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sleepykittypaws · 3 years

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Celebrate the Olympic Spirit

Sure, the Olympics aren’t a holiday, per se, but the every-four-year, or two if you count both Summer and Winter editions separately, massive international sporting events sure seems like a reason to celebrate, especially given their recent, unprecedented delay. And what better way to get into the Games mood, than by watching a sports movie?

Here are my favorite motivating, inspirational, and aspirational tales of athletic derring do…

Favorite Sports Movies

The Cutting Edge (1992) - This figure skating romance was released around the 1992 Olympics, and actually name-checks that year's winter host city, Albertville, more than once. It's not good in the traditional sense of great storytelling or athletic veracity, but I loved it so very much I saw it three times in the theater as a teen. Watching it at some point during every Winter Games is a tradition for me so, yeah, I can’t help it, I love this silly sports movie/romance, which also features a bit of holiday feels.

Wimbledon (2004) - It's a rom-com. It's a sports movie. It's a rom-com sports movie that really should be better known. Notting Hill but set at tennis' best-known event. Paul Bettany and Kristen Dunst have surprisingly great chemistry, and there's more sports-related tension than you'd think.

Friday Night Lights (2004) - A football movie for people who don't really like football. a.k.a. 🙋‍♀️. The TV series it spawned is also brilliant (”Clear Eyes, Full Hearts,” indeed), and well worth a watch, but the original movie, starring Billy Bob Thornton, is, honestly, a masterpiece. Definitely Peter Berg's best work and the original book, written by Berg's cousin, Buzz Bissinger, is a great read.

Muriel's Wedding (1994) - You mean you forgot this Australian export, which made Toni Collette a star, was a sports movie? Yep, one of my all-time favorite movies, of any genre, this absolutely brilliant, ABBA-soaked comedy is not only a girls-night go-to, but also a stealth Olympic sport classic.

Remember the Titans (2000) - OK, football isn't in the Olympics, but it sure does make for a good sports movie setting. Even if this early 1970s-set story is most definitely Disney-fied, Denzel Washington, Will Patton, Ryan Gosling and a baby Hayden Panettiere really sell this sort-of true story.

Invictus (2009)-Rugby isn't an Olympic sport, or even one most Americans know much about, but this Matt Damon-led, Clint Eastwood-directed, based-on-a-true-story tale made me care about a sport I'd only tangentially knew even existed before watching.

Hoosiers (1986)-I grew up in Indiana so, by law, I have to include this basketball classic on any "best of" sports movie lists. Also, it actually is really very good.

Rudy (1993)-Ditto the above. But, again, it's hard not to root for Sean Astin (and Jon Favreau!) in this love letter to the Fighting Irish. Plus, there’s no better scavenger hunt task or TikTok challenge than going into a bar and convincing a patron to allow you to put them on your shoulders and march around chanting, 'Rudy, Rudy, Rudy.'

Miracle (2004) - Given how much more popular the Summer Olympics are, it's weird that the Winter Games seem to get all the good movies made about them, but this Kurt Russell-led true tale is another Disney sports movie classic.

McFarland, USA (2015) - Disney, and Kevin Costner, just really know how to make a sports movie, damn it! This movie made me care about cross country for which it, too, could have carried the title Miracle.

A League of Their Own (1992)-The best baseball movie ever. Yeah, I said what I said. Tom Hanks, Geena Davis, Lori Petty—even Madonna and Rosie O'Donnell are making it work. 1992 was a weirdly great year for sports movies.

Moneyball (2011) - A movie about baseball, and math, and yet it's also great, I swear. In addition to all of the above, it's also a stealth Christmas movie and maybe Chris Pratt's best non-Marvel, movie role.

Creed (2015) - This surprisingly effective Rocky reboot starring Michael B Jordan as Apollo Creed's illegitimate son has spawned its own movie series which, in many ways, exceeds the original Rocky franchise.

Rocky Balboa (2006) - Maybe it's because I was a toddler when the original Rocky came out, so only saw the ever-worse sequels as a kid, but this mid-aughts return to the character for Sylvester Stallone, as both writer and actor, is a triumph.

Eddie the Eagle (2016) - That Hugh Jackman features in as many movies (spoiler alert) on this list as Kevin Costner surprised me, too. This story of the English ski jumper who became infamous for being, well, less than golden, is one of those non-Olympic triumph stories that really works. If you're going to watch one underdog-at-the-Games movie, I definitely prefer this this to the more ubiquitous Cool Runnings.

Love & Basketball (2000) - Only because I'm an anglophile is this great, chemistry-filled Sanaa Lathan and Omar Epps college basketball romance not my favorite sports-movie-meets-rom-com.

I, Tonya (2017) - Margot Robbie and a nearly unrecognizable Sebastian Stan are perfectly cast in this sarcastic, highly stylized look at the Tonya Harding scandal.

Pride (2007) - Apparently I like this swimming movie, which I think almost no one saw, better than critics, but I found this 1970s-set, Terrence Howard-Bernie Mac-starring story of inner city kids excelling in the pool emotional and entertaining.

Field of Dreams (1989) - This Kevin Costner magical realism baseball classic is often goofy and imminently tease-worthy and yet…It also works. Maybe it's no surprise that someone who loves cheesy Christmas movies as much as I do would have a soft spot for Field of Dreams.

42 (2013) - Chadwick Boseman is absolutely fantastic as legend Jackie Robinson. One of those movies that's ostensibly about baseball, but is really about so much more, except not in a pretentious way.

Race (2016) - Before Jason Sudeikis was Ted Lasso, he was famed track coach Larry Synder in this Jesse Owens biopic that is far from perfect, but still important. Plus, I honestly don't think Stephan James got enough credit for his relatively nuanced portrayal of Owens.

Goon (2011) - This overlooked gem starring Sean William Scott as a semi-pro hockey player whose main skill is his ability to take, and dole out, a beating, is surprisingly great.

Real Steel (2011) - This is a robot-boxing movie starring Hugh Jackman that is basically Rocky meets Over the Top—and yet it's actually really good. Yeah, I was surprised, too.

Forget Paris (1995) - OK, so maybe Billy Crystal playing an NBA referee doesn't really make this a sports movie, but it does begin and end (spoiler alert) at real NBA games, and I will die on the hill that this rom-com co-starring Debra Winger is wildly under-rated.

Bend it like Beckham (2002) - This girl-power sports movie has some highly questionable romantic dynamics (the coach is their love interest???) but this Parminder Nagra-Keira Knightley movie is also a heckuva sports movie and an inspiring immigrant story.

Bonus Pick: The Apple TV+ series Ted Lasso is one of the best things I watched in 2020, and I'm sure of that, because I watched it twice since, just to be sure. Jason Sudekis is absolutely perfect as an American college football coach taking over a UK Premier League team. This sweet show with a heart of gold is smart, funny, and absolutely impossible not to love—even for a cynic such as myself.

More Sports Movies Worth Watching

For someone not very into sports, I am, apparently, into watching movies about sports, so while not a comprehensive listing of the entire, vast genre, here are a few more suggestions I personally think are worth watching.

The Miracle Season (2018) - This movie about high school volleyball champs whose star player dies suddenly stars Helen Hunt and is a lot better than you'd think based on its tiny budget and, honestly, fairly small story. Just missed making my Top 25.

The Way Back (2020) - This Ben Affleck as a drunken high school basketball coach movie is a lot better than expected. Released just as the pandemic kicked into high gear, it was overlooked last year, but worth seeking out.

Fighting with My Family (2019) - Does it count if it's a show, not a sport? Either way (but that's why this isn't in my Top 25), this stealth Christmas movie/love letter to the WWE is a lot better than it ever needed to be thanks to some really great performances from Florence Pugh, Lena Headey and directer Stephen Merchant. Even The Rock reins it in.

Warrior (2011) - You couldn't pay me to watch an actual UFC bout, but this Tom Hardy story of (literally) battling brothers is incredibly compelling and well done.

Win Win (2011) - This movie isn't really enough about wrestling, even though its ostensibly centered around the sport, to make it into my Top 25, but it's still really good, and Amy Ryan gives an outstanding performance.

Fever Pitch (2005) - Drew Barrymore and Jimmy Fallon star in this remake of a UK film whose ending they had to shift when the Red Sox unexpectedly won the World Series.

Fever Pitch (1997) - This Colin Firth-starring, Arsenal-centered original is much smaller, more realistic and arguably better than the big budget Barrymore-Fallon redux.

We are Marshall (2006) - A real-life sports tragedy made into a sports-movie tearjerker starring Matthew McConaughy. And my tears were very much jerked by the end.

Coach Carter (2005) - Samuel L Jackson plays real-life basketball coach Ken Carter and, because it's a Disney movie, doesn't use the F-word even once. Now that's a feat worthy of its own sports movie.

Invincible (2006) - Yes, it's Mark Wahlberg, and another based-on-a-true-story, Disney sports movie that hits all the cliches, but dang it, that works on me. It just does.

Glory Road (2006) - If you're sensing a theme with me and Disney sports movies…Well, you're not wrong. This look at the first all-Black starting lineup at the 1966 NCAA Final Four does, unfortunately, center white coach Don Haskins, played by Josh Lucas (though I always mis-remember it as Josh Charles), making the important story it tells less than what it should be, but it still mostly works.

Million Dollar Arm (2014) - Admittedly one of the lesser Disney sports movie entries, and another that centers a white guy in a film mostly about people of color (not a great look), this Jon Hamm movie about a scout seeking an Indian cricket star who can make it in the Major Leagues still mostly worked for me.

The Mighty Ducks (1992) - One of the few movies on this list aimed directly at kids, this beloved peewee hockey saga actually is cute, and mostly does hold up.

Cool Runnings (1993) - Kind of shocked this movie that is part White Savior-movie and part-wacky kids movie essentially making fun of a real group of athletes of color came out in 1993 and not 1973, but the earnest charm of John Candy and a general Disney gloss keep this from being totally unwatchable and mostly just mildly, rather than extremely, offensive. Not really recommending, but feels like it belongs on an Olympic movie list.

Nadia (1984) - This made-for-TV, mostly true biopic, starring Talia Balsam as Nadia Comaneci, was a Disney Channel staple in that network’s early days.

Munich (2005) - It's a movie with the Olympics very much at its heart—namely the 1972 Israeli athlete hostage tragedy—that isn't really about the Olympics at all, but this Steven Spielberg-directed movie about national revenge is compelling, if problematic if you think about it for too long.

American Anthem (1986) - Is this Mitch Gaylord-Mrs. Wayne Gretzky (a.k.a Janet Jones) starring movie good, realistic and/or well-written? No, no and none of the above. But did I still watch it 8,000 times as a kid on HBO? Yes. Yes, I did.

Men with Brooms (2002) - Once, on a business trip to Canada, my husband was stuck in a hotel that only got three channels, and one of them always seemed to be showing curling, which actually got him weirdly into this obscure sport. This movie wasn't quite as fun as I hoped, but it's still a mostly charming, if slight, Canadian classic.

Unbroken (2014) - The harrowing and incredible real-life story of Louis Zamperini deserved better than this Angelina Jolie-directed movie delivered, but it's still a serviceable version of a worthy tale.

Chariots of Fire (1981) - I remember being bored out of my mind by this movie trying to watch this movie on cable as a kid, but no denying that, if nothing else, the score is iconic and indelibly linked to sports-movie magic.

Without Limits (1998) - Jared Leto’s Prefontaine beat this one to the theaters, but this Billy Crudup-starring film is the better of the two movies about the life of running pioneer Steve Prefontaine. There’s also a 1995 documentary, Fire on the Track: The Steve Prefontaine Story.

Personal Best (1982) - Mariel Hemingway’s story of ambition at odds with love, is a sports and LGTBQ+ classic.

Olympic Dreams (2019) - The story of how this small, meandering movie was made during the 2018 Winter Games is, unfortunately, more interesting than the movie itself, but there is some charm in watching Nick Kroll as an Olympic dentist making his way through the real Village, while interacting with real athletes.

Foxcatcher (2015) - This excellently-acted story is more true crime than sports inspiration, but if you're seeking a look at the dark side of the Games—and don’t want to turn on a doc like Athlete A—this is very dark tale indeed.

Seabiscuit (2003) - Every great athlete deserves to have their story told.

Any Given Sunday (1999) - Oliver Stone and Al Pacino take on pro Football. 'Nuff said.

The Replacements (2000) - I mean, the movie isn't amazing, but Keanu Reeves is super charming and Gene Hackman is always worth a watch.

The Program (1993) - Another bit of a dark-side-of-football take, worth it if only for the fantastic cast: James Caan, Halle Berry, Omar Eps, Joey Lauren Adams.

Everbody’s All-American (1988) - Not a movie I particularly love, but this Dennis Quaid-Jessica Lange football story that spans decades has always stuck in my memory.

Bull Durham (1988) - Just let Kevin Costner play actual baseball already.

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danwhobrowses · 3 years

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AEW - Best and Worst Booking Decisions from Double or Nothing 2020 to 2021

As I promised back in my WWE Post Reviewing the Booking of Mania 35-36 it is time for me to run down AEW's booking over the last year.

Double or Nothing 2020 was AEW's first PPV of the Empty Arena Era, which they pulled off with the inaugural TNT champion being Cody'd, Brian Cage's debut and murder of Darby Allin, Hikaru Shida began her mammoth title reign, Moxley and Brodie Lee put on a fantastic show with their short build and we finished off with the wacky Stadium Stampede. But since then, it's had some ups and downs.

As I said with the WWE one, these are my opinions: some of which will act within hindsight rather than within the moment.

There will also be spoilers from the Dynamite after DoN 2020 to the end of DoN 2021, you have been warned

May 2020 Best - FTR They told us one day they would wrestle the Bucks and the world shall rejoice, and after several teases on BTE following The Revival's release from the E, FTR arrived and the division got even more stacked because of it.

Worst - Mike Tyson loses to his shirt AEW did try with Tyson, pushing for some shared history with Jericho as they began to stand off with one another. But his struggle to cleanly tear off his shirt really made the confrontation awkward and it wouldn't go anywhere.

Best - Baker becomes the Roll Model Baker's injury was a huge blow given how she was finally getting over thanks to her heel turn and bloody battle with Shida. It would've very easily killed her momentum to be off TV, but AEW instead played into Baker's injury by making her flaunt her heelish hilarity, starting with her being a wheelchair-riding 'roll model', this would begin Baker's time entertaining in spite of injury.

Worst - Allie and QT begin What was this huh? Now Allie in a red dress was a sight to behold but the whole romance angle where a very married Allie had a brief period as a babyface and pairing with the also very married QT Marshall. We all knew it was gonna lead to Butcher and Blade jumping the Natural Nightmares, but it really overstayed its welcome.

Best - The TNT Open Challenge We will get more on this but Cody's win of the TNT title was met with concern given the monster push of Lance Archer - not to mention the dismal design of the championship itself. But Cody did his best to add prestige via the weekly Open Challenge, which would showcase a lot of talent in a similar way to Cena's US title Open Challenge.

June 2020 Best - Brodie goes on the Recruitment Prowl Being the leader of the Dark Order, Mr. Brodie Lee needed a new direction after being felled by Jon Moxley. What he decided was to add to his ranks; bringing in Dark Standout Alan Angels, enticing Colt Cabana and extending a hand to Anna Jay. These choices bolstered the Dark Order's ranks to last much longer, especially with their segments in BTE showing all their comedic flair.

Worst - Sammy Guevara eats his words The Speaking Out movement affected AEW just as it did most of wrestling, leading to the release of Jimmy Havoc. But Sammy Guevara also got done in by his egregiously vulgar comments he made regarding his attraction WWE's Sasha Banks in an old interview that had now surfaced. While this isn't a booking decision per se, it was the fault of AEW to have not caught this on their background check. Sammy would rightfully be suspended with a full apology, seminars taken and a direct conversation with Banks herself to make amends.

Best - Red Velvet stirs in Red Velvet would debut on Dark in June, showcasing talent which would later be enhanced and explored later in the year, adding Red Velvet did indeed bolster the women's division a bit more, showing AEW's dedication towards building new stars was still alive.

Best - Wardlow vs Luchasaurus rocks the house Lumberjack matches are more miss than hit, but the long-awaited match between Wardlow and Luchasaurus was a sleeper hit for the month. Big time spots of athletic hosses slapping meat and flipping feet continued to showcase Wardlow's dominance with a big win over the Dino-man, just a good wrestling match worth the wait.

July 2020

Best - Open Challenge Opens Doors Cody's open challenges started with the AEW roster, but they soon expanded to being for indy talent and cross-promotional challengers too: Enter Eddie Kingston. The Mad King made an instant impact in his hardcore challenge against Cody, which quickly earned him a contract with the company. Also among the challengers was Ricky Starks - who would also get a contract - and Warhorse, who had rallied the fans into giving him a shot - and AEW did play into his popularity, having an answer for a lot of Cody's offense until he hurt his leg for the finish. It was smart booking even if Cody was bound to win.

Worst - Cardona's time is Radio Silence You gotta feel bad for Matt Cardona, he has all the makings to be a great star, but he just suffers from either company disinterest, injury or poor timing. The latter was the case for his AEW time, since AEW were having to deal with WWE's COVID outbreak by extension of any partners, Cardona only had a rare appearance backing up Cody a few times and while he did find himself in Impact, it's sadly not as green as the other side.

Best - Sue is Over The Best Friends as babyfaces walk the line perfectly of being a group of goofball man-children but also legitimate and talented wrestlers. The cherry on the top though was the Friends' entrance to Fyter Fest in Trent's mom Sue's mini-van for their tag title match, immediately getting Sue over with fans. Sue would also be a cult figure for BTE in her skits with the Dark Order, being the only person ever to make Brodie Lee break character and corpse.

Worst - Cody cannot elevate Hager Cody's defenses led to Hager (and his wife) looking for a title match, the sale of it being a more legitimate bout with the weigh in and packages didn't pull off in the match though, being quite slow and simplistic. Hager still remains a wrestler who lacks any more potential than what he has now but knows the right people.

Best - Taz promos around Mox's COVID absence Due to the aforementioned outbreak, AEW were forced to reschedule their main event when Renee Young had contracted the virus, exposing their world champion Jon Moxley by extension. This meant that Brian Cage would have to wait longer for their match (though not as long as UK fans are waiting for AEW to come overseas), so AEW decided to let Taz carry them over this predicament, which he did marvelously by reviving his FTW title and handing it to Cage. It added some extra heat and something for Cage to carry around as if he had won the personal victory over Moxley already, and it would lead us into the following week's rescheduled Main Event at Fight for the Fallen.

August 2020 Best - Brodie Destroys Cody After a lot of defenses and Cody getting the 'finished product' TNT title, fans wondered how Cody's defense against Mr. Brodie Lee would go. And boy did we get a spectacle, the Exalted One demolished Cody, Anna Jay then choked out Brandi as the rest of the Dark Order held the Nightmare Family at bay, and we were left with the visual of Brodie on top and Cody and Brandi at their feet, covered in the shredded remains of the old TNT title that Cody had reigned with. It was great storytelling and a great way to elevate Brodie as well as finally putting the Dark Order over, the stable rode the highest they had been since their debut while Cody disappeared to film for the Go Big Show.

Worst - Bea and Sadie get released, Mel stays AEW did their best to keep as many people they could during the Pandemic, but due to the travel restrictions Bea Priestley was very much land locked and Sadie Gibbs was not getting a second chance at her botched debut. It was a shame because of how talented both women were, Bea especially since rumor has it she might be en route to the E. What was baffling was that Mel, of the failed Nightmare Collective, remains on AEW's payroll despite not having appeared for over a year, hard to add that up.

Best - Thunder Rosa makes her challenge Before the Forbidden Door, NWA opened their doors to AEW while the pandemic prevented them from filming shows. With champion Hikaru Shida lacking a built-up challenger, fans were interested in Thunder Rosa's intrigue about Shida's challenge, and would be pleased to see AEW roll with it too. Rosa and Shida made for a great cross-promotional feud which'd lead to a great match in the following month. To this very day, Thunder Rosa's appearance on AEW is one of the brand's most vital steps in terms of strengthening their women's division.

Worst - The Deadly Draw is on Youtube Speaking of the Women's Division, AEW had also decided to have an all-women's tournament called the Deadly Draw. 'Random' tag teams would be forged in a tag tournament that'd give women some time to show their stuff. Unfortunately, this would mostly be on Youtube - save for the Finals - and be dominated by Fans' disdain that Allie and Brandi were making the finals. The method of picking was not handled well since we didn't really get any mismatch teams aside from Nyla, and the amount of women we got were not all spectacular with Rache Chanel and the former Cameron being a part of it. While Ivelisse and Diamante would win too they only got some crappy medals, all of which leaves a bitter taste following Ivelisse's release.

Best - Deadly Draw gives us Conti, Diamante and Savoy That being said, the Deadly Draw had its saving graces. For one the use of Veda Scott on commentary, Madusa as the host and Shaul Guerrero as the announcer were nice touches, we also got to see Tay Conti, Diamante, Ivelisse and Nicole Savoy wrestle - the middle two win. Conti would turn out to be the most important of the lot with her team and friendship with Dark Order's Anna Jay, getting over because of their chemistry and making it to the semi-finals.

Worst - Conti to Dark Order doesn't develop Conti and Anna's friendship meant that soon after, Jay had extended an offer for her friend to join the stable. For weeks we saw Conti carry around this invitation but then: nothing. Conti never joined Dark Order and this didn't beget any friction between the friends either - in the end it became a missed opportunity as Conti dances on the edge of being supported by the Dark Order but not a part of the Dark Order.

Best - Jericho and Cassidy Debate With Mike Tyson unable to appear more to feud with Jericho, AEW slotted over-as-fuck Orange Cassidy to face Jericho. While Jericho got the win in the first match, we were graced with a fun 'debate' hosted by Schiavone and with a guest appearance of Eric Bischoff. Cassidy's monologue during the debate was great too.

Worst - Cassidy's first win over Jericho isn't as big as it should be Unfortunately, when Cassidy did get the win over Jericho was not as good as the first, getting clunky at times with some miscommunication and slow pacing. They would have their rubber match in the gimmicky Mimosa Mayhem which would also be a bit of a mixed bag.

Best - Hardy and the Mad King Squad Up Despite solid starts, Private Party, Lucha Bros and Butcher & the Blade had struggled a little to find success in AEW, but they would gain some benefit by associating with Matt Hardy and Eddie Kingston. Hardy worked well as a mentor to the similar styled tag team to his younger years, while Kingston's evil grin to the camera did signal that Kingston's new squad would be up to no good.

Best - Moxley and Allin make another classic Allin and Moxley somehow just click, they click so well that you could put them in a match every week and people wouldn't complain, hell there's fanart of Moxley essentially adopting Allin in the same vein as Shota 'Shooter' Umino. Anyway, Allin vs Moxley is always fantastic, and it made sense for the feud that was growing.

Best - You're Out of the Elite! Hangman's slow burn storytelling has been sublime, and it was at a new height when FTR started sniffing around Hangman like lions around a wounded gazelle. Feeding into Hangman's alcoholism - established since his inability to beat Jericho or PAC in his hunt to be world champion - FTR exposed doubt within Page that the Bucks were ousting him out and would soon turn on him. All of which were mind games to sow discontent between him and Omega in their bid for the tag titles. The cherry on the top came with Hangman's removal from the Elite, after a stellar feud in Revolution being brought up, Hangman impulsively screwed out the Bucks from getting another title match, after a dressing down and being kicked out of the group we pan to a shot of Hangman staring into a mirror cracked - perfect storytelling.

Best - MJF campaigns against Moxley MJF had been undefeated and fans have wondered when rather than if he would get his shot. And when he set his eyes on Moxley it is spectacular. The faux presidential campaign was right up MJF's alley as he looked to write out Moxley's go-to finish of the Paradigm Shift, this also had great easter eggs like MJF emulating Samoa Joe's shove on him to one of his entourage, as well as his lawyer Sterling being a good addition for the feud.

September 2020 Best - Allin/Starks, Johnson/Carter are bangers September came out with some very impressive matches, for Dynamite it was the culmination of Allin and Starks' feuding but on Dark we got unsigned Lee Johnson and Ben Carter blow the roof off, immediately both names were a topic of scouting and it remains a top level match.

Worst - Billy Mitchell's cameo Early into Miro's debut we got some vignettes of 'The Best Man' enjoying his other past-time as a gamer. While this wasn't the right way to go in hindsight, the cameo of Billy Mitchell - a controversial figure in Arcade Gaming - was quite out of place for AEW as well, many having to look up who the dude was anyway and why many gamers were disgruntled about it. 'Celebrity' Cameos can only really work if you know who they are.

Best - Kingston stories a weird finish into a Title Match It would've been a Worst moment on this list when Eddie Kingston lost a battle royale for a title shot by being pushed off the turnbuckle despite leaving to the apron via the middle rope. However, when winner Archer came down with COVID, AEW was put in a reverse Fyter Fest scenario, a champion but no opponent. This allowed Kingston an in to use the fact that he never technically went over the top rope to barter a title match, which he used to impressive effect.

Worst - Sydal Slips The Shooting Star Press is a difficult move to pull off, and dangerous to botch. It had also been the staple of Matt Sydal, who was the Joker in the Casino Battle Royale of All Out, but when he did his Shooting Star he slipped and faceplanted. While it's not a booking decision it is a sore spot, Sydal has partly recovered as a full time worker and a mini-feud with Nakazawa to save face on the botch, but he has only once tried the move again.

Best - Will Hobbs impresses When Sydal botched and hit the floor though, Will Hobbs was the one you saw roll over inconspicuously to check he wasn't hurt. The youngster had already been impressing on AEW Dark on a regular basis and his appearance alone in the Battle Royale was an encouraging sign. Hobbs would also put on a strong performance in that match, which would lean in on being more utilized on Dynamite, his momentum would also carry to Double or Nothing with another strong run in a Battle Royale mostly pitted against Christian Cage.

Worst - The Matt Hardy incident Perhaps the lowest point of All Out was the Broken Rules Match. Hardy and Sydal had overshot their spear spot from a forklift to a table and Hardy hit his head hard. Hardy wobbled with signs of concussion as the match to and fro'd about being called off, Hardy though was having none of it - since the stipulation would have him retire had he lost - he would continue for a scaffolding spot for the finish but it did put a lot of heat on Guevara and AEW for allowing the match to continue. Matt would make a recovery and have a cinematic match with Sammy to finish the tainted feud, but from there BROKEN Matt Hardy was seldom seen.

Best - Deeb arrives Serena Deeb is one of the most technically gifted women on wrestling. Someone so grossly underutilized by WWE that it's baffling that the best thing they would do with her on the main roster is shave her head for the admittedly great Straight Edge Society but then release her for not keeping up kayfabe in her personal life. This was the month though that the current NWA Women's Champion debuted on AEW Dark and would later get signed, Deeb adds veteran experience and technical mastery to AEW's women's roster and she is a cert to be AEW Women's Champion someday.

Worst - Fans fight Tooth and Nail but Swole/Baker doesn't deliver Despite Britt Baker's rise to superstardom, her return feud with Big Swole became a bit of a mishit. The build was fine with Swole often getting the better of the wheelchair-bound Baker, so for Baker's return AEW had set a cinematic match in her dentist's office. The match was placed on the Buy-In, which pissed a lot of fans off and had them strong-arm Khan into putting it as the opener, and it didn't pay off. The match was par at best, ending with Baker losing as well, while the quickly-put-together match of Private Party vs Silver & Reynolds shone brightly on the Buy In in the spot this match should've taken. Listening to fans is of course good but AEW had the hindsight to judge whether the match was worth it in the eyes of the fans and they picked wrong.

Best - Parking Lot Brawl But for every par match AEW has they always sneak in a blinder, and it was Best Friends' 5-Star Parking Lot Brawl against Santana & Ortiz that pulled it off. With Orange Cassidy coming out of the boot of the car, Santana & Ortiz's Dead Presidents' appearance and Sue getting a brand new minivan and flipping off the Inner Circle duo at the end, the match was a fantastic closer for the night.

October 2020 Best - Brandon Cutler gets the W Brandon Cutler had AEW's longest losing streak, and they loved to ham it up, except Peter Avalon also had AEW's longest losing streak too. They had tried working together but couldn't find the common ground, so when Avalon turned on Cutler we were set for one of these men to get the win. After two no contests due to double count outs and double disqualifications, Cutler and Avalon had a no rules rubber match on Dark and it was great. Cutler got his win in probably AEW Dark's best feud storytelling - though it probably should've been on Dynamite or even the Buy In of the PPV - giving a payoff years in the making.

Worst - Nyla/Shida II is built on Dark Hikaru Shida had gone through the majority of the Women's Roster, so with new manager Vickie Guerrero, Nyla Rose wanted her title back. The problem however was that all of Vickie's calling out of Shida after a Nyla squash was on Dark, so the match was poorly built. You feel bad for Tony Khan because he tried this so more eyes would go on Dark but it was also a reminder that title matches should be built on the Main Show.

Best - MJF and Jericho get musical MJF had decided once again to try and get in with the Inner Circle, only this time he was faring better thanks to his chemistry with Chris Jericho. What we got was Le Dinner Debonair, a pompous, broadway-esque musical scene that fit the larger than life and delusional heel aura of both men's ego. While some people called it 'too goofy', it was also named one of the best TV moments of the year.

Worst - Miro feuds over an Arcade Machine Fans wanted one thing from Miro: the beast, but AEW did not lead with that. Instead they had him feud with Best Friends because they were thrown into an Arcade Machine he was playing. While it's not the level of feuding over shampoo, it was still rather dumb and contrived given how the rest of this weak feud was telegraphed leading up to Kip and Penelope's wedding - despite Miro's attempts to subvert Wrestling Wedding Tropes.

Best - Leyla legitimately impresses In October, 'Legit' Leyla Hirsch came out of nowhere and made the best of her moment. A non-title debut against champion Hikaru Shida on Dark proved an extremely entertaining affair as Hirsch got to showcase her physicality, and then that was followed instantly by a NWA Women's Title shot against Deeb on Dynamite - which she also really impressed in. While it took a while for AEW to announce Leyla as a signing, it was a definite plus to see Olympic qualities in the Women's Division.

Worst - Jericho can't get Luther over When Jericho got a whole Dynamite to celebrate 30 years in the business he had a lot on his plate, several cameos from Slash and Hiroshi Tanahashi made it a special moment but the Main Event didn't work. Luther is sadly another one of those Brutus Beefcake cases of knowing the right people, and while Luther could probably go when he was younger, currently he isn't the best. People wondered if Jericho could carry Luther in his match with Chaos Project but unfortunately it didn't land, Luther after all has his place on the undercard throwing Serpentico around, he doesn't need any more than that.

Best - The Cleaner shows signs of returning After an Anniversary Show meant that Moxley had gone through another opponent in his mammoth title reign, AEW had set up a tournament to name the new Number 1 Contender. At this time as well FTR had already dealt with Hangman and Omega but their post-match embrace was not reciprocated by Omega, who had more or less washed his hands with his partner. The two were in different places, Page had descended further into the bottom of a drink without any of his friends while Kenny had become focused upon being a singles competitor again. Metaphorically winking to the hard cam, Omega would enter in an over the top fashion with cheerleaders of the Jacksonville Jaguars dancing with brooms to hark the slow arrival of the Cleaner. His disgruntled face after squashing Sonny Kiss was also meme quality.

Worst - Brodie's Reign is cut short Brodie Lee's TNT title reign was great, it had put the Dark Order on top and his segments on BTE were extremely entertaining too. An emphatic return of the dark haired Cody Rhodes did invite a rematch which would be a more brutal affair than Cody's prior squashing, but sadly Brodie would not retain. His reign only lasted a month and in hindsight that would be the only time Brodie held gold, while he stated he had no regrets on how short his reign was it was not great booking to put it immediately back on Cody as if Brodie only held it because Cody had another show to record.

Best - Dog Collar Match was great Result notwithstanding though, the Dog Collar match proved as brutal as it was entertaining. Another match that elevated the TNT title's prestige, Lee and Cody tore into each other in a match that could've easily screamed Vince Russo late-WCW failure. But the men pulled it off with their raw talent and nobody looked bad out of it.

November 2020 Best - Kenny vs Hangman I Since AEW's inception, Hangman Page has been on a slow course to squaring off against Kenny Omega. This came to a head in the finals of the No.1 Contendership Tournament, the confident Kenny vs the angsty Page proved an effective opener which further spiralled Hangman into depression while Kenny would return to the top of the card.

Worst - Hornswoggle in a nappy? The Inner Circle's Vegas skit was probably too much, it had some good moments like Hager and Wardlow continually staring at each other as they beat up people in the club, also the appearance of an Elvis Impersonator and Konnan. But the bit finished on a weird note trying to homage The Hangover by having WWE's former Hornswoggle appear in a baby's nappy, it was just weird no ways around it.

Best - Cargill and Top Flight make an impression November saw the debuts of new members of the Women's and Tag Division. The Martin brothers impressed as the new vibrant and athletic tag team, putting on a wild show against The Bucks. Jade Cargill would start AEW by confronting Cody with the tease of one Shaquille O'Neal, but the moment the camera panned to Cargill she had one word printed on her and it was 'Star'. While Top Flight are halved by injury, Cargill has continued to show her growth.

Worst - Shida vs Abadon has a short build When Abadon debuted on AEW Dark she put on an impressive match with then-not-champion Hikaru Shida, the story being that Shida was weirded out by the Living Dead Girl. Since then, Abadon had been undefeated in her sporadic appearances - partly delayed by injury - so she was put on a course to reignite this storyline with Shida. However, they didn't get enough time, only a couple segments of Shida trying to prove herself not scared and an AEW Dark segment when Abadon jumped Shida and hit a Cemetery Drive on her. A decent match would follow, but we could've done a lot more.

Best - Hobbs turns to FTW Will Hobbs had grown more and more impressive with each appearance, put over as well in promo by Jon Moxley too gave him a lot of credit. During Darby's feud with Team Taz, Hobbs had often come to make the save to prevent Darby from being injured, however he did have a habit of arriving a little late. This proved to be intentional when Hobbs turned heel, aligning with Team Taz to learn under the ECW Legend. While Hobbs has yet to taste gold, he has of recent found himself elevated by the feud with Christian Cage and should Brian Cage move away from Team Taz, he would clearly be the top choice to take the FTW belt from him.

Worst - Cody Hogan's his title loss When it was time for Cody to drop the TNT belt again, fans would hope that it would be a similar case of Cody putting someone over red hot like he did Brodie. However, instead Darby defeated Cody with a series of roll ups which Cody kicked out in 3.1, a very Hogan vs Warrior title change with Cody also having to keep the spotlight on him by handing the belt to Darby before Darby's moment was further interrupted by Team Taz's attack.

Best - Darby has gold At the very least, Darby being crowned TNT champion after finally beating Cody was a perfect narrative for the talented and albeit batshit crazy masochist Emo Skater Boy. Darby's reign would also be consistently good and maintain Allin's star aura against opponents of all shapes and sizes.

Best - PAC is BAC Due to COVID, several of AEW's international talents were land-locked and unable to appear, but when the UK's borders loosened slightly The Bastard PAC made an emphatic return to reestablish Death Triangle. This had also come off the heels of Eddie Kingston trying to sway Penta away from his brother and kick Fénix out of his group. PAC's mini-feud with Kingston would remind the world that AEW had some world class talent to put in against Kenny Omega as well as reminding the world that PAC is just amazing as a wrestler.

Best - Bunkhouse match blows the roof off Dustin Rhodes seems to have carved an interesting spot for himself as the 'Obscure Gimmick Match Master'. Currently teasing a Bullrope match with Nick Comoroto, he shone brightly in the culmination of the long-winded QT/Allie storyline which lead to a Bunkhouse Match against the Butcher and the Blade. It had old school qualities with amazing spots that continued a long chain of AEW pulling off impressive gimmick matches even if the feud wasn't as impressive itself.

Best - Mox and Kingston, Feud of the Year 2020 You know what was an impressive feud though? Jon Moxley and Eddie Kingston. Imagine winning feud of the year for something set up in September to November? And most of it was promo, but these were two of the best promo guys in the world, touching on their roots, their former friendship, the lengths either would go and all coming to a head in an I Quit Match. Kingston made you believe every word he said when he declared that he would never quit and he wouldn't stop until he was champion but come the match Moxley proved more resilient than words can be. Getting Feud of the Year is not bad going for what originally started as a one-off title match because Archer got COVID.

December 2020 Best - Brodie Lee Memorial Show Near the end of December the wrestling world was shocked by the death of Brodie Lee, the Exalted One was someone fans really wanted to see be a major world champion someday, but he had tragically succumbed to a Lung condition. At this time too AEW were promoting a 2-part special of New Year's Dash, but delayed the shows a week to put on a memorial show for Brodie. With matches picked by Brodie's eldest son, AEW did perhaps the perfect tribute show, with a perfect blend of clips and tributes paired with matches that honored the Big Rig. Brodie's influence was shown with Silver emulating Brodie's outfit, Eric Redbeard appearing, FTR renaming their Goodnight Express to the Big Rig, and the TNT title being handed to Brodie Lee Jr. - who became AEW's youngest signing - and a special t-shirt being the highest selling t-shirt of 2020, with proceeds going to Brodie's wife, Amanda. Brodie's influence still reigns in AEW as the Dark Order have become somewhat gatekeepers to the TNT title and the quote 'It's [day], and you know what that means' being frequently used or displayed via signs to start off an AEW show.

Worst - Ben Carter slips through their fingers Ben Carter had proven a sensational talent on his AEW showings, quickly having rose to having a match on Dynamite. However, AEW did not get his signature on the dotted line, and the E came a-callin'. The loss of the now-Nathan Frazer was a rough blow for AEW business since it showed that WWE could still outbid them if they wanted someone enough, and AEW made the mistake of not signing him before other companies started sniffing around.

Best - IT'S STIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIING! The 'Winter is Coming' special had many big things happen, but one of the biggest of all was the return of Sting. Instantly Sting's T-Shirt sales broke records in AEW (until the Brodie shirt would break Sting's) as the WCW legend had made his return to TNT in a veil of snow staring down Darby Allin, nostalgia was high on this moment.

Worst - STIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIING does nothing for a month But. There was a problem with Sting's arrival on AEW, he wasn't exactly spry in his 60s and AEW were cautious in wanting him to come back into the ring despite being classed as an active talent. AEW did miss a mark by promoting Sting to just do the same interview over and over, more than once in fact, you gotta do something with Sting to get the fans excited.

Best - Taz chokes out Cody While feuding with Darby, Cody became involved when he dropped the TNT title to Darby and got attacked by Team Taz all the same. When this led to a verbose conflict between Cody and Taz over the legitimacy of the FTW championship, Cody made the mistake of turning his back on Taz after diminishing his philosophy because Taz's son Hook was training under his factory rather than his father. Jake the Snake did warn him not to turn your back on someone you respect, but maybe he should've warned him to not turn your back on a Human Suplex Machine, because Taz immediately put him in the Tazmission - to a huge pop from fans - choking out the younger Rhodes to further personalize their feud.

Worst - Dynamite Diamond Ring doesn't change MJF had used the Dynamite Diamond Ring sporadically as a weapon to cheat in matches, but it anything it was a glorified brass knuckles that had limited prestige. When AEW had the chance to give it new prestige by having it fought over a year after MJF won it, they decided to simply keep it on MJF's pinky finger. As a result we had a battle royale and a match that kinda went nowhere narratively, and AEW should've really just made the ring a one-off or given it to someone else to signify a young up-and-coming talent getting a rub.

Best - The Acclaimed prove they're not all talk Not to be outdone by Top Flight, who they seem destined to have an eternal rivalry with, The Acclaimed put on an impressive showing in their title match with the Bucks too. Max Caster's diss tracks continue to slowly win fans over but this was the moment the Acclaimed turned into a mainstay of AEW's tag division.

Worst - TNT ask for no more surprises While reported months later, fans were alerted that after Sting's debut, TNT had asked AEW to not do any more surprises. Business-wise it made sense since they wanted to promote any big moments on the show for a greater viewership, but Wrestling-wise eliminating the shock factor would be a detriment to the business as a whole. AEW have managed to work their way around such things by promoting 'mystery entrants' or debuting surprise characters between other promoted segments but it is still a questionable decision by TNT to request such a thing.

Best - This is Bear Country Next on the 'XX impress on Dark, get signed up' is the tag team of Bear Country. Different to Top Flight's flippy talent and the Acclaimed's knack for mind games and more technical wrestling was two big hoss men running roughshot War Machine-style, there's not much else you need to sell with that, Bear Country was just good stuff and provided another style AEW's tag division could use.

January 2021 Best - Negative One With Brodie Lee Jr. now signed to AEW, he started to make appearances as Dark Order's new leader 'Negative One'. And instantly, Brodie Jr had become an excellent presence. With great understanding of the business for such a young age, Negative One would delight audiences on Dark and Elevation be it on commentary or simply being the feral prince that often accompanied Preston Vance, Anna Jay and/or Tay Conti. The kid was having the time of his life too.

Worst - TNT title doesn't get revamped enough With the original finished product of the TNT title handed to Brodie Jr, there was an opening to make a new TNT title which learned from the criticisms that the original had. Unfortunately we did not have this, we mostly just got a Black strap. Granted COVID would've been a part of that but given how long Darby's reign was, we could've put work towards giving us a better looking TNT championship.

Best - Dark Order turn face, help the Hangman On BTE Dark Order found their feet with their flair for comedy, one of the segments that began this was Evil Uno's selling of Brodie's throwing of papers, the bit originated from Lee discovering that Hangman had once reached out to the Dark Order website sometime at the beginning of his depression spiral. Because of the rejection, the Dark Order had fostered an animosity against Page with frequent 'Fuck Hangman' chants, and yet Hangman would sporadically appear in their hangout, starting his own 'Fuck Hangman' chant when kicked out of the Elite in a brutal show of Page's self-loathing. From there though the Dark Order had softened to the Anxious Millennial Cowboy and after a face turn they had grown to become AEW's most popular faction and a much-needed friend for Page. While Hangman wouldn't officially join the Dark Order, it definitely proved to be an entertaining chapter in Page's story from an unlikely source.

Worst - Team Taz will jump Darby, but not Sting During their feud, Team Taz were seen to jump Darby Allin whenever they could, didn't matter if he had Cody or Moxley on his side they would still try to get the upper hand on the TNT champion. But now that Sting has arrived, Team Taz decided to stop doing that. As much as it was AEW protecting Sting from bumps, it really diminished Team Taz as well because five men that included Ricky Starks, Powerhouse Hobbs and Brian Cage were scurrying away from a lone 60 year old with a baseball bat.

Best - Bullet Club in AEW Tama Tonga might refute it, but the appearance of Luke Gallows and Karl Anderson in AEW was big, and their arrival to aid Kenny and then to two sweet him with the Bucks was an image definitely worthy of closing the night. From Gallows and Anderson's arrival to AEW led to Impact's doors being opened, which has recently led to Omega being the Belt Collector.

Worst - Callis' feud with the Bucks is gimmicky When Kenny won the AEW World Title at Winter is Coming, he had began a full on chaotic turn with Don Callis as his manager of sorts. The Young Bucks however were still firm babyfaces and were perturbed by Callis' actions that were ousting the Jackson brothers out of Kenny's social circles. Some bits were good, Callis really laying in thick the fact that he felt the Bucks had lost their edge, but the majority of it was a bit too much soap opera for my liking, the fake shiner was probably where it jumped the shark.

Best - Tay Conti shows her improvement against Deeb Tay Conti had grown a lot as a wrestler since her debut, and when set to challenge Serena Deeb for the NWA Women's Championship we had the story of 'Jack of All Trades vs Master of One'. Leaning more into her Judo and martial arts background, Tay Conti showed the wrestling world that she had arrived as a wrestler thanks to the AEW machine. WWE's loss had officially become AEW's gain as Tay Conti continues her rise to perhaps being one of the biggest female stars in the company.

Worst - Archer can't win a feud Having lost to Cody in May and then Moxley on the Anniversary episode, Archer was put in a no-win situation by feuding with Eddie Kingston. Now Kingston is great, but the problem was that both men desperately needed to win a feud for credibility, and Archer was the one who lost. Archer continues to be sold as a monster but also someone who will lose all his major feuds. Suffice to say, more can be done with the Murderhawk Monster.

Best - MJF sows seeds of discontent Having officially gotten in with the Inner Circle, MJF now had Chris Jericho's ear and he was ready to spread his poison. This started with the ousting of Sammy Guevara - Jericho's protege of sorts - before moving on to sowing tension between Jericho and Santana & Ortiz. This would be the beginnings of an excellent swerve by AEW, which we will get to later.

Worst - Santana and Ortiz aren't even the Inner Circle's tag team? Because of MJF's sowing though, we had a weird scenario where the Inner Circle were debating who was their official tag team? Debating between Jericho and MJF the singles competitors, Sammy and Hager the singles competitors or Santana & Ortiz the tag team. In this as well MJF and Jericho won, which was more sowing on MJF's part but it does still leave the worrying sense that AEW's tag division is perhaps too big as Tony Khan waits for the right moment to introduce a Trios title.

Best - Wardlow vs Hager was surprisingly good Another recurring narrative of MJF joining the Inner Circle was Jake Hager and Wardlow staring each other off whenever they could. In order to 'bury the hatchet', Hager challenged the War Dog to a match, and surprisingly this was Hager's best match in an AEW ring so far, big men slapping meat with the right conclusion of Wardlow winning.

Worst - The Waiting Room fades out While Britt Baker was injured but not Wheelchair bound she had started an interview show on Dark called 'The Waiting Room', it had a few flaws here and there but eventually it showed on Dynamite to decent effect. But after that it was gone, which is a shame because it could've easily been a longstanding segment for either of AEW's shows at the time to give some promo segments or interviews to AEW's talent.

Best - Private Party are leeched After working under the wing of 'Big Money' Matt Hardy, Private Party turned heel to compliment Hardy's newfound persona as the Company Leech. The heel turn has somewhat revitalized the once-promising tag team and proved they can play either side, it even got them an Impact Tag Title shot and an impressive match on the PPV.

Worst - Whatever Snoop Dogg was doing Snoop Dogg made an AEW appearance where he was insistent on doing a spot, but it didn't really work - much like it didn't really work when he tried it in WWE. Snoop as a guest wasn't the worst idea in the world and it is good that he's willing to bump on the show, but could does not always mean should.

Best - Jungle Boy and Dax put on a masterclass In the middle of FTR's midcard feud with Jurassic Express - the one that'd involve Marko Stunt being kidnapped - Dax Harwood and Jungle Boy crossed paths in an excellently technical match. The match received high praise that'd further put Jungle Boy over while also giving worthy praise for Harwood's wrestling ability.

Best - Jungle Boy gets some Baltimora While on the subject of Jungle Jack Perry, Tony Khan had decided that he had a library of songs he owned or could own and use as entrance themes for some of AEW's more earmarked talent. This would begin with Jungle Boy, who was given Baltimora's 'Tarzan Boy' per the suggestion of Joey Janela. Immediately Jungle Boy had something the fans could use to rally behind, a chantable song that embraced all that Jungle Boy's character was.

February 2021 Best - JD Drake makes an impression JD Drake does not look like AEW's typical wrestler, but that's the point. On his debut on Dark he surprised many with his great offense and agility, even able to pull off a moonsault. Quickly Drake was signed and becomes the odd one out but also the oft-ignored voice of common sense in the Wingmen faction of prettyboys. He's having a lot of fun with it too and has put on good matches, recently against Rocky Romero.

Worst - Women's Eliminator Tournament partly goes on Youtube The Women's Eliminator Tournament opened up the Women's Division in a big way, but COVID meant that not all of it could be filmed in Jacksonville. So like the Deadly Draw, the tournament had to spend some of its time on Youtube. Now I have no problem with Youtube being used, it's a wider medium that can be accessed at any time, but it did mimic the downsides of the Deadly Draw and alienate the TNT-only audience, especially since Dynamite rarely showed highlights of the tournament progress.

Best - Women's Eliminator Tournament exceeds expectations That is however, the only criticism with hindsight one can give the Eliminator Tournament. Because not only did it give us the return of Riho, Yuka Sakazaki, Ryo Mizunami, Emi Sakura and Aja Kong, but it also graced us with the talented debuts of Maki Itoh, VENY (aka Asuka, who also wore Hana Kimura's robe) and Mei Suruga. In addition Shida provided Japanese commentary for the Joshi matches sporting a strikingly beautiful white suit. The tournament did not have a bad match at all; with VENY vs Sakura, Suruga vs Sakazaki, Sakazaki vs Sakura (which had Sakura perform a fantastic entrance), Serena Deeb vs Riho, Leyla Hirsch vs Thunder Rosa, Riho vs Rosa, Baker vs Nyla, Conti vs Nyla and the finals were all great and unique matches. The non-tournament 6-woman joshi tag match was also excellent and so was the surprise winner of Ryo Mizunami and her title shot against Shida at Revolution.

Best - Moxley brings the IWGP US Championship Jon Moxley may've lost the AEW World Championship, he still had a title on hand he could use: the IWGP US Championship. While NJPW had intended to keep it mainly on NJPW Strong during COVID, New Japan also allowed Moxley to bring his title on rare occasions to AEW, later to the point where he could defend it. It was definite good business and the next thing is why it was such a big deal.

Best - THE FORBIDDEN DOOR OPENS! 'New Japan will not work with AEW' - that was what we were told in the early stages of AEW, but we held out hope. We got more hope when Harold Meij stepped down from NJPW but still the 'Forbidden Door' remained shut, all the way until Beach Break when a hooded figure came up to Jon Moxley, hit a GTS and revealed himself. KENTA, the holder of the IWGP US Championship Briefcase he won in the inaugural New Japan Cup USA tournament. The internet went wild, the forbidden door was open and there was no way fans will let it close again.

March 2021 Best - Sting debuts cinematically Team Taz's feud with Darby came to a head with a Tag Team Street Fight. It was Sting's first AEW match and fans were concerned on how many bumps he could take - memory of his 'career-ending' match with Rollins echoing in the mind. AEW though would not make that mistake, deciding to go cinematic to protect Sting and give him time to recover from any bumps caused - as well as win the match like one HHH refused to do - the match itself was fantastic with Team Taz and Darby fitting in a ton of extreme spots and Brian Cage just flexing all over the place.

Worst - Archer feuds(?) with Sting After said Street Fight though, Sting continued said momentum with: Interviews. Worse yet these interviews started being interrupted by Lance Archer, who wanted to take Sting's TV time from him. This amounted to nothing as well because after Sting put an endorsement on Archer, the Murderhawk Monster would decide not to fight for a spot and come in to save Sting and Darby from time to time. If we were gonna establish this alliance we could've done more with it, sadly AEW keep on following up Sting wrestling with a ton of Sting talking.

Best - The Pinnacle debut MJF's snaking in on the Inner Circle was paying off dividends, but after an unsuccessful challenge for the tag titles, the Inner Circle had announced a 'War Council' to discuss their future. It looked as though MJF was gonna completely oust out Jericho from his own group, but out came Sammy Guevara. Absent since leaving the group, Guevara had unraveled MJF, revealing that the Inner Circle was wise to MJF's plot all along: except they weren't. MJF had played 5 steps ahead of the Inner Circle, because he wasn't trying to steal his faction, he was setting up his own. FTR, Spears, Wardlow and MJF swarmed the Inner Circle for an epic debut which would be known as the Pinnacle.

Worst - Cody beats Penta despite a shoulder injury At this point fans were beginning to wonder how Cody Rhodes would write himself off of TV. His wife Brandi was halfway through pregnancy and the Rhodes had announced a Miz & Mrs-esque reality show too. So when Cody was kayfabing a shoulder injury and pitted against Penta El 0M, fans were hoping that this time Cody could not finagle his way into defeating a charismatic and popular member of the roster who could use the rub and has a history of kayfabe breaking arms, and yet he did. The feud set up ended up being a one-off that harmed Penta more than it did good, he had done the arm breaker but Cody just shrugged it off and won anyway. It was growing all too apparent that clean Cody losses will remain to be few and far between.

Best - Penta Says that Alex is a Great Hype Man There is one saving grace to the Penta/Cody mini feud though and it's that pseudo-Dark Order member, Spanish announcer and interviewer Alex Abrahantes had been paired with Penta as his translator/hype man. Sporting some Rollins-esque outfitting of gloves and jackets, Abrahantes added extra venom to his translations which of course gave Penta a lot more vibrance. Alex as well seems to be having a whale of a time doing so.

Worst - Team Taz Dissension starts, but will pause for 2 months In the aftermath of their Street Fight defeat, Cage had drawn the ire of his Team Taz comrades by showing Sting some respect. This led to some light tension between Cage and the rest of the team, especially Ricky Starks. While this could've worked towards a Cage face turn, the tension fizzled out, only reigniting recently.

Best - Jade, Velvet and Shaq impress at a Crossroads The special episode 'The Crossroads' had been set up to promote a mixed tag match which served as Jade Cargill and Shaq's AEW wrestling debut. Competing against Cody and Red Velvet, the match did put fan minds at ease by keeping Shaq's spots simple but classic, while Velvet and Cargill ran the show in the ring. Shaq took a table bump as well which was cool and the match started Jade's star-level momentum on a high.

Worst - Shaq just, disappears In the aftermath of the table spot Shaq was put on a stretcher and into an ambulance, but when we went backstage to get some comments from Shaq before being sent off we found that the ambulance was empty. A weird thing considering that in a few days Shaq would be back on TNT anyway like that had no continuity, it was a strange decision nonetheless.

Best - Exploding. Barbed Wire. Deathmatch! AEW and their penchant for gimmick matches is an interesting relationship, but the moment this match was announced it had garnered a lot of hype. I mean it's not every day you see an Exploding Barbed Wire Deathmatch, and Kenny and Mox had already tore into each other in Full Gear to the point where they legitimately broke state laws. The match was every bit as brutal as promised, homaging Onita many a time through Mox but also with the wired up baseball bat, 99% of the match was freaking awesome.

Worst - Fizzling. Barbed Wire. Deathmatch. Sadly, that 1% that wasn't would be the final visual of the PPV. Moxley is defeated and the whole ring is gonna blow, Kenny and co have scurried and Mox is handcuffed and KO'd in the middle of the ring. Disregarding the warnings of the Butcher, Blade and Bunny, Eddie Kingston rushes in to help his former friend, past enmity be damned, he cannot free Mox in time and in a narratively pivotal act of self-sacrifice drapes himself over Moxley to take the blow. And all we got was a fizzle, a few sparklers and fireworks would end the night unfulfilled, undoing all the good the match had delivered. It would be AEW's most unsatisfying moment caused by a botched ending that could never be undone.

Best - Mox and Kingston reunite to rule the promos Although they could not take back the botched finish, the storyline still allowed a new dynamic of Moxley and Kingston reuniting as chaotic street brothers eyeing up the Elite for a fight. One King of Promo would be enough but two was just fantastic, you could watch Kingston and Moxley bounce off of each other all day and still remain thoroughly entertained.

Worst - Kingston doesn't get a crack at Kenny It was however a shame that draping your body over your friend to protect him from an intended explosion was not enough to validate a feud between said person and the creator of the explosive device. Kingston looked all but set to try and avenge his friend by facing Kenny, but it would not turn out to be. The closest we got was a jump and a One Winged Angel, which is a shame because Kingston vs Kenny would've been fantastic - but alas, Mox and Kingston jumped over Kenny and just went for the tag teams instead.

Best - AEW support Cezar Bononi and his wife Cezar Bononi was doing fine as part of the Undercard faction of the Wingmen with Pretty Peter Avalon, Ryan Nemeth and JD Drake. Behind the curtain though Bononi's wife Camila was suffering from Leukemia and needed a Bone Marrow transplant, her sister was a match but she was in Brazil so they needed an emergency visa so to do the transplant on time. Thanks to the collective efforts of fans and the continued exposure AEW provided for Bononi, Camila's sister would make it in time and Camila herself got her transplant and seems to be doing well.

Worst - Big Money Matt loses his quarter, but it doesn't go anywhere In the conclusion of the chapter where Matt Hardy tried to leech his way into Hangman Page's profits, Hangman had defeated Hardy in a 'Big Money' match which meant that Page had won all of Hardy's money over the last quarter. This opened an avenue to see what Big Money Matt could be like with No Money, but it amounted to very little. In fact the worst we got from Matt was eating olives, a missed opportunity for sure, we could've even had Matt be hounded by loan sharks and debt collectors but alas, it didn't dent his money in the end, at the very least Hangman got his lawnmower.

Best - Elevation elevates Mizunami, Leyla and Limelight In March, AEW debuted a more canonized version of Dark called Elevation, which'd be used to show off a bit of the undercard and allow more opportunity to climb the rankings. In the first month of Elevation, we were graced with several good matches, usually including one of three Elevation Regulars. The Eliminator Tournament Winner Ryo Mizunami would go on a series of bouts with female talent such as Tesha Price and KiLynn King where she effortlessly fit into the role of AEW's women's division gatekeeper, meaning that whoever beat her would get a solid rub - and Abadon did. When Mizunami returned to Japan, one of the people she felled took over from her duties and that was Leyla Hirsch, Hirsch had teamed successfully with Mizunami a couple of times as well and has effectively used her spot to get some wins in. On the men's side, NJPW Strong regular Danny Limelight was given his namesake with some high profile matches including Jungle Boy, Frankie Kazarian and Dark Order's 10, not to mention Takeshita, Omega, Kingston and Moxley in later months, the Team Filthy member definitely taking the show's name to heart.

Best - Cassidy wonders where his mind is Not long after Jungle Boy had obtained Baltimora, plans had been made to give Orange Cassidy a new theme too. The pick was an inspired one with The Pixies' 'Where is My Mind?' - which many would be familiar with as the ending song to Fight Club - the song suited Cassidy really well, and after positive testing on Dark it was used for the next Dynamite to close off the night.

Best - Arcade Anarchy delivers in spite of a weak feud It should probably be a word of caution to not face the Best Friends in a gimmick match in AEW, because they hit a new gear whenever they do. The feud with Miro and Kip was poor, and fans were more than happy for it to end on the PPV when Miro got his win, but AEW insisted on one more match: Arcade Anarchy - agreed to by Kip. In spite of fears this match ruled: Trent's return with Sue was great, Kris Statlander's return was a huge surprise, it took all 3 Best Friends to keep Miro down and we finished the night with Where is My Mind playing us off. Despite the weak feud, AEW had finished strongly which made reheating Miro a lot easier.

Best - Tully Blanchard wrestles in 2021 The culmination of Jurassic Express vs FTR came in the Crossroads in a 6-Man tag match. Made extra bonkers because Tully Blanchard was FTR's third man in the match. They of course limited his spots and a Shawn Spears return would prove the difference, but it's an entertainingly ridiculous thing that Tully Blanchard both wrestled in 2021 and won: wrestling is just crazy.

Best - Final 4 of Casino Tag Royale put on a Show AEW have played around with the 'Casino' concept for a few stipulations; regular battle royale for men and women, ladder match, and then tag royale. This royale finished strongly though with the final 4; John Silver, Fénix, PAC and Jungle Boy. Four absolutely over stars brawling out in mini-matches that left fans salivating for more, after Silver and PAC were eliminated Fénix and JB put on an absolute treat of a finale, which ended with Fénix getting the win for Death Triangle to face the Bucks.

Best - Silver earns Sting's respect with a Dislocated Shoulder John Silver was voted by Dark Order to take Darby Allin's open challenge for the TNT title - offered because it was the anniversary of Brodie's debut. Silver vs Allin became a great match, made even more impressive since Silver dislocated his shoulder early in the match and kept going. While Silver couldn't bring the title home to the Dark Order, he got a show of respect from Sting - which in turn would lead to the Dark Order coming to Darby and Sting's aid at times.

Best - Maki Itoh breaks America Fans of TJPW or twitter's tdegifs were very familiar with the charismatic foul-mouthed hard-headed former idol Maki Itoh, and seeing her in the Women's Eliminator tournament paid dividends despite her first round elimination. Itoh's popularity skyrocketed, she had an It factor which pissed off Jim Cornette for extra adulation, and come Revolution's Buy-In, Maki Itoh had arrived in Jacksonville for one of the biggest pops of the night. Itoh proved charming and entertaining even though she was aligned with the heels, to the point where she even main evented the inaugural Elevation against Riho. Sadly Itoh would have to return to Japan and unsuccessfully challenge for Rika Tatsumi's TJPW Princess of Princess Championship (her tag partner/former longstanding rival/sauce boss/Pink Striker Miyu Yamashita would however win), have her twitter hacked and set up a new division of her faction 'Saitama Itoh Respect Army 2021' with Yuki Kamifuku and Marika Kobashi, but she had made her mark and then some, the world was a simp for Maki Itoh, and she allowed it because she needed the monies.

Best - Rosa/Baker break the ceiling Itoh vs Riho wasn't the only cross-promotional women's main event AEW gave us, because 2 days later on St. Patrick's Day Smash, Britt Baker and Thunder Rosa's unsanctioned match would deliver on one of the highest rated matches in modern women's wrestling. A bloody and fantastic affair instantly rose Baker and Rosa's stakes in a fitting end to their rivalry, but one that also didn't cost Baker any standing because it technically 'didn't count'. It remains to this day AEW's best match in the women's division.

April 2021 Best - Miro ditches Kip After months of hanging with Kip Sabian and Penelope Ford, Miro had become fed up with Superbad. The acceptance against his wishes to fight the Arcade Anarchy proved the last straw as Miro set his focus on capturing any and every title within his reach, with or without Kip. After a few weeks of not seeing Sabian, Miro attacked him, writing Sabian out of action with a legitimate wrist injury while Ford was dealing with an allergic reaction to her eyelashes, with Kip gone Miro could finally be who we were waiting for: at freaking last.

Worst - Interference finishes beget questions of Faction Bloat Although not as bad as WWE, many matches on AEW seemed to end one way or another with factions fighting one another, clean finish or not. This did of course grind on fans and cause questions to arise that perhaps there are too many factions in AEW, they have a point, though easily fixable without splitting any factions up.

Best - Bucks descend to heeldom Don Callis had been a thorn in the Bucks' side for a while, but his words had got in their head, they were indeed the most successful when they were cocky assholes. Although they did save Moxley from being swarmed one time, the six-man tag proved too much for them: they didn't want to see the feral Moxley take out their old and storied friend and so they chose Kenny over morality. No longer annoyed by Callis, the Bucks became absolute shiteating heels again, which benefits the climate of the tag division.

Best - Jade is elevated by being sought out While Jade Cargill would only sporadically appear for squashes, AEW have done well to slow burn her star power by having managers try to get her as a client. It's simple storytelling but effective, because people want Jade it means that Jade is desirable and that makes her more important as a talent.

Best - Baker DeManDs her title shot Because the Unsanctioned Match 'didn't count' Britt Baker had carried the acclaim of that match even in defeat. Baker had stopped dossing around too, legitimately rising up the ranks to the Number 1 spot like a looming shadow to have her crack at Shida's title. It could've been easy to give her a shot by virtue of her performance but AEW did it right - and gave Tay Conti her shot in the process - which made Baker much more valued in her title hunt.

Best - Cage upsets the Hangman At the Number 1 Spot, Hangman Page looked like he was on course to fight Kenny Omega, but when asked about this prospect Page dodged the subject entirely. The thought though would weigh on his mind in his match against Cage, where he was practically squashed in an upset fashion, it was a surprising plot twist and delays Page's clash with Kenny while also adds to Cage's reputation.

May 2021 Best - Varsity Blonds add some Hart The Varsity Blonds had done well considering that they started as being an undercard pair-up and grew into a talented young combo homaging Brian Pillman and Steve Austin's team of the Hollywood Blonds. But adding Nightmare Factory upstart Julia Hart just added the missing piece for the blonds, as a trio they look the part, and their rise feels earned as they put on a great showing against the Bucks.

Worst - QT loses to Cody after all that Cody's Ace Problem had transitioned to the point where QT Marshall was picked to turn on him next, collecting a small portion of the Nightmare Factory who felt that the students were secondary to Cody's ego. When it came to the exhibition Cody won by DQ, but got assaulted by the Factory, so when they had a proper match we had a choice: elevate this new faction or have their leader lose, guess which they chose? QT tapped out to the Figure Four and Cody prevailed.

Best - SCU put it on the line For several months, SCU had put a challenge on themselves that if they lost in tag competition (not singles or battle royales) they would split up. It had worked well because they were undefeated since, but being at the top of the rankings with a heel Young Bucks signalled the inevitable clash between the two teams. The question would be could the Bucks really end the team they welcomed to AEW on Day 1, their friends, the first World Tag Champions of their company, and the answer was yes. A bloodied affair of near falls and the Bucks hamming up any emotional bonds they once had led to a fantastic match that has put a tragic end to SCU.

Worst - SCU's embrace is cut short But immediately after that we cut to Mox and Eddie trashing their locker room. AEW would return to show SCU's final embrace but a 'previously on' is not as effective as seeing it when the wound is fresh, it was the end of a partnership that had spanned a decade, all the way back to Fortune, Bad Influence and then The Addiction, it deserved the time to linger.

Best - Blood and Guts! Last year it was planned that the Elite would face the Inner Circle in a WarGames-esque match called Blood and Guts. But COVID had prevented this, so we changed to Stadium Stampede. With the Inner Circle feuding with the newfly formed Pinnacle, AEW made the right call in bringing Blood and Guts back a year later to clash the two factions against one another. And it truly did live up to its names, a brutish match which cemented the Pinnacle as one of AEW's top factions.

Worst - Blood and Guts (nor Stadium Stampede II) doesn't finish the feud Big gimmick matches like these should be feud enders, but AEW wanted to put the two factions at odds again. With the threat of disbanding, the Inner Circle got a rematch for Double or Nothing for Stadium Stampede and while it wasn't bad fans did feel that the feud should've ended at Blood and Guts. In addition, Stadium Stampede wouldn't even finish their beef as they look to divide into 3 mini-feuds again.

Best - Miro crushes Darby Without Kip, Miro was a monster and he immediately went for gold. A perfect usurper for Darby Allin's TNT title reign, Miro destroyed the fearless and near-indestructible daredevil - who was protected from the squash because Ethan Page and Scorpio Sky had thrown him down some stairs last week - his look over to Sting as they both accepted that they were likely losing this match was a great moment between Miro's destructive force. And as TNT champion Miro is great, his thanking of God for various things are both charming and hilarious but he also manages to pair it with psychotic menace, long may the Best Man reign.

Worst - Cody's American Dream wins over Ogogo's valid points After submitting QT in his match, Cody's celebrations were cut off by Anthony Ogogo, the Olympic Bronze Medallist and former Boxer in QT's Factory, who KO'd Cody and covered him with the UK flag. A feud with Ogogo could've been the saving face moment for the Factory but instead Cody opted to zone in on the flag thing. Painting Ogogo as the 'Anti-American Foreign Heel' did not sit well for anyone who wasn't an uber-American 'Patriot' since the concept was heavily outdated, in addition Ogogo was making real valid points about why he disliked America: pointing out the gross flaws in the country's healthcare system and Cody would reply with how his pregnant wife and unborn daughter were black, choking up his words to garner sympathy. This all falls flat given how Ogogo is also black and never once implied that Cody was a racist. With the chance to put over the Factory with a charismatic young competitor, Cody instead decided to win without even using a finisher - because it was Memorial Day Weekend and America always wins, at this point the Factory remain pretty tainted now since Cody has beaten every member he's faced (and Dustin beat the other one). Saying things worked out on 'Focus Groups' didn't help Cody's defense as to why the feud went the way it did either, it was an outdated narrative with a result that all but screws over the Factory.

Best - The Forbidden Door opens again While none have risen the heights of KENTA's shocking arrival, the Forbidden Door did remain open for some more appearances from NJPW's personnel. Yuji Nagata made a big return to TNT to fight Moxley for the IWGP US Championship but also Ren Narita and Rocky Romero made appearances, the latter having a mini Roppongi Vice reunion with Trent. AEW had also extended the forbidden door to DDT with Konosuke Takeshita impressing on AEW's first house show and on Elevation, and recently a Joker Card appearance for Lio Rush.

Best - Shida gets recognized, and a revamped title After a year of holding the AEW Women's Championship Hikaru Shida had been the subject of criticism from neckbeards acting like she was the 'female Brock Lesnar'. Some were annoyed that Shida's title reign had lasted so long and were blind to the fact that this was clearly intended so Baker could win in front of a crowd. The Dynamite before Double or Nothing though AEW did right by recognizing Shida's work ethic and title reign and by presenting her with a new and larger Women's Championship. While people may complain that they could've unveiled this new title at the PPV I felt it was right to at least let Shida enter the PPV with this title considering how long she had held the Women's Division down. Some poor builds aside, Shida had carried the division with strong matches and worked behind the scenes as well for improving the division, as well as producing the Women's Eliminator Tournament. In this house we do not disrespect Hikaru Shida.

Best - Double or Nothing 2021 And we end on the crescendo, and what a crescendo. The full-time return of fans were graced with an excellently feel-good PPV - aside from Cody beating Ogogo - which had all the competitors perform at a high level. Starting hot, giving Jungle Boy a big unexpected win, Mark Henry debuting and topping it off with Stadium Stampede signed off a big and entertaining year for AEW and closing off with the returning crowd chanting Judas: masterful chef kiss level idea.

The aftermath of DoN while mentioned will probably not be touched on next year because damn were these posts long, but at the very least I did it for WWE and AEW as I said I would. Let's hope that both companies can rise to higher heights and avoid lower lows in the next year when we retread these ppvs again.

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darkarfs · 4 years

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My 10 Favorite WWE Matches of All Time (updated)

10: The 2001 Royal Rumble No matter how daft and stupid the product gets, I will never not stoke my head in around January. The Royal Rumble is my favorite match, but this one is my favorite favorite instance of that match. The pacing, the beautiful endurance of Kane, the hardcore interval (which Kane just decides to destroy), the Big Show returning after 4 months just to get shit-canned a minute into his run. There is so much to love about this mess. The preview of Rock and Austin that year for their Wrestlemania showdown. The fact that 4 or 5 of them (Rock, Austin, Kane, Undertaker, even Rikishi) could have been main event contenders. The best midcard in WWE history. Scotty 2 Hotty having the worst night of his life. Drew Carey just showing up. Bradshaw just cliffing everyone, because he's gotta get his shit in. Good Rumbles are like a 3 course meal, and this one is like all your courses at once, and then dessert is a treat you could die on. 9. Tyler Bate vs. WALTER - Takeover Cardiff Crowds make a lot of matches for me (thanks, 2020) but this crowd is especially electric, and for 24-year-old Tyler Bate, who is taking on a TANK, and that tank's name is WALTER, a TANK. But I will never not be a sucker for a David vs. Goliath story, and it was never better told than the boy made of thighs vs. the destroyer made of shattering palms. It is SO CARNY, so many feats of strength, so many OOOOOFS AND UUUUUURGHS that make this so great. Tyler was a hero on this night, but everyone knew he wasn't ready to win. Every feat is a magnificent reach. And it all means something to everyone. Make them what they know SHOULD happen and still surprise them with it. His "refusing to quit!" only to get shut down by a fucking chop. HE STANDS but is immediately ruined. It makes me. This shit fucking makes me. 8. Sasha Banks vs. Bayley, 30-Minute Iron Woman Match - Takeover Respect Most of this is just a remix of their epic and warranted classic in Brooklyn. but then Sasha takes the headband off of Izzy. And then they both stepped it up and were *amazing*. We somehow lost Bayley's "RAAAAAH'S and that's sad for me. But then they RAMP IT UP. NOBODY LIKES YOU. FUCK YOU. WE'RE HAPPIER NOW. (WE'RE NOT.) But seriously, Sasha taking Izzy's headband and then THROWING IT AT HER started something special, something grand. THE OUTRAGE. The bastion of heel heat. And then the match got better. They hugged at the end of their encounter in Brooklyn, but then they started poisoning one another. And it all started with this amazing match. (Also, Bayley's amazing red and gold robot tights.) 7. Kurt Angle vs. Shawn Michaels, Wrestlemania 21 Listen. HBK's 'Mania outings with the Undertaker are solid "match of the decade" contenders, piss-easy. They are peerless, they are in a league of their own. But saying they're your favorite? Unless you are an actual wrestler, that's like saying "UH, MY FAVE BAND IS THE BEATLES." Ya boring, ya basic, and we can all do better. And seeing how I'm in my late 30s, I understand wrestling a little different than I did when I made this list in...2016??? Christ. I bet AJ Styles vs. John Cena was on it that year. Two of the best performers, both in their prime, and looking back on it, I just prefer the mix of character dynamics at play. Angle is easily one of the best in the world, but he has such an inferiority complex, because he's an Olympic gold medalist who is told *nightly* that he sucks, and he CAN'T best Michaels. He keeps coming back, and he's so charming, so effortlessly good at this whole "wrestling" thing, and it's slowly making Angle, who SHOULD be all of those things, absolutely *spare.* And that informs so many spots and story moments in the match itself, specifically when Angle LOSES it and starts shouting at him, only to have a superkick partied under his face. Angle is one of the best ever because his wrestling acumen served his character, never once defined it. 6. Vince McMahon vs. Shane McMahon, Wrestlemania 17 I haven't gone back to watch the whole of Vince vs. Shane THAT many times. What I have done is watch the finish about 65 times. There is something so addictive and magical about that one pop, when Linda stands up from her chair, and the ENTIRE crowd stands with her. And I'll 100% agree that Vince's comeuppance - one slap, one hoof to the balls, a Mandible Claw and a Coast-To-Coast dropkick - is not NEAR the actual comeuppance he should have gotten for some of the deplorable shit his character got up to from around the Rumble to this match (two of which they've done their very best to scrub from history, they're THAT bad.) But it's the purest example I can think of, of that pantomime aspect of wrestling. Vince McMahon is a deranged bastard. He likes dumb, cruel, crude things, but his commitment to being the world's 2nd-worst lizard man makes some of the stuff that happens to him more richly rewarding than almost any retribution in any medium, ever. The final 4 minutes of that match, the crowd is a fireworks display. They rise, they explode, they rise and explode, over and over. And again, shoutout to my boy 2020 for making me miss a crowd THAT big having THAT good a time. 5. Adam Cole vs. Johnny Gargano - 2 out of 3 falls - TakeOver New York Now look, I'm not saying that NXT is essentially perfect for me, in terms for what I look for in wrestling. What I will say is that when it cooks, it combines the very best of indie stamina, choreography and stunt work with something WWE sometimes gets VERY right, and that is unabashed, unironic emotion. And it's not even that the intimacy of NXT being a smaller promotion has a denser, more specifically passionate fanbase. It's just the fact that NXT understands that so often, nuance and drama in wrestling doesn't come from promos, or swerves, or endless escalations of said drama, but from getting the FUCK out of the way and letting two of the best in the world *wrestle.* NXT is so good for providing context for the acts of jealousy, pride and entitlement, and then laying out a match that touches on all of these emotions throughout. This main event, built in two weeks, after a terribly-timed Ciampa injury, is actually VERRRY clever booking...disguised to look really simple. Cole starts the match as the crowd favorite, because he's the cool tweener everyone likes (with a catchphrase) to Gargano's unironic Disney prince. Over the course of Cole going all out, making subtle references to Johnny's feud with Ciampa, Gargano fighting from underneath, total fuck-off bastardry from the Undisputed Era (making poor Mauro Ranallo yell "YOU SNAKES!!") Maybe Cole WAS the better choice, but by the end of it, you didn't care. On that night, Johnny refused to lose, and the constant, exciting, *involving* wrestling dragged you to that emotional place. Damn right, you deserve it. 4. CM Punk vs. John Cena, Money In the Bank 2011 It might be a simple choice, but also, sometimes, it's really really gratifying to see a crowd who wants something get what they fucking want for once. A hot crowd makes a good match great, and a great match THIS. A crowd united, either for one guy, and against another, and in this case, BOTH. It makes every. Move. Matter. Trying to find a new angle on this match is like trying to find a new way to say fire is warm. And this crowd created a CAUSE. The no-sold pinfall, the attempted rehash of the Screwjob. Point out the botches if you must. The angle, the promo...it got my friends back into wrestling, a reason to care until the Shield. It's not the best, but it deserves to be. There is no wrestling crowd I wish I was more a part of. And I was at King of the Ring 1998. 3. Kurt Angle vs. Brock Lesnar, 60-Minute Iron Man match, Smackdown of September 18, 2003 It MAYBE was a bit of a "hipster" choice to name this my number 1 in 2016. But you know what? Bloody holds up. Two performers who feel "destined to do this forever," like a Triple H/Shawn Michaels, or a Kevin Owens/Sami Zayn. Possessed of freakish physical charisma, could go for days if pressed. Brock Lesnar, literally at the time ONE OF THE BEST ATHLETES in the WORLD being a lazy fucker and taking DQ points, laying the foundation of what Brock Lesnar would come to be known as. And Angle, in that rare position of everyone knowing he's the best thing going. Brilliant Lazy Asshole Brock and Certified Wrestling Machine Angle are two of my unironic favorite characters in all of wrestling, and it's a buffet of THAT. Like a Royal Rumble, only it's just two dudes, being the best they've ever been. 2. DIY vs. the Revival - 2 out of 3 falls - TakeOver Toronto "Tag team wrestling?" says main roster WWE. "What is this...tag team wrestling?" Well, this is it, at its absolute best. It's up there with Rey Mysterio and Edge vs. Chris Benoit and Kurt Angle from No Mercy 2002 for just brilliant, rock-solid tag team psychology. There are more story opportunities when there are more rules to break, how can WWE *not get behind that?* In terms of chemistry, both between opponents and between teams, in terms of callbacks like Johnny muscling through the exact same inverted figure four that lost them the belts in Brooklyn. It is a perfect match. Not an ounce of fat on it. And that closing sequence, of each member of DIY locking the Revival in their signature holds, and the men now known as FTR clinging to one another. It's probably the best tag match in the history of the WWE, and considering the caliber of tag matches on TakeOvers, is FUCKING saying something. 1. Daniel Bryan vs. Brock Lesnar, Survivor Series 2018 This match is everything I always hoped for. For the longest time, after the 2015 Royal Rumble debacle, when Reigns won, when simply everything we knew about storytelling said "no, of course it should be Bryan," I wondered what that 'Mania match would look like. If it were anything like this, I would have died a happy man. But then again, what makes this match so GOOD is that Bryan had just come back from an early retirement caused by head and neck surgery, and here he is, being dropped on his head and neck by Brock Fucking Lesnar, aka what would happen if the concept of "not giving a shit" gained corporeal form and starting shilling for Jimmy John's. The match gets really ugly, really fast, and Bryan takes us to uncomfortable places with his selling. It wasn't just the retirement angle, it was also the fact that Brock had turned out some REALLY lazy shit by that point in his career, so we had all mentally prepared for another finish-spamming early night. And then. AND THEN... Bryan hoofs him in the walnuts, hits the running knee, gives us the absolute closest 2-count of the decade, and then the fight is fucking on. Bryan went, over the course of 2 minutes, from never having a chance against Brock Lesnar to it being an *absolute certainty* that he was going to BEAT BROCK LESNAR. Anytime you visibly leave your seat every few seconds during a match, you know it's a special one. Again, it took me away, had me absolutely *screaming* at my monitor, elated, invested, and I don't know what more your favorite match can ask of you. But what happens when your favorite match isn't a match at all? No. 0: The Firefly Funhouse - Wrestlemania 36 I'm not kidding, it actually might be my favorite thing. It could be just my brain latching onto the Cult of the New, but I don't think so. It's not a match, I get it. It exists in a weird null-void outside of time and space, but mostly I am floored that they would broadcast something so virulently anti-WWE. Like, we talk of CM Punk and how WWE let him get away with all his little jokes and cut his little Pipebomb promo. But then WWE signed off on Bray Wyatt tearing the soul out of their business. Burying the biggest star of this generation, skewering and laying bare all of terrible WWE's terrible priorities, and also celebrating insider knowledge, wrestling history, and I just...love it. Right now, it's my favorite thing WWE have ever put out, because it did something they've never done before, told a story I didn't think they were capable of telling. And sure, it was Bray who told it, but I still can't believe it aired. But I am endlessly thankful that it did.

#wwe #favorite matches #long post

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armstrong48-blog · 5 years

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Wrestling: No Longer a Mystery

There's a feeling that in the event the truth does eventually emerge, it may upend everything we know. Becoming learning-focused means putting the procedure ahead of the item. Sometimes, you've got to do things that aren't that fun to achieve your objectives. Well, you have to drill repeatedly if you would like moves to develop into second nature. You've got a particular possibility to play such a video game all by yourself and also have a considerable quantity of fun in this approach. It's about disciplinebeing disciplined enough to plow through the procedure and make it take place. What You Need to Do About Wrestling Before You Miss Your Chance You don't need to be worried about it because this completely damage is not going to bring it any result. Your dog is not going to understand that they're managing a little child who doesn't wish to hurt him. Simple, there's no magic pill to earn the concussion go away. Periodization is frequently associated with weight training but can be utilized to train other athletic attributes also. Such exercises are for when you're attempting to shed weight so as to be in a specific competitive wrestling category. If you must cut weight that you should begin a couple weeks or a month in advance if necessary. Choosing Wrestling There are lots of shady dealers out there. Their chemistry for a team is legendary. The matches are predetermined but of course that's the whole intention of the company. It doesn't matter the apathy both of these candidates are satisfied with. It was also a very simple way to be certain that he'd dominate over his former Shield brothers, aligning with the men and women in charge, to receive the best matches and the opponents with the highest-profiles. The individual was turned over to the right authorities. The Unusual Secret of Wrestling The full point of this exercise is to have a rise from the crowd and it is irrelevant whether it's cheers or boos. His solution was supposed to create his own form of the barbaric duo in Demolition. The reason this is sensible to know about is mainly because you might find that yourself bored playing the identical game and having options would be wise so that you're able to alter the kind of game you're playing. The thought is simple, you beat the defenders till they are not able to get up and attack you. I simply don't like that he constantly receives a shot. Major man smooth like a large baby penguin. In addition, I hope not one of the regulars end it. Sasha pulls Becky from the ring. Valkyrie Spears Grace on the ground. Wrestling - the Conspiracy Writing a book isn't easy, but neither is wrestling. We'll also be running a complete live blog of the function which is going to be available here. We did not receive the story we were promised. All these wrestling stars have various trademarks most especially the way that they dress and how they smack their opponents. Owens is only short of a million at the right time of writing. Whether you like him or not you need to admit he is extremely gifted and definitely looks the component of a top superstar. Wrestling is among the only sports that everyone on the planet can understand. Every one of these sports are going to have its exclusive demands. In earlier times athletes weren't too concerned about a concussion. A Startling Fact about Wrestling Uncovered Whatever might be the experience, jot down all of the information down. Ideally, in case you have chosen the proper exercises, participants ought to be able to experience a complete cycle 3 times. Another thing to think about is that bad parents don't always raise bad children. Inside this section you must jot down all of the critical abilities, specifically linked to leadership activities, communication skills, teaching, together with initiative skills etc.. The program is composed of a string of exercises each performed at various stations in the gym. Always believe in yourself and you can also reach your objectives. We're not there to just enforce the rules. Make certain you inspect thoroughly and properly maintain to guarantee safety. If you take a close look at practice in Russia, every practice at each club throughout the country has a particular structure to it, while the US is all around the place. The Foolproof Wrestling Strategy When you speak about wrestling most individuals think about World Wrestling Entertainment also referred to as WWE. Therefore, attempting to use periodization for wrestling may appear impractical. Women wrestlers who tune out all of the horny boy stuff which goes about. Wrestling is so closely associated with life, he explained. Brock Lesnar is easily among the most protected Superstars in WWE history and he's got a WWE huge contract which likewise will come with limited dates. When it has to do with wrestling, it's often in comparison to the UFC and NCAA wrestling. A whole lot of wrestlers have a tendency to jump around to and from other promotions but The Undertaker proved to be a massive portion of WWE for his whole run there, 27 decades. WWE serves not just to promote fights, yet to entertain by storytelling. WWE however isn't the only wrestling promotion on the landscape. The Argument About Wrestling In some cases, the defender is equipped to flatten the attacker to the mat like a pancake, thus the name. You are going to be more able to dodge or slip from a tight hold. If you keep in 1 spot, you're putting yourself into a place to be taken down by your opponent or pushed from the mat. A previous alternative is to construct a structure to hold out the costume in the correct form. If you prefer, you even can trample it to the ground. In 1848, Exbroyat produced a big rule that forbade holds beneath the waist. Sacrifice often goes together with dedication. Wrestling to a degree of greatness requires commitments from all possible pieces of your entire body and mind. Unfortunately, it's not stored within the body. Choosing Good Wrestling You need to have a fair command over the neighborhood language at least languages. Inside my opinion, you should attempt to keep periodization simple. Not lots of expressions, usually. It leveled me up indirectly in various ways too. You've got a particular possibility to play such a video game all by yourself and also have a considerable quantity of fun in this approach. This will permit you to bring another facet of the sport in your arsenal of abilities and techniques. The Foolproof Wrestling Strategy Folk wrestling styles aren't recognized as international trends of wrestling by UWW. If your kid is younger or his school does not own a wrestling group, you can discover a regional independent wrestling club. Outlast the competition with the proper wrestling headgear. On the flip side, more than 1 macrocycle might be used over the course of a wrestling season as you could have more than one significant competition which you want to peak for. There's a whole lot of wrestling fan denial. This won't be the case with AEW on a roster that already boasts a number of the best wrestlers on earth and Cody. Every WWE Superstar ought to be given time to come up with their character and prove they are capable, regardless of what the circumstance. The Divas can not merely kick but in the ring, but a lot of them can even manage different wrestlers and even run companies regarding the area of wrestling. WWE however isn't the only wrestling promotion on the landscape. The Ultimate Wrestling Trick Post called that a minimal point. You may think about where in NYC you wish to go to narrow things down. Provided that the story lives on TV, it's entertaining alone. Meanwhile Terri Gold gets all of the air. Be certain to speak to his coach for anything else you will want to understand. WWE's inability to develop transcendent icons is a step over the real issue they are too stubborn to handle. Moreover, autograph events are often held in order to permit fans to fulfill their favorite wrestling superstars up-close and personal. Not necessary, but you need to be related to sports. In earlier times athletes weren't too concerned about a concussion. Life, Death, and Wrestling If you want it, you might have a try! Sandow marks a terrific pop. If you wind up with the incorrect dimensions, just inform us and we'll help you exchange it for the best size. If you have feet, we've got a full array of wrestling shoes in all styles, colours and sizes for you to select from. This is just a slice of cloth that's wrapped around like underwear. To receive added information on john cena cardboard cutout please Visit Website. Remember, wrestling shoes are notoriously tricky to discover the ideal fit. However, while his brothers continue to be around, we're never likely to love Roman Reigns. Valkyrie Spears Grace on the ground. What You Must Know About Wrestling He wore face paint, he'd spit mist into the opinion of his opponent. He's also a fresher face who's on the up. When the wrestler has developed a good square stance, he or she is able to work on a staggered stance, also referred to as an offensive stance. A previous alternative is to construct a structure to hold out the costume in the correct form. Good stance plays an essential part in enabling a wrestler to stay stable on the mat. Some might envision themselves standing on the cap of the podium in 1st location. Grip training should only be carried out at the conclusion of a workout. The Death Mask's present moveset is largely designed with quick, snap maneuvers that could surprise opponents from unexpected angles and offer impact without using an exhaustive quantity of strength. Unfortunately, it's not stored within the body. Why Almost Everything You've Learned About Wrestling Is Wrong You'd have to eat plenty of red meat to coincide with a single serving of powdered creatine, but it is surely present. Athletes ought to be given only sufficient time between sets to get properly set for the exercise they're going to execute. Proteins help to construct muscle. If you need to earn weight, plan ahead, and attempt to get rid of body fat, not muscle. You may have to work on technique initially and boost your volume and intensity as time passes. So it is crucial to receive a steady dose of protein each and every day. The Key to Successful Wrestling Even in the event the early phases of a career, it comes down to the company which is kept. Their chemistry for a team is legendary. It may sound easy, but by spending a little quantity of the match posing you will greatly enhance the caliber of the photos taken of you. But these are all necessary so as to thrill the spectators. 1 important element is to be certain your child regularly mixes with different children. Not exactly my 1st alternative, but it's better than other choices. A Startling Fact about Wrestling Uncovered It is possible to learn that information online and discover what is there. Ideally, in case you have chosen the proper exercises, participants ought to be able to experience a complete cycle 3 times. If you're uncertain about whether it's the case that you or your little one should wrestle, this guide delivers a number of reasons which should help you create your final choice. In the last few years, mixed martial arts have come to be ever more popular for kids and adults of all ages. However, because the years went on I started to comprehend what teaching Middle School children is about. This sport was once thought to be crucial training for most Greek soldiers. We're not there to just enforce the rules. Make certain you inspect thoroughly and properly maintain to guarantee safety. We are constantly looking for volunteers to assist with the other districts. The Tried and True Method for Wrestling in Step by Step Detail Meal replacement drinks are a lot better since you don't need to consider what foods to eat along with them. Athletes ought to be given only sufficient time between sets to get properly set for the exercise they're going to execute. As it takes more time to digest complex carbohydrates, you feel fuller longer and don't will need to eat as much. A kid should never be required to ask what things to eat to shed weight. Such exercises are for when you're attempting to shed weight so as to be in a specific competitive wrestling category. If you're really cutting lots of weight this season, you might not be in a position to obtain strength because the body requires a surplus of calories from food to be able to feed the muscle. Life After Wrestling To retire a legend and act as though you're still an excellent guy to the fans is much more. It needs to be the proper moment, it needs to be the best product and it must be the proper distributor. It sold lots of magazines. Meanwhile Terri Gold gets all of the air. Be certain to speak to his coach for anything else you will want to understand. Whether you like him or not you need to admit he is extremely gifted and definitely looks the component of a top superstar. If there's a school that the business endorses, athletes may benefit from attending the suggested wrestling school in order to enhance their odds of stardom. Not necessary, but you need to be related to sports. Some athletes find it can help to meditate or listen to hypnosis recordings to have them focused and prepared to wrestle. The Wrestling Game So long as you receive a reaction, its working. The only way we are presented with a challenge is when our child gives evidence in the shape of problems she's involved in. Well some of us will try to inform you. I really like that folks love things. The people that are in charge are simply not interested in letting them tell great stories. Wrestling - the Conspiracy In some cases, the defender is equipped to flatten the attacker to the mat like a pancake, thus the name. You are going to be more able to dodge or slip from a tight hold. It is an excellent means to score 5 points when you're losing or to have an essential pin. To put it simply, it's intimidating. The conventional square stance, often known as the defensive stance, is generally the sturdier, but it's also harder to move from quickly. You have to be in control to receive a pin. And what the Death Mask is a person who won't care about stepping toes so as to receive his due. The Death Mask's present moveset is largely designed with quick, snap maneuvers that could surprise opponents from unexpected angles and offer impact without using an exhaustive quantity of strength. Wrestling headgear is mostly utilized to reduce cauliflower ear brought on by repeat ear trauma. Facts, Fiction and Wrestling They get the itch they visit a different business and keep working. Your dog is only going to take note that this modest human is making him feel uncomfortable. The reason this is sensible to know about is mainly because you might find that yourself bored playing the identical game and having options would be wise so that you're able to alter the kind of game you're playing. Bubba finally receives a tag and downloads. I simply don't like that he constantly receives a shot. I don't understand how to demonstrate the respect I feel this man deserves, because certainly once you start to see a legend begin to deteriorate it's challenging to keep in mind the man he was. In addition, I hope not one of the regulars end it. Sasha pulls Becky from the ring. Then consider your wrestling shoes. Vital Pieces of Wrestling When that occurs, the wrestler wins the match. Again, victory is all but inevitable. There are a few great wrestlers at those weights, Cleary explained. Braun angry Big Dog not wish to have match. While Lesnar will be searching for revenge, there are a number of other clashes in the night to seek. A whole lot of wrestlers have a tendency to jump around to and from other promotions but The Undertaker proved to be a massive portion of WWE for his whole run there, 27 decades. The Divas can not merely kick but in the ring, but a lot of them can even manage different wrestlers and even run companies regarding the area of wrestling. Lets look at a number of the WWE roster. Where to Find Wrestling Have men and women in your community speak for your benefit. It is possible to also do a search for people in your region. Taking your child from the school environment to teach her at home is a substantial step, and one which shouldn't be taken without full consideration of the implications. I'm celebrating those who do. For the 69th consecutive calendar year, we hope you take pleasure in the action! When it has to do with chiropractic businesses, going to the one you like and enjoy heading to is crucial. What's more, you can want to get a less intense practice the evening prior to a significant competition so you're recovered and fresh to wrestle hard the following day. Deciding on what's most effective for you. We are constantly looking for volunteers to assist with the other districts. Ok, I Think I Understand Wrestling, Now Tell Me About Wrestling! As an investor, you wish to purchase stocks with the maximum probability of succeeding. Absolutely, price of admission is totally well worth it. It was a means to hedge his bets, the quickest way to get to the top. It doesn't matter the apathy both of these candidates are satisfied with. 1 important element is to be certain your child regularly mixes with different children. The individual was turned over to the right authorities.

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mysticseasons · 7 years

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THE INTERVIEW: Tessa Virtue & Scott Moir

Olympic flag-bearers Tessa Virtue and Scott Moir talk about putting down their beers, returning to competition, and Canada's chances in Pyeongchang.

Ice dancers Tessa Virtue and Scott Moir are Canada’s flag bearers at the upcoming Olympics in Pyeongchang. Sportsnet recently caught up with the duo, who thought they were calling it a career after winning silver in Sochi four years ago. Virtue, 28, and Moir, 30, talk about their change of heart, the comeback, and Canada’s chances in South Korea.

SPORTSNET: You’re back. MOIR: We’re back.

That was the expectation, maybe? M: [Laughs.]

VIRTUE: No, actually.

Really? You weren’t planning to compete in Pyeongchang? Not even in the back of your minds? V: No, I think in Sochi we truly believed that was it — and we were comfortable with that. We were happy with our performances; we were content with our experience.

M: Absolutely.

V: We thought… [Both start laughing.]

V: We thought that we felt good about wrapping up our careers there. It didn’t take long for us to figure out we missed having that purpose, that we missed having a goal to be striving towards. And also, just imagining the 2018 Olympics and not being there was a struggle. It didn’t feel right.

The idea of watching and not skating. M: Yeah. Not marching in the opening ceremony, not being a part of this really great and close Canadian team — it really is a family. We couldn’t imagine not being a family.

There was a lot of talk that you should’ve won gold in Sochi, that you got ripped off. Did that have anything to do with your decision to come back? M: You know what’s funny? Not really.

Seriously? V: Our coaches asked us [the same question] when we wanted to come back. They were, I think, worried that there was some bitterness or resentment, and there really, truly is not.

M: I don’t think revenge is enough to fuel the fire it takes to go to an Olympic Games and be successful. What we want out of these Games is very different than in both of our previous Games. We talk about how special our Sochi Olympics were — it’s really honest and it’s true. In many ways those Games mean a lot more to us than the Vancouver ones did. The colour of the medal is one thing but we’re super proud of our performances. And that silver for us is something that we’re extremely proud of in our careers. I don’t feel like there’s any bitterness, or we want to come back to get that gold back. It’s more just like, there’s another chance at gold and we want to be there, and we’re going to go and give our all again.

V: It’s more about seeing what we’re capable of. That’s what’s driving us at this point: seeing where we can take our skating and how we can approach things differently.

Once you decided you were going to come back, did you celebrate? M: No it was like, ‘Oh shit, we have a lot of work to do.’ It was exciting and daunting at the same time.

V: I put my beer down. [Laughs.]

M: We were quite nervous to make a comeback and we knew that ice dancing was taking a couple steps forward. We were excited by the challenge and it was also a little bit terrifying. I think we really felt that pressure, especially last fall when we first came back and started competing again. We wanted to prove to everybody that we weren’t the same old Tessa and Scott, trying to do the same tricks again. We wanted to be different. That challenge is what we really came back for.

How has your skating style changed since Sochi? M: We spent a lot of time trying to rework some technical things on the ice. Our passion still shows through in a similar way, I think. We’re trying to push ourselves and grow. We knew the athletes we were in 2010 and the athletes that we were in 2014 are just not good enough anymore.

Since the last Games, you moved to Montreal to train with a new coach. M: Yes. It’s working out great. We love our team in Montreal. Patrice [Lauzon] and Marie-France [Dubreuil] were a team we looked up to when we were growing up, and we developed this friendship, and now they’re in kind of this mentor-coaching role, which is so motivating. What we have off the ice in Montreal is our B2ten team, and I think that’s our biggest advantage. [B2ten is an organization that supports many of Canada’s top amateur athletes through donations from the private sector]. They take care of all of our off-ice needs. We have an off-ice mental coach, we have a trainer, we have an osteopath, and they all talk to each other and that is such a big tool for us.

You two have been skating together for… M: 40 years!

Most relationships don’t last that long. What’s your secret? M: [Laughs.]

V: When we were really young, one of first coaches did a lot of work with us to build the foundation of our partnership. And now we can reflect on that time and we’re so grateful for that because we really built our partnership on a lot of respect and trust. We’re still working on it, we still do a lot of work to improve our communication, our efficiency together, to understand one another’s different preferences. It’s evolved over the course of two decades, for sure. Having spent so much time together, we realize it’s a unique dynamic but we’re so appreciative of what we have. It’s a special partnership. We still really enjoy skating together and I think that’s why we still are.

A lot of people think you’re married. M: Yeah. Maybe that means we’re doing our job? We’re always telling stories, we’re supposed to be reacting, a man and woman on the ice, it’s romantic. What we have is such a cool relationship. It’s more about a friendship, our working relationship is so strong. We take so much pride in that.

V: It comes with the territory and that’s part of the storytelling we do on the ice. If that’s the by-product of having a great longstanding partnership, then we can deal with it.

When you first met, how quickly did the on-ice chemistry develop? V: I mean, I was seven, so probably not that quick.

M: Yeah, took about 10 years. It’s funny to look back—Tessa was seven and I was nine. I remember there wasn’t a lot of talking at the beginning. We were terrified to hold hands for quite a while.

V: I’m not sure that anyone saw any potential in us really, they just thought it was cute that we were the same height.

M: I think they were laughing at us more than anything.

V: We couldn’t see over the boards and we’d do our little dances.

M: It was more entertaining for them than it was for us. And then eventually we fell in love with the sport and skating with each other and that grew. It was very organic. It wasn’t a lightning in a bottle situation. Boom, they’re great! Not quite. We were pretty bad.

When did you realize you were good? V: It was about a month before the Vancouver Games when I thought, “Oh we could do this! We could really do this.” I was a little late to the party.

M: [Laughs.] Just a little.

V: We moved away from home when I was 13 and Scott was 15, so obviously that was to pursue something. And we thought maybe we wanted to strive for more.

Scott, let’s hear your scouting report on Tessa. M: Top of the list would have a little star and it would say, “Brilliant.” She’s creative, from the beginning of time. She can move like nobody I’ve ever seen. She’s very, very selfless; she’s a people pleaser. But my favourite things I think have really just gotten even better in the last couple of years and that’s her drive, that’s her commitment to being an athlete. I mean, this is gonna be a long scouting report, we’re going to have to type through a lot of pages.

V: [Laughs.]

M: I’m motivated every single day to go to the rink because of what she brings. I know that she brings her best every day. With brilliant people, with being so creative, it’s hard to imagine you’d just be so steady. That last thing, that’s the consistency.

That’s a tough act to follow. Tessa, let’s hear your report on Scott. V: It is a tough act to follow, for sure. As I’m hearing him talk through some of the things I’m realizing why our partnership works, because we both think the world of one another. Scott is the most disciplined, driven athlete I’ve ever met. There’s a fierce competitor deep within and the passion and the raw talent that is there — the ability to move and hear music and interpret it — is unlike anyone else I’ve ever seen on the ice. And I think because he wears his heart on his sleeve people feel so drawn in and captivated by his performances. He’s generous, thoughtful and extremely insightful. He’s able to understand the glide of the blade differently.

Those were really good. You two have managed to really capture this country’s imagination. How have you done that? M: That’s a big compliment.

V: I think that’s the beauty of the Olympics. There’s always a story. There’s always someone you’re invested in. There are so many Olympic moments that resonate with people all across Canada, and I think that’s the beauty of it. We’re just one of those stories and we’re grateful for the support we’ve received.

M: Oh yeah.

V: But we know that as soon as our competition is done there’s another Canadian taking their place at the starting line or waiting to race. I think that’s what’s so powerful is that we’re just part of something bigger than us.

And this is a strong Canadian team. M: Very strong.

V: Very strong team.

Who are some of teammates you’re excited about? M: In figure skating, especially?

You can talk about luge if you want… M: I’m going to know a bit more about figure skating. [Laughs.] It’s so much fun for us to be kind of veterans on this team because the talent, especially the young talent, is so promising. We’ve seen a lot of these young skaters kind of grow up and mature and we’re just so proud of them. Especially with what’s happening in women’s skating with Kaetlyn [Osmond] and Gabby [Daleman] and Alaine [Chartrand].

V: It’s true, yeah.

M: I’m getting goosebumps to know what they did [in 2017] and how special [2018] is going to be for them. I think that’s one of the coolest stories about our team and I can’t wait to see — I think we’ve only scratched the surface of what these young ladies are capable of. I really can’t wait to see what happens in 2018.

How about for you two: Will this be your last Olympics? M: I’d say there’s a pretty good chance that this is the end.

V: There’s a pretty good chance, yes. Imagine I was like, “What? No!” [Fake cries.]

M: [Laughs.] It’s done, it’s over. No, that’s a decision that we’ll make after the Olympics. That’s one thing that our experience has taught us is that you don’t really know, and it’s a feeling. Right now, we’re just excited and focused on this experience ahead. Being so fortunate to have another opportunity, we just can’t wait.

- Kristina Rutherford, Sportsnet

#Tessa and Scott #2018 #Team Canada Flag Bearer 2018 #Flag Bearer Announcement 2018 #So Proud of them #pyeongchang2018

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wazafam · 4 years

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Stephen King's coming-of-age drama Stand By Me is a timeless tale of four friends, just as relevant today as it was on its initial release in 1986. The film is based off a novella by King called The Body, and was directed by Rob Reiner. It was received well by fans and had largely positive reviews, with critics praising the performances of the young stars. Reiner calls it the favorite of all his projects, and King loved the adaptation. But what would a 2021 version look like?

The story of the movie is told through the point of view of Gordie Lachance (Wil Wheaton), who, as an adult, reads in the newspaper that his childhood friend Chris (River Phoenix) has been killed. He begins to write a recollection of a childhood adventure with Chris and their friends Vern (Jerry O'Connell) and Teddy (Corey Feldman) in which they go on a quest to find the dead body of a teenager in their neighborhood who had gone missing. Some older teens led by the terrifying Ace Merrill (Kiefer Sutherland) also seek the body, wanting to claim the glory for locating the boy. Ace threatens, bullies, and belittles the younger boys, pushing them to their emotional limits. Gordie, who is mourning the death of his kind older brother Denny, finds the strength within to stand up to Ace, defending himself and his friends.

RELATED: Every George Romero & Stephen King Collaboration That Never Happened

The drama touched audiences and remains a fan favorite, retaining its legacy over thirty years after its debut. Much of the magic of the film was credited to the casting, about which Wheaton said, "Rob Reiner found four young boys who basically were the characters we played." Were the film to be remade today, it would be necessary to recapture the striking chemistry and lovely acting that made Stand By Me so special.

As the film's point of view character, the role of Gordie requires a lot of sensitivity and strength. Gordie is an imaginative, reflective boy who has lost the only family member who noticed and appreciated his talent for storytelling. At the tender age of 12, Gordie feels invisible in his own home, cast aside in favor of his athletic and charming older brother whose death has rocked his family. His father is not handling grief well, acting gruffly and dismissively toward Gordie, who just wants to be seen. Gordie feels like the shadow cast by his older brother will forever get in the way of his relationship with his parents. He seeks closeness with his friends, particularly Chris, who acts as his cheerleader, telling him that his parents simply don't know him, and that one day he'll be a great writer.

Wheaton's portrayal of Gordie was powerful and poignant, and it earned him a spot on VH1's "100 Greatest Kid Stars." The boy who replaces him would have to be a skilled actor and a bankable star, and Jacob Tremblay is both. At a young age, he has already garnered praise from critics for the dramatic heavy-hitter Room, and his performance in another King story, Doctor Sleep, was so effective that he disturbed all of his adult co-stars. Tremblay has shown enormous range and star power for one so young, and his winning relatability and potent depths would bring Gordie Lachance to a new generation.

As the naïve, silly comic of the group, Vern is often picked on but is resilient enough to brush right by the taunts. He is the one who introduces the idea of the trip to the group, asking them if they want to go see a dead body. He was under the porch digging for a jar of pennies he had lost when he overheard his brother talking to a friend about spotting the dead body of Ray Brower. Vern's desire to find the body coincides with his yearning to be a town hero instead of a "town loser." He is so often dismissed and ignored that he seems keen to prove himself. At first glance, Vern may seem a little slow and merely there to be a source of comedic relief, but he just like the other boys is facing an unfamiliar and yawning future, and he is trying to reinvent himself via an act of bravado.

RELATED: How Old Are Stranger Things' Child Actors?

Stand By Me was O'Connell's very first film, and his breezy, natural skills are effortlessly presented. Similarly, Lonnie Chavis is relatively new on the scene but has already won audiences and adult co-stars over with his maturity and adaptability. A keen observer of life and the human condition, Chavis was able to dive into his roles with electric energy and a firm grasp on reality that won him a significant role on the hit show This Is Us. Chavis would be a fun, fresh face to experience on the silver screen.

Teddy is perhaps the most tortured and erratic of the group. He suffers from a frightening home life with a father who has PTSD and takes the worst of his episodes out on Teddy, including an incident wherein he held Teddy's ear to the stove until it almost burned off. Despite this, Teddy venerates his father, holding sacred the fact that he "stormed the beaches of Normandy" in World War II. Teddy is often given over to fits of rage and sorrow, attempting suicide by standing in front of a train and getting into a screaming match with the man who runs the local dump. Teddy, in a way, is a symbol of the aftereffects of war, something still very close to home at the close of the 1950s when the film takes place. The window of innocence seen in the '50s would soon give way to the turmoil of the '60s, something that these young men are about to face along with adulthood.

Feldman was already a rising star when he appeared in Stand By Me, and the film stood as a testament to his position as an up-and-comer. His turn as Teddy Duchamp was truly incredible, marking a high point in the actor's career. Another such up-and-comer is Dylan Gage, who broke the hearts of audiences with his sweet, plaintive, and effective portrayal of young gay teen Gabe on the comedy Pen15. Fans of the show were gobsmacked and undone by Gage's performance as the middle-schooler coming to grips with his sexuality, finding the earnest performance gracefully executed. Gabe was also a theater actor, playing a sort of Edward Albee-esque character onstage across lead actor Maya Erskine, showing off his comedic ability and wonderful range.

In the 1986 movie, the late River Phoenix played Chris Chambers. As the narrator, Gordie says of Chris, "He came from a bad family and everyone just knew he'd turn out bad...including Chris." Chris Chambers is the leader of the group and Gordie's best friend, but he has trouble seeing the light in himself as much as he sees it in other people. His father and brother are violent toward him, and he has become convinced that he is worthless and will never amount to anything. He struggles against the turmoil of lowered expectations, desiring to advance academically but not being permitted to due to a suspension from school and access to the economic security that his friend Gordie has. He tells Gordie that they are bound to go separate ways because Gordie, unlike the rest, will have the opportunity to go to college, and he won't want to hang with losers like them. In the end, it is revealed that Chris pushed himself to graduate high school, attend college, and become a lawyer. He bravely tries to intervene in a bar fight where he is stabbed to death.

RELATED: Why Lost Boys Was Almost Like The Goonies (& Why It Changed)

Like Chris, Phoenix faced a difficult home life, sensitive emotionality, and a premature death. The talented young actor offered an abundance of heart and fire for one so young, and his performance in Stand By Me is one revered by fans. To replace him would be no easy task indeed, and that is why the role should be taken up by someone whose popularity and talent are pronounced. Noah Schnapp of Stranger Things has proven himself a valuable and enlightened actor whose star is beginning to shine.

Ace Merrill is not only a terrifying bully in Stephen King's Castle Rock, but a kind of symbol of childhood trauma and death. His palpable presence onscreen casts a pall over the film, acting as a dark and heavy cloud that disrupts the sunny bubble of childhood that the four young boys wish to hold on to. A notable turning point for Gordie occurs when the boy aims a gun at Ace, confronting his newfound comprehension of death and the unknowable consequences of the future all at once.

Sutherland was chilling as Merrill, his presence onscreen almost Shakespearean as he stalked through the hamlet of Castle Rock, Oregon. His smooth, detached performance is icy and effective, convincing audiences that he might pose a deadly threat to the boys. To match such a profoundly unnerving performance would take experience and poise, both of which Asa Butterfield has in spades. The young star of Hugo and Sex Education has enough clout to carry the bully off with aplomb.

The older version of Gordie is not visible through much of the film, but his voice carries the story. He is the audience's lens through which these characters are seen and the mirror of adulthood that many viewers face. At the end of the film, his words, "I never had any friends later on like the ones I had when I was twelve. Jesus, does anyone?" reflect thoughts that many people have had. Richard Dreyfuss plays the role tenderly in the original, and a return of Sutherland would be a fun nod for fans of the original as well as an echo of what happens with adulthood. Sutherland and Tremblay also bear a passing resemblance, so he would fit the role nicely.

RELATED: Every Horror Movie With A Final Boy (Not Girl)

Though the role of Gordie's older brother is a mere cameo, he is a weighty presence in the film. Much of Gordie's character hangs on the approval of his older brother, and the motivation to find the dead body leads Gordie to a profound understanding of death, life's ultimate conclusion. When he gazes upon the body of Ray Brower, he not only understands the finality of existence but the phenomenon that took his brother away from him. The actor who plays Denny Lachance has to sparkle. He is handsome, charismatic, and kind, and the original cameo by John Cusack was just the ticket. Movie star Tom Holland would be well suited to such a task. Universally adored, sweet, and bankable, the star of Spider-Man is the perfect choice to play Gordie's beloved older brother in a Stand By Me reboot.

NEXT: Recasting Horror Movies' Most Iconic Final Girls In 2021

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saucylittlesmile · 7 years

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PERFECT PAIR

Ice dance sweethearts Scott Moir and Tessa Virtue talk Sochi Olympics before skating into Victoria on May 13

Natalie North April 17, 2014

As the sound of cymbals rang out marking the end of the free skate, their right hands fell in unison across their hearts and the Sochi crowd erupted in applause for Canada’s ice dance sweethearts. Tessa Virtue and Scott Moir felt the gratification of living a dream they chased since becoming the youngest pair to win ice dance gold in 2010 – and the reverie may be through.

Champion figure skater Kurt Browning, commentating at the time, was reluctant to accept the finality of that moment, which Virtue and Moir admitted may be their last at the Olympic Games. The iconic performance would live on forever, he said, by a pair matured to the pinnacle of their ability.

“We looked at each other with a kiss and cry and said if that’s it, that’s the way to go,” says Moir, on the phone from Japan with the Stars on Ice tour. “Our plan has always been to take some time, do these tours, enjoy skating and see where our lives take us. We like to sit down and talk about how great the Olympics were. It’s almost a romantic connection. It’s hard to say that you won’t do the next Olympic Games after going through the experience that you’ve gone through in Sochi, which was probably the best month in our lives.”

Had Virtue learned, as she trained to defend their gold, that the longtime pair would come in second to their rivals, Americans Meryl Davis and Charlie White, she figures she would have been heartbroken. But while Virtue has come to acknowledge doubts she felt about training with Marina Zoueva, who was also coaching Davis and White in the run-up to the Olympics, she has never once second-guessed the quality of the show they put on in Russia.

“I haven’t gone back to watch our performances yet and I think that’s probably for the best because I’m holding on to the feeling that I had when I finished both programs,” says Virtue. “I really don’t feel like I could have skated any better. … I truly felt better getting off the ice in Sochi than I did getting off the ice in Vancouver, even with the gold.”

The skate was a culmination of a lifetime of work together. Virtue and Moir, now 24 and 26, began skating together in rural Ontario when she was seven and he was nine, a year after Virtue began skating lessons and landed under the direction of Moir’s aunt. Virtue’s grandmother dropped her off at the first lesson – which she had initially requested in preparation for a class field trip – in an origin story now legendary for her grandmother’s take on where her little one was headed.

“My grandma said, ‘You know Tessa’s not taking this very seriously. This is just what she’s doing for fun, so there will be no tests, no competitions. This is just her activity for her enjoyment,’” Virtue says. “Obviously, that didn’t last very long.”

The duo have consistently thrived under the pressure of competition, claiming national and world titles. In 2009, they made history by becoming the first to receive a 10.0 in dance in international competition.

Whether side-by-side during training, touring with Stars on Ice or filming Tessa & Scott a documentary-style television series about their lives now airing on W Network, Virtue and Moir are bonded, not just by a work ethic that sees them on the ice five hours a day mid-season, but a passion for ice dance rooted in the same appreciation for storytelling executed through precise skill.

“It’s kind of that marriage between art and athleticism that I really love and I think that’s what makes the sport special,” Moir says. “With the great champions who have come before us and the champions who are going to come after us, people see that and fall in love with ice dance as much as we have.

“It’s impossible to ignore the feelings of doubt, especially when our coach travelled to the US Nationals and not the Canadian Nationals, or she marched with the American team and not the Canadian as she usually does. There were certainly red flags and when you’re in it, it’s hard to step back and get perspective, but looking back there were some moments that we questioned.”

They don’t allow regrets to taint their memories of the event. Instead, they’re twizzling about in the creative opportunities to arise once competition ends and Stars on Ice dates are booked. When Virtue and Moir grace the Save-On-Foods Memorial Centre ice May 13 (along with Browning and Olympic silver medallist Patrick Chan among others), they’ll bring with them a rare piece of choreography they crafted together. The first steps to Van Morrison’s Into the Mystic, their feel-good song, used to close training sessions, came about during an informal dance at Moir’s house.

“We started by dancing around his kitchen, playing the music,” Virtue says. “This is a song that’s very meaningful to us because we listened to it a lot before Sochi. Even the lyrics are appropriate to us at this transition in our lives.”

But whether magnificently they will flow into a mystical future on the ice together in the years to come, and whether Sochi truly was their final Olympic dance, is a question to which neither quite has the answer. Virtue is three-quarters of the way through a psychology degree, which she plans to continue online while on tour. Moir indulges in weighing all the possibilities left for him to explore in the world outside skating.

“There’s a lot of sacrifice that comes with being an Olympian,” he says. “I’ve really put school on the sidelines, embarking on this dream of ours. I’d like to go back to school and help some of the younger athletes, hopefully help some of them have some of the experiences that we’ve had. That to me, would be completely fulfilling.”

“This is a time to say yes to things and explore, step out of our comfort zones, basically to see what we like and where our passions lie outside of the confines of the four boards of an arena,” Virtue says.

Given their close relationship and on-ice chemistry, fans have channelled plenty of energy into questioning if it translates into an off-ice romance. It’s so much more than that.

“When we stepped on the ice in Sochi, we looked at each other and said: ‘How cool is this that we get to live this experience with a best friend?’” Virtue says. “I always say that there is only one person on the planet who has lived what I have lived and has experienced our skating career in the same way. That’s Scott, and there’s something really special and unique about that dynamic. We’ll be forever bonded, obviously, just by the sheer amount of time that we’ve spent together, but also because of everything that we’ve gone through as a pair.”

http://www.mondaymag.com/news/perfect-pair/

#2014 #article

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beingallelite · 5 years

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Expectations are high for the inaugural AEW World Championship match between Chris Jericho and Adam Page, a ladder match between the Lucha Brothers and The Young Bucks for the AAA world tag team titles, and Cody Rhodes vs. Shawn Spears to settle their deeply personal feud.

Seven other bouts fill out the mid-card with intriguing stakes and storylines. It's also the last major event before AEW's weekly show begins Oct. 2 on TNT.

Here's the breakdown of every announced match at AEW's All Out.

Where and How to Watch

All Out will be held Saturday, Aug. 31, at Sears Centre in Chicago.

Those in the U.S. and Canada can order the event for $49.99 on B/R Live or through cable providers.

The main card starts at 8 p.m. ET, preceded by a two-match pre-show called The Buy In at 7 p.m.

Main Card

Chris Jericho vs. Adam Page (inaugural AEW World Championship)

Lucha Brothers (c) vs. Young Bucks (ladder match for AAA world tag team championship)

Cody Rhodes vs. Shawn Spears

Kenny Omega vs. Pac

Best Friends vs. The Dark Order (winner earns a first-round bye in the AEW world tag team championship tournament)

Darby Allin vs. Jimmy Havoc vs. Joey Janela

Luchasaurus, Jungle Boy and Marko Stunt vs. SoCal Uncensored

Riho vs. Hikaru Shida

The Buy In

21-woman Casino Battle Royale (winner earns a match for the inaugural AEW women's world championship)

Private Party vs. Angelico and Jack Evans

This should be a good one to warm up the Chicago crowd before All Out's main card begins. Both tag teams are athletic and charismatic, which should translate to a fun match.

Private Party's Buy In match at Fyter Fest against Best Friends and SoCal Uncensored gave many fans their first glimpse at Isiah Kassidy and Marq Quen as a tag team.

It was a good AEW debut and especially impressed executive vice presidents Matt and Nick Jackson, better known as The Young Bucks, who offered the duo full-time contracts backstage after the match.

Private Party and The Young Bucks face off in the first round of the AEW world tag team championship tournament on Oct. 9.

At All Out, Private Party goes up against Angelico and Jack Evans, who lost their two previous matches at Double or Nothing and Fight for the Fallen. It'll be interesting to see if they play a role in the tag team tournament.

21-Woman Casino Battle Royale

You might remember the men's version of the Casino Battle Royale from Double or Nothing. It was the first match in AEW history, and Page won to clinch his spot in the inaugural AEW world championship bout.

The women's version will also have similar stakes, with the winner earning a shot at the AEW women's world championship Oct. 2 at the weekly show's first event in Washington D.C.

Britt Baker, Nyla Rose and Brandi Rhodes are just a few of the announced participants, but there's still roughly half the field to fill out. It's not a reach to expect a couple surprises in this one.

Riho vs. Hikaru Shida

Fans will be relatively familiar with Riho, the only women to compete in all three of AEW's previous events. She faced off against Hikaru Shida on opposite teams during their six-woman tag match at Double or Nothing.

Although not officially signed to AEW full-time, Riho comes highly praised by executive vice president Kenny Omega who has worked with the 22-year-old in Japan since she was 14.

Shida, meanwhile, is a 15-time world champion during her work for various Japanese promotions.

The 31-year-old will be eager to continue showcasing the Japanese women's wrestling style of Joshi with her compatriot to a North American audience.

Luchasaurus, Jungle Boy and Marko Stunt vs. SoCal Uncensored

A matchup between one of the fastest-growing acts in AEW against a veteran three-man tag team that rarely underperforms was added earlier this week to the All Out card.

Luchasaurus and Jungle Boy, charmingly known as "A Boy and His Dinosaur," quickly won fans over at Fight for the Fallen as a babyface tandem during their three-way match against The Dark Order and Angelico and Jack Evans.

Their chemistry is already there, and the fighting spirit of Jungle Boy as an undersized high-flyer balances well with the physically imposing Luchasaurus.

They added Marko Stunt to their team, another diminutive high-flyer who made a name for himself at Fight for the Fallen by delivering a hurricanrana off the top turnbuckle to an opponent of his two newest comrades. Let's see how he fits into the already-over tag team.

SCU's short-handed team of Frankie Kazarian and Scorpio Sky lost their previous two matches, but their win at Double or Nothing came with Christopher Daniels completing the three-man stable.

What effect will he have on the team this time, and how could this match factor into AEW's tag team tournament?

Darby Allin vs. Jimmy Havoc vs. Joey Janela

All three of these men have pulled off an array of extreme spots in their early AEW tenure.

Although this match doesn't technically have any hardcore stipulation, it would be surprising if we didn't see a couple of heart-pounding moments from it.

After the trio competed in a tag team together at Fight for the Fallen and lost, they took their frustrations out on each other by brawling backstage.

None of them have won a match at AEW yet, so it'll be interesting to see in which direction this match goes.

Best Friends vs. The Dark Order

Both teams are coming off good performances after Best Friends defeated Private Party and SoCal Uncensored at Fyter Fest and The Dark Order outlasted A Boy and His Dinosaur and Angelico and Evans at Fight for the Fallen.

Both matches were fast-paced, but that won't necessarily translate to this one as neither team is known for high-flying.

Instead, expect more of an old-school tag team match that's grounded and tries to tell a story more through in-ring psychology than jaw-dropping spots.

The winner earns a first-round bye in the AEW world tag team championship tournament. Although the rest of the bracket hasn't been announced, The Dark Order are likely favorites in this one considering how they've been pushed as top tag heels to this point.

Pac vs. Kenny Omega

This isn't the match we originally expected, but it'll certainly do.

With Jon Moxley being forced to pull out of his match against Omega due to a staph infection, Pac (formerly known as Neville in WWE), got the call as a replacement.

Although he was one of the first signings in AEW's history, the former WWE cruiserweight champion makes his debut for the promotion after creative differences kept him off the previous events.

It begs the question: Was the plan for Pac to always make an appearance at All Out in some fashion? It likely wasn't going to be as an announced competitor in order to keep his debut a surprise, but it seems rather coincidental that he happened to be available after having creative differences at past shows.

Regardless, another well-known name on the roster is a good thing for AEW. Let's see how this match affects Pac's early trajectory with the company.

As for Omega, he still seems to have his attention on Moxley.

Rather than just forget about his original match, AEW capitalized on the moment for when their highly anticipated bout does eventually come and added another layer to their budding rivalry with this promo from Omega:

Cody vs. Shawn Spears

All Out is stacked with intriguing matches. The feuds developed over the first three shows in company history laid the foundation for Saturday's event. None have gotten as deeply personal as Cody Rhodes vs. Shawn Spears, though.

The feud began with no obvious backstory as to why Spears plastered Cody on the head with a chair at Fyter Fest. It's blossomed because of the intricate storytelling AEW fans hoped to see from the young promotion.

After Spears laid Cody out with a chair shot, he brought in wrestling legend Tully Blanchard for psychological insight into what he can expect from his opponent at All Out.

Blanchard and Spears added a clause in the match contract stating only one person would be allowed in the corner of each competitor during the bout. It was obvious who would accompany Spears, but who accompanies the AEW executive vice president has yet to be announced.

Could it be Brandi or MJF? Could we see someone from Blanchard's past who can match wits with the Horseman? There are plenty of options, most of whom already have their own stake in the feud. The surprise addition will add another layer to this bout.

This is the promotion's first real test in building a storyline that stretched for months, and so far it's worked. AEW's four events before its weekly show begins have given the promotion the opportunity to get its feet wet creatively. This feud has yet to feel far-fetched or disingenuous.

The match itself is what fans will really remember. If both wrestlers—and everyone else involved in the match—can deliver a satisfying finish, it would be a strong bridge to the start of AEW's weekly television.

Lucha Brothers vs. The Young Bucks (Ladder match: AAA World Tag Team Championship)

This rivalry between two of the top tag teams in the world reaches new heights in what's being referred to as an "Escalera de la Muerte", the Lucha Brothers' version of a ladder match.

It's unknown just how different this will be from a typical ladder match, but The Young Bucks did hint at this playing into the Lucha Brothers' style as well as the potential addition of tables.

It seems these tag teams are destined to put on great match after great match at this point, and adding ladders to their rivalry keeps things fresh.

The Young Bucks defeated the Lucha Brothers at Double or Nothing before teaming with Kenny Omega to hand Ray Fenix and Pentagon Jr. another loss in a six-man tag match at Fyter Fest.

It's already known that The Young Bucks will face Private Party in the first round of the AEW tag team tournament, so it's unlikely they will strip the Lucha Brothers of the AAA titles.

However, this match could be further proof that AEW is serious about being an industry leader with their tag team division rather than just an afterthought. The Young Bucks are leading that charge as executive vice presidents of the company and hope to continue backing up their words with a good display.

Adam Page vs. Chris Jericho (AEW World Championship)

The All Out card ends with a bit of history as AEW crowns its first world champion.

Page, who won the Casino Battle Royale at Double or Nothing to earn his spot in the title match, comes into All Out undefeated after additional wins over Jimmy Havoc, Jungle Boy and MJF in a four-way match at Fyter Fest and most recently a victory over Kip Sabian at Fight for the Fallen.

After his last match, Jericho ambushed Page and left him with a battered eye. Later that night, "Hangman" returned the favor and assaulted his rival before both men were pulled apart by a plethora of officials, referees and wrestlers.

Jericho defeated Omega in the main event of Double or Nothing for a shot at the inaugural AEW World Championship. Since then, the former WWE world champion has demanded a thank you from fans for putting AEW on the map.

Will we see him add another major title to his long list of accolades or will Page actually ride a horse out of the Sears Centre?

#all elite wrestling #aew #all out #bleacher report #article #posted on: 8.28.19

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xxamorxexmortexx · 7 years

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Summerslam 2017

Alright, folks, we’re just a few hours away from Summerslam. So, let’s take this time to make our final predictions for tonight’s matches. Under the cut I’ve got my choices and my reasons for them. Read if you’d like, tell me who your choices are.

1.) Jason Jordan & The Hardy Boyz vs The Miz & the Miztourage

It’s kind of insulting to have the freaking Hardyz as the kickoff show. After all, their return was one of the biggest things in all of wrestling this year (and they had the match of the night at GBOF). But, I know that shit happens, and it wasn’t theirs or anyone’s fault that Scott Dawson was hurt and plans had to be changed. That being said, have the Hardyz clean house with this one, with perhaps Jordan getting the pin on the Miz to perhaps start an actual feud for the IC title and hopefully move a bit past this whole “Kurt Angle is my dad” thing.

2.) Akira Tozawa vs Neville

Neville has been a hell of a champion, but it is too soon to switch the title back over. Tozawa is great, over with the crowd, and has a good thing going with the Titus Worldwide brand. Let him run with it for a bit.

3.) The New Day vs. The Usos

Again, way too soon to change the titles back. But, all of these guys have great chemistry, so I expect that we’ll get a pretty solid match out of everyone here.

4.) Big Show vs. Big Cass

I wanted to go with Big Show here, because he is an adorable giant. Also because in traditional storytelling, a feud isn’t properly done until either the good guy finally triumphs or the bad guy banishes him forever. But this feud is grating on everyone’s nerves and needs to be done already. If they want to keep Big Cass looking like a threat, he needs to win. (Perhaps have Enzo turn heel against the Big Show to put the two back together? Their singles push happened way too soon and is killing both of them)

5.) Randy Orton vs. Rusev

Why are they fighting? Who knows. Anyway, Rusev here. I don’t have any specific reasons, other than I don’t care for Orton and Rusev needs to keep looking like a threat.

6.) John Cena vs. Baron Corbin

If Vince has his way, Cena will probably win, but if they don’t want to COMPLETELY kill Baron Corbin’s future, he needs to win this. And it needs to be angry and violent. He needs to destroy Cena. Otherwise, he’s more dead than the NEXUS

7.) Shaemus & Cesaro vs. Dean & Seth

Story logic dictates that Dean and Seth, having finally reunited, will win this one and become the new tag champs. A part of me wants to agree, but--and I’m so sorry!--they shouldn’t win this one. I’m glad they’re teaming, because they compliment each other very well in the ring, but if they were to win this, after being handed a title opportunity out of nowhere, then that would make their whole tag team division look terrible. Two men who couldn’t stand each other for three years suddenly get back together and dominate over every other team on the roster? Yeah... that would kill the division. Shaemus and Cesaro need to retain.

8.) Naomi vs Natalya

I’m split on this one. Both are great and both would be excellent champions, but there’s really been no story building for this match. Natalya has just kind of been there, not really an imposing threat, while Naomi has had to deal with Lana and Carmella. So, Naomi retains, and perhaps Carmella will cash in.

9.) Alexa Bliss vs. Sasha Banks

I personally don’t care for this one either way. Sasha will probably win, but I just want this three-way feud between Bliss, Banks, and Bayley to be done and for the focus to switch other women on the roster.

10.) Finn Balor vs. Bray Wyatt

You don’t release the Demon King just to have him lose. C’mon!

11.) AJ Styles vs. Kevin Owens

The WWE seems to be putting everything they have on AJ right now. He’s a hot commodity, so I can see him winning this one. And they really need to stop hot-potatoing this belt. Should he lose, though, I can see them pushing AJ past this to the WWE Championship

12.) Jinder Mahal vs. Shinsuke Nakamura

I can see Jinder winning this one through some of his heel tactics (the Singh bros), and also because he hasn’t really run with the belt for that long just yet. However, Shinsuke is the better in-ring competitor, is more over with the fans, and could probably carry that belt into the next Wresltemania (where he will probably fight AJ Styles

13.) Brock Lesnar vs. Roman Reigns vs. Samoa Joe. vs. Braun Strowman

Brock is on his way out of the company, so he’s not going to win. My heart says Roman, but my logic knows that the reaction would be dire. Which is a shame, because Roman is a really talented and hard worker who doesn’t catch a damn break from some of these people. I bolded two of them, because I can see it going to either of them. Vince loves his large, sweaty men, so I can easily see Braun being the monster champion for a while. However, it SHOULD go to Samoa Joe. He’s over with the fans despite being a heel, he’s one of the most athletic men on the roster, and his promo skills are amazing. He could very easily and believably carry the championship for quite some time.

Call me crazy, but I also picture the fatal fourway being interrupted by The Undertaker. If rumors are to be believed, he’s been spotted in NY, so I can see Roman losing because of him and leading to perhaps another feud between Undertaker and Roman. I mean, why the hell else would they keep bringing up their Wrestlemania match unless they were actively trying to get the crowd to hate Roman.

#wwe #summerslam #The Hardy Boyz #big cass #enzo amore #and many others #my predictions for the PPV tonight #can't wait to see how many of these i get

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bethgreeneishopeunseen · 7 years

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Genekie: The Next Great Gimple Ship™?

(photo credit to @bethgreenewarriorprincess)

We all know the Gimple Ships ™: Richonne, Bethyl, Carzekiel. The slow-burn ships of people with the same hearts wearing complementary armor. When I first watched 7x11, Eugene’s interactions with Frankie caught my attention. Their relationship was tinged with warmth and chemistry. I dubbed them “Genekie” as a play off of “Jinkies”, Velma Dinkley’s catchphrase, as it seemed like something Eugene might say. After further studying Genekie, I believe that Frank will probably play a role in Eugene working against Negan.

Before I go into farther into the sweet abyss that is Genekie, I would like to focus on Eugene. At the end of 7x11 he had declared that he was Negan, and he has stuck to that for the most part, to the end of the season. Gimple foreshadowed this part of Eugene’s arc back in 3x12, as Morgan’s walls read, “Eugene turned.” Many fans denounced Eugene’s decision, while others believe he will become a double agent like Dwight. Personally, I think the latter. Eugene did not choose to join the Saviors; he was abducted and forced to join their ranks at the threat of death by Lucille. He will likely not remain a Savior long-term and during the war, he will start working against Negan, who already suspects that he had something to do with Sasha’s death. In 6x14 Eugene described his transition into a survivor as being similar to that of role play:

“It's simple, really. As with any RPG, tabletop, electronic, or otherwise, the key to survival is allowing oneself to be shaped by the assigned environment. In doing so, a broad range of capabilities are acquired, allowing one to flip the script and use said capabilities to shape said environment for maximum longevity. I'm saying I'm in the process of said stage two. I've changed, adapted. I'm a survivor.”

That is what Eugene is doing at the Sanctuary. Being Negan’s engineer keeps him alive and awards him certain privileges that he can later use against the Saviors. For example, being an engineer allowed him to take valuable medical supplies without question. Furthermore, Eugene is trapped in an abusive situation. Abusive relationships and systems of oppression flourish from the same roots of thought (superiority, entitlement, selfishness, etc.), and Negan is both. Eugene has to work for the Saviors. the fact that he gave the pills to Sasha speaks volumes to how strong he already is. He could have fully submitted Negan and not help Sasha at all, but he did at risk of his person. I live in an abusive family, fighting against manipulation, minimization, and psychological abuse as well as the occasional threat of bodily harm. I have to suppress a large of my personality in order to cope while also playing the good daughter, the good sister. Much like Eugene, I have no allies. At the end of the episode, Eugene said that he and Dwight were Negan, and by that point, Dwight had already turned, lying about Sherry and Dr. Carson. For me, that foreshadowed that Eugene will also turn. Right now though, he’s immersed in his role as a Savior. The only person who is possibly more manipulative and better at lying than an abuser is the abused. You have to learn the game being played against you. Frankie will probably/hopefully be a catalyst for Eugene, because Eugene’s allegiance to the Saviors began and will end with Abraham.

In 7x15, Sasha and Eugene discussed his situation. She tried to appease to his sense of honor, his character. Eugene cited Abraham’s murder as his reason for cooperating:

“You know, I believed I could be brave, that I could be a survivor like Abraham was, and ridin' that RV into the sunset was some of the greatest 37 minutes of my existence. But I know now that I was full-tilt delusional. I have never in my life been as scared as I was that night in the woods, kit to the grit, fully believing my number's about to be called, then seeing it happen to someone brave, to a survivor. And then the pants-pissing terror of the rinse and repeat of that very same event -- I just I couldn't. Being here means I'll never have to again.”

The writers even stressed this connection by having Eugene callback to Abraham’s speech in 5x02, when he convinced Team Family to go to Washington. TWD often uses a circular narrative style, such as the season six finale and season seven premiere being an inverse of the season five premiere. Eugene is not a bad person, nor is he a true coward. He was willing to sacrifice himself so Maggie could get to the Hilltop, and then he confessed to making the bullet. He may still be afraid, but ultimately he doesn’t let that fear stop him. Eugene’s family empowers him to be a good man, to be brave. Right now, he is without his family, trapped with a murderous tyrant. He needs someone at the Sanctuary, someone he cares about, to help push him. He already defied Sasha by giving him her the pills. He’s almost there.

The key to decoding the connections between Abraham and Eugene’s arc lies primarily in 6x14. @diamondcitydarlin first noticed the connections, writing that:

“[T]he fact that we revisit some central moments in his and Abraham’s friendship (’pump your breaks, red’ as repeated to Frankie, the suggestion of pouring molten metal over the walkers as per that walker that attacked him that Abraham ultimately had to save him from) seems to me all very intentional subtext to the fact that Eugene is not truly Negan.” (X).

The situations are mirrors of each other. Eugene told Abraham to “pump your breaks” as he wanted to kill the molten walker himself, and he told Frankie the same thing when she urged him to help Amber. One conversation involved killing a dead thing, while the other involved killing a person. Furthermore, the first molten walker tried to kill Eugene, pitting him against Abraham. Yet Eugene’s solution for the fence walkers saves him, as it makes him useful to Negan. Both situations also build on the theme of “usefulness”. In 6x14, Eugene angrily said that Abe was now useless to him, as he could survive, while in 7x11 Negan cites Rick not taking full advantage of Eugene’s abilities. Abraham mentions that “ghosting hostiles” was his skill set, and in 7x11 Eugene described attacks as “hostiles and calamities.” Much like Abraham, Negan is crude, womanizing, and physical intimidating. He does not see Eugene as a survivor, only as a smart tool.

The episodes did not have the same writer nor director, meaning that these parallels were less accidental than most thematic connections in storytelling. The writers wanted to intentionally connect Frankie to Eugene through his relationship to Abraham.

We were first introduced to Frankie in 7x07, when Negan showed Carl his harem. She sat in the background as Sherry comforted Amber. Then in 7x11, Frankie had a name, and she became a real character. Of the three wives who met Eugene, she showed the most interest in him. She offered him a massage, she hugged him after he exploded the balloons and also tried to get him to smile. She wanted him to enjoy himself. Neither the massage or smile were necessary to convince Eugene to help them, and she offered him the massage before she even knew how smart he was. Then, when she and Tanya went to him to “help Amber”, she appealed to his character, calling him a good man. Her interest and relationship in Eugene stems from his as a person. She values his intelligence, but she doesn’t see it primarily as a tool. This is her face when he explains how he would make a bomb from kitchen-based supplies:

Shock, with a bit of wonder mixed in.

In addition, cinematographic elements connect her Eugene more so than Tanya. When her first and last scenes with Eugene end, the camera focuses on her looking at him (X) (X). While she was furious at him for refusing to give her and Tanya the pills, she does not call him a coward and she waits for a moment before leaving after Tanya. Furthermore, TPTB set up her first scene with Eugene to maximize her closeness to him, implying that she was interested in him. By the time Eugene settles into his room, he had moved the armchair and television set, and Tanya chose to sit next to him, using a chair that was originally near the door. I looked around his room again and noticed a spare chair by the microwave. Frankie chose to sit on the arm of Eugene’s chair not of necessity but want.

In film, every prop serves a purpose. The extra chair speaks to Frankie’s personality and her burgeoning relationship with Eugene. The furniture had already been moved, so why not move the armchair just a little more so she could a chair in? Because TPTB wanted to portray Frankie being the most interested wife. The chair placement also reminds me of the iconic Bethyl meals in Alone. Daryl had moved his chair from across the table as a physical expression of him being emotionally closer to Beth. Bethyl is the central romance of the series and will resume once Beth returns (X), and Gimple’s other original ships (Richonne, Carzekiel) share many similarities with them. So does Genekie.

Genekie as a pairing actually makes a great deal of sense. Much like Bethyl, Eugene and Frankie have complementary personalities and types of intelligence. Eugene thinks strategically, planning an outcome like assembling a puzzle, and I believe that Frankie would follow her heart, i.e. her appealing to Eugene through his morals and feelings (you’re a good man). Following Howard Gardner’s theory of Multiple Intelligences (X), Eugene has logical-mathematical intelligence and Frankie has bodily-kinesthetic and interpersonal intelligence, which means she knows how to use her body, like athletes, and how to communicate with others. Furthermore, they would have a natural understanding of the other. They're both being used: Frankie as a wife and Eugene as an engineer. Frankie signed up, but she's had to make herself a tool to survive, like Eugene lying about D.C.

Eugene and Frankie are both underestimated as Bethyl is. Daryl was the redneck asshole, and Beth just another dead girl. Eugene’s first encounter with a molten walker was actually an inverse of the scene in 4x12 where Beth killed the butler walker. In 4x12 Beth struggled with killing the walker, and Daryl just watched, as he believed she could take care of herself. In 6x14, Abraham killed the walker even after Eugene had called dibs as he didn’t believe Eugene could do it. Now, Eugene is the “Daryl” of the Saviors, in a sense. He has value in the apocalypse because of his specific skill sets, while Frankie is “replacable” to Negan. Like Beth, Frankie also is a nurturer. After Sherry left, Frankie took care of Amber the most, paying attention to her and comforting her. This part of Frankie’s character is very important to Genekie’s success. Eugene probably/likely has Asberger’s (X), so he sees the world differently from most and would struggle socially, as we’ve seen. I see parallels between Daryl and Eugene’s poor social skills. Daryl is a survivor of childhood abuse and likely has complex P.T.S.D., which would alter his brain. (Complex P.T.S.D., or C-P.T.S.D., is essentially long-term P.T.S.D., as it develops from multiple traumas over a long period of time, shaping the person’s identity, and usually arises from a situation with little hope for escape. Child abuse is probably the most common cause. While it’s not in the DSM yet, the concept has been in the medical field for twenty-five years, and it will be added to W.H.O. book next year.) Both of their brains are different from the majority of people. Everyone also has an inner child, and for those going through abuse with a tyrant God-figure like Negan, that inner child comes to the front. Daryl definitely has an inner child, and while he grew up with Beth, that child will always be there ready to take over during times of crisis. I thought about Eugene taking Grembly Gunk, and that’s when the child connection clicked. As a survivor of child abuse, I still keep a stuffed animal with me when I sleep. It makes me feel less alone, and having something to hold helps as I was probably neglected to an extent. Touch is so important for abuse survivors as it allows us to repair and forge connections. As Daryl needs a nurturer like Beth, Eugene needs a kind, patient, and understanding individual as a partner.

And it makes sense that Frankie would be interested in Eugene. He is everything that Negan is not.

Gimple has plans for Frankie. In the comics the only named wives are Sherry and Amber. I believe that he is adapting Eugene and Rosita’s relationship from the comics as Genekie. Rosita is very different from her comic counterpart, and a romantic relationship with Eugene would not work. While she cares about Eugene, she is more aggressive and emotionally unstable than her comic version. Comic!Rosita was known for her kindness and emotional stability. In the comics, Rosita used her body in order to be protected while traveling on the road, before she met Abraham. So comic!Rosita and Frankie are similar in those regards. TPTB acknowledge this different in character in 7x15:

“A lot of guys wanted to protect me, like there was no way I could know how to take care of myself. And I didn't. And I hated the way that felt. So I rolled with it. They didn't even notice I was picking up everything they knew how to do and doing it better. Then I'd outgrow them and bounce. The sex was just for fun.”

The writers didn’t need to mention why Rosita had sex with the men who proceeded Abraham as there had never been any earlier reference to them. Unless the writers were acknowledging comic canon. As I mentioned in another post, TPTB treat the different TWD universes as interconnected in a sense (X). They want those familiar with the comics and the show to make comparisons. If Rosita will not end up with Eugene, then who will? Frankie makes hte most sense as of now. The other night I read diamondcitydarlin’s Genekie fic, and a large part of the story centers on Eugene helping Frankie escape the Sanctuary when she discovers that she’s pregnant with Negan’s child. Eugene later joins her after the war, raising her baby as his own. In the comics, after she married him, Rosita became pregnant with another man’s baby, and then was murdered by the Whisperers. Reading diamond’s story helped Genekie’s potential click for me. It makes so much sense that Gimple would adapt Rosita’s comic story and expand upon it. (He wouldn’t create an original character, pair her up with an iconic comic character, and then kill her.) Sherry took a pregnancy test in 7x03, so it’s possible that Negan would be trying with his other wives. Even if the pregnancy storyline does not play out in the show, Frankie is vulnerable to an extent. Abraham was the most important relationship in Eugene’s life, and Red protected him. Now Eugene would protect Red. From protected to protector, like a Cowardly Lion who steps up at the darkest hour, Eugene will find his courage again for the woman he loves.

#genekie #eugene x frankie #eugene porter #twd frankie #bethyl #bethyl meta #parallels #genekie meta

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catherinejimenez · 8 years

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2016: ON THE TOP OF MY LIST

Last year, I’ve watched more than 10 Korean dramas and there’s this 4 particular dramas that really catches my heart.

Disclaimer: This blog post might contain spoilers so if you haven’t watched the dramas that I will be mentioning here, I hope you can forgive me :)

W-TWO WORLDS

Synopsis: W-Two worlds is a fantasy-romance about a man and a woman living in different worlds. Yeon Joo is a doctor living in the real world and her father is the author of the most popular webtoon, W. And Kang Chul is the lead character of that webtoon. Things becomes complicated when Yeon Joo’s father decides to kill Kang Chul and Yeon Joo gets pulled into the comic world and met Kang Chul.

I was able to watch this drama because of a friend who keeps on telling me that there’s a drama that she’s really into. I wasn’t interested at first because I’m still not yet done with Game of Throne’s season 4. But after few weeks of convincing me, I started to watch the drama and the story began.

It wouldn’t be much to say that it was love at first episode for me with W. The first few episodes of the drama were good but a little dy. But after few more episodes I started to like W. It’s a great fantasy story, a lots of twist and turns. You can’t never be comfortable because you just never know what’s going to happen next. I love the whole concept of a character having to learn he’s from a work of fiction. It’s unbelievable and devastating for the person involved.

What I liked about W-Two Worlds?

Aside from the drama’s bold storytelling, the execution of the two worlds is really my favorite. A serious kudos to the whole production team,because they managed the transition of the two worlds so skillfully.

A cute OTP. Yeon Joo and Kang Chul is really cute together. They can turn the serious scenes into romantic one real quick. One of my favorite scene of them is during the time that Yeon Joo confessed her love to Kang Chul. Before, Yeon Joo randomly says those words to him but he’s not affected at all (It’s her way to go back to the real world). This time, it’s different, he got swayed by Yeon Joos confession.

Overall, W-Two worlds was fun and crazy ride. With action packed fantasy story. It’s highly recommended if you’re a fan of those kind of genres.

MOONLIGHT DRAWN BY CLOUDS (LOVE IN THE MOONLIGHT)

I have to tell you this guys, I really really love this one. Seriously. This drama reminds me all over again why I fell in love with traditional dramas. It wasted no time in grabbing my heart and hold onto it really tight for the entire 18 episodes.

One of the things that comes to my mind when I think of MDBC, aside from Park Bo Gums sweetness, is that this drama is really well made. From the execution of scenes to the delivering of lines, everything.

Yeong (Park Bo Gum’s character) was my favorite among the cast of the show. Yeong’s character is full of charm and you couldn’t resist it I’m telling you. One of my favorite scene of him is during the confession and first kiss on Episode 7. The way Yeong approaches into confession and eventually to his first kiss scene to Ra On got me so kilig. Ugh. This boy makes my heart wobble, seriously. Another one is in Episode 14, when he comes face to face with Ra On in the secret meeting place. I won’t forget his “I will never forgive you” line before walking to Ra On and grabbed her in his arms. I never thought those words could be so romantic. I still haven’t moved on from that.

If there’s a leading man who’s really charming and handsome there should be a better half who has the same characteristics as him which really suits for Kim Yoo Jung. She’s one of the child actresses who’s really grown up so beautiful and talented. I can still remember her, portraying the role of young Yeon-O in Moon embracing the sun (which is my all time favorite drama). I really like Kim Yoo Jung as Ra On, she’s really natural. She’s funny without looking like she’s trying hard. Kim Yoo Jung consistently looks like she’s being herself.

The cast really suits the drama. Aside from the leads, Kwak Dong Yun really catches my attention. His cool but caring friend role is loveable (I’m so kinikilig while typing this one.) Special shout out to the Princess and Master Jung’s loveline. I also enjoyed their love story, even though it’s mostly played for comedy afterall, they are the reason why Ra On and Yeong met.

GOBLIN: THE LONELY & GREAT GOD

Goblin made me speechless and fall in love in less than a few minutes. As someone who watched many dramas and (I can say) can predict almost everything that’ll happen next, this drama made me laugh, cry & cringe when I didn’t expect I would.

Synopsis: Goblin is about a general way back in Goryeo, who got killed out of jealousy by the King. Because of his desperate wish for revenge, God gave him the chance to become goblin, a creature with immortal life and superpowers.

Goblin is really unpredictable. This drama made me cry, laugh out loud, cringe (Paulit ulit ako haha) and so much more. This drama caught me offguard. It’s so fun to watch and that’s not even all. It makes you think about so many things especially God, good and bad, death, your deeds, you past and so on. It’s really a drama for everyone. It has everything you could wish for: Romance, comedy, poetry, drama and so much more. There’s something about this drama that was really addicting.

Why I like Goblin a lot?

Aside from the unique pairing of Goblin and Eun Tak, the bromance between Goblin and Grim Reaper is really enjoyable. The way they annoy each other is such a riot. Lol One of my favorite funny moments of these two is when they are trying to learn how to use cellphone. Deok Hwa, a younger servant of Goblin, told them the basics on using phone. He said, they should go first to the appstore to download apps then suddenly Goblin started to wear his coat. I was laughing so hard during that scene.

Goblin and Eun Tak’s loveteam is a breath of fresh air. It’s an unusual pair because of the age difference but the chemistry of the two is really cute.They’re not the typical clingy couple but there’s something in them that will make you love them.

Grim Reaper and Sunny’s amazing lovestory. I really love the concept of their relationship. Grim reaper being innocent about impressing girls is so adorable. I think fellow KDrama fans will agree on me that they are another example of second lead syndrome. I seriously hoped that they could make another drama together.

WEIGHTLIFTING FAIRY KIM BOK JOO

One word to begin with….. Sweeeeg!

Synopsis: Kim Bok Joo is a weightlifting athlete in a sports university. Her seemingly ordinary life becomes interrupted as she reunited with her elementary schoolmate, Joon Hyung who’s currently an athlete of the swimming team.

WLFKBJ possibly one of the underrated dramas last 2016. I love almost everything about this drama because it really shows the charm and trials of the youths. I seriously wish I could just fill this blog post with only heart emoticons. This drama makes my heart so full and I’m loving it so freaking much. WLFKBJ feels so raw, real and beautiful with more resemblance to life and less of fiction. From the moment I saw the preview online, I felt like this show would really fits my taste.

Here’s the main things that made this show works for me:

The people and stories feels real and relatable. While dramaland is full of shows with fantastical and unusual set-ups, this drama’s charm lies in just how ordinary it’s setting is and how ordinary its characters are.

Lee Sung Kyung as Kim Bok Joo. Oh my God I love her. At first I will admit that I found Bok Joo’s acting a bit exaggerated and her body movements so unnatural but once I accepted that Bok Joo really is a person who walks weird and who really couldn’t help crumpling her face into a pout on a regular basis, I grew to love her. I seriously can relate to Bok Joo, from dealing with self-image, to crushing on boys, to finding meaning in what she does. Maybe because Bok Joo is relatable, I often find myself in her.

Nam Joo Hyuk as Joon Hyung. I Honestly prays to God to have my own Joon Hyung. I just love how he cares so much for Bok Joo even before they become a couple. Which leads to my next favorite thing, Joon Hyung Sweetness. I love it. I love that Bok Joo doesn’t need to be anything or anyone other than herself, to inspire this kind of loyalty, affection and head-over-heels love from him. The two of them shared an amazing amount of chemistry in this show. The skinship feels so natural and easy, I feel like they’ve cuddled a lot before and I’m completely blown away. These two is consistently cute together.

The Friendship of Bok Joo, Seon Ok and Nan Hee.I love that no matter what came between them, they remain as good friends. I seriously can see my friends on them. (Shoutout to my squad. Love you. Ewww Haha) So endearing and yes, full of SWAG!

So far, WLFKBJ is my most loved drama. I don’t know when will I get over because it only sets another standard for me to look at on the coming dramas this year.

The Dramas that I’ve mentioned above is highly recommended I’m assuring you all you won’t regret watching them.Goodnight, Good Morning and SWEEEG!

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recentnews18-blog · 6 years

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New Post has been published on https://shovelnews.com/the-31-best-dance-scenes-in-movies/

The 31 best dance scenes in movies

Updated 4 hours ago

What do dance scenes add to a movie? Unspeakable bliss, for starters. Dancing starts when dialogue fails. When lovers need to move beyond conversation, when conflicts boil past negotiation, when joy can’t be expressed in any other way than by leaping into the air on a trumpeter’s high note.

With the rise of movie musicals in the early part of the 20th century, dancing moved easily from stage to screen, becoming bigger, more potent, ever more spectacular — and a lasting love affair with the moviegoing public was born. It’s still going on: Witness the mainstream success of “La La Land,” a film in the golden age mold.

Taking stock of film’s dance treasury to pick the paragons was an irresistible challenge. In making my choices for the best dance scenes, I looked at several factors: mastery of technique, imaginative choreography, quality of the music — this is very important — and design and storytelling. I value authentic expression more than dance doubles and tricky editing. But, in the final analysis, transcendence won out. Does the dancing carry me away, give me chills, distill some truth about the human experience? Whether it’s a masterpiece of steps and skill, or an intentionally funny, hot mess, or a dreamscape that’s intriguingly weird — dancing that moves you is great dancing.

I also had to set some rules for this list: I considered specific dance scenes, not the quality of entire movies. I didn’t include documentaries or foreign films; no “Pina,” no “Mad Hot Ballroom.” With matchless artists in movement, music and choreography, the 1940s and ’50s dominate my choices, but even those aren’t exhaustive. I settled on the era’s best and moved on. I handicapped Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers, limiting them to just one dance (it’s my No. 1, the best of the best) from all the jewels in their 10 films together, because if I didn’t, they’d eat the list. Our vast cinematic history is studded with marvelous dancing, but one has to draw the line somewhere.

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1. ‘Swing Time’ (1936), ‘Never Gonna Dance’ scene

There are no greater dance musicals than the ones Fred and Ginger made together, because they accomplished so much, so beautifully. Their dances are artistic, emotional and inventive; the music is superb (Cole Porter, Irving Berlin, Jerome Kern, George Gershwin); the costuming and set design create a stylistic whole. And they aren’t mere interludes. What Astaire and Rogers communicate through dance deepens the story. To pick the pinnacle among their 10 films isn’t easy, but my choice is their final waltz in “Swing Time.” Why? Because we’ll think of Astaire and Rogers forever as a unit, falling in love on the dance floor, and this dance expresses something profound about their bond. It’s about the perils of breaking it. They begin by simply walking together; their mood is blue, but the sexual tension is red hot. Through a precise mirroring of movements, Rogers shows Astaire the kind of intimate soul mate he’ll lose if he doesn’t ‘fess up about his feelings. Astaire senses this and grows desperate. He spins her around dizzily, her dress whipping like a flag at sea. Then the cliffhanger: She whirls out the door, leaving him, and us, bereft – and dying to see how the movie ends.

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2. ‘Stormy Weather’ (1943), ‘Jumpin’ Jive’

Fayard and Harold Nicholas, aka the Nicholas Brothers, were a pair of miracles in tap shoes. They hoofed their way from the Cotton Club to Hollywood, where their fans included Astaire, Gene Kelly and other dance greats who marveled at their skill, daring and sheer brilliance. This scene is the consummate joy-fest: They dart through Cab Calloway’s orchestra, skate atop the drums and piano, and end it all by plunging down a flight of stairs, leapfrogging buoyantly over each other to land in the splits, and then springing up to do it all again. They shot it all in one take.

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3. ‘Singin’ in the Rain’ (1952), title number

Is there any more beloved dance scene on film than Gene Kelly’s inspired splashfest? This is the dance anthem for that inescapable experience of a thorough cosmic drenching. The answer: Enjoy it! Spin through puddles, gambol in the gutters, play a brass band in your head, and soak up every drop. Kelly was constantly experimenting, and although he whipped up more technically dazzling numbers in other movies, none is more uplifting or enduring than this one.

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4. ‘An American in Paris’ (1951), final ballet

Kelly lured Leslie Caron from France especially for this movie and its climactic, 17-minute dreamscape of a ballet. The scene took a month to film. Its lush, Technicolor intensity has never been matched, and the dancing, which sweeps through paintings come to life, Parisian flower markets and moonlit fountains, feels like the very embodiment of postwar optimism. But the chemistry between its stars, accompanied by Gershwin’s sexy jazz: explosif.

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5. ‘Ship Ahoy’ (1942), ‘I’ll Take Tallulah’

I once asked Fayard Nicholas (see No. 2) to name his favorite female dancer. His answer: Eleanor Powell. It’s easy to see why. Powell is arguably the greatest tap dancer on film, male or female, and in this number, she has the spotlight all to herself (after Bert Lahr serenades her). Three things distinguish this scene: Powell’s punchy, rascally athleticism, the musical star power of Tommy Dorsey and his orchestra, and the imaginative way Powell taps around the poolside set. She trades drum licks with jazz virtuoso Buddy Rich, hops on tables, swan-dives into an ocean of men, swings on a rope, cartwheels and catches flying rings and, still spinning, seizes airborne drumsticks and rejoins Rich to hammer out a scintillating flourish.

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6. ‘Broadway Melody of 1940’ (1940), ‘Begin the Beguine’

Cole Porter, Fred Astaire and Eleanor Powell: the holy trinity of tap. I love the full-body, freewheeling spirit of this amazing duet – it’s a marvel of precision, with hints of friendly competition. Astaire and Powell chase, tease and one-up each other, ending in a synchronized storm of turns that sends them spiraling around each other like crazy spinning nickels in a tilted universe. How can two humans move so fast, in perfect time, with such giddy ease?

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7. ‘Seven Brides for Seven Brothers’ (1954), ‘Barn Dance’

Michael Kidd’s exceptional choreography is full of earthy vigor and references to reels, logging and barn-raising. High-pitched and unusually athletic, the dancing moves from an outdoor stage to picnic tables to wood beams. There are backflips and diving somersaults, along with polka steps and lifts. The dancers include Tommy Rall, one of cinema’s greats, ballet star Jacques d’Amboise and Russ Tamblyn, the former gymnast about seven years shy of stardom as Riff in the movie of “West Side Story.”

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8. ‘Small Town Girl’ (1953), ‘I’ve Gotta Hear That Beat’

Ann Miller was considered the queen of Hollywood tap dancers: She was tall, gorgeous and insanely fast. Her taps were like machine-gun fire. This scene, directed by Busby Berkeley and choreographed by Willie Covan, is her most famous. Miller, sequined and sparkly, whirls through an assortment of disembodied musical instruments; violins and trumpets in the hands of unseen players pop up through the floor. Spinning madly, she somehow avoids ricocheting off the trombones. It’s a tribute to Miller as the consummate musician – her tapping is a symphony unto itself – and the scene’s ingenious design, while visually striking, allows nothing to distract from her brilliance.

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9. ‘West Side Story’ (1961), ‘America’

Rita Moreno and George Chakiris are a combustible couple, taunting and teasing each other through Stephen Sondheim’s lyrics and Leonard Bernstein’s music. But once they start dancing, their sexual energy could light up the city. Great dance fills this entire movie, but this scene stands out for the neat layering of Latin motifs – bullfighting, flamenco, mambo – and the exuberant staging of a gender war. There’s also well-earned fury: In lyrics and physical expression, the characters directly engage with the clash of cultures and racism that will undo them all.

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10. ‘Saturday Night Fever’ (1977), ‘More Than a Woman’

This is not the trickiest dance from a technical point of view. You and I could pick it up in a snap. (Simple is good.) But John Travolta turns it into erotic gold. This scene rates among the greats for the spell it casts, far surpassing its modest mechanics. Plenty of other movies’ dance scenes are more complicated, more expertly executed, but this one is unusually immersive — I’m swept into a fever dream of feeling. Strutting like a show pony in his polyester suit and platform shoes, Travolta communicates the intent behind his smoothly syncopated steps and slow dips with co-star Karen Lynn Gorney; they’re a disco-driven lead-in to lovemaking. The dynamic tension is perfect – he revels in his own charisma, she looks at him in misty disbelief, like he’s her fantasy come to life. (For many of us, he was.) Filming wasn’t easy. So much heat and smoke filled that Brooklyn nightclub that at one point, Travolta was on oxygen. Installing lights in the floor, to flash along with the Bee Gees’ music, cost a fortune. It was worth it.

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11. ‘All That Jazz’ (1979), ‘Take Off With Us’

Of course, Bob Fosse’s semi-autobiographical film contains his own snappy, sultry choreography. In this scene, cast members rehearse a flight-attendant-themed number for a Broadway show. What I love about it is not only the dancing — full of Fosse hallmarks, the tight little steps, the hats, the tense sexiness and exquisite control — but also the spot-on depiction of what rehearsals are like. The nearly naked performers sing and shimmy their hearts out, while the creative team watches impassively, smoking, frowning, scribbling criticisms. It’s show business, baby.

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12. ‘Gentlemen Prefer Blondes’ (1953), ‘Diamonds Are a Girl’s Best Friend’

That hot-pink dress, that cherry-red backdrop, those long, long gloves. Marilyn Monroe is glamorous perfection in this scene, choreographed by the great Jack Cole. He brilliantly played up her strengths, focusing on those beautiful bare shoulders with a shimmy here, an arm extension there, a lot of shaking and — whoopee! — a well-timed gesture to her back porch. Restrained in vocabulary and uninhibited in style and spirit, this witty dance is an exuberant celebration of the female assets, performed by one of the most vibrant bodies in cinematic history.

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13. ‘The Band Wagon’ (1953), ‘Dancing in the Dark’

Cyd Charisse was tall for Fred Astaire, so she’s wearing flats here, the perfect footwear for a waltz of seduction that begins with these two extraordinary movers simply strolling through Central Park. Michael Kidd’s choreography is fascinating; it unspools in an expanding array of spirals, zigzagging lines and sharp changes of direction, sending the couple over benches, up steps and, finally, into a horse-drawn carriage. Astaire and Charisse sail through the complex geometry, each move flowing into the next, as though it were all just a walk in the park.

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14. ‘Sweet Charity’ (1969), ‘The Aloof, the Heavyweight, the Big Finish’

“We don’t dance,” snarls one of the partners-for-hire in this film’s sleazy ballroom. “We defend ourselves to music.” You feel that bite in an irresistible, decadent floor-show extravaganza of ’60s go-go, choreographed by Fosse, the master of sinister sexiness. The starring attractions: dancers Suzanne Charney and a young Ben Vereen. Also, loads of eyeliner, minidresses and those Fosse-licious broken-doll struts, isolated joints and hips, hips, hips.

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15. ‘The Red Shoes,’ (1948), ballet sequence

Within this masterful film, about the flaming passions of artists, lies a complete ballet that echoes the theme and foreshadows its tragic conclusion. The ballet tells the Hans Christian Andersen tale of enchanted shoes that dance their wearer to death; redhead ballerina Moira Shearer is their beguiling victim. Beautifully lighted and designed, this dark, wordless drama is by turns hallucinatory and Hitchcockian.

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16. ‘Dirty Dancing’ (1987), final dance

For many of us of a certain age, this is the defining movie dance scene, as Patrick Swayze struts onto that Borscht Belt stage, and Jennifer Grey melts in his arms. It’s a singularly potent concoction: Swayze’s erotic beauty, Grey’s coming-of-age right before our eyes, the lusty grace of their moves, the crowd’s collective swoon. Because it happens in a middle-class family setting, with actors who weren’t yet icons, we can see ourselves in them, and fly along with them, at least in our minds. It’s a vicarious rush.

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17. ‘Damn Yankees’ (1958), ‘Whatever Lola Wants’

Gwen Verdon as a leggy demon sent by Satan to seduce a ballplayer – OK, I’m in. Verdon, a singing, dancing, acting wizard of stage and screen, had a unique, commanding presence; although delicately built, she vibrated exactitude and authority. She’s funny, sexy and gleefully impish in this scene, choreographed by Fosse, who was soon to be her husband. Every step conveys that she’s a nonhuman in a new role and loving it. Verdon stays in this complicated character throughout her awkward-on-purpose striptease and a manic romp touched with flamenco, burlesque and quasi-Indian fillips. “I’m irresistible, you fool,” she taunts. Um, yes.

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18. ‘All of Me’ (1984), closing scene

In this sparkling screwball comedy, Lily Tomlin’s soul transmigrates into Steve Martin’s body. Result: a high-pitched tug of war – she controls one side of his body, he’s got the other. (We see Tomlin’s reflection whenever Martin passes a mirror.) This internal mayhem smoothly resolves in the end, when we see the two whirling in a let-it-all-hang-out dance of pure joy, captured in a mirror, that grows goofier and giddier, accompanied by a swinging rendition of the jazz standard of the title. Before, the body had been a prison for Martin and Tomlin; here it’s a vehicle of spectacular release, and the display of rapture between well-tuned spirits is utterly contagious.

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19. ‘Stepmom’ (1998), ‘Ain’t No Mountain High Enough’

This makes me cry, because it captures the very essence of living, and love. Susan Sarandon, dying of cancer, carouses in her pajamas with her kids, belting out the Marvin Gaye/Tammi Terrell anthem into a curling iron. They jump on the bed. They prance down the hallway. They give Death a big, fat, life-affirming kick in the caboose.

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20. ‘La La Land’ (2016), opening sequence

The dance numbers in this loving nod to Hollywood’s musical history are so physically rapturous and vicariously thrilling that they almost lift you out of your seat. Attitude adjustment starts with the opening sequence, which turns a traffic jam on an L.A. highway into a full-throttle celebration of life, as folks sing, spin and stomp on the roofs of their cars, while a BMX biker and a freewheeling skateboarder surf the concrete barriers.

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21. ‘White Nights’ (1985), the duet

Mikhail Baryshnikov and Gregory Hines, two of the greatest male dancers of the late 20th century, united on the dance floor: How can you beat that? This scene offers a side-by-side view of their styles – the tapper’s heavy-hitting power and connection to the floor, the ballet maestro’s elegance, airborne ease and elasticity. Watch how Baryshnikov sinks into his knees, while the lankier Hines stays more upright. In other ways, though, Hines is looser and jazzier, while Baryshnikov is knife-sharp.

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22. ‘You Got Served’ (2004), dance battle

Dance contests come and go, but this one boasts muscular grace, jaw-dropping execution and incomparable street style. The most spectacular street moves require immense (that is, male) upper-body strength — the head-spinning and upside-down windmilling — and we get to revel in that here. But the ladies also have their moments to shine. Although the editing tends to get in the way of the best view of the dancing, the displays of raw, rhythmic power matched with impeccable precision and daring don’t get much better than this.

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23. ‘Silver Linings Playbook’ (2012), dance rehearsal

Cute couple awkwardly learns to dance with the help of their cool friend. Bradley Cooper is the odd man out in this threesome, while Jennifer Lawrence and Chris Tucker offer up the dancing thrills. OK, so they’re modest — this is not showstopping material — but it’s so adorable. Tucker knows just how to womp up Lawrence’s uncooperative hips: “Girl, you gotta move your junk.”

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24. ‘Center Stage’ (2000), ‘The Way You Make Me Feel’

Tutus and motorcycles: a match made in dance heaven. These white-frocked ballerinas are dutifully dull until Ethan Stiefel roars onstage on his bike. At the time, Stiefel was a star at American Ballet Theatre, and this scene offers a terrific look at his virtuosic technique (those pirouettes, those airy leaps – pure gold), as well as his heartthrob appeal. Accompanied by Michael Jackson’s bouncy pop song, this is simply tremendous fun. Classical ballet steps, beautifully performed, get funkified.

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25. ‘Bye Bye Birdie’ (1963), ‘Got a Lotta Livin to Do’

Ann-Margret’s “torrid dancing almost replaces the central heating in the theater,” Life magazine declared in its cover story about “Bye Bye Birdie” and its young heroine. This is the movie that made her a star. She’s also a sensational dancer, in a vamped-up display of seduction aided by belly-baring ruffles and the sexiest pink capris you’ve ever seen. With all of her slinky allure, she also twists, hully-gullies and Watusis with the ensemble to the soundtrack’s brisk jazz. This frisky production is a great mood-booster.

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26. ‘White Chicks’ (2004), dance-off

The premise: Two African-American FBI agents — Keenan Ivory Wayans and Shawn Wayans —disguise themselves as white women to lure a kidnapper out of hiding. It sounds so wrong, but it’s so funny, especially when miniskirted squads of frenemies shake off their frustrations on the dance floor. The undercover agents jump into the mix, in their low-rise jeans and pastel leathers (the girl clothes are craptastically horrendous). They’ve done such a good job of being female, and now their true, testosterone-fueled selves come out in aggressive, head-spinning moves that are just plain out of reach for most of us ladies. That should blow their cover. No one seems to notice this.

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27. ‘House Party’ (1990), dance scene

Teens want to hang out together, have fun and party — this hasn’t changed since forever — but it’s the partying here that’s extraordinary. We see it on their terms, in the close, crowded quarters of a living room, with just enough space for explosive moves, sassy personal expression, all kinds of style and exhilarating, good-natured fun. It’s an instantly immersive experience; you feel like you’re on the dance floor with them, bopping along as hip-hop duo Kid n Play show off their swiveling, sliding, twisting footwork.

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28. ‘Pulp Fiction’ (1994), twist contest

“I wanna dance, I wanna win, I want that trophy. So dance good.” A menacing Uma Thurman and a game John Travolta shed their shoes for an intense go-go scene that comes out of nowhere, in the middle of a bloody crime film. Director Quentin Tarantino has said he was inspired by New Wave master Jean-Luc Godard, known to drop an incongruous dance into his work. Note how the actors draw our focus to their fingers and toes. Of course, we’re also thinking back on the younger, disco-dancing Travolta, so the scene is poignant as well as darkly funny. And very, very odd.

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29. ‘The Cotton Club’ (1984), ‘Crazy Rhythm’

Brothers Maurice and Gregory Hines were estranged for 10 years in real life, and this scene re-creates the emotional reunion on the dance floor of the siblings who had been childhood tap partners. Francis Ford Coppola’s film brought veteran hoofers such as Charles “Honi” Coles back to the spotlight, and these scenes are priceless. But the Hines duet is infused with palpable warmth and bone-deep sympathy.

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30. ‘A Chorus Line’ (1985), ‘Next’

In some ways, the dancing life is like the military, especially here. This film about Broadway opens with auditions, where the dance captain is a drill sergeant and the chorines are uber-disciplined grunts firing off a battery of moves. A lot of movie dancing shows us the slippery ease and glory of moving to music, but here we see the opposite: the punishing work, humiliations and stoicism behind it. And after all that, the four cruelest words a dancer will ever hear: “Thank you very much.”

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31. ‘Pennies From Heaven’ (1981), ‘Let’s Face the Music and Dance’

Talk about nerve: In this tribute to Depression-era musicals, Steve Martin and Bernadette Peters take on one of Astaire and Rogers’s greatest numbers. And they do it justice. They’re a well-matched pair —Martin, light-footed and quick; Peters, all soft edges. The black-and-white design, complete with a tuxedoed ensemble, is timeless.

Sarah L. Kaufman is The Washington Post’s dance critic.

Source: https://triblive.com/aande/adminpage/14292371-74/the-31-best-dance-scenes-in-movies

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