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thesffcorner · 6 years ago

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Truly Devious

Truly Devious is the first book in a YA mystery/thriller series written by Maureen Johnson. It follows Steve, a high school junior, who gets accepted to Ellingham Academy, a free private high school founded by Mr Ellingham: a newspaper and steel magnate, who viewed learning as a form of play. She gets admitted to the school because of her peculiar interest in true crime and investigations, specifically because she wants to solve the famous Ellingham mystery: who kidnapped and killed his family. This book got rave reviews; people said it was atmospheric, creepy, clever and I went into it with high expectations, but also a lot of skepticism, mostly because me and YA thrillers don’t tend to always agree.

I can happily say that this book delivers on most of the hype. It’s well written, both the case in the past and the case in the present are interesting, and the characters are well developed. However, I can’t fully recommend it, or even really explain how I feel about it because of the ending, or rather the lack thereof. I don’t mean this is an open ending, I mean there isn’t one. This is a part one to the mystery, and neither the past nor the present case are solved. I imagine we will get the answer in the sequel, but I am apprehensive, because I saw on Goodreads that there will be a third book. I just don’t see how this mystery can be stretched out into even just 2 books, let alone more; as such I might come off as a bit more negative than I probably intended, because half of a mystery is the ending, and without that how can you really be satisfied. Before we talk about that, let’s talk about the setting. The plot is set in Ellingham Academy, a private boarding school in Vermont. It was founded in the 30’s by Albert Ellingham, an incredibly wealthy man, who owns American steel, a newspaper and a production studio. He’s a true tycoon, a man clearly inspired by the likes of Howard Hughes, Joseph Pulitzer and Warren Buffet, self-made millionaires, hard core capitalists and people who as his friend Detective Marsh puts it “think they are invincible”. I like the idea of the Academy, this Montessori type establishment where learning is play, and the curriculum is very specifically tailored to the student’s interests. However, as always, I don’t see why it has to be a special high school, and can’t just be a private college or conservatory, and have the characters be 17-18, instead of 15-16. Ellingham Academy is already described as an old, classic style small, private, liberal arts college, down to being set in the middle of nowhere, on a hill, with a mostly inaccessible road and surrounded by woods. This makes for a possibly interesting atmosphere; this old isolated house, full of mystery and haunted by the past, surrounded by nature, full of an secret passages, tunnels, catacombs, etc. It should have made for an excellent backdrop to this murder mystery, but unfortunately I feel the setting just wasn’t fully utilized. Johnson does spend a great deal of time and effort into meticulously describing the Academy, the Minerva house and the grounds, but her descriptions are very sterile. There’s no sense of atmosphere or tension; a lot of the time it’s just paragraphs explaining what is on what wall, or what is what color and long tangents about the Ellinghams. This is also why I kind of shrug in confusion when I hear people say this book is creepy; nothing that happens and nothing that is said on the page is creepy; it lack proper atmosphere. If you want a book set in a small liberal arts mansion, surrounded by woods, that’s even set in Vermont, try If We Were Villains; even the Charlotte Holmes series did a better job with the setting and atmosphere. The plot really is where this book excels. It’s clear to me that Maureen Johnson is a fan of mystery novels and whodunnits; there are tons of references to Sherlock Holmes, Hercule Poirot, Miss Marple, and even noir style detective books. The Ellingham mystery is even reminiscent of the case in Murder on the Orient Express; both set during the Prohibition, and both revolving around a cast of characters implicated in the disappearance and murder of a rich, self-made millionaire’s family. There’s talk of politics of the time, a prominent clash between Mr. Ellingham and the anarchists, and the person who confessed to the crime has clearly not committed it. The way the investigation is lead by Steve too was very old school; she makes deductions based on clues and reasoning that all make sense and we can also pick up on as readers, there are clues in the interview transcripts she reads, and in general the case itself was interesting to keep me invested. The main issue with the plot was actually how the present day mystery and the past mystery intersected, which wasn’t helped by the pacing. It takes a long time before the present day story catches up to the past, and especially at the start, I really didn’t care about Ellingham and his plight, because we quickly find out that his wife and daughter are dead, meaning he never found them. So it was just a slow trudge through the motions he took on the day, and then at one point we just top cutting back to the past, because we have to focus on the present day mystery. We only come back to Ellingham in the very, very last chapter. It’s not well balanced, and it doesn’t feel like the present day story and the past are connected at all, other than Steve being interested in solving both. The present day story is interesting, but even still, I’m not sure what Hayes filming his project had to do with the Ellinghams, other than tangentially being related because they are filming a short about the Ellingham mystery. There is a thematic connection, linking to Steve’s assignment about putting a human face on mystery (which was something that really warmed me to the dean of students as a character), but other than that, even the way Steve figures out what happened, has nothing to do with the past mystery. Speaking of Hayes, this book’s other strong suit are the characters. There are plenty of them so I won’t go over all of them, but they are all developed, and interesting enough to hold my attention. Ellingham and his posse were straight out of an Agatha Christie novel; I honestly wish that the book had maybe split it’s time more evenly, focusing on a core character in the past as well as the present, so I could get more easily invested. From the present day, we have a few of the larger parts: Elle, Janelle, Nathan, Hayes and David. Elle was fine; she was very much the type of person you would find in a private boarding school, and I enjoyed how open she was about her personality, body and sex life. It’s always nice to see female characters who are a bit off and are actually in tune with their confidence and body. Janelle was also fine; I liked she was openly out, gets a girlfriend pretty quickly, and though there’s a little jealousy on Steve’s part, they very quickly move past it, and have a healthy, supportive friendship. I really liked their little trio of Janelle, Nate and Steve. Hayes was the typical Youtube star, or at least the general stereotype of someone who is attractive and charming and uses other people to do the actual difficult work for him. I liked that even though he wasn’t the nicest person, the book didn’t demonize him, and acknowledged that he did indeed have talent and could do at least some of the things he claimed he could. Nate was a surprise to me, because I expected the book to take a different direction with him (which it still might in the sequel, but I’m really hoping it won’t). He’s a writer, so he’s mostly there to discuss how difficult and annoying, while at the same time exhilarating writing can be, and I really enjoyed his banter with the other characters. David was interesting; he was kind of abrasive and an asshole, though I almost think he wasn’t enough of an asshole to Steve after what she does to him, and her horrible, non-apology she gives him. The ending caught me off guard, though in hindsight it makes a lot of sense, so I give this book points for this. I won’t spoil it, but this book does have a romance, and I surprisingly didn’t mind it. I expected someone different to be the love interest, and I was pleasantly surprised at how it actually was. Even when the romance starts, the book doesn’t spend too much time using him as a red herring, which I appreciated; I don’t know if this is just a YA thing, or a genre thing left over from noir stories, but why is the love interest always a suspect, but never actually the perpetrator? Finally Steve, who was the best developed and most complete character. I liked that she had a set personality, while there still being room for her to grow. Even though she’s awkward, and shy, she was still funny, still had good banter with the boys and the rest of the school, and was confident and smart enough to solve the present day mystery. I liked her relationship with Larry, I liked her relationship with the other characters, and enjoyed watching her grow, even if I didn’t always agree with her decisions, and thought what she does to David was horrible (and her being angry at him on the bus for helping, instead of at her parents who are the real reason she had to even be in the situation in the first place, was dumb and never addressed). All in all, a decent start to a possibly interesting mystery, depending on the answers we get in the sequel. Not bad, but as an incomplete story, I can’t in good faith recommend it, or rate it any higher, though I still think that if you like classic style mysteries and detectives, you will probably enjoy it.

#truly devious #truly devious review #moni talks #book review

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thewomaninlilywhite · 6 years ago

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@thecircusofyourmind see, I actually answered all these in a googledoc the day you sent me the ask, I’m just The Worst and never posted it...

Disclaimer: I left out some questions I’m not comfortable answering (usually because thinking about the answer made me too anxious)

Also, Christine is my therapist… her name comes up a few times in these answers

1: How tall or short do you wish you were?

I am 5’ but I wish I was shorter because, growing up, I was always the shortest so now it’s weird and makes me feel uncomfortable when I’m not...if that makes sense. Like, it feels like part of my identity is gone? (Christine lowkey roasts me for this one)

2: What’s your dream pet? (Real or not)

I’m such a cat person. I love cats. I’d want a either a pure white persian or a bombay or a maine coon.

3: Do you have a favorite clothing style?

I love the fashion of the 1930s-1950s

4: What was your favorite video game growing up?

I played way more mario kart than my skills (or lack thereof) would suggest. Also, professor Layton (still do!)

6: If you had a warning label, what would yours say?

Warning: Very sensitive and overemotional: handle with care. Is prone to bursting out into showtunes she thinks she can sing, but can’t.

8: What is your Greek personality type? [Sanguine, Phlegmatic, Choleric, or Melancholic]

I’m a melancholic mercury (I do shakespeare so I always think in terms of temperaments and planets, especially because I have too much sanguine tendency to identify as purely melancholic, but it is definitely my dominant temperament)

9: Are you ticklish?

Absolutely

10: Are you allergic to anything?

I’m lactose-intolerant, I try to cut back on gluten because of my Hashimotos, I also can’t eat peppers and usually avoid soy, but I’ve never actually been tested for allergies so like, who knows

13: Are you a cat or dog person?

Cat

14: Would you rather be a vampire, elf, or merperson?

An elf, I’m already small

15: Do you have a favorite Youtuber?

I subscribe to so many different YouTubers for so many different reason, but if I had to pick one, I’d probably say Kathryn Morgan because her videos have helped me so much as a both a dancer and a person (especially with my diet and lifestyle because we have the same thyroid condition)

16: How tall are you?

5’

18: How much do you weigh? [Only ask this if you know the user doesn’t mind!]

115lb. but I’m trying to lose weight (I want to be under 110, and trust me, I’ve got plenty to lose)

19: Do you believe in ghosts/spirits?

To an extent

20: Do you like space or the ocean more?

The ocean, the infiniteness of space makes me too anxious, plus, I’ve always lived near the ocean.

21: Are you religious?

Yes

22: Pet peeves?

Slow walkers, people who don’t give you personal space in the queue, people who have no respect for the people around them in public places in general, the list is actually pretty long.

23: Would you rather be nocturnal or diurnal [opposite of nocturnal]?

I basically am nocturnal – I literally can never concentrate on important things until after 8pm

24: Favorite constellation?

Scorpio because I can always see it when my family goes up to Maine over the summer so it makes me think of that

25: Favorite star?

So tacky, but I love Polaris; I feel like it’s so magical to think that long ago sailors would look up at the sky and based off this little guy, could figure out where they were. It makes me feel so warm and fuzzy for some reason.

26: Do you like ball-jointed dolls?

I never had on eso I had to google this and they’re beautiful

27: Any phobias or fears?

I have anxiety (social phobia, arachnophobia, thanatophobia, claustrophobia, fear of abandonment, fear of the unknown, the list is long and my therapist doesn’t like me going this deep into it because then I get overwhelmed and trigger a panic attack – we’re working on my social anxiety first…)

28: Do you think global warming is real?

I think the earth goes through periods of cooling (ending in with the ice ages) and warming (which we are currently in) and therefore do not think that warming is CAUSED by humans, but I do think humans are speeding up the process

30: Favorite movie?

Mary Poppins, Rebecca, It’s a Wonderful Life, and Confessions of a Shopaholic are the only movies I’ve sat and watched all the way through on more than one occasion without being distracted so...

32: How many pets have you owned in your lifetime?

I had a cat named Lucky when I was younger, I currently have a cat named Lindsay, and, when I was younger, I had two goldfish who I named Dora and Boots (and Lucky ate them when the bowl got [mysteriously] knocked off the counter)

34: What is a color that calms you?

Lavender and Ballet Pink (gee, I wonder why)

35: Where would you like to travel and/or live?

New York is my home, I adore Paris, but I could see myself living in London

36: Where were you born?

Long Island

37: What is your eye color?

Hazel, though sometimes they appear blue when it’s raining

38: Introvert or extrovert?

Introvert

39: Do you believe in horoscopes and zodiacs?

I don’t believe in them per se, but I do read my horoscope everyday because the one I use tends to have little motivational sayings in it and they help boost my mood

40: Hugs or kisses?

Depends on who they’re from

41: Who is someone you would like to see/visit right now?

A lot of people...

42: Who is someone you love deeply?

Everyone...I love far too much

43: Any piercings you want?

I have two holes in my ears and I don’t desire any more than that

44: Do you like tattoos and piercings?

I don’t think they make a person MORE attractive, but I like how they allow people to express themselves, especially with the artistry involved with tattoos. You can learn a lot about a person based off what they put on/do to their bodies

45: Do you smoke or have you ever done so?

Absolutely not – I don’t like associating with people who do… it makes me very uncomfortable

47: What is a sound you really hate?

Loud noises

49: Can you do a backflip?

I wish

50: Can you do the splits?

Definitely

53: How are you feeling right now?

Lonely

55: When did you feel happiest?

When I am dancing

56: Something that calms you down?

Listening to music, reading, writing, dancing, sketching...

57: Have any mental disorders?

I’ve been formally diagnosed with multiple types of anxiety disorders (GAD, Social Anxiety, other phobias, OCD) but… let’s just say there are things I keep from may therapist that may imply I have others...

58: What does your URL mean?

It’s a reference to The Woman in White and The Secret Garden

59: What three words describe you the most?

Passionate, Loyal, Overwhelmed

60: Do you believe in evolution?

Simple answer: yes

61: What makes you unfollow a blog?

If they post too much about politics (because I use social media to escape the real world, not to be reminded of it, plus a lot of things [especially on here] are not fact-checked so I don’t believe much of it anyway), if they start posting things that make me uncomfortable or strain my own mental health, if they’re rude to me or other bloggers

62: What makes you follow a blog?

I like them and/or their content

63: Favorite kind of person:

Trustworthy and open

64: Favorite animal(s):

Puffins, Penguins, Cats

68: What is your MBTI personality type?

I’ve taken multiple tests and it’s always either INTJ or INFJ, but their percentages are always close to 50/50 so it really depends on the situation

69: What is your star sign?

Libra

73: Do you have platform shoes?

I have platform heels?

74: What is one random but interesting fact about yourself?

I’m currently trying to read every Hercule Poirot novel (is that interesting? Idk I’m a pretty boring person)

75: Can you do a front flip?

Again, I wish.

76: Do you like birds?

Sure

77: Do you like to swim?

Yes

78: Is swimming or ice skating more fun to you?

I rarely go ice skating. I used to love it when I did, but I haven’t gone since my knee surgery so I think I’ll be too anxious to enjoy it

82: Something you really enjoy doing:

Being creative

83: Favorite person to talk to:

I don’t like talking to people

84: What was your first impression of Tumblr?

I thought it’s what all the “cool popular girls” at school used, but I didn’t understand it and didn’t actually use my blog until months after I created it

85: How many followers do you have?

730

86: Can you run a mile within ten minutes?

I have before, but I’m not sure if I still could.

87: Do your socks always match?

Yes

88: Can you touch your toes and keep your legs straight completely?

Yes

89: What are your birthstones?

Opal

90: If you were an animal, which one would you be?

A fox

91: If a flower could aesthetically represent you, what kind would it be?

A rose, sweet and elegant, yet prickly and cautious toward people trying to use me

92: A store you hate?

Urban Outfitters

93: How many cups of coffee can you drink in one day?

I shouldn’t drink more than one cup of decaf a day, but sometimes I do… sorry Christine

94: Would you rather be able to fly or read minds?

Neither

95: Do you like to wear camo?

96: Winter or summer?

Winter

97: How long can you hold your breath for?

A minute, last time I timed myself

99: Someone you look up to:

Laura Michelle Kelly

100: A store you love?

H&M

101: Favorite type of shoes

Heels

102: Where do you live?

New York

103: Are you a vegetarian or vegan? If so, why?

No because I have a very sensitive stomach and would literally die of malnutrition if I didn’t eat meat because I can’t eat a lot of food that vegetarians/vegans use as supplements

104: What is your favorite mineral or gem?

I love amethysts and pearls and opals and diamonds

105: Do you drink milk?

I can’t

106: Do you like bugs?

107: Do you like spiders?

...I’m arachnophobic

108: Something you get paranoid about?

Everything, I have an anxiety disorder (actually multiple…)

109: Can you draw:

Kinda?

111: A question you hate being asked?

“Why do you keep to yourself all the time”

112: Ever been bitten by a spider?

NO THANK YOU

113: Do you like the sound of waves at the beach?

Yes!

114: Do you prefer cloudy or sunny days?

Cloudy, I get chronic migraines so the sun can be too much for me

115: Someone you’d like to kiss or cuddle right now:

Joe, one of my absolute best friends (he gives the BEST hugs)

118: Do you have freckles?

Yes

119: Favorite thing about a person:

If they treat me kindly and gently and don’t make fun of how emotional I am

120: Fruits or vegetables?

Fruits

121: Something you want to do right now:

Sing

122: Is the ocean or sky prettier?

Ocean

123: Sweet or sour foods?

Sweet

124: Bright or dim lights?

Dim, but not too dim

126: Something you hate about Tumblr:

How catty people are

127: Something you love about Tumblr:

The way little niches form

128: What do you think about the least?

Things that trigger my anxiety ?? How is this question supposed to be asked ??

130: Who would you like to punch in the face right now?

No one, that’s rude

131: What is something you love but also hate about yourself?

I don’t like anything about myself (Christine’s gonna come for me for this because she always tries to get me to answer these kinds of questions and I never can)

132: Do you smile with your teeth showing for pictures?

My teeth can’t physically show when I smile?

133: Computer or TV?

Computer

134: Do you like roller coasters?

Yes

135: Do you get motion sickness or seasickness?

136: Are your ears lobed or attached?

Lobed

137: Do you believe in karma?

Yes

138: On a scale of 1-10, how attractive would you say you are?

Like a 0

139: What nicknames do you have/have had?

Jillibean, chicklet, Jilli, Jill, I usually just go by Jillian though

140: Did you have any pretend or imaginary friends?

Yes

141: Have you ever seen a therapist/shrink?

Shout out to my girl Christine for putting up with my disaster of a life every friday morning at 9am!

142: Would you say you are a good or bad influence to others?

I feel like I have no influence over others

143: Do you prefer giving or receiving gifts/help?

I like giving help, but hate giving gifts because I feel like I’m so bad at it

144: What makes you angry

When people don’t listen to me, when people aren’t being fair (in a situation where fairness is due)

145: How many languages do you speak fluently?

2 – English and French

146: Do you prefer boys, girls, and/or non-binaries?

I prefer people who are nice to me

147: Are you androgynous?

148: Favorite physical thing about yourself:

Wasn’t this already asked? Nothing

149: Favorite thing about your personality:

Nothing

150: Name three people you would like to talk to right now in person.

Joe, Sammi, Lindsey

151: If you could go back into time and live in one era, which would you choose?

Victorian England

152: Do you like BuzzFeed?

Yes

154: Do you like to kiss others’ foreheads or hands for platonic reasons?

YES is this not something people do?? (sorry Joe)

155: Do you like to play with others’ hair?

Yes (seriously wishing Joe used tumblr so I could tag him in all these things)

156: What embarrasses you?

Everything, legit my entire existence is an embarrassment to everyone who associates with me

157: Something that makes you nervous/anxious:

Everything, I have an (several) anxiety disorder(s)

158: Biggest lie you have ever told:

“I’m fine”

159: How many people are you following?

139 – I did like a cleanse over the summer

160: How many posts do you have on your blog(s)?

84,034 and I actually just gasped at that number – why am I like this?

161: How many drafts do you have on your blog(s)?

None

162: How many likes do you have on your blog(s)?

4,901

163: Last time you cried and why:

Watching “When Calls the Heart” earlier had me teary-eyed, but I was kinda at my Grandmother funeral a few days ago so???

164: Do you have long or short hair?

Long

165: Longest your hair has ever been:

I don’t know, I don’t measure it?

166: Why do you like, dislike, or have neutral feelings about religon?

I like religion when it is practiced in a way that doesn’t harm other people. I don’t believe that anyone should be forced to follow a religion, but it can really provide safety and guidance to people when followed correctly.

168: Do you like to wear makeup?

Yes – it’s an artform to me, and I love experimenting with different looks!

169: Can you stand on your hands or head for more than thirty seconds?

Head, yes, hands, no and I really don’t know what I’m doing wrong because I know all like the techniques and stuff I’m supposed to be employing and they never work ???

170: Did you answer the questions you were asked truthfully?

yes

#let's chat #pointe me toward tomorrow

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poirott · 7 years ago

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So I watched MOTOE this past Saturday (absolutely loved it! The last fifteen minutes made me cry!), the cast while some were underused looked like they had a good time and said they would reunite in a heartbeat. Do you thinks that’s possible for future films if this becomes a franchise? The passengers like Mary Debenham or Linda Arden having cameos?

Hi! :)) I loved the movie too, and the intense emotion of the denouement and what follows, was beautiful and haunting and made my heart feel heavy. There’s layers there I’d never have picked up on in the trailers. I looked at the trailers and clips again after seeing the movie and nope, there’s no way you can tell everything’s that happening in those shots.

The whole cast said what an amazing time they’ve had on set. They confirmed there were no “personalities” or divas, everyone was in awe of each other and shy to approach and start talking but once Josh broke the ice with “Dame Judi Dench? More like DAMN, Judi Dench”, the cast became close. The Werewolf game Penelope taught them comes up again and again in interviews. They played it for like 7 hours straight one day. And Ken would keep them on their toes with his Shakespeare quizzes but Josh would yell for Back to the Future questions, because that’s the kind of quiz he could actually win, hehe.

They’ve done a lot of promo for the film and the chemistry in videos is obvious. :) Josh, Daisy and Leslie together just killed it in every interview. In one clip Josh had to leave his seat for a while because he was laughing so hard. Willem is really charming and sweet. Put Leslie next to Michelle and she becomes much more relaxed (she’s a bit of an introvert, she said, and usually nervous in interviews). Put her with Olivia and they’re gushing and fangirling over Ken’s handsome Poirot, just like they did in early articles. Put anyone next to Derek Jacobi and he’s getting heart eyes a few seconds in because he gives incredible, thoughtful answers and he’s a legend. And every single cast member is in love with Judi and Ken and they never shut up about them. The cast is perfection. :D

Regarding the sequel, I answered a similar ask yesterday about box office results. :) The cast did mention in early interviews in the summer that reuniting would be fun. I think a cameo would be more likely than certain cast members appearing again in the sequel as new characters, but you never know. If the cameo served the story and made sense plot-wise, why not? Given the nature and locations of the Poirot story Ken said he’d like to do next, it’s not entirely out of the question.

I think most of the criticism about MOTOE (not enough screentime for certain characters, mystery moving too fast to follow and to play detective yourself, Poirot doing all the thinking for you, canon details that were omitted, some editing and tonal shifts, etc) could have been prevented with a longer running time. Maybe 2 hr 30 min instead of 1 hr 48 min. Ken said he cut a lot of stuff, we know there’s at least 20 min of deleted scenes, possibly more because he wanted MOTOE as “tight” as possible, to use the word he used. His version is shorter than its highly praised predecessor from ‘74.

I can’t get into too much detail because of spoilers, but by adapting Christie’s book into a 1 hr 48 min film (which includes the end credits), of course some of the information would get lost or end up on the cutting room floor. Several shots and whole scenes from the trailers and promo pics weren’t in the theatrical cut. I had no problems following the story but did get the feeling some scenes were trimmed (interrogation and some other dialogue scenes, for example), and noticed specific clues and red herrings either weren’t there, weren’t shown that much or were explained with a couple sentences, while Poirot in the book had pages and pages to mull them over, letting the readers into his thinking process. This is a common criticism about book to movie adaptations and not unique to MOTOE.

Then other reviewers said the film is too dialogue heavy and tedious even with all the cutting that’s been done. Except that’s exactly how the book is, a dialogue scene after dialogue scene (kudos to Ken for making each interrogation unique and different). Reading the reviews, you soon realize some people would have preferred a longer movie, while others would say spending more time on each suspect and clue slowed it down and made it boring. I don’t envy Ken the choice he had to make. Perhaps the shorter running time was a studio mandate or the result of feedback from early screenings. Maybe it was all Ken’s decision, who knows, but I don’t doubt he did everything he could to make the movie as coherent and smooth as possible after all the cuts. I think the movie is amazing.

Anyhow, apologies for the long reply and thank you for messaging me! :)

#beautifulmonsterseverywhere #replies #murder on the orient express

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theheavymetalmama · 8 years ago

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My Most Anticipated Movies of 2017

2016 was an exceptionally shit year on many fronts and I for one won’t miss it. Hopefully 2017 will be better, but given that soon we’ll have a president who lets his ego make important decisions and has elected cabinet members who don’t know the first fucking thing about any of their positions...yeah. It’s going to be a long, trying four to~God fucking help us~eight years. But 2017 does at least have one thing going for it, and that’s the fact that it’s a big year for movies, which means lots of opportunities to escape from this horrible, horrible world for at least an hour and a half.

Now this isn’t a top ten list, as if it was the vast majority of this list would be taken up by comic book movies. Instead, this is just a general list of movies I want to see and hopefully get to see this year, starting with least anticipated and ending with most anticipated. Starting with...

Resident Evil: the Final Chapter

Kind of cheating here because there’s something I want to clarify; I don’t want to see this movie. Rather, I want this movie franchise to die and I hope against hope that this is indeed the FINAL chapter...though I’m not holding my breath. The one thing I am looking forward to is the inevitable review from Phelous. If you love the RE games but hate the movies, watch his reviews on them because he just rips them to pieces.

Wonder Woman

In an ideal world, this movie would probably be my number one movie I’m most looking forward to, or at least somewhere in the top three. But we don’t live in an ideal world, we live in a world where some asshat thought it was a good idea to kill Superman in two movies and made Batman and Superman both having moms named Martha a big plot twist and the execs fucking went with it. Suffice to say the DCEU has been an ongoing shitshow. Man of Steel was just okay, Suicide Squad was laughably bad, and Batman v Superman was a chemical plant dumpster fire. So while I’m not as excited for the first female lead superhero movie in over a decade as I should be, Wonder Woman has some good things going for it. Different director, different producers, writers...are not ideal but weirder things have happened before, it takes place in World War I making it totally disconnected from the other DCEU movies, and the fucking trailer has more color and levity than the entirety of both Man of Steel AND Batman v Superman. Hopefully this will be the movie that turns things around for both the DCEU and female lead superhero and action movies as a whole.

XXX: Return of Xander Cage

Yes, the first movie is dated as hell with its’ aesthetics and its’ overall writing and attitude makes it the cinematic equivalent to pogs and the second movie was basically a 90 minute advertisement for Pimp My Ride (is that show still even on?) and as a whole both movies have aged like milk. However, the makers of this movie seem aware of that and have seemed to embrace the post-number four Fast and Furious franchise’s attitude of “Hey, this is basically a bunch of cartoon characters who settle things with racing of all things, let’s stop taking this shit so seriously and have some fun.” Vin Diesel shines best when he either gives a genuine performance or goes so over the top that GI Joe would tell him to tone it down a bit. Still pretty low on the list because, honestly, I’m not expecting much out of this one.

Friday the 13th

Hopefully this one goes better than the last attempt at a reboot.

King Arthur: Legend of the Sword

There have been several movies based on the King Arthur fable over the years, and while none of them were particularly bad they can’t be defended as good movies either. However, this one has a shot because it’s being directed by Guy Ritchie. You know, the dude behind those RDJ-lead Sherlock Holmes movies, as well as ‘Snatch’ and ‘The Man From U.N.C.L.E.’ Every other attempt at making a King Arthur movie since ‘Sword in the Stone’ has tried playing it straight to varying degrees of success, Monty Python and the Holy Grail not withstanding. Hopefully Ritchie’s gonzo take on Sherlock will work wonders for King Arthur as well.

Kong: Skull Island

Godzilla 2014 was a very polarizing movie. I liked it, but will admit its’ not without problems. Still, there are three things everyone can agree on. Tricking the audience into thinking Brian Cranston was the lead when in fact it was a boring white-bread version Kick-Ass was a dick movie on the studio’s part, the tone was needlessly grim, and despite having the best looking Godzilla to date (sorry, Shin Godzilla) there was too little Godzilla in the movie. It’s sequel (yes, Kong: Skull Island is a Godzilla 2014 sequel) seems to be taking those criticisms to heart, with an all-star cast and a welcoming injection of humor and levity, this is one monster movie to look forward to.

Power Rangers

Yeah, I’m honestly not sure what to expect of this one. Either it’s going to blow our minds or it’s going to be a disaster of Biblical proportions. Either way, I’m eager to find out.

Beauty and the Beast

As far as animation goes, save for ‘The Good Dinosaur’ Disney and Pixar have been knocking it out of the park since Wreck-It-Ralph. The live-action remakes of their classics, however, are a bit of a mixed bag. Maybe this is the one that will turn it around for them, as they seem to be bringing their A-game with this one.

Logan

The X-Men franchise is running on fumes. First Class was excellent, Days of Future Past was good, Apocalypse fell flat on its’ face, and while Deadpool was a ton of fun a big part of that movie’s charm was hanging a giant lampshade on how little it had to do with the other X-Men movies. At this point, I’m long past the ‘give it back to Marvel’ phase and just want to see this franchise put on the shelf for a bit. Having said that, one aspect that does still hold up is Hugh Jackman as Wolverine. Sure, Origins was crap, but The Wolverine was at least two parts of a decent B-movie. And with ‘Logan’ being Jackman’s last hurrah as as everyone favorite Canadian, hopefully this is a worthy send-off.

War of the Planet of the Apes

Hey, the first two were good. Hopefully they can go three-for-three.

Jumanji

Remakes tend to be hit and miss, so kudos to the studio for deciding to not even bother trying to recreate the original and tell something different entirely. This movie will be a collect of shorts focusing on the experiences of different people involved with the game, or so they say at least. I just there’s a scene where The Rock and Jack Black can interact because that would be just golden.

Kingsman: the Golden Circle

The first one was a surprise hit and an even more surprising ton of fun, and I have no doubt in my mind this one will do the same.

Lego Batman

I was as shocked as anyone when The Lego Movie was not just good, but so much better than anyone expected as well as better than a 90 minute toy advertisement deserved to be. Hopefully not only will lightning strike twice, but above all else I hope this movie shows how Batman having friends and allies is a good thing and serves as a step toward putting the tired, achingly cliche, egregiously overdone, hopelessly outdated, grimdark, moody, paranoid, untrusting, morally ambiguous, post Frank miller “MY PARENTS ARE DEEEEAAAAAAAD!” version of Batman we’ve been stuck with for the last 30 years to fucking rest.

Murder on the Orient Express

It’s been a while since I’ve seen a good mystery movie and even longer since I’ve seen the iconic literary figure Hercule Poirot in...well, anything. Hopefully this movie will fill that void.

Thor: Ragnarok

Let’s face it, the Marvel Cinematic Universe at this point in time is pretty much unstoppable. Such is their talent with making good movies that not even the two most iconic superheroes ever in the same movie could hold a candle to the third Captain America movie loosely based on a comic book that isn’t even good. However, there are two irrefutable criticisms for the MCU, and it’s that as a whole the MCU is both a sausage party as well as whiter than the line in a Starbucks in Nebraska, and that the Thor movies are the weak links in the MCU chain. Hopefully the upcoming Black Panther and Captain Marvel movies will address the race and sex thing, and from the looks of things ‘Ragnarok’ will do the same for Thor. Bigger scale, elements from Planet Hulk brought into the fray, Kate Blanchette playing the villain Hela, and a possible appearance by Doctor Strange? Hell yes, sign me up!

Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2

Do I really need to explain this one?

Star Wars: Episode VIII

The Force Awakens was good. Rogue One was even better. As of right now I haven’t the slightest idea of what VIII will even be about, but I’m sure it will be good. Not to mention it’s the last time we’ll see the late Carrie Fisher in anything.

And my number one most anticipated movie of 2017 is...

Spider-Man: Homecoming

It’s come to my attention that some people are upset that that there won’t be a third installment to Sony’s now defunct Amazing Spider-Man series, and that...baffles me. I mean, did anybody even watch Amazing Spider-Man 2? It was...bad. Sure, there are worse movies out there, but ASM2 still wasn’t good. Andrew Garfield was good as Spider-Man but as Peter Parker he choked and choked hard, the villains sucked, and it’s painfully obvious that the people at Sony/Columbia Pictures were way more interested in keeping the Spider-Man license and aping the MCU formula in order to make a quick buck than they were in making a good Spider-Man movie.

Hopefully, this will the movie that redeems a tarnished franchise, and so far it has a lot of good things going for it. Not only can Spidey interact with the MCU, not only are they skipping the origin story, not only is Michael Fucking Keaton playing the Vulture, but actor Tom Holland was a better Spider-Man in a few minutes of Civil War than the entirety of both Maguire and Garfield in the previous five Spider-Man movies. What else can I say? Oh yeah, I know...

UNDEROOS!

#movies #2017

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popofventi · 7 years ago

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Mental Yoga Sunday / 5 Favorite Long Form Reads This Week / Issue No. 19

"Poirot," I said. "I have been thinking." "An admirable exercise my friend. Continue it." -- Agatha Christie, Peril at End House

Mental Yoga Sunday posts are meant to be like a big mute button you aim at the rest of the world. Just you, your chair, a mug, a spot next to a dust-filled sunny spot or a rainy window. Take in a long form read...sip by sip.

Snopes And The Search For Facts In A Post-Fact World (Wired)

"Feeling depressed about the conflation of fiction and fact in the first few months of 2017, I steered a car into the hills of Calabasas to meet with one person whom many rely on to set things straight. This is an area near Los Angeles best known for its production of Kardashians, but there were no McMansions on the street where I was headed, only old, gnarled trees and a few modest houses. I spotted the one I was looking for—a ramshackle bungalow—because the car in the driveway gave it away. Its license plate read SNOPES.

David Mikkelson, the publisher of the fact-checking site Snopes.com, answered the door himself. He was wearing khakis and a polo shirt, his hair at an awkward length, somewhere between late-career Robert Redford and early-career Steve Carell. He had been working alone at the kitchen table, with just a laptop, a mouse, and the internet. The house, which he was getting ready to sell, was sparsely furnished, the most prominent feature being built-in bookcases filled with ancient hardcovers—“there’s a whole shelf devoted to the Titanic and other maritime disasters,” Mikkelson told me—and board games, his primary hobby.

Since about 2010, this house has passed for a headquarters, as Snopes has no formal offices, just 16 people sitting at their laptops in different rooms across the country, trying to swim against the tide of spin, memes, and outright lies in the American public sphere. Just that morning Mikkelson and his staff had been digging into a new presidential tweet of dubious facticity: “122 vicious prisoners, released by the Obama Administration from Gitmo, have returned to the battlefield. Just another terrible decision!” Trump had the correct total, but the overwhelming number of those detainees had been released during the George W. Bush administration. “There’s a whole lot of missing context to just that 122 number,” Mikkelson said." - Read Full Story

On Kindness, My Mother is Sick by Cord Jefferson

"For a few weeks one summer, when I was about eight or nine, my family and I road-tripped from our home in Tucson to the Grand Canyon and then up to Yosemite National Park. We hiked and played and slept for days amid some of the world’s most majestic natural beauty, and yet I can tell you almost nothing about what Yosemite or the Grand Canyon are like from the inside. Instead, my most powerful memory from that trip is an afternoon spent at the beach during a brief stop in Los Angeles.

On that day, the heat was the humid kind that mingles with L.A.’s smog to make everything look thick and dull, as if you were watching the world through wax paper. While my parents read paperback novels and played backgammon, I divided my time between juggling a soccer ball on the beach and swimming in the ocean to cool off. I sprinted back and forth between the two activities for hours, until the setting sun instigated a mass dispersal, when all the beachgoers turning their heads to flick sand from their towels looked like parts of some grand choreographed routine.

As my family and others packed up our bags, I noticed a group of people several plots away from us who appeared to be in no hurry to beat the traffic. It was three young men and two young women, sun-kissed and attractive in a way that they would have looked at home on a cheap picture postcard people send from Santa Monica to Cincinnati. At first I only noticed the group’s peals of laughter, hysterical and unabashed, and I considered how wonderful it must be to be old enough to go to the beach without your parents. And then I saw who they were laughing at." - Read Full Story

Hot Meals and Cold Cases: Solving Crimes at the Detectives’ Lunch Club (Mental Floss)

"On a brisk day last November, law enforcement professionals and forensic scientists crowded into a dining room at the Union League in downtown Philadelphia to eat lunch and stare at photos of dead bodies. The contrast was startling: fine steaks served on white china, sumptuous wallpaper dimly lit by elegant candelabra, and blood and limbs projected onto a screen. Tucked into the back of the room, I struggled to keep down my coffee. My tablemates, most of them graying and austere, clad in smart, dark suits, seemed unbothered.

“Can you make the picture a little bigger?” shouted one.

“It’s hard to see the hands,” added another.

The hands in question belonged to David Hayes, a retiree from a small town in Nebraska. Two years earlier, in the fall of 2010, an intruder had broken into the back door of a condo owned by David and his wife, Joan.* David was savagely shot and bludgeoned to death; Joan was stabbed repeatedly in the chest and face. A pocketknife emblazoned with the logo of the Nebraska State Police was found buried in Joan’s sternum.

The details mystified police. Nothing appeared stolen. Joan was posed in a sexual way—her nightgown jimmied up around her neck, her legs splayed apart. Rings of table salt were spread in careful circles around the bodies. The pages of a rare edition of the Bible were scattered over David’s corpse, and there were multiple, careful stab wounds around his eyes.

After two years of investigation, the case was ice-cold. So in late 2012, David Schumann and Pete Webber, the Nebraska cops running the case, packed information on the Hayes murders into manila envelopes and sent them to the headquarters of the Vidocq (pronounced vee-dock) Society, a crime-solving organization founded in 1990 by a group of forensics specialists. Well-known in law enforcement circles, the Vidocq Society is a last resort—it’s where cops turn when every lead has come to naught. For Schumann and Webber, it was their best and perhaps last hope for a break. If the Vidocq Society couldn’t crack the case, nobody could." - Read Full Story

Going Underground: Inside the World of the Mole-Catchers (The Guardian)

"...But after he retired five years ago, Page expanded his back lawn and the moles became more persistent. As more and more molehills sprung up, Page came to feel as if their labours were engineered to produce in him the maximum anguish. He purchased traps at the garden centre, but they would often remain unsprung or – worse – sprung and empty.

He decided to escalate his counter-assault. During a stopover in Amsterdam, he bought a pungent bag of flower bulbs advertised as a natural mole deterrent. (The moles didn’t mind.) Next, he installed a solar-powered mole repeller, a torpedo-shaped device that emits vibrations that are supposed to keep the moles away. (The moles carried on.) He tried flooding them out with a water hose. (Moles are strong swimmers.) Finally, he tried suffocating them with the exhaust of his lawnmower. (Moles can survive in low‑oxygen environments.)

Page knew it wasn’t healthy to go on like this. Last September, he found the phone number of a woman named Louise Chapman, also known as the Lady Mole Catcher of Norwich..." - Read Full Story

Gone Girl (The Caravan)

"On the evening of 13 January, Birna Brjansdottir—a 20-year-old woman who worked as a salesperson at a department store—went out with a friend to an indie bar in downtown Reykjavik, Iceland. Brjansdottir’s friend headed home at 2 am, but Brjansdottir wanted to stay out longer. Shortly after 5 am, she left the bar on her own.

After that, Brjansdottir was filmed by at least five CCTV cameras in the downtown area. In footage that would be viewed thousands of times in the coming weeks, she walks unsteadily down a well-lit street, bumps into a man, drops a few coins and almost falls over as she collects them. In the background, a red Kia drives by. At 5.25 am, the footage shows Brjansdottir turning left at a building of the Church of Iceland. This is the last image captured of her, alive.

The next day, Brjansdottir did not show up to work. Her phone was switched off. That evening, her family reported her missing." - Read Full Story

#Long Form Reading #Longreads #Birna Brjansdottir #The Guardian #Mole Catchers #Mental Floss #Detectives' Lunch Club #Snopes #Wired #On Kindness #Cord Jefferson

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titoslondon-blog · 8 years ago

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New Post has been published on Titos London

#Blog New Post has been published on http://www.titoslondon.com/the-2017-hot-list-instyles-annual-rising-stars-portfolio-of-the-names-you-need-to-know/

The 2017 Hot List: InStyle's Annual Rising Stars Portfolio Of The Names You Need To Know

Bill Milner

Age: 21

Originally from… Surrey, UK

You’ll recognise him… as that kid in the hilarious Son of Rambow (Bill was only 12 when he landed the role) He’s since gone onto to star in X-Men: First Class and Anthropoid plus this month makes his Netflix debut alongside Maisie Williams in iBoy, the streaming service’s first movie based on Kevin Brooks’s 2010 young adult novel, about a teenager who gains iPhone -related superpowers.

Can you remember what the first VHS or DVD you bought?

When I was 13 or 14 years old I started watching films properly. My friend and I were obsessed with Christopher Nolan’s Batman. That one of the first times I realised films could have a deeper kind of story and started to notice the difference between huge blockbusters and Indie.

Do you think Netflix is starting a whole new genre?

Yeah, the consumer is so different now. It’s given us a great opportunity for long-form storytelling. People kind of think it’s ‘binging’ if you watch three episodes on television but really that’s like 2-3 hours, that’s a film! And if you do that a few nights in a row you’ve watched like 9 hours of a story and you are really following the characters. I would rather prefer an opportunity to do a series to really get in deep with the character. That’s more exciting!

What was it like making iBoy?

I was surprised how much more creative control Netflix give. They were quite happy for us to do what we wanted with regards to how far we took the language and how dark we wanted it to be.

Do you think you’re going to recognized a lot more because of its reach?

Hmmm maybe. It’s exciting that it’s always going to be online. Like in ten years time people could still be stumbling across it.

What word do you always overuse?

Well I know that in interviews a lot of actors use word “exciting” which I’m guilty of too. Like ‘I’m excited to work with them’ and ‘this is a really exciting project!’ Everything is always ‘exciting.’

What was the last lie you told?

I’m much of a liar really. If I have to lie…hmmm I actually just avoid it. Like if someone says: ‘Oh are you free this week?’ and I just don’t want to see them I just don’t text them back. It’s avoiding but also I’m being honest.

Tell us your signature cocktail?

Whiskey sours. I made them last night. My top tip? Don’t use pre-squeezed lemon juice, you have to squeeze the lemons yourself. I know it’s long but it make a big difference.

Your top three most used emojis?

That laughy-cry one. A heart. And the nail paint, for when you want to just snap someone out.

Pearl Mackie

Age: 29

Originally from… London

You’ll recognize her from… West End hit The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time and BBC’s daytime soap Doctors. But you’re going to be seeing way more of her in 2017 when she makes her Doctor Who debut as Peter Capaldi’s companion.

Was acting always the career plan?

Always! Apparently when I was five my mum was washing my hair on a Sunday night before school in front of Saint Louis. Judy Garland was singing the trolley song and I turned to my mum and said I want to do that.

Where were you when you got the Doctor Who call to say you’d got it?

At home with my housemate. The whole process was mad. At the recall I read with Peter and it was all really hush hush, the whole process was like being in M15. Then my agent called me to tell me I got it. There were tears. I had to call her back and say ‘look I’ve imagined that moment a lot so please can you tell me it did actually happen!’

Have you met any fans yet?

They’re incredible. I went to Comic Con in New York and there was a girl dressed exactly like me. The trailer I appear in is only two minutes long but she had really nailed it.

Has anyone given you any good advice?

On my first day of filming Jenna Coleman sent me a bunch of flowers with a note saying that I didn’t need any advice but if she was to tell me anything it would be something that Karen has passed onto her. And that was to tell me not to eat the faggots in the canteen. They had them on the menu the other day and I was like no way!

How do you feel about Peter leaving?

I’m so sad but I’m just happy I got to work with him. He’s such a generous actor. I’m very new to camera acting and all the technical stuff and he will always check if I’m ok. We really get into the scenes and he’s very open to my opinions.

Your go-to karaoke song?

Journey’s Don't Stop Believing. That’s embarrassing.

Word or phrase you overuse?

Literally. I literally use it all the time.

Trait you value most in your friends?

Honesty. Even if I look like shit I’d rather you’d tell me.

Monday motivation?

I love those quotes on Instagram. Mine would be ‘This too shall pass.’ It’s not always going to be Monday. Just get up and go.

Go to cocktail?

I’m a classic gin and tonic gal. I love a Hendricks with a slice of cucumber.

Blake Harrison

Age: 21

Originally from… London

You’ll recognise him from… The Inbetweeners, where Blake played the hilarious dopey Neil for seven years and last year starred alongside Catherine Zeta Jones and Bill Nighy in the cinematic remake of Dad’s Army. Next up he’s swapping comedy for drama taking on roles in ITV’s Prime Suspect prequel Tennison and BBC thriller Trust Me.

Do you still get lots of people stopping you in the street and asking you to do Neil impressions from the Inbetweeners?

There’s a lot. But you know, that’s just the test of the time. I can’t knock it, it’s just is what it is.

Was it hard to avoid being typecast?

Some people are so into the show that they are quite disappointed when they realize you’re not quite that character. But I feel quite lucky with my next roles. In Tennison I play a hot-tempered police officer in the 70s. And in Trust Me I play a recovering alcoholic. That’s really the fun of acting, playing a variety of roles with different types of people.

And now you’re venturing into directing too?

My lovely wife wrote a play and I thought I’d love to make it into a short film. Directing was always something I had in mind but I’m just starting and quickly learning that there is a lot more to it than I originally thought. The note sessions with my wife are interesting too!!

What’s your signature cocktail?

We had Christmas party last year and I made eggnog for the first time and it was delicious. I just followed a recipe off the Internet. It went down incredibly well. That was a real surprise for everyone involved.

What’s the most romantic thing your wife has done for you?

She tried to throw a surprise party for me but she was really rubbish at keeping it a secret. But she tried and that was romantic. I did something really great for our proposal. I made our mutual friend pretend to book a holiday to Paris and then tell us they couldn’t go so did we want the tickets. Then I got my parents involved so when my wife called them to ask them to look after our daughter they were like ‘Oh this is very last minute…’ When we got to Paris I got down on one knee outside the Sacre-Coeur. She was totally shocked.

What are the most used emoji you’ve got?

I don’t like using them. At my age I slightly missed them. But I sometimes use the monkey covering his eyes. Maybe my vocabulary is too small but I can’t think of something that describes the monkey covering its eyes in just one word.

Tom Bateman

Age: 28

Originally from… Oxford, UK

You’ll recognise him… as the violent table-smashing Robert Jekyll in ITV’s Jekyll and Hyde and as a handsome and hilarious Shakespeare in the stage adaption of Tom Stoppard’s Shakespeare In Love. Next up you’ll see him playing Amy Schumer’s love interest in Snatched and he stars as Bouc in the 2017 version of Murder On The Orient Express alongside Johnny Depp.

So was acting always the plan?

I grew up in Oxford, that’s where my fake posh accent comes from! I wanted to be a thousand different things but I didn’t have the commitment to do any of them. But my family is all very creative so it stems from there. I’ve got thirteen siblings!

Hang on, what?

I’ve got a twin, we’re not identical but my baby brother actually really looks like me. And then there are 10 others. Some are half siblings.

What do they think of your career?

I come from a very modest background so when I told my parents they said: ‘We can’t support you but chase what makes you happy.’ I think that is good advice. They were very happy that I found something that I loved doing for living.

You’ve come straight to tonight’s party from the set of Murder On The Orient Express. What’s it like?

Stunning! Before Christmas we were filming on a 70ft high mountain range. All the action takes place on and around the train. My character Bouc owns the train and is Poirot’s best friend. I help him in solving the case.

You’re working with some pretty impressive co-stars?

It’s like Hollywood royalty. We’ve got like Derek Jacobi, Judi Dench, Olivia Colman, and then there’s Johnny Depp, Daisy Ridley and Penelope Cruz too. So it’s basically everyone! I had to do a scene which was a speech in front of the whole cast and I said ‘this is like being at the at Oscars.’

In Snatched you star alongside Amy Schumer. Is she as hilarious IRL?

She is great! She is absolutely hugely intelligent and also very sensitive. A real laughing person to those around her. But she is actually quite shy if you really get to know her.

Has a co-star ever given you good advice?

You learn by seeing. Working with Judi Dench, I mean she is heaven on Earth. The way she treats people as well as acts, you think this is who I aspire to be.

What’s your go-to karaoke song?

I once won a competition once with Easy – Commodores.

What word or phrase do you overuse?

Probably ‘Lots of love.’ I say it to everyone!

What’s your go-to cocktail?

A Negroni. Go big or go home! And it’s the only one I can make.

Most used emojis?

I genuinely don’t know what those are. Are they like smiley faces? I don’t use those. I think they’re shortcuts and awful. I don’t really text, I like phone calls.

So you’re not into social media either?

No f**k that. I was and felt like I was selling my soul. I mean do we really need to see photos of what people are eating for breakfast?

From left – right: Sacha Dhawan, Rory Fleck-Byrne and Scott Arthur

Sacha Dhawan

Age: 33

Originally from… Stockport

You’ll know him from… 24: His big James Bond moment in Live Another Day, as well as gritty crime drama Line of Duty, and the period drama for fashionistas Mr. Selfridge

When did you first describe yourself as an actor?

I used to tap dance when I was a kid and the teacher said to my parents, ‘ His tap dancing’s not bad but he should really go into performing.’ She set me up with an agent in Manchester and soon after I was cast in a children’s series, Out of Sight, at the age of 12. So around about then, I guess.

Does the acting bug run in the family?

No but both of my parents are singers. My Dad is huge fan of Elvis so he sings and my Mum is a beautiful Indian singer. They’ve got more confidence to get up in front of the family than me. Because I’m an actor, they’re always trying to get me to do a monologue. I’m, like, guys, no WAY.

What was the first VHS/ DVD you bought?

Making Michael Jackson’s Thriller by Douglas Kirkland and also – this is really embarrassing – Dirty Dancing. Me and my sister used to watch it on endless repeat.

Have you ever had any on-set disasters?

Sometimes you think you’re invincible and, one time, I had to throw a guy over my shoulder. The producer said, ‘We’ll get you a double,’ but I was insistent on doing it myself. And then I went and dislocated my shoulder.

What’s your go-to karaoke song?

Summer Nights from the Grease soundtrack. I might even put it on Spotify on the way home.

What word or phrase do you overuse the most?

'Imagination’ and ‘mate.’ I call guys and girls ‘mate.’ It's a northern thing.

You’ve got friends coming around for drinks. Tell us your signature cocktail.

Espresso Martinis to perk everyone up a bit. Or set them up for a fall.

What’s the most romantic thing someone has done for you in London?

For my thirtieth, my significant other told me we were just going out for dinner. But she’d booked a restaurant and invited all of my closest friends, which was amazing given that she’d never even met half of them. It was perfect.

Rory Fleck-Byrne

Age: 27 Originally from… Ireland

You’ll recognise him… from films including The Quiet Ones and Vampire Academy plus this year you’ll spot him starring alongside Pierce Brosnan in thriller The Foreigner.

What was the fist VHS you bought? I think it was the Lion King. I feel so sorry for adults that didn’t watch it during their childhood. It is like the Lion King is our Hamlet.

What’s been your worst on-set disaster?

When I was doing a fight exam for a role my sword broke so I had to keep styling it out. I was trying to put it back together but couldn’t. I ended up with a bit of blade in my bare hand. I think I can handle anything after that.

Has a co-star ever given you some good advice?

Pierce Brosnan. He is a very open, connected and grounded individual. He kept saying to me: ‘Stay open, live well, be good to yourself. It was more about how I looked after myself as opposed to my career or how I acted. Just watching him was a lesson in itself really.

What’s your Monday morning motivation motto?

I watch Meryl Streep making her speech at the Golden Globes. That kind of shit that will get you out of bed.

Tell us your signature cocktail recipe? A Negroni. And I have just tried a chocolate Negroni for the first time. You just add a bit of Mozart chocolate Liqueur. Some mixologists think it is wrong, but I am all about it.

What are your three most used emojis? The dancing senorita, peace and the concrete face. It is so random

Scott Arthur Age: 23

You’ll recognise him from… his big-screen debut alongside Jack O’Connell in the harrowing The Somnambulists, and last year played the lead in Bridgend, a drama that explored a mysterious real life suicide cluster that took place in Wales. Next up he joins Shia Labeouf in Borg Vs McEnroe, that looks at the epic 1980 Wimbledon final match.

What was the fist VHS/ DVD you bought? I spent my pocket money on Wayne’s World. I loved Mike Myers as a child. And I remember going to Blockbuster with my parents and I begged and begged for them to buy the Lion King, It is my favourite Disney movie by far.

Tell us about the best advice a co-star has given you? Shia LaBeouf said to me ‘Do what you want and don’t do anything else’, which is what Brad Pitt had told him. A lot of actors get told to do what ever is given to you, and as much as I think that is sound advice, I think you need to be more responsible and have your own ownership over what you do. Always do what your gut tells you, if your gut is saying no, get out of there. Your gut will always tell you what is the truth, what is real and good and what is bullshit. Don’t do any old shit because you will either end up hating it or yourself in it.

What’s your go-to karaoke song? I am quite alternative, I like doing women’s songs like the Beautiful South. And being Welsh, the Stereophonics. It gets the crowd going, not like there is ever a crowd!

What word or phrase do you overuse the most? In Wales we basically say the word ‘mun’ at the end of a sentence. So you would say something like ‘For god’s sake, mun’. It is Welsh colloquialism. I swear a lot as well which is quite bad, but I read something the other day that intelligent people like to swear a lot so…

What’s your Monday morning motivation?

I don’t have my phone by my bed any more. I have an alarm clock instead. So if I am not doing anything I will just sleep and wake up when I want to wake up. If I have got work my alarm goes off, I shower, and then I check my phone. Because of this day and age, we all wake up and check our phones but I was like I can’t do this any more. I struggle some times but I do it.

What’s your go to getting ready for a party song? If I am going to a club I quite like hip hop, maybe a little bit of Drake or Kanye West. Anything that has a good beat or base and makes you go ‘F**k yeah I am loving this’.

Hermione Corfield Age: 23 Originally from… London You’ll know her from… Mission: Impossible – Rogue Nation with Tom Cruise, Pride and Prejudice and Zombies plus war TV drama The Halcyon. This year she stars in xXx: Return of Xander Cage alongside Vin Diesel, and King Arthur: Legend of the Sword, directed by Guy Ritchie.

What was the first VHS/DVD you bought? I was given Top Cat in my Christmas stocking when I was four years old. However, I remember I had actually wanted The Aristrocats but I just wrote on my list ‘the cat film’ so I ended up with Top Cat.

What has been your most challenging role? Playing Emma Garland in The Halcyon just due to the sheer volume of it. We filmed six days a week for five months. So stamina wise definitely that.

Have you ever had any funny on-set disasters? I have spilt coffee on myself multiple times. I’m always told to wear a dressing gown and don’t and then end up almost in tears saying ‘I am so so sorry I have done it again!’ And I corpse (film slang for spontaneous laughing) a lot as well. That is a big one for me!

What word or phrase do you overuse the most? ‘That’s it.’ I always say ‘that’s it.’ My friend from Wales is like where did you pick that up from it is so Welsh?

What’s your Monday morning motivation? Music. I just blast it on my speakers.

Tell us your signature cocktail recipe? I am quite good at making a mescal, lime coriander and chilli thing that I learnt in Mexico.

Eoin Macken

Age: 34

Originally from… Dublin

You’ll know him from… Sixteenth Century small screen romp The Tudors, TV fantasy series Merlin, and fast paced hospital drama The Night Shift

When did you first describe yourself as an ‘actor’

I still feel like I’m learning and becoming an actor. Make sense?

What was the first VHS/ DVD you bought?

The French film La Haine. I bought the special edition and I remember being very excited, because it was hard to get your hands on.

What’s been your most challenging role?

Killing Jesus with Kelsey Grammer, because I was playing Herod Antipas, an unlikeable character who put the thorns on Jesus’s head. It was my job to make the audience warm to him. I tried to understand him in terms of politics, how people are put in positions and you can’t always necessarily judge them.

Have you had any on-set accidents?

I cut up my wrist punching a window once. I was in character and I didn’t realise I’d actually sliced it open. I carried on filming when I really should have got it seen to. When I finally went to hospital the nurse had to reopen the wound and take the glass out. She gave me a big telling off.

What’s your go-to karaoke song?

Ice-Ice Baby by Vanilla Ice. It can’t really fail. People are genuinely amused even if you’re terrible.

What was the last lie you told?

That I’d be at this event in five minutes when I knew I was really half-an-hour away.

What word or phrase do you overuse the most?

You know?’ It’s in every other sentence.

What’s your Monday morning motivation?

Give me a pot of coffee with cinnamon and a newspaper on a Monday morning and I’m all set.

What’s your go-to getting ready for a party song?

Come Together by Primal Scream

You’ve got friends coming around for drinks. Tell us your signature cocktail.

Straight whisky. Then you know who you’re real friends are because they’ll drink it with you.

What are your top three most used emojis?

The smiley face with the wink, the one where the eyes look totally perplexed and the jazz hands. Usually all at once.

Patrick Gibson

Age: 21

Originally from… Ireland

You’ll recognise him from… The OA, where he plays the terrifying Steve Winchell, the deeply troubled bully who strikes up a friendship with Prairie played by Brit Marling. Next up he stars alongside Idris Elba and Abraham Lewis in Guerrilla plus he has landed the lead role The White Princess, the highly anticipated follow-up to historical drama series The White Queen

What was the first VHS/DVD you bought? Donny Darko. It is to this day one of my favourite films. I remember I got a portable DVD for Christmas, which I’d watch it on. That’s so weird because now you just watch it on your phone.

What’s been your most challenging role? Every role is in its own way is quite challenging, I feel like I am starting from scratch every time. It is always different approaching every character. The OA was tough in a lot of ways, physically but also emotionally which I didn’t realise at the time.

What about funny on-set disasters?

This probably doesn’t sound that funny, but in hindsight it is kind of. So there was a scene that we did in OA where I have my dog with me and I basically tell it to attack Prairie – which is Brit Marling’s character. One of the dogs was extra aggressive in real life and I was told not to say attack at the end of the scene because it really would attack. It was like a three-minute scene and we got really into it. At the end I shouted ‘Attack’ and it did. It really went for Brit. But luckily the dog was well trained enough that he stopped mid air.

What’s your go-to getting ready for a party song? It’s so corny. I didn’t even realise I was this cheesy…but it has got to be Drake. Any Drake tunes.

Tell us your signature cocktail recipe? I made mojitos for two years, not in my house but in an actual bar, so mojitos it has got to be.

What are your top three most used emojis? Without looking at my phone? The glitter stars one, the wave and the dancing girl in the red dress. Do you have a strategy for making it big or do you think it is all about luck? I don’t know if I want to make it big in the conventional sense of being a celebrity. My strategy is hopefully to always do work that I am genuinely passionate about and scripts that I really believe in. And to think if there was no money involved would you still want to do it.

Abraham Lewis Age: 21 Originally from…London You’ll recognise him from… How to Talk to Girls at Parties where he played the smooth talking Vic. Next up he stars alongside Idris Elba in Sky Atlantic political drama Guerilla.

What do your family make of your career choice?

When my mum who is an actor told my grandfather who is also an actor that I wanted to do acting too along with my sister he said ‘Oh fuck not another one!’ My dad is an actor too and he was quite cautious as knows how tough this industry is but they are all amazingly supportive now.

What has been your most challenging role? In Guerilla I play a heroin addict and had to loose 25 pounds in a month and a half to do it. And also the headspace of an addict is really weird so that left me feeling quite low at times.

What word or phrase do you overuse the most? I think everyone my age overuses the word ‘like’. I hate it when I use it.

What’s your Monday morning motivation? When I was going to the gym a lot for Guerilla I started watching these YouTube videos by a guy called The Hip Hop Preacher to motivate me. He is really cool.

Tell us your signature cocktail recipe? I used to be a cocktail waiter. I make a good Dark and Stormy.

What’s your go-to getting ready for a party song? Young Americans by David Bowie. What’s the most romantic thing someone has done for you in London? For our third date my girlfriend and I went to a David Hockney exhibition For my birthday she went back and got all of the postcards of all of his paintings then wrote quotes from all of my favourite people ever on the back of each one.

Lucy Boynton

Age: 23

Originally from… New York, raised in London

You’ll recognize her from… horror flicks The Blackcoat's Daughter and Don't Knock Twice plus Sing Street, where she totally won audiences over with her portrayal of the self-proclaimed model and main love interest Raphina. Next up is a major Netflix series Gypsy and blockbuster Murder On The Orient Express.

Like Tom (Bateman) you’ve come straight from the set of the Orient Express. What’s your character like?

I play Countess Andrenyi. She’s a Hungarian countess and ballerina. I get to wear some fantastic handmade 1930s costumes. It’s all very opulent and extravagant.

That sounds pretty different from the Netflix series Gyspy you’ve just wrapped in New York?

Definitely. That’s about a psychotherapist played by Naomi Watts who becomes too immersed in the lives of her patients. I play Alison, a drug addict. She is addicted to speed so I used to eat a lot of M&Ms for breakfast at 7am to portray that jiggy feeling and hysteria.

Did you read lots of books on psychology?

I did, I’ve always been interested in psychology and have taken classes. It helps with acting, like understanding people and why they are how they are.

Are you starting to get recognized more?

I’m what the industry call a ‘plain actor’. I have this thing where no one remembers me. Plus I’ve changed my hair colour a lot so I think that helps.

What word do you overuse?

I tend to refer to every one as ‘woman’ but that’s better than girls or hun right?

Favourite karaoke song?

I don’t do it. I’ll go and support my friends but that’s it. I’m a cheerer. I’ll holler!

Tell us your go-to cocktail?

Aperol spritz. Every single time. Even in winter.

What’s your Monday morning motivation?

I’m not a morning person. And at the moment my call time is 4am. So I just have to remind myself how much I love my job!

Alex Lawther

Age: 22

Originally from… Hampshire

You’ll know him from… Indie Brit flick, A Brilliant Young Mind, as well as The Imitation Game and the coltishly brilliant Black Mirror

When did you first describe yourself as an ‘actor?’

My first job was a play called South Downs at the Harold Pinter theatre in the West End and an actress in the cast turned to me and said, ‘Is this something you want to carry on doing?’ It was the first time someone had asked me that question and it made me realise that I did. Before that I never realised it was something that would pay my rent.

What was the first DVD you bought?

Matilda by Danny DeVito. My friend and I can quote pretty much every line from that film.

What has been your most challenging role?

I recently did an episode of Black Mirror (Shut Up and Dance) and played a very troubled person. Trying to understand someone who I don’t feel like I’ve got any connection otherwise was tricky. But when the script is good, it makes it easier.

Have you ever had any on-set disasters?

I did a film last year called Old Boys and the character I played spends all of his time falling into muddy water or tripping over and generally being quite miserable. My memory of it was being very wet and very cold.

What’s your go-to karaoke song?

Abatina by Calypso Rose. It’s got this wonderful Afro beat to it. I’m obsessed with it.

What word or phrase do you overuse the most?

'That’s very interesting.’ Because I find so many things SO interesting. My friends make fun of me and it’s become my catchphrase.

What trait do you value most in your friends?

Kindness. I like kind people. It’s so underrated.'

What’s your go-to getting ready for a party song?

Abatina by Calypso Rose!

You’ve got friends coming around for drinks? Tell us your signature cocktail.

A martini although I’m not sure how good I am.

What are your top three most used emojis?

The puppy, the alien face and the one of a camel. I use it as a private joke with a friend of mine.

From left – right: Arinzé Kene, Conor MacNeill and Rosie Day

Arinzé Kene Age: 29 Originally from: Lagos, Nigeria and raised in London You’ll recognise him from… The Pass opposite Russell Tovey, the Netflix series Crazyhead and this year spot him in the Shakespearean drama Some Sweet Oblivious Antidote

When did you first describe yourself as an actor? That hasn’t happened yet. I have what is called imposter syndrome. I kind of think one day someone is going to come knocking on my door and say ‘Hey man, you told everyone you are an actor, but you are just a normal bloke and you have somehow tricked everybody. The majority of the time I say to people I perform rather than saying I am an actor. It just feels weird coming out of my mouth.

What was the first VHS/DVD you bought? When I was young I looked older than I was. I remember buying a film called Crooklyn, by Spike Lee when I was blatantly only fourteen and should have been much older to be allowed to.

What was the last lie you told? On my way here the driver asked me ‘Are there a lot of famous people in there?’ and I said no, none at all. What word do you overuse the most? Absolutely. I say absolutely way too much. I only realised it the other day when I was writing an e-mail.

What’s your Monday morning motivation? Meditating. I do it every morning when I wake up. I mean if you have to take a piss then do it but get right in there with the meditating afterwards.

Conor MacNeill Age: 28 Originally from… County Antrim, Northern Ireland

You’ll recognise him from… The Fall plus Channel 4 comedy No Offence. He also wrote this year’s BAFTA nominated film The Party. Talk about multi-talented.

When did you first describe yourself as an actor?

When I was 18 years old I told my teachers that I wanted to be an actor and they were like ‘Oh that is a silly thing to want to do.’ So when I landed a theatre job while still doing my A-levels I turned to them and said ‘I’m now an actor.’

What was the first VHS you bought? Watership Down. And I loved it. Apparently to the point where my mum and dad were like: ‘If we have to watch Watership down one more time…’

Tell us about the best advice a co-star has given you? I worked with a theatre actress called Eleanor Methven who told me to never look at anyone else’s career because everyone’s career is different and to just concentrate on your own.

What has been your most challenging role? My character in The Fall was a schizophrenic with convulsive and delusional disorders. That was pretty hefty. For the role I did loads of research and watched a lot of documentaries about mental health and illnesses. I wanted to be really respectful to people who suffer from it too. So I felt a lot of pressure with that.

What word or phrase do you overuse the most? Class, which is a Belfast word for brilliant. I use ‘That’s class’ all the time.

What’s your Monday morning motivation?

I just think you have got to get paid don’t you? And actually, I love the shower. If I can bring myself to shower I will spend ages in there, and a good song in the shower to listen to. That will get you going.

What is the most romantic thing someone has done for you in London? Surprised me by flying in from New York.

Rosie Day

Age: 22

Originally from… Cambridge

You’ll know her from… Granchester, Homefront, The Seasoning Hour

When did you first describe yourself as an ‘actor’?

When I was 11 I was in a kids show called Hope and Glory. I probably rather precociously said it to a teacher.

Does the acting bug run in the family?

My sister did it when she was younger and that’s how I found my way into it. But before that, never.

What do your family make of it as your career choice?

They’re very supportive. My sister is with me tonight, sat at the bar. She looks just like me.

What was the first DVD you bought?

St. Trinians. I know Gemma [Arterton] now and I still tell her, ‘I used to have a photo of you on my bedroom wall.’

What has been your most challenging role?

In a film called Butterfly Kisses, which premiers at the Berlin Film Festival next week, I play a 16-year-old prostitute from a council estate who had to sleep with people to feed her younger siblings. It was difficult to be in that mindset.

Tell us about the best advice a co-star has given you?

I worked with Suranne Jones when I was 13 and, afterwards my work ethic changed. I can’t remember exactly what she said, but she made me be a better actress.”

What’s your go-to karaoke song?

Believe by Cher. I got very drunk in Malaga once, got my ear pierced on the strip and sang this to my ex who wasn’t there.

What word or phrase do you overuse the most?

‘Like’ and ‘do you know what I mean?’ My dad always replies in an exhausted tone, ‘Yes, Rosie. I know what you mean.’”

What’s your go-to getting ready for a party song?

Anything by Taylor Swift. I’ve outgrown her a bit now but for 10-years, she was my idol.

What are your top three most used emojis?

The ghost sticking his tongue out – I’ve even got it on a T-shirt – the kissing face and the unicorn. I’m a big unicorn fan.

Josh O’Conner

Age: 26

Originally from: Cheltenham

You’ll know him from… Some great telly dramas think: Ripper Street, Peaky Blinders, and The Durrells

When did you first describe yourself as an ‘actor?’

When I got my first job on Lewis. I only had one line but had to retake it about 30 times. I’m much better now.

What was the first VHS/ DVD you bought?

Family Man with Nicholas Cage. I love that film so much. That, and Love Actually. The kind of films I’m doing at the moment are indie and art house but, in reality, I love a bit of cheese.

What has been your most challenging role?

The one I played in God’s Own Country which premiers at the Berlin Film Festival next week. I lost two-and-a-half stone and I’m already quite slight so I looked pretty gaunt.

Tell us about the best advice a co-star has given you?

I worked on Florence Foster-Jenkins with Meryl Streep – name drop there! I was terrified and filming started the day after Glastonbury so I wasn’t in the best shape. I was visibly anxious. She said to me ‘never be nervous.’ It was amazing because it worked.

What’s your go-to karaoke song?

Angels by Robbie Williams. I’m not a classy guy.

What word or phrase do you overuse the most?

‘Lush.’ I’m from Somerset and it’s very typical of that area. Plus, my ex-girlfriend hated it so I use it even more now.

What trait do you value most in your friends?

I like that they drink at my local pub with me.

What’s your Monday morning motivation?

Go to the gym but I’ve never fulfilled it. I don’t think I’ve been to the gym in, like, a year.

What’s your go-to getting ready for a party song?

Anything by Blood Orange.

You’ve got friends coming around for drinks? Tell us your signature cocktail.

I love cooking Persian food and like to eat it with a killer negroni.

What’s the most romantic thing someone has done for you in London?

About five or six years ago I was living in Bristol and someone took me to London. We stayed in a hotel and that was really exciting for me because I’d never stayed in a hotel in my entire life. I grew up camping!

What are your top three most used emojis?

The thinking face, the face that’s rolling its eyes and the fire. The last one’s an in joke and I use it a lot.

Lorne MacFayden

Age: 26

Originally from: Isle of Skye

You’ll know him from… those addictive TV series including The Level, Grantchester, Tina and Bobby

When did you first describe yourself as an ‘actor?’

When I dropped out of uni – I was studying Media Design – I had to start calling myself an actor for people to start taking me seriously. Once you make that step, it all starts unraveling.

What was the first VHS/ DVD you bought?

My Great Uncle owned a rental VHS shop so I used to watch whatever was lying around. Jaws was probably one of the first films I ever saw. To this day, I’m still terrified of sharks.

What has been your most challenging role?

Probably playing Bobby Moore. It’s quite the story; battling cancer and then winning the world cup. But, throughout filming, I was hyper aware that he was such an iconic football player and such a hero to so many people, so I had to get it right.

Have you ever had any funny on-set stories?

Whilst filming Tina & Bobby, Michelle Keegan and I were driving along in a beautiful old sixties Jag. I’m really into my music so would play stuff that was appropriate to the era. I was trying to find a track and for some reason, the Notorious B.I.G came on and my phone froze. We did have a laugh about that.

What’s your go-to karaoke song?

I actually worked in a karaoke bar for a year! Mine is A Little Less Conversation by Elvis. I don’t know the words off by heart but I have fun singing it after a few drinks.

What word or phrase do you overuse the most?

‘Sound.’ It’s an expression of general acceptance to something. So if someone says, ‘Can I get you a drink?’ I’ll reply ‘sound.’

What’s your go-to getting ready for a party song?

Depends. Probably Underworld or some other nineties rave tunes.

You’ve got friends coming around for drinks? Tell us your signature cocktail.

Long Island Ice Tea. It involves everything and can get a party started pretty quickly. It’s lethal stuff. Just what you want, right?

What are your top three most used emojis?

I use the crying with laughter one when I’m totally stony faced. The winky face I use but I HATE the winky face with the tongue sticking out. I mean, what’s that supposed to express? Don’t answer that.

Photographer: Schohaja

Creative Director: Jamie Spence

Interviews: Chloe Mac Donnell, Suzannah Ramsdale and Niki Browes

Styling: Hannah Lewis

Hair: Errol Douglas

Make up: Charlotte Yeomans

Continued below…

Meet the 2017 EE Rising Star BAFTA Nominees

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