#hilarious that the one day i am at the other center charlie comes out with That. my darling girl fr

[vulpinesaint]

somehow despite being fascinated with my jewelry all the time the kids i work with have never really looked too close at or commented on my saint sebastian medallion. months and months and months i have worn it every day and they've said nothing. until last month when one of them was messing with my axe necklace, took one look down at the saint sebastian one, and went, "is that a dead naked man tied to a tree?" and i am so glad that my boss was not there cause that is perhaps the absolute worst way to phrase it and i don't know if my answer of "... yes. but in a classical art way?" would have been satisfactory at all 😭

[andreafmn]

Speak - Chapter 5

Word Count: 3.2K

Story Description: Bella Swan was a disaster when Edward had left. Deciding she needed a little help, Charlie Swan receives with open arms his younger daughter (Y/N) Swan. She helps Bella during her depression and becomes inseparable from her long-lost friend Jacob. What she didn’t expect was falling for a hotheaded short-tempered silver wolf.

Chapter: 5/?

A/N: The long-awaited update is here!!!!!

This chapter is dedicated to @madcatlady for the hilarious ask. It honestly made me laugh 😂😂 I really wanted to make this more of an enemies to lovers (I still can) but soft Paul makes me too happy. Also, the ending for this was gonna be different but I made it into the next chapter If you enjoy my writing I’ll also be posting them in AO3 and Wattpad along with other stories. You can request at any time any story or one-shot you desire. Hope you enjoy, and all constructive criticism is encouraged.

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Chapter 5

(Y/N) had gone to bed with anger flowing through her veins. It made her burn up with rage, slowly bubbling up to the surface.

Bella had always been unconsciously selfish in her sister’s opinion. At least, she hoped it was unconscious. To (Y/N), her sister always found a way to make every situation about herself, and everyone allowed it. Her heartbreak had taken over her father’s life, threatened to take over their mother’s, and was slowly snaking its hands around hers. But Bella would not become the center of her life, she could not.

But the next morning, (Y/N)’s anger had seemingly dissipated. Even if Bella believed the world revolved around her, (Y/N) would not let hers do so. At the end of the day, it was Christmas – a day of happiness and forgiveness. She would enjoy it with or without her sister.

The smell of slightly burnt coffee filled her nostrils before she had opened her eyes and she knew her father was already up. Her excitement for the day was again replenished and she readied herself for a long afternoon. It was her first holiday back in the city of Forks, and the first Christmas she’d have in the town. Nothing would stand in the way of a good day.

“Morning, dad,” (Y/N) smiled at the flustered man. He had taken a sip of the scalding coffee. Not only did he burn his tongue, but he had to taste the awful batch. “Merry Christmas.”

“Oh, merry Christmas, honey. I really am a menace in the kitchen.”

“Thankfully not on the grill,” she chuckled. “Why don’t you sit while I make a new batch and a light breakfast?”

“I guess I’m still not used to having you girls here,” he sighed. “Normally I’d just go down to the diner and get some food there. And now that Bella’s like… like that, I’ve had to take care of the food again.” 

“Well, I’m here now. So don’t worry about that,” (Y/N) smiled. “We’ll just take it one day at a time and hope for the best. It’s the only thing we can do.” 

“Then we should get ready soon to go over to Billy’s house,” Charlie responded, resigned. “Were you able to at least convince Bella to come?”

“No. She’s as stubborn as ever.” 

“I really hoped she’d want to come. You both always enjoyed Christmas time.” 

(Y/N) shrugged from the stove, the pan she shook scraping slightly the iron grates. She had hoped that, at least for this holiday, Bella would put her family first. Alas, her teenage angst took over and she was once more glued onto the swivel desk chair, overlooking the backyard. All she wanted was for her family to be together during such a special holiday – especially one that promoted togetherness. But all Bella could do or think of was the idiotic boy that had broken her heart.

"Whatever," (Y/N) spoke abruptly. “She’s the one that’s missing out. If she wants to stay at home and wallow in self-pity, so be it. We cannot let her consume every part of our lives.”

“(Y/N), she’s your sister,” Charlie said. “She’s sad and we can’t just leave her behind.”

“It’s not even for a whole day, dad. She’ll survive a couple of hours of staring out of that window,” she whined. “It’s your day off. It’s Christmas. We’re not gonna spend today trapped in the house because Bella has a bad case of the blues.”

“(Y/N)…”

“Dad,” (Y/N) said sternly. “We are gonna go to Uncle Billy’s house. We are going to celebrate Christmas. Then, we will come back home and find Bella in the same spot. But we deserve — you deserve — to put her in the back of our minds for a couple of hours and enjoy ourselves. And that’s an order, sheriff.”

“Alright, you win, (Y/N),” Charlie chuckled slightly. “And thanks again for breakfast. I promise one day I’ll get the hang of it.”

“There won’t be any need whilst I’m here, dad.”

After a small round of chitchat and the background noise of cutlery hitting the ceramic plates, the two of them left for their respective rooms to get ready for the day. Before going back downstairs, (Y/N) popped into Bella’s room where she was not surprised to see her sister sat staring out her window.

Her sister looked pitiful. Chair bound and frail. Heartbreak in the simplest definition. There was not a single trace of the girl she had grown up with. There was a Bella before Edward and the one that was left barely counted as a person.

(Y/N) entered the room, a wrapped present in her hands. She sauntered towed her sister, unsure of what Bella’s reaction — or lack thereof— would be.

“Hey, Bells,” she spoke softly, unsure of where they stood after the conversation they had the night before. “I got you this cause, after all, it is Christmas. I know you don’t want to come with us, but I still wanted to get you something. You can open it, or not. It’s really up to you. But, merry Christmas, sis.”

Silence seemed to be the prevailing answer.

“So, is she finally gonna come?” Charlie asked as (Y/N) exited Bella’s room. “Did she have a change of heart?”

“Nope,” she answered – she wasn’t a miracle worker. “But that doesn’t mean we’re not gonna have a good time. Now, let’s go.”

As they drove down the streets to the reservation, Charlie and (Y/N) sang along badly to Christmas tunes. A white scenery blurred past them as they headed through the snow-covered streets of Forks, putting the older Swan daughter to the back of their mind. The air felt lighter, a weight lifted off their shoulders. They both felt like they could breathe, even if just for a little bit.

The red barn-like house came into view before they had realized that Forks was far behind them. As the truck rolled to a stop, Billy and Jake exited the house to greet their guests. A playful smile played on Jacob’s face when he saw his new girlfriend. A smile that Charlie Swan did not like.

“Now, (Y/N), I know that you two are now sort of together. But I don’t wanna see all that lovey-dovey stuff between you.”

“Dad,” she chuckled.

“No, seriously, (Y/N). I don’t wanna see it.”

“So, it’s okay as long as you don’t see it? Got it.”

“Don’t push it, kid.”

“Alright, dad. I’ll keep it low-key for you.”

With another giggle, (Y/N) stepped out of the cruiser, her hands packed with a bag filled with presents and a six-pack of beer. And from the back of the car, Charlie pulled the trays of food they had prepared.

“Here, let me help,” Jake told Charlie, grabbing hold of two of the four trays he was carrying.

Charlie tried his best to hide his feelings of slight anger toward the boy. He’d known him since he was a baby but seeing him get so close to his daughter unnerved him. Still, he answered, “Yeah, thanks, Jake.”

“Hey, Jake,” (Y/N) smiled, kissing Jake’s cheek.

“Hey, (Y/N).”

“Alright you two, keep it moving,” Charlie grumbled. “And, again, I don’t wanna see any funny stuff between you.”

He walked in front of them, saying hi to Billy as he walked into the house to put the trays down. Everyone could notice the annoyance on his face. As much as he loved Jake, it was one thing for him to be his best friend’s son; it was another for him to date his youngest daughter.

“How’ve you been, Billy?” (Y/N) asked as she made her way into the house and the man rolled inside.

“Very good, (Y/N),” he smiled. “So, Jake and you, when did that happen?”

She chuckled in response. “It started at the bonfire, but it’s been a long time coming. Wouldn’t you say?”

“Well, between you and me, you’ve always been my favorite of Charlie’s youngest daughters.”

“It’d be weird if I wasn’t.”

“I truly hope this union is of benefit to the both of you,” Billy said, placing a comforting hand on her forearm. “If it is meant to be, I’m sure your father will come around sooner or later.”

“Waiting for sooner rather than later,” she sighed. “It’s kind of hard to see where this is going when dad is breathing down our necks every time we’re in the same room.”

“He means well,” he chuckled. “Charlie’s very new to this whole parenting teenagers thing. It’s hard to see your kids grow up so quickly. But I’ll tell you what, I’ll keep him by the barbecue as much as I can so you two can have some alone time.”

“Thanks, uncle Billy.” 

In her happiness, (Y/N) missed Billy’s knowing gaze. He knew something neither of them did. Deep down, he knew the pair would not last long – there were other forces in play. But if this is what they wanted, for now, he would never interfere. Young love was hard to come by if that’s what this was.

They entered the kitchen and laughed as they witnessed Jacob’s pleading face. Charlie had not let down his menacing stare as he prepped the meat they would cook. Though his hands worked on the food, his eyes glared at the boy relentlessly.

“Hey, Charlie, got the grill up and running already,” Billy announced. “Why don’t we put this thing to cook already?” 

“But I’m not done yet.” 

“I think you are,” he chuckled. “Come on, let’s go.” 

Charlie grumbled as he left through the backdoor with Billy and back into the snow, leaving the two teenagers on their own. With a smile of mischief, Jake and (Y/N) crossed the small kitchen and were finally able to engage in a hello kiss.

“Hey,” she whispered as they parted from each other.

“Hey, back,” Jacob chuckled. “Your dad was close to shooting me there.” 

“Well, you did kiss his youngest daughter in front of him,” (Y/N) teased, wrapping her arms around his neck. “And you’re the first boyfriend I’ve introduced to him. Look how well that turned out for Bella.” 

“But you’re not Bella,” he said. “And I’m not Edward.”

“That is very correct,” she laughed before pecking his lips. “You’re way better.”

“You could say that again,” Jake grinned. “Also, how many boyfriends didn’t make the cut?” 

“Why? Are you jealous, Jake?” 

“Just want to know what I’m up against.” 

“Believe me, none of them match up to you.” 

Suddenly, the sound of a screen door startled them apart. Charlie walked in, the angry scowl still on his face. He muttered under his breath as he opened the drawers in the kitchen, finally finding tongs. And as he left once more, he shot them another glare.

The pair couldn’t help but burst out in laughter as they watched Charlie’s figure disappear through the door. They understood where the father was coming from. Opening himself to having another daughter get her heart broken was too much for a technically “new” father.

But as much as they understood him, it didn’t mean they would try too hard to make him comfortable. They were young, a little reckless, and very excited to be in a relationship – at least (Y/N) was.

As the adults chatted outside, cooking the meat and drinking beers, Jake and (Y/N) gravitated toward the couch, cuddling on the seat. The fireplace was on and the radio was set on a jazz station, playing a song neither of them knew.

“So,” (Y/N) spoke up, looking at Jacob from his chest. “I know we said we wouldn’t do gifts, but I got you something.”

“(Y/N), you promised,” he chuckled. “Although, I will admit I also got you a little something as well. You go first.”

(Y/N) stood up and went to get the wrapped gift she had placed behind the tree. She was excited. It was their first Christmas together ever, and more importantly, their first as a couple. She had dreamed of this moment since they were kids.

Jake followed behind, grabbing the bag he had packed his gift into. He was sure they had both gotten each other small things. They hadn’t been together for that long and there wasn’t anything riding in the presents.

“So, I know you’ve been saying for a while that you needed these for a while, and they were very hard to get.”

Jacob’s eyes were wide in surprise as he unwrapped the box in his hands. (Y/N) had gotten him a pair of Timberland boots with a steel toe. He had dropped one too many tools onto his foot whilst working on cars and he was in desperate need of these shoes.

“Wow, (Y/N)! This must have put a dent in your wallet.”

“It’s worth it,” she smiled into the hug he gave her.

“Well, here’s yours,” he tried to pull a smile, but he knew it wouldn’t even compare. “It’s not as good, but I didn’t have much time.” 

“That’s okay,” (Y/N) responded. She knew whatever he had gotten her would be meaningful and caring, a testament to who he was. And she was very confident in it until she finally saw it. “A… candle.” 

“It’s got a nice smell,” Jacob chuckled awkwardly. “I thought you’d like the smell… I know. It sucks.” 

“No. It’s, um, it’s nice.” (Y/N) was trying to hide her disappointment. She’d seen this type of candle. They sold them at the gas stations in the area as passersby souvenirs. “I’ll put it by my bed and I’ll think about you every time I light it. I love it. Thanks.” 

“And I will basically live in these boots,” he boasted. “I love them.” 

“I’m glad.” 

It was hard for (Y/N) to keep her dismay at bay. She smiled, talked, and laughed through dinner, but it was hard. Jacob could have gotten the candle that morning – zero thought and preparation had gone into the gift. She would have preferred he stuck to nothing. Even that would have been better since he would have kept the promise.

Instead, she was left with a gas station candle that smelled like apples that had been stuffed into a red bag. She was allergic to apples. They made her throat itch and her eyes swell, it had been years since she had even smelled one. Though thankfully, this one was laced with a fake fruit smell, she couldn’t wait to store it in the deepest corners of her closet.

Whilst they were enjoying the pumpkin pie she had made, a knock resounded through the door. The four people in attendance stared at each other.

“Are you expecting anyone else?” Charlie asked, wiping off the whipped cream that had accumulated on his mustache. “Though it’d be just us tonight.” 

“We aren’t,” Billy responded. “It’s a bit late for that.” 

“I’ll check who it is,” (Y/N) offered, quickly standing. “It’s probably a tourist that got lost. You guys carry on.” 

As the men went on with their conversation, (Y/N) went to see who was at the door. It was Christmas night, whilst it was snowing. If it was a tourist, they were crazy to be out at that time.

But when she opened the door, she was surprised that not only was it not a tourist, but it was Paul Lahote standing there in shorts and a tank top. His hair was dusted with white snowflake specs, the ones on his skin melting away right after contact.

(Y/N) was quick to close the door behind her. If there was anything she didn’t want it was for Jake and Paul to get into an altercation with her father and Billy around.

“Paul,” she chuckled as she pulled her jacket closer to her body. “What’re you doing here?” 

“I was actually hoping to run into you here,” he responded. “This may sound weird, but I, uh I got you something.” 

He handed her a rectangular box beautifully wrapped in red metallic paper with a white bow for decoration. She could tell he had taken his time to wrap the present – or had asked someone skilled to do it for him. By the cover alone she knew he had put care into the present.

“Can I open it now?”

“Please,” he smiled. “Go ahead.” 

Carefully, she undid the paper, not wanting to even rip it, and she pulled a long box from inside. When she lifted the lid, she gasped. Inside a gorgeously crafted dreamcatcher, with cream feathers and colorful beads rested. Attached to the rim, a wooden wolf totem was attached. It was simple, it was thoughtful, it was beautiful.

“Oh, Paul, it’s stunning,” she said. “But you didn’t have to. I didn’t get you anything.”

“That’s okay,” he chuckled. “I just saw it at a local shop, and it reminded me of you. The wolf totem, it’s for protection. The wolf is supposed to help you manifestmore protection, better instincts, and stronger relationships in your life.” 

“Seriously, Paul, it’s beautiful.”

 Without knowing it, she was beaming. The surge of happiness that grew inside her was unfathomable, and she found herself wrapping him in a hug. This stranger had gotten her a more thoughtful gift than her boyfriend and friend.

Paul stiffened at first, surprised at the sudden show of affection. But instantly melted into her embrace, wrapping his own arms around her.

“I’m glad you liked it,” he smiled to himself. But the moment was cut short. From far inside the woods, a wolf called out to his pack, saying it was time to change shifts. “Uh, that was all. I just wanted to give you this. I should be heading back home now.”

“Oh.” Was she disappointed? “Then, I promise one day I’ll repay the favor.” 

“There’s really no need.” 

“I insist,” she said with a bright smile. “Seriously, Paul. This actually means a lot. Thank you.” 

“Sure thing,” Paul smiled, running his hand through the back of his neck. “I’ll see you around. And, Merry Christmas, (Y/N).” 

Before she could answer him, Paul seemed to vanish. (Y/N) couldn’t see his body anywhere close. So, she spoke to the air, “Merry Christmas, Paul.” 

(Y/N) was quick to hide the gift in the car, under her seat. If she went back into the house with it, she was sure it would only cause discord with Jacob and her father. It was better if neither of them knew about one of the best gifts anyone had ever gotten her.

“Who was it?” Charlie called out when he saw his daughter walking back into the house. “You were out there for some time.” 

“Oh, just a couple of tourists that got lost leaving the rez.” 

“Tourists?” Jacob questioned. “Today of all days?”

“It was a newlywed couple, on a honeymoon road trip.” 

“Mmm, young love,” Billy smiled toward (Y/N). It made her question if he had seen who she was actually speaking to. “What a great gift it is.” 

Taglist: @winter-soldier-101@zheezs14 @a-sifu-hotman @sunflowerleii @DyslexicCatterpillar @Blackbluerose666 @slutforsainz @kortniec696 @xcastawayherosx@minhaimaginacao @bluebirbnamedJay @sirenheadenby @andreiaafaria @bluetreecloud20 @valejewel @nogitsune-the  @user0ur0mom  @skyesthebomb @swidkid @avis15 @honeylovemoon @wonieeee @edwardssugarmommy @nyenye @sugajar @lovel-blog @witchofhawkins @Six-Call @then-worship-at-my-altar@ems-alexandra @blueshoelacess @Nyctophilia710 @rosalie-whitlock @nocturnalherb16 @this-is-a-bad-idea @esposadomd @locokoca @volturiwolf @spookyqueen @gh0stgirl33 @catgirlpwr @nolaxox @klf1999 @krazyk99 @ilikepunsbeth @adaydreamaway08 @cinffy23 @paodemorangol1l1 @hufflepuffobsessedwithmarvel @toomanythoughts33 @jrosefangirl @queereddie @Missvicious @sugasthreedollarkookie @laylaskywalker @fandomonetwo @fruitylilfuck @a-slut-for-Loki-Bucky @honeywxter @haroldpotterson

[dreamersscape]

In Which I Attempt to Wreak Havoc Upon Panharmonium's Heart. Or Something.

Because I am an awesome friend, clearly, and possibly making people sad/verklempt is definitely an excellent way to (belatedly 😔 but I did start before the 15th!) celebrate Kakashi's birthday, right? ;)

I will admit up front that this is nowhere near as deftly structured and compiled as your Kakashi fanmix, @panharmonium, but that is precisely why I'm not even going to try to organize all these songs into individual playlists. Yet. Plus, I have a tendency to over-explain so this way I can better expound on why certain songs remind me of certain characters. Sorry that I sorta went a little... overboard?

Everything--except a few that aren't available on spotify, I'll link to them directly--can be listened to HERE.

What I'm Looking For - Brendan Benson | Kakashi → I may be a little biased with this one because it fits SO many of my favorite characters so well, somehow, but there's just something about the upbeat/tongue-in-cheek musical cues/delivery of lines such as 'I visit hell on a daily basis, and I see the sadness in all your faces' that just feels so Kakashi to me.

Happy Ending - MIKA | Kakashi → This is presumably a breakup song, but I enjoy it so much more in a non-romantic context (and the song itself isn't really boxed in with overtly romantic framing, so I appreciate that!). Anyway, some very important instructions IMO for listening to this with Kakashi in mind: everything before the bridge is about Kakashi up through his ANBU years, but when you get to the 'little bit of love' refrain, picture Kakashi meeting Tenzo, and then becoming Team 7's sensei, opening back up to Gai, adopting all the other leaf genin, assimilating Sai and Yamato into Team 7, and it keeps building with Kakashi gaining more and more loved ones to fill the hole in his heart, and then cry tears of joy with me! Just my personal suggestion. :D

Light - Sleeping At Last | Kakashi & Team 7 (/all his kids)

with every heartbeat I have left I will defend your every breath

→ I've seen this song used for ship vids and I'm all ????? about that because this is clearly a song about the love you have for your child! But I suppose if one of my favorite pastimes is aggressively re-interpreting love songs in non-romantic ways, I can't begrudge the opposite process... too much, lol.

Heroes - MIKA | Team Minato

your blood on me/and my blood on you/but to make you bleed/the only thing I wouldn't do/.../I wish there was a way/to give you a hand to hold/'cause you don't have to die in your glory/die, to never grow old

Long Lost Friends - Transit | Kakashi & Obito

how long/do you have to say that/this is not the person I used to know/you are not the person I used to know/.../because lately, you've been looking at me like you've seen a ghost/and isn't it obvious who's been missing who the most

→ What the heck! What the heck! What the heck! What the heck! What the heck!

Against the Voices - Switchfoot | Kakashi

'cause everybody knows/the hardest war to fight/is the fight to be yourself/when the voices try to turn you into someone else

Out of the Darkness - Matthew and the Atlas | Obito? Yamato? Kakashi? Itachi & Sasuke? Naruto & Kurama? → I'm a bit undecided about this one, or if I should just not worry about choosing one character and just let myself feel all the "inner darkness is not an innate characteristic, Danzo! They're just grieving/in a lot of pain, and they can find their way out of that dark place!" feels.

Save A Place - 1969 | Kakashi & Sasuke

so I'll keep away and save a place for you/and I'll only make the same mistakes as you/.../when all the blood all over your fingers is dried up/the pain will still linger

→ I'm not uber-confident in picking out really fitting Kakashi & Sasuke songs yet, but I hope this hits a lot of the right notes for you. :)

Thrive - Switchfoot | Kakashi

I'm always close, but I'm never enough/I'm always in line, but I'm never in love/I get so down, but I won't give up/I get so down, but I won't give up

→ See, it says right there that he's never in love! Not the crux of the song, and he's not always 'in line' either, but still! :)

Disarm - The Civil Wars | Kakashi & Obito

the years burn, burn, burn

→ I don't know how I keep collecting fictional relationships that work so well for this song, but literally every single line of this song hits so hard for these two?? Will never recover from this. (Also, I usually disregard when 'my love' pops up in the last line of the chorus, as the mood dictates. :) It's pretty incidental as is IMO.)

Renaissance - Paolo Buonvino & Skin | Sakumo & Obito & Kakashi & Naruto

let me show you one last time/let me show you one last sign/you can find it/I can't say that I can change the world/but if you let me, I can make another world for us/let me suffer all for you/make this vision all brand new/we can fight them/I can't say that I can win it all, [but] come with me and I will make my words stand tall

→ Okay, this is a very odd choice given that it's actually the theme song for a different show about the Italian renaissance (if you happen to see this, Mirjam, don't hate me!), but this could be IT! The "those who break the rules are scum, but those who would abandon their friends are worse than scum" anthem that's all about building a better world based on these principles! I really hope our sharing-a-brain talent translates to listening to this song in this way because I am feeling SOME KIND of way about this!

The Lament of Eustace Scrubb - The Oh Hellos | Kakashi → I really liked the song you chose from this album for your fanmix, so now I've feeling a tiny bit too on-the-nose with my choice, but I guess this is just a Kakashi album all around. 😆

Glass Heart Hymn - Paper Route | Kakashi(+ Obito) & Sasuke(+ Itachi)

memories as heavy as a stone/ I am empty, in my end you are my beginning

This Is Home - Switchfoot | Yamato & Kakashi (+ Team 7)

and now, after all my searching/after all my questions/I'm gonna call it home

→ All finding-where-you-belong songs are actually Yamato songs. True story!

Faust, Midas, & Myself - Switchfoot | Obito

you have one life left to leave/you have one life left to lead

→ Could this be any more perfect for Obito? It even has creepy-old-man!Madara!

Pluto - Sleeping At Last | Kakashi

Always Gold - Radical Face | Kakashi & Obito/Sasuke & Itachi/Naruto & Sasuke

all my life, I've never known where you've been/there were holes in you, the kind that I could not mend/and I heard you say, right when you left that day/does everything go away?/yeah, everything goes away/but I'm going to be here till forever/so just call when you're around

→ ...but mostly Kakashi & Obito because 'there were holes in you' 😭😭😭

Lemon Boy - Cavetown | Yamato & Kakashi → You already know the delights of this song of course, but I gots to be comprehensive. :)

Everywhere I Go - Lissie/cover by Sleeping At Last | Kakashi & Team Minato

danger will follow me now everywhere I go/angels will call on me and take me to my home/well, these tired eyes just want to remain closed

→ I chose the Sleeping At Last cover for maximum angst, 'cause sometimes it be like that.

Uneven Odds - Sleeping At Last | Kakashi

maybe your light is a seed, and the darkness the dirt, in spite of the uneven odds, beauty lifts from the earth

→ ...just like an earth style: mud wall :') Okay, okay, bad jokes aside, the seed metaphor of course makes me want to associate it with Tenzo, but this is clearly a Kakashi song!

Twenty-four - Switchfoot | Kakashi & Obito

life is not what I thought it was twenty-four hours ago/and I'm not who I thought I was twenty-four hours ago/still I'm singing spirit, take me up in arms with you/you're raising the dead in me/I wanna see miracles/to see the world change/wrestled the angel for more than a name/for more than a feeling, for more than a cause/I'm singing spirit, take me up in arms with you/and you're raising the dead in me

I'm Still Here (Jim's Theme) - John Rzeznik | Kakashi

and how can they say I never change?/they're the ones that stay the same/.../they can't tell me who to be/'cause I'm not what they see/.../and their words are just whispers/and lies that I'll never believe

→ Yeah, I might've accidentally imprinted on Treasure Planet as a 14 year old, and then someone made sure this song would forever live in my heart by making a fanvid of it with my favorite character from my robin hood show, but! He's still here!

See You Again - Wiz Khalifa (feat. Charlie Puth) | Kakashi & Obito/Team Minato

how can we not talk about family when family's all that we got?/everything I went through, you were standing there by my side/and now you gon' be with me for the last ride

→ I am being very unoriginal here, and there are in fact already fanvids made for these relationships set to this song (along with many others featuring different Naruto relationships), but I don't think I'll be able to rest until I translate the movie playing in my head whenever I hear this song now into an actually watchable format. After all, they have come a long way from where they began, and I intend to make that both as touching and ironically hilarious as possible!

Goodnight, Travel Well - The Killers | Kakashi → Admittedly, I got this idea from a magnificently crafted fanvid done for my robin hood show, but I genuinely think it would be really interesting to make something similar for Kakashi centered around the time he technically died but got better? I don't know how to explain it, but I think it fits quite well.

30 Lives - Imagine Dragons | Kakashi & all the people he's loved and lost → can be listened to here.

A Pound of Flesh - Radical Face | Kakashi

then today I wake up feeling easy/and find I'm on more familiar roads/I got a darkness wrapped inside me/but now it ain't so hard to let it go/so keep a candle burning in the window/I'm almost home

Hold Back The River - James Bay | Kakashi & life getting in the way of him being with his precious people (you may be sensing a pattern here) → @the road of life: Let! Kakashi! And his People! Hold! Each! Other!!! Also, 'tried to square not being there, but think that I should have been' is absolutely about Sasuke's defection and Kakashi adding it to his long list of undeserving self-recriminations.

The Fall - Imagine Dragons | Yamato & Kakashi → 😊😊😊😊😊😊😊

Shadowman - K's Choice | could work equally well for Kakashi or Obito, I think

any time tomorrow a part of me will die/and a new one will be born/any time tomorrow/I'll get sick of asking why/sick of all the darkness I have worn/any time tomorrow/I will try to do what's right/making sense of all I can/any time tomorrow I'll pretend to see the light/I just might/.../and doesn't it make you sad?/to see so much love denied/see nothing but a shadowman inside

Paint - The Paper Kites | Kakashi & Team 7

still there's a wound and I'm moving slow/though it don't show, though it don't show/I've got a hole where nothing grows,/how little you know, how little you know

→ A song for just how much Team 7 doesn't know about their sensei.

Always Find Me Here - Transit | Kakashi → ...most likely at the memorial stone. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ (why am I like this)

Taste - Sleeping At Last | Kakashi

it’s bittersweet, it’s poetry/a careful pruning of my dead leaves/it’s holy ground, a treasure chest/I'm on my knees and only scratch the surface/like fists unraveling, like glass unshattering/we’re breaking all the rules, we’re breaking bread again/we’re swallowing light ’til we’re fixed from the inside

Help - Hurts | Yamato & Kakashi

take my hand and lead the way/out of the darkness and into the light of the day/.../'cause I know what I've been missing/and I know that I should try/but there's hope in this admission/and there's freedom in your eyes/.../I can feel the darkness coming/and I'm afraid of myself/call my name and I'll come running/'cause I just need some help

→ NO ONE TOUCHE ME.

Your Soul - RHODES | A mish-mash of Kakashi & Tenzo and Rin & Obito & Kakashi and Gai & Kakashi vibes? → So like, 'oh you know when you're alone/I'm holding on and on and on and on/to your soul' reminded me of your 'when you're all alone...the only thing you really think about is dying' 'but when there are two of you...the only thing you can think about is surviving.' and now kakashi - who just saved his life - is asking him 'did you want to die' and yamato is saying 'no' there are two of them and yamato wants to SURVIVE. tags as well as Gai's steadfastness as a friend, and 'I just wanna hold your hand' made me think of Rin's "Well then, I'm just going to have to connect the two of you." while holding their hands, and the sunlight/'soul shine'/'your light' motif is just A Lot in this song!!

7 Years - Lukas Graham | Kakashi → Alright, yeah, there are already approximately a gazillion pre-existing Naruto AMVs for this song and even one or two focusing on Kakashi, but they don't capitalize on all the angst possibilities in many of the lyrics or reach the fluff potential of 'will I think the world is cold or will I have a lot of children who can warm me [when I'm old]' and I cannot abide that!

Putting The Dog To Sleep - The Antlers | Kakashi & Sasuke → Okay, on one hand, this song is One Big Oof. But I do like the (potentially odd) way I've conceptualized it for Kakashi & Sasuke? Like, the first half is Kakashi going through all the tragedies in his life and getting lost in ANBU, but then in the second half it transitions to him wanting to prevent Sasuke from having to be as alone as Kakashi once was and they can face life together? It makes me emotional!

Trust Me - The Fray | Kakashi & Obito

I found a friend, or should I say a foe?/said there's a few things you should know/we don't want you to see/we come, and we go/here today, gone tomorrow

→ There are a few lines that call Tenzo & Kakashi to mind, but mostly it's Obito & Kakashi.

The Lightning Strike (What If This Storm Ends?) - Snow Patrol | Kakashi → I had to, right? My mindscape is a little murky/scattered about what specifically I want to think about when I listen to this, but obviously it has to do with Kakashi in one way or another.

Kettering - The Antlers | Team Minato(???) → Honestly not sure if this will make any sense, but yeah, vague team minato vibes?

Swans - Unkle Bob | Kakashi & Obito/Rin/Minato/Kushina/Sakumo → They should be by his side always!!!

Looking Too Closely - Fink | Kakashi → I honestly feel rather ambivalent about this one too, but I can't deny 'truth is like blood underneath your fingernails/and you don't wanna hurt yourself, hurt yourself/looking too closely' always destroys me because... well, you know. I love suffering. :(

Souvenirs - Switchfoot | Kakashi & Obito & Rin

wolves - Switchfoot | Kakashi

snowfall for the battlefield/roses for the father's sons/see them red on the ground:/bleeding/when the revolution came/we were more than hungry men/we were hoping for more:/bleeding/end. begin again./all of my world is collision and spin/hope is a world that has yet to begin/awaken, oh sleeper/awaken, oh sleeper/a new day begins

→ I wanted a wolf-related song too. :)

PRODIGAL SOUL - Switchfoot | Obito, Itachi, & Sasuke; just all them wayward Uchiha boys

Coming Down - Dear Euphoria | kid!Kakashi & his relationships

the shell/that I wore/it wasn't for fun/it wasn't to make you/stick around/it was for survival/it was what I've learnt/it was for the sun/.../our love has grown/our love has flown

→ Another one I'm a little unsure of whether it makes sense outside of my head or not, but I like the vibes?

Ghosts That We Knew - Mumford & Sons | Kakashi & Yamato? → Hmm, can I maybe submit this as a Kakashi-&-Yamato-just-need-to-mske-it-through-this-war-so-they-can-have-a-bright-bright-future song?

All Is Well (It's Only Blood) - Radical Face | Kakashi → ...he said as he's bleeding out or after he's thrown himself in the line of fire protecting someone he thinks is a better person than himself...

Bleeding Out - Imagine Dragons | Kakashi

when the hour is nigh/and hopelessness is sinking in/and the wolves all cry/to fill the night with hollering/when your eyes are red/and emptiness is all you know/with the darkness fed/I will be your scarecrow/you tell me to hold on/oh, you tell me to hold on/but innocence is gone/and what was right is wrong

→ In a similar vein to the previous song. But goodness gracious! Were they NOT straight up describing Kakashi here?

Amaryllis - Shinedown | Yamato & Kakashi → Just tossing this one out there, not sure if it will make sense or if it's a reach... but I like it?

lost 'cause - Switchfoot | Kakashi & Sasuke

are we a lost cause?/or are we just lost 'cause/we won't be the future we refuse to see?/and if I'm your lost cause/it'll be your lost 'cause/you won't see me as I am, the possibility/that I'm not the enemy

→ 214 feels. (And before and after that, but yeah.)

Through the Ghost - Shinedown | Kakashi & Obito

so many silent sorrows/you never hear from again/and now that you've lost tomorrow/is yesterday still a friend?/.../everything that mattered is just/a city of dust/covering both of us/did you hide yourself away?/I can't see you anymore/.../did you hide yourself away?/are you living through the ghost?/did you finally find a place/above the shadows so the world will never know?/the world will never know you like I do ... like I still do

Little Talks - Of Monsters and Men | Kakashi → Just Kakashi having little chats with his ghosts, totally the most heartwarming way to conclude this section. 😅

Sleepyhead - Passion Pit | Kakashi → Just kidding! Here's a slightly less morbid song for the Most Tired Boy Of Them All.™ (Random aside: this was my customary song to listen to on my walks to 8AM organic chemistry classes; I found it strangely soothing! On a different occasion, after a particularly long day for her, one of my roommates didn't have the energy to make it to her bed but nevertheless requested a lullaby from us. So I obliged by playing this song for her, but she didn't seem to gain the same peace of mind from it as I did. 😄 I know it's not my place to propose anything like this, but it does amuse me to imagine bookends!Kakashi in these situations, even though it's not OChem classes he has to go to.)

General/Miscellaneous:

Rise Above It - Switchfoot | Ensemble

don't care what they're telling me/we can be what we want to be/.../just because it's law doesn't mean that it's fair/.../don't believe the system's on your side/.../the curse is spoken/the system's broken; rise above it

→ I mean, how could I not think about Naruto when this song also has the lines 'hear us sing tonight like the last night on earth/we will rise like the tide/like dead men coming back to life/we are rising, rising'? It's fun to be literal sometimes!

Doorways - Radical Face | Allllll the traumatized children → Someone has to put all those tragic childhood flashbacks to good use, after all.

Ghost Towns - Radical Face | take your pick of Itachi, Sasuke, or Post-Kannabi-Bridge!Obito

there's no comin' home/with a name like mine/I still think of you/but everyone knows/yeah everyone knows/if you care, let it go

Blinding Light - Switchfoot | Hey, Hiruzen? You may have coined the phrase, "children are the king" but I don't think you truly understand it... (insert Princess Bride joke here)

hey boy, don't believe them/we're the nation that eats our youth/.../still looking for the blinding light/still looking for the reason why/still looking for the sun to shine/all my life I've been living in the darkest night/still looking for the blinding light/to take me higher and higher

Brother's Blood - Kevin Devine | EVERYONE → ...but certainly so much you could do with Itachi & Sasuke, Obito & Kakashi, Shisui & Itachi, even Hashirama & Madara! Sakumo's teammates turning their backs on him and saying 'I don't know one thing about my brother's blood'?!?! There are SO MANY ideas I have for this song! It gives me chills and makes my brain scream.

We Need Each Other - Sanctus Real | Ensemble → Already mentioned this one to you, but I have to include it here for thoroughness' sake!

Whispering - Alex Clare | the Hidden Leaf's lost/ostracized children/orphans

who will care for the falling?/who will care for the falling leaves?

So this is probably a strange concept to come up with and apply to this song, but the 'whispering, whispering, whispering' parts brought Konaha's virulent gossiping/passing judgement about others and often kids they don't even know problem to mind, too, and yeah?

The World You Want - Switchfoot | Ensemble → If I were to make a fanvid set to this song, I would definitely keep a broad focus, but I can't deny that the lines 'you start to look like what you believe, you float through time like a stream, if the waters of time are made up by you and I, I could change the world for you, you change it for me' FOR SURE has strong Obito & Kakashi/Kakashi & Tenzo vibes.

Red Eyes - Switchfoot | Ensemble, but definitely many dashes of Uchihas 😄 → I would like to thank Masashi Kishimoto for creating a world where red eyes are a Thing of Importance so I can one day make a fanvid using this song in not just the tired or teary bloodshot-red eyes way, but in a very literal sense too.

TAKE MY FIRE - Switchfoot | The Will of Fire → 'Cause I think I'm sooooo clever. 😄

Above The Clouds Of Pompeii - Bear's Den | various parent & child relationships → This obviously derives from the not-caring-about-your-female-characters problem, but it always gets me that all the single parents in the Naruto universe are almost invariably the fathers! I guess sometimes you can safely guess that the mothers are still alive/exist, but either way we hardly ever get to see them. :/ The one exception I can think of right now is Kurenai, but maybe I'm forgetting another conspicuous single mother. Anyway, I don't know if this helps or hinders more a potential Naruto fanvid for this song, but regardless, it still gives me feelings?

Who We Are - Switchfoot | Ensemble → It just makes me inordinately happy that the chorus for this song starts with 'who we are (in the fever of our youth)', you know? :D

Brother - Kodaline | all the friendships we can stuff in here and then some → Quite a well known song I'm pretty sure, but I love how many dynamics one could showcase in a potential fanvid of this. And, not gonna lie, 'oh brother, we go deeper than the ink beneath the skin of our tattoos' deserves to be used in some sort of Tenzo 'n' Kakashi or Team Ro fan creation!

Special Bonus:

Shake It Out - Florence + The Machine | Kakashi & Obito → I'm not sure whether I would have realized how well this works for Kakashi & Obito on my own, funnily enough, but then I found this fanvid of it (containing only scenes you've seen naturally!) and it hit me like a ton of bricks. It's so well done!

[wormstacheangel]

Since your last post implied it I would love to know about your AU recommendations ❤ I am obsessed too!! Thanks in advance 🙏🏻

hello! I hope you don’t mind if I just make a basic list of some of the AU stories I have read or want to read. Not in any order I just went through my bookmarks on AO3 :) Also I need to read more...Under the cut because it got too long! 

Angel's Wild (not gonna lie this is my favorite fic. I have read this almost a dozen times now)

Summary: But that’s the whole reason he’s here, isn’t it? He’s not out here hunting Humans. He’s not even hunting deer, or bears, or anything else that featured in Bambi. He’s out here, freezing his nuts off every night, because he’s hunting Angels. 

Sometimes Dean wishes that Angels were like how they’re described in the Bible. How people from time too old for him to care much about thought Angels were messengers and warriors of God, protectors of Humans. He knows that how they’re really described in the Bible is actually pretty terrifying, but at least they were told by God that they’re supposed to love Humans, right? 

That’s a thousand times better than what Angels really turned out to be.

Checked Out

Summary:  Castiel Novak can think of many writers who would not be welcome under the roof of Heaven’s Gate library, where he is the librarian: Ayn Rand ranks highly (no explanation needed), as does Charles Dickens (he hasn’t forgiven Charles for the month he lost to The Pickwick Papers). And, of course, Dean Winchester. Dean Winchester, local author and obvious a-hole, who is entirely too handsome to be true and who is clearly totally lacking in profundity, intelligence, sincerity, and self-awareness. Unfortunately, though, Dean’s been invited to do a book signing at Heaven’s Gate - and Castiel’s about to be confronted by some unexpected feelings when he finally meets Dean for the first time.

A Ghost Story

Summary:  Castiel Novak has haunted his family's estate for 150 years, awaiting the return of his lost love. Upon their reunion, Dean Winchester learns of his past reincarnation. After the night of Castiel's resurrection, the two try to find out why they've been given a second chance. The answers may be hidden in the forgotten memories of Dean's former life - but sometimes the truth is better left buried.

Patient Love

Summary: Castiel Novak is 27 when he suddenly loses his twin brother Jimmy, and his whole world turns to ashes. How do you deal with losing half of yourself when your whole life always revolved around the two of you, like yin and yang and black and white? How do you deal with a broken soul and old demons looming over you with no one to hold you back anymore?

After 10 years as a Navy Special Warfare Operator and more than a dozen deployments in both Afghanistan and Iraq, a battlefield injury forces 28-year-old Chief Petty Officer Dean Winchester to chose between being stuck behind a desk for the rest of his career or going back to civil life. When he learns about his friend Jimmy’s death, Dean makes his way back to Kansas with his heart in his throat and broken pieces at his feet.

Things are already complicated and painful enough as it is, but when former lovers Dean Winchester and Castiel Novak meet again after 10 years of radio silence and a galaxy of wounds and scars solidly standing between them, it feels like both a curse and a blessing has been placed on them both. Is there any hope in putting back their broken pieces together after a decade, and how do you deal with grief and broken dreams?

The Unbroken

Summary: Dean’s life had been made of running. He ran from a curse that had desolated his life ever since he was a child — whenever he got hurt, he turned into a goddamn human-torch, killing everyone around him — and he ran from himself and his own self-loathing.

But managing all that at the end of a world full of Croats lurking around every corner was easier said than done.

Until a mysterious man with tousled dark hair paired with blue eyes as clear as the sky during a hot summer’s day stopped him from free falling, literally. In one fell swoop, the stranger had not only saved his life but also calmed the wildfire threatening to burn everything in its wake.

There was something about Castiel that made Dean want to stop running but also hid something darker — something Dean couldn’t quite put his finger on. And between soft, pillowy lips and feather-like fingerprints, Cas could very well shatter Dean’s world and maybe help save the whole world in return.

While You Were Sleeping

Summary:  A Destiel version of While You Were Sleeping! Castiel is alone and floundering. He has a crush on one of the passengers who passes through his subway station every morning. When the man gets pushed onto the tracks, Cas saves him. But when they get to the hospital there's a mix up and Cas finds himself engaged to a complete stranger. Enter, the rest of the family, including big brother Dean. How will Cas navigate the relationship with his supposed future in-laws? What will he do when Sam finally wakes up? And why can't he stop thinking about Dean?

Purgatory, director's cut

Summary: this doesn’t have a summary but it is dean and cas in purgatory and it’s soooo cool! I promise it’s amazing and worth the read!

Basic Lessons in First Aid, Magical or Otherwise

Summary: Most people probably wouldn’t take the naked, heavily wounded man they found in an alley home with them. Most people probably wouldn’t also offer that man a place to stay and become his best friend after realizing he’s suffering from an intense case of post-traumatic retrograde amnesia. Most people probably wouldn’t then risk almost everything they know to save said man, and maybe save the world in the process.

But then again, Dean Winchester, RN (with a specialty in supernatural care), has never been like most people. He may not have a magical bone in his body, unlike his brother Sam, but he’ll do whatever it takes to help. Even if Castiel has questionable opinions about Star Trek.

What Greater Gift

Summary: Story idea: The most wanted woman in town has announced that she’ll only marry the one who can open her front door with the key around her cat’s neck. Many men try to hunt the cat down, chase and trap it, but to no avail, the cat is simply too quick, smart and clever, and always finds a way to evade and avoid them. You are the first one to figure out the obvious: Do not chase the cat. The cat is befriendable. Get the cat to trust you, to genuinely enjoy your company, and you can hang out with the cat. You may eventually be allowed to touch the cat. The cat will freely let you take the key.

From a prompt found on Tumblr. Saw this and I couldn't resist a Destiel AU, and I've been wanting to write Witch!Cas for ages.

I know when you go down all your darkest roads

Summary: Dean and Castiel go undercover as a couple going through therapy, in order to catch a monster that specifically targets couples dealing with issues, feeding on their distress, anger, and pain.

They end up going through a lot more than a case, unfolding feelings left untold for so long, discovering parts of each other they never intended to uncover.

But will the feelings raging inside them be enough to bring their walls down?

A Fish Out of Water

Summary: To tie up the loose ends of a hunt, Dean is forced to go undercover and visit Brock Pleasure Ranch, a horrifying establishment that markets its inhabitants to people with ‘monstrous’ tastes.

It should have been a simple thing, to persuade a mer to give him a few scales for a spell. All part of the usual Winchester byline: saving people, hunting things.

But Castiel is far less of a ‘thing’ than Dean expected. He might not be human, but he’s definitely a person. And that means he needs saving, too.

The Way to a Man’s Heart is Through Chlamydia

Summary: Dean doesn't expect to see his one night stand again, but then again he also doesn't expect to find out he has an STD. Sometimes life is hilarious like that.

Just as lost as I

Summary: Dean's been in love with Castiel for centuries. He keeps it buried, never letting himself get too close, but when Castiel goes missing he doesn't hesitate. He's going to find him if it’s the last thing he ever does.

Love Bites

Summary: Cas Novak graduated with a 4.0 in Mathematics, but not even Naomi Novak’s money could help him at job interviews. Anxious and dissatisfied with life, at nearly thirty he’s still washing dishes in the back of his best friend Hannah’s café.Until one night when his cat drags an injured bat into his apartment.

Dean may be a vampire, but he’s not an asshole (well, not much.) He feels like he owes the awkward guy for rescuing him from the cat’s clutches, so he sets about changing Cas's life.

A silly story about families who aren’t quite what they seem, fake boyfriends, and falling in love with someone who’s never, technically, met you.

The Bad Cop, Worse Cop Adventures of Freckles and Feathers

Summary: Miami. A place with beaches, babes, palm trees, and a growing drug-fueled crime organization. To help combat the drugs littering the streets, Captain Singer puts together a Tactical Narcotics Team composed of Miami's two finest and fearless officers. Charming casanova Dean Winchester has fought tooth and nail, rising through the ranks for this position. Trench coat toting Castiel Novak knows more hand-to-hand combative techniques than he does people skills. Between Dean's big mouth and Castiel's take-no-shit attitude, their introductory meeting ends on a less than stellar note and a couple of hard to shake nicknames.

After six months of partnership, the nicknames have stuck and so has the sexual tension. When a murder in the middle of the night launches their biggest lead on a cleverly evasive drug lord, Dean is shocked to find Sam at the center of it. Sam comes clean with his involvement and Charlie, their witness, seeks revenge against the man responsible for killing her friend. As the stakes rise higher so do Dean’s feelings putting everything in jeopardy. Is a cop with everything to prove, a cop with everything to lose, one computer hacker witness, and a damn good ADA enough to save the day?

The Care and Feeding of Castiel

Summary: Dean’s quiet time in the bunker is interrupted by some stranger-than-usual behavior from his angel. Oh, and feathers...there are a lot of those, too.

First Gentleman Wanted

Summary:  President of the United States Castiel Novak is popular, charismatic, and knee-deep in campaigning for a second term. He’d be the ideal candidate if it weren’t for the fact that he hasn’t dated once while in political office. With his opponent’s relentless PR team calling him incapable of emotional commitment, Castiel’s staff decides to remedy the situation by finding their boss a fake, picture-perfect boyfriend. And when Dean Winchester enters the scene, he and Cas become America’s new favorite couple, except they’ve got a whole lot of history between them and complicated feelings to resolve.

The Graveyard Shift

Summary: Dean’s favourite coffee shop, The Graveyard Shift, is only open after the sun goes down. Which is perfect for him, because that’s exactly when he craves coffee the most while doing the overnight at the fire hall. The coffee shop’s owner is pretty perfect too, but it’s kind of a bummer that Dean never gets to see Cas during the day. In a world where the supernatural live more or less in peace with the rest of humanity, it’s a little impolite to ask Cas just what he really is - or what his dark past entails.

The Path of Fireflies

Summary: After his humanity is restored, Dean wakes up in bed with Castiel, a wedding ring, and no memory of the past twelve years.

The Five People You Meet in Heaven

Summary: Heaven is white.Well. Isn’t that fucking stereotypical.-Dean isn’t really sure how he got here. Or even why he’s here. And hell, for all the times the Winchesters have died, he thinks he ought to know the drill by now. But what he doesn’t know is when most folks go, they find something different.

There’s a system God put in place. That when you’re gone (for good), there are a couple things you gotta do first. There are five people waiting for you.

They are the five people you meet in heaven.

Doing this made me realize I need to read more longer fics. I usually just read the short ficlets on tumblr but I need to broaden my horizon and read more. But yes! These are the AU’s currently in my bookmarks. Hope you find one to enjoy :)

[arinlangdon]

reactions again. i have a lot to say and there’s nowhere better to dump it all than my online blog which i treat as a stream-of-consciousness public diary/liveblog of my love affair with this fictional character.

episode 7

ah yes, the memory headaches are back, sooner than ever. i hope this means FMC will be regaining her memories sooner in this route too. i think it would be more interesting to see her navigate a route while remembering everything about her life from before, for multiple reasons. after all, every route ended with that, so far, and we didn’t explore much about what that means. the route that centers on 2/3 of the triad seems like the perfect opportunity to do so.

so Arin used to have panic attacks, confirmed? precious anxiety baby

love the Humpty Dumpty bit

i love how they reference giving her the moon again. “I gave it to you, and it’ll ground you” and it’s a secret between her and them how they did it. augh, too romantic. (also, blush count for this set: 1)

“Yikes, do you even sleep?” i ask myself this every day, Jackie. does Arin ever use that plush-looking bed? a mystery for the ages. she’s right though, Arin is far too busy for their own good. they know everything except for the meaning of the word “relaxation”

i see we’re speaking in code now. i love Ever After Academy, the series where frogs are really head librarians and rabbits are actually cat-dog-rabbit-dragon-things, and men named Wolf aren’t actually werewolves

“Arin constantly skips meals due to being too busy” headcanon regretfully confirmed. Arin nO

“FMC is always trying weird new flavors of desserts” headcanon also confirmed lol. this girl, always so adventurous. but also, “better than getting the same thing every time”? it’s true, novelty is necessary. a woman after my own heart.

oh yes, now i can check “heart scene where you help Arin relax and have fun��� off my wish list. right above that is “pluck the coffee right out of their hands, march them straight to bed and tuck them in, and maybe cuddle a bit”, and right below it is “plan a special date where you block off a full 24 hours of free time for Arin so you can spend the whole day together”. (Voltage, i have great ideas, hire me now)

Arin blush count: 2. oh look at these two shy idiots who can only dance around their feelings. surely they have to have some clue that their feelings are mutual? they keep trying to stop themselves from kissing the other. it’s driving me nuts. these fools! i push them together like a child pretending to make their dolls kiss.

episode 8

i’m sure they wrote in the explanation for the terrarium as it’s a holdover from Ezra’s route, but i think it’s funny to think that the siblings kept the terrarium all these years and Arin never knew about it. Arin ur not the only one with secrets

again, i do like how Arin keeps referencing the moon. moon rabbit. moon rabbit!!

oh here comes the angst from Arin keeping secrets from FMC for good reasons but not even being able to tell her the reasons. we all saw this coming from a mile away, but it still hurts. :(

wow i cannot wait to find out all of Arin’s secrets :D including their personal ones. (does that make me sound creepy? oops)

more dragon lore, and a debate between Nora and Lucas about dragons? yes please.

as an aside: i can’t believe it’s taken me this long to mention it, but i’m peeved at how the writing in this route keeps referring to Arin as “themselves” when they’re singular. “themself” may not be a familiar word, but it feels the most correct when referring to an individual. “herselves” and “himselves” isn’t a thing.

“Arin is a terrible singer” headcanon confirmed. Arin has a lovely voice but is a rubbish singer, i love it. keep the doors coming, Charlie, i’m on a roll today.

oh god, more embarrassing Arin stories, i am living for this. Arin blush count: 3, maybe 4. what exactly did they wind up on top of, FMC? do tell.

i cannot believe Arin has early 2000s boy band music on their phone. is this the real life? lmao this is probably the most surprising fact i’ve learned about them in this entire set, if not the whole route so far. Arin’s dignity: dropping like a stone. this is hilarious, i love it. god. seriously though, which song was it—

episode 9

can’t help but try to read ulterior motives into Jackie’s every move, and failing because we don’t know enough yet. trying to book a tutoring session with Arin, peeping into FMC’s house’s window, tipping off FMC about Darla’s scheming, being overly invested in the fairytale friends’ well-being? she’s the prime suspect for being the Big Bad of this route, and possibly the Queen of Hearts from the Alice duology, yet she hasn’t done anything outright villainous yet. she’s actually been fairly friendly and helpful. Jackie, what is your deal

Arin blush count: 5. wow careful Arin, your face will get stuck like that and you’ll pass out from lack of blood flow to the rest of your body

it’s still hard getting used to the knowledge that Arin is and was FMC’s best friend. it boggles my mind.

but also i want to imagine them as kiddos hanging out in her room and having fun. adorable. teen flashbacks when :’(

“you’re special to me” wow surefire arrow to my heart oof. Arin blush count: 6.

oh no, again with the holding back, you clods. you lovestruck idiots. you silly dumdums. being a 20-something and having feelings for your best friend is hard. it’s hard and nobody understands. :( when are they going to talk about this? when are they going to come out and say something?? normally FMC is much more straightforward than this, but i guess when it comes to a friendship you’ve cultivated for years, even the bravest people hesitate to rock the boat. but it’ll be all the more satisfying when they actually reach that point.

watching Arin put up the walls again, i can just hear them thinking “conceal, don’t feel”. “remove all magic, but leave the fun” ahahaha alright that’s enough

it’s nice to see FMC seeking out the company and advice of the fairytale trio in this route, especially Nora. those girls, always so close. she really is the only female friend FMC has, until Darla becomes her friend.

so much for hiding magic from MMC! cat’s out the bag sooner than i thought, and Arin’s not going to be happy about it. now they’re going to be pulling double duty trying to keep both siblings from a-sploding their heads by accident. poor Arin

did FMC explain the plan for making things right (whatever “things” are) and restoring their memories? or did she just leave them to wait it out indefinitely? oh no

[alphawolfice1989]

21 Ways Neil Patrick Harris Is Still a Kid at Heart

Whether he’s escaping a room or his real life, the sitcom star and new quiz-show host loves a game—unless it’s Monopoly

https://www.wsj.com/articles/21-ways-neil-patrick-harris-is-still-a-kid-at-heart-1520528275

PLAYER ONE Neil Patrick Harris, the host of the new game show ‘Genius Junior,’ takes a timeout at The Charlie Hotel in Los Angeles.PHOTO: SHAYAN ASGHARNIA FOR THE WALL STREET JOURNAL

By

 Chris Kornelis

March 8, 2018 11:57 am ET

AS PRENATURALLY SMART teen surgeon Doogie Howser, M.D., Neil Patrick Harris occasionally let himself believe he was the “young whippersnapper intellect” he portrayed on TV. He’s under no such delusions as the host of NBC’s “Genius Junior,” a new game show premiering this month that quizzes grade schoolers in categories including math, memory and spelling.

“When I interacted with the kids, I realized that [compared to them] I was really just a puppet reading writers’ lines,” the 44-year-old father of two said. “It doesn’t quite involve the same cerebral cortex.”

Following his 2014 Tony-winning role in Broadway’s “Hedwig and the Angry Inch”; the publishing of his children’s book “The Magic Misfits” last year; and the launching of his Netflix adaptation “A Series of Unfortunate Events,” Mr. Harris said he was inspired to take his turn behind the quiz-show dais by a childhood spent watching “Press Your Luck” and “Sale of the Century.” Another motivator: his love of puzzles and game theory, which recently led him to become an escape-room aficionado.

Though he said he normally takes the time to gauge the dynamic in group situations, Mr. Harris admits that he gets “pretty alpha” if the door is locked and the clock is ticking: “When your singular goal is to escape as quickly as possible, you just talk the loudest and fastest you can.”

Clockwise from top left: ‘The Goonies’; Oculus Rift VR goggles; ‘Black Mirror’; his childhood computer; Stretch Armstrong.

My current obsession is: a smartphone app called “The Room.” As you swipe around and examine a box, you find a little switch that opens a panel to puzzles that unlock more and more of the box. It is extraordinarily well executed and a brilliant time suck.

My favorite toy as a child was: Stretch Armstrong, but I was really just interested in knowing what the liquid was inside that allowed him to stretch, so those got mutilated. I also had every “Star Wars” figure. When we made little short films, we would burn them because burning plastic is cool to watch.

My favorite toy now is: The Oculus Rift VR machine. I can’t stop. I will someday be one of those fallow, gaunt VR players who never see the light of day.

My favorite escape room is: New York’s Paradiso Escape. It’s fantastic. Incredibly cinematic, there are multiple rooms, and it’s fully realized. And we escaped, which is most important. The bomb did not go off.

The first piece of tech I remember getting is: an old school TRS-80 computer my parents bought. We were living in Tiny Town, New Mexico—not its real name—and I felt like we were very technological and impressive.

I’m serious about collecting: Disney theme-park memorabilia. I outbid some heavy hitters to get an original Haunted Mansion stretching portrait of a bearded man, which we display proudly and enormously in our living room. I paid too much, but I felt it was something that would never come around again.

When you visit Vancouver you should definitely: bike Stanley Park. That’s their big Central Park. It’s just exquisite. Nature here is just miraculous. When it’s not raining in the spring and summer everything is just in full bloom—and it’s beautiful.”

The best place for brunch in New York is: Balthazar. It’s a great scene. Fantastic brunch: waffles and oysters.

A podcast I download to get a bit smarter is: NPR’s “Hidden Brain.” Shankar Vedantam interviews all kinds of people on topics relating to the brain, the psyche and our common concerns and goals. It’s scientific, topical, really motivational.

A game I do not recommend: Monopoly with 7-year-olds. I think it teaches bad habits. The whole conceit of Monopoly is to destroy every other competitor and acquire so much wealth that you’re stomping on and bankrupting people left, right and center. But we’re very into Sorry!

A book that I re-read every year is: “The Alchemist” by Paulo Coelho. It is filled with life-changing ways of thinking. It’s the only book I’ve read where I had to just stop to think about a sentence I read, take some deep breaths, smile and then keep reading.

The best book for a first grader is:“The World’s Worst Children” by David Walliams. It’s stories about horrible children, similar to the worlds created by Roald Dahl. Hilarious and still palatable for kids.

A kids film that I love is: “The Goonies.” When it came out, I bought all the chewing gum packs of Goonies cards, read and acquired every Goonies thing I could and called myself a “Goonie looney.” I coined that phrase and thought it was very funny at the time.

The last show I binged is: Netflix’s “Black Mirror.” All the episodes are effective, chilling and awesome.

My favorite VR game is: “The Invisible Hours.” It’s a murder mystery, which is right up my alley. You’re able to wander this mansion and follow people to see what they are doing. It’s like immersive theater. It’s rad.

The last piece of technology I bought: If I’m being honest, is a second Oculus Rift system, because I missed it so much in New York, I wanted to play it here in Vancouver [where he’s currently shooting the third season of “A Series of Unfortunate Events”].

As a child I listened to: my parents’ records. The Kingston Trio, the Brothers Four. In high school I listened to Billy Joel and the Beach Boys—which was the first CD I ever bought.

If I weren’t an actor: I’d either be a puppeteer or an Imagineer—someone hired by Disney to sign a nondisclosure form, learn all the secrets of how the theme park rides work and use current and future technologies to design attractions for parks.

My favorite bathroom away from home is at: the NoMad Hotel in Los Angeles. It’s in an old bank and they saved the vault for the bathroom’s entrance downstairs. It’s super cool.

The best advice I ever received was: play a long game and not a short game, especially career-wise. Don’t hope that a singular thing—especially if it becomes a success—will define you. Strive for longevity and appreciate that where there are flows there are also ebbs.

The worst advice I’ve received: Fly out of Newark instead of JFK.

—Edited from an interview by Chris Kornelis

[ti2guhr]

All of them

aaalrighty lol

🌻: What’s your favourite type of flower? 

-daisies

❤: Describe your favourite person. 

-the colour purple and home. comfortable silences. trust when you didn’t think you had any left. fruity scents. hilarious and soft, possibly the kindest person i’ve ever met and resilient as hell.

😊: What are some things you do to cheer yourself up when you’re having a rough day?

-i go for a drive or watch a comfort show or if it’s really bad i get a pie shake and fries. some rough days require a pie shake and fries.

🐾: What’s a fun fact about your favourite animal?

-most calico cats are female because genetically the calico coat can only be passed through xx chromosomes

📖: What’s a book/series you could read over and over again?

-tell the wolves im home is a great book i’ve read a few times and would be more than happy to read through again

📺: What’s your comfort TV show/movie that you watch to feel happy?

-bojack horseman, it’s not necessarily a happy show but it’s comforting for some reason. and the office lately

☕: What’s your favourite hot drink?

-salted caramel hot chocolate, i don’t do coffee lmao

🛁: If you could have a bubble bath with any scent in the world, what would you choose?

-rose

💕: What’s something you love about yourself?

-i’m good with kids and i love the effort that i put in for them. i love knowing that they know at least ONE person will listen and look out for them.

😍: What’s a trait you admire in other people?

-there’s this quiet confidence some people have and i think it’s admirable

👏: What’s something you’ve done recently (even if it’s a small thing) that you’re proud of?

-i’m still consistent with my greek lessons and have yet to break my streak, it’s been a little over 2 months

⏲: What thing (no matter how small) are you looking forward to?

-my best friend from high school is going to be coming down here soon!

👍: Name a skill that you’ve improved recently.

-does greek count lol

😁: What’s your favourite physical feature on your body?

-probably my legs. i don’t think they’re particularly nice like, beauty standards wise, but i like em. oh and my boobs are amazing

🍕: What are your favourite comfort foods?

-sweet potatoes, pie shakes, fries

🎶: Name a song that reminds you of a happy time, or of someone you love.

- lowlife by poppy and honey by kehlani remind me of m’gf :)

🎙: What’s your favourite song to sing along to?

-rn it’s “i love you” and “idontwannabeyou” by billie eilish

💖: What’s a goal that you’re working towards in terms of your self-improvement/personal growth?

-i’m working on going back to college

👕: What article(s) of clothing make you feel the most confident and comfortable?

-big sweatshirts and leggings are always a nice combo 4 me, love short shorts too

☀️: What would your ideal day be like?

-just chilling at the beach

🌍: Where in the world would you like to travel to?

-italy

🏠: Describe your dream home.

-q u i e t. we all use sign language to communicate.

☄: What would you like your life to look like in 5 years’ time?

-idk man i don’t even know what next month is going to look like we’re just takin’ things as they come. i wanna be stable mentally and happy with where i am in life. 

🕸: What’s something you used to be afraid of that you’re less afraid of/not afraid of at all now?

-talking to strangers and meeting new people

🏆: What’s a bad habit you have/had that you’ve managed to improve on or kick entirely?

-i peel the skin off my lips and Have And Will do it until they bleed. still working on kicking it lol

💞: What’s your favourite thing to do with friends?

-just chill. go to a coffee shop, sit out back with some wine, watch some tv. we’re all very exciting people.

😂: What always makes you laugh?

-vines i guess lol

☘: Name something thoughtful/kind someone has done for you.

-as you all probably know i am prone to migraines which can be triggered by sound, so it’s hard to be around kids sometimes because a lot of them just like making loud noises for the sake of making loud noises. i watched a handful of kids the other night and told them that loud noises can give me a really bad headache and they were the most considerate group of kids i’ve watched wrt that. they were really mindful of their volume after that. afterwards one of the girls even asked me if i got a headache, which doesn’t sound like much, but kids are kinda selfish. not in a mean way at all, they’re just figuring out their relationship to the world and are used to being the center of attention. 

🐶: Do you have any pets? If so, describe them. If not, are there any pets you would like to have?

-timothy scott is a precious sleepy baby and charlie is a precious chatty boi

🎀: What’s the best gift you’ve received? What in your opinion is the best gift you’ve given someone?

-em’s xmas playlist for me was really sweet

🛍: What’s something you’ve bought for yourself or been given recently that has made you happy?

-i got a super cute bike the other day! it’s yellow with floral accents!

💌: Tag 5 blogs it makes you happy to see on your dash.

um all of them i’m intentional about who i follow lol but off the top of my head @spudbutt @asafeteida @boxdfoxeninc @coffeeslorelai @nerdycatfish 

thnx boo!

[vintagewoe]

Sanctify—Chapter Five

Pairing: Bill Weasley x MC, Charlie Weasley x  MC

Summary: During your fifth year at Hogwarts, you and your friends seek out the next Cursed Vault. You struggle with nightmares of flame and Jacob's laughter, and you haven't been sleeping much. You dreams beg you to be honest with yourself and your feelings, but how can you do that when you're not sure how you feel? Slytherin Female MC

Warnings: All the characters are underage, plus there’s gonna be a whole lot of angst.

Chapter Links: One Two Three Four Five Six

Chapter Five: Boys Like You

Charlie runs up to meet you at the foot of the stairs, a deep bush coating his freckled cheeks. He holds out his hand to you, which you happily accept, and the rest of the group joins you. “Y/N, I know you’re practically my sister, but damn, you look hot” Barnaby shouts out, winking. “Rowan, you’re looking very elegant, as always. And Penny…” “Yes?” His confidence droops a little, and he pauses to search for the right compliment. “You look like a princess,” he blurts out. Penny kisses his cheek lightly; you can almost see his heart beating faster. “Do you guys want drinks? I’ll go get drinks.” Charlie offers him a hand, and the two head to the refreshment table. Ben asks Rowan to dance, and they accept, though they seem very suspicious. “I’ll, uh, go help the boys,” Penny yells, running quickly away to leave you with Bill. It makes you sad how uncomfortable this is when just months before, he was your closest friend. “You look lovely.” He fiddles with his hands, nervously looking in every direction but yours. “Thanks, you too. Handsome! I mean, you look handsome. Not lovely.” Bill laughs, and your heart swells. “I don’t know what’s happened between us this year, but can we please just be friends again for tonight? This is supposed to be a fun night.” “Nothing’s happened between us,” he insists. “Of course, we’re friends.” He smiles, but it doesn’t meet his eyes. You decide to ignore it for now and just focus on having a good time with your friends. Barnaby, Charlie, and Penny return with drinks, and the five of you meet Rowan and Ben on the dance floor. A few hours and a quite more than a few drinks in, you’re happier than you can remember ever being. You’ve never been one for this kind of thing, but you’re so glad that you gave it a chance. Everyone seems friendlier, more content, when Tonks and Tulip finally show up. Tonks’s face is beet red, and Tulip is keeping her steady with her hands on her waist. “Is she okay?” You ask, and Tulip nods. “She just drank a little too much of the moonshine we brewed in the potions lab.” “You two made moonshine?” You’re not sure why you’re surprised. “Well, duh! What did you think we spiked the punch with?” Everything suddenly makes sense. You gather the group and huddle up by the stairs. “Why aren’t we dancing?” Ben whines, draping his arm on Penny. She pulls it off her and shuffles away subtly. “Tulip and Tonks spiked the drinks. We’re all drunk,” you explain, just now realizing how slurred your words are. “I’m not,” Penny says. “I didn’t have any punch.” “Me either, so it looks like we’re the babysitters,” Rowan adds. “Me three,” Charlie tacks on. “This should be…interesting.” “Are you kidding?” Penny laughs. “This will be hilarious.” Unfortunately, just as she says that, Tonks’s face contorts into a grimace. “Actually, I think I might puke. Penny, can you take me home? You’re the only one that can get me there.” Penny sighs. “Dang it; none of you do anything funny while I’m gone,” she groans, and you giggle. “I’m serious, Y/N. Don’t you dare.” Penny puts her arm around Tonks’s other side, and she and Tulip lead her out of the room. “Maybe we all should consider going to bed like Tonks, just in case,” Rowan suggests, earning whines from the four drunker students. “That’s a great idea, but I might have a better one,” you counter. “We could…not go to bed?” Barnaby cheers and gives you a high five; Charlie laughs. “Amazing, very eloquently spoken,” Rowan sighs, but they don’t argue with you. The group returns to the dance floor, and everything seems fine. You share a few more dances, including a somewhat ridiculous rendition of Do the Hippogriff in which Barnaby tries to act like the creature itself. Charlie and Rowan are content considering that they were forced into taking care of the others while they have fun. Even Bill is relaxed and having fun; it’s the first time you’ve seen him happy in months. Everything comes to a brief halt when Ben announces that he’s feeling sick. Barnaby, though he won’t admit it, appears the same. The ball is very nearly over, so Charlie and Rowan offer to take them back to their respective dormitories. You aren’t quite ready to leave, so Bill suggests that he stays with you until you are. He insists that he’s perfectly sober, and Charlie believes him even though it’s a lie. He trusts his brother more than anyone, so he guides Ben back to Gryffindor Tower. While you’re excited to spend time with Bill, a small part of you is nervous. Tonight has been so pleasant, and you don’t want anything to ruin that. The band changes tone to a slow song; it wasn’t the first of the evening, but you’d danced the others with Barnaby and Penny. This song felt romantic, so you’re shocked when Bill offers you his hand. You let him escort you to the center of the room. Neither of you are quite sober enough for a real dance, so you mostly just sway to the music. He puts his hands around your waist, and you put yours around his neck. In the few places that his body touches yours, your skin feels like it’s on fire. “You really do look beautiful tonight,” he admires, looking down into your eyes. Your face flushes. “Oh, hush. Beautiful isn’t exactly how I’d describe myself.” “It’s exactly how I would describe you,” he counters. “You’re beautiful; I’ve thought so since the day we met.” “Bill, I was twelve. No twelve-year-old is beautiful,” you joke. “Well, I was fourteen,” he shrugs. “You were beautiful to me.” “That must be the moonshine talking,” you tease back. The ease you’d felt earlier seems to be wearing off. Everything is feeling a little too serious, and he frowns. “I never had any of the punch, Y/N.” You’re completely shocked. Bill had been acting silly with the others all night. He’d finally let out the boy that you’d met years before. He must notice the confusion on your face, so he continues. “I just…” He sighs. “I just wanted to pretend like everything was normal again—like it was when we were younger.” “Why can’t it be? Please, just tell me if I did something wrong. I miss you every day,” you admit, tears threatening to spill from your eyes. Bill looks away. “The music stopped,” he points out. “I don’t care,” you say. “Bill, why can’t it be like it was?” He stops dancing, but keeps his hands around you. The silence is deafening. Bill looks into your eyes again, and he seem tormented; his blue eyes show only anguish. Something seems to change in him, and he starts leaning in slowly. Without thinking, you close your eyes and begin to do the same, but a familiar voice snaps you back into reality. “I’m not interrupting anything, am I?” Charlie’s voice is completely teasing, but you’re immediately filled with guilt. Nothing happened, obviously, but you know that it could have. Bill drops his arms from your side as if you were made of hot iron and steps back. “Of course not,” he laughs. “How’s Ben?” Charlie launches into a tale about trying to drag the drunken boy back to his bed, but you’re not listening. Your head is spinning. What just happened with Bill? For a second, it seemed like he was going to kiss you, and even worse—you were going to kiss him back. The thoughts are too much for your hazed mind to deal with. “I’m not feeling well,” you blurt out, possibly interrupting the conversation. Charlie looks confused, but his expression quickly shifts to concern. “Are you okay?” He asks hurriedly, placing his hand on your forehead. The guilt you feel only grows stronger. “I’m just a little dizzy, and I’d really like to go to bed if that’s okay.” Charlie seems reassured and smiles down at you before turning back to Bill. “If you’ll please excuse me, brother, I’m going to walk my girlfriend back to her dormitory.” You freeze. The evening had been so nice that it hadn’t even occurred to you to warn Bill. “Oh! Well, don’t get me keep you. Have a good night,” he says, his voice quiet. You look up at him, but he avoids your gaze. “Goodnight, Bill,” you mumble. He only nods before hastily shuffling out of the room. Charlie, noticing none of the tension, puts his arm around your waist and gently leads you back to your room. You lean into him on the walk back, but your mind is racing. You think about Charlie and how good he is to you. You care for him a lot, but there’s no denying that your feelings for Bill haven’t gone away. The stress is almost enough to bring you to tears. “Y/N!” Charlie’s voice makes you jump, and you’re sure that it wasn’t the first time he had tried to get your attention. Looking around, you realize that you’re outside of the Slytherin Common Room. It’s most likely the alcohol clouding your judgment, but a sudden urge to understand your emotions overshadows any rationality. You’re desperate to make sense of how to feel for him. You hastily press your lips against Charlie’s, and though he’s shocked, he allows you. It’s not enough; you tug him towards you by his robes and deepen the kiss. He gently but unmistakably pulls away. You frown and reach towards him again, but he stops you. When he speaks, his voice is soft. “We can’t do this,” he says. “Are you okay to get yourself into bed?” Shame saturates over you, and you begin to stammer out apologies before he stops you again. “Y/N, it’s okay. I want the same things as you, but I would never take advantage of you when you’ve been drinking.” Charlie kisses your forehead. “Goodnight, beautiful. We can talk once you’ve had some rest.” Feeling a strange mixture of embarrassment for your actions and awe at his compassion, you stumble into your common room. Before you can head up to your dormitory, you feel suddenly dizzy. The room seems to spin, so you collapse on to one of the couches and fall into a coarse slumber.

[aion-rsa]

Screenwriter Ed Solomon on Soderbergh, Noir, and How Bill & Ted Saved His Career

https://ift.tt/2Vq97R3

Steven Soderbergh’s noir crime feature, No Sudden Move, is set in 1954 Detroit: back when automakers drove the city and mobsters rotated their tires. This isn’t just another heist movie from the director of Ocean’s 11, even though it centers on a big score and hosts an impressive cast. Don Cheadle and Benicio Del Toro play two small-time criminals hired to steal a document which is very valuable to some powerful people. It’s a big-ticket item which can revolutionize the auto industry, and the price keeps going up.

For the movie, Soderbergh colludes with the Big Four Automakers to cloud the atmosphere. The caper careens through a smoggy set of turns, picking up passengers like Ray Liotta, Jon Hamm, David Harbour, Brendan Fraser, and Bill Duke (in killer shades) for a wild ride downhill. It all stops with Mr. Big, played with beneficent malignancy by Matt Damon.

Nothing is what it seems in No Sudden Move. It was written by Ed Solomon, a veteran best known for his work on Bill & Ted’s Excellent Adventure, Charlie’s Angels, Men in Black, and The Garry Shandling Show. And Solomon spoke with us about exploring dark themes, working with Soderbergh, and how he intends to continue changing how stories can be told.

Den of Geek: I really, really enjoyed No Sudden Move, and I agree, ulterior motives are sexy.

Ed Solomon: That’s very funny. I remember the moment I wrote that [line] and I was like, “Is this just me? And is this an indication of something maybe not so great about my personality?” I actually thought that, I literally thought that, and it’s funny. You’re the first person who’s ever said that. That’s really hilarious.

It made me ask the same questions about myself. Was that the creative key to the script? 

Yes. The drive that got me excited about every character at every moment was that they had a secret motive. Every character had a secret motive that they weren’t letting on, to the other characters. And that’s what gave it its energy for me as a writer. It gives a kind of excitement, because what happens then is the actors don’t get to just act with so much subtext. But as a writer, you get to, you know that you’re writing people that are saying one thing but thinking something else, and that’s where all the energy is for me as a writer.

When you were first brought together with Soderbergh, how much of a story was there, or was it just a concept?

We had a concept. We wanted to do just a spare, noir drama for Don [Cheadle], and maybe a couple of other people. The concept was some guys get called together to pull off a little heist that just goes drastically sideways. And are these people? And where is it set? We decided on Detroit. We were thinking about what era does it take place in? We were thinking maybe the ’50s. And that led to Detroit, because ’50s Detroit is just so American, and a lot of things were changing in Detroit at that time. There were fascinating things happening, and there was a lot of racial tension, and the city itself was remodeling itself in the way that America was remodeling itself. It was going from trolleys and cities to freeways and suburbs.

A lot of communities were getting displaced. And knowing we were writing, that Don was doing this, it was like, “What’s going to give Don’s character the courage of his convictions?” It just seemed like the right backdrop for it. So really we came in at a concept and then started throwing story ideas around together for a few days. Then I went off to do my outline. And then I gave him a beat sheet, which he gave me the thumbs up on, and then I had a few ideas for the end. Like the big seven-page aria that comes toward the end of the film. That was an add after Steven read the beat sheet. He’s like, “Let’s bring it to this kind of operatic conclusion, with these intersecting sectors of society.”

He gave me the not undaunting charge of, “Write a seven-page monologue.” I said, “Okay, I’ll do my best.” And then, he obviously read the draft and he had some notes. We did a revision, and the next rewrite we did was when we got the cast on. It was not one of those scripts that was constantly developed. That’s one of the great things about working with Steven. Also, I wrote it on spec, so I didn’t have to worry about studios giving notes or anything like that. Because again, I had Steven there, and Steven and I both knew how he was going to end up making the film. So we got to make it how we wanted to see it before giving it to the studio.

How do you personally get into the head space for a period piece?

Several ways. Yeah, I watched the movies, but really the bigger thing was going there. Going there and really being in the spaces that these people existed in at that time, those that are left in Detroit. Talking to people who were alive then. Spending time, there was an exhibit at the Detroit Public Library that a woman named Emily Kutil, had put together called “Black Bottom Street View.” They had taken all these photographs back in the ’50s of these neighborhoods that later got raised, and Emily recreated the experience of moving through, those neighborhoods, by using photographs in the library. She basically blew the photos up and you would walk down these aisles, which represented each.

I listened to music from the time I listened to people speaking from the time, I listened to recordings from the mid ’50s, in Detroit. I searched out as much as I could to get a tangible feel, a visceral feel. But at the end of the day, it’s about using all of these pieces to create an emotional space as a writer. I tend to write more from an emotional state than an intellectual state. So, once I could find myself in what felt like, the emotional frame of mind of each character, I found it easier to really be there in that time. And we had some very helpful consultants, as well. A man named Jamon Jordan is credited in the film, ironically and totally coincidentally, he’s an extra in the film. And his picture, he is in the frame that my screen credit is. My screen credit comes over his picture, which he and I [are] thrilled about.

Jamon runs an organization called the Black Scroll Network and they do walking tours of the African-American history of Detroit. He and I went through the script together, and of course Don and I went through the script together. I mean, every actor, we all went through the script together. But at every turn, it’s about trying to keep making it more authentic and more real, and more inhabited and more alive.

So you played Joey Biltmore in a 10th grade production of Guys and Dolls.

Whoa.

Reading that tweet made me have to ask you, what was it like being a staff writer on Laverne and Shirley?

Of course, it would make you think that. Oh my God, that’s amazing. Well, this is Den of Geek, after all. I could expect nothing less, then that kind of deep dive. That’s amazing.

Actually, here’s what’s funny. I will happily tell you about Laverne and Shirley in one second, but that experience on Guys and Dolls had more of an influence on the language of Bill and Ted. Meaning Damon Runyon, and that strange cadence and odd use of sometimes, somewhat anachronistic language was an influence for me. Not for [Bill & Ted’s Excellent Adventure co-writer Chris Matheson]. I asked Chris about it. I was like, “Were you into Damon Runyon as well, or was that just me?” And he’s like, “That was just you.” And I was like, “Oh.” That had more of an influence on the creation of Bill & Ted, for me, than anything else. More than surfer dialogue or valley talk, or stoner talk. Any of that, it actually was Damon Runyon to me, funnily enough. And it was because I had been in Guys and Dolls that I got into Damon Runyon.

But Laverne and Shirley, it’s a really interesting thing. It changed my life in many ways, but probably not the ways I would have thought it was going to change my life. It made me a professional writer, but I wasn’t great at it. In other words, I was in over my head with a bunch of real professional ’80s comedy writers, and I was a senior in college. I wasn’t quite ready. I had gone from writing jokes for comedians and writing plays that were performed at UCLA to being in a room of pros, and it was stressful and difficult, and I was still a senior and I didn’t get hired back into another sitcom. And in a way, I am really grateful.

At the time, I thought I had failed, because it took me about two years. Where I was doing standup again and writing jokes, and selling jokes, and writing for a game show, and doing anything I could to stay afloat, and borrowing money from my parents to live. I almost gave up, almost thought, “I’m my own worst nightmare. I’m a flash in the pan,” but had that not happened, I wouldn’t have approached Chris Matheson and said, “Hey, would you like to write something together?” And he, and I would not have written the Bill & Ted script, which is the thing that actually turned my career around and got me back on the map. It got both of us on the map, and then it relaunched my career from a different angle.

I think had I actually succeeded on Laverne and Shirley, in a certain way, I probably would have fried [out], as one of those ’80s TV writers, as those ’80s TV writers often did. Not just from drugs. But the environment itself – I don’t think was a super healthy one for a writer at that time. For me, at least. It was just a lot of competition, not the way I would want to be as a writer.

Plus, I think there’s a certain state of mind you have to maintain that I was unable to maintain. So, in a way, I attribute my failing out of Laverne and Shirley to the relaunching of my career in a way that was probably more appropriate for where I wanted to go. It was hard. It was a very stressful experience, and I never felt like I fit in. And I never felt like I could contribute comedically at the level that those people were. It took me about four years or five years to be able to feel comfortable in a writer’s room with other comedy writers.

And in the Garry Shandling writer’s room I met some of the funniest people I’d ever met in my life, and I could never get to the comedic level they could, but I was comfortable enough to be able to add whatever my two cents would be to any situation. And that room was much more fun. I think I had just grown up a bit.

Why does Bill & Ted continue to strike a chord?

I have asked myself that question because when it first came out, it was eviscerated by critics. It was pummeled. Every serious critic, and in particular, the non-serious critics. Because for the most part, they didn’t even let serious critics review it; they’d give it to their third- or fourth-year critics, and they just trashed it. So I was like, “Well, why did it sustain? Why did it not just last, but weirdly grow, over a few decades?”

Look, it started as the characters. It was how Chris and I, who originally played these characters just screwing around, but what Chris and I were always really attracted to in Bill & Ted, was this ebullience, this sweetness, this lightness of spirit and this sort of ‘yes!’ quality to them. They feel things deeply, but they adjust quickly and come up with a plan and move forward with the best, best, best of intentions at all times. That’s a really lovely place to inhabit, as a writer.

And then when the baton was passed to Alex [Winter] and Keanu [Reeves], they took it over so beautifully. And I think there is a beneficence of spirit, of kindness to the characters, a sweetness, that I think floated to the surface and kept Bill & Ted alive over the decades. And it did fine, it did well enough as the first film to warrant a second film, barely. It’s not like it did that well, but over time, people discovered it. And it’s what made it difficult to make a third movie, because there were no “numbers” to support it. “Why should we make a third movie? The first two didn’t do all that well.” It was more anecdotal. “But everywhere we go, people seem to know it, and people seem to want a sequel. And couldn’t we do it for them?”

It took John Wick getting where it was, but it also took the rise of social media to let audiences have a voice. So that when someone would say, “Is there going to be another Bill & Ted movie?” Then the studio finally started to see, or I should say the powers that be finally started to see, “Holy moly, there’s a lot of people out there that seem interested in this.” It took that, to get the movie made.

Going back to the tweet, when I read your responses, I thought you had a bit part on Kolchak. And then I found out that you were a real suspect on the Night Stalker case. Was that the worst review you ever got?

Well, that’s hilarious. Let me just put it this way. Being a suspect, which lasted only about 15 minutes and it was a misunderstanding. It was basically, my roommate’s car, which I had cosigned for, was stolen years later and taken to the scene. It was stolen by Richard Ramirez, it was still registered to my address and to me, I guess. So for 15 minutes, people were like, “Wait, is it you? You’re the prime suspect.” And then it was like, “Oh, wait, no, it’s not you. It’s not you, you’re asleep in your room, in Westwood and this murder took place 90 miles away.” But for a few minutes there, it was kind of weird and surreal.

But that was not even as bad as those initial reviews of Bill & Ted. I remember a review of Bill & Ted where the reviewer was reviewing a movie the following week, Friday the 13th, it was Jason Takes Manhattan. And the guy was like, “Here’s an idea. How about Jason Takes Bill and Ted?” I go, “Come on, dude. You don’t have to kill us again. You killed us last week, geez.”

It’s pretty funny because here in my office, somebody printed out one of the headlines. After I tweeted that, of course, I should have known that this thing was going to follow me in a way that I didn’t expect. Meaning when I tweeted it, I thought it was just kind of a funny anecdote. I didn’t expect the barrage of clickbait headlines saying things like “Bill and Ted writer was once suspected of being the Night Stalker killer.” Plus, for about two weeks, if you Googled Richard Ramirez and went to his Wikipedia page, my picture came up with it. It was funky. And then the headlines that they were doing were crazy. So people at my parents’ retirement community, friends of my parents, would be like, “What is this?” Because for people who aren’t actually reading beyond the clickbait, they’re looking at a picture of Richard Ramirez and a picture of me, saying I was a suspect along with him.

It was hilarious, and it was a little freaky. But of course after a week or two, the news cycle shifted, and you no longer found it. But for about a week, if you Googled me all you got was that I was a suspect in the Night Stalker [case]. It was not good. And I was just recently single, too. My girlfriend and I had broken up a month and a half earlier, and that meant if I was going to date someone and their friend was going, “Let me Google your date to see if I can find out anything about him,” it would not have boded well. It did not bode well, but it was pretty funny.

When you worked with Soderbergh for Mosaic, you were changing the way stories are delivered, and I want to know if you have any other plans to bend visual arts?

Yeah, I do. And we do. And we’re working on a new thing that I’m not allowed to get into any detail on, I’ve actually been asked not to. But it’s another thing that we’ve designed to be able to be told in various different styles. And what was the ultimate challenge of Mosaic was also the greatest gift of Mosaic. There was a moment when Steven and I looked at each other and went, “How often, especially when you’ve been doing this as long as we have, do you get to do something that is so challenging, that flexes so many muscles that you’ve never used before? That you can’t help but come out the other end of it, a better writer.” And that, to me, was one of the many great gifts of Mosaic.

One was working with Steven, which was an absolute high point, developing a relationship with him. Which led to No Sudden Move, which led to this new thing, which led to me bringing him on to help us get Bill and Ted Face the Music off the ground. He was an exec producer on that. So that was of course, one great thing, but just on a creative level. Having to design a story, where each character in the story has to be worthy of their own movie, because you’re also going to tell the story from their point of view, just like you can tell it from someone else’s point of view.

The notion that every villain is the hero of their own story, or every human is the central character of their own movie. That was really at work in Mosaic. It forced me to really upgrade how I thought about what I wrote. And it also was so difficult an endeavor, it took so long and it was so difficult and so invigorating that it made other writing seem easier. Because every decade or so, I really think a creative person has to really look at the work they’re doing and make sure that they’re not falling back on old habits or old tricks. Or, for sure as a writer, not getting into a mindset of, “Oh, I know how to do this.” I think that’s death for a writer.

I think, for me, the healthiest balance is that combination of confidence and insecurity. Not even confidence. Faith, I think is probably a better word. Like, “I don’t know if I can do this, but I think if I stay with it long enough, I’ll figure it out.” To me, that’s the sweet spot. No Sudden Move was a genre I’ve not written in and a tone I hadn’t written in. That alone was reason to do it, with a director I trusted and I really admire, and with whom I love working. For an actor, I’ve always wanted to work with? Don. That was like, “I’m going to do this and I’m going to work my ass off to get it right.” That’s that was my attitude on it. “And when I get out the other side of it, I want to be a better writer.”

And that’s my goal with everything, now. “When I get out the other side of this, I want to be a better writer than I was when I started it.”

No Sudden Move is a twist on noir, gangster, and industrial crime films. How did you come to the catalytic converter, and what research were you doing on the actual crime of it?

There’s always a relationship between research and writing. How to do the right amount of research without getting bogged down, and how to learn from the research and how to use the research to help you with where you want to go with it. I knew that the characters were going to be trying to steal something and we also said, “It might be cool if it’s initiated by one of the smaller auto companies, against one of the bigger ones.” I was looking for interesting innovations that happened in ’54 or ’55 that might have happened with GM or with Ford, or with Chrysler, that maybe Studebaker would have been wanting, or Nash, or something.

And then I thought, “Wait a minute, it’s going to be much more interesting if it’s an innovation that they tried to bury, as opposed to that they tried to actually bring out into the world?” And I was like, “What kind of stuff? What were they doing wrong back then? What have they uncovered that they forgot?” That led me to discovering this notion of the pollution control technologies that the automobile industry was forced to collude [on]. And so, for the first time, there was a lawsuit, the City of Los Angeles sued the Big Four, the Big Four lost, and the Justice Department ruled that the Big Four had to collude. For the first time, they had to collaborate, share technology, to come up with ways to reduce emissions in the automobile.

So for the first time in history, the auto industry, the Big Four, collaborated on something. And what they ended up collaborating on was not coming up with an answer, but finding an answer and then burying it. And I thought, “Okay, that’s more interesting.” In my research on Detroit in the ’50s, I discovered the deep potency of this idea of the cities re-landscaping themselves. And then those same companies were pulling up the trolley tracks, red-lining districts, making it so certain people couldn’t live in other communities. They destroyed Black Bottom, Paradise Valley, which were these thriving, African American residential and business communities. And I thought, “Well, that’s an interesting backdrop. And so, what if we set it against this changing landscape of Detroit?”

I knew we had Don, and so it also made sense that the person that he would be with would represent the other side of the spectrum, someone who is racist, and these two guys have to work together. [And the other guy] is not only racist, but he’s dealing with someone who’s smarter than him, and ahead of the game more than he is. So he’s got to deal with a kind of appreciation for this guy, that he’s kind of grown up distrusting, without knowing him. It seemed to give a deeper fuel to the back and forth between these two guys, as they’re trying to fuck each other over, over the course of the movie.

We were not trying to do a “socially conscious film.” We were really trying to just make a fun yarn. And to me, it just added to the fun, because it added to the potency of the characters. Like it gave Don’s character more muscle and more of a sense of righteous indignation. And it gave Benicio’s character more of a deeper character place to come from when dealing with Don’s character. It was not designed so that it would be “about something bigger.” It was actually designed to just give a bit more weight, so that the characters were more fun. It’s funny, because I’ve heard it referred to as a gangster movie, and it literally never crossed my mind, that this would be a gangster movie. Never. Until today.

Read more

Movies

No Sudden Move Review: Slow Speed Heists Get Away With Bigger Hauls

By Tony Sokol

Movies

Examining Bill & Ted’s Excellent Pop Culture Adventures

By Chris Cummins

I’m the gangster geek at Den of Geek, so I have to look at it that way. And I got to say, Matt Damon’s character is scarier than Luca Brasi.

You know what? I appreciate your saying that. And that’s why I’m like, “Yeah.” And that guy, he’s not in any kind of organized crime, but he’s legit scarier. And yet, he’s probably the most civilized of everybody. I appreciate what you’re saying, actually. Very much appreciate that. Luca Brasi, that’s so funny. I was thinking about Luca Brasi, just recently.

I think about him all the time. Almost everything you’ve worked on has pushed barriers. The Garry Shandling Show changed television, you changed entertainment.

I’ve always wanted to try to push boundaries, wherever I could, partially for purely selfish reasons of not getting stale. And not falling back, as we were saying before, and not falling back on so-called old tricks or old habits, because I’ve always wanted to have longevity. I’ve always wanted to constantly improve as a writer, and be vital. I don’t want people throwing a bone at me, just so I can work. I want to be able to have something to say that’s meaningful. It’s been both good and bad for me. It’s been good for me in that, it has kept me growing, but it’s been bad in that I’ve fallen on my face a lot.

I’ve really taken some swan dives and landed on cement. And that’s hurt. However, I think truthfully, taking chances and failing has probably led to more success and longevity than the successes I’ve had. Weirdly. It’s great to have success, because it makes you be perceived as viable by the people who make movies and who hire writers. But honestly, as a writer, it’s better to have failures as long as you have the emotional resolve to be able to get up and keep walking, and look honestly at where those failures are your fault.

I don’t think it’s possible to have all success anyway, but if I guess if you have all success, nothing’s a problem for you. But I think most of my friends who have a lot of success and don’t have a lot of failure, who are writers, don’t usually have a lot of longevity, which is interesting. And I don’t exactly know why except I think you stop challenging yourself, and your work stops becoming relevant. I think. I’ll know more in a decade or two, and we’ll get back on it. And we’ll see if my strategy worked or didn’t.

The new movie finds relevance today by going back to the past, and by going back to the filmmaking styles of the past.

I’m so grateful to hear you say that. Steven used these Kowa, I think that’s those anamorphic lenses that he had fixed on top of the RED monster camera, the digital camera. So that’s why it has the look it has, and I really appreciate the way everyone really went for authenticity. I think sometimes you can speak better about the present when you’re speaking, and you set it, in the past. Because sometimes you need that distance to be able to actually see yourself. And then when you’re just looking at a current, cutting edge, modern story, it somehow doesn’t resonate as much. It doesn’t have as much poetry.

No Sudden Move is available to stream on HBO Max.

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The post Screenwriter Ed Solomon on Soderbergh, Noir, and How Bill & Ted Saved His Career appeared first on Den of Geek.

from Den of Geek https://ift.tt/3xu5wQ9

[punninglyswift]

Dear Taylor, 

I’m not great with words. But I have so many words I need to say to you. I thought I’d give you a story of the first time I heard one of your songs, and how now reputation is coming out as I am nearing graduation from college. THAT. IS. CRAZY.

So I’ll try to tell you everything. Here goes.

I’m Isabelle! This is my mom and I:

I’m 20, a Christmas baby...people say that sucks ‘cause ‘no double presents’ but honestly i love having my birthday on Christmas ‘cause I love giving gifts. (ie..getting weirdly specifically funny gifts for my older brothers...!) I turn 21 this Christmas! (So down to drink with you whenever...)

I’m from Rockville, MD, basically right outside DC (kinda) but I’m currently in Chicago for school at Loyola University Chicago! I have 2 foolish yet incredibly smart brothers, my mom is my best friend in the whole world, and I live with my grandparents as well. I’ve played piano since age 3, I love to sing, I am OBSESSED with musical theatre, I love to make people laugh and, on that note, I love comedy-sketch, improv, stand up…you name it. I love puns a little too much…but CAN someone love puns too much? THE LIMIT DOES NOT EXIST. But I digress. There’s someone who has had a huge impact on my life who I’ve never met, and that someone is you.

2007. I’m in 5th (pretty sure) grade, and our school’s talent show is coming up. Basically, we had to audition to even perform at the talent show (a concept I did not understand but as I type this I’m realizing that is the premise of most music competition shows on TV? Good job, Isabelle. Nailed it.) I played piano, that was it, but an older student (maybe 7th grade at the time) auditioned with a song I hadn’t heard before…it was a song called Our Song. I quickly became obsessed with the song. We both got into the talent show, and she ended up performing A Place in this World in front of the school. I ended up playing my piano piece. Those two songs, not even sung by you the first times I heard them, started my love of your music.

Now...2009-2010. (TIME TRAVEL, RIGHT??) I am in 8th grade, going into high school (CRAZY) and tickets for a certain tour are on sale…the Fearless tour. You had one date in the summer of 2010 for DC at the Verizon Center, but it conflicted with my 8th grade graduation. THEN, because MIRACLES HAPPEN, there was a second date added for DC, the day before the original tour date! Unfortunately, the day before my actual graduation ceremony we had a “mandatory” pre-graduation dinner thing. Still a little bitter I couldn’t go to the Fearless tour, but I made up for it later with 3 other tours.

2011! Freshman year of high school? Life before I knew who I was gonna be...I’m honestly still not sure, as a senior in college. Anyways, freshman year of high school? Not awesome! I went to an all-girls Catholic high school, and I made a lot of friends, but those friendships didn’t really happen till sophomore year. Sophomore year is when I truly threw myself into my school’s performing arts department. I fell in love. I had actually done shows in the summer at my high school, but they were summer camp-y programs, so it was before I was a student there. The first show was Hairspray, follows by the spring production of You’re A Good Man, Charlie Brown. In between, I participated in an Improv Show and a dance concert. Ok. So. I cannot dance. I enjoy dancing, and especially now I still say I cannot dance, but I LOVE DANCING. I love dancing and looking 1000% foolish while doing so. I signed up for a class called “Intro to Modern Dance” thinking it meant modern music, like ‘at the moment’ music. WRONG. 

Basically….I, a VERY pale short female with short brown hair and bangs, wore different pastel leotards that had flowy fabric attached to them and pranced across stage before doing what can ONLY be described as ‘birthing motions’.

...True story. Anyways, not the worst thing, but a funny thing.

So, summer 2011: I was an ensemble member in our summer production of Footloose. I also had successfully gotten (thank you Mom…) tickets to night 1 of the Speak Now World Tour in DC for August 2011. I went by myself, but my oldest brother, Jerry, dropped me off and made sure I was safely inside before he went to a Nationals game. He picked me up as well, and he ended up catching the final sounds of that concert from standing in the lobby after the game. I remember everything about that concert. I remember being awestruck when the incredibly touching intro to the album was spoken by you, and then awestruck by the smoke machine….leading to a powerful, young woman rising up from under a stage in a gold glittery dress. That alone blew me away. I took a few pictures at that show, but this one sticks out-partially because it is the least blurry one I took, and partially because I like that you see you on the big screen and onstage. You were so connected to the crowd. It was a truly magical night:

That night and the Speak Now album mean so much to me. It’s special because it was the first time I ever saw you perform live, Taylor, but also because the album has so many songs I hold dear. All your albums do.

Fearless has songs that reassure me, even at age 20, like Fifteen, and it has the song that is my mom’s favorite…The Best Day. It also has anthems that make my heart pound with a sort of fire…Change.

Speak Now, similarly, has songs that resonate with me and will continue to resonate with me forever.  I can’t even talk about Never Grow Up on here or ever because it makes me cry thinking about how much I love my grandparents, brothers, and my marvelous mom. Enchanted is a song that I could quite possibly talk about for days and days and days. It so specifically illustrates all the emotions I feel when I truly “crush” on someone. It also is helpful, because the words you put to that song are lightyears more poignant than how I could describe how I put feelings into words. And you DID. THAT. Enchanted is a song that means so much to all of us, for obvious reasons. I have to say that “the words i held back” as well as the prologue to speak now really parallel all my worries about overthinking and being afraid to speak up. Thank you for those words. 

It is 2012, my high school is doing The Wiz, and I am freaking out over RED.  Red was a turning point for you, and again, it illustrated feelings in ways I couldn’t fathom: “all I feel in my stomach is butterflies, the beautiful kind, making up for lost time, taking flight…”, “everybody loves pretty, everybody loves cool..”��I was a junior in high school at this time, and I had experienced bullying and people talking behind my back constantly as well as some cyberbullying. It was not great. The theatre really helped me. My mom surprised me, in 2013, with tickets to night 1 of the Red tour in DC! I went by myself, but I got a text 15 minutes into being in my section from my mom that said “do you see the big Red sign?” …aka this:

…which was not lit (hehe…LIT) at the time my mom texted me. She ended up hearing from a friend that had extra box seats so she called up 2 other friends from work and they joined her in a completely different section from me in the Verizon Center! I just think it’s so funny!! This ended up being more meaningful than I’d thought because this show was the day before Mothers Day. The “surprise” B stage song was Never Grow Up, a song my mom and I adore. From the entrance to the light up drums to the music box to confetti galore, this was another night i’ll never forget. 

My mom and I circa 1999. I love that photo, and, to me, I hear Never Grow Up AND The Best Day playing when I look at it.

I forgot to say another thing when talking about all your tours: I am obsessed with musical theatre, and something you never fail to include on tours is a theatrical feel. It’s always so beautifully done, with quirky “Stage direction” type things and costumes…thank you for that.

By this time…I’ve graduated high school and decided on a school in the midwest…the windy city itself, CHICAGO. Loyola University Chicago, in fact!

It is summer 2014, and I have had a tumblr for some time, mostly filled with photos of bunnies, you-related things/edits, SNL, Harry Potter, and puns. (The basics, you know…not much has changed!)

There have been videos by this time of elevator buttons and secrets about a LIVESTREAM. So, in the car with my mom on the way to move into my dorm (we stopped at Notre Dame on the way because it’s a LONG drive from where I live and most of my family has attended ND! I also worked at Notre Dame this past summer!) I was using a bunch of data to stream your livestream…and? 1989 is coming! I played Shake it Off a LOT on that car ride once I downloaded it. It was so cool because I tried to brush off the bullying I faced in high school and something you said about 1989 was this: “This is a story about coming into your own, and as a result…coming alive.” The album with that message brought me into my freshman year of college, a year filled with many ups and downs. I thank you for being there for me.

Summer 2015, I had the great honor of going to night 1 (JULY 13, yes 13…!!!) of the 1989 Tour in DC, this time at Nationals Park-outside, which was VERY exciting for me, with my godmother! Lorde was the surprise guest, and I am now happy to say I am seeing Lorde live in concert March 2018! The 1989concert was spectacular, it was clear you were taking charge of doing what YOU want and sticking to your genuine, full heart 24/7. I can’t thank you enough for the memories you’ve given me.

I love everyone on here, on tumblr, even though I do not know any of them–in real life. I hope to meet all of you guys, you’re hilarious on here, and I may not post as often as many of you, but I send you all love always.

Now, I am a senior in college. That is WEIRD AF. I turn 21 this Christmas, (I’m a Christmas baby!) I graduate in May, and after that I don’t have plans. I need to get a job, I know that, but uncertainty is AT AN ALL TIME HIGH right now.

reputation is coming out during my SENIOR year of college, a time with SO much uncertainty...definitely more uncertainty than freshman year. I cannot wait to be empowered and enlightened by this album and I can’t help but thank you for this new album and more encouragement to be myself, my best self.

reputation comes out in less than 1 month, and I cannot wait. From what I know so far, and what I know about your “Take no shit and spread so much love no matter what as a strong independent woman” attitude is that I will love this album FOR. SURE. I love you endlessly. I really, really, really hope to meet you someday, and I hope you know that you mean so much to me. Thank you for being a friend to me, even when all I needed was a high note, a funny post, a cat photo, photos of you with fans that make my heart burst, and the hope that someday I’ll meet you. I can’t wait for that day.

Thank you for your heart.

I love you so much, Tay.

Love,

Isabelle

@taylorswift

[thatkookielife]

By Chance Vixx Leo X Reader

Everything was finally going how you wanted it to after being sheltered from everything your whole life. You finally took a road trip to another state without your parents, went to your very first concert, and you were finally able to be yourself without fear of being judged by everyone around you. Before you even left for that first trip you had already had the next one planned...KCON, not only was this your first time going to know, it just so happened that VIXX was going to be there and the ticket you got had all access to artist hi-touch and backstage meet and greet. Everything was perfect until your best friend (which was supposed to be driving by the way) called you two nights before you were set the leave. VIXX superhero plays as your ringtone*

“Yes?” you answered in the same sing-songy tone you always do

“Hey girl, so we might have a slight problem,” Charlie said on the other end of the line in a nervous yet playful tone.

“Oh really now? And what would that slight problem be?” frustrated and stressed since there always seem to be a short notice problem when you and Charlie travel.

“Well….” Charlie says with that “I don’t really want to tell you because you're scary when you're mad” tone

“You know I hate when you beat around the bush, we leave for this trip in two days! Now is not the time to have problems with anything.” You reply fed up with the fact that you had to deal with this the last trip you two planned together.

“ I know, but you are my donsaeng. It’s my job as your unnie to tease you.” She says always throwing in the fact that you are the maknae.

“Unnie! I hate when you do that! You whine as if she can hear you pout your bottom lip out and fold your arms across your chest over the phone.

“Hahaha. Ok back to the serious business now that I’ve teased you for the day.” Charlie snickers

“Right, right. Am I going to have to hit you after you tell me this?.....again”

“Probably.”

“K, wait, you should tell me in person so I don't have to wait to hit you.”

“ You sure? I mean I don't want you to murder me.” her fear of the evil maknae seeping through her words

“I’m definitely sure. If you are afraid of my having to murder you, then you need to tell me in person since that usually means it’s really REALLY bad.

“And you would be correct in assuming that…. Be at my place in 15 mins.”

“On my way.”

Fifteen minutes pass and you’ve arrived at Charlie’s house but she is nowhere to be found so you text her a “Where’s Waldo”. Almost immediately after you hit send your phone starts ringing.

‘Where are you? You told me 15 minutes. Am I really that scary or is this problem really that bad?”

“Well, a little bit of both, to be honest, haha and yes the problem is really bad but it's not unfixable.”

“Well, then get your pretty, little butt over here so we can figure it out.” At this point, you would rather just find out what the problem is so you can fix it and be excited for this trip again.

“Behind you…..” Charlie whispers in an attempt to scare you since you scare so freakin’ easy.

“Jesus Christ Charlie!” You yell out as you noticeably jump. “Why do you scare me every single time I come over!?” you yell as you playfully push Charlie

“Because no matter what you always react the same every time, and it’s hilarious every time!” She laughs as she leads you into the house.

“Ok before we start talking, Drink?” she asks as you plop down on the couch.

“BANANA MILK!” you say with excitement because you know she always has it when you come over.

“How did I Know that was coming?” she mutters to herself as she grabs the drink from the refrigerator.

“Because you know me too well?” sarcasm lacing your words as she hands you the oddly shaped bottle of milk as she sits on the couch directly across from you.

‘Ok, no more stalling, what is this problem we have?” you ask in the most serious tone you can muster without being the scary maknae.

“It’s about our housing for the convention,” Charlie says as she looks away from you and sips on her drink to avoid your eyes.

“Of course it is.” you mumble under your breath to keep her from hearing you. “And what about the housing? I thought you had all of that taken care of when we bought our tickets…….a month ago.” clearly upset, you replied calmly.

“Well I did but the person we were supposed to stay with just told me that she actually won't be in town that weekend….” She looks back at you, expecting you to slap her arm, she shrivels

“And what are you going to do to fix this situation? We leave in two days!” Finally reaching the edge of your frustration with her, you raise your voice at her.

“There is no need to yell my dongseang!” She yells back at you and continues. “I have another friend I can ask and if she says we can't stay with her, I found us a hotel like across the street from the convention center.” she calmly finishes

“Text her right now.” you demand with an immeasurable rage building inside, yet you look as calm as a forest at night.

Charlie types on her phone lightning fast, knowing you are beyond mad. Silence ensues as you patiently await a reply. Seconds seem like minutes and minutes seem like hours when in all honesty you girls were probably waiting all of five minutes. Charlie's phone that lay on the coffee table lit up brightly with a notification on the screen.

“What did she say?” you ask still bitter at the whole situation.

“She said that she has family in town so she has no room…..but I have a plan B!” Forcing a smile, She nudges your arm trying to break you of your scary serious face.

“I’m not paying for a hotel Charlie!” you burst once again.

“I figured you wouldn't want to. But you don't have to worry about that I have the whole thing covered.” Charlie says as she scrolls through her phone to find a picture of the hotel she’s picked for you two.

“Ah, here it is.” She says showing you a picture of one of the most, if not the most expensive hotel in the area.

“And how exactly do you plan on paying for that?” You ask thinking she is playing a joke on you since you are in fact the maknae.

“I'm not, I have a friend that works at that hotel and they just happen to have a two-bed suite on the same floor as a certain group.” she says with an evil smirk on her face knowing how you will react.

“We aren't that kind of fan though…..which group is it?” curiosity overtakes you, wondering if it's the group you are thinking.

“VIXX…’ She says as she scoots closer to you on the couch, holding both of your hands awaiting your response….

[kcaruth]

Movie Mania: Top 10 of 2018

This one was difficult. Those who have followed this blog for a while will know that for the past two years I have done a top 15 list of favorite films. That is largely because 2016 and 2017 cranked out so many great films, and I could not restrict myself to 10. However, 2018 turned out to be a rather lackluster year for film, in my opinion. Sure, there were some high points, but overall it was disappointing. It was actually easy to stick to a list of 10 this time, and those 10 films are all deserving of praise. I just wish they had some tougher competition to go up against. I digress, though. I now give you my spoiler-free list of favorite films of 2018.

Honorable Mention: Bumblebee

A collaboration between Travis Knight, the director of Kubo and the Two Strings, and Hailee Steinfeld? Count me in!

I stopped following the Transformers franchise after 2011′s Transformers: Dark of the Moon. One can only endure so many mind-numbing Michael Bay explosions before all of his or her brain cells die out. Here is a fun exercise that one of my college professors taught me; try it next time a Michael Bay Transformers movie comes on. Every time there is a cut, tap a pen or pencil or clap your hands. Frankly, it is quite overwhelming and hard to keep up with, and it is difficult not to notice every single unnecessary, jarring cut after becoming conscious of them through this exercise.

Contrast that with 2018′s Bumblebee. At Knight’s direction, the film forgoes most of those flashy explosions in favor of a more intimate approach to actual character development. Knight wisely chooses to keep the audience grounded and focused on the human characters, namely Steinfeld’s Charlie Watson, a teenage girl who is still struggling to come to terms with the death of her father while harboring resentment of her mother for remarrying. As far as the robots go, while the other Transformers movies went overboard with filling the screen with as many Decepticons and Autobots as they could, Knight really only has the titular Bumblebee and a couple of Decepticons hunting him down, ensuring that the action scenes and the film itself do not feel too bloated. Bumblebee is the course correction that this franchise so desperately needed.

#10: Eighth Grade

I was cringing throughout the run time of Eighth Grade, but somehow that is a compliment to this film. Uncompromising in its excruciating honesty, Eighth Grade hits the bullseye when it targets the audience’s empathy for an anxious 13-year-old during her last week of eighth grade named Kayla Day, played by Elsie Fisher. As his debut feature film, writer-director Bo Burnham has stated that he drew inspiration from his own struggles with social anxiety, so the script feels genuine and absent of any Hollywood edits. While Kayla is certainly the main focus of the film, Burnham provides a surprisingly touching character arc for her single father, Mark, played by Josh Hamilton. Mark desperately attempts to connect with his teenage daughter, but it seems like all she cares about having a connection with is her phone and social media. With themes of mental health, heavy use of social media, and sexuality, Burnham delivers one of the most uncomfortable scenes I have ever sat through in a movie theater, which is most likely exactly how he intended it to feel.

I cannot help but compare Eighth Grade to 2016′s Edge of Seventeen, another coming-of-age comedy-drama about a teenage girl by a debut director. If I was given the choice between the two films, I would pick Edge of Seventeen, which I believe is much more re-watchable, garnering that intended empathetic response from the audience with half the cringe. Both are brilliant, but those who have not seen Edge of Seventeen should do themselves a favor and give it a watch.

#9: Won’t You Be My Neighbor?

With so much hate and negativity in the world today, Morgan Neville’s documentary about Fred Rogers is a shining beacon of hope that restores one’s faith in humanity. Using archival footage as well as interviews with those closest to Rogers, Neville paints an intimate portrait of the man who welcomed audiences into his neighborhood through his pioneering television program. Without deifying Rogers, Neville shows how this American treasure dedicated every fiber of his being to teaching children how to be upstanding human beings who care deeply for one another, despite our differences. This documentary proves that Rogers’ lessons were not just for children, though. In fact, Won’t You Be My Neighbor? often feels like a one-on-one session with Rogers, encouraging audience members that they are all capable of good through simple acts of kindness.

#8: The Ballad of Buster Scruggs

Unfortunately, this American western is sure to fly under most people’s radar because it was a Netflix release that I do not recall having much fanfare and advertising. Written and directed by Joel and Ethan Coen, this film is an anthology of six different vignettes set in the American West. Sporting a stellar cast with the likes of Liam Neeson, Tim Blake Nelson, James Franco, Zoe Kazan, Brendan Gleeson, and more, The Ballad of Buster Scruggs flexes the Coen’s signature style of dark drama and black humor while impressively tackling all of the sub-genres within the greater Western genre.

Each of the vignettes are tied together by death in some form or fashion. While my ranking of them changes from day to day, my favorite and least favorite remain consistent. It is virtually impossible to not fall in love with the first vignette, “The Ballad of Buster Scruggs,” which is about a cheerful outlaw known just as widely for his singing as his gunslinging. The final vignette featuring a handful of characters cramped together on a stagecoach ride called “The Mortal Remains,” on the other hand, feels somewhat out of place and ends the film with a bit of a dud. Along the way between these two vignettes, however, viewers encounter enchanting tales of a bank robber, an impresario and his artist, a prospector, and a wagon train on the Oregon Trail.

As the Coen’s first film to be shot digitally, The Ballad of Buster Scruggs boasts some impressive cinematography, especially when it comes to wide sweeping shots, like any decent Western should. It also features a wonderfully delightful score that I desperately hope gets an Oscar nod. Not a week has gone by since I have watched this film where I do not find myself humming one of the songs or music from it. The acting throughout the different vignettes of the film is topnotch, and the actors look like they are having a blast in their roles.The Ballad of Buster Scruggs is a fun time that leaves viewers longing for more time in the American West. For those who cannot find the time to sit down for the whole film, I must urge them to at least watch the first vignette about Buster Scruggs, which is worth the price of admission on its own.

#7: Isle of Dogs

Set in a dystopian Japan, Wes Anderson’s stop-motion animated Isle of Dogs tells the story of a boy searching for his dog on Trash Island after an outbreak of canine flu. Voiced by an all-star cast including Bryan Cranston, Jeff Goldblum, Scarlett Johansson, and Bill Murray, Isle of Dogs is an epic adventure with its fair share of plot twists along the way. Alexandre Desplat provides a brilliant score for the film that matches Anderson’s comedic quirkiness and thematic choices. I would not consider myself a fan of Anderson’s distinct film style, but I do consider myself a huge fan of dogs and enjoyed Isle of Dogs. (Get the title of the film? Pronounce it out loud quickly. I Love Dogs.)

#6: Game Night

Game Night made me laugh out loud like I have not done in a long time at the movie theater. Starring Jason Bateman and Rachel McAdams, the film follows the hilariously ridiculous premise of a group of friends whose game night gets wrapped up in a criminal escapade. In addition to Bateman and McAdams’ great, fun chemistry as the husband and wife duo of Max and Annie Davis, Jesse Plemons’ portrayal of Gary Kingsbury, Max and Annie’s weird neighbor, delivers some moments of pure laughter. For a film that is high on laughs, Game Night manages to string the audience along with its surprisingly competent mystery, complete with reveals and twists that both shock and amuse viewers. Be sure to stick around for the credits and post-credits.

#5: A Quiet Place

Anyone who knows me knows that I am a big baby when it comes to horror movies. I absolutely loathe jump scares and will watch horror movies through my fingers if I am forced to watch one. However, I had heard so much positive buzz about John Krasinski’s A Quiet Place that I could not allow myself to make this list without seeing it first, and boy am I glad I summoned the courage to see it. A Quiet Place is a masterclass in tension, tone, pacing, sound design, and character development.

The plot centers around the Abbott family in a post-apocalyptic world inhabited by blind monsters that attack any source of sound with their heightened sense of hearing. Nothing is known about the origins of these monsters, only that they have wiped out most human and animal life on Earth. In this hopeless world, Lee and Evelyn Abbott struggle to fill their children with hope for the future.

The performances in A Quiet Place are some of the best of the year. The actors have an added degree of difficulty of having very minimal to no dialogue during the entire film, so their facial expressions and body language have to do most of the talking. One of the more impressive feats of A Quiet Place is the characters communicate in American Sign Language, and the actors actually learned ASL for the film. Millicent Simmonds, who plays Regan Abbott, is deaf and knows ASL, so she was able to help her co-stars with ASL, make corrections, and suggest improvements.

Krasinski has said that A Quiet Place is all about parenthood. Along with this theme, the film contains many Christian images and themes that are fascinating to pick apart and ponder. With so much depth, A Quiet Place delivers an original story that grips audiences. Although I did not see it in theaters, I am sure that people could hear a pen drop in their viewings.

#4: Bohemian Rhapsody

For all of its inaccuracies, creative liberties, and unevenness, Bohemian Rhapsody took the world by storm as the highest grossing music biopic and reinvigorated a love of Queen and its leading man, Freddie Mercury. Rami Malek runs away with the film as he disappears into his role as Mercury, so much so that audience members might have to pinch themselves to remember that they are not watching the real Freddie Mercury. Seriously, Malek has to be a surefire Oscar contender for this performance. Not only does he masterfully recreate Mercury’s mannerisms and moves onstage, he also channels his pain and feelings of isolation to bring audiences a fully realized depiction of the superstar. The supporting cast is good too, although Malek’s stellar performance does overshadow them, through no fault of their own.

For its finale, Bohemian Rhapsody gifts audiences with one of the most moving, memorable set pieces in all of film for 2018, the 1985 Live Aid concert. In a word, it is epic. Bohemian Rhapsody teaches lessons of acceptance, love, individuality, and the power of music and leaves viewers wishing they could have had a few more years with the amazing Freddie Mercury. This is one of those instances where the majority of critics should be ignored. Even if viewers are new to Queen, they should not miss this film.

#3: Green Book

Bolstered by fantastic performances by Viggo Mortensen and Mahershala Ali, Peter Farrelly’s Green Book takes a relatively unknown true story about a concert tour to the Deep South in the 1960s with African-American pianist Dr. Don Shirley (Ali) and his driver/bodyguard, Italian-American Tony Vallelonga (Mortensen), and tackles its subject matter without being too heavy-handed and maintaining respect for its characters. The script treats Vallelonga and Shirley as real human beings. Contrary to most film tropes, neither completely changes his character after a single event or incident. Instead, that change occurs slowly over the course of their road trip. Both men learn from one another, despite their disparate backgrounds. Mortensen and Ali are both worthy of Oscar nominations, though I think I would give the edge to Mortensen.

For a film about racism, identity, and the dangerous Jim Crow South, Green Book remains accessible to all audiences. It is full of heart and is brimming with that feel-good aura. As Mick LaSalle wrote in The San Francisco Chronicle, Green Book is “so big in its spirit, that the movie acquires a glow. It achieves that glow slowly, but by the middle and certainly by the end, it's there, the sense of something magical happening, on screen and within the audience.”

#2: Annihilation

I have not stopped thinking about Alex Garland’s Annihilation since it came out way back in February. Garland, the director of one of my favorite films released in 2015 Ex Machina, puts together an impressive cast starring Natalie Portman, Jennifer Jason Leigh, Gina Rodriguez, Tessa Thompson, Tuva Novotny, and Oscar Isaac to deliver a truly intoxicating film that leaves audiences deep in thought well after the credits roll. Based on Jeff VanderMeer’s novel of the same name, Annihilation follows a group of scientists who enter a mysterious quarantined area known as the Shimmer. Inside the Shimmer, flora and fauna undergo uncontrollable mutations. The scientists explore the Shimmer in an attempt to learn its secrets and discover what happened to the military team that was sent in before them.

The atmospheric, bone-chilling score sticks in viewers’ memories and adds to the intense tone of the film. Speaking of tone, Annihilation might bring audiences to the verge of suffocation because of how breathtaking it is. It has possibly the scariest, most dreadful scene of any film from this decade that comes from the stuff of nightmares and leaves audiences haunted. For all of its terrifying elements, however, this sci-fi film also showcases some downright gorgeous scenes that let the imagination run wild. Unlike many sci-fi films these days, Annihilation is not afraid to slow down and let scenes marinate in viewers’ minds. With so many avenues to explore as far as themes go, from ethics to grief to depression to humanity’s propensity for its own self-destruction, Annihilation is a film that should be talked about for a long time to come.

#1: Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse

This was the easiest decision on my whole list. No other film came close to the number one spot after I saw Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse. I remember seeing trailers for this film throughout 2018, but I did not have high expectations for it and almost blew it off. After all, with all of the Spider-Man films we have had in recent years, how could this one stand out apart from its animation?

The hype is real. Spider-Man is one of the most well-rounded films of 2018. It expertly balances its genuinely funny comedic moments with its emotionally moving dramatic ones. It takes risks that pay off with its bold storytelling, which is full of charm and satisfying superhero action. There is obvious care and attention to detail poured into every frame of this film, a work of art that is a love letter to superhero comic books. The creators of the film wanted it to feel like "you walked inside a comic book," and they hit it out of the park. The computer-generated animation works in concert with line drawings, paintings, dots, and various comic book art styles to make the film look like it was created by hand. It even has word boxes and bubbles that somehow are not too obstructive or distracting. As Todd Howard, the director and executive producer at Bethesda Game Studios, is famous for saying, “all of this just works.”

For such a large ensemble of characters voiced by ingenious choices like Mahershala Ali, Hailee Steinfeld, and Nicolas Cage, Spider-Man gives each of them equal footing while keeping the spotlight squarely on Miles Morales (Shameik Moore), the new Spider-Man. Lily Tomlin voices what may be my favorite version of Aunt May, and many other Spider-Man staple characters make great appearances.

The soundtrack is catchy and fits the bill for what a kid Miles’ age would listen to. There are tons of Easter eggs for hardcore Spider-Man fans to uncover, and there are pop culture winks and nods that most people familiar with the Spider-Man franchise will understand and enjoy. Of course, the late, great Stan Lee has a touching cameo, one of his best yet.

Every part of this stand-alone story feels fresh, and the characters have so much depth to them. It is hard to come up with an original concept that reinvents the superhero genre, but Spider-Man has done just that and more. This revolutionary, culturally important film was a joy to watch, and it may go down as the best Spider-Man film yet. Certainly, it has to be a serious contender for the best film of 2018.

The following are a list of all of the films I saw from 2018, in no particular order:

·         Green Book

·         The Ballad of Buster Scruggs

·         Pope Francis: A Man of His Word

·         My Hero Academia: Two Heroes

·         Black Panther

·         Annihilation

·         Game Night

·         Ready Player One

·         Isle of Dogs

·         A Quiet Place

·         Avengers: infinity War

·         Deadpool 2

·         Solo: A Star Wars Story

·         Incredibles 2

·         Ant-Man and the Wasp

·         BlacKkKlansman

·         Bad Times at the El Royale

·         Mowgli: Legend of the Jungle

·         First Man

·         Ralph Breaks the Internet

·         Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse

·         Aquaman

·         Bumblebee

·         Bohemian Rhapsody

·         Bird Box

·         Won’t You Be My Neighbor?

·         Eighth Grade

My 2017 film list: http://kcaruth.tumblr.com/post/171040800751/movie-mania-top-15-of-2017

My 2016 film list: http://kcaruth.tumblr.com/post/156340406236/movie-mania-top-15-of-2016

[chicagoindiecritics]

New from Kevin Wozniak on Kevflix: What’s Streaming This Month? – May

As we continue to be stuck in quarantine due to COVID-19, our streaming services have become essential to keep us entertained during this time.  Luckily for us, our streaming services have had pretty great content during this time and May only adds to it.  Along with Netflix, Amazon Prime, Hulu, and Disney+, I include the Criterion Channel on this list as well, as the content Criterion produces is spectacular.  Here are my picks for the best movies coming to Netflix, Amazon Prime, Hulu, Disney+, and Criterion Channel in May.

        NETFLIX

Full list of everything coming to Netflix in April can be found here.

    BACK TO THE FUTURE and BACK TO THE FUTURE PART II (Robert Zemeckis, 1985/1989)

The third film was already on Netflix, so it’s only right to put the first two on as well.  Back to the Future is a perfect movie and the best time travel movie ever made.  The sequel is inventive and fun.  Watch all three, it’s an excellent trilogy.

  THE CURIOUS CASE OF BENJAMIN BUTTON (David Fincher, 2008)

A visually stunning piece of filmmaking from the great David Fincher.

  DEN OF THIEVES (Christian Gudegast, 2018)

An interesting, methodical, Heat-like crime thriller that has grown on me after multiple viewings.

  DISTRICT 9 (Neil Blomkamp, 2009)

A wildly original sci-fi movie and the only good movie of Neil Blomkamp’s career.

  THE LINCOLN LAWYER (Brad Furman, 2011)

A cool little courtroom drama that kicked off the McConaissance of the early 2010’s.

  THE LOVEBIRDS (Michael Showalter, 2020)

I usually don’t put new Netflix movies on here, but a romantic comedy with Issa Rae and Kumail Nanjiani directed by the director of The Big Sick gives me hope that this could be a great one.

  PUBLIC ENEMIES (Michael Mann, 2009)

Johnny Depp gives one of the best performances of his career in Michael Mann’s engrossing, stunningly made biopic about gangster John Dillinger.

  UNCUT GEMS (Josh and Benny Safdie, 2019)

One of the best movies of 2019, Uncut Gems features a career-best performance by Adam Sandler in the Safdie Brother’s anxiety-enducing crime thriller.

  UNITED 93 (Paul Greengrass, 2006)

A tough watch, but Paul Greengrass rightly earned a Best Director Oscar nomination of this harrowing true story of passengers who foiled a terrorist plot on 9/11.

  WILLY WONKA AND THE CHOCOLATE FACTORY/CHARLIE AND THE CHOCOLATE FACTORY (Mel Stuart, 1971/Tim Burton, 2005)

Two films from the same source material that couldn’t be more different.  Could be a cool little double feature.

    AMAZON PRIME

Full list of everything coming to Amazon Prime in April can be found here.

    COME TO DADDY (Ant Timpson, 2020)

A horror flick starring Elijah Wood.  That’s all I got and that’s all I need.

  THE GOLDFINCH (John Crowley, 2019)

2019’s biggest Oscar-bait failure is a film I didn’t see in theaters, but one I want to check out and see why this movie failed as hard as it did.

  LIKE CRAZY (Drake Dormeus, 2011)

The 2011 Sundance U.S. Dramatic winner is one of the most authentic love stories I’ve ever seen on film and features stellar performances from Anton Yelchin and Felicity Jones.

  ROCKETMAN (Dexter Fletcher, 2019)

Taron Egerton is masterful in this unique biopic of music icon Elton John.

  SEBERG (Benedict Andrews, 2020)

Kristen Stewart, one of my favorite actresses working today, stars as French New Wave icon Jean Seberg, who was being watched by Herbert Hoover and the F.B.I. for her political and romantic involvement with civil rights activist Hakim Jamal.

  THE VAST OF NIGHT (Andrew Patterson, 2020)

I’ve heard nothing but great things about this movie for over a year and I am excited to finally watch this mystery thriller.

    HULU

Full list of everything coming to Hulu in April can be found here.

    BATMAN BEGINS and THE DARK KNIGHT (Christopher Nolan, 2005/2008)

Kind of annoying that they didn’t make the entire trilogy available, but whatever.  Batman Begins reinvented Batman on the silver screen and The Dark Knight is my favorite comic book movie ever and one of my all-time favorite movies.

  THE CONJURING (James Wan, 2013)

One of the best horror movies of the last ten years.

  GOODFELLAS (Martin Scorsese, 1990)

Goodfellas is my favorite movie ever made.  I love this movie so much.  It’s perfect.

  THE GRADUATE (Mike Nichols, 1967)

Another perfect movie, The Graduate is an undeniable classic with themes that still resonate today.

  THE LODGE (Severin Fiala, Veronika Franz, 2020)

Even though I’ve heard mixed things about this one, I’ve wanted to see The Lodge since the 2019 Sundance Film Festival and I’m excited to get the chance to check it out.

  PAINTER AND THE THIEF (Benjamin Ree, 2020)

This documentary, about a painter who befriends a thief who stole her paintings, was one that I missed at this year’s Sundance Film Festival, but one I really want to check out.

  PREMATURE (Rashaad Ernesto Green, 2020)

Rashaad Ernesto Green is a director I’ve been excited for since seeing his debut film Gun Hill Road in 2011, so getting to check out his latest film should be a treat.

  SPACESHIP EARTH (Matt Wolf, 2020)

I saw Spaceship Earth at this year’s Sundance Film Festival and it was a very interesting documentary about the group of people who built the Biosphere 2, a giant replica of the earth’s ecosystem, in 1991.

  DISNEY+

Full list of everything coming to Disney+ in May can be found here.

    FANTASTIC MR. FOX (Wes Anderson, 2009)

A stunning, hilarious, masterful stop-motion film from the great Wes Anderson.

  JOHN CARTER (Andrew Stanton, 2012)

A film that isn’t nearly as bad as its legacy precedes it, I’m excited to watch this one again for its sheer scale and insanity.

  MALEFICENT: MISTRESS OF EVIL (Joachim Rønning, 2019)

A decent movie that might be better than the first one.  Angelina Jolie is pitch-perfect casting as Maleficent.

  THE PRINCESS BRIDE (Rob Reiner, 1987)

Could be argued as the most watchable movie ever made.  A film full of action, adventure, comedy, romance, and drama and every piece is great.

  STAR WARS: EPISODE IX – THE RISE OF SKYWALKER (JJ Abrams, 2019)

I was not a fan of this movie (full review here), but it’s a Star Wars movie and it’s available to stream (along with the rest of the saga).

  CRITERION CHANNEL

Full list of everything coming to Criterion Channel in May can be found here.

*The Criterion Channel does things a little differently than every other streaming service.  The Criterion Channel, a wonderful streaming service that focuses on independent, foreign, and under-appreciates movies, doesn’t just throw a bunch of random movies to stream.  They get more creative, by having categories like “DOUBLE FEATURES” or “FILMS FROM…”, giving us curated lists of films that somehow blend together or feature a specific artist.*

  DOUBLE FEATURES

CALIFORNIA DREAMIN’:

The Limey (Steven Soderbergh, 1999)

Mulholland Drive (David Lynch, 2001)

A Soderbergh-Lynch double feature is always going to be great, but this one is going to be especially great because these two movies are some of the best work from these directing legends.

  KNOCK OUT!:

The Harder They Fall (Mark Robson, 1956)

Raging Bull (Martin Scorsese, 1980)

Two movies that feature drama in and outside of the boxing ring.  The Harder They Fall features Humphrey Bogart as an ex-sportswriter who is hired by a shady fight promoter to promote an unknown but easily exploitable boxer from Argentina.  Raging Bull is a cinematic masterpiece and features Robert De Niro in, what this critic considers to be, the greatest acting performance ever on film.

  JOSH AND BENNY SAFDIE’S ADVENTURES IN MOVIEGOING

Josh and Benny Safdie are the most exciting directing duo since the Coen Brothers, so having a curated list from them is something that needs to be taken seriously.

The Naked City (Jules Dassin, 1948)

In a Lonely Place (Nicholas Ray, 1950)

Camera Buff (Krzysztof Kieślowski, 1979)

Gloria (John Cassavetes, 1980)

Bless Their Little Hearts (Billy Woodberry, 1984)

Meantime (Mike Leigh, 1984)

Close-up (Abbas Kiarostami, 1990)

Hero (Stephen Frears, 1992)

The Mirror (Jafar Panahi, 1997)

SAUL BASS TURNS 100!

Saul Bass is responsible for some of the most iconic opening credits in cinematic history (ex: Psycho, Vertigo).  This impressive list of great films features some of Bass’ finest work.

The Big Knife (Robert Aldrich, 1955)

The Man with the Golden Arm (Otto Preminger, 1955)

Around the World in 80 Days (Michael Anderson, 1956)

Storm Center (Daniel Taradash, 1956)

Bonjour Tristesse (Otto Preminger, 1958)

The Big Country (William Wyler, 1958)

Cowboy (Delmer Daves, 1958)

Anatomy of a Murder (Otto Preminger, 1959)

The Facts of Life (Melvin Frank, 1960)

Ocean’s 11 (Lewis Milestone, 1960)

Something Wild (Jack Garfein, 1961)

West Side Story (Robert Wise and Jerome Robbins, 1961)

Walk on the Wild Side (Edward Dmytryk, 1962)

It’s a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World (Stanley Kramer, 1963)

Bunny Lake Is Missing (Otto Preminger, 1965)

Grand Prix (John Frankenheimer, 1966)

Seconds (John Frankenheimer, 1966)

Phase IV (Saul Bass, 1974)

The Human Factor (Otto Preminger, 1979)

The Age of Innocence (Martin Scorsese, 1993)

STARRING JACKIE CHAN

Jackie Chan is a martial arts legend and one of the greatest action stars to ever grace the silver screen.  These films show Chan’s early work as an actor, as well as show off his chops as a director.  This should be an absolute blast.

Half a Loaf of Kung Fu (Chen Chi-hwa, 1978)

Spiritual Kung Fu (Lo Wei, 1978)

The Fearless Hyena (Jackie Chan, 1979)

The Young Master (Jackie Chan, 1980)

Fearless Hyena 2, (Chan Chuen, 1983)

My Lucky Stars (Sammo Hung, 1985)

Police Story (Jackie Chan, 1985)

Police Story 2 (Jackie Chan, 1988)

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[morgansmornings]

Danny and Jay, married life

Leaves their dirty clothes on the floor:

“Hey Jay?”

“Yes?”

“Where’s my pants?”

“In the wash. As much as I love you in dark slacks I wasn’t going to let you go out in the same pair you wore yesterday.” She never once looked up from her paperwork. 5-0 always left a paper trail a mile long after a case that everyone besides Danny never bothered to do. ‘I’ll get to it in island time, don’ worry.’ Whatever island time was… it sucked. 

“And my boxers?”

She grinned on that one. Those she was currently wearing fresh from the dryer after her shower. They were clean and breathed rather well in the sweltering humidity that was the Hawaiian climate. Folding her legs up to make a table of sorts she adjusted the button up that she also stole from him just so he’d have to wear the blue one that brought out his eyes. 

“They’re safe.”

“Please describe to me, in detail, why on earth you would wear my boxers. Really I want to know. Is it some secret rule all women have? To wear clothing that belongs to their significant other’s just so they can mock them for standing in the bedroom in nothing but a towel because all of their clothes are gone?”

“I wouldn’t say it is a secret rule, Jersey. It is more a sign that we care. Plus you smell amazing. Why do you think I keep stealing your shirt?”

Forgets to run the dish washer:

Between late hours at the courthouse, 5-0, the craziness that Steve seemed to have a magnetic pull towards, and bad guys that never cared for personal lives the arguing always came down to who would do the dishes. That was the first time that Danny learned arguing with a professional arguer, for a lack of a better term at the time, would never end well for him. So a deal was made. Whoever spent the night would do the dishes. But the owner of the house/ very lavish apartment, would cook and do their own dishes. 

That worked well for the most part. Jay would always make a fuss about it, but do them regardless. Though it was hard to focus on cleaning when calloused, hard worked hands kept running up her sides under the tank top she wore after the children were in bed. Or when chapped lips started a teasing path from the nape of her neck down her spine. And when morning came one day, Jay awoke to the sound of hissed curses and slamming cupboards. She knew it wasn’t Danny, because his arm was firmly wrapped around her waist with his face pressed into the curve of her shoulder. It was a miracle when she didn’t wake him slipping out of his hold. Pulling the dark grey cotton robe over her nude form, she padded out on bare feet squinting when she got a face full of sunlight from the kitchen window. 

“Does no one have any kind of sense? You run the dishes before bed and put them away in the morning. Simple.” 

“I would have but I was otherwise preoccupied.” Jay spoke in a tone that was far snarkier than she meant for it to sound. But Steve was a bit much on good days. This was not the start to a good day. Tying the sash of the robe over her hip to keep what little modesty she had, Jay moved to the coffee pot and started making some. “Morning to you too Captain Hawai’i.”

Pumps gas for the car:

“Oh no you don’t.” Jay reached over and stopped Danny from even getting near the latch for the seat belt. 

“Oh no I don’t what? Put gas in my own car? Do you think I am incapable of doing so on my own?” 

“I never said that Jersey. I’m trying to be nice. Besides if I sit any longer my legs are going to go numb.” 

“We haven’t been on the road that long.” 

“I wasn’t ready to drive to the other side of the island just to get away from everyone. But you said hey I have an idea, you want in on it?” 

“You could have said no.”

“And leave you all by your self?” She smirked at that, leaning over and  ghosting her lips along his jaw before popping the gas cover with the simple push of a button. “Better luck next time.” 

And with that she was out of the camaro and walking around the back of it to stat pumping the gas as she promised she would. 

Drives when they’re going somewhere:

“Are we there yet?”

“No.”

“How about now?”

“No.” 

“I personally know for a fact that ‘No’ is not the only word in your vocabulary. So come on spill. What made you decide to up and leave for the weekend. I know She-Devil has the kids, but really?”

“Look I figured we’d escape for a while, ya know. Get to spend time with each other and learn all of the other’s annoying habits.” 

“Right and I am the rightful Queen of China.” 

“What’s the worst that can happen?”

“You snore?” 

“Very funny. Hilarious.”

“Alright, alright.” She put her hands up knowing the tirade was about to start. “Since we’re trapped in the car, let’s just start this getting to know each other bit. Simple yes or nos to start with. Deal?”

“I’m going to regret this later.” 

“Probably. But you are the one that said you’d drive and I have nothing but time on my hands.” Jay smirked shifting in her seat after leaning it all the way back so she could lay on her side facing the blonde detective. “Now feel free to had me the keys when you get tired of ignoring me for traffic.” 

Rearranges the furniture:

“I think we need to wait for your dad kid.” 

“We have this. Plus I want it to be a surprise for Danno.” 

“I know sweetie. But this couch is made of Wolverine’s jeans.” 

“Who’s Wolverine?”

“……”

There was a solid minute of silence. Jay allowed he mind to swim with all the knowledge of how she was going to correct the error in parenting without getting her or Gracie in trouble. 

“I’ll make you a deal.” Jay knelt down so she was eye level with the girl. “I’ll teach you the wonders of superheros if you can go find me some old socks.” 

“Socks?”

“Yes socks for the couch feet.”  It took a little theatrics for Gracie to understand the meaning. But eventually a bright smile lit up the child’s face. 

“Okay!” 

Falls asleep with the TV on:

It wasn’t the first time Jayden had come over to watch Gracie and Charlie since she became a regular thing in Danny’s life. So far she was his longest female relationship that wasn’t a romantic one. Yet as Kono would say, some how believing in the fantasy that Danny would be the one to crack and admit that he felt something for their lawyer that was more than professional. And it wasn’t the first time that he came home late bruised, battered, and smelling of gunpowder and sweat. Or that there was sounds coming from the living room as it was right behind the front door. 

No the first was seeing his children, looking their age for the first time since the divorce and the ups and downs of Charlie’s illness, asleep on the A.D.A.. Gracie was curled up on Jay’s side one little tawny arm over the woman’s lap and head nestled into her stomach. Charlie was on the other side of Jay, his head resting on her thigh with the woman’s hand resting along his shoulder in a protective way. The same way one would keep someone else from falling off a couch or bed. And Jayden, well she was fast asleep looking peaceful though her free hand was laying on a bat that had come with her from New York. 

It would not have stopped some intruder with a gun, but it was still a means of protection for the proto-adults next to her. Sleep deprived blue eyes looked to the T.V. that was turned down so low it was hard to make out the screaming from the animated sloth. Ice Age a classic in Jay’s book as she often said. But that was due to a lack of The Black Cauldron. Though Charlie was still too young to appreciate that movie. Coming around the couch Danny leaned over and kissed Gracie’s forehead and then Charlie’s. When he pulled back honeyed brown eyes looked up to him through a heavy fog of sleep.

“You’re back.” A lazy grin tried and failed to form.

“Hey sleepyhead. Go back to sleep. I’ll get them to bed.” Danny went to straighten up, but a long fingered hand took his and tugged gently.

“There’s enough room for all of us. We’ll move ‘em in a bit. Just sit before you fall, kid.” 

Danny gave a smile back. Even half- asleep Jay was still trying to order him about to get sleep. But a nap sounded nice. And the two centers of his world were safe. Picking up Charlie, Danny settled down on the couch and pulled charlie close to his side that wasn’t immediately snuggled into by Jay. Pulling the blanket from the back he carefully covered all of them. In minutes he was asleep, and the movie just kept playing. 

It was the only source of light still on come the wee hours of dawn when Steve came in to check on his partner. 

Gets to use the bathroom first:

With every bad thing that seemed to attract itself to one Steve McGarrett,  Danny was often running on very little sleep. Which is why Jay’s phone was always set to silent when she spent the night after watching the kids for him when Rachel wasn’t able to be there. 

Being a morning person she was always up before her alarm went off anyways. Just part of her being who she was. So when it came to tip-toeing through the house, she had become sort of an expert. It was more so he got the sleep he needed. 

Plus there was something special of a tuft of blonde hair sticking up at an old angle from the pillow. One bare leg sticking out from the blankets, and a tawny arm, tanned over months of exposure to sunlight rather than a natural coloration. And the first snoring coming from the mass of person in the bed. 

She leaned her head against the door to the master bathroom, toothbrush in hand though just barely hanging from her fingertips. Yes this was the way Danny deserved to be. At peace with his children. Not constantly in the cross hairs of a scope set for his notorious partner. 

Decides the temperature for the ac/heater:

“It is 87 degrees with 110% humidity. Can you please turn the A.C. on now?” Jay whined from the mat on the floor of the police training gym. She was suffering in the heat and from getting her ass handed to her yet again by Danny. How one man could manage to always break her guard and 

“Contrary to belief I don’t have control over that.” Danny said leaning over and offering her a hand. There was a pathetic pout and half-assed swipe at the hand before Jay allowed him to haul her back up onto her feet. “But I will make you a deal.”

“Oh this out to be good.” 

“You can turn my car into an icebox, after we finish getting this move down.” 

She could have kissed him right then and there with the prospect of cold air blowing over sweat coated skin. 

“Deal.”

Sets up holiday decorations:

“Sleigh bells ring are you listening. In the lane snow is glistening.” Jay sang along, balancing on the ladder as she hung the decorations Gracie handed her. The smell of spiced cake, cookies, and eggnog, along with fresh real pine filled the air in the Williams’ house. Charlie was set up in a play pen in the living room. He was happy wiggling about on all fours trying to conquer the mountain of blankets and stuffed animals. 

It really was a sight to see. Something brought a warm feeling to almost everyone that was there. Chin, Kono, Adam, Kamekona, Duke,and even Steve were smiling and laughing as they gathered in Danny’s home. Lou  brought his family complete with eggnog. And also carried a bottle of scotch to go with it for the big kids.

“What’s the matter with you? Get out. Go on!” Danny called out chasing Steve from the kitchen. 

“I don’t understand what the big deal is.” Steve  held up his hands not willing to get hit by the red aproned partner wielding a spatula in one hand and oven mitt in the other.

“That is because you sir, are a caveman.” Danny said turning back around waving the mitt over his shoulder. Jay traded Kono to help Gracie finish the tree so she could go separate the boys. It was only a matter of time before the SEAL made things chaotic. Jay knew Danny would be stressed, more so because of the Holiday and not the people. Slinking into the kitchen she greeted Lou’s wife with a quick hug and a kiss to the cheek. A habit she picked up from Danny’s mother of all people. 

“Hey good looking.” Jay said from the door way, hands up in front of her so he could see she was unarmed. 

“Hey.” 

“Can I come in?” 

“Depends are you leaving the mongrels outside?” Danny called out peering around Jay’s shoulder talking to Steve. Jay chuckled a bit unable to hide her amusement. Taking a step in she rounded the island counter and came to stand next to Danny. 

“Breathe. Not everything has to be done right this minute. You should go celebrate with the others. I’ll finish up in here.”

“But you’ve done most of the house decorating already. And you’ve cooked most of this week already. And I already promised I would finish up th-” Danny said taking a deep breath under the gentle ministrations of long slender fingers working into the rebar that made up his shoulder.

“Yes, but I’d rather have you relax a bit and spend time with your daughter and son before we have burnt cookies on our hands. I’m not calling the fire department to save my gingerbread men this year.” 

Danny looked over his shoulder at her with a raise brow. 

“It happened once.” Danny said though there was a smile fighting its way onto his face.

“Once to many. Now give me that oven mitt and shoo.” Jay untied the apron, pulling it up over his head before he could really argue.

“Fine. But next time, I’m tying you to The Grinch, and have you both sit on the couch.” 

“Careful we might like that.” 

“Oh don’t even start that.” Jay just laughed pushing Danny out to mingle with his friends and save the gingerbread men from the oven. 

Leaves the lights on:

She had been terrified. The explosion earlier that day left her jumping at every little creak and tick of the analog clocks. To the point where she’d taken them all down and stopped them. All that played in her mind was the screaming, the crying, and the visions of the building falling down just after the concussion wave blew her onto her face. 

The EMTs said she would be fine. There was no glass embedded into her skin nor burns that needed to be seen. But that the cuts she did have were not too sever, but she would have to keep an eye on them. Even though the police asked her a dozen questions, taken her statement, and after Kono brought her home Jay refused to turn a single light off. 

She didn’t realize how much time had passed by. The sun had long since set when Danny finally came in. Every light in the house was on, and the only sound that was made was from him moving around. To think that three years ago a fearless woman had taken over his office. And now, now that same lawyer he’d gotten to know was curled up on the floor wrapped in a thin blanket and still wearing the torn, dirty, bloody clothes she had when the team had gotten there. 

The maniac was still on the lose but they were currently at a dead end. Steve had sent him to check on her and the sight he found left a heavy weight on his shoulders. Jay flinched and pulled away from his hand out of reflex rather than conscious action after he failed to call out to here. 

“Hey, hey, hey. It’s okay. You’re okay. What are you doing? Why are you on the floor? Huh? C’mon, let’s get you up and changed alright?” It took a while to get Jay up and changed. He led her into her bedroom, pulled out one of her over-sized t-shirts she called her comfy shirt and a pair of thin grey pj pants. He let her change on her own, just so he didn’t intrude and give her a chance to come back to reality. 

He stayed well past mid-night to make sure that the shell shock had work off. It had been her first bomb and he new better than almost anyone, that the first was always the worst. As he was tucking her in he reached for the knob on the bedside lamp, only for Jay’s hand to snap out. Thick nails dug into his wrist though it wasn’t on purpose.

“Nononon-” 

“Shush, shush, alright. Hey calm down. I won’t turn ‘em off okay? Just breathe. Slow and deep, just like you’re always telling me. I won’t let anything bad happen to you. You just have to breathe okay? It’s over.” Danny said bringing his hand up to rub her back. Tears welled in honeyed brown eyes and then fell with silent sobs as Jay buried her head into his thigh. Her grip loosened while her hand recoiled to clutch at the thin soft blue comforter. 

That was the first night Jay had slept with the lights on since she was five. It was also the first night Danny had spent the night. 

Uses the bathroom with the door open:

He didn’t know when he fell asleep. Nor did he know how he ended up leaning back against the headboard. legs stretched out on the bed. But from the ache in his lower back he knew he’d been there a while. Reaching up he pinched the bridge of his nose before rubbing his eyes. 

He could hear the shower running which was odd because he had seen the bathroom in the hall towards the bedroom. Shifting up onto his feet he made his way out to investigate. Danny almost immediately regretted his instincts as Jay came out of the bathroom in nothing but a towel in her hair. It was too early for that kind of thing and he’d gotten more than an eye full of lawyer. 

“Oh god. A little warning next time? What would have happened if I was some nutcase that broke into your house?” Danny covered his eyes with his hand trying to block out what was clearly an invasion of privacy. 

“Oh come on, isn’t like you haven’t seen what I have before. You have a daughter. You’re ex was a woman at last check.” He could hear the snark that New York had. A sign that she was either back to her own senses after the sleep she got. Or sh was real good at hiding her emotions. 

“That’s not the point. You don’t know if you can trust me? What if I was a person with questionable morals? Walking around in nothing is just asking for trouble!” 

“If you were that kind of man, you would have taken advantage of me last night. But you didn’t. And you can open your eyes I’m dressed.” 

“How do you know I’m a good guy?” “Because you came to check on me and then refused to leave when I tried to kick you out. I’m a lawyer I make a living arguning for truly evil people to sped the rest of their lives where they belong. I read people. It’s what I do. And I trust you.” Jay said as Danny turned around to look at her. As promised she had the pj pants on and he could only assume the shirt was on under the long thin kimono-styled robe. She had a point and he knew it.

 “Yeah okay. Just please don’t walk around your house in your birthday suit when there are other people under the same roof. Sound fair New York?” 

“No promises Jersey. Coffee’s ready.” Jay said turning around waving her hand for him to follow.

Fixes the plumbing (or calls the plumber):

"What were the directions again?” 

“You could just let me ca-” 

“Oh no. You are not calling him. That isn’t happening.”

“It’ll take less time than me telling you the sa-”

“No. I will fix this and then everything will be fine.” 

“Daniel.” 

“I told you not to call me that.”

“Will you let me fin-”

“Jay come on this isn’t that hard to fix.” Danny shuffled out from under the bathroom skin to look up at her. 

“Danny.... I’m calling the plumber. End of discussion. You’ve been trying to fix this for the last three hours.” Jay said tossing the instruction manual down at his feet.

“Jay. No come on, I said I could do it.” 

“And Jerry thinks that water purifiers are the CDC’s way to slowly poison us so they can kill us without any proof!” Jay shouted back from her kitchen. She had scared the poor receptionist when the line was picked up. “Hi sorry to bother you but can you please have a professional come to my house to install a water filter?”

“I am a professional thank you very much.” Danny said wiping his hands on a towel. Jay held up a finger as she was given a time estimate on when the next available plumber could come.

“Three? Excellent thank you.” Jay said hanging up. “Professional pain in my ass maybe.” 

“Oh I’m the pain in the ass? Yeah alright. Sure, go a head an laugh it up there chuckles. But guess what? If you wake up and find frogs in your living room again. Don’t call me.” Danny said with a smirk knowing that this was just playful banter. 

“You wouldn’t dare.”

“I plead the fifth.” The scoff was almost more hilarious than the thought of Jay locked in her bathroom because that was the safest place she could be in when the great frog-calypse happened a few moths back. 

This Meme: Accepting.Honorable Mention: @jerseysass, @kupale

[jeremystrele]

The Dogs Who Live In Some Of Australia’s Most Magnificent Homes!

The Dogs Who Live In Some Of Australia’s Most Magnificent Homes!

In Print

by Elle Murrell

Charlotte the poodle in the Clayfield, Brisbane, home she shares with Frank (also a toy poodle), which was designed by Richards & Spence. Photo – Nicole England.

Charlie the spoodle lives in Blairgowrie, Victoria, in this home designed by SJB Melbourne. Photo – Nicole England.

The labrador Canela at home in Camberwell. Photo – Nicole England.

Canela’s home was designed by Andrés Casillas de Alba with Evolva. Photo – Nicole England.

Nicole’s beautiful hardcover is out in November and now available for preorder. Photo – Nicole England.

Kelpies Scout and Diesel and collie-jack russell Boston at home in Nulla Vale, Victoria. Photo – Nicole England.

Scout, Diesel and Boston’s home was designed by MRTN. Photo – Nicole England.

Eric the Yorkshire terrier at home in Redfern Sydney. His place was designed by SJB Sydney. Photo – Nicole England.

Cookie the labradoodle at home in Fortitude Valley, Brisbane. The home was designed by Cavill. Photo – Nicole England.

Buddy the cocker spaniel x greyhound-whippet-cattle dog at home in Clontarf. The residence was designed by Bruce Rickard. Photo – Nicole England.

‘Whoa! Awwwww!!’.

Nicole England’s first book, Resident Dog, has been doing the rounds at our office, and that’s been the unanimous response, from interior aficionados and dog-lovers alike.

The Melbourne-based photographer has put her own unique spin on the architecture-and-interiors coffee table book, centering this beautiful hardcover not on human owners of 25 extraordinary homes, but their canine pals!

‘We see how the presence of a dog brings warmth and life to the most dramatic spaces – from mid-century raw brick to a penthouse apartment, gracious Edwardian to Scandinavian modern, from beach house to country retreat, there is always room for a dog or two,’ tells Nicole, who has been published in magazines worldwide, including Architectural Digest, Elle Décor and Wallpaper.

What’s so captivating about this book is how the dogs’ personalities shine through in each home captured. Then there are the captions detailing dog-directed design choices – you won’t be able to stop swooning AND smiling!

What inspired this unique project?

Just over one year ago, a friend/mentor asked me to describe my dream day photographing. My story included incredible architecture and interiors set on the edge of a forest and in front of the ocean, the sky was blue with milky white clouds, there was a great crew of people to work with – stylists, designers and the like – and, of course, a dog! ‘What’s with the dog she asked?’

The answer, dogs make me laugh and they bring a beautiful energy to a shoot. They soften the mood and help us connect, not only with each other but the environment that we are in.

So, you’re very much a dog-lover?

Definitely, I have always loved dogs – what’s not to love about a real, live teddy bear!  We have a part-time dog that comes over with my partner’s children; Bella is the sweetest, kindest, cutest little furball, and we all adore her.

As an accomplished architecture and interiors photographer, what has been the biggest challenge photographing pooches in such spectacular homes?

I think the biggest challenge and what I love most about this project are so very closely connected: it’s the randomness of dogs that make photographing them frustrating and hilarious all at the same time.

Each shot is set up to capture the architecture in its best light, this can take up to 20 minutes. But on many occasions, by that stage, the resident dog would move on to another patch of sun, or would chase a bird, try and lick my face, steal my sock… or anything else not conducive to taking that particular image.

The shoots have not been easy, but they are the most fun architectural shoots you could ever go on.

We can imagine! If this is as good as it gets, what will you be doing next?

I will definitely be carrying on this project. I am putting together a website where I will continue to share more resident dogs and their incredible homes, including regular stories, behind the scenes imagery, a shop, and more.  There will also be another book, that’s for sure!

Resident Dog: Incredible Homes and the Dogs that Live There’ by Nicole England, RRP $75, is published by Thames & Hudson. Available in November, it is currently available for pre-order here.

[helloworlddemo1122-yahoopar-blog]

Meet Milly Shapiro, the 15-Year-Old Breakout Star of 'Hereditary' (Exclusive)

Milly Shapiro is just that good. At the age of 10, she auditioned for her first Broadway show, Matilda the Musical, and booked the eponymous role, shared with three other young actresses. The girls won a Tony Honor for Excellence in Theatre. (And were nominated for a Grammy.) Following the show's run, she auditioned for her first movie, Hereditary, and booked that too. As the self-described "queen of the dark side," Shapiro, who's 15, had found her dream job portraying Charlie Graham, the tongue-clicking, bird-decapitating daughter of Toni Collette. ("I was freaking out because she's in The Sixth Sense!")

"I've gotten really good at timing things in horror movies and movies in general and I'll be watching a horror movie with my sister and I'll say, 'Three, two, one,' and someone will get stabbed," she tells me of what drew her to the unpredictably twist plot of what has been hailed as "this year's most terrifying horror movie."

Ahead of Hereditary's release, Shapiro endured her first Hollywood press tour. "In theater, it's a lot more hectic," she explains. She is seated in a corner booth of Culina, the restaurant off the lobby of the Beverly Hills Four Seasons, in a flamboyantly pink dress covered with lace flowers, her black kitten heels tucked under the table, looking very much the opposite of meek, dour Charlie. "I remember when I was in Matilda, we would have interviews in the day and then we'd go to a show and it's just, like, absolutely insane. This is, like, chill and there's time to breathe." Over tea with ET, Shapiro discussed how Hereditary terrorized her Yorkshire Terriers, being compared to a drag queen and filming the film's most gruesome scenes.

ET: How did you first get into acting and know that you wanted to pursue it professionally?

Milly Shapiro: When I was three, I lived in Florida and my mom took me to see the touring production of Cats. And I was, like, absolutely silent -- which for a 3-year-old never happens -- and I turned to her and said, "I need to do this." That's when I started my performer journey. Neither of my parents did anything performance-related, so they were both like, "What the heck am I going to do with this child?" But my sister was into it too, and so we started taking voice lessons. I would take, like, little 15-minute voice lessons because I was a wee child, and I would learn the weirdest songs. Like, the first song I learned was "Call Me When You're Sober" by Evanescence. But I thought it said "silver," so it was basically fine. Then a few years later, I started acting. I did a production of Annie and my sister played Molly and I was Orphan Number 3. It was my best role. [Laughs] Then I had my first audition, which was for Matilda, and I got it and that was really cool. That was two years ago. Wow. And the next thing I did was Hereditary!

How much did you know about Hereditary when you went in to audition?

I got the audition when I was walking home from school, so I went home and I read [the script] and I was like, "Oh my god, this is, like, the best horror movie script that I've ever read. I need this job." And then I stayed home the next day and dove into the audition, because I really wanted it. I read the script, like, two or three times and I just remember being really overdramatic in my reactions to it and my dogs were really concerned. Like, I was sitting at the table and I would gasp and my dogs would run over and be, like, Are you OK?! And I'd be like, Yes! I'm fine!

And then I went in for the audition and I didn't think I got it, because for some reason, when I was there, all of the other girls were redheads and I was like, Oh, I guess they're wanting a redhead. It's very odd to go into an audition and just have everybody else be a redhead. Then I got a callback and I went in and it went pretty well and I was like, Oh! This went well! Then they asked for a director's callback and it went well, but then I didn't hear anything for a while. Then one day when I got home from school, my mom was like, "You got the part!!!" And I freaked out and was jumping around and my dogs were barking at me because they thought I was insane.

Did you do anything to celebrate getting the part?

I did! Me and a couple of my friends went out and we got cake at a restaurant. Cake is a very beautiful thing.

Cake is a very beautiful thing. What was it about Charlie as a character that you connected with?

I just thought she was very misunderstood. A lot of people that see it, they'll either like her or they won't. I think that the thing with her is she's very innocent -- even though she does do all these creepy stuff, because to her, that's just normal. She doesn't think like a normal person would, which was very interesting. All of the characters I'd played before then were very different, and I always like to try new things that I haven't done before.

Charlie's thing is her tongue popping. Is that something you knew how to do already?

Yeah, kind of! I wasn't really the best at it and I was like, How am I gonna do this? Me and [director] Ari [Aster] talked over a few versions of it, and we settled on one. And now everyone is, like, freaking out about it and I've seen some people comparing me to the drag queen Alyssa Edwards, which is really funny because RuPaul's Drag Race is amazing.

I told Ari about tongue popping being big in Drag Race culture and he hasn't seen the show but said, "I'm glad I could ruin something for you." By the end of shooting, were you so sick of tongue popping?

Not really. [Laughs] I thought it was funny! And it's funny, too, because whenever people see the movie, when they're walking out, you'll just hear them doing it to scare everyone else. Then everyone else will be like, Oh my god... It's fine! It's fine! It's just a movie.

Get ready because once the movie comes out, everyone is going to be asking you to tongue pop for them.

Some of my friends at school, since it's in some of the trailers, have been asking me to do it. My physics teacher asked me to do it!

Do you oblige?

Yeah. I do! I'm just like, OK, whatever. It's just a tongue click. I might as well!

Photo by Nicholas Hunt/Getty Images

What was the most difficult scene for you to film? Or which scene was most daunting when you read the script?

The scene that I was most worried about, I don't want to mention because it might spoil things...

Read on for major spoilers:

The thing that I was most worried about was the allergic reaction scene. But I had actually had that type of an allergic reaction before -- because I'm highly allergic to red ants. I was, like, five or six, so I had an experience with it, which I thought was absolutely hilarious, that I was going to have to act that. But I was really nervous because I thought that I would get it wrong. I was just worried. Everyone was really great with helping me through it and Ari and I worked together to get the perfect breathing and action for it. I was really nervous for that.

How many times did you do that full performance?

We did a lot! We did one in a soundstage and we did another outside. I did it a few times. I was nervous. I overdid it a bit too, because I didn't realize till afterwards that in the soundstage, [when] I had to hang out the car, I had bruised my side from banging around so much. I didn't realize it because of the adrenaline, and I never realize when I hurt myself. I put my all into it and I hope that everyone likes it.

How did you feel at the end of that day?

I was really hyper, because I was like, Oh my god, it's over! I did it! Especially when we did it outside, because I got to hang out of a real, moving car and they had me tethered in and people were holding my legs and it was so much fun. It was basically like a roller coaster while acting and I was like, This is like everything I love! I was really hyper afterwards and it was, like, one in the morning and everyone was dead tired and I was jumping around, very excited! They were like, "What the heck..."

After your death scene, we get this incredible shot of--

My head. Covered in ants.

Was that a mold you had to sit for?

It was. I went to Canada for a day for that. I always think it's absolutely hilarious that I went to Canada for a day. I went there and it took, like, 20 minutes. They put this silicone mold over my entire head and shoulders, then I sat there for 20 minutes and they just had holes for your nose, so you could breathe. It was over your eyes and in your ears and you're just sitting there. They told me that a lot of people had freaked out, but, for me, it was, like, really calm. It's kind of like being in a sensory deprivation tank because it's dark and quiet and I was like, This is like taking a nap but not sleeping. It's very weird, but it was very calming.

Were you still shooting when they filmed the portion with your head? Or did you not see it until you saw the completed movie?

I didn't see it until I saw the movie, because that was in the day and they went back and did that. But I did get to see the head, which I thought was amazing. I didn't get to see it all put together until I saw it at Sundance, so I had no idea what to expect. I really want them to give it to me! I really do! I kept mentioning it. I'm like, "You know, since you're not filming anymore, you can just give me the head..." They're like, "What would you do with it?" And I'm, like, little do you know how much I would do with it. I keep trying to convince them to give it to me and then I'm trying to convince my mom, if I do get it, to let me just put it in the center of the table as a centerpiece. Then put fruit around it or something. Some of my friends agree with me that they think it would be funny, but others are like, "What is wrong with you?"

Having starred in the movie and seen the technical side of how it's made, are you still able to be scared by watching it now?

A bit. I was scared a bit. But I do watch a lot of horror movies, so not a lot of things scare me anymore. It was one of those things, like when you see The Shining or The Exorcist, you can't stop thinking about it and you're trying to stop because it's freaking you out, but you can't. You're scared in the moment, but afterwards, it's stuck with you forever and it will never leave you be. Not a lot of horror movies these days are like that.

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