#creed being the only straight one of the Trio is very funny to me

[transrevolutions]

left: alec seward (gay) - right: selene valent (bisexual) - centre: creed seward (a little confused but he got the spirit)

(redraw of this from 2022)

@lorata

[diditonceinadream-blog]

BNHA x BE CROSSOVER

Ch. 3

Rin's Hero Costume, Mk. 1 👇

Alright guys, we get our first look at the ExWire gang in this chapter. I made Bon's personality a bit more out there just because he has a seduction quirk and holds power over everyone else because of it. He's still the same genius, straight-laced guy, and that will show up in later chapters once we spend more time with Rin's friends.

-------------------

Over the days, routines were made. Get up, shower, get dressed, eat breakfast, and head off to school. And every day Yukio insisted on hugging Rin goodbye, while Rin kept trying to punch him for it.

Some of Rin's classmates saw and seemed very confused.

"Hey, Okumura!" Kirishima called him over. He walked to him, Kaminari, Ashido, and Hagakure. "What's up?" He greeted. "Who's the guy that's always hitting on you?" Ashido wondered. "Mina! You can't just blurt things out like that!" Hagakure hissed.

They were cut off by Rin's laugh. "Nah, it's ok. That's my twin. He's got some attachment issues. Guess that's what happens when you've got no one to take care of you but a brother a couple hours older than you, huh?" Rin rubbed the back of his neck sheepishly. "Wait, you don't have parents?!" Hagakure exclaimed. Rin shook his head. "Nope! But don't feel bad. It's better this way. Trust me."

"Yeah, no curfew and no rules." Kaminari grinned. Rin sighed. "That would be a lot of fun, but Yukio insisted we needed curfew and rules to keep us safe and under control. We kinda just raised ourselves since no one else could. We had to grow up real quick." Rin shrugged. Kaminari frowned. "Aww, party pooper." He joked. They all laughed.

At that point, class started. They went to their regular classes like English and Math.

§~•~§~•~§

Finally, lunch rolled around. Rin found his brother with his friends and sat with them. He knew Yukio didn't really like anyone but Shiemi.

"Hey Suguro! How're you holding up in the second hero course?" Rin wondered. He groaned. "If fuckin' Monoma doesn't shut his trap about beating Class 1A, I'm gonna bring him to his knees and it's gonna be painful." He growled. Rin laughed. "Shiemi, Shima, what about you guys?"

Shiemi smiled, playing with the little leaf-man she'd made out of seeds and leaves."Oh, things are going well. Everyone is nice. They're kind of noisy though..." She trailed off. "There's this one chick named Hatsume. She keeps hitting on Shiemi, but Shiemi's too oblivious." Shima snickered. They all laughed at the girl's red face. "H-Hey! I don't really know how to handle that stuff!" She cried.

"It's okay, Shiemi. If you find you don't mind Hatsume's presence and don't mind spending time with her, I can help you figure out what to do for a date and what goodies to give her." Shima promised. "Uh, no, I will. I don't trust you and other people's partners." Rin shook his head.

"Oh, so you trust the guy with a seduction quirk, but not me?!" Shima huffed indignantly. "Yes. Because I have total control of the guy with the seduction quirk." Rin answered. Suguro smirked and pulled the fire user into his lap–something he knew would annoy the younger, placing his chin on the boy's shoulder. "What was that about having control over me, blueberry?" He snickered. "Hey! Suguro!" He growled, elevating his body temperature with flames so the boy let go of him. Rin laughed at his friend's grumbling before he spotted Midoriya across the cafeteria watching them curiously. He waved.

The green haired boy blushed at being noticed and then looked down at his food.

"Deku, what's wrong?" Uraraka questioned. Iida looked at him. "Something is bothering you, Midoriya?" He guessed. "Uh...no, it's just...Okumura-kun and his friends. They look so comfortable together." He said wistfully. Just as he said so, the aforementioned people walked up and sat down around the trio. Midoriya wondered how they'd gotten there so fast.

"Hey Midoriya. Whatcha up to?" Rin greeted. The poor boy jumped out of his skin. "Kinda skittish, huh? He's like Shiemi." Izumo commented. The blonde smiled at the green haired boy. "Hello. I'm Moriyama Shiemi. I'm Rin's friend. It's nice to meet you." She introduced. Rin's friends gave their introductions, following her lead.

"And I'm Yukio, Rin's twin." The taller boy sitting on the other side of Iida said. "Hmm, you guys don't really look alike." Hagakure and Ashido had apparently made their way over. "Mina!" Hagakure sounded exasperated. Suguro guessed she just blurted out whatever she was thinking a lot of the time. "That's okay. I wouldn't wanna be a pretty boy like Nii-san." Yukio teased. "Watch it genius, I feed you and you don't know what I put in that food." Rin warned playfully.

"Rin's kinda snappy today, huh Okumura?" Suguro grinned, wrapping his arm tighter around Rin's waist. Ashido squealed. "Is this the guy with the seduction quirk?" She asked.

"Well, nothing escapes you, does it?" Izumo snarked. "Hey," Rin shot a small flame at her arm, where it sizzled on her sleeve. "Be nice. Not everybody is as observant and snobby as you, Eyebrows."

"I told you my name is Kamiki Izumo!"

"Ooh, cat fight." Shima grinned, leaning forward. "Do I look like a girl to you?" Rin turned to the pink haired boy.

"You guys are so mean to Rin." Uraraka giggled. "How is that funny?" Iida questioned. "Nah, s'okay. We know each other well enough to trash talk each other and still be friends. Long as no one steps over the line, we're good. I can call Kamiki a stone cold bitch all I want and she won't do anything cause she knows it's true." Rin brushed it off.

Except right after that, birds started pecking at his head. "Ow, ow, Kamiki, call off the birds!" Rin held his arms up in defense.

Rin heard a familiar laugh and glared at Bakugou from across the room. "Uh oh. I sense a rivalry." Hagakure sang. "I think Bakugou has a three way rivalry with Midoriya, Rin, and Todoroki. That guy's got some serious issues." Ashido added. When the explosive blonde in question turned away, Rin spit a tiny ball of fire and they all watched until it hit it's target: Bakugou's hair. Rin cursed("Ohshit") and ducked behind Suguro. Bakugou turned to glower at Rin and didn't see him, so he immediately got up and ran out of the room, no doubt hunting the boy down.

Rin came back up, grinning. "Nice one, Rin. Now he'll be running in the halls like a maniac until he realizes you're still here and that he just looks like an angry psycho." Shima snickered. "We should refrain from using our quirks out of classes." Konekomeru put in quietly. "Yes, I agree with Miwa-kun." Iida did karate chops in the air with his hands. Rin snorted. "Little too late for that, guys."

The bell rang and the group split, going to their more abnormal courses.

§~•~§~•~§

As they waited for the teacher to arrive, Rin heard running in the hallway and cocked his head to the side in confusion right before All Might burst into the room.

"I HAVE.....COME THROUGH THE DOOR LIKE NORMAL!!!" He yelled. Rin snorted out a laugh. It seemed like he would rather have come in through the window. Some students freaked out and got excited, some students fanboyed(Midoriya), and then some just smiled and laughed.

The Number One Hero posed in front of the class and began talking(well, it was more like shouting....).

"Hero Basic Training-The class that'll put you through all sorts of special training to mold you into heroes!"

He showed them a card. "No time for dallying, today's activity is this! Battle!" He shouted. Rin couldn't help but smile at the man's excitement. He seemed genuinely happy to be here teaching them, whereas Aizawa was more like a teacher that never wanted to be a teacher in the first place, but needed a job and just took what he could get.

Something slid out of the walls, revealing cases with numbers on them. Are those.....?

Rin grinned once All Might announced that these were their hero costumes they'd ordered. They all retrieved their numbers. Everybody cheered and headed to the changing rooms to put on their costumes.

§~•~§~•~§

Rin grinned as he slipped on his gloves and moved to lace his boots up. He went out to meet everyone else. Kirishima was with Kaminari. The redhead had metal all over his body and even across his face and Kirishima just had some kind of device on the side of his head. "Hey Okumura!" He greeted. "So, what's up with your costume? Going for the Assassin's Creed look?" Kaminari teased. Rin grinned. "It's all fire proof and it's easy to move in. Plus, the material guards me from anything like Mina's poison." Rin explained.

"Oh yeah, your quirk. What exactly is your quirk?" Kaminari wondered. "It's fire." Rin held a hand out and a small blue flame appeared, flickering in his palms and on his fingers. "I can breathe it, I can blast it from my hands, I can cover my body in it. My brother and I grew up in a rough neighborhood, so we made sure to keep our quirks trained in case anything happened so I can even control the temperature of my flames too, though the lowest I can get it is about 23°C." Rin answered. "It's so hot it's blue? Interesting!" Kirishima examined he small flame in tins palm.

"Wow, that sounds awesome! I can only do one big blast, but it kinda fries my brain, so...." Kaminari scratched the back of his head in embarrassment.

"I can harden!" Kirishima shouted excitedly, hardening his arm until it looked like rock. Rin stifled a laugh behind his hand. "I'm pretty sure every guy can do that, Kirishima." He sniggered. "Oi, that's not what I meant!" The redhead complained. Rin and Kaminari laughed, leaning on each other while Kirishima's face turned redder than his hair.

"Alright! Now that you have these costumes, from now on, you are all heroes!" All Might announced. Rin heard footsteps and looked behind him. Midoriya was just arriving from the tunnel behind everybody. Man, this guy is a mess.

Rin had to cover his mouth to keep from laughing out loud. The boy's costume was his own signature color, but it was pretty obvious who he modeled it after. Rin looked between Izuku and All Might and he could tell the Number One Hero had noticed. Midoriya, stop trying so hard!

All Might explained how they were going to work in teams and fight each other as heroes against villains.

This is either gonna be insane fun or a complete disaster......

[nickdelo]

Top 25 Films of the 21st Century

Nick’s List

1. Boyhood (Linklater, 2014) 2. Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind (Gondry, 2004) 3. Before Sunset (Linklater, 2004) 4. In Bruges (McDonagh, 2008) 5. Children of Men (Cuaron, 2006) 6. There Will Be Blood (P.T. Anderson, 2007) 7. Inside Llewyn Davis (Ethan Coen, Joel Coen, 2013) 8. Before Midnight (Linklater, 2013) 9. The Master (P.T. Anderson, 2012) 10. The Social Network (Fincher, 2010) 11. In the Mood for Love (Kar-wai, 2000) 12. Nightcrawler (Gilroy, 2014) 13. Ex Machina (Garland, 2015) 14. Hell or High Water (Mackenzie, 2016) 15. Moonlight (Barry Jenkins, 2016) 16. Beasts of the Southern Wild (Zeitlin, 2012) 17. Catch Me If You Can (Spielberg, 2002) 18. The Hurt Locker (Bigelow, 2009) 19. The Departed (Scorses, 2006) 20. Short Term 12 (Cretton, 2013) 21. The Prestige (Nolan, 2006) 22. Mud (Nichols, 2013) 23. Y Tu Mama También (Cuaron, 2001) 24. Creed (Coogler, 2015) 25. Frances Ha (Baumbach, 2012)

John’s List 1. Gladiator (Scott, 2000) 2. Hot Fuzz (Wright, 2007) 3. Inside Llewyn Davis (Ethan Coen, Joel Coen, 2013) 4. Anchorman (McKay, 2004) 5. No Country for Old Men (Ethan Coen, Joel Coen, 2007) 6. Training Day (Fuqua, 2001) 7. Django Unchained (Tarantino, 2012) 8. There Will Be Blood (P.T. Anderson, 2007) 9. John Wick 2 (Stahelski, 2017) 10. Inside man (Lee, 2006) 11. Burn After Reading (Ethan Coen, Joel Coen, 2008) 12. American Psycho (Harron, 2000) 13. Gone Girl (Fincher, 2014) 14. Zoolander (Stiller, 2001) 15. Best in Show (Guest, 2000) 16. Nice Guys (Black, 2016) 17. Adaptation (Jonze, 2002) 18. Birdman (Inarritu, 2014) 19. Bernie (Linklater, 2011) 20. Sicario (Villeneuve, 2015) 21. The Master (P.T. Anderson, 2012) 22. The LEGO Movie (Lord and Miller, 2014) 23. Doubt (Shanley, 2008) 24. The Savages (Tamara Jenkins, 2008) 25. Silence (Scorsese, 2016)

ND: We've had this discussion a few times before: is there a difference between "best" and "favorite?" My initial reaction is no. We like what we like, for whatever reason you come to or criteria you choose, that's the grading scale, pure and simple.

The one glaring instance where the "best" and "favorite" line begins to blur is with the work of Richard Linklater, whose films are so emotionally vulnerable that they have effectively changed the way I see the world. In another filmmaker's hands, Boyhood would have been a showy gimmick, but Linklater understood what this project needed to be before shooting the first scene, allowing the deeply human nature of the film to unfold beautifully and organically. It deserves a spot on this list for innovation alone. Explain yourself, John!

JI: With a fear of being blocked from continuing this project, I must admit, I haven't seen Boyhood yet. That's is the plain and simple reason why it is not included on my list. Wish I had some lame, pretentious reason for its exclusion. 

ND: I am happy to see you've somewhat made up for this oversight with the selection of other outstanding Linklater film, Bernie. It's a rare feat to so perfectly utilize two very specific actors (Jack Black and Matthew McConaughey). Walk me through your process a bit before we get into detail. JI: My process was pretty simple and I think you outlined it pretty well, I picked what I like. I could tell you why I picked each and every one of these movies individually but on the whole, you have to go with your gut and pick the movies you feel are the best to you. Also, as we have discussed previously, going into being best is staying power. There are a few movies I've only seen maybe once or twice but I still think of them to this day. Movies like Doubt and Silence are like that for me. I feel if a movie has that kind of power it is impossible to not include it on a "best" list. Please feel free to eviscerate me for not seeing Boyhood, I deserve it.  ND: You have shamed me, son. Boyhood is on Netflix so you're running out of excuses. Though I am not without sin, having not seen Doubt.

JI: Huge misstep on my part, for many reasons but especially since I really enjoy Ethan Hawke. ND: My girlfriend will be relieved to know I am not the only one.

Anyway, film-going experiences that resonate with me long after I leave the theater always score the highest on my lists, as the director's ability to utilize all aspects of the medium plays a huge part in landing an emotional impact or gathering more information upon repeat viewings. So it's no surprise the Coen Bros., Paul Thomas Anderson, Alfonso Cauron, and David Fincher are prominently featured throughout our lists as masters of blending the cerebral with a cinematic spectacle. I should address the lack of comedies on my list (though In Bruges, Eternal Sunshine, Llewyn Davis, and Frances Ha are all loosely comedic). Don't get me wrong, there are few things better than laughing your ass off in a theater, but when applying the "re-watch" test to some of my all-time favorite comedies (Walk Hard, Forgetting Sarah Marshall, 21 Jump Street), the jokes, once tread, aren't good enough to lift the film to the highest class, considering the low bar for cinematography, acting and, most importantly, narrative. I may be in the minority here, but these movies are largely fleeting experiences as I grow older. What are your insights into your comedic selections? I wouldn't classify Hot Fuzz as a strict comedy considering the high-wire act Edgar Wright always pulls off, nor Best in Show, a borderline Shakespearean experience with levels of complexity to the jokes. Anchorman is clearly a classic, and you obviously believe it has aged well. Zoolander, though, I'll need some convincing. JI: I think I largely agree with your take on comedies in regards to putting them on a best list but in terms of rewatchability I'm not sure I agree as much. Of course there are comedies that don't stand the test of time, Borat chief among them, but for the most part I feel great comedies stay funny no matter how many times you've heard the jokes. Addressing your second point about the two straight up comedies, Anchorman and Zoolander, there is a level of comfort and familiarity with those two. I'm not confident they actually do still hold up but since I saw them at the time I did I think they still hold that spot for me, if that makes any sense. A perfect example of being weary of their relevance now is the fact I haven't and never plan on seeing either sequel. On Zoolander specifically, I saw it in theaters and hated it but every subsequent viewing I've enjoyed it more and more and no matter how many times I've seen it there are still lines that crack me up. Not sure if that does anything to convince you but it just strikes a cord for me and I can't really explain it but seeing it when it came out in 2001 rather than today is a big part of that.

About the other two, I just think they're great movies that happen to be really funny. Hot Fuzz is the perfect send up of the types of movies Nick Frost's character loves. The performances are great, I particularly love Timothy Dalton's character, there are impressive action sequences and I really relish all the cameos in the beginning between Martin Freeman, Steve Coogan and Cate Blanchett.  Not sure if this is a hot take, but it is the best movie from the Frost, Pegg, Wright trio. Best in Show gives such a realistic feeling to such absurd characters in an equally absurd premise. It is funny throughout without seeming cartoonish despite the cartoonish nature of the characters, like Eugene Levy's character and his two left feet. I haven't seen all of your films but one that I'm curious about and especially its place on the list is The Social Network. I liked it but my thoughts don't really seem to align with many people's on the quality of the movie. What standout so much for you with that movie that it is in your top 10?

ND: The Social Network opens with one of the most captivating scenes in recent memory. There's nothing to it -- two college kids are in a bar chatting across from one another, and eventually the girl breaks up with the guy. It's been done a thousand times before, but the way it's staged and written and performed is nothing short of memorizing. In five minutes of shot/reserve-shot dialogue we learn everything we need to know about Jesse Eisenberg's portrayal of Mark Zuckerberg -- how he's wired and what his motivations are. The scene is jammed with more character development that most movies can manage in their entire run-times, and when the fervently escalating discussion culminates in Rooney Mara's Becca telling Mark, "you're going to go through life thinking that girls don't like you because you're a nerd, and I want you to know, from the bottom of my heart, that that won't be true. It'll be because you're an asshole," it hits you like a freight train.

That scene sets the stage for the whole movie, a rudimentary premise turned thrilling through the artful design of David Fincher. There's a perfect cross-section of seedy Ivy League ritual and lure, the dangerous hubris of a brilliant, spiteful teenager, and the lustful excitement of an unknown frontier. Fincher made a movie about Facebook -- FACEBOOK! -- a pulse-pounding high-wire act, which is miraculous.

I'd like to hear more about your no. 1 selection, Gladiator. It's unlike any other movie on your list, both in terms of genre and style. What about it has made such a lasting impression? 

JI: Gladiator is definitely one that even I didn't expect to be number one when I started out doing this. The first thing that made such an impression is that my dad took my to see it in the theater, I was about two months away from turning eight, so seeing such a violent movie in the theater was a big deal. (Questionable parenting? The world may never know). Beyond that though it is insanely re-watchable for me. I watched it twice over memorial day weekend! In terms of the movie itself, the action scenes are incredible, the performances from Crowe and Phoenix are really solid. Crowe is a little one-note throughout but I think he fluctuates that one note just enough to create a sympathetic hero and somewhat rounded character and Phoenix is always great as the weirdo bad guy. Has he ever not been really good in anything? There are definitely flaws with the movie, so it isn't number one because it is a flawless piece of art, but I find it to be highly entertaining (yes, I was entertained Maximus) and something you can always watch. I feel like this hasn't be a very articulate breakdown as to why, but it is just kind of a gut call.

ND: Shame on you for spoiling my "Are you not entertained?" joke.

JI: Not including the comedies, is this the pick you have the biggest issue (if that's even the right word) with? Also, were there any movies for you that surprised you where you ended up slotting them, similar to my experience here with Gladiator?

ND: I don't want to be misunderstood. I don't have a problem with any of your picks; art is a very personal thing and who am I to judge how you or anyone else creates a criteria for greatness? I'm just trying to pick your brain a little bit. I will admit to having never seen Training Day. And I thought No Country for Old Men was underwhelming -- though I know I am in the vast minority and it might have been a case of the film being so hyped that I was predisposed to be disappointed.

JI: I wasn't trying to imply that you had a problem with any pick, that's why I hedged and said I don't think issue was the right word to use. No Country's ending falls a little flat but up until that point I find Javier Bardem too magnetic to be disappointed on the whole.

ND: In regards to the ordering, there were no surprises in the top 10. I'm sure on a different day Eternal Sunshine or Before Sunset or even In Bruges could have been no. 1, but I didn't overthink it with Boyhood (watched it again this weekend) and it's not worth splitting hairs over my best of the best.

I guess the biggest surprise is In the Mood for Love at no. 11, as I hadn't seen it until about a year ago. It's right up my ally in terms of a deeply melancholy romance story, chock full of utter beauty and heartbreak weaved together so seamlessly. It's a quiet film that speaks volumes in its slow, calculated moments. Recalling my The Social Network, Boyhood, et al picks, I am always impressed when filmmakers take a simple premise and do something inventive with it, and Wong Kar-wai brutally precise decisions are marvelous. 

Quick side bar: I learned about In the Mood for Love on CineFix, a YouTube channel that creates incredibly detailed and researched lists. It's a must-subscribe for any film buff.

The next biggest surprise is Catch Me If You Can. It's decidedly unlike all my other selections, and very Spielbergian (not always a good thing), but god damn, that movie is just so much fun. It's a perfect caper, plain and simple.

JI: I was curious about your inclusion of Catch Me if You Can, because as you said it is so unlike any other movie on your list. Spielberg has been a little hit or miss since the turn of the century, good thing he's producing Gremlins 3. ND: I didn't want us to devote any space for honorable mention selections in order to make the 25 mean something, but I'm changing my tune a little bit. Give me ONE movie that hurt the most to leave off. I really wanted to find a spot for Wall-E. That movie blows my mind. JI: My original number 25 was going to be the documentary Let the Fire Burn. Probably a way out there choice considering the rest of my list. It is about MOVE in Philadelphia and what ultimately transpired when Mayor Goode effectively bombed the house that MOVE was in. Not sure if you've seen it but I loved how they used all archival footage to tell the story. There is no narration and from I remember very little on-screen text. The documentary plays out telling the cohesive story of MOVE and then the aftermath and fallout following all the destruction. It also features councilman Ed Rendell, which might be a nice easter egg for some. It also does a great job of bringing to light a story that even in Philadelphia isn't really talked about or told anymore and gives full context to both the MOVE members and the city.

ND: I actually just watched Let the Fire Burn not too long ago. I took a deep dive into the MOVE bombing earlier this year, absorbing as much about it as I could, because you're right, it goes largely un-talked about considering what a bonkers story it was (though just this week the city commemorated the event and the lives lost with a monument). And I definitely appreciate a documentary that is driven by facts and not an agenda. I'm surprised to see we only have three overlapping selections -- The Master, Inside Llewyn Davis, and There Will Be Blood. The former two we talked about in depth during our last collaboration, but let's discuss TWBB for a second, especially now that Daniel Day-Lewis is "retired." Even for a career as illustrious as DDL's, his turn as Daniel Plainview by far his crowning achievement, and I'd put it toe-to-toe with any performance ever put on screen. He carries every frame with such menace, vigor, and even surprising vulnerability that makes the viewer sympathize with a terrible man. It's unlike anything I've ever seen.

JI: I haven't watched it all the way through in a while but I find myself often YouTubing scenes just to inject more DDL straight into my veins.  The only other character that has been so outright horrible, vindictive while retaining vulnerability and a likability to me was Gandolfini as Tony Soprano. However, that is comparing apples and oranges, with an 86 episode series compared to a single feature.

Back to DDL in TWBB. His Plainview is such a transformation that anytime I see the movie or see clips my brain doesn't even compute that DDL is Plainview. He truly takes on his characters and becomes them and it is incredible in the way he has been able to transform himself through his various roles. I can see why the say it takes him about three or so years to mentally prepare for a role. It is hard to imagine anyone ever topping his absolute mastery of the art.

Two questions about DDL I'd like to pose for you. 1) Do you think the retirement will stick? He has done this before where he took time off to be a cobble. Now he is supposedly retiring to become a dressmaker. I think he'll eventually make his way back to the screen. 2) This is more of a thought exercise than a black or white question but should we be grateful for the few performances he did produce and how outstanding those are or should we be disappointed we only got so little of him during his career? It is a little disappointing to me but the other side of the argument is that maybe his performances would have suffered if he took on more projects and didn't throw himself in fully as he did. ND: The answer to your first question is simple: no. Maybe at this very moment, DDL thinks that he's done all there is to do on screen, and considering he already-selective process, I bet this sabbatical lasts less than 7-8 years. But he will come back. DDL knows he's the best, and he will get that itch again once he reaches senior citizenry. And he's spent his entire adult life getting lost in other people that I'm not even sure he knows how to be himself. The more interesting question would be: what do you want his big comeback role to be? This is a hard question that I wasn't exactly prepared for, but we are so used to seeing him in these larger-than-life roles that I wouldn't his coming back in a simple, humanistic family drama. Mike Mills (Beginners, 20th Century Women) has the goods to write him a juicy role, but even more perfect would be Kenneth Lonergan (Manchester By the Sea). Holy shit, I want to see nothing more now. The second question is a bit more complex, because it was undoubtedly frustrating for DDL to take his good old time selecting only to leave us with Nine or The Ballad of Jake and Rose, but even in subpar movies (I didn't enjoy Lincoln, either), DDL always makes it worth watching, so his batting average, so to speak, is still remarkably high. If he were to have taken more roles along the way, could he have given us a few more classics? Probably, but more likely is he would have given us more disappointments. Look at De Niro and Pacino. The two have combined for dozens of duds in the past 20 years to only a handful of good roles. If the alternative to DDL's selectivity is Dirty Grandpa, Stand Up Guys, The Intern, Jack and Jill, etc., I'll take the former every time. JI: I think I'd like to see him comeback and do something totally unexpected. How fun would it be if he was in a comedy or a Tarantino movie? I'd love to see what he could do in something that is so very much outside his realm, without stepping into Jack and Jill territory like you mentioned previously. 

This is slightly (very) off topic, but since you mention De Niro and Pacino, you think they can turn their cold streaks around with Marty in The Irishman?

ND: I mean, if anyone's going to bring those two back from the dead, it's Scorsese. He has more than earned our trust at this point. I'd be lying if if wasn't a tiny bit worried about Marty going back to the gangster well -- and god forbid he ever cast a woman or a PoC -- but if it ain't broke, I guess.

Let’s leave it here since we’ve covered a lot. Though if you want to return with a deep dive on the John Wick 2 > John Wick decision, I’ll be here waiting.