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jksangelic · 5 years ago

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producer!yoongi (m)

rating: m

genre: fluff, domestic au, established relationship, smut, a little humor idk

pairing: producer/rapper!yoongi x reader

warnings/tags: extremely sweet and soft sexual intercourse, unprotected sex (be safe qt’s), last minute intentions of impregnation/impreg kink maybe, oral sex (male receiving), otherwise pretty self explanatory. yoongi is sleepy in this so that’s cute.

summary: trivia 轉: seesaw makes a great lovemaking song.

word count: 1750

note: this is a really old request. i mean, from last year old. so for that i apologize for taking so long to get to it. in other news, this greatly coincides with a dream i’ve personally had once or twice where yoongi’s song plays over a really serene and domestic smut scene 🥺 lucky me, right???

enjoy!

It comes as a surprise when you swing your leg amongst the sheets and thwap solid body, a groggy grunt retorting back.

You’re awake. Unfortunately so. Blame the open blinds and the orange that floods into the room, staining the wooden floors, majority of the bed and across your face. Mornings had been particularly brutal this time of year, and as you shift your sleep schedule according to the light, your beloved Yoongi sleeps until he decides his day starts.

You sit up and look down and there he is, awkwardly laid facing towards the ceiling and legs still hanging off the edge of the mattress. As if he sat, plopped down onto his back and passed out just like that.

It’s been often that he spends his night at his desk in the corner, creating, tinkering, erasing and over again. Happy and unsatisfied all the same even though what he did was, in your eyes, pure magic.

It takes a few minutes to really wake, careful not to hit your boyfriend once more as you stretch your limbs and wipe the crust from your eyes. You take a couple more in the bathroom to scrub your gums raw (you’d rather be single than ever have Yoongi experience your morning breath) and splash some water on your face.

“Pretty,” he would say. Part of him joking at the minimal effort and part of him more genuine than anything he would ever say in his entire life. He was always like that. A little indifferent in the way that he spoke but you have him all figured out, in the palm of your hand.

You think about turning on the TV, maybe flicking through whatever was new on Hulu. Until you catch his slideshow of screensavers idling on his desktop. One of you both at the beach, one at a concert, one of just you sipping from a cup in some cafe you found yourselves in. It makes your heart swell sweetly.

And then you feel a bit nosy, wanting to know what he’s been working so hard on. He’d shown you the basics of how to work his software, even an airhead like you knowing how to play the track without haphazardly throwing it all in the trash and setting it ablaze. If computers could animate that.

Lacking headphones, you listen to it’s intro as quietly as possible. It starts slow and simple, an initial “click” beginning and dropping into his beats. It takes awhile for you to realize he didn’t yet record his lyrics but the instrumental in itself is marvelous. It was calm unlike a handful of his other songs, encasing you in feelings of summer and nostalgia, if that was a thing.

“Snooping around so early in the morning already, huh?” Yoongi grunts, unprompted arms wrapping your shoulders from behind. You don’t startle and he finds that no fun, maybe from one too many surprises in your time.

“I like this,” you say, “What’s it going to be about?”

He nuzzles into your neck like it’s his safe haven. “How much I love you.”

You snort, letting the track continue and swiveling around in your chair so you can face him. “Liar. Did you mix this for someone?”

He travels a finger down the slope of your nose, pulling your bottom lip down with a thumb before letting his hand sink. “No, it’s mine.” A few beats.

“That’s it?”

“Heh. Remember our first year of dating and how bad it was?” You remember. The ups-and-downs, the arguing, breaking up several times thinking it was for the best. Your heart was unstable then, contrary to how solid it sits now.

“Yeah, that was rough,” you stand, inches away from his face.

“I’m calling it Seesaw, I think. I want it to be lighthearted, but for the rap to be somewhat convoluted. Like how I thought at the time of when we were a little rocky. Confused and maybe even a little dramatic.”

“So,” he interrupts you by kissing your nose, “you’re going to publicly throw me in the spotlight.”

“No, weirdo. I just like making songs that reflect on all parts of my life. Even the stupid ones. The instrumental has been a favorite of mine so far. Took me 6 hours to get it where it is now.” He kisses your top lip, chuckling into it and rubbing the lines in your forehead away with his.

“Your breath doesn’t stink.”

“You say that as if you’re disappointed. I washed up before I passed out. Maybe like—“ He checks his wristwatch, “An hour ago?”

“God, babe. How are you going to function today? Where am I going to get my attention from if you go back to sleep?”

He smirks, lifting you up with a bear hug unexpectedly and making the both of you fall, without grace, back onto the bed. “Oh, you’ll get my attention.”

“I can’t believe you just lifted me.”

“I’m scrawny, not weak. They don’t go hand-in-hand.”

You fake-ponder, squeezing your eyebrows together and staring into space, “I’m... I’m pretty sure they do.”

He attacks your neck, biting in retaliation and making you squeal above him, “Yoongi! Stop!”

Yoongi obeys, halting immediately and hugging you close. Close enough to near his lips to your ear and whisper a seductive, “Will you let me sleep in if I make you cum? How about it, kitten?”

You grow hot from his words, not bearing to look at his face and instead burying yours into his chest, whining simultaneously.

“Ohh... So embarrassed? How many times have we had sex now, surely you’ve grown used to this,” he taunts. His hands trail over your ass, a good squeeze gifted and playing with the frilled hem of your sleeping shorts. “I can sleep without it too.”

“No,” you muffle into his shirt, readjusting so you can breathe again and meeting his mischievous features, “I want to.”

“Hmm? You want me to what, kitten?” He croons, moving out from underneath and pulling you up the bed like you’re entranced by some siren song. All while nibbling on your sweet skin, digging his fingers into your bare ribs, convincing you with every beat of his heart.

You grab each side of his face, luring him onto your lips as you speak into your kiss, “I want you... I want you to make me cum.” He groans in response, flustered. As if he didn’t just command you to say so.

“Y-Yeah, I’ll do that.”

But he takes his everlasting time, palming himself in his pants until you offer to do it for him, eventually scooting down to meet his tightened sweats with your mouth, pressing subtle kisses to the bulge. Pulling the cloth down, his member flops comically to one side of his hip, still a little soft.

You test a lick, holding his base in your hand as you do so, “Do I not get you up as quickly as I used to?” You joke.

He props himself up on his elbows, his head lolled to its side and peering down at you with a scrunched nose. “I just woke up. Like, six minutes ago. This is sleepy dick. Wake it up.”

You laugh at “sleepy dick”, working it into your mouth delicately and swirling your tongue around it like candy. It’s always a weird feeling to have it, literally, inflate in your mouth. Graced in a certain size that seems to contradict his rather lean figure, not that you were complaining.

“Ahh, ah okay. Really sensitive this morning,” he moans, petting your face lovingly. “I wanna be able to last until I’m inside of you, please.”

So you both reposition, his love for missionary holding true as he fits between your spread legs and bracing his hands above your head. The song restarts which now comes to your attention, the “click” reminding you that you ceased to pause it.

Those nostalgic notes fill your head the same time Yoongi happens to fill you, saccharine and melodic. He loves to watch your face in pleasure, always immediate and sending pride right to his hips. He almost scoops upward into you, shallow enough to hit the nerves that make you cry out.

He thinks it sounds nice paired with his track, your high pitch mewls something he wish he could record, fine tune and embed into his audio mixer. The thought oddly turns him on, relocating his hands to the headboard and using the leverage to push into you rather harshly.

You squeak, pleading looks given to your boyfriend and receiving no mercy thereof. If he wouldn’t let up, then so be it. “Y-Yoongi, faster!”

“Ugh,” he pants, fiddling with your nipple between his gorgeous fingers, “H-Hey?”

Your hands reach towards his hips, egging him on with your touch, “Hm?”

“You wanna—fuck, you wanna make a kid?”

You’d laugh hysterically if you weren’t stuffed with cock, “Yoongi—“

“We’ve tried twice. How about another? Just in case.”

He slows for a second, kisses you briefly, then begins again at his hurried pace.

You close your eyes, humming, “Yes. Yes, cum inside.”

It’s only a minute before he finds where he was before, on the verge. As are you.

He exhales through hollowed cheeks, perspiration apparent and so godly handsome that that alone sends you over the edge, his full length and girth ramming into you as you arch.

“There you go, kitten. So sweet, so sweet for me. You’re like heaven, shit,” he stutters, not so far behind as he spills into you. He watches closely, like he can see how much he’s shooting into you, and even after long he doesn’t take himself out.

“Just making sure,” he nervously smiles.

You find yourself on top, again, seconds later. Still full and feeling a bit light. His song playing in the background, maybe for the ninth time.

“Should I turn it off?” he asks, reading your mind.

You watch the curtains pull in the slow wind, warmth shining on your bodies, not a cloud in sight. “No. I just want to stay like this for a bit.”

The rays particularly shine on the side of your belly, rotating yourself a bit so it can catch its luminescence. The feeling is a muted delight, then it’s sudden. The “click” sounds once more.

“I think—I think this is the one,” you say a little excitedly, hands floating above your navel.

But Yoongi sleeps soundly, breath measured. You suppose you’ll tell him when he wakes.

#bangtanarmynet #btsguild #yoongi #yoongi smut #yoongi imagine #yoongi scenario #producer!yoongi #kpop smut #kpop scenario #kpop imagine #yoongi fluff #yoongi drabble #suga #bts smut #bts drabble #bts fic #yoongi fic #drabbles #i threw in the impreg so randomly lmaoo im sorry if you dont like that anon!!!

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pucksnsticksnhockeyboys · 5 years ago

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it’s what you deserve - pt. five

summary: just when things were starting to look up, there’s a knock on your door.

word count: 2.3k

link to the rest of the series

You had long since decided that Sunday's are for sweatpants and catching up on work. And since Bee had picked up an extra shift at work, you were left alone to finally tackle the paper that was assigned weeks ago and had been seemingly taunting you.

Boys were the furthest thing from your mind, and since you had blocked out the day for yourself, you were a little surprised by the knock on your door. A look through the peephole had your stomach twisting, and you briefly hesitated before opening it.

“Hey, Max.” You spoke quietly, standing in the opening of the door. You hadn't responded to any of his texts since he left your place the night before, your mind running a million different ways. Part of you thought that it was ironic, you couldn't get a text out of him when you wanted and now that you didn't want to hear from him, he was practically blowing up your phone.

“Hey, can I come in?” He asked, and there was something about the tone of his voice that had you stepping aside to let him in. You were silent as you closed the door behind him, giving yourself the extra few seconds it took to gather your thoughts. When you turned back around, his coat was already resting on the arm of the couch and he made himself comfortable on the cushion next to it.

“What's up?” You questioned, drawing out the words slowly. These past few weeks that you had spent getting to know Brett had thrown you for a loop—you knew that things with Max weren't the best, but it hurt hanging out with Brett only to end the day alone once again.

So maybe that's why you sat beside Max on the couch, one leg tucked underneath you as you faced him slightly.

“I've been doing some thinking.” Max started, and you nodded. A small part of you was glad that Bee wasn't home, you could practically hear her saying something along the lines of ‘oh I didn't know you could do that’ or some other smart remark. Maybe she had been spending a little too much time with Ryan Lindgren, she was getting better and better at chirping with each passing day.

The larger part of you was nervous at his sentence. That was the part of you that noticed the way your heart picked up in pace, how your mind was racing with possibilities of what he exactly could have been thinking about that warranted him showing up unannounced. Granted, it wasn't the first time he did something like this. Usually it was because he was apologizing for standing you up or something like that, so you assumed he was doing again. Which was why the next words out of his mouth surprised you so.

“And I think we should be official. We deserve to be together.”

You were certain your shock was evident. That was absolutely the last thing you expected to hear come out of his mouth. In the entire few months you had been seeing him, one thing had been clear. Max doesn't do relationships. It wasn't this thing, and it wouldn't be for the foreseeable future.

Apparently, the future was now. And he was waiting for your response.

“I—I...” You stuttered, proud of yourself for even getting that much out. His confession challenged everything you knew to be true about him. He was someone you had figured just didn't care about others or how his actions affected you. He had you convinced that he was just stringing you along, but the way he was looking at you had you reconsidering. You were overwhelmed, so your next word tumbled past your lips without really even meaning them too. “Okay?”

Max grinned, leaning back into the couch with an arm thrown over your shoulder. You smiled through the confusion, blaming the suddenness of everything for the way the action felt forced. When he leaned over to press a kiss to the side of your head, you relaxed a bit, melting into the cushions. Still, you felt like your mind was somewhere else, like you couldn't stay in the moment with him.

And as he clicked on the television, everything felt the way you had said. Just... okay.

Hours later, after Max had left claiming he had some work to get done, you were once more alone on the couch. Bee had stopped by after her shift before heading back out to get dinner with Adam, and you had updated her on the weird events of the evening. Her annoyance at him was obvious, but she claimed that if you were happy then she was, and you told her you were. Though from the look on her face you could tell she didn't quite believe you.

For the second time that day, a knock on the door startled you out of any work you could have been doing. Not that your focus was great, anyways, your mind had been running wild with thoughts about why Max decided now would be a good time to make things official, not the dozens of times before when you had brought it up. Before you even had the chance to standup to get the door, your phone buzzed from its spot beside your papers on the coffee table.

Come let me in I brought dinner

The text brought a smile to your face, but then again, Brett never failed to do that.

Subconsciously, you found that your steps were quicker as you made your way to the door, and you wasted no time in swinging it wide open. Brett stood on the other side with a bag of takeout that he definitely would not tell his nutritionist about. His arms were open already and you wasted no time in wrapping your own around him.

Once you pulled away and led him into your apartment, you decided you didn't have to tell him about Max just yet.

“I'll get plates, you pick something good.” Brett told you with a smile, setting the food on the coffee table and disappearing into the kitchen before you could get a word in edgewise. You fell back into your previous spot on the couch, just opening up Hulu before he returned.

“Did Bee put you up to this?” You questioned with a relaxed smile, one that Brett returned with a shrug of his shoulders. He pulled the food out of the paper bag he had brought it in and you realized he had gotten your favorite from the place down the street. He even remembered your usually order, though you were certain you had only gone there twice in all the time you've been hanging out with him.

“She may or may not have told me that you've been working all day and needed me to come save you from yourself.” Brett didn't realize the hidden meaning behind Bee's words, and he was still trying to keep everything light, but it didn't go over your head. You focused on your plate, not wanting him to see the way your face fell or how your grin was replaced with a frown. “Also, I wanted to see you before we leave for the roadie tomorrow.”

“How long is this one again?” You questioned, trying to regain some of the normalcy of your typical time spent with Brett. Something felt off and you weren't sure if it had to do with you and Max being official or the fact that you didn't feel like telling one of your closest friends about the new development in your relationship. Either way, you felt guilty and Brett was none the wiser to your internal conflict.

“Just down to Pittsburgh and then to Philly. Back to back so I'll be home in two days.” Brett explained and you nodded, silence falling over the two of you. You weren't sure what had gotten into you, because for seemingly the first time in your friendship with him, you weren't sure what to say. And it wasn't a comfortable quiet—no, this felt stifling. Even worse than what had happened after the shelter worker assumed you were together, because it was your fault things were awkward. You were keeping things from him that really shouldn't matter. But you always cared about what he thought, and you were afraid he'd be mad at you for accepting Max's offer—though now that you thought about it, it felt more like he was letting you know you were official instead of asking.

Your mind was racing, trying to come up with any idea of just what you could do to make things fall back into place with him. It was painful, feeling like you had to dance around a subject with someone that everything felt so easy with that morning.

“Can I say something? And you have to listen, like, you have to let me finish, okay?” Brett asked, setting his plate on the coffee table and you copied his actions. For a moment, you were worried that your heart was going to beat out of your chest, worried that maybe he could hear how heavily it was pounding.

“Of course, Brett. Anything.” You assured him. You were certain that you meant it and he would never do anything to hurt you, but that didn't stop the fear and nervousness bubble up in your chest. Maybe he already knew about you and Max, that Bee had sent him here with the intention of changing your mind via a speech on how he was disappointed in you. Maybe—

“I think you're amazing.” He started, and you felt your breath hitch in your throat. He was looking at you with such sincerity, you almost tore your gaze from his. Almost. His confession had you frozen in your spot, though he hadn't really confessed anything. Even so, you were pretty certain you had some idea where this was headed. “I've thought you were amazing since the day I met you.

“And when I found out you had a—a thing—with Max, I thought that maybe I might be able to get over how I felt in order to stay friends with you. But then we started hanging out more and more and I don't know, it just got too hard to stand by and watch.” He continued. The blood was pounding in your ears and it made it hard to hear him as he kept talking, but you picked up him saying things like stunning, smart, and funny, and you realized he was talking about you. Describing you like that. “And I like you, so, so, much. I was wondering if you'd want to go to dinner—”

“Brett...” You voice was soft, barely above a whisper but it cut him off dead in the middle of his sentence. It was all so devastating, the way he made your heart race from simply showing up at your apartment, and it in a good way. The honesty in his voice as he talked about how he felt was too much, and you couldn't sit there another moment without letting him know. It just felt wrong.

“You can't tell me you don't feel the same. That you don't feel like this.” As he spoke, he took your hand that had been resting limply in your lap and placed in on his chest. Your palm was directly overtop his heart, and you could feel it pounding under your touch. You were doing that to him and your heart was beating just as fast. It just made everything you were about to say that much harder.

“Max came over this morning.” You felt like you were going to be sick as you spoke, retracting your hand from Brett's grip. You heard him suck in a breath, saw him tense in his seat but you had to keep going or you'd never get it out. Your hand slipped from his grip, falling back into your lap and suddenly the bed of your nails were the most interesting thing in the room. “He asked if we could be official.”

“And?” He prompted like he didn't already know the answer. Like he couldn't tell from how you were acting, and you could tell he knew too, just by how tightly his hands were squeezed into fist. You knew he wanted to say something about it, but he was waiting for you. Somehow, you knew he'd always wait for you.

“I said yes.” You couldn't look at him, not when he had been so candid about how he felt about you just moments ago. You didn't look up at Brett even as he stood, taking the plates from your coffee table and bringing them to the sink.

You couldn't help but wonder why he had to be such a good guy. Maybe if he yelled at you, for whatever reason, it wouldn't hurt as much to have to turn him down. But that wasn't who he was. He wasn't the type of guy to get mad at you for being unavailable, or get mad in general. He was too understanding, too nice, and it was killing you.

You still hadn't looked up by the time he returned to where you were perched on the edge of he couch, sitting as straight as you ever had. One of his hands moved to your jaw, tilting your head up carefully so you were looking at him. There was a sadness behind his eyes, a look that you were certain reflected in your own.

Why did it all have to be so hard?

“You deserve better than him. It doesn't have to be me, but, please, not him.”

And with that, he left, shutting your apartment door behind him and leaving you a mess on the couch.

#Brett Howden #Brett Howden x reader #Brett Howden imagine #its what you deserve #New York rangers #New York rangers imagines #New York rangers imagine #hockey #hockey imagine #NHL #NHL imagine

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lalalasingoutloud · 5 years ago

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Veronica Mars Season 4

This is going to be a fucking essay. I just need to get my feelings out. This initially started off as just a Logan rant but it turned into a LoVe rant. My feelings about the season 4 finale is at the end.

I only started watching this show when seasons 1-3 were released on Hulu. I quickly watched these 3 seasons and the movie and read both books in a span of a week. This show quickly became my favorite TV show. Not one of my favorites; it became the favorite. I loved the writing of the show and the character of Veronica. But the main reason why I love this show, hot I get hooked onto any show, is the development of relationships, in any kind of way. I like to watch how certain characters interact with each other, how the actors play with each other. I believe that Veronica Mars does a good job of exploring those relationships in a way that makes sense (for the most part). It was especially exciting to see how Veronica and Logan came to be. It came out of nowhere, and yet made sense.

I do want Veronica and Logan together. Yes, their relationship was toxic in seasons 1-3. The main problem in their relationship was that Veronica has trust issues and that both of them were equally stubborn. Logan was always the one that wanted to help and protect Veronica no matter the consequence. Veronica was the one who refused help because she doesn’t like looking weak. Neither really backed down and did what they thought was right. As much as I liked them together, their final breakup in season 3 was needed for them to grow. Even though I knew that they’d probably get back together in the movie, watching the final scene in season 3, you know that they’d find their way back to each other. I know that there is no one else in the entire world that they could love as much as each other. (Side note: Piz was okay for Veronica, but I don’t think Veronica could ever love Piz as much as he loved her. But I loved him as a character.)

The movie was the perfect time to get Veronica and Logan back together. While Veronica remained mostly the same at her core, Logan grew the fuck up. He joined the Navy, learning discipline and responsibility for the first time in his life. He tried his best to help Carrie be the best version of himself. He became the responsible and stable one in the relationship. Although he still has his Logan-ism that make him act like his teenage self (like starting a fight over the sex tape and lightly threatening Sean to delete the Carrie-coke posts), he knows when to pick his battles for the most part. He is the troupe of the bad-boy reformed, but it makes sense.

Throughout the movie, you can see all the love and feelings that are still there when they are around each other (I know this whole film is fan service, but still). The moment in the film that said that they were going to get together in the end is when Veronica says that they should take the long way home. I believe this is a reference to when they decided to get together in season 1 when Logan says that he’ll take her on the back roads to drive her home.

SEASON 4

The development of Logan is beautifully done in season 4. He is changed, but still him. He still has his quips and his inspirational quotes. He just has evolved the good qualities that he has always had and dealing with pain through therapy. I did not expect him to go to therapy but I love this choice. He has had a temper problem pretty much throughout his life, but this season, it’s sedated. He’s trying to be the Bruce Banner, rather than the Hulk (Side note: I love the amount of Marvel references in this season). He says that he’s always angry, but he express that anger, not through rage, but through understanding. If he doesn’t control it, then he reverts back to his teenage self, like how he punched out the kitchen cabinet because Veronica said no to his proposal. Another way we saw him as Teen Logan was when he casually walked through the door after fighting the Carr men and gives Veronica the check with a bloody shirt on. It’s moments like these that show that Logan is working really hard to be better.

It’s interesting to see the dynamic between Veronica and Logan. Even though the roles of stability has reversed (Logan wanting her to go to therapy), where they are in the relationship has been the same. Even in their relationship throughout their adolescence, it was always Logan who committed first. As far as I remember, we don’t actually here Veronica say the words “I love you” to Logan, or at least on-screen. We only know she loves him when he asks for confirmation twice in season 3. Even in the flashbacks of their summer during the season 2 premiere, Logan tells her he is in love with her, and she doesn’t say it back. She has never said those words because she is scared of that kind of commitment and trust. This dynamic is explored again in the premiere of season 4 because Logan wants to marry her and has want to for a long time, and Veronica doesn’t because she’s seen what has happened to married people for the past 20 years. Logan is disappointed that she said no, but he just waits for her to be where he is, if she wants to be. He knows he wants to spend the rest of his life with her, but he gives her an out if she doesn’t feel the same. But she does and marries him at a court house which is perfect for them. This couple aren’t extravagant. All they want and need is each other, they’ve waited for so long that they don’t want to waste more time not being married. But RIP their marriage that lasted all of an hour.

Like many other people, I am upset, disappointed, confused, and angry about Logan’s death. He honestly deserved better. He had one of the best character developments in the show, and in my opinion, in television shows in general. He grew from the psychotic jack ass to someone who cares so much for other people. He grew from the abuse he endured growing up, being abandoned by the people he loves, accused of multiple murders, and many other traumatic things that could prevent him from changing. But he did. He turned himself into a man that is so self aware and trying to take care of himself. He went to therapy to deal with the trauma he has experienced and was willing to change to be the best version of himself.

I truly and honestly do not understand why kill him off. As much as I want LoVe to be together into old age, this is not why I am upset about his death. Logan deserved better. If he were to die young, I’ve imagined him dying in a blaze of glory. Either by dying in action or by saving Veronica. This death just feels cheap. This death is only for shock value. It doesn’t serve a purpose at the end. It does open the possibility of a season 5, because they don’t explicitly state that Logan is death, they just heavily imply that. I really hope he is alive in any fashion, secret mission, coma, whatever. I don’t care, because Logan deserves better.

But if he is truly dead, I think the most interesting thing about his death is how Veronica is going to handle it. Obviously, we see her go to therapy, but the way Veronica has dealt with trauma her entire life is trying to solve the mystery behind it. After Lilly died, she spent over a year trying to solve her murder, because that’s how she coped. She tried to find her mom after she left the first time. She went after Gia and Luke after her father got into a car accident. Her entire way of coping is getting justice to the people who have hurt her and the ones she loves. But this death is different. She already know who did it. He’s already been captured. There is no mystery to solve. It’s already done. This time instead of focusing on the case that will help her get closure, she already had to deal with it before it happened. This time she takes cases that take her out of Neptune because she can’t stand to be there.

How she copes is the only way his death will progress the show, because it is different. But that does not mean that his death was justified. We didn’t see anyone mourn really. Logan Echolls deserves that.

#veronica mars #veronica mars season 4 #veronica mars spoilers #spoilers

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measuringlife · 3 years ago

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Over the last week I watched Life&Beth on Hulu at the urging of my friend S. She said sister relationship in the show reminded her so much of my sister and me. Coupled with some other messed up family dynamics.

Minor spoiler alert so if you haven’t seen the first episode beware.

Watching the first episode I thought it was weird that Laura Benanti was cast as Amy Schumer’s (Beth) mom since they were the same-ish age. But when the mom dies at the end of episode one and we only see her in flashbacks going forward it made sense.

The sudden death of her mother propels her into a life and memories she left behind on Long Island. Funnily enough in the town next to where I grew up (and they filmed there too). I have experienced both the death of a parent and also the time warp of entering your childhood home seemingly frozen in time.

My Dad was living in Texas when he died (and I was living in Texas then too). I still remember going into his semi-familiar apartment and being among his stuff, his stuff that he expected to come back to. That was really hard and I though Life&Beth captured those moments beautifully. It was a gut punch if accuracy.

Meanwhile over a dozen years later I had the experience and walking into my childhood home that I had not been in, in a few years. The house was also frozen in time, my mom’s fall, which led to her hip surgery, led to my mom only going back to the house once for less than a hour. I was left to deal with the wreckage left behind. I wish like in Life&Beth my house was a pristine Time Capsule, but it was more of a terror tornado. Every room of the house held so many memories - good and bad. I remember going through “artifacts” I left behind either in my childhood room or in storage bins in the attic. My sister helped as much as she could, but like Beth’s younger sister she had distanced herself from her mother.

Poor Beth has to try and be strong for so many people after her parents divorce. Both her mom and dad as well as her younger sister. All while trying to navigate being a young teenager. I too knew these very memories that Beth struggles to reckon with.

For me was refreshing (and less isolating) to see such a relatable experience depicted on television. I mentioned it twice to my sister, but she said she didn’t need to watch what she already lived. Meanwhile I’ve been searching out more. Over the weekend I finished Somebody Somewhere on HBO Max. It had some similar themes but aside from her mother’s alcoholism as a minor story line it didn’t strike the same chords for me.

Someone recommended the Facebook Watch show Sorry for Your Loss which I’m hoping I can find on YouTube because it’s nowhere else to be found. Although it’s a out losing a spouse. However again mainstream grief is a good thing. I like that Just Like That leaned right into grief.

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noona-la-la-la · 7 years ago

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Look. I don’t really do these. Because I’m secretive and anti-social. I have my reasons.

But since @avveh has asked before for me to come out from the shadows just a little bit -- I’ll do this one. All answers will be honest... but I reserve the right to just say “fuck it” and stop at any point. Also... 85 QUESTIONS??? I might end up falling asleep in the middle of this. It’s been a long day y’all.

rules: answer these 85 statements about yourself, then tag 20 people.

I’m not tagging anyone because I’m cranky as hell and I don’t even know 20 people. That said, if anyone is reading this and does it -- let me know because I’m actually interested in everyone’s responses. I’m contrarian like that.

Answers under the cut...

last

1. drink - Orange flavored LaCroix (sparkling water)

2. phone call - my mother

3. text message - my boss’ boss (aka the Vice President of my department)

4. song you listened to - Adore by Amy Shark

5. time you cried - Last week when I was watching Go Back Couple. All the scenes where the female lead was with her mother made me think about how close I was to losing my own mother this year. Fuck! Now I want to cry again!

ever

6. dated someone twice - Yes. I’ve done it in more than one failed relationship. I dated one guy THREE times. I suck at life.

7. kissed someone and regretted it - Nope. YOLO!

8. been cheated on - Yes. Fuck that guy.

9. lost someone special - Yes.

10. been depressed? - Yes.

11. gotten drunk and thrown up - Once. I have spent a lifetime priding myself on knowing when to stop. But then there was that one time that I was at a gay pride parade and not paying attention to how many times my friend refilled my drink and then next thing you know, I’m covered in rainbow stickers, arguing with these religious protesters about the real meaning of Sodom and Gomorrah, and then dancing in the street while crying about how everything is just this big beautiful celebration of love... oh yeah, then I puked.

fave colours

12. green

13. pink

14. yellow (honestly, I just like colors. All of them.)

in the last year have you…

15. made new friends - meh. Not really.

16. fallen out of love - no.

17. laughed until you cried - Oh yeah.

18. found out someone was talking about you - I walked into work this morning and the head of another department looked at me and said “I was just talking about you!” But I don’t think that is what they meant by this question. So... no.

19. met someone who changed you - Not in any profound sense.

20. found out who your friends are - I already knew who my friends are.

21. kissed someone on your facebook friends list - Nope. But I did stop using facebook this year.

general

22. how many of your facebook friends do you know irl - All of them.

23. do you have any pets - No.

24. do you want to change your name - Not unless I have to. I do have a series of pseudonyms planned out in case I need to change identities unexpectedly. Like to escape the mob or evade the government.

25. what did you do for your last birthday - Honestly I don’t remember. Probably hid in my apartment and cried because of how old I’m getting.

26. what time did you wake up today - 5:30am. Then again at 7:00am. Then again at 8:00am.

27. what were you doing at midnight last night - Sending emails to coworkers in England and Singapore.

28. what is something you can’t wait for - I’m going to Alabama in a few weeks for vacation.

30. what are you listening to right now - The radio. They are playing The Sweater Song by Weezer right now. I haven’t heard this in forever.

31. have you ever talked to a person named tom - What a strange question. I’ve talked to many Tom’s. I was just talking to someone about a person named Tom an hour ago.

32. something that’s getting on your nerves - Those coworker people in England and Singapore that I was emailing last night. Three days of emailing back and forth and they can’t make a fucking decision to save their lives.

33. most visited website - Tumblr, Youtube, Hulu, Dramafever, Google...

34. hair colour - Ashy brown and whatever faded mess is at the ends. I need to get my hair done desperatgely.

35. long or short hair - Medium? I don’t know. Short I guess.

36. do you have a crush on someone - I wish I did.

37. what do you like about yourself - I’m smart-ish.

38. want any piercings? - The holes in my ears just closed because I got too lazy to wear earrings for a long time. I need to go get them reopened.

39. blood type - Are you looking for a blood donor? I’ll decline to answer.

40. nicknames - Noona

41. relationship status - going-to-die-alone

42. zodiac - Nope. Not sharing this either.

43. pronouns - me, myself, and I.

44. fave tv shows - I so rarely watch tv. I’m really only watching Modern Family, Brooklyn 99 and I binged the first two seasons of The Path.

45. tattoos - I have commitment issues, so... no.

46. right or left handed - right.

47. ever had surgery - yes

48. piercings - does it count if they all closed?

49. sport - walking upright

50. vacation - Where I want to go or where I’ve been? Fave vacations I’ve been on have been Norway and Peru.

51. trainers - This is so British. LOL! I don’t care -- whatever fits, looks cute, feels comfortable and isn’t too expensive.

more general

52. eating - Fish sandwich.

53. drinking - Sprite.

54. i’m about to watch - Probably nothing. Maybe youtube vids.

55. waiting for - The VP of my department to contact me before I try emailing these fuckers in England and Singapore one more time and demand they do what they are supposed to do. I’m so close to creating an international incident at my company.

56. want - Love, wealth, security, happiness, stability and a chocolate milkshake.

57. get married - I’ve given up on this dream.

58. career - Yes, I have one.

which is better

59. hugs or kisses - Depends who I’m hugging or kissing. Generally speaking, probably prefer hugs.

60. lips or eyes - I kinda prefer people have both. But I tend to notice lips first.

61. shorter or taller - shorter or taller than what? This question is irrelevant.

62. older or younger - I’m a thousand years old, so I’m going to say younger.

63. nice arms or stomach - People who have nice stomachs usually have nice arms. The opposite is not always true. So stomach.

64. hookup or relationship - relationship.

65. troublemaker or hesitant - troublemaker

have you ever

66. kissed a stranger - of course

67. drank hard liquor - yes

68. lost glasses - I am missing a pair of glasses right now. Have you seen them?

69. turned someone down - yes.

70. sex on first date - yes

71. broken someone’s heart - yes.

72. had your heart broken - yes, repeatedly.

73. been arrested - Lol! I literally paused to think about this. I’m not sure why - I’ve never been arrested. Just threatened with arrest by grumpy police officers.

74. cried when someone died - yes.

75. fallen for a friend - I’ve become friends with people I fell for first... but not the other way around.

do you believe in

76. yourself - yes

77. miracles - yes.

78. love at first sight - uh... not really.

79. santa claus - sure, why not

80. kiss on a first date - yep

81. angels - I’m open to the possibility

other

82. best friend’s name - Nope. Not doing this.

83. eye colour - Hazel. Green with a brown ring around the pupil.

84. fave movie - Grease!!!!!

85. fave actor - Gong Yoo.

#blah blah blah #rambling

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verdigrisprowl · 7 years ago

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Mar 31 Bevel’s Movie Night - Rugrats Passover & The Prince of Egypt

Today, Prowl learned about human history. It’s wild, but like, not really any more wild than Cybertron’s early history? He can handle a talking shrub with hologram flames that hands out snakes with stick alt-modes.

Today Bevel 7:30 pm *she's a little subdued tonight, but the room's set up, and she's sitting on the floor fiddling with something laying on the floor in front of her* Ratchet 7:33 pm *pops in* Bevel 7:34 pm *looks up and smiles at Ratchet* Hi, Ratchet. Ratchet 7:34 pm Heya, kiddo. Whatcha got there? Bevel 7:37 pm Part of my ship's engine. I gotta fix it before I leave. Ratchet 7:39 pm Oh! *flomps down beside* What's the issue with it? Bevel 7:41 pm I think *she points to a mess of wires inside the panel she's working on* something got crossed wrong. Or a circuit board is wrong. I can fix the first one tonight but the circuit board means I gotta weld stuff. I cannot do that during the documentaries. Ratchet 7:44 pm Hmm. Doesn't seem like too much trouble, then. Bevel 7:45 pm ((this is so bad, I'm gonna just... Ratchet 7:45 pm [[ it is truly terrible ]] ItsyBitsySpyers 7:47 pm *Soundwave creeps in, smelling faintly of smoke and melted plastic. He'll sit down like nothing's wrong and give the other two calm nods.* Bevel 7:48 pm No, just annoying. *she sticks her glossa out at the reek from Soundwave* Hi, Soundwave. ItsyBitsySpyers 7:48 pm *What are you calling a reek. FAINTLY.* Ratchet 7:49 pm *he smell bad* ItsyBitsySpyers 7:49 pm *LISTEN HERE* Ratchet 7:49 pm *DECEPTICON STANK* ItsyBitsySpyers 7:49 pm *This is the scent of MORALS* Ratchet 7:50 pm *Ratchet doesn't mean that he knows Soundwave is not a Decepticon* ItsyBitsySpyers 7:51 pm [[What will you be showing tonight?]] Bevel 7:52 pm Passover documentaries from Earth and something Miko said I would like. ((gonna start on the hour so if everyone needs food, drinks, potty breaks, now is a good time. Ratchet 7:54 pm [[ this is reminding me there was a really cute Jewish family who I was on the same plane with on the way both to and from TFCon last year ]] Bevel 7:54 pm ((heee Bevel 7:57 pm One of them is about a prince in Egypt? Ratchet 7:58 pm Sounds interesting. I've met a prince from.... huh. I can't remember what country he was from. Bevel 7:59 pm Was he nice? Ratchet 7:59 pm Yeah! He helped the Aerialbots out. ItsyBitsySpyers 7:59 pm [[Ah, he knows that story. He has seen it before. It is most satisfying.]] Bevel 8:00 pm Awesome. *to both things, she goes back to poking at her project* Ratchet 8:01 pm [[ THAT is Prince of Egypt music ]] VProwl 8:02 pm ((... i can't find a chat log for it so i guess prowl hasn't seen it before. has it been since before i was on prowl that i saw it in a stream??)) Ratchet 8:03 pm [[ last time i saw it in stream u were drift and i was sadie ]] VProwl 8:03 pm ((i DID find the stream log on drift, so i guess it's been... almost 3 years... wow)) Ratchet 8:03 pm [[ unless there's been a time since then??? i thought maybe there was.... ]] Bevel 8:04 pm ((Oh good I don't feel so bad reshowing it then VProwl 8:04 pm ((i thought there was too, but i don't have a log, so...)) ItsyBitsySpyers 8:05 pm ((someone showed it like a year ago but i think i'm the only one who went?)) Ratchet 8:06 pm [[ i know whirl has seen it at least twice. i was there when whirl saw it a second time and was still delighted by heqet ]] [[ he pointed it out to windchill ]] Bevel 8:06 pm *giggles quietly at Angelica's idea of freedom* ItsyBitsySpyers 8:06 pm *Soundwave settles in to see this story. He hasn't seen this version of it.* Bevel 8:08 pm ...mom acts like this sometimes if you mention Optimus. It is less funny when she does it. VProwl 8:08 pm *A human holiday. Those are dangerous.* ... When in this holiday? Bevel 8:08 pm Right now! ItsyBitsySpyers 8:08 pm *Soundwave thinks it's hilarious, but he's not sad about the Prime's loss.* VProwl 8:09 pm Oh. *If anons were going to try to harass him into celebrating it, they probably would have done so by now. He must be safe.* All right. Bevel 8:09 pm Hi, Prowl. ItsyBitsySpyers 8:10 pm *That sounds like Laserbeak's requirements for a holiday* Ratchet 8:10 pm Oh! Hey, Prowl. VProwl 8:10 pm ... Hi. *Oh. Yeah. He didn't really greet everyone. He sort of just snuck in as it was starting.* ItsyBitsySpyers 8:10 pm *Nods to Prowl, who is almost certainly going to sit with Ratchet, and continues listening* Bevel 8:11 pm Why not the other babies? ItsyBitsySpyers 8:11 pm [[He dislikes the youngling with the yellow hair.]] ItsyBitsySpyers 8:12 pm [[HA.]] Bevel 8:12 pm *laughs* VProwl 8:12 pm *Soundwave is right; Prowl does so.* Maybe the others didn't have baskets. Ratchet 8:13 pm Hehehe. I've done that a time or two. *Ratchet is on the floor with Bevel* *just so Prowl knows where he's sitting* VProwl 8:13 pm *On the floor he is.* Bevel 8:14 pm *floor bots yay* VProwl 8:15 pm ... Building a pyramid upside-down is actually a far more impressive architectural achievement than the regular way. ItsyBitsySpyers 8:16 pm [[Clearly, the pharoah knows nothing.]] VProwl 8:18 pm ((... i didn't know the subs could keep going while the picture is frozen)) ItsyBitsySpyers 8:18 pm ((...neither did i)) Bevel 8:18 pm ((hulu really ItsyBitsySpyers 8:19 pm ((i was sitting here like 'oh that's clever, not having to animate all that')) Ratchet 8:19 pm [[ me too lmao ]] ItsyBitsySpyers 8:21 pm [[Toning it down for the bitlets, he sees.]] ((LMAO THE PHONE)) VProwl 8:23 pm They could have chosen better actors for the dramatic reenactment. It's not very dramatic. ItsyBitsySpyers 8:23 pm [[You'll like the other version better, he thinks.]] Bevel 8:23 pm Is it more serious? ItsyBitsySpyers 8:23 pm [[Quite.]] Bevel 8:24 pm *nods* Ratchet 8:25 pm *snickers* VProwl 8:25 pm ((that pun oh my god)) ItsyBitsySpyers 8:25 pm ((the baby bath water joke omg)) Ratchet 8:25 pm *baby with the bathwater* ItsyBitsySpyers 8:26 pm *Soundwave isn't familiar with the expression or he'd have found that hilarious.* Bevel 8:26 pm So much for Pharaoh. ItsyBitsySpyers 8:27 pm [[Indeed.]] VProwl 8:27 pm ... Somehow I feel like the original story was... bloodier. ItsyBitsySpyers 8:28 pm *Soft huffing. Prowl isn't wrong.* Ratchet 8:28 pm [[ that was really cute though i haven't seen rugrats passover before ]] [[ *wiggles* ]] [[ honestly we could watch this movie every week and i would never get tired of it ]] Bevel 8:29 pm ((I love the Rugrats Passover so much ((same ItsyBitsySpyers 8:29 pm ((PoE is hard to watch sometimes but i love it so)) Bevel 8:30 pm I guess we will find out now, Prowl. This is a much longer documentary. *she forgets her tinkering for the moment* ItsyBitsySpyers 8:31 pm *Soundwave scoots forward on his seat and rests his chin on his hands. A history lesson, a story he can get behind, and music. What's not to like?* VProwl 8:31 pm *They're singing. And Prowl's already on high alert for dogs.* Bevel 8:31 pm ((omg prowl ItsyBitsySpyers 8:31 pm *No, no. That's Monday.* Ratchet 8:33 pm *leans back on his palms* *this music. mm.* VProwl 8:33 pm *Well. It's already bloodier than the last documentary.* ItsyBitsySpyers 8:35 pm [[This youngling was extremely fortunate to have avoided certain death so many times.]] Ratchet 8:35 pm [[ what i appreciate most about this movie as an adult, tho, is that there's not a single damn white person in it. ...... at least in the way that they're animated. ]] Bevel 8:36 pm ((same VProwl 8:36 pm ((v good job they did there)) ItsyBitsySpyers 8:36 pm ((ye)) VProwl 8:36 pm ... Do humans usually adopt each other that fast? Bevel 8:37 pm *shrugs* ItsyBitsySpyers 8:38 pm [[He has not seen many tales of human adoption.]] *Huff.* [[One might say they have a nose for trouble.]] Bevel 8:39 pm This looks like a fun race. Ratchet 8:39 pm *sputtering* SOUNDWAVE. ItsyBitsySpyers 8:39 pm *Bobbing quietly.* Bevel 8:39 pm *giggles* VProwl 8:40 pm Pff. Bevel 8:41 pm *frowns* Bad dad. Bevel 8:43 pm ((my new thing, that line kills me every time ItsyBitsySpyers 8:44 pm *Low, irritable buzz.* Bevel 8:45 pm *scowls* VProwl 8:45 pm Ugh. Bevel 8:45 pm Ha. *and she's back to frowning* VProwl 8:46 pm ... Does he have ANY experience in architecture? ItsyBitsySpyers 8:46 pm [[Presenting another living being as a gratification toy. They deserved to have their fingers bitten off by her.]] [[And it is unlikely.]] VProwl 8:50 pm Hm. *okay the architecture thing isn't as offensive as the slavery thing. but it's pretty offensive.* Ratchet 8:50 pm *did YOU have any experience Prowl* Bevel 8:51 pm Oh he got it. ItsyBitsySpyers 8:51 pm [[Music can be a powerful cause of recall.]] VProwl 8:52 pm *he had one hell of a crammed education, five architecture and construction experts guiding him, and the willingness to turn to the people who were supposed to be working for him and tell them he was clueless and needed their help.* Bevel 8:52 pm *nods and hums* ItsyBitsySpyers 8:54 pm [[He would like to see the archives from this time. He is sure they do not move like this, but they must still contain many stories.]] VProwl 8:54 pm *certainly hopes they don't move like this.* Ratchet 8:55 pm [[ it is raining real hard and butter* is lookin out the window all interested like ]] ItsyBitsySpyers 8:55 pm [[You deserved to be risen against, human.]] Bevel 8:55 pm Yeah. VProwl 8:56 pm The best way to not be risen against is to be the kind of person against whom it would not be beneficial to rise up. ItsyBitsySpyers 8:57 pm *Nodding.* ItsyBitsySpyers 9:00 pm [[Good.]] Bevel 9:00 pm *gasps* ItsyBitsySpyers 9:01 pm *Knew it was coming and still took every delight in seeing the whip-holder thrown.* Ratchet 9:04 pm [[ one of these days....... ONE OF THESE DAYS i am gonna get around to writing a prince of egypt/transformers mash up type fic with megatron as moses and optimus prime as rameses ]] Bevel 9:05 pm ...whoa, is that a thing that really happens on Earth? ItsyBitsySpyers 9:05 pm [[It is.]] Ratchet 9:05 pm [[ because in my heart of hearts i am a dirty decepticon sympathizer ]] Bevel 9:06 pm Does Cybertron have them too? ItsyBitsySpyers 9:06 pm [[The rust sea has a version of them.]] Bevel 9:07 pm Oh hey it is the bitey girl. *mental note to never go to the Rust Sea* ItsyBitsySpyers 9:09 pm *Is gonna try his damnedest to see that pattern anyway.* Ratchet 9:09 pm That's a lovely tapestry. Bevel 9:09 pm *...this is Bevel's favorite song so far* ItsyBitsySpyers 9:09 pm *Feeler wiggle. It's hard not to be caught up in this one.* VProwl 9:10 pm *a thread can certainly see its part in a tapestry; it just needs some well-placed mirrors.* *............ and eyes, but.* ItsyBitsySpyers 9:11 pm ((amazon what is your PROBLEM lately)) Bevel 9:11 pm ((amazon I'm gonna VProwl 9:11 pm ((amazon needs to get its shit together)) Ratchet 9:14 pm [[ omg i never noticed the reprise of that theme before...... ]] [[ this is ur home ]] Bevel 9:14 pm ((masterpiece of a movie Ratchet 9:14 pm [[ it's so good ]] ItsyBitsySpyers 9:15 pm *Ohhh, the part with the voices. It intrigues him so.* VProwl 9:16 pm *... what in the world is going on here?* *hologram? some kind of bioluminescence?* VProwl 9:18 pm *kind of a rude deity. he raised reasonable objections.* ItsyBitsySpyers 9:19 pm *Soundwave has no idea. The first time he saw it, he thought the human was hallucinating. He stopped thinking that after the... whatever the substance was that moved him around. Now he doesn't have a clue.* Bevel 9:20 pm *is fairly certain it was the human's version of Primus. whoever. whatever it is* VProwl 9:20 pm *well sure, but if primus had started talking out of a weird non-burning fire prowl would be asking how HE did it too* Bevel 9:21 pm *magic?* ItsyBitsySpyers 9:22 pm *Ask him how he made the carved tabletop move ilke the scene in this film while you're at it, Prowl. Soundwave still can't puzzle that out.* VProwl 9:22 pm *magic is merely insufficiently understood science* Bevel 9:22 pm *if you say so, Prowl* ItsyBitsySpyers 9:23 pm [[He wonders how long the Moses human was gone.]] [[Egotistical, isn't he.]] Omicron 9:24 pm *IceQueen peers in* ItsyBitsySpyers 9:25 pm [[Good evening, Ice Queen.]] Bevel 9:25 pm *waves to Ice Queen with her spanner* Omicron 9:25 pm O,o Bevel 9:25 pm Is this gonna be the gods fighting now? The human did not mention this in the first story. ItsyBitsySpyers 9:25 pm *Whirl's voice:* [][][]Praise Heqet.[][][] *The mech isn't here to do it himself. Someone had to.* VProwl 9:26 pm ... Is THIS where that was from? ItsyBitsySpyers 9:26 pm [[It is.]] Omicron 9:26 pm *wonders at the spanner, settles down on the floor in her bot mode with murmering hatchling on her shoulders* hello VProwl 9:26 pm Whirl worships a human Egyptian god? ItsyBitsySpyers 9:26 pm [[Apparently.]] VProwl 9:27 pm I'd assumed Heqet was—I don't know. A gun manufacturer. ItsyBitsySpyers 9:27 pm *Soundwave IMMEDIATELY shakes up a storm* Bevel 9:27 pm God fight. *points to the snakes* ItsyBitsySpyers 9:28 pm [[That does seem like the kind of thing he would have worshiped, doesn't it.]] Omicron 9:29 pm hmm Bevel 9:30 pm 😔 Omicron 9:32 pm Racer: *climbing down Icy's back* Bevel 9:33 pm *sits forward so she can see what Moses is going to do this time* ItsyBitsySpyers 9:34 pm [[There is your 'bloodier'.]] VProwl 9:35 pm I didn't mean literally, but—yes, I suppose so. ItsyBitsySpyers 9:36 pm *He knows what Prowl meant. There will be that, too.* Omicron 9:36 pm well this is an interesting way of doing a speach ItsyBitsySpyers 9:37 pm *Soundwave's feeler claws cilck. A favorite sequence comes now.* VProwl 9:37 pm *Doesn't consider faith alone much of a counterbalance to the power to take lives, but okay.* Omicron 9:37 pm *a hatchling might be eyeing the feeler, or the derection* Bevel 9:37 pm *Bevel changes her mind, this is her favorite song* VProwl 9:38 pm *Plagues and small creatures are a good counterbalance.* *... And fireballs.* ItsyBitsySpyers 9:39 pm [[Stubborn fool.]] Bevel 9:39 pm *so faith?* Omicron 9:39 pm very VProwl 9:40 pm *No no, not faith. A big friend with bigger powers than their enemy. Whether or not they have faith in said friend doesn't change that friend's power.* ItsyBitsySpyers 9:40 pm [[How his own citizens did not rise against him for subjecting them to this to save his own pride, he does not know.]] Bevel 9:40 pm *maybe it does for the friend but Bevel doesn't know anything about this particular god* VProwl 9:40 pm Propaganda blaming it on Moses and the Hebrews, I'm sure. Omicron 9:40 pm guards? VProwl 9:42 pm ... When lower castes try to demand equality to upper castes, the leader refuses, and the lower castes cause trouble, who do the upper castes generally blame for the trouble? The leader, for standing up to social upheaval, or the lower castes, for not knowing their place? Omicron 9:43 pm *rumbles, and pets her hatchling's back* ItsyBitsySpyers 9:44 pm *Soft vent.*

[[All right. He knows. He simply - wishes it was not always so. Here. And... other places.]] Omicron 9:44 pm ........what ItsyBitsySpyers 9:44 pm [[It is as he says. The first creation of every Egyptian will perish.]] VProwl 9:44 pm ... Mm. Omicron 9:44 pm >C ItsyBitsySpyers 9:45 pm *There it is again. The... whatever that is. Smoke?* Lingo 9:45 pm ...So an alien comes out of a wormhole and eats all the human firstborn? Bevel 9:45 pm I think it is the human's Primus. Lingo 9:45 pm How can it tell which is which? Omicron 9:46 pm this....they take out everything on the youngest that can not defend or have a say in what their elders do? Bevel 9:46 pm Well, the Hebrew's god. The Egyptians have different ones. Lingo 9:46 pm well that was distressing. Bevel 9:46 pm *who sadly aren't doing much to stop things, maybe they thought the slaves should be freed as well?* VProwl 9:46 pm ... A brutal god. But most stories of gods I'm familiar with tend to be. ItsyBitsySpyers 9:47 pm [[The humans with the blood painted on their doors were not touched. That is how it knows. And only those forced to be slaves knew to do it.]] Lingo 9:47 pm I've heard a few stories about Egyptian gods. They seem to operate like reality tv casts Bevel 9:47 pm Casts? Like a play? VProwl 9:47 pm And brutality is sometimes a necessity. Omicron 9:47 pm *Icy gives a low growling in her spot, racer tries to minic* Lingo 9:48 pm Well more like a bunch of drunken people who have no business sharing a house together ItsyBitsySpyers 9:48 pm [[It is retribution for what was done to the creations of the slaves under their rule.]]

*He has always disliked that younglings were forced to suffer, but... what else could be done?* Bevel 9:48 pm Oh. Lingo 9:48 pm than like a cast of a play VProwl 9:48 pm Sometimes. *he's not going to openly support or criticize this one's choices.* Lingo 9:49 pm There's apparently quite a bit of hooplah concerning who receives the semen ItsyBitsySpyers 9:49 pm *Soundwave nods at Prowl.* [[What do sailors have to do with gods?]] Bevel 9:49 pm Seamen? Lingo 9:49 pm No more like a milky human byproduct They seem very hung up on it ItsyBitsySpyers 9:49 pm [[Ugh. Human ooze.]] [[Please, say no more.]] Bevel 9:50 pm Ha. Omicron 9:50 pm *snorts* Lingo 9:50 pm Apparently there is a kind of lettuce who also produces a similar textured milky white byproduct Omicron 9:51 pm yeah, lets not get into those human oddies Lingo 9:51 pm ....and something about necrophilia? but I think that might be an unrelated story to the lettuce. Bevel 9:51 pm *shrugs, humans and their gods are strange she guesses* ((so glad they actually put the words instead of [singing in Hebrew] Omicron 9:52 pm at least there are many more young ones that have been freed Ratchet 9:52 pm [[ YES i've always wondered what the words were that was really nice ]] Omicron 9:53 pm ((yes!)) ItsyBitsySpyers 9:53 pm *...He may not be THAT fond of organics, but he's oddly pleased by the humans' happiness. Look at how thrilled they are to be freed. He remembers moments like that.* Bevel 9:53 pm Cybertronian stories about the Thirteen are weird too. I can send you some. Lingo 9:53 pm You can leave out the ones about Micronus.

I'm not speaking to him currently. VProwl 9:53 pm ... They probably could have got the same result with much less loss of life if, instead of killing every firstborn offspring, their deity had just killed the pharaoh. Bevel 9:53 pm *nods* Ok. ItsyBitsySpyers 9:54 pm [[He has thought that a few times, himself.]] [[THAT is a power.]] VProwl 9:54 pm *gestures* And the pharaoh wouldn't be around to send an army, either. Bevel 9:54 pm There is one about Solus that I think someone who did not like her wrote about her getting murdered by one of the other Thirteen who was being really creepy. It was stu--*distracted by awesome fire* Lingo 9:55 pm Egyptians killed pharaohs all the time, though. Less than a day someone else would have the reigns Omicron 9:55 pm O-o primus it takes all the fire breathers on the ship to do a firestorm close to that Bevel 9:56 pm *this is so much cooler than the first version* VProwl 9:56 pm *how many things can that stick do* ItsyBitsySpyers 9:56 pm *Isn't it, though.* Lingo 9:56 pm It'd be like killing the prime. Yeah there's a hit to morale but the matrix just gets handed off to the next guy in line and if he dies it goes off to someone else and so on. The fancy hat is the same. Ratchet 9:56 pm .... *and Ratchet thought he didn't like SOUNDWAVE* Bevel 9:57 pm ((I would like to say that in the original story, Aaron was actually really awesome and it is my only complaint about this movie that he's mostly relegated to whining here Omicron 9:57 pm .........skybite? *Icequeen and Racer perk up* ItsyBitsySpyers 9:57 pm *...He would almost like to walk within a sea like that himself. Imagine all the strange underwater life forms he could see up close. Not just octopuses, either.* VProwl 9:58 pm ... What's keeping the fish from swimming out of the wall. Does the same forcefield that's keeping the water up also keep the fish in, or are they able to see where the water ends and avoid it? ItsyBitsySpyers 9:58 pm [[He assumes it is the field.]] Omicron 9:58 pm *sound wave could do a see visit sometime with Icy's crew* Bevel 9:58 pm Killing the Prime is to a big deal. Omicron 9:59 pm .....well.... that's inadvertent tactics? VProwl 9:59 pm *gestures* And the pharaoh ends up dying anyway. Ratchet 9:59 pm Thank you, Bevel. ItsyBitsySpyers 9:59 pm [[The idiot did not see a trap as plain as the evening and morning star he claimed to be.]] Lingo 9:59 pm Well yes it's a big deal but it doesn't upset the daily grind for more than a week Ratchet 10:00 pm *stands up* Have a good evening, Prowl. Bevel 10:00 pm Yeah it does! *she slams the spanner down onto the floor* Ratchet 10:00 pm Thank you for the movies, Bevel. ItsyBitsySpyers 10:00 pm [[Goodnight, Ratchet.]] VProwl 10:00 pm Evening, Ratchet. Omicron 10:00 pm have a peaceful evening medic VProwl 10:01 pm Even if it WASN'T an obvious trap, who would walk between through tenuous walls of death liquid without the-- oh, he isn't dead. Without the reassurance that the being who SPLIT those walls is on your side? ItsyBitsySpyers 10:01 pm [[A final miracle. He should have been dashed against the stones.]] Bevel 10:01 pm It upsets everything. VProwl 10:01 pm *Dryly.* Aren't miracles supposed to be good? Omicron 10:02 pm he should have been crushed by the water pressure alone, let alone it coming down most mecha can't survive water pressure at depths alike to that ItsyBitsySpyers 10:02 pm *Light venting at Prowl.* [[He enjoys every opportunity to see that documentary. Thank you for giving him another.]] Bevel 10:03 pm *she might have been able to shrug Lingo's comment off last week but the weld over that wound has been torn clean off with the loss of the Star Saber* Lingo 10:03 pm *Whoo hokay gonna be backing out of range of slamming tools* Bevel 10:04 pm *fuming on the floor like y'do* ItsyBitsySpyers 10:04 pm *Soundwave's just. Gonna stretch a feeler out and gingerly rest it on Bevel's back.* Bevel 10:05 pm *she trembles for a moment at the touch before dropping the spanner to the floor* Sorry. Lingo 10:05 pm .......................... *is only very smol and not sure if Soundwave has back or not but best not to bank on that*

Okay so maybe I'm off base here. I've never actually had.. a prime in my lifetime until recently so it's a little ... weird...? to me...?? Bevel 10:05 pm Sorry. I will... I have one more thing to show. Lingo 10:05 pm I'm- uh- sorry.. Ratchet 10:05 pm *halfway home, and remembers he was going to offer Bevel a hand with that engine* Bevel 10:05 pm *nods jerkily to Lingo* Ratchet 10:06 pm @Bevel ::Let me know if you need a hand with anything, hey? I'm pretty good with repairs, myself.:: Bevel 10:06 pm ... @Ratchet: ...yeah. Ratchet 10:07 pm [[ boyz II men ayyy ]] Bevel 10:08 pm ((one last thing to wind down to ItsyBitsySpyers 10:08 pm @L: [[He does not disagree, but you speak to the spawn of one, and one who is recently deceased at that. Do not change your mind for another's benefit, but you must also know your audience.]] Omicron 10:08 pm ((having a happy spazz here XD just got a second draft of Icy-commission )) Bevel 10:08 pm ((congrats! ItsyBitsySpyers 10:08 pm [[...What is this?]] Bevel 10:09 pm Um, Steven Universe. It is about aliens on Earth. Miko thought I would like it. ItsyBitsySpyers 10:09 pm [[Earth is a popular destination these days.]] [[PRIMUS BELOW.]] [[What is -that-.]] Bevel 10:10 pm Monsters. ItsyBitsySpyers 10:10 pm [[He can -see- that they are monsters. What -are- th--]] Aha. Century poodles. VProwl 10:11 pm ((century poodles: what happens when you bury a poodle to ferment)) Omicron 10:11 pm huh ItsyBitsySpyers 10:11 pm ((LMAO)) Lingo 10:11 pm @slendy: Well if yours is anything like mine you'll have a zombie prime wandering around if you give it enough time...... Omicron 10:11 pm ((LOL)) Lingo 10:12 pm Oh this is that show With the little green one ItsyBitsySpyers 10:13 pm *...He can see who Prowl's favorite is going to be.* VProwl 10:13 pm *okay Prowl already likes the one that's talking about the trajectory of petals falling* Bevel 10:13 pm *Bevel already pegged that one as Prowl too* VProwl 10:13 pm *HOW DID YOU GUESS* Omicron 10:14 pm O,o Omicron 10:15 pm ..........so, this is their equivalent of their learning how to transform? ItsyBitsySpyers 10:15 pm *...Doesn't think he relates to any of the four, really, but he's curious about this gem business.* Omicron 10:15 pm Racer: *stands up and flops, transforming attempt fail* Bevel 10:15 pm HA. Omicron 10:15 pm .........Pffffffffft! ItsyBitsySpyers 10:16 pm [[What is he going to do when he is out of the cookie cats?]] Bevel 10:16 pm *well this helped make her feel a little better* VProwl 10:16 pm Learn the recipe? Lingo 10:16 pm I dunno, Garnet kind of reminds me of you, Soundwave Omicron 10:16 pm learn how to make icescream? VProwl 10:17 pm *The one Prowl relates to is named Pearl. INTERESTING.* ItsyBitsySpyers 10:17 pm [[It seems very inconvenient.]]

[[And why is that?]] Lingo 10:17 pm Tall, stoic, stretchy arms, visor? ItsyBitsySpyers 10:18 pm [[Connecting with the energies of the universe is... really more Drift's business.]] Omicron 10:18 pm sounds like something Skybite would go on about Lingo 10:18 pm A pokeball! ItsyBitsySpyers 10:19 pm [[Urgh.]] Omicron 10:19 pm *might be purring* ItsyBitsySpyers 10:20 pm *...Idly wonders if Prowl knows how to use a spear as well?* Bevel 10:20 pm ((just one unless y'all wanna watch another VProwl 10:20 pm ((sure!)) Bevel 10:21 pm *transforms her fists... into bigger fists* VProwl 10:21 pm *Soundwave is welcome to ask.* Lingo 10:21 pm (( I'd be down but I'm like two hours behind you if you're getting tired )) ItsyBitsySpyers 10:22 pm *You know what? He's going to do that.*

@P: [[...It occurs to him that he has never looked into your full set of weapons skills. Are you trained with spears?]] Bevel 10:22 pm ((one more and then I'll switch to music ItsyBitsySpyers 10:23 pm [[...Generally speaking, floating optics are not good.]] VProwl 10:23 pm @S «No, I've never used them.» ItsyBitsySpyers 10:24 pm @P: [[What -do- you use? Aside from blasters, your missiles, and acid, if you do.]] Omicron 10:24 pm ...well Bevel 10:24 pm At least they tried. Omicron 10:24 pm that's a predacon tactic if I ever saw one Lingo 10:25 pm Why is his coloration so weird? ItsyBitsySpyers 10:26 pm [[Hopefully your Predacons are better at improvising than these crystal-gem aliens.]] [[...Clean your slagging storage shed, human.]] Omicron 10:27 pm Generally we are Soundwave. There aaare moments though...of...moments VProwl 10:27 pm @S «Shock batons and a couple types of martial arts.» ItsyBitsySpyers 10:29 pm *Shock batons? Martial arts? Despite knowing what his own Prowl could do, he didn't expect either of those.*

@P: [[...He would be interested in seeing demonstrations of both, some time. If you were willing.]] Omicron 10:30 pm at least those two have a positive relationship it seems ItsyBitsySpyers 10:31 pm *Hmm. That says something about how much the Rose alien liked the Greg human.* Bevel 10:32 pm I want a cannon like that. VProwl 10:32 pm @S «I don't spar very often, but I'll try to remember to let you know next time I do.» ItsyBitsySpyers 10:33 pm *Confirmation ping. And maybe a set of markers for enthusiasm and impatience. A 'can't wait', if you will.* Ratchet 10:34 pm [[ okay i'm sleep good night ]] ItsyBitsySpyers 10:34 pm ((night!)) Bevel 10:34 pm ((night! Omicron 10:34 pm (rest well!) Bevel 10:36 pm *she picks the spanner back up and goes back to poking at the engine on the floor* VProwl 10:37 pm @S «I'm not spectacular with any of them.» *he figures Soundwave probably knows and probably doesn't care, but he thought it only fair to warn him anyway.* Lingo 10:38 pm *inches over towards Bevel out of curiosity* ....whatcha working on...? ItsyBitsySpyers 10:38 pm *Nope. Doesn't care. That is, he cares enough to want to see what Prowl can do, but he remembers Prowl saying the best trainers in the Autobots could only teach him so much. He just wants to see for himself without people needing to be in mortal danger first.* Bevel 10:39 pm *tenses slightly before shrugging* I have to fix my ship before I leave. It was easier to pull this part of the engine out to work on it. I wanted to show the documentaries. *she likes having people visit* Lingo 10:41 pm That's a handy skill to have. I don't know much about engine repair. ItsyBitsySpyers 10:42 pm *...Maybe one day see how much of an offense Prowl can throw at him without anything bad needing to inspire that either. He might not have liked being -forced- to be a gladiator, but he does still enjoy testing people's strength from time to time.*

[[Before you leave? Where are you going?]] Bevel 10:42 pm *nods and whatever she's about to say is cut off by the question from Soundwave* ItsyBitsySpyers 10:42 pm @P: [[That's fine. He's never used shock batons, himself.]] ((I love this sooooong)) Bevel 10:43 pm The Star Saber is not on Cybertron. Mom checked. *while yelling at her about playing with greyface magic* Omicron 10:43 pm O,o the prime sword? Bevel 10:43 pm *nods* ItsyBitsySpyers 10:44 pm [[...This is the most sensible post-departure song he has heard in millennia.]] [[And where IS it, then?]] Bevel 10:44 pm I do not know but I am going to find it. ItsyBitsySpyers 10:45 pm [[...By yourself?]] Omicron 10:45 pm ...do you need any help? Bevel 10:45 pm Rolodex does not want to come. Um, if you want to. What about Racer? Lingo 10:46 pm ......do you have like, a honing beacon on it...? Omicron 10:47 pm He rides along with the crew all the time. and Dreaded Wings is starting to get rather good with jumping now that our bridges make it between worlds Bevel 10:49 pm Yeah, but I gotta be closer for it to work. I was just gonna... go toward Earth and see if maybe it went back there. *it didn't but well it's a start* Bevel 10:50 pm If you want to. I do not know how long it will take to find. Lingo 10:51 pm Well.... I'm on Earth. I can listen and see if I hear any chatter about a huge sword appearing suddenly? Bevel 10:51 pm Thank you. Lingo 10:52 pm @Slendy: I think I recall something about it breaking during the war...? ItsyBitsySpyers 10:53 pm @L: [[Ours is not broken. Bevel had it just days ago.]] Lingo 10:55 pm @Slendy: mmkay... well I'll keep an ear out... Omicron 10:59 pm *watching raver keep jumping off her knee or tail, doing a weird flip or twist for a while now* Bevel 11:00 pm *wiggles her fingers at Racer* Lingo 11:01 pm (( slendy your attention is needed briefly on skype )) Bevel 11:01 pm ((she's having a computer hiccup it'll be a moment Omicron 11:02 pm Racer: *Fingers! wing flaps a trot over to pounce them* Lingo 11:02 pm (( ( =3=)b )) Bevel 11:03 pm *giggles and keep them just out of reach* Omicron 11:06 pm Racer: *he's getting strong little bit by little bit...also, he's been eating metals so jumps for it with wing flap* Bevel 11:07 pm *she swoops her hands down to grab him up and toss him gently into the air before catching hold of him again* Omicron 11:10 pm Racer: BAH! *wing POOF at the toss, and sits in the hold, wings out, looking confused....omg do that again* Bevel 11:11 pm *smiles and tosses him up again* Omicron 11:12 pm Racer: *exited chitters, wings flapping, trying to get the flying concept, has a while to learn* ((ooh, possible good song if you don't mind the fandom it was made in? its close to Icy's voice 😅)) (-hides in shy blanket-) Bevel 11:15 pm ((sure thing ((lemme know what it is and I'll play it next ItsyBitsySpyers 11:15 pm *Soundwave has a lot of nervous energy going nowhere because he doesn't know what to do about Megatron yet. He kind of wants to move around but doesn't want to leave but doesn't want to dance in public. Damn it.* Bevel 11:16 pm *would pat you on the back if she knew but well* Omicron 11:17 pm *would offer the planet she's on for a run around on too* Bevel 11:18 pm *Bevel could offer a fight since she's been itching for one, but Soundwave would probably kick her butt super fast* ItsyBitsySpyers 11:18 pm ((oh my god it ended with the train fight)) *Yes. Yes, he would.* Bevel 11:18 pm *Go pick a fight with Elita, Soundwave* ItsyBitsySpyers 11:19 pm *He'll kick her aft too.* *Any aft except terrorcon aft, for the moment. He's not quite prepared to deal with that.* Bevel 11:19 pm *hey now she'd at least give him a good fight* Omicron 11:20 pm *he could go say hi to Dreaded Wings? distracting* Lingo 11:20 pm *is only a tiny thing she would get punted like a football* Bevel 11:20 pm ((omi~ what's the song you wanted me to play Omicron 11:22 pm ('changling Queen') Bevel 11:24 pm ((Excellent voice choice. I like it. Omicron 11:24 pm (I'm working on something that works for predacons) (but if you ever wanted to know what Icy is like or what she sounds like singing) *humming* ItsyBitsySpyers 11:28 pm ((*casually reminds everyone present of the Singing Favors Deal*)) Omicron 11:28 pm (?) Bevel 11:28 pm ((hehehe Omicron 11:29 pm (??????) ItsyBitsySpyers 11:30 pm ((okay so)) Bevel 11:30 pm ((...i may have lied accidentally when I said Elita couldn't sing ItsyBitsySpyers 11:32 pm ((It is NOT common knowledge at all but soundwave will deliver one free favor within reasonable limits to anyone who sings specifically for him if they ask to collect on it, one time and one time only. uncommon as in most people who have sung for him for one reason or another don't even know that's an option.)) ItsyBitsySpyers 11:33 pm ((basically you have to be clever enough to a) find out that he collects those files and b) realize exactly how much it means to him so you can insist he owes you for it.)) Omicron 11:34 pm (hmm....) (that thread with him coming to Dreaded wings, he's most likely to hear not just the living ship sing but Icy lead her crew in something. They do it to bond, as well as plays) ItsyBitsySpyers 11:36 pm ((well, if she ever learns enough about him to put it all together, she might be able to call on it. but it'll be a while yet 😃 )) Bevel 11:36 pm ((Bevel would sing for free ngl Omicron 11:36 pm (something for the future possably. In the mean time he can get pulled in- not having to sing but hear the crew and Icy sing) Bevel 11:37 pm ((But does it count if she can sound like anyone she's heard before? Omicron 11:40 pm Racer: *noming on a pede?* Bevel 11:45 pm *she makes a triumphant sound and pulls a bent circuit board out from the engine part in front of her, problem found* I have to go work now. ((mun is getting tired Lingo 11:45 pm (( nini <3 have good sleep )) Bevel 11:45 pm ((night <3 Omicron 11:45 pm (<3!) [rest well] Bevel 11:46 pm ((song played in the most loving of ways, I do appreciate everyone who showed up and enjoyed the movie and cartoons tonight Omicron 11:46 pm *Icy comes up and picks up her sparkling* let me know if you might need some help. Living attack class ships are good for back up ItsyBitsySpyers 11:47 pm *Well, there's no escaping reality now. Back to confronting the truth.* *He'll get up and get going.* Bevel 11:47 pm I will. Night, Soundwave. VProwl 11:47 pm *disappears* Bevel 11:47 pm *bye Prowl*

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weekendwarriorblog · 6 years ago

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WHAT TO WATCH THIS WEEKEND June 14, 2019 - MEN IN BLACK INTERNATIONAL, SHAFT, LATE NIGHT, THE DEAD DON’T DIE

I apologize for taking last week off, but I really needed a break, especially considering how late I was running on writing anything for the column. I also worry that the fact I write so much about the wide releases over at The Beat -- hitting the ‘net in about an hour -- means I don’t have so much to write here, and I don’t want to disappoint those who click on the link.

Hopefully, some of you are using this column to check up on limited releases and repertory screenings. Feel free to drop me a line or hit me up on Twitter if that’s the case, as I hate working in a vacuum.

Sadly, I don’t think there’s been much buzz for MEN IN BLACK INTERNATIONAL (Sony), the attempt to revive and reboot a franchise without the original movie’s two stars. This has rarely worked in the past, and Will Smith is so well-liked, as seen by the success of the recent Aladdin. Directed by F. Gary Gray (The Fate of the Furious), the new MiB are played by Chris Hemsworth and Tessa Thompson, both popular thanks to Thor: Ragnarok and the recent Aven gers: Endgame but not quite up to Smith when it comes to being a box office draw. I’m happy to see Emma Thompson back, although I’m sure she’ll be better used in this week’s expanding release Late Night, while Liam Neeson can be fun when given the right part.

Mini-Review: It’s officially the summer, so studios are starting to hope that film critics will go easier on their movies meant to be entertaining summer “popcorn fare.” That was certainly true of the original Men in Black, which combined a simple premise of an alien-fighting government agency with the charm of Will Smith.

Men in Black International has the same premise, but this time, instead of Smith, it has Tessa Thompson as Molly, a young girl who discovered the presence of the Men in Black. Twenty years later, she wants to become one herself. If you’ve seen the trailers and commercials, you already know that she’s accepted into the group and paired with Chris Hemsworth’s British Agent H.

There’s no point getting further into the plot, because it really doesn’t matter. It’s the exact same rookie MiB agent trying to keep up with the more experience agent who is having none of their youthful shit, as they encounter weird and often deadly CG aliens.

There’s a good reason Tessa Thompson has been cast in this movie, and that’s because she has a likeable personality in everything she does, and presumably, that’s enough to carry an MIB movie. Similarly, I like Chris Hemsworth as an actor, but right now, he’s in danger of turning into Johnny Depp, basically famous and popular for one character then trying to imbue every character after that with what he thinks works with his audience. In Hemsworth’s case, Agent H is another arrogant and dumb dope always getting things wrong and being corrected by someone else, in this case Thompson’s Agent M. Those looking forward to seeing this movie for Emma Thompson or Liam Neeson may be disappointed by how little they actually appear in the film.

I certainly don’t entirely fault director F. Gary Gray for the movie’s problems, as he clearly was working with what he was given and doing the best he can. The CG and action are well done and so well-blended there’s no problems there, although the only alien that doesn’t seem like a rehash to previous MiB movies is the one voiced by Kumail Nanjiani, who gets in a few fun jabs at Hemsworth.

The best part of the movie probably comes in the third act when Rebecca Ferguson turns up as an alien arms dealer (with extra arms, of course) and somehow, the combination of her with the other three actors delivers some of the movie’s strongest moments… and then it goes back to the tired plot that didn’t really seem to be going anywhere

I’m sure plenty of people will enjoy Men in Black International just fine, but one really has to go into the movie with lowered expectations to think it’s any sort of improvement even over the worst of the previous movies (MiB 3).

For the most part, Tessa Thompson shines in an otherwise uninspired and mostly unfunny reboot that really doesn’t give much hope for the future of this franchise.

Rating: 6/10

I have to admit that I also wasn’t a very big fan of Tim Story’s SHAFT (New Line), which reunites Samuel L. Jackson and Richard Roundtree 19 years after the previous Shaft movie, which I also never really liked. Joining them this time is Independence Day: Resurgence star Jessie T. Usher, who also will be appearing on the upcoming The Boys series on Amazon. You probably won’t know it from the amount of coverage you’ll be seeing from me this week, but hey, work is work, and who am I to pass up a chance to interview Jackson and Roundtree, not once but twice? No idea when that coverage is running but I’ll post links here when it does.

Adding a bunch of my features on the movie:

AM NEW YORK FEATURE

COLLIDER INTERVIEW WITH JACKSON, ROUNDTREE AND USHER

COLLIDER INTERVIEW WITH DIRECTOR TIM STORY

I’m always excited for a new Jim Jarmusch movie, even though I’ve been mixed on some of his more recent films, including Only Lovers Left Alive, his vampire movie starring Tilda Swinton and Tom Hiddleston that I seemed to be one of the few people who wasn’t that into it. With THE DEAD DON’T DIE (Focus Features), Jarmusch explores the world of zombies, and I think the tone and mood of this one are more in line with Jarmusch’s earlier work but also with Romero’s zombie movies, although there isn’t as much zombie gore as some might hope.

My Review of The Dead Don’t Die from The Beat

Also expanding nationwide this weekend (presumably) is Amazon Studios’ LATE NIGHT, the Mindy Kaling-penned comedy co-starring Emma Thompson. I was mostly bummed about not doing this column last week because it meant delaying my review, but I do hope that people will go out see this very funny movie based on Kaling’s own experiences in late night. I think it’s one of Thompson’s best performances in a long time, although I did think she was great in last year’s The Children Act, a movie that was sadly overlooked by most film critics/writers.

Mini-Review: Anyone who has ever underestimated Mindy Kaling from her TV work on The Office and The Mindy Show will never do so again after seeing Late Night. I’m saddened to say that I’m one of those who has learned that lesson the hard way.

The premise is simple with Kaling playing Molly Patel, a young woman with dreams of being a comedy writer, something that becomes more possible when she’s hired as a writer on the prestigious talk show “Late Night with Katherine Newbury.” What Molly doesn’t know is that she’s a bit of a “diversity hire” once Katherine (Emma Thompson) realizes her writing room is all white males. Molly has troubles fitting in at first but her bright personality proves to be what Katherine needs to start examining her own life, as the network tries to take her show away from her.

Directed by Nisha Ganatra, an indie filmmaker whose work I have sadly overlooked until now, Late Night is a great example of the quality of work that can be created when an actor is allowed to make her passion project. It’s immediately obvious what Kaling has brought to her television shows as a writer, performer and producer as Late Night.

Kaling and Ganatra’s impeccable storytelling includes many characters around Molly and Katherine that add to their story without taking the attention away from them.Thompson has always been a fine actor but in Katherine Newbury, she’s been given a present that will bring her back to the forefront come awards time. Thompson creates a character that can be funny in the same was as Meryl Streep in The Devil Wears Prada but also quite sympathetic, and that’s a hard balance to create.

Overall, Late Night is just a joyous breakout film for Kaling. If you can imagine a cross between Tina Fey’s “30 Rock” and Kumail Nanjiani’s The Big Sick, then you may have a better idea whether Late Night will be your thing. Rating: 8.5/10

Interview with Director Nisha Ganatra

You can see how I think the above movies will fare over at The Beat.

LIMITED RELEASES

Although the big news this weekend is Late Night (presumed) expanding nationwide, as well as the wider-than-usual release for Jim Jarmusch’s latest, there are still a number of movies opening in select cities I want to draw attention to.

One of my favorite films from this year’s Tribeca Film Festival was Jeff Chan and Andrew Rhymer’s PLUS ONE (RLJE Films), which stars Jack Quaid (from The Hunger Games and the upcoming The Boys series) and Maya Erskine from Pen15as long-time best friends Ben and Alice who decide to accompany each other to an upcoming round of weddings, acting as wingmen to help the other one pick up men and women. As you can imagine, it only works out to a point.

I’m not embarrassed to say that romantic-comedies are a bit of a guilty pleasure with me, and Plus One is a really good one, since it’s both funny and romantic, which isn’t something we often get from studio fare in this vein. I absolutely love Maya Erskine, though I haven’t had a chance to check out her Hulu series just yet; there are few actors who are so talented at being hilariously funny but also delivering on the drama when necessary. I feel like Quaid is trying to keep up with her. If you’re the type of person who gets dragged to weddings every other weekend, this movie is definitely for you. Plus One will be in theaters and On Demand this Friday, and I definitely recommend seeking it out, especially for a fun date night movie.

Another really good drama coming out this weekend is Sienna Miller’s AMERICAN WOMAN (Roadside Attractions/Vertical), which stars Ms. Miller as Debra, a 30-something woman whose teen daughter goes missing, leaving her to care for her grandson. She’s able to deal with the loss with the help of her sister (Christina Hendricks) and mother (Amy Madigan), but also ends up with a series of bad men until she meets Aaron Paul. Directed by Jake Scott, Ridley Scott’s son, who made the drama Welcome to the Rileys back in 2010, this movie lives or dies on the performance by Miller, and she is pretty fantastic in a role that covers 11 years in this woman’s life. This is definitely a smaller slice-of-life movie that covers the things her character goes through in order to find her best self, but I generally liked the entire cast, which is quite diverse, including Will Sasso (from Mad TV) and the underrated Pat Healy as one of the most abusive men with whom Debra ends up.

Opening at the Metrograph Friday and in L.A. on June 28 is Sophie Huber’s documentary Blue Note Records: Beyond the Notes, a terrific look at the classic jazz label that’s still going strong thanks to current President Don Was (yes, he of “Walk the Dinosaur” fame) but is also branching out into other jazz-influenced genres. I really dug how Huber told this story, featuring new interviews that’s framed by a recording being done by the current incarnation of the Blue Note All-Stars. If you like jazz or even have a passing interest, it’s good to know the history of the genre and Blue Note’s part in it.

A movie I’ve been wanting to see but just haven’t had the chance to is FRAMING JOHN DELOREAN (Sundance Selects), directed by Don Argott (The Art of the Steal) and Sheena M. Joyce and starring Alec Baldwin as the visionary who made his way up through the auto industry only to be disgraced when charged with drug trafficking. Also starring Morena Baccarin, Josh Charles and more, it opens in select cities on Friday.

Miranda Bailey’s BEING FRANK (The Film Arcade) features comedian Jim Gaffigan as the title character. Set in 1992, it stars Logan Miller as teenager Phillip, who wants to leave his small town to go to music school in New York, something his father (Gaffigan’s Frank) forbids. Philip decides to go on a wild spring break but he then discovers that his father has another whole family in another town.

Jay Stern’s SAY MY NAME (Electric Entertainment) opens in select cities and on VOD Friday. It stars Lisa Brenner and Nick Blood as two strangers who have a one-night stand that’s interrupted by a robbery, sending them across Wales to try to retrieve their stolen property.

Thomas Stuber’s German drama IN THE AISLES (Music Box Films) stars Franz Rogowski (Transit) as a guy who just started working at a big box store where he becomes obsessed with a co-worker (Sandra Hüller from Toni Erdmann) but when he starts delving into the secrets she’s keeping, he begins returning to his own dark habits. It opens at the Village Eastin New York on Friday.

Less than a month after her last film Poms bombed, Diane Keaton is back in Joel Hopkins’ HAMPSTEAD (IFC Films) starring opposite Brendan Gleeson as Emily, a widow in an expensive apartment in the title London neighborhood that she can’t afford. Gleeson plays Donald, a gruff loner living in a cabin who just wants to be left in peace, but when his home is threatened, Emily has found her new cause. Based on a true story, it also stars Lesley Manville, and it will play at the IC Center this Friday.

Kat Rohrer and Gil Levanon’s award-winning doc Back to the Fatherland (First Run Features) will open in New York (Cinema Village) and L.A. (Laemmle Music Hall). It deals with the friendship between the two filmmakers despite their different backgrounds – Kat is the granddaughter of a Nazi officer while Gil is that of a Holocaust survivor – and they seek out other grandchildren of Holocaust survivors who have moved back to Germany and Austria.

Opening on Wednesday at the Film Forum is Muayad Alayan’s psychological thriller The Reports of Sarah and Saleem (Dada Films) about the clandestine affair between an Israeli café owner from West Berlin and her Palestinian bread vendor from the East, made more complicated when their spouses find out. So it’s sort of a retelling of Romeo and Juliet set in Israel? It actually sounds intriguing.

I’m bummed that I didn’t get a chance to see divisive Mexican filmmaker Carlos Reygadas’ latest, Our Time (Monument Releasing), but at three hours, it was just hard to find time to watch it. This one is about a Mexican family living in the countryside raising fighting bulls who is torn apart by the woman of the house falling in love with another man. No, I have no idea why this story had to be three hours long, but it will open at the Quad Cinema in New York Friday.

Lastly, there’s David Hackl’s Daughter of the Wolf (Vertigo), starring MMA star Gina Carano as a military specialist who comes back from the Middle East to claim her inheritance only to find her son has been kidnapped. Also starring living legend Richard Dreyfuss, it opens in a bunch of theaters, but this is more of a VOD special.

STREAMING AND CABLE

Premiering on Netflix (and in select theaters) Wednesday is Rolling Thunder Revue: A Bob Dylan Story by Martin Scorsese, an amazing film resuscitated from 1975 as Scorsese goes on the road with Dylan during his 1975 fall tour. (Besides streaming on the network, it can also be seen in select theaters like New York’s IFC Center and Film at Lincoln Center.)

Also, Adam Sandler is back with his latest comedy MURDER MYSTERY, reuniting him with Jennifer Aniston as a couple who go on a trip to Europe where they’re invited for a party on a yacht by a billionaire (Terence Stamp) who ends up being murdered with them being the prime suspects. So Sandler, a New York detective, needs to work with a local crimefighter, played by Luke Evans.

Also, the doc Life Overtakes Me which looks at the Resignation Syndrome being suffered by refugee children in Sweden as they end up in a coma-like state for months and years with their parents having few options to help them.

LOCAL FESTIVALS

A few decent festivals are starting this weekend, a couple in New York and on in Chcago, but the one that definitely shouldn’t be missed is the annual BamCinemaFest, which kicks off tonight with Lulu Wang’s amazing Sundance favorite The Farewell, starring Awkwafina. Unfortunately I didn’t get to nearly as many of the screenings as I hoped, but I’m sure you can find one or two gems in the line-up this year.

The annual Human Rights Watch Film Festival will kick off at Film at Lincoln Center this week with a wide variety of documentaries, dramas and foreign films. I haven’t seen any of the movies but really, with this festival, you can rarely go wrong in terms of learning what’s going in the rest of the world.

Kicking off in Chicago this week is the Cinepocalypse Genre Film Festival, which features a wide variety of genre films both old and new. It kicks off on Thursday with the World Premiere of Glenn Danzig’s Verotika and in a similar vein, there will be events like Gwar vs. Rock ‘n’ Roll Nightmare and Gwar vs. Cinepocalypse plus there’s lots of vintage genre including Tammy and the T-Rex from 1994 and Joel Schumacher’s Flatliners (1990) in 70mm! Some of the big horror films from other festivals like Villains, The Lodge and Satanic Panic will also get their Midwest Premieres. It’s a fairly robust schedule that runs from June 13 through the 20.

REPERTORY

METROGRAPH (NYC):

The Jim Jarmusch retrospective continues through the weekend with Ghost Dog: The Way of the Samurai (1999) with Jarmusch in person Thursday night, and 1991’s Night on Earth as well as a couple reshows. Late Nites at Metrograph will be screening the action-comedy The God of Cookery (1996) starring the amazing Stephen Chow, while Playtime: Family Matinees will screen Jimmy Stewart’s 1962 film Mr. Hobbs Takes a Vacation. Sine Sunday is Father’s Day, the Metrograph is screening a couple father-friendly baseball comedies like the 1962 movie Safe at Home!, starring Mickey Mantle, as well as John Badham’s 1976 comedy Bingo Long Travelling All Stars and Moto Kings, starring Billy Dee Williams, James Earl Jones and Richard Pryor.

THE NEW BEVERLY (L.A.):

The Wednesday matinee is Alfred Hitchcock’s Marnie (1964), starring Tippi Hedren and Sean Connery, then the Weds-Thursday double feature is Dean Martin’s The Wrecking Crew co-starring Bruce Lee with Hammerhead, both from 1968. Friday and Saturday will be screenings of Stanley Kubrick’s classic 2001: A Space Odyssey (1968), then Sunday and Monday is Sergio Leone’s Once Upon a Time In the West (1968). (Not sure if you noticed a trend there but all four movies are from the same year!) The weekend’s KIDEE MATINE is the Japanese sci-fi film The Green Slime … from 1968! Friday’s midnight movie is Tarantino’s own Inglourious Bastereds while Saturday is Journey to the Far Side of the Sun (1969 – changing things up a little). Monday’s matinee is The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford (2007) from Andrew Dominik, and then Tuesday’s Grindhouse double feature is Model Shopand They Came to Rob Las Vegas.

FILM FORUM (NYC):

Opening Friday is a new restoration of Jennie Livingston’s Paris is Burning (1991) which looks at New York in the ‘80s from the perspective of the African-American and Latinx drag scene. The movie ran for six months back in 1991 when it first played at the Film Forum. This weekend’s Film Forum Jr. is Spike Lee’s Crooklyn from 1994. The Jewish Soul series continues this weekend with Maurice Schwartz’s 1939 film Tevya, while Alain Resnais’ Last Year at Marienbad will continue playing for another week, as well. Also, if you haven’t had a chance to see Gillo Pontecorvo’s The Battle of Algiers, it will play as part of The Hour of Liberation series which also ends on Thursday.

EGYPTIAN THEATRE (LA):

Cassavetes & Scorsese: Love is Strange, the series that just won’t end, continues on Friday with Alice Doesn’t Live Here Anymoreand A Woman Under the Influence, both from 1974 and a pretty good double feature actually. On Saturday from noon until midnight, there’s a Camp Void 6-Film Marathon, co-presented by Cinematic Void, which includes a number of classic genre films, as well as a couple comedies from the ‘70s and ‘80s.Kubrick’s long-time assistant Leon Vitali will be back to present a screening of The Shining (1980) for Father’s Day. Although it’s already sold out, the Egyptian will have a special John Woo double feature of Hard Boiled (1992) and Face/Off (1997) with John Woo in person!

AERO (LA):

As with New York’s Quad, the AERO is sharing the Pauline Kael centennial love with The Pearls of Pauline: Kael at 100 with Children of Paradise (1945) on Thursday, a double feature of Bonnie and Clyde (1967) and Thieves Like Us (1974) on Friday, and then Diner (1982) and Melvin and Howard (1980) on Saturday. For Father’s Day Sunday, there’s a special Indiana Jones TRIPLE feature of the first three movies, all in 35mm with the third film Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade celebrating its 30thAnniversary.

QUAD CINEMA (NYC):

Because I had to skip last week’s column, I wan’t able to write about the Quad’s amazing new series Losing It at the Movies: Pauline Kael at 100, which pays respect to the film critic who would have turned 100 next week. The movies being shown this weekend include Brian De Palma’s The Fury (one of my personal faves from 1978), Clint Eastwood’s The Gauntlet (1977), the horror classic Re-Animator (1985), Woody Allen’s Hannah and Her Sisters (1986) and more.

IFC CENTER (NYC)

Waverly Midnights: Parental Guidance goes with David Lynch’s Eraserhead (1977), Weekend Classics: LoveMom and Dad will screen Vittoio De Sica’s Bicycle Thieves (1948), while Late Night Favorites: Springgoes with Ridley Scott’s Alien(again), Suspiria (again), The Holy Mountain (again).. and Tarantino’s Pulp Fiction. Seems like Bicycle Thieves is the best bet in terms of stuff that isn’t shown a lot.

FILM OF LINCOLN CENTER (NYC):

Besides the Human Rights Watch Film Festival, the Upper West Side theaters are beginning an extensive Ermanno Olmi Retrospectivethat includes films from the Italian director ranging from 1958’s Time Stood Still and 1961’s Il Posto through 2014’s Greenery Will Bloom Again. I honestly don’t know if I’ve seen any of his movies but it’s an amazing series with two screenings of each movie.

MUSEUM OF THE MOVING IMAGE (NYC):

On Saturday, MOMI will screen Burt Reynolds’ Hooper (1978), directed by Hal Needham, in 35mm, as well as Sidney Lumet’s musical movie The Wiz (1978) starring Diana Ross and Michael Jackson as part of a StarringDiana Ross series. That series also includes Lady Sings the Blues (1973) and Mahogany (1975), both screening Saturday.

MOMA (NYC):

The extensive Jean-Claude Carrière will finally conclude on Sunday, and as before, I have nothing to add about it.

ROXY CINEMA (NYC)

Richard Donner’s The Goonies (1985) will be shown on 35mm on Friday and Saturday

LANDMARK THEATRES NUART (LA):

This Friday’s midnight screening is the 1987 film Hard Ticket to Hawaii.

Next week, Disney is back to dominate with Toy Story 4 as Woody and Buzz Lightyear shouldn’t have too many worries facing the return of Chucky in Orion Pictures’ Child’s Play.

#WhatToWatchthisWeekend MenInBlackInternational LateNight PlusOne MoviesReviews Shaft TheDeadDontDie

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iconicdumbass · 8 years ago

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do all

1. Do you ever doubt the existence of others than you?Not gonna lie like twice.2. On a scale of 1-5, how afraid of the dark are you?1,0003. The person you would never want to meet?Donald Trump.4. What is your favorite word?Lust. 5. If you were a type of tree, what would you be?Cherry Blossom Tree 6. When you looked in the mirror this morning what was the first thing you thought?What a dumb bitch. 7. What shirt are you wearing?A random shirt from Nordstrom.8. What do you label yourself as?A hot mess. 9. Bright room or dark room?Ironically Dark Room.10. What were you doing at midnight last night?Watching something on Hulu.11. Favorite age you’ve been so far?1712. Who told you they loved you last?My best friend13. Your worst enemy?Some stupid bitch that fucked me over.14. What is your current desktop picture?A picture of my dog.15. Do you like someone?Yessssss 😩🙃16. The last song you listened to?"Flashing Lights" Kanye West17. You can press a button that will make any one person explode. Who would you blow up?No one. 18. Who would you really like to just punch in the face?I literally can't think of a single person right now.19. If anyone could be your slave for a day, who would it be and what would they have to do?I cannot think of a single person 😂20. What is your best physical attribute? (showing said attribute is optional)My hair. 21. If you were the opposite sex for one day, what would you look like and what would you do?I would beat my meat all day 😂22. Do you have a secret talent? If yes, what is it?Literally no, I'm trash. 23. What is one unique thing you’re afraid of?Death. 24. You can only have one kind of sandwich. Every sandwich ingredient known to humankind is at your disposal.I'd take a regular ass sandwich tbh 😂25. You just found $100! How are you going to spend it?On an eyeshadow palette tbh 26. You just got a free plane ticket to anywhere in the world, but you have to leave immediately. Where are you going to go?Paris! 27. An angel appears out of Heaven and offers you a lifetime supply of the alcoholic beverage of your choice. “Be brand-specific” it says. Man! What are you gonna say about that? Even if you don’t drink booze there’s something you can figure out… so what’s it gonna be?Johnny Walker 28. You discover a beautiful island upon which you may build your own society. You make the rules. What is the first rule you put into place? Don't be a racist. 29. What is your favorite expletive?Fuck30. Your house is on fire, holy shit! You have just enough time to run in there and grab ONE inanimate object. Don’t worry, your loved ones and pets have already made it out safely. So what’s the one thing you’re going to save from that blazing inferno?I'd say my phone but it's always with me, so I'm gonna have to say my fave purse 😭31. You can erase any horrible experience from your past. What will it be?My entire childhood tbh32. You got kicked out of the country for being a time-traveling heathen who sleeps with celebrities and has super-powers. But check out this cool shit… you can move to anywhere else in the world!I'd move to Thailand 33. The Celestial Gates Of Beyond have opened, much to your surprise because you didn’t think such a thing existed. Death appears. As it turns out, Death is actually a pretty cool entity, and happens to be in a fantastic mood. Death offers to return the friend/family-member/person/etc. of your choice to the living world. Who will you bring back?My grandmother from my moms side 34. What was your last dream about?Super weird 35. Are you a good….[insert anything you’d like here]?Friend? Hell yeah. 36. Have you ever been admitted to the hospital?Yes. 37. Have you ever built a snowman?Yes! 38. What is the color of your socks?Black.39. What type of music do you like?All kinds except for country 40. Do you prefer sunrises or sunsets?Sunrises. To me they symbolize a new beginning.41. What is your favorite milkshake flavor?Strawberry.42. What football team do you support? (I will answer in terms of American football as well as soccer)None 43. Do you have any scars?Yes. On my arms and legs. 44. What do you want to be when you graduate?A lawyer 45. If you could change one thing about yourself, what would it be?Everything46. Are you reliable?Yes!47. If you could ask your future self one question, what would it be?Does it all work out? 48. Do you hold grudges?Nope. 49. If you could breed two animals together to defy the laws of nature, what new animal would you create?A dinosaur and a dog.50. What is the most unusual conversation you’ve ever had?I've had SO many weird conversations 51. Are you a good liar?It depends on the lie52. How long could you go without talking?A few hours 53. What has been you worst haircut/style?BANGS 😬54. Have you ever baked your own cake?Yes! I actually love to bake.55. Can you do any accents other than your own?Yeah I can do British ( not very well tho 😅)56. What do you like on your toast?Butter 57. What is the last thing you drew a picture of?A penis (on my brothers arm)58. What would be you dream car?A Mercedes Benz59. Do you sing in the shower? Or do anything unusual in the shower? Explain.Yeah 60. Do you believe in aliens?Yes. 61. Do you often read your horoscope?Yeah. Almost daily tbh.62. What is your favorite letter of the alphabet?S. 63. Which is cooler: dinosaurs or dragons?Dragons bc they breathe fire.64. What do you think about babies?They're cute, but I am so not ready for any of my own 😭

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callmehawkeye · 6 years ago

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Watched in 2019

Big Little Lies (Season 1): This is such a solid cast and story, albeit predictable. I loved it as a mini-series and do not understand why it needs a second season; but I’ll be watching regardless.

Taylor Swift Reputation Stadium Tour (2018): IIIIIIIIIII don’t think this setting is the best for Taylor. I go back and forth on her as a person often, but dig over half her catalog. The big theatrical show doesn’t quite suit her particular stage presence. She is great when just talking to the crowd with her guitar or piano. Regardless, she was definitely having fun, it was entertaining enough, and it’s cool she put this up on Netflix so I don’t have to amputate a body part to afford a ticket.

If Beale Street Could Talk (2018): Without a doubt, this is perhaps the most genuine and fulfilling depiction of a (hetero) romantic love story put to film I’ve witnessed in recent memory. The actors and their chemistry were breathtaking.

Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse (2018): Hands down the best Spider-Man movie to date. Soundtrack was perfection. Story was great. Characters were amazing. I want to protect Miles with my dying breath. Unique animation. Deservedly kicked Disney’s ass this award season.

Bumblebee (2018): Oddly endearing? Easily the best Transformers movie, and the only one I’ll recognize.

A Star is Born (2018): I’m sure I’d like this more if I weren’t a fan of the other 3. Lacked subtlety. Overhyped. It’s fine. The only best part was the rehab scene.

Fyre Fraud (2019): The Hulu documentary about the disastrous Fyre Festival. Superior of the two, in production and scope.

Abducted in Plain Sight (2017): WHAT. THE. FUCK. A must-see for true crime enthusiasts.

Conversations with a Killer: The Ted Bundy Tapes (2019): This is more or less the same thing if you have already spent a little more time on this case than the average person. Good content for first-timers.

Girlfriends Day (2017): A nice, fast watch to pass the time.

Fyre Festival (2019): The other Fyre Festival documentary. To me, the lesser because it is produced from people who were on the inside. Which you’d think, “Oh so then they’d know.” But their bias and attempts to scrub themselves from the narrative are obvious.

The Favourite (2018): This made my little queer heart so happy. Great characters.

Everybody Knows (2019): A little on the nose in the mystery itself (just watch the actors in the background). But the performances were great. Loved the setting. Appropriate ending. Good job.

Isn’t It Romantic (2019): I loved this. I feel like I’ve written something exactly like this before. Very endearing and satisfying to watch.

How to Train Your Dragon: The Hidden World (2019): It felt a little long, unsatisfying at some parts and rushed. But it’s a great bookend to a great series.

They Shall Not Grow Old (2019): Very impressive filmmaking and editing. I loved learning how they accomplished it in the featurette at the end of the screening.

Arctic (2019): Now THIS is how you make a survival movie. 90 minutes. No romance. Brutal reality without becoming melodramatic. Mads Mikkelsen cast in the lead...

Don’t Knock Twice (2016): Pleh. I hated the pacing and editing. Called out the “twist” immediately as a joke because I didn’t expect this movie to be that nuanced (magic done without permission, even with the intent to be good, is bad magic).

Captain Marvel (2019): My god this was so much fun and rejuvenated my interest in the MCU. I’m absolutely dreading Endgame and not for the reasons you think.

Greta (2019): Great performances, absolutely tense, very creepy and fun.

1922 (2017): What a great fucking motif.

Climax (2019): This was quite the sit. A literal 90 minute bad LSD trip from an up-close perspective. God I hated it.

Michael Che Matters (2016): I’ve never seen a standup special start so strong and progressively get weaker like this before...

Us (2019): As I said on Twitter -- it seems to me primarily casual or non-horror fans think Us is the greatest horror film of all time and is going to rejuvenate or “save” the genre. Then primarily veteran fans think it’s weak and vague. I think both viewpoints are shortsighted and formed from either category being stuck in their perspectives. For me, the movie was neither. (I loved it).

The Beach Bum (2019): Another movie I can’t believe I sat all the way through.

Leaving Neverland (2019): I stand with Wade and James.

Queer Eye (Season 3): Who needs antidepressants? Not me!

Homecoming: A Film By Beyoncé (2019): Beychella reigns once again!!

Dancing Queen (Season 1): This was very sweet. I never thought I could sit through anything with insufferable dance moms, but Justin/Alyssa makes it so engaging and watchable. Stupid to end on a cliffhanger, however.

Avengers: Endgame (2019): ..............B+ At least it was a million times better than Infinity War. And I had fun.

Booksmart (2019): This hit so close to home. Sure, the coming of age movie is nothing new. But there was something liberating about the characters in this one that were terribly stereotypical and much more relatable. To me, anyway.

Long Shot (2019): Great music, great relationship, great laughs. This was a fun, solid watch of a romcom.

Hail Satan? (2019): I want to inject this documentary directly into my veins.

Amazing Grace (2019): The live footage of Aretha Franklin recording her Amazing Grace album at the church in Watts.

Meeting Gorbachev (2019): I got to see this documentary at a theater where Wener Herzog himself was hosting a Q&A and introduced this film. Maybe it made me more biased to liking it. But I honestly felt like I learned a lot.

Missing Link (2019): First movie of the year I didn’t complete/walked out of. I let it have an hour. First time I’ve ever been disappointed in Laika. I can’t believe it. It was so dull and I kept waiting for something to happen.

Little (2019): This was sweet. Issa Rae is dipped in gold. BUT it felt like there was an outline, not a script. Lots of dropped threads. And a weirdly out of place, glaring, punching-down trans joke??!

Tolkien (2019): Wow. I really liked this. Great pacing, shifting between time frames. Even better performances and relationships. Made me think of my own fellowship a lot. This is how biopics should be done.

The Biggest Little Farm (2019): WONDERFUL documentary covering the years of building up a sustainable farm from less than scratch.

The Hustle (2019): God, this was a long, humorless sit. At least Anne looked stunning.

The Sun is Also a Star (2019): This isn’t more realistic than romantic comedies, or teen love films. But it’s more enjoyable than most. The leads are great and have electric chemistry. New York is framed beautifully.

John Wick: Chapter 3 – Parabellum (2019): I am blessed by this Keanu Reevessance.

Fleabag (Season 1): This is probably going to be the best thing I watch this year.

Fleabag (Season 2): Yup. Confirmed. Something very special would need to come along from June to December to change this mindset. I highly recommend this. Watch it. Go in blind. Watch it!!

Pavarotti (2019): I enjoy documentaries where I feel I really learn about the subject. Beautiful music, beautiful memories, beautiful life.

Rocketman (2019): I wish more biopics were like this. It was wonderful and such a grand time.

Lorena (2019): A deep dive into the Bobbitt case, including the woman herself. I have such empathy and love for Lorena. You should watch it and learn about the incident yourself.

The Last Man in San Francisco (2019): Go in blind. Don’t look it up. Just go. it’s the most beautiful film I’ve seen so far this year. I wish there were more male protagonists like this.

Toy Story 4 (2019): I was so skeptical. It more than exceeded my expectations. Just go in prepared to have your heart ripped in two.

Godzilla: King of the Monsters (2019): They’re learning. Out of the newer films, this one has the less amount of people. Now make another film like this, only extend the monster fight scenes. Less. People.

Child’s Play (2019): This was fun. Not much more to say. More Aubrey in things!

Men in Black International (2019): Honestly, this was better than the second or third ones. I legitimately enjoyed myself. It was funny. The cast was charming. The otherworldly aliens were interesting. And I’m so proud of Les Twins.

Grace and Frankie (Season 5) :This is always a good time for me. I love watching this show when I want to take a break from more dedicated watches. I love these actresses with all my heart. June Diane Raphael is goals.

Midsommar (2019): This was such a fun aesthetic to watch. I was so uncomfortable throughout.

Toni Morrison: The Pieces I Am (2019): Ugh, my hearrrrrtt.

Maiden (2019): Documentary about the first all-female crew who competed in the 1985-86 Whitbread Round the World Race. The woman next to me in the theater was the same age as the women featured in old footage and modern day talking head interviews -- and she was just sobbing by the end. Solidarity.

Frankenstein’s Monster’s Monster, Frankenstein (2019): 30 minutes well spent. Fucking hilarious.

Stranger Things (Season 3): God, what a fun season. I am still Steve.

Queer Eye (Season 4): I need 54 more seasons, kthx.

Spider-Man: Far From Home (2019): My absolute favorite battle sequence in a Marvel movie. Such a good time.

Hobbs & Shaw (2019): My first and last Fast movie. Goddamn I was so bored.

Bring the Soul: The Movie (2019): Wow, this was brutal. I get it wasn’t all of the footage, but they seemed to mostly focus on members being sick and injured and miserable. I didn’t understand the love for this movie when all it did was highlight how exhausted the boys are. I suppose it was meant to be inspiring, but I only felt bad for them. I just ranted about them needing a break and thank god they finally have one -- apt timing!

Burn the Stage: The Movie (2018): I went back to the earlier film with the hopes of... Higher hopes. And they were fulfilled. Such cute and uplifting footage.

Blinded by the Light (2019): God I love Springsteen. This movie is a great homage to his music. It’s not a straight-up musical, and that’s lovingly the point. Some things never change.

It: Chapter Two (2019): This was a slog compared to the first part. Much like the miniseries. Much like the book.

Parasite (2019): I, a college student with very little free time -- let alone free time to go to the movies -- saw this in theaters twice. I tried to go a third time but then finals happened. Go see it. Go see it blind. I'm not really doing end-year lists anymore but this is without a doubt my favorite film from 2019.

BTS World Tour: Love Yourself (2019): Most fun I've had in a theater in some time. I feel like I curled up into the tiniest ball at some point out of pure joy that couldn't be contained.

Frozen II (2019): This was quite plot-heavy for a sequel. I loved how many songs they were. It's an acceptable sequel. A lot of weak themes and choices, however, if you think about it for more than a few minutes. Overall delightful.

Jojo Rabbit (2019): Speaking of delightful. Taika Waititi continues to be my favorite living writer-director. This is such a solid portrayal of Nazism without glorifying it. Always go the Mel Brooks route and make it a comedy; they can't turn it around and make the imagery propaganda. I have high hopes for Roman Griffin Davis and his future career.

Knives Out (2019): This was quite fun. I love a good mystery with a large ensemble cast like this. It didn't blow my mind of anything -- I saw every turn coming -- but that's just because I credit it to being such a lonely kid who read so many mystery novels.

2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 | 2014

#watch list

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goarticletec-blog · 6 years ago

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Black Friday 2018: The Cheapskate's top deals

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Black Friday 2018: The Cheapskate's top deals

This 15-hour waterproof speaker can be yours for just $13. Wowza.

VTIN

Well, fellow cheapskates, we made it. The Day of the Dead — er, Deals — has arrived. Chances are good you’ve already seen this post once or twice, as I’ve been updating it for the last couple weeks.

Today, however, I’m bringing you a bunch of new stuff, starting right up top. These are the items I really dig, the ones you should seriously consider before the clock strikes Saturday.

Before you dive in, however, heed the advice from that guy in the accompanying video. Specifically: Use a cashback service whenever possible! Today only, for example, Ebates is offering double cashback at every single store. For example, you can get 15 percent back from Dell and 10 percent back from Macy’s. (Topcashback’s Dell deal is even better: 20 percent!) If you’re shopping online without a cashback service, you’re leaving money on the table.

One last thing: Be sure to follow me on Facebook and/or Twitter today for lots of bonus deals!

The Cheapskate’s favorite Black Friday 2018 deals

Hulu Limited Commercials subscription: 99 cents per month (save $84)

Hulu

Whoa! Hulu’s best deal ever is, like, the best deal ever! Get 12 months on the Limited Commercials Plan for just a buck per month. Regular price: $8 per month. This is for new customers and eligible returning customers only.

Note: If that link doesn’t work for you (meaning you don’t immediately see the 99-cent deal), try clearing your browser’s cache/cookies, or just going directly to hulu.com/welcome.

See at Hulu

Tile Pro two-pack and Amazon Echo Dot: $60 (save $50)

Tile

I have newfound love for Tile trackers. For starters, the battery is now user-replaceable. And the new Tile Pro has better range, louder beeping and other amenities. At $60 for a two-pack, you’ve got yourself a great gift for someone. Oh, and here’s a free third-gen Echo Dot for you!

See at Amazon

Tile Pro preview

Save 20 percent sitewide at Rakuten.com

Rakuten

Whatever you might be shopping for today, check the price at Rakuten.com. Then apply promo code BF20. You might come out way ahead of anyplace else. For example, I found the Nintendo Switch (from a third-party seller, not Rakuten proper) priced at $310. Post promo-code: $250.

See at Rakuten

Vtin portable water-resistant Bluetooth speaker: $13 (save $11)

VTIN

A Cheapskate reader favorite! This surprisingly good speaker can be yours for the lowest price ever with promo code 3G89VXEE.

See at Amazon

Used iPhone X (64GB): $539.25 (save $460)

Gazelle

That’s just one example of the savings you can get at Gazelle right now. All iPhone X listings drop by 25 percent once added to your cart. You can also save 30 percent on an iPhone 8 Plus and 15 percent on an iPhone 7 Plus. My example iPhone X deal (found at 6:45 a.m. PT) is for an AT&T model in “good” condition. Prices and availability may vary.

See at Gazelle

CircuitScribe Drone Builder Kit: $60 (save $40)

CircuitScribe

A drone that you build yourself while learning about circuits and electricity? Sign me up! This looks like a great educational gift for kids.

See at CircuitScribe

Apple Watch Series 3: $199 (save $80)

Screenshot by Alina Bradford/CNET

Sure, you can still get an Amazfit Bip for around $60, but the Apple Watch offers a lot more features. It’s waterproof for swimming. It supports two-way communication, letting you reply to texts with just a few taps. And it has Toy Story watch faces. Still pricey a $199, but a lot more appealing than $279.

See at Macy’s

Apple Watch Series 3 review

iPhone XR: Free! (Save $750)

Angela Lang/CNET

OK, make that “free*.” The asterisk is because you have to sign up for a US Cellular unlimited plan and stick with it for 30 months. The iPhone XR is paid for during that time in the form of bill credit. Still, you’re going to be paying for service from some carrier, right? When all is said and done, you will indeed walk away with a $750 phone you paid not an extra penny for. The deal is live right now and runs through Nov. 26.

See at US Cellular

iPhone XR review

3 months of Mint Mobile for $20 (save $40)

Mint Mobile

Shopping for a new carrier? On Black Friday and Cyber Monday, prepay-and-save service Mint Mobile will have one of the best trial offers ever: 3 months for $20. That nets you unlimited minutes and messages and 5GB of LTE data (on T-Mobile’s network) per month. After that, you can choose between various 3-, 6- and 12-month plans, all of which amortize out to extremely low rates.

See at Mint Mobile

Two Amazon Echo second-gen smart speakers: $100 (save $100)

QVC

Amazon is selling the Echo for $69 today, but this QVC deal (which, to my amazement, is still going) is even better. Score two of the smart speakers for just $99.98 (after applying promo code TEN4U, which is limited to new customers), a price that includes a voucher for extras like three months of Pandora Premium and three months of FreeTime Unlimited.

See at QVC

Echo review

Sphero BB-8 app-enabled droid: $30 (save $100)

Sphero

For anyone who loved the idea of an app-controlled BB-8 but didn’t relish paying $130, your patience has paid off. Sphero’s cute, versatile little roller has never been priced this low. Just sign in to My Best Buy to see this lower price.

See at Best Buy

Sphero BB-8 hands-on

Huawei Honor View 10: $349 (save $150)

Andrew Hoyle/CNET

Normally $500, and never before priced below $429, this powerhouse metal phablet features a 6-inch screen, dual rear cameras, dual SIM slots, Android 8.1 and — wait for it — a headphone jack! Just make sure you’re not buying this phone for someone who’s a US government employee or contractor, as federal security agencies have effectively deemed Huawei to be a national security threat.

See at Amazon

Honor View 10 review

Art.com: Save 50 percent sitewide

Art.com

Need to dress up some walls? Today only, you can score 50 percent off all purchases at both Art.com. Looking for something a little more casual? Tomorrow (Nov. 24), AllPosters will be offering up to 60 percent off sitewide.

See at Art.com

That’s it for now! But as noted earlier, check back for new stuff — and Cyber Monday deals!

Now playing: Watch this: Tricks to score extra savings on Black Friday and Cyber…

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Read more: CNET’s complete guide to Black Friday 2018

Read more: CNET’s Holiday Gift Guide 2018

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CNET’s Cheapskate scours the web for great deals on PCs, phones, gadgets and much more. Note that CNET may get a share of revenue from the sale of the products featured on this page. Questions about the Cheapskate blog? Find the answers on our FAQ page. Find more great buys on the CNET Deals page and follow the Cheapskate on Facebook and Twitter!

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consciouslyrebel · 7 years ago

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Japan As A First Timer: Be Prepared.

This is the eighth installment of my Japan travelogue. Read my first impressions here, my visit to Odaiba here, my visit to Akihabara here, my last day in Tokyo here, my first day in Kyoto here, my shrine visit here, and my traditional inn excursion here.

After nine days in Japan, my sleep schedule finally caught up to Tokyo time. That meant that instead of getting up at 5 AM to write my travelogue, I woke up just in time to go sightseeing.

Our final two days in Tokyo passed like a blur, as we made the most of our Japan Rail passes and cheap subway fare. Instead of climbing Tokyo Tower or the Skytree, we went to the top of the Tokyo Metropolitan Government Center, a free observatory where you can see both. We ate crepes in Shibuya, saw peak cherry blossom bloom among the temples at Asakusa, and in Harajuku I bought myself a capsule wardrobe on a dime.

Now that I’m home and have had some time to reflect, however, I would rather spend my final post not recounting, but sharing the most valuable things I learned traveling to Japan. If you’re planning on making your first visit there, here are my top ten suggestions:

Take an internationally run flight if you can.

On the way to Japan, we took a United Airlines flight, which was exactly like any domestic flight except that it was 13 hours long. On the way home, however, we flew All Nippon Airways and it was leagues better—roomier seats, footrests, personal TVs on the back of each seat. What was especially cool is that, aside from blockbuster films, the TV also came with dozens of documentaries on Japan. They would have been great to watch on the way there.

Get a JR Pass if you’re planning to leave Tokyo.

Much fanfare has been made of the Japan Rail (JR) Passfor foreigners. For about $250, you get a pass that will allow you to access any JR line in the country for seven days, including several different shinkansen (high-speed) trains.

I was in Japan for 10 days and couldn’t bring myself to spring for $500 on the 14-day JR pass, so John and I used the Tokyo subway for the first few days we were there, activating our JR passes on the day it was time to visit Kyoto. This turned out to be a great idea! Not only are Tokyo subway fares extremely cheap (in the $2 range), but very easy to get from electronic ticket machines, which all have English menu options. With such low prices, it would have been very hard to justify a JR Pass just traveling around Tokyo. However, a 7-day JR Pass conveniently costs about the same as a round trip ticket to Kyoto. In conclusion: it’s only a great deal if you’re planning to travel outside of Tokyo, and not so much of one if you’re not.

Bring cash and a way to get more.

Japan is a cash-based society and many places that you might expect to take credit card normally—like McDonald’s—do not. A lot of stores simply aren’t equipped to take card and usually have a sign out front on the rarer occasion that they do. We ended up taking cash out of ATMs twice on our trip, at 7-11 and the post office, both recommended. I also recommend taking a card without any foreign transaction or cash withdrawal fees, like Capital One.

Also, since everything from 1 yen to 500 yen (about $5) are coins, I highly recommend bringing a coin purse with you, you’ll need it. After realizing how often I took mine out, it wasn’t any surprise to me that coin purses are one of the most common souvenirs at tourist shops.

Convenience stores are your friend.

If I could bring one Japanese thing back to the US, it wouldn’t even be those cool toilets with the heated seats—it’d be their convenience stores. Where else can you get a filling, semi-nutritious meal for about $5 American? From their ambient music (usually an instrumental version of a Beatles song) to their easy-to-use ATMs to their friendly staff who will go out of their way to understand your bad accent to the food that they WILL heat up for you right then and there, I wish I had one. If I had one instead of my local Rite Aid, I would probably never cook again.

Almost every morning, I now admit, we ate breakfast at 7-11, grabbing sweet melon or bean jam bread and hot coffee (or, on one occasion, cocoa milk that was certainly darker and more bitter than any kiddie chocolate milk), and saving ourselves dollars and time while we were at it.

Eigo o hanashimasu ka? / Do you speak English?

Though I strongly recommend that you learn Japanese before visiting Japan, you should at least know just this one phrase. Don’t be fooled by Japanese modesty either—as long as somebody doesn’t say “iie” AKA “no,” they speak well enough. Some of the most articulate English speakers told us they spoke English “just a little” or “not well.”

There are also places where people are more likely to be good English speakers—train stations, airports, and major tourist attractions especially. Try to save your questions for those places.

The five-story pagoda at Asakusa.

Bring hand sanitizer and a plastic bag everywhere.

In the end, there were only two things that I didn’t like about Japan. First was the lack of soap dispensers in many public restrooms. People would exit the stall, dribble some water from the sink over their hands, and leave. I thought at first that maybe soap was mixed into the water—the toilets are high tech, maybe the sinks are too? But no luck. To avoid finding yourself without soap after using the bathroom, always carry hand sanitizer with you.

The second thing that was hard to live with was a lack of trash cans in public spaces. Apparently this began as an anti-terrorism measure in 1995 after a cult attacked the Tokyo subway by leaving explosives in public trash cans. Now the only trash cans you can find in Tokyo are privately managed, at convenience stores and the like. I got used to carrying a plastic 7-11 bag in my purse and just putting my trash in it, dumping it out at the end of the day.

A wifi hotspot is essential.

When we arrived at the airport, we picked up our eConnect hotspot at the airport post office and instantly had data on our phones. At any time, we could make calls to the US, check out Google maps, or be assured of wifi connectivity even in remote places (like our mountain inn).

I think I used my phone in Japan more often than I usually do, and I always had it open to a couple specific programs. First, a yen to dollar conversion, so I could always tell instantly how expensive something was. Second, a Japanese to English translation window in Google. Third, jisho.org, a fantastic kanji dictionary, so I could more easily read signs.

Want to surf the net like an American? You need a VPN.

Like many Japonophiles, I’m a big anime fan. In fact, I review anime professionally for Anime News Network, a North American fan resource. The anime season finales were airing while I was on vacation, so I needed to watch those final episodes and review them for my work.

But when I tried to access US streaming sites, like Crunchyroll, Funimation, Daisuki, and even Hulu, I wasn’t able to see a thing. None of these sites have permission to air shows online to Japanese users. In order to let them know that I’m actually an American, I had to first connect to my Virtual Private Network (VPN) that I run off of my Raspberry Pi mini-computer back in my Virginia apartment. If you’re curious about setting up a cheap VPN before your trip, I once wrote a tutorial about how to turn a Raspberry Pi into a VPN.

Bargains take effort.

Japan seems to reward an adventurer. In general, the further away you go from the train station, the cheaper everything becomes. Souvenir shrine amulets at the entrance to the Fushimi Inari Shrine cost 800 yen; amulets at the top of the mountain cost 500. Women’s shirts at the entrance to Harajuku’s most fashionable street, Takeshita dori, cost anywhere from $15-$30. But when I stumbled into basement shop Smile Market, I found comparable clothing for around $2.50.

This might be obvious advice, but I just want to encourage you to keep walking before you make any purchases. There might be more of the same later on, and for less.

Tokyo Skytree, as seen from Asakusa.

Take it one thing at a time.

From the moment I booked my trip last August, I received tons of useful advice for cool stuff to see and do in Japan. Planning out my trip, I originally had a more ambitious itinerary that would allow me to check a lot of these experiences off the list, but after John had to get emergency surgery on the eve of our trip, I decided to scale it back a ton, to just one activity a day. I thought that would be “taking it easy.” I was wrong.

I haven’t traveled internationally for eight years, and back when I visited Italy I was advanced enough in my language studies that I was reading Dante’s Inferno. When you don’t know the language or the culture, the little things intensify. Stuff you take for granted in your home country, like visiting the post office or ordering a coffee with skim milk instead of whole milk, are suddenly on hard mode. Doing one of those things first thing in the morning, when I am refreshed and have my best language skills at my disposal, is OK. Doing one of those things at the end of the day when I’m already tired, not so much.

Since I’ve gotten back from Japan, a lot of friends and family have asked me, “Did you do X? Did you do Y?” And I’ve had to answer in the negative. I did not see everything in Japan, or close to it—and yet I still wrote a 10,000 word travelogue about the things I did see. I don’t feel like I missed out at all, and you won’t either. One thing at a time.

#Travel&Experiences

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generationtrygirl · 8 years ago

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“Behind Her Eyes” by Sarah Pinborough, a Book of the Month Club Review

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One of my goals this year was to read more. My actual resolution was “a book a month,” and while that resolution fell by the wayside by February, I’m happy to say I’ve been picking up steam. The actual even that caused me to be realize “Wait a second. It actually doesn’t take that long to read a book if the book is good” was a couple of weekends ago, when I read the entirety of “The Handmaid’s Tale” by Margaret Atwood on a lazy weekend. I started watching the Hulu TV series the week prior, was obsessed, and wanted more. So I ordered the book on Amazon and shocked myself that I could read just as quickly now (if not more quickly) than in my high school days of binge-reading Harry Potter!

Thank you, Margaret Atwood, (and Hulu) for reacquainting me with reading for pleasure.

My next dive into reading came this past weekend, when I was visiting Gambier, Ohio for my little brother’s college graduation from Kenyon, College. For those that don’t know, Gambier is located right in the center of nowhere. So the plane ride up and first day of settling in before graduation events started was the perfect time to settle in to a new book. This book was my February “Book of the Month Club?” book, “Behind Her Eyes.” I’d gotten about 50 pages in here and there over the past two months, but I’m one of those people that really needs to commit a solid couple of hours to get into my book of choice.

What is “Book of the Month Club?”

Yes. There is a subscription service for books, and it’s pretty awesome. I discovered it first about a year ago, and even despite my lack-of-reading recently, I’ve fallen in love with it. I’m one of those people that can spend hours in a bookstore, but when faced with so many decisions and no specific recommendation from a friend or otherwise, I end up floundering. I either walk out with a BUNCH of books that I will ultimately never read, or don’t get anything at all, overwhelmed by the possibilities.

So, Book of the Month Club seemed like a perfect fit.

Essentially how it works, is you just buy a subscription. I got the 3-month recurring one, charging a little under $45 every three months for “renewal.” Then, every month, you are sent an email on the first with the details about the 5 newest “selected” books for the month, curated by avid readers, featuring a review by an actual person, pictures of the book’s contents, etc.

From there, you select the book you want of the five, and add it to your box. You also have the option of adding up to two previous “BotM” books for just $9.99 a piece. This is a great deal for brand-new-to-the market hard back books! Plus they come shipped in a cute little box, which includes a bookmark, postcard, and maybe even an extra surprise. I’ve gotten a Watermelon Ring Pop (my fav!) and a beer koozie before. Extra surprises are fun, okay?

But what if neither of the five books sound good? What if you are backlogged on reading (like yours truly?) You can opt to just skip the month! So, really for the past year I’ve paid a 3 month subscription only twice for 12 months. Another great thing I love about this subscription service? If you forget to “skip”, they assume that you “skipped.” So basically, unless you go to the process of logging in, picking a box, and “confirming” your box, your subscription will automatically roll over into an extra month.

That’s a life saver for me. Because sometimes I am forgetful. And this is literally the only subscription service I know of with that extra bit of forgiveness for the forgetful.

Shout out to mah boi Dave Eggers for first getting me into thrillers.

Get to the review, already!

Right. In short, “Behind Her Eyes” was pretty awesome. It’s been so long since I’ve read consistently that I could not point blank tell you which “genre” of book is my favorite. (Well, outside of autobiographies written by female comedians.) However, I’ve only recently started delving into the “Thriller” genre. I read “The Circle” by Dave Eggers (highly recommend! Get it here!) this past December, a modern-day thriller of sorts, and “Behind Her Eyes” by Sarah Pinborough became my second taste. I was very taken by the well-written synopsis first (below), and it only got better from there.

SYNOPSIS

“Louise is a single mom, a secretary, stuck in a modern-day rut. On a rare night out, she meets a man in a bar and sparks fly. Though he leaves after they kiss, she’s thrilled she finally connected with someone.

When Louise arrives at work on Monday, she meets her new boss, David. The man from the bar. The very married man from the bar…who says the kiss was a terrible mistake, but who still can’t keep his eyes off Louise.

And then Louise bumps into Adele, who’s new to town and in need of a friend. But she also just happens to be married to David. And if you think you know where this story is going, think again, because Behind Her Eyes is like no other book you’ve read before.

David and Adele look like the picture-perfect husband and wife. But then why is David so controlling? And why is Adele so scared of him?

As Louise is drawn into David and Adele’s orbit, she uncovers more puzzling questions than answers. The only thing that is crystal clear is that something in this marriage is very, very wrong. But Louise can’t guess how wrong―and how far a person might go to protect their marriage’s secrets.

In Behind Her Eyes, Sarah Pinborough has written a novel that takes the modern day love triangle and not only turns it on its head, but completely reinvents it in a way that will leave readers reeling.”

So, how did you like it?

I don’t know much about the “Thriller” genre, but from these two books I can surmise that you feel some faint level of suspense from the moment you finish the first chapter. Then, when you reach around the final third of the book, it becomes an utter page-turner. And usually, the mystery keeps you on your toes. Even if you are someone that can predict where the ends of books/movies/tv shows, you still shouldn’t be able to pinpoint the ending.

And let me tell you: I’ve never been so consistently wrong about where the story was going. Seriously. And I am one of those obnoxious people that predicts movie endings. By the third to last chapter of the book I was like “Ah, I know what happened. I know where this is going now.” And in the second to last I was like, “ I WAS RIGHT!” and then the last chapter game and I was like, “I WAS SO SO WRONG OH MY GOD!”

“Behind Her Eyes” is twisty and twisted, even though the beginning of the book struck me as slightly mundane. But oh man, since I stopped reading it on Friday night, I haven’t been able to keep it from creeping into my mind. I don’t want to give anything away. So, I trust that you’ll pick up the book and take it from there. Assuming you want an awesome, suspenseful read. And one by a female author! Whoo! [Grab it on Amazon or Kindle here!]

As my Book of the Month Club bookmark said, “You think you know how it ends? You’re wrong. I promise.” And gosh, a bookmark has never spoken more truth.

As you might have guessed, I’m now getting back into the swing of reading things! And while I’m chugging along with my Book of the Month books, I’d love more recommendations! Let me know what I should read next in the comments!

For more “Trys”, reviews, and more, be sure to follow me on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and Pinterest.

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