#happy b-day to the most epic voice actor of all time

[leonardo-tamato]

☝☝☝😔✨💥💙

(omg the picture though 👀💅✨)

Happy belated birthday to our blue voice actor, Ben Schwartz !!

He was always meant to be the funny one!

[laboratorium2d]

Children's Animated Series, As Graded by a Parent Who Has Watched Far Too Many of Them

My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic: The brony thing is legitimately weird, but this is legitimately a great show. The combination of epic-fantasy plots with a deep dive on friendship is a winner (and has also been deeply influential on kids' television). It also makes the obligatory pro-social messages feel earned, rather than an afterthought. The characters are charming, the writing sparkles, and the animation is still distinctive. Endlessly watchable, which is a good thing when your kid wants to watch endlessly. Fake holidays: Nightmare Night, Hearth's Warming Eve, Hearts and Hooves Day. Grade: A+

Avatar: I was fifteen years too old for this when it was on TV, so I didn't understand what the fuss was about. Now I do. It's epic but not grandiose, funny but not dumb, and morally deep without giving into plot gravity. The world-building, the writing, the animation, the voice-acting, the fight scenes, the side characters: everything works, and everything is pulling in the same direction. (The sequel series, The Legend of Korra, is more of the same, with an interestingly updated setting and better music.) If your kids are like mine, they'll want to talk about everything, and so will you. I guess binge-watching is a family thing now. Grade: A+

She-Ra and the Princesses of Power: This show is so gay. However gay you expect it to be, it's ten times gayer. It's also pro-diversity along every axis you can imagine, including body-type. It's completely awesome. It captures the uncannily compelling techno-fantasy atmosphere of the original, and it has characters with the same names, but otherwise it's a total gut rehab. The character studies at its core are compelling, even as the overall plot and action hold a young child's interest. It takes lots of anime animation tropes and tones them down to the verge of naturalism, which I wouldn't have thought would work, but totally does. Grade: A-

Wild Kratts: The big kid was learning biology from this show almost from before she could talk. "Giraffe. Long neck. Eat leaves." The premise of the show is genius: animated versions of veteran kids' wildlife-show hosts Chris and Martin Kratt have suits that give them "creature powers," and they travel around the world having adventures with animals. The science is legit and it's presented entertainingly. And the characters are winners, especially the creature-suit inventor Aviva Corcovado and the colorful villains. The only thing consistently annoying about this show is that it can be shouty. Everyone is Just! So! Excited! About! Animals! Grade: A-.

Phineas and Ferb: The Arrested Development of kids' animation, Phineas and Ferb is impossibly dense with overlapping plots, brick jokes, and a large army of recurring minor characters. Every episode features an original song, some of which are genuinely brilliant ("Squirrels in My Pants" is a household favorite). It is also a wholly, completely sweet-hearted show. Even the antagonists -- Candace and Dr. Doofenshmirtz -- are sympathetic, charming, fully-realized, and allowed to grow and be happy in ways that a lesser version of this show would never even have realized was a possibility. The allegretto pacing and intricate writing keep the show consistently fresh. New Disney at its best. Grade: A-

Ben and Holly's Little Kingdom: From the same team who brought you Peppa Pig, but even drier underneath its treacly trappings. The comedic timing is straight out of classic British sketch comedy. The voice actors are clearly in on the joke, which if anything makes the show more fun to listen to than to watch. B+

Dinosaur Train: Sometimes high concepts work. The show 100% owns its message: dinosaur physiology is a diversity metaphor, presented with just the right degree of insistence. The characters are sketched with grace and sympathy, and the science is pitched just right for its target audience. Over the years, the show (like all railfans) has gotten increasingly obsessed with its train equipment: the aquacar, the submarine, the ... zeppelin. The songs are surprisingly catchy, too: our favorite is probably the Dinosaur Train Zeppelin song, which, yes, is a Led Zeppelin pastiche. Grade: B+

Odd Squad: This one really grew on me. If all you've seen is short clips, it just seems like everyone is shouting about math all the time. But the show overall is delightfully goofy, with a real sense of how to string along a running gag, and some genuinely talented child actors. Grade: B+

Creative Galaxy: Despite being a total Daniel Tiger rip-off, down to the animation style, the obligatory song in every episode, and the live-action codas, this one is actually kind of nice. The art projects are well-chosen both to interest kids and also to actually be doable. Fake holidays: Heart Day. Grade: B

Peppa Pig: It took me a long time to appreciate this show's arch sense of humor. Everyone's pretensions and ambitions are punctured; embarrassing mistakes and small indignities await adults at every turn. Once you realize that the show is making fun of most of its characters but loves them anyway, it's much more bearable. Grade: B

Curious George: Entirely forgettable, with two mildly redeeming qualities. George himself is as charming as always, and the jazzy musical score is pleasant. Grade: B-

Miraculous: Tales of Ladybug and Cat Noir: It took me a while to understand what this show was doing. It's very, very French. Grade: C+

Daniel Tiger's Neighborhood: Even my kids recognize that Daniel Tiger is needy and whiny. The show inadvertently teaches kids what to be afraid of and how to misbehave. There is also something deeply wrong with the economy of the Neighborhood: everyone seems to have multiple jobs and the public transit system runs on magic. On the plus side, the potty song has come in handy as a reminder: when you have to go potty, stop and go right away. Fake holidays: Love Day, Snowflake Day, Dress Up Day. Grade: C+

Ready Jet Go: I suppose there's some science in here somewhere, I guess. Grade: C+

Tumble Leaf: Reviewers might call this one "gentle," by which they mean "boring." The animation is lovely and the music is calming. But what's the point? Grade: C+

PAW Patrol: Unbelievably, incredibly formulaic. For example: have you noticed that they get in their trucks at exactly the same point halfway through each episode? Just Canadian enough to be noticeably off, but also rah-rah in a George W. Bush-administration kind of way. Sometimes I imagine grown-up versions of the pups. Chase regularly engages in police brutality, Rubble has a drinking problem, and Marshall has joined the alt-right. Grade: C

Nature Cat: Nature Cat is annoying and his friends are worse. I'm not clear on what they're supposed to be learning. And the theme song manages to be both unmemorable and an earworm. Make it stop! Grade: C

Super Why: More like Super Why Does This Exist, amirite? The whole show is oddly paced: I find the story-within-a-story structure confusing and can only wonder how much of it kids actually get. Having each character deal with a different aspect of literacy leaves the show's educational content unfocused. And the Super Letters are like the world's lamest game of Wheel of Fortune. Plus the song is an earworm, and not in a good way. Grade: C

Sofia the First: Empty Disney calories, this show is the reductio ad absurdum of Disney's democratization of the idea of "princess." The plotting, the writing, and the music are technically proficient. The cel-shading effects that give 3D animation the luminosity of 2D hand drawn are lovely. The messages are perfectly innocuous. But the heart of the show is a giant gaping void. Fake holidays: Wassailia. Grade: C

Lion Guard: More empty Disney calories, like Sofia the First but with more obnoxious characters. Inexplicably real holiday: Christmas. Grade: C-

Peg + Cat: All I can remember is that the show is inexplicably drawn on graph paper, and they have a BIG BIG PROBLEM every few seconds. When people complain about STEM, and I remember that this show exists, I have to admit that they have a point. Grade: C-

Martha Speaks: The AV Club's term for this kind of show is "least essential." Even by the standards of kids' shows, the premise makes no sense. Nobody here, human or canine, is remotely sympathetic. And the plot comes to a screeching halt every time it's time for a new vocabulary word. Grade: C-

WordWorld: I have so many questions about this show. If everything is made out of words, what about the ground? The sky? Windows? And what are the letters in the words made of? What is going on with the accents? And who greenlit three seasons of this garbage? Grade: D+

The Adventures of Puss in Boots: This is a weird, weird show. And not in a good way. Grade: D+

Trolls: The Beat Goes On: Quite possibly the most misanthropic kids show currently streaming anywhere. The combination of grimdark setting and hackneyed uplifting plot tropes is somewhere between unsettling and child abuse. Poppy is a walking illustration of emotional labor; Branch has severe PTSD. The show treats both of these as laughable quirks. And I am never going to get used to the Auto-Tune. Grade: D+

Kung-Fu Panda: The Paws of Destiny: Pretty much your standard DreamWorks animation. This is not a good thing. Grade: D

If You Give a Mouse a Cookie: The animation and voice-acting are innocuous. But building an entire show around the "if X, then Y" formula led to some disastrous choices. The show taught my big kid how to say things like, "If I see a rock, I just have to bring it home with me." It takes a special kind of kids show to affirmatively instill bad habits. Grade: D-

The Adventures of Rocky and Bullwinkle (2018): An absolute travesty in every possible way. The remake is the direct opposite of everything the original represented: crude instead of clever, manic instead of playful, and mean instead of goofy. Grade: F-

[shebeafancyflapjack]

I finally saw the new Lion King...

Oh boy. Here we go.

I know I’m late to the party on this and there have been so many bad reviews of this film already that have mentioned the major problems. They’re all true. Every single one. So at least in that regard I got what I was expecting! Nothing better but nothing worse. I was expecting dead eyed animals with no emotion matching the voice acting and that’s exactly what it was. It was distracting and annoying but I did get over it to a point. So I’ll try not to make this review just another long rant about the lack of expressions. However I will mention that my best friend who I went to see this with is from South Africa and used to work over there at a nature reserve; she said she found the animals creepy as hell. She compared to how disturbing the uncanny valley in films like Final Fantasy (the movie) and Mars Needs Moms were.

In short; the technology is incredible and hopefully will get used in a better and ORIGINAL film, but it really didn’t fit a story this epic and personal where you need to see the fear, the sadness, the joy etc in these characters faces. It especially hit me at the end of I Just Can’t Wait To Be King where Simba and Nala are supposed to look so happy and giddy but there’s just...nothing there.

Eyes are the window to the soul in animation. And it’s not impossible to make realistic cg animals look emotional - Jungle Book and Narnia are proof of that. But this movie was definitely, in a word, soulless.

That’s the animation rant out of the way, what else can I add?

I’ll admit that I am biased. Lion King is my all time favourite Disney movie. I saw it when I was three, I still to this day have the Simba plushy I took to the first screening and held aloft, haggard and dog-eared as he is in my closet. I danced to I Just Can’t Wait To Be King at my Brownie talent show. I’ve watched the film enough times I know it beat for beat. However, saying that, I know it’s not perfect. When I went back a few years ago and watched all the old Disney films I did notice more flaws in Lion King and actually gained more appreciation for films like Hunchback and Beauty & the Beast that had slipped under my radar as a kid. Practically I do think B&TB is the stronger movie of that time. But, damnit, Lion King will always be my favourite at heart, just like Ocarina of Time will always be my favourite Zelda even though I think other games like Majora’s Mask or Breath of the Wild are technically better. Lion King was my first love and, given how meh most of the Disney remakes have been so far, I knew this wasn’t going to come close to how great the original was. But still I thought I’d give it a try and see what new things they could bring, same as I liked at least some of the new twists in Cinderella, Maleficent and Aladdin.

Sadly this movie brings nothing new aside from a different style which even that doesn’t really work. It’s a shot-for-shot remake except with certain parts slightly changed or flat out cut and it feels so off. I could tell what I was in for from the very first scene and it basically summed up the rest of the movie. First shot, same as before, the sun rises as the Circle of Life plays. Except in this one, the sun rises....and there’s like a three second gap before the music starts. I know that sounds like such a tiny thing but it happens so much! The soundtrack is EXACTLY the same, except it no longer flows with the animation the same as the old one. The first Lion King was almost on par with Fantasia with how perfect every movement and beat of the scene matched the notes of the music - like with Simba’s roar at the end, he starts roaring before the music has its big climax and it’s so distracting. That’s when I realised what this movie felt like; as though I was listening to the original Lion King soundtrack while watching National Geographic. Like the odd random bit happens to work but most of it just feels slapped on because it’s Lion King and they had to. 

And when this movie does do things new, sometimes they get a laugh or can be interesting, but it’s so short and we go back to just quoting the original word for word without the same energy. James Earl Jones sounds tired recycling lines he said thirty years ago. The rest of the cast however are actually really good and we know these are great actors. When they’re saying something new it’s great but when they say words from the original it’s like they’re just quoting a different movie everyone knows.

Timon and Pumbaa, for example, are the best new addition to the movie, along with some moments from Zazu and definitely a more intimidating Scar. This is because a lot of their routine and dialogue is changed up instead of just reusing old jokes. A scene with them from the original which was the funniest for me, the hula distraction, is replaced with the start of Be Our Guest - and it’s hilarious. I was expecting to be annoyed they took it out but no, it was something new and clever even if slightly meta but I guess same as The Lion Sleeps Tonight is which was in the original (and is redone here, also pretty funny). 

Moments like that worked but also in a way annoyed me more because they showed the potential of how this film could have been so much better. The same story but a new script, why was that so hard? Aladdin, Cinderella and Jungle Book had a few lines here and there similar to the original but still took risks - with JB even going as far to change the ending. I have problems with those movies, sure, but I at least respect them for trying to be creative.

Other tiny ‘new’ things that are added are Shenzi being a much stronger villain, which is kinda cool but they try to set up this rivalry between her and Nala in the final act and I was like; “...did I miss something? Was there a deleted scene were there was a bigger conflict with you two?” But then the other hyenas are no where near as funny as before, Benzai and not-Edd just do this “no homo” routine and then they don’t even speak again in the third act. Nala, Sarabi and the other lionesses get a bit more screen time but again it feels so rushed and actually makes it seem more confusing when Nala is like “if you want Simba you’ll have to come through us!” and then they all just watch again as Scar nearly pushes him off pride rock.

It also tried to fill in a plot hole with the original which, in my opinion, just created a worse one. So in the original Scar knocks out Zazu and there’s always questions afterwards of why Zazu didn’t tell the other lionesses - I always just assumed he couldn’t remember why he lost consciousness. In this one Scar sends Zazu back to ‘get the pride’ at the gorge. However, he THEN claims he wasn’t able to get to the gorge before Mufasa was killed....Except Zazu knows he was there! Yet he never tells the other lionesses! He doesn’t even say anything to Simba! It also had me questioning why Simba didn’t throw it back at Scar for sending him down there to roar and then being blamed when Scar explicitly told him to practice his roar as loud as he could - in the original Scar just hints to ‘work on that little roar’.

They did the same thing in Beauty and the Beast with that magical teleporting book. And in Cinderella where she’s more independent because she goes outside the manor and yet never just leaves. Don’t pick at something if you’re just going to create more questions.

So to sum up, is the film garbage? I wouldn’t go that far. I’m looking at it from the mind of a cynical adult who was always going to be comparing it to the original, which I think is fair if you’re doing a shot for shot remake. But for little kids who this is aimed for...I wasn’t sure watching it, some scenes I thought a bit too dark for them (like literally it’s hard to tell the lions apart in the fight scenes) but after it was done I was in the toilets waiting for my friend and I saw a little four year old girl with her mum and she was holding a Simba plushy in her arms, just like the one I had as a kid, and she was saying how much she loved it. The sight almost made me tear up with nostalgia. And it made me realise, despite all my criticism, this movie is more so for little girls like that than me. If this movie somehow made her feel the same wonder and excitement than the original did then it definitely can’t be worthless. I just hope she has or will get around to seeing the original. Maybe she’d like it more, maybe not. Maybe they will remake this movie again in thirty years and she’ll be writing a lengthy blog post about how the remake of the remake butchered her childhood memory of the remake...So long as she has those memories and those timeless feelings, it’s what matters most.

Okay I got surprisingly sappy at the end there but that really Lion King does hold such a special place in my heart I can’t not get emotional from it, even when ranting.

One last thing, my theatre was dead silent for most of the film aside from a couple of laughs at Timon and Pumbaa. However, I kid you not, when the lightning struck the tree and caused the fire around Pride Rock at the end, someone in the audience shouted out; “DRACARYS!” and I nearly doubled over laughing!

Speaking of which, Simba finding Mufasa’s body? Game of Thrones already did that scene better with Drogon and Dany. No contest.

[as-many-times-as-it-takes]

Hey! I hope I'm not being a bother (I'm about to be a big damn bother) but... I just saw your inspiring Sheith phrases post and all the quotes + your little bit of meta about it made me all misty... but here's the thing. I'm VERY VERY new to the fandom... and to Sheith... and I have NO IDEA what half of those quotes are from or are referring to. Can you help me out with some of them??? No-one I know ships Sheith so I don't know who else to ask!

Hi there Anon! Thanks for the ask!

And first of all to get this out of the way, you are not a bother. When you ask someone to talk about something they are very passionate about, it’s like getting told Christmas just came early. I’ve really wanted to be a more solid part of this fandom, but my shyness sometimes gets the better of me. So every question/ask, etc frickin’ lights up my day okay? Okay!

So I’ll break down the quotes the best I can for ya! Some of them are a little older and it might be a bit difficult to pull up the information for that. If anyone out there knows anything I’m missing better or has a link, etc, please feel free to share that with this post!

Also, since you enjoyed the meta, you might also like my post The Boy who Never Gave Up. This really outlines a lot of the background information shown in the series for Keith and Shiro that give rise to a lot of these quotes!

Alrighty, here we go!

SHEITH QUOTE MASTER POST

This will be a VERY LONG POST with LOTS OF PICTURES, LINKS AND QUOTES so I will be putting in a cut here to help!

It’s good to have you back / It’s good to be back

This quote comes from S01:E01 - The Rise of Voltron. It’s the first moment in which Keith and Shiro share dialogue together. Especially based on everything leading up to it, (Check out my post here for more on that), the tone here is very gentle. There is almost a hushed quiet to it, like you’re looking in on a private moment not meant for your eyes. There was something very sweet about it that just stuck around.

It’s killing me when you are away

So this is a really interesting one that I don’t believe was every officially confirmed by the team behind the show (someone correct me if I’m wrong here!) but a bunch of very dedicated fans picked this one apart into something that stuck with us ‘till the end.

Again in  S01:E01 - The Rise of Voltron, we find this nearly directly after the quote above. When Keith takes Shiro and the other Paladins inside his Cabin, he shows them a bunch of notes, pictures, and assortments of other knowledge he has collected over his years alone, which led to him finding the Blue Lion’s location. However, while he is explaining his notes to everyone, there are glimpses of little sticky notes on his board. Fans looked these over to see if there was anything one these notes that was legible and this led to a really awesome post that you can view here.

The main conclusion was based on the lyrics from “Sugar” by Maroon 5, in which the words are

“I just wanna be deep in your loveAnd it’s killing me when you’re awayOoh, baby “

And the theory is that the note says“Just wanna be ‘something’ and it’s killing me when you’re away”

The something part implying that either A) Keith forgot the lines, B) The lines are a bit NSFW and so were changed slightly, C) Little column A & B? Keith was a little embarrassed and shortened it a bit.

This is all further supported when we’ve seen time and time again how much Keith adores Shiro and when we found out that Keith waited TWO YEARS on hopes and prayers waiting on his friend to come back. That would kill me too…

Shiro loves you baby / #He’s looking at Keith

This amazing piece came straight from Chris Palmer, one of the awesome story artists for Voltron. He posted this image with the words “Shiro loves you baby.” and one of his hashtags was #he’s looking at keith.

You can see the original post here

This, of course, made most of us explode with happiness. Not only was it freaking adorable, it told us that more of the people behind the scenes were quite possibly as invested and/or becoming as invested as many of us were with Sheith (A term which Josh Keaton himself stated he would like to coin for the ship pairing if it hadn’t been claimed already)

Many of the people who work on Voltron have posted something Sheith related. It’s a little hard to pull out specific pieces now as a lot of news and discourse has buried a lot of the original posts, but we’ve been very blessed. We’ve had official fan art, team members favouriting and commenting on fan art and lots of little snippets here and there that hinted that this was very possibly going to be canon.

Just like in The Legend of Korra, Korrasami became a thing later in the show. It was stated (I do not have a specific reference for this, mind you) that while the ship wasn’t originally intended, as the characters grew together with the show, the audience/fandom and with the team creating it, it just blossomed and the characters built a life they never expected. Oh, and many of those same people are working on Voltron~

Ninja mullet finds his true love

Straight from the spunky and lovable voice actor for Pidge, Bex Taylor-Klaus posted this while watching Keith find Shiro for the first time in ages in S01:E01 - The Rise of Voltron. Of course, we were quite excited to see this.

Bonus:

While this one didn’t quite catch on, it’s still pretty freaking precious. Sadly I could not find the original link to these.

Patience Yields Focus

This is a phrase that pops up quite a bit through the series. Each time delivered from Shiro as though this has been advice he’s given to Keith over and over, probably beginning from back when he worked with Keith in the Garrison. While it’s a lovely and wise quote all on it’s own, it’s most notable because of:

This scene. In S02:E1: Across the Universe, Keith brings this up as he is searching for Shiro to come to his friend’s aid. When he hears Keith use this line, Shiro’s asks “That really stayed with you didn’t it?” His tone and expression implying that this meant quite a lot to him. THIS then led immediately to our next awesome quote:

If it wasn’t for you, my life would’ve been a lot different

Immediately following Shiro’s amused surprise that Keith kept his wisdom with him for so long, Keith replies with this. From what we know, Shiro has been Keith’s mentor, best friend, sole supporter, and guiding light for as long as he’s known him. Even if it had never been meant to be romantic, the sheer warmth in Keith’s tone reveals a deep affection for just how important in his life Shiro has been to him.

This one’s for you, Shiro

Forced to take the reigns of the Black Lion to keep Team Voltron going, Keith utters this vow before he charges in. Giving the touching moments leading to him taking up of mantle of the Head of Voltron, the fact that everything he does in what he rightfully believes is Shiro’s place, he does for Shiro is heartbreakingly touching. No matter what, Shiro is never far from Keith’s thoughts and he guides his actions from his heart.

Shiro is the one person who never gave up on me. I won’t give up on him.

Facing the loss of his best friend yet again, Keith dedicates himself to finding Shiro who had been lost to the vastness of space at the end of the epic showdown with the villain Zarkon from S02:E13- Blackout and said this line in S03:E01 - Changing of the Guard. Heartbroken, Keith sees the other Paladins of Voltron working their hardest to move on even without Shiro at their fore, and in his pain he assumes they’ve forgotten him. When Princess Allura suggests that it is finally time that they look for a new Black Paladin, Keith staunchly refuses to even consider the idea and lashes out. While we’ve seen many hints at just how important Shiro is to Keith, hearing something so honest and direct was very sobering. As this thankfully worked out in the end, it’s less somber than it was, though no less meaningful.

And, at this moment, your friend desperately wants to see you

In S02:E08- The Blade of Marmora, Keith undergoes a trial as the result of the Galra fighters discovering that Keith himself owns a Galra blade having once belonged to one of their own. The trial is as much physically brutal and exhausting as it is mentally so. Watching over the trial, the leader explains to Shiro that the suit Keith wears will put him through another part of the trial, showing his greatest hopes and fears. With this quote, it was revealed just how deeply Keith adored Shiro and just how much he feared abandonment from him. When the false Shiro hologram turns his back on him, Keith is prepared to give up everything to keep him from leaving, even if that means losing his chance to discover his past. The word ‘desperately’ really struck a chord along with the rest of the episode, showing just how unwavering Keith’s commitment to Shiro was. And when the real Shiro came to Keith’s side, prepared to fight off the entirety of the Blades to see his friend to safety, we knew the feeling was mutual.

How many times are you gonna to have to save me before this is over? / As many times as it takes

S03:E06 - Tailing a Comet -When a wounded, exhausted, confused, and demoralized Shiro is finally brought back after his mysterious disappearance he shares another quietly intimate moment with Keith. Checking up on his friend’s wellbeing, Keith tells him that the rest of the team would love to see them when he is able, the silence that follows feeling heavy with words he won’t add to it. When he finally turns to leave, Shiro somberly asks Keith just how many times he will have to save him before their fight is finally over. After a quiet pause, Keith smiles and answers him. “As man times as it takes.”

This was actually the quote that inspired me to finally work over my shyness and make a blog. I had been silently rooting for Sheith in the background for ages. But this just really tipped me over the edge. Keith and Shiro’s relationship was never loudly proclaimed or thrown around with flowers and parades. It was this quiet constant, that was always present. They had been through so much together and through countless battles, loss and struggles, their unwavering and mutual commitment to each other was honestly humbling. And that made this scene / quote all the more special for it.

Beloved Mentor / Nothing was worth Shiro’s pain /Guiding Light

Actually for this, I’d like to turn to one of the awesome meta writers for our fandom @dent-de-leon (I highly recommend following them if you want to see some quality content. I know I’ve really appreciated their insight and jived with what they say!)

Dent-de-leon has an amazing master post that they made with a TON of the interview and inside quotes we’ve gotten from all of the amazing people behind Voltron. As I feel it would be a disservice to the awesome post and the time that went into hunting all those bits plus the sources down, I’d like to just link you to it HERE!

You made a promise to me once. You told me you’d never give up on me

Ohhhh boy, we got a lot from S06:E05 - The Black Paladins. When Kuron, the clone of Shiro who is essentially Shiro in nearly every aspect is controlled by Haggar in an attempt to rid their presence through mutual destruction, we are treated to some of the most heartwrenching scenes we have seen throughout the entire series.

Forced to fight his beloved friend in what could have been a fight to the death, Keith never once gives up on him.

In an attempt to shake Shiro out of his mind control, Keith reminds him of the promise he made to Keith long ago.

I love you

I don’t think I’d ever seen a love triumphs over evil trope so potently built up and displayed. With an absolutely heartbreaking performance, Steven Yeun had most of us staring dumbfounded at the tv/monitor wondering if we had just hallucinated. I personally have watched this over and over and even after the millionth time it still makes my chest ache. At the very end of his rope and facing destruction at the hands of his most beloved friend in the whole universe, Keith bares his heart and we mourned with him just as much as we celebrated something so beautiful.

I will never give up on you, but more importantly, you can’t give up on yourself

When Keith and Shiro are falling to what appears to be their demise, we see something that most of us has been excitedly imagining for years. It’s been clear how important Shiro has been to Keith all his life, especially at the Garrison and there are so many amazing headcanons, comics, and other gorgeous pieces of art depicting what the fans have dreamed up to their lives before Voltron. All we know is that something powerful and meaningful had to happen to inspire so much loyalty and love from someone like Keith. During this scene we see Shiro offer his vow of his own commitment, but also of how important he finds it for Keith to believe in himself as well. This has been a constant theme between the two since the first episode. And seeing this sent most of us into a whole new wave of tears after the initial shock of “I love you.”

You found me

S06:E06 - All Good Things. With multiple threats ended, the ultimate sacrifice of the Castle of Lions to save the universe and the knowledge that Shiro’s spirit has been in the Black Lion and that we’re left with the fading body of the clone that fought Keith, all things seem to be hanging on a thread. But with the clone essentially being Shiro with the exception of the mind control and Shiro’s spirit still without a body, Allura demonstrates the amazing and mystic power of her Altean heritage and recovers Shiro’s spirit, placing it inside the clones body and finally uniting them body, soul, mind, and memories all together into a single entity. Calling back all the way to Season 3 when Keith vehemently vowed that he would find Shiro, to when he breathlessly whispered “you found him” to the Black Lion when Kuron was fading in his dying breaths, Shiro brings everything back full circle. Cradled in Keith’s arms, Shiro leans into him and softly tells him. “You found me.”

Cue the crying all over again.

You’re Everything to Me

And after this long and wonderful journey, we’ve received yet another beautiful quote from the team. In an interview with the Main Story Editor Josh Hamilton today from the Let’s Voltron official podcast. He quotes:

Q: So a lot of people were asking, he says “you’re my brother.” A lot of people were saying is that literal brother or is that just a you know, brotherly figure?

JH: It’s–a lot of the time the words don’t matter, it’s like the way you say it. You know what I mean? It’s like, he says you’re my brother, you know, and when he does eventually say “I love you,” those words matter. It’s like “you know you’re my brother, you’re everything to me.” You know, that brotherly love. So it’s hard for him. But no, literally? I hope I’m not spoiling anything, but no.

—-

I think that says it all here. What a gift. I know that scene in the Black Paladins meant a lot to many of us. But hearing this just left me absolutely speechless. In the best of ways. Tears of victory!

And with the hint that we will be finding out more about Shiro and Keith’s past in the Garrison along with all of the events leading up to here, you can bet we’re all eagerly awaiting what we’ll see in Season 7.

But man, it’s been so, so worth it. For many of us, these two mean so much more than just a simple story. And that in it of itself is quite the gift.

Thank you Anon for inspiring me to put this together. It was a wonderful way to spend my night

[sleemo]

John Boyega: ‘It will never be just a job’

The Star Wars actor talks about swapping south London for a galaxy far, far away. 

— The Sunday Times Magazine (Dec 16, 2017)

John Boyega auditioned for seven months to land a role in the biggest film franchise of them all. Now he’s the most loved ex-stormtrooper in the galaxy. The Star Wars actor tells Ben Hoyle about growing up in south London, sofa surfing in Los Angeles to save money – and making it as a world-famous star and producer by the age of 25

You knew that John Boyega was different as soon as he dived over the back of his agent’s sofa. 

It was October 20, 2015, and the young south Londoner was catching his first glimpse of the full-length trailer for Star Wars: the Force Awakens. The film would be the first in the franchise since Disney paid George Lucas $4 billion for the company, Lucasfilm, that owned Star Wars. The trailer was a masterpiece of blockbuster marketing. Around the world Star Wars devotees swooned at a silver-haired Han Solo hugging a weeping Princess Leia, at Darth Vader’s crumpled mask, at R2-D2, Chewbacca and the Millennium Falcon all being back in action. Everything was meticulously planned and choreographed to provoke the biggest possible global emotional response.

Everything, except for Boyega’s reaction to the trailer. That was what made it so appealing. In the video, which the actor posted to Instagram and which has racked up more than one million views on YouTube, Boyega is tense at first, sitting on a sofa in someone’s living room with his arms folded and his eyes intently on the screen, breathing heavily. 

A minute in he shouts, “Come on!” and then starts nodding, increasingly vigorously, as glimpses of scenes unfold. Then he’s saying, “Yep, yep, yep,” repeatedly, until the trailer gets to the point where his character, Finn, takes guard with a lightsaber. At this point, Boyega bursts into a yell of triumph, pumps both fists and rolls over the back of the sofa in delight while the friend sitting next to him roars with joy and disbelief.

The shouting didn’t last long though, a grinning Boyega says on the eve of the release of the next film in the series, Star Wars: the Last Jedi. “I was in my agent’s apartment and his missus was like, ‘Keep the noise down,’” he says, doing a high-pitched, unimpressed voice. “It was a great moment, but after that you just ... watch it again. And again. And again.”

All those YouTube views were you, then? “Yeah, yeah!” He starts laughing. “Exactly!”

I meet the world’s most famous Anglo-Nigerian former stormtrooper in a hotel in Los Angeles. A whole floor of the hotel has been decked out in Star Wars memorabilia ranging from the obvious (action figures, cuddly toys) to Darth Vader pyjamas for dogs. You are left in no doubt that much more is at stake here than simply making a good or bad film: it’s a movie that is almost certain to be the most successful film of the year and quite likely to be one of the biggest of all time.

This year Boyega has been on the cover of Vanity Fair, Variety and GQ and been named one of Time magazine’s Next Generation Leaders. A few nights ago he was on The Tonight Show, showing off his Michael Jackson dance moves for Jimmy Fallon. At 25, Boyega is no longer the newcomer that he was the last time he took a spin around the Star Wars promotional circuit. 

He is famous enough to have caused a small scandal among more easily outraged Star Wars fans by grinding with a skimpily dressed performer at the Notting Hill Carnival this summer – and confident enough to have, quite rightly, shrugged it off. He tends to speak his mind, slapping down Samuel L Jackson on Twitter for suggesting that black British actors do not “really feel” the hardship of the African-American experience as “a stupid ass conflict that we don’t have time for”. In May, The Times hailed his “very fine and distressingly good performance” in the title role of Woyzeck at the Old Vic.

As well as acting, he has become a producer on Pacific Rim Uprising, out next year, in which he also stars. And he’s just appeared in The Hollywood Reporter with Tom Hanks and Gary Oldman in a discussion with likely Oscar contenders. (Boyega has been critically lauded for his performance in Detroit, set during the city’s 1967 riot.) In other words, he’s a fully fledged movie star these days.

The door opens and I’m ushered into Boyega’s presence. All I can see is a pair of box-fresh white trainers and some black trousers lurking under a huge dark rectangle. There is silence in the room. For a few moments it’s as if I have stumbled into a new performance art phase of his relentless career advance.

Then, with a briefly weary look, the actor puts down the mounted Star Wars promotional poster that he’d been examining from his white leather chair, offers me his hand and switches on his big interview grin.

Boyega is 5ft 9in, stockily built with a powerful physical presence, a Peckham accent and a boisterous personality that probably fills most rooms that he enters. It doesn’t take him long to warm up.

He looks lean and muscular today beneath his blue and white Valentino jacket. Handily, he has a body that bursts with muscles as soon as he starts working on it, he says. But he is quite happy to let himself go a bit for a role too, as he did with Detroit. He likes being “chubby”.

“I just like delicious carbs,” he says, beaming. “I like diversity in many ways. And one thing I’ve always been aware of is diversity in character and shape. There’s a view of perfection on the screen constantly being fed to us, and you look at the heroes in real life and you’re like, there should be more of a difference there.”

Before long he’s leaning forward, furrowing his brows and gripping an imaginary lightsaber, ready for battle. Laughing at himself, but also serious, he is explaining why that instant in The Force Awakens trailer meant so much to him.

“Watching myself with the lightsaber. When you’re on set it’s not as epic. That specific moment of it lighting up, yeah? You hold it and then the cameras roll, and then they go, ‘Action!’ and then the director shouts, ‘Er ... Ignite!’ and then they pause. They swap out the saber for the lit one and someone runs in [he acts out this part], puts it in your hand, and then you have to just go, ‘Grrrrrrr.’ [Here he snaps back into his fight pose and grimaces.] It’s still illuminated, ’cos Dan Mindel [director of photography on The Force Awakens] uses the sabers to make the face pop. So he remotely controls the levels of the sabers. When you crash them together, they turn white. It’s cool. They can change the colours of your saber. And I always ask him, ‘Do my rainbow one,’ in between takes.”

Boyega starts swiping the air with his imaginary lightsaber, chuckling and adding his own sound effects, as a six-year-old boy might: “Wooowoooohoooohoooo!”

The trailer was also special because Boyega is an unabashed fanboy himself. “I’d grown up wanting to be in major Hollywood films and I was the type of person to always check to see what new trailers were on YouTube and to watch B-rolls [extra, usually soundless footage shot to illustrate a story]. I buy DVDs so I can watch the special features. Marketing [of big films] is something that has always intrigued me. So it was like endless curiosity ... Then to be involved in it, for me, it was like: this is nuts!

“I don’t think it will ever feel like just a job. And that’s also me just kind of trying to draw some lessons from watching Mark, Harrison and Carrie [Hamill, Ford and Fisher].” Making Star Wars films becomes all-consuming, he says. “You go into isolation. You go into Pinewood [studios], and we make the movies. And then when the movies are cooking, there’s a quietness. And when the movies are coming out, there is always going to be that natural thing of, now we get the audience involved – you know, to see what we’ve got.”

What he really loves is making the films. “The collaborating of people is something special. That collaboration, where for six, seven months you’re part of one family, coming in every day, filming different scenes ... That to me is where I feel at home. It’s not interviews, it’s not red-carpet stuff. It’s the real deal where it’s acting, it’s technique, it’s craft. It’s great.”

Shooting can be hilarious, though. “Saying all this serious stuff, looking up and then pushing buttons that don’t exist,” he laughs. “I remember when we were filming the gunner sequence in The Force Awakens, I’m shooting, and JJ Abrams, the director, is like, ‘Uh, John, can you push more buttons? Please? It just makes you look more important.’”

Then there was the day Princes William and Harry visited the set of The Last Jedi and dressed up for cameos as stormtroopers. “It was definitely random to meet them. But, then I thought, ‘Well, we are filming it in the UK. Why wouldn’t we have royal approval?’”

Returning to the Star Wars circuit for a second time “feels different”. He knows what to expect this time round. “It just gets real loud.” He finds himself thinking, “Just release the film, man! We want people to go see it.”

When The Force Awakens came out Boyega went to New York to surprise fans at cinemas across the city and then flew home to London to make further unannounced appearances at screenings in Peckham, Greenwich and Brixton.

“I stayed in the city, in London, just to witness everything going crazy. Now I’m going on holiday – time for some separation. I’m going to Nigeria and the Caribbean.”

Surely you can’t get away from Star Wars – even there? “Oh, in Nigeria and the Caribbean you can ... to a certain extent. ’Cos they put a Nigerian in Star Wars, Nigerians are like, ‘We’re gonna go see it.’ But the role is secondary – it’s more about who you are, your family. And then it’s like, ‘Oh, he is also in that Star Wars film.’”

Boyega was born in Camberwell to first-generation immigrant Nigerian parents, nine years after Return of the Jedi came out. He grew up on a council estate in nearby Peckham. His father, Samson, was a Pentecostal preacher and also a “massive Bruce Willis fan”. His mother, Abigail, worked with disabled children. He has two older sisters: Blessing, a train driver and beauty blogger, and Grace, who works as his assistant. The family had “struggles”, which is why money matters “the most” to him now. “We’ve come a very long way,” he says, proudly.

At 17, the age that Boyega was when he started acting seriously, “my dad was on the streets in Africa, selling food to random drivers and farming part-time. My mum used to sell water and sausages on the street. So finances, financial stability, is something that’s important for my family.” 

He recently bought his parents a house. Do they still work? “Oh, I told them to stop all that.” Samson still preaches, “But the ministry has changed, in the sense that now I give him funds to be able to go and change other people’s lives. My mum and dad travel to Nigeria with their charity and they give water, toilet and educational facilities to neighbouring villages.”

Boyega has always bristled at media efforts to paint his life as the rags-to-riches fable of a boy who escaped the supposedly mean streets of Peckham to scale the heights of Hollywood.

“They went to town on that, and that was hilarious,” he says, not laughing. A while ago a newspaper ran a profile of him suggesting that he grew up surrounded by drugs, violence and gang life. He skewered it with a brusque tweet: “Inaccurate. Stereotypical. NOT my story.”

He does not want to clarify how well he knew Damilola Taylor, the ten-year-old Nigerian boy who went to his school and who was stabbed to death on the North Peckham estate in 2000. “That for me is personal,” he says with finality. But Damilola’s father, Richard Taylor, whom Boyega invited to the London premiere of The Force Awakens, has said, “Damilola and John and Grace were so close.” They were walking home with him on the day that he died, according to Taylor. Of all his friends, “They were the last to see him.”

Despite that tragedy, Boyega loved his youth and remembers it as full of culture and opportunity. “I had a fantastic childhood,” he has said. “I was exposed to a world of dance, tap, musical theatre. I performed at the Royal Albert Hall when I was 13.”

He joined Theatre Peckham, a programme for talented children, and studied performing arts at South Thames College. A small role in a prison drama at the Tricycle Theatre in Kilburn led to a lead part in 2011’s Attack the Block, Joe Cornish’s cult British sci-fi comedy. From the moment that a menacing Boyega appeared on screen, mugging a young nurse on her way home from work one night and then, seconds later, fighting for his life with an alien that has burst out of a car glove compartment, it was clear that he had both a magnetic talent and a gift for making the most outlandish material seem convincing.

He dropped out of his BA in film studies at the University of Greenwich after seeing Johnny Depp shooting a Pirates of the Caribbean film on campus. He realised he wanted to do that, and wasn’t getting any closer to it in the classroom.

Finding good acting jobs in Britain hard to come by, he started going to America looking for a break. He was 19. He stayed in West Hollywood for a while but ran out of money and “ended up sleeping on a sofa in Inglewood [a predominantly black neighbourhood], with a family there. They’re still like my family. It gives you perspective on many, many things. And they were a black-conscious family. So there were DVDs we were watching, and obviously lectures, talking about the black community, black finance.” He still visits them “all the time” and appreciates having a reference point to keep him grounded. “But to be honest, because of my background, because of the way I am and how I grew up, it’s what I attract. It’s what my universe attracts. I attract the folk that grew up the way I did. I can relate.”

In 2012 Boyega was in Los Angeles working on a Spike Lee pilot for a TV boxing drama that never got made. He had a meeting with Bryan Burk, the co-founder with JJ Abrams of the production company Bad Robot. Burk thought that Boyega was “fantastic” in Attack the Block and in person found him to be “as friendly as he is talented”. While Boyega was at the office he bumped into Abrams, who was walking out of an editing suite with Tom Cruise. He recalled in an Instagram post last year how he “mentally slowed down their epic two-man walk” and set it to a Jay-Z song in his head. Abrams knew him, too, said he had also loved Attack the Block and promised to get him a part “in something”. The post contains Boyega’s response: “Thanks mate and sure (fully not believing a word this man said).”

But Burk and Abrams did keep him in their thoughts. Casting The Force Awakens, they brought his name up “early on”. In Boyega’s second audition “the magic was right there”, Burk says. But the process took seven months of auditions. Boyega, being Boyega, “felt like I was gonna get the part, because they kept on bringing me back too many times”. At the end of the 7 months, he spent his last £70 on a 45-minute taxi ride to meet Abrams in Mayfair and discover his fate. He was now a bit nervous but still filmed the whole journey so he would be able to remember what life felt like before his world possibly changed for ever.

His casting led to racist abuse. Boyega refused to be cowed. “I’m proud of my heritage, and no man can take that away from me. I wasn’t raised to fear people with a difference of opinion. They are merely victims of a disease in their mind,” he later told The New York Times. “I’m grounded in who I am, and I am a confident black man.”

On set it swiftly became apparent he was also a fan let loose in the Star Wars universe. “When we did the film,” says Burk, “most of us were fans stepping into that world.” But Boyega was much less embarrassed about it. “My fondest memory of him was on Harrison’s last day of shooting. He had an enormous Han Solo action figure, 2ft tall – Harrison in his stormtrooper outfit in the original film. He had Harrison sign it. I think all of us actually were thinking, ‘Why didn’t we bring our Han Solo action figures in for Harrison to sign?’” 

Even now Boyega looks wide-eyed remembering “the room would stop” when Ford, Fisher and Hamill were interacting with each other. 

Hamill was the one Boyega directed his “nerd questions” to, because, “He will give you detail. It’s cool to hear his experiences.” Boyega, who still plays Star Wars video games, admires Hamill so much that on days when he was not shooting on The Last Jedi he would often go in anyway just to watch Hamill act.

Fisher stunned him early on by inviting him to come and stay with her in Beverly Hills. “I remember saying, ‘Carrie, that’s very generous, but like, we just met each other. I’m not just gonna come and stay in your guest house.” He regrets saying no, because going to stay with the famously hard-living Fisher would have been “pretty darn fun”. She died in December last year when Boyega was on a boat in Nigeria celebrating his parents’ wedding anniversary. The whole family was distraught. “It was a shocker,” he says. 

Of all the original principals, though, it is Ford who seems to have made the biggest impression, and not just because Han Solo was Boyega’s favourite character growing up. 

“Everyone has a fear of Harrison that I quite like,” he says, laughing. “He’s actually really chill.” On the last promotional tour Ford asked Boyega to show him somewhere local to eat in London. Boyega took him to 805, a Nigerian restaurant next to a Ladbrokes on the Old Kent Road. They sat by the bar and had fruit cocktails, soup made with pounded yam and jollof rice with plantain.

“Loads of people came around him and he was chill ... We were waiting for our car to pull up, and there were Nigerian men outside drinking and going [he puts on a strong Nigerian accent], ‘Oh, Harrison, good to see you.’ At his level of stardom, it’s nice to see that example and know that it’s my choice to keep a level of normality, to be able to be brave enough to go to a restaurant and to have a great time regardless.”

Ford also proved more able than the other two to carve out a major acting career beyond Star Wars, something that Boyega is already doing. “If you wait for the trilogy to be over there’s more convincing to do. Whereas, if you do other roles around Star Wars, the audience gets used to seeing you in different things.”

In Detroit Boyega has one of the larger roles in an ensemble drama – a harrowing portrait of racial tension in Sixties America. Boyega says Detroit proved “the audience believed me in something serious, ’cos I was worried that they’re going to be like, ‘What’s Finn doin’ over here?’ Nobody had that reaction to me. That really brought my blood pressure down.” 

The film paints a portrait of black life in Detroit at the time, pushing beyond simple “ghetto” stereotypes in just the same way that Boyega wants people to understand that there is more to Peckham than urban blight. “Sometimes we like to simplify things in the world just to process them more easily, and sometimes we need to be careful with that.” 

He still lives in south London, where he shares a flat with a roommate. “One thing I like is to go back to my local off-licence. The owner of the store has the Star Wars posters up, so I see that every single time I go. I’m like, ‘Boss, man.’ He’s like, ‘Oh, you’re back!’” The shop is Khan’s Bargain on Rye Lane. “Go get some stuff there, guys!” Boyega says, leaning over my Dictaphone. “He’s got my favourite childhood sweets. They’re like 39p; you get 3 for £1. If it goes over £1, man, I’m gonna be like, ‘You gotta be taking the piss!’ When I’m back home and I’m hanging out with my friends, we hang out the way we always hang out. And I’m gonna need sweets.” 

Is there anything he can’t do any more? Not really. He has always been a “homebody” and had sought out privacy long before he was famous. “When I was 16, I was like, ‘I can’t be getting on public transport no more, man.’ I already wanted to be in my own car, play my music, having my AC on.” 

He has bigger ambitions now. Bryan Burk says that he’s “100 per cent” sure that Boyega can become a successful producer and be “a lot more than just a leading man. I see him really putting his imprint on all types of movies.” 

But first there are celebrations to plan. Four of them. Boyega is throwing “three massive parties” in Nigeria over Christmas and a friend is helping to organise a costume party for him, his family and friends in Britain. The theme will be “villains only”. Can people come as a stormtrooper then? “Yeah, definitely. Come as whoever you want to come as.” 

So does he own a stormtrooper outfit? John Boyega, the first actor ever to portray these armoured warriors with humanity, looks horrified at the very idea.

“I would never carry that home. It just reminds me of getting chipped in the armpit by the plastic.” He pauses for a beat. “But a helmet I am dying to have.”

[bakwoodzman-blog]

The Daily Sheeple Dial T for Tyranny: While America Feuds, the Police State Shifts Into High Gear

“Big Brother does not watch us, by his choice. We watch him, by ours. There is no need for wardens or gates or Ministries of Truth. When a population becomes distracted by trivia, when cultural life is redefined as a perpetual round of entertainments, when serious public conversation becomes a form of baby-talk, when, in short, a people become an audience and their public business a vaudeville act, then a nation finds itself at risk; a culture-death is a clear possibility.” — Professor Neil Postman, Amusing Ourselves to Death: Discourse in the Age of Show Business

What characterizes American government today is not so much dysfunctional politics as it is ruthlessly contrived governance carried out behind the entertaining, distracting and disingenuous curtain of political theater. And what political theater it is, diabolically Shakespearean at times, full of sound and fury, yet in the end, signifying nothing.

Played out on the national stage and eagerly broadcast to a captive audience by media sponsors, this farcical exercise in political theater can, at times, seem riveting, life-changing and suspenseful, even for those who know better.

Week after week, the script changes—Donald Trump’s Tweets, Robert Mueller’s Russia probe, Michael Cohen’s legal troubles, porn star Stormy Daniels’ lawsuit over an alleged past affair with Trump, Michelle Wolf’s tasteless stand-up routine at the White House correspondents’ dinner, North and South Korea’s détente, the ongoing staff shakeups within the Trump administration—with each new script following on the heels of the last, never any let-up, never any relief from the constant melodrama.

The players come and go, the protagonists and antagonists trade places, and the audience members are forgiving to a fault, quick to forget past mistakes and move on to the next spectacle.

All the while, a different kind of drama is unfolding in the dark backstage, hidden from view by the heavy curtain, the elaborate stage sets, colored lights and parading actors.

Such that it is, the realm of political theater with all of its drama, vitriol and scripted theatrics is what passes for “transparent” government today, with elected officials, entrusted to act in the best interests of their constituents, routinely performing for their audiences and playing up to the cameras, while doing very little to move the country forward.

Yet behind the footlights, those who really run the show are putting into place policies which erode our freedoms and undermine our attempts at contributing to the workings of our government, leaving us none the wiser and bereft of any opportunity to voice our discontent or engage in any kind of discourse until it’s too late.

It’s the oldest con game in the books, the magician’s sleight of hand that keeps you focused on the shell game in front of you while your wallet is being picked clean by ruffians in your midst.

Indeed, while mainstream America has been fixated on the drama-filled reality show being televised from the White House, the American Police State has moved steadily forward.

Set against a backdrop of government surveillance, militarized police, SWAT team raids, asset forfeiture, eminent domain, overcriminalization, armed surveillance drones, whole body scanners, stop and frisk searches, roving VIPR raids and the like—all of which have been sanctioned by Congress, the White House and the courts—our constitutional freedoms have been steadily chipped away at, undermined, eroded, whittled down, and generally discarded.

Our losses are mounting with every passing day.

Free speech, the right to protest, the right to challenge government wrongdoing, due process, a presumption of innocence, the right to self-defense, accountability and transparency in government, privacy, press, sovereignty, assembly, bodily integrity, representative government: all of these and more have become casualties in the government’s war on the American people.

All the while, the American people have been treated like enemy combatants, to be spied on, tracked, scanned, frisked, searched, subjected to all manner of intrusions, intimidated, invaded, raided, manhandled, censored, silenced, shot at, locked up, and denied due process.

None of these dangers have dissipated.

They have merely disappeared from our televised news streams.

The new boss has proven to be the same as the old boss, and the American people, the permanent underclass in America, has allowed itself to be so distracted and divided that they have failed to notice the building blocks of tyranny being laid down right under their noses by the architects of the Deep State.

Frankly, it really doesn’t matter what you call the old/new boss—the Deep State, the Controllers, the masterminds, the shadow government, the police state, the surveillance state, the military industrial complex—so long as you understand that no matter who occupies the White House, it is a profit-driven, an unelected bureaucracy that is actually calling the shots.

In the interest of liberty and truth, here’s an A-to-Z primer to spell out the grim realities of life in the American Police State that no one is talking about anymore.

A is for the AMERICAN POLICE STATE. A police state “is characterized by bureaucracy, secrecy, perpetual wars, a nation of suspects, militarization, surveillance, widespread police presence, and a citizenry with little recourse against police actions.”

B is for our battered BILL OF RIGHTS. In the cop culture that is America today, where you can be kicked, punched, tasered, shot, intimidated, harassed, stripped, searched, brutalized, terrorized, wrongfully arrested, and even killed by a police officer, and that officer is rarely held accountable for violating your rights, the Bill of Rights doesn’t amount to much.

C is for CIVIL ASSET FORFEITURE. This governmental scheme to deprive Americans of their liberties—namely, the right to property—is being carried out under the guise of civil asset forfeiture, a government practice wherein government agents (usually the police) seize private property they “suspect” may be connected to criminal activity. Then, whether or not any crime is actually proven to have taken place, the government keeps the citizen’s property.

D is for DRONES. It is estimated that at least 30,000 drones will be airborne in American airspace by 2020, part of an $80 billion industry. Although some drones will be used for benevolent purposes, many will also be equipped with lasers, tasers and scanning devices, among other weapons—all aimed at “we the people.”

E is for ELECTRONIC CONCENTRATION CAMP. In the electronic concentration camp, as I have dubbed the surveillance state, all aspects of a person’s life are policed by government agents and all citizens are suspects, their activities monitored and regulated, their movements tracked, their communications spied upon, and their lives, liberties and pursuit of happiness dependent on the government’s say-so.

F is for FUSION CENTERS. Fusion centers, data collecting agencies spread throughout the country and aided by the National Security Agency, serve as a clearinghouse for information shared between state, local and federal agencies. These fusion centers constantly monitor our communications, everything from our internet activity and web searches to text messages, phone calls and emails. This data is then fed to government agencies, which are now interconnected: the CIA to the FBI, the FBI to local police.

G is for GRENADE LAUNCHERS and GLOBAL POLICE. The federal government has distributed more than $18 billion worth of battlefield-appropriate military weapons, vehicles and equipment such as drones, tanks, and grenade launchers to domestic police departments across the country. As a result, most small-town police forces now have enough firepower to render any citizen resistance futile. Now take those small-town police forces, train them to look and act like the military, and then enlist them to be part of the United Nations’ Strong Cities Network program, and you not only have a standing army that operates beyond the reach of the Constitution but one that is part of a global police force.

H is for HOLLOW-POINT BULLETS. The government’s efforts to militarize and weaponize its agencies and employees is reaching epic proportions, with federal agencies as varied as the Department of Homeland Security and the Social Security Administration stockpiling millions of lethal hollow-point bullets, which violate international law. Ironically, while the government continues to push for stricter gun laws for the general populace, the U.S. military’s arsenal of weapons makes the average American’s handgun look like a Tinker Toy.

I is for the INTERNET OF THINGS, in which internet-connected “things” will monitor your home, your health and your habits in order to keep your pantry stocked, your utilities regulated and your life under control and relatively worry-free. The key word here, however, is control. This “connected” industry propels us closer to a future where police agencies apprehend virtually anyone if the government “thinks” they may commit a crime, driverless cars populate the highways, and a person’s biometrics are constantly scanned and used to track their movements, target them for advertising, and keep them under perpetual surveillance.

J is for JAILING FOR PROFIT. Having outsourced their inmate population to private prisons run by private corporations, this profit-driven form of mass punishment has given rise to a $70 billion private prison industry that relies on the complicity of state governments to keep their privately run prisons full by jailing large numbers of Americans for inane crimes.

K is for KENTUCKY V. KING. In an 8-1 ruling, the Supreme Court ruled that police officers can break into homes, without a warrant, even if it’s the wrong home as long as they think they have a reason to do so. Despite the fact that the police in question ended up pursuing the wrong suspect, invaded the wrong apartment and violated just about every tenet that stands between us and a police state, the Court sanctioned the warrantless raid, leaving Americans with little real protection in the face of all manner of abuses by law enforcement officials.

L is for LICENSE PLATE READERS, which enable law enforcement and private agencies to track the whereabouts of vehicles, and their occupants, all across the country. This data collected on tens of thousands of innocent people is also being shared between police agencies, as well as with fusion centers and private companies. This puts Big Brother in the driver’s seat.

M is for MAIN CORE. Since the 1980s, the U.S. government has acquired and maintained, without warrant or court order, a database of names and information on Americans considered to be threats to the nation. As Salon reports, this database, reportedly dubbed “Main Core,” is to be used by the Army and FEMA in times of national emergency or under martial law to locate and round up Americans seen as threats to national security. As of 2008, there were some 8 million Americans in the Main Core database.

N is for NO-KNOCK RAIDS. Owing to the militarization of the nation’s police forces, SWAT teams are now increasingly being deployed for routine police matters. In fact, more than 80,000 of these paramilitary raids are carried out every year. That translates to more than 200 SWAT team raids every day in which police crash through doors, damage private property, terrorize adults and children alike, kill family pets, assault or shoot anyone that is perceived as threatening—and all in the pursuit of someone merely suspected of a crime, usually possession of some small amount of drugs.

O is for OVERCRIMINALIZATION and OVERREGULATION. Thanks to an overabundance of 4500-plus federal crimes and 400,000 plus rules and regulations, it’s estimated that the average American actually commits three felonies a day without knowing it. As a result of this overcriminalization, we’re seeing an uptick in Americans being arrested and jailed for such absurd “violations” as letting their kids play at a park unsupervised, collecting rainwater and snow runoff on their own property, growing vegetables in their yard, and holding Bible studies in their living room.

P is for PATHOCRACY and PRECRIME. When our own government treats us as things to be manipulated, maneuvered, mined for data, manhandled by police, mistreated, and then jailed in profit-driven private prisons if we dare step out of line, we are no longer operating under a constitutional republic. Instead, what we are experiencing is a pathocracy: tyranny at the hands of a psychopathic government, which “operates against the interests of its own people except for favoring certain groups.” Couple that with the government’s burgeoning precrime programs, which will use fusion centers, data collection agencies, behavioral scientists, corporations, social media, and community organizers and by relying on cutting-edge technology for surveillance, facial recognition, predictive policing, biometrics, and behavioral epigenetics in order to identify and deter so-called potential “extremists,” dissidents or rabble-rousers. Bear in mind that anyone seen as opposing the government—whether they’re Left, Right or somewhere in between—is now viewed as an extremist.

Q is for QUALIFIED IMMUNITY. Qualified immunity allows officers to walk away without paying a dime for their wrongdoing. Conveniently, those deciding whether a police officer should be immune from having to personally pay for misbehavior on the job all belong to the same system, all cronies with a vested interest in protecting the police and their infamous code of silence: city and county attorneys, police commissioners, city councils and judges.

R is for ROADSIDE STRIP SEARCHES and BLOOD DRAWS. The courts have increasingly erred on the side of giving government officials—especially the police—vast discretion in carrying out strip searches, blood draws and even anal probes for a broad range of violations, no matter how minor the offense. In the past, strip searches were resorted to only in exceptional circumstances where police were confident that a serious crime was in progress. In recent years, however, strip searches have become routine operating procedures in which everyone is rendered a suspect and, as such, is subjected to treatment once reserved for only the most serious of criminals.

S is for the SURVEILLANCE STATE. On any given day, the average American going about his daily business will be monitored, surveilled, spied on and tracked in more than 20 different ways, by both government and corporate eyes and ears. A byproduct of this new age in which we live, whether you’re walking through a store, driving your car, checking email, or talking to friends and family on the phone, you can be sure that some government agency, whether the NSA or some other entity, is listening in and tracking your behavior. This doesn’t even begin to touch on the corporate trackers that monitor your purchases, web browsing, Facebook posts and other activities taking place in the cyber sphere.

T is for TASERS. Nonlethal weapons such as tasers, stun guns, rubber pellets and the like have been used by police as weapons of compliance more often and with less restraint—even against women and children—and in some instances, even causing death. These “nonlethal” weapons also enable police to aggress with the push of a button, making the potential for overblown confrontations over minor incidents that much more likely. A Taser Shockwave, for instance, can electrocute a crowd of people at the touch of a button.

U is for UNARMED CITIZENS SHOT BY POLICE. No longer is it unusual to hear about incidents in which police shoot unarmed individuals first and ask questions later, often attributed to a fear for their safety. Yet the fatality rate of on-duty patrol officers is reportedly far lower than many other professions, including construction, logging, fishing, truck driving, and even trash collection.

V is for VIPR SQUADS. So-called “soft target” security inspections, carried out by roving VIPR task forces, comprised of federal air marshals, surface transportation security inspectors, transportation security officers, behavior detection officers and explosive detection canine teams, are taking place whenever and wherever the government deems appropriate, at random times and places, and without needing the justification of a particular threat.

W is for WHOLE-BODY SCANNERS. Using either x-ray radiation or radio waves, scanning devices and government mobile units are being used not only to “see” through your clothes but to spy on you within the privacy of your home. While these mobile scanners are being sold to the American public as necessary security and safety measures, we can ill afford to forget that such systems are rife with the potential for abuse, not only by government bureaucrats but by the technicians employed to operate them.

X is for X-KEYSCORE, one of the many spying programs carried out by the National Security Agency that targets every person in the United States who uses a computer or phone. This top-secret program “allows analysts to search with no prior authorization through vast databases containing emails, online chats and the browsing histories of millions of individuals.”

Y is for YOU-NESS. Using your face, mannerisms, social media and “you-ness” against you, you can now be tracked based on what you buy, where you go, what you do in public, and how you do what you do. Facial recognition software promises to create a society in which every individual who steps out into public is tracked and recorded as they go about their daily business. The goal is for government agents to be able to scan a crowd of people and instantaneously identify all of the individuals present. Facial recognition programs are being rolled out in states all across the country.

Z is for ZERO TOLERANCE. We have moved into a new paradigm in which young people are increasingly viewed as suspects and treated as criminals by school officials and law enforcement alike, often for engaging in little more than childish behavior. In some jurisdictions, students have also been penalized under school zero tolerance policies for such inane “crimes” as carrying cough drops, wearing black lipstick, bringing nail clippers to school, using Listerine or Scope, and carrying fold-out combs that resemble switchblades. The lesson being taught to our youngest—and most impressionable—citizens is this: in the American police state, you’re either a prisoner (shackled, controlled, monitored, ordered about, limited in what you can do and say, your life not your own) or a prison bureaucrat (politician, police officer, judge, jailer, spy, profiteer, etc.).

As I make clear in my book Battlefield America: The War on the American People, the reality we must come to terms with is that in the post-9/11 America we live in today, the government does whatever it wants, freedom be damned.

We have moved beyond the era of representative government and entered a new age.

You can call it the age of authoritarianism. Or fascism. Or oligarchy. Or the American police state.

Whatever label you want to put on it, the end result is the same: tyranny.

Delivered by The Daily Sheeple

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Contributed by John W. Whitehead of The Rutherford Institute.

Since 1996, John W. Whitehead has taken on everything from human rights abuses in Saudi Arabia, protection of religious freedom, and child pornography, to family autonomy issues, cross burning, the sanctity of human life, and the war on terrorism in his weekly opinion column. A self-proclaimed civil libertarian, Whitehead is considered by many to be a legal, political and cultural watchdog—sounding the call for integrity, accountability and an adherence to the democratic principles on which this country was founded.

Time and again, Whitehead hits the bull’s eye with commentaries that are insightful, relevant and provocative. And all too often, he finds himself under fire for his frank and unadulterated viewpoint. But as he frequently remarks, “Anytime people find themselves under fire from both the liberal left and the conservative right, it means that that person is probably right on target.”

Mr. Whitehead’s commentaries have appeared in the Los Angeles Times, New York Times, Washington Post, Washington Times and USA Today.

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Doctor Who Holiday Gift Guide: A Holiday in Who-ville

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The Doctor is in, and it’s about time. Although, it should be noted that the Doctor is also in a maximum-security prison, and time is running short for Earth with the return of the Daleks. Thankfully the Thirteenth Doctor, played by Jodie Whittaker, has her Companions, as well as the newly returned Captain Jack Harkness, on hero duty on our little planet.

That is all happening on New Year’s Day in the Doctor Who holiday special, “Revolution of the Daleks.” Debuting on BBC-America at 8 p.m. ET, the January 1 episode picks up from the action following the twelfth season of the revived 56-year-old series, which aired this year from January to March.

Just to recap, that canon-shaking season brought The Master back, regenerated once more as a male human; traveled to Gallifrey, reduced to ruins (again); introduced Time Lord Cybermen, aka CyberMasters. The season ended with the whopper that the Doctor is the Timeless Child from another realm – with a lot more regenerations than previously confirmed — and that she is a being from whence all Time Lords emerged, thanks to DNA splicing. And all that happened before the cliffhanger of the Doctor being imprisoned for life by those intergalactic rent-a-cops the Judoon.

So yeah, a lot happened, and that doesn’t even cover the epic decade in the making surprise return of John Barrowman as Captain Jack Harkness, who is back again for the holiday special.

With so much happening in the world of Doctor Who, it seems like a great time for a themed holiday gift guide, a season in Who-ville, if you will. The items that follow are perfect goodies to wrap up, and stuff in a TARDIS-sized gift bag (bigger on the inside, of course) for all the Whovians in your life. And if you shop for something for yourself, that’s ok; just say you got it for one of your other regenerations.

David Tennant Does A Podcast With … Jodie Whittaker (Free)

You don’t need to spend money to let the Whovian in your life know you’re thinking of them this holiday season. And trust me, if they don’t already know about David Tennant’s podcast, they’ll be thanking you. Tennant, aka the Tenth Doctor, is a delightful human being, and a genuinely engaging conversationalist. And in his podcast – which just wrapped a second season – he converses with famous friends, costars, and newsmakers, such as Neil Gaiman, Ian McKellen, Billie Piper, and Stacey Abrams. His episode with Jodie Whittaker in February 2019, following her first full season as the Doctor, is a special treat. The two discuss getting to know one another on Broadchurch, but also discuss the unique role on Doctor Who – and what it was like for her to be the first woman to step into the part.

Listen to the podcast episode here.

Thirteenth Doctor Mug ($8.95)

Blue shirt, rainbow stripes, and suspenders. If the Whovian in your life is like me, occasionally you want your fandom served up simple along with a cup of coffee. This orb-like mug captures the essence of the Thirteenth Doctor’s outfit with a few basic elements immediately recognizable to other fans. And it looks like it holds a lot of coffee, which is a perk.

Buy the Thirteenth Doctor Mug on Amazon.

Big Finish Audio Plays ($9+)

“I don’t want to go.” These last words of the Tenth Doctor are relatable for most Who fans when they see a character depart from the show, but thankfully there is Big Finish Productions. For more than 20 years, the company has produced Doctor Who audio plays starring cast from the show, including six of the nine living actors to have played the Doctor (with Christopher Eccleston set to reprise his role as the Ninth Doctor in stories to be released in 2021). In addition getting more adventures from favorite characters, Big Finish also has characters collide who never met on screen — such as Missy and River Song, played again by Michelle Gomez and Alex Kingston, in The Diary of River Song. And while Captain Jack Harkness may only be returning to Doctor Who for the holiday special, John Barrowman voices the character in more than two dozen Big Finish dramas.

Listen to the audio plays here.

Doctor Who Face Mask ($12)

Bowties, fezzes, Stetsons; the Eleventh Doctor (Matt Smith) was especially known for his pursuit of the cool fashion – and a lot of hats — and 13 seems to be keeping the pattern going (see the tuxedo and ear cuff listings below). But if it’s one thing that’s cool in 2020, it’s face coverings, and it would not at all be a surprise for the Doctor to exclaim, “I wear a mask now. Masks are cool.” So this item from Liesl Schulz of Sewn by Liesl on Etsy is a timely entry for the Whovian on your gift list. They can also feel like a Time Lord out to protect humanity and can do so with the most minimal of effort by sporting a TARDIS-blue mask emblazoned with 12’s quote.

Buy the Doctor Who Face Mask here.

Thirteenth Doctor Action Figure with Red Top ($13)

I remember the moment we were all treated to the first look of Jodie Whittaker as the doctor in her cool coat, and that blue shirt with rainbow stripes. But by the third episode of Season 11, “Rosa,” the Doctor had switched things up with a red shirt. Even though this wardrobe change is a bold choice — considering red shirts are just bad luck in other sci-fi universes – I’m more partial to Jodie’s crimson shade. As such, this 5.5-inch Doctor action figure with bum bag and sonic screwdriver is a cool collectible for Whovian fans who like a different color on 13. (Although you can get the figure in blue as well, and a TARDIS playset she can fit in.)

Buy the Thirteenth Doctor action figure on Amazon.

Doctor Who Psychology: A Madman with a Box ($15)

What makes an ancient time-and-space traveler tick? How does an immortal deal with death? And why did he once say she “got on very well” with Freud? This book edited by Travis Langley, Ph.D., the fifth in the psychology professor’s “Popular Culture Psychology” series, explores the minds of the Doctor, her Companions, and villains. And while you may not think the Whovian in your life has a lot in common with a Time Lord, Madman delves into what Doctor Who says about human nature, and humanity. Full disclosure: I am a contributor to the book, which contains my interviews with Matt Smith, and David Tennant.

Buy Doctor Who Psychology on Amazon.

Thirteenth Doctor TARDIS Distressed Rainbow T-Shirt ($16+)

Combine the Thirteenth Doctor’s TARDIS, her signature rainbow (which doubles as a symbol for pride and acceptance), with a distressed design, and you have this happy, colorful shirt from Hot Topic. It feels like a retro design out of the 1970s (back when some older Whovians were watching the show on PBS) but celebrates the new Who. Just looking at it puts me in a better mood.

Buy the TARDIS Distressed Rainbow T-Shirt here.

Doctor Who 13th Doctor 3 Piece Gift Set – Journal, Mug & Superbitz Plush ($16.99)

This officially licensed trio of goodies packs a lot of holiday cheer for less than $20. The Thirteenth Doctor Superbitz plushy collectible is incredibly cute, while the 16-page lined journal features a rainbow striped hard cover with the phrase “The Future Is Not Written.” Meanwhile the “13 Is My Lucky Number” sporting a golden TARDIS graphic rounds out this happy little set.

Buy the 13th Doctor 3-Piece Gift Set on Amazon.

Doctor Who Friends and Foes of the 13th Doctor Set B ($25)

Nearly as soon as the Doctor regenerated into 13, she began gathering a family of four with Bradley Walsh’s Graham, Tosin Cole’s Ryan, and Mandip Gill’s Yaz. Yet, in a November interview with the BBC, Jodie Whittaker revealed “the fam as a four is no more,” and that Walsh and Cole would be leaving Doctor Who after the holiday special. But just because Graham and Ryan’s adventure on the show is coming to an end doesn’t mean their characters have to leave the world of your Doctor Who fan. Instead, if you picked up the Doctor 5.5-inch action figure above, you might as well couple it with this “Friends and Foes” set with all three of 13’s original companions.

Buy the Friends and Foes of the 13th Doctor Set B on Amazon.

Ian Leino Doctor Whoville T-shirt ($25)

Artist Ian Leino’s Doctor Whoville tee has been an evolving work for several years now. His Seussian design of all the regenerations of our favorite Time Lord gathered around a holiday TARDIS initially ended with Matt Smith’s Eleventh Doctor. But over time, he has included John Hurt’s War Doctor, Peter Capaldi’s Twelfth Doctor, and now Jodie Whittaker joins the Whos for a snowy celebration. Full disclosure: Ian has become a friend because I love this nerdy mash-up design so much, printed on a high-quality Bella + Canvas shirt. The design is likewise available on a hoodie, and holiday greeting cards.

Buy the Doctor Whoville T-Shirt here.

Hero Within TARDIS Woven Shirt ($45)

Across the globe, the TARDIS is more recognizable as the Doctor’s ultimate companion more than the police call box it’s disguised as. It is iconic and serves as a great inspiration for creative fans. Enter Hero Within, the apparel company that has been killing it with officially licensed, and well-made, nerdy fashion. Currently celebrating its new Doctor Who license, Hero Within has recently unveiled this woven TARDIS button-up shirt that calls to mind a work shirt while unmistakably inspired by the best ship in the universe.

Buy the Hero Within TARDIS Shirt here.

John Barrowman Cameo ($125)

There are few entertainment spectacles quite like a John Barrowman panel at a comic con. The man is a showman, and truly one of the funniest people to encounter at an event. Unfortunately comic cons are on hold at the moment, and the Doctor Who fan in your life might be craving the con experience — and jonesing for John. Thankfully, Barrowman is on Cameo, where he delivers pep talks, sends well wishes, and even sings a tune. And a custom message from Captain Jack Harkness himself is a great way to prepare for the New Year’s Day Special.

Subscribe to John Barrowman on Cameo.

Doctor Who Galaxy Single Ear Cuff ($150)

Jodie Whittaker is not only the first woman to play the Doctor, she is also the first to wear an earring. And what a great earring she debuted with! Designed by Alex Monroe, and available for purchase, the Galaxy Single Ear Cuff is a sterling silver piece that begins on top with a cluster of shooting stars, connected to a 22ct gold plated hand grasping another in harmony. The elegant design conveys much about the Doctor’s philosophy, but this jewelry is striking even absent any knowledge of the show. Monroe likewise created a Doctor Who Companion single stud earring of clasping hands, and a Galaxy necklace to complement the other pieces.

Buy the Doctor Who Galaxy Single Ear Cuff here.

The Thirteenth Doctor’s Tuxedo ($247+)

When Doctor Who returned for its twelfth season earlier this year, the Doctor sported a tuxedo that evoked the wardrobe of her previous generations, and basically had fandom freaking out with excitement. The outfit was likewise a nod to James Bond for the “Spyfall” espionage episodes. Well, Tamsin Hartnell of the “The Ultimate Guide to the Fashion of Doctor Who” has done an impressive job assembling the items for the Doctor’s tux for those who might want to recreate it. The Doctor’s double-breasted opera coat by Paul Smith runs for about $1450 alone (if you can find it). However, Tamsin helpfully suggests alternatives to creating an everyday cosplay of the outfit starting around $160, with the official black and gold bowtie by Blue Eyes Bowtie costing about $87. This will take some work to put the look together, but it’s time well spent. Also, take a look around the Ultimate Guide blog as it is chockful of interesting Doctor Who fashion info.

Assemble the Thirteenth Doctor’s look with this guide.

GeekOrthodoxArt TARDIS Stained Glass ($750)

For a thousand years the art medium of stained glass has been used to honor iconic figures and commemorate grand moments of historic and religious significance. And in the 21st Century, pop culture institutions can hold near religious importance, and are worthy of representation in this art form. So why not take your giftee’s Doctor Who fandom to the next level? This custom-made TARDIS stained glass artwork uses the medium’s traditional copper foil method and is composed from over 75 pieces of hand-cut glass. Crafted by GeekOrthodoxArt, the piece measures 12″ x 24″. The stained-glass design is likewise available as a $20 high-resolution professional grade vinyl window cling. (Also, if you want to make this gift even cooler for your Who fan, you can let them know that John Barrowman loved it so much, he bought one at the Pensacon event in 2018.)

Buy the TARDIS Stained Glass here.

TARDIS ($5800+)

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Much to this writer’s dismay, there is no pre-owned time machine lot to buy a working TARDIS for the Whovian on your gift list. But you can get pretty close. Iconic Studio Creations can build a custom, officially licensed, full-size TARDIS replica (well, technically, it’s a replica of the TARDIS in the guise of a police call box, thanks to the craft’s chameleon circuit). While not bigger on the inside, this is as close to the real deal as you can get, and ISC has worked with the BBC in building these babies. Sure, it’s a little expensive, but you can’t put a price tag on love – or time traveling ships. Iconic also creates replicas of Daleks, and a remote-controlled K-9, who would fit nicely in a new TARDIS. And if you prefer your time machine to have more practical applications, you can always get a DeLorean for your giftee.

Visit Iconic Studio Creations here.

The post Doctor Who Holiday Gift Guide: A Holiday in Who-ville appeared first on Den of Geek.

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AND THE REST - CAPSULE FILM REVIEWS FOR 2019

I see a lot of movies but don’t always have time to write a comprehensive review for every one of them.  By catching up on screenings and screeners these past few weeks, I’ve managed to compile a small batch of artisanal, locally-sourced capsule reviews.  While less wordy than usual, you still get my clever/groan-inducing titles, one to five star ratings, and their placement on the Gay Scale.  So start your New Year’s Resolutions off right with these bite-sized morsels.  

The Aging Of Innocence - Capsule Review: The Irishman ★★★★1/2

So much ink has been spilled about Martin Scorsese’s latest gangster epic, with naysayers lamenting the lack of strong female roles and supporters getting swept away by its grand presentation.  While I also missed a Sharon Stone, a Sandra Bernhard, or a Lorraine Bracco in the mix, I loved this film.  With a masterful script by Steve Zaillian, it deconstructs the genre, starting with its Goodfellas-like steadicam shot through a nursing home, to its mournful third act, which achingly lays out the consequences for this band of murderous thugs. With great performances from DeNiro, Pacino, and Pesci and a fascinating exploration of male ego and hubris, I’m in the camp who saw it twice and never felt its 3 1/2 hour length.  The de-aging CGI work may have proven a little distracting at times, but I’m glad each actor had the chance to be their characters throughout.  

Currently streaming on Netflix.

Performance Of A Lifetime Movie - Capsule Review: Harriet ★★1/2

Despite an extraordinary performance by Cynthia Erivo as legendary freedom fighter Harriet Tubman, there’s no getting around Director Kasi Lemmons’ surprising lack of imagination in depicting her life.  Her earlier films suggest a strong and unique visual sense, but everything here plays out like an uninspired, standard coverage, bullet points overview we’re used to seeing in Lifetime movies.  Still, Tubman remains such an important part of history and Erivo truly delivers, so see it but don’t expect cinematic greatness.  Not helping matters is Terence Blanchard, Spike Lee’s talented, longtime composer,  who contributes the most intrusive, overblown score of the year.  

 Faster, Speed Racer! Thrill! Thrill! - Capsule Review: Ford v Ferrari ★★★1/2

Proving they still make them like they used to, James Mangold delivers an old-fashioned true story detailing the competition between the two automotive companies to win the 1966 Le Mans. The film nails it glorious technicolor aesthetic and offers vibrant performances by Christian Bale, Matt Damon, and in one of my favorite film moments of the year, Tracy Letts with the most unexpected and wonderful crying scene.  A pity its lack of character development doesn’t justify its extended running time, but for a movie-movie, you could do a lot worse.  

Days And Days And Days Of Hell - Capsule Review: A Hidden Life ★★★1/2

After the one-two punch of Badlands and Days Of Heaven, the world waited 20 years for Terrence Malick to return with another masterpiece.  Since then, he’s made films of quality but seems to keep spinning his wheels with the same whispered voiceovers, endless nature photography, and barely there narratives.  I’m happy to report that his latest, based on the true struggles of a pacifist during Hitler’s reign, has a real narrative tucked inside his usual bag of tricks.  Yes, every shot is awe-inspiring, but it takes 180 minutes to tell 90 minutes of story.  Still, he’s carved out his own cinematic niche and this time has something profound to say about the human condition.  

  All’s Quite Dire On The Western Front - Capsule Review: Little Woods ★★★1/2

Tessa Thompson delivers a raw, quietly powerful performance as a parolee whose desperate financial circumstances point to a return to drug dealing in her small North Dakota town.  Along with her sister, played by a lovely Lily James, they try to earn enough money to keep possession of their late mother’s house.  Firmly planted in that “low key, indie Sundance” style along the lines of Winter’s Bone and Frozen River,  it may not break new ground, but this deadly serious, hope-deprived story feels like America today, for better or for worse.  

End This Already! - Capsule Review: Terminator: Dark Fate ★★

As much as I loved seeing another triad of strong women in a film (a nod to the Halloween sequel last year), and as sexy as Gabriel Luna is as the latest killing machine, I just didn’t care for a second what was happening onscreen.  Despite some fun action set pieces, none of them have stuck with me.  I loved having Linda Hamilton’s gravely, mature butch energy coupled with Mackenzie Davis’ tough, baby butch energy, and I prefer seeing Schwarzenegger in this role than as Governor, but this franchise needs to…um…terminate.  

Jeez (Thelma and) Louise! - Capsule Review: Queen & Slim ★★★

Road movies sometimes have problematic screenplays due to their often rambling and random structures.  While Queen & Slim tells an important story about the perils black Americans face during a routine traffic stop, its forward momentum as a fugitive tale loses steam and credibility every time our leads (a fantastic Jodie Turner-Smith and Daniel Kaluuya) stop to make love, ride horses, visit relatives, or go dancing.  Although Melina Matsoukas delivers a striking directorial debut, Lena Waithe’s script, which still cuts to the bone, could have used a logic pass before going into production.  She tries hard to jump through many hoops and sometimes hits many cultural zeitgeist bullseyes, but its just misses the mark due to a lack of narrative urgency.  

(Sun)Dance Fever - Capsule Review: Brittany Runs A Marathon ★★★

Maybe it’s the altitude or the need to justify the expense of going to a film festival during a blizzard, but this movie, which won the Sundance Audience Award and started an intense bidding war, plays out like a pleasant, indie version of Trainwreck.   Amy Schumer-a-like, Jillian Bell, delivers a fine performance as an unmotivated mess who changes her life by, well, look at the title of the film for chrissakes!  While definitely sweet, elliptical, inspirational but somehow forgettable, it gets points for getting out of scenes faster than most films of its type, for its oddly off-the-cuff but funny final moment, and especially for a devastating sequence in which Brittany decimates a heavy woman.

Currently streaming on Amazon Prime.

Adoptive Behavior - Capsule Review: Luce ★★★1/2

Kelvin Harrison Jr. excels as Luce, an adopted American teen whose past as an Eritrean child soldier calls into question whether he’s a terrorist sociopath or the perfect high school valedictorian.  With fantastic support from Naomi Watts, Tim Roth, and especially Octavia Spenser as a History teacher with a healthy distrust of Luce, Harrison’s unnerving performance keeps you guessing up through the very last, chilling frame.  

High Tide/Low Tide - Capsule Review: Waves ★★★1/2

Playing another teen who can’t live up to society’s expectations, Kelvin Harrison Jr. electrifies again in Troy Edward Schults’ fluidly directed, unconventional drama.  Unfortunately, while the first half has tremendous power as we watch this young man’s total flameout, the second half loses considerable steam.  Still worth a look for the vivid performances, the great cinematography, and the elliptical storytelling style.  

A Different Kind Of Thing - Capsule Review: I Lost My Body ★★★1/2

Jérémy Clapin’s award winning animated feature uses a fractured timeline to tell the story of a severed hand which seeks to reunite with its host, a lonely Pizza Delivery Man. Prior to whatever event led to his amputation, he stalks a young woman he grows to love.  While the characters may seem cold and distant, a palpable sense of longing permeates every frame of this fascinating film.  I would have preferred a less obtuse ending, but this is French existentialism, so don’t expect an Addam’s Family tone or a completely filled-in storytelling experience.  

Currently streaming on Netflix.

Black Savior - Capsule Review: Just Mercy ★★★

This true story of a black attorney who, in the late 80s/early 90s attempts to exonerate black death row inmates, features vibrant performances by Michael B. Jordan and Jamie Foxx and a refreshing lack of a white savior.  Think about it.  Had this been made in the 90s, Kevin Kline would have starred, truth be damned.  While strong, especially in its depiction of a man bravely advocating for his community, it suffers from a very 90s presentation.  Still, what it lacks in a true filmmaker’s voice, it more than makes up for it with good old-fashioned storytelling and an offbeat, charming chemistry between our two leads.

Cool One-Handed Luke - Capsule Review: Star Wars: The Rise Of Skywalker ★★★1/2

As a casual Star Wars fan, I’m less steeped in the lore and more invested in the Saturday matinee whiz bang, kinetic action of the franchise.  I really don’t know a Boba Fett from a Bib Fortuna, and that’s ok.  Sure, it may undo a lot of plot elements The Last Jedi laid out and has an annoying habit of refusing to let dead characters stay dead or in one case actually die at all, but I just loved the quest for the macguffin in order to kill the Big Bad.  It’s fun, easy to follow, and has spirited performances from our leads, especially Oscar Isaac, who has more than a touch of Harrison Ford’s charisma.  It has an unpretentious quality that feels less like a grand finale and more like a good resting place before the inevitable continuations in some form or another.  Major “Boo! Hiss!” for its handling of Keri Russell, Lupita Nyong’o and Kellie Marie Tran, who get the eyes only, barely there, sidelined treatment respectively…and I see you Pixar Lamp disguised as a new droid!  I see you!

Killing Me Hardly - Capsule Review: Clemency ★★★

Intentionally austere and drab, Clemency features a fine, brittle performance by Alfre Woodard as a Prison Warden who gets more and more affected by the executions she oversees. Aldis Hodge also excels here as the next inmate on Woodard’s list.  A quiet, moody, visually disciplined film with so much to read in between the lines, it’s still a bit of a slog, although Woodard plays drunk better than most actors.  So come for the Johnny Walker Black but stay if you’re in a contemplative mood.  

All Children Left Behind - Capsule Review: One Child Nation ★★★★

What this Sundance Grand Prize Jury Award-winning documentary may lack in filmmaking technique, it more than makes up for it emotionally in this harrowing accounting of China’s decades spanning but now defunct One-Child Policy.  Showing the issue from many points of view, the law may have seemed like a good idea for population control, but quickly descended into forced abortions and sterilizations, kidnappings, abandonment, destruction of property, separation of families, and lives ruined.  A heartbreaking look at what happens when women don’t have control over their bodies and the patriarchy exerts its power over a population.  The chilling propaganda on display and the faces of those who suffered make for a terrifying, unforgettable, and highly relevant film.  This brutal policy began in 1979 and ended in 2015, just a few years ago.  Think about that.

Currently streaming on Amazon Prime.

Industrial Resolution - Capsule Review: The Aeronauts ★★1/2

The somewhat true story of a balloonist (Felicity Jones) and a meteorologist (Eddie Redmayne) who team up to soar higher than anyone has before in order to better predict the weather, is oddly threadbare and plays out like a 19th century Gravity. It does feature some thrilling set pieces and stellar cinematography by George Steel. While you truly feel the cold and agonize over the increasingly dire circumstances, the air isn’t the only thing that’s thin here.

Currently streaming on Amazon Prime.

Achy Breaky Bloody Bastard Heart - Capsule Review: Wild Rose ★★★1/2

Directed and shot by the same people who made The Aeronauts, Jessie Buckley earns her bonafides as a Scottish parolee, complete with ankle bracelet, who aspires to make it as a country singer in Nashville.  While breaking no new ground with its “Quaint Little UK Village” vibe we’ve seen a gazillion times before, its success rests squarely on Buckley’s more than capable shoulders and a wonderful final song written by none other than Mary Steenburgen.  It also features fine work by Julie Walters and Sophie Okonedo.  Still, as unlikely as they make it seem for a non-American to make it in the country music world, I wanted to shout “Keith Urban” repeatedly at the screen!  

Rust Belt Blues And Reds - Capsule Review: American Factory ★★★★

Maybe because I grew up in Ohio and witnessed firsthand the decline of the auto industry, this incredible documentary about a shuttered GM plant in Dayton getting a new life from an anti-Union Chinese billionaire ranks among the year's finest. Like a slow-moving pileup, the film builds and builds towards an inevitable crash. With sit-down interviews relegated to voiceovers, this scrupulous film makes you care about the people it follows while taking you on a fascinating cross-cultural journey. The fact that the filmmakers had access to all of the parties involved comes across as a miracle. It’s impossible to forget the distraught workers’ reactions every step of the way.

Currently streaming on Netflix.  

Mini Driver - Capsule Review: The Report ★★★

There’s a really good film about the amoral detention and torture tactics sanctioned by the George W. Bush presidency and it’s called Zero Dark Thirty.  Meanwhile, The Report, plays out like a dull, disconnected melding of Spotlight and All The President’s Men as we watch Adam Driver’s depiction of Daniel Jones under the auspices of Senator Dianne Feinstein (a fine but fairly one-note Annette Bening) put together an unwieldy report to expose the government’s tactics.  While Driver does well and shows great passion and alacrity with his bulky speeches, the whole film feels like a slow-cooked beef chili served at a Vegan Barbecue.  It just kind of sits there.  

Currently streaming on Amazon Prime.  

[larrymullenband-blog]

U2 in Toronto 06/23/17

aka Elena finally tells you how the concert went!!

You're not surprised, but it was mind-blowing. Transcendent. All that regular U2 stuff. VERY LONG REPORT BELOW.

(All pics by me or my brother. Used with permission. For reference he has the lesser phone camera but I think he did pretty damn well with it considering!)

SO. WHERE TO BEGIN.

The GA line started at four freakin’ thirty, two days before the concert. Thankfully my ticket squad were all down to check in that evening. I was number 87 (like 1987, heyooooo). Our line leaders gave us the option of checking in either the next morning or evening, which was a godsend. We showed up bright and early the day of and got wristbands, then I met Kelseigh @adirondykes which was #blessed. Came back for two, got let in to the stadium for three, sat in a dark rampway til just after four thirty, and then the run of my life. 

Months ago my friend and I had chosen our dream spot - between Larry’s “branch” of the Tree Stage and the main, shall we say, frontal lobe of it, where Bono, Edge and Adam are most of the time during the first set. I had been anxious (as I’m sure some of you saw in my posts) for months leading up to the day of about not getting a good spot, and I had tried to lower my hopes. But as luck would have it, our charge led us right into the corner between Tree Stage Laurence and Tree Stage Central. The dream spot. I owe it to my friend who led the charge, bless him. It was super duper unreal. Forever grateful. 

The Lumineers were actually awesome. Best opening act for U2 I’ve seen. I had wanted to see OneRepublic or Mumford and Sons instead, both of whom I love, but these guys won me over. They came on to The Chain by Fleetwood Mac (Kelseigh and I went hard) and then played a very strong set. They even froze into tableau in one song which was...really weird? But cool. The whole time I remember thinking “If I’m so moved by this...how goddamn moved am I going to be with my favourite band right in front of my face?!” 

There were some very annoying veteran fans behind us who kept talking about how they dislike when U2 play the hits because they’ve seen so many U2 shows (the king of first world problems), and about how the band is winding down. They trashed the shit out of The Lumineers during their set...and also made some muffled comments about how they deserved my friends and I’s spots. Which...no?? I’m sorry people, but having “done your waiting” by being older than my friends and I doesn’t make you entitled to anything. We genuinely love the band. We did our lining up early, and you did not. Suck my diiiiiiiiiiiiiick...

A note on Toronto’s venue: The Skydome (now called the Rogers Centre, but I resist) has a retractable roof. Other artists who play there always have the dome closed, and the dome is usually closed on rainy days, as concert day had been. But every time I’ve seen U2 there the roof has been open, rumoured to be by the band’s special request. The dome was closed when we got in but miraculously, after The Lumineers’ set, it opened to reveal the sunset. Everyone around me had a good cheer and laugh - Bono gets what he wants, dammit! As we watched the GA floor and Red Zone toss a beach ball around, and Dallas, Stuart and Sam get our boys’ instruments ready, my friend smiled and said that every detail of the night so far was perfect.  

AND THEN LARRY CAME ON AND HE WAS RIGHT IN FRONT OF ME AND EVEN MORE BEAUTIFUL IN PERSON!!

He smiled when he came out onto Tree Stage, and waved to someone. Larry? Visibly happy? Wow! That really set the tone for the night. Happy U2 were very happy. It was infectious.

Sidenote, I loved seeing Larry take a lil moment before starting. Holding his sticks in his lap, taking a breath. About to set off a rocket of a show, to send an entire stadium into hysterics, but giving himself this one second to prepare, just for himself. 

Back on the topic of Happy U2 Were Very Happy: there was a small mess up in Sunday Bloody Sunday that B+E remedied with a smile and a retry. Seeing such prolific pros mess up a bit and have a laugh about it meant the world to me. Their band dynamic is the strongest and most beautiful thing. 

Adam is the cutest and was so damn happy to come over to our side and hear all of us scream for him. He did so very early on in SBS. His smile is the brightest and I love him.

During Bad Bono talked about our lost countryman Leonard Cohen and sang a long, beautiful snippet of one of his songs. Immediately the stadium went up in lights and Bono said “Oh that’s beautiful, thank you.” Pretty sure I saw Edge give Bono a smile and thumbs up for his snippet once the song ended. 

Also fun fact: Larry and his drum tech have a secret mic channel through which they talk to each other! Sam stands by the side of the stage and speaks to Lurr into a mic as he drums. And the king of drooms speaks back! T’was cool to watch. 

Edge did the solo to Pride right in front of my brother. Pride is my brother’s favourite U2 song and I was so freakin’ happy. When we launched into the “oh oh oh oh” singalong, Edge saw me pumping my fist like hell and gave me a smile. I thought this was a hallucination or something because MY FAVE NOTICED ME but Kelseigh confirms this and I cry. My existence has been validated. This also happened in 2011 so Edge and I have a special connection apparently and I LOVE HIM SO MUCH GAAAAAAAAAH. His smile is the best. I will never be over it.

Their squad poses at the beginning of Streets were the death of me. Seeing them present a proudly united front, I’m just...THEY LOVE EACH OTHER SO MUCH OKAY!!!!!!!! aaaaaaaaahhhhh

Side 1 of Joshua Tree was a blur. A beautiful blur, and hard to process. Streets was epic, went by like a flash of lightning. Our massive Still Haven’t Found crowd singalong seemed to make happy Bono even happier. I rocked out so hard to Bullet. Bono did them moves on the mic stand and I lost it. The woman on my right and I started singing lyrics to each other, smiling big and getting really into it. We hadn’t talked at all before the show and I only found out her name after! A wonderful unspoken camaraderie. I adored the new version of Red Hill Mining Town. With all of them together in one corner of the stage, Edge and Adam sitting down, it felt very cute and intimate while the song was strong and sweeping. I think it was after that song that Bono turned to Adam and raved, “Great bass! Very lyrical. It takes a real man to be that feminine.” #U2LoveEachOtherSoMuchTour 

Before In God’s Country, Bono talked about only getting to know this album now - how friends, countries, and songs can all surprise you even after knowing them for so long. That struck a chord with me somehow, I don’t know quite why. Bono’s anecdotes, even when they’re not the freshest or most poetic, are powerful. He’s such a compelling storyteller by nature, and he just makes you want to listen to him forever. Basically someone you would invite over to read you the phone book. 

Bono, as usual at Toronto concerts, kept mentioning how much he loves Canada. He thanked us for taking in the Irish after the potato famine (which was before all of us were born I think, but hey, it’s the thought that counts!). He referenced Canada’s cultural mosaic, which sets us apart from countries with melting pot models of integrating newcomers. As we’re turning 150 in a week (damn) he announced something I’d heard rumoured that day - that he and Edge are going to Ottawa to be part of the celebrations! WOOOOO! He called our country a baby, but an old soul compared to our “adolescent” neighbour to the south. He praised our leaders’ approach to AIDS fighting among other things. The Ultraviolet tribute featured our new foreign minister. 

Trip Through Your Wires was so fun live and is now a Gay™ song and no one can tell me otherwise. When Edge went into the solo, dramatically crouched and feeling the music, Bono walked right over into his personal bubble and just stared down at him. Awed. Studying. (...same, man. Same.) Reminded me of that quote about their first practice that I saw on here recently, in which Bono saw Edge magicking the melodies out of his head and basically knew that Edge was his destiny. Of course when Bono turned back to the crowd he gave us the usual “Isn’t this a sexy man?” and everyone went NUTS (yay). And then “Is that the kind of sexy man you want blowing out your birthday candles?” (I swear I heard the slightest pause on “blowing”...but maybe that’s just my dirty mind). 

Also. Edge’s voice. It was on point as ever. So. Pretty. FUCK.

One Tree Hill was the first song to bring me to tears. The “stars fall from the sky” line, plus Bono’s opening banter about losing good people arbitrarily and unjustly...the music sounded beautiful, like every album track did, but there was something more to the song that kept me ugly-sobbing. 

Bono stole the show with Exit. Seeing him in character for the first time live was so cool. I really envy everyone who was around for Zoo TV. Cause DAMN. Eve comes by it honestly, this man is an actor. I almost didn’t laugh at him repeatedly shoving a camera into his crotch cause it nearly looked more poignant than funny! He paused at the top of the tree stage, bit his thumb and ran a hand through his hair...wow. The bravado, irony and elegance all rolled into one...

(And then he slowly took his coat off and Kelseigh yelled “Take it off! Says the lesbian” and I lost it) 

Omaima’s film for Miss Sarajevo/Syria was the second teary moment for me. That shot of her standing, closed eyed and introspective, in the midst of chaos and fear and disorder...some ladies close to me passed me down a tissue and I had that feeling of fan camaraderie once again. I love how U2 choses to speak about things so outright and so beautifully that other artists avoid speaking about. Although I’ll be honest - no idea where to go from here. Issues like these are so massive and it’s hard to know how to start being part of the solution when they’re so complex. 

Beautiful Day had me once again jumping so hard I kept banging my elbow on the rail and it hurts to this day. The song soared. The morphing U2 faces on screen were fun to watch and I’m always down for reminders that Edge is an alien being anyway. My only beef was that some of the messages B sent at the end of the song (”When people define their own identity/when women unite and rewrite history as herstory, that’s a beautiful day,”) though I agree with them all, were a little tired. He is so eloquent that it kinda irks me to see him say very simple things about equality and justice that sound rather generic.

Elevation and Vertigo completely kicked my ass. I was still barely recovered from jumping to SBS, Pride, and Streets, but these ones set the whole place on fire. My friend commented later that these were the songs that made him a U2 fan and that he was so glad to have heard them. These are definitely songs that I tend to think would be favoured by us younger fans, and I feared that some curmudgeons who were there mostly for JT would begrudge us our fun, but no one could resist. Yelling “Unos, dos, tres, catorce!” with a whole stadium in the middle of a jumping floor was the best feeling. There was some wonderful power couple Bedgeness at the top of the catwalk during the bridge. And Bono came over to my brother’s rail to tug away his vest and show us the Jesus around his neck and we all swooned. (Also I’m a total sucker for the It’s Only Rock n’ Roll snippet, sue me!)

One sounded perfect. That woman next to me and I emphatically sang “Here us coming, Lord!” together. A true pair of fangirls. It made perfect emotional sense to me as a show closer, and I started to come to terms with my boys leaving us. But Bono had been whispering to Adam and Edge earlier. I had figured that that had been what had spurred the slight rearrangement of the setlist, but as it turned out, Bono grinned big at the end of One and promised us “One more!” We were ECSTATIC. Dallas gave Edge the Gibson Explorer and we launched into I Will Follow, Bono once more hanging off of his mic stand like a lil monkey. We all had more jumping left in us after all! Not as much bouncy Edge as I would have liked, but other than that it was a fantastic end. The band were still completely glowing, seeming to be having as great a time as they had been at the beginning. Not to mention the Bedge cuddle at the end!!! (In this video - in which you can also hear me yelling from like thirty spots away! What a dork.)  

Sometime around the last two songs was when something really cool happened. My friend nudged me and called out that my younger brother had received Larry’s setlist!! I freaked out, and told my brother to thank the stagehand who had given it to him. Some fans behind us told us that said stagehand was in fact AJ Rankin, Bono’s cousin!! I was completely stunned and my friends laughed very hard at my The Scream-esque reaction. This was my brother’s second U2 concert compared to my fourth, and I had been so excited to bring him back into the world of U2 concerts after having shared our first one together. Not only that, but he had been feeling low self-confident and kinda sad only hours before, and not only did he adore the concert, but he got his own special keepsake. What a total blessing. 

So essentially, that was the highlight of my year. Nothing can top that. Super sad that it’s over but so incredibly grateful for it. As usual after U2 shows, I’m feeling kind of in limbo right now. How can I live normally after that?! What do I do with myself without the night of my life to look forward to? How do I keep the memories alive? Still looking for the answers, but I feel a renewed commitment to life now, which is weird but welcome. I want to do things that would make my boys happy. Getting to share in their happiness was the best feeling I’ve had in a very long time. 

Big shoutout to @adirondykes and her friend for meeting me and sharing this experience with me and generally being awesome; to all of the friends I met in GA, from the girl with the same shirt as me to the biggest Larry fan of them all to my wonderful singalong partner; and to you Tumble people! To @u2canhappentoanyone and @bonos-grindcore-sideproject for the GA advice and to @dismantlinganatomicbomb and @secret-blog-of-secrets for your lovely comments on my posts the day of, and everyone else on here for making me so happy to be in love this band every day. Big hugs to all of you, and long live the greatest band in the world. 

(also if you’re reading this congrats for reading an entire book lol you’re great)

[spindashed]

(via https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y1dV4YriZVM)

Over time, if you follow my blog, you will see me write “counter articles” in response to the fandom, and non-fandom videos, reviews... etc.

Lets begin!

1.) “Have an actual story this time.” I can partially agree with this.  I do agree that having a in-depth story per console game adds to the value of the experience. More so than stories that are short and simplistic. Sonic Unleashed had an amazing story, and it’s gameplay was great!  I loved the daytime stages, and I personally LOVED the nighttime stages too!(The werehog was a nice touch, it gave flavour to the story, and it had a very “God of War” vibe to it, both the game mechanics and the fact that you had to solve puzzles.. Huge points from myself especially since I love the God of war series.) That said! phrasing your first rant with: “Have an actual story this time.” Is quite an ignorant statement.. 

I strongly feel you’re grasping at straws with this one, because I could easily sit here and list the “actual stories” from each game. Sure some games had shorter plots, or plots that weren’t seriously in-depth like Unleashed, but there are stories there. Saying otherwise is just straight up ignorant.  Besides! Sometimes simplicity is best.

2.) “Only put fan favourite characters in the game’s story if it’s for a legitimate purpose, however, no more of the ‘The adventures of Sonic and Tails’.” This one is a funny subject. When Sega had Sonic’s friends in game as playable’s, there came a point where   people were LITERALLY bitching and complaining about how they’re so sick and tired of Sonic’s friends!!!! That all they wanted was “SONIC” as a playable..

Now that Sonic has been the only playable in most games, fans are now complaining about how they want Sonic’s friends back.. Smh.

For some fans, having certain characters as playable’s (I.e. Shadow.), would bring a lot of joy... Fortunately with myself, I’ve been a Sonic fan since 1991, and usually have a preference to only use Sonic, so I’m personally happy with Sonic only games. But my personal preference aside; I think it’s safe to say fans of specific characters would be far happier to see their favourites appear even if they are NPC’s (Non playable characters) oppose to them not appearing whatsoever..  In my personal opinion, I’d say if Sega/Sonic Team decide to have a NPC appear, they should have them doing something, even if it’s an Easter egg kind of thing in the background for fans to catch.

3.) “Don’t reply too much on nostalgia.” Alright! Green Hill Zone crybabies need to get over themselves. Wahhh, Green Hill Zone is back... Why! Wahhhh.. Are you sure you’re even a Sonic fan? The Green Hill Zone was LITERALLY the FIRST stage in the series!  It was brought back, because it’s timeless it’s iconic just like Sonic himself. The Green Hill Zone is like Mario’s Mushroom Kingdom, like Cloud Strife’s Midgard, like Link’s Hyrule... I can go on..  Not to mention: It has COMPLETE justification to reappear in Sonic Forces, considering it’s where Classic Sonic spends a lot of his time. (This has been verified by direct source: “Sonic revisit GHZ often, because he really likes that Zone.”)

If Classic Sonic is brought back to the present time, where else would you expect him to be found? Gtfo.

(Green Hill Zone) “A lot of us are getting sick of it..”

Speak for yourself. I should also note, the most vocal fans in our fandom, often also tend to be the haters.. The same crybabies that whine about everything.(Wahhh Sonic’s eyes are green. Wahhh Sonic’s arms are blue...)

4.) “Stage to stage is fine, but if you’re gonna have a hub don’t be lazy with it.”

a.) I loved Sonic Unleashed too. I give you that.

b.) If you actually played the game in full, and paid attention to the concept of the story, you’d understand that the hub world stages being completely “white” was justified, and even when you bring life back into it, the background stays white because Time Eater FUCKING ATE TIME!

If there is nothing left in existence other than pocket zones (a.k.a the hub worlds.), it’s either going to be white space, or black space. Deal with it.

c.) Sonic Generations was one of the best games of the modern era... I think based on what the game was in it’s overall entirety, we can cut the hub world’s details some slack. Besides, what glorious games have you made? Talk is cheap, remember this.

5.) “No stupid cringe worthy jokes.” Alrighty, I can agree with this one.  Knowing how to blend good humour in with the right action and seriousness is key for greatness.

I feel that because Sega has begun aiming the games at a younger audience, despite the fact that the younger audience of today actually play the same “serious” games that we adults play..  The jokes can come off a bit much sometimes.  I’ve been a long time reader of the Archie comics (Which I’m sad to see it’s probably been canceled.) That said, I’d enjoy seeing Ian Flynn write for Sonic games, I think he’d be a wicked asset to the games.

6.) “If you’re going to have Wisps be more creative and actually make them fun.” I’ve said this before and I’ll say it again! For people who ACTUALLY play the games.. They obviously served a purpose in “Sonic Colours” storyline.

It was literally explained in “Sonic Runners”, why the Wisps were still in Sonic’s world. (After the events of Sonic Colours, some Wisps liked Sonic’s world so much, they decided to stay on earth/mobius.)

In Sonic Lost World, they were completely optional to use or not. Plus Wisps are basically items/power ups. KEY WORDS: “Optional to use.”

I don’t see anyone complaining about it when Mario uses his reoccurring power ups, so why must Sonic fans be so cringe.. And lastly, I’m starting to think people in our fandom are headass af..  This time around, in Sonic Forces, the Wisps aren’t there like they have been in the past. They are now “Wispons” as in they power up “Avatar’s” gadgets. (Maybe spend less time complaining, and pay a little more attention to the content revealed.. smh.) 

The fact that people are actually complaining about basically an item/power up, which the Wisps literally are; is as headass beyond words as can be..

7.) “Make sure the custom character feature lives up to the hype.”

a.) Sega literally stated “Avatar” (Which is what Sega calls him/her.) plays a heavy role in the events/story of Sonic Forces. Again you would know this if you actually paid attention over flapping lips.

b.) Sega/Aaron Webber also literally stated that the Avatar character doesn’t actually talk, voice actors have been hired, and they do grunt and have voicing to some extent. This may or may not be something that will change. But as far as things go at the moment, they won’t have any real lines.

c.) Avatar is each person’s PERSONAL OC, which literally means, if Avatar doesn't live up to the hype, you as a player failed. Sega is simply giving fans a tool, it’s up to the fans on how to use it.

8.) “Have a Super Sonic final boss fight.” I agree having Super Sonic in the games is fun, mostly because I love Sonic including each of his forms..  But I find this one ironic, because you were literally just complaining about how Green Hill Zone has been back too many times, and how the Wisps were back again.. And yet you want “Super Sonic” to be just that. (Perfect example of the crybaby logic at it’s best.)  Thank you for proving my point. *Thumb up!*

9.) “Try as hard as you possibly can to not make the game short.” I think you should go try to make your own game.  It’s easy to talk, but if you have no experience in the industry that’s quite the ignorant statement man..  But don’t get me entirely wrong. I understand where you’re coming from. Games are not cheap these days, and feeling like we have some good content to really dig deep into goes a long way.

10.) “No stupid power up that spawns when you die too much so you can skip ahead to the next checkpoint. Not only does activating it happen on accident, but it’s like the game is holding my hand.” It’s funny, because Mario games have an option where if you die around 3 times, you have the option to let Luigi complete the stage for you. (I.e. skip the stage.)  And no one complains about that. The only catch from what I understand is skipping a stage in a Mario game will keep you from unlocking everything in-game.  I think it’s a pretty fair, or good optional thing to have.

11.) “Either change Sonic’s Voice or Roger Craig Smith Improves.” Jason Griffin was one of my favourite voice actors, no doubt! But Roger isn’t all that bad. Not to mention the voice actors do actively try to improve, but they’re also doing what Sega directs them to do. As far as I’m concern, this is a complaint based on bias, and is not worthy of the “my opinion” title.

12.) “Have a moment in the story that somewhat shocks the player.” Plot twist are great, but when you have fans that wear the “expect card” right on their forehead, even if Sega comes up with a pretty good plot twist, I’m sure the fans will find something to complain about. (Notice 99% of your video is a big complaint?) 

13.) ”Have Unleashed-esque presentation.” I can agree with you on how epic Sonic Unleashed was all day. And I would love a “Unleashed-esque” presentation/depth to all the games. But lets be real, you and I both know the loud people in our fandom will find something to complain about regardless.

14.) “Don’t be kiddy.” I’ve been saying this one for a long time now. Sonic should always be catered to us long time old fans. The younger fans will come into the fandom on their own.

One of the hottest games for people was the “Call of Duty” games. Despite being rated for the older crowd, I cannot begin to tell you how many underaged kids were playing these.

My point is, kids like what we older fans like.  (I should also note, I have never cared for the COD games.)

15.) “Make the gameplay more open than in previous games.” “Sonic Boom Rise of Lyric” was an open world game.

It was also meant to be a much fuller and in-depth game, but due to being rushed, and having to have massive game content cuts, it ended up being what it was. (Check out Sonic Synergy. What Sonic Boom RoL was meant to be, and it looks amazing.)

16.) “Fix the Ranking System.” This is the first time I’ve heard anyone complain about the rank system...

This one is also a ironic one, because if you check out the Mario games, those games are some of the easiest brain dead games you can play..... People eat them up, and yet when Sonic is time to time easier going, it’s a bad thing? Smh.

17.) “Fix the Ranking system animations.”  This one is a bit better of an opinion.  I did enjoy how Sonic would react to the rank in Unleashed, and how the music was dictated based on your play quality.

(I feel this one was an actual constructive criticism. Thus I accept this one.)

18.) “Have Crush 40.” There have been a few games without Crush 40 that had some real great OSTs. “Sonic Unleashed” was one of them. What I will say with this one is: I’d love more rock and even metal tracks in future games.. 

19.) “Have actual boss fights this time.” I’m pretty sure we’ll get a good serving of decent boss fights with Sonic Forces. 

20.) “Fix the Classic Sonic Physics.” a.) Plenty of people wanted Classic Sonic back. And when Sega brought him back, being true to the cringe our fandom is judged on, the crybabies haters started pushing the bandwagon for all who wanted a ride...

b.) Classic Sonic had pretty damn well the play style he had in the classic games, I think you’ve lost your damn mind.

(*Note: I should add, anyone who dislikes Classic Sonic is headass.  Without Classic Sonic, there would be no Modern Sonic. Respect the roots.)

21.) “Don’t make the final boss Eggman.” I’m not sure if I want to slap you or strangle you for this one.

Eggman is Sonic’s fucking nemesis. Get over yourself. Mario has Bowser, Cloud has Sephiroth, Ryu has Bison, Megaman has Dr.Wily, Blah blah blah blah.. The list goes on forever.

Every Super hero has his main villain. And it’s not ALWAYS Eggman. Sonic has fought other main bosses just as equally as everyone else in their own respective games.

22.) “Eliminate the lives system.” SMFH! That’s all I can do for this one.

This is by far one of the most ridiculous things I've ever heard. I guess every other game best get rid of the lives system too right? Get the fuck outta here.

24.) “Put the Chaos Emeralds in the story.” Adding the Chaos Emeralds for the sake of adding them for what tiny fan service addition they give to the story, just like throwing in Super Sonic for the mere fan service would be literally no different from just throwing random Sonic friends into the story for mere fan service, your arguments are literally contradictory as fuck. Smh.

25.) “No false Advertising.” As mentioned earlier: Sonic Boom was what it was strictly because the game was rushed, and “Big Red Button” literally got a last minute notice that it was for the weaker system compared to what they had been making it for. Thus the game had significant content cuts, and was released incomplete.

Hence why Sega literally gave a public apology.

26.) “Bring back humans to raise the stakes.” Humans have both appeared and been absent across games. This will not make a difference to overall game quality so once again, this is a ridiculous complaint.

27.) Just make a good Sonic game please, is that too much to ask?” a.) Sonic fan’s expressing their opinions makes the game better ONLY if it’s constructive criticism! The games will not ever be better when the bitching and complaining is void of a positive point to improve said game. (i.e. “the constructive” part.).

b.) “I call it actually caring.” *See 27a. If you still cannot comprehend that, might I suggest getting a cat scan? 

28.) “I’m in grade school.” Why is it, school kids always seem to think they know it all. lmao.

29.) “This is not a Sonic hate video.” Than how about making a video with a overall positive tone. This entire video was nothing but the same tired bs.. Complain, complain, complain.

Try talking about what you love, and if you’re going to give constructive criticism, back it up with a positive fix. 

This fandom is already far too full of haters, and bandwagon riders that can’t think for themselves, we don’t need any more of that cringe.

“Sonic is my SECOND favourite game franchises.” Of course it is. 

*Closing Note: The Sonic hate, complaining for the sake of complaining, and constant negative tone with out purposeful point is tired af guys. It’s also far from cool. Don’t be a bandwagon baby.

If you are in this fandom, and all you think of is negativity when Sonic comes to mind, it’s time to leave the fandom and never come back.

[celestialmazer]

The Everglades, White Sands, and Carlsbad Caverns. PHOTOGRAPHS BY RYAN MCGINLEY Brad Pitt Talks Divorce, Quitting Drinking, and Becoming a Better Man by  Michael Paterniti VIDEO

“Summer is coming and, in America, that means it’s time to hit the national parks. So we took Brad Pitt and photographer Ryan McGinley tumbling across three of them: The Everglades, White Sands, and Carlsbad Caverns. Then we sat down with Pitt at home in L.A. for a raw conversation about how to move forward after things fall apart.

Brad Pitt is making matcha green tea on a cool morning in his old Craftsman in the Hollywood Hills, where he's lived since 1994. There have been other properties in other places—including a château in France and homes in New Orleans and New York City—but this has always been his kids' “childhood home,” he says. And even though they're not here now, he's decided it's important that he is. Today the place is deeply silent, except for the snoring of his bulldog, Jacques.

Pitt wears a flannel shirt and skinny jeans that hang loose on his frame. Invisible to the eye is that sculpted bulk we've seen on film for a quarter-century. He looks like an L.A. dad on a juice cleanse, gearing up to do house projects. On the counter sit some plated goodies from Starbucks, which he doesn't touch, and some coffee, which he does. Pitt, who exudes likability, general decency, and a sense of humor (dark and a little cockeyed), says he's really gotten into making matcha lately, something a friend introduced him to. He loves the whole ritual of it. He deliberately sprinkles some green powder in a cup with a sifter, then pours in the boiling water, whisking with a bamboo brush, until the liquid is a harlequin froth. “You're gonna love this,” he says, handing me the cup.

Serenity, balance, order: That's the vibe, at least. That's what you think you're feeling in the kitchen of Brad Pitt's perfectly constructed, awesomely decorated abode. Outside, children's bikes are lined up in the rack; a blown-up dragon floatie bobs on the pool through the window. From the sideboard, with its exquisite inlay, to the vase on the mantel, the house exudes care and intention. And it carries its own stories, not just about when the Jolie-Pitts were a happy family, but also from back in the day, when Jimi Hendrix crashed here. It's said he wrote “May This Be Love” out in the grotto, with its waterfall (Waterfall / Nothing can harm me at all…). “I don't know if it's true,” says Pitt, “but a hippie came by and said he used to drop acid with Jim back there, so I run with the story.”

And yet Pitt is the first one to acknowledge that it's been chaos these past six months, during what he calls a “weird” time. In conversation, he seems absolutely locked in one moment and a little twitchy and forlorn in the next, having been put on a journey he didn't intend to make but admits was “self-inflicted.” The unfortunate worst of it surfaced in public this past September. When he was on a flight to Los Angeles aboard a private plane, there was a reported altercation between Pitt and one of his six children, 15-year-old Maddox. An anonymous phone call was made to the authorities, which triggered an FBI investigation (ultimately closed with no charges). Five days later, his wife, Angelina Jolie, filed for divorce. By then, everything in Pitt's world was in free fall. It wasn't just a public-relations crisis—there was a father suddenly deprived of his kids, a husband without wife. And here he is, alone, a 53-year-old human father/former husband smack in the middle of an unraveled life, figuring out how to mend it back together.

And yet the enterprise known as Brad Pitt inexorably carries on. In November, the movie Allied came out, starring Pitt and Marion Cotillard. At the premiere he was described as “gaunt,” and rumors of an affair with Cotillard, and an on-set encounter between her and Jolie, had been so virulent that Cotillard took to social media to deny them, underscoring her love for her own partner, with whom she was pregnant with their second child. Meanwhile, Pitt's production company, Plan B Entertainment, found itself winning an astonishing third Oscar for Best Picture, with Moonlight. (Pitt spent the Oscars ceremony at a friend's house.) This month Netflix will release Pitt's War Machine, a satire based on the incidents surrounding the firing of General Stanley McChrystal. In the film, he plays a gruff, ascetic stand-in for McChrystal, General Glen McMahon, with both big-gestured comic panache and an oblivious unknowingness that seems to be a metaphor for the entire American war effort.

But on this overcast spring morning, catching Pitt at this flexion point, I would say he seems more like one of those stripped-down Samuel Beckett characters, in a blank landscape, asking big questions of a futile world. Even the generalities he employs for protection seem metaphoric. (He mentioned his estranged wife's name only once, when referencing her Cambodia movie, First They Killed My Father, telling me, “You should see Angie's film.”) The loneliness of this new life, he said, is mitigated by Jacques, who spent most of the interview beached in a narcoleptic reverie at my feet, snoring and farting. (“Did you ever have the uncle that came over with emphysema, and had to sleep in your room when you were 6?” he says. “That's Jacques.” And then: “Come here, boy. Friends for life!”)

When I ask Pitt what gives him the most comfort these days, he says, “I get up every morning and I make a fire. When I go to bed, I make a fire, just because—it makes me feel life. I just feel life in this house.”

GQ Style: Let's go back to the start. What was it like growing up where you grew up? Brad Pitt: Well, it was Springfield, Missouri, which is a big place now, but we grew up surrounded by cornfields—which is weird because we always had canned vegetables. I never could figure that one out! Anyway, ten minutes outside of town, you start getting into forests and rivers and the Ozark Mountains. Stunning country.

Did you have a Huck Finn boyhood? Half the time. Half the time, yeah.

How so? I grew up in caves. We had a lot of caves, fantastic caverns. And we grew up First Baptist, which is the cleaner, stricter, by-the-book Christianity. Then, when I was in high school, my folks jumped to a more charismatic movement, which got into speaking in tongues and raising your hands and some goofy-ass shit.

So were you there for speaking in tongues? Yeah, come on. I'm not even an actor yet, but I know… I mean the people, I know they believe it. I know they're releasing something. God, we're complicated. We're complicated creatures.

So acting came out of what you saw in these revival meetings? Well, people act out. But as a kid, I was certainly drawn to stories—beyond the stories that we were living and knew, stories with different points of view. And I found those stories in film, especially. Different cultures and lives so foreign to mine. I think that was one of the draws that propelled me into film. I didn't know how to articulate stories. I'm certainly not a good orator, sitting here telling a story, but I could foster them in film.

I remember going to a few concerts, even though we were told rock shows are the Devil, basically. Our parents let us go, they weren't neo about it. But I realized that the reverie and the joy and exuberance, even the aggression, I was feeling at the rock show was the same thing at the revival. One is Jimmy Swaggart and one is Jerry Lee Lewis, you know? One's God and one's Devil. But it's the same thing. It felt like we were being manipulated. What was clear to me was “You don't know what you're talking about—”

And it didn't fuck you up? No, it didn't fuck me up—it just led to some eating questions at a young age.

The best actors blur into their characters, but given how well the world knows you, it seems you have a much harder time blurring these days? I have so much attached to this facade. [gestures]

But then, in War Machine, you find the little gesture that makes the Glen McMahon character ours. Like the way he runs, which is hilarious. The run to me was important because it was about the delusion of your own grandeur, not knowing what you really look like. All pencil legs, you know. Not being able to connect reality to this facade of grandeur.

The other equally distinctive characteristic is Glen's voice. Where did it come from? You know, it's a little bit of a cliché, but I just enjoyed it too much: There's, you know, of course, Patton in it. But I could not get Sterling Hayden out of my mind. I'm just fascinated with Sterling Hayden, off-camera, between films, and I couldn't escape that. There's even a little bit of Chris Farley in mannerisms. And then Kiefer Sutherland in Monsters vs. Aliens, you know, doing the cartoon voice. It just wouldn't go anywhere else; it kept coming back there.

Have you ever felt the need to be more political? I can help in other ways. I can help by getting movies out with certain messages. I've got to be moved by something—I can't fake it. I grew up with that Ozarkian mistrust of politics to begin with, so I just do better building a house for someone in New Orleans or getting certain movies to the screen that might not get made otherwise.

You're good at playing that kind of character, the one that doesn't have a truly accurate vision of himself. It makes me laugh. Any of my foibles are born from my own hubris. Always, always. Anytime. I famously step in shit—at least for me it seems pretty epic. I often wind up with a smelly foot in my mouth. I often say the wrong thing, often in the wrong place and time. Often. In my own private Idaho, it's funny as shit. I don't have that gift. I'm better speaking in some other art form. I'm trying to get better. I'm really trying to get better.

And the movie really pokes at this, too, right—America's hubris? When I get in trouble it's because of my hubris. When America gets in trouble it's because of our hubris. We think we know better, and this idea of American exceptionalism—I think we're exceptional in many ways, I do, but we can't force it on others. We shouldn't think we can. How do we show American exceptionalism? By example. It's the same as being a good father. By exemplifying our tenets and our beliefs, freedom and choice and not closing borders and being protectionists. But that's another issue. You want me to tell you something really sad? I thought this was so sad. We were looking at—let me say, a certain war film that was looking to promote itself. The European posters had the American flag in the background, and it came back from the marketing department: “Remove the flag. It's not a good sell here.” I was, like, Man, that's America. That's what we've done to our brand.

You've played characters in pain. What is pain, emotional and physical? Yeah, I'm kind of done playing those. I think it was more pain tourism. It was still an avoidance in some way. I've never heard anyone laugh bigger than an African mother who's lost nine family members. What is that? I just got R&B for the first time. R&B comes from great pain, but it's a celebration. To me, it's embracing what's left. It's that African woman being able to laugh much more boisterously than I've ever been able to.

“For me this period has been about looking at my weaknesses and failures and owning my side of the street.”

When did you have that revelation? What have you been listening to? I've been listening to a lot of Frank Ocean. I find this young man so special. Talk about getting to the raw truth. He's painfully honest. He's very, very special. I can't find a bad one.

And of great irony to me: Marvin Gaye's Here, My Dear [Gaye's touchstone album about divorce]. And that kind of sent me down a road.

Intense. But beautiful—and quite honest.... You know, I just started therapy. I love it, I love it. I went through two therapists to get to the right one.

About These Parks: To choose the locations for this summertime celebration of America’s national parks, Brad Pitt, Ryan McGinley, and GQ Style all collaborated on potential destinations. Pitt requested the lunar dunes of White Sands National Monument. Ryan McGinley had previous experience shooting in the underground labyrinths of Carlsbad Caverns National Park. And we nominated the swamps of Everglades National Park. Then we came together and covered all three over a stretch of eight days in March.

Do you think if the past six months hadn't happened you'd be in this place eventually? That it would have caught up with you? I think it would have come knocking, no matter what.

People call it a midlife crisis, but this isn't the same— No, this isn't that. I interpret a midlife crisis as a fear of growing old and fear of dying, you know, going out and buying a Lamborghini. [pause] Actually—they've been looking pretty good to me lately! [laughs]

There might be a few Lamborghinis in your future! “I do have a Ford GT,” he says quietly. [laughs] I do remember a few spots along the road where I've become absolutely tired of myself. And this is a big one. These moments have always been a huge generator for change. And I'm quite grateful for it. But me, personally, I can't remember a day since I got out of college when I wasn't boozing or had a spliff, or something. Something. And you realize that a lot of it is, um—cigarettes, you know, pacifiers. And I'm running from feelings. I'm really, really happy to be done with all of that. I mean I stopped everything except boozing when I started my family. But even this last year, you know—things I wasn't dealing with. I was boozing too much. It's just become a problem. And I'm really happy it's been half a year now, which is bittersweet, but I've got my feelings in my fingertips again. I think that's part of the human challenge: You either deny them all of your life or you answer them and evolve.

Was it hard to stop smoking pot? No. Back in my stoner days, I wanted to smoke a joint with Jack and Snoop and Willie. You know, when you're a stoner, you get these really stupid ideas. Well, I don't want to indict the others, but I haven't made it to Willie yet.

I'm sure he's out there on a bus somewhere waiting for you. How about alcohol—you don't miss it? I mean, we have a winery. I enjoy wine very, very much, but I just ran it to the ground. I had to step away for a minute. And truthfully I could drink a Russian under the table with his own vodka. I was a professional. I was good.

So how do you just drop it like that? Don't want to live that way anymore.

What do you replace it with? Cranberry juice and fizzy water. I've got the cleanest urinary tract in all of L.A., I guarantee you! But the terrible thing is I tend to run things into the ground. That's why I've got to make something so calamitous. I've got to run it off a cliff.

Do you think that's a thing? I do it with everything, yeah. I exhaust it, and then I walk away. I've always looked at things in seasons, compartmentalized them, I guess, seasons or semesters or tenures or…

Really? So, this is the season of me getting my drink on.… [laughs] Yeah, it's that stupid. “This is my Sid and Nancy season.” I remember that one when I first got out to L.A. It got titled afterwards.

So then, you stop yourself, but how do you—I don't know why this comes to mind but I think of a house—how do you renovate yourself? Yeah, you start by removing all the decor and decorations, I think. You get down to the structure. Wow, we are in some big metaphor here now.… [laughs]

Inside Brad Pitt’s GQ Style Cover Shoot

Metaphors are my life. You strip down to the foundation and break out the mortar. I don't know. For me this period has really been about looking at my weaknesses and failures and owning my side of the street. I'm an asshole when it comes to this need for justice. I don't know where it comes from, this hollow quest for justice for some perceived slight. I can drill on that for days and years. It's done me no good whatsoever. It's such a silly idea, the idea that the world is fair. And this is coming from a guy who hit the lottery, I'm well aware of that. I hit the lottery, and I still would waste my time on those hollow pursuits.

That's the thing about becoming un-numb. You have to stare down everything that matters to you. That's it! Sitting with those horrible feelings, and needing to understand them, and putting them into place. In the end, you find: I am those things I don't like. That is a part of me. I can't deny that. I have to accept that. And in fact, I have to embrace that. I need to face that and take care of that. Because by denying it, I deny myself. I am those mistakes. For me every misstep has been a step toward epiphany, understanding, some kind of joy. Yeah, the avoidance of pain is a real mistake. It's the real missing out on life. It's those very things that shape us, those very things that offer growth, that make the world a better place, oddly enough, ironically. That make us better.

Would there be art without it? Would there be any of this immense beauty that surrounds us? Yeah—immense beauty, immense beauty. And by the way: There's no love without loss. It's a package deal.

Can you describe where you've been living—like, have you been in this house since September? It was too sad to be here at first, so I went and stayed on a friend's floor, a little bungalow in Santa Monica. I crashed over here a little bit, my friend [David] Fincher lives right here. He's always going to have an open door for me, and I was doing a lot of stuff on the Westside, so I stayed at my friend's house on the floor for a month and a half—until I was out there one morning, 5:30, and this surveillance van pulls up. They don't know that I'm up behind a wall, and they pull up—and it's a long story—but it was something more than TMZ, because they got into my friend's computer. The stuff they can do these days.... So I got a little paranoid being there. I decided I had to pick up and come here.

“If I'm not creating something, putting it out there, then I'll just be creating scenarios of fiery demise in my mind.”

How are your days different now? This house was always chaotic and crazy, voices and bangs coming from everywhere, and then, as you see, there are days like this: very…very solemn. I don't know. I think everyone's creative in some way. If I'm not creating something, doing something, putting it out there, then I'll just be creating scenarios of fiery demise in my mind. You know, a horrible end. And so I've been going to a friend's sculpting studio, spending a lot of time over there. My friend [Thomas Houseago] is a serious sculptor. They've been kind. I've literally been squatting in there for a month now. I'm taking a shit on their sanctity.

So you're making stuff? Yeah, I'm making stuff. It's something I've wanted to do for ten years.

Like what? What are you working with? I'm making everything. I'm working with clay, plaster, rebar, wood. Just trying to learn the materials. You know, I surprise myself. But it's a very, very lonely occupation. There's a lot of manual labor, which is good for me right now. A lot of lugging clay around, chopping and moving and cleaning up after yourself. But I surprise myself. Yesterday I wasn't settled. I had a lotta chaotic thoughts—trying to make sense of where we are at this time—and the thing I was doing wasn't controlled and balanced and perfect. It came out chaotic. I find vernacular in what you can make, rather than giving a speech. I find voice there, that I need.

All the bad stuff: Do you use it to tell your story? It just keeps knocking. I'm 53 and I'm just getting into it. These are things I thought I was managing very well. I remember literally having this thought a year, a year and a half ago, someone was going through some scandal. Something crossed my path that was a big scandal—and I went, “Thank God I'm never going to have to be a part of one of those again.” I live my life, I have my family, I do my thing, I don't do anything illegal, I don't cross anyone's path. What's the David Foster Wallace quote? Truth will set you free, but not until it's done with you first.

Is the sculpting a Sisyphean thing: rolling the rock up the hill, action obliterating all thoughts? [Jacques interrupts, nuzzling] I know you've been lonely. I know you've been lonely....

I find it the opposite. Well, I guess so, in that there's a task at hand. You have to wrap your stuff up at night and bring order back to your chaos for the next day. I find it a great opportunity for the introspection. Now you have to be real careful not to go too far that way and get cut off in that way. I'm really good at cutting myself off, and it's been a problem. I need to be more accessible, especially to the ones I love.

When you go dark, do you retreat, disconnect? I don't know how to answer that. I certainly shield. Shield, shield, shield. Mask, escape. Now I think: That's just me.

You were talking about the Glen character in War Machine and the idea of delusion, that we have to create our own mythologies, our own stories, to explain the things we're not proud of. At a real cost to ourselves.

How do you not delude yourself? I worry about that— You don't have to worry about it. [laughs] Delusion is not going to let you go. You're going to get smacked in the face. We, as humans, construct such mousetrap mind games to get away from it all. You know, we're almost too smart for ourselves.

Okay. But if you had a slideshow of all your worst moments as a human, you wouldn't want anyone to see that slideshow. The way you've had to live for years, that slideshow has been public. But so little of it is accurate, and I avoid so much of it. I just let it go. It's always been a long-run game for me. As far as out there, I hope my intentions and work will speak for themselves. But, yes, at the same time, it is a drag to have certain things drug out in public and misconstrued. I worry about it more for my kids, being subjected to it, and their friends getting ideas from it. And of course it's not done with any kind of delicacy or insight—it's done to sell. And so you know the most sensational sells, and that's what they'll be subjected to, and that pains me. I worry more in my current situation about the slideshow my kids have. I want to make sure it's well-balanced.

“People on their deathbeds don't talk about what they obtained. They talk about their loved ones or their regrets—that seems to be the menu.”

How do you make sense of the past six months and keep going? Family first. People on their deathbeds don't talk about what they obtained or were awarded. They talk about their loved ones or their regrets—that seems to be the menu. I say that as someone who's let the work take me away. Kids are so delicate. They absorb everything. They need to have their hand held and things explained. They need to be listened to. When I get in that busy work mode, I'm not hearing. I want to be better at that.

When you begin making a family, I think you hope to create another family that is some ideal mix of the best of what you had and what you feel you didn't have— I try to put these things in front of them, hoping they'll absorb it and that it will mean something to them later. Even in this place, they won't give a shit about that little bust over there or that light. They won't give a shit about that inlay, but somewhere down the road it will mean something—I hope that it will soak in.

It's a different world, too. We know more, we're more focused on psychology. I come from a place where, you know, it's strength if we get a bruise or cut or ailment we don't discuss it, we just deal with it. We just go on. The downside of that is it's the same with our emotion. I'm personally very retarded when it comes to taking inventory of my emotions. I'm much better at covering up. I grew up with a Father-knows-best/war mentality—the father is all-powerful, super strong—instead of really knowing the man and his own self-doubt and struggles. And it's hit me smack in the face with our divorce: I gotta be more. I gotta be more for them. I have to show them. And I haven't been great at it.

Do you know, specifically, logistically when you have the kids? Yeah. We're working at that now.

It must be much harder when visitation is uncertain— It was all that for a while. I was really on my back and chained to a system when Child Services was called. And you know, after that, we've been able to work together to sort this out. We're both doing our best. I heard one lawyer say, “No one wins in court—it's just a matter of who gets hurt worse.” And it seems to be true, you spend a year just focused on building a case to prove your point and why you're right and why they're wrong, and it's just an investment in vitriolic hatred. I just refuse. And fortunately my partner in this agrees. It's just very, very jarring for the kids, to suddenly have their family ripped apart.

That's what I was going to ask— If anyone can make sense of it, we have to with great care and delicacy, building everything around that.

How do you tell your kids? Well, there's a lot to tell them because there's understanding the future, there's understanding the immediate moment and why we're at this point, and then it brings up a lot of issues from the past that we haven't talked about. So our focus is that everyone comes out stronger and better people—there is no other outcome.

“I know I'm just in the middle of this thing now—not at the beginning or at the end, just smack-dab in the middle. And I don't want to dodge any of it.”

And the fact that you guys are pointing toward that—that clearly doesn't always happen. If you ended up in court, it would be a spectacular nightmare. Spectacular. I see it everywhere. Such animosity and bitterly dedicating years to destroying each other. You'll be in court and it'll be all about affairs and it'll be everything that doesn't matter. It's just awful, it looks awful. One of my favorite movies when it came out was There Will Be Blood, and I couldn't figure out why I loved this movie, I just loved this movie, besides the obvious talent of Paul T. and, you know, Daniel Day. But the next morning I woke up, and I went, Oh, my God, this whole movie is dedicated to this man and his hatred. It's so audacious to make a movie about it, and in life I find it just so sickening. I see it happen to friends—I see where the one spouse literally can't tell their own part in it, and is still competing with the other in some way and wants to destroy them and needs vindication by destruction, and just wasting years on that hatred. I don't want to live that way.

What in the past week has given you immense joy? Can you feel that right now? It's an elusive thing. It's been a more painful week than normal—just certain things have come up—but I see joy out the window, and I can see the silhouette of palms and an expression on one of my kids' faces, a parting smile, or finding some, you know, moment of bliss with the clay. You know, it's everywhere, it's got to be found. It's the laughter of the African mother in my experience—it's got to come from the blues, to get R&B. That'll be in my book.

Are you going to write a book? No! I find writing too arduous.

But do you worry about the narrative others have written for you? What did Churchill say? History will be kind to me: I know because I'll write it myself. I don't really care about protecting the narrative. That's when I get a bit pessimistic, I get in my oh-it-all-goes-away-anyway kind of thinking. But I know the people who love me know me. And that's enough for me.

Do you remember your dreams? Yeah. A few months ago I was having frightening dreams and I'd consciously lie awake trying to ask, What can I get out of this? What can I learn from this? Those ceased. And now I have been having moments of joy, and you wake and realize it's just a dream, and I get a bit depressed for the moment. Just the moment, just glimpse moments of joy because I know I'm just in the middle of this thing now and I'm not at the beginning of it or at the end of it, just where this chapter is right now, just smack-dab in the middle. It's fucking in the middle of it and, you know, I just don't want to dodge any of it. I just want to stand there, shirt open, and take my hits and see, and see.

There's obviously incredible grief. This is like a death— Yeah.

There's a process— Yeah, I think for everyone, for the kids, for me, absolutely.

So is there an urge to try to— The first urge is to cling on.

Then? And then you've got a cliché: “If you love someone, set them free.” Now I know what it means, by feeling it. It means to love without ownership. It means expecting nothing in return. But it sounds good written. It sounds good when Sting sings it. It doesn't mean fuck-all to me until, you know—

Until you can embody it. Until you live it. That's why I never understood growing up with Christianity—don't do this, don't do that—it's all about don'ts, and I was like how the fuck do you know who you are and what works for you if you don't find out where the edge is, where's your line? You've got to step over it to know where it is.

For the photo shoot you went to three national parks in a week. It sounds like a boondoggle. What's the definition of a boondoggle?

I think of it as a sort of ridiculous adventure— Sounds very Ozarkian. Like something I should know but I don't. Yeah, it was great. Ryan [McGinley, the photographer] had us jumping in the Everglades, you know, like gators. I figured, Well, if they do it on Naked and Afraid, I can do it. But they had the old wrangler, he's got his snake pole and it's got this grabber, like something Grandma would use to pick something off the top shelf, but fine. He took a little walk-through, and if he didn't get eaten, then reportedly I wouldn't get eaten. At least that was the logic behind it all, but he said to me, “When you get to be my age, never pass up a bathroom. Never trust a fart. And never waste a boner.”

Whoa. Then White Sands? I've never seen anything like it. I mean the dunes are so sculptural and modern and simple and vast and just incredible shapes. To see them white and reflecting white—the sky's actually darker than that ground. It's an odd, beautiful place.

And then the third? We did Carlsbad Caverns. If we're going to do a celebrity shoot, let's make something, work with an artist, see what we come up with. It's always more interesting.

After all this, do you feel constrained as an actor in some ways? No, I don't really think of myself much as an actor anymore. It takes up so little of my year and my focus. Film feels like a cheap pass for me, as a way to get at those hard feelings. It doesn't work anymore, especially being a dad.

On the pie chart, what is acting? Acting would be very small slice.

Do you see yourself as having been successful? I wish I could just change my name.

Come out as a new person? Like P. Diddy. I can be Puffy now or—what is Snoop? Lion? I just felt like Brad was a misnomer, and now I just feel like fucking Brad.

What other name would you have put on yourself? Nothing. When outside success comes, the thing I've enjoyed the most is when there's a personal discovery in it. But when I find it repetitious or painfully boring, it's absolute death to me.

When you're talking, you kinda rub your thumb against your fingers a lot—it's just an observation. I don't know. I'm tactile—I'm a tactile individual. “I like to feel things up,” he said. [laughs]

Yeah, in high school he was the boy voted most likely to— To feel you up. [laughs] I don't know, I guess it's back to feeling. I think I spent a lot of time avoiding feelings and building structures, you know, around feelings. And now I have no time left for that.

When is the acting still exciting? I would say more in comedic stuff, where you're taking gambles. I can turn out the hits over and over and I just—my favorite movie is the worst-performing film of anything I've done, The Assassination of Jesse James. If I believe something is worthy, then I know it will be worthy in time to come. And there are times I get really cynical, you know. I spend a lot of time on design and even this sculpture folly I'm on, I have days when—it all ends up in the dirt anyways: What's the point? So I go through that cycle, too, you know? What's the point?

Oh man, that's a big question. I know what the point is—it's communicating, it's connecting. I believe we're all cells in one body; we're all part of the same construct. Although a few of us are cancerous. It's helping others. Yeah, we help each other, that's it.

So what's on the agenda later? I'm anxious to get to the studio. I think it was Picasso who talked about the moment of looking at the subject, and paint hitting canvas, and that is where art happens. For me I'm having a moment of getting to feel emotion at my fingertips. But to get that emotion to clay—I just haven't cracked the surface. And I don't know what's coming. Right now I know the manual labor is good for me, getting to know the expansiveness and limitations of the materials. I've got to start from the bottom, I've got to sweep my floor, I've got to wrap up my shit at night, you know?

A metaphor again. But it works. Right now I've got to hammer my own nails.

Michael Paterniti is a GQ correspondent. This is his first piece for GQ Style.

This story appears in the Summer 2017 issue of GQ Style with the title “Monumental.””

[wbwest]

New Post has been published on WilliamBruceWest.com

New Post has been published on http://www.williambrucewest.com/2017/04/14/west-week-ever-pop-culture-review-41417/

West Week Ever: Pop Culture In Review - 4/14/17

I was going to skip this week, with it being a holiday weekend and all, but then I realized that this would be the last post written from the WilliamBruceWest.com HQ of the past 6 years. So, simply to commemorate that, you get a quick post.

I didn’t watch any movies this week (dumb, since I need to clear off a 90% full DVR by Tuesday), but I did catch the HBO stand-up special Pete Holmes: Faces and Sounds. Holmes has recently become one of my favorites, as I’ve really been digging his HBO comedy Crashing, which seems to be loosely based on the early days of his stand-up career. He’s at a point now in his career where he seems to be a lot more comfortable onstage. And he cusses a lot more. Something about him reminds me of a modern-day John Ritter – it’s not the physical comedy, but it’s written all over his face. He genuinely just comes off like a good guy that you could have around your mom. I think that’s part of his appeal. Anyway, it’s a pretty good hour, so check it out if you’re looking for a new stand-up special to watch.

In movie news, Jonah Hex/Thanos will now be adding Cable to his resume. In a surprise casting move, Josh Brolin has been cast as the time-traveling hero in the Deadpool sequel. This, supposedly, won’t affect filming of Avengers: Infinity War because most of his work on that movie will be motion capture. Still, it’s odd to see another comic book movie actor jump across the studio aisle. We’ve seen two actors jump from Fox to the MCU (Chris Evans and Michael B. Jordan), but you never see them go the opposite direction. I guess he’ll do OK, but I was hoping for someone like Ron Perlman or Stephen Lang. Personally, I’d be more impressed if they’d cast his father, James Brolin.

I didn’t catch the Rick & Morty 3rd season premiere when it was posted online on April Fools Day, but luckily Adult Swim aired it every night last week. It was so good to have the show back, even though I’m not entirely sure I know what was going on. As some folks have said, I really wouldn’t be surprised if it turned out that was justa “bonus”episode, and not the actual premiere. If it was real, it definitely set up an interesting new family dynamic. Of course all anyone can talk about, however, is the McDonald’s Mulan Sauce. Apparently, back when Mulan came out, McDonald’s had a special Szechuan sauce for their McNuggets. It was only for a limited time, as those things are wont to be, but now it’s been thrust back into the spotlight thanks to the episode. Fans of the show are trying to get McDonald’s to bring the sauce back, to coincide with the release of the upcoming live action Mulan film (despite the fact that Disney ended their relationship with McDonald’s a few years ago in an attempt to disassociate themselves with unhealthy eating). Already, though, I’ve seen some thinkpieces about how the sauce is cultural appropriation and all that so, basically, welcome to 2017.

In comics news, the X-Men were the source of controversy this week after the artist on X-Men Gold, Ardian Syaf, snuck some incendiary references into the background of his art in the first issue of the book. I don’t have a religious studies degree, so I can’t really get into the minutiae. Basically, though, he slipped in some references to the Qua’ran that are anti-Christian and anti-Jewish. Sure, he can have his beliefs and all, but you don’t sneak that stuff into a corporate comic book. Marvel said that he was going to be disciplined, and later in the week he was fired from the book. Syaf immediately went online and basically said “My career is over”. I kinda wanted to feel bad for him ‘cause he almost seemed suicidal, and I wasn’t sure he initially understood the magnitude of what he had done. In follow up interviews, however, he didn’t really seem to back down. As controversial as he might be right now, it’ll be a major PR opportunity when some publisher, like Dynamite Entertainment, eventually gives him work again.

On the music front, it’s no secret that I’m a huge boyband guy. That said, I never really got into One Direction. It’s not that I was old when they came out, but more of a case where they didn’t have any Max Martin songs. Coming from the late 90s/early 00s era, I feel like you HAVE to have Max Martin songs in order to have hits. I mean, they still had their share of earworms, like “That’s What Makes You Beautiful”, but I never glommed onto them that much. So, when they broke up to pursue solo careers, I wasn’t expecting much – which is why I was surprised to find that I really like “The Sign of the Times”, which is the debut single from Harry Styles. I had the thing looped all day last Friday and, while I’m not sure if it’s a “hit”, I’m really digging what’s going on here. I wonder how the 1D fans are gonna take it. I mean, they’ll eat it up because they love Harry, but it’s not like the 1D songs that they’re used to. You’d expect him to bust out of the gate with something bombastic, but instead he went with something chill and melodic. Anyway, I’m looking forward to hearing the rest of the album when it hits on May 12th.

Things You Might Have Missed This Week

Grace and Frankie has been renewed by Netflix for a 4th season. And I think my wife is the only person I know who’s happy about that. Anyway, Lisa Kudrow is joining the cast.

Jude Law has been cast as young Dumbledore in the Fantastic Beasts sequel

There’s a Fear Factor reboot coming to MTV, which will be hosted by Ludacris

We got a new Justice League poster. Um, OK. I don’t want to hate the DCEU but they make it so easy

The Get Down’s Shameik Moore has been tapped to voice Miles Morales in the upcoming animated Spider-Man film

John Ridley produced Guerrilla, a miniseries about the Black Power movement, and included basically no Black women in it. Good luck with that, my dude.

TLC are back. Well, T and C; you’d need a necromancer to get L back. Anyway, the single “Way Back” debuted on radio this week. It’s nothing special, really.

Sam Elliott has signed on to star in The Man Who Killed Hitler and Then The Bigfoot, which is a Must See based on the title alone

This looks fun. Not “see it in a theater” fun, but fun nonetheless.

This Fall, NBC’s Dateline will become a weekday syndicated true crime series, which will probably end up replacing former correspondent Chris Hansen’s Crime Watch Daily. Coldblooded!

Thor: Ragnarok’s teaser trailer hit this week and it was amazing. Now, keep in mind that the Thor movies are lower on the MCU scale, so it’s not like it had to do much heavy lifting to blow our minds. We’re at a point where we just don’t expect that much from the Thor films. Still, it looks like Guardians of the Galaxy 1.5, and that’s exactly what people love about it. After the departure that was Thor: The Dark World, we’re back to a Thor tale that feels epic and world-spanning. And the Hulk cameo! Anyway, I could ramble about it, or you could just watch it for yourself. All I know is that the Thor: Ragnarok teaser trailer had the West Week Ever.

And if you’re jonesing to read some more, be sure to check out my comic post from this week: Comical Thoughts: The One Where Our Hero Read 30 Marvel Comics In One Night!

[fyjennalouisecoleman]

As Clara Oswald on the beloved British sci-fi series Doctor Who, actor Jenna Coleman filled many roles: curious adventurer, schoolteacher, formidable companion to an alien (The Doctor), space detective, young woman in love, and universe-defender. The satisfyingly absurd world of Who is grounded in the sincerity of its actors, and over the course of three series, the show's 50th anniversary, and two incarnations of The Doctor (Matt Smith and Peter Capaldi, respectively), it was apparent that Coleman understood just that. Balancing the serious and comic, at times questioning The Doctor and at others following him without reservation, she served as the viewer's point of entry into an engaging, unpredictable story. While fans watched her final episode as Clara air earlier this month, Coleman's exit from Who had been in the works for a year prior to her wrapping filming in August. "It definitely felt like her time was up," she says of her character. "And that kind of ended up being what the story was as well. You had to let go and move forward... It felt like a natural end. It made sense, and it made sense in a story sense. I was willing to stay in order to tell a good story." Now, after four years of acting training by intergalactic time travel, the Blackpool-born actor's return to earthbound roles in 2016 is all the more compelling. The 29-year-old's upcoming projects include Me Before You, Thea Sharrock's much-anticipated adaptation of the Jojo Moyes novel starring Emilia Clarke and Sam Claflin (Coleman plays Clarke's younger sister, Katrina), and the ITV series Victoria, in which Coleman plays Queen Victoria. Coleman seems uniquely suited to play the British queen, as the role contains a tension between the surreal and the banal that is quite familiar to Who. "Playing between girl and queen is really interesting," she says. "There's a marriage between her just being a normal, 18-year-old girl and having those impulses, and at the same time being queen and having such a clear sense of duty and faith. She knows what her duty is and happens to be queen, but at the same time she's an 18-year-old girl who likes balls and dances." We spoke to Coleman over the phone just after she wrapped filming Victoria for the holidays. Like many of her fans, she'll be watching Doctor Who's Christmas Special, although she won't appear on screen. "I'll be sitting with my family watching," she tells us. "No doubt." HALEY WEISS: Has it been emotional to watch your final Doctor Who episodes air? JENNA COLEMAN: It's really weird. I went around to Peter [Capaldi]'s house with Steven [Moffat, the show's writer], Brian [Minchin] our producer, and Mark Gatiss. We all watched [my final episode] together. It's just great fun and the best thing about Doctor Who is that the storytelling is so epic and huge, and so whimsical and romantic. I always find that even though it's sci-fi, it's a fairytale as well. It was lovely to watch it all together, but the goodbye had been in the works for so long. To have it done on screen now, and to no longer have those working relationships that have been a part of my life for four years is quite strange but also exhilarating. It's been a mad and weird and wonderful part of my life for the last four years, but it feels like the next chapter, in a way, which is great. WEISS: What will you miss most about playing Clara? COLEMAN: I'll mainly miss Peter. [laughs] It's so rare that you get a show that is effectively a two-hander—it's you two, all day, every day. Also every day is different, there's no day that's the same. Every two weeks you change episodes, you have a different cast, and you go to a different planet. You get to do weird stunts upside down, you play off a green screen, and then suddenly do a really domestic, emotional scene. As an actor, you can go anywhere. There's not really a limit in that show where you're stuck to a genre because it's so changeable and dynamic. It's that storytelling that I'll miss the most and Peter, because we spent the best part of two and a half years together. But the show will move forward, as it does, and become something else, which is what makes it so special. WEISS: How do you think the show changed you as an actor? COLEMAN: I don't know the answer to that yet. To be honest, I think it's the people that you work with who change you the most. I think working with Peter has made me...not be scared of a right and a wrong—trying to do as many options as possible for the edit, exploring as much as possible and throwing ideas in the air and seeing where it takes you. WEISS: What was your first acting role? COLEMAN: I did something when I was 10, actually. I did a professional musical. I had to go and sing happy birthday to myself, which was a tough part.  I got to leave school early and do the show. It went across the summer for about eight weeks or something like that. That was my first part, and I think that's probably when I realized that I loved it and it's what I wanted to do. Then I carried on with my studies and did loads of plays, and then I was 19 when I got my first proper job on a show called Emmerdale where I played the vicar's niece gone bad. That's how it all started. WEISS: Did you enjoy school or were you eager to get out and start working? COLEMAN: I loved school, I really did. In fact, I'm just back in London for the first time in ages and caught up, quite luckily, with loads of my schoolmates who live in London. We had all moved down together but we all do completely different things. I was really lucky for the friends that I had and loved every minute of it. I don't think I was a geek, but I loved the studies and we had a really good theater company at our school. We went to the Fringe Festival every year, put on plays together, and traveled around the country with these little companies we set up. WEISS: So you moved to London when you did Emmerdale? COLEMAN: I moved to London after my first job. I lived in Leeds for a couple of years and then moved straight down to London when I was probably 22 and tried to go to drama school. I auditioned for drama school again and then I ended up getting another job. I kind of rolled from job to job, skipping drama school. WEISS: Do you have any interest in going to drama school now? COLEMAN: I'd love to; I feel that it's something that I've missed. I really want to do a play again. I've kind of gone from TV series to TV series or project to project, and I've wanted to get back in a rehearsal room. I feel like there's that exploration process, in a way, that you get in phases on jobs but I do wish I had that time [at school]. I realized when I was about 24 if I was to go until I was 27 that there would be a playing age that I'd miss of parts that I wanted to do, and things seemed to be headed my way. I wish that I had it, but I suppose I've had it in spurts on jobs, really. WEISS: What did you think of Jojo Moyes' book Me Before You? COLEMAN: I thought it was heartbreaking. I think Jojo's book is beautiful. I've just been given After You, the sequel, to read. It's one of those films where it's about the chemistry between the two [main characters]. It's a romantic story but set in such a reality that it can never be, it can't be, but yet that doesn't make it any less charming. It's the reality of these two people that should be together but they're in these unimaginable circumstances, which makes for a really interesting but ultimately tragic story but it's something that's still full of hope at the end, which is quite a unique combination. WEISS: Katrina Clark, your character in Me Before You, is very independent in some ways, but very reliant upon Louisa and her family in others. What was your sense of her as a character? COLEMAN: My auntie, actually, I kept thinking about my auntie a lot. She's somebody who knows who she is—she really knows who she is—but she's kind of annoying in a way. [laughs] She's one of those people who will always tell you the truth even when you don't want to hear it. She's the voice of reason,  but often when you're not ready to hear that voice of reason, but she's like a rock. She'll be there, she's stubborn, she knows her own mind, and she's really strong. And as sisters, I think [Katrina and Louisa are] an interesting pair because they're complete opposites. They're totally different; it's a bit of a love-hate relationship, in a way. If they weren't sisters they would probably never be friends at all but there's such a sense of loyalty between them. They have a special sisterly spark but they're complete opposites. WEISS: Does it feel different to not only be playing a new character as Queen Victoria in Victoria, but also a historical figure? COLEMAN: Yeah, it does. I've never played anybody real before. I played fictional characters like Lydia Wickham [in Death Comes to Pemberley] but never anybody who really existed, so that is quite a different feeling. I've been over to Kensington Palace and stood in the room where she was born and stood in the room where she held her first Privy Council meeting as queen. You can read her diary firsthand, what she wrote and how she felt on the day she was coronated, on the day she was married, even having arguments with her mother and more domestic things. The resource of material is fascinating, and she had fascinating relationships and such a unique life. She became queen when she was 18 years old and it wasn't that long ago either. It's a really remarkable story. WEISS: Do you find that at some point in doing all of that research, you have to separate yourself from the knowledge you've gained and just take on the character? COLEMAN: Absolutely. That's the thing about prep, is that it's a joy to have it there and you can spend all this time prepping, but ultimately you have to look at your script and turn up on the day. It's embedded in there somewhere but you have to forget it all and play the scene because we are storytelling. There's a lot of historical events we're being very true to but you have to do your version of, I think. I've been watching a lot, like Emily Blunt in Queen Victoria and Judi Dench in Mrs Brown, so there's an essence of an idea that you can get from what you read but ultimately, I think you have to be true to the script that you're given. It's a real joy to have the research around it but you definitely have to leave it behind and just play the scenes. WEISS: What's the most interesting thing you've learned about Queen Victoria? COLEMAN: In her diaries she writes in capitals a lot. It's quite interesting and quite telling. If there's something she really enjoyed or wanted to emphasize, she'll write in capitals. It shows just how impulsive she was, and how guileless. And she's very open. These diaries that we're reading have been censored by her daughter, but she talks about her wedding night with Albert, she talks about waking up at 4 AM on the day she was being coronated and being able to hear the crowds outside and hear what the people were saying. It's amazing how frank she is and how contradictory she is; she's extremely passionate and a romantic and very young in lots of ways, yet she's completely practical and quite stubborn and wise as well. She's this strange mixed bag of all of these qualities. She was obsessed with the theater, ballet, and the melodrama in opera. She used to sketch. The most interesting thing I've seen is that she used to watercolor, she was an artist, and there's her sketchbook where you can see what she draws, like a scene she's seen in an opera or she met some gypsies once and she draws the gypsies and their families. That's probably the most telling thing, her drawings. She draws herself in a couple of self-portraits as well. Looking at her sketches probably gives you the best insight into her temperament, her mind, and what was occupying her, what she sees. Her sketches have probably told me the most. WEISS: It's amazing that you're able to get such a sense of her internal life. COLEMAN: I know, it's incredible, it really is. I think so many people see Victoria as the lady in black who was widowed at 42 and looks quite stern. When you think of Victoria, you think of Victoria in her 60s and a lot of people don't really know the story of the 18-year-old who was full of enthusiasm and passion for life and the arts.

[cynthiajayusa]

What’s Hot Central Florida: March 2019

Saturday, March 2

Cristoph’s Tampa presents a Toga Party (Men in Toga’s..HOT) with hostess Lady Janet and the music of Billboard reporting DJ Greg Anderson!

Sunday, March 3

After incredible success and demand, esteemed performer and international pop icon P!NK announces that her Beautiful Trauma World Tour will extend into Tampa’s at the Amalie Arena  at 7:30pm. Since her debut in 2000, P!NK has released 7 studio albums, 1 greatest hits album, sold over 50 million albums equivalents, over 75 million singles, over 2.4 million DVDs worldwide and has had 15 singles in the top 10 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart (four at #1).   Her seventh studio album, Beautiful Trauma is certified platinum, debuted at #1 on Billboard’s 200 chart and marked a career high for first week sales. For more info or to purchase tickets, go to: amaliearena.com.

The Flamingo resort presents the annual Mr. and Miss Flamingo 2019 Pageant at 7pm hosted by Iman. The pageant will homnor Jrnavive Mateo (Miss), and Onyx Valentino (Mr.) and Forever Miss Flamingo Femme Samaya Sinsation. Categories include: Presentation (pink), Evening Gown/Wear, Talent and Q&A. For more information or contestant packets email: jon@flamingofla.com.

Tuesday, March 5

Fairwinds Broadway in Orlando presents Fiddler on the Roof at the Dr. Phillips Center for the Performing Arts from today until March 10. Rich with musical hits you know and love, including “Tradition”, “Sunrise, Sunset”, “If I Were a Rich Man,” “Matchmaker, Matchmaker” and “To Life (L’Chaim!),” Fiddler on the Roof is the heartwarming story of fathers and daughters, husbands and wives, and life, love and laughter. For more information, go to: Drphillipscenter.org.

The Van Wezel Performing Arts Hall presents Rain: A Tribute to the Beatles. In celebration of the anniversary of Abbey Road, Rain will bring the greatest hits of this epic recording to life, in addition to all your early Beatles favorites. This mind-blowing performance takes you back in time with the legendary foursome delivering a note-for-note theatrical event that is “the next best thing to seeing the Beatles” (Associated Press). For more information, or to purchase tickets, go to: Vanwezel.org.

Friday, March 8

From his team members on The Voice to veteran country artists, Blake Shelton has a history of demonstrating his support for the people in whom he believes; when he realized that fans across the country needed to hear music from his friends and heroes, he decided to bring them all out on the road. “Friends & Heroes 2019” will hit Tampa’s AMALIE Arena at 7pm.  Very special guest Lauren Alaina joins Shelton for the run along with special appearances by country icons the Bellamy Brothers, John Anderson and Trace Adkins. For more info or to purchase tickets, go to: amaliearena.com.

Southern Nights Orlando presents from RuPaul’s Drag Race Season 6, Jiggly Caliente. Jiggly will also be performing on Saturday!

The Orlando Improv presents Arsenio Hall today and tomorrow, Sat March 9. It was the success of his Emmy Award-winning late night talk show “The Arsenio Hall Show” that made Arsenio a household name. The versatile actor, comedian and producer first became involved in the arts at “The Cleveland Playhouse” and continued to hone his craft through his Kent State Univ. Tickets start at $25 at Theimprovorlando.com.

Saturday, March 9

The Amway Center presents Lionel Richie in his All The Hits Tour at 8pm. He is one of the most successful solo artists in pop and R&B history and one of the most popular singer/songwriters of the modern era. Richie will take fans on an unforgettable musical journey featuring his most influential and revered songs that defined the icon’s unrivaled career. For more info or to purchase tickets go to: Amwaycenter.com.

The Parliament House presents “Garden Of Sin” featuring international DJ sensation Kidd Madonny. They will also feature the Footlight Players at 10pm and 12am, and a free courtyard party.

Neema’s Amor at Stonewall Bar Orlando, presents RuPaul’s Drag Races Naysha Lopez, along with Rochelle Mon Cheri and Angelica Sanchez. Doors open at 9pm with no civer before 10pm and $10 thereafter.

 Wednesday, March 13

FL Falun Dafa Association Presents Shen Yun from today until March 17, at the Dr. Phillips Center. They invite you to experience a divinely inspired culture through the breathtaking art of classical Chinese dance. Audiences travel from legends of the past to stories of courage in China today; from snowy mountaintops to vast grasslands.

Large animated backdrops extend the stage and transport the audience to another world. These grand images are dynamic, involving unique interaction with stage—a patented innovation that has inspired Hollywood and catches seasoned theatergoers by surprise. Tickets start at: $84.25 at Drphillipscenter.org.

Thursday March 14

The Van Wezel Performing Arts Hall presents The Lion King from today until March 31.

Giraffes strut.  Birds swoop.  Gazelles leap.  The entire Serengeti comes to life as never before.  And as the music soars, Pride Rock slowly emerges from the mist. This is Disney’s The Lion King!  For more information, or to purchase tickets, go to: Vanwezel.org.

Friday, March 15

The Tampa Improv Presents Sheryl Underwood today and tomorrow, Sat, March 16. Sheryl is a savvy businesswoman and multi-faceted, multi-media entrepreneur, and she skillfully balances the roles of in-demand Entertainer, Owner and Chief Executive Officer of Pack Rat Productions, movie and television actress, radio personality and philanthropist. Sheryl Underwood is one of the most articulate, well-informed women of our time and is a much sought after entertainer who has been described as one of the world’s brightest contemporary humorists. Tickets are $27 at Standupmedia.com.  

Southern Nights Orlando from RuPaul’s Drag Race Season 11, Plastique Tiara. If you can’t make it tonight, you can catch Plastique performing tomorrow night, Sat March 16 at Southern Nights Tampa.

Timberly presents Bare Beef St Patricks Day kick off at Stonewall Bar Orlando. The night will feature a 12 am wet underwear contest and adult video star Jack Vidra.

Saturday, March 16

The Parliament House invites everyone to celebrate St Patrick’s Day by Getting “Lucky” with Blair St. Clair of RuPaul’s Drag Race. They invite you to reach into the pot of gold and win: Televisions, tablets, free drinks, electronics, gift cards and door entries. General admission is $10, with VIP photo Op $20.

Sunday, March 17

Amalie Arena presents Travis Scott in his Astroworld: Wish You Were Here Tour at 8pm.  Once again, Travis Scott takes it up a notch – or ten. Known for his explosively wild performances, the history-making Houston superstar will make this tour his best yet. Bringing the amusement park of his chart-dominating critically acclaimed blockbuster Astroworld to life on stage, the artist has envisioned a show unlike anything done before and unlikely to be topped. amaliearena.com. (AMWAY CENTER MARCH 15)

Friday, March 22

The Tampa Improv presents Craig Robinson today, Saturday, March 23 and Sunday, March 24. Beginning as a stand-up comedian in Chicago, Robinson first made his mark in the comedy circuit at the 1998 Montreal “Just for Laughs” Festival. Craig is best known for his portrayal of Daryl Philban in NBC’s The Office but has also starred in such movies as Knocked Up, This Is The End, The Hot Tub Time Machine series, and Morris From America, the latter of which he won a Special Grand Jury prize for acting at Sundance in 2016. Craig also plays the role of Leroy in FOX’s paranormal comedy series, Ghosted. For more information or to purchase tickets, go to: standupmedia.com. 

Saturday, March 23

Barcodes Orlando (4453 Edgewater Drive) will be celebrating their 10th Anniversary tonight with a night filled with FUN! There will be raffle drawings throughout the night and the prizes include: $1000 in cash, a custom Miller Lite Bicycle, a Budweiser land cruiser bicycle, a smart TV, and lots more! As always free parking and never a cover. On behalf of myself and the entire Hotsptos Central staff we would like to wish Raymond and the entire Barcodes Orlando staff a very happy birthday and wishing them many more years of success!

Dr. Phillips Center Presents Tony Bennett live! Tony Bennett’s life and philosophy is the embodiment of the Great American Story. Having celebrated his 92nd birthday on August 3rd 2018, his career as the pre-eminent singer of the 20th and 21st centuries is unprecedented. He continues to be embraced and loved by audiences of all generations. Tickets start from: $55 at Drphillipscenter.org.

Cristoph’s Tampa presents a “Rewind Party” with hostess Stephanie Stuart and the sounds of DJ Mike Sklarz.

Sunday, March 24 

The Dr. Phillips Center for the Performing Arts in Association with Live Nation presents Chicago. Billboard ranked Chicago ninth on the list of the hundred greatest artists of all time in terms of Billboard 200 album chart success in October 2015. Chicago is one of the longest-running and most successful rock groups, and one of the world’s best-selling groups of all time, having sold more than 100 million records. In 1971, Chicago was the first rock act to sell out Carnegie Hall for a week. Tickets start from: $55 at Drphillipscenter.org.

Monday, March 25

Chris Sant Lorans productions presents the annual Miss Orlando Universo Latina USA (reg and plus) 2019 at the Parliament House. The categories are Presentation (pink), Evening Gown, Swim Wear, Talent and Q&A. The winners will receive $1,000 cash, over $4,000 in prizes, 2 Photo Shoots, registration for the national, passage and stay for the national, dancers entry,  Magazine Photo, Promotion Tour (show) all over Florida, New York and Puerto Rico and many more things.

Friday, March 29

Cristoph’s Tampa presents “Pup Pride,” a pride night kickoff with hostess Alexis De La Mer and the sounds of DJ Mike Sklarz.

The Straz Center for the Performing Arts presents Tap Dogs through Sunday, March 31. Dein Perry’s TAP DOGS returns to the stage with its trademark blend of live music and tap dance as you’ve never seen before. The New York Observer called it “positively electrifying.” Part Theater, part dance, part rock concert and part construction site, the show is crammed with high-energy dance, theatrical performance, and music performed by the cast and live musicians in this unstoppable spectacular. Whether in water, upside-down or jumping through scaffolding, the Tap Dogs have been performing to the beat of their own drum for more than 20 years. Tickets star at $25 at StrazCenter.org.

Saturday March 30

Its Tampa Pride time which means a festival in Ybor and of course the fabulous parade. It also means tons of events and performers. For a full listing see the feature in this month’s edition or go to: TampaPride.org.

Southern Nights Tampa presents one of the original Queer Eye For the Straight Guy hosts and a current judge on Ru Paul’s Drag Race, the one and only Carson Kressley live! This is an 18 and over event! (If you can’t make it on Sat, you can catch him on Friday, Mar 29 at Southern Nights Orlando).

Don’t forget the last Saturday of every month Stonewall Orlando brings you “Leather Night.” Catch all the sexy men in leather and as always no cover!

Sunday, March 31

Dr. Phillips Center Presents The Price Is Right, which is the hit interactive stage show that gives eligible individuals the chance to “Come On Down” to win. Prizes may include appliances, vacations and possibly a new car! Play classic games from television’s longest running and most popular game show from Plinko to Cliffhangers to The Big Wheel and even the fabulous Showcase. Tickets start at: $39.50 at Drphillipscenter.org.

source https://hotspotsmagazine.com/2019/02/28/whats-hot-central-florida-march-2019/ from Hot Spots Magazine https://hotspotsmagazin.blogspot.com/2019/02/whats-hot-central-florida-march-2019.html

[demitgibbs]

What’s Hot Central Florida: March 2019

Saturday, March 2

Cristoph’s Tampa presents a Toga Party (Men in Toga’s..HOT) with hostess Lady Janet and the music of Billboard reporting DJ Greg Anderson!

Sunday, March 3

After incredible success and demand, esteemed performer and international pop icon P!NK announces that her Beautiful Trauma World Tour will extend into Tampa’s at the Amalie Arena  at 7:30pm. Since her debut in 2000, P!NK has released 7 studio albums, 1 greatest hits album, sold over 50 million albums equivalents, over 75 million singles, over 2.4 million DVDs worldwide and has had 15 singles in the top 10 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart (four at #1).   Her seventh studio album, Beautiful Trauma is certified platinum, debuted at #1 on Billboard’s 200 chart and marked a career high for first week sales. For more info or to purchase tickets, go to: amaliearena.com.

The Flamingo resort presents the annual Mr. and Miss Flamingo 2019 Pageant at 7pm hosted by Iman. The pageant will homnor Jrnavive Mateo (Miss), and Onyx Valentino (Mr.) and Forever Miss Flamingo Femme Samaya Sinsation. Categories include: Presentation (pink), Evening Gown/Wear, Talent and Q&A. For more information or contestant packets email: jon@flamingofla.com.

Tuesday, March 5

Fairwinds Broadway in Orlando presents Fiddler on the Roof at the Dr. Phillips Center for the Performing Arts from today until March 10. Rich with musical hits you know and love, including “Tradition”, “Sunrise, Sunset”, “If I Were a Rich Man,” “Matchmaker, Matchmaker” and “To Life (L’Chaim!),” Fiddler on the Roof is the heartwarming story of fathers and daughters, husbands and wives, and life, love and laughter. For more information, go to: Drphillipscenter.org.

The Van Wezel Performing Arts Hall presents Rain: A Tribute to the Beatles. In celebration of the anniversary of Abbey Road, Rain will bring the greatest hits of this epic recording to life, in addition to all your early Beatles favorites. This mind-blowing performance takes you back in time with the legendary foursome delivering a note-for-note theatrical event that is “the next best thing to seeing the Beatles” (Associated Press). For more information, or to purchase tickets, go to: Vanwezel.org.

Friday, March 8

From his team members on The Voice to veteran country artists, Blake Shelton has a history of demonstrating his support for the people in whom he believes; when he realized that fans across the country needed to hear music from his friends and heroes, he decided to bring them all out on the road. “Friends & Heroes 2019” will hit Tampa’s AMALIE Arena at 7pm.  Very special guest Lauren Alaina joins Shelton for the run along with special appearances by country icons the Bellamy Brothers, John Anderson and Trace Adkins. For more info or to purchase tickets, go to: amaliearena.com.

Southern Nights Orlando presents from RuPaul’s Drag Race Season 6, Jiggly Caliente. Jiggly will also be performing on Saturday!

The Orlando Improv presents Arsenio Hall today and tomorrow, Sat March 9. It was the success of his Emmy Award-winning late night talk show “The Arsenio Hall Show” that made Arsenio a household name. The versatile actor, comedian and producer first became involved in the arts at “The Cleveland Playhouse” and continued to hone his craft through his Kent State Univ. Tickets start at $25 at Theimprovorlando.com.

Saturday, March 9

The Amway Center presents Lionel Richie in his All The Hits Tour at 8pm. He is one of the most successful solo artists in pop and R&B history and one of the most popular singer/songwriters of the modern era. Richie will take fans on an unforgettable musical journey featuring his most influential and revered songs that defined the icon’s unrivaled career. For more info or to purchase tickets go to: Amwaycenter.com.

The Parliament House presents “Garden Of Sin” featuring international DJ sensation Kidd Madonny. They will also feature the Footlight Players at 10pm and 12am, and a free courtyard party.

Neema’s Amor at Stonewall Bar Orlando, presents RuPaul’s Drag Races Naysha Lopez, along with Rochelle Mon Cheri and Angelica Sanchez. Doors open at 9pm with no civer before 10pm and $10 thereafter.

 Wednesday, March 13

FL Falun Dafa Association Presents Shen Yun from today until March 17, at the Dr. Phillips Center. They invite you to experience a divinely inspired culture through the breathtaking art of classical Chinese dance. Audiences travel from legends of the past to stories of courage in China today; from snowy mountaintops to vast grasslands.

Large animated backdrops extend the stage and transport the audience to another world. These grand images are dynamic, involving unique interaction with stage—a patented innovation that has inspired Hollywood and catches seasoned theatergoers by surprise. Tickets start at: $84.25 at Drphillipscenter.org.

Thursday March 14

The Van Wezel Performing Arts Hall presents The Lion King from today until March 31.

Giraffes strut.  Birds swoop.  Gazelles leap.  The entire Serengeti comes to life as never before.  And as the music soars, Pride Rock slowly emerges from the mist. This is Disney’s The Lion King!  For more information, or to purchase tickets, go to: Vanwezel.org.

Friday, March 15

The Tampa Improv Presents Sheryl Underwood today and tomorrow, Sat, March 16. Sheryl is a savvy businesswoman and multi-faceted, multi-media entrepreneur, and she skillfully balances the roles of in-demand Entertainer, Owner and Chief Executive Officer of Pack Rat Productions, movie and television actress, radio personality and philanthropist. Sheryl Underwood is one of the most articulate, well-informed women of our time and is a much sought after entertainer who has been described as one of the world’s brightest contemporary humorists. Tickets are $27 at Standupmedia.com.  

Southern Nights Orlando from RuPaul’s Drag Race Season 11, Plastique Tiara. If you can’t make it tonight, you can catch Plastique performing tomorrow night, Sat March 16 at Southern Nights Tampa.

Timberly presents Bare Beef St Patricks Day kick off at Stonewall Bar Orlando. The night will feature a 12 am wet underwear contest and adult video star Jack Vidra.

Saturday, March 16

The Parliament House invites everyone to celebrate St Patrick’s Day by Getting “Lucky” with Blair St. Clair of RuPaul’s Drag Race. They invite you to reach into the pot of gold and win: Televisions, tablets, free drinks, electronics, gift cards and door entries. General admission is $10, with VIP photo Op $20.

Sunday, March 17

Amalie Arena presents Travis Scott in his Astroworld: Wish You Were Here Tour at 8pm.  Once again, Travis Scott takes it up a notch – or ten. Known for his explosively wild performances, the history-making Houston superstar will make this tour his best yet. Bringing the amusement park of his chart-dominating critically acclaimed blockbuster Astroworld to life on stage, the artist has envisioned a show unlike anything done before and unlikely to be topped. amaliearena.com. (AMWAY CENTER MARCH 15)

Friday, March 22

The Tampa Improv presents Craig Robinson today, Saturday, March 23 and Sunday, March 24. Beginning as a stand-up comedian in Chicago, Robinson first made his mark in the comedy circuit at the 1998 Montreal “Just for Laughs” Festival. Craig is best known for his portrayal of Daryl Philban in NBC’s The Office but has also starred in such movies as Knocked Up, This Is The End, The Hot Tub Time Machine series, and Morris From America, the latter of which he won a Special Grand Jury prize for acting at Sundance in 2016. Craig also plays the role of Leroy in FOX’s paranormal comedy series, Ghosted. For more information or to purchase tickets, go to: standupmedia.com. 

Saturday, March 23

Barcodes Orlando (4453 Edgewater Drive) will be celebrating their 10th Anniversary tonight with a night filled with FUN! There will be raffle drawings throughout the night and the prizes include: $1000 in cash, a custom Miller Lite Bicycle, a Budweiser land cruiser bicycle, a smart TV, and lots more! As always free parking and never a cover. On behalf of myself and the entire Hotsptos Central staff we would like to wish Raymond and the entire Barcodes Orlando staff a very happy birthday and wishing them many more years of success!

Dr. Phillips Center Presents Tony Bennett live! Tony Bennett’s life and philosophy is the embodiment of the Great American Story. Having celebrated his 92nd birthday on August 3rd 2018, his career as the pre-eminent singer of the 20th and 21st centuries is unprecedented. He continues to be embraced and loved by audiences of all generations. Tickets start from: $55 at Drphillipscenter.org.

Cristoph’s Tampa presents a “Rewind Party” with hostess Stephanie Stuart and the sounds of DJ Mike Sklarz.

Sunday, March 24 

The Dr. Phillips Center for the Performing Arts in Association with Live Nation presents Chicago. Billboard ranked Chicago ninth on the list of the hundred greatest artists of all time in terms of Billboard 200 album chart success in October 2015. Chicago is one of the longest-running and most successful rock groups, and one of the world’s best-selling groups of all time, having sold more than 100 million records. In 1971, Chicago was the first rock act to sell out Carnegie Hall for a week. Tickets start from: $55 at Drphillipscenter.org.

Monday, March 25

Chris Sant Lorans productions presents the annual Miss Orlando Universo Latina USA (reg and plus) 2019 at the Parliament House. The categories are Presentation (pink), Evening Gown, Swim Wear, Talent and Q&A. The winners will receive $1,000 cash, over $4,000 in prizes, 2 Photo Shoots, registration for the national, passage and stay for the national, dancers entry,  Magazine Photo, Promotion Tour (show) all over Florida, New York and Puerto Rico and many more things.

Friday, March 29

Cristoph’s Tampa presents “Pup Pride,” a pride night kickoff with hostess Alexis De La Mer and the sounds of DJ Mike Sklarz.

The Straz Center for the Performing Arts presents Tap Dogs through Sunday, March 31. Dein Perry’s TAP DOGS returns to the stage with its trademark blend of live music and tap dance as you’ve never seen before. The New York Observer called it “positively electrifying.” Part Theater, part dance, part rock concert and part construction site, the show is crammed with high-energy dance, theatrical performance, and music performed by the cast and live musicians in this unstoppable spectacular. Whether in water, upside-down or jumping through scaffolding, the Tap Dogs have been performing to the beat of their own drum for more than 20 years. Tickets star at $25 at StrazCenter.org.

Saturday March 30

Its Tampa Pride time which means a festival in Ybor and of course the fabulous parade. It also means tons of events and performers. For a full listing see the feature in this month’s edition or go to: TampaPride.org.

Southern Nights Tampa presents one of the original Queer Eye For the Straight Guy hosts and a current judge on Ru Paul’s Drag Race, the one and only Carson Kressley live! This is an 18 and over event! (If you can’t make it on Sat, you can catch him on Friday, Mar 29 at Southern Nights Orlando).

Don’t forget the last Saturday of every month Stonewall Orlando brings you “Leather Night.” Catch all the sexy men in leather and as always no cover!

Sunday, March 31

Dr. Phillips Center Presents The Price Is Right, which is the hit interactive stage show that gives eligible individuals the chance to “Come On Down” to win. Prizes may include appliances, vacations and possibly a new car! Play classic games from television’s longest running and most popular game show from Plinko to Cliffhangers to The Big Wheel and even the fabulous Showcase. Tickets start at: $39.50 at Drphillipscenter.org.

from Hotspots! Magazine https://hotspotsmagazine.com/2019/02/28/whats-hot-central-florida-march-2019/ from Hot Spots Magazine https://hotspotsmagazine.tumblr.com/post/183119345260

[hotspotsmagazine]

What’s Hot Central Florida: March 2019

Saturday, March 2

Cristoph’s Tampa presents a Toga Party (Men in Toga’s..HOT) with hostess Lady Janet and the music of Billboard reporting DJ Greg Anderson!

Sunday, March 3

After incredible success and demand, esteemed performer and international pop icon P!NK announces that her Beautiful Trauma World Tour will extend into Tampa’s at the Amalie Arena  at 7:30pm. Since her debut in 2000, P!NK has released 7 studio albums, 1 greatest hits album, sold over 50 million albums equivalents, over 75 million singles, over 2.4 million DVDs worldwide and has had 15 singles in the top 10 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart (four at #1).   Her seventh studio album, Beautiful Trauma is certified platinum, debuted at #1 on Billboard’s 200 chart and marked a career high for first week sales. For more info or to purchase tickets, go to: amaliearena.com.

The Flamingo resort presents the annual Mr. and Miss Flamingo 2019 Pageant at 7pm hosted by Iman. The pageant will homnor Jrnavive Mateo (Miss), and Onyx Valentino (Mr.) and Forever Miss Flamingo Femme Samaya Sinsation. Categories include: Presentation (pink), Evening Gown/Wear, Talent and Q&A. For more information or contestant packets email: jon@flamingofla.com.

Tuesday, March 5

Fairwinds Broadway in Orlando presents Fiddler on the Roof at the Dr. Phillips Center for the Performing Arts from today until March 10. Rich with musical hits you know and love, including “Tradition”, “Sunrise, Sunset”, “If I Were a Rich Man,” “Matchmaker, Matchmaker” and “To Life (L’Chaim!),” Fiddler on the Roof is the heartwarming story of fathers and daughters, husbands and wives, and life, love and laughter. For more information, go to: Drphillipscenter.org.

The Van Wezel Performing Arts Hall presents Rain: A Tribute to the Beatles. In celebration of the anniversary of Abbey Road, Rain will bring the greatest hits of this epic recording to life, in addition to all your early Beatles favorites. This mind-blowing performance takes you back in time with the legendary foursome delivering a note-for-note theatrical event that is “the next best thing to seeing the Beatles” (Associated Press). For more information, or to purchase tickets, go to: Vanwezel.org.

Friday, March 8

From his team members on The Voice to veteran country artists, Blake Shelton has a history of demonstrating his support for the people in whom he believes; when he realized that fans across the country needed to hear music from his friends and heroes, he decided to bring them all out on the road. “Friends & Heroes 2019” will hit Tampa’s AMALIE Arena at 7pm.  Very special guest Lauren Alaina joins Shelton for the run along with special appearances by country icons the Bellamy Brothers, John Anderson and Trace Adkins. For more info or to purchase tickets, go to: amaliearena.com.

Southern Nights Orlando presents from RuPaul’s Drag Race Season 6, Jiggly Caliente. Jiggly will also be performing on Saturday!

The Orlando Improv presents Arsenio Hall today and tomorrow, Sat March 9. It was the success of his Emmy Award-winning late night talk show “The Arsenio Hall Show” that made Arsenio a household name. The versatile actor, comedian and producer first became involved in the arts at “The Cleveland Playhouse” and continued to hone his craft through his Kent State Univ. Tickets start at $25 at Theimprovorlando.com.

Saturday, March 9

The Amway Center presents Lionel Richie in his All The Hits Tour at 8pm. He is one of the most successful solo artists in pop and R&B history and one of the most popular singer/songwriters of the modern era. Richie will take fans on an unforgettable musical journey featuring his most influential and revered songs that defined the icon’s unrivaled career. For more info or to purchase tickets go to: Amwaycenter.com.

The Parliament House presents “Garden Of Sin” featuring international DJ sensation Kidd Madonny. They will also feature the Footlight Players at 10pm and 12am, and a free courtyard party.

Neema’s Amor at Stonewall Bar Orlando, presents RuPaul’s Drag Races Naysha Lopez, along with Rochelle Mon Cheri and Angelica Sanchez. Doors open at 9pm with no civer before 10pm and $10 thereafter.

 Wednesday, March 13

FL Falun Dafa Association Presents Shen Yun from today until March 17, at the Dr. Phillips Center. They invite you to experience a divinely inspired culture through the breathtaking art of classical Chinese dance. Audiences travel from legends of the past to stories of courage in China today; from snowy mountaintops to vast grasslands.

Large animated backdrops extend the stage and transport the audience to another world. These grand images are dynamic, involving unique interaction with stage—a patented innovation that has inspired Hollywood and catches seasoned theatergoers by surprise. Tickets start at: $84.25 at Drphillipscenter.org.

Thursday March 14

The Van Wezel Performing Arts Hall presents The Lion King from today until March 31.

Giraffes strut.  Birds swoop.  Gazelles leap.  The entire Serengeti comes to life as never before.  And as the music soars, Pride Rock slowly emerges from the mist. This is Disney’s The Lion King!  For more information, or to purchase tickets, go to: Vanwezel.org.

Friday, March 15

The Tampa Improv Presents Sheryl Underwood today and tomorrow, Sat, March 16. Sheryl is a savvy businesswoman and multi-faceted, multi-media entrepreneur, and she skillfully balances the roles of in-demand Entertainer, Owner and Chief Executive Officer of Pack Rat Productions, movie and television actress, radio personality and philanthropist. Sheryl Underwood is one of the most articulate, well-informed women of our time and is a much sought after entertainer who has been described as one of the world’s brightest contemporary humorists. Tickets are $27 at Standupmedia.com.  

Southern Nights Orlando from RuPaul’s Drag Race Season 11, Plastique Tiara. If you can’t make it tonight, you can catch Plastique performing tomorrow night, Sat March 16 at Southern Nights Tampa.

Timberly presents Bare Beef St Patricks Day kick off at Stonewall Bar Orlando. The night will feature a 12 am wet underwear contest and adult video star Jack Vidra.

Saturday, March 16

The Parliament House invites everyone to celebrate St Patrick’s Day by Getting “Lucky” with Blair St. Clair of RuPaul’s Drag Race. They invite you to reach into the pot of gold and win: Televisions, tablets, free drinks, electronics, gift cards and door entries. General admission is $10, with VIP photo Op $20.

Sunday, March 17

Amalie Arena presents Travis Scott in his Astroworld: Wish You Were Here Tour at 8pm.  Once again, Travis Scott takes it up a notch – or ten. Known for his explosively wild performances, the history-making Houston superstar will make this tour his best yet. Bringing the amusement park of his chart-dominating critically acclaimed blockbuster Astroworld to life on stage, the artist has envisioned a show unlike anything done before and unlikely to be topped. amaliearena.com. (AMWAY CENTER MARCH 15)

Friday, March 22

The Tampa Improv presents Craig Robinson today, Saturday, March 23 and Sunday, March 24. Beginning as a stand-up comedian in Chicago, Robinson first made his mark in the comedy circuit at the 1998 Montreal “Just for Laughs” Festival. Craig is best known for his portrayal of Daryl Philban in NBC’s The Office but has also starred in such movies as Knocked Up, This Is The End, The Hot Tub Time Machine series, and Morris From America, the latter of which he won a Special Grand Jury prize for acting at Sundance in 2016. Craig also plays the role of Leroy in FOX’s paranormal comedy series, Ghosted. For more information or to purchase tickets, go to: standupmedia.com. 

Saturday, March 23

Barcodes Orlando (4453 Edgewater Drive) will be celebrating their 10th Anniversary tonight with a night filled with FUN! There will be raffle drawings throughout the night and the prizes include: $1000 in cash, a custom Miller Lite Bicycle, a Budweiser land cruiser bicycle, a smart TV, and lots more! As always free parking and never a cover. On behalf of myself and the entire Hotsptos Central staff we would like to wish Raymond and the entire Barcodes Orlando staff a very happy birthday and wishing them many more years of success!

Dr. Phillips Center Presents Tony Bennett live! Tony Bennett’s life and philosophy is the embodiment of the Great American Story. Having celebrated his 92nd birthday on August 3rd 2018, his career as the pre-eminent singer of the 20th and 21st centuries is unprecedented. He continues to be embraced and loved by audiences of all generations. Tickets start from: $55 at Drphillipscenter.org.

Cristoph’s Tampa presents a “Rewind Party” with hostess Stephanie Stuart and the sounds of DJ Mike Sklarz.

Sunday, March 24 

The Dr. Phillips Center for the Performing Arts in Association with Live Nation presents Chicago. Billboard ranked Chicago ninth on the list of the hundred greatest artists of all time in terms of Billboard 200 album chart success in October 2015. Chicago is one of the longest-running and most successful rock groups, and one of the world’s best-selling groups of all time, having sold more than 100 million records. In 1971, Chicago was the first rock act to sell out Carnegie Hall for a week. Tickets start from: $55 at Drphillipscenter.org.

Monday, March 25

Chris Sant Lorans productions presents the annual Miss Orlando Universo Latina USA (reg and plus) 2019 at the Parliament House. The categories are Presentation (pink), Evening Gown, Swim Wear, Talent and Q&A. The winners will receive $1,000 cash, over $4,000 in prizes, 2 Photo Shoots, registration for the national, passage and stay for the national, dancers entry,  Magazine Photo, Promotion Tour (show) all over Florida, New York and Puerto Rico and many more things.

Friday, March 29

Cristoph’s Tampa presents “Pup Pride,” a pride night kickoff with hostess Alexis De La Mer and the sounds of DJ Mike Sklarz.

The Straz Center for the Performing Arts presents Tap Dogs through Sunday, March 31. Dein Perry’s TAP DOGS returns to the stage with its trademark blend of live music and tap dance as you’ve never seen before. The New York Observer called it “positively electrifying.” Part Theater, part dance, part rock concert and part construction site, the show is crammed with high-energy dance, theatrical performance, and music performed by the cast and live musicians in this unstoppable spectacular. Whether in water, upside-down or jumping through scaffolding, the Tap Dogs have been performing to the beat of their own drum for more than 20 years. Tickets star at $25 at StrazCenter.org.

Saturday March 30

Its Tampa Pride time which means a festival in Ybor and of course the fabulous parade. It also means tons of events and performers. For a full listing see the feature in this month’s edition or go to: TampaPride.org.

Southern Nights Tampa presents one of the original Queer Eye For the Straight Guy hosts and a current judge on Ru Paul’s Drag Race, the one and only Carson Kressley live! This is an 18 and over event! (If you can’t make it on Sat, you can catch him on Friday, Mar 29 at Southern Nights Orlando).

Don’t forget the last Saturday of every month Stonewall Orlando brings you “Leather Night.” Catch all the sexy men in leather and as always no cover!

Sunday, March 31

Dr. Phillips Center Presents The Price Is Right, which is the hit interactive stage show that gives eligible individuals the chance to “Come On Down” to win. Prizes may include appliances, vacations and possibly a new car! Play classic games from television’s longest running and most popular game show from Plinko to Cliffhangers to The Big Wheel and even the fabulous Showcase. Tickets start at: $39.50 at Drphillipscenter.org.

from Hotspots! Magazine https://hotspotsmagazine.com/2019/02/28/whats-hot-central-florida-march-2019/