#jatemme manning

[slippinninque]

👉🏾Red Handed👈🏾

Jatemme Manning x BlackFemReader

warnings: MINORS DNI, 18+

warnings: cursing, soft!dark!Jatemme, mentions of violence, leather kink, slight voyeurism? fem.masturbation, getting caught.

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Heart pounding as you scurried into your study, you waited until you heard the garage door close and then the main gate after that.

You left the door cracked and you lowered the blinds. You listened to the silence of your house for a moment before before settling into your desk's chair.

Only then did you look down at you prize.

It was the only secret that you kept from Jatemme. Just the one.

Leather gloves, too big to be yours. On the surface, they were unremarkable and plain. Short wristed and barely padded, they were well-worn but no where near tattered. Jatemme had swapped them out for a newer pair that never left his duffel, probably intending them to be used for miscellaneous tasks.

So, really, it wasn't that bad--right? Up-cycling or something like that! For you, it was too strange to share. Jatemme didn’t even blink at most things but you didn't want to chance it. What if glove-frottage was where he marked the line?

This...this could be yours...right?

It all stemmed from an incident that happened a few weeks ago. One night you were awakened in the study by the soft press of the leather over your eyes. Jatemme waking you from where you fell asleep in your chair.

The cold shot of fear that shot through you was chased by a zap of thrill, when you heard Jatemme’s chuckle as your sight returned. His hand going over your mouth as he asked if you were awake.

You were released after that with a wink and he held out his hands to help you stand before taking you to bed with him.

You laid there that night and simmered in his strong arms, lightly running a touch along his lax knuckles as your mind raced at the memory of the leather on your skin.

When Jatemme innocently asked for you to store away the gloves a few days later, you said you would and tucked them away in your desk drawer. Whenever you had the house to yourself since then, you'd go back into your study and use those gloves to spoil yourself.

Presently, you curled into your chair and snuck your hand beneath your nightie and into your panties. Already damp from the wait of this moment, you shivered and pulled the glove closer.

You pressed your nose into the leather and rubbed it along your cheek as your eyes fluttered closed. The smell was intoxicating. A low scent of an oil you couldn't place and sandalwood that favored Jatemme. It's texture was enough to provide a lovely, barely there friction.

Chasing the scent to summon the memory of that night again, you found Jatemme in your mind’s eye.

What if he didn't take you to bed that night ? What if he wanted to take you right there on the floor--or better yet, up against the desk?

What if he pressed you against the desktop, gripping your waist with those leather-clad hands as he had some of you. What if he touched your face, turning so he could swallow down your whimpers straight from your lips?

You welled around your fingers and you moaned softly into the fabric. The thought of Jatemme being so hungry for you that he barely had the time to free himself, barely had time to think...

The memory of your gazes locking as your lips kissed to the buttery leather encasing his palm. His eyes were blown wide and you saw his throat bob with a thick swallow.

Moaning softly as you slid the glove back and forth beneath your chin, your hips twitched into your hand as you chased after the flows of pulses and pleasure. You pressed a finger inside and gasped as you ghosted across your spot.

Everything about that man was intoxicating. The way he moved, the sound of his voice, the way he commanded your body's pleasure like no other. Doing this yourself would never be enough but having his scent and the illusion of touch made it more than better.

It felt lewd to speed up the hand working against your pussy. It felt naughty to whisper and moan so loudly, it was bad to wonder what Jatemme would think if he could hear you, as if he could see.

Biting the fingers of the glove between your teeth, you adjusted in your seat to give yourself a better reach with a hard exhale. Grinding down on your fingers, you leaned your head back and groaned into dark leather.

"That good, huh?"

Your yelp was caught in your throat. At the same time-- hands took hold of you, keeping your arms pressed to your front and your hand between your legs.

You tilted your head up and stared at Jatemme who stared back down at you, head tilted. He watched you stammer and stutter with his mouth slanted fondly. As if he was trying to figure out why the the squirrels kept going for the birdfeeder.

After your brain clocked back in, you squeaked out, "You-You're back? So soon?"

Jatemme kneaded your breast over your nightie as his thumbs toyed with your peaked nipples, as he looked you over.

"You know what I use them for? The gloves?"

"I know..." You swallowed and winced as you said, "You handle...business in them."

Jatemme leaned down and brought his face closer. His eyes moved over your face, searching. Your cheeks burned but didn't look away, facing his truth with your own.

While Jatemme kept a tight lid on his 'business', you weren't in the dark. You knew what the Mannings did to keep power and to stay ahead--you knew what Jatemme has made possible from his skill set.

Then here you were being something beyond freakish as you knew what it meant when the gloves were pulled on. You knew what Jatemme did in those gloves. You knew that he knew you knew--

"I want to show you how I handle business."

"Wha--?"

Jatemme kissed you as he rubbed down to join your hand inside of your panties. The feel of his gloved fingers moving yours over put your head into a tailspin.

Your lust and want for more ushered your earlier embarrassment right out of your chest. Retracting your hand from the mess between your legs and gripping onto Jatemme's wrist, you whined into his mouth. You wanted to look at what he was doing, but Jatemme cradled your neck upwards to keep your rolling gaze on him.

"Pay close attention, baby. Make sure you feel it. This is what I want to see next time you try to handle business for me."

Jatemme swirled you into nothing but want-desire-more-yes with a smooth, firm touch. You never touched yourself with the glove, knowing you'll ruin the fabric with your eagerness. Jatemme circled your clit expertly and the perfect pressure against your entrance set you off.

You choked on a gasp as you came, spots jigged across the vision of satisfaction on Jatemme's face as he watched. Only when you pulled at his wrist and whined, eyes misty from the growing overstimulation, did Jatemme still his hand.

Unable to find the words beneath the haze of your orgasm, you could only close your eyes and let him support the weight of your neck.

"Business got handled by the time I got there," Jatemme's voice lured your gaze once more as he brought up his hand to show how prettily you frosted his glove, "Are you going to give me something to do in the meantime?"

Nodding eagerly, you wriggled until his hands were off of you. On shaking legs, you rose from your chair and bent over your desk. With your cheek pressed to the cool wood, you reached behind yourself to pull your panties down just enough with Jatemme's old glove still in hand.

Jatemme made sure that you saw him readjust the gloves he was still wearing before those hands went to his belt. You sighed as he advanced, biting your lip and wondering just how you ended up so lucky.

------

ending notes: Eeeee! I finally got this out, i hope I did him justice! This was a nice beginning to dip my toe and I have more ideas for Jatemme coming up! 👏🏾👌🏾Thank you so much for reading!💕✨💜 Please comment and reblog, tell me what you think! 🤗

✨taglist✨: @sageispunk @megamindsecretlair @cardierreh15 @henneseyhoe @mcondance @notapradagurl7 @blowmymbackout @kindofaintrovert @eggnox @miyuhpapayuh @hunnishive

[slippinninque]

OH MY GOSH!!! this was so good!👏🏾🙌🏾 I've always wanted to see more Jatemme love, you wrote him so well! You really captured his simmering and overflow I love how the reader stood in getting what she wanted!👏🏾 😤 I can't wait to see more!

Foolish

*Heed warnings*

Pairing: Jatemme Manning x Bratty!Black!Fem!/ Plus Size reader

Warnings: 18+, Minors DNI, You are in charge of your own reading experience. Intentional use of AAVE. PWP, Filth, cursing, PIV, size kink, mentions of violence, gun use, drug use, brat reader. Reader does get turned on by violence, if this disturbs you click away. All consensual. Established relationship. Heavy use of n-word.

Summary: You are tired of being Jatemme's arm candy. Forever guarded and without 100% of his attention. As the race for Alderman heats up, you're at a fundraising event when you grow bored and decide to test Jatemme's devotion.

Word Count: 3,494k

A/N: I was a little unhinged writing this, so it was written in a bit of a daze. Please let me know what ya'll think about this one. I can't find the ask where people expressed interest so don't be mad at me if I didn't tag you! I'm sorry! I'm also not married to the moodboard, so it might change. Please, please consider commenting and reblogging to help support writers! And please put ages in bios! Or get blockt!

Taglist: @planetblaque @blowmymbackout @browngirldominion @sageispunk @harmshake @amethyst09 @ciaqui @we-outsiiiide @iv0rysoap @thecookiebratz @blackerthings

You were bored. Just because you told your man to leave you alone, didn’t mean you actually wanted him to do it. Why couldn’t niggas ever listen? What’s so hard to understand? “Leave you alone” obviously meant to give you attention?

You were at a fancy event for Jatemme’s brother, Jamal, who was running for Alderman. Snooze fest. Jatemme promised that you weren’t going to be here long. That you’d only have to sit like a doll for an hour tops, before he took you shopping and out to eat.

One hour turned to three and you were still sitting at Jamal’s table, surrounded by Jatemme’s crew while Jamal and Jatemme did business. You scanned the room for your man but didn’t find him. 

You did see Jamal who was hard to miss. He was the type to walk into the room like he owned it and as if everyone owed him money for it. Jatemme was quieter, but deadlier. He instantly drew you in with his sleepy eyes, soft umber skin, and intense presence. His darkness called to something within you and never let go. 

The relationship wasn’t without its up and downs. You liked to keep him on his toes. Get him to have a little fun. He always followed in Jamal’s shadow when it was Jatemme that did most of the work. Most of the planning. Most of the ideas. 

You sighed, loudly once more, and turned briefly to your table to sip your nasty ass champagne. Fucking politicians. Pretending like they weren’t all into something dirty, getting over on the little guy. Namely Black folk. 

Jatemme’s crew gave you funny looks. They knew better than to touch you or stare too hard. But you often caught them looking at your body and your too short dresses. They also hated your attitude. Jatemme made you swear to stop messing with them. It was hard to find good help when you were constantly flirting with them and he was constantly killing them over it.

Maybe that was Jatemme’s problem. Now that Jamal was running for Alderman, there was a public scrutiny on the family business. Jatemme doesn’t have free rein to do as he pleased now. Go wherever he wanted. Do whatever he wanted. 

You sighed once more and checked your phone. You texted your best friends in your group chat, that you were bored and in desperate need of fun.  Misty immediately texted you back and told you to meet them at a club not too far from there. That was exactly what you needed. 

You looked over at the crew of four burly men and stood up. One of the them, Martin, stood up as well prepared to follow you. “No need, Marty, I’m just going to the little girl’s room,” you said and smiled sweetly. 

Martin gave you a blank stare. He adjusted the suit jacket over his thick arms and put his hands in his pockets. “You know the rules,” he said. 

You kept your sweet smile, knowing that your lips were glossed just so to catch the light overhead. That your champagne colored dress hugged your figure just right. The night was young and you were wasting it by being arm candy. 

“You gonna follow me into the bathroom and hold my purse too? I don’t think Jay would like that,” you sang. 

Martin looked towards the other men who looked everywhere but at him. They did not want that particular smoke. Decisions, decisions. Martin cleared his throat. “Come right back,” he said. 

You smiled. “Of course. You all act like I’m not an angel,” you said. The men wisely didn’t comment. You turned and sashayed out of the room, already done with the entire night. You didn’t see your man and you didn’t care at the moment. 

You waited until you left the hotel ballroom before pulling out your phone. You ordered an Uber on your way out to the front. People from the reception had spilled out into the hallway, discussing things that they didn’t want others overhearing, even by accident. 

You passed by stick figure women in dark red, blue, or black dresses, pointy shoes, and stiff upper lips. You passed by men in their penguin suits, pretending to give a shit. The total wealth combined in the room could help everyone in the Ward but they held onto it like gremlins. 

It made you sick.

You went outside, shivering slightly from the bite of cold. When your Uber arrived, you didn’t even look back towards the hotel. It was almost criminal how easy it was to slip your chains. Further proof that this shit was getting stale and you might be headed towards another break from Jatemme. Let him sit and stew over what he would miss before he came crawling back with gifts, kisses, and that big dick of his. 

You grinned as you texted Misty that you were on your way. She texted back with plenty of emojis, some of them skulls, because she already knew that Jatemme was going to blow his lid. Let him.

It didn’t take long to reach the rougher areas of Chicago. Almost literally down the street from the glitterati, the houses weren’t as nice. The grass not so green. Fences and bars on the windows. Corner boys selling dope in baggy jeans and oversized T-shirts. 

The club was set back from the street to allow for a little more parking. You got out and Misty met you outside. She hugged you with many squeals and jumping up and down. “Slipped the doom patrol?” She asked. 

Misty was gorgeous, with deep, dark skin and microbraids twisted into two buns atop her head. She was a thick, curvy girl who was always quick with a laugh. She immediately ushered you inside. You turned off your phone. Make Jay sweat a little bit. 

You spent the entire night dancing with your girls and getting drunk on your favorite drink. All of the songs were hitting, back to back. A mix of 2000s and 2010s music. The good shit that demanded you dance right this instant. 

Plenty of dusty ass niggas tried to pull you into a dance and you pushed them all away. It cost to put hands on you. It cost to be in your presence. Ain’t nobody getting shit for free. 

By the time the club called for last drinks, you were tapped out. You were not wearing the proper shoes for dancing in the club. You were shocked that you lasted as long as you did. And yeah, you missed your man. You were a little drink, a lot horny, and you just wanted to be fucked at this point and put to sleep. 

You walked out, hanging onto your friends. One of them, Kiki, was the lightweight. She was dragged between two friends while she muttered something. You giggled and walked with them to their car. 

Rounding the corner, there were a group of guys passing a joint between them. They wolf-whistled as you passed by. One of them sure was fine. Tall, bald, with a thick luscious beard that covered the lower half of his face. You wondered what he’d look like with your juices dripping from it. 

You didn’t condone cheating. But if you were on a break…

You smiled at him as you passed, tossing your hair over your shoulders. “Gahh damn, lil mama, where you headed?” He asked.

You giggled and kept walking with your girls. It was nice to be wanted. You turned your phone on while your friends tried to get Kiki into the car and not entertaining the men by the building. 

As it turned on, messages flew in with loud dings and flashes across your screen. You had…quite a lot of missed calls from Jatemme. Angry texts too. You appreciated that he never called you out of your name when he was angry, but he had plenty of other colorful ways to show his displeasure. Like calling you by your real name. Ew. 

He was good and pissed that you left. That your phone was off. He promised hell, fire, and damnation when he finally caught up to you. You pictured him driving around fuming. His sleepy eyes narrowed even further. The cute way his nostrils would flare and the vein that pulsed in his neck. 

You were getting wet just thinking about it. The sex would be immaculate tonight. You sighed dreamily as you went through his unhinged text messages. 

“Bitch! Help? Hello?” Misty called out. You giggled and moved towards the car, pushing at Kiki’s big ass head to get into the car. Misty slammed the door in her face and sighed as if she’d been wrestling a bear. 

She faced you with a small grin before her eyes darted behind you. The sexy bald headed man approached you, licking his lips and looking you up and down. He held out his hand when he was near enough. 

“I had to come introduce myself,” he said.

“I appreciate that. But I’m too high-maintenance for you, boo,” you said. You flirted with the idea of being responsible for another man’s death, but he was too cute to sacrifice for your own dastardly enjoyment. There were so few, gorgeous Black men these days. The 90s had all the fine men. They were long gone now. God just wasn’t building them like that no more. 

“I like a little high-maintenance,” he said. 

You laughed. Said no man ever. “I’m the type to empty accounts,” you said and smiled. 

“I got several. Pick one,” he said. He looked you in the eye as he said it and made you reevaluate him as a whole. He was dressed nice in dark plaid slacks, black polo, with a big watch on his wrist. Nothing too flashy, but enough that it convinced you he wasn’t another broke nigga. 

You were considering his offer, wondering how you could prove that he was for real and not just trying to get into your panties. Squealing tires tore your gaze away from the man as you saw Jatemme’s truck flip a bitch into oncoming traffic and speed into the parking lot. 

“Shit. You better run before my man catch you talking to me,” you said, though he probably already saw you. 

“I ain’t scared,” the man said. Bless his little heart. 

“Nigga, I’m trynna protect you. Leave, now,” you said, shooing him away from you and your girls. Maybe you could convince Jatemme that the man was trying to flirt with Misty. You turned behind you, but Misty held her hands up.

“I ain’t trynna die for your Black ass,” she said. 

“Bitch!” You screamed, but you couldn’t stay serious for long. You grinned and shook your head. Before the truck had a chance to come to a full stop, Jatemme and crew hopped out, grabbing guns from their waistbands. 

“They got guns!” Someone called out. The parking lot emptied with a speed only achieved in the hood. Too many people who knew the consequences of a stray bullet and weren’t trying to lose their lives over it. Some brave souls remained, peeking behind cars and around the building into the additional parking in the alleyway.

You couldn’t help it. Your thighs tingled. Your heart skipped a beat seeing Jatemme climb out of the driver’s seat with that slow, menacing gait of his. His eyes were glued on you as he walked towards you.

The cutie remained, like he would really stand in front of a bullet for you. You couldn’t give him any more warnings. You couldn’t save him from his own stupidity. Jatemme stopped a few feet in front of you.

His face was deceptively calm. He crossed his arms in front of him, Glock on display. His crew formed a formidable wall behind him. Martin sported a darkening bruise on his cheek and you only felt slightly bad for getting him into trouble. At least he was still alive. That was something. 

You bit your lip and giggled nervously. “Hi, baby,” you said. 

“Did he touch you?” Jatemme asked. His voice. God, you could listen to that voice recite the dictionary and you’d listen to every word. 

You shifted your footing. “Nope. Never seen this man before,” you said.

“Aye, if you’re in trouble…” The man said. Martin, being the closest, lifted his gun into the man’s face. The gun was pressed to his temple and the man audibly gulped. 

“Did he touch you?” Jatemme asked once more.

You looked him in the eye. “No.” 

“Get the fuck out of here,” Jatemme said to the man. The man looked at you, but you knew better than to acknowledge his presence. You heard his friends calling for him, telling him not to be a hero, not to lose his life over some bitch. 

The man backed away, keeping his eye on Martin and the shiny gun in his face. Jatemme jerked his head and you sighed, following behind him. If he was going to take you away, he was beyond angry. Maybe you actually worried him this time. That wasn’t your intention. You wanted to scare him a little, not worry him. 

You waved goodbye to your friends. They shot you alarmed glances, but you told them that Jatemme never raised a hand to you. Never. He liked getting his revenge in other ways.

He opened the door for you and you climbed into the front seat. He got into the driver’s seat, peeling away from the club so fast, he probably sprayed everyone with rocks and gravel. He didn’t speak. He drove through the quiet streets, heading back towards the hotel you escaped from.

“Baby–”

Jatemme held up a hand like he didn’t want to hear it. You bit your lip. You really stepped in it now. Was it bad that you were turned on? Punishment shouldn’t be this exciting and yet, your mind raced through what he had planned. How he was going to show that he cared for you. 

He pulled to the front of the hotel and tossed the valet his keys. The gun was tucked away into his jeans. Fancy events didn’t mean he had to be the one who dressed up. He did have a clean, sky blue shirt buttoned to the very top. He opened the door and let you out. 

He didn’t speak while he pushed you inside, the event well and truly over by now. He didn’t speak as you rode the elevator in crushing silence and velvet flooring muffling your heels. He didn’t speak as he got out onto the twelfth floor, leading you to a suite you didn’t know he got for the night. 

Once inside, you gasped. There was a bottle of wine chilling in a bucket. Low lighting made the room glow like looking through a piece of glass at twilight. “You did all this for me?” You asked.

“If you would have behaved yourself,” he said.

The suite was big enough to have a full living room with couches and armchairs, shiny mahogany coffee table, and a wide screen TV. Behind a set of double doors, there was a bed already turned down, waiting for you to climb in. 

You pouted. Your man was so sweet sometimes, it made your heart ache. He didn’t always show this softer side. The side that liked snuggling up to trashy movies late at night, snacking in bed, and enjoying each other’s company. 

“Do you have any idea how worried I was?” He asked. His voice was barely above a whisper. Enough to get his point across. You truly had worried him. 

You turned to him with an apology on your lips but he was already invading your space. He grabbed your face and pulled you into a rough kiss, slanting his lips across yours as if he meant to stake a claim. Prove a point. You belonged to him. There was no way of getting out of it. No way of running. 

You gripped onto him tightly. “I hate when you worry me like that,” he said. 

“You promised,” you whined. 

His lips returned to kissing you, looking for the zipper on your side to unzip you from the dress. When he couldn’t find it, he began to rip it with his bare hands. “Hey!”

“I’ll buy you more,” he said. His lips returned to kissing you. More like possessing you. He kissed you like he wanted to meld your bodies together to keep you by his side. This was what you needed. What you had been craving all night. 

Your bra and panties went next, baring you completely to him. He wasn’t in it to admire your body right now though. You knew him. He had been worrying about you all night and needed to see you. Feel you. Make sure that you really were in front of him and not a figment of his imagination. 

He turned you around and slapped your ass. You screamed out, jumping away from the sharp sting. He pushed you towards the deep gray couch and bent you over the back of it. It dug into your tummy but you were too turned on to notice the pain. 

He unzipped his zipper and freed himself with a low groan, spreading your ass cheeks and rubbing his dick through your wet folds. Your hands feebly gripped onto the couch cushings, fingers digging into the linen. 

Once his tip was good and wet, he stuffed you and you cried out from the burn of his girthy dick pushing into you. Your eyes crossed. He felt too good to contain to a single moan. You yelled out without abandon, not caring who heard you. If the neighbors complained, Jatemme would handle that too. 

His strokes were bruising, punishing, near cruel as he slammed into you over and over. “You and this fucking attitude gon’ kill me,” he groaned. His fingers grabbed hold of your hips and slammed you back onto his dick. Like his strokes weren’t enough. Like you weren’t moving fast enough for him.

“Oh baby, oh fuck–I’m sorry!” You cried out.

“No, you not,” he said. No, you were not. You’d do everything all over again if he meant that his attention was back on you. That his hands were back on you. That his dick was inside you, spearing you, driving you to new pleasures each and every time. 

Your feet were scrambling for purchase. He didn’t care. He fucked you like you were no more than a toy to stick his dick in. One hand reached behind you to push against his chest. His shirt slipped between you so he lifted it and brought his flesh flush with yours. Then, he grabbed your outstretched hand and pulled it behind you, resting on your back while he used the new position as a new anchor. His strokes grew deeper, more desperate. 

“I catch you talking to another nigga and I’ma kill him,” Jatemme whispered harshly.

“Yes, baby,” you moaned. You’d seen him kill niggas for far less. For daring to turn their neck in your direction. He once told you that if he could blind the male population of Chicago, he would. 

“Oh fuck!” You screamed out, crying through your punishing orgasm. 

Jatemme grunted in satisfaction. “That’s your first one for the night. I hope you’re keeping count,” he said. 

“Baby, wait…” You grunted between his deep thrusts. 

“Like you made me wait tonight?” He asked. He yanked on your hair, forcing you to look back at him. You stared into his eyes while he filled you up with his cum. He came with a low, grumbling moan that shook your inner walls. 

Your mouth dropped open as his dick pulsed and twitched. Your legs were jelly, kept standing by pure force by him. His will to keep you spread open for him ensured that you were a vessel for his dick. His own personal fucktoy. 

He made you cum two more times while your neck was craned, looking back into his soulful eyes. You ran out of curse words to shout to the heavens. Your eyes ached from the way they rolled. Your essence mixed with his spend dripped down your legs in a slow river that tickled your legs.  

He finally slipped out, giving you a bit of a break. You huffed, legs shaking, arms weak. He picked you up and carried you to the bed, spreading your legs open once more. He fisted his dick, jerking the length of it while he looked at your destroyed pussy leaking with his cum.

“Hope you didn’t plan on sleeping tonight,” he said with a small grin. 

You panted with a nervous giggle. He proved throughout the rest of the night just how much he missed you and made you promise not to do it again. Well, at least not anytime soon.

The end.

There will be more! The Secret Jatemme Files

[carrutherst]

Pick your movie of the week: Daniel Kaluuya (Feb 19-25 /23)

This past year he appeared in his second Jordan Peele movie, Nope, and seeing him in it reminded me how many good movies Daniel Kaluuya has been in over the past 10 or so years. The following are all movies I love… any you love? Then throw it some love with a vote: Get Out (2017) as Chris Washington Black Panther (2018) as W’kabi Widows (2018)as Jatemme Manning Judas and the Black Messiah…

[moviesmatrix]

A-LIST | Top 8 Movie Villains of 2018

A-LIST | Top 8 Movie Villains of 2018

This was the year of the bad guy. The depth of villainous character was on display on either the silver or small screen. We came to know the arch-nemeses of our favorite TV shows and movies in ways rarely seen before.

While these malevolent beings tortured our heroes, we ended up empathizing for them in the process. Why? Because of good writing, great acting, and an unbelievable story. Think of…

[cristalconnors]

8th Annual Cristal Connors Film Awards: BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR

WINNER-

Lily Franky as “Osamu Shibata” in Shoplifters

A lively creation, oscillating between charming paternal warmth something more dubious, off-putting, and perhaps manipulative, anchoring his performance in profound insecurity and an unceasing generosity for the ones he loves. Memorably thorny work.

NOMINEES-

Simon Russell Beale as “Lavrenti Beria” in The Death of Stalin

A viciously vivid take on a truly reprehensible character, relishing in the most foul features of Beria, chewing through Iannucci’s challenging dialogue with glee, and stealing focus from a cast stacked with talent at every turn. A repulsive, riotously funny achievement.

Daniel Kaluuya as “Jatemme Manning” in Widows

A chilling embodiment of a probable sociopath, striking fear with just a look, or a slight lean forward, commanding fear with just his stance, and delivering his dialogue with a disquieting remove. Truly frightening villainy that immeasurably raises the stakes of his film.

Alex Wolff as “Peter” in Hereditary

Where high school really is hell. Wolff nails the usual trappings of teen boy roles- the stifling insecurity, the tumultuous relationship with his parents, the raging hormones, then impressively works in debilitating grief and guilt, and finally, and most impressively, a petrifying, truly upsetting spin on the final girl. A knockout.

Steven Yeun as “Ben” in Burning 

“It’s like simultaneous existence. I’m here and I’m there. I’m in Paju and I’m in Banpo. I’m in Seoul and I’m in Africa. Something like that.” Yeun playfully engages with the film’s themes of uncertainty and how terrifying it can be, crafting an inscrutable ghost, one that inspires the suspicion and obsession that drives the film.

Honorable Mentions: Koudous Seihon- A Ciambra, Richard E. Grant- Can You Ever Forgive Me?, Colman Domingo- If Beale Street Could Talk, Leonardo Ortizgris- Museo, Nicholas Hoult- The Favourite, Josh Hamilton- Eighth Grade, and Kiefer Sutherland- Where is Kyra?

[themosleyreview]

The Mosley Review: Widows

There are alot of heist films in the either of cinema and they all have a unique identity and flow to them. The best heist films feel original and keep you off kilter so that you can't predict every plot point and the story has time to breathe. That's what I loved about this film and I felt the influence of Michael Mann's Heat. I loved that the story was small and personal while having many strings to unravel and tied together by the end. There were moments I felt a bit confused as to locations and character motivations, but in the end I understood. What really made this film different is that we're not dealing with the mob or gangster organization, but rather a more dangerous arena known as state politics. With that arc and the main story surrounding the cast of awesome ladies, it made this film stand out above the rest.

Voila Davis is and will always be one of the greatest black actress to ever grace this earth. As Veronica Rawlings, she nails the grief and pain as she deals with her late husbands death in such a powerful way. Liam Neeson played her husband Harry and he was fantastic as always. Michelle Rodriguez has been reminding people that she is a good actress outside of the action genre. As Linda, she reminds you of that fact in many of her scenes, but I do have to say there is one scene that could've been cut because it had an awkward ending and felt unnecessary. Elizabeth Debicki was great as Alice and I liked her arc as she built herself up to become a stronger woman and useful. Bad Times at the El Royale introduced me to the amazing Cynthia Erivo and I really liked her in this film as Belle. Her story may be the thinnest of them all, but it is still important. I loved that we got to see her physical prowess be put to good use in this film and her running moment would make even Tom Cruise sweat. Colin Ferrell is always fantastic and he was once again as Jack Mulligan. Robert Duvall plays his father Tom and their scenes together were hard hitting. Brian Tyree Henry and Daniel Kaluuya play our main antagonists Jamal and Jatemme Manning. Brian was the powerful politician and Daniel was the sinister and violent enforcer and both were equally strong.

The score by Hans Zimmer was excellent and somber in certain scenes. I really loved the consistent dark and gritty tone. I also loved that the widows themselves knew what their husbands did and weren't the stereotypical clueless and useless wives. Director Steve McQueen has a certain style in his films and I love that it has translated so well into the heist film genre. If you want a strong dramatic heist film that has some genuine surprises and a great story then I highly recommend this great film.  

[picturelockshow]

Middleburg Film Festival '18: "Widows" Review

In lesser hands Widows would be a run of the mill heist film. Give this script to any other director and you may not be challenged to keep up visually in the way Steve McQueen intelligently crafts this film. Give this script to any other cast and the words wouldn’t be elevated from the page to create characters that we see transform throughout the course of the film. Grab your popcorn folks; this is why we go to the movies!

Set in Chicago, Veronica (Viola Davis), Linda (Michelle Rodriguez), Alice (Elizabeth Debicki) and Amanda (Carrie Coon) are found grieving the loss of their criminal husbands. After the hubbies perish in their latest heist attempt, their death means nothing to the people they owed. Local crime boss turning politician, Jamal Manning (Brian Tyree Henry), seeks the money that Harry Rawlings (Liam Neeson) and his crew stole from him on principle, but also because he’s running against Jack Mulligan (Colin Farrell), the man whose family has been alderman of their district for two generations prior. Manning’s motive for getting the two million dollars is solid and with his cold-blooded gangsta brother, Jatemme (Daniel Kaluuya), eager to help his brother win the elected spot, Veronica has no choice but to get to work. Equipped with a notebook her husband Harry left, Veronica decides that she can get out of debt and start a new life if she and her fellow widows can pull off the big caper Harry plotted out.

McQueen’s work has always been raw, dark, and visually biting. He’s able to use those elements, set against the climate of current day Chicago, to give us a memorable, blockbuster heist film. The opening itself is a Soviet Montage of sorts that doesn’t lovingly bring you into the story but crashes together in a rhythmically edited mashup that quickly brings the audience up to speed. McQueen leads the story with his camera, laying the ground work for his actors to step in and knock the ball out of the park, and they come through.

This review would be too long if each cast member got their time to shine here, but know that they do. Of note, Davis delivers a stellar performance as per usual by giving Veronica an internal conflict that is exhibited in a way that only Mrs. Davis can do over the course of the film! Elizabeth Debicki may certainly have the best character development throughout the film as you literally watch a shutdown and abused widow become a leader and empowered woman. All of the lead and supporting cast give us well rounded characters to watch on screen.

McQueen and co-screenwriter Gillian Flynn never telegraph an overt message in dialogue, but rather McQueen uses visuals to explain the issues in Chicago. The political race between Mulligan and Manning is a plot point, but there is a larger conversation to be had in our minds as audience members about the violence in the streets of the Chi. There’s a beautiful single take shot that shows the economic disparity that pushes the story forward while making you think afterwards. 

The only small issue with the film may be in the eagerness to gain their dignity and respect, their is an ever pervasive message of the widows trying to prove themselves in their words. Their actions already show that they’re more than capable so we don’t need on the nose lines like “no one thinks we have the balls to pull this off!” While well delivered from Davis, it would be nice to be shown more than told. This in no way takes you out of the film or detracts from the empowerment that it delivers.

Widows proves that heist films can have layered meaning and story to them. It’s a good night out for the ladies, date night, and even time for the fellas! However you see it, make sure it’s in a theater. It will be well worth the money spent!

Rating: A

[withswords]

jatemme is peak hot crazy evil oh Man that scene with the rapping underlings

[9oodshots]

'WIDOWS' NON-SPOILER REVIEW: ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ Lynda La Plante's 1983 TV series is given a slick reboot in this Steve McQueen directed drama. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ In the original series written for Thames Television, La Plante told the story of the widows of 4 armed robbers that then carry out a heist originally planned by their deceased husbands. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ In Steve McQueen's version, renowned thief Harry Rawlings is killed alongside his partners Carlos, Florek & Jimmy - & their $2M loot is lost - during a botched robbery; Harry's widow, Veronica, is ordered to return the money [by any means possible] by crime boss Jamal Manning, from whom Harry & co. had originally stolen the money. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ Jamal needs the money to finance his electoral campaign for Alderman of a South-Side precinct, where he is running against Jack Mulligan, the heir apparent of the Mulligan political family who have historically dominated the Alderman position. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ The ensemble cast is quite large yet every character plays an intergral part to the story. Be prepared for a very long build-up before the movie reaches its satisfying conclusion. Also, the plot twist [or should I say, the 'hint' of a plot twist] is subtly revealed at the 3/4 mark, which is rather unusual in modern movies. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ Daniel Kaluuya is outstanding as Jamal's drug-dealing co-conspirator & brother, Jatemme Manning; he steals almost every scene as the calm yet calculating psychopath who will stop at nothing to get his $2M back. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ However, Australian actress Elizabeth Debicki puts in a career-defining performance worthy of an Oscar for her role as Alice, the abused wife of Florek. Of all the widows in this movie, she is the one that steps up to do what is necessary & in fact surprises herself with how smart & resourceful she can be. This film is worth seeing just for her performance alone. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ Thanks to 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment; 'Widows' is available to buy in 🇦🇺 on 4K Ultra HD, BluRay, Digital & DVD formats from February 27th, 2019. Grab your copy now! ©️ (at Chicago, Illinois) https://www.instagram.com/p/BusOLdFBJ4B/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=ipy05sh9i5py

[spicynbachili1]

Review: Widows

Viola Davis = fire

A fusion of stark brutality, underhand crimes and complex systems of political and personal power, Widows is far more just than an awards-season thriller, but a sharp and forceful indictment of corruption on every level of society. It’s not often that I’m able to see a movie and feel physically moved by it, but I sat through this with teeth clenched, it was so tense. Slick, jarring, and paced perfectly, it incorporates slow moments of emotional catharsis, crescendoing into a criminal denouement of theatrical proportions.

The remake of Lynda La Plante’s 1982 British miniseries, Widows hails from a time (not so long ago!) where women were not encouraged to step out in the same way they are today. For that reason, it has a particularly strong resonance today and has been hailed as Steve McQueen’s masterpiece. The fact that it takes hours to think about and unpick afterward shows that it reaches deeper than one might think on initially seeing the film, and means that it will certainly spark debate about the manifold issues of class, race, gender, politics, religion, and family that it laid out.

Widows Director: Steve McQueen Rating: R Release Date: November 16, 2018

In contemporary Chicago (circa 2008), four men work together to pull off a heist. One part Jason Bourne, one part an Ocean’s installment, it seems promising. But in a move that goes wrong, the frontrunners are killed, their heist abandoned and their widows grieving and left to deal with the fallout. Enter Veronica Rawlings — and there is little that can be said that may do Viola Davis justice. In her role, she is flawless, a grieving widow of criminal Harry Rawlings (Liam Neeson), who comes under threat from nondescript but brutal forces. Caught between a future with dark consequences and her desire for dignity, freedom, and closure, she recruits the widows of her husband’s criminal group in order to pull off the heist they didn’t finish.

There were three broad ‘worlds,’ if you like, that the film operates in – all within the same constituency of a Chicago neighborhood, but spanning laterally across a huge racial and class divide. On the one hand, there is slippery politician Jack Mulligan (Collin Farrell), running for office and attempting to represent impoverished areas in order to bag all-important electoral votes. He delivers a sparsely-attended MWOW (Minority Women Own Work) talk neatly, unscrupulously, turning a blind eye to the fact that he is one of the most out-of-touch (racist) leaders of his area. This is represented superbly by an SUV drive from the talk to his colonial mansion a few blocks away. Within this world, but separately, lives Veronica. Her penthouse apartment is the hallmark of a wealthy and successful marriage, a house-trained, immaculately groomed pooch her pride and joy. Until the death of her husband, life seemed to be treating her well, but there is far more to Veronica than meets the eye.

Secondly, we’ve got the world of Latina mother and shopkeeper Linda (Fast and Furious’ Michelle Rodriquez), who is struggling to stay afloat and balance life as a parent and businesswoman. Linda’s babysitter Belle (Cynthia Ervio – see Bad Times at the El Royale), an equally overworked and underpaid woman, who is forced to work two jobs (a hairdresser by day), at the expense of her own life and the neglect of her young daughter, also plays a surprisingly prominent role and was one of my favorite characters.

Even Alice (Elizabeth Debicki) may loosely be incorporated into this subdivision of society. A white woman abused by her late husband and even by her own mother, she has spent away her money and is forced into a form of prostitution to make ends meet. Although she seems glamorous, her old life has left her destitute and she is in just as precarious a situation as the other widows she finds herself working with. The lives of working-class women are subordinated to the social hierarchy in place, but when Linda, Belle, and Alice are given the opportunity to take back a share that belongs to them, their reservations and differences have to be swept aside.

Finally, there is the criminal underworld, chillingly brought to life with Daniel Kaluuya’s ironically-named Jatemme Manning. Kaluuya is absolutely haunting as a psychopathic hitman, delivering a performance on par with Viola Davis and offering a completely altered persona: he makes Get Out look tame. Their interactions with a local preacher, who knows of his power as a rhetorician and his influence over the souls of his neighborhood, is a prime example of espionage and corruption, welcomed even on a religious level. In fact, the whole of this subsection was electrifyingly evil, and its volatile crew made the whole ride unnerving, unpredictable.

What’s remarkable about this film is that nothing is wasted: writer Gillian Flynn ensures that every small element, every piece of dialogue, every motif fulfills a purpose. It blew me away. I loved that the intersecting plotlines were so well furnished yet used so economically: referring back to a number of shots from the original TV series, the movie is faithful to the original series while updating, subverting, and reinventing stereotypes of gender and class. Plot-wise, it’s phenomenal. Key moments are so smoothly incorporated as to be almost underplayed. If I were to level any criticism at the film as a whole, it would be that not enough was made of these climactic moments – one is so shocking it had the entire room stunned into silence. The message seems to be that life moves on, and we should too.

There has been some criticism of the movie as a feminist vehicle, some commentators suggesting that all the women are concerned about is getting a babysitter for the evening, without really possessing any traits or rounded characterization in their own right. But I disagree. Veronica is a proud, domineering woman with an agenda to resolve past hurts. Linda is a tough-love mother who dotes on her children but has to face the realities of running her own struggling business under the rule of the local political regime. And Alice grows into a stronger, more assertive woman who must take control of her life, walking away from those out to hurt her in a move to reassert her identity. Together they are a living, breathing hell of a force, breaking down the constraints of married life and using their unique backgrounds and personalities to help each other.

Since 12 Years a Slave, Steve McQueen has established a name for himself as a powerful auteur, and Widows carried high expectations. The early 5-star reviews it met with are justified, and although no movie is perfect I’m having a hard time thinking about what McQueen could have done differently. Indeed, he proves that films aren’t just escapism, but cultural commentary: insight into social, political, and racial issues. Even theatrically, McQueen’s cross-section of contemporary US exposes important realities — Widows couldn’t be more relevant in turbulent political times. Sleek, energetic and fuelled by a dark drive, it’s one of the most robust and important films of the season.

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      Widows reviewed by Sian FrancisCox

9

SUPERB

A hallmark of excellence. There may be flaws, but they are negligible and won’t cause massive damage. How we score:  The destructoid reviews guide

        from SpicyNBAChili.com http://spicymoviechili.spicynbachili.com/review-widows/

[mrmichaelchadler]

Widows

Most heist movies are built on a sheen of cool genius, masterminded by a gang of antiheroes who are typically seeking a kind of justified vengeance. “Widows” is not like most heist movies. The emotional currents that power Steve McQueen’s brilliant genre exercise are different—it’s societal inequity, exhaustion at corruption, and outright anger at a bullshit system that steals from the poor to give to the rich. McQueen’s masterful film is the kind that works on multiple levels simultaneously—as pure pulp entertainment but also as a commentary on how often it feels like we have to take what we are owed or risk never getting it at all.

McQueen opens his film with an immediate boost of adrenaline, dropping us into the latest “job” by criminal Harry Rawlings (Liam Neeson) and his crew (Jon Bernthal, Manuel Garcia-Rulfo, and Coburn Goss) as it goes very, very wrong. McQueen and his incredible editor (Joe Walker, who deserves the Oscar for his work here) bounce us back and forth between the fateful job and quick scenes of introductions to the Rawlings’ crew and their spouses. So we meet Alice (Elizabeth Debicki), a fragile, abused woman whose mother (Jacki Weaver) barely treats her better than her awful husband; Linda (Michelle Rodriguez), a mother of two who is just opening her own store; and Amanda (Carrie Coon), who has a 4-month-old child. Before the opening sequence is over, all three will be widows, as will be Harry’s wife Veronica (Viola Davis).

Not long after Harry’s death, Veronica is visited by a local criminal named Jamal Manning (Brian Tyree Henry), who informs her that Harry’s final job was to steal $2 million from him and his campaign for 18th ward alderman. With the help of his sociopathic brother Jatemme (Daniel Kaluuya), the Mannings tell Veronica that she has to repay the money just as Harry’s widow happens to find her dead husband’s notebook with all the details on past and future jobs. There’s a lot of information on the next job he had planned, one that looks to net $5 million. Veronica gets the other widows together and they agree to do Harry’s next job. They can repay Manning and have some left over to start new lives.

If only anything were that easy in Chicago. I haven’t even mentioned Manning’s competition for 18th ward alderman, Jack Mulligan (Colin Farrell), part of a long line of Windy City politicians, including his racist father Tom (Robert Duvall). Jack is one of those silver spoon politicians who almost feels like he’s owed the office just by virtue of his last name, never mind the fact that he’s facing a corruption scandal that involves grifting from a project that expanded the Chicago Green Line. Jack is the kind of politician who starts a program to put minority women to work by giving them businesses…from which he then takes a cut. Everything comes at a cost in “Widows.” Everything, to a certain extent, is a transaction. The job that opens “Widows” and then Veronica’s decision to use the notebook instead of just selling it pull back the curtain on a corrupt, broken system, one that feels distinctly Chicagoan while also commenting on inequity around the world. McQueen and his team use the city brilliantly, especially in a stunning single take in which we see Mulligan go from a campaign event in his ward to his home, the camera staying outside the car to show us the rapidly changing neighborhood along the commute.

Gillian Flynn’s script for “Widows” brings together many disparate personalities under one umbrella but the differences never feel forced. Only when you sit back and think about it, do you consider that it is likely not by accident that Alice, Linda, and Veronica are Polish, Latinx, and Black, respectively, never mind their incredibly different economic differences��Veronica lives on the Gold Coast while Alice has to become an escort to make ends meet. In part, “Widows” seems to be saying that corruption is a great equalizer, especially among women betrayed by powerful men. When Tom Mulligan says, “The only thing that matters is that we survive,” it’s a line meant to capture how tightly he’s trying to hold on to a white political legacy, but it’s something any number of characters in “Widows” could say. There are a number of great lines like that but McQueen and Flynn are careful to never allow their film to sink into a political diatribe. The dialogue crackles without ever calling attention to itself or sounding overly precious or preaching.

Part of the reason “Widows” stays above the line where it would feel like mere sermon is that it contains the best ensemble of 2018. Viola Davis can do more with a longing, grieving look out a window than most actresses can do with a monologue. Watch the beat where she’s looking out at Lake Michigan and we see her in reflection, an image of her dead husband coming up behind her. It’s almost as if her grief manifested him. And when Veronica’s drive turns from sadness to anger, Davis makes every beat count. There’s not a single wasted decision on her part. It might be her best performance.

She’s matched by a ridiculously talented supporting cast, all on her level. Debicki was great earlier this year in “The Tale,” but this is her breakthrough role, one that nearly allows her to steal the film. Watch Alice’s body language as she goes from a frightened victim to an empowered woman. She never overplays the transformation, but it's impossible to miss. It’s really the rare kind of film for which there are hard to pick standouts. Henry has a couple of brilliant scenes, although many seem to think Kaluuya steals a few from him (I'm not sure I agree. They're both great.). Rodriguez makes one wish she did drama more often. Cynthia Erivo should be a star any minute now. Even small roles like those occupied by Garret Dillahunt and Coon feel “right.” There’s not a wasted or poorly-considered role or performance.

Finally there are the technical elements of “Widows.” It’s not the kind of flashy exercise of something like “Baby Driver,” but the editing here by two-time Oscar nominee Joe Walker (nominated for “12 Years a Slave” and “Arrival”) is just as good. A film with this many characters and themes and plot points requires a master editor to keep it moving, and Walker finds the perfect rhythm. Hans Zimmer’s score is his most subtle in a long time, especially the way that McQueen uses it, holding back on score almost entirely for the first 30-45 minutes, allowing it to bubble up as the heist gets closer, enhancing the tension of the overall experience.

The tapestry that is “Widows” is so deep that it’s easy to miss some of its smaller patterns. There’s a scene in which Jatemme is following Veronica, listening to a report on the radio about Albert Woodfox, a man who spent 43 years in solitary confinement at Angola. There’s a line from Woodfox in the report that McQueen makes sure we hear: “Nothing you do is gonna change your situation.” “Widows” is about both the truth of that and a few people who decide to fight it.  

from All Content https://ift.tt/2PnuIpf

[slippinninque]

✨💕Slips' List 💕✨

Hello! Welcome to my master list!

(updated 10/23/24)

About me: Ya'll can call me Slips! I love to write and can be a bit slow at posting, so please be patient with me! I write with black, fem women in mind as the reader.

Current Inspo: Fontaine (They Cloned Tyrone), Jatemme Manning (Widows)

Thinking of: Shigeru Kimura (Bullet Train), Koji Shimazu (John Wick 4), Oj Haywood (Nope), Kratos (GOW)

Requests: OPEN! (please be patient with me, I am a bit of a slow writer lol)

Things to keep in mind: MINORS DNI, Be Nice, and Be Responsible For Your Own Consumption. I do not give permission for my work to be reposted here or onto any other platform. I do not give permission for my work to be use for any AI learning/purposes. Also, please feel free to reblog and comment--I would love to know what you think!

✨Works / Blurbs✨

Fontaine, Seduced

Fontaine Fluff

Mwuah (Fontaine fic)

The Bad Day (Fontaine Fic)

Fontaine Likes Pretty Things

You (Learned To) Like Pretty Things, Too

Pillow Time (Fontaine fic)

Sleepy Snap Shots (Fontaine fic)

Fontaine Likes to Wrestle

A Lil'Bit Special (Fontaine fic)

Fontaine The Handy Man

Winter with Fontaine

Riding With Fontaine

Supportive 'Taine

'Taine loves Love

Fontaine x Rainy Day

Fontaine Unleashes His Inner Ramsey

Bear Hug (chester fic)

Fontaine, Sunned

Fontaine Thinks You're Beautiful

Fontaine vs Usher

Now & Later (Fontaine fic)

A Different Perspective (Fontaine fic)

Kiss Me Through The Phone (Fontaine fic)

Private Dancer (Fontaine fic)

Sweet Tooth (Fontaine fic)

Special Directives (Lloyd Hansen fic)

Cruisin' (Fontaine fic)

Pendulum (Fontaine fic)

Fussy (Fontaine fic)

Red Handed (Jatemme Manning fic)

Skimming(Jatemme Manning fic)

Just A Lil' Fun (Fontaine fic)

Home Makin' (Jatemme Manning fic)

Tanoshi Yoru (Koji Shimazu fic)

Songbird's Blues (Shigeru Kimura)

You admit your crush (Fontaine fic)

The Power of Patience (Shigeru Kimura fic)

The Sudden Goodbye (Koji Shimazu fic)

Nosey (Jatemme Manning fic)

Never Far Behind (Koji Shimazu fic)

💕Asks💕

Jatemme x Small Falls Surprise

Loan x Tommy (OC fic)

Some Place Warm (Fontaine fic)

Taquiner (Fontaine fic)

"how would Fontaine react to his girl’s’ pregnancy glow?"

how Fontaine would be while in love

Jealous Fontaine

Ain't No Sunshine When She's Gone (Fontaine fic)

TLC (Fontaine fic)

Fontaine Admits His Crush

[megamindsecretlair]

Fic Authors Self Rec!

When you get this, reply with your favorite five fics that you've written. Toot your horn! Tell us what YOU like about them, then pass this on to at least five other writers. (no pressure.) 😊

WHEW! It's so hard to choose. I love all of my fics in their own special way. But I shall try. And I'll try not to mention Once Upon a December.

Break Me - Tyrone. I loved writing about a more confident reader. All of the ways I'm not like that LOL. But I truly enjoyed it! I loved how it come out.

Call Out My Name - Stunna. This was some filthy smut that had MY toes curling. I was really proud of this one, gone off the zoot.

If I Took You Home - Kevin. This was a random idea based off of prompt list that took on a mind of its own. Kevin as a dom just fucking works!

When it Feels Right - Lamont. My man, my man. This one is still so precious to me. Friends to lovers is always elite in my mind. Always.

Foolish - Jatemme. I really enjoyed writing this one! It let me go a little darker and a bit unhinged and Black women are rarely included in that type of fiction. So I was happy to contribute!

[achebedike1991-blog]

Widows Movie Review - Mastery Essay

The premise of Widows is about a group of women whose husbands were a group of white collar criminals. Their getaway van explodes with them in it, killing them in the process. A crime boss and politician named Jamal Manning threatens one of the widows, Veronica Rawlings, at her home, portrayed by Viola Davis, because her husband and his crew stole $2 million from him. She’s given a month to return the money to him or else she’ll be killed. She enlist the help of three of the other widows to help her with the heist to steal $5 million from another politician with the agreement to split $3 million between them after returning the rest back to the one who threatened her. They also enlist the help of Belle to be their driver, who is one of the widow’s babysitter. She’s athletic and also the muscle of the group. They encounter many obstacles while preparing for the big heist on election day. They complete the heist at the end and they move on with their new and improved lives.

The genre for the film is a Heist Drama. Widows starts out very dramatic with the tragic death of each of the women’s husbands. Other elements that give that it’s a drama was when it showed the emotional pain of each of the main characters after losing someone close to them. Viola Davis gives the strongest performance out of everyone. You can truly feel her pain. She lost her husband and a decade before, she lost her only child. Even though she loved him, they had marital problems due his line of work and infidelity. This was a heist movie due to the high stakes the main protagonists had to go through to complete the task of stealing $5 million to finally end the dirty tracks left behind by their husbands. They have been threatened at gunpoint, they had to shoot someone in order to not get reported to the police, and they couldn’t tell those closest to them about their plan. They had to be strategically discreet as possible. Surprisingly for me, another genre this could be is a thriller. There were several heart-pounding moments in the film when the crooked politician’s brother Jatemme catches the women stealing and he robs them of their getaway van. They later retrieve it back by crashing into him, causing him to crash into a pole, killing him instantly. Jatemme, played by Daniel Kaluuya, is the most menacing character of the film. He’s such a loose canon, he brings heart-pounding unpredictability whenever he’s on screen.

This film obviously has a mostly dark tone throughout the entire narrative. There’s a great use of flashbacks and foreshadow to help with the storytelling. There’s a use of lowlights and dark blue tones whenever the widows are at their secret lair. This exemplifies how discreet they are with all of the risks that take place. It’s gritty in a way to show that the work they’re doing is dirty and unclean. There’s a great use of blood when it gets violent. All of these elements together gives the film a sense of unease. This movie is not meant to make you feel good in any kind of way. It makes you hope that the characters you’re rooting for can successfully complete their mission without them or any of their family members being harmed.

The director of this film was Steve McQueen (12 Years a Slave). He adapted the screenplay from the 1980s British Television Crime Drama of the same name created by Lynda La Plante. It had the same premise throughout its two series run. McQueen wrote the movie adaptation to take place in Chicago, which had a reputation in the media of being a war-torn city filled with crime and poverty in recent times, especially in the black community. He has a specific style used when it comes to where he places certain camera angles in order to tell the story visually. The first example was Belle the babysitter. After coming back from working and the hair salon, she has to do her second job as a babysitter. The camera follows Belle trying to catch the bus. It follows her running in full speed only to catch it in the nick of time. At first, I was wondering what was the purpose for this, but it later showed that she was going to be the fourth member for the big heist. It shows that she’s physically fit and active. She would come in handy for the on-hand tasks of the mission. Belle could hide herself quickly before anyone can catch her. Another directorial technique McQueen used was the use of objects as images to give the audience a clue. When Veronica went to see the fourth widow who refused to join their mission, there was a shot of a silver flask on the table by a closed door along with Veronica’s dog barking and clawing at that door. Without the use of dialogue, it gave us a hint that Veronica finds out something and it gives the audience a twist. The flask is revisited in a flashback scene between Veronica and her husband. It represents loving memories as well as a source of trouble during their marriage. There’s one unique use of camera when the rival politician, played by Colin Farrell, and his campaign manager have their dialogue inside their limousine. Instead of filming them inside, it’s filmed from the outside of the limousine throughout the entire ride in one take. This was a technique I’ve never seen before and it was very unique. You weren’t sure what was going on physically, but it just left you in wonder the whole time.

This film sutures me in a lot of ways throughout watching. It physically sutures me by making my heart pound throughout the suspense. I also tend to jump a couple of times. I find myself leaning on the edge of my seat in a couple of scenes as well. I went through many emotions too. They switched on me in a rapid pace. The film scared me, it angered me, it made me feel for the characters and their hardships. I was rooting for the protagonists to win all throughout. My morals were pretty mixed as I was watching it. I felt that if I had to pay a crime boss $2 million in a month, I would’ve definitely robbed a corrupt politician for more than that after broken promises made in my neighborhood. I would’ve trained to use the gun just like the widows and do everything to protect myself and those I love.

After watching the film and observing the elements as well as the characters and plot, the scenic metaphor of this film is the lair of the widows. This was the primary location for the majority of the film. It was the place where the husbands would plan their next heist, it was the warehouse where they all met their tragic end, and it became the place where the widows planned their first and final heist to end the burden left behind by their men. It was also the place where Veronica and her husband reunite after it was revealed he faked his death and he was the one responsible for killing his own men. The director does a fantastic job with this film for how he tells the story. It was well-shot, well-acted, and well-edited.

[jillmckenzie1]

When They Go Low, We Go High*

Movies are a drug for me, and there’s a certain type of movie that delivers a high that simply can’t be beaten. They don’t come around too often, but when they do, it’s like a blast of pleasure to the left and right hemispheres of my brain simultaneously.

Take a moment and imagine there are really two kinds of movies. Low film and high film. Low films are, first and foremost, designed to entertain. That doesn’t mean they’re disreputable or of poor quality, though they can be. Transformers and Suicide Squad are low films that are also eau de garbage. Raiders of the Lost Ark and The Avengers are low films that do what they do with skill and intelligence. These movies give you an endorphin rush, and when they’re done right, they don’t just send you out of the theater with a bounce in your step. Years later, you continue to cherish them.

High films, on the other hand, are designed to make a statement. Artistically, politically, morally, they have something to say. Keep in mind that just because it’s a high film, it’s not necessarily a good film. Schindler’s List and United 93 are masterpieces. Crash is terrible and Driving Miss Daisy is fluffy nonsense.

When you get that perfect merger of high and low film? It’s magic. Black Panther is about the responsibility of power, and about a guy in a cat suit whipping 18 kinds of ass. Goodfellas is about how the lack of honor among thieves trumps the honor of the family, and about Joe Pesci behaving like an entertaining psychopath. Widows is one of those movies, and in this Thanksgiving season, I feel thankful to have it.

Veronica (Viola Davis) lives in a sleek apartment in Chicago’s Gold Coast. Her life is comfortable, and that’s because her husband Harry (Liam Neeson) is a talented thief. Talent, like luck, eventually runs out, and that’s also true for Harry. Along with his crew comprised of Carlos (Manuel Garcia-Rulfo), Florek (Jon Bernthal), and Jimmy (Coburn Goss), he’s killed in a hail of police bullets when a heist turns disastrously wrong.

Disaster has a way of coming back around, and Veronica finds that out the hard way. You see, Harry stole $2 million from crime lord Jamal Manning (Brian Tyree Henry). Jamal needs that money to go semi-legit and finance a campaign to be the alderman of Chicago’s 18th ward. It’s a tight race, considering Tom Mulligan (Robert Duvall) has been holding the seat forever, and his Kennedyesque son Jack (Colin Farrell) is viewed as next in line.

So what’s Jamal’s plan? Simple, he threatens Veronica and her adorable Westie,** and tells her she has one month to pay back her departed husband’s $2 million debt. I know, it’s a dumb plan, but you try telling a violent gangster he has a stupid plan and see how far you get. At this point, Veronica needs help. She’s not the only one in a bind.

Carlos’ widow Linda (Michelle Rodriguez) put her heart into a shop and lost it due to Carlos’ gambling debts. Jimmy’s widow Amanda (Carrie Coon) has a four-month-old baby to look after. Flore’s widow Alice (Elizabeth Debicki)  has nothing except for a mother (Jacki Weaver) nudging her into a career in high-class prostitution. When Veronica finds her dead husband’s notebook, she finds detailed plans for his next job and a $5 million payday. Each of these women now has a choice to make.

I feel so lucky that this movie exists in this particular incarnation. We’re lucky because Steve McQueen, the Academy Award-winning filmmaker of 12 Years a Slave is directing. In previous films, McQueen has examined the resiliency of people and how they deal with body horror caused by slavery, sex addiction, or gnawing hunger. He’s still examining resiliency, but this time it’s about how women survive the endless abuses caused by men. Alice goes from nursing a black eye given to her by Florek to enduring passive-aggressive comments from a wealthy developer (Lukas Haas). McQueen tells us the abuses of sexism never stop. They ebb and flow, and while the severity changes, the existence of the abuse never does.

McQueen also has a wonderful gift of calling attention to a point without bringing the entire film to a screeching halt. There’s a scene where Jack Mulligan leaves a campaign event. It’s located at a deserted lot in a run-down part of town. In a subtle and breathtaking single shot, we see Jack’s limousine pull away. As it drives, the neighborhood gradually changes, gradually improves. Finally, the limo stops at Jack’s opulent home. In a shot lasting less than a minute that includes dialogue, McQueen makes a devastating point about the effects of gentrification, racism, and power. Oliver Stone only dreams of that kind of subtlety.

Along with McQueen, the screenplay is written by the fiendishly clever Gillian Flynn. You’ve seen her pitch-black sensibilities before in Gone Girl and Sharp Objects, and she excels at twisty-turny, “one damn thing after another” tales. Flynn and McQueen’s script never veers toward being too preachy, and the dialogue hums with energy without overtly calling attention to itself.

The cast is hugely talented, perhaps the best of the year. We have an old pro like Robert Duvall who can take a character that’s a one-note racist and make him compelling. We have Michelle Rodriguez, stuck for years*** playing a tough chick, finally given the chance to flex her dramatic muscles. As Alice, she’s not playing a character type. She’s playing a distinctive person, and doing it very well. We have Elizabeth Debicki as Alice, and watching her gradual shift from victimhood to survivor is thrilling. We have Cynthia Erivo, who stole Bad Times at the El Royale, as a quick-thinking babysitter. I’ll say it again — Erivo needs to be a major star. We have Daniel Kaluuya as Jatemme, Jamal’s brother and chief enforcer. He’s basically playing The Terminator, and nearly every time he’s in a scene with another human being, something terrible is going to happen.

We’re lucky because we have a lead performance from Viola Davis that’s controlled, disciplined, and powerful. She’s got the ability to impart more meaning in a look than many actors can in an entire monologue. I love when actors let us see their characters thinking and making decisions, and we see Victoria emerging from her grief and making choices. I thought that Toni Collette’s operatic performance in Hereditary was Oscar-worthy, as it was a primal howl of pain. Davis’ performance is the polar opposite. Locked-down, subtle, but no less impressive.

Widows is very much a genre crime movie with shifting loyalties and a couple of muscular action sequences. However, it’s not a rah-rah celebration of girl power, a meatheaded action movie, or a dusty ripoff of Quentin Tarantino’s work. It’s a fusion of low and high film that operates with assured craftsmanship and is very much itself. This is one of the best films of the year.

*Michelle Obama might not appreciate this, but at least I’m giving her credit.

**Fun and totally irrelevant factoid — this is the same Westie that was in the outstanding Game Night. Maybe this is the beginning of a new cinematic universe?

***Rodriguez is so much better than The Fast and the Furious films.

from Blog https://ondenver.com/when-they-go-low-we-go-high/

[marilynngmesalo]

’Widows’ review: Viola Davis delivers commanding performance in Steve McQueen thriller

’Widows’ review: Viola Davis delivers commanding performance in Steve McQueen thriller ’Widows’ review: Viola Davis delivers commanding performance in Steve McQueen thriller https://ift.tt/eA8V8J

Three stars out of four.

When you think of the wives and girlfriends of criminals and mobsters in cinema and television, what or who comes to mind? Kay Adams? Elvira Hancock? Skyler White? They are either victims of a man’s misdeeds or end up becoming part of the problem. They might get fancy jewelry or a big house, but they are the ones who get shut out of the room. They get greedy. They get addicted. They get killed. And, as an unwritten rule, they are secondary.

It’s part of the reason why Steve McQueen’s “Widows ” is such a welcome cocktail: The wives are the ones in the spotlight. Their husbands, the criminals fetishized by so, so many movies, are the ones who die at the beginning.

In his first film since the Oscar-winning “12 Years a Slave,” McQueen has gone in a very different direction with this Lynda La Plante adaptation. Widows” is a B-movie thriller with an all-star ensemble and a dusting of art house cred. McQueen co-wrote it with “Gone Girl” author Gillian Flynn and it is dark, relentlessly intense and crafted for mass audience appeal. And who better to stare down the camera, and every seedy character the city of Chicago has to offer, from corrupt legacy politicians (Colin Farrell and Robert Duvall) to truly terrifying gang muscle (“Get Out’s” Daniel Kaluuya), than the incomparable Viola Davis?

Davis plays Veronica Rawlins, a well-heeled teacher’s union representative who is married to a very powerful and very bad man, Harry Rawlins (Liam Neeson). Harry has done well in a corrupt Chicago — the passionate couple share a sleek high-rise Lake Shore Drive apartment, a driver and all the niceties that sort of real estate implies. But when he and his crew (including Jon Bernthal and Manuel Garcia-Rulfo) get gunned down during a robbery gone wrong, Veronica is the one the aggrieved come after to collect.

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Unfortunately for her, the crew her late husband was stealing $2 million from are also a powerful, murderous and, now, angry, rival set of criminals. They’re led by Jamal Manning (Brian Tyree Henry) and his brother Jatemme (Kaluuya), and have until this point managed to keep the peace with Rawlins’ crew. Jamal is running for alderman of his South Side neighbourhood that is a stronghold of a Chicago political dynasty, the Mulligans (Duvall and Farrell) that maintains property there only as a front — and the Mannings need the money to take them down. One on-the-nose, but startlingly effective, sequence, shows Jack Mulligan’s drive home from the projects to his own gilded, heavily armed part of the neighbourhood. This is just context for what’s going on with Veronica and it will all come together eventually, with some good twists and turns in the mix.

Jamal threatens Veronica to collect what was stolen and she decides to step into Harry’s shoes and enlist the widows of his crew to help. There’s Linda (Michelle Rodriguez), a mother of two whose Quinceanera shop has been repossessed because of her late husband’s gambling habits, and Alice (Elizabeth Debicki), a woman who has been mistreated by everyone in her life, from her husband to her mother, who suggests she become a high-end sex worker. All are basically riffs on the typical film “victim wife,” only here they get to take charge and plan and execute the elaborate heist. Veronica is a tough boss and pushes Alice and Linda, and eventually Belle (Cynthia Erivo), to realize their own power as they amusingly use their skills, whether plain street savvy or just taking advantage of the fact that they are underestimated and overlooked simply by being women (a point that is much better made here than in “Ocean’s 8”).

TIFF 2018: Viola Davis drawn to the women in Steve McQueen’s 'Widows'

Viola Davis was 'terrified' before sex scene with Liam Neeson

The ensemble is a blast. Everyone gets their moment and you come away feeling like you really got to know most of them, but it is Davis and her unforgettably searing intensity (and killer wardrobe) who owns “Widows” from start to finish.

McQueen builds tension masterfully throughout, although is so sprawling that at times you’re left wondering whether this might have been better told as a limited television series. Then again, is it worth complaining about relative brevity when done this well?

“Widows,” a 20th Century Fox release, is rated R by the Motion Picture Association of America for “violence, language throughout, and some sexual content/nudity.” Running time: 129 minutes.

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