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fibula-rasa · 8 months ago

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(Mostly) Lost, but Not Forgotten: Omar Khayyam (1923) / A Lover’s Oath (1925)

Alternate Titles: The Rubaiyat of Omar Khayyam, The Rubaiyat, Omar Khayyam, Omar

Direction: Ferdinand Pinney Earle; assisted by Walter Mayo

Scenario: Ferdinand P. Earle

Titles: Marion Ainslee, Ferdinand P. Earle (Omar), Louis Weadock (A Lover’s Oath)

Inspired by: The Rubaiyat of Omar Khayyam, as edited & translated by Edward FitzGerald

Production Manager: Winthrop Kelly

Camera: Georges Benoit

Still Photography: Edward S. Curtis

Special Photographic Effects: Ferdinand P. Earle, Gordon Bishop Pollock

Composer: Charles Wakefield Cadman

Editors: Arthur D. Ripley (The Rubaiyat of Omar Khayyam version), Ethel Davey & Ferdinand P. Earle (Omar / Omar Khayyam, the Director’s cut of 1922), Milton Sills (A Lover’s Oath)

Scenic Artists: Frank E. Berier, Xavier Muchado, Anthony Vecchio, Paul Detlefsen, Flora Smith, Jean Little Cyr, Robert Sterner, Ralph Willis

Character Designer: Louis Hels

Choreography: Ramon Novarro (credited as Ramon Samaniegos)

Technical Advisors: Prince Raphael Emmanuel, Reverend Allan Moore, Captain Dudley S. Corlette, & Captain Montlock or Mortlock

Studio: Ferdinand P. Earle Productions / The Rubaiyat, Inc. (Production) & Eastern Film Corporation (Distribution, Omar), Astor Distribution Corporation [States Rights market] (Distribution, A Lover’s Oath)

Performers: Frederick Warde, Edwin Stevens, Hedwiga Reicher, Mariska Aldrich, Paul Weigel, Robert Anderson, Arthur Carewe, Jesse Weldon, Snitz Edwards, Warren Rogers, Ramon Novarro (originally credited as Ramon Samaniegos), Big Jim Marcus, Kathleen Key, Charles A. Post, Phillippe de Lacy, Ferdinand Pinney Earle

Premiere(s): Omar cut: April 1922 The Ambassador Theatre, New York, NY (Preview Screening), 12 October 1923, Loew’s New York, New York, NY (Preview Screening), 2 February 1923, Hoyt’s Theatre, Sydney, Australia (Initial Release)

Status: Presumed lost, save for one 30 second fragment preserved by the Academy Film Archive, and a 2.5 minute fragment preserved by a private collector (Old Films & Stuff)

Length: Omar Khayyam: 8 reels , 76 minutes; A Lover’s Oath: 6 reels, 5,845 feet (though once listed with a runtime of 76 minutes, which doesn’t line up with the stated length of this cut)

Synopsis (synthesized from magazine summaries of the plot):

Omar Khayyam:

Set in 12th century Persia, the story begins with a preface in the youth of Omar Khayyam (Warde). Omar and his friends, Nizam (Weigel) and Hassan (Stevens), make a pact that whichever one of them becomes a success in life first will help out the others. In adulthood, Nizam has become a potentate and has given Omar a position so that he may continue his studies in mathematics and astronomy. Hassan, however, has grown into quite the villain. When he is expelled from the kingdom, he plots to kidnap Shireen (Key), the sheik’s daughter. Shireen is in love with Ali (Novarro). In the end it’s Hassan’s wife (Reicher) who slays the villain then kills herself.

A Lover’s Oath:

The daughter of a sheik, Shireen (Key), is in love with Ali (Novarro), the son of the ruler of a neighboring kingdom. Hassan covets Shireen and plots to kidnap her. Hassan is foiled by his wife. [The Sills’ edit places Ali and Shireen as protagonists, but there was little to no re-shooting done (absolutely none with Key or Novarro). So, most critics note how odd it is that all Ali does in the film is pitch woo, and does not save Shireen himself. This obviously wouldn’t have been an issue in the earlier cut, where Ali is a supporting character, often not even named in summaries and news items. Additional note: Post’s credit changes from “Vizier” to “Commander of the Faithful”]

Additional sequence(s) featured in the film (but I’m not sure where they fit in the continuity):

Celestial sequences featuring stars and planets moving through the cosmos

Angels spinning in a cyclone up to the heavens

A Potters’ shop sequence (relevant to a specific section of the poems)

Harem dance sequence choreographed by Novarro

Locations: palace gardens, street and marketplace scenes, ancient ruins

Points of Interest:

“The screen has been described as the last word in realism, but why confine it there? It can also be the last word in imaginative expression.”

Ferdinand P. Earle as quoted in Exhibitors Trade Review, 4 March 1922

The Rubaiyat of Omar Khayyam was a massive best seller. Ferdinand Pinney Earle was a classically trained artist who studied under William-Adolphe Bougueraeu and James McNeill Whistler in his youth. He also had years of experience creating art backgrounds, matte paintings, and art titles for films. Charles Wakefield Cadman was an accomplished composer of songs, operas, and operettas. Georges Benoit and Gordon Pollock were experienced photographic technicians. Edward S. Curtis was a widely renowned still photographer. Ramon Novarro was a name nobody knew yet—but they would soon enough.

When Earle chose The Rubaiyat as the source material for his directorial debut and collected such skilled collaborators, it seemed likely that the resulting film would be a landmark in the art of American cinema. Quite a few people who saw Earle’s Rubaiyat truly thought it would be:

William E. Wing writing for Camera, 9 September 1922, wrote:

“Mr. Earle…came from the world of brush and canvass, to spread his art upon the greater screen. He created a new Rubaiyat with such spiritual colors, that they swayed.” … “It has been my fortune to see some of the most wonderful sets that this Old Earth possesses, but I may truly say that none seized me more suddenly, or broke with greater, sudden inspiration upon the view and the brain, than some of Ferdinand Earle’s backgrounds, in his Rubaiyat. “His vision and inspired art seem to promise something bigger and better for the future screen.”

As quoted in an ad in Film Year Book, 1923:

“Ferdinand Earle has set a new standard of production to live up to.”

Rex Ingram

“Fifty years ahead of the time.”

Marshall Neilan

The film was also listed among Fritz Lang’s Siegfried, Chaplin’s Gold Rush, Fairbanks’ Don Q, Lon Chaney’s Phantom of the Opera and The Unholy Three, and Erich Von Stroheim’s Merry Widow by the National Board of Review as an exceptional film of 1925.

So why don’t we all know about this film? (Spoiler: it’s not just because it’s lost!)

The short answer is that multiple dubious legal challenges arose that prevented Omar’s general release in the US. The long answer follows BELOW THE JUMP!

Earle began the project in earnest in 1919. Committing The Rubaiyat to film was an ambitious undertaking for a first-time director and Earle was striking out at a time when the American film industry was developing an inferiority complex about the level of artistry in their creative output. Earle was one of a number of artists in the film colony who were going independent of the emergent studio system for greater protections of their creative freedoms.

In their adaptation of The Rubaiyat of Omar Khayyam, Earle and Co. hoped to develop new and perfect existing techniques for incorporating live-action performers with paintings and expand the idea of what could be accomplished with photographic effects in filmmaking. The Rubaiyat was an inspired choice. It’s not a narrative, but a collection of poetry. This gave Earle the opportunity to intersperse fantastical, poetic sequences throughout a story set in the lifetime of Omar Khayyam, the credited writer of the poems. In addition to the fantastic, Earle’s team would recreate 12th century Persia for the screen.

Earle was convinced that if his methods were perfected, it wouldn’t matter when or where a scene was set, it would not just be possible but practical to put on film. For The Rubaiyat, the majority of shooting was done against black velvet and various matte photography and multiple exposure techniques were employed to bring a setting 800+ years in the past and 1000s of miles removed to life before a camera in a cottage in Los Angeles.

Note: If you’d like to learn a bit more about how these effects were executed at the time, see the first installment of How’d They Do That.

Unfortunately, the few surviving minutes don’t feature much of this special photography, but what does survive looks exquisite:

see all gifs here

Earle, knowing that traditional stills could not be taken while filming, brought in Edward S. Curtis. Curtis developed techniques in still photography to replicate the look of the photographic effects used for the film. So, even though the film hasn’t survived, we have some pretty great looking representations of some of the 1000s of missing feet of the film.

Nearly a year before Curtis joined the crew, Earle began collaboration with composer Charles Wakefield Cadman. In another bold creative move, Cadman and Earle worked closely before principal photography began so that the score could inform the construction and rhythm of the film and vice versa.

By the end of 1921 the film was complete. After roughly 9 months and the creation of over 500 paintings, The Rubaiyat was almost ready to meet its public. However, the investors in The Rubaiyat, Inc., the corporation formed by Earle to produce the film, objected to the ample reference to wine drinking (a comical objection if you’ve read the poems) and wanted the roles of the young lovers (played by as yet unknown Ramon Novarro and Kathleen Key) to be expanded. The dispute with Earle became so heated that the financiers absconded with the bulk of the film to New York. Earle filed suit against them in December to prevent them from screening their butchered and incomplete cut. Cadman supported Earle by withholding the use of his score for the film.

Later, Eastern Film Corp. brokered a settlement between the two parties, where Earle would get final cut of the film and Eastern would handle its release. Earle and Eastern agreed to change the title from The Rubaiyat of Omar Khayyam to simply Omar. Omar had its first official preview in New York City. It was tentatively announced that the film would have a wide release in the autumn.

However, before that autumn, director Norman Dawn launched a dubious patent-infringement suit against Earle and others. Dawn claimed that he owned the sole right to use multiple exposures, glass painting for single exposure, and other techniques that involved combining live action with paintings. All the cited techniques had been widespread in the film industry for a decade already and eventually and expectedly Dawn lost the suit. Despite Earle’s victory, the suit effectively put the kibosh on Omar’s release in the US.

Earle moved on to other projects that didn’t come to fruition, like a Theda Bara film and a frankly amazing sounding collaboration with Cadman to craft a silent-film opera of Faust. Omar did finally get a release, albeit only in Australia. Australian news outlets praised the film as highly as those few lucky attendees of the American preview screenings did. The narrative was described as not especially original, but that it was good enough in view of the film’s artistry and its imaginative “visual phenomena” and the precision of its technical achievement.

One reviewer for The Register, Adelaide, SA, wrote:

“It seems almost an impossibility to make a connected story out of the short verse of the Persian of old, yet the producer of this classic of the screen… has succeeded in providing an entertainment that would scarcely have been considered possible. From first to last the story grips with its very dramatic intensity.”

While Omar’s American release was still in limbo, “Ramon Samaniegos” made a huge impression in Rex Ingram’s Prisoner of Zenda (1922, extant) and Scaramouche (1923, extant) and took on a new name: Ramon Novarro. Excitement was mounting for Novarro’s next big role as the lead in the epic Ben-Hur (1925, extant) and the Omar project was re-vivified.

A new company, Astor Distribution Corp., was formed and purchased the distribution rights to Omar. Astor hired actor (note, not an editor) Milton Sills to re-cut the film to make Novarro and Key more prominent. The company also re-wrote the intertitles, reduced the films runtime by more than ten minutes, and renamed the film A Lover’s Oath. Earle had moved on by this point, vowing to never direct again. In fact, Earle was indirectly working with Novarro and Key again at the time, as an art director on Ben-Hur!

Despite Omar’s seemingly auspicious start in 1920, it was only released in the US on the states rights market as a cash-in on the success of one of its actors in a re-cut form five years later.

That said, A Lover’s Oath still received some good reviews from those who did manage to see it. Most of the negative criticism went to the story, intertitles, and Sills’ editing.

What kind of legacy could/should Omar have had? I’m obviously limited in my speculation by the fact that the film is lost, but there are a few key facts about the film’s production, release, and timing to consider.

The production budget was stated to be $174,735. That is equivalent to $3,246,994.83 in 2024 dollars. That is a lot of money, but since the production was years long and Omar was a period film set in a remote locale and features fantastical special effects sequences, it’s a modest budget. For contemporary perspective, Robin Hood (1922, extant) cost just under a million dollars to produce and Thief of Bagdad (1924, extant) cost over a million. For a film similarly steeped in spectacle to have nearly 1/10th of the budget is really very noteworthy. And, perhaps if the film had ever had a proper release in the US—in Earle’s intended form (that is to say, not the Sills cut)—Omar may have made as big of a splash as other epics.

It’s worth noting here however that there are a number of instances in contemporary trade and fan magazines where journalists off-handedly make this filmmaking experiment about undermining union workers. Essentially implying that that value of Earle’s method would be to continue production when unionized workers were striking. I’m sure that that would absolutely be a primary thought for studio heads, but it certainly wasn’t Earle’s motivation. Often when Earle talks about the method, he focuses on being able to film things that were previously impossible or impracticable to film. Driving down filming costs from Earle’s perspective was more about highlighting the artistry of his own specialty in lieu of other, more demanding and time-consuming approaches, like location shooting.

This divide between artists and studio decision makers is still at issue in the American film and television industry. Studio heads with billion dollar salaries constantly try to subvert unions of skilled professionals by pursuing (as yet) non-unionized labor. The technical developments of the past century have made Earle’s approach easier to implement. However, just because you don’t have to do quite as much math, or time an actor’s movements to a metronome, does not mean that filming a combination of painted/animated and live-action elements does not involve skilled labor.

VFX artists and animators are underappreciated and underpaid. In every new movie or TV show you watch there’s scads of VFX work done even in films/shows that have mundane, realistic settings. So, if you love a film or TV show, take the effort to appreciate the work of the humans who made it, even if their work was so good you didn’t notice it was done. And, if you’ve somehow read this far, and are so out of the loop about modern filmmaking, Disney’s “live-action” remakes are animated films, but they’ve just finagled ways to circumvent unions and low-key delegitimize the skilled labor of VFX artists and animators in the eyes of the viewing public. Don’t fall for it.

VFX workers in North America have a union under IATSE, but it’s still developing as a union and Marvel & Disney workers only voted to unionize in the autumn of 2023. The Animation Guild (TAG), also under the IATSE umbrella, has a longer history, but it’s been growing rapidly in the past year. A strike might be upcoming this year for TAG, so keep an eye out and remember to support striking workers and don’t cross picket lines, be they physical or digital!

Speaking of artistry over cost-cutting, I began this post with a mention that in the early 1920s, the American film industry was developing an inferiority complex in regard to its own artistry. This was in comparison to the European industries, Germany’s being the largest at the time. It’s frustrating to look back at this period and see acceptance of the opinion that American filmmakers weren’t bringing art to film. While yes, the emergent studio system was highly capitalistic and commercial, that does not mean the American industry was devoid of home-grown artists.

United Artists was formed in 1919 by Douglas Fairbanks, Charlie Chaplin, Mary Pickford, and D.W. Griffith precisely because studios were holding them back from investing in their art—within the same year that Earle began his Omar project. While salaries and unforgiving production schedules were also paramount concerns in the filmmakers going independent, a primary impetus was that production/distribution heads exhibited too much control over what the artists were trying to create.

Fairbanks was quickly expanding his repertoire in a more classical and fantastic direction. Cecil B. DeMille made his first in a long and very successful string of ancient epics. And the foreign-born children of the American film industry, Charlie Chaplin, Rex Ingram, and Nazimova, were poppin’ off! Chaplin was redefining comedic filmmaking. Ingram was redefining epics. Nazimova independently produced what is often regarded as America’s first art film, Salome (1923, extant), a film designed by Natacha Rambova, who was *gasp* American. Earle and his brother, William, had ambitious artistic visions of what could be done in the American industry and they also had to self-produce to get their work done.

Meanwhile, studio heads, instead of investing in the artists they already had contracts with, tried to poach talent from Europe with mixed success (in this period, see: Ernst Lubitsch, F.W. Murnau, Benjamin Christensen, Mauritz Stiller, Victor Sjöström, and so on). I’m in no way saying it was the wrong call to sign these artists, but all of these filmmakers, even if they found success in America, had stories of being hired to inject the style and artistry that they developed in Europe into American cinema, and then had their plans shot down or cut down to a shadow of their creative vision. Even Stiller, who tragically died before he had the opportunity to establish himself in the US, faced this on his first American film, The Temptress (1926, extant), on which he was replaced. Essentially, the studio heads’ actions were all hot air and spite for the filmmakers who’d gone independent.

Finally I would like to highlight Ferdinand Earle’s statement to the industry, which he penned for from Camera in 14 January 1922, when his financial backers kidnapped his film to re-edit it on their terms:

MAGNA CHARTA

Until screen authors and producers obtain a charter specifying and guaranteeing their privileges and rights, the great slaughter of unprotected motion picture dramas will go merrily on.

Some of us who are half artists and half fighters and who are ready to expend ninety per cent of our energy in order to win the freedom to devote the remaining ten per cent to creative work on the screen, manage to bring to birth a piteous, half-starved art progeny.

The creative artist today labors without the stimulus of a public eager for his product, labors without the artistic momentum that fires the artist’s imagination and spurs his efforts as in any great art era.

Nowadays the taint of commercialism infects the seven arts, and the art pioneer meets with constant petty worries and handicaps.

Only once in a blue moon, in this matter-of-fact, dollar-wise age can the believer in better pictures hope to participate in a truely [sic] artistic treat.

In the seven years I have devoted to the screen, I have witnessed many splendid photodramas ruined by intruding upstarts and stubborn imbeciles. And I determined not to launch the production of my Opus No. 1 until I had adequately protected myself against all the usual evils of the way, especially as I was to make an entirely new type of picture.

In order that my film verison [sic] of the Rubaiyat of Omar Khayyam might be produced under ideal conditions and safeguarded from intolerable interferences and outside worries, I entered into a contract with the Rubaiyat, Inc., that made me not only president of the corporation and on the board of directors, but which set forth that I was to be author, production manager, director, cutter and film editor as well as art director, and that no charge could be made against the production without my written consent, and that my word was to be final on all matters of production. The late George Loane Tucker helped my attorney word the contract, which read like a splendid document.

Alas, I am now told that only by keeping title to a production until it is declared by yourself to be completed is it safe for a scenario writer, an actor or a director, who is supposedly making his own productions, to contract with a corporation; otherwise he is merely the servant of that corporation, subject at any moment to discharge, with the dubious redress of a suit for damages that can with difficulty be estimated and proven.

Can there be any hope of better pictures as long as contracts and copyrights are no protection against financial brigands and bullies?

We have scarcely emerged from barbarism, for contracts, solemnly drawn up between human beings, in which the purposes are set forth in the King’s plainest English, serve only as hurdles over which justice-mocking financiers and their nimble attorneys travel with impunity, riding rough shod over the author or artist who cannot support a legal army to defend his rights. The phrase is passed about that no contract is invioliable [sic]—and yet we think we have reached a state of civilization!

The suit begun by my attorneys in the federal courts to prevent the present hashed and incomplete version of my story from being released and exhibited, may be of interest to screen writers. For the whole struggle revolves not in the slightest degree around the sanctity of the contract, but centers around the federal copyright of my story which I never transferred in writing otherwise, and which is being brazenly ignored.

Imagine my production without pictorial titles: and imagine “The Rubaiyat” with a spoken title as follows, “That bird is getting to talk too much!”—beside some of the immortal quatrains of Fitzgerald!

One weapon, fortunately, remains for the militant art creator, when all is gone save his dignity and his sense of humor; and that is the rapier blade of ridicule, that can send lumbering to his retreat the most brutal and elephant-hided lord of finance.

How edifying—the tableau of the man of millions playing legal pranks upon men such as Charles Wakefield Cadman, Edward S. Curtis and myself and others who were associated in the bloody venture of picturizing the Rubaiyat! It has been gratifying to find the press of the whole country ready to champion the artist’s cause.

When the artist forges his plowshare into a sword, so to speak, he does not always put up a mean fight.

What publisher would dare to rewrite a sonnet of John Keats or alter one chord of a Chopin ballade?

Creative art of a high order will become possible on the screen only when the rights of established, independent screen producers, such as Rex Ingram and Maurice Tourneur, are no longer interferred with and their work no longer mutilated or changed or added to by vandal hands. And art dramas, conceived and executed by masters of screen craft, cannot be turned out like sausages made by factory hands. A flavor of individuality and distinction of style cannot be preserved in machine-made melodramas—a drama that is passed from hand to hand and concocted by patchworkers and tinkerers.

A thousand times no! For it will always be cousin to the sausage, and be like all other—sausages.

The scenes of a master’s drama may have a subtle pictorial continuity and a power of suggestion quite like a melody that is lost when just one note is changed. And the public is the only test of what is eternally true or false. What right have two or three people to deprive millions of art lovers of enjoying an artist’s creation as it emerged from his workshop?

“The Rubaiyat” was my first picture and produced in spite of continual and infernal interferences. It has taught me several sad lessons, which I have endeavored in the above paragraphs to pass on to some of my fellow sufferers. It is the hope that I am fighting, to a certain extent, their battle that has given me the courage to continue, and that has prompted me to write this article. May such hubbubs eventually teach or inforce a decent regard for the rights of authors and directors and tend to make the existence of screen artisans more secure and soothing to the nerves.

FERDINAND EARLE.

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☕Appreciate my work? Buy me a coffee! ☕

Transcribed Sources & Annotations over on the WMM Blog!

See the Timeline for Ferdinand P. Earle's Rubaiyat Adaptation

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wawamouse · 29 days ago

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Oz Rewatch 3: S6E01: Dead Man Talking

Plotlines

Jeffrey Keane guest narrating

McManus creates his gay and stupid meditative maze after attending a “new age seminar”; McManus opens a box left behind by Augustus, discovering his book and sharing it with Said and Redding

Pancamo comes out of the hospital an regroups with Morales

Redding has been in mourning over Hill; Said tells him to get it together

Solitary case review day; Omar falls ill in Solitary and is hospitalised; Miguel is recommended to be let out; McManus forces Miguel and Chico to make up

Rebadow is still depressed about little Alex; McManus transfer him to a library job; Stella arrives as the new librarian

Kirk arrives on Death Row; Mukada returns to Oz and initially refuses see Kirk; Kirk wants an exorcism, angering Mukada further. Monsignor comes to see Mukada about SA accusations by Kirk and Mukada is temporarily suspended from the priesthood

Suzanne is putting on Macbeth;

Shupe flashback; Ryan threatens Shupe about giving testimony to Cyril’s lawyer but Shupe isn’t a credible witness

Peter Schibetta accuses Ryan of killing his father; he goes to see his wife; Schibetta comes to join the play and says some stuff about the Evil Eye; Meehan talks to Ryan about becoming a better person; Meehan dies in the middle of the night

Beecher is now in Unit J for his safety until his parole hearing; Schillinger is released from Solitary and returned to Unit B; Winthrop wants to move up from prag status by killing Beecher’s father; Mr Beecher visits Beecher and then Keller to help with his case; Winthrop kills him as he is leaving

Mayor Loewen arrives at Oz amidst chaos outside and inside; SORT discovers Mr Beecher’s body

Sister: Did his brother die yet? It’s been six months since last season apparently… Me: You think they’re not going to milk that out?

Sister: What, he can’t hear that screaming?

Sister: Jesus, lady, is no time sacred?!

Sister: He looks like he's been getting facials. Me: W-what? Sister: Chico’s skin looks better this season, and his hair is nicer looking. They both seem younger this season, too. Less greasy overall. Miguel finally can afford sleeves. Ooh, fancy. Cotton~ Impressive.

Sister: Hate makes one bald. Me: Did you say ‘hate makes one bald’? Sister: Yeah, he shouldn’t do that. He’s going to stress and lose all his hair. Just let them be… Don't try and get in their way!!

Sister: She definitely got fired from her last job.

Sister: Back from Jurassic Park…

Sister: Didn’t they already have this conversation last season? …Do you think they’ve been doing this same song and dance every night for the last six months? 'Cause, I mean, surely the Father prays every night… Me: I like to imagine that whenever there are time jumps in this show, they all just stand there in spooky stasis and nothing actually happens.

Sister: (drumming on knees eagerly) Let’s see that wife! I wanna see the wife! Is it Shannon? Me: Girl, Shannon is not in this place. Sister: (booing because there’s no Shannon) (booing because Schibetta’s wife never gets a close up)

Sister: Put him in the play. Handsome Man. Handsome Man #2.

Sister: (snorting deeply) I don’t know what he’s talking about. [Ryan] has the same poopy face with everyone.

Sister: (tutting) No wonder Shannon left him…

Sister: Who shall be his roommate now? Schibetta? Me: (wistful sigh)

Sister: Didn’t that guy used to have hair?

Stray thoughts

I wonder who told Peter about Ryan killing Nino

We rewinded to investigate the color of Meehan’s shitty underwear because Sister could’ve sworn it was red so she thought it was another eating glass story line

We also rewinded to check out Peter’s wife

Sister: The priest storyline and the mayor storyline are very topical… disgraced mayor Eric Adams… the Archdiocese (of Los Angeles) announced they were paying that billion dollar settlement for sexual abuse…

Torres is played by an MMA fighter named Frank Shamrock??

Sister says she’s willing to take on guardian angel duties for Schibetta but she’s still on the fence because she’s “not sure he’s learned his lesson” and she “can’t be representing losers—what will that do to my reputation”?

Final Thoughts

Sister: Cyril’s got a very strong demon voice now… Probably because he’s rooming next to Satan.

Sister: I’m surprised [Howell] hasn’t gotten an STD yet

Sister: I didn’t get to see [Schibetta]’s wife’s face fully, which made me sad. Although she kinda looked more like his mom from what I could see…

Sister: Someone was trying to be crafty with that [scene where all the Solitary inmates say their little piece at the window]. Like Chicago… Did they announce before this season that it would be the last? Me: Oh, huh. I'm pretty sure they knew. Sister: Because I feel like they’re trying to be more cinematic… And they got like a higher budget or something. Like Chico and Miguel both have better clothes. And Chico looks better. Me: So based on this episode, do you have any predictions on where the storylines will go? Sister: I mean, I don’t know it can go where it shouldn’t have gone in the six months that supposedly passed… They didn’t really have anything for Said this episode… He was just doing his spiritual thing… And [Redding] was still grieving six months later, which was juxtaposed with Rebadow and his budding romance this season to carry on his family name, haha. I don’t know, did that librarian seem hostile to you? I feel like it was supposed to be romantic tension, but she kind of seemed like she was planning on killing him. Me: Any thoughts on Kirk and Mukada and the Satan thing? Sister: I’m just surprised that they haven’t found the Reverend yet. And he even mentioned the dude disappearing this episode but there still wasn’t any follow up like “yeah, where did he vanish to?” Also, when they were doing the Solitary voting thing, I feel like someone wasn’t voting very seriously. Like only Sister Pete was a dissenting vote against Schillinger getting out? McManus didn’t vote against him? Me: Any thoughts on the play? Sister: I wanna see what their budget it is. Because they had a really large background and paint is expensive… And they were doing props? Me: Well, they were probably using tempera paint… And those big school tubs are probably like $20. Sister: Yeah, but they have multiple colors… I guess we’ll have to see what other props they get… (gasp) What if the skull is real?! Me: (for the nth time in our viewing conversation) They’re not doing Hamlet!!

#oz hbo #oz rewatch

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bullet-prooflove · 4 months ago

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A quick round up of updates on the blog including new characters added to the ASK LIST and a list of fics that went out last week:

New Fics:

Chicago Med:

Emergency Contact - You realise you don't have anyone to put down as an emergency contact. (Sean Archer x Reader)

Don't Look Back - After running into you at the hospital Sam tries to convince himself not to look back.

Couples Counselling - Sam and you start to date again after couple's counselling.

Right Here, Right Now - Crockett doesn't need anymore than you can give.

Emergency Contact - You help Mitch out in a tricky situation.

Cobra Kai:

Self Defence - You wake up in the middle of the night with John Kreese's hands locked around your throat.

Failure - Terry makes a decision regarding your home in the aftermath of what happened with Kreese.

I Do - Terry gives you his mother's ring in a chapel in Tuscany.

Paper Airplanes - Terry begins to consider starting a family.

Summer School - Daniel's excited to meet Anthony's new art teacher.

Criminal Minds:

Empty Drawer - Will will do anything to get you to stay.

Lily Blossom - Will makes a realisation during your first night together.

FBI:

Yours - Omar realises that you still belong to each other after all this time.

FBI Most Wanted:

The Worst Type of Asshole - Remy apologises for his behaviour.

Haven:

Sedated - Your Trouble causes issues when the doctors try to help with your injuries. (Dwight Hendrickson x Reader)

Stars (NSFW) - You and Duke spend a night under the stars.

Law & Order:

All I Want Is You - Mike reveals his feelings after he makes a mistake.

Mayans:

Silver (NSFW) - You discover Neron has a piercing.

The Musketeers:

In Sickness & in Health - Athos tries to look after you when the sickness moves through Paris.

The Most Dangerous Woman in France - Even on your wedding day you are still the most dangerous woman in Paris. (Treville x Reader)

NCIS:

Not Yet - Jimmy doesn't want you to come just yet.

Rainy Mornings - Nick wishes he could stay in bed with you on a rainy Washington morning.

NCIS - LA:

Name Your Prize - AJ asks you to name your prize during a race.

NCIS New Orleans:

The Cutest Damn Thing - LaSalle realises he's in love.

Second Fiddle (feat: Douglas Hamilton) - You finally end things with Douglas.

The Rookie:

One Woman - There's only been one woman that Tim's been thinking about these past few years.

Culpability - John tries to reach out after he finds out about Robert Ortiz.

Late Night Wine - Wade wakes up the morning after on the floor in your living room.

The Rookie Feds:

Time (NSFW) - You and Matt don't want to waste any more time

Supernatural:

Sweet Dreams - Dean thinks about how this all started.

Deals With the Devil (feat: Michael)- You wake up with an angel in your bed.

Top Gun Maverick:

Something About You - There's just something about you that makes Jake want to settle down.

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artsy-hobbitses · 1 year ago

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Besides the code names, do the TTB characters have any other nicknames or terms of endearment for each other?

I can’t do a detailed list but off the top of my head;

Bumblebee/Benjamin: Baby Boy/Leprotto (Sunstreaker, ie. ‘little bunny’), Ahrairah (Jazz/Prowl), Benjie/Benjie Elliot (HotRod ie. his name + Billy Elliot)

Ratchet/Ronan: Ratch, Doc, Blackjack (Windblade, who introduces him to the show), Patch (Dinobots ie. skin graft on his face), Assclepius (Sunstreaker)

Prowl/Preston: Baobei (Jazz, ie. 'babe), Prick (Basically anyone not on good terms with him), Capn’ (Hotrod, respectfully after Prowl loses an eye and saves him from the Functionist Universe)

Jazz/Jace: Jayzee (Hotrod, from his initials 'Jace Zayden'), Jinwu (Prowl ie. ‘Golden Crow’ East Asian myth, meant to represent the sun)

Springer/Spencer: Hu Zi (Prowl/Jazz, ie. 'little tiger'), Spence, Mametaro (Windblade ie. 'bean boy' referring to his cuteness as a kid, bight green hair + unique origin), Cabbage Patch (HotRod ie. green hair + little fella + unique origin)

Mirage/Meirion: Merry (Hound), Casper (HotRod)

OP/Omar: Aul Man (HotRod), Glowstick Prime (Whirl), Al-Khattab (Shockwave)

First Aid/Fatima: Nightingale (Streetwise, referring to Florence Nightingale due to her bedside manner compared with Ratchet)

Alpha Trion/Aillard: Gandalf (Hotrod), Pagemaster

Arcee/Ai Xia: Aikira (HotRod/Windblade because GRANNY DOIN BIKE SLIDES BABY), Pohpoh (Younger folks, 'granny')

Sideswipe/Sergio: Fratellino (Sunstreaker), Tweedledee (Ratchet), Saif (First Aid, ie. 'Sword', as he's a frontliner), Enjy (HotRod ie. his 'Enjolras' coat), Barricade Boy (Mirage)

Sunstreaker/Serafino: Fratellone (Sideswipe), Tweedledum (Ratchet), Shamsir (First Aid ie. 'Sword', but also 'Sham' ie. 'Sun'), Lucifer/Lucy (StrongArm ie. his name, 'Angel' and his terrible demeanor)

StrongArm/Stella: White Dwarf (Sunny ie. her name--'Star'--her white hair and her short height), Evenstar (Sideswipe)

Kup/Kopisha: Bajyai (Springer, 'Grandma'), Harisa (Shockwave, ie. 'lioness')

Windblade/Wariko: Riko, Cara Mia (Starscream)

Chromia/Carina: Rina, Dora Milaje, Grace Jones

Drift/Dai: Deadman (Sunstreaker, his body count + ghost-seeing ability)

Starscream/Stefan: Red Baron, Pretty Bird (Shockwave), Uguisu (Windblade, 'Bush Warbler'), Pet (Windblade, not the way Tarn uses it but the way folks in Northeast England use it)

Ravage/Ramiro: Rami, Elskede (Laserbeak, ‘Beloved one’), Lapcat (Tarn), Bagheera (HotRod)

Laserbeak/Lara: Hot Topic (Hotrod), Mi Sol (Ravage, ‘My Sun’),

This is not comprehensive at all! I do have a cast of 40+ and the tangled relationship lines they weave between each other after all :'3 If you'd like to know about a specific person not named here, feel free to ask for that person specifically!

#inbox #save for later

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hispanic-artists-recs · 1 month ago

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Hispanic Artists To Listen To!

In honor of Hispanic Heritage Month–which just ended last week– and Latin music making its way into global music charts, I want to spotlight some of these Hispanic music artists that deserve a listen. Whether you are Hispanic yourself, trying to immerse yourself in the culture, or simply a music lover looking for some new music recommendations, this blog is for you!

Want to check if your favorite songs are making the charts? Click Here

American music and entertainment magazine Billboard, is a fun resource to look at to find out what songs are currently trending through music charts, news updates, videos, reviews, and more. You can filter each chart by global reach or genre to get more accurate information about your musical niche.

THE MARIAS

If you’re a fan of indie bedroom-pop, you’ll love The Marias’ retro, dreamy sound. The Marias is a Latinx band that formed back in 2016 named after its lead singer, Maria Zardoya. Zardoya alternates between English and Spanish lyrics as she incorporates her Puerto Rican roots with her soft, velvety vocals. With Josh Conway on the drums, Edward James on the keyboard, and Jesse Perlman on the guitar, they create a psychedelic and atmospheric sound using guitar riffs and jazz elements. Zardoya and Conway wrote and produced their first track “I Don’t Know You" which was discovered and played by a radio station igniting their success.

Click here to check out this interview where Zardoya talks about the fate behind the band’s start and career.

Give this performance a listen to hear what they're about!

youtube

I recommend:

“No One Noticed”

“Otro Atardecer” (with Bad Bunny)

“Carino”

“Heavy”

“Over the Moon”

Listen on Spotify / Apple Music

OMAR APOLLO

Starting as a guitarist at his Catholic church in Indiana and writing songs in his bedroom on the side, Mexican-American artist, Omar Apollo, amassed overnight success when he uploaded “Ugotme” to Spotify back in 2017. Since then he has collaborated on works with Daniel Caesar and Kali Uchis and learned from producers including Pharrell Williams. Nominated for the 2023 Best New Artist Grammy, he has established a name for himself with his ambient, bilingual and soulful music. He sings about his Mexican heritage, trials with love, and experiences as a gay man while mixing in elements of Mexican culture like singing with a live mariachi.

Click here to read more about Apollo's early music days.

To truly experience the world of Omar Apollo I recommend tuning into his NPR Tiny Desk performance!

youtube

I recommend:

Evergreen

Ugotme

En el Olvido

Killing Me

Done with You

Listen on Spotify / Apple Music

KALI UCHIS

Kali Uchis is a Columbian-American artist who has reached mainstream success with her bilingual tracks, but also fully Spanish albums over the years. She has a dreamy voice with a genre-bending range akin to classic oldies, 2000s R&B, and high tempo reggaeton. Living out of her car in Virginia with a love for music, Uchis focused on creating and solidifying herself as an artist. Her music started to gain traction after she released her songs online, connecting her to artists in the Los Angeles music scene she would later collaborate with. Her name might sound familiar if you didn’t already know about her because of her popular tracks with Tyler the Creator, Daniel Caesar, SZA, and Omar Apollo.

Click here to read a Q&A interview where Uchis shares her unique journey to stardom.

For some live Kali Uchis check out this video!

youtube

I recommend:

After the Storm (ft. Tyler the Creator)

Melting

Your Teeth in My Neck

Dame Beso // Muévete

No Eres Tu (Soy Yo)

Listen on Spotify / Apple Music

Here are some honorable mentions:

Peso Pluma, Ivan Cornejo, Eslabon Armado, Natalia Lafourcade, Rauw Alejandro, Rita Payés, Mon Laferte, Julieta Venegas, Café Tacvba, and Fuerza Regida

Have other recommendations? Reply with your personal favorites or song recommendations below!

#latinx #music #the marias #omar apollo #kali uchis #hispanic #indie

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qnewsau · 1 month ago

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Daniel Craig's Queer sex scenes leak before we even get a trailer

New Post has been published on https://qnews.com.au/daniel-craigs-queer-sex-scenes-leak-before-we-even-get-a-trailer/

Daniel Craig's Queer sex scenes leak before we even get a trailer

The explicit gay sex scenes from Daniel Craig’s Queer have leaked online, before the highly-anticipated new movie’s trailer has even dropped.

Queer is the upcoming film from Challengers and Call Me By Your Name director Luca Guadanino, based on the 1985 novel by William S Burroughs.

It stars Daniel Craig and Drew Starkey as two men who meet in Mexico City, and out heartthrob Omar Apollo makes his acting debut in a supporting role.

Queer doesn’t have a release date yet but the flick is doing the rounds on the festival circuit. The film received an 11-minute, 44-second ovation after its premiere at the Venice Film Festival.

The hype is insane, and Queer‘s stars have been teasing the film’s gay sex scenes for months.

As more people see the film in US and Europe, naughty cinemagoers are whipping out their phones and spread the explicit scenes on Twitter X.

We’re not going to post the clips here because we don’t want to go to jail. But people are reacting hilariously to seeing a lot of Daniel Craig and Omar Apollo on their timelines.

drew starkey getting topped on my tl okayyy pic.twitter.com/dtKMmn0tvr

— n. (@ungodlymakk) October 9, 2024

almost got scared when I opened the Queer leak in public but then remembered I’m at sweat

— Kyle (@kylemiller_10) October 9, 2024

@hellokrissyj @samia_chow pic.twitter.com/SwD4QRbe5K

— Angel Rod. (@angelfishes) October 9, 2024

drew starkey bottoming scene from queer doing rounds on the tl……. pic.twitter.com/LOGSsRHdhu

— (@peachpanthress) October 10, 2024

omar apollo leaked queer scene saved to camera roll pic.twitter.com/XUMSDFJrRZ

— RooBee (@angelbabybutts) October 9, 2024

queer is gonna leak in its entirety before we have a poster…

— bunny (@chthonicrabbit) October 9, 2024

To everyone who keeps leaking clips from Queer: I genuinely hope you get sued. Like seriously

— mathis (@cinephileslut) October 9, 2024

Daniel Craig and Drew Starkey on Queer’s sex scenes

Speaking to Variety last month, actor Drew Starkey said shooting Queer, he and Daniel Craig were “game for anything.”

“We just were like, “Let’s go for it, let’s have fun,” he began.

“He was a great partner to have in that. I think him and I share that same mentality of just not giving a shit.

“[Luca] was so specific — he wanted us to be as comfortable as possible throughout that process, and we would block off where these intimate scenes would happen. We talked months in advance about what we thought it should be.

“It was also like a dance. We were trying to figure it out. But those were some of the most fun days I think we all had on set — just Daniel and I laughing.”

Daniel Craig said at the Venice Film Festival, “We just wanted to make it as touching and as real and as natural as we possibly could.

“Drew’s a wonderful, fantastic, beautiful actor to work with, and we just, we kind of had a laugh. We tried to make it fun.”

Queer is set in Mexico City in the 1940s

Over in the US, prestige distributor A24 is putting out Queer, and Mubi is distributing the film in numerous countries across Europe. No mention of an Australia release just yet, as per usual.

In Queer, William Lee – a stand-in for author William S Burroughs himself – is wandering Mexico City in the 1940s, fighting drug addiction.

There, he becomes madly infatuated with Allerton, who is battling demons of his own. Allerton toys with Lee, making the gay man even more obsessed with him. The two men later go travelling together.

Director Luca Guadagnino is known for his 2017 gay romance Call Me by Your Name as well as 2024’s very horny tennis drama Challengers.

For the latest LGBTIQA+ Sister Girl and Brother Boy news, entertainment, community stories in Australia, visit qnews.com.au. Check out our latest magazines or find us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube.

#Queer film

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kwebtv · 3 months ago

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James William Ercolani (June 8, 1936 – September 2, 2024), known by his stage name James Darren. Television and film actor, television director, and singer. During the late 1950s and early 1960s, he had notable starring and supporting roles in films. As a teen pop singer, he achieved hit singles including "Goodbye Cruel World" in 1961. He later became more active in television, starring as Dr. Anthony Newman in the science fiction series The Time Tunnel (1966–1967). He appeared in the regular role of Officer James Corrigan in the police drama T. J. Hooker (1983–1986) and in the recurring role of Vic Fontaine in Star Trek: Deep Space Nine (1998–1999).

Twice, in 1959 and 1961, Darren played teen idols on episodes of The Donna Reed Show.[10][11] He did an episode of The Lineup (1959).

Darren guest-starred on an episode of Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea as an Android Omar, that was produced by Irwin Allen. Allen then cast Darren in the lead of a series, as impulsive scientist and adventurer Tony Newman on the science fiction series The Time Tunnel (1966–1967) with Robert Colbert and Lee Meriwether. When the series ended, Allen shot a pilot for a new series starring Darren, The Man from the 25th Century, but it was not picked up.

In the 1970s, Darren performed regularly in night clubs. He focused on guest starring on TV series, such as Love, American Style; S.W.A.T.; Police Woman; Black Sheep Squadron; The Feather and Father Gang; Charlie's Angels; Police Story; Hawaii Five-O; Vegas; The Love Boat; and Fantasy Island.

He had a role in the TV movie The Lives of Jenny Dolan (1975) and the film The Boss' Son (1978).

In the early 1980s Darren appeared on Scruples (1981), and One Day at a Time.

Later Darren had a regular role as Officer James Corrigan on the television police drama T. J. Hooker from 1983 to 1986. He directed some episodes and launched a career as a director, notably of action-based series, including Hunter, The A-Team, Silk Stalkings, Renegade, and Nowhere Man, as well as dramas such as Beverly Hills, 90210 and Melrose Place. (Wikipedia)

IMDb Listing

#James Darren #TV #Obit #Obituary #O2024 #The Time Tunnell #T. J. Hooker #Star Trek: Deep Space Nine

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sylvia-lydia-morelos-1974 · 2 months ago

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September 28, 2024...2:20 p.m.

"856 DENUNCIAS DE ABUSO INFANTIL EN BC [Baja California]."

Semana del 20 al 26 de Septiembre de 2024

Numero 2634

Costo $20

Portada: S.A.

911. The CVS at 10889 Wellworth, Los Angeles, CA. 90024, the supervisor SANTILLAN (her last name, the one she's using), she's the one on the cover. She PERMS her hair to make fun of the innocent, see statue by the VIRGIN MARY inside BLESSED SACRAMENT CHURCH off of CHEROKEE & SUNSET, 90028. The employees there all wear red shirts with a heart on the back of it. I worked there for ~6 months, reported 911 terrorism, found my own children there and other children who were being brutalized. Santillan also bragged: "i killed your fetus at ALVARADO PARKWAY INSTITUTE in San Diego." And "I killed your baby nephew!" My brother's baby, "she doesn't know." I reported other crimes. They always knew my babies were related to me, PATRIOT FAMILIES, and to FREDERICK DOUGLASS, um poqhuino. They also KNEW (THOMPSON as well) that we are directly related to the pope, John Paul II

(my little one, the 19 month old, with ADHD, Thompson scratched up his face sideways, with more than 20 perps, CVS included. My little one looks like John Paul II; Thompson ALWAYS knew; he rubbed it in my face. he lost his head over it.(grin). /S./)

...my other little boy, Um Poqhuino, who is directly related to Frederick Douglass, also my family, also is related to Pope_John_XXIII, whom I also look like:

Richard Clayton Thompson, dob 09 17 75, ss # 435 65 1226, ALSO knew this, as did CVS at 10889 Wellworth, 90024 off of Westwood, across the street from

PAPA JOHN.

SANTILLAN knows. So do the rest. I reported a LOT of crimes there. Then i left. I just got back from Mexico and friends told me other crimes committed against my children and other children and teens. United Pacific at 7900 Beverly Blvd. off of FAIRFAX, i.e. Jonathan Aguilar, Karina Castaneda, Omar Martinez, Raul Payan Lomeli-Azoubel dob 08 12 73, Richard Clayton Thompson, Susan Bakota, 310 478 7733 and Ramsey Lewis, MSW at Tina Pleasant Baker Board and Care (2006) 2438 K. Street, 92102 are all involved in crimes/rapes against students at schools, trafficking etc., right by LIBERTAD entrance, Jose Barocio, class of 1988 Berendo Jr. High school too. They were uniforms light blue and white? You've been implicated by the USA in trafficking, etc. You are wearing the same color of uniforms as TROLLEY COPS, light blue and BLACK (death) and yellow and black. Not a coincidence. Lomeli, Hernan placed my kids in plastic trash bags; now you know the city is NOT honoring you it's been condemning you. Orange sybolizes WARDING OFF EVIL that you are. PUMPKINS and JACK O LANTERNS too.

You perps are the trash. San diego is VERY CATHOLIC. WELCOME TO CATHOLIC "CHARITIES" too. There are many other things you perps don't notice. But you are predictably COMFY.

FUN! We know where to find you. You come back for more COMFY. Including inside the RONALD REAGAN UCLA medical center. UCLA loves the kids and patriot kids.

F Y I.

the perps inside that cvs are kept VERY close to UCLA.

there are NO coincidences.

/S./

#sylvia lydia morelos

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thebonnetblogger · 9 months ago

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I have a few thoughts about "Love and Basketball"...

Can I cross you over for your heart?

Have you ever loved a movie so much when you were younger, thought it was simply wonderful and a sheer masterpiece... only to rewatch it again as an adult and realize that it is just BASURA, BABY! Garbage! It stinks!

That is how I felt about the movie, “Love & Basketball” …

… and “Mortal Kombat: Annihilation”, because why in the hell would you kill Johnny Cage two minutes into the sequel?! He defeated Scorpion and Goro, for goodness’ sake! And what is with swapping Sonya and Raidon?! Trash!

Anyways…

For those who are unfamiliar with the 2000 movie, “Love & Basketball” tells the story of Quincy McCall and Monica Wright, two next-door neighbors in Los Angeles, who are pursuing their respective basketball careers before eventually falling for each other. The movie stars Omar Epps and Sanaa Lathan and was written and directed by Gina Prince-Bythewood.

[Sidenote: Spike Lee produced the movie, and I am like… why?]

Back to my thoughts… the movie basically is a young love story that happens to center around the sport of basketball—because hockey is too bloody and football just doesn’t make one’s heart sing like that.

The movie begins with a young tomboy, Monica approaching young boys playing basketball in a neighborhood that her family just moved into. This is where she meets Quincy, a son of an NBA player (who is played by the All State insurance guy and the same man that Savannah’s mom said was a good man… even though he had a WHOLE WIFE). When the boys agree to let her play, she takes off her hat and reveals that she is indeed a girl because apparently, a hat is the ultimate disguise. She was like Clark Kent.

After revealing that she is a girl, the boys show that misogyny has no age, and they question if she can even play. She proves to them she can. Monica is balling and Quincy cannot handle her sauce. Unfortunately, the little boy’s ego is bruised because he sucks and he pushes Monica, and she gets a cut on her face.

Little Boy! It is not her fault that you suck. You should have had your NBA playing daddy practice more with you, but apparently, he was too busy with other things… that we will discuss later.

After Monica gets cleaned up, Quincy comes over to apologize and asks her to be his girlfriend. What in the Blueface/Chrisean is going on here?! You left me with a permanent scar and now you’re trying to be my boo?! Is it crack?

However, Monica agrees—foolishly, but as you watch the movie further, you see that “foolish” is her middle name. Now, they are boyfriend and girlfriend, and they go to ride bikes. Quincy says that Monica must ride on the back of his bike because he is her boyfriend now, but Monica is a real a** b***h who doesn’t give an “F” about a ninja, and she says that she would rather ride her own bike. Quincy gets mad, breaks up with her, pushes her AGAIN! Someone needs to get this boy some anger management classes!

They tussle in the grass and then there is a time lapse.

Now, they are in high school and guess what they are doing…. playing basketball.

Monica is playing on the girls’ basketball team, and it is obvious that she really loves the game. She has a passion for it and gives the sport her all. Quincy, on the other hand, though he loves basketball, I feel like he does it more because he admires his father and wants to be like his dad. He loves the notoriety that comes with it all.

Rewatching the movie, this is when I noticed that Monica was more into Quincy than he was into her.

For example, when Quincy is playing, Monica is there to support him and stays for the entirety of the game. However, when Monica plays, Quincy leaves a few minutes in, leaving after Monica gets benched. It wasn’t like she was going to be on the bench forever, Quincy! You could have stayed, you selfish son of a b---.

If I didn’t mention it before, I shall mention it now… Monica and Quincy live next door to one another. Their bedroom windows are literally facing each other, separated by a gate, I think. When Quincy’s parents are arguing, Quincy climbs out of his bedroom and goes into Monica’s to sleep in peace.

Being a parent of teenager, BARS ON THE WINDOWS! I don’t care how platonic the relationship is… “Relations” are still in the word, but Quincy doesn’t see Monica “like that” even though the audience can see that she likes him. It really took Monica wearing a dress for the dance for him see her as attractive.

Really? Is that all it took? You saw some ankle and suddenly, your loins get activated and you’re ready to plow?

And plow he did! Because after they leave their dates, he climbs into her bedroom and takes her virginity! Quincy, you dog you.

After doing the nasty, the two lovers and friends embark on their new romantic relationship while going to the same college. And once again… they are both playing basketball (These two are nothing but consistent… and I admire that). It is revealed that Monica is only starting because one of the players got pregnant and apparently, babies and basketball do not mix.

Anyways… nothing is more sweet than young love, amirite? It just feels so good… until it doesn’t. And it stopped feeling good when Quincy finds out that his parents were divorcing because his father couldn’t keep it in his pants and managed to get one of these harlots pregnant.

HE IS NOT A GOOD MAN, SAVANNAH!

The news of his parents’ divorce is really taking a toll on Quincy. He and Monica talk about it on campus at night, but Monica remembers that she has a curfew and missing that curfew would get her kicked off the team. Do you think Quincy cares? Hell no! He wants her to stay back and talk with him about how his father is for the streets (he was an NBA player in the late 1970s and early 1980s… are you really surprised?).

Monica tells Quincy that she will talk to him tomorrow. For some reason, Quincy took that as she doesn’t care about him, she doesn’t love him…, and she wants an open relationship.

Wait… what?

They are supposed to go out for lunch… or dinner… or whatever time it was to eat, and Quincy invites another girl with them. Oh, hell no! The apple doesn’t fall far from the tree because you’re a douchebag just like your sultry-voiced father. Monica gets angry and leaves the dorm room.

Hours later, Quincy is waiting outside of her dorm for Monica. He says all he did was buy that girl Burger King.

Did you buy her a meal? Did you make it a large?!

He downplays it as nothing even though he was clearly in the wrong to even suggest it, making it seem as though he wouldn’t have did what he did if Monica was there for him. SIR, WHAT?! She had a curfew! And this is what made me angry. He always wants her to sacrifice for him! He didn’t care about the fact that she be kicked off the team or get in trouble, everything was about him. Is this the type of movies you are funding, Spike?!

Monica goes to leave, and he grabs her to stop her from walking away… ONLY TO BREAK UP WITH HER! Why did you stop her in the first place? You should have just let her leave! I hate him so much!

[Sidenote: Good riddance, Quincy!]

A few years have passed. Quincy is playing for the Lakers in the NBA and Monica is playing overseas in Barcelona. She comes across another country’s women’s basketball team and see one of her teammates from college—the one that made sure to tell her that she was only starting because another player bust I wide open and got pregnant. They are cool now. She asks Monica how the men are in Spain and Monica is like… men? She doesn’t date. Girl, why?! Because of punk-a** Quincy?

Monica moves back home. Quincy is engaged (to Tyra Banks) and while playing in a game, he injures his knee. He won’t be able to play anymore. Monica goes to visit him in the hospital and one can tell that she still has feelings for him… and it is the dumbest thing to witness. Girl, why?!

Monica is working at a bank and after talking with her mother, Camille (Alfred Woodard)—who always had an issue with her love for basketball—still encouraged her daughter to follow her dreams.

I guess to Monica, that meant going after a man in a relationship, because she went to talk to Quincy literally that same night… a few days before his wedding!

Because basketball is a pivotal thing in their relationship, Monica challenges Quincy to a one-on-one game for nothing other… than his heart. Ugh! If she wins, he calls off his wedding. “I want to play you for your heart”. SAY WHET NAH?! Stand up! STAND UP! Those are some high stakes and the dumbest thing I’ve ever heard. Girl, you don’t have to do this. There are other men out there!

But Quincy agrees. And all I can think is “Poor Tyra” because he must not love her enough if a simple game of basketball is a deciding factor if he will marry her or not. Pathetic.

They are, and I must say… Quincy is giving Monica that work! He is crossing her over, I think there was some fouling, some breaking of the ankles; he is playing like she is Kobe. And he is WINNING! This man is like “Screw your heart! B***h, I came to win! I am a winner!”.

Quincy wins… but because he doesn’t want to lose her (or you just want someone to be obsessed with you), he chooses to be with her.

Years later, Monica is playing for the WNBA and Quincy is a stay-at-home dad for their daughter. Cute, right?

WRONG! Quincy didn’t choose her… he settled for her. Though his knee injury was getting better; he wasn’t going to play for the NBA anymore. He didn’t have a backup plan.

And how did that conversation with his fiancée go after that night?

“Hey, baby. I know we were supposed to get married, but I just played a game of basketball with my long-time platonic friend who is also my ex-girlfriend, and I won; therefore, I am going to be with her now. No hard feelings?”

Rage. All I would feel is rage.

I am sorry if this might be some people’s favorite romantic movie, but this is nothing but toxic. Quincy was no prize and displayed a lot of F**k Boy behavior. He was a spoiled jerk who felt like everyone should kiss his butt because he could dribble a ball. Monica always found it hard to move on from him, but he moved freely without a care in the world. This was not love, people! This was some co-dependency BS and I want Monica to know her worth! Where was her mother and father to steer her away from this madness?!

Ladies, do you see everything Monica did? Do the opposite of that!

What are your thoughts?

Sincerely,

#film #writing #romance #romcom #love&basketball #sanaa lathan #omar epps #tyra banks #basketball #love #friendshop #movie review #funny #follow #explore #explorepage #trending #blog #blogger

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wondcrstrucks · 1 year ago

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☆ –– (taylor zakhar-perez, he/him, cis man) who is OMAR RUIZ-OSMAN anyways? ew. you don’t know about HIM, we’ll bet you want to. they’re feeling 30 and CUDDLING HIS DOG feels like a perfect night to them. rumor has it they’re GULLIBLE and RECKLESS because they care, but they’re also CHARISMATIC and INTELLIGENT in the best way. HE works to make a little money as a EMT. they’ve rented a place on cornelia street in the form of AN APARTMENT. YOU’RE ON YOUR OWN KID & CHAMPAGNE PROBLEMS are the songs they could dance to the beat of forevermore.

STATS !

birth name : omar rafael ruiz-osman nick name : n/a birth date : december 24th sexuality: bisexual biromantic currently residing : woodvale apartmetn 203 occupation : emt

family : aiden osman (father), sofia ruiz (mother), _____ ruiz-osman (older sibling) pets : pitbull/lab mixed named cooper relationship status: it's complicated notable past relationships: champagne problems (muse a)

hair color : dark brown eye color : brown height : 6'1" noticeable scars: various knicks and cuts from being a dumbass piercings : n/a tattoos: n/a

HISTORY !

omar rafael is born screaming on christmas eve and doesn't stop causing his parents trouble from that moment onwards. he is loud, uncontrollable, and chaotic growing up. his favorite activity is getting into things he knows he's not allowed to, but it gets him the attention of his parents that he so desperately wants.

his parents are often busy, and omar and his sibling are left in the care of nannies more often than not. his parents still love them, still take them on family vacations and spend time with their children but it's not enough to keep omar from acting out. if he misbehaves, his parents pay attention to him. it's simple really.

when school comes around, it seems impossible for omar. they want him to sit still for too long, tasks are boring and the classroom is just too loud for him to fully pay attention. his teachers call him a trouble maker, a class clown, anything but what he needs to hear.

it isn't until fourth grade that the ruiz-osman family gets their answers: omar is autistic and has adhd. it helps getting a diagnosis and the family throws themselves into getting him the resources he needs. his older sibling steps in and is the first to know how to calm omar down during a meltdown.

school becomes easier and omar finds an outlet in soccer. it helps him get out excess energy and make friends all at the same time. his parents encourage it.

but everything comes crashing down one afternoon when omar and his sibling come home from school to their parents sitting in kitchen. they're getting a divorce, not from not loving each other enough but from growing apart and realizing they just aren't compatible as husband and wife. their mother moves out shortly and then moves across the country to be closer to her family.

omar took the divorce hard, convincing himself it was somehow his fault his parents' split and his grades started suffering because of it. his older sibling noticed and helped him through it, later recommending a therapist.

after graduation, omar goes the college route but quickly gets overwhelmed and drops out. it's better this way, he tells his family and it's not like he even wanted to know what he wanted to do with his life anyways. he floats around various jobs for a while, living with his father until one day he gets into a wreck on his way to work.

the paramedics are angels on earth, omar is convinced of it. and realizes that he wants to be one of them. he enrolls in emt school the following autumn and gets certified a year later. being an emt is everything omar needed, the past environment perfect for his adhd.

his therapist recommends a service dog to help with the meltdowns and feelings of being overwhelmed in public, so that's exactly what omar does. he gets a dog, names it cooper, and gets him certified as a service animal. cooper now goes everywhere omar does and spends his days at the station when omar is working.

WANTED !

ex(es): between the off and on that him and bellamy have going on, omar tried dating. some exes ended up on good terms, some on bad, and some realized they're better off as friends. friends: omar is a lot and he knows this, but the boy deserves friends. give us fellow dumbasses, friends that calm the chaos, friends that fuel the chaos, everything. someone that does NOT like omar: i have this idea that a close friend/family member of this muse was in a bad accident and omar was the responding emt and the call did not go well. so now this muse hates omar because they blame him for everything that happened.

#( &. a pathological people pleaser: omar )#( &. intro: omar )

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legion1227 · 11 months ago

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72 Shows Watched in 2023: Ranked!

72. Titans (Season 4)- 2/5.

As someone who genuinely enjoyed the first two seasons, the fall-off was immensely disappointing. Season 3 was disappointing, but I'm more infuriated with season 4. I did not like the setup or payoff with Trigon, Brother Blood, and any other antagonists this season, or Superboy's character arc. A disappointing, dull slog the entire way through.

71. The Witcher (Season 3)- 2.5/5

I thought the third season started fine. Henry Cavill as Geralt will always be iconic. The rest of the cast, characters like Yennefer, Ciri, and Jaskier are compelling when onscreen but the others feel unmemorable. Episode 5, which focused on Geralt and Yen in the ballroom, was possibly the best episode of the season. But the last three episodes were forgettable enough to bring down my overall enjoyment. I shudder at how Liam Hemsworth will be next season or just how the next season will be. Period.

70. Bupkis- 2.5/5.

Bupkis is a comedy on Peacock, starring Pete Davidson as himself in a slightly more extreme version of his life. It also stars Edie Falco, notable for playing Carmella in The Sopranos and Jackie in Nurse Jackie, as his mother, and Joe Pesci, of Goodfellas and Home Alone fame, as his grandfather. The star power is grand but the jokes are light. There are some engaging stories told from episode to episode, but as a comedy, it could strive to be better. Reel back on your celebrity guests and write stronger jokes for the second season please, Pete.

69. Bel-Air- (Season 2) 3/5

Also on Peacock, the dramatized version of the classic, beloved sitcom, The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air. In comparison to season 1, I think it's a bit of a step-down. The actors chosen to portray the iconic characters and add a new spin on them are finely picked and perform solid performances. But the storylines for each character are...eh. Like, Carlton struggles with an addiction to coke for the season and it doesn't feel the most engaging. The character dynamics are enough to elevate it slightly, but it's still just an okay season.

68. Kaleidoscope- 3/5

Kaleidoscope is a Netflix show that spans over 24 years, where a crew of bandits try to steal billions. Part of the appeal of the show is that you can watch the show in any order you want. It's a neat gimmick to tell a linear story, but the story being told could be better. Giancarlo Esposito, known as Gus Fring in Breaking Bad and Better Call Saul, does well in a role that separates him from the villainous roles he's taken over the past decade. Every other actor and character could stand to be better. I'd like to see another show try this gimmick again, but...in a more intriguing manner.

67. Secret Invasion- 3/5

Personally, I don't find the show to be as horrendous as others attest, but it is easily the weakest MCU show to grace the small screen. Wondering which character may or may not be human or a Skrull was fun, the fight scenes are okay, and Samuel L Jackson is always a delight as Nick Fury. But the political drama they strived for here is uninspired. And the show downright looks ugly at times in comparison to far prettier shows like WandaVision or Loki. Rest in Peace to Maria Hill and Talos for having to die in such a mid show.

66. Bookie- 3/5

Bookie is an HBO Max original starring stand up comedian Sebastian Maniscalco as a veteran sports bookie trying to live his life and keep track of the various clients he has that make sports bets in Los Angeles. The premise itself holds some promise, and the characters are mostly likable. Its comedy is similar to Maniscalco's stand-up but still feels light on the laughter. Maniscalco and Omar Dorsey's characters carry the show enough to cross a threshold into becoming okay. It reminds me a little of Bupkis, but better.

65. Willow- 3/5

Willow is a continuation of the movie of the same name released back in 1988. The actor who played the titular Willow over 30+ years ago reprised his role once more as a powerful sorcerer who encounters a young group of heroes who embark on a dangerous quest. While the movie reminded me of The Neverending Story with its tone, the show does the same, more or less. The action scenes and cast were perfectly okay, sorta carrying itself on a cheesy, endearing vibe that you either rock with or don't. What's most egregious is how the show was wiped away Disney+ canceled and wiped from their platform, making it impossible to view via legal means.

64. Camp Lazlo- 3/5

Camp Lazlo was a show that used to air on Cartoon Network from 2005 to 2008. I used to watch it as a child then and rewatched it in its entirety for the first time in years. The series follows anthropomorphic spider monkey Lazlo and his bunkmates albino rhino Clam and elephant Raj as they look for fun times at Camp Kidney. It's a goofy, fine TV show that I think kids nowadays would get a kick out of, but there are better shows from that time to indulge in. The characters teeter from being likable to annoying from episode to episode, the character design is fine, and the comedy is lowbrow. It's not offensive in any way, but I'm a little disappointed since I liked this show a lot more as a kid than now. For me, it doesn't hold up too much.

63. The Last Kingdom (Seasons 3-5) 3/5

For 5 seasons, The Last Kingdom followed Uhtred of Bamburgh in the Medieval Age fighting mighty European armies and leading armies himself as a powerful warrior who's grown into his own. The first two seasons, viewed in the tail-end of 2022, were possibly the best seasons. Alexander Dreymon's performance as Uhtred was fine throughout, but not as gripping as I would hope. The same principle applies to every character introduced in the past three seasons after season two. A fine story is told throughout, but the best aspect has to be the action scenes. As disinterest took over towards the final season, I take solace that the movie that followed, Seven Kings Must Die, was really good and a great sendoff to Uhtred.

62. Dave (Season 3)- 3/5

Maybe Dave is the slightly better version of Bupkis than Bookie was. Dave stars David Burd, also known as Lil Dicky, as an extreme version of himself looking to boost his rap career. The latest season was a slight step down from season 2. It's always relied on gross-out humor, but it was too much this season. This season was a huge mixed bag with some good episodes and some that were average. Certain characters could use more fleshing out, like his friends, Elz, or Mike. More of that instead of flexing the cameos like Drake or Rick Ross would bring the show up a bit more. Though, to be fair, Brad Pitt in his episode was pretty entertaining.

61. Ahsoka- 3/5

Former Jedi knight Ahsoka Tano seeks to prevent the return of the Empire as she investigates and traverses the galaxy. I wanted to like this more than I did. I loved Ahsoka in the Clone Wars show and enjoyed Rosario's performance in the handful of episodes she appeared in Mandalorian and Book of Boba Fett. And while Rosario is decent as Ahsoka here, the rest of the cast fails to thrill me. Ahsoka seems like the kind of show that someone would enjoy if you watched the animated show Star Wars: Rebels because it would help make you care more about the characters. Unfortunately, I did not do that so it doesn't help. All I will really remember from this show is the appearances of Hayden Christensen's Anakin Skywalker.

60. Black Mirror (Season 6)- 3/5

The anthology show pushed out 5 episodes this season, and about 3 of them were good. Loch Henry was an uninteresting episode until the final ten minutes, and Mazey Day was the worst episode of the bunch easily. However, the performances and premises of the other three episodes were enough to bring the show as high as it did for me. If you're looking for a random standalone episode that's either entertainingly perplexing, pleasantly thought-provoking, or thrillingly cataclysmic, check out the episodes Joan is Awful, Demon 79, and Beyond the Sea.

59. Doom Patrol (Season 4)- 3/5

Originally a DC Universe Original before becoming an HBO Max original, Doom Patrol was a spinoff of the Titans show about an unlikely group of superheroes with depressing backstories saving the world. This final season really cemented itself that this particular brand of bizarreness, while engaging, was not necessarily for me. The first season was always my favorite, with Alan Tudyk as Mr. Nobody being an excellent foil to the group, but the proceeding seasons never met the same level of love for me as the first. The characters are likable, their arcs are well written, and there's a beautiful sendoff to the cast, but it has a unique sense of weirdness that, while I do admire it, doesn't resonate with me as much as it might for others.

58. AEW All Acess- 3.5/5

The second biggest professional wrestling promotion in America, AEW, showcased a reality show that gave viewers a glimpse into the backstage antics and lives of wrestlers. I'm not big on reality shows, but I love AEW and the wrestlers who work for the company as well. It was an intriguing peak behind the curtain but to an extent for a reality show such as this. Certain elements of drama feel corny as it's somewhat scripted for a "reality" show, there's only so much you can show. And with AEW battling real dramatic bits, like CM Punk fighting people backstage, it feels underwhelming what they show instead. Though, it's understandable they can't show or talk about those instances due to legal issues. Regardless, AEW All Access if a fine product for AEW and reality tv show fans, if there's a correlation.

57. Righteous Gemstones (Season 3)- 3.5/5

The HBO Max show follows the Gemstone family, a bunch of Christian televangelists running their church in the wake of the patriarch Eli's wife's death. The third and latest season is as consistent as the first two seasons. The performances and chemistry of the children, Judy, Kelvin, and Jesse, are a joy to watch. The entire cast is fun with their obscene humor leading to chuckle-inducing jokes. The Gemstones have heart that makes them so endearing.

56. Dexter (Seasons 5-7)

In a long-lasting endeavor to enjoy the original seasons before finally getting around to New Blood, the misadventures of blood-splatter analyst Dexter Morgan bled into 2023. The best seasons, 1-4, were watched in 2022, and this year, 5-7 were enjoyed. The fifth season was a step down from the first four, but the introduction of the character Lumen and Dexter's handling of his grief after losing someone dear to him made for still compelling television. The seventh season was on par with the fifth thanks to a compelling character in Isaak and Maria Laguerta's role. The sixth season is what brings the show down, as the antagonists are underwhelming against the many that came before.

55. Ned's Declassified School Survival Guide 3.5/5

Ned's Declassified was another kid's show I watched growing up that aired three seasons from 2004 to 2007. The show followed middle schooler Ned Bigby and his best friends Moze and Cookie as they tried navigating through middle school, looking to survive. I'm unsure what most kids are like these days, but I'd like to think that this would be something that kids approaching middle school would enjoy. The show became more interesting as seasons went on, the romance aspects were somewhat intriguing, and the wacky supporting characters were mostly likable. The tips and lessons could still apply to kids looking for a guide today. Kids might get a kick out of this today, but should probably stay away from the weird podcast about the show. They really don't need to hear stories about Moze's actor blowing all the other guys on set or whatever.

54. Star Wars: Visions (Season 2)- 3.5/5

The animated anthology series provided a new season with new stories to tell. The animation across the board is gorgeous. Story-wise, the most engaging episodes involve a former Sith and the one where a bunch of people are stuck in a pit they built for the empire. Not every episode is as interesting as those two, but there are neat ideas explored in each episode that one might not see in a star wars show or movie anytime soon.

53. Only Murders In The Building (Seasons 1-2)- 3.5/5

As season three of the acclaimed murder mystery dramedy released this year, I found the time to check out the first two seasons before the year ended. Watching Selena Gomez, Martin Short, and Steve Martin work off one another and try to figure out back to back murders is highly entertaining as their chemistry is off the charts. The special guest stars like Tina Fey or Nathan Lane have helped bring the show as high as it is and it should be commended.

52. Narcos (Seasons 1-2)- 3.5/5

The first two seasons that detail the rise and fall of notorious crime lord Pablo Escobar are as good as they are due in part to the powerful performance by Wagner Moura as the drug kingpin. There were some solid performances throughout the show, but no one gripped me as much as him. (Bit of a spoiler coming here...) When Pablo died at the end of season two, there was little incentive to watch season 3 for me. Others may find this more enjoyable than me, but I recognize that this is a solid, well-made show.

51. Ted Lasso (Seasons 1-3)- 3.5/5

Ted Lasso was a great show for the first two seasons before the quality of season 3 brought it down. Some character arcs with characters like Keely didn't satisfy me. The show's decision to make the episodes an hour long brought the quality down immensely. If season three didn't make such boneheaded choices in its last season, the feel-good comedy would rank higher for me.

50. South Park (Season 26)- 3.5/5

the raunchy, foul-mouthed sitcom still can push out gems, but I miss the old seasons when they were much longer. The latest season pushed out 6 episodes, and while none were bad, if there were at least a few more episodes, the latest season would've been almost great. Two standout episodes for me involve the conspiracy around Japanese toilets, and the episode written by AI like Chat GPT. Nothing as hilarious as previous iconic episodes, but the topics and creativity was sublime still.

49. Disenchantment (Season 5)- 3.5/5

Created by Matt Groening, the same genius mind behind the Simpsons and Futurama, Disenchantment is an animated fantasy series that takes place in a medieval land, following the main characters of Princess Tiabeanie, her elf companion Elfo, and demon buddy Luci. The fifth season was its last, bidding farewell to the zany cast and its colorful multitude of a supporting cast. An underrated show that deserves viewing.

48. Scrubs (Seasons 5-8)- 3.5/5

The classic sitcom about medical students turned doctors peaked with its first 5 seasons. The stories, premises, and character development would not reach the same heights in seasons 6 to 8. Some jokes are funny but don't land as hard for me as they did upon my first viewing as a preteen. Rest in Peace to Sam Lloyd, who played possibly the funniest character on the show and my favorite, Ted. He encapsulated a depressing lawyer swimmingly.

47. Bobobo-bobo-bobo- 3.5/5

Bobobo-bobo-bobo was like a fever dream that I never stopped thinking about as a kid. The bizarre anime about the man Bobobo-bobo-bobo fighting enemies with his nose hairs used to air on Cartoon Network during its Toonami block back in the 2000s. After obtaining a blu-ray disc some time ago, I finally got to watching. It's rapid pace with jokes, insane characters, and wild visual gags wormed it's way into my heart. If I were to let bias get in the way, this would be in my top ten. But not every joke in this comedy lands. I still love this show to pieces tho and wish they'd bring it back.

46. Twisted Metal- 3.5/5

This adaptation of the racing game was the most fun show Peacock produced this year that I watched. The cast is enjoyable with Anthony Mackie and Stephanie Beatriz anchoring the show for its duration, but it's AEW wrestler Samoa Joe as Sweet Tooth, while Will Arnett provides the voice of the same character, that capture a special magic. The action scenes could stand to be more thrilling, but the stories and character interactions help elevate the show to be a blast.

45. Kung Fu Panda: The Dragon Knight (Seasons 2-3)- 3.5/5

This Netflix series about the dragon warrior Po was well-made. Jack Black reprising his role as the titular panda was incredibly welcome as he's the best part of the show. Joining Po are an interesting cast of characters that accompany him on a grand journey. Everything from the action scenes and set pieces to somber character moments were perfectly solid. Another fine show for kids or fans of the Kung Fu Panda series to hold you down while waiting for Kung Fu Panda 4.

44. The Mandalorian (Season 3)- 3.5/5

The latest escapades of Din Djarin and Grogu this season were entertaining, but not as much as previous endeavors in seasons 1 or 2 clearly. The decision to have Din and Grogu separate in the season 2 finale and reunite in another show was a poor choice, robbing this show of a gripping emotional return way too soon. But, the action scenes were still decent, the cameos of the likes of Jack Black and Lizzo were cute and harmless, and Bo Katan's arc helped to make the season at least somewhat compelling.

43. I Am Groot (Season 2)- 3.5/5

Baby Groot is adorable. Five short episodes show baby Groot getting into little shenanigans. My personal favorite involves the one where The Watcher gets stressed watching Groot dick around and get into danger. If you're looking for something really cute and wholesome, I Am Groot would make for a fine 20 minute burst.

42. Whose Line Is It Anyway? (Seasons 8-10)- 3.5/5

It doesn't matter how much time passes or how old improv legends Colin Mochrie, Ryan Stiles or Wayne Brady get, they have not missed any beats. The CW version of the show is not as good as the original, due to its over reliance on repeated games or unfunny special guests, but the performers themselves are comedic geniuses that I love wholeheartedly. The latest seasons on HBO Max have had them trying different games and breaking from tradition and its for the best. One of my favorite comfort viewings.

41. Wrestlers- 3.5/5

Wrestlers is a documentary that follows former WWE wrestler Al Snow trying to keep his wrestling promotion Ohio Valley Wrestling alive. The series focuses on Al, the various wrestlers and workers that he employ as he books his shows week to week, and outside forces looking to work with OVW. Getting to know the wrestlers behind their over-the-top personal and see the struggles of a wrestling promotion nowhere near as big as WWE or AEW was fascinating.

40. Vikings: Valhalla (Season 2)- 3.5/5

Based in the Viking age, the main characters of Leif Erikson, Freydis and Harald remain the most compelling characters in their show. I wish I could say as much for other aspects. The season was a step-down from season 1, but the emotional story beats and cinematography are decent enough aspects to rate it as high as it is for me.

39. Demon Slayer (Season 3)- 3.5/5

The latest season of the hit anime Demon Slayer was fun, but like many other shows on this list, the season to come beforehand...I simply enjoyed more. Mitsuri was an intriguing Hashira to know, and Villains this season were solid. But the lack of presence of other characters like Inosuke are felt and the emotional beats don't work as well as the previous season. But the season finale was stellar enough to bring the season up quite a bit at least.

38. Insecure (Seasons 4-5)- 3.5/5

Insecure remained consistently good throughout its 5 season run. Issa Rae was a great lead for the show as she and her character were extremely likable. The humorous series had a fine cast, but her friend Kelli had to be my favorite as she was seemingly the funniest of the bunch.

37. Food Wars (Season 5)- 3.5/5

The final season to this over-the-top nontraditional battle Shonen anime was a serviceable sendoff to the endearing cast of zany teens. The cooking show anime aired on Toonami this year and as it wrapped up, I felt sad to see it go as I've enjoyed the wackiness many characters provided. But the last episode was a decent sendoff as well. Though not as good as seasons beforehand, Food Wars fifth season is still a treat.

36. Star Wars: The Bad Batch (Season 2)- 3.5/5

The sophomore season of this animated star wars show was as entertaining as its first. Shoutout to Dee Bradley Baker for voicing five different clones and bringing nuance to each character. A ragtag group of clone troopers on their adventures was exciting at times and the season finale was perhaps the best episode of the batch.

35. Total Drama- 3.5/5

Another show from my childhood thats sometimes a gem and sometimes infuriating. Its first three seasons harbored a good sense of humor and a truly sublime cast of animated characters. It was peak. Unfortunately, the following seasons failed to live up to the standards in character work and pacing, among many other issues. However, the season titled The Ridonculous Race, was great enough to bring the show back up. I haven't seen the latest season yet, but the best seasons of this show are worth checking out.

34. Harley Quinn (Season 4)- 4/5

A great season for the books even if it didn't live up the spectacle of its third season. The animation remains solid and the first half of the show was strong. With Bane still hilarious and Harley and Poison Ivy's respective character arcs that focus on their individuality being as entertaining as they were, there's still a lot to like from this season. Even if it lacks in other departments, like, not enough Clayface.

33. Big Nate (Season 2)- 4/5

Huge bias here, but I used to read the Big Nate Books as a kid and I have a huge soft spot for them which applies to this show. The animation is solid, there's a good sense of humor, and the core cast of kids are incredibly likable. If you're looking for 6th grade kid shenanigans that's bound to.make you chuckle, pleas support the show on Paramount Plus so it gets dozens of seasons.

32. My Hero Academia (Season 6)- 4/5

The latest season of teenage superheroes in training focused on two arcs for 20+ episodes. The first arc saw an all out war between numerous heroes and Villains while the second arc saw our main character, Deku, enter an Era of self-doubt and edginess after the events of the first arc. The second arc would've been better if it had more time dedicated to it, but the turns, twists, action scenes, and revelations of the first arc are enough to elevate this season to greatness.

31. Gen V- 4/5

This spinoff of The Boys was a slightly better series that focused on school kids with superpowers than My Hero. It's still got The Boys charm with its signature violence and gore with characters intriguing enough to keep you hooked. Gen V is a great addition to The Boys universe that warrants attention.

30. Avenue 5 (Season 2)- 4/5

An underrated sitcom following a space captain, his employees and crew, and hundreds of passengers on a space cruise trying to.make their way back home. The cast was stellar, the jokes were hilarious, the premise was engaging, and yet it STILL got canceled and I'll forever be mad about that.

29. Blackish (Seasons 1-3)- 4/5

The family sitcom about the Johnson family has picked up for me lately on my first viewing. The first episode and some to follow in season 1 were a bit rocky as the show was finding its footing. But with Seasons 2 and 3 so far, it's proven to be especially funny with a talented cast and thoughtful messaging.

28. Codename: Kids Next Door (Seasons 1-3)- 4/5

Yet another show from my childhood I've been in the midst of rewatching! The Kids Next Door follows children acting as secret agents that fight against teenagers and adults of all sorts. This classic cartoon would fit so well with an audience today, I'd like to think. With an endearing core cast and a truly fun rogues gallery they face off with in episode to episode, I've started realizing how much influence something like this had on me growing up, I love this show.

27. Six Feet Under (Season 1)- 4/5

One of HBO's classic shows has recently come under my radar for the first time, and while it's a bit slow at times to my liking, it's proving to be a unique watch. It's takes on the passings of every day people coupled with a talented cast and stunning cinematography are leaving me to wonder how this show will fare upon progressing into the next few seasons.

26. Wu Tang: An American Saga (Season 3)

For three seasons, Wu Tang followed the rise of Hip Hops most decorated rap group. It's final season was a superb and contemplative sendoff to some of the greatest MCs to grab a mic. Some episodes and storybits were a bit rushed or dramatized needlessly, but the allegorical episodes were incredibly creative sometimes balances out. An underrated gem of a show, in my opinion.

25. One Piece (Live Action)- 4/5

One of the most faithful adaptations of the source material I've seen and I couldn't be happier. The outrageous characters from the anime and Manga look as wild as they do in live action, the set pieces are mesmerizing, and the performances of the Strawhat crew are special. I'm eagerly awaiting season 2 to see how they adapt what comes next.

24. Archer (Season 14)- 4/5

Despite the addition of a new character to the long running sitcoms final season, they didn't stray focus from its core cast of operatives we've gotten to know and love since 2009. Despite wavering in seasons prior, the writing here was on point, the performances did not miss a beat, and the final season was a wonderful send-off to these ragtag of oddballs.

23. Eric Andre Show (Season 6)- 4/5

Hannibal Burress' lack of presence is felt, but the chaotic nature of the show never left and I love that for it. Whether insane bits on the street or at the studio, Eric Andre has still found ways to psychologically confuse and torture strangers and celebrities alike in a manner that still makes my stomach hurt from laughter and absurdities.

22. My Adventures With Superman- 4/5

This take on the beginnings of Clark Kent's journey as Superman was a fun time. Its animation is pleasing to the eye, Clark and Lois Lane's relationship is incredibly endearing and wholesome at times, and the villains introduced are decent foils to Superman.

21. Futurama (season 11)- 4/5

After being canceled and brought back for the umpteenth time, seeing the Futurama cast return again after about a decade (not including that one Simpsons crossover episode from a few years ago) was so welcome. The show tackled more modern topics like Bitcoin and the COVID pandemic to varying degrees of success. Bringing back the entire original cast and still being able to provide solid entertainment is comforting.

20. Superstore- 4/5

Indulging in the entirety of Superstore, the sitcom about employees working in a giant Walmart-esque retail building, for the first time was intriguing. The first season felt too reminiscent of The Office in characters, but as the seasons progressed it slowly started to morph into its own thing. As characters found their own personalities, the show increasingly became more and more hilarious, even with its final season filmed during peak pandemic lockdown.

19. Loki (Season 2)- 4/5

An improvement upon the first season by a margin. Adding Key Huy Quan and Rafael Casal to the cast this season was an excellent choice. The rest of the cast was equally superb, but it's Tom Hiddleston as Loki completing his transformation from a god of mischief to a selfless god was perfect. The finale to the season was bittersweet but also perhaps the best episode of a Disney MCU show so far.

18. Atlanta (Season 4)- 4/5

Donald Glover's experimental series starring himself, Zazie Beets, Brian Tyree Henry, and LaKeith Stanfield, provided possibly the best season of the show. I feel there could've been an opportunity to bring back people from the previous seasons at some point this season, but the episodes this season were pretty remarkable. The final episode leaves one to wonder about the status of our characters but not in a doom-and-gloom manner which I can rock with.

17. Baki Hanma (Season 2)- 4/5

Not since Jojo's Bizarre Adventure have I seen an action anime so ridiculous thrill me almost entirely from start to end. Baki Hanma is a well-crafted, better-written show than its previous series simply titled 'Baki.' Two arcs focus on a prehistoric caveman thawing out of the ice and the world's greatest fighters try to defeat it. While the second arc has our main character try and combat his ultra-powerful dad in a fight that's been built up for years. Both arcs were over-the-top peak that warrant viewing if you live for that nature.

16. Blindspotting (Season 2)- 4/5

The sequel series to the film of the same name is just as great as the film itself. Jasmine Cephas Jones as Ashley, who initially harbored a small role in the film, is good as the lead for the show. Her various family members and friends either helped her or overwhelmed her in ways that made for intriguing television. Combined with fun usage of cameos from rappers and riveting musical sequences, you have another show that gets canceled way to soon and pisses me OFF.

15. Rick and Morty (Season 7)- 4/5

Upon giving co-creator and creep Justin Roiland the boot, the team behind Rick and Morty managed to deliver a quality season up there with some of their best. The new voices for Rick and Morty that replaced Roiland have nestled nicely into the role, and after delivering one of the greatest episodes in the series in 'Unmortricken' any anxieties about the quality of Rick and Morty have been quelled for the future of the show.

14. Jujitsu Kaisen (Season 2)- 4/5

The first few episodes focused on the backstory of a few crucial characters years ago, and while they were sufficient, the meat of the season lies within the Shibuya Incident. As good and evil fight across the city of Shibuya and the bodies pile sky high, JJK has crafted an unforgettable second season with stakes high and memorable moments galore.

13. One Piece (Wano Arc)- 4/5

As the One Piece anime wraps up its longest story arc to date, looking back it's clear to see that the legendary scenes will pang throughout the echoes of time. Despite shit pacing, as One Piece is known to have, it gave us moments of Luffy attaining the Gear 5 form, his jaw-dropping fight with Kaido, and entertaining fights between the Strawhats and the rest of Kaido's crew. Thank god it's over though, and we can finally prepare for the next island Luffy and the Strawhats head toward.

12. Scott Pilgrim Takes Off- 4/5

I think I like this more than the movie, even though it's been years since I last saw the film. But Scott Pilgrim Takes Off took Scott's friends, Ramona's exes, and plenty of other characters with varying degrees of screen time in the movie, amplified it in the show, and made everyone INCREDIBLY likable. With awesome fight scenes and delightful characters, the show has become a must-see for animation fans.

11. The Bear (Seasons 1-2)- 4/5

Who knew how anxiety-inducing a show about a young chef running a restaurant with a hectic kitchen staff could be. The groundwork laid in season 1 elevated season 2 to excellency. The cast is fascinating, and the episodes that involve characters running around frantically, desperately trying to tie shit together have lead to the best episodes on television this year. If you watch one episode from this show, please watch the episode titled 'Fishes.'

10. Adventure Time: Fionna and Cake- 4/5

The spinoff and continuation from yet another Cartoon Network classic is at least on par with the original Adventure Time. Taking the fictional characters of Fionna and Cake and expounding upon them to make them their own fleshed-out characters is amazing. The blossoming relationship of Gary and Marshall was sweet and Simon's existential crisis was heart-wrenching. Eagerly awaiting it's next season.

9. Orange Is The New Black (Seasons 1-3)- 4/5

As I'm currently on my first viewing of this show, as of this writing, I can see how this show about women in prison put Netflix on the map for their original programming. Our leads slow descent into morally questionable behavior is as compelling as every surrounding story with her fellow inmates. The final minutes of the season three finale were powerful imagery for the inmates. And as the depressing dramedy continues forward, I cannot wait to see how the rest of the show shapes.

8. Succession (Seasons 1-4)- 4/5

After binging all four seasons this year, Succession is the closest show I've seen to poetry in motion. The inner dynamics of these deeply disturbed members of the Roy family as they backstab, connive, and try to destroy one another just to reach a comfortable seat of power made for devastating television. I only wish there was one more season to spend more time with the cast.

7. Dragon Ball Z- 4/5

This is the last show on this list that was something I watched as a kid, I promise. The iconic Shonen action show is my favorite anime of all time, but I tried not to let some of personal bias cloud some of my judgment. It's the grandfather of all action anime for a reason, and what prevents it from being my number one is that I believe some of the following shows are just a liiiiiiittle bit more tightly written.

6. The Last Of Us- 4.5/5

Pedro Pascal and Bella Ramsey managed to put on performances as stellar as the voice actors in the game, it's wild. I thought the adaptation was amazing, with sublime performances across the board, a decent pace, and an exploration of character depth unseen in the game with characters like Bill and Frank. It might've been a little light on zombies this season which I hope they rectify in the future.

5. Castlevania Nocturne- 4.5/5

As someone who adored the previous Castlevania anime series, this season had some big shoes to fill. For the first season, they knocked it out of the park. The animation is more gorgeous than ever, the new characters introduced in this spinoff are intriguing, and they laid superb groundwork for the following season.

4. It's Always Sunny In Philadelphia (Season 16)- 4.5/5

Clearly, the best season that this gang of scumbags has put out in years. The entire season saw the gang at their dumbest which lead to hilarious setups and instant classics in its legacy. While all 5 characters were at their best this season, I want to highlight Danny Devito in Frank Vs Russia and Glenn Howerton in The Gang Goes Bowling and Dennis Takes a Mental Health Day as some of the best comedic chops they've almost ever had. I died laughing so much this season.

3. Primal (Seasons 1-2)- 4.5/5

The story about a caveman and a dinosaur going on adventures and was surprisingly...peak. The storytelling despite minimal to no words being spoken is immaculate, and when the first words were dropped I almost lost my shit. The first season was great, but the second season helped elevate the entirety of the show. It's cliff hangers are jaw-dropping, the arcs in season 2 were grand in scale, and the Primal Theory was perhaps the best episode of the whole show. I wish I watched this sooner.

2. What We Do In The Shadows (Season 5)- 4.5/5

The only show to make me laugh just as much, possibly just a little bit more, than It's Always Sunny In Philadelphia is the show about Vampires in Staten Island of course. Guillermo's season long arc of vampirism came to a satisfying conclusion and the rest of the cast were on point, especially my personal favorite character: Lazlo. The cast were on point, and the comedic chops were strong, I just hope it's final season is at least as strong as this season was.

Barry (Season 4)- 5/5.

The 4th season of Barry was excellent. Barry the character and Barry the show has been immortalized with the events that transpire over this 8-episode season. The fate of the characters followed over the past few seasons has been befitting and heartbreaking but understandable in some circumstances. The way the show transitioned into something darker over the past two seasons as this hitman who tried to become an actor influenced the people around him and brought them down into the deepest trenches with him. There is no doubt in my mind that Barry was my personal favorite show viewed in 2023. Thank you for reading my list if you did.

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back-and-totheleft · 1 year ago

Text

The Son Also Kneels

Oliver Stone was deplaning at LAX following a 16-hour trip from Indonesia when he turned on his phone and found it blowing up with texts from his office. Apparently the media—what he called the “paparazzi”—had been in touch. They wanted to ask him about his son, Sean.

In particular, they wanted to know what he thought of Sean’s decision to become a Muslim. Oliver instructed his office to decline comment.

“He never consulted me,” the elder Mr. Stone recalled in a phone call to The Observer from his production office in Los Angeles. “That is something you normally talk to your parents about.”

The director is a practicing Buddhist. “Obviously the Muslim religion believes in a singular god,” he added. “I don’t.”

Sean Stone, a 27-year-old filmmaker who was raised a Buddhist and spent his youth exploring his Christian and Jewish roots (not to mention any number of film sets), is like his old man, a determined—some would say obstinate—truth-seeker. He is also a man of firm opinions who is unafraid to express them in a highly public fashion.

But to peg him, as one Yahoo! News commenter did recently, as “another nut from a spoiled confused family,” is to miss the point entirely.

To hear him tell it, accepting Islam as his faith (and adopting a new Muslim middle name, Ali) is a demonstration that one man can embrace three Abrahamic religions as a gesture of peace.

“I don’t take a priest’s interpretation as sanctity,” he said. “I would not take an imam’s ruling on the Koran as being definitive. I would not take anyone’s word except my own interpretation of the books.”

Mr. Stone’s conversion was only part of his recent media coming-out party. In announcing his newfound faith, he eagerly stepped into perhaps the thorniest foreign policy question of the moment: whether Iran is secretly developing nuclear weapons, and whether its president, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, is a total nutjob.

“My main thing is I don’t want to see a war, an imperialistic war, because I know what it could do to the region,” he said. Mr. Stone also defended Mr. Ahmadinejad—the man who infamously referred to the Holocaust as a “myth” and declared that Israel should be “wiped off a map”—as a “rational actor.”

“The media is so biased in trying to paint him as a madman, because if he is a madman, you can’t talk to him,” he explained to The Observer.

Mr. Stone first met with Mr. Ahmadinejad in February, when he was a featured guest at the “Hollywoodism and Cinema” conference in Tehran. The president gave him a copy of Omar Khayyam’s Rubaiyat.

When asked what they talked about, Mr. Stone didn’t really remember. The meeting might have seemed an opportunity to do some diplomatic work for his father, who had been eager to follow up his documentary portraits of Fidel Castro and Hugo Chavez with one on Mr. Ahmadinejad, but had been rebuffed (many Iranians took issue with perceived historical inaccuracies in his Alexander the Great biopic). Still, the younger Stone didn’t push the issue.

It soon became clear that Mr. Stone’s views on Iran are not all that radical. For instance, shortly after he defended his opinions to network news blowhards Bill O’Reilly and Piers Morgan, Meir Dagan, the former head of the Mossad, appeared on 60 Minutes to declare that bombing Iran right now was “the stupidest idea [he] ever heard.”

Still, his comments were controversial, even within his own family. “When you’re younger, you can make mistakes by saying what people don’t want to hear,” the elder Mr. Stone noted. “Sometimes he says stuff that I think is downright fucking stupid.”

The Observer met the Son of Oliver at a rear table at Think Coffee by Union Square one March morning.

Tall, strapping and square-jawed, Sean Christopher Ali Stone appeared more Winklevii than Wahabi. He did not have his father’s self-described “Mongol eyes” or the gap between his teeth.

What he did have, however, was the family curiosity, and that knack for taking controversial positions.

“I think it’s important to have that spirit of inquiry, that spirit of investigation,” Mr. Stone said as he periodically sipped from a cup of chai tea. “If you keep slandering people, calling them ‘conspiracy theorists,’ you’re killing the desire to investigate, the desire to actually know.”

Mr. Stone, who is single and divides his time between Los Angeles and New York’s Alphabet City, wanted to make it clear that his highly publicized spiritual transformation was not intended as a publicity gambit.

It all began on Valentine’s Day 2010, when he and his filmmaking partner, Alexander Wraith, were at Letchworth Village, an abandoned institution for the mentally and physically disabled in Rockland County. They were there to film Graystone, Mr. Stone’s feature debut, about two men (named Sean and Alexander) who visit supposedly haunted sites to explore their belief in the supernatural.

He and Mr. Wraith had brought along candles from St. Patrick’s Cathedral, which they lit and placed on the ground as they prayed aloud. They heard screams and howls and a child’s laughter, which scared them both shitless.

“That’s why there’s an expression ‘There are no atheists in foxholes,’” he said. “Either you find your faith and you believe that there is a higher power guiding you and protecting you, or else you basically surrender it and say there is no God.”

Two years later to the day, Mr. Stone found himself in Isfahan, Iran, sitting inside a mosque across from a Shiite cleric, explaining his reasons for wanting to be a Muslim. He was accompanied by a man named Bahram Heidari, an Iranian living in Canada who was helping him develop a feature film about the Sufi poet Rumi (Mr. Stone is also prepping a documentary on djinn, or genies). With an Iranian TV news crew on hand to document the occasion, Mr. Stone said the shahada, the Muslim declaration of belief.

“I didn’t ‘convert,’” he pointed out, “because I don’t believe you can convert from the same God. It’s an acceptance of Islam as an extension of what I call the Judeo-Christian tradition going back to Abraham.”

He said he was surprised the event generated so much attention. “We had not arranged for any press,” he said. “We don’t know how they found out about it.”

But when everyone from CNN to Agence France-Presse jumped on the story, he went with it. He later defended Iran on cable news. “It seems that every time we sanction this country and turn the bolts tighter around it … it’s just going to make them potentially more radical and dangerous,” he said. “You can’t just bomb your way to an accord.” While defending Mr. Ahmadinejad, he also was emphatic that “there is no room for Holocaust denial.” (Not long ago, his father also was quoted minimizing the Holocaust.)

It’s not hard to understand how Mr. Stone developed a certain sympathy for men of strong convictions who are unafraid to offend.

“He says things that rile people, I’m not going to deny that,” Mr. Stone said of Mr. Ahmadinejad. He says the same about his dad. “I think he likes controversy,” Mr. Stone said. “I think as much as anything, he likes that people get riled.”

Sean Stone was born in Santa Monica in 1984, the eldest child of Oliver and Elizabeth Burkit Fox, a production assistant and Oliver’s second wife.

He made his screen debut at 6 months, with a cameo in Salvador. At age 2, he was playing Gordon Gekko’s kid, “a fat little capitalist son,” as he put it.

His earliest and clearest film memory was being on the set of Born on the Fourth of July, in which he was among a group of kids shooting at each other with fake guns in the woods.

“That’s pretty intense when you’re, like, 4,” he said.

Mr. Stone’s early film career was more a matter of convenience than raw talent. “He was available and I thought he was photogenic,” his dad admitted.

Sean’s parents separated in 1993 (“It was not an easy divorce,” Oliver said), and Sean and his brother Michael lived with Elizabeth. When he could, Oliver took Sean on weekend trips “where he could be outside the normal Los Angeles ‘shop, drive, and die’ routine,” said Oliver.

They also traveled the world, from East Africa to Tibet, where Oliver, an Episcopalian who had converted to Buddhism, introduced the then 9-year-old Sean to the Dalai Lama.

“It’s a different kind of Buddhism, it’s an atomistic form,” Oliver said. “It must have been amazing for him.” The experience was eye-opening, Sean said. It inspired him to take up the practice of meditation and fostered a curiosity about all forms of spirituality. It was also around that time that Sean began to discover his father’s films, each one violent and provocative and dubious about the powers that be.

Mr. Stone was 7 when his father released JFK, a film that brought a mix of reviews both approving and vitriolic. The knocks on his father bothered him at the time, and still do. “Of course it hurts,” he said. “To me it’s a disgrace that so many people get away with calling him a conspiracy theorist, when the truth is he’s always based his work on evidence. He does his homework.”

After graduating from Brentwood School, just around the same time the second Iraq war was getting underway, Mr. Stone considered joining the Army, “more out of a desire to have a life experience,” he said. (Oliver, who dropped out of Yale and eventually enlisted in the Army in 1967, earning a Purple Heart and a Bronze Star for his service in Vietnam, recognized the impulse.) Rather than enlist, Mr. Stone wound up at Princeton, where he enrolled in the ROTC, bailing after a semester to focus on academics.

In 2009, after apprenticing with his father, Sean began to focus on his own filmmaking, starting with Graystone, which will be released on video-on-demand in the fall.

Mr. Stone’s long-term goal is to be a filmmaker, though his father is quick to tamp down expectations. “It’s very hard to assume the mantle, so to speak,” Oliver said. “It’s true about anybody in any profession, whether you’re the stockbroker’s son or a garbage man’s son.”

Mr. Stone agrees that it will be hard to step out from his father’s shadow and make a name for himself, though that new middle name of his is certainly a start.

Even so, his embrace of Islam goes only so far. For instance, Mr. Stone isn’t quite ready to forswear alcohol altogether.

“I know plenty of Christians and Jews who violate the Testaments all the time,” he pointed out. “It all depends on how you practice.”

-Daniel Edward Rosen, "The Son Also Kneels," The Observer, Mar 28 2012

#oliver stone #sean stone #islam #the observer

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