.  With a lovely Gwen Paint even. The two of you decided on an impromptu picnic, you picking the mysterious location and her picking the contents of the picnic basket.  You had an idea for where to go, a bit of a risky choice since for all you know she'll be put off more than intrigued.  But! Well, an attempt is being made. You finish your shift and switch into a nicer outfit in your office that you thought to take with you.  This was perhaps the first Valentines you've actually had...things to do even.  Late afternoon picnic with Pain, late evening meeting with Fin.  And you aren't going to think about how you spent the day before making dick shaped cupcakes for Rex or the flood of cards you've been getting today. God damnit there are probably going to be  some more waiting for you when you get back in tomorrow. That ass.

But for now! FOR NOW, it is pleasantries!  You get your coat and step out of your office...preparing to wait in the lobby for her to arrive since it seemed easier to meet at the precinct than not.

MK

((Don't forget about the shorts.))

Pembrooke

Oh. Yes. That's right. The second you try to put on your formal slacks they turn into formal shorts.  God....damnit.

Miss Paint🌽

Your name is Gwen Paint. You are excited for your casual date with Inspector Pemprooke. Earlier you had spent most of the day with Karkat and enjoyed romantic movies and popcorn and giggling. Then your moirail helped you get ready for your date by helping you choose a cute outfit. You pack up your picnic basket with the food you had prepared. Everything that would be tasty to eat at room temperature save for the drinks which you were keeping cool in a thermos. You also have some fresh fruit to cute up and top the drinks once they're poured. You pack some blankets as well just in case you get chilly. You catch a cab to the precinct and head in sending Pembrooke a quick text to let him know you were at the meeting location.

Pembrooke

You get the text just as you are heading out, creating that scene of you checking your phone as you walk through the gate separating the lobby from the rest of the precinct. Looking up, you smile.  "Ah! Hello!  I'm glad that you were able to make it.  Ah...apologies for my attire.  Grey magic. It is...how it is.  But! Compared to prior worries I'll take it if this is all they're going to throw at us!" You eye the basket and blankets, good practical things. Yes good. Excellent.  "Are you ready to go?"

Miss Paint

You take in his appearance and... well you actually can't object too much to the view though this is a cruel time of year to do such a thing to a person. "Oh dear. Well, at least they look well on you. I'm quite glad I brought blankets now!" you say cheerfully. You nod to his question and hold up the basket, "Quite ready!"

Pembrooke

"Wonderful. Right this way madame...well...to my car.  It's uh, we're not picnicking here I promise. Just...need to get to the garage first."  Smooth Pembrooke. Very smooth.  But hey at least the garage is slightly heated so your legs won't freeze immediately. You lead her through a couple corridor's out into the closed garage where your car is.  After that momentary debate inwardly about if you hold the door for the backseat so she can put the basket in or should you hold the front door passenger side...ending up with you awkwardly trying to open too many doors...you both somehow find yourself in the car as two people about to drive off do. Fastening your seatbelt, you give a smile.  "Thank you by the way, for agreeing to this. I hope it will be fun!"

Miss Paint

You giggle and blush when he calls you madame and giggle a little more when he goes a bit door crazy. You thank him warmly as you put in the basket in the back and then deposit yourself in the front passenger seat. Buckling up yourself, you cheeks flushed softly you say, "Well I was quite delighted you wanted to. And considering the company I know it will be enjoyable!"

Pembrooke

Well now you're cheeks are flushing as you start the car up and slowly pull out of the garage.  You begin driving through the city, minding the traffic and not seeming in a notable hurry as you go. "Anything exciting happen since we last talked in your life?"

Miss Paint

"Not really. Well, one of my bosses tried making chocolates today and red food coloring exploded all over. I helped them clean off their hands with some stain remover," you tell him, laughing a little at the recent memory. "They were very sweet and offered chocolates to everyone who wanted them."

Pembrooke

"Oh goodness.  That sounds like an adventures.  But I'm glad it sounds like it all worked out in the end." you smile wide at the anecdote.  "It is always nice when everyone is able to enjoy a holiday in some way or another."

Miss Paint

"Mhm! It's certainly been a lovely one for me this year, and hopefully for many others," you agree warmly. Then you start peeping out of the windows, curious of where you're going. "Ah! I'm so excited for this mystery!" you laugh a little at yourself.

Pembrooke

"Same!" Excited...nervous. Same thing really.  The car drives through part of the city until it gets to the gate of what seems to be a security fence as a guarded gentleman of Dersite aesthetic steps out of his booth with a flashlight and clipboard. You roll down your window as he peers in at the both of you, flashing his light to the backseat with a telltale curiosity.  "State your name and business." the man says. "Inspector Pembrooke Ingleton with Miss Paint." you say back as you hand him your identification.  "Expected to meet with Archival Caregiver for a 5PM inspection of warehouse 6-B."  The man looks over the ledger, looks back in the car...then hands your identification back as he checks off a few things before giving you a slip of paper. "All clear.  Have a nice day inspector." he says before turning to his booth to lift the gate to allow entrance.  You slide the paper onto your dashboard and give Gwen a smile and a wink.

Miss Paint

A hand gently pats his arm, "Well if it helps the nerves at all, I am happy and excited for whatever you have planned because you wanted to do it with me." The exchange between him and the guard only makes you more curious and you peer out all the harder. "Inspection?" you raise an eyebrow as you glance to him again. "Inspection of what, oh Inspector Pembrooke?" you grin.

Pembrooke

"Oh. You'll see..." you grin back, feeling a bit more confident now that the most stressful part has passed.  Your calls pulls up to one of the large nondescript warehouses and you step out of your car....wrapping your coat around you best as you can because cold cold cold legs. Chances are by the time you get around to her side she's already opened the door so you settle for opening the backdoor for her to help get the basket and blankets before making your way to the cold metal doors.  Trying the door, it's unlocked and you step inside...holding it open for her. Inside is well..its a pretty big empty warehouse...got a bit of a chill to it but certainly less so than the outside.  Dim lights make up a lot of it and inside seems to be some various  shapes and boxes all covered with tarps and sheets.  As you close the door, a small dersite fellow waddles up...his shell a bit dusty from age as he shakes your hand. "Ah. Right on time as always. Hello Ingleton. Hello. And hello young miss." the older dersite chirps as he adjusts his bowtie with a nod at Paint.

Miss Paint

You gather  up the blankets and basket as he expects and thank him as he hold the door for you. He looks so cold. Darn grays and they're poor timing, they couldn't have at least waited till spring? You greet the older gentleman and smile, "Hello sir." You glance around curiously. It was kind of neat how big the place was. You'd never been in a warehouse before.

Pembrooke

"Thank you again for this ah...inspection." you smile at the old dersite, which gets a chuckle from the smaller fellow. "No problem. It's nice really.  What with city hall and well...you don't need me ranting my opinions on that one again. Not with such lovely company.  Come come...I'll take you to it...."  With that, he starts to toddle off towards what seems to be a large dome of a room inside the warehouse, held together by scaffolding and rope and partially covered with large sheets of fabric to try to keep the dust off. However light shines out from what would appear to be the doorway and he leads the two of you in and...in a way it's like a small room within the room.  Inside, the walls are covered with beautiful mosaic...glossy purple and black stones among gold filigree and gems as pictorial scenes of old Derse spread from one wall to another.  Large spires all done up in tiny stone, to what would seem to be the depiction of lush forests of glowing plants and small black rocked figures amongst them.  Another wall containing what would seem to be the old royal court complete with the black king and queen themselves sitting regal amongst a crowd of well dressed denizens. And the domed ceiling itself, a collection of dark stones glittering with the light coming from the lamps currently on inside...causing them to reflect and sparkle like stars.  In the center, among the lamps, is another comfortable looking blanket that has been spread out along with a small bouquet of flowers. The old man pats you on the side. "I'll be in my office. Be good you kids and let me know when you're done." You've known him a while, enough to know he trusts you not to try to nick the stones out of the wall and be unattended. With a smile, you wave your hand to the room.  "I remember you were working on a painting once...of old Derse.  This room...it was excavated from the desert a while back. Recovered from a building not destroyed.  I figured...well...perhaps we should actually sit down a bit and I'll bore you with the history."

Miss Paint

You gasp audibly when you enter this place, looking around in wonder you snap back your attention when the man speaks and you nod when he says to be good you nod wordlessly. Pemprooke has thoroughly stolen your words and your breath with this incredible surprise. A smile finds its way to your lips and you nod to him as well, your eyes misting up as you set down the basket and start to lay out the thickest blanket to shield you both from the cold floor. You wipe at your eyes a little as you sit, "Ah sorry. I suppose as a Prospitian I really have no right to feel emotional over this, but Derse is my home and seeing this... is very moving," you tell him as you unfold blankets for you both.

Pembrooke

You give her the time to enjoy the room in silence...looking about yourself.  It had been a while since you last saw it yourself but even you can't deny it's breathtaking.  Once she sets the basket down, you go to help her with the blanket. "I don't think an apology is necessary at all.  I wasn't born here but to an extent I feel closely to Derse as my home as well. And it's well, beautiful.  I remembered how you were working on a painting yourself and figured it would be inspiring for your work.  As well as..." You sit on the blanket, looking around with a slight frown.  "There's a lot of red tape and drama regarding this place.  It was excavated...an incredibly rare find. But there's so much argument over what to do with it. Some want to show it in a museum so people can view it as the art and rare relic that it is...some feel its positive portrayal of old Derse is problematic so it should be destroyed. Some want to send it to Earth where museums have offered to purchase it for their own displays.  A lot of...big suits arguing about it. So here it sits...gathering dust." Your smile returns.  "It's why my friend was willing to let me do an 'inspection', it's...lovely. A shame that few eyes get to ever see it.  So it's nice that at least there's someone else who can sit and appreciate it."

Miss Paint

It hurts your heart that bureaucracy and most likely Prospit bullcrap is putting this beautiful history at risk. But as much as it hurts and angers you, you don't want to ruin this time with him. It also would likely be unwise to show how anti-Prospit you are to a man of the law even if he might be sympathetic to your feelings. "I... I really hope they put it in a museum here... It... It just feels wrong to destroy or send away  what belongs to Derse...." is the most you say on the matter before you sigh.  You summon a smile and look around once more, secretly committing the images around you to memory as you are fully intending to keep the history of Derse alive if it's conquerors intend to destroy it at every turn. "This is really truly wonderful..." you say looking back to him speaking with a great deal of feeling. "Thank you for letting me see this..." "I suppose it's now my turn but I am unsure I can match you in the excellence of your surprise," you say as you open the picnic basket and start to take items out.

Pembrooke

"Same." you nod, looking up at the sparkling dome above the two of you. "I don't think it  is any sort of secret my stance regarding the former monarchy but...it feels like it would be a crime to destroy such a significant piece of history.  Or to send it away...it's a part of this planet's history for better or worse. It should be here for it's people.  Something to be viewed and appreciated..." A shake of your head and a chuckle.  "It is one of the reasons I suggested to bring some art supplies. That said, you are welcome to take some photos as well.  Goodness knows Archival and I and a few others have already. Just in case.  Just...well...the location is confidential.  The last thing any of us want is for this to go public and some group come to deface it or steal it to sell off.  I'm...I'm really hopeful that it will have it's chance to be freed to allow public viewing one day." You decide to stop rambling, if only because you worry this is going to end up depressing. Which is the opposite goal of this afternoon. So instead you turn your focus to the picnic contents with genuine curiosity and interest.

Miss Paint

You scoot a little closer to him to share warmth and the food more easily. "I really hope you are successful in convincing those who need convincing... And thank you. I will but now it's time to eat," you say wanting to bring back the good cheer. After all Pembrooke had been so kind as to go out of his way to share this with you. You really hope the food stacks up. "So we have~ butternut squash greek salad," "Pumpkin sandwiches," "A fancy citrus and strawberry mocktail! which is just a cocktail with no liquor so this is basically a smoothie," "And lastly for dessert, upside-down apple and cinnamon pie!" You lay all the items out for you both and get the cutting board and chop some strawberries for garnish on the drinks. You look to Pembrooke and do a little jazz hand gesture as you blush and say, "Ta da~"

Pembrooke

There is an excited "oh my goodness!" to each reveal, your face lighting up more and more until the dessert.  "This all looks...amazing!   Goodness! I love it.  You've beyond matched me, or perhaps it is the perfect pairing of scene and food." Sorry Fin, you're going to have no room in your stomach for anything dinner-like. "Thank you so much for the magnificent feast yo-" you pause as your hand lays on something with a crinkle. You look down...oh! Right! The flowers.  "Ah! I forgot. For you!"

Miss Paint

You blush deeply, "I'm glad you like it. I was a little worried going vegetarian for the meal but I figured if anyone would enjoy it, it would be you." The crinkle catches you attention as well and you look curiously in the direction of the sound. Seeing the flowers, you gasp yet again, "Oh my goodness, these are beautiful! Pembrooke you are too sweet!" You are very glad that you actually brought him a gift as well.

Pembrooke

"Truth be told, I tend to lean heavily to vegetarian.  Not that I'm horrifically opposed to meat but for the most part...I find it largely unappealing.  Sort of an omnivore by necessity." Because face it, food is expensive in Derse much less anything akin to fresh produce.  Or really anything that isn't canned or dried.  "I think you made a magnificent call." Yay, she liked the flowers. That was a bit of a gamble on your part...but you couldn't pass it up.  Not very often you get to pay into the commercialism of the holiday. "I'm quite certain the sweetest thing is that cake over there." your retort with a laugh.

Miss Paint

He's got you blushing so darn much! "I'm glad. I've learn a lot about helping canned or dried vegetables better, but it's hard to beat fresh even with how expensive it can be. It's one of the few things I can make my frugal heart buy," you laugh a little. You hold the flowers for a moment, smiling at them. "I've never been given flowers before... The feeling is really wonderful... Oh! And I got something for you too actually!" you say as you set the flowers out of the way and safe from being crushed and you reach into the bottom of the basket and pull out a little box wrapped in simple brown paper. You offer it to him, "I hope you like it."

Pembrooke

"Too true. Fresh fruits and veggies are probably the biggest dent in my paystub.." you laugh.  At her comment, you suddenly feel a bit guilty for not getting a fancier bouquet. You honestly thought she was someone who had been gifted flowers before. But any self deprecating conflict is forgotten as you see her pull out a small box.  "...oh!  Oh thank you." you smile wide as you carefully start to unwrap it.  You weren't expecting a gift at all, so this is quite pleasant!

Miss Paint

Inside the box is a pretty handsome teal bowtie! You picked it because you thought the cool color would look lovely on him "How do you like it?" you ask with a nervous smile.

Pembrooke

Your eyes light up.  "Oh! It's so cute!  I love it!" you beam as your thumb traces along the pattern.  "Ahhh! Thank you so much! It's wonderful!"

Miss Paint

Your smile is pure happiness at his delight. "I'm very glad. Bowties suit you so well so I thought it might be something that is nice to have many options with," you say. You then get out plates and utensils and ask him, "Ready for a particularly squash themed meal? Well, squash themed aside from the dessert."

Pembrooke

You have a sudden desire to buy more bowties. But! For now, squash squash squash and picnic!  Tucking your legs up closer to you, you make yourself more comfortable on the blanket with a nod.  "I am always ready for squash themed meals. Born ready for them."

Miss Paint

You giggle and serve the food for the two of you, passing him a fork you ask, "So, what's the best vegetable aside from pumpkin?"

Pembrooke

You accept the fork with a smile and laugh. "Oh goodness. Bringing in the difficult questions here.  I mean...most all of them are good in their own time and place.  Like leeks? Amazing...potato and leek soup is divine.  But cauliflower is nice...and artichokes...I've yet to meet a potato or carrot I didn't like.  And yes...my nickname I guess is fitting because cucumbers and pickles are delightful.  Zucchini as well..." You pause.  "Perhaps I should have just listed the ones I don't like.  Heh...what about you? Any favorites?"

Miss Paint

"Well potatoes of course, corn is delightful too. Asparagus is very tasty and peas of all kinds are yummy! I think there is only one vegetable that i can't seem to like no matter how hard i try," you admit to him as you start to nibble your salad.

Pembrooke

"Mmm." you nod and nibble your own food as she speaks.  Once your mouth is clear you finally speak. "Same.  For me, it is okra. It's so vile. Slimy. Just blugh....the worst in my opinion. It's like the hagfish of plants."

Miss Paint

"It's tasty in jambalaya. For me it's broccoli. I can't stand the taste. It so sulfery" you say as you laugh over his description of okra.

Pembrooke

"We now know one another's vegetable weakness. Excellent." you grin before taking another bite, enjoying the taste.  You are quite certain Paint could open her own restaurant...and you'd end up a poor man because of it. "This is really good.  My utmost compliments to the chef."

Miss Paint

And thus the blush returns and you smile shyly as you say, "I heard they made it for someone they like quite a bit..."

Pembrooke

Oh. That leaves you without a counter, as you awkwardly titter with your cheeks growing flush.  "Ah....hah ha."  How do you even follow up a line like that.  "Ah. Perhaps then...at some point I should try to make something for someone I like quite a bit...ah hahhah..."

Miss Paint

You blush more and pat his arm softly, "Maybe I could teach you, i-if you like..." You stuff your face a little to ensure you can't add on some terrible fumbling words to that offer.

Pembrooke

A pause, then a smile. "That'd be nice.  At some point I'd love that."

Miss Paint

You return his smile as your heart does all those fluttery things. You continue to eat gazing around thoughtfully, but his eyes keep calling yours back to them. The desire to kiss him is there and making your chest pound, but would he want to kiss you in return? "I saw you like to dance online. I learned not too long ago and rather likes it myself," you tell him, face flushed still.

Pembrooke

You eat and glance around, enjoying the food but also having that mental moment of wishing you had made yourself a list of conversation topics.  What if things go quiet for too long and it gets awkward? Bad planning on your part.    Then again pulling out a sheet of paper full of conversation subjects may also be equally awkward. So you're a bit relieved when she brings up the conversation of dancing.  With a nod you finish your current bite of food before responding.  "Oh. I do. Well, in the sense what I've been learning is fun. Haven't had much chance to really put it to the test. Ah heh...I suppose dancing in lessons or by one's lonesome is a very different beast than in a large public area."

Miss Paint

"It's a little intimidating I admit to be on a public dance floor, but also the energy of everyone is wonderfully invigorating!" you say with a smile. "At least at the dance hall I went to everyone was quite kind and encouraging." You pause for a moment then stutteringly you ask, "W-w-would you like to....? D-dance with me I mean"

Pembrooke

That makes sense in retrospect and with less paranoia...that the dance halls would probably be supportive rather than cruel to those on the floor. Though, oof...there was still something rattling about being around such a crowd of people and the risk of people noticing you. Though at her question you pause.  "....right now?" you ask...then make the face of No you dork she likely meant later! There's not even music here. Also why didn't you bring music??  "Ah...I mean. I would! At some point. Yes. Yes that would be nice.  I'd love to dance with you."

Miss Paint

"Ah well... if you don't mind music off my phone... w-we could... now?" you say rather shyly. Maybe it's a bad idea but, it sounds fun and if he's nervous in public maybe dancing more in private would help him find his confidence.

Pembrooke

You perk up at the suggestion.  "Oh. That would be, nice. Though ah...perhaps a slower dance..." you look around at the mosaics and lights on the ground used to illuminate the area and just how much a tripping hazard could occur if you were to try a jaunty jig in here.  "...I'm pretty sure Archie would have my head if I tripped on a blanket and knocked something over."

Miss Paint

You nod, "That's probably for the best. I'd be sick to my stomach if I fell into any of this. Now lets see..." you scroll through your phone's selection and find some pretty music which should be suitable. "I think I've got a good song," you say as you look back to him. You were going to dance with Pembrooke. If your heart could make delighted squeeing sounds it would right now.

Pembrooke

The music starts up and you nod with a smile before setting your now empty plate aside on the blanket.   Rising to your feet, you dust yourself off before picking the most empty spot in the room for minimum risk of tripping hazards or risk. It is a pretty song, and oh goodness you're actually going to dance with Gwen.  That sudden worry of how you may step on her feet or actually forget all the moves is bubbling up and for once you're sort of glad for the slight chill in the room because otherwise you fear you'd be sweating. Holding out your hand, you give a warm but perhaps a bit of a nervous smile.  "If I may."

Miss Paint

With a shy smile of your own, you take his hand to stand with him and pray that your feet don't betray you. Please do not step on the inspector feet. You are silently pleading with them. Your free hand comes to rest lightly on his shoulder as you look up into his face.

Pembrooke

The please do not step on Gwen feet chant is in your mind as well as you lightly put your free hand on her side where you were taught. Not too high, not too low. Got to be proper here. You look down into her eyes and the nervousness slightly fades as you wait for the song to reach a point in which you can start with the beat. As it does, you take a breath and start to move with the music. Maybe a wee bit more shaky than you would have liked for your starting steps but the motions and habits quickly kick in.

Miss Paint

You follow his lead, nervous but smiling. You fumble slightly stepping off beat at the start and stammer a little 'excuse me' but you start to find the flow of the timing with him. The movement becomes more natural and easy and you relax and your smile grows as you dance together.

Pembrooke

Later on you'll likely reflect how romantic a scene this is, in the sense of a picnic for two in such a place, dancing a slow dance in the middle of an artistic wonder of Old Derse's beauty.  Amongst sparkling stones of glittering images that must have take the crafters months to slowly place each and every pebble. But right now you are SO NERVOUS AND TRYING TO NOT STEP ON FEETS OR TRIP.

Miss Paint

You almost trip when the song end and you catch yourself with a semi-panicked 'Eep!' then you laugh in relief. "Goodness. Of course I managed to trip over myself of all things," you say good naturedly through a deep blush.

Pembrooke

You feel the trip and are ready to catch her, but she catches herself so you laugh as well as you let her go.  "I'm amazed I didn't trip, must have been my lucky day.  But ah...thank you! For the dance.  It was nice, wonderful even.  Have you taken lessons, or is dancing something you have a natural skill for?"

Miss Paint

"No thank you! It was lovely and you dance so well. It made me feel more at ease,"You say warmly. "A friend actually taught me when we went out for an evening," you tell him. "So I've danced all night once." You retrieve your phone and turn it on sleep mode then turn back to him. Brushing a little hair back from behind your ear you smile, "You really have a habit of putting me at ease even when I am doing something that would make me fretful."

Pembrooke

"All that in one night? Goodness you're a natural." you exclaim with a chuckle.  You offer your arm, if anything you now have the jitters so perhaps this is a good time to walk around the dome to get a closer look at some of the mosaics you pass by. "Oh? Oh goodness I'm glad. I worry often that my fussing habits are going to rub off on everyone I meet."

Miss Paint

You blush more at his compliment as you take his offered arm, enjoying the simple movement of walking then snort at his last comment, "Oh goodness, no fear of that with me. I was a natural born fretter. I've fussed myself into a tizzy more than once." You giggle, "To an extent it's rather good cause it's kept me alive. But it's nice to be able to relax."

Pembrooke

"Same. Ha ha...same.  I'm pretty sure my fretting has kept me alive a few times as well." you confess with a laugh.  "But yes...it is quite nice. Relaxing." At least until you forget for a while and probably overwork yourself again but that's how that goes. Glance over.  "You're not too cold are you? Not really the warmest place for a picnic I confess...." you say, as you walk around in shorts. You hypocrite.

Miss Paint

You cuddle against him a bit and smile, "I'm quite warm like this if you are... And we can return to the blankets if we get chilled... The view is lovely no matter the angle."

Pembrooke

"I'm quite alright.  Just wanted to make sure you were as well."  And even if you were a bit cold, you don't want to return to the blankets just yet. This is fun, nice...relaxing indeed.  Even if you're heart is feeling a bit fluttered. The two of you stop in front of the mosaic of forests and fields, and you give a sigh.  The loss the planet felt was tragic across the board, but there is that small farmer part of you that feels a particular sting at the ultimate devastation of what few native plants the planet had.  You heard they were incredibly beautiful in their own way.  "Sometimes I go out with some of the excavation groups in the desert.  Part of it is that yes...sometimes folks of the city like to try to hide illegal goods in the desert..but I cannot deny there is always a small part of me hoping to uncover that cache of like...a grainery. Or an old flowershop. Or something containing seeds from the old Derse." Shrug. "A bit of a silly dream perhaps."

Miss Paint

You squeeze his hand a little, "It's not silly in the slightest! I think it's important that if we can... That we restore life to Derse that it once had... Maybe regrowth can bring healing like nothing else has since the war.... It's a beautiful dream... to want to see things grow..." You gaze hope at the scene, hopeful in spite of everything. "I think it's a wonderful dream and one I hope comes true...." you tell him as you rest your head against his shoulder.

Pembrooke

"Same..." it's all you can really think to say as you give her hand a small squeeze back, taking one more moment to look at the quaint pastoral scene. Overall, you feel quite happy being able to share something like this, to be able to pull your strings for something pleasant instead of another lead to a potential criminal den. "I hope this has been a pleasant Valentines for you.  I felt like as an artist, it would be an experience you'd personally enjoy."

Miss Paint

"It was not only pleasant but exceptional. I'm really grateful to you for thinking of me to show this to..." you tell him as your heart pounds all too loudly in your ears while looking into his kind eyes. Then you remember, "Oh! I should probably take those pictures! I can't imagine they'll like us to stay too much longer since it will be getting dark and they probably have their own evening plans."

Pembrooke

There's a tiny part of your subconscious starting to develop in the idea of perhaps this is romantic. And the vague consideration of a kiss...but then it's gone as she mentioned the pictures and you snap to attention. "Oh! Right.. Right right.  Archie is a good sort but you're quite right. Best to not dilly dally too much. Aha ha ha.  If you'd like, I can start putting things away as you take the pictures."

Miss Paint

"Oh! If you want to. I wouldn't want to force the task on you while I dally about with photos," you say feeling guilty at the thought of him cleaning up while you play with your phone.

Pembrooke

"It is not a problem at all! I'd be happy to." you cheerfully quip back, already starting the task.

Miss Paint

You thank him profusely then set about taking so many pictures it's a little absurd. When you finish you help him with folding up the blankets and as a fold draws you close together, you pause as you look into his face again and a blush lights your freckled cheeks for the one hundredth time that evening. You ask yourself if you are that bold as to go for a kiss. Is it too soon? Would he be uncomfortable? It was a very romantic date along with the friendship of it....

Pembrooke

Each item is carefully wrapped and returned to the basket to prevent any spilling, and with her help the two of you fold up the blankets quite neatly...leaving no evidence of the two of you ever being here in the first place.  Well...yes if you got your tools out you could probably find some evidence, you aren't going to be THAT thorough but for a non-crime scene this is a pretty good clean up job if you say so yourself. You find yourself looking into her face and that fluttery feel in your chest starts up again.  Is it improper to kiss on a date like this? Does that feel too rushed or Valentines entrapping?  What is the etiquette for this situation?? Hngngn... Like a cursed specter, your conversation with Rex the days prior creeps into your mind, the whole not doing the will-they-won't-they shtick as if an accusation that is your methodology.   Hmm. Yeah no, time to be bold!! "Ah." comes the completely not bold at all squeak.  "I was, wondering. If it's ok with you that is and please by all means if not tell me so I will understand because I don't want to imply or make things more awkward but would it be alright if I kissed you?" Oh yeah. Bold and Smooth. Like fine sandpaper.

Miss Paint

His delivery does not make the sentiment any less sweet and certainly it sends your heart rushing to the races as it were. Your flush goes from soft pink to bright pink and you nod. Later you take great pride the fact that you manage to say, "Yes," aloud and without stammering. One hand rises to cup his cheek, and you lean in nervous but ready as you pray you are not the worst kisser he'll ever experience.

Pembrooke

How do people do this in a suave and charismatic way? You have no idea because you're quite certain you're about as rosy cheeked as Paint's hair is about now.  But you're also smiling like a silly fool as the touch of her hand on your cheek sends tingles down your spine. Do you keep your eyes open? Close them and hope for the best?  Once again, you realize you have NO IDEA WHAT YOU ARE DOING. And suddenly you aren't sure why you were nervous about the dancing, that seems like child's play nervousness. Inconsequential to the sudden worry you're going to chip her teeth if everything goes wrong. Ok, okay....movies don't lead you wrong now. As you get close enough to feel her breath on your face, you close your eyes and lean in for the kiss.  Something just tender, soft, nothing zealous or crass now....it's a first valentines day after all.

Miss Paint

Your own mental dialog on how to kiss comes with a bit more stiff orders to yourself as though there were a tiny and stern instructor in the back of your mind. Your eyes close maybe a moment before his and you feel the warmth of his lips pressed to your own, soft, intimate and sweet. It's a strangely lovely moment that on one hand is far too short and on the other is far too long as your mental dialogue of panic over if you are doing this well rages. You can't really tell yourself who pulls away first, but your smile is shy and exuberant all in one. Your hand lingers on his cheek a moment longer before you move it away. You really don't know what to say, so you smile and say the first thing that pops into your dazzled brain. "We should do this again sometime..."

Pembrooke

No smashing of noses or a clack of teeth so tiny yay as you enjoy the softness and warmth of her lips.  You too aren't entirely sure if you pulled away or her, but you have a dopey smile on your flushed face and you're pretty sure if she was a spy you'd be ready to tell her all your secrets like the twitterpated fellow you are. She says something and you hear again sometime so you nod.  "Ah. Yes! That would be nice! Definitely. Ah hah..." you titter giddily.  "This has been...wow."  Your vocabulary has been diminished it seems as you take her hands into yours.  "Thank you."

Miss Paint

And that look on his face and his adorable stumbling over language sends your heart into a renewed bought of fluttering before the last had even seized. You giggle like a lovestruck loon and keep one of his hands held in yours as you gather up the picnic basket with the blankets, sort of on an autopilot or responsibility. "Thank you... It's been.... I-incredible... Y-you're incredible..." you say, not even minding the return of your stammers as you start to lead the way out without really thinking about it.

Pembrooke

"I'm pretty sure you're the incredible one this evening. The food was,  amazing. You're quite amazing." you fluster and babble as you help her into her coat.  "This has been-oh! I need to tell Archie real fast we're leaving! One second!" You sprint off for a quick second towards a small door near one of the sides, leaning in where Paint can easily hear a hurriedly said "We'reDonehadAGreatTimeThankYouAgainArchieGoingNowTa!" before you're sprinting back over to her with a nervous laugh. "Sorry about that. But ah..." oh no you lost your train of thought.  "It's been amazing."  With a smile you open the door leading back out and...OH RIGHT. IT'S REALLY COLD. You close the door. Put on your coat, THEN open the door.

Miss Paint

He's got you giggling a lot and you thank him profusely once more for helping with your coat and getting the door. When you reach the car you separate one blanket from the rest and once you and Pembrooke have both gotten in and buckled up, you gently lay the folded blanket on his lap to keep his legs warm. "I'm glad you liked the food. And really you are amazing yourself, it's simply the truth," you tell him and then place a quick and shy kiss on his cheek.

Pembrooke

You thank her for the blanket to keep your legs warm for the drive until the heater kicks in proper.  Which is easier than thanking her for the compliments she's saying.  Hnn why is accepting compliments so hard. You're trying to ready something to say when you feel a peck on your cheek, and there goes any words you could say, right out the window.  Putting a hand on your cheek, you smile warmly.  "...ah.  Ahah. Thank you. You're quite amazing too.  The truth. The truth indeed."  With that, you chuckle and turn on the car...driving her to wherever she requests to be dropped off at. There's a few questions in your mind. If things get serious, you feel the compulsion to come clean about your race. Also the possibly conversation about Rex...and Fin?  But for now you're going to kick those thoughts out the window and just enjoy the car trip and warm glow of having a splendid date.

[x-enter]

Everything Coming to and Leaving Netflix March 2020

It’s that time of the month when Netflix reveals all the new titles that are being added to the streaming service. This month we can look forward to watching great content like Space Jam and Castlevania’s third season. We’ll also see the new interactive show Carmen Sandiego: To Steal or Not to Steal.

Available March 1

Go! Go! Cory Carson: Season 2 -- NETFLIX FAMILY

Driveway dance parties, birthday treasure hunts — and going to the doctor to fix a flat tire. Whatever life brings, Cory's gassed up and ready to go!

Always a Bridesmaid

Beyond the Mat

Cop Out

Corpse Bride

Donnie Brasco

Freedom Writers

Ghosts of Girlfriends Past

GoodFellas

Haywire

He's Just Not That Into You

Hook

Hugo

Kung Fu Panda 2

Lemony Snicket's A Series of Unfortunate Events

Life as We Know It

Looney Tunes: Back in Action

Outbreak

Resident Evil: Apocalypse

Resident Evil: Extinction

Richie Rich

Semi-Pro

Sleepover

Space Jam

The Gift

The Interview

The Shawshank Redemption

The Story of God with Morgan Freeman: S3

There Will Be Blood

Tootsie

Valentine's Day

Velvet Colección: Grand Finale

ZZ Top: That Little Ol’ Band from Texas

Available March 3

Taylor Tomlinson: Quarter-Life Crisis -- NETFLIX COMEDY SPECIAL

Now halfway through her twenties, Taylor Tomlinson is ready to leave her mistakes behind her. Following her Netflix debut on The Comedy Lineup Part 1 (2018), Taylor divulges the lessons she's learned in her first hour-long comedy special, Taylor Tomlinson: Quarter-Life Crisis. Premiering globally on March 3, Taylor talks about working on yourself, realistic relationship goals, and why your twenties are not actually “the best years of your life.”

Available March 4

Lil Peep: Everybody's Everything

Available March 5

Castlevania: Season 3 -- NETFLIX ANIME

Belmont and Sypha settle into a village with sinister secrets, Alucard mentors a pair of admirers, and Isaac embarks on a quest to locate Hector.

Mighty Little Bheem: Festival of Colors -- NETFLIX FAMILY

From surprising stage performances to spraying colors with friends, join baby Bheem for all his Holi hijinks during the special spring festival.

Available March 6

Guilty -- NETFLIX FILM

When a college heartthrob is accused of rape by a less popular student, his girlfriend navigates various versions of the story in search of the truth.

I am Jonas -- NETFLIX FILM

A turbulent past haunts Jonas, who recalls his teenage love affair with the impulsive, twisted and yet irresistible Nathan.

Paradise PD: Part 2 -- NETFLIX ORIGINAL

As the diabolical Kingpin tightens his grip on Paradise, the squad contends with bitter feuds, dirty schemes, kinky fetishes and a nuclear threat.

The Protector: Season 3 -- NETFLIX ORIGINAL

As chaos descends on Istanbul, Hakan faces a formidable Immortal who seeks to possess the key to destroying the city.

Spenser Confidential -- NETFLIX FILM

Just out of prison and investigating a twisted murder, Spenser is sucked back into Boston’s underbelly. Based on the popular books; Mark Wahlberg stars.

Twin Murders: The Silence of the White City -- NETFLIX FILM

A detective inspector is pushed to the edge while he hunts the ritualistic murderer that has been terrorizing a city in Spain's Basque Country for two decades.

Ugly Delicious: Season 2 -- NETFLIX DOCUMENTARY

Ugly Delicious returns for a second season from James Beard Award-Winning Chef David Chang and Academy Award-Winner Morgan Neville. The second season of the hit series continues to challenge both our taste buds and our minds as Chef Chang travels the world with writers and chefs, activists and artists, who use food as a vehicle to break down cultural barriers, tackle misconceptions and uncover shared experiences. And this season ventures into more of the unknown, including the world of parenting as Chang gears up to become a first time father. Special guests include Nick Kroll, Aziz Ansari, Padma Lakshmi, food writers Helen Rosner and Chris Ying, Danny McBride, Bill Simmons, and Dave Choe among others.

Available March 8

Sitara: Let Girls Dream -- NETFLIX FILM

Sitara: Let Girls Dream is an animated short film that follows the story of Pari, a 14-year-old girl with dreams of becoming a pilot, while growing up in a society that doesn’t allow her to dream.

Available March 10

Carmen Sandiego: To Steal or Not to Steal -- NETFLIX FAMILY

You drive the action in this interactive adventure, helping Carmen save Ivy and Zack when V.I.L.E. captures them during a heist in Shanghai.

Marc Maron: End Times Fun -- NETFLIX COMEDY SPECIAL

Available March 11

The Circle Brazil -- NETFLIX ORIGINAL

Be yourself -- or someone else? The players must choose while chasing a cash prize when this lighthearted, strategic competition show comes to Brazil.

Dirty Money: Season 2 -- NETFLIX DOCUMENTARY

The critically-acclaimed investigative series Dirty Money, from Academy Award-winning filmmaker Alex Gibney’s Jigsaw Productions, returns for a second season. Dirty Money provides an up-close and personal view into untold stories of scandal, financial malfeasance and corruption in the world of business. This season offers a look inside Jared Kushner’s real estate empire, the Wells Fargo banking scandal and Malaysia’s 1MDB corruption case.

Last Ferry

On My Block: Season 3 -- NETFLIX ORIGINAL

They thought life was about to return to what passes for normal in Freeridge, but the stakes just got even higher. On My Block, co-created by Lauren Iungerich (Awkward) and Eddie Gonzalez & Jeremy Haft (All Eyez On Me), is a coming of age comedy about four bright and street-savvy friends navigating their way through the triumph, pain and the newness of high-school set in the rough inner city.

Summer Night

Available March 12

Hospital Playlist -- NETFLIX ORIGINAL

Five doctors, whose friendship goes back to their days in med school, band together at one hospital as colleagues in the VIP wing.

Available March 13

100 Humans -- NETFLIX ORIGINAL

One hundred diverse volunteers participate in experiments that tackle questions about age, gender, happiness and other aspects of being human.

BEASTARS -- NETFLIX ANIME

In a world where beasts of all kinds coexist, a gentle wolf awakens to his own predatory urges as his school deals with a murder within its midst.

Bloodride -- NETFLIX ORIGINAL

A Norwegian anthology series that blends horror with dark Scandinavian humor, setting each distinct story in its own realistic yet weird universe.

Elite: Season 3 -- NETFLIX ORIGINAL

When another classmate is killed, a new investigation ensues. The students look toward their future, while the consequences of the past haunt them.

Go Karts -- NETFLIX FILM

After moving to a new town with his mom, a teen discovers the high-speed sport of go-kart racing, learning from a former driver with a secret past.

Kingdom: Season 2 -- NETFLIX ORIGINAL

The zombie period drama set in Korea's Joseon era returns for Season 2.

Lost Girls -- NETFLIX FILM

A mother's quest to find her missing daughter uncovers a wave of unsolved murders in this drama based on a true story. Amy Ryan and Gabriel Byrne star.

The Valhalla Murders -- NETFLIX ORIGINAL

An ambitious Icelandic detective teams up with a cop from Norway to investigate a series of murders that may be connected to a heinous trauma.

Women of the Night -- NETFLIX ORIGINAL

Haunted by a shadowy past, the wife of a rising star in Amsterdam's mayoral office finds herself drawn into the city’s underworld of sex and drugs.

Available March 15

Aftermath

Available March 16

The Boss Baby: Back in Business: Season 3 -- NETFLIX FAMILY

After losing his job at Baby Corp, Boss Baby goes freelance and turns his playgroup into a makeshift field team. Cue the critical mission!

Search Party

Silver Linings Playbook

Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy

The Young Messiah

Available March 17

Bert Kreischer: Hey Big Boy -- NETFLIX COMEDY SPECIAL

Comedian Bert Kreischer is back, and shirtless once again, in his second Netflix Original comedy special, Bert Kreischer: Hey Big Boy. Bert candidly shares hilarious stories about his daughter’s period party, a pushy arms dealer, and an inside joke with a Starbucks barista.

All American: Season 2

Black Lightning: Season 3

Shaun the Sheep: Adventures from Mossy Bottom -- NETFLIX FAMILY

Clever sheep Shaun, loyal dog Bitzer and the rest of the Mossy Bottom gang cook up oodles of fun and adventure on the farm.

Available March 18

Lu Over the Wall

Available March 19

Altered Carbon: Resleeved -- NETFLIX ANIME

Dai Sato, the creative mind behind “Cowboy Bebop,” further explores and expands upon the “Altered Carbon” universe in this anime adaptation.

Feel Good -- NETFLIX ORIGINAL

Mae Martin stars as herself, a Canadian comedian living in London while navigating a new relationship and dealing with sobriety.

Available March 20

A Life of Speed: The Juan Manuel Fangio Story -- NETFLIX DOCUMENTARY

Juan Manuel Fangio was the Formula One king, winning five world championships in the early 1950s — before protective gear or safety features were used.

Archibald's Next Big Thing: Season 2 -- NETFLIX FAMILY

From outdoor adventures to shopping extravaganzas, Archibald can't wait to experience everything this great, big world has to offer.

Buddi -- NETFLIX FAMILY

Following the day-to-day adventures of five best "Buddis," this colorful and entertaining series is targeted at children under 4.

Dino Girl Gauko: Season 2 -- NETFLIX FAMILY

Naoko and her friends have more strange adventures with aliens, robots and dinosaur girl Gauko. Their ordinary town has its share of oddities!

Greenhouse Academy: Season 4 -- NETFLIX FAMILY

The teen drama based on the award-winning Israeli series "Ha-Hamama" returns for Season 4.

The Letter for the King -- NETFLIX FAMILY

A young boy holds the fate of the kingdom in his hands when he embarks on a quest to deliver a secret message in this sweeping fantasy series.

Maska -- NETFLIX FILM

A young man sets out to become a movie star, until a summer romance shows him the fine line between dreams and delusions. Starring Manisha Koirala.

The Platform -- NETFLIX FILM

In a prison where inmates on high floors eat better than those below, who get the scant scraps, one man tries to effect change so everyone gets enough.

Self Made: Inspired by the Life of Madam C.J. Walker -- NETFLIX ORIGINAL

This limited series is inspired by the incredible true story of Madam C.J. Walker, who was the first African American female self-made millionaire.

Ultras -- NETFLIX FILM

A story of intergenerational friendship and coming of age, set in the world of ultras culture during the last five weeks of a soccer championship.

Tiger King -- NETFLIX DOCUMENTARY

A rivalry between big cat eccentrics takes a dark turn when Joe Exotic, a controversial animal park boss, is caught in a murder-for-hire plot in this limited docuseries where the only thing more dangerous than a big cat is its owner.

Available March 23

Sol Levante -- NETFLIX ANIME

An experimental project between Netflix and Production I.G, one of the leading anime production companies in Japan, to produce the world's first 4K HDR native hand-drawn anime short.

Available March 25

Crip Camp: A Disability Revolution -- NETFLIX DOCUMENTARY

In the early 1970s, teenagers with disabilities faced a future shaped by isolation, discrimination and institutionalization. Camp Jened, a ramshackle camp “for the handicapped” in the Catskills, exploded those confines. Jened was their freewheeling Utopia, a place with summertime sports, smoking and makeout sessions awaiting everyone, and campers felt fulfilled as human beings. Their bonds endured as they migrated West to Berkeley, California — a promised land for a growing and diverse disability community — where friends from Camp Jened realized that disruption and unity might secure life-changing accessibility for millions.

Co-directed by Emmy®-winning filmmaker Nicole Newnham and film mixer and former camper Jim LeBrecht, this joyous and exuberant documentary arrives the same year as the 30th anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act, at a time when the country’s largest minority group still battles daily for the freedom to exist. CRIP CAMP: A DISABILITY REVOLUTION is executive produced by President Barack Obama and Michelle Obama; Tonia Davis and Priya Swaminathan; Oscar® nominee Howard Gertler (How to Survive a Plague) and Raymond Lifchez, Jonathan Logan and Patty Quillin; LeBrecht, Newnham and Sara Bolder produce.

Curtiz -- NETFLIX FILM

Driven and arrogant, film director Michael Curtiz deals with studio politics and family drama during the troubled production of "Casablanca" in 1942.

The Occupant (Hogar) -- NETFLIX FILM

An unemployed executive is forced to sell his apartment. When he discovers that he still has the keys, he becomes obsessed with the family that lives there and will do anything to go back to the life he had before.

Signs -- NETFLIX ORIGINAL

When a young woman's murder shows similarities to a decade-old cold case, a new police commander must break the silence permeating an Owl Mountain town.

YooHoo to the Rescue: Season 3 -- NETFLIX FAMILY

It’s time to take flight again! Join YooHoo and his adorable crew as they travel the world to help animal friends, one marvelous mission at a time.

Available March 26

7SEEDS: Part 2 -- NETFLIX ANIME

The world they knew is long gone. Their new environment is dangerous, but not as deadly as their fellow humans. Based on the award-winning manga by Yumi Tamura, "7SEEDS" returns for Part 2.

Blood Father

Unorthodox -- NETFLIX ORIGINAL

A young woman flees to Berlin from an arranged marriage in Brooklyn. Then her past catches up to her.

Available March 27

Car Masters: Rust to Riches: Season 2 -- NETFLIX ORIGINAL

Classic cars get massive makeovers courtesy of Gotham Garage, a skilled California crew dedicated to upgrading and trading sweet vintage vehicles.

The Decline -- NETFLIX FILM

As a way to prepare for disasters, family man Antoine attends a training program on survivalism given by Alain, at his self-sufficient retreat. Planning for a natural, economical or social breakdown, the group goes through drills meant to prepare them for apocalypses of all types. But the catastrophe waiting for them is nothing like what they anticipated.

Dragons: Rescue Riders: Hunt for the Golden Dragon -- NETFLIX FAMILY

It's the treasure hunt of a lifetime for the Rescue Riders, who must race to find a precious golden dragon egg and keep it safe from evil pirates.

Il processo -- NETFLIX ORIGINAL

The murder of a teen girl impacts a public prosecutor linked to the victim, a lawyer seeking a career-making case and a suspect who says she's innocent.

Killing Them Softly

Ozark: Season 3 -- NETFLIX ORIGINAL

The Emmy-winning series about a suburban family laundering millions in the Missouri Ozarks returns for Season 3.

There's Something in the Water

True: Wuzzle Wegg Day -- NETFLIX FAMILY

When searching for the perfect Wuzzle Wegg, Bartleby thinks he sees a monster. Will the Rainbow King have to cancel Wuzzle Wegg Day — or will True come to the rescue?

Uncorked -- NETFLIX FILM

A young man faces his father's disapproval when he pursues his dream of becoming a master sommelier instead of joining the family's barbecue business.

Sadly, every month content also leaves the service. This is the last call for several titles including Batman Begins, The Dark Knight, Lord of the Rings, and Mystery Science Theater 3000.

Leaving March 3

Marvel Studios' Black Panther

The Men Who Stare at Goats

Leaving March 4

F the Prom

Leaving March 7

Blue Jasmine

The Jane Austen Book Club

The Waterboy

Leaving March 9

Eat Pray Love

Leaving March 14

Men in Black

Men in Black II

Mystery Science Theater 3000 Collection : Classic: Collection 3

Leaving March 15

Coraline

Leaving March 17

Being Mary Jane: The Series: Season 1-4

Leaving March 19

The L Word: Season 1-6

Zodiac

Leaving March 24

Disney's A Wrinkle in Time

Leaving March 30

Batman Begins

Charlie's Angels

Charlie's Angels: Full Throttle

Death at a Funeral

Drugs, Inc.: Season 5

Hairspray

Kill Bill: Vol. 1

Kill Bill: Vol. 2

New York Minute

P.S. I Love You

Paranormal Activity

Small Soldiers

The Dark Knight

The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King

The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers

Wild Wild West

source https://geektyrant.com/news/everything-coming-to-and-leaving-netflix-march-2020

[placetobenation]

Steve’s Box Office Report: February 2009

Top 10 Films for the Month of February:

1. He’s Just Not That Into You – $93,953,653

2. Tyler Perry’s Madea Goes to Jail – $90,508,336

3. Coraline – $75,286,299

4. Friday the 13th – $65,002,019

5. Confessions of a Shopaholic – $44,277,350

6. Under the Sea 3D – $35,970,523

7. The Pink Panther 2 – $35,922,978

8. Push – $31,811,527

9. The International – $25,450,527

10. The Jonas Brothers: The 3D Concert Experience – $19,162,740

Honorable Mentions:

1. Fired Up – $17,231,291

2. Street Fighter: The Legend of Chun-Li – $8,742,034

February Winners: He’s Just Not That Into You, Tyler Perry’s Madea Goes to Jail, and Friday the 13th

So as we head into the second month of 2009, it was pretty clear that the year was already off to a solid start with the films that came out back in January. Unlike the last two years where February had to try and make up ground from how lackluster January was, this February had a slight advantage in that it could actually build on the momentum from January. While nothing from this month had that same impact that a few of the films from January did, there were still a decent amount of winners from this month to push the month up. The first film from this month that makes it into this category is the romance film He’s Just Not That Into You, based on the self-help book of the same name which follows nine different people and their romantic struggles. Despite the mixed reviews from critics and coming out a week before Valentine’s Day which was a bit of a puzzling move, the film still did well enough in its opening weekend and carried that momentum into Valentine’s Day and ended up finishing with just under $100 million which was a major success for this movie. The next film from this month that makes it into this category is the comedy film Tyler Perry’s Madea Goes to Jail, a film where the title character is sent to jail due to her anger issues. Being the first film featuring Madea since 2006’s Madea’s Family Reunion, there was some good hype going into the film and it ended up having a very successful run despite the mixed to negative reviews as it nearly ended up overtaking He’s Just Not That Into You for the top spot of the month. The third and final film from this month that makes it into this category is the horror film Friday the 13th, a reboot of the classic film which sees a group of teens try to survive Jason Voorhees at Camp Crystal Lake. Despite the negative reviews from critics who felt the reboot was unnecessary, the film would end up doing very well coming out on the titular Friday the 13th and led one of the busiest President’s Day weekends in history although it would end up falling fast after that and didn’t even finish in the top 3 for the month. So while this month doesn’t quite live up to how well January did and did not capitalize on the momentum, it was still a fairly successful month and overall did better than February 2008 did.

February Losers: The Pink Panther 2 and the International

So one constant that has been going since I started doing these recaps is that the last two Februarys have somehow only managed to have one loser of the month. This has been slightly surprising considering that most of the films that are released in February don’t seem to make a lot of money, but luckily for them their production budgets are usually small enough that they don’t make it into this category. Having said that, the trend is finally bucked here as we have more than one film make it into this category though it ends up just being one more which means we only have two films in this category. The first film from this month that makes it into this category is the comedy the Pink Panther 2, a sequel film that sees Inspector Clouseau team up with other detectives to stop a criminal mastermind dubbed the Tornado. Much like its predecessor, the film would end up receiving negative reviews from critics who felt it squandered the talent they had, but unlike the previous film which did very well despite the negative reviews this one did not fare as well and would end up being a major disappointment. The second and final film from this month that makes it into this category is the political thriller film the International, a film about an Interpol agent and an American district attorney who investigate corruption within a merchant bank in Luxembourg. The film would receive mixed reviews from critics who felt that while the theme of the film was unique, the plot was very uneven and it would end up making just over $25 million before fading from theaters rather quickly. So while this category is still relatively low for the month of February in terms of the films included, it will be interesting going forward if the number of films in this category increases.

The Surprise/Story of February 2009: Romance blossoms as He’s Just Not That Into You wins February 2009

Since I started doing these recaps back in May 2006, one thing I have noticed when doing the last two Februarys is that it seems like romantic films tend to take a backseat to other films released during the month. It seems a bit of a questionable tactic considering that this month has Valentine’s Day though it’s not as major as the President’s Day weekend, but you would figure that at least one romantic film has a good run especially if it comes out around Valentine’s Day. So after the last two years of having a different genre make it to the top of the month, this year sees a romantic film actually take the top spot as He’s Just Not That Into You finishes atop of the month and finishes with just under $100 million. While the month also saw Madea Goes to Jail have a great run and nearly take the top spot away, He’s Just Not That Into You managed to do just enough and help establish the ensemble romantic film that we would see over the next few years though it would be interesting to see if those films do just as well. It will also be interesting to see going forward if romantic films take control over the next few years or if other genres would take back control of the month.

Overachiever of February 2009: He’s Just Not That Into You

So in looking at the films from this month, it was a bit of a challenge in choosing which film deserves the title of overachiever of the month. While nothing stood out in a major way and broke away to reach the $100 million mark, there were still at least one or two films who did very well and were in contention for this category. In the end, the film that ends up receiving the title of overachiever of the month is He’s Just Not That Into You which may seem like a cop out, but it was still worthy of the title. This was really the first romantic film to feature an ensemble cast of big names involved and having various stories intertwined within the main storyline, and it would be a style of film that we would come to see over the next few years. Even though the film received mixed reviews from critics who felt that it didn’t take advantage of its cast, there was just enough interest in it for people to watch it and in addition to being released around Valentine’s Day help prop it up to the top of the month and this leads to it being named the overachiever of the month.

Underachiever of February 2009: Coraline

Much like in choosing the overachiever of the month, it was a bit of a challenge in choosing a film that deserves the title of underachiever of the month. There were a couple of films that were released this month that maybe should’ve done a bit better than what was expected of them, but nothing really bombed when it was expected to succeed and most of the films released ended up doing fairly well or at least decent enough. But there was a film from this month that looked like it could’ve been a surprise hit of the month and that was the stop-motion animation film Coraline, a film about a girl who uncovers a secret parallel world that holds a dark secret. This was the first film released from the new studio Laika headed up by Henry Selick who had directed The Nightmare Before Christmas, and as the stop-motion animation style was still relatively fresh this was a unique film that received critical acclaim from critics. The film would go on to make over $75 million and would become the second highest grossing film in terms of stop-motion animation, and the numbers seem like it shouldn’t belong in this category when you think about it. However, despite the buzz surrounding the film and the positive critical reception, I think the film was viewed as being too scary for kids and families avoided it which led to it not being able to have a better run that it probably should’ve had. It would be a while before another stop-motion animation film is released and we will see how that fares, but at the end of the day Coraline ends up being the underachiever of the month though it is a fairly weak underachiever compared to previous ones.

February 2009 Awards Watch: Coraline, the Pink Panther 2, and the Jonas Brothers: The 3D Concert Experience

As I have mentioned a few times, February is the culmination of the awards season as the Golden Raspberry Awards and Academy Awards usually take place during this month so any films released this month are included in the next year’s award season. As a result, February usually doesn’t see a large number of award contenders being released though we do see a few films this year make it into this category. The first film from this month that makes it into this category is Coraline which was one of the few critically acclaimed films from this month, and it would be nominated for one Academy Award (Best Animated Feature) which it wouldn’t win as well as one Golden Globe Award (Best Animated Feature) which it wouldn’t win though the fact that it was nominated for both was a big success for the film and Laika. The second film from this month that makes it into this category is the Pink Panther 2 which was the exact opposite of Coraline in terms of critical acclaim, and it would be nominated for two Golden Raspberry Awards (Worst Actor and Worst Prequel, Remake, Rip-off, or Sequel) though it wouldn’t win either one. The third and final film from this month that makes it into this category is the concert film the Jonas Brothers: The 3D Concert Experience, a film chronicling the Jonas Brothers and their Burin’ Up Tour while promoting their new album. The film would receive negative reviews from critics and was nowhere near as successful as the Hannah Montana concert film the previous year, and it would win one Golden Raspberry Award (Worst Actor) while being nominated for one more (Worst Screen Couple). It is always interesting to see films from February be nominated for awards for the next year though it is rare to see them get nominated for that year’s awards which we’ll have to see going forward if it happens.

Overall Thoughts of February 2009:

So overall, the month of February 2009 ended up being a pretty pedestrian month and was not able to continue the momentum that January had going into the month. It was a bit of a surprise that January ended up doing as well as it did considering how poor the previous two years were, and you hoped that February would be able to keep that going though ultimately it was unable to do so. There were a few successes for the month as a few films did make a good amount of money and it did fare a bit better than the previous year, but it wasn’t quite as good as 2007 was in terms of money made. 2009 has been a very interesting year thus far just two months in and while February was not as successful as it could’ve been, we were still in a solid state and we will see if March can regain some of the lost momentum. As for the month of February in 2009, it was a pretty decent month that had a little success but could not match what January ended up doing.

Final Grade: C-

[theokbrowne]

Need ideas? 49 Facebook Posts for Real Estate Professionals

There are about 49 weeks left in 2019. If you post to Facebook only once a week, this means you have 49 chances to generate Facebook real estate leads.

Coming up with topics is a toughie, but we’ve done a lot of the heavy lifting for you by compiling a list of 49 post ideas to assist you in your Facebook marketing for real estate agents.

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Does it go without saying that most of these topics should be in blog form first and then shared to get Facebook real estate leads? 

We hope so, because, if done right, your Facebook posts will drive traffic back to your real estate website, where folks will want to engage with more of your content and hopefully become a lead.

Below are a mix of topics (which is exactly what you should be posting to social media), from general to local and many don’t have anything at all to do with real estate.

We even point out some brilliant sites on which to start your research or find inspiration for many of the topics.

Facebook marketing for real estate agents is a lot easier when you know what to post. So, let’s go!

     Local topics to generate Facebook real estate leads

Kitchen trends for 2019 – Elle Décor and HGTV can help you out here (by the way, it’s also one of the most shared topics on Inman.com right now).

Housing market news (rates on the rise? New home starts picking up?) Check out HousingWire.com,

Local housing market statistics (homeowners LOVE this stuff). Dig into your MLS for info. Remember to make it readable for the average consumer.

List of restaurants in your market where kids eat free. Get inspiration here.

Create a perfect date night scenario, like this one at Lake & City Homes.

Monthly or weekly event calendars. Also check out this one at RealEstateSpokane.com.

Where to dine out for Easter brunch, Thanksgiving dinner, Valentine’s Day, etc.

Create a day trip from your town. Here’s one from Kris Lindahl’s blog for inspiration.

Holiday movie binge list. Lindahl did one for Thanksgiving and Easy Agent Pro gave you one to post for your clients about Halloween (with a real estate theme).

[Number] things to do with your kids in [our town]

[Number] things to do with the dog in [our town]

Free things to do with your kids this weekend

A list of local eateries that offer patio dining

A list of dog-friendly restaurants in your town

Where to find yoga classes in your town, or The Best Yoga Studios in [name of town] (yeah, yoga is still wildly popular)

Best camping spots, fishing holes, hiking/biking trails in and around your town

Summer camps for kids (this could be a series – tech camps, horse camps, golf camps, etc.)

Where to ice skate for free

Posts to attract homeowner Facebook real estate leads

Home staging tips

List of down payment assistance programs in your city, county, state.

Credit score tips (how to raise it, how to dispute mistakes, the score you need to buy a home)

Gardening tips – homeowners love these and the topics are endless. Houseplants are predicted to be a huge topic in 2019, so articles such as which grow best in low light, which are pet and kid friendly will do well. Seasonal garden tips are popular, such as how to protect plants from frost in winter, how to get your lawn ready for spring, etc.

Home maintenance tips – again, you might want to do a seasonal tip list, such as how to prepare your sprinkler system for winter and check out Kyle Hiscock’s brilliant advice in his 16 Spring Home Maintenance Tips For Your Home post.

Home repair and improvement tips – Brainstorm a list of home improvement projects that are popular with homeowners. Ideas include flooring, windows, fresh paint and landscaping. Forbes has a list of popular projects and you’ll find more ideas at familyhandyman.com.

Preparing to sell – which improvements/repairs should be made? We wrote one for your clients that you can check out at leightonrealty.com. Do you counsel your listing clients to get a pre-sale home inspection? Check for clouds on the title? Stage? Posting to Facebook is a breeze with a LeadSite – Automate your social media so you can get back to running your business. Learn more

What makes your neighborhood special?

Highlight a different local non-profit once a month.

Neighborhood descriptions. You’ll find examples online, such as this one at PropertiesinSiliconValley.com.

Every year, Pantone releases its Color of the Year. Post a swatch and ask your followers what they think of it and ask for feedback on their favorite paint colors for the both the interior and exterior of a home.

Share the latest smart-home technology (why should they have a smart lock, what a smart thermostat can do, etc.)

Visual posts to get Facebook real estate leads

Switch it up occasionally by posting infographics.

Hold charitable or client appreciation events? Take lots of photos, post them and don’t forget to tag who is in them.

Motivational quotes, all gussied up Pinterest-style, are immensely shareable. Make your own at Canva.com.

Keep an eye out for new real estate-related studies, such as those from NAR. Share some of the statistics (might make a great infographic).

Interview or invite your vendors to guest post. An explanation of the lending process from your preferred lender, for instance or what happens during a home inspection from your home inspector.

What interests your current clients?

Pay attention to the questions you get from your clients and answer them.

Take photos of different landmarks in your town but crop them so they are barely recognizable. Hold a Facebook contest where readers guess which landmark it is. You can run this one monthly and title it something like “How well do you think you know [name of your city]?”

The 3 least expensive homes on the local market.

The 3 most expensive homes on the local market – Check out this post on MiamiRiches.com.

What you love most about your town.

What are the most popular brunch spots in town?

Post a piece about FSBOs and ask your Facebook followers, “Would you ever buy a for-sale-by-owner home? If so, why?” We know they think they’ll get a bargain, so you can have fun debunking the answers.

Plan the perfect Mother’s/Father’s Day in your town. Here’s one to get you going.

The Insider’s Guide to [City name’s] Best [pizza, places to buy kids’ clothes, nightclubs, places to work out, etc.]

Congratulate your clients’ successes selling or buying a home, or overcoming a real estate obstacle, with a photo of them posted to your Facebook feed. The Twin City’s Kerby and Cristina love sharing their clients’ photos.

If you use informational client handouts (What to do with the Dog During Showings, explanations about septic systems vs. sewers) in your practice, link to them and share.

Take some of the weird “holidays” and localize them. The Unity Home Group in Anchorage has inspiration for you to get started with this one and you can find a list of these holidays, here.

Nothing like a good laugh to get the Facebook real estate leads

Post funny real estate photos and ask for a caption. Check out this one from “Salt Lake’s Favorite REALTOR,” Dustin Brohm.

Americans are crazy about celebrities. Post about some of the latest celebrity purchases and sales. “What the Rich & Famous Look for in a Home,” should spark some ideas for you and check out therealdeal.com for celeb real estate news.

Those weird holidays we mentioned? Post about “National Pet Day” and ask your followers to share photos of their pets, or on “National Day the Music Died Day” (February 3), ask folks to post which ear-worm song they wish would die.

If you’re still filling your Facebook feed with listings, knock it off! Engagement is the name of the game when generating Facebook real estate leads.

Get a harder working real estate website. Learn more about LeadSites.

Generate real estate leads with these tips – 53 ways to get leads.

Need some help making the perfect Facebook post? Check out the video below:

[grgedoors02142]

In 'Song To Song,' Ryan Gosling And Rooney Mara Dance Through A Terrence Malick Romance

Terrence Malick has been called “reclusive” and “elusive.” He is known, in TMZ parlance, as a “Hollywood Bigfoot.” His directorial style earns the adjectives “disarming,” “enigmatic,” “hallucinatory” and “poetic.” When Beyoncé dropped the earthy visual feast “Lemonade” last year, “Malick-esque” was tossed around as a descriptor. In fact, anything nonlinear that employs wispy voice-overs and/or emphasizes nature’s grandeur risks drawing Malick comparisons (see: “The Revenant,” “There Will Be Blood,” “Into the Wild,” “The Virgin Suicides”). J.J. Abrams even cited the director as an influence on “Star Wars: The Force Awakens.” 

Having long solidified his place as one of America’s most idiosyncratic filmmakers, Malick returns this weekend with “Song to Song,” a movie that might only make sense to those familiar with his work. One does not casually dip into Terry Malick’s philosophizing. Adjoining the puzzle pieces ― first joyful, then heartbreaking, ultimately meditative ― is simpler if you know something about where this director is going and where he has been. That said, “Song to Song” represents his best and most accessible work since 2011’s “The Tree of Life,” which earned three Oscar nominations.

This is Malick’s eighth feature in 44 years, a tenure that can be divided into BTOL (Before “The Tree of Life,” which comprises “Badlands,” “Days of Heaven,” “The Thin Red Line” and “The New World”) and ATOL (After “The Tree of Life,” aka “To the Wonder,” “Knight of Cups” and “Song to Song”). The latter crop eschew conventional plot for what feel like impressionistic diary entires, often revolving around ambling men (Ben Affleck’s reticent environmental inspector in “Wonder,” Christian Bale’s hedonistic screenwriter in “Cups”). Time swirls, events mere fragments within it. With “Song to Song,” the perspective is less masculine and more generous, a benefit to its characters’ splintered biographies.

Malick has found an apt protagonist in Rooney Mara, who possesses an ethereal dexterity ripe for his films, where scripts are frequently tossed aside in favor of spontaneous emotions. Mara is the central figure of a love triangle involving two hopeful musicians (her Faye and Ryan Gosling’s BV) and the wealthy producer (Michael Fassbender’s Cook) who dangles potential record contracts as if they are catnip used to manipulate relationships. At 17, Faye became an administrative assistant as Cook’s company. Now, they have a volatile, will-they-won’t-they dynamic that leaves room for BV’s charisma. 

The rest of the plot ― spread across a lengthy 129 minutes ― can be outlined in a series of affairs, breakups and wistful ruminations via Malick’s signature voice-over technique. BV takes up with a widow (Cate Blanchett); Cook entices a waitress (Natalie Portman, forlorn and effective) who says she can’t find work as a kindergarten teacher; Faye finds herself drawn to a Frenchwoman (”Skyfall” actress Bérénice Marlohe). The action unfurls atop shots of luxe pool parties and the rowdy music-festival scene in Austin, Texas, which includes the likes of Iggy Pop and a sage Patti Smith. 

Because “Song to Song” transpires in a metropolis with skyscrapers and parking lots, it can seem less consumed by nature than Malick’s previous outings. “Days of Heaven,” a love triangle boasting the most magnificent magic-hour hues ever committed to film, took place amid Malick’s favorite setting: a wheat field. “The Thin Red Line” countered the tragedy of World War II by cutting to tranquil flora, the violence mostly unfolding off-screen. “The New World” was an ode to the jungles of the early Americas, and “The Tree of Life” connected a suburban family’s turmoil to the universe’s origins. “To the Wonder” featured outdoor trust falls.

In “Song to Song,” people don’t stretch their arms toward the heavens or wade into boundless rivers every several minutes. Instead of nature reminding humans they are comparatively minute, humans seem to have overtaken nature, stomping all over it for rock ‘n’ roll mosh pits and posh swimming pools. They are left searching for a spiritual substitute, and that’s no way to start a romance. When BV does crouch down in a wheat field of typical Malickian proportions, it reads as a juxtaposition to the expensive homes and cold asphalt he’d previously occupied. The plants consume his body, just as the melodrama of broken expectations and fractured relationships consume his mind. When a caterpillar becomes an object of flirtation between BV and Faye, it’s as if they are clinging to another creature’s life to build hope for their own. (It’s also just damn cute to see Ryan Gosling and Rooney Mara play with a caterpillar.)

Various characters take turns with voice-overs, but the movie always returns to Faye, whose introspections serve as a spiritual guide. “Go slower, it’s a love story,” she tells BV toward the end, while he plays a soft melody on a piano. The film has moved slowly, yet there’s been so much heartbreak, assigning Faye’s words a certain irony. If only she’d said them at the beginning of this story. If only we knew the exact chronology of the affairs’ implosions. It hardly matters, though: Faye was always narrating from a place of reflection, aware that she accelerated events to achieve a fleeting bliss. As she announced at the beginning, “I was desperate to feel something real. Nothing felt real. Every kiss felt like half of what it should be ― I was just reaching for air.” 

Where “To the Wonder” and “Knight of Cups” felt ungrounded and experimental, “Song to Song” is exuberant ― frustrating at times, sure, but exuberant as a paean to love, both lost and found. In replacing some of his oceanic wanderlust with assured narrative ideas, Malick has built a bridge between his filmmaking. He isn’t pondering industrialization (”Days of Heaven”) or the origin of species (”The Tree of Life”), not explicitly at least. He is meditating on the ephemeral interconnectedness of our lives, told in the fits and starts that dictate memories. Characters’ relatives pop up, and as Cook, BV and Faye’s entanglements disintegrate, their memories become more shard-like. It makes sense: In many predicaments, we can rarely be sure who caused the breakdown, or why. At any given moment, you might expect Gosling to strap on a ukulele and belt out “You Always Hurt the One You Love,” like he did in the similarly themed “Blue Valentine.”

Without wasting Emmanuel Lubezki’s luscious cinematography, “Song to Song” semi-coheres into an evocative medley that lives up to every adjective Malick has ever received, and more. In the end, no one does it like him.

“Song to Song” is now playing in select theaters. It expands to additional cities throughout the next few weeks.

-- This feed and its contents are the property of The Huffington Post, and use is subject to our terms. It may be used for personal consumption, but may not be distributed on a website.

from DIYS http://ift.tt/2nvu232

[rtscrndr53704]

In 'Song To Song,' Ryan Gosling And Rooney Mara Dance Through A Terrence Malick Romance

Terrence Malick has been called “reclusive” and “elusive.” He is known, in TMZ parlance, as a “Hollywood Bigfoot.” His directorial style earns the adjectives “disarming,” “enigmatic,” “hallucinatory” and “poetic.” When Beyoncé dropped the earthy visual feast “Lemonade” last year, “Malick-esque” was tossed around as a descriptor. In fact, anything nonlinear that employs wispy voice-overs and/or emphasizes nature’s grandeur risks drawing Malick comparisons (see: “The Revenant,” “There Will Be Blood,” “Into the Wild,” “The Virgin Suicides”). J.J. Abrams even cited the director as an influence on “Star Wars: The Force Awakens.” 

Having long solidified his place as one of America’s most idiosyncratic filmmakers, Malick returns this weekend with “Song to Song,” a movie that might only make sense to those familiar with his work. One does not casually dip into Terry Malick’s philosophizing. Adjoining the puzzle pieces ― first joyful, then heartbreaking, ultimately meditative ― is simpler if you know something about where this director is going and where he has been. That said, “Song to Song” represents his best and most accessible work since 2011’s “The Tree of Life,” which earned three Oscar nominations.

This is Malick’s eighth feature in 44 years, a tenure that can be divided into BTOL (Before “The Tree of Life,” which comprises “Badlands,” “Days of Heaven,” “The Thin Red Line” and “The New World”) and ATOL (After “The Tree of Life,” aka “To the Wonder,” “Knight of Cups” and “Song to Song”). The latter crop eschew conventional plot for what feel like impressionistic diary entires, often revolving around ambling men (Ben Affleck’s reticent environmental inspector in “Wonder,” Christian Bale’s hedonistic screenwriter in “Cups”). Time swirls, events mere fragments within it. With “Song to Song,” the perspective is less masculine and more generous, a benefit to its characters’ splintered biographies.

Malick has found an apt protagonist in Rooney Mara, who possesses an ethereal dexterity ripe for his films, where scripts are frequently tossed aside in favor of spontaneous emotions. Mara is the central figure of a love triangle involving two hopeful musicians (her Faye and Ryan Gosling’s BV) and the wealthy producer (Michael Fassbender’s Cook) who dangles potential record contracts as if they are catnip used to manipulate relationships. At 17, Faye became an administrative assistant as Cook’s company. Now, they have a volatile, will-they-won’t-they dynamic that leaves room for BV’s charisma. 

The rest of the plot ― spread across a lengthy 129 minutes ― can be outlined in a series of affairs, breakups and wistful ruminations via Malick’s signature voice-over technique. BV takes up with a widow (Cate Blanchett); Cook entices a waitress (Natalie Portman, forlorn and effective) who says she can’t find work as a kindergarten teacher; Faye finds herself drawn to a Frenchwoman (”Skyfall” actress Bérénice Marlohe). The action unfurls atop shots of luxe pool parties and the rowdy music-festival scene in Austin, Texas, which includes the likes of Iggy Pop and a sage Patti Smith. 

Because “Song to Song” transpires in a metropolis with skyscrapers and parking lots, it can seem less consumed by nature than Malick’s previous outings. “Days of Heaven,” a love triangle boasting the most magnificent magic-hour hues ever committed to film, took place amid Malick’s favorite setting: a wheat field. “The Thin Red Line” countered the tragedy of World War II by cutting to tranquil flora, the violence mostly unfolding off-screen. “The New World” was an ode to the jungles of the early Americas, and “The Tree of Life” connected a suburban family’s turmoil to the universe’s origins. “To the Wonder” featured outdoor trust falls.

In “Song to Song,” people don’t stretch their arms toward the heavens or wade into boundless rivers every several minutes. Instead of nature reminding humans they are comparatively minute, humans seem to have overtaken nature, stomping all over it for rock ‘n’ roll mosh pits and posh swimming pools. They are left searching for a spiritual substitute, and that’s no way to start a romance. When BV does crouch down in a wheat field of typical Malickian proportions, it reads as a juxtaposition to the expensive homes and cold asphalt he’d previously occupied. The plants consume his body, just as the melodrama of broken expectations and fractured relationships consume his mind. When a caterpillar becomes an object of flirtation between BV and Faye, it’s as if they are clinging to another creature’s life to build hope for their own. (It’s also just damn cute to see Ryan Gosling and Rooney Mara play with a caterpillar.)

Various characters take turns with voice-overs, but the movie always returns to Faye, whose introspections serve as a spiritual guide. “Go slower, it’s a love story,” she tells BV toward the end, while he plays a soft melody on a piano. The film has moved slowly, yet there’s been so much heartbreak, assigning Faye’s words a certain irony. If only she’d said them at the beginning of this story. If only we knew the exact chronology of the affairs’ implosions. It hardly matters, though: Faye was always narrating from a place of reflection, aware that she accelerated events to achieve a fleeting bliss. As she announced at the beginning, “I was desperate to feel something real. Nothing felt real. Every kiss felt like half of what it should be ― I was just reaching for air.” 

Where “To the Wonder” and “Knight of Cups” felt ungrounded and experimental, “Song to Song” is exuberant ― frustrating at times, sure, but exuberant as a paean to love, both lost and found. In replacing some of his oceanic wanderlust with assured narrative ideas, Malick has built a bridge between his filmmaking. He isn’t pondering industrialization (”Days of Heaven”) or the origin of species (”The Tree of Life”), not explicitly at least. He is meditating on the ephemeral interconnectedness of our lives, told in the fits and starts that dictate memories. Characters’ relatives pop up, and as Cook, BV and Faye’s entanglements disintegrate, their memories become more shard-like. It makes sense: In many predicaments, we can rarely be sure who caused the breakdown, or why. At any given moment, you might expect Gosling to strap on a ukulele and belt out “You Always Hurt the One You Love,” like he did in the similarly themed “Blue Valentine.”

Without wasting Emmanuel Lubezki’s luscious cinematography, “Song to Song” semi-coheres into an evocative medley that lives up to every adjective Malick has ever received, and more. In the end, no one does it like him.

“Song to Song” is now playing in select theaters. It expands to additional cities throughout the next few weeks.

-- This feed and its contents are the property of The Huffington Post, and use is subject to our terms. It may be used for personal consumption, but may not be distributed on a website.

from DIYS http://ift.tt/2nvu232

[rtawngs20815]

In 'Song To Song,' Ryan Gosling And Rooney Mara Dance Through A Terrence Malick Romance

Terrence Malick has been called “reclusive” and “elusive.” He is known, in TMZ parlance, as a “Hollywood Bigfoot.” His directorial style earns the adjectives “disarming,” “enigmatic,” “hallucinatory” and “poetic.” When Beyoncé dropped the earthy visual feast “Lemonade” last year, “Malick-esque” was tossed around as a descriptor. In fact, anything nonlinear that employs wispy voice-overs and/or emphasizes nature’s grandeur risks drawing Malick comparisons (see: “The Revenant,” “There Will Be Blood,” “Into the Wild,” “The Virgin Suicides”). J.J. Abrams even cited the director as an influence on “Star Wars: The Force Awakens.” 

Having long solidified his place as one of America’s most idiosyncratic filmmakers, Malick returns this weekend with “Song to Song,” a movie that might only make sense to those familiar with his work. One does not casually dip into Terry Malick’s philosophizing. Adjoining the puzzle pieces ― first joyful, then heartbreaking, ultimately meditative ― is simpler if you know something about where this director is going and where he has been. That said, “Song to Song” represents his best and most accessible work since 2011’s “The Tree of Life,” which earned three Oscar nominations.

This is Malick’s eighth feature in 44 years, a tenure that can be divided into BTOL (Before “The Tree of Life,” which comprises “Badlands,” “Days of Heaven,” “The Thin Red Line” and “The New World”) and ATOL (After “The Tree of Life,” aka “To the Wonder,” “Knight of Cups” and “Song to Song”). The latter crop eschew conventional plot for what feel like impressionistic diary entires, often revolving around ambling men (Ben Affleck’s reticent environmental inspector in “Wonder,” Christian Bale’s hedonistic screenwriter in “Cups”). Time swirls, events mere fragments within it. With “Song to Song,” the perspective is less masculine and more generous, a benefit to its characters’ splintered biographies.

Malick has found an apt protagonist in Rooney Mara, who possesses an ethereal dexterity ripe for his films, where scripts are frequently tossed aside in favor of spontaneous emotions. Mara is the central figure of a love triangle involving two hopeful musicians (her Faye and Ryan Gosling’s BV) and the wealthy producer (Michael Fassbender’s Cook) who dangles potential record contracts as if they are catnip used to manipulate relationships. At 17, Faye became an administrative assistant as Cook’s company. Now, they have a volatile, will-they-won’t-they dynamic that leaves room for BV’s charisma. 

The rest of the plot ― spread across a lengthy 129 minutes ― can be outlined in a series of affairs, breakups and wistful ruminations via Malick’s signature voice-over technique. BV takes up with a widow (Cate Blanchett); Cook entices a waitress (Natalie Portman, forlorn and effective) who says she can’t find work as a kindergarten teacher; Faye finds herself drawn to a Frenchwoman (”Skyfall” actress Bérénice Marlohe). The action unfurls atop shots of luxe pool parties and the rowdy music-festival scene in Austin, Texas, which includes the likes of Iggy Pop and a sage Patti Smith. 

Because “Song to Song” transpires in a metropolis with skyscrapers and parking lots, it can seem less consumed by nature than Malick’s previous outings. “Days of Heaven,” a love triangle boasting the most magnificent magic-hour hues ever committed to film, took place amid Malick’s favorite setting: a wheat field. “The Thin Red Line” countered the tragedy of World War II by cutting to tranquil flora, the violence mostly unfolding off-screen. “The New World” was an ode to the jungles of the early Americas, and “The Tree of Life” connected a suburban family’s turmoil to the universe’s origins. “To the Wonder” featured outdoor trust falls.

In “Song to Song,” people don’t stretch their arms toward the heavens or wade into boundless rivers every several minutes. Instead of nature reminding humans they are comparatively minute, humans seem to have overtaken nature, stomping all over it for rock ‘n’ roll mosh pits and posh swimming pools. They are left searching for a spiritual substitute, and that’s no way to start a romance. When BV does crouch down in a wheat field of typical Malickian proportions, it reads as a juxtaposition to the expensive homes and cold asphalt he’d previously occupied. The plants consume his body, just as the melodrama of broken expectations and fractured relationships consume his mind. When a caterpillar becomes an object of flirtation between BV and Faye, it’s as if they are clinging to another creature’s life to build hope for their own. (It’s also just damn cute to see Ryan Gosling and Rooney Mara play with a caterpillar.)

Various characters take turns with voice-overs, but the movie always returns to Faye, whose introspections serve as a spiritual guide. “Go slower, it’s a love story,” she tells BV toward the end, while he plays a soft melody on a piano. The film has moved slowly, yet there’s been so much heartbreak, assigning Faye’s words a certain irony. If only she’d said them at the beginning of this story. If only we knew the exact chronology of the affairs’ implosions. It hardly matters, though: Faye was always narrating from a place of reflection, aware that she accelerated events to achieve a fleeting bliss. As she announced at the beginning, “I was desperate to feel something real. Nothing felt real. Every kiss felt like half of what it should be ― I was just reaching for air.” 

Where “To the Wonder” and “Knight of Cups” felt ungrounded and experimental, “Song to Song” is exuberant ― frustrating at times, sure, but exuberant as a paean to love, both lost and found. In replacing some of his oceanic wanderlust with assured narrative ideas, Malick has built a bridge between his filmmaking. He isn’t pondering industrialization (”Days of Heaven”) or the origin of species (”The Tree of Life”), not explicitly at least. He is meditating on the ephemeral interconnectedness of our lives, told in the fits and starts that dictate memories. Characters’ relatives pop up, and as Cook, BV and Faye’s entanglements disintegrate, their memories become more shard-like. It makes sense: In many predicaments, we can rarely be sure who caused the breakdown, or why. At any given moment, you might expect Gosling to strap on a ukulele and belt out “You Always Hurt the One You Love,” like he did in the similarly themed “Blue Valentine.”

Without wasting Emmanuel Lubezki’s luscious cinematography, “Song to Song” semi-coheres into an evocative medley that lives up to every adjective Malick has ever received, and more. In the end, no one does it like him.

“Song to Song” is now playing in select theaters. It expands to additional cities throughout the next few weeks.

-- This feed and its contents are the property of The Huffington Post, and use is subject to our terms. It may be used for personal consumption, but may not be distributed on a website.

from DIYS http://ift.tt/2nvu232

[pass-the-bechdel]

Continuum s03e02 ‘Minute Man’

Does it pass the Bechdel Test?  Yes, five times, and with more than two women at once.

How many female characters (with names and lines) are there?

Seven (41.2%).                                                                                                    

How many male characters (with names and lines) are there?

Ten (58.8%).

Positive Content Rating: Three.

General Episode Quality: Solidly above par. 

MORE INFO (and potential spoilers) UNDER THE CUT:

Passing the Bechdel: Kiera passes with Hannah, talking and arguing about keepsakes.  Sonya and Garza reconcile.  Kiera asks Betty about the source of Liber8’s transmission.  Kiera asks Betty to send her Liber8’s location. Samantha and Hanna confront Kiera about joining the military.  

Female Characters:

Samantha (OTL)

Kiera Cameron (OTL)

Hannah (OTL)

Betty Robertson (Green)

Jasmine Garza (OTL / Green)

Emily (Green)

Sonya Valentine (OLT / Green)

Male Characters:

Alec Saddler (Red)

Jim Martin (Green)

Gord Solomon (Green)

Carlos Fonnegra (Green)

Alec Saddler (Green)

Inspector Dillon (Green)

Marco (Green)

Travis Verta (OTL / Green)

Jason (OTL / Green)

Matthew Kellog (OTL / Green)

Other Notes:

The flashback, with Kiera’s family having to sell off possessions to erase some of their debt, and facing jail time for owning old books, is by far some of the most effective displays of dystopia, and is only done one better by Kiera stating that she planned on narcing on them. 

A new intro! I like this one a lot better than the previous two, particularly the way it tells us what we need to know without having to resort to a spiel. 

I love that Kiera has absolutely no patience for “her” Alec, after everything he did.

I’m not sure what to think about characters’ insistence in treating the time-traveling Kiera and Alec as fundamentally different people from their Green Timeline counterparts, particularly, since they’re separated by a week.  Like, yes, that’s enough time for people to change—hence why I treat different versions of characters as different people—but also no?  For one, it means that the show has replaced every character but Kiera and Alec with doubles, which is...

After last episodes’ shenanigans, we return to the relatively more mundane realm of politics, police, and Liber8.  On one hand, it’s a welcome shift, and this episode is quite enjoyable.  On the other, this episode and the last feel a lot like a course reversal.  The Freelancers are no longer an active threat to everyone, Escher is off the board, as is Martin.  While the directions all these stories have taken make sense and feel natural, even satisfying, within the narrative, they also feel artificially abridged, given how prominent they were last season.  Still, the new directions all feel interesting enough, so let’s see where they go. 

[pass-the-bechdel]

Continuum s02e03 ‘Second Thoughts’

Does it pass the Bechdel Test?  

Yes, once.

How many female characters (with names and lines) are there?          

Eight (42.1%).

How many male characters (with names and lines) are there?

Eleven (57.9%)

Positive Content Rating:

Three.

General Episode Quality:

Perfectly alright, with one excellent element. 

MORE INFO (and potential spoilers) UNDER THE CUT:

Passing the Bechdel: 

Kiera confronts Hannah about her drug use.  

Female Characters:

Kiera Cameron

Hannah

Sonya Valentine

Betty Robertson

Tracey

Nadia

Ann

Jasmine Garza

Male Characters:

Lucas Ingram

Gabriel

Travis Verta

Jason

Carlos Fonnegra

Alec Saddler (Present)

Ricky

Julian Randol (Present)

Inspector Dillon

Gus

Matthew Kellog

Other Notes:

Kiera having a drug addict sister who committed suicide suggests so much, and I really like that the show is giving us glimpses of her life beyond those related to her job and marriage. It also explains why she’s very maternal—or sisterly—with Alec this episode.  

I’m not a fan of the new intro. 

Kiera’s become really maternal with Alec, all of a sudden. Part of it, she admits, is manipulation, but it also feels genuine. 

This episode is really making me wonder whether “Cameron” is Kiera’s married last name or her maiden name. I’m also wondering about Ann—is she going by Randol or Saddler?  Maybe it’s been stated and I just haven’t been paying attention.  

While I wish it didn’t occur by having her simply declare her stance, I’m glad that the series is being more specific about Sonya’s approach to the whole Liber8 thing, and where she’s coming from.

Ricky, Alec’s new roommate, is an idiot. Don’t take hallucinogenic drugs from the future and drive, kids.

That said, while Alec’s role in the ill-fated joyride was also stupid, it felt very real in an eighteen-year-old teen boy way. 

I like how Jason is all “dangerous time travelers may be after me,” and Kiera’s all “so they have a time machine, right?”

Back when I first watched this series, season 2 was my least favorite—it felt like too much stuff is happening at once, and while it mostly made sense, a lot of it seemed like marking time.  While it doesn’t feel that way yet, there’s just so much stuff going on already, it’s kind of daunting. Let’s see how it all goes.