#are they academy worthy movies? absolutely not

[thomas-mvller]

I wish people would understand that yeah, some movies are meant to be rated in every aspect possible (the so called "academy award worthy"), but some movies are made just... for the purpose of fun. Just that. They're meant to be mostly lighthearted, warming, entertaining so people can disconnect from all the stress for an hour and a half and just have fun. Said movies don't need a harvard level analysis in terms of direction, storyline etc like jesus henry chrysler have fun for once in your lifetime it's not that deep fam omfg

[edutainer2022]

Sending hugs and strength as always.

I’d love to know any thoughts you have about the Tracys as kids in the happy times. What do you think they got up to? Do you headcanon the farm / ranch / some other Kansas home? Or did Jeff and Lucy live somewhere more built up / accessible to NASA? What were the kids’ hobbies? What would a family day out have looked like?

Oh, @idontknowreallywhy, thank you for the ask! I actually tend to go hazy on the boys' childhood, because the way kids work is not my forte. In my heart of hearts, I see them as latchkey kids of nondescript rural/smalltown US. A meadow outside the backyard, long bus commutes to school. A kind of chaotic but tight and warm, fun, quirky world, reigned supreme by their mother. Think Gilmore Girls, but a single mother of three boys, initially. With Jeff space-cowboying it would be just her and the back to back eldest three for quite some time.

Also think The Sound of Music - she's the one with piano and art. And the horses. There were sing alongs and movie marathons, and board games, and junk snacks, and bake offs, and magic in that household. That's why I also think, much as Scott worships and seeks approval of a (always away) father, he was Mom's right hand and White Knight. Mom's champion and deputy in wrangling the younger brothers. There would, of course, be SHENANIGANS. Sometimes Mom Tracy would just discover zen of a boys mom and have a glass of red on hand.

Since we have Gran Roca, I also sometimes think Yellowstone. She's the one from old(er) Manifest Destiny ranching money. She knows how to get her hands dirty, but it's removed from Jeff's first generation off the farm experiences. She sees the help, but she's also used to having them around - hence the five kids without batting an eye, given Jeff's military/space career. That would quite organically convert into the boy's we know - humble, generous, approachable, but somewhat sheltered.

I also think that Jeff's soaring wealth, Mom's untimely demise and grief buried in work, would spell something like a Warton Academy. Maybe not a full on boarding school, but a posh prep school with Ivy League pipeline and uniform blazers with embroidered crests. At least for the elder three's high school stretch. That would also, probably, mean shifting base to a bigger city and a dramatic change of pace in the boys' routine.

The boys hobbies? Scott is obviously a Rescue Scout extraordinaire. He's never met a sport he wasn't good at. But I also think School Parliament, Speech and Debate, maybe ROTC (to fit a military stint with my understanding of the timeline). Scott is earmarked for leadership and high pressure operations early on. National Honors Society, hands down. Dad would never tolerate anything less than excellent and Scott intended to be EVERYTHING Dad was - including space track. Calculus may actually be his "nerdy guilty pleasure". I also absolutely don't see how Mom didn't teach him the piano first. It likely didn't go far, but he gets by at the keyboard.

Virgil is the music and arts kid, obviously. He probably followed Scott into many hobbies and clubs, originally, but his strengths and disposition are just so obviously different.

John loves school. The more school - the merrier. Coding, and astronomy, and physics. Languages on the side. Gifted program. The Big Bang Theory worthy combo of Supreme nerd-dom. I'd say music too - comes with the territory of good ear for languages. Sports by necessity - to keep up with the original Turbo Twosome, and to get space rated. He came to actually enjoy sports, on his own terms.

Come to think of it, the Elder Trio are a token comical display of the Prom King always flanked by two sidekicks, who embody the very definition of "geeky uncool". In hindsight, John is sometimes amazed that Scott actually ENJOYED hanging out with them and did so by choice. Still does so.

[yikeshereiam]

do you mind if i ask about all of them???? (not top gun au tho, cuz i don't want spoilers since i didn't read it yet)

hi!! okay, I'm absolutely down to give you snippets from as many as possible, because I'm honestly pumped about most of these ideas and could talk about them for hours, really.

teen wolf movie fix-it (scalira + thiam)

Hale Auto Shop is– objectively– not a terrible place to work. 

Sure, Theo would prefer somewhere that isn’t located right in the hell-hole that is Beacon Hills, but there’s only so many places that’ll hire you without a formal address, or well, any personal records, so beggars can’t really be choosers. 

And Derek isn’t a bad boss. Not usually anyway. He pays well, offers lengthy holidays and reimburses for any travel required. His kid is an absolute nuisance though. Which, in retrospect, is pretty on brand for most members of Scott’s pack. Theo really shouldn’t expect any different. But having to call the Sheriff’s department at the bare minimum of once a week to let them know that Eli has successfully managed to run off with the piece-of-shit jeep– again– gets old fast.

Theo is a hale (thiam)

It wasn’t his sister's funeral– no, that would come later. When Theo was a little older and not that much wiser; when he was sick of the itch under his skin and the empty cavern his mother had left in his chest after she broke the news to him, her gentle voice caressing every fibre of his coiling muscles as she whispered ‘they’re all gone’ into the darkness of the night. 

Well, Theo supposed, it was a sister’s funeral. Many sisters, actually. The sisters of the kid sitting up the very front of the church. Sharp jaw clenched. His brown eyes swollen and brimmed with unshed tears.

superhero au - before and after (thiam + scalia)

Grand Mountain. 

The be-all-to-end-all. A registered Variant’s wet dream. The United Nations’ Official Variant Registry’s (or the OVR’s) very own private academy. Built to harbour the most powerful of beings. And churn out soldiers worthy of taking down whatever inter-galactic threat decides to show its face within Earth’s atmosphere. 

A home away from home, for people like Liam.

secret relationship except their famous and married (thiam)

Liam scowls. “Not all of us can get scouted by Marvel, Raeken.” 

Theo kisses him again. “I know.” 

“I still have some artistic integrity,” Liam grumbles, chasing his mouth when Theo decides to pull back. “Unlike you.” 

thiam proposal

Theo grins. “You’re the only person I need, baby.” 

“God help me.” 

“What?” Theo gasps and has the gall to remove his arm from around Liam’s shoulders to gesture in-between them pointedly, eyes sparked with mirth. “You don’t think this is forever?” 

Liam has a feeling he knows where this is going, even if most of his brain is fogged up and focused on the way Theo’s hair is framing his face.  “If you propose to me at this wedding, I’m going to say no.” 

Theo wrinkles his nose. A loose strand bounces against his forehead. “You always say no when I propose.” 

Liam looks away from him and nods. “Maybe you should take the hint.”

[mermaidsirennikita]

Thoughts on the oscar noms? (…and the current drama surrounding it)

Honestly, I need people to realize that Barbie was a cute movie that was ultimately meant to sell Barbie dolls. It had a great set design, really cool visuals and costumes, some fun jokes, and a very good performance from Ryan Gosling. I think Greta being snubbed is weird because the movie was very CLEARLY. DIRECTED. But then again, Wes Anderson does that a lot to mixed results with the Academy, so. A very clear and strong eye does not always please them. If we're gonna talk about women (because apparently the Oscars allow only one lady director) who directed films very smartly, I would say that Celine Song is a better choice. Past Lives was such a good movie, and I think her direction really helped communicate a story in which a lot was left unsaid, pairing well with the actors.

And I'll be real... I need people to get that the movie was always more about Ken. Ken had the best script. Ken had the best arc. Is that right, for a Barbie movie? I don't know, dude. But I frankly don't blame the Academy for nominating Ryan and not Margot, because Margot had nothing great to do and she didn't elevate the material. She was good, she was charming. Ryan was performing a lot more. I like America btw, but I don't get that nom lol.

Also, stop complaining about I'm Just Ken, it was great, let us have fun song nominees.

Best Picture: I don't know why Barbie is there, the Oppenheimer sweep has been boring and though I liked the movie, as a film it was absolutely nothing without Cillian and to me that does not a Best Picture make, Killers of the Flower Moon or American Fiction should win but won't, Maestro is a joke, Past Lives deserves but also deserves more noms, haven't seen Poor Things, Anatomy of a Fall, or Zone of Interest (though at least filmtwt can stop complaining about it not being well-marketed for the Academy) yet. I liked The Holdovers, but that was before I found out the director is uhhhhh a very very bad man.

Best Actor: Leo was snubbed and I do think him campaigning for Lily so hard had something to do with it but that was legit one of his most interesting, un-Leo performances; Bradley is a joke; happy for Colman but haven't seen Rustin yet; Cillian should win and I think he will but Paul G could dark horse it--I don't think his performance was Oscar-worthy but he was good and he's been picking up his fair share of awards; Jeffrey Wright was amazing in American Fiction and if anyone should dark horse it it's him. I'd still give it to Cillian. If this was up to me, I'd toss out Bradley and throw in Teo Yoo, who was so so good in Past Lives. But the Academy is sending a HARD backlash message to Asian creatives after the EEAAO sweep, imo.

Best Actress: As I said, I don't care that Margot wasn't nominated and I don't think she should've been, and imo her best performance was easily I, Tonya; I haven't seen Nyad so no comment on Annette, same with Sandra for Anatomy, and I think Carey had moments in Maestro but she overall was not one of those "standouts in a horrible movie" actors; Lily should win and absolutely killed her performance and dominated her movie, but I am worried that Emma could take it. I'd toss out Carey for Greta Lee.

Best Supporting Actor: Everyone needs to stop saying Sterling snuck in because he was deeply moving in American Fiction and is lowkey highkey one of the best actors working right now; RDJ basically just did Leslie Odom Jr. in Hamilton and F. Murray Abraham in Amadeus but with his RDJ cadence of speaking he can't drop to save his life, but he's taking this for a career Oscar; I hate that Charles isn't there, but if it wasn't him I'd give it to Sterling or De Niro, who gave one of my favorite performances in his career and was SO disgusting and menacing in Killers. Haven't seen Ruffalo, so if it was up to me depending on his performance I'd toss out RDJ for Charles Melton and possibly shuffle some other people around.

Best Supporting Actress: Lol Emily was horrible in Oppenheimer and I'll die on that hill, generally liking her as an actress; Da'Vine will win this and she was amazing in The Holdovers but the director really sours it for me; happy for Danielle, haven't seen TCP; America shouldn't be there but whatever; I literally though Nyad was about a mythological creature until I Googled last night and found out it was about a swimmer.

Best Director: This is going to go to Christopher Nolan for one of his better movies but not his best because that is FAR. AND AWAY. THE PRESTIGE. Should go to Scorsese, his direction for Killers is why (to me) that movie still felt like it was moving at a clip despite the length.

[hillzhqs]

🎥𝐥𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭𝐬, 𝐜𝐚𝐦𝐞𝐫𝐚, 𝐚𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧!!

𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚟𝚎𝚗𝚒𝚌𝚎 𝚏𝚒𝚕𝚖 𝚏𝚎𝚜𝚝𝚒𝚟𝚊𝚕 𝚎𝚟𝚎𝚗𝚝 // 𝚏𝚎𝚋 𝟷𝚜𝚝 - 𝚖𝚊𝚛𝚌𝚑 𝟷𝚜𝚝

the venice film festival is a yearly film festival that takes place on the island of lido in venice, showcasing the newest and hottest films of the season that may just be on the oscar ballots later in the year. from elaborate red carpets to wild after parties, having all of hollywood in one place at the same time is simply a recipe for chaos and chaos is a dish best served cold. the venice film festival event will take place for the entire month of february and will be broken up into three parts - the welcome yacht party, the venice film festival + the castelbrando.

𝐏𝐀𝐑𝐓 𝟎𝟎𝟏 : 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚠𝚎𝚕𝚌𝚘𝚖𝚎 𝚢𝚊𝚌𝚑𝚝 𝚙𝚊𝚛𝚝𝚢

TIMELINE : taking place over one day in rp time (will technically be february 3rd) but players will be able to write this out from february 1st-february 8th DETAILS : as the stars land in venice, check into the hotel cipriani and get ready for a week of interviews, red carpets, screenings and parties, what better way to kick it off then on a yacht party? starting in the day time, this yacht will sail throughout venice as the stars eat, drink and dance the day away under the venice sun. DRESS CODE : daytime cocktail (think mid-length/short dresses or trousers and crisp button ups and tailored pants)

𝐏𝐀𝐑𝐓 𝟎𝟎𝟐 : 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚟𝚎𝚗𝚒𝚌𝚎 𝚏𝚒𝚕𝚖 𝚏𝚎𝚜𝚝𝚒𝚟𝚊𝚕

TIMELINE : the movie premiers will be taking place over a week in rp time (will technically be from february 4th-14th) but players will be able to write this out from february 8th-february 15th DETAILS : it's time to show the world what you've been working on. blood, sweat and tears went into a lot of these movies and now, it's up to the critics to judge whether or not it's oscar buzz worthy. there are channels for each movie premiere where you can write out the red carpet/screenings of the movies, interviews, as well as the coveted after party where everyone can sigh a breath of relief and party the night away. DRESS CODE : for the red carpet, it's time for you to bring your absolute a-game, couture pieces only (think met gala, cannes and venice film festival red carpet vibes)! for the after party, think the oscar's vanity fair party vibes.

𝐏𝐀𝐑𝐓 𝟎𝟎𝟏 & 𝟎𝟎𝟐 : 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚒𝚗 𝚋𝚎𝚝𝚠𝚎𝚎𝚗𝚜

TIMELINE : while the welcome yacht party and the film festival will be limited to their above timelines, the 'around venice' section will be open for the first two weeks of the event (february 1st-february 15th) DETAILS: for all of your in between 'main event' interactions - from chats at the hotel or dinners in venice in between interviews, it would be a shame for the stars to be in such a beautiful place and not have the chance to get out a bit, right? VALENTINE'S DAY MINI EVENT : taking a break from the glitz and glam of the film festival, of course the celebs have to celebrate valentine's day and what better way to do so than with a classic, debaucherous hollywood party? the 'kiss on the lips' party will take place in an old venice church that was converted into a club and will be y2k themed - meaning that everyone must dress in their favorite early 2000's looks. from spin the bottle to beer pong, it'll be the perfect event to live out the good old days, and maybe kiss someone you're not supposed to.

𝐏𝐀𝐑𝐓 𝟎𝟎𝟑 : 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚌𝚊𝚜𝚝𝚎𝚕𝚋𝚛𝚊𝚗𝚍𝚘

TIMELINE : the celebrities weekend at the castelbrando will take place over the weekend of february 15th-february 18th rp time. however, players will have from february 15th-march first to write out this weekend. DETAILS : after making it through the week of endless press and hours upon hours in heels, the stars deserve a little treat, don't they? the academy is treating all of the attendees to a weekend at castelbrando - an hour outside of venice in the italian countryside. there will be an extravagant and lavish ball celebration in the castle, as well. while the ball event will take place over one night in rp time, the rest of the rooms and areas in the castle can take place over the span of the entire weekend. all will seem well, but there's a catch... DISH OR DARE? : secrets secrets are no fun, unless they're shared with everyone! uh oh, looks like gossip girl got a hold on some dirt on your characters. upon arriving to their bedroom at the castle, there will be a note on their pillow with two secrets about your character - one is true and one is a rumor. and on the back of that note, there will be a dare that your character has to complete in order to keep gossip girl's mouth shut about them. this dare must be completed throughout the weekend at the castle and if not? one of their secrets will be revealed when the clock strikes midnight at the ball. HOW TO PARTICIPATE : the dish or dare secrets challenge is completely optional. if you'd like to participate please submit two of your character's secrets to the main - one secret should be true, and the other should be a completely made up rumor. gossip girl will give you your character's challenge that they have to complete. once your character has completed their assigned dare, please write CHARACTER NAME has completed their dare in the dish or dare channel. if your character is choosing to not complete their dare, please write CHARACTER NAME will not be completing their dare. please note that you will NOT know which secret the gossip blog will release - whether it will be the true one or the fake one will be based on whatever silly lil mood i'm in.

DRESS CODE : for the ball, bring your most glamorous a-game

[constructedparadox]

I posted 11,170 times in 2022

114 posts created (1%)

11,056 posts reblogged (99%)

Blogs I reblogged the most:

@castlewyvern

@constructedparadox

@longrhodeahead

@lchupanibre

@b00tytang

I tagged 4,661 of my posts in 2022

#my damn jamn - 424 posts

#lmao 😂😂😂😂😂 - 361 posts

#feed a nigga - 287 posts

#daredevil - 247 posts

#abbott elementary - 174 posts

#thas me - 123 posts

#stranger things - 88 posts

#samurai champloo - 75 posts

#the umbrella academy - 73 posts

#rottmnt - 70 posts

Longest Tag: 132 characters

#got my annual 'pay increase' and labor is the only commodity that doesn't need to swell in cost for the sake of the almighty economy

My Top Posts in 2022:

#5

Watched School of Chocolate and I loved it for the most part. It was, indeed, a school and Chef Amaury did teach the contestants quite a bit about working with chocolate and pastries. And the contestants were really talented and open to learn and compete.

Didn't care for Melissa, tho. She kept using that tired "I'm used to being the boss" line people use when they don't want to be respectful of their teammates. She acted annoyed by anyones ideas but her own and was convinced that if she wasn't in control then they wouldn't succeed. She was condescending, nitpicking, passive aggressive and tiresome. So when her plan to use Tyricia to win a challenge bc she just knew she was better than her actually backfired, you'd best believe I cackled loudly. "How did she win off of my piece?" like they didn't build that thing together. Cry me river, bitch.

*ahem* Overall the show is very enjoyable and a quick watch 😀

23 notes - Posted January 18, 2022

#4

Bel Air is looking mighty good after these first episodes. The casting and characterizations are wonderful and the rebooted storyline is the very definition of a fresh take. If you were a fan of the original 90s sitcom you'll recognize the obvious plot points immediately and how they've been made to fit the show's altered direction. The changes made to cover the switch from mid 90s to early 2020s are all simple enough to be believable. The show has been made over into a full blown drama that gets heavier every episode but still has heart and humor. There's even some interesting new character dynamics to make sure the hour long episodes aren't completely focused on Will, even though he is still the main. It's a re-imagining in the truest sense and imo really enjoyable.

35 notes - Posted February 14, 2022

#3

It's time people learn to spot a bad photo editing job bc I'm watching Tinder Swindler and that picture of him with his "parents" is just awful. That would have been the first and last red flag

53 notes - Posted February 15, 2022

#2

Wakanda Forever is awesome from beginning to end. I really must give props to everyone involved bc it is absolutely fantastic. There were tears, of course, at the dedications, flashbacks and homages to Chadwick Boseman. But the story moves on and it does so with a clear direction. I was glued to the story and not a moment or character was wasted or misused. I honestly haven't enjoyed a Marvel film this much since the first Black Panther. If you're on the fence or worried that it failed as a worthy sequel I can tell you (in my opinion) you have nothing to fear. Wakanda Forever is a great movie and you should go see it.

73 notes - Posted November 12, 2022

My #1 post of 2022

🗣"FUCK YOU, SHORSEY!!" Those brilliant bastards at Letterkenny took an Atari-style blip of one dimensional comedic relief and respawned him into a fully rendered high definition protagonist complete with a backstory and a character arc. I would not have believed it if I had not seen it (and I would not have seen it if Hulu didn't remember how much I like Letterkenny and suggest the show bc I had completely forgotten about it).

In six episodes they manage to show that Shorsey is not just a talented and hyper competitive hockey playing asshole with unmatched shit talking skills and a penchant for pulling off violent dirty plays. It's revealed that he has a lot that he truly cares about: winning, loyalty, family, and his team. They take him past being enjoyable for being funny and make him likable for being himself. But he's still as ruthlessly insulting as ever so don't think he's gone soft. The show also introduced a slew of all new characters in a brand new town and they're just as uniquely endearing as anyone Shorsey left behind in Letterkenny. Since it's from Jared Keeso and company there were lots of well earned laughs to go with a rather interesting plot. If you're already a fan of Letterkenny I think you'll be very pleasantly surprised by what's been built out of Shorsey, so check it out

202 notes - Posted June 14, 2022

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[writerchickmarie]

John Lloyd Young At Cafe Carlyle - Old Soul, New Standards

John Lloyd Young's voice is like a fine wine, served to perfection at Cafe Carlyle. Pair it with servings of stories, history, and art...and it will never go out of style.

It is always magical to experience a JLY performance - but there's something extra special about being at the Carlyle. No matter how many times we have all been there, we continue to be in awe, and JLY's love, reverence and respect for this storied club are evident throughout his set.

He enters through the back, past the bar wearing his signature shades, and after making his way to the front he commands the stage with "Lightning Strikes". He was accompanied this week by the talented Steve Marzullo on piano, whose Broadway credits and skills teamed well with JLY's superbly tuned vocal instrument. He showed the strength of those vocals with his compelling "My Prayer", which drew wonderful reactions from old and new fans alike.

Before his next song, JLY gave a little history lesson. He told the audience how Richard and Dorothy Rodgers were the first tenants of the Carlyle, and mused that perhaps he had written this song right here several decades ago. It was his nod to Broadway and Upper East Side history, as he sang the romantic ballad "I Have Dreamed" from The King and I.

He then spoke of his admiration for Frank Sinatra, and how he wants to do for 60s music what Sinatra did for the music of his era. He also mentioned that these so-called "golden oldies" have earned the right to be called standards. To demonstrate this, he performed an impeccable "In The Still Of The Night".

The next section featured music by someone that both he and Frankie Valli look up to - Roy Orbison. JLY's "Only The Lonely" made me think how perfect it would be for him to portray Orbison in a biopic. He followed this up with the unreleased track "Say No More", which he really should record himself. He more than does this music justice, and the song needs to be heard.

After a thoughtful rendition of "Since I Fell For You", JLY asked for the house lights to be turned up for two reasons. The first was so he could talk about the stunning canvas murals lining the walls, by French artist Marcel Vertès, who won two Academy Awards for the 1952 film, Moulin Rouge. He pointed out his favorite part of the murals...the small, excited dog with a ball who seems to be running and ready to jump out of the canvas and play. JLY told us that this is exactly how he feels when he gets to perform for all of us at Cafe Carlyle. The other reason was so he could see everyone as he made his way around the room to greet all of us as he sang "Hold Me, Thrill Me, Kiss Me", much to the delight of everyone in the room.

We then moved into Jersey Boys territory, with the always swoon-worthy "Can't Take My Eyes Off You", an audience participation with "Big Girls Don't Cry" (after his story about teaching it to the Cuban schoolchildren on the cultural mission), and a beautiful "My Eyes Adored You" complete with the stories from the making of the Jersey Boys movie. JLY's anecdotes are always fascinating, and add to the ambiance and enjoyment of the music. It is truly the mark of a great cabaret artist to weave these together to create magic.

He also sang "Can't Take My Eyes Off You" in Italian, which is absolutely breathtaking. During one evening's show, he introduced a couple of his friends in the audience - Marie Royce, the former Assistant Secretary of State for Educational and Cultural Affairs, and Robert Pence, the former United States Ambassador to Finland. Since Mr. Pence is fluent in Italian, JLY dedicated this version of the song to him for his birthday. He also shared some pretty special stories of exalted work that they have done - they are most definitely exemplary people who went above and beyond their duties to help in whatever way they could.

JLY also pulled out another special song - "Moody's Mood For Love". He explained that it was the first song that potential Frankies had to learn for the role, so they could prove why Bob Gaudio knew he had to write for that voice when he heard Frankie sing it. It is always a treat to hear JLY perform this one live, and every note is done to perfection.

We went back to the Cuba trip for more stories, about JLY being set up to sing one of Smokey Robinson's songs right to him, and how intimidating it was, especially after all of the Cuban hospitality with cigars and mojitos. This song takes my breath away, especially the way JLY does it. He then did his unique arrangement of "The Air That I Breathe", leaving the audience breathless.

He came around the room once more to see all of us with "Show And Tell"; he is a master at connecting with every audience member, enjoying it as much as we all do.

The evening finished with JLY's killer version of "Maybe I'm Amazed", which I also hope he records. I am always thrilled every time it's in his set. Then we were all on our feet, singing and dancing along to "Sherry", which capped everything off perfectly with JLY greeting several of us afterward on his way through the club to the back entrance.

It is always an honor and a pleasure to experience John Lloyd Young performances at the esteemed Cafe Carlyle. I look forward to many more magical evenings with him there for all of us, including the new fans he gained that were seeing him for the first time. They will be back - and so will we. The best is yet to come!

[megha8171]

Best Bollywood Dance Choreographer in Mumbai

Why Megha Sampat best Bollywood choreographer

Megha Sampat is a well-known Mumbai based dancer as well as Fashion Choreographer from India. Her most grounded style is semi classical and Bollywood. she has amalgamated these styles into an intelligible to make her own dance Style. Her magnificent movement includes considerably more then the normal individual sees. Her discipline requires many hours of practice to manage everything aptly. Bollywood dancing is her forte, having ample experience for Stage shows, award functions, corporate and wedding performances, movie songs & music videos. She regards dance as an art that is filled up with honesty. Your physical and mental wellbeing alongside your self-image is presented to the audience. To make extraordinary progress throughout everyday life, individuals should try to understand the significance of the journey they need to go through. Above all, the journey is the best part! The fortitude brings you ahead by leaps and bounds.

Achievements of Megha Sampat – Bollywood Dance Choreographer

Megha Sampat is an active part of Marathi/Hindi Film & TV industry as a choreographer for more than 12 years. Mumbai University Commerce graduate and Certificate holder in Film making from London Film academy, Megha Sampat is highly trained in Bharatnatyam (Nalanda Nritya Niketan under Guru Mrs. Shobhana khollam) and Kathak (Banaras Gharana Under Guru Mrs. Anuradha Thorat). She has successfully completed her Filmmaking Certificate Course from the London Film Academy 2015. Along with being a reputed member of International Date Council – UNESCO, IFCTA, she also serves as the Director of “Padanyaas Entertainment “ , an initiative providing International stage to Dance Talents across India, redefining the Indian Standard of Dance championship. Megha Sampat is a free style performer and dance choreographer. She also won Filmfare awards in 2015&2016, Radio Mirchi Music Awards 2016, Asianet Television Awards in 2016&2017 along with many more. Some of the main events which are worthy of mention can be Khatron Ke Khiladi (fear factor) Launch -2017, aired on Colors TV, Ramoji Filmcity D2D Carnival -2017 and many more. She is also involved with some Films/short films and even Music Album choreography. She always makes up the opportunity provided to her. So now it can be absolutely concluded without any exaggeration that Megha Sampat is the best Bollywood dance Choreographer.

ENDNOTE:

With nearly 2 decades of Successful journey and dynamic career in Choreography Megha Sampat is a name achieving incredible success with immense dedication and hardwork is one the Best Bollywood dance Choreographer. We are there for everyone, interested in twisting, turning and grooving their moves to the latest Bollywood number like no one else.

[cyarsk52-20]

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Fans rally around Angela Bassett after she loses Oscar to Jamie Lee Curtis 

Bassett was nominated for best supporting actress for her portrayal of Queen Ramonda in "Black Panther: Wakanda Forever."

YOUR VIDEO BEGINS IN00:09

March 12, 2023, 9:53 PM EDT / Source: TODAY

By Samantha Kubota

Fans are rallying around "Black Panther: Wakanda Forever" star Angela Bassett after she did not take home an Academy Award on March 12. 

Bassett was nominated for best supporting actress for her portrayal of Queen Ramonda. Other nominees in the category included Jamie Lee Curtis for "Everything Everywhere All at Once," Hong Chau for "The Whale," Kerry Condon for "The Banshees of Inisherin" and Stephanie Hsu from "Everything Everywhere All at Once."

In the end, Curtis took home the award for her portrayal of Deirdre Beaubeirdre in "Everything Everywhere All At Once." In her euphoric speech, Curtis thanked her family, friends and everyone she's worked with to get her to this point. 

"To my family, my beautiful husband, Christoper Guest, our daughters, Annie and Ruby, my sister Kelly, we just won an Oscar," she said. "To all of the people who have supported the genre movies that I have made for all these years, the thousands and hundreds of thousands of people, we just won an Oscar together." 

She tearfully noted that both her parents, Janet Leigh and Tony Curtis, had been Oscar nominees as well. 

While many celebrated Curtis' win, others were not thrilled Bassett did not win and tweeted their disappointment. 

"Me stealing the oscar to give it to Angela Bassett," @bvbhive wrote alongside a video of someone moving a giant Oscar statuette. 

"Angela Bassett is still a winner to me," @DJNYC1 tweeted. 

Spencer Althouse, the editorial director of Buzzfeed, also tweeted.

"Angela Bassett’s reaction to Jamie Lee Curtis’ name being called…you can tell how much that Oscar would have meant to her. she is, was, and always will be incredible. I better see her on that stage SOON," he wrote.

"Angela Bassett was absolutely stunning in Black Panther: Wakanda Forever," writer Michael Patterson tweeted. "That performance was worthy of an Oscar, and incredibly worthy of being the first MCU performance to win an Oscar."

Despite Bassett not winning the award for best supporting actress, Michael B. Jordan, who appeared in the first "Black Panther" film, and Jonathan Majors paid tribute to her soon thereafter when they appeared to announce another award. 

"Hey Auntie," Jordan quipped at Bassett as he walked onstage. It was a reference to a moment they shared in the first film.

When asked ahead of the ceremony by ABC what it was like to be the first person to be nominated for a Marvel film, Bassett said it was "pretty exciting," but they'd just gone into the movie focused on honoring the late "Black Panther" star Chadwick Boseman. Boseman died of cancer on August 28, 2020 at the age of 43.

"I think we just went into it with all our hearts set on honoring our dear brother, Chadwick Boseman," Bassett told ABC on March 12. "And we didn’t think about anything other than that. And for this to come about as part of it is very satisfying."

Bassett did win a Golden Globe for her performance back in January. In her acceptance speech, she also paid tribute to the the "Black Panther" crew and their love for Boseman. 

Angela Bassett talks new 'fabulous' chapter of her career

NOV. 4, 202206:54

“Weeping may come in the evening,” she told them. “But joy comes in the morning. We embarked on this journey together with love. We mourned. We loved. We healed. And we were surrounded each and every day by the light and the spirit of Chadwick Boseman.

"We have joy in knowing that with this historic ‘Black Panther’ series, it is a part of his legacy that he helped to lead us to. We showed the world what Black unity, leadership and love looks like beyond, behind in front of the camera."

Hosted by Jimmy Kimmel for the third time, the 2023 Oscars are broadcast live from the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood in Los Angeles at 8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT, with the red carpet starting earlier. The 2023 Oscars are available to watch on ABC and various streaming platforms. Leading the list of nominees include “Everything Everywhere All at Once” and “The Banshees of Inisherin.” 

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Follow TODAY.com for complete Oscars coverage, including this year’s winners and unexpected moments.

Samantha Kubota

Samantha Kubota is a senior digital editor and journalist for TODAY Digital based in Los Angeles. Originally from the Chicago area, she grew up dreaming of working for TODAY. Prior to joining NBC, Sam worked in local news around the country, most recently covering Washington D.C. Sam is a proud graduate of the University of Missouri - Columbia.

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[the-celluloid-correspondent]

Quickie Reviews

Blue Velvet: Directed by David Lynch.

Blue Velvet has all of the classic mannerisms of David Lynch. From the surreal characters and storytelling methods to the subtle horror, this is David Lynch at his most accessible. The story is simple and easy to follow but laced with darkness and weirdness to disturb the casual viewer. What appears at the beginning as idyllic America slowly becomes a nightmare as our protagonist slowly becomes enthralled with the underbelly of this idyllic town. Through visual shots that are both hauntingly surreal and beautiful to the hypnotic score, you are transported to this otherworld. The characters also bring us to these conflicting tones of America, from the "All American Girl," played wonderfully by Laura Dern, to the psychotic maniac played by Denis Hopper. The wide-eyed and innocent Kyle MacLachlan, who uses the script incredibly well; to the women wanting a better life, is played masterfully by Isabella Rossellini being our guides. My only complaint is that it took a while for the film to start, and watching the sexual violence was disturbing, to say the least.

My Rating: B+

*******************************************************************

The Ice Storm: Directed by Ang Lee

I don't think I have seen a film that has eviscerated the American Middle Class as much as The Ice Storm. Director Ang Lee tears apart the American Dream with this fascinating commentary on family dynamics and sexual exploration. Lee leaves no stone unturned by masterfully balancing subjects ranging from selfishness, sexual promiscuity, poor communication, greed, and bad parenting to how these mistakes affect their lives, children, and friends. The entire ensemble cast brings their character's idiosyncrasies, insecurities, and inner turmoil to life masterfully with Oscar-worthy performances given by Kevin Kline, Joan Allen, and Sigourney Weaver. However, with all that praise, I do have some complaints. The film could have been a little longer so that the adult and children's storylines could have been fleshed out more because they fight each other for screen time. Thus allowing the climax to have more of a gut punch than it did. Lastly, seeing actors who were minors at the time perform "sex scenes" was incredibly uncomfortable to watch.

My rating: B+

******************************************************************

Deliverance: Directed by John Boorman

Deliverance is a brutal watch that is absolutely not for everyone. What appears to be a light-hearted adventure film turns into a cruel survival story that explores man's darkest side. From the beginning, a sense of dread is ever-present and growing till it explodes. The film explores masculinity, poverty, and the clash of civilizations as it turns into man's worst nightmare. The story does not hold any punches back as it explores these themes, and these themes are masterfully brought forth by the entire acting ensemble. Oscar-worthy performances were given by Jon Voight and Burt Reynolds but sadly received no recognition from the Academy. Overall, a fantastic and underrated thriller from the 70s.

My rating: A

********************************************************************

Enter the Dragon: Directed by Robert Clouse

Enter the Dragon was campier than I was expecting it to be. It has the stereotypical 70s cop infiltration storyline and bad yet good fight scenes. But what makes the film stand out is the sound effects given by Bruce Lee and the acting ensemble during the fights; they were unironically hysterical. It was obvious it was dubbed, which just adds to the campiness of the film. Overall, this movie is just plain stupid fun for the whole family.

My rating: B+

[anothersebastianblog]

If they think it’s not worth it they should also avoid a theaters flop put it directly on apple tv plus / It’s going to flop at the theater Apple knows it’s going to. Not because it’s bad or anything like that. They aren’t hoping for a big box office or it would wait 3 months to hit streaming. The theatre release is only so they will be eligible for awards down the road. Oscar (not sure about other awards) no longer lets streaming only movies qualify. They did that during the pandemic because no one could go to the theater but they’ve stopped.

Yup I know but at the same time I don’t think this is a movie worthy of an academy awards nomination… this is why I don’t see the point (would absolutely love to be proved wrong). At the same time i know the always try with almost every movie.

[ninewheels]

Assorted thoughts in this year's Independent Spirit noms

First of all, super pumped for EEAAO and Emily the Criminal getting so much attention. EEAAO was easy to see coming, but I really thought Emily the Criminal might be slept on.

ANYWAY, the gender thing:

So, I love that the Independent Spirit Awards de-segregated the acting awards by gender, (and I'm partly aggravated but partly entertained by how butthurt some reactionary film nerds are about it) and it is 100% a positive thing. That said, the problem with abolishing this segregation everywhere is that generally, and certainly in the overall history of awards shows, it will result in fewer nominations and awards going to women. That's the very nature of the gender imbalance in Hollywood. So while it's important that things like this go away because A) nonbinary people need to be recognized and B) in a vacuum it's just kinda dumb to segregate awards by gender anyway and it took me until like last year to consider that, it's a difficult situation.

The point of this is to say that, thinking in a more cynical and pragmatic fashion, this was the absolute best year for an awards-giving body to make the transition (whether that was a factor in the decision or not), because this is a truly uncommonly strong year for female roles. Even past the limits of the Independent Spirit Awards, into the movies considered for the Oscars, I've never seen a year where Best Actress was more competitive than Best Actor. (It's almost as if Hollywood somehow foresaw that nobody was gonna beat Brendan Fraser for that award, so they just didn't try.) As is, 8 of the 10 nominees for Best Lead Performance are women. Granted, only 3 of the 10 nominees for Supporting are women, but that's still a female majority in nominees, which is exactly the start necessary for the first desegregated year.

Now, the question is how long is it going to take for other awards shows going to do the same thing? The Tonys will probably go first with the Emmys second, because Broadway and TV are going to see non-binary actors in those obvious, un-ignorable award-worthy kinds of roles before well the film industry does. (Ever since cable and even more so with streaming, TV has become far more progressive a platform in terms of representation than film.) The Tonys are also going to have an easier time transitioning to mixed categories because the gender balance on Broadway is better. For the others at least, will these transition years be likewise balanced enough to avoid bad press? Whether or not the Independent Spirit Awards did this, will they wait to see what the year's crop of films looks like before making that decision, in order to avoid said bad press? I would say that's most likely, but I think the "Is there a non-binary performance we can't ignore this year?" factor might play into it. If that is the case, that poor actor is going to be subjected to so much abuse by conservatives, and TERFS specifically, so I actually hope that isn't how it happens. The Oscars voters being older and more out-of-touch than other groups, even despite the changes made to Academy membership and voting privileges, I think they will fight tooth-and-nail to ignore non-binary performers for as long as they possibly can, so that probably won't be the thing anyway.

Those are my various thoughts on the subject.

[ealeczander]

Will you like the Eternals movie?

(no spoilers)

There are a lot of contradictions about the Eternals movie. Critics say it’s stupid because they were expecting an Oscar worthy movie, Marvel fans say it’s boring because nothing happens during the whole thing.

Despite that, there is a niche group of people that absolutely love it. Here is how to see if you are one of them:

You will enjoy Eternals if you are a character driven watcher (or reader) and if you are a sucker for the the most basic fan fiction tropes (like me).

Quite self explanatory. If you enjoy consuming media that introduces a variety of characters and focuses on the dynamics between them you will like this one.

And, if you enjoy old-but-gold fanfic tropes like found family, the angry/sad one who is only smiling around the happy one, the girlboss and malewife who are also the damaged one and the protective one, a 6000 y.o. slowburn, etc. you will have fun watching the couples in this movie.

In summary, if you enjoy any of those fandoms (not all of them because we all have different tastes, but a few):

The Umbrella Academy, The Boys, The Witcher, The Marauders, Twilight, Six of Crows, DC Titans, Criminal Minds, Leverage, Shameless, Community, Disney’s Encanto etc.

and if you can name each character in them, then you may like Eternals.

Also, the cinematography is fucking beautiful.

You will not enjoy it if:

1. You understand physics or geography or history

Tbh there are some things that happen, that if you actually think about them for more than 5 sec you’ll wanna pull your hair out.

2. If you like the MCU movie structure

You’ll be really bored and confused during the entire thing. There are jumps in time, jumps in space, flashbacks, flash forwards. It feels more like a DC movie than a Marvel one. There isn’t a solid 3 act structure. There is kind of a villain but he sucks, which is the only consistent thing with a Marvel movie.

[twinklelilstarkey]

Good Girl [HC] - Part 2

Words: 1.4k+

Warnings: Mentions of alcohol consumption. Rafe is a protective mess. Kinda Rafe vs JJ.  

  DO NOT REPOST, REWRITE OR TRANSLATE ANY OF MY WORK!

Part 1

Your first date would start with a simple dinner out;

And end with a small walk on the beach;

Rafe would hold your hand as you two would walk silently through the empty beach that circled the island;

And not even with a complete second date, you two would start dating;

Your relationship, right off the bat, would be sooo envied by everyone in your school;

Like, you two are absolute perfection;

The island’s good girl and the island’s bad boy?

Now that’s movie worthy;

As your relationship evolved, the love you two share grew insanely;

You two would have everyday activities that were done so many times that became routines;

Rafe would always pick you up to go to school and to go home;

You two would hang out every afternoon together;

His nights would usually be reserved for his boys;

Who, by the way, love you like a sister;

Whenever Rafe couldn’t go to school, for any reason, they would hang out with you the whole day so you wouldn’t be alone;

Even though you still had your other friends;

Have lunch with you in the cafeteria or even take you out to lunch;

Those boys would always make sure you’re happy;

Once your relationship with Rafe reached a few months, he was finally able to take you to a party;

And you hate that he was able to do it;

Your parents were shocked when you asked them to go to a party at a Friday night;

And since it’s so rare, they let you go;

Rafe would pick you up and take you to the kook’s house that would end up trashed at the end of the night;

Whoever was sober enough was in shock when they saw you in there;

Like, 5 whole minutes of staring at you in shock;

Rafe would have his arm over your shoulders the whole time;

And it took you a while to actually start enjoying the party;

Since the first few minutes were filled with seeing people grinding on each other and smoking into other’s faces;

Topper would be the one grabbing drinks for everyone and he even got you one;

Rafe was the one that actually talked your way into taking a small sip to finally try alcohol;

Topper was nice enough to get you a sweet drink but the after taste of the alcoholic drink made you cringe at Rafe;

He laughed with you the whole night;

Even more when you decided to ignore the aftertaste and just enjoy the drink;

Bad way to find that you’re a light weight in your first time;

But even though it was hilarious to him, he still took care of you;

You had a good time;

You danced with some girls that you met through Topper and they also were one of the reasons why it was so much fun;

A lot of friendships started that night;

And as it got later, you started running out of energy;

Leaning onto Rafe’s chest as he talked to his friend, his hand running through your back in a comforting way;

You had to admit, it was hard not to fall asleep right there;

Rafe didn’t take you home that night since he didn’t want to make you do the silent walk of shame through the house that would surely end up in your parents waking up;

So he took you to his;

The headache on the next day wasn’t as fun;

For you at least;

Rafe finally understood why you would laugh when he was suffering in the mornings;

After that night you started going to parties more frequently;

You would still, sometimes, stay home to finish homework or just to watch a show;

But Rafe’s friends started to ask him many times when were you going to come party with them again, so that was one of the reasons why you went a second, a third and a tenth time to a party with them;

Your parents were slightly worried in the beginning but since they trusted Rafe, it was easier for them to see you walk out of the house on a Friday night;

The only night Rafe didn’t have as much fun was in a party between the Cut and Figure Eight, where the two rivals of the island joined in for a beach party;

He still doesn’t know why the party still happens on a monthly basis, since it’s just a simple, and sometimes boring, bonfire party that would always end with fights;

Quite hypocritical of Rafe, since he would usually be involved in them (when you weren’t with him);

And he disliked it more on your first time in one of these parties;

He had decided to stay (mostly) sober for the night, just in case something would go down;

You hanged out with his group most of the night, but as soon as you started talking to Kiara Carrera, Rafe tensed up;

The Pogues had no idea who you were when Kie brought you to their group, including who you were dating, since they don’t go to the Kook Academy;

And even though Kiara does go to that school, she never cared enough to check who the popular kids were dating;

So yes, this is just the perfect opportunity for all to turn shit;

“Hey Rafe, where’s Y/N?”

As soon as that girl would ask him that, as he talked to Topper, Rafe woke up to reality to notice that you weren’t meters away from him anymore;

He looked around the party to find you talking to Kiara and... JJ;

He was pissed;

But Kelce stopped him before he could go attack the pogues and snatch you away;

So, he offered to do the extraction;

Rafe stayed back as his best friend walked past the huge bonfire and kicked sand on his way to you;

If anything were to go south, Rafe, and, now also, Topper would be right there to run in;

“Hey, Y/N!” Kelce called out as he was close enough, making you end the conversation and look at your boyfriend’s friend;

“What could you want from her, Kelce?” JJ asked back;

You obviously didn’t feel the tense air building up, but everyone else from the group surely did;

As the two boys would bicker, you sipped your drink calmly and stayed lost in your thoughts;

“Rafe is looking for you, Y/N. Let’s go” Kelce would say, almost pleading;

Oh oh

That annoyed the crap out of the Pogues;

“Does he own her or something?” and “Last time I checked she’s free to be wherever she wants to be!” were just examples of what Kelce got as answers;

As soon as the tense atmosphere was more evident, Topper walked past Rafe and walked over there to try and help out his friend to not start a fight;

Leaving an annoyed and a overthinking Rafe with himself;

“Wow, does Rafe want to call any more reinforcements to get a girl?” JJ would bicker, making John B laugh at him;

“If she’s not leaving, it might mean that she doesn’t want to go hang out with your little leader, guys. Go annoy some other girl” Kie would add;

Pope would honestly just stand back and watch everything silently with you;

As they bickered the minutes away, you pat your pockets for your phone and you can’t find it;

Alcohol already affecting your mind enough to not acknowledge the argument in front of you, as well as why they’re arguing, you take a step back from the commotion;

“Wow, you guys really know how to scare a girl away” Kie would say to the Kook boys;

Both Topper and Kelce haven’t been able to say anything that would explain why they needed you to go back to the Kook’s side (example A: Rafe’s dating you), but it’s not like they didn’t try;

JJ would honestly not let them talk;

Same thing with Kie;

“Y/N, can we please go?” Topper would ask you, ignoring the girl beside him;

“Yeah, I don’t know where my phone is” You would murmur over the commotion;

“He has it!” Kelce would yell over JJ’s voice;

Everyone quiets down and you look over to the other side of the party to find Rafe glaring towards you;

You frown at him and walk away from everyone, drunkenly stumbling in the air as you made your way towards your boyfriend;

As he extends his hand towards you, you take it and lean in close to his body;

And that shocked everyone from the Pogue’s group;

Topper and Kelce would look at them in annoyance almost as if they would trying to say “We were trying to tell you this” with just their eyes;

JJ and Rafe share glares as his friends walk back to their side;

And as Rafe throws his arm over your shoulder to pull you in closer to his chest, JJ clenches his jaw and looks away;

Rafe, now satisfied, plants a kiss over your forehead and rests his chin on top of your head as you snuggle close to him;

This will be fun to explain to you in the morning.

- - - - - - - - - - -

Oh, I’m a sucker for rivalry between Rafe and JJ. Don’t judge me. 

(You can request more BadGuy!Rafe vs JJ moments if you would like to see that) Or just ask for more Good Girl x Bad boy.

Ask box

[measuringbliss]

So I watched The Suicide Squad last night and the first episode of Peacemaker this morning. Here are my Thoughts.

First of all HARLEY'S ROCKING THE FUCK OUT OF THIS OUTFIT!!!!

Now that I've said it. Onto the rest.

I absolutely loved TSS. I hadn't seen the first, but I did watch Birds of Prey twice in theaters. The James Gunn vibe is definitely there. Too much there, maybe? The old pop songs were vaguely justified in Guardians of the Galaxy since the protagonist is absolutely passionate about them, and it's in the narrative and it kind of became a GotG trademark, you know? They're introduced with Rubberband Man in Infinity War. It's their thing. So it does sound weird for TSS to have so much of them too. I feel like it was part of the contract; the execs wanted James Gunn, not only the man but the full treatment: colors, good comedy and songs. But I feel like now, it's really overdone. Umbrella Academy had that annoying "oh this fight scene is funny because there's a song in the background" thing in one of the first episodes, and then the absolutely ridiculous Run Boy Run scene made me quit the show because even though those moments irritated the hell out of me, they still were the highlight of my viewing experience until then because the rest was just. so. boring.

The lyrics are at least appropriate and not too much on the nose in TSS, so there's that. But it really wasn't necessary.

There were a lot of great ideas. Harley's flowers fight is wonderful, it looks like an ad for perfume you'd see on TV in the 2000s. The anachronistic order is nice. Comedy is mostly good. The opening act is absolutely hilarious and I really love Weasel. I'd already played both seasons of Telltale's Batman so I knew Amanda Waller is an asshole and wow, she was great. She was incredible. Loved her. All the actors are great, actually. John Cena was very surprising, but his scenes after the hard drive is found? Heartbreaking as fuck. Fuck that fight scene was so raw, I gasped. I gasped multiple times throughout the movie, I just wasn't ready.

Mickey Rourke's wig is awful, part of the fun obviously just as Weasel's dubious CGI.

"If I die 'cause I gambled on love... It will be a worthy death." FUCK, that quote is so GOOD. ALSO THE RATS. THEY'RE SO ADORABLE. I WANT TO PET THEM.

If anyone asks, yes of course I shipped Peacemaker and Flag, two guys trying to kill each other? Yes that's the good stuff. Also Taika Waititi was hot. Absolutely nobody is surprised.

I did think the music was overdone in the climax, with the flashback to both Ratcatchers and Harley helping killing Starro. It was... too much. But the moment itself was sweet as hell. Fuck, this movie is great. So many great stuff about it.

OKAY BUT JUST BEFORE WE MOVE ON TO PEACEMAKER EP 1

I feel like the "pop song everywhere in superhero movies" might eventually become even more commonplace and it would make sense, really, because comics are a pop thing too, you know what I'm saying? Pop songs are probably an appropriate soundtrack. Doesn't mean I *like* it, but it does make sense.

OKAY PEACEMAKER EP 1

FIRST. OMG A GAY COUPLE. FUCK YEAH. I love them. I love them so much. I hope they don't die, either of them.

okay now here is where I insert an entire paragraph about my thirst for John Economos. But I'm too lazy so you'll have to imagine it. but. yeah.

anyway DID YOU KNOW I LOVE HUGS? AND I LOVE IT WHEN CHARACTERS HUG EACH OTHER??? well it happens in both the movie and the first episode. loved it.

look. about Robert Patrick. I'm tired of seeing him play terrible guys I don't like. but also you have to admit he has the perfect face for that.

ALSO VIGILANTE IS SUCH A PUPPY. HE'S SUUUUCH A PUPPY. Freddie Stroma, I had you on my radar for HP6 and it's now confirmed: you're a certified snack.

what else, what else... I WAS SO ANNOYED I COULDN'T WATCH THE FOLLOWING EPISODES RIGHT NOW. I'M HOOKED, FOLKS. I'M SO HOOKED IT'S NOT EVEN FUNNY.

okay I think I've said most of what I wanted to say. thanks for reading my ridiculous ramblings!

[sisterspooky1013]

As Ethan Sees It

Author:SisterSpooky1013

Rating: Mature

Words: 3698

Read it on AO3 Here

Tagging @today-in-fic

The first thing I’d noticed about her was how self-assured she was, particularly in contrast to her diminutive stature. I’d been grabbing lunch at a local deli between classes and some high school kids were picking on a third boy who may have been a classmate. Everyone in line was just ignoring it, looking away, when this tiny redhead steps out of line and walks up to the tallest, bulkiest guy in the group and tells him to fuck off, in so many words. She barely reached his shoulder and was probably 100lbs soaking wet, but she had no problem standing up for the little guy. After I picked up my order, I noticed her sitting alone at a table near the window and asked if I could join her. She was hesitant, but agreed and listened politely while I told her how impressed I was by her bravado with those kids. That’s when I noticed the second thing about her; her incredible smile. It was like the first burst of sunlight over the horizon in the morning, blinding in its beauty. I introduced myself and learned that her name was Dana, and she had just moved to DC to accept a job with the FBI. We talked for so long I missed my class, but I didn’t care. I was fascinated by her. Aside from being strikingly beautiful with rich auburn hair and porcelain skin, her blue eyes some intoxicating shade of blue I had never seen before, she was also wickedly smart. She seemed to know about everything, any topic that came up she could speak to, and I learned more during that 90 minute conversation than I probably would have if I’d made it to class. She was a doctor, and a scientist, and even the way her voice sounded was enchanting to me, the S’s softly sibilant as they poured from her pouty pink lips. She had realized the time and stood suddenly to leave, and I was so flustered by our impromptu date ending so abruptly that I stupidly forgot to get her phone number. The sinking feeling in my gut when I realized this fact, right about the time her cab disappeared into a sea of other cabs, still ranks as one of the worst moments of my life.

I thought about her every single day for two weeks. I talked about her every single day for two weeks, until my roommates begged me to either figure out a way to get in touch with her, or shut the hell up. All I knew about her was her first name, that she had recently graduated from Stanford, and that she works at the FBI. First I tried calling the FBI and asking for Dana, but they had more than one Dana who worked there and were unwilling to let me try them one by one. Next I contacted Stanford and was able to have a list of the last two classes of graduates faxed to me. Thankfully, there was only one Dana on that list; Dana Scully. I called back to FBI headquarters and asked for Dana Scully, and the next thing I knew she was on the line, her sing-song voice saying “This is Dana Scully.” My mouth went dry, I forgot how to speak, how to breathe.

“Uh, um, hi, hello.”

“…Who is this?” Her tone was the one I’d heard her use with the high school bullies

“Uh, this is Ethan? From the deli, a couple weeks ago?”

“Ethan from the deli? The guy who’s getting his masters in journalism?”

“Yep, that’s the one.”

“Oh! Hi! How…how did you get this number?”

“Well, I hope this isn’t too weird but I forgot to ask for your number and I remembered you said you worked at the FBI, so I kind of tracked you down.”

“Oh. That’s kind of sweet.”

I let out huge breath of relief.

“I’d really like to see you again, if you’re interested. It’s alright if not, I just couldn’t live with myself if I didn’t at least ask.”

She was quiet for a moment but he had a feeling she was smiling.

“I’d love to, Ethan. Do you have something to write with? I’ll give you my number.”

**********************************

The first real date we had, I took her to a fancy Italian place that my buddies said was sufficiently romantic. She let me pick her up at her apartment in Georgetown and when she answered the door, I nearly passed out. She had on a strapless blue cocktail dress and tall black heels, her hair down and soft around her face. Her lips were red and plump and I wanted to kiss her right then, but I knew it was too soon. I held doors for her and watched closely for her reaction, unsure if she was the kind of woman who found chivalry insulting, but she seemed to appreciate it. She was so petite and delicate, like a beautiful bird, but also had this incredible air of confidence that made her so captivating. I was careful not to outright stare at her, so I didn’t make her uncomfortable. She told me more about herself as we ate, what she had studied in school and the things she was doing now at the FBI academy, working in forensics. She asked me about my school and my plans for after graduation, and she really listened when I talked, asking thoughtful questions and wanting to learn more about journalism and broadcasting, so eager to know as much as possible about everything she could. I told some stupid joke, and she laughed, and I think that’s when I fell in love with her. That laugh worked its way into my bones, vibrated in my blood stream and sent a shiver down my spine. I had to imagine that the only reason she was single was that she was so new to the area, because a woman like this was never single for long. I didn’t want the night to end, so I asked her out to drinks afterward and to my delighted surprise she suggested that we have them back at her place. I didn’t want to assume anything, so I didn’t make a move, just talked with her more on her sofa, learned about her family and her childhood as an army brat, her love of reading and bubble baths, her fondness for children and animals. When she leaned in and kissed me, I thought that I may be hallucinating. Maybe I was having an intensely long, lucid dream. How did someone like Dana Scully cross my path of all the places on earth she might have been, and how did I have the nerve to approach her, and how was she interested in me, and how was it possible that right then she had her tongue in my mouth on her sofa?

We didn’t have sex that first night, but it wasn’t too long before we did. And it wasn’t too long after that that we decided to be exclusive, and 6 months later that I told her that I loved her. Two weeks after that, she said it back, and for two years, we were happy. It’s typically the case that when you’re newly in love with someone you have that divine infatuation that makes you see everything about them as perfect, but over time it wears off and the things that were once cute become annoying. That never happened with Dana. I was obsessed with her, everything she did was the most incredible thing a human could accomplish or be. Aside from the megawatt smile and musical laugh, she had this sweet little beauty mark on her lip that I loved to kiss. She was witty and skilled at debate, and we’d spend evenings arguing over something like the moon landing conspiracy before fucking like animals over the back of the couch. And the sex. Oh my god the sex. She was an absolute vixen in the way she played, teased, and ultimately delivered on every promise she made, and she would smile in this self-satisfied way when she came, looking me right in the eye like she’d tricked me out of my last dollar. She could be dominant, or dismissive, sometimes one then the other in the same night. She could be anything and everything, and she was.

I loved to hear her talk about her work and new assignments she was getting, and I was so proud of her and her goals and dreams. I wanted to be right beside her as she climbed the ranks at the bureau, and knew that she would be anything she set her mind to. She was equally supportive of me as I graduated and then worked my way up at a local broadcasting company with dreams of being a news anchor. She made me feel important and worthy, showed interest in the things that I cared about and was so loyal to me that she cussed out one of my friends for making jokes at my expense. We never moved in together technically (her choice) but we slept together at one or the other’s apartment every night, rented a movie every Friday, had dinner with her parents every Sunday. Her sister, who she was close to, seemed to like me okay, and her friend Ellen confided in me that she thought I should propose soon, that Dana was ready for that step. I picked out a ring, a slender gold band with a princess cut solitaire, only half a karat because I knew she didn’t like to be flashy, and hid it in my sock drawer. Our anniversary was coming up on March 23 and I decided to do it then, which was a little ways away, but I wanted it to be perfect.

For her birthday, I took her out to dinner and she had exciting news to share. She’d been offered an assignment with an obscure unit at the FBI, requested specifically by Section Chief Blevins for her background as a scientist. I didn’t fully understand what the unit did or why they’d want Dana for it, but it was something about unsolved mysteries, by the sound of it. She was so happy and felt like this was a great sign, her big break, the fact that Blevins even knew she existed and wanted her on this team was an indication of the reputation she was building for herself there. I bought a bottle of champagne, told her how proud I was and that I couldn’t wait to hear more about it. She let me know there would be travel, it was a field agent role, and that she’d be on the road sometimes. As much as I didn’t look forward to being away from her, I couldn’t help but share her excitement at this new step in her career. That night we had the most incredible birthday/promotion sex you could imagine. I made her come three times before she finally tapped out and told me how much she loved me, and how excited she was for the rest of our lives together, how much she appreciated that I understood that her career was important, and that I supported her. If we would have been at my place, I would have grabbed the ring and proposed to her right then, but we were at hers. So I just kissed her and told her that I was the luckiest man on earth because I had the opportunity to be her partner in life.

The first day of her new assignment, she was nervous. She’d heard some stories about the agent she was going to be working with, her partner, a guy named Mulder. He sounded like somewhat of an oddball, and a ladies man to boot. I made a joke about him staying away from my woman and she rolled her eyes, had me help her choose between the plaid suit or the maroon one, kissed me goodbye and told me that she loved me and I didn’t need to worry about this or any other male agent, or male person for that matter, stealing her away. That afternoon at the station I got a message from her saying that she had to fly out to Oregon for a case they were investigating, which caught me by surprise. She had said she’d be on the road, but I didn’t expect it to happen that fast. I heard from her only once in the three days she was gone, and when she came back, she was different.

It’s hard to explain in what way she changed. She was distracted, spacey, staring into nothing when we watched TV in the evening, not really listening to what I was saying when I told her about my day. She told me a little bit about the work she was doing, but she was suddenly guarded and defensive about what she did all day, most of her sentences starting with “Mulder says...” The phone would ring at odd times, she worked late or was out of town almost constantly. I felt her slipping away. I did all I could to make things easy for her when she was home. I did all the cleaning, all her laundry. I cooked her dinner each night, though half the time she would say that she had already eaten with Mulder. She didn’t seem as interested in kissing or sex, but she would let me go down on her and I did, every night, trying to hold on to her attention and her affection with my tongue on her clit. I tried to talk to her, to ask her what was wrong, if I should be doing anything differently, and she’d say “no, of course not. Everything’s fine, I’m just tired.”

Then it was our anniversary, and I made a reservation at the same place we’d gone to that very first time. I picked up flowers for her, dahlias which I knew she loved. I went by her apartment at the agreed upon time, but she didn’t answer the door. I used my key to enter and it was quiet and cold, no sign she’d been there anytime recently. I called her office at work and Mulder answered, said she was up at Quantico performing an autopsy and could he take a message. I just hung up the phone. I went to bed at her place, and when she finally crawled in at 3am she was startled to find me there. The way she looked at me made me feel like she’d forgotten I existed, and I didn’t even bother to remind her that it was our anniversary. I decided to start fresh the next morning, with a new plan. Maybe I was being too demanding, expecting too much. Maybe this Mulder was difficult to work with and she didn’t want to bother me with horror stories. I would just have to be the most supportive, accommodating, wonderful boyfriend possible, and we could come through this together. When I woke up, she was still snoring softly beside me. I slipped my head under the covers and pushed her legs open gently, sliding her nightgown up over her hips. She stirred and moaned as I pressed my lips to her clit, kissing her there before beginning to lap at her labia, two fingers sliding inside just how she liked it. She responded readily, flexing her hips and pushing her hands into my hair, and I flipped the blankets off my head so I could see her face. I loved the way she liked to watch me, to hold my eye as she went over the edge, so intensely intimate. To my disappointment, her eyes were closed, head back against the pillow. When she came, she didn’t look at me, didn’t say anything. I crawled back up to lie beside her and when her eyes met mine they were so full of sadness it sent me into a panic.

“Dana, what’s wrong?” I implored, seeing tears welling under her blue irises.

She shook her head and scooted up so that she was sitting with her back against the headboard.

“Ethan-“ her voice caught under a sob that she quickly swallowed down.

My stomach dropped. No, this can not be happening.

“Ethan” she began again. “I care about you so much.” Tears were falling now, trailing down her alabaster cheeks and dripping off of her angular chin. “I just don’t think I can give you what you need right now.”

My mind was racing, I looked around the room like there might be something, or someone, who could help me.

“I think it might be best if we took a break for a bit. Took some space from each other.”

I sat up on my knees and grabbed her arm, suddenly regretful that I had chosen to sleep naked.

“Dana, what are you talking about? We don’t need space. I don’t need space from you!”

She closed her eyes. “Ethan, it’s not fair to you. I can’t be available to you right now. My new assignment, I’m just so busy-“

“No, it’s okay, Dana. I know you work more now but I don’t mind, I’ll always be here when you come home. I support you, I support your work, you know that.”

Pulling her arm from my grasp, she stood and went to her dresser. Pulled on panties and then jeans before stripping off her nightgown and putting on a bra and sweater. “Ethan. Please don’t make this harder than it needs to be. It’s just not a good time for me, right now.”

“Is it that Mulder guy? Is he making moves on you?” I hated how desperate my voice sounded.

“No, Ethan. This has nothing to do with Mulder, he’s been nothing but professional. This is about me, and what I need right now. What I’m capable of. And I’m just not in a good place for a relationship, I’m sorry. I need some time.”

She was standing near her bedroom door, leaning against the wall with her arms crossed. She was ready to walk out.

“How much time? How much time do you need?”

She looked at the floor and whispered “I don’t know.”

I slid off the bed and went to her, dropped to my knees on the floor, wrapping my arms around her hips as I pressed the side of my head into her belly.

“Please don’t do this. We can work through it. I love you, I love you so much. I’ll do whatever you need, just tell me.” The humiliation of begging on my knees while nude makes my skin crawl to this day.

She put her hand on my head, petting my hair as she often did. I felt hot tears drip from her eyes and fall against my scalp. “What I need is for you to let me go” she finally said, and she sounded very sad but also very resolute.

“I’m going to go to my mothers for the day, and I’d like you to pack up the things you have here. You can leave your key on the table. I’ll call you soon, to see how you’re doing, okay?”

“Dana, no, I won’t let you go. Please let me try to make this better.” I clung to her like a child, physically keeping her from leaving me. She crouched down and kneeled in front of me, taking my face in her hands. She kissed me softly on the lips, once.

“You have been a wonderful boyfriend, Ethan. You have loved me so well. I don’t want you to think that this is your fault, okay? You are the best. I just can’t be with someone right now. I know you’ll be okay.”

She stood and walked out of her apartment, pausing once at the door to look back at me, naked and destroyed on the floor in her bedroom doorway, and then she was gone.

She didn’t call me, not in a day or a week or a month. She deleted me from her life like a file she no longer needed. I didn’t know how to explain to my friends what had happened, because I didn’t really know myself. I thought about her every day, ate at restaurants around her work and apartment hoping to catch sight of her, so we could chance a meeting and maybe she’d be willing to talk. When I finally did see her, it was at a sandwich shop a few blocks from the Hoover building. She walked in looking like…well an FBI agent. Now in a black, tailored skirt suit that fit her perfectly, her hair cut shorter and more styled, her heels tall and her posture confident. A man was with her, and my stomach turned at his hand on her back, the familiar way they stood close as they waited in line. He was remarkably tall with dark features, handsome in a kind of mysterious way. I wondered if that was Mulder, assumed that it was. They sat down and I watched her face, the intensity in her eyes and the curl at her lip, recognized the way her features danced as she talked about something she found interesting, the rapturous way she listened while her male counterpart spoke. I remembered when she used to look at me that way. She must have felt my eyes on her because she looked at me suddenly, registering surprise and then sadness, offering me a tiny wave as the man turned to see who she was looking at. I gathered the rest of my sandwich and chucked it in the trash can as I stalked out, suddenly having lost my appetite. I wanted to hate her, to be angry at her betrayal, her abandonment. I wanted to hate him, for taking her from me. All I could muster was the same hallow acceptance that I had my chance, and somehow let it slip away. I just hope that he appreciates her smile as much as I do.