#he has no problem overshadowing Charlie with his powers

[alice-after-dark]

Okay, this might get me some hate but gonna chitter chat about the writing of the show for a hot second (full disclaimer that overall I very much love this show and am looking forward to the second season)

Sometimes I do feel like people just get highly amused by Vox and his hate boner for Alastor and forget that this guy is a fucking Overlord of Hell. He's not just some pathetic goofball. Don't get me wrong, I absolutely LOVE "Stayed Gone," but I do think that it and all his subsequent obsessing over Alastor, while hilarious and entertaining, overshadowed Vox's initial introduction as a scheming, manipulative, dangerous, and corrupt person to the point where the fandom views him as adorable and pathetic when we very clearly see in his introduction that he's not??? He has the public eating out the palm of his hand. He has wealth and power. He even manipulates his own allies. But after "Stayed Gone" happens, we don't see him do anything that isn't about Alastor. I feel like the show tries to recover his character with the meeting between the Vees (which at least does show that he can remain composed when discussing Alastor as the person he has a visceral reaction to is in fact Charlie, not Alastor) and the vitriol he spits at Sir Pentious when he fails to spy on the hotel, but even then, both of these things are ultimately about Alastor and any efforts here are pretty much forgotten with Vox's reactions during the battle with the angels.

The main problem I have with "Stayed Gone" from a narrative perspective (again, love that song and have watched the scene far more than is necessary) is that it directly contradicts the character that he is first presented as. He is literally introduced to us with him manipulating and defusing Valentino effortlessly from going on a rampage at the hotel. He is presented as someone who is obsessed with image and public opinion. Now, I had absolutely nothing wrong with him going off in front of Valentino about Alastor and showing this uncontrolled side of him while he has a borderline tantrum. Valentino is his ally and is clearly aware of his hatred towards Alastor. Having this explosion in private makes sense for the character the show has already established. However, by the end of "Stayed Gone," he is having a full blown meltdown in front of the public. The song starts sinister and foreboding, but it almost immediately devolves into petty insults and jabs from Vox. Now, there's a fair argument to be made that this is meant to show how Alastor gets under Vox's skin like this and utterly destroys his carefully crafted facade and I do fully believe that that's what the song was going for (that and setting up their rivalry). The problem for me comes in the fact that we don't see any of that masterful manipulation of the public that we saw in Vox's introduction. He instead gets played for a joke while Alastor is presented as clever and composed and someone to be feared and this just doesn't sit well with me. We're meant to believe that Vox is, at the very least, someone that Alastor sees as worth an actual response and clapback. If he wasn't, Alastor would have just ignored him or even straight up killed him. It's kind of a Show vs Tell situation. We're basically told that Vox is someone to be worried about but that's not what we're shown. He gets publicly humiliated and beaten by Alastor easily and we're supposed to believe that this guy is a threat? Honestly I would have loved to see them on even ground for most of the song as Vox slowly but surely devolves into losing his shit and Alastor eventually takes the win, showing that Vox is actually a worthy rival for the Radio Demon. There's just...a lot of mixed messages about Vox in season 1.

He's just kind of played for laughs and it's a little disappointing because he actually seems like a potentially fascinating character and I really hope we get to see more of exactly why he is a feared and respected Overlord in season 2 considering he is supposed to be a central character and villain.

[vivithefolle]

I loved your ranking of character arcs (for the main seven)! Would you mind going into more detail about Ron's character arc, and how he developed from the first to the last book? I apologise if you've already answered a similar request! :)

[Ranking of character arcs]

Well, during the first three books Ron is rather static - he’s awesome, but he doesn’t has much in the terms of “character growth” moments. He does epic stuff like the chess match, following the spiders et all we know, but that isn’t character growth as much as it is freaking badass.

The first three books serve to sow the basics for Ron’s character: he’s a devoted friend, he can face death with a laugh, and in spite of his bouts of rudeness or temper he’s fundamentally kind and doesn’t take himself too seriously - something two people like “boy-who-lived” Harry and “child prodigy” Hermione desperately need.

But what the first book does is introduce Ron’s emotional baggage.

"I'm the sixth in our family to go to Hogwarts. You could say I've got a lot to live up to. Bill and Charlie have already left -- Bill was head boy and Charlie was captain of Quidditch. Now Percy's a prefect. Fred and George mess around a lot, but they still get really good marks and everyone thinks they're really funny. Everyone expects me to do as well as the others, but if I do, it's no big deal, because they did it first. You never get anything new, either, with five brothers. I've got Bill's old robes, Charlie's old wand, and Percy's old rat."

This introduces us to Ron’s inferiority complex and its origins.

And later on, The Mirror Of Erised helps elaborate:

Harry stepped aside, but with Ron in front of the mirror, he couldn't see his family anymore, just Ron in his paisley pajamas.

Ron, though, was staring transfixed at his image.

"Look at me!" he said.

"Can you see all your family standing around you?"

"No -- I'm alone -- but I'm different -- I look older -- and I'm head boy!"

"What?"

"I am -- I'm wearing the badge like Bill used to -- and I'm holding the house cup and the Quidditch cup -- I'm Quidditch captain, too."

Dumbledore will then add his grain of salt -

Harry thought. Then he said slowly, "It shows us what we want... whatever we want..."

"Yes and no," said Dumbledore quietly. "It shows us nothing more or less than the deepest, most desperate desire of our hearts. You, who have never known your family, see them standing around you. Ronald Weasley, who has always been overshadowed by his brothers, sees himself standing alone, the best of all of them. However, this mirror will give us neither knowledge or truth. Men have wasted away before it, entranced by what they have seen, or been driven mad, not knowing if what it shows is real or even possible.”

Something to know about Dumbledore - he’s JK Rowling’s mouthpiece. When she wants to tell us something, she puts it in him.

And... well, this looks like a rather... selfish interpretation of Ron’s desire. Especially the “standing alone” part. It somewhat implies that Ron is selfish - especially compared to Harry’s desire which is oh so pure and oh so sad because boo hoo orphan family stuff. (I may be letting all the times Harry fans have pulled the “butt herry iz an orhpan!! :’((” card colour my perception.)

“The best of all of them”. When Ron sees himself being both Head Boy and Quidditch Captain. He’s combining his brothers’ successes into himself. His belief is that this is how he could stand out and be loved - by combining his brothers’ accomplishments.

Anyway.

Goblet of Fire then makes us see Ron’s main problems - his insecurity can lead him astray. First he believes that Harry left him behind during the Triwizard, because why not? After all Ron has already seen that betrayal can come from the craziest places (Lockhart, aka adults/authority figures, Ginny being the Heir Of Slytherin aka family even against their will, and last but not least, freaking Scabbers, aka SEEMINGLY INNOCENT THINGS YOU FEED AND PROTECT). Add to it his budding feeling that he is overlooked in favour of Harry (the twins giving Harry the Marauders’ Map...) and Ron’s emotions get the best of him, which isn’t helped by Harry’s entitled attitude and his acting as though Ron is stupid for questioning him. And then Viktor Krum appears as a prop show us what a catch Hermione is and to be all that makes Ron insecure. The Yule Brawl serves to foreshadow Romione but also to show the negative aspects of Ron’s insecurity, namely jealousy and how he lashes out when he feels betrayed. However, at the end of Goblet of Fire, Ron symbolically outgrows his jealousy by asking Viktor Krum for his autograph.

Order of the Phoenix will then go on to show Ron being jealous of Krum, although being a bit less vocal about it... and it also gives Ron half of the things he’s dreamed of in first year: he’s made a prefect, and joins the Quidditch team. But those are immediately made hollow by the... lackluster reaction of his loved ones and by Malfoy being a vile piece of pond scum. The fact that he’s prefect could have been used to make Ron take on more responsibilities and showcase his motherly side more, but Rowling only used it to again pit him against Hermione by making Ron look like “the immature one” and making Hermione “the responsible one”. And then, to REALLY drive home the point that Ron isn’t allowed to have anything for himself, she has Dumbledore say “oh yeah Harry, you were supposed to be prefect, even though you’re basically allergic to rules and authority and also are emotionally stunted”, and so in a symbolic way VALIDATING Hermione’s reaction to Ron being prefect. Yeah fuck you too Rowling. And the Quidditch debacle could have been used to give Ron confidence in himself. Actually, it does somewhat give him confidence once he trounces Slytherin in the last match of the year. But the fact that Harry and Hermione weren’t present means that Ron’s victory is an afterthought, a background event, a minor thing. Yet, Ron still proves his maturity and patience by just accepting that his friends weren’t here to see him play. They don’t deserve him, seriously. This year also marks a drama-free year for Ron and Hermione, which could have then been built up to make them grow even closer in the next book... but oh, the faults of TERFs...

Half-Blood Prince basically takes all of Ron’s progression through the last two books and says “see that? All that? Well let’s pretend it never happened and do it again, but shittier!” The thing is, Rowling wants Ron to “make himself worthy of Hermione” like the very progressive person she is. But she is also aware that Ron is kind of a naïve romantic who wouldn’t date around while he’s in love with someone else. Unless... Unless she resurrects plotlines that have already been finished, thus bringing Ron back to square one. Now he’s back to not being able to play Quidditch properly and Hermione acts the saviour because girl power. Now he’s back to being enraged by Viktor Krum’s name. Now he’s even less mature than he was in Philosopher’s Stone because Plot Be Like That. JKR did do a pretty good job at setting up the whole argument, not gonna lie. Since Ron is so sensitive to betrayal, finding out that Hermione had lied to him about Krum would indeed make him furious, especially when he finds out that Ginny knew about it and (apparently) so did Harry. Basically, the entire sixth year is built to undermine Ron’s growth and character, both because Harry must be in love with Ginny and in order to properly appreciate Ginny he has to appreciate Ron’s qualities less, since Ginny and Ron basically have the same qualities Harry appreciates but he can only be in love with Ginny; and also because Ron “needed to make himself worthy of Hermione” courtesy of double-standards, sexism and general immaturity from our author.

Finally DH closes the horrible loop. Rather than letting Ron grow secure and confident, Rowling instead insists on pulling him down, and down, and down, then gives us Harry saying “she’s like my sister, I thought you knew” as if that somehow would fix the self-esteem issues and the self-hatred and the sheer abuse Ron is subjected to by his friends - and for someone as obsessed with "love redeems” as Rowling is, it probably is, but those of us suffering from depression know better. Even though the Epilogue shows us Ron being happy and confident enough to joke about fame, it still leaves a bitter taste in the mouth when you realize that Ron-bashers take the “Confunded the instructor” lines to absurd levels and use it as “proof” that Ron is a bad husband / lazy / a cheater / etc... when it’s immediately followed by -

"I only forgot to look in the wing mirror, and let's face it, I can use a Supersensory Charm for that."

This is basically Ron doing the wizard equivalent of the rear-view camera. But of course, bashfics have been written to make it so Ron causes a horrible crash accident and Hermione calls for divorce and blah blah blah sigh.

[myhauntedsalem]

Ghosts of Hollywood

Marilyn Monroe The Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel on Hollywood Boulevard is said to be the current residence of several ghosts of popular film stars. Marilyn Monroe, the glamorous and funny star of such pictures as Some Like It Hot and Gentlemen Prefer Blondes, was a frequent guest of the Roosevelt at the height of her popularity. And although she died in her Brentwood home, her image has been seen on several occasions in a full-length mirror that once hung in her poolside suite. The mirror has been relocated to the hotel's lower level by the elevators.

Montgomery Clift Another respected star who died before his time, Montgomery Clift, was a four-time Oscar nominated actor who is best known for his roles in A Place in the Sun, From Here to Eternity and Judgment at Nuremberg. His ghost has also been seen at the Roosevelt. According to some of the hotel's staff, Clift's spirit haunts room number 928. Clift stayed in that suite in 1953, pacing back and forth, memorizing his lines for From Here to Eternity. Loud, unexplained noises have been heard coming from the empty suite, and its phone is occasionally found mysteriously off the hook.

Perhaps it's fitting that the Hollywood Roosevelt should be the stirring place of celebrity ghosts since it was the site of the very first Academy Awards ceremony in 1929. In fact, the Blossom Ballroom, where the ceremony was held, has an unexplained cold spot - a circular area measuring 30 inches in diameter that remains about 10 degrees colder than the rest of the room.

Harry Houdini Houdini is best known as a magician and escape artist, of course, but at the height of his fame he was also drawn to Hollywood, where he made a handful of silent films from 1919 to 1923. With such titles as The Man from Beyond and Haldane of the Secret Service (which he also directed), the films were not regarded well enough to give him much of a Hollywood career. Houdini's interest in the occult was well known, and although he earned a reputation as a masterful debunker of séances, he earnestly sought contact with those who have passed on to the other side. Shortly before his death, Houdini made a pact with his wife Bess that if he could, he would return and make contact with her from the other side. Perhaps he truly has attempted to return. Some claim to have seen the ghost of the great Houdini walking around in the home he owned on Laurel Canyon Blvd. in the Hollywood Hills. Film historians Laurie Jacobson and Marc Wanamaker, in their book Hollywood Haunted, dispute this story, saying that "Houdini most likely never even set foot in the Laurel Canyon mansion he is said to haunt."

Clifton Webb Clifton Webb was a very popular star of the 1940s and '50s, earning two Oscar nominations for his roles in Laura and The Razor's Edge. He may be best known for his portrayal of Mr. Belvedere in a series of films. It's not too often that a ghost haunts the place in which the person is buried, but this seems to be the case for Webb. His ghost has been seen at the Abbey of the Psalms, Hollywood Memorial Cemetery, where his body is interred. But it seems to be a restless spirit, as his ghost has also been encountered at his old home on Rexford Drive in Beverly Hills.

Thelma Todd Thelma Todd was a hot young star in the 1930s. She was featured in a number of hit comedies with the likes of The Marx Brothers, Laurel and Hardy, and Buster Keaton. But that all ended in 1935 when Todd was found dead in her car, which was parked above the café she owned on the Pacific Coast Highway. Strangely, her death was ruled an accidental suicide, but many suspected murder and a coverup by powerful Hollywood figures. The building that once housed the café is now owed by Paulist Productions, and employees have reportedly witnessed the starlet's ghost descending the stairs.

Thomas Ince Ince is considered one of the visionary pioneers of American movies. He was one of the most respected directors of the silent era, best known, perhaps, for his westerns starring William S. Hart. He partnered with other early Hollywood giants such as D.W. Griffith and Mack Sennett, and founded Culver Studios, which later became MGM. Ironically, Ince's death overshadowed his film legacy. He died aboard William Randolph Hearst's yacht in 1924, and although the official record shows the cause of death as heart failure, the hot rumor is that he was shot by Hearst in a fit a jealousy over Hearst's wife, Marion Davies. Ince's ghost - as well as several other ghostly figures - have been seen in the lot that was once Culver Studios. Film crew members have seen the specter of a man matching Ince's description on several occasions; in one instance, when the workers tried to speak to the spirit, it turned and disappeared through a wall.

Ozzie Nelson Ghosts and hauntings are the last thing that come to mind when you think of the perpetually cheerful Ozzie and Harriet Nelson. The couple, with their real-life sons Ricky and David, were stars of the long-running sitcom "Ozzie and Harriet," noted for its good-natured, gentle humor. Yet poor Ozzie doesn't seem to be as contented in the afterlife. Family members, it is said, have seen Ozzie's ghost in the family's old Hollywood home, and it always appears to be in a somber mood. Perhaps he's unhappy about how another Ozzy and his family have gained notoriety on TV.

George Reeves From 1953 to 1957, George Reeves was TV's Superman. Reeves had been around Hollywood for a while, playing bit parts in such films as Gone with the Wind and dozens of B-movies, but it was "The Adventures of Superman" on TV that brought him fame. Reeves died of a gunshot at his home in 1959. The official cause of death was suicide, but that conclusion has been hotly disputed, with some believing that Reeves was murdered. Whether it was suicide or murder, Reeves ghost has been seen in his Beverly Hills home. A couple claims to have seen the ghost of Reeves - decked out in his Superman costume - materialize in the bedroom where he died, after which it slowly faded away. Others believe that Reeves succumbed to the "Superman curse," in which those associated with the fictional character over the years allegedly have met with disaster or death. But is there really a curse? 

More Celebrity Ghosts

Rudolph Valentino - This silent film heartthrob has been seen in the bedroom and stables of his old Hollywood home. Jean Harlow - The spirit of this blonde bombshell is said to haunt the bedroom of her home on North Palm Drive, where her husband allegedly used to beat her. Mary Pickford - This legend of the silent era - actress, writer and producer - was co-founder of United Artists with her husband Douglas Fairbanks and Charlie Chaplin. Comic Buddy Rogers, who lived in the house Pickford once owned, saw her ghost appear in a white ruffled dress. Grace Kelly - Princess Stephanie of Monaco believes that the ghost of her mother, Grace Kelly, helped her write a song from the spirit world.

Celebrities Who Have Seen Ghosts

Nicholas Cage - This Oscar-winning actor (Leaving Las Vegas) refused to stay in uncle Francis Ford Coppola's home after seeing a ghost in the attic. (Cage was also cast as Superman in director Tim Burton's film project, which was never made.) Keanu Reeves - The star of The Matrix films and Devil's Advocate was just a kid in New Jersey when he saw a ghost that took the form of a white double-breasted suit come into his room one night. He wasn't imagining it; his nanny saw the phantom, too. Neve Campbell - She's been in more than her share of paranormal-themed movies (The Craft, Scream), but she's had real-life encounters as well. A woman was murdered in the house she now lives in, and friends have seen her ghost walking around. Matthew McConaughey - This popular actor (Contact) says he freaked out the first time he saw the ghost of an old woman, whom he calls "Madame Blue," floating around his house. Tim Robbins - Robbins, who was nominated for an Oscar in Mystic River, didn't see ghosts, but strongly felt their presence when he moved into an apartment in 1984. Following his instinct, he moved out the next day. Hugh Grant - British romantic comedy lead Hugh Grant (Love Actually) says he and friends have heard the wailing and screaming of some tormented spirit in his Los Angeles home. He even speculates it might be the ghost of a former resident - Bette Davis. Dan Aykroyd - The Ghostbusters star (and Oscar-nominated for Driving Miss Daisy) has long had a fascination with the paranormal. He believes his home, once owned by Cass Elliot of The Mamas and The Papas, is haunted. "A ghost certainly haunts my house," he said. "It once even crawled into bed with me. The ghost also turns on the Stairmaster and moves jewelry across the dresser. I'm sure it's Mama Cass because you get the feeling it's a big ghost." Sting - Rock star Sting (Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels) and his wife Trudie have seen ghosts in their home. "I was absolutely terrified," he said. "I now believe those things are out there, but I have no explanation for them." Jean Claude Van Damme - The Belgian action star (Timecop), also known as "Muscles from Brussels," swears he saw a ghost in his bathroom mirror while he was brushing his teeth. Richard Dreyfuss - He won an Oscar for The Goodbye Girl, but at one time had a cocaine problem. Visions of a ghost, he said, helped him kick the habit. "I had a car crash in the late 1970s," Dreyfuss said, "when I was really screwed up, and I started seeing these ghostly visions of a little girl every night. I couldn't shake this image. Every day it became clearer and I didn't know who the hell she was. Then I realized that kid was either the child I didn't kill the night I smashed up my car, or it was the daughter that I didn't have yet. I immediately sobered up." Ethan Hawke and Uma Thurman - This Hollywood couple was forced to flee their "dream home" in Sneden's Landing, N.Y. when it became all too apparent that it was haunted. They still are reluctant to talk about their frightening encounters. Belinda Carlisle - This pop singer and founding member of The Go-Gos, who appeared in Swing Shift and She's Having a Baby, says she saw a "misty shape" hovering over her as she lay in bed one night. She also says that when she was 17, while nodding off to sleep in a chair in her parents' home, she levitated and had an out-of-body experience. Elke Sommers - This German-born actress, who appeared in the 1966 film The Oscar, claims to have seen the ghost of a middle-aged man in a white shirt in her home in North Beverly Hills. Guests in her home have also seen the specter. So much paranormal activity was reported in the house that the American Society for Psychical Research was brought in, and which verified the unexplained events. The severely haunted house was bought and sold more than 17 times since Sommers vacated it, and many have reported ghostly phenomena. Paul McCartney - Ex-Beatle and Oscar-nominated songwriter ("Live and Let Die") says that he, George Harrison and Ringo Starr sensed the playful spirit of John Lennon when they were recording Lennon's song, "Free As A Bird" in 1995. "There were a lot of strange goings-on in the studio - noises that shouldn't have been there and equipment doing all manner of weird things. There was just an overall feeling that John was around."

[lesbianrobin]

Ooh ooh ooh your s4 Robin response wasn’t so good, I gotta know what you want for Steve

I’m gonna assume you meant to say “was” but if you did mean “wasn’t” that’s extremely funny and I commend your honesty. Anyways!

I really want to see more of Steve with Lucas, Max, and Mike again. His friendship with Dustin is amazing, but when he went to bat against Billy in S2 it was kind of FOR Lucas and Max, and I’d love to see them expand on that! Max particularly is gonna be feeling a lot of mixed-up emotions in S4 after Billy’s death, and I think it could be really powerful if she got to spend some time with Steve and gain something like a real brother- someone who looks out for her, actually cares about her, and would do anything to protect her. Steve is such a sweet guy and he’s good at knowing when to be serious and when to joke around, something that I think could really help Max through her complicated mourning process.

Obviously, I want a lot of him and Robin being annoyingly close and adorable goofy dumbass best friends. In my dreams, he has a bisexual awakening that Robin coaches him through, but of course this is just in my wildest dreams. More realistically, I’d like to see him branching out a little; getting into some of Robin’s interests, finding new goals and interests of his own, and overall coming to terms with who he is and the man he’s becoming outside of his old high school persona. I personally don’t feel the need to see him moving on into a professional career, at least not at this stage in the story. Maybe in S5, but I think he needs a solid season to figure out who and what he is independently of school, romance, or a job. Every other teen character has some identity that has nothing to do with their relationships with others (the kids all have their interests, Nancy her journalism, Jonathan his photography and music, Robin has band/movies/soccer/etc), while Steve is currently floundering after the loss of everything he defined himself by (basketball, “King Steve,” Nancy’s boyfriend, ladies’ man, whatever). Even now, Steve is largely defined by his relationships with Dustin and Robin. In my wildest dreams, he picks up making music as a pastime (The Russian music thing MEANS SOMETHING, goddamnit! Joe Keery is a musician! Steve canonically loves singing and dancing around to have fun! It makes sense!) but hobbies are kind of irrelevant so long as he finds some kind of peace with who he is post-high school.

I’d like to see Steve interacting with Nancy and Jonathan again. I think it’s unlikely, but there are few more complex and interesting relationships in the show, and exploring the ways these teens interact with each other in the wake of the S1-S2 drama and all of their character growth thus far could be SO fun! Joe and Charlie get along really well and have great chemistry, and seeing Steve and Nancy interact outside of a romantic context would be so different and cool. We all want some Steve/Hopper interaction too, so I’m not gonna harp on about that and I’ll just kind of repeat what I said with Robin: I want to see him branch out from the Scoops Troop!

Plot-wise, I’d love to see Steve play a really integral role in some planning or problem-solving capacity instead of playing the punching bag for the fourth season in a row. We know that he’s got good instincts, he notices things and makes connections that other people don’t, he’s able to think on his feet, and he’s generally very safety-conscious, something that basically no other character in the show ever fucking thinks about. If his experience being held captive in S3 comes into play, that would be incredible, but I also think it would be really neat if something he’s interested in came in handy the way that everybody else’s interests have in the past. Sports are very strategic, and Steve has always done a really good job of navigating combat situations. Unfortunately, all of this gets overshadowed by how he gets the shit kicked out of him all the time (which is actually pretty much his goal, as he’s generally just focused on making sure the people next to him don’t get beaten up and he is willing to let himself get beaten up for their sake), and I’d love for him to have a more clear and prominent opportunity to display what he has to offer besides being a meat shield.

Thanks so much for asking, and I’d love to hear your thoughts too!!

[ramblesandmumblesofanerd]

Rambling Reviews: Bumblebee [Spoiler-ish]

So, Bumblebee. The last time I talked about any Transformers movie was when I reviewed The Last Knight. To make a long story short, that film absolutely sucked. This had been a trend in the recent Transformers live action film, each new film seemed to be worst than the last in spite of any choices meant to spice up the film franchise. They felt too big, too rushed, too stupid, too...well, just too much. So, when a prequel for Bumblebee, a character whose presence has overshadowed Optimus Prime, was announced, you couldn’t blame me when I groaned. Then I noticed something: Michael Bay was not directing this film. Then the trailers came out and the characters had new forms reminiscent of the classic cartoon series. My interest was piqued, and would continue to be stimulated by everyone praising the film upon its release. So, is a prequel about a voiceless Autobot who turns into a Volkswagen Beetle really that great? Well, let’s find out.

The plot of this film is mercifully simple: Cybertron has fallen into chaos due to a civil war between the destructive Decepticons and the heroic renegade Autobots. Optimus Prime orders an evacuation of the planet, scattering his troops to random locations while assigning Bumblebee, known as B-127 on his homeworld, to head for Earth and establish a safe haven for his fellow troops. Bumblebee arrives only to discover the Decepticons have followed him and want the location of his Autobot brethren. So, the Autobot scout hides in the form of a Volkswagon, but gets discovered by a teenage girl named Charlie. Now, Bumblebee must protect her while she protects him from being discovered by Transformer and human threats alike.

The characters are definitely much more tolerable in this film. In previous live action Transformers films, their personalities were somewhat jaded, tired and angry even during the more comedic bits. In this film, while no character is always upbeat and positive all the time, their other emotions are not drowned by angst and anger. The human characters have significantly improved, which is funny to say considering this is the first time these characters have been used in these films. Charlie, while a teenager with obligatory teenage problems, is a go-getter who wants to be independent from her family. Unlike Sam Witwickey or Cade Yeager, she has skills which she fully utilizes within the plot of the film, and she feels like an active part of the film rather than something that gets in the way of what we all want: giant robots punching each other. That’s not to say all the characters are like this, as we have the obligatory parent(s) who know nothing about the robot in the garage and an obvious soon-to-be-boyfriend who kinda comes outta nowhere and sicks around for the remainder of the film. And then there’s John Cena. Yeah, his character has another name, but it’s just John Cena in a military uniform. He’s a serviceable character who gives a decent performance as the human villain who just doesn’t understand these aliens and how some are actually good.

Meanwhile, there’s the robots. Bumblebee, in spite of lack of voice, is actually quite a treat. He’s cute and round and full of innocence and good vibes. He’s a curious alien in a new world trying to adapt to it’s laws and people. However, he’s no coward on the battlefield, and certainly knows how to handle himself in a battle even against an enemy much bigger and more powerful than him. Meanwhile, the Decepticons Shatter and Dropkick are a great if not serviceable bad guy duo. Unlike previous films, these Decepticons have personalities beyond “RAWR!”. They are cunninng, snarky, sly, blunt, and, above all, deceptive. There are also bits on Cybertron, as seen in the trailers, which I love immensely because they feature more robots like Optimus Prime, Shockwave and Soundwave with wonderfully designed new bodies and exceptional voice acting from veterans like Peter Cullen (who sounds like he’s actually having fun for once) and newcomers like Jon Bailey (aka the Epic Voice Guy).

One more thing I must make a note about is the action. In previous Transformers films, the action was the most anticipated thing until everyone collectively realized those scenes were terribly written and shot. Prior to Bumblebee, ever action scene consisted of swirling metal masses, explosions, incoherent screaming and confusion. No one knew who was fighting or who was wining the fight, mainly because the movie would focus on the humans rather than the actual fight. In Bumblebee, however, you can clearly see the robots and how the fight is going even when the scene cuts to other events going on in the same area like the humans trying to turn the tide. Since Bumblebee is bright yellow and most of the Decepticons are darker colors, you can tell who is fighting who and who is winning, even if sometimes things seem to blur a little bit (though that’s probably just me).

All in all, I would say this film, while not exactly stellar, is a vast improvement over the steadily rising howling five headed monstrosity that is the Transformers film franchise. It’s honestly great to see this kind of movie even if it came a little bit late to the party. But, hey, with a decent plot reminiscent of Iron Giant, lovable robots, relatable human characters, and decent action scenes, better late than never.

[weaselbeaselpants]

Why I Hate Tim Burton’s Sweeney Todd

Hate is a strong word but, yes, I really don’t like the 2007 Sweeney Todd. I didn’t like it when it came out (and I was already a big Burton fan girl AND my family is made up of theater people. Don’t you dare try to Burton-splain or Theater-splain me). The musical fan in me dislikes it for overshadowing the story which I think is much better on stage, while the Burton fan in me hates it for being the “best thing Burton’s made since the 90s” according to some. More on that later.

Let me dissect the two things that irk me most about this adaptation:

1) Johnny Depp’s Sweeney Todd

Let’s get something straight about stage shows: every actor is gonna play a role a little differently. Every (good) actor brings a new dimension to a character or portrays them in a way that brings something new to the audience, be it people who’ve seen the show hundreds of times or those watching the musical for the first time. This is even more complicated when you have a movie adaptation of the play. The movie is likely gonna be seen more than the stage musical, so you have to get used to that version being the only one people know and thus being an interpretation of character people will like the best. You CAN’T expect Johnny Depp to play Sweeney like Len Cariou or George Hearn. Johnny is not only NOT those actors, his portrayal of the character follows a very different characterization and mannerisms than them. 

Personally - I like my Sweeney being this angry person ready to burst with rage at the drop of the hat, someone who seethes hate everywhere he goes but doesn’t seem to turn heads, yet he still has a sense of humor about a situation, possibly as a way to adjust to his new philosophy. That doesn’t mean he shouldn’t be sad or solemn though. He’s clearly in pain on the inside, and like a real psychopath is trying his best to feel something again while trying not to return to the pain of loosing his wife and child. I also like Sweeney trying - possibly failing - to put on this air or everything being okay like he’s still just a humble barber and not a nihilistic serial killer. Basically, I like my Sweeney being highly emotional. I like my baritone-bass, Cariou/Hearn type Sweeneys.

Depp and/or Burton is going for a “lost all emotion and joy, never smiles, empty shell, cold and clearly brooding”-type Sweeney. Whatevs. The problem isn’t that you CAN’T play Sweeney that way. Sweeney’s only requirement as a character is that he be a psychotic, revenge-driven, deeply heartbroken man that’s so bent on revenge he ends up destroying the very thing he set out to avenge. You can play up his emotions or lack there of as much as you want.

My problem is that I don’t think Depp plays that well.

I don’t know whether it was his choice, Burton’s choice, or both to have Sweeney sneer more than a 1st grader at a teacher who told him he has to spend recess doing homework- but seriously THAT’S ALL I SEE. Depp looks like he’s trying too hard to look angry and super serious. He’s so edgy looking and his dryness doesn’t come off as engaging to me. His emotionless performance feels lazy. It doesn’t help that he can’t sing either. Like, seriously, Johnny Depp can’t sing. Helena Bonham Carter can sing better than him. I suppose Sweeney Todd isn’t the kind of musical where characters are supposed to sound ‘pretty’, but they could at least sound like they’re hitting a note.

Speaking of Helena-Bonham-Lovett, while I don’t like her performance, I think it’s way more solid than Depp’s. That’s because - again - while this Lovett is very different from the much preferred Landsbury-type, it’s still a version of Mrs. Lovett and gets the most of what her character should be down: desperate, sick and twisted, in-Love with Sweeney and dubious in nature, leaving your to wonder how much worse she is compared to him. Landsbury Lovett is a nasty hag pretending to be a warm grandma; Carter’s Lovett is a worn-out prostitute; whichever way you go you have a desperate, delusional monster cook. It’s not my Mrs. Lovett, but it is a Mrs. Lovett.

Depp’s Todd is sooooooooooo broody you guyz that he doesn’t even feel like Sweeney anymore. He just feels like a generic heartless killer DONUT STEELE GUYS! The character is lost beneath the over-under-acted performance and star power.

2) Tim Burton’s super emo-phase directing

Prepare for the Burton-hipster in me to come out.

I hated Tim Burton’s visual storytelling and mood as a director in the 2000s. For starters, everything has a super dark, shadowy (ugly) filter. It ruined Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, it ruined Alice and Wonderland and it ruined this to some extant. IT’S A TIM BURTON FILM. We don’t need a grey, hazy, deluded color scheme to show that it’s gothic. Actually I think Burton benefited a lot in his earlier movies by having lots of scenes shot in sunny environments with good color schemes to better compliment when things got melancholic, gross, weird, or messed up. Beetlejuice and Edward Scissorhands are the shining examples of this trope. Not every scene looks super deep or grim, so they stand out from the rest of the scenes in the film and establish tone.

Of course, if there’s one story that could benefit from a washed out, dry color scheme I think it IS this film, and I do like the contrast for how bright the blood is. I just wish the lighting wasn’t so overbearing in EVERY scene, no matter what the intended mood. Also it looks kinda bluish. Like it’s an Evanescence music video, probably not helped by the overabundance of CGi. Also, Victorian London is muggy and gross. Burton’s film makes even London at it’s dirtiest feel kinda polished through his lighting and set design. Les Mis did a better job at showing you the grungy side of it’s environment.

More important than visuals is the way in which Burton directed his actors and wrote characters at this time. No matter what the film he was making at the time, every character and every actor looks like they just got punched in the gut and act super dry. The only film that benefited from this ‘charisma’ was Corpse Bride: the story is bleak, melancholic, and at times cynical, it’s characters should emanate that for the sake of the story.

Much like Depp’s Sweeney, everyone whose not Helena Bonham Carter looks emo, angry, emotionless or sad, which by the way doesn’t help Sweeney stand out. Everyone looks like or feels like they’re serial killers. This is a cast of mostly deplorable characters but very few true-blue killers like Sweeney and Lovett. And if they’re supposed to be characters pushed to becoming Sweeney 2.0, like Joanna or Toby, the movie doesn’t do a good job at portraying that. Anthony gets it the worst since he’s the starry-eyed idealist who is too good for this or any world, but instead comes off as a creepo with weird hair. His plans for Joanna are supposed to be alarming, but you’re never supposed to feel like he’d do something bad to her. Movie!Anthony is so much of a crazed stalker that you really don’t want to spend ANYTIME with him or Joanna.

--

I find this adaptation overrated.

In the world of theater, you have to put up with the fact that not everyone can afford to see Broadway shows or take leap of faith and jump at a college or community theater production hoping it’s somewhat decent. Some people are gonna stick to the movie versions and that’s fine (Grease and Chicago are way better movies than they are stage-shows, in my opinion). So if someone prefers the Depp film to the show there’s not much you can do. That’s their opinion and that’s what they were introduced to first.

But then you get these movie critics and film buffs who say things like “this is the best Tim Burton film since (insert pre-1995 Burton film here)” and “it’s so well written, why doesn’t he make stuff like this anymore?”...I kinda wanna scream.

TIM BURTON DIDN’T WRITE SWEENEY TODD. The story is good cause he’s adapting an already existing story to the screen. Frankly, I think his flavor of gothic hinders the story. And the whole “this is the only good new Burton movie”-thing is also really annoying. Big Eyes is great. Heck, if you’re big on Tim Burton’s tropes being used to better affect, Frankenweenie is a better example than this film.

The thing about Tim Burton is, I think he’s better at working with small-scale stories, conflicts and themes than he is at tackling “deep” stuff, which Sweeney Todd is. Burton’s movies are simple in their complexity. That’s why when he tries to write war-based movies or “chosen one” stories like Alice in Wonderland or Planet of the Apes, it falls on it’s face. A Burton movie is more entertaining when he’s obviously just having fun with the stuff he likes and isn’t trying to present himself or his film as some auteur-masterpiece. In fact, if there’s any gothic musical more fit in Tim Burton’s hands than Sweeney Todd, I would say it’s Phantom of the Opera. That musical is ALL melodrama. It feels more at home with Burton than the moral- character driven bloodbath horror of Sweeney Todd. But hey, I guess that’s indicative of people thinking ‘well it’s goffik, so it’s perfect for so-and-so regardless of what their style is and what story we’re trying to tell��.

-

Rant done. Been waiting to get that off my chest since forever.

[random-thoughts-collection]

Shadowhunters | 3.01 Review

Shadowhunters - On Infernal Ground

written by Todd Slavkin & Darren Swimmer, directed by Matt Hasting

After a great finale in season 2, season 3 starts of on the same high level: the characters are now dealing with the aftermath of Valentine’s and Sebastian’s attack and the result of their own actions. We’re also introduced to the new antagonist: Lilith. A lot of this first episode is a setup, but for that it is well done. Almost every character gets their little moment, and the bigger stories are set in motion. There are a lot of little plots and to take care of, so I’ll try to devide this into character groups in a futile attempt to get this review in order.

Clary & Jace

“No one can know, Clary.”

The episode starts on a positive note and an important step in Clary’s development: she is finally officially recognized as a Shadowhunter and gets her Shadowhunter rune as well as signature weapons – dual kindjals, two weapons that Clary chose by instinct. Luke later reveals to her that these weapons were her parents’ weapons before. In the following fight against a demon Clary uses them quite well but also shows that her real strength lies in creating and drawing runes. I like that we get to see Clary as a competent fighter but they still let her real powers be her ability to draw runes. With this skill she’s equally (if not more) useful as other Shadowhunters, despite her lack of experience.

Clary’s Shadowhunter initiation is overshadowed by the fact that Clary and Jace both haven’t told anyone about the wish that Clary used to revive Jace after Valentine had killed him. Jace seems to be naturally disturbed by this, but he’s also plagued by nightmares. His parabatai Alec suspects there is more to the story than Jace and Clary are willing to admit, but they both refuse to tell him the truth.

Alec & Magnus

“You never have to pretend how you feel.”

Alec was offered a position on the Council, while Magnus was dismissed because of his support for the Seelie Queen. He claims to be okay with it, but after talking to Catarina at the hospital Alec realizes that is not the case. Magnus also pretends to be okay with Alec possibly moving to Idris for his new job, but in the end Alec can get him to open up about how he really feels like and assures him that he can be honest with him – and that he won’t move to Idris.

Luke & Ollie

“That wolf… that was you, wasn't it?”

Since Ollie has found out about Luke’s identity as a werewolf, Luke tries to convince her that this idea is ridiculous. And most people would probably believe him, but apparently Ollie has had an encounter with werewolves before, so she spends most of the episode being quite annoyed with Luke. At times I find it hard to believe that Ollie would be that carefree about talking to a werewolf, especially since she has been attacked by one before. However, when Ollie gets attacked by a demon Luke tries to protect her in his werewolf form and is unable to deny it later on.  

Lilith & Sebastian

“I'm here now, son.” 

Sebastian turns out to be not-quite-dead, thanks to the new season’s antagonist Lilith. How exactly their relationship fits together remains to be seen. As Lilith states in the hospital she can’t have children, but maybe that is only true for a very specific way. When Lilith was in the hospital, I first feared she might start to eat the children, but that was not the case - and it interesting to see that almost vulnerable longing for these babies. It is almost touching if it weren’t for the fact that she is a powerful demon who thanks nice-guy!Tim for his kind words by letting a demon possess him. It was really a shame because he really seemed like a good guy, and even though he was a random guy I felt sorry for him and his wife. And the demon in him was really creepy, especially during the fight against Clary. So far it’s not clear what Lilith actually wants to accomplish, but there seem to be 33 more demons waiting to join the party. Am I the only one who thought the demon Lilith was talking to in the end looks a bit like an evil chicken?

Simon, Maia, Izzy and Raphael

“You're the new weapons master? Izzy, that is perfect for you.“

There is not much time spend on Simon, Maia, Izzy or Raphael, but they’re not forgotten and their parts are not less important.

Simon is more or less forced to entertain the Seelie Queen and her court, or otherwise she wouldn’t have let Maia go at the end of last season. Alberto Rosende gives us another beautiful part of a song, and the Seelie Queen is pleased as well. However, her true reason for having Simon at her court is to brand him with a mark. Simon has no idea what it is, and it quickly fades. When he is allowed to leave the court, Maia - who was worried about his absence - soon forgives him for leaving without saying anything.

While Clary has been made an official Shadowhunter and Alec has been offered a promotion to Idris, izzy has been made weapons master at the New York institue, and she helps Clary to find her new wepaons and later joins JAce and Alec in the investigation of the demon attack. Having Izzy be the new weapons master fits perfectly, and after her long journey of recovering after the Yin Feng it’s great to see her in this position.

Rapahel has probably the least amount of screen time, but to make up for that he has a nice little moment with Magnus that reminds us of their connection. He gets a vampire tranquilizer from Magnus claiming it is for himself. A few scenes later we see him using it on another vampire for what looks like some form of experiment. Raphael is using light, so this is probably bad news for Simon.

A good opening for the new season

“I sang you a song about nature!”

There is a lot to like about the new episode and as it is often the case I enjoy episode especially when they make the smaller scenes work within the episodes.

For starters, Clary’s and Jace’s fight scene: I cannot help it, I love all the fight scenes in Shadowhunters. They are so well done, they always managed to give us nice character moments along with it, and they are just all around badass. And it just makes sense? These people are fighting all the time, their job is to hunt demons - so yes, of course they need to train. A lot of shows (that are not anime) don’t really take the time to show that on a regular basis, but it is great that they include it here.

I was also very happy when the Shadowhunters met Catarina in the hospital. It was nice to see her again! And another encounter that was well done was Charlie - the guy that Izzy met at the hospital when she tried to get some candy there was so nice and friendly, it was refreshing. Their conversation was nothing special or super interestng, but it was a nice moment anyway. He was cleary interested in her and she was sort of reluctant, but he stayed polite and respectful, so it worked. I hope this guy won’t fall victim to a demon attack or something similar.

Having read the books I can only say that I’m looking forward to what kind of story the writers can come up with for Alec and Magnus. They won’t be stuck on vacation for a season and just send in some pictures every now and then, and it’s exciting to know that even after having read the books there is no way of knowing what will happen next. There are a few ideas what could happen, but seeing how Simon got his mark there could be all kinds of twists on the book’s story. In this rare case I can’t say that I’m disappointed because the writing of the show has been really good so far.

All in all I’m mostly impressed how the episode managed to have all these little plots in it but still make it feel like one whole episode, one story, where many people have a part in it but it is still all connected. Maybe that is because despite everyone having their own little story they still relate to other stories as well. Luke might be busy with dealing with Ollie, but he still has an open ear for Clary. Maia worries about Simon, but she’s also concerned with Luke’s “Ollie-problem”. Luke is not a Shadowhunter anymore, but he’ll send his Shadowhunter friends after the demon, and when the Jace, Alec and Izzy go to the hospital to investigate, they meet Magnus’ friend Catarina who’s worried about Magnus. Clary’s and Jace’s little secret is connected to Sebastian and therefore to Lilith, who is behind the demon’s attack in the first place, and it all comes together so wonderfully that I can’t help but be amazed by the amount of plot the writers managed to put into this episode without making it feel like it’s going to explore from the mass of things that happen.

Kudos to you, Shadowhunters creators!

Next: The Powers That Be (spoilers)

The Warlocks’ magic is becoming corrupted by a demonic presence while Izzy and Luke try to track down more information on the recent series of possessions.

In the next episode, the Institue is under attack - again - and some Shadowhunters are quick to respond with racism - again. We’re also introduced to the new High Warlock of Brooklyn, Lorenzo Rey. Going by promo, sneak peek and press release, this episode will focus more on Magnus and Alec, as well as Izzy and Luke.

[nyslovesfilm]

Save the Date: TV Premieres and Film Releases

The schedule of television premieres and film releases continues.  Below is a list of upcoming television shows and films that participated in New York State’s production and post-production tax credit programs with upcoming release/premiere dates. Otherhood – Aug. 2 – Netflix This year, on Mother's Day, feeling marginalized and forgotten, longtime friends Carol, Gillian, and Helen decide to drive to New York to reconnect with their adult sons, and in the process, they realize their sons are not the only ones whose lives need to change. Starring: Felicity Huffman, Angela Bassett, Patricia Arquette (Participated in the New York State Film Tax Credit Program – Production) Luce – Aug. 2 – Topic Studios / Neon A married couple is forced to reckon with their idealized image of their son, adopted from war-torn Eritrea, after an alarming discovery by a devoted high school teacher threatens his status as an all-star student. Starring: Octavia Spencer, Naomi Watts, Kelvin Harrison, Jr. (Participated in the New York State Film Tax Credit Program – Production) Preacher - Season 4 – Aug. 4 – Sony / AMC Fulfilling a promise to his deceased father, one-time outlaw Jesse Custer returns home to West Texas to take over his dad's church. Jesse's mission, however, becomes twisted when his body is overcome by a cryptic force that unleashes within him a highly unconventional power. Starring: Dominic Cooper, Joseph Gilgun, Ruth Negga (Participated in the New York State Film Tax Credit Program – Post Production)

Patriot Act with Hasan Minhjaj – Season 1 – Cycle 4 – Aug. 4 – Netflix Every week Hasan Minhaj brings an incisive and nuanced perspective to global news, politics and culture in his unique comedy series. Starring: Hasan Minhaj (Participated in the New York State Film Tax Credit Program – Production) After The Wedding – Aug. 9 – Sony Pictures Classics Seeking funds for her orphanage in India, Isabelle travels to New York to meet Theresa, a wealthy benefactor. An invitation to attend a wedding ignites a series of events in which the past collides with the present as mysteries unravel. Starring: Julianne Moore, Michelle Williams, Billy Crudup (Participated in the New York State Film Tax Credit Program – Production) The Kitchen – Aug. 9 – WarnerBros In this gritty, female-driven mob drama, the mobster husbands of three 1978 Hell's Kitchen housewives are sent to prison by the FBI. Left with little but a sharp ax to grind, the ladies take the Irish mafia’s matters into their own hands—proving unexpectedly adept at everything from running the rackets to taking out the competition…literally. Starring: Melissa McCarthy, Tiffany Haddish, Elisabeth Moss (Participated in the New York State Film Tax Credit Program – Production)  Ode to Joy – Aug. 9 – Mosaic/Sony Pictures Worldwide Charlie suffers from cataplexy, a symptom of narcolepsy that causes sudden bouts of paralysis whenever he experiences strong emotions -- in particular, joy. He develops a variety of techniques to deny himself too much pleasure and happiness, but they're put to the ultimate test when he falls in love. Starring: Martin Freeman, Morena Baccarin, Jake Lucy (Participated in the New York State Film Tax Credit Program – Production) Succession – Season 2 – Aug. 11 – HBO Succession tracks the lives of the Roy family as they contemplate their future once their aging father begins to step back from the media and entertainment conglomerate they control. Starring: Brian Cox, Matthew Macfadyden, Sarah Snook (Participated in the New York State Film Tax Credit Program – Production) Adam – Aug. 14 – Wolfe Releasing Awkward teen Adam spends his last high school summer with his big sister, who throws herself into NYC's lesbian and trans activist scene. In this coming-of-age comedy, Adam and those around him encounter love, friendship and hard truths. Starring: Nicholas Alexander, Margaret Qualley, Leo Sheng (Participated in the New York State Film Tax Credit Program – Production) Already Gone – Aug. 16 – Gravitas Ventures A lonely teenager in Coney Island uses his graffiti to escape his abusive stepfather. The teenager is in love with his stepfather’s girlfriend, and they flee together to Colorado after the stepfather tries to pimp her out. Starring: Seann William Scott, Raquel Castro, Shiloh Fernandez (Participated in the New York State Film Tax Credit Program – Production) Burn – Aug. 23 – Yale Productions Burn follows lonely, unstable gas station attendant Melinda who is tired of being overshadowed by her more confident, outgoing co-worker. When the gas station is held up at gunpoint by a desperate man in need of quick cash, Melinda finds an opportunity to make a connection with the robber, regardless of who gets hurt. Starring: Josh Hutcherson, Suki Waterhouse, Tilda Cobham-Hervey (Participated in the New York State Film Tax Credit Program – Production) Brittany Runs A Marathon – Aug. 23 – Amazon Studios  Brittany Forgler is a 27-year-old hot mess of a New Yorker whose trashy nightclub adventures and early-morning walks of shame make her late for work every day. Suddenly forced to get a grip, Brittany laces up her Converse sneakers and runs one sweaty block. The next day, she runs two. Soon she runs a mile. Brittany finally has direction—but is she on the right path? Starring: Jillian Bell, Lil Rel, Michaela Watkins (Participated in the New York State Film Tax Credit Program – Production)  On Becoming a God in Central Florida – Aug. 25 – Showtime Krystal Gill, a minimum-wage-earning water park employee, eventually schemes her way up the ranks of Founders American Merchandise: the cultish, flag waving, multi-billion-dollar pyramid scheme that drove her family to ruin. Starring: Kirsten Dunst, Ted Levine, Theodore Pellerin (Participated in the New York State Film Tax Credit Program – Post Production) Power--Season 6 – Aug. 25 – STARZ  It appears James "Ghost" St. Patrick has it all— -- a drop-dead gorgeous wife, a stunning Manhattan penthouse, and the power and success that come with owning hot new nightclub, Truth. But a closer look reveals a man living a double life. When Ghost isn't tending to his Fortune 500 business, he's catering to clients of another operation: a drug empire that serves only the rich and influential. Starring: Omari Hardwick, Joseph Sikora, Naturi Naughton (Participated in the New York State Film Tax Credit Program – Production) Before You Know It – Aug. 30 – 1091 Media A pair of sisters find out that the mother they thought was dead is alive and starring on a soap opera. Starring: Judith Light, Alec Baldwin (Participated in the New York State Film Tax Credit Program – Production) The Goldfinch – Sept. 13 – WarnerBros  A boy in New York is taken in by a wealthy Upper East Side family after his mother is killed in a bombing at the Metropolitan Museum of Art. Starring: Sarah Paulson, Ansel Elgort, Aneurin Barnard (Participated in the New York State Film Tax Credit Program – Production) Hustlers – Sept. 13 – STK Entertainment Inspired by the viral New York mMagazine article, Hustlers follows a crew of savvy former strip club employees who band together to turn the tables on their Wall Street clients. Starring: Constance Wu, Jennifer Lopez (Participated in the New York State Film Tax Credit Program – Production) The Sound of Silence – Sept. 20 – Sony Picture Worldwide Acquisition A successful "house tuner" in New York City, who calibrates the sound in people's homes in order to adjust their moods, meets a client with a problem he can't solve. Starring: Bruce Altman, Tina Benko, Theodore Bouloukos (Participated in the New York State Film Tax Credit Program – Production) The Good Doctor – Season 3 – Sept. 23 – Sony Pictures A young surgeon with autism and savant syndrome uses his extraordinary gifts to save lives and challenge skepticism. Starring: Freddie Highmore, Richard Schiff, Hill Harper (Participated in the New York State Film Tax Credit Program – Post Production) Prodigal Son – Season 1 – Sept. 23 – Fox/WarnerBros Malcolm Bright, one of the best criminal psychologists around, uses his twisted genius to help the NYPD solve crimes. Starring: Michael Sheen, Tom Payne, Bellamy Young (Participated in the New York State Film Tax Credit Program – Production) Bull – Season 4 – Sept. 23 – CBS Brilliant, brash, and charming, Dr. Bull is the ultimate puppet master as he combines psychology, human intuition, and high-tech data to learn what makes jurors, attorneys, witnesses, and the accused tick. Starring: Michael Weatherly, Freddy Rodriguez, Geneva Carr (Participated in the New York State Film Tax Credit Program – Production) Law & Order: SVU – Season 21 – Sept. 26 – NBC Follows a crime (usually a murder), usually adapted from current headlines, from two separate vantage points—, the police investigation and the prosecution in court. Starring: Mariska Hargitay (Participated in the New York State Film Tax Credit Program – Production) Blue Bloods – Season 10 – Sept. 27 – CBS The series follows the Reagan family of police officers with the New York City Police Department (NYPD). Starring: Donnie Wahlberg, Bridget Moynahan, Tom Selleck (Participated in the New York State Film Tax Credit Program – Production) The Report – Sept. 27 – Vice Media / Amazon Studios In the aftermath of the 9/11 attacks, CIA agents begin using extreme interrogation tactics on those they think were behind it. Starring: Adam Driver, Annette Benning, Jon Hamm (Participated in the New York State Film Tax Credit Program – Production) The Godfather of Harlem – Season 1 – Sept. 29 – ABC Studios/Epix A gangster named Bumpy Johnson makes his way in Harlem during the 1960s. A TV prequel to the 2007 film, 'American Gangster', which centered on the criminal enterprise of Frank Lucas. Starring: Forest Whitaker (Participated in the New York State Film Tax Credit Program – Production) God Friended Me – Season 2 – Sept. 29 – WarnerBros/CBS An outspoken atheist’s life is turned upside down when he receives a friend request on social media from God and unwittingly becomes an agent of change in the lives and destinies of others around him.  Starring: Brandon Michael Hall, Violett Beane, Joe Morton (Participated in the New York State Film Tax Credit Program – Production)

[handjaguar2-blog]

Laramie Movie Scope

January 9, 2018 ? This Woody Allen-like black and white comedy about a successful comedy writer who suddenly runs into trouble in his personal and professional life was being pushed for awards before being pulled back due to sexual misconduct allegations against its writer, director and star, Louis C.K.

It is actually not a bad movie, but it will always be overshadowed by the controversy that led to its premiere being canceled.

Louis C.K. stars as Glen, a comedy writer who agrees to take on an additional TV series in the fall, to the dismay of his business partner, Paula (played by Edie Falco of �Bullets over Broadway�) who fears there won't be enough time write, shoot and air the series before the fall. It turns out she is right.

He might have been able to do it, but his personal life starts falling apart at the same time. He begins worrying about his 17-year-old daughter, China (Chlo� Grace Moretz of �Clouds of Sils Maria�) who can talk him into anything, like skipping school and taking a charter jet to Florida, and then taking a trip to Paris as part of a group headed by a famous writer and actor, Leslie Goodwin (John Malkovich of �Deepwater Horizon�) who is 50 years her senior and who has a reputation for bedding younger women.

Glen and China meet Goodwin at a party held by Grace Cullen (Rose Byrne of �Spy�). Glen is a great admirer of Goodwin's work, and he plays down the rumors about Goodwin's reputation about younger women, but then changes his mind when Goodwin takes an interest in his daughter, especially when she talks about going to Paris with him.

Glen gets conflicting advice from women over what to do about his daughter. Laramie Movie Scope (Pamela Adlon) advises him to be strict and set boundaries. Grace Cullen advises him to let China do her own thing, since she is going to turn 18 soon anyway. Glen lets China go to Paris with Goodwin, but he regrets it later.

When Glen decides to take Maggie's advice and tell China that she can't see Goodwin again, it is too late. She moves out of the house, gets a job and starts living on her own. At the same time, Glen, distracted by personal problems seems to be adrift and unhappy. He questions everything about his life and the choices he has made.

Glen shows up at an Emmy Awards ceremony and talks with Goodwin, Paula and Ralph (Charlie Day of �Pacific Rim�) who used to hang around his office all the time. Now, I Love You, Daddy (TIFF) , who was once a powerful show business insider, is an outsider, both in show business and in the life of his daughter. He seems quite sad. The ending of the film is not quite this downbeat. This film rates a C+.

Looking at this film in the light of recent revelations, some scenes take on a creepier tone. Several women have said that Louis C.K. masturbated in their presence. In ?I Love You Daddy? Review: Louis C.K.?s Black-and-White Cringe Comedy of this, probably the most creepy scene in this movie is just before Grace Cullen enters Glen's office for the first time. Ralph starts make motions with his hand in his groin area suggesting masturbation. He continues doing this in the presence of Paula.

Another creepy scene has China trying to seduce Goodwin. He is lying on the couch and she is on top of him, straddling him. Although Goodwin refuses to go along with this overture, and nothing else happens between them, this is a creepy scene. If this was a Woody Allen movie, it would even be creepier. China's character in this movie is like a Lolita character, played in a very sexy, suggestive way.

The sadness of Glen's character near the end of this movie, being an outsider, no longer invited to awards ceremonies is somewhat like Louis C.K.'s current situation. He has had a sudden, dramatic fall from grace. Up until November of 2017, he was riding high. This film was abandoned by the studio just as it was about to be released. Now, Louis C.K. is persona non grata in show business. Maybe he'll make a comeback some day. But right now, things look grim.

Click here for links to places to buy or rent this movie in digital formats, or to buy the soundtrack, posters, books, even used videos, games, electronics and lots of other stuff. I suggest you shop at least two of these places before buying anything. Prices seem to vary continuously. For more information on this film, click on this link to The Internet Movie Database. Type in the name of the movie in the search box and press enter. You will be able to find background information on the film, the actors, and links to much more information.

[zenuto]

The Meaning and Significance of Guru in Hinduism: 3 Important Things You Need to Know Right Away

In Hinduism, the 'Guru' is a most sacred bond that a spiritual seeker has with an Enlightened One. A question that every seeker is likely to ask - ''Who is a Guru?'' There are many interpretations to this. In a simple way, I find this to be based on my experience - a Guru is the One who helps you navigate from untruth to Truth, from darkness to Light, and from mortality to Immortality. 

                                                                           [Image: Pixabay.com]

  The toughest part of a spiritual aspirant's life is not the constant mockery and disbelief that one faces from loved ones or friends - it is the ability to hold on with steadfast faith that the Guru appears when the disciple is ready. 

This simple truth is absent from the lives of most spiritual seekers. Of course, the easiest thing to do is to google on the Internet, find a suitable Guru, sign up for different meditation and pranayama packages, pay up hefty amounts for these holistic packages and come back thrilled or unhappy after the experience. 

Dear friend, do you actually believe that this is all there is to the spiritual path - that you can just sign up, go shopping from one Guru to the other, play a game of musical chairs only to find that by the end of the game, you are fed up and you feel cheated? The worst part is then you are totally confused about the Path itself.

In one of the old Charlie Chaplin flicks, there is a scene where he keeps looking backward while walking and topples down. That is exactly what happens to seekers who go shopping for Gurus, signing up for differently priced meditation and yoga packages. These 'seekers' crumble and fall apart faster than cookies dunked in milk. The problem is not with the Guru, the problem stems from their limited understanding of a Guru's purpose in their life.

Also remember this: A 'Guru' who asks you to fight others, take up violence, to hurt any one is a FRAUD. A 'Guru' who makes any attempt to touch you physically and in a sexually oriented way is a FRAUD and NOTHING justifies it.  These are not 'Gurus' - understand this!

If only the spiritual world was so easy and simple to figure out for all of us....alas, it is a razor's edge that few can walk on, without slipping down. 

The simple truth is this - The Guru Finds YOU.

This may sound laughable at first reading but it is the Truth of the Spiritual World. It destroys all egocentric notions of ''I'' - which is why many have missed it earlier and no one may have pointed it out to you before.

You don't need to Google to find your Guru. 

Then, what do you need to do? 

I have an answer that you will probably hate me for: Wait.

If you are longing to progress on the spiritual path is sincere and steadfast, your Guru will find you. Study the lives of the spiritual Masters - it will prepare you for the tough life that a seeker can expect on the path. You will also get an intuitive idea of how a true Guru reaches out to a disciple.

Don't shop for Gurus. Your Guru will find you. Have faith and wait. 

[READ: Four Paths to Divinity in Hinduism]

And when your Guru finds you, keep these beautiful words of wisdom of shared by the medieval monk Fra Giovanni close to your heart:

'There is nothing I can give you which you do not have, but there is much that while I cannot give it, you can take. No heaven can come to us our hearts find rest in today. Take heaven. No peace lies in the future which is not hidden in this present instant. Take peace.

....Everything we call a trial, a sorrow or a duty, the angel's hand is there, the gift is there, and the wonder of an overshadowing presence. Our joys too, be not content with them as joys. They too conceal their divine gifts.' (Source: Eknath Eashwaran's book 'Discover Your Hidden Spiritual Resources.)

Have faith. Your Guru will find you at the right time, just as Swami Vivekananda was found by Sri Ramakrishna, Mother Mirra was found by Sri Aurobindo, Sri M was found by his Guru Maheshwaranath Babaji and so many many others. When that happens, you won't need to search on Google, Facebook or Twitter. You will know it with the divine awareness that suddenly embraces and brings to life every cell in your body.

[What is Rajya Yoga? Is this a recommended path for you? Find out!]

Till the Guru appears, here are 3 things you can do:

1. Keep chanting or meditating on the name and form every morning in a way that brings you joy. [Do READ: Meditation - Signs of Progress]

2. You can also begin your day by visualizing the AUM in Devanagari script, in colors of gold or electric blue, a highly recommended spiritual practice revealed to Sri M by the great Yogi, Sri Maheshwaranath Babaji.

3. Serve humanity with love - start your day with love, spend your day with love and end your day with love - as my Guru tells us to do.

[READ this story on the Guru-Shishya Relationship between Swami Vivekananda and Sri Ramakrishna]

Step into your Light, your Divine Power - the Guru will find You.

The Meaning and Significance of Guru in Hinduism: 3 Important Things You Need to Know Right Away published first on http://ift.tt/2vPCopY

[tmwayward]

Character Test: Charlie (Working on writing style too, so it might be a bit weird)

Charlie stood at the edge of the camp, watching the dying light of the forest. The density of the towering trees was imposing, and almost suffocating. The woods were alive with the chatter of insects and bird, with the occasional howl in the distance. Winter was fast approaching, and the winds had turned cold in the north. Her cloak kept her warm, covering her fiery hair to show the world only the dull brown of her hood. A small comfort in her life, and a small wall to protect her mental state. It seemed to be getting more and more thin as the days went by.

Her mind still felt hazed, and stress bubbled in her gut, sending pains throughout her body. Her hands were covered in dead and dying skin, flakes of it falling off and leaving her with red and cracked skin. Sven had told her that some people dealt with this nuisance, and she was beginning to think that her stress was causing it to worsen. She clutches her fist, feeling the tight skin, and letting the chill of the evening sooth it. Another small comfort, but not something that helped her with the situation she was in.

She looked behind herself, a campfire still burning bright, with a large man sitting cross-legged before it, his back turned to her. Charlie took a moment to watch him remain perfectly still, watching the fire, and likely contemplating what he had done, and the things that have occurred. He tried with such vigor to break his own boundaries of power, and was left with nothing for it. She felt a pang of pain for him, but the sick feeling of what he did overshadowed that pain. She turned back to the forest, the reality of the problem being thrust to her mind again. Her stomach felt as though she had swallowed live bees, and the thought of being alone again both terrified her, and excited her.

She turned back to the camp, keeping herself calm enough to walk at a steady pace. She reached the fire to look down at Sven, whom had his eyes closed. Light of the fire reflected off of his dark skin, still remaining unmoved, and not seeming to notice that Charlie was standing over him. She knew, however, that he knew, despite not reacting. Charlie took a moment to watch him. It was a surreal feeling for her, because she knew that when she left, she would never be able to see him again. Despite all the horrible memories, he gave her so much. She would not have survived as long as she has if not for him, and would not being nearly as skillful with her power, if she had learned it at all. 

She couldn’t remember a life without him, because he had found her at such a young age. She closed her eyes, for just a moment, to remind herself of all the atrocious things that he made her do, and the things he did. She always knew that he wasn’t a good person, and she had been fine with that. She knew the importance of what he had to do. A monster to serve the greater good, something he was destined to become; she didn’t want that. 

She prepared herself, opening her mouth to speak, with her words initially being caught in her throat.

“I’m going to check out the area,” she paused, “I’ll be back in a few hours. If I need help, I’ll send up a signal.”

He didn’t respond, and kept his eyes closed. She took a deep breath, turned around to walk to her side of the camp. Her traveling pack was still packed, with some of the food and water still inside. She slung the pack over her shoulder, and before turning to leave, she reached inside the pocket in her pants. She felt a cold metal disc, about as thick at her finger. It was something that she couldn’t lose, not for anything. Her fingers felt the carved symbols in the metal, an incantation in the God-Tongue, one that was simple for what was held inside. 

She took a deep breath, stepping away from the camp, looking up at the stars to make sure that she was heading westward. The light of the campfire swiftly vanished behind her, as she kept a fast pace. She kept her pace as the last of the light faded, leaving her in darkness. She stopped unhook a small lamp from her pack, unscrewing the top so she could slip her hand into the glass that was protected by a cage of metal. She had bought one wide enough for this purpose, reaching far enough down to feel the wick. She took a moment to search her mind, finding the right sensation within herself. When she found it, it was as though she had never forgotten. It was the sensation of heat, pure and undying. She felt it through her body, reaching every part of her. There was no pain this time, because she had become accustomed to the magic. However, despite her overcoming it, she always felt as though there was an edge to the sensations, especially this one in particular. The anguish that accompanied magic was always behind the corner, a constant tease to her mind.

She focused the heat into her hand, sending it out in a small burst, causing the wick to sprout a flame. She withdrew her hand, closing the lamp, and held it up in front of her. She could not see a few yards, which was more than enough. With this, she continued.

Her heart pounded, and her chest felt tight. She still could not tell if she was excited or just plain petrified of what she was doing. She also knew that if she didn’t keep moving forward, she would go back. So she walked a little faster, dodging trees and watching where she stepped. 

After about an hour passed, and she made quite the distance between her and Sven, it was time to make a decision. She looked up at the sky again, seeing the glimmering specks of light that painted the night, and shivered. She knew Sven would likely come looking for her in a few hours, and even though she had a head start, he was faster than her. 

Charlie looked out into the woods heading west, where she knew was the direction that she shouldn’t go. Citadel Harbor was to the west, somewhere, and it would be the most rational place for a person in her situation to go. If she reached it, she could take a ship to anywhere on the coast. She would be in the wind, and Sven would have a very hard time finding her. However, if she went either North or South, or a wide circle around him to the East, she could lose him as well, eventually. It was more of a risk though, since he was faster at traveling than her, especially in the terrain. 

She realized that no matter where she went, he would be close behind at some point. She was just as good, even better in some regards, at hiding among people. The city would make the most sense for her, if she could reach if before he caught up. She needed to throw him off her trail, somehow, and only had a short amount of time to figure it out.

She started westward, her heart skipping a beat. Even if he caught her, at least she tried. She had to at least try.

[myhauntedsalem]

Ghosts of Hollywood

Even after death, some Hollywood celebrities can’t stop putting in appearances

Marilyn Monroe

The Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel on Hollywood Boulevard is said to be the current residence of several ghosts of popular film stars. Marilyn Monroe, the glamorous and funny star of such pictures as Some Like It Hot and Gentlemen Prefer Blondes, was a frequent guest of the Roosevelt at the height of her popularity. And although she died in her Brentwood home, her image has been seen on several occasions in a full-length mirror that once hung in her poolside suite. The mirror has been relocated to the hotel’s lower level by the elevators.

Montgomery Clift

Another respected star who died before his time, Montgomery Clift, was a four-time Oscar nominated actor who is best known for his roles in A Place in the Sun, From Here to Eternity and Judgment at Nuremberg. His ghost has also been seen at the Roosevelt. According to some of the hotel’s staff, Clift’s spirit haunts room number 928. Clift stayed in that suite in 1953, pacing back and forth, memorizing his lines for From Here to Eternity. Loud, unexplained noises have been heard coming from the empty suite, and its phone is occasionally found mysteriously off the hook.

Perhaps it’s fitting that the Hollywood Roosevelt should be the stirring place of celebrity ghosts since it was the site of the very first Academy Awards ceremony in 1929. In fact, the Blossom Ballroom, where the ceremony was held, has an unexplained cold spot – a circular area measuring 30 inches in diameter that remains about 10 degrees colder than the rest of the room.

Harry Houdini

Houdini is best known as a magician and escape artist, of course, but at the height of his fame he was also drawn to Hollywood, where he made a handful of silent films from 1919 to 1923. With such titles as The Man from Beyond and Haldane of the Secret Service (which he also directed), the films were not regarded well enough to give him much of a Hollywood career. Houdini’s interest in the occult was well known, and although he earned a reputation as a masterful debunker of séances, he earnestly sought contact with those who have passed on to the other side. Shortly before his death, Houdini made a pact with his wife Bess that if he could, he would return and make contact with her from the other side. Perhaps he truly has attempted to return. Some claim to have seen the ghost of the great Houdini walking around in the home he owned on Laurel Canyon Blvd. in the Hollywood Hills. Film historians Laurie Jacobson and Marc Wanamaker, in their book Hollywood Haunted, dispute this story, saying that “Houdini most likely never even set foot in the Laurel Canyon mansion he is said to haunt.”

Clifton Webb

Clifton Webb was a very popular star of the 1940s and ’50s, earning two Oscar nominations for his roles in Laura and The Razor’s Edge. He may be best known for his portrayal of Mr. Belvedere in a series of films. It’s not too often that a ghost haunts the place in which the person is buried, but this seems to be the case for Webb. His ghost has been seen at the Abbey of the Psalms, Hollywood Memorial Cemetery, where his body is interred. But it seems to be a restless spirit, as his ghost has also been encountered at his old home on Rexford Drive in Beverly Hills.

Thelma Todd

Thelma Todd was a hot young star in the 1930s. She was featured in a number of hit comedies with the likes of The Marx Brothers, Laurel and Hardy, and Buster Keaton. But that all ended in 1935 when Todd was found dead in her car, which was parked above the café she owned on the Pacific Coast Highway. Strangely, her death was ruled an accidental suicide, but many suspected murder and a coverup by powerful Hollywood figures. The building that once housed the café is now owed by Paulist Productions, and employees have reportedly witnessed the starlet’s ghost descending the stairs.

Thomas Ince

Ince is considered one of the visionary pioneers of American movies. He was one of the most respected directors of the silent era, best known, perhaps, for his westerns starring William S. Hart. He partnered with other early Hollywood giants such as D.W. Griffith and Mack Sennett, and founded Culver Studios, which later became MGM. Ironically, Ince’s death overshadowed his film legacy. He died aboard William Randolph Hearst’s yacht in 1924, and although the official record shows the cause of death as heart failure, the hot rumor is that he was shot by Hearst in a fit a jealousy over Hearst’s wife, Marion Davies. Ince’s ghost – as well as several other ghostly figures – have been seen in the lot that was once Culver Studios. Film crew members have seen the specter of a man matching Ince’s description on several occasions; in one instance, when the workers tried to speak to the spirit, it turned and disappeared through a wall.

Ozzie Nelson

Ghosts and hauntings are the last thing that come to mind when you think of the perpetually cheerful Ozzie and Harriet Nelson. The couple, with their real-life sons Ricky and David, were stars of the long-running sitcom “Ozzie and Harriet,” noted for its good-natured, gentle humor. Yet poor Ozzie doesn’t seem to be as contented in the afterlife. Family members, it is said, have seen Ozzie’s ghost in the family’s old Hollywood home, and it always appears to be in a somber mood. Perhaps he’s unhappy about how another Ozzy and his family have gained notoriety on TV.

George Reeves

From 1953 to 1957, George Reeves was TV’s Superman. Reeves had been around Hollywood for a while, playing bit parts in such films as Gone with the Wind and dozens of B-movies, but it was “The Adventures of Superman” on TV that brought him fame. Reeves died of a gunshot at his home in 1959. The official cause of death was suicide, but that conclusion has been hotly disputed, with some believing that Reeves was murdered. Whether it was suicide or murder, Reeves ghost has been seen in his Beverly Hills home. A couple claims to have seen the ghost of Reeves – decked out in his Superman costume – materialize in the bedroom where he died, after which it slowly faded away. Others believe that Reeves succumbed to the “Superman curse,” in which those associated with the fictional character over the years allegedly have met with disaster or death. But is there really a curse? Read “The Truth About the Superman Curse” by Superman expert Brian McKernan.

More Celebrity Ghosts

Jean Harlow – The spirit of this blonde bombshell is said to haunt the bedroom of her home on North Palm Drive, where her husband allegedly used to beat her.

Mary Pickford – This legend of the silent era – actress, writer and producer – was co-founder of United Artists with her husband Douglas Fairbanks and Charlie Chaplin. Comic Buddy Rogers, who lived in the house Pickford once owned, saw her ghost appear in a white ruffled dress.

Grace Kelly – Princess Stephanie of Monaco believes that the ghost of her mother, Grace Kelly, helped her write a song from the spirit world.

Celebrities Who Have Seen Ghosts

Nicholas Cage – This Oscar-winning actor (Leaving Las Vegas) refused to stay in uncle Francis Ford Coppola’s home after seeing a ghost in the attic. (Cage was also cast as Superman in director Tim Burton’s film project, which was never made.)

Keanu Reeves – The star of The Matrix films and Devil’s Advocate was just a kid in New Jersey when he saw a ghost that took the form of a white double-breasted suit come into his room one night. He wasn’t imagining it; his nanny saw the phantom, too.

Neve Campbell – She’s been in more than her share of paranormal-themed movies (The Craft, Scream), but she’s had real-life encounters as well. A woman was murdered in the house she now lives in, and friends have seen her ghost walking around.

Matthew McConaughey – This popular actor (Contact) says he freaked out the first time he saw the ghost of an old woman, whom he calls “Madame Blue,” floating around his house.

Tim Robbins – Robbins, who was nominated for an Oscar in Mystic River, didn’t see ghosts, but strongly felt their presence when he moved into an apartment in 1984. Following his instinct, he moved out the next day.

Hugh Grant – British romantic comedy lead Hugh Grant (Love Actually) says he and friends have heard the wailing and screaming of some tormented spirit in his Los Angeles home. He even speculates it might be the ghost of a former resident – Bette Davis.

Dan Aykroyd – The Ghostbusters star (and Oscar-nominated for Driving Miss Daisy) has long had a fascination with the paranormal. He believes his home, once owned by Cass Elliot of The Mamas and The Papas, is haunted. “A ghost certainly haunts my house,” he said. “It once even crawled into bed with me. The ghost also turns on the Stairmaster and moves jewelry across the dresser. I’m sure it’s Mama Cass because you get the feeling it’s a big ghost.”

Sting – Rock star Sting (Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels) and his wife Trudie have seen ghosts in their home. “I was absolutely terrified,” he said. “I now believe those things are out there, but I have no explanation for them.”

Jean Claude Van Damme – The Belgian action star (Timecop), also known as “Muscles from Brussels,” swears he saw a ghost in his bathroom mirror while he was brushing his teeth.

Richard Dreyfuss – He won an Oscar for The Goodbye Girl, but at one time had a cocaine problem. Visions of a ghost, he said, helped him kick the habit. “I had a car crash in the late 1970s,” Dreyfuss said, “when I was really screwed up, and I started seeing these ghostly visions of a little girl every night. I couldn’t shake this image. Every day it became clearer and I didn’t know who the hell she was. Then I realized that kid was either the child I didn’t kill the night I smashed up my car, or it was the daughter that I didn’t have yet. I immediately sobered up.”

Ethan Hawke and Uma Thurman – This Hollywood couple was forced to flee their “dream home” in Sneden’s Landing, N.Y. when it became all too apparent that it was haunted. They still are reluctant to talk about their frightening encounters.

Belinda Carlisle – This pop singer and founding member of The Go-Gos, who appeared in Swing Shift and She’s Having a Baby, says she saw a “misty shape” hovering over her as she lay in bed one night. She also says that when she was 17, while nodding off to sleep in a chair in her parents’ home, she levitated and had an out-of-body experience.

Elke Sommers – This German-born actress, who appeared in the 1966 film The Oscar, claims to have seen the ghost of a middle-aged man in a white shirt in her home in North Beverly Hills. Guests in her home have also seen the specter. So much paranormal activity was reported in the house that the American Society for Psychical Research was brought in, and which verified the unexplained events. The severely haunted house was bought and sold more than 17 times since Sommers vacated it, and many have reported ghostly phenomena.

Paul McCartney – Ex-Beatle and Oscar-nominated songwriter (“Live and Let Die”) says that he, George Harrison and Ringo Starr sensed the playful spirit of John Lennon when they were recording Lennon’s song, “Free As A Bird” in 1995. “There were a lot of strange goings-on in the studio – noises that shouldn’t have been there and equipment doing all manner of weird things. There was just an overall feeling that John was around.”

[furederiko]

The good'ol 69... I mean, June 9th. Not that it has any special nor personal meaning though, except for the fact that I'm posting a Random-News-Digest!...

Resident Evil

It's not a secret that I have always favored the CG movies of this franchise, way better than Milla Jovovich's live action series. Those Hollywood movies were okay to good, mind you, but honestly, have they ever got it... right? Not saying that the Japanese CG ones have greater quality, but it just feels more faithful to the source material somehow. That's why when "Resident Evil: Vendetta" was first announced April last year, I know I'm totally going to see it. And yes, that opportunity is slowly approaching, as the Spring movie had officially opened in Japan on May 27th, and will be hitting the international region this month. In home video format, that is. Digital download will be available on June 20th, while the Bluray edition will be on the market on July 18th. There's an exclusive one night event in selected theatres on June 19th too, but I'm guessing that only takes place in the US.

Several character-specific trailers were released to commemorate the Japanese release last month. There was one for Chris Redfield, Leon S. Kennedy, Rebecca Chambers, and also the main antagonist Glenn Arias. It's worth noted that the three first names are characters from the first game, and don't take my word on this, but there's a likelihood that this movie is related to that title. It's a good thing though, considering the latest game of the franchise opted to go with a completely new protagonist. Anyways, fans of Chris and Leon can only wait a little longer to see their next adventure. And we should enjoy it as much as we can, because there are signs that Hollywood is already thinking of rebooting the live action movie-series... Oh boy! *sigh*

Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them

Second movie of the franchise, the tentatively titled "Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them 2" has a finished script, and is currently doing an interesting casting process. Namely, they are looking for teen versions of the main characters. When I first read the headline to this news, I was quite... surprised, because my head was literally thinking about Harry Potter, Ron, and Hermione. Which of course, is completely incorrect! Ignoring the glaring irony that the "Harry Potter" franchise is still looming large on my head, completely overshadowing this new prequel series, the younger cast they are talking about is for Albus Dumbledore, Gellert Grindelwald, Leta Lestrange, and... possibly Newt Scamander. After all, as far as I recall, Newst IS supposed to be the central character, right? Hmmm...

And this could be big. We know that Johnny Depp is portraying the adult (or... old?) Grindelwald, and Jude Law has been entrusted to portray the younger (but also... old?) Dumbledore. Since Grindelwald was already terrorizing Europe in the first movie, it seems unlikely that they are still in good terms, right? So the casting of actors between the age of 16 to 18 means writer J.K. Rowling is finally giving fans what they've always wanted: more historical moment between the two. As in, regarding their so-called intimate friendship that led towards a disastrous outcome. Perhaps what ever happened to the Dumbledore household (his mother Kendra, brother Aberforth, and sister Ariana), the mystery that was briefly talked about late in the "Harry Potter" series, is making their way into this movie? A backstory for Dumbledore, to put it simple.

For now, it's still nothing more than random speculation. But hopefully we'll get a clearer understanding of the plot, when the movie officially begins production. Which should take place, sometime later this year, to make it for a November 16th, 2018 release. I can only hope, the whole Dumbledore and Grindelwald story is still connected to Newt somehow. I don't know, perhaps through Leta? Otherwise, having a main character alienated in his own movie, would be a fatal mistake. Not that it's anything new for Warner Bros though...

Dark Universe

Universal is pretty serious about their shared Monsters universe. While they only have one movie, "The Mummy" on the horizon so far, the plan has already begun including a second title in Bill Condon's "The Bride of the Frankenstein", as well as developing some others. We can now add three more possible titles, in the list of projects currently in development, or planned. Director and also producer Alex Kurtzman, recently revealed that the lineup will also consist of... Dracula, Phantom of the Opera, and Hunchback of Notre Dame.

The first was a no-brainer, since the 2013 critically-panned "Dracula Untold" was initially meant to kickstart this universe. But of course, everyone is talking about the other two on that list. Why? Because nobody suspected both would even be considered. I found those titles to be... intriguing, to say the least. Thematically, they fit this universe like a bill, but the genre of both movies would also add additional colors to this universe. And that's not all, because Kurtzman is also thinking of spinoff-ing other characters from within the lineup. "I think that digging into deep mythologies about monsters around the world is fair game for us, as well and connecting the monsters that we know to some surprising monsters could also be really interesting.", he said, which honestly made me speechless because I'm having trouble to describe my response to that bit. He's also aiming big, by desiring big actors like Michael Fassbender, Jennifer Lawrence, Charlize Theron, and Angelina Jolie to be part of this ensemble. You can check out exclusive interview with Kurtzman on Joblo Trailer's Youtube channel about this Dark Universe project.

Problem is, early tracking for "The Mummy" alone, isn't showing a good sign. Especially, in the shadow of WB's "Wonder Woman" that seems to be still doing good. And we must remember, that the Tom Cruise vehicle is being marketed as the brave first step of this universe. What if, pessimistically speaking, the movie fails to resonate with audience. Are we going to have another case of "Dracula Untold", or will Universal simply ignore the outcome (critically or financially) this time, and proceed with their plan anyway? I don't know, perhaps singing the tune of WB's DC Films?

And indeed, that's where the big question mark lies. Hot on the heels of a very promising news, that the movie is breaking opening day record in South Korea, critics have also begun publishing their thoughts. And it was simply... mixed at best. Some folks (like Ain't It Cool, and Collider) sounded like they actually had fun with it, but others (like Polygon, and IndieWire) are being the complete opposite. The Hollywood Reporter even called it "An inauspicious beginning to a would-be franchise.". Yes, go ahead and look that word up in the dictionary! So is this an apple and orange situation? Case of an acquired taste? I can't really tell. But the general consensus seems to lean towards the irony, that the movie is burdened to kickstart a new cinematic universe. Thus unable to be 'its own thing'.

The logic however, is that eventhough it will probably NOT do so well in the US, Universal is counting on international market to give it a financial push. As proven by Paramount's "Transformers" (particularly that Chinese-heavy 4th movie) or Disney's "Pirates of the Carribbean" franchise, international audience usually couldn't care less about what US critics are saying. LOL. I guess we'll just have to wait and see how the response to this movie affects the entire Dark Universe then. And I'm strangely rooting for it, because as I've repeatedly said, I really want to see more of Russell Crowe's Dr. Jekyll in the future. "The Mummy", opens on June 9th, 2017... which is TODAY in my time region.

X-Men Universe

If anyone asks me why I'm NOT (or no longer) a fan of FOX's Marvel Universe, the answer would be VERY simple. Because I despise inconsistencies. Continuity issues and inconsistent writing, disregarding source materials, with characters being robbed of their full potential and shoehorned for the sake of... nothing important... are glaring elements that have been plaguing the X-Men movies for such a long time. These are easy proofs that the people behind this so-called universe, are NOT doing a good job. And yes, I'm talking about Bryan Singer, and especially producer Simon Kinberg. Ironically, this was also the reason why "Deadpool" worked. Because that movie fearlessly pointed out what really is WRONG about this whole universe, while adding more questions. Case point, the existence of two Professor Xs, two Collosuses, and many more. Even the critically acclaimed "Logan", couldn't escape this blatant continuity trapping, further showing the flaw in design.

Now we can add another one to the list. As Josh Boone's "The New Mutants" (or "X-Men: The New Mutants"... because seriously, even I'm not really sure about the movie's official title) has recently cast a second actor to portray the mutant Sunspot. While confirming that Charlie Heaton is indeed in talks to portray Cannonball, Variety revealed that actor Henry Zaga of "13 Reasons Why" has been cast as the solar-powered mutant. Why is he the 2nd you ask? Because Adan Canto (as pictured above) has already portrayed the criminally-underused character in the logically-flawed "X-Men: Days of Future Past". Does this mean, FOX is expecting Zaga to grow up into Canto (to be fair, they ARE at around the same... height)? As in, "The New Mutants" is happening years prior to "Days of Future Past"? Unless... this will be an entirely different character, which once again, points out the exact issue.

There's more than just Sunspot. Variety also ridiculously over-praised "The New Mutants", when revealing the movie's premise, "Fox/Marvel redefines the superhero genre once again with the horror thriller, The New Mutants. Mutants are at their most dangerous, both to themselves and others, when their powers are new, especially because mutation reveals itself during the teenage years. Held in a secret facility against their will, five new mutants have to battle the dangers of their powers, as well as the sins of their pasts. They aren’t out to save the world – they’re just trying to stay alive.". Though it's likely that the media merely used it to boost visitors, I'm not sure I can easily ignore the exaggerating word of 'redefines' here. HOW... is making this into a horror/thriller 'redefines' the genre, when the likes of "Lucifer", "Preacher", the Ghost Rider arc on "Marvel's Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.", and even FOX and FX's very own "LEGION" has already done the same? Didn't they have already attempted this whole storyline with the craptastic "Fant4stic Four" back in 2015? The more pressing matter however, is once again about WHAT TIMELINE will this movie take place. Will this occur after "X-Men: Apocalypse"? Or, in the same era to "Deadpool", considering Collosus' younger sister is in this? I can't even imagine how "X-Men: Dark Phoenix" will continue to add to this... messy affair.

Putting that issue aside, "The New Mutants" has found its Danielle Moonstar as well. Actress Blu Hunt will be portraying the character, who is a Native American with the power to generate illusion from other person's fears and desires. I myself have never heard of the actress, but it seems she's got the talent, if not simply racially appropriate for the character (like Booboo Stewart's Warpath, hence the reason I used that exact picture). This means, the team is almost complete with Anya Taylor-Joy as Magik, Maisie Williams as Wolfsbane, along with the two guys I mentioned above. FOX only needs to find an actor to voice Warlock as the remaining team member, considering the alien will likely be a CG character. With production set to commence next month, looks like we're going to hear an official cast announcement really soon. I can't seem to get excited about this no matter how I tried, but perhaps the opposite is happening with you. Good for you then!

Marvel Studios

Things have been pretty quite from the movie front, which might be caused due to the studio taking a back seat while WB and their DC Films are taking the headlines. But that should be over pretty soon. This weekend alone, Universal has begun taking all the headlines with their Dark Universe. Also, "Spider-Man: Homecoming" is arriving in less than a month, so of course its marketing will start to ramp up. And that's probably the case... as proven by the various TV Spots and Clips from the movie arriving online. Like the ones about Marisa Tomei's May Parker, Zendaya's Michele, or Michael Keaton's Vulture.

As far as I know, none of those are as official as the new one recently released on Marvel's channel (with new footage too! Yikes!). But you can visit Joblo Trailers on Youtube to see them if you like. I personally haven't seen any that focuses on Bokeem Woodbine/Logan Marshall-Green's Shocker, but perhaps that's because they are merely secondary villains. One thing for sure, I can't wait to see this movie. Although I'm not even sure I can, due to an unexpected financial urgency happening late last month... *sigh*. Anyway, "Homecoming" arrives on July 7th, 2017 in the US (pre-order is already available), and is expected to premiere earlier in international regions.

Meanwhile, "Avengers: Infinity War" continues production, and if the entry on IMDb can be trusted, looks like Winston Duke will be reprising his role as M'Baku or the Man-Ape from "Black Panther". This means we might be seeing more of Wakanda in the movie as well. Some people are already calling "Infinity War" to be overstuffed, a statement that's in a way seems accurate judging from that line of actor trailers (courtesy of the Russo Brothers). But this IS a movie that's supposed to be the culmination (first part of two, at least) of the Marvel Cinematic Universe since 2008, so... it does make a lot of sense to have so many characters in it. Heck, I think "Captain America: Civil War" alone has already broke the record of the biggest ensemble yet for comic book adaptation.

Speaking of Panther, expect to hear details of the movie alongside November 3rd's "Thor: Ragnarok" on this year's Disney D23 expo. Perhaps, the first official trailer will be unveiled there? To be held from July 14th-16th, there will be props, costumes, and exclusive set pieces from both movies, as well as others. Fans will have the chance to see the filmmakers, development team, and also actors in this event. If you happen to be luckily in the area and are interested to visit this event, you can visit the official site D23Expo.com, or get details via D23 app.

Marvel TV

I've seen the sneak-peak to the upcoming new series "Marvel's Spider-Man", and my oh my, the animation quality looks surprisingly... WEAK. It felt... underwhelming, and it has been bugging me ever since, because it didn't feel any different to the recently concluded "Ultimate Spider-Man" series. Also, and I'm being nitpicky, it's banking on "Homecoming" a little TOO MUCH, and I don't like that. When a show is taking cue to a particular movie, it's a make-or-break situation, especially because we know both will NOT be related in any way. Marvel Animation's very own "Guardians of the Galaxy" series is a good example of this problem. A series that felt like it was aimed to explore the 2014 movie in a detailed manner, before completely going overboard and... Well, let's just say I lost interest for it halfway through, and has never even bothered to check out the 2nd season.

The same personal response goes to the 4th season of "Avengers Assemble", officially subtitled "Avengers: Secret Wars". Judging from the 6 character-intro webisodes that I've watched last week, I can only say that the quality of this series is... pretty much the same. For the record, the first three seasons were never THAT good in the first place, so its not a good sign. But this new season seems to dip even lower in the story department, and that raised a dangerous flag for me. Can't believe I'm saying this (not because I'm a fan, but because I've actually been anticipating these new titles for quite a while), but I'm already thinking of giving it a huge pass. And I'm not just talking about "Secret Wars", but "Spider-Man" as well. I can only hope Marvel Animation is preparing something BIG to make up for this. Perhaps that announcement they will reveal on the D23 Expo 2017? We'll see...

From the live action side, Marvel's "New Warriors" is expected to film in Atlanta. This shouldn't be a surprise, because the city has become a regular spot for Marvel Studios to film their projects. Movies like "Civil War", "Homecoming", "Infinity War", and many others sets up their massive sound stage and goes into production there. This particular location offers up interesting questions: Does this mean the casting process has been concluded and is going to be announced soon? Will the setting of this Freeform series take place in Atlanta as well, as opposed to New York? Will we actually get the long awaited crossover between TV series and movies, considering they will be filmed in the same location? "New Warriors" is expected to premiere in 2018.

Netflix

With Marvel's "The Defenders" confirmed for an August 18th release, the one big question looming on every Marvel-Netflix fans' mind has been: so when will Jon Bernthal's Marvel's "The Punisher" arrive? Both Marvel TV and Netflix have only revealed that it will be released this year, but without any specific details. And the cast has wrapped production some time ago. Will it arrive on Winter then? The answer is... in a way, yes.

Dearbhla Walsh, who directed and edited an episode might have unintentionally spilled the bean regarding the show's release month. Talking to The Hollywood Reporter about her experience behind the camera, Walsh said that "One other time that hasn't been aired yet, which was an episode for the new Marvel series The Punisher, which I did just before Christmas, but it's not airing until November. I directed that in New York and edited in L.A.". So yeah, surprising as it might be considering "Ragnarok" is debuting that very same month, looks like Frank Castle will be rampaging the small screen as well. Hold on... it just occured to me: Is this series trying to steal attention and likely audience from WB's "The Justice League" then? WOW, that might be interesting. Let's just wait for the official confirmation from Netflix then...

Possible release window has also been partially confirmed for the three titles currently in production. Yes, I'm talking about the 2nd seasons for Marvel's "Jessica Jones", and Marvel's "Luke Cage" (which will explore his public identity issue), and also the 3rd season of "Marvel's Daredevil". While there are no fixed release date yet, highly likely all three will be released next year. And if Netflix follows this year's pattern, then we can expect these shows to be out on March, August, and November.

The only show that hasn't been officially 'renewed' is Marvel's "Iron Fist", and I'm not too surprised about it. In fact, I won't even be shocked if it ends up getting cancelled, thus Finn Jones and Jessica Henwick will be transferred to other shows instead. Netflix fairly recently did a string of cancellations to its original series, and the latest victim was the critically-mixed "Sense8". The fact that "Sense8" was better received in terms of storyline and particularly diversity than "Iron Fist", is already a negative indication. Don't forget, "Iron Fist" was simply made because it was part of the 'Defenders Package' that Netflix signed with Marvel TV, and that obligation has been fulfilled with that disappointing first season. So as much as I'm a fan of the character in the comics, I say good riddance. Time to bring the "Moon Knight" to take its place!

Valiant Entertainment

Talk about another universe I've never heard of! And not to mention, coming from a US comic publisher I'm also not familiar of. Comic book adaptation seems to be all the rage nowadays, we've got movies every other month, and also various kinds of TV series in various networks/platforms. Of course Valiant Comics would want to join such promising market, and their approach is going through the digital segment.

The best way to promote their new series? By debuting their live action characters as cover models for their upcoming comics. Yes, that means the cast of "Ninjak VS. The Valiant Universe" in full costume. Derek Theler, and the one and only Jason David Frank (yes, that super popular Power Rangers actor) are joining lead actor Michael Rowe on the second issue of "Rapture". They are respectively playing X-O Manowar, Bloodshot, and duh, of course Colin King a.k.a Ninjak. Ciera Foster's Livewire is on the cover of "Divinity" #0, and Alex Meglei is pairing up with Kevin Porter as Archer & Armstrong on "Rai: The History of the Valiant Universe" #1. If you ask me, I LITERALLY have no idea about ANY of these characters and most of the actors (Tommy's the sole exception). I'm not even sure how I should react!

Dinesh Shamdasani, Valiant Entertainment's CEO and CCO talked to ComicBook.com (that helped debuted these images and also a TRAILER, seriously!), and well... fearlessly made a direct comparison to Marvel and DC. Here's what he said, "Valiant is very different. It's character-centered. It's grounded. It's subversive. It's left of center. It's quirky. We wanted to include the characters that showcased to a new audience how different and exciting Valiant is and why it's something equal to Marvel and DC and so these are the characters, our biggest characters and our most exciting characters to showcase the Valiant tonality.". Pretty confident, huh? The site also wrote a synopsis for the series, and what... we can expect from it. I honestly scratched my head after reading it, but likely because I'm practically clueless about the... whole thing. "Ninjak VS. The Valiant Universe" is set to debut online later this year. Valiant fans might want to watch out for it...

Kamen Rider

On contrary to that delicious Sushi-themed rumor, the title for the 19th "Kamen Rider" series has been trademarked. And the title is... "Kamen Rider Build"! Or at least, that's the common sense, because the katakana 'BIRUDO' is usually romanized as BUILD. Remember, it can always refer to BILD, BEALD, BEARD, and the likes that sounds... similar. A possible first toy catalogue has also made its rounds in the internet. If this year's "Kamen Rider Ex-Aid" has game cartridge as the collectible, this one seems to be based on... bottles. Interesting, huh?

Of course, we can't immediately rule out the Sushi one either. If I recall correctly, there was a fashion theme on the rumor board before it was revealed to be Kamen Rider Ghost. And turns out, Ghost did use the fashion gimmick! So who knows, it's always possible that "Kamen Rider Build" is a food and beverages theme after all, with Build being a sports drink, while the second Rider could be sushi. Hey, this IS Japanese Tokusatsu we're talking about! The franchise that combined gamers with doctor, and fruits with samurai. We'll be hearing more about this new Rider very soon. Because it has been an annual custom now, to debut the new series' lead on the currently running one. Expect Build, or whatever he is officially called, to appear on "Kamen Rider Ex-Aid the Movie: True Ending" that premieres this August.

Cowboy Beebop

When Hollywood is running out of new idea, they tend to go over and scrape old titles from the vast library (and sometimes barrels) of Japanese entertainment fault. That's how Super Sentai became "Power Rangers", "Dragon Ball: Evolution" got made. "Ghost in the Shell" and "Death Note" got whitewashed, adaptation to "Akira" is still being pursued by many studios and directors, and many more.

The next victi... I mean, target is none other than "Cowboy Beebop". This might sound strange, but I've never fully seen the 1998 series and the 2001 movie, nor even interested to check it out. I don't know, perhaps because it's just... not for me? Because I prefer modern ones, nowadays? Or because I wasn't into jazz as much that time... because I was still... young? LOL. I'm also aware however, that it has (present tense) so many fans, especially in the western hemisphere. Due to that exact reason, back in 2009, there was a plan to create a live action movie based on this series. It even had actor Keanu Reeves attached to star as Spike Spiegel. Suffice to say, the project faded to obscurity. But now it's being revived again, but as a TV series. And I'm not kidding!

Tomorrow Studios and ITV Studios are set to produce this adaptation, alongside Sunrise Studios as the executive producer. Chris Yost, who wrote "Thor: The Dark World" and sequel "Ragnarok" (as well as that amazing series "Avengers: Earth's Mightiest Heroes"), has been signed to write this series. Marty Adelstein, Becky Clements, Midnight Radio (Josh Appelbaum, Andre Nemec, Jeff Pinkner, and Scott Rosenberg), and Matthew Weinberg are producing. It's unclear is this project was an evolution to that movie one, but Adelstein certainly showed his excitement to work on it, and said believed that "a live action version will have an incredible impact today". I'm personally unsure if a TV budget would be able to deal with the series' setting, but who am I to argue. Let's just hope that it'll work out time around then...

Marvel vs Capcom

An interesting rumor concerning the upcoming "Marvel vs. Capcom: Infinite" sparked throughout the internet last month. A NeoGAF user claimed to have discovered the full roster of the game, and well, it was rather... underwhelming.

As of April, we've known that the roster consists of Iron Man, Captain Marvel, Captain America, Hulk, Thor, Hawkeye, Rocket Raccoon, and Ultron from the Marvel side, and Ryu, Rockman X, Morrigan, Chun-Li, Strider Hiryu, Chris Redfield, and Sigma from the CAPCOM side. That makes for 13 characters so far, considering both Ultron and Sigma (who can combine into... duh, big bad boss Ultron Sigma) are likely DLC characters. According to this rumor, the Marvel side will be extended with Ant-Man, Doctor Strange, Gamora, Nova, Groot, Spider-Man, and Thanos, while CAPCOM adds Arthur, Dante, Firebrand, Jedah, Monster Hunter, Nemesis, Spencer, and one unknown character that might be Frank West. There will be six additional DLC characters for the first season, including the two names I've mentioned before. The big surprise here, is that most of these names are familiar ones who have appeared in previous installments. The only new characters are Ant-Man, Gamora, Nova, Thanos, Jedah, and Monster Hunter, and this has certainly disappointed a lot of fans.

I'm personally indifferent to this situation, but the complaints from fans certainly... make a lot of sense. CAPCOM side is definitely lacking fresh characters from their latest titles. I've said before, they could've added some new characters like Rashid, or Karin from "Street Fighter V" to give it... a current feel. Things are slightly better on Marvel side with the inclusion of Ant-Man, but fans easily questions why lesser popular character like Gamora is taking over the spot that would've been better occupied by Star-Lord or at least Black Widow. And how about Black Panther, or Vision, to replace the missing X-Men characters? Now, this is still a rumor for now, so we need to take it with a huge grain of salt. It's not yet clear if it's true or not anyway. However, the user who posted this news was the one who leaked the existence of the game before it was announced last November, and has been on point with his next scoops. So does this mean, it's the real deal? Here's hoping the D23 Expo 2017 will help clear this out, while hopefully pleasing its disappointed fans along the way. "Marvel vs. Capcom: Infinite" will arrive on September 19th, 2017.

Pocket Monsters

The Pokemon Company held a highly anticipated Pokemon Direct a few days ago on June 6th through various means, and naturally, fans were eagerly looking forward to hear confirmation about the long-rumored "Pokemon Stars". But against all odds, the company delivered a massive surprise instead, and announced... "Pokemon Ultra Sun & Ultra Moon"!

Yep, this was... UNEXPECTED. I mean, who would've thought that the VII generation will be following the "Pokemon Black & White" route? But the biggest surprise here, rather than utilizing the new Nintendo Switch hybrid console, these two new titles will be exclusively released for the... Nintendo 3DS. Yes, exactly like "Pokemon Black 2 & White 2" that opted to avoid 3DS at the time. The premise of "Ultra Sun & Ultra Moon" is sure to make fans scratching their heads too. Apparently, these two new titles will offer an alternate story taking place in the world of "Pokemon Sun & Moon", which might explain why both Solgaleo and Lunala look... possessed by Necrozma in the covers. Once again, this brings to mind "Black 2 & White 2" that had Kyuren taking the power and form of Zekrom and Reshiram. The good side of this, along with new features, it is said to feature Pokemon that did not appear in the original. That means, we might be getting that rumored snowman and dolphin Pokemon after all! However wishful thinking that might be... LOL. The bad side however? It seems, some fans are/were NOT pleased with this outcome. Likely because many expected this new title to appear on Nintendo Switch. IMO, that would've been a wise choice as well, particularly following the mixed response to its paid online feature. The hybrid console is definitely in need of a fan favorite franchise like Pokemon to attract more players. And about that... well, on to the next paragraph.

Further adding flame to the disappointment news, the reveal of "Ultra Sun & Ultra Moon" arrived at the very end of an extensive live action trailer that focused on "Pokken Tournament DX". Which is indeed, the FIRST official Pokemon title for Switch! So in a sense, The Pokemon Company DID give what fans wanted, but NOT exactly what they hoped. "Pokken Tournament DX" is basically another port of the "Pokken" series, that combined the content of Wii U and Arcade version. This means all 16 characters from Wii U and the new ones on Arcade are playable from the get-go, with the exclusive addition of Decidueye from "Sun & Moon". Both Litten and Popplio also available as new support Pokemon. There are several new features as well, to enhance the game's replayability. And to celebrate this game, Nintendo will be hosting a tournament on June 14th, 2017 at the E3 2017 Expo.

To be fair, being a fighting game,"Pokken" does feel more at home with Switch's multiplayer capability. As that trailer suggests, this works as a fun party game as well, a game that people can enjoy in the company of friends and family. So it makes sense that Nintendo opts to push this title instead of a stand alone single-player Pokemon title. After all, Nintendo already had a critically-acclaimed open world RPG on Switch, in form of "Zelda: Breath of the Wild". They need a good fighting game title, that will be specifically exclusive to the console. But will we get an actual core Pokemon title for Switch, or will that honor be given to the successor of 3DS instead? That exact same question still remains. "Pokken Tournament DX" is released worldwide for Switch on September 22nd, alongside "Pokemon Gold & Silver" on the 3DS Virtual Console. "Ultra Sun & Ultra Moon" will then follow exclusively for 3DS on November 17th.

On the smartphone App corner, while the utterly silly but surprisingly addictive "Magikarp, Jump!" is taking the world by stor... I mean splash, and "PokeLand" is released to let players interact with... Pokemon toys, "Pokemon GO" is about to have its 1-Year Anniversary in just a month from now. And to celebrate that occasion, Niantic has been amping up on events, both in the game and real world. The next in-game one, is the "Solstice Event", that will bring out a horde of Fire and Ice-Types Pokemon. This is inline with the recent leak, and will take place beginning on June 13th until presumably June 20th if not 21st. It will also pave way, to that major multiplayer update that was reported before. And as such, Gyms system is going to be closed for an unknown period of time.

The real world one, will then take place on July 22nd, 2017 in Grant Park, Chicago, Illinois, USA. "Pokemon GO Fest Chicago", which is the game's first ever event, will have various festivities. There was a hot speculation that the game will be releasing its first Legendaries, so might this be the time and place to deliver that? It'll be unfair for the rest of the world though, am I right? Tickets for this event can be obtained on PokemonGoLive.com/Fest starting on June 18th. Various other events will also be held in Europe, and Japan, through various partner companies. I kind of wish that these official social event is going to take place in my country. Then again, the government didn't respond to the app nicely anyway, so I doubt we'll ever have one... *sigh*

By the way, how on Earth did some sites get that catchy image for the Solstice Event anyway? Is it fanmade? Sure looks official. It's certainly way better than the one Niantic posted on their official update...

Nintendo

This last bit isn't about game, eventhough it is under a video game developer category. At least, not a software one. Yes, collaborating with Universal Studios Japan, Nintendo is going to have their first major amusement park attraction, which will be called Super Nintendo World. At least, that's the plan, because only the groundwork has been done so far (Famitsu provided footages from the event). But there's a Concept Trailer to give us a hint of what it will look, and it looks nostalgically amazing! This park is clearly Mario Bros oriented, but since the title carries the Nintendo name, I think we can expect other exclusive franchises of the company like Kirby, Pokemon, and others to be included in the future. The park will have rides, interactive areas, shops, and restaurants, and it is planned to officially opens in Summer 2020 in Universal Studios Osaka, just in time for the Olympic Games. It will then be followed by Florida and California resorts in the following years. I wonder when it will arrive on Universal Studios Singapore then? Because that's the closest one I could visit for now... *sigh*

[myhauntedsalem]

Ghosts of Hollywood

Even after death, some Hollywood celebrities can’t stop putting in appearances

Marilyn Monroe

The Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel on Hollywood Boulevard is said to be the current residence of several ghosts of popular film stars. Marilyn Monroe, the glamorous and funny star of such pictures as Some Like It Hot and Gentlemen Prefer Blondes, was a frequent guest of the Roosevelt at the height of her popularity. And although she died in her Brentwood home, her image has been seen on several occasions in a full-length mirror that once hung in her poolside suite. The mirror has been relocated to the hotel’s lower level by the elevators.

Montgomery Clift

Another respected star who died before his time, Montgomery Clift, was a four-time Oscar nominated actor who is best known for his roles in A Place in the Sun, From Here to Eternity and Judgment at Nuremberg. His ghost has also been seen at the Roosevelt. According to some of the hotel’s staff, Clift’s spirit haunts room number 928. Clift stayed in that suite in 1953, pacing back and forth, memorizing his lines for From Here to Eternity. Loud, unexplained noises have been heard coming from the empty suite, and its phone is occasionally found mysteriously off the hook.

Perhaps it’s fitting that the Hollywood Roosevelt should be the stirring place of celebrity ghosts since it was the site of the very first Academy Awards ceremony in 1929. In fact, the Blossom Ballroom, where the ceremony was held, has an unexplained cold spot – a circular area measuring 30 inches in diameter that remains about 10 degrees colder than the rest of the room.

Harry Houdini

Houdini is best known as a magician and escape artist, of course, but at the height of his fame he was also drawn to Hollywood, where he made a handful of silent films from 1919 to 1923. With such titles as The Man from Beyond and Haldane of the Secret Service (which he also directed), the films were not regarded well enough to give him much of a Hollywood career. Houdini’s interest in the occult was well known, and although he earned a reputation as a masterful debunker of séances, he earnestly sought contact with those who have passed on to the other side. Shortly before his death, Houdini made a pact with his wife Bess that if he could, he would return and make contact with her from the other side. Perhaps he truly has attempted to return. Some claim to have seen the ghost of the great Houdini walking around in the home he owned on Laurel Canyon Blvd. in the Hollywood Hills. Film historians Laurie Jacobson and Marc Wanamaker, in their book Hollywood Haunted, dispute this story, saying that “Houdini most likely never even set foot in the Laurel Canyon mansion he is said to haunt.”

Clifton Webb

Clifton Webb was a very popular star of the 1940s and ’50s, earning two Oscar nominations for his roles in Laura and The Razor’s Edge. He may be best known for his portrayal of Mr. Belvedere in a series of films. It’s not too often that a ghost haunts the place in which the person is buried, but this seems to be the case for Webb. His ghost has been seen at the Abbey of the Psalms, Hollywood Memorial Cemetery, where his body is interred. But it seems to be a restless spirit, as his ghost has also been encountered at his old home on Rexford Drive in Beverly Hills.

Thelma Todd

Thelma Todd was a hot young star in the 1930s. She was featured in a number of hit comedies with the likes of The Marx Brothers, Laurel and Hardy, and Buster Keaton. But that all ended in 1935 when Todd was found dead in her car, which was parked above the café she owned on the Pacific Coast Highway. Strangely, her death was ruled an accidental suicide, but many suspected murder and a coverup by powerful Hollywood figures. The building that once housed the café is now owed by Paulist Productions, and employees have reportedly witnessed the starlet’s ghost descending the stairs.

Thomas Ince

Ince is considered one of the visionary pioneers of American movies. He was one of the most respected directors of the silent era, best known, perhaps, for his westerns starring William S. Hart. He partnered with other early Hollywood giants such as D.W. Griffith and Mack Sennett, and founded Culver Studios, which later became MGM. Ironically, Ince’s death overshadowed his film legacy. He died aboard William Randolph Hearst’s yacht in 1924, and although the official record shows the cause of death as heart failure, the hot rumor is that he was shot by Hearst in a fit a jealousy over Hearst’s wife, Marion Davies. Ince’s ghost – as well as several other ghostly figures – have been seen in the lot that was once Culver Studios. Film crew members have seen the specter of a man matching Ince’s description on several occasions; in one instance, when the workers tried to speak to the spirit, it turned and disappeared through a wall.

Ozzie Nelson

Ghosts and hauntings are the last thing that come to mind when you think of the perpetually cheerful Ozzie and Harriet Nelson. The couple, with their real-life sons Ricky and David, were stars of the long-running sitcom “Ozzie and Harriet,” noted for its good-natured, gentle humor. Yet poor Ozzie doesn’t seem to be as contented in the afterlife. Family members, it is said, have seen Ozzie’s ghost in the family’s old Hollywood home, and it always appears to be in a somber mood. Perhaps he’s unhappy about how another Ozzy and his family have gained notoriety on TV.

George Reeves

From 1953 to 1957, George Reeves was TV’s Superman. Reeves had been around Hollywood for a while, playing bit parts in such films as Gone with the Wind and dozens of B-movies, but it was “The Adventures of Superman” on TV that brought him fame. Reeves died of a gunshot at his home in 1959. The official cause of death was suicide, but that conclusion has been hotly disputed, with some believing that Reeves was murdered. Whether it was suicide or murder, Reeves ghost has been seen in his Beverly Hills home. A couple claims to have seen the ghost of Reeves – decked out in his Superman costume – materialize in the bedroom where he died, after which it slowly faded away.

Others believe that Reeves succumbed to the “Superman curse,” in which those associated with the fictional character over the years allegedly have met with disaster or death. But is there really a curse? Read “The Truth About the Superman Curse” by Superman expert Brian McKernan.

More Celebrity Ghosts

Rudolph Valentino – This silent film heartthrob has been seen in the bedroom and stables of his old Hollywood home. Jean Harlow – The spirit of this blonde bombshell is said to haunt the bedroom of her home on North Palm Drive, where her husband allegedly used to beat her.

Mary Pickford – This legend of the silent era – actress, writer and producer – was co-founder of United Artists with her husband Douglas Fairbanks and Charlie Chaplin. Comic Buddy Rogers, who lived in the house Pickford once owned, saw her ghost appear in a white ruffled dress.

Grace Kelly – Princess Stephanie of Monaco believes that the ghost of her mother, Grace Kelly, helped her write a song from the spirit world.

Celebrities Who Have Seen Ghosts

Nicholas Cage – This Oscar-winning actor (Leaving Las Vegas) refused to stay in uncle Francis Ford Coppola’s home after seeing a ghost in the attic. (Cage was also cast as Superman in director Tim Burton’s film project, which was never made.)

Keanu Reeves – The star of The Matrix films and Devil’s Advocate was just a kid in New Jersey when he saw a ghost that took the form of a white double-breasted suit come into his room one night. He wasn’t imagining it; his nanny saw the phantom, too.

Neve Campbell – She’s been in more than her share of paranormal-themed movies (The Craft, Scream), but she’s had real-life encounters as well. A woman was murdered in the house she now lives in, and friends have seen her ghost walking around.

Matthew McConaughey – This popular actor (Contact) says he freaked out the first time he saw the ghost of an old woman, whom he calls “Madame Blue,” floating around his house.

Tim Robbins – Robbins, who was nominated for an Oscar in Mystic River, didn’t see ghosts, but strongly felt their presence when he moved into an apartment in 1984. Following his instinct, he moved out the next day.

Hugh Grant – British romantic comedy lead Hugh Grant (Love Actually) says he and friends have heard the wailing and screaming of some tormented spirit in his Los Angeles home. He even speculates it might be the ghost of a former resident – Bette Davis.

Dan Aykroyd – The Ghostbusters star (and Oscar-nominated for Driving Miss Daisy) has long had a fascination with the paranormal. He believes his home, once owned by Cass Elliot of The Mamas and The Papas, is haunted. “A ghost certainly haunts my house,” he said. “It once even crawled into bed with me. The ghost also turns on the Stairmaster and moves jewelry across the dresser. I’m sure it’s Mama Cass because you get the feeling it’s a big ghost.”

Sting – Rock star Sting (Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels) and his wife Trudie have seen ghosts in their home. “I was absolutely terrified,” he said. “I now believe those things are out there, but I have no explanation for them.”

Jean Claude Van Damme – The Belgian action star (Timecop), also known as “Muscles from Brussels,” swears he saw a ghost in his bathroom mirror while he was brushing his teeth.

Richard Dreyfuss – He won an Oscar for The Goodbye Girl, but at one time had a cocaine problem. Visions of a ghost, he said, helped him kick the habit. “I had a car crash in the late 1970s,” Dreyfuss said, “when I was really screwed up, and I started seeing these ghostly visions of a little girl every night. I couldn’t shake this image. Every day it became clearer and I didn’t know who the hell she was. Then I realized that kid was either the child I didn’t kill the night I smashed up my car, or it was the daughter that I didn’t have yet. I immediately sobered up.”

Ethan Hawke and Uma Thurman – This Hollywood couple was forced to flee their “dream home” in Sneden’s Landing, N.Y. when it became all too apparent that it was haunted. They still are reluctant to talk about their frightening encounters.

Belinda Carlisle – This pop singer and founding member of The Go-Gos, who appeared in Swing Shift and She’s Having a Baby, says she saw a “misty shape” hovering over her as she lay in bed one night. She also says that when she was 17, while nodding off to sleep in a chair in her parents’ home, she levitated and had an out-of-body experience.

Elke Sommers – This German-born actress, who appeared in the 1966 film The Oscar, claims to have seen the ghost of a middle-aged man in a white shirt in her home in North Beverly Hills. Guests in her home have also seen the specter. So much paranormal activity was reported in the house that the American Society for Psychical Research was brought in, and which verified the unexplained events. The severely haunted house was bought and sold more than 17 times since Sommers vacated it, and many have reported ghostly phenomena.

Paul McCartney – Ex-Beatle and Oscar-nominated songwriter (“Live and Let Die”) says that he, George Harrison and Ringo Starr sensed the playful spirit of John Lennon when they were recording Lennon’s song, “Free As A Bird” in 1995. “There were a lot of strange goings-on in the studio – noises that shouldn’t have been there and equipment doing all manner of weird things. There was just an overall feeling that John was around.”

[myhauntedsalem]

Ghosts of Hollywood

Even after death, some Hollywood celebrities can’t stop putting in appearances

Marilyn Monroe

The Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel on Hollywood Boulevard is said to be the current residence of several ghosts of popular film stars. Marilyn Monroe, the glamorous and funny star of such pictures as Some Like It Hot and Gentlemen Prefer Blondes, was a frequent guest of the Roosevelt at the height of her popularity. And although she died in her Brentwood home, her image has been seen on several occasions in a full-length mirror that once hung in her poolside suite. The mirror has been relocated to the hotel’s lower level by the elevators.

Montgomery Clift

Another respected star who died before his time, Montgomery Clift, was a four-time Oscar nominated actor who is best known for his roles in A Place in the Sun, From Here to Eternity and Judgment at Nuremberg. His ghost has also been seen at the Roosevelt. According to some of the hotel’s staff, Clift’s spirit haunts room number 928. Clift stayed in that suite in 1953, pacing back and forth, memorizing his lines for From Here to Eternity. Loud, unexplained noises have been heard coming from the empty suite, and its phone is occasionally found mysteriously off the hook.

Perhaps it’s fitting that the Hollywood Roosevelt should be the stirring place of celebrity ghosts since it was the site of the very first Academy Awards ceremony in 1929. In fact, the Blossom Ballroom, where the ceremony was held, has an unexplained cold spot – a circular area measuring 30 inches in diameter that remains about 10 degrees colder than the rest of the room.

Harry Houdini

Houdini is best known as a magician and escape artist, of course, but at the height of his fame he was also drawn to Hollywood, where he made a handful of silent films from 1919 to 1923. With such titles as The Man from Beyond and Haldane of the Secret Service (which he also directed), the films were not regarded well enough to give him much of a Hollywood career. Houdini’s interest in the occult was well known, and although he earned a reputation as a masterful debunker of séances, he earnestly sought contact with those who have passed on to the other side. Shortly before his death, Houdini made a pact with his wife Bess that if he could, he would return and make contact with her from the other side. Perhaps he truly has attempted to return. Some claim to have seen the ghost of the great Houdini walking around in the home he owned on Laurel Canyon Blvd. in the Hollywood Hills. Film historians Laurie Jacobson and Marc Wanamaker, in their book Hollywood Haunted, dispute this story, saying that “Houdini most likely never even set foot in the Laurel Canyon mansion he is said to haunt.”

Clifton Webb

Clifton Webb was a very popular star of the 1940s and ’50s, earning two Oscar nominations for his roles in Laura and The Razor’s Edge. He may be best known for his portrayal of Mr. Belvedere in a series of films. It’s not too often that a ghost haunts the place in which the person is buried, but this seems to be the case for Webb. His ghost has been seen at the Abbey of the Psalms, Hollywood Memorial Cemetery, where his body is interred. But it seems to be a restless spirit, as his ghost has also been encountered at his old home on Rexford Drive in Beverly Hills.

Thelma Todd

Thelma Todd was a hot young star in the 1930s. She was featured in a number of hit comedies with the likes of The Marx Brothers, Laurel and Hardy, and Buster Keaton. But that all ended in 1935 when Todd was found dead in her car, which was parked above the café she owned on the Pacific Coast Highway. Strangely, her death was ruled an accidental suicide, but many suspected murder and a coverup by powerful Hollywood figures. The building that once housed the café is now owed by Paulist Productions, and employees have reportedly witnessed the starlet’s ghost descending the stairs.

Thomas Ince

Ince is considered one of the visionary pioneers of American movies. He was one of the most respected directors of the silent era, best known, perhaps, for his westerns starring William S. Hart. He partnered with other early Hollywood giants such as D.W. Griffith and Mack Sennett, and founded Culver Studios, which later became MGM. Ironically, Ince’s death overshadowed his film legacy. He died aboard William Randolph Hearst’s yacht in 1924, and although the official record shows the cause of death as heart failure, the hot rumor is that he was shot by Hearst in a fit a jealousy over Hearst’s wife, Marion Davies. Ince’s ghost – as well as several other ghostly figures – have been seen in the lot that was once Culver Studios. Film crew members have seen the specter of a man matching Ince’s description on several occasions; in one instance, when the workers tried to speak to the spirit, it turned and disappeared through a wall.

Ozzie Nelson

Ghosts and hauntings are the last thing that come to mind when you think of the perpetually cheerful Ozzie and Harriet Nelson. The couple, with their real-life sons Ricky and David, were stars of the long-running sitcom “Ozzie and Harriet,” noted for its good-natured, gentle humor. Yet poor Ozzie doesn’t seem to be as contented in the afterlife. Family members, it is said, have seen Ozzie’s ghost in the family’s old Hollywood home, and it always appears to be in a somber mood. Perhaps he’s unhappy about how another Ozzy and his family have gained notoriety on TV.

George Reeves

From 1953 to 1957, George Reeves was TV’s Superman. Reeves had been around Hollywood for a while, playing bit parts in such films as Gone with the Wind and dozens of B-movies, but it was “The Adventures of Superman” on TV that brought him fame. Reeves died of a gunshot at his home in 1959. The official cause of death was suicide, but that conclusion has been hotly disputed, with some believing that Reeves was murdered. Whether it was suicide or murder, Reeves ghost has been seen in his Beverly Hills home. A couple claims to have seen the ghost of Reeves – decked out in his Superman costume – materialize in the bedroom where he died, after which it slowly faded away.

Others believe that Reeves succumbed to the “Superman curse,” in which those associated with the fictional character over the years allegedly have met with disaster or death. But is there really a curse? Read “The Truth About the Superman Curse” by Superman expert Brian McKernan.

More Celebrity Ghosts

Rudolph Valentino – This silent film heartthrob has been seen in the bedroom and stables of his old Hollywood home.

Jean Harlow – The spirit of this blonde bombshell is said to haunt the bedroom of her home on North Palm Drive, where her husband allegedly used to beat her.

Mary Pickford – This legend of the silent era – actress, writer and producer – was co-founder of United Artists with her husband Douglas Fairbanks and Charlie Chaplin. Comic Buddy Rogers, who lived in the house Pickford once owned, saw her ghost appear in a white ruffled dress.

Grace Kelly – Princess Stephanie of Monaco believes that the ghost of her mother, Grace Kelly, helped her write a song from the spirit world.

Celebrities Who Have Seen Ghosts

Nicholas Cage – This Oscar-winning actor (Leaving Las Vegas) refused to stay in uncle Francis Ford Coppola’s home after seeing a ghost in the attic. (Cage was also cast as Superman in director Tim Burton’s film project, which was never made.)

Keanu Reeves – The star of The Matrix films and Devil’s Advocate was just a kid in New Jersey when he saw a ghost that took the form of a white double-breasted suit come into his room one night. He wasn’t imagining it; his nanny saw the phantom, too.

Neve Campbell – She’s been in more than her share of paranormal-themed movies (The Craft, Scream), but she’s had real-life encounters as well. A woman was murdered in the house she now lives in, and friends have seen her ghost walking around.

Matthew McConaughey – This popular actor (Contact) says he freaked out the first time he saw the ghost of an old woman, whom he calls “Madame Blue,” floating around his house. Tim Robbins – Robbins, who was nominated for an Oscar in Mystic River, didn’t see ghosts, but strongly felt their presence when he moved into an apartment in 1984. Following his instinct, he moved out the next day.

Hugh Grant – British romantic comedy lead Hugh Grant (Love Actually) says he and friends have heard the wailing and screaming of some tormented spirit in his Los Angeles home. He even speculates it might be the ghost of a former resident – Bette Davis.

Dan Aykroyd – The Ghostbusters star (and Oscar-nominated for Driving Miss Daisy) has long had a fascination with the paranormal. He believes his home, once owned by Cass Elliot of The Mamas and The Papas, is haunted. “A ghost certainly haunts my house,” he said. “It once even crawled into bed with me. The ghost also turns on the Stairmaster and moves jewelry across the dresser. I’m sure it’s Mama Cass because you get the feeling it’s a big ghost.”

Sting – Rock star Sting (Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels) and his wife Trudie have seen ghosts in their home. “I was absolutely terrified,” he said. “I now believe those things are out there, but I have no explanation for them.”

Jean Claude Van Damme – The Belgian action star (Timecop), also known as “Muscles from Brussels,” swears he saw a ghost in his bathroom mirror while he was brushing his teeth.

Richard Dreyfuss – He won an Oscar for The Goodbye Girl, but at one time had a cocaine problem. Visions of a ghost, he said, helped him kick the habit. “I had a car crash in the late 1970s,” Dreyfuss said, “when I was really screwed up, and I started seeing these ghostly visions of a little girl every night. I couldn’t shake this image. Every day it became clearer and I didn’t know who the hell she was. Then I realized that kid was either the child I didn’t kill the night I smashed up my car, or it was the daughter that I didn’t have yet. I immediately sobered up.”

Ethan Hawke and Uma Thurman – This Hollywood couple was forced to flee their “dream home” in Sneden’s Landing, N.Y. when it became all too apparent that it was haunted. They still are reluctant to talk about their frightening encounters.

Belinda Carlisle – This pop singer and founding member of The Go-Gos, who appeared in Swing Shift and She’s Having a Baby, says she saw a “misty shape” hovering over her as she lay in bed one night. She also says that when she was 17, while nodding off to sleep in a chair in her parents’ home, she levitated and had an out-of-body experience.

Elke Sommers – This German-born actress, who appeared in the 1966 film The Oscar, claims to have seen the ghost of a middle-aged man in a white shirt in her home in North Beverly Hills. Guests in her home have also seen the specter. So much paranormal activity was reported in the house that the American Society for Psychical Research was brought in, and which verified the unexplained events. The severely haunted house was bought and sold more than 17 times since Sommers vacated it, and many have reported ghostly phenomena.

Paul McCartney – Ex-Beatle and Oscar-nominated songwriter (“Live and Let Die”) says that he, George Harrison and Ringo Starr sensed the playful spirit of John Lennon when they were recording Lennon’s song, “Free As A Bird” in 1995. “There were a lot of strange goings-on in the studio – noises that shouldn’t have been there and equipment doing all manner of weird things. There was just an overall feeling that John was around.”