#make their silver screen debut at the same time

[shadamypositivity]

okay, i messaged my friend this prophetic vision I had months ago so I could have proof I'm clairvoyant (or an idiot) if I was right (or I'm wrong) but!! I was napping one day and as I was falling asleep I randomly pictured Metal Sonic at the end of the Sonic 3 movie and he sees a pink quill bc Amy WILL be in this movie and boom! that's the setup for the next movie.

[tyudearyous]

[11.59 PM]

pairing : established relationship, producer! s.mg x producer! reader

warnings : nothing really, it's a short read, just fluffy overall

🎵 11.59 - jey ft goopy

...

"how long are you going to stay here?" you asked mingi while helping him with his song. it has been a few weeks since the both of you started to work on a project he had been excited about, since it would be his personal debut work. it has been years since he started producing and he has countless songs under his belt but never was those his personal work. it was always for someone else so, when his label gave him this opportunity, he was immediately hooked.

"mmm, just a little bit" mingi mutters, eyes completely locked to the screen. you stopped to gaze at him properly. he was wearing just a simple grey tee and he just recently bleached his hair silver. even with all the simplicity he is, song mingi is just beautiful to you. you couldn't help but smile and you brought your chair closer to him.

"hmm?" he stopped working momentarily and glanced at you. "nothing, just work" you said while playing with his silver locks. mingi loves it whenever you play with his hair. it's soothing and nice to him. his head slowly leaned to your touch while still focusing on his work. "silver suits you, minmin" you complimented him. his ears slowly adorned a rose color, blushing. "you prefer this or pink?" mingi asked you. "ouch, that's hard to pick!" you pouted before slapping his arms jokingly. "any color suits you honestly but i like it when your hair is slightly long, i can play with it" you continued playing with his hair.

"you wanna end work now?" mingi immediately rotated his chair to face you. you nodded and began turning off your workstation. mingi soon does the same and tidied up the workspace.

"can i drive today?" you asked. it was usually mingi who would drive home, just because but tonight, you wanted to drive. "you sure?" mingi asked while he put on his black coat. "yep, 100 percent" you replied while giving him the puppy eyes. he took a while before giving you a yes and giving you his car keys.

after tidying up everything, the two of you walked from the studio to the parking lot. "i'm gonna be busy next week" you stated. "huh? why?" he asked. "i have to take care of the recordings of rina's group" a pout slowly formed on his face. this didn't go unnoticed by you. adorable, you thought before pinching his cheeks which made a smile formed back to his face. "i'll still make time for you, don't worry about it my princess" you teased him and patted his head.

when the two of you arrived at the parking lot, you entered his car and he sat in the passenger seat. you adjusted the seat to make yourself comfortable. well, mingi is very tall, like VERY TALL while you were just average... so of course you didn't need as much leg space as he does. he looked at you doing this and started laughing. "what?" you stared at him while adjusting the seat. he held up the backrest, helping you adjust the seat. "it's just funny seeing you do all that because you're short" teased mingi. "excuse me!? i'm not that short, you're just too tall" you responded in a fake offended way. once you were comfortable, you started the car.

the entire drive was silent but comfortable with your playlist serenading the entire ride. mingi always let you play your playlist during drives like this and honestly, you love it. the fact that he always lets you do things you liked.

"it has been 4 years huh?" you muttered. it has been almost 4 years since when mingi got down to his knees asking for you to be his girlfriend in front of a convenience store. "yeah, 4 years since i embarrassed myself completely" you immediately laughed, remembering how he confessed. "i didn't expect you'll do that, genuinely" he chuckled. "at least i got you now" mingi mutters which made you blush slightly. you were grateful it was dark. if it wasn't, you'd look like a blushing mess.

after a 10 minute drive, you both arrived at your destination a.k.a mingi's apartment. you parked his car immediately and together you went to his unit together. when you got to his apartment, you immediately took off your shoes. "ouch... i shouldn't have used this..." you glanced at the back of your feet where a blister formed because of the ill fitting shoes you wore. "why?" mingi looked at you worriedly. "just a blister, get me some meds and plaster, it'll be okay" you hurriedly went to the couch to rest your feet.

mingi immediately brought the meds and started to tend your blisters. "i told you to change those shoes since a while ago" mingi frowned. "well, it was a gift so i had to be appreciative of it. oh come on stop frowning, i'll stop using it okay?" you cupped mingi's face. "don't use it again" he finished treating your blister. "thank you, minmin" you placed a kiss to his cheeks. he was still frowning but now his cheeks are slightly rosy. "don't make me worried you fool" he kissed you softly. you giggled and he smiled at your antics.

these type of moments are moments you dearly loved and held to. a night filled with each other's embrace and love. hopefully, these moments will last forever both for you and mingi.

[caseylovefics]

More 2024 Jikook Fic Recs

In A Lonely Place by agustsea

When artist Jeon Jeongguk designs a line of works inspired by a first love that left his heart shattered, his manager takes it upon himself to hire newly debuted idol Park Jimin to model the collection— completely ignorant of that fact that Jimin is, in many ways, the only man for the job.

Lovely fic reflective of this writers style and voice. Really enjoyed it!

One Step At A Time by tessalane

Omega Park Jimin has always dreamed of becoming a police officer one day even though it is entirely unheard of for omegas to enter the police academy. His supervisor alpha Jeon Jungkook makes Jimin's trainee life very, very complicated.

This was super cute oneshot. They affect each other alot and it has a happy ending.

we're holding hands beneath the silver screen by Chimneycricke

The waves crash against the shore, over and over, and he follows their movement, his head pressed against the warm surface of the window. Back, and forth. Back, and forth. He doesn’t get why his parents insisted on coming here. The ocean is more or less the same in Busan.

Sort of felt like watching a slice of life anime. Nice change of pace.

Kiss of Life by jamjm

Jimin is the god of death, the monochrome counterpart to Jungkook, the god of life. The two have been caught in the universe’s dance since the beginning of time, both at odds and in tandem with one another. So why is it suddenly so hard to resist the way Jungkook's touch breathes life into him?

If you take any fic from these recommendations - let it be this. It is so underrated and an incredibly beautiful story. Please read it!

When the Wolf's Song Echoes by Charmander

When the peaceful Half Moon Lake pack accidentally kills a wandering wolf from the north, they’re forced to make a quick decision to make up for their mistake before it’s too late. In order to avoid the wrath of Jeon Jungkook, the Scourge of the North, they send him a sacrifice: Park Jimin, the most sought after omega in their pack, and a burden to them due to his refusal to be mated.

Stories of Head Alpha Jungkook’s cruelty are widespread and told as cautionary tales. Even rogue wolves fear him, so what chance does Jimin have when left at the mercy of a monster, abandoned by his people to find out whether or not those stories are really true?

Very classic type of ABO story that was an easy read.

Wisteria by RossKL

Omega Jimin has spent his entire life in complete isolation. His family and pack fear his special ability, but at the same time, they want to take full advantage of it. With his wonderful voice, singing, he is able to heal every wound, even if he himself suffers and feels pain because of it. The only thing Jimin dreams of is freedom and love, so when the opportunity finally presents itself, he runs away. Wandering through the dark, cold forest, Jimin is frostbitten, hungry and, to top it off, has twisted his ankle. When least expected, he is found by a group of Alpha hunters from Jeon pack. When he is brought in front of Head Alpha Jeongguk, he doesn't know his life is about to change forever.

This was different to other captive stories I've read and had a good balance of dark and swoon-worthy moments.

wolfed out by carameLIZed_suga

Before surprisingly presenting as a wolf, Jungkook had been content with his life as a normal human, blissfully ignorant of everything wolf-related. There are many things he could’ve lived without knowing. Like the knotting thing. Or worse, that Park fucking Jimin, his work partner and the literal bane of his existence, happens to have the most delicious scent of all.

Great story by this writer as always. They got hacked sadly but it looks like everything has been fixed thankfully!

Other Recommendations

Under Pressure, We're Cracking by ginny_tea

When You Touch Me (I Die Just a Little Inside) by TrappingLightningBugs

it's a bro thing by lilithbts

When Light Catches Your Face by carnalchimes

[mirai-e-jump]

Monthly The Television, August 2024 Summer Special ft. Iuchi Haruhi Interview (translation below)

Publication June 26, 2024

Fresh sensibility and will

Iuchi Haruhi made his leading role debut in the Super Sentai series "Bakuage Sentai Boonboomger." In this interview, including a filming story for the movie set to be released this Summer, we'll report on how he made his debut as an actor, stories from before his debut, and more, as we get a fresh and energetic look at his true self.

-The tokusatsu hero admirer will make his silver screen debut this Summer-

"Iuchi Haruhi made his leading role debut as the leader in the currently airing Super Sentai series Bakuage Sentai Boonboomger. He plays the role of the Boonboomgers leader and "deliverer" named Taiya Hando."

Iuchi: When I heard the decision that I'd be appearing, I was wondering when they'd reveal that it was all a prank (laughs). That's why my first thought was, "I can't believe it." Personally, I still remember the hero shows I used to watch when I was little, so I was anxious about whether I could really handle it. Still, once the show actually started airing, I received alot of calls from my friends saying, "We're watching!" It made me happy, and now I actually feel that I'm apart of Super Sentai.

"As you performed, you found similarities with Taiya and points you could learn from him."

Iuchi: Taiya's someone who has his own views and mentality, which I think are similar to my own. However, in my case, I have the type of personality where I don't hesitate once I've made up my mind to do something "in this way." Still, while maintaining that strong mentality, Taiya listens to other people's opinions and never rejects them without giving them a chance to explain. I think that kind of flexibility is what makes Taiya so appealing, and it's also what I like about him. I want to be as flexible as Taiya someday, and I'd like to think that I'm improving little by little as I perform (laughs).

"For Iuchi, Boonboomger was his first time on a film set. He said he was surprised by many things."

Iuchi: First, I was surprised by the number of staff members involved with filming. Then, I was also surprised to see that even a single scene was rarely shot in one take, instead having the camera position change multiple times while the shot was being cut. Still, I don't think there are many opportunities like this to study the genuine production process of the Action Department so closely, and I don't think I'll have the chance to experience dub recording at other production sets, so I'd like to learn more about it and absorb as much as I can over the next year.

"The original reason he wanted to become an actor was because he watched the drama "Death Note" starring Kubota Masataka and became interested in acting."

Iuchi: It was the drama that made me want to try acting for the first time. However, I used to not be the type to watch movies or dramas, so I didn't really know much about acting as a profession. That's when my parents found "Watanabe Entertainment School," which then led me to joining my current agency. Actually, Yamada Yuki-san, who's from the same agency, has always been one of my favorite actors, and he's appeared in "Kaizoku Sentai Gokaiger," so he's also a senior that I look up to. As the acting in Super Sentai is often exaggerated, when we met in person, I asked him, "How did you break away from those habits?," and I received some very detailed advice. At that time, I once again realized that I wanted to become an actor who can play various roles, just like Yamada-san, who's known as a "chameleon actor."

"Speaking of, Taiya's a master of "development" and "modification." That being the case, if we asked Iuchi himself, "What are you a master of?" you'd say……"

Iuchi: I guess for me it'd be my passion for the things I love. I've always had a stubborn personality, and I'm the type of person who'll work very hard at the things I set my mind to, so I have confidence in that passion for it. That being said, before I aimed to become an actor, I wanted to be a pro tennis player, and would work extremely hard at tennis at the time. Also, I've always loved to create things since I was little, and was the type who wanted to do my best when it was time for arts and crafts, so in order to bring the piece closer to the perfection I envisioned, I'd ask my teachers, "Can I take it with me and do it at home?" I think that kind of focus to pursue something may still be with me now (laughs).

"This Summer, a double feature film will be released alongside Kamen Rider Gotchard. There, he'll perform together with someone he's admired since he was a child."

Iuchi: The video creator HIKAKIN-san appears as a guest. I started watching Youtube when I was in my second year of elementary school, and at that time, HIKAKIN-san was the one I would always watch, so I was tense when I met him on the film set. There's lots of content to take in, including scenes that were actually filmed at the Fuji Speedway circuit, so please look forward to it. _

Q: When do you feel cranked up?

Iuchi: My hobby is the guitar and to write and compose music, however, the longer it takes me to write a song, the more cranked up I feel when I finish it (laughs). One of my dreams is to someday work not only as an actor, but also as a singer and song writer.

[kanmom51]

I kind of feel it's time to bring this back

Seeing how 3D has resurfaced the JK is straight as a arrow claims are back, I guess it's time to bring back my 3 part "JK ain't gay" expose (and a little bit more too...)

Read these over peeps, if and when you are feeling a little down or doubtful. Cause we all know JK ain't gay...

Part 1

Part 2

Part 3

This one kind of relevant once again, don't you think?

I said I have more, well here you are:

Different song, same logic.

And

I am going to end this with these two little points for you to mull over:

JK singing girl (in lyrics he didn't even write himself) means everything but him sucking on JM's ear in front of 10s of thousands of fans, him caressing on camera the hickey he let JM give him, JK sitting for 90 minutes mesmerized and watching JM content totally infatuated, JM flying to NYC to be with JK for his solo debut, going out to dinner for Silver day and then disappearing to CT together (oh, and soooooo much more), all that means nothing?

Ask yourselves why you are so fast to believe a 14 second blurry clip, which you may have watched a couple of times on your phone screen? Without proper fact checking. Ask yourselves why you are so quick to assume that whoever that is in that clip is JK? That it's his place? That you know, even if by some unexpected chance it's him (it isn't), that the person is his gf? That she's pregnant from him (this one tops the cake. Man is a baby daddy by this account)?

Please apply critical thinking. And most definitley don't just chuck aside 8 years of ongoing continual Jikookery for some lines in a song and a blurry clip.

[justforbooks]

Kris Kristofferson

Songwriter, singer and actor known for such classic hits as For the Good Times and Me and Bobby McGee

‘Songwriter” might be the first term that springs to mind to describe Kris Kristofferson, who has died aged 88, but he could also lay claim to being a singer, film star, soldier and academic. Highly cerebral yet also a rugged man of action, Kristofferson was from the same fine tradition of robust American individualists as his friends Johnny Cash and Sam Peckinpah.

Kristofferson’s greatest successes as a singer-songwriter came during the 1970s, especially with the albums The Silver Tongued Devil and I (1971), Border Lord (1972) and Jesus Was a Capricorn (1972), all big country hits that also crossed over to the pop album charts. However, before he achieved recognition as a performer, Kristofferson was already renowned as a supplier of hit songs to other artists.

His first to chart was Vietnam Blues, recorded by Dave Dudley in 1966, but the ball really started rolling when Roger Miller recorded three Kristofferson songs for his album Roger Miller (1969). One of them was Me and Bobby McGee, the bittersweet story of a pair of lovers and their life on the road, and Miller took it into the country music Top 20. Partly inspired by the Federico Fellini film La Strada (1954), it would become one of Kristofferson’s most covered songs.

Then Ray Stevens charted with Sunday Mornin’ Comin’ Down, the desolate alcoholic’s lament that would be a hit for Cash the following year, Faron Young took Your Time’s Comin’ into the country Top 5, and Jerry Lee Lewis followed suit with Once More With Feeling.

The Kristofferson magic also worked for Ray Price, who took For the Good Times to a country No 1 and the pop Top 20 in 1970, while Sammi Smith scored a pop Top 10 hit with Help Me Make It Through the Night. By the time Janis Joplin’s cover of Me and Bobby McGee topped the pop charts in March 1971, several months after Joplin’s death, Kristofferson (who had had a brief affair with the troubled singer) had become one of the hottest songwriting names in Nashville.

His debut album, Kristofferson, had gone nowhere following its April 1970 release, even though it contained songs being made into hits by other singers, and despite Kristofferson’s appearance at the vast Isle of Wight festival that year. But after he turned the corner commercially with Silver Tongued Devil, the first album was reissued as Me and Bobby McGee – and earned him a gold record. In 1972, several of his songs were nominated for Grammys, and he won Best Country Song for Help Me Make It Through the Night.

By the time Jesus Was a Capricorn had topped the country charts in 1973, boosted by the crossover hit single Why Me, Kristofferson’s attention had turned towards acting. He had already appeared in Dennis Hopper’s chaotic The Last Movie (1971) and played a down-and-out musician in Cisco Pike (1972), and now it was his connection with Peckinpah that pushed his movie career into high gear.

Peckinpah cast him as Billy the Kid in Pat Garrett and Billy the Kid (1973), in which Bob Dylan had an acting role and supplied songs for the soundtrack, and he worked with Peckinpah again on Bring Me the Head of Alfredo Garcia (1974) and Convoy (1978).

In 1973 Kristofferson married the singer Rita Coolidge (his second wife) and the couple scored a big pop and country hit with their first duet album, Full Moon, which delivered a batch of hit singles including the Grammy-winning From the Bottle to the Bottom. They enjoyed further success with the albums Breakaway (1974) and Natural Act (1978).

Meanwhile, Kristofferson had starred in Martin Scorsese’s first Hollywood studio production, the romantic comedy Alice Doesn’t Live Here Anymore (1974), with Ellen Burstyn. Two years later he soared into blockbuster heaven when paired with Barbra Streisand in the remake of A Star Is Born (their on-screen relationship continued off-screen). It was bludgeoned by critics but earned $150m at the box office, and brought Kristofferson a Golden Globe for best actor.

Coolidge and Kristofferson divorced in 1980. Coolidge commented acidly: “I can’t say enough about what a great man he was. It’s just that he was a shitty husband ... He was a very toxic human being with all his drinking and his womanising.”

Kristofferson, discussing how he had idolised the country singer Hank Williams, commented that “most of the heroes in that vein have been pretty self-destructive, and I was myself for a while. I used to drink a lot just to get up on the stage. I did not have a lot of confidence at the beginning.” He stopped drinking alcohol in 1980, after his doctor warned him that he was killing himself.

His leading role as Jim Averill in Heaven’s Gate (1980) ought to have been a crowning triumph for Kristofferson, but Michael Cimino’s portentous western became a byword for wastefulness and excess, and bankrupted United Artists studios. He enjoyed only modest success with Flashpoint (1984) and co-starred the same year with Willie Nelson in Songwriter, for which he wrote several songs, winning an Academy Award nomination for original music score. He and Nelson released the successful duo album Music from Songwriter.

During the 90s he experienced a revival after appearing as a corrupt sheriff in John Sayles’s Lone Star (1996). This led to parts in a string of successful big-budget films including Payback (1999), Planet of the Apes (2001) and the Blade trilogy (1998, 2002 and 2004).

Kristofferson was born in the city of Brownsville, Texas. He was the eldest of three children of Mary Ann Ashbrook and Lars Kristofferson, an air force pilot who rose to the rank of major general. The military life took the family to California, where Kris graduated from San Mateo high school in 1954, then studied creative writing at Pomona College.

He won first prize in a short story competition sponsored by the literary magazine the Atlantic Monthly, and was also recognised by Sports Illustrated for his many achievements in football and athletics during his time as a student.

Later, he was awarded a Rhodes scholarship to Merton College, Oxford University, and it was in the UK that he began performing his own songs. He fell into the orbit of the “beat svengali” Larry Parnes, who secured him some recording sessions (under the name Kris Carson) with Top Rank records and the producer Tony Hatch.

Fortunately, perhaps, Parnes failed to turn him into the next Tommy Steele, and after receiving his master’s degree in English literature in 1960 – he also won a boxing blue while at Oxford – Kristofferson returned to the US.

It was not long before he was back in Europe. Having married Fran Beer in 1960, he joined the US army, became a helicopter pilot and was assigned to West Germany. He continued to write and perform music, forming a band with some fellow servicemen. One of his comrades was a cousin of the Nashville songwriter Marijohn Wilkin, who gave Kristofferson’s work a favourable report when he sent her some of his songs. After completing his tour of duty in 1965 with the rank of captain, he was offered a post at West Point military academy as an English instructor.

However, he took a trip to the city of Nashville to visit Wilkin, which persuaded him to quit the army and devote his efforts to becoming a country music songwriter. He earned a small stipend from a deal with Wilkin’s music publishing company, Buckhorn Music, and worked at various jobs, including flying helicopters to oil rigs in the Gulf of Mexico and taking on a job as a studio janitor.

He was working at Columbia Records’ Nashville studios when Dylan came to town to record his album Blonde on Blonde (1966), and it was here that Kristofferson first met Cash, who would become a staunch friend and supporter.

“John would tell everybody in town that Mickey Newbury and I were the best songwriters around,” Kristofferson remembered. “For me, to be endorsed by someone like Cash was really something, like being endorsed by Dylan.”

Kristofferson’s increasingly left-leaning political sympathies were expressed in his album Repossessed (1987), which gave him a hit single with They Killed Him (a tribute to Gandhi, Christ and Martin Luther King), and he appeared in the television miniseries Amerika (1987), which portrayed a US under communist domination. Another politically slanted album, Third World Warrior (1990), failed to chart.

In 1985, Kristofferson and Nelson banded together with Cash and Waylon Jennings to record Highwayman, and both the album and title song were popular country chart-toppers. This gathering of charismatic and much loved country greats became known as the Highwaymen, and enjoyed further success both as a touring act and with the albums Highwaymen 2 (1990) and The Road Goes on Forever (1995).

Kristofferson completed a hat-trick of albums with the producer Don Was, This Old Road (2006), Closer to the Bone (2009) and Feeling Mortal (2013). His final studio album was The Cedar Creek Sessions (2016), which was nominated for a Grammy award for best Americana album.

After several years of suffering from memory loss that doctors believed was caused by Alzheimer’s disease, in February 2016 Kristofferson at last received a diagnosis of Lyme disease. Following appropriate treatment, his condition improved markedly. “It’s like Lazarus coming out of the grave and being born again,” commented his friend the Nashville singer-songwriter Chris Gantry.

In November 2018, he performed Joni Mitchell’s A Case of You at Both Sides Now – Joni 75: A Birthday Celebration, which marked Mitchell’s 75th birthday. He gave his final full-scale live performance at the Sunrise theatre in the city of Fort Pierce, Florida, in 2020.

Having previously been inducted into the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame (1977) and the Songwriters Hall of Fame (1985), he was embraced by the Country Music Hall of Fame in 2004, and in 2006 won the Johnny Mercer award from the Songwriters Hall of Fame.

He once said that he wanted the first three lines of Leonard Cohen’s Bird on the Wire on his tombstone:

Like a bird on the wire Like a drunk in a midnight choir I have tried in my way to be free

He is survived by his third wife, Lisa Meyers, whom he married in 1983, and their daughter, Kelly Marie, and sons, Jesse, Jody, Johnny and Blake; by a daughter, Casey, from his second marriage; and by a daughter, Tracy, and a son, Kris, from his first marriage, which ended in divorce.

🔔 Kristoffer Kristofferson, songwriter, singer and actor, born 22 June 1936; died 28 September 2024

Daily inspiration. Discover more photos at Just for Books…?

[jenosonlywife23]

Debut Day Dreams (Part 2)

The message hung in your inbox like a ticking bomb. Your thumb hovered over the screen, your heart racing with a mixture of disbelief, excitement, and sheer terror. It couldn’t be him. It couldn’t. But the words on the screen had a confidence, a weight, that screamed his voice.

"Good. Let’s see if you believe it again."

Whoever this was, they had your full attention.

You stared at the cryptic reply, trying to make sense of it. The seconds stretched into minutes as your mind spun in circles. Finally, you typed back.

"Who is this?"

The three little dots indicating a reply appeared almost immediately.

"Someone who remembers where they looked."

Your stomach flipped. The words felt like they carried a smirk, the same one that had left you reeling on concert night. You sat up in bed, heart pounding so hard it was a wonder your neighbors couldn’t hear it.

"Prove it."

The reply took longer this time, and you regretted your boldness. But then it came, a single image.

A picture of the concert venue, taken from his point of view on stage. The green glow of lightsticks filled the frame, and in the center, a blurry glimpse of your section. You could see yourself, just barely, standing amidst the chaos, staring back at the stage.

Your hands flew to your mouth.

This wasn’t a prank. It wasn’t a fan trying to mess with you. It was real. He’d seen you.

"Still think it’s impossible?" the next message read.

You didn’t know what to say. Your fingers shook as you typed.

"Why me?"

This time, there was a pause—a long one. You stared at the screen, your mind a whirlwind of questions and possibilities. When the reply finally came, it was simple, but it knocked the air out of your lungs.

"Because you looked at me like you saw more than just the stage."

Tears prickled at the corners of your eyes. You hadn’t realized it at the time, but maybe he was right. Maybe, in that moment, your gaze had lingered not on the idol, but on the boy behind the glitz and the glamour.

"What now?" you asked, your fingers barely able to press the keys.

"Come find out."

Your phone buzzed again, this time with an address. It was for a small café downtown. Your rational mind screamed at you to stop, to think this through, to question everything. But your heart? It had already made the decision.

The next morning, you found yourself standing outside the café, staring at the sign. It was an unassuming place, tucked between two larger buildings, the kind of spot you’d walk past without noticing. Your pulse quickened with every step you took inside.

The café was almost empty, save for a barista and one customer sitting at the farthest table. He was dressed in black, a baseball cap pulled low over silver hair that peeked out in strands. His fingers drummed idly against a coffee cup as he stared out the window.

You hesitated, wondering if you should turn around and leave, but then he looked up.

And smiled.

It was him.

You walked over, your legs feeling like they might give out at any second. He watched you the whole way, his gaze intense yet strangely soft, like he was letting you in on a secret no one else knew.

“You came,” he said, his voice quieter than you expected but no less commanding.

“I... didn’t think you were real,” you admitted, your voice barely above a whisper.

He chuckled, a low, warm sound that sent a shiver down your spine. “I get that a lot.”

You sat down across from him, still unsure if this was some elaborate fever dream. He tilted his head, studying you with an intensity that made your skin tingle.

“You’re braver than I thought,” he said.

“Or stupider,” you shot back before you could stop yourself.

His grin widened, a flash of teeth that somehow made him even more devastatingly attractive. “I like brave,” he said.

You took a deep breath, trying to steady yourself. “Why did you ask me here?”

“Because I needed to know if the way you looked at me that night was real,” he said simply, as though it was the most obvious thing in the world.

“And?”

He leaned forward, resting his elbows on the table. “And now I know. It was.”

The air between you crackled with something electric, something unspoken but undeniable. For the first time in your life, you felt like the universe was conspiring for you, not against you.

“Is this... something you do often?” you asked, your voice trembling.

“Spot someone in a crowd of thousands and decide I need to meet them?” He shook his head, a faint smile playing on his lips. “No. Just you.”

You didn’t know how to respond to that, so you stayed silent, letting the weight of his words sink in.

“Look,” he said, leaning back and running a hand through his hair. “I don’t know what this is, or where it’s going. But I know I don’t want it to end here.”

Neither did you.

[shuilongyinint]

𝐀𝐜𝐭𝐨𝐫 𝐋𝐮𝐨 𝐘𝐮𝐧𝐱𝐢

Series celebrate Luo Yunxi 14th debut anniversary. 💜🐣🐉

Luo made his acting debut from 2012.

🔸2012:

Luo Yunxi was cast in the romance film "The Spring of My Life" opposite Tan Songyun, released in theaters in 2015.

🔸2013:

He was cast in his first drama "Flip in Summer", which was broadcast in 2018.

🔸2014:

Luo starred in the science fiction campus web drama "Hello Aliens".

🔸2015:

Luo became known to viewers with his role as the younger counterpart of the male protagonist in the hit romance drama "My Sunshine".

Following the airing of the drama, Luo experienced a significant rise in popularity.

🔸2016:

Luo was cast as the protagonist in the crime suspense drama "Voice of the Dead", an adaption of one of the books in the "Medical Examiner Dr. Qin" novel series.

•the same year, he starred in historical fantasy drama "Fox in the Screen" as a fox demon in love with a human.

🔸2017:

Luo co-starred in the fantasy romance drama "A Life Time Love"where he reunited with "My Sunshine" co-star Janice Wu.

•he then played the lead role in the medical drama "Children's Hospital Pediatrician".

🔸2018:

Luo began filming the historical romance drama "Princess Silver" as a kind but distant and misunderstood prince who inherits a deadly poison from his mother before birth. The drama was released in April 2019.

•Luo also acted in the fantasy romance drama "Ashes of Love" as "Runyu", the gentle and regal Night Immortal whose innocence and kindness turns to hatred and revenge when he sets out to avenge his mother's unfair death.

The drama topped television ratings and online web rankings and Luo's portrayal of a morally ambiguous antagonist was acclaimed by critics.

▪️According to China Daily, Luo Yunxi's portrayal of Runyu was among the most rewarding screen adaptations, ranking him alongside well-known figures like Sun Wukong and Lin Daiyu.

•he was cast in the modern romance drama "Broker" alongside Victoria Song as a morally ambiguous corporate spy with a hidden motive. The drama premiered on Zhejiang TV and Jiangsu TV on July 22, 2021.

🔸2020:

Luo was cast in the xianxia drama "Immortality" as a selfless and fearless grandmaster.

•the same year, he starred in the wuxia romance drama "And The Winner Is Love" as the graceful young master of the Yueshang Valley.

•he also starred as "Yuan Shuai" in the modern romance workplace drama "Love is Sweet".

The drama was iQiyi's most popular romance drama in 2020, and Luo received positive reviews for his role as an arrogant and charming investment bank executive.

•the same year, he was cast as a secretive CEO in melo romance "Lie to Love".

🔸2021:

Luo was cast in "Light Chaser Rescue" as an unscrupulous lawyer who turns over a new leaf after becoming a volunteer rescue worker. The drama premiered on Mango TV and Tencent on October 14, 2022.

•the same year, Luo was cast in xianxia drama "Till the End of the Moon" as "Tantai Jin", a hostage prince who is born with an evil bone and must rebel against his destiny of becoming the havoc-wreaking Devil God.

-the drama premiered on Youku on April 6, 2023 and was a commercial success. Youku had the highest number of downloads on the App Store since 2018.

-the drama's first-day market share was 22.76%, making it the most-watched period drama since 2020, Luo's portrayal of the anti-hero also received positive reviews.

-his performance in Till the End of the Moon also earned him the title of 2023 Asia Star Champion.

🔸2022:

Luo was cast in medical romance drama "Love is Panacea" as a genius neurosurgeon who ends up spearheading research on Huntington's disease to save his love interest.

The drama premiered on CCTV-8 on November 2, 2023.

🔸2023:

Luo was cast in period detective romance drama "Follow Your Heart" as a prince-turned-detective who suffers from prosopagnosia.

•the same year, he was cast in fantasy wuxia drama "Shui Long Yin" as a highly skilled but introverted and even indifferent swordsman.

Shui Long Yin was announced on November 11, 2023, at Mango TV's Commercial Presentation (芒果驷马难追建群大会). The series began filming on December 2, 2023, and finished on April 24, 2024.

🔸2024:

Luo was cast in "The Truth Within" as a forensic medical examiner who becomes entangled in a series of enigmatic cases while investigating the de//ath of his girlfriend, who is ki//ll//ed in a car crash.

[thefinalcinderella]

Tsurune: Irodori no Issha Episode 11 - Noririn’s Silver Screen Debut

Sase: O-----n!!!

Motomura: Pardon me, Daigo. Could you not suddenly yell “O--n”? This is the Kirisaki High School student dorms, and I’m sharing the same room as you

Sase: You wouldn’t understand, Hiroki. Wanting to stan someone but having a hard time with it, those are my insane feelings for Noririn

Motomura: Oh? Are you finally retiring from being a Schwartz?

Sase: It’s Chevalier. From today, I will be a Chevalier of Darkness

Motomura: Mmm... Have you considered temporarily giving up Noririn until the mock exams are done?

Sase: Since the big announcement, I can’t even bring myself to care about the mock exams anymore

Motomura: Really? Well, you can’t do anything if it’s already been announced. Let us return to studying like proper exam takers.

Sase: O---------n!!!

Motomura: I understand. I shall listen to what you have to say. 

Motomura: What exactly was announced?

Sase: Noririn is going to be in a movie. And, it’s her first leading role.

Motomura: Haa.

Motomura: Isn’t that news that should make Chevaliers happy?

Sase: About that...

Sase: Haa~

Motomura: Eh?

Motomura: ...

Motomura: “Noririn movie” search.

Motomura: ...T-This is...

Sase: See? Now you understand my cries of pain.

Motomura: It’s unmistakably an idol horror movie

Sase: Yeah...hey, Hiroki, you’re pretty knowledgeable about horror movies...

Motomura: No, no, I just collect packages in alphabetical order for each director I like

Sase: That’s what people call “knowledgeable”

Motomura: Eh?

Motomura: Also, please hold on for a minute.

Motomura: Ah, wow. This...ufufufu

Sase: Huh, why are you chuckling all of a sudden?

Sase: You’re acting like me when I see Noririn.

Motomura: Daigo, isn’t it great?

Motomura: Director Akaishi, famous for the Shivering Village Girl series and a maestro of the idol horror genre, seems to be taking up the megaphone for the first time in five years!

Sase: You say that with a smile, but I have no idea what you’re talking about...

Motomura: You don’t like horror movies?

Sase: That’s not it.

Sase: I shouldn’t say this in front of you, since you love horror movies, but aren’t these kinds of movies made on a small budget and aimed at people who are into weird stuff?

Motomura: You’re absolutely mistaken!

Motomura: It’s the best form of entertainment where directors make the most out of limited resources and narrowing down the target!

Sase: You sure have a way with words...

Motomura: Look, the synopsis for the movie is out too.

Motomura: An abandoned village where idols visited as a location of an urban legend. A fierce battle unfolds with a group of zombies. 

Sase: As if I can let that happen!

Motomura: The green girl is in it too

Sase: Her name’s “Maeshon”!

Motomura: Here, take a look. Noririn’s comment is out. It says, “The cast and crew worked together and gave it their all.”

Sase: I already read it. Many, many times...

Motomura: Well, of course they have to give it their all. They have to fight against zombies after all. 

Sase: Mmm... In my opinion, there are debut works that are a better fit for Noririn out there. 

Motomura: Huh...for example?

Sase: I can think of one. 

Sase: Something I’ve always been dreaming about is a work where young girls chase their dreams while nurturing their friendship and growing up, a work where you can’t help but be in tears by the time the credits roll. 

Sase: That kind of youth movie.

Motomura: Huh

Sase: You aren’t even a little bit interested, are you

Motomura: An idol horror film where young girls are being chased by zombies while falling into despair in the midst of terror and screams, a film where you will no doubt feel a sense of accomplishment by the time the credits roll is much more fitting, in my opinion

Sase: It’s no good. I can’t get through to you no matter what I say.

Sase: Until now, I’ve been on the proselytizing side, but now I know how the ones being preached to feel...

Motomura: Okay, so the release date is...next week, after the mock exams are done

Motomura: Okay.

Motomura: Let’s go to the movie theater on opening day!

Sase: What about studying for exams!

Motomura: Breaks are also necessary

Sase: Wait, wait, Hiroki. I do plan on watching it sooner or later, but going to the theater on opening day is too high of a hurdle. I need to prepare my heart...

Motomura: I bought the advance tickets online just now

Sase: You’re the embodiment of taking initiative!

Motomura: Now that we have a goal, we can throw ourselves into studying even more! Now, let’s work hard!

Sase: Hiroki’s never cared about Princess Cheer, but now he’s more interested in them than ever before.

Sase: ...But, I don’t feel happy about that for some reason!

[visicnaire]

*IF YOU GAZE INTO THE STARS / THE STARS GAZE BACK INTO YOU.

—— the paper-thin tightrope between dreaming and planning, forever an exercise in waking life; the ethereal glow of a glittering marquee; exploration by way of submergence — you refuse to live just in-between; the silver platter as equal parts servant and shield; hands unfamiliar with the unclean, reaching out for something to grasp nevertheless; ancient dreams in a modern land; the curiosity that led alice down the rabbit hole and kept persephone in the underworld; the fear of finding comfort amongst the fearsome; the shedding of skins in order to become.

*NAME: sage adelaide sheridan *AGE: twenty-eight *GENDER: trans woman *PRONOUNS: she / her *CIVILIAN OCCUPATION: filmmaker, actress, activist *CRIMINAL ASSOCATION: tbd

basics, history, wanted plots, and more under the cut !!

*BASICS.

*NAME: sage adelaide sheridan *AGE: twenty-eight *GENDER: trans woman *PRONOUNS: she / her *SEXUALITY: tbd (bisexual?) *CIVILIAN OCCUPATION: filmmaker, actress, activist *CRIMINAL ASSOCIATION: tbd (slowly but surely getting her hands dirty heh) *NOTABLE ATTRIBUTES: long silvery-blonde hair, height of 5’11” *CHARACTER ALLUSIONS / INSPIRATIONS: celine (the before trilogy), teddy laurence (little women), alice (alice in wonderland), lois lane (dc), sophie sheridan (mamma mia), mia dolan (la la land), greta gerwig *POSITIVE TRAITS: intuitive, protective, curious, egalitarian *NEUTRAL TRAITS: independent, idealistic, tenacious, analytical *NEGATIVE TRAITS: obstinate, workaholic, impulsive, rebellious

*SUMMARY.

[ trigger warnings: parental death, violence ]

A teen starlet turned cinematic upstart, Sage has lived most of her life in the public eye. While her parents were distinguished diplomats and politicians in their own right, Sage’s sense of politics found its voice through art, film, fashion, and the expression of gender and self. Her early days of ‘celebrity’ can be traced to a docudrama series following the lives of several teens during their last two years of sixth form (think Skins). Though the series was spearheaded by experienced producers, writers, and directors, it was notable for incorporating the writing and directing efforts of its subjects. It was during the final season of the show that she began her transition, making her one of the youngest trans figures on the small screen at the time. The series ended with a finale special entitled “Introducing Sage,” and depicted her first foray after her transition into the blinding lights of the public eye.

With the series finale essentially serving as her application to any filmmaking school of her choice, Sage attended the National Film and Television School. Her graduate film project, Dream Sequence, an experimental short film in which a theater director encourages a young actress to blur the lines between her character and her actual identity, was equal parts exploration of her adolescent experiences, a critique of the industry, and a critical success. At the insistence of her professor, she submitted it to a number of independent film festivals and awards circuits, and capped off her formal debut into the cinematic world with a Student Oscar and a BAFTA Student Award.

Although her parents were undoubtedly supportive of her career as a filmmaker, they requested one subject to never be viewed by her lens, for fear that the family's personal life might irrevocably intersect with their individual personal lives. For a time, Sage was perfectly comfortable keeping them separate, having never quite found her foothold in politics in the same way her family had. The agreement stood as her mother prepped for her first political campaign, Sage standing proudly by her side as her own career efforts focused elsewhere.

At the campaign launch event, her mother's opening speech was met not by confetti and applause, but by screams through sudden clouds of smoke, and shots firing through the crowd. Her father, wise enough to see the writing on the wall from the very first strike of the marksmen's pen, shielded his girls to the point of fatality. His injuries took too heavy a toll on his body, and over three short months, his health faded into irremediable territory.

Sage threw herself into her work after his death, forgoing the agreement she'd made with her parents and becoming utterly consumed by the driving forces behind the attack. The little that she was able to uncover suggested gang involvement, their actions allowed by a corrupt Chief of Police paid to allow it. She became restless, entirely fixed on the culprits and the events that led up to her father's death, only to end up exactly where she began, with more questions than answers. Today, she's no less set on uncovering the truth, but knows truth is something not always acquired by sanctified means.

*SPARKNOTES:

Sage lives in a two-story converted warehouse in Bermondsey with her two cats, Gaspard and Delilah. Both levels are entirely open-floor spaces, which comes in handy when she’s working on a new film: the entirety of the lower floor becomes submerged in the projects aesthetics to further her creative process, while the upper, containing her studio and bedroom, remains relatively untouched. Naturally, the lower floor lends itself perfectly to wrap parties for one last hurrah in the world of the film.

Though she’s had several independent darlings and has started her foray into mainstream work, the film she’s proudest of is the one least known by the public: Dream Sequence. It was in this film that she not only tested her limitations at the time and pushed the boundaries of conventional student theses, but also first experienced the therapeutic aspect of working behind the camera that she’s since come to love. With each film, she attempts to recapture this feeling — and does to a certain extent, if only colored by different lenses — but it’s never quite the same.

Notable works (irl film insps noted, bc my brain doesn't work well enough to make imaginary films lmao): the semi-autobiographic short Dream Sequence (based on Madeline’s Madeline); the folk-horror feature The May Queen (based on Midsommar); the semi-autobiographic drama Pieta, a passion / therapy project to help her process her father's death.

I left it intentionally unclear in the bio bc I haven't fully fleshed out the idea, but I do picture her mother having had some kind of criminal connection that partially fueled the attack at the campaign launch. (more on this as a wc below!)

*WANTED.

*THE BODYGUARD » With the increased spotlight on her after her first mainstream film, she’s received an increased amount of bigoted threats. The threats in and of themselves aren’t new, given her public presence since the age of 16, but since the incident at her mother’s campaign launch, Sage has given into her parents’ request and hired a security officer who’s with her just about 24/7. This connect is very much as it says on the tin, but I’d definitely love to play around with her security being affiliated with one of the gangs to add in a little bit of spice!

*DOWN THE RABBIT HOLE » There’s something a bit Alice-like about Sage’s curiosity; it knows few bounds, and so has often led her to the more interesting sides of the city. This curiosity is what has drawn her to her most recent endeavor of exposing a corrupt Police Chief, something she’s approached with much fervor — too much to some, but, to others, something to be taken advantage of eagerly. To put it simply, this connect is for someone who sees her commitment to exploring the darker sides of the city as an utter opportunity.

*THE JO TO HER TEDDY » It’d be easy to type Sage as more of a ‘Jo March’ than a ‘Teddy Lawrence,’ but in addition to those characters’ shared daring, creativity, and principled natures, Sage shares more of the artistic and dreamerlike sensibilities of the latter Alcott character. It’s this aspect of Sage’s nature that I believe lends really well to a connect similar to Jo and Teddy’s; specifically, this connect is for a character who’s been in her life for years now, who’s seen her through all different sorts of things, and is someone to whom she’s felt romantically drawn. Whether this romance is a fresh and new development, or one that’s older and unrequited is entirely to be plotted! I definitely want to play the direction of this based on chemistry, so nothing is set in stone.

*BIRDS OF A FEATHER » Think Baumbach and Gerwig, Burton and Elfman, Scorsese and Di Caprio — famous writer/directors and their frequent creative collaborators. This is for a connect that’s as much of a muse to Sage as they are a fellow maker: someone who certainly inspires her, but is also a confidante and collaborator.

*PRIVATE EYES » As resourceful and connected as she might be, Sage definitely relies on one or two people for the kind of research necessary to make investigative documentaries and realistic dramas. This connect doesn't necessarily have to be strictly a private detective; in fact, I envision more so to be anyone from any background who offers their specialities / knowledge in exchange for something they want of Sage — all tbd and plotted out!

*ALL ABOUT EVE » This connect exists somewhere in between stalker, fan, and envier in relation to Sage. I can see this connect stemming from several different jumping off points, so it would really just depend on what your own character’s backstory was. To name a few ideas: perhaps they’re a former classmate, an avid fan, or someone who’d hoped to take her on as their mentor, but she kept blowing them off not realizing how much it upset them. I don’t see Sage as someone who goes out of her way to hurt people, but I can definitely see her being oblivious to others’ reactions at times.

*MOMMIE'S DEAREST » I left if intentionally unclear, but I do picture her mother to have some kind of criminal connection to one (possibly even both?) of the gangs. While her mother is most definitely a wanted connection, I also would love to explore criminals connected to this wc who know more about Sage than she knows about them — sort of like the distant relatives who come out of the blue when something's gone wrong, etc. I imagine this connect to skew a bit older, but we can totally work out anything!

*UNDEFINED PLOTS.

fellow art heaux

enfants terribles (akin to the above, but maybe with a more activist / political lean)

fwbs and the like (strange bedfellows, opposites attracting, etc.)

former classmates / professors (might have a specific plot forming for a former professor)

criminal influences

family connects (i picture the sheridans as a big family, so i'm down for whatever!)

politicos (associated with her parents or otherwise)

therapy / support group / mentor, etc.

family members

anything and everything!

[weeklyinfo]

Know All About Kiara Advani: A Rising Star Of Bollywood

Kiara Advani, born Alia Advani on July 31, 1992, in Mumbai, India, has emerged as one of Bollywood's most promising and sought-after actresses in recent years. With her captivating screen presence, versatility in roles, and a string of successful films, Kiara has become a household name and a favorite among audiences.

Kiara's journey in the world of entertainment began with a modest start. She made her Bollywood debut in 2014 with the film "Fugly," where she played one of the lead roles. Although the film didn't create waves at the box office, it marked Kiara's entry into the glamorous realm of Indian cinema. It was only a matter of time before she would make a lasting impact.

The turning point in Kiara's career came with her participation in the Netflix anthology film "Lust Stories" in 2018. Directed by Karan Johar, the film comprised four short stories exploring different facets of love and relationships. Kiara featured in one of the segments, portraying a nuanced character that showcased her acting prowess. The anthology garnered critical acclaim, and Kiara's performance was singled out for praise, setting the stage for her ascent in the industry.

However, it was the 2019 film "Kabir Singh" that truly catapulted Kiara into the limelight. Starring alongside Shahid Kapoor, Kiara played the female lead in this intense romantic drama. The film, a remake of the Telugu hit "Arjun Reddy," became a massive commercial success and garnered mixed reviews from critics. Kiara's portrayal of Preeti Sikka, a character caught in a tumultuous love story, received both accolades and some criticism. Nevertheless, "Kabir Singh" firmly established Kiara as a bankable actress, and she became a familiar face to a wider audience.

Post "Kabir Singh," Kiara's career witnessed a remarkable surge, with her featuring in a series of successful films across genres. In the same year, she appeared in the ensemble cast of "Good Newwz," a comedy-drama that dealt with the subject of in-vitro fertilization. The film not only performed well at the box office but also showcased Kiara's ability to seamlessly transition between different genres.

In 2020, despite the challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic, Kiara continued to make her mark in the industry. She starred in the film "Guilty," a Netflix original that addressed pertinent social issues, earning praise for her portrayal of a complex character. Additionally, she was seen in "Laxmii," a horror-comedy featuring Akshay Kumar, and "Indoo Ki Jawani," a coming-of-age comedy where she played the titular role.

Kiara's success is not limited to the silver screen; she has also become a sought-after celebrity endorser for various brands. Her style and fashion sense have earned her a place among the trendsetters in the Indian entertainment industry. Whether gracing the red carpet or endorsing products, Kiara's charisma and elegance have made her a favorite among fans and the media alike.

Beyond her professional achievements, Kiara has managed to maintain a relatively private personal life. In an industry often characterized by intense scrutiny, she has struck a balance between stardom and maintaining a low profile. This ability to navigate the complexities of fame speaks volumes about her grounded nature and focus on her craft.

Her journey from a debutante in "Fugly" to a leading actress in successful films reflects not only her talent but also her resilience and dedication to her craft. In a constantly evolving industry, Kiara Advani stands as a testament to the power of talent and hard work in carving a niche and leaving an indelible mark on the hearts of audiences worldwide.

Kiara Advani and Sidharth Malhotra are one of the most loved B-town couples. Siddharth Malhotra and Kiara Advani was get married in 2023, wedding took place on February 7 in Jaisalmer's Suryagarh Palace. Sidharth and Kiara shared their romantic and candid pictures from the wedding on their Instagram handles.7 Feb 2023.

FAQs

1. What is the real name of Kiara Advani?

Bollywood actress Kiara Advani's real name is Alia Advani.

2. Who is the husband of Kiara Advani?

Siddharth Malhotra and Kiara Advani are get married in 2023

3. Kiara Advani Date Of Birth ?

Kiara Advani, born Alia Advani on July 31, 1992, in Mumbai, India

4. Kiara Advani mother & father name?

Jagdeep Advani, Genevieve Advani

5. What is the age & height of Kiara Advani?

Kiara Advani's age is 31 as of 2023. She was born on the 31st of July. Kiara was born in the year 1992. Kiara Advani's height in feet is 5 feet 5 Inches.

6. Kiara Advani Best Movies List

1. Kabir Singh (2019) · 2. Shershaah (2021) · 3. War 2 (2025) · 4. Koffee with Karan (2004– ) · 5. Satyaprem Ki Katha (2023) · 6. M.S. Dhoni: The Untold Story (2016).

7. Which is the first movie of Kiara Advani?

Kiara Advani marked her debut in movies with Fugly in 2014.

About Kiara Advani

Born: 31 July 1992 (age 31 years), Mumbai

Spouse: Sidharth Malhotra (married 2023)

Parents: Jagdeep Advani, Genevieve Advani

Height: 1.57 m

Siblings: Mishaal Advani

Aunt: Shaheen Jaffrey

To Know more Such information visit - Weekly Info

[nerdarena2]

The Evolution of the Joker: From Comic Villain to Cinematic Icon!!

Few characters in pop culture history have had the same impact as the Joker. Known as the Clown Prince of Crime, this enigmatic villain has captivated audiences for decades, evolving from a mischievous comic book villain into one of the most iconic and complex characters in cinematic history. Whether you're a fan of his early comic appearances or the gripping portrayals by legendary actors, the Joker’s evolution is a testament to his status as one of the greatest villains ever created. In this exploration, we delve into the Joker's journey from comic book pages to the big screen, where he continues to haunt Gotham and the world of pop culture.

The Birth of a Villain: Joker’s Comic Book Origins : The Joker made his first appearance in Batman #1 in 1940, just a year after Batman's debut. Created by Bill Finger, Bob Kane, and Jerry Robinson, the Joker was originally envisioned as a deranged criminal mastermind with a signature look: green hair, chalk-white skin, and a ghastly red grin. Inspired by the imagery of the 1928 film The Man Who Laughs, the Joker was intended to be a one-off villain, but his instant popularity with fans secured his place as Batman’s arch-nemesis. Early Joker stories in the comics showcased him as a cunning, lethal criminal, a stark contrast to the more whimsical and quirky villains of the time. His unpredictability, combined with his twisted sense of humor, made him stand out in Gotham’s criminal underworld. In the Golden and Silver Ages of comics, the Joker was a figure of pure chaos, unhinged and ready to challenge the Dark Knight at every turn.

The Shift to a More Comedic Tone : As comic books became subject to censorship and began to shift toward more child-friendly narratives in the 1950s and 1960s, the Joker's character underwent a transformation. During this period, his violent and menacing persona gave way to a more comedic and slapstick villain. The Joker was no longer the homicidal criminal, but rather a prankster who engaged in elaborate heists and outlandish schemes to outwit Batman. This version of the Joker was famously portrayed by Cesar Romero in the 1966 Batman television series, starring Adam West. Romero’s Joker was campy, fun, and always laughing—a far cry from the deadly mastermind of the early comics. While this portrayal entertained audiences and became iconic in its own right, it wasn’t until the 1970s that the Joker would return to his darker roots.

The Dark Knight’s Nemesis: The Joker’s Return to Villainy : The 1970s marked a significant turning point for the Joker as comic writers like Dennis O'Neil and Neal Adams sought to restore the character to his original, terrifying form. In Batman #251 (1973), titled The Joker’s Five-Way Revenge, the Joker once again became a homicidal maniac, dispatching his former henchmen in gruesome ways. This issue re-established the Joker as an unpredictable and dangerous foe, rekindling his menacing rivalry with Batman. The Joker’s darker tone was further solidified in 1988’s The Killing Joke, written by Alan Moore. This graphic novel delved deep into the Joker’s psyche, exploring his possible origin story as a failed comedian who was driven insane by a series of tragic events. The Killing Joke introduced the concept that the Joker’s madness was born out of one bad day, turning him into the embodiment of chaos. It also marked a pivotal moment in comic book history when the Joker infamously paralyzed Barbara Gordon (Batgirl), showcasing the extent of his cruelty.

The Joker’s evolution from a mischievous comic book villain to a complex cinematic icon is a testament to the character’s versatility and impact on pop culture. With each new portrayal, the Joker continues to challenge audiences, pushing the boundaries of what makes a villain compelling. As he continues to evolve, one thing remains clear—the Joker will forever be one of the greatest and most unforgettable characters ever created.

Transition Of Joker In Movies:

Below are some of the prime transitions in terms of look for joker you should keep it in at your shelf & work station :

Arkham City - Joker :

Unleash the chaos of Gotham with the McFarlane DC Gaming Batman Arkham City The Joker Action Figure, available at NerdArena! This highly detailed 7-inch figure brings the iconic Joker from the Batman: Arkham City video game to life, featuring incredible articulation and lifelike sculpting. Complete with his signature accessories, this Joker action figure is a must-have for fans of the Arkham series and collectors alike. Add this menacing villain to your collection today and relive the epic battles between Batman and the Clown Prince of Crime! If you are a joker fan and you wish to purchase these dc action figures then you can find them at dc action figures.

The Dark Knight - Joker :

Bring home the menacing presence of Gotham’s greatest villain with the Diamond Select DC Gallery The Dark Knight Joker Figure, available at NerdArena! This beautifully detailed figure captures Heath Ledger’s iconic portrayal of the Joker from The Dark Knight, showcasing his sinister grin and chaotic energy. Standing tall and sculpted with incredible precision, this figure is a must-have for collectors and fans of the Dark Knight trilogy. Add this masterpiece to your collection today and celebrate one of the most unforgettable performances in cinematic history! If you are a joker fan and you wish to purchase these dc action figures then you can find them at dc action figures.

Apart from the above marvel figuirines, dc action figures or dc superhero merchandies, there are many other action figures you can explore. If you are looking out for such action figures then Nerd Arena is a one-stop solution for such kinds of action figures. 

To Know More    https://nerdarena.in/blogs/artists-corner/the-evolution-of-the-joker-from-comic-villain-to-cinematic-icon

[crimsonblackrose]

.

Oh man we're already at the all-valley? (That time jump between Johnny and Miguels heart breaking convo and Johnny getting his ass kicked by Silver is too jarring)

Training all year. 🤣 Well Eagle Fang I don't think is a year old, and Devon for sure hasn't been training a year.

Daniel's new fighters are pretty much all Johnny's old fighters....

Damn the comittee went all out on making this an EVENT, we've got smoke, we've got flashing lights, a digital screen, the blue mat...

Amanda standing up to cheer for Daniel. 💖

Anthony I think has always gone to the All-Valley, he was there last year anyway and it doesn't surprise me, he likes watching people fight.

I dunno how I feel about standing ovation for Daniel and Miyagi-do. I mean the public opinion on him at the beginning of the season was rancid. People blamed him and his dojo for Miguel's fall and only the people at the town council meeting got to hear Miguel's fight for the All-Valley to continue. And as far as we know Daniel hasn't really healed the Miyagi-do reputation yet.

Like the board knows Daniel, the general audience might know him because of his car commercials but I don't quite get the standing ovation.

I... "This last dojo took last years title" does that count if the sensei that accomplished that and the student that accomplished that left/were kicked out?

Like honestly surprised because Robby Keene is with the cobras they don't get boo'd.

Again how can they be defending champions if their sensei and champion are gone? Shouldn't Eagle fang be teh defending champions?

I do say I like the red.

"This dojo is making their all-valley debut" I mean is it? I'd say at least have the students you've introduced were Johnny's and either got poached by Kreese, or kicked out by Kreese, or because of Hawk's bullying/actions left for Miyagi-do. (Which is wild because those kids are now on the same team as Hawk!!!!! LIKE Y'ALL REALIZE YOU LEFT BECAUSE OF HIM?! It wasn't because of Johnny it was because Hawk was bullying them and then defaced the Miyagi-do dojo that they left...we're just not going to even discuss that beyond once are we huh?)

The way Johnny has ducttaped his own equipment together because he doesn't have any rich kid students any more is just so...resourceful.

look at these kids using cinder-blocks as weights. On the one hand dangerous, on the other hand, they're being ingenious and resourceful. Since Kreese stole of Johnny's hard earned equipment. At least the kids probably think it's badass.

Like there's something really heart breaking seeing how Johnny had established his space and his stuff for his students, and no sooner had he gotten the new equipment he'd been saving up for Tommy dies and Kreese takes over.

Anyone other than Johnny would've probably tried to sue and get at least their stuff back.

Also "new dojo" feels so rude. Like I get Eagle Fang is new, but it's not. At this point Johnny's taught most of the kids on this stage. And you'd think people especially our die-hard council for the all-valley would be like wait what the fuck? Why is Johnny and his champion now under Eagle Fang and why did those guys who were listed on the ban, Silver and Kreese suddenly turn in the paperwork for Cobra Kai?

You would think Daniel would've returned and been like yo, you gotta not let Cobra Kai compete anymore, Johnny was fine but these two are the reason Cobra Kai was banned in the first place. But nope. Daniel said Johnny Lawrence was the worst of them all so now Kreese and Silver get a free pass they didn't earn to a tournament they were literally banned from.

Johnny is literally making due with what he can find, and a lot of duct tape.

This is literally so heart breaking

Devon is on a skate board and what looks like a bag of concrete.

Miggy is jumping rope with a literal chain.

None of the other students are even on par with these kids and the making due.

I bet Johnny saved every cent of the kids dues for those gi's, and they're cute, look at the red stripe through their black belts.

Aww Johnny got some standing ovation.

Johnny looking at Daniel who looks away from him really fast and then Silver whose just sort of laughing to himself like yes I kicked your ass, and Kreese before like rolling his eyes to the ceiling.

What this makes me realize is that Johnny had to take care of himself after Kreese beat him up. Miguel got him to bed but that's about it. And it never gets brought up again beyond "That old man can kick" which Miguel doesn't understand. 💔😭

I love that Darryl like is so into it. And he's such a good host even if he doesn't have all the facts and is somewhat biased with Daniel because they know each other so well.

Bud no, you were a bundle of nerves and didn't know what the hell was happening and just sort of got shoved in blindly with only Ali as your guide to what happens at a tournament.

Miguel still looks so sad.

He looks soo sad. Also who are those other guys? I swear they just swap out background students all the time.

Also the "if we lose our dojo closes for good." is too much pressure to put on all these kids.

Apparently Johnny's junior prom was a shitshow.

He thinks it's about Sam, but it's not just about Sam it's about Robby and Johnny but Johnny doesn't remember that because he got kicked in the head so hard his ears were ringing and I'm like 80% sure was concussed.

All the sleeveless gi's Johnny's been missing went to Cobra Kai students. All of them have sleeveless gi's.

"I have had students with all the talent in the world squander their moment. Don't let history repeat itself. Do not let your emotions cloud your judgement." Kreese is talking about Johnny here isn't he?

Demetri and his kamas, and just want to point out that Daniel's hatchimaki design is part of the miyagi-do gi's it's under the black belt on the right.

Why are the panel of judges behind everyone. Generally they're on the low level in front of the audience so everyone is looking at people from the same-ish angle.

Devon's doing board breaking with all of eagle fang holding boards for her.

Eagle fangs have these little beaks on their sleeves:

OOOh CHRIS

A couple things on this. One huge kudos to Chris. The only other person we've seen do this is Johnny. Twice. We haven't seen anyone else break cinder blocks before. (Though in the second part Kyler does it with his head)

Johnny did this at the valley fest and for his own training to prep to fight Daniel. He did not have his students do this. And while it's badass that Chris is doing it, he didn't witness Johnny doing this, not from Cobra Kai (under Johnny at the time) or Miyagi-do (students were only Sam and Robby). Unless of course he was the intake from the crowd after the Valley Fest, which I don't remember. But that means this is...to an extent, Daniel's revenge? I mean it's a cobra kai move/Johnny move. Like if it was a Daniel/Miyagi-do move for badass points Daniel would've taught Chris how to do the ice breaking.

Like there's a chance that Johnny taught them this, but it wouldn't make sense that he taught the Miyagi-do's this and not the Eagle Fangs. It'd make sense that Devon whose new wouldn't be doing this, but one of the older Eagle Fangs, like Mitch could've. But again this doesn't look like something Daniel would teach or have thought of.

Though it is cool that Chris who loves wrestling which is a showmanship performance got to do something so badass.

It looks like Nate and Miguel might be doing kata? And maybe one of the other background Eagle fangs???? I don't know if it's kata but it kinda seems like it.

Kenny's also breaking boards. (Note no cinder blocks, so once again that's a Johnny thing not a cobra kai thing)

Nate blows a kiss to the crowd, adorable.

I kinda like the digital board

Sam and her sai's, she should study those with Chozen. It's kinda interesting that the writers decided to add the skills competition pre-Chozen in the US.

Mitch has a bo staff

Tory has a sword

I guess Robby is also doing kata?

I don't know what else all the fighting moves and flips without an opponent would be called based off the original list the All-Valley sent out.

The snik sounds of the sword slicing through the air, is hilarious, they don't make that sound. Not when just being waved through the air.

All four of your dad's are so proud dude. SIlver and Johnny looked happy for you.

Hawk didn't break the high board that Nate held with his eyes shut.

Mitch accidentally threw his bo staff at the judges and literally ran off stage.

Ohhh okay, Kyler's also doing the cinder blocks with his head.

Kyler's head going straight through those cinder blocks, ow

Aw Devon missed a board too. But she started what, a few weeks ago? Huge kudos to her.

I do kind of hate the edit that shows Devon kicking ass in the first set only to fail in the second. Like why break hers up like that? She's the only one from the first round to also be in the second. I assume just because there's not enough Eagle fangs. Though they could've shown Bert doing something.

Devon is the perfect bridge between nerd talk and Johnny badass talk. Literally going from math to realizing math just doesn't work with Johnny and changing gears to what does.

Sue is the lady on the board. Everyone is pumped about the skills challenge except for Ron, who also botched up the contract for the parking garage.

The musical interlude of Carrie Underwood is so weird. Like it's not the first time they've had a performer on, but Johnny literally took Miguel to a concert. This though... is just like a half time show like the superbowl or something.

Ron ( a dentist) is her husband's dentist.

I...Do you think this was a netflix idea or do you think she wanted to be on the show?

Bert looking back at Johnny like I got this, and then actually getting it. Proud of him. For Johnny's students that have been his this whole time, the growth is impressive.

Though I feel like since for three dojo's most of the kids are his, he's gotta be so proud of all of them. Even if he feels a little betrayed.

Another thing that the All-valley should credit is that Johnny's dojo and Aisha were the first team with a girl on it and the first girl competitor. So I wonder how many other teams got girls to sign up after that All-valley or like eagle fang started scrambling for new girl students after the announcement went out?

ah spoke too soon, Bert goes flying. But still his opponent is freaking huge.

Devon and Johnny have a secret/special handshake. 🥺💖

Kyler using miyagi-do against Chris. Kenny using the drum technique against Nate.

Kenny and Robby's secret hand shake includes make a snake with their arms and the way they hold their hands, it's cute.

Poor Eagle fang only Miguel and Devon made it.

Piper's last name is Elswith (she and Tory made it to the finals)

Miguel is distracted, looking out in the crowd. And some of his focus is on Robby during his fights with others.

Which, Johnny usually is good at catching but I think the amount at stake here and the amount going on he hasn't quite caught or he's blamed it on Sam and Miguel's after prom fight. Because Miguel never brought up finding Johnny passed out on his floor again and mistaking him for Robby.

To an extent the only one truly focused from Eagle Fang is Devon.

Johnny is right, Tory hits Devon while out of bounds. It shouldn't count. And Silver just grins. Which is our first clue that he's paid off the judges. But because it's Johnny whose bringing it up....it's ignored.

What's wild is that Daniel should know that Terry's done this before, or at least assumed so or learned of it after joining the all-valley board, yet it doesn't even cross his mind that everything is rigged. Again

Even though in this moment Eagle Fang has pretty much lost all hope because they're in 6th and even if Miguel wins first they probably won't get the championship Johnny still gives a pep talk

But Devon continues to pleasantly surprise Johnny and everyone I think.

Like Miguel's been distracted this whole time but look at that proud smile.

What I think is interesting is, the first time I saw this I thought Johnny was unfairly putting a ton of pressure on Miguel. Because it is a lot of fucking pressure, but instead he's just trying to remain positive. Devon says if the right people get eliminated and Miguel wins then they've got a chance and Johnny lots at Miguel and smiles and softly says 'a good chance.'

So I don't think theres a ton of pressure on Miguel yet.

Robby you're wrong. Johnny doesn't think his way is the only way, he just keeps getting shoved away from teh table and has to keep crawling his way back. He's accepted Miyagi-do, and he knows Cobra Kai and wanted his version to be just a smidge kinder. He's trying to be someone unlike Sid, his own father or Kreese and he's doing a rather good job. Daniel though does 100% believe his way is the only way at least when Cobra Kai and Johnny exist.

I'm honestly surprised anyone let Daniel talk to Robby. Yes he's his ex-sensei but in the last all-valley the staff kept telling Johnny to go back to his side with his students and stay away from Robby.

That was during a fight, but still. You'd think it'd be considered unsportsmanlike. Essentially getting in a players head.

Demetri's shock that he won and made it that far. See kid? You're doing great.

Moons pep talk to Hawk, While helpful and probably a turning point for him I'm again surprised she was allowed to go up and talk to him. I mean in TKK1 they almost didn't let Ali join and they definitely kicked Lucille out and back to the stands when she tried to wish Daniel luck. Let alone the fact Moon can just kiss him beside the mat.

It is kinda nice that Eli is competing as himself and not Hawk. I think he needed that chance at being just him and not his alter ego.

Century seems to be a brand I'm noticing a lot, they're the ones who made the Miyagi-do gi's. It's on the back of Hawk's collar. His confidence and his jump up on the mat. Good for him. Still other than Demetri being on the team, no clue why he's on Miyagi-do at all.

Three kicks to Kyler and won, real fast. Johnny I bet is so proud. I don't think (or at least they don't show) Kyler getting a hit on Eli.

I love that yaya gets high before each of these and she bought herself nachos because of the munchies.

Sam vs Piper

I don't know if Daniel's 'you got this sam just like we practiced' helps sam at all or throws her off a little.

Piper kicks Sam in the face

I like how the camera person subtly pans from just showing Sam with Daniel and Miyagi-do in the background to Johnny also right behind Sam, standing and watching.

there's some symbolism in that shot.

And she immediatly turns around to look at both of them and Johnny even gives her a nod. She might not be his student on his team, but he's still got her back and she's still one of his students.

Which I think means, truly other than random blackground unnamed kids, all the students are Johnny's.

Piper's shocked face when Sam changes to Johnny's like revving up pre-fight/move bounce and then starts striking first with kicks a la Johnny.

Daniel even looks surprised, which he shouldn't, because according to Sam she got permission from him/told him she'd learn both styles.

Sam chases her to the end of the mat and Piper has to block all of them until Sam kicks her in the shoulder, and then in the next point kicks her in the face.

Daniel does not look happy. Sam did you lie to Johnny?

Johnny's standing on the court-side clapping eyes not leaving Sam's fight while Daniel's looking around and watching Johnny.

Daniel's face on Sam's win:

Johnny's face on Sam's win:

Daniel asking how Sam picked up so much makes me think that Sam lied to Johnny. Or at least didn't fully tell Daniel she was studying with Johnny.

Robby literally told this to Daniel's face that he believes this and Daniel confirms it:

Like Daniel, how on earth did you sit on the all-valley committee for years with this mindset because you sir are the only one prior to the start of this show in the valley who knows miyagi-do and is apart of the all-valley. Have you literally sat there year after year and said to Amanda, they're not winning the right way, they're not doing this right because they're not using Miyagi-do? I somehow doubt that. And it was Cobra Kai that was wrong right? This isn't Cobra Kai, it's Eagle Fang, and yet it's still wrong. Or is it wrong because it's Johnny? The mental gymnastics you're doing is throwing me, because it's literally just Johnny and Cobra Kai, not any of the other dojo's who I doubt are doing the defense only thing. Because could you imagine? The All-Valley where two defense only dojos go up against one another? They'd just circle each other the whole game until no one hit, struck, or got a point.

Mr. Miyagi said something about how Daniel's karate didn't have to be 100% Mr. Miyagi's, just the root of it was, but Daniel himself had strong roots, and his best karate would be his own. Which is what Sam here is going for, what most of the kids are going for. But for some reason Daniel's fighting tooth and nail against it.

Robby would never want to hear this, at least not right now, but the only sensei he's acting like is Johnny. This is the kind of pep talk Johnny gives, because even though the stake of their dojo is on the line Johnny's still cheering the kids on. And has since the first one.

There's so many random little things that are so Robby and Johnny. This and the fact they both keep losing everything and pick themselves up and start over. They're determined fighters who don't give up. Robby loses his home because his mother thought her boyfriend would pay and he didn't, and we never see him getting his stuff.

Maybe Daniel put it in storage somewhere? But I doubt it. Which means everything his family has had is gone. Then he lives with Daniel, and loses that home and all his stuff. again. But he keeps going. He goes to Cobra Kai, lives there, starts over again. He keeps taking care of himself, picking himself up, and learning a new karate under a new teacher, just trusting each a little less then the last one, while the world is never stable under his feet. Maybe it is now with Shannon back but who knows.

Johnny meanwhile keeps losing his dojo and space with teh kids. All the equipment, all his students, he just loses everything over and over again but keeps picking himself up and trying again and making do with what he can.

Kenny calling Robby an old man an Robby calling him a wiseass and telling him his brother would be proud.

Also....don't you have to be a brown and black belt to compete here? How did Kenny and Devon get there so fast?

Kenny got Silver and Robby got Kreese. I wonder how that worked when Johnny had to fight against Tommy and Bobby, ect when they just had Kreese????

Johnny trying to figure out what Kreese just told Robby and Miguel's like trademark tired face.

They gave Robby gel, maybe Kyler did it since his hair is similarly gelled back.

Which is better than him getting it in his face all the time like he did back when he was in Miyagi-do. I get that the 'hair back/slicked hair' is like the shows way of denoting villains, but it's so much more logical then how much it kept getting in Robby's face.

I also like that all the Cobra's have personalized gi's, over their little fist patches their name is part of the patch. Not even last name, first.

Oof Robby kicking Kenny in the face then a punch to the chest.

The no point kicks Robby is doing, which included a kick to Kenny's butt is too close to Mike Barnes's toying with Daniel to drag out the match to torture Daniel for comfort.

Robby that kick to Kenny's head was too hard.

And the whole crowd goes ooh and flinches.

Which is wild for a Valley crowd. They love blood and have since the 80s. The only time they ooh and flinch is like when a true true underdog gets hurt, which was Daniel in the 80's and Kenny now. Because all the other kicks to the head/face they have not done that for since the 80s either.

Kenny grabbing his nose and running off the mat, nearly in tears. 😭

Johnny's little head shake of like no, no

While Robby looks confused like he was too focused in the match to remember what all he'd done.

Tory rushing to intercept Robby to tell him to let Kenny cool off and make sure he's okay himself.

Miguel smiling at Daniel and talking to him friendly before the match.

Johnny, rightly asking if Daniel's trying to soften him up before the match since he does occasionally try and get in students heads, i.e. Robby earlier.

[haruwrites21]

Aishwarya Rai Bachchan: The Timeless Beauty and her Iconic Roles in Bollywood

Aishwarya Rai Bachchan, often hailed as the most beautiful woman in the world, needs no introduction. Her striking beauty coupled with her exemplary talent has made her a legend in the Indian film industry. An epitome of grace, poise, and elegance, Aishwarya has left an indelible mark on Bollywood with her varied roles clad with memorable performances.

Starting her journey as a model, Aishwarya first burst onto the national scene when she won the Miss India title in 1994. However, the beauty queen didn't stop there, she went on to conquer the international stage by bringing home the coveted Miss World crown in the same year, making India incredibly proud.

Taking the leap to the silver screen, Aishwarya made her Bollywood debut with 'Aur Pyaar Ho Gaya,' in 1997. Although the film did not see much commercial success, it gave a glimpse of Rai's potential. It was in 1999, with Sanjay Leela Bhansali's 'Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam,' she proved her prowess as an actor. Her poignant portrayal of a heartbroken woman catapulted her to Bollywood stardom, fetching her first Filmfare Award for Best Actress.

However, Aishwarya did not restrict herself to conventional roles. From acting in offbeat films like 'Raincoat', a poignant tale of unfulfilled dreams and lost love, to 'Provoked,' where she played a domestic violence survivor fighting for justice – she proved her versatility time and again.

Her powerful performance of Jodhaa in 'Jodhaa Akbar' (2008) was widely acclaimed. Her chemistry with Hrithik Roshan along with her regal demeanor and strong character portrayal as the Rajput queen mesmerized audiences worldwide, further cementing her position in the industry.

Perhaps, one of her most memorable roles was as the gorgeous courtesan Paro in 'Devdas,' where she delivered a performance of a lifetime. Her onscreen chemistry with Shah Rukh Khan and the emotional depth that she brought to her character was highly praised and garnered her a Filmfare Award for Best Actress.

Over the years, Aishwarya has also carved an international career with films like 'Bride and Prejudice,' 'The Last Legion,' and 'The Pink Panther 2'. This made her a globally recognized face and brought her the status of a global ambassador for India in the realm of entertainment.

Beyond the roles she portrayed, it's the depth of her characters, the emotions she epitomizes on-screen, and the charm that she brings out naturally, which have etched each of her performances in the minds of her audience. Whether playing the girl next door, a passionate lover, a fierce warrior, or a demure wife, Aishwarya has done justice to every role she has taken on.

Aishwarya Rai Bachchan is proof that beauty and talent can indeed coexist. Even after two decades in the film industry, she continues to captivate audiences with her charm and talent. Her timeless beauty and iconic roles serve as a testament to her legacy in Bollywood and position her as one of its best actresses.

In conclusion, Aishwarya Rai Bachchan is not just an actress, but an institution in herself, continuously setting higher standards for performances in the Indian film industry. Honored with the Padma Shri by the Indian government, Aishwarya Rai Bachchan’s stupendous body of work in Bollywood indeed makes her a timeless icon.

[filmtexts]

Maestro

Okay, I admit that this pun was hard to resist. With his latest film Maestro, writer-producer-director-star Bradley Cooper is back in "the shallow now.” How did he get there?

Flashback to five years ago. The pre-release hype of Cooper’s directorial debut A Star Is Born didn’t pass me by. I had, perhaps as a snap judgement, not placed my the film on my must-see list. First, while acknowledging Bradley Cooper’s respectable work in films such as Silver Linings Playbook and American Hustle, I don’t avidly follow him like other actors whose presence in even otherwise less remarkable movies are a tipping point to watch them.

Secondly, Cooper and Lady Gaga didn’t appear to be a surefire match. Gaga herself didn’t elicit doubt. While not a fan, I can see why her “little monsters” are so devoted and her musical talent and also acting ability (award-winning turn in one full season of American Horror Story) are undisputed. Yet somehow, the Cooper-Gaga pairing seemed neither no-brainer, nor so weird it’s inspired, just a tad calculated.

Lastly, this is the fourth version (third with songs) of showbiz melodrama A Star Is Born, updating the music to cater to the tastes of a contemporary 55+ audience which in its youth preferred The Eagles and Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young to The Ramones and The Clash. (Likely over Young and DEVO, or even Pearl Jam, too.) The previous version in 1976 with Barbra Streisand and Kris Kristofferson begat the chart-topping and Oscar-winning song “Evergreen”. Otherwise, the 1970s take was less successful than George Cukor’s radical 1954 reboot (avant la lettre). He reimagined the acclaimed drama from 1937 as a dazzling Hollywood Golden Age musical. The showstopping numbers (motivated as part of a film or stage show within the film) were Judy Garland’s most iconic performances since Wizard of Oz. And in contrast, “offstage” scenes of the doomed central love affair became even more heartwrenching. This ‘revealed’ the disconnect between dream factory and ‘real life’ while such meta-narratives then became another popular Hollywood trope. Cukor and Garland created a classic. Thus, yet another A Star Is Born seemed like diminishing returns.

Then one day, as fate had it, I needed to kill time during a film trade show and A Star Is Born screening filled the empty slot. Low expectations yielded to surprised, genuine delight. Cooper had pulled off a well-crafted and entertaining film. While it would be silly to say “a star is born” in reference to Gaga, her natural and intelligent performance put her on the table for more acting gigs. (In House of Gucci, she was the saving grace.) And of course, there’s ”Shallow,” perhaps more an evergreen than that earlier song of the same name.

So my expectations had risen by the time I first heard about Cooper’s next outing as director-producer-writer-star: Maestro, a biopic about Leonard Bernstein. The legendary composer and conductor’s work and life are a motherlode: innovations in the stage and screen musical, a new approach to symphonic musical performance, making classical music accessible for young people (and generally less elitist), controversial support of progressive causes and a complex private life. The trailer showcased the film’s bold style, alternating between chiaroscuro black and white and sunny, slightly faded color. It also centered upon a lovely romantic moment: Bernstein and his wife Felicia Montealegre (Carey Mulligan) sitting, first as young lovers, then an older married couple, back to back in a park, trying to guess a number the other is thinking of.

The trailer turned out to be a much more satisfying experience than the film itself, although the focus on the relationship foreshadowed things to come. Maestro’s plot boils down to this: how saintly Felicia put up with Lenny’s infidelity with men, until she didn’t anymore. On The Town? A few shots of dancing extras in sailor suits. West Side Story? Mentioned in passing by Felicia as a Romeo and Juliet update, then a few bars of The Prologue play later in the film. It’s supposed to be some sort of “comment” but feels random. Bernstein’s overall impact on music composition, performance and education? If it all, told, not shown and sidelined by Bernstein feeling intermittantly unfulfilled as a conductor and struggling with a dryspell as a composer.

It is Bernstein’s bisexuality that drives the narrative forward. If handled more skillfully, this could have provided insight into the acceptance of homosexuality during the depicted era and the dynamics of polyamorous relationships. Instead, scenes like Felicia forcing Lenny to lie to their daughter when she asks about persistent rumors are poorly written and have little resonance within the story as a whole. We are left in the dark about Lenny’s obliviousness to Felicia’s pain everytime she becomes aware of a new male lover: does he take his unwavering love of Felicia for granted, regardless of other sexual encounters or is he just a cad? After Felicia’s death, Lenny sternly but fairly critiques a male student’s conducting during rehearsal, then cut to them joyously dancing in a club. This image suggests Lenny can separate work and pleasure (no Tár-like abuse of power here). But does this also imply that Felicia’s absence might have set him free (although he “misses her terribly”)? The exploration of Bernstein’s sexuality remains sketchy.

Maestro also fails to spark any passion or curiosity about Bernstein’s music, something that other deeply flawed biopics at least managed. Instead, much screentime is devoted out to Bernstein getting his head around conducting Gustav Mahler’s "Symphony No. 2 in C Minor." No doubt, this was a milestone of Bernstein’s career. But making this a central setpiece and downplaying his return to composition after the aforementioned personal crisis about being “merely” a conductor doesn’t truly do service to the diverse talents Bernstein craved acknowledgment for.

(Musical) biopics are hard to do really well. Many are jerry-built, held together only by the appeal of the portrayed artist and a chameleon-like lead performance. Bohemian Rhapsody, for example, coasts on the appeal of Freddie Mercury and Queen alone, despite accolades for the weakest elements: Rami Malek’s performance and the inexplicably Oscar-winning editing (this video essay presents a convincing case. The film’s editor John Ottman has since defended himself with the film’s turbulent production history.) The more interesting ones often display unconventional choices. Multiple actors (including Cate Blanchett) played Bob Dylan in Todd Haynes’ I’m Not Here. Judy (Rupert Goold) and Nico ‘88 (Susanna Nicchiarelli) eschewed the sweeping career arc to focus on the respective singers’ final years, not sensationalist, but restoring some dignity. Many other biopics beg the question, why not watch a documentary with footage of the real artist instead?

As it doesn’t want to go the boilerplate biopic route, Maestro is all the more frustrating. There are many ideas floating around. Sadly, they often fall flat. The use of different 35mm black and white and color film stocks and aspect ratios to depict the various time periods has become overused. The black and white scenes of Felicia and Lenny’s early courtship at one point briefly slide into a musical-style dance/dream sequence, but the execution remains half-baked. Using snatches of Bernstein’s compositions to comment the story sounds good on paper. On screen, the fragments are often too short to really register.

Misfire stylistic choices aside, Maestro is handsomely mounted. The cinematography by Matthew Libatique (who also shot A Star Is Born) is gorgeous, not just the aforementioned use of color but also unusual, evocative camera angles. As for the elephant in the room, Bradley Cooper’s mimicry is uncanny, aided (not only) by convincing prosthetics (the “Jewface” accusations are somewhat unfair; cinematic representation will nevertheless generally remain an issue). Carey Mulligan makes the best of a role that devolves from incandescent to long-suffering. Aside from them, other roles like the Bernstein children or Lenny’s male lovers are underwritten. (Comedienne-actress Sarah Silverman is wasted as Lenny's sister.) With a hot mess of a screenplay at the film’s core, the opulent production values cannot conceal that Cooper’s reach exceeds his grasp. Let’s hope he finds his way out of the shallow for film number three.

[michimonie]

Huey, Dewey, and Louie's Chocolate Pie

(Disney Recipes: From Animation to Inspiration)

First Page

"Huey, Dewey, and Louie made their first appearance on the silver screen in the 1938 short movie Donald's Nephews, and what an outrageous debut it was! Surely, Donald's house would never be the same again. What better way to calm things down than with a gorgeous pie, sitting right there on the table, waiting to be eaten? But this only leads to further pranks- the kids spike Donald's slice with spicy hot 'Volcano Mustard!' Luckily, we've decided to leave the hot stuff out of this recipe. Indeed, this pie contains only ingredients that are as pure and simple as Donald's loveable nephews. Feel that comforting sensation rise as your belly is filled with sweet chocolate, and your heart is soothed. After all, 'little children are only angels without wings,' correct?"

"Here, Unca Donald. Do you want some pie?"

---

HOW TO MAKE IT

6 Servings 3 Hours Preparation Time

INGREDIENTS

PIECRUST

1 pound - flour 1/4 cup - salt 8 tablespoons - unsalted butter 5 tablespoons - ice water

FILLING

2 ounces - flour 6 ounces - sugar 2 ounces - unsweetened cocoa powder 1 quart - milk 3 egg yolks 1 teaspoon - water 1 teaspoon - vanilla extract

PIECRUST

Place flour and salt in the bowl of a food processor, and pulse once or twice to combine. Add butter, and pulse on and off until mixture resembles small peas.

Sprinkle in cold water; then pulse 3-4 times until mixture forms a bal. Remove and divide into two pieces. Shape each one into a disk and refrigerate for about 15 minutes.

When cold, roll out each between 2 sheets of waxed paper into 10-inch circles, and place back in the refrigerator (still wrapped in waxed paper) until ready to use. This may be done a day in advance.

FILLING

Mix flour, 5 ounces of sugar, and cocoa powder in a pot; add milk, and place over medium heat, stirring often. When mixture begins to thicken, stir more often to prevent lumps. Continue for 15 to 20 minutes at a medium simmer. Do not cook on high heat.

Remove a ladleful of hot mixture and add to 2 beaten egg yolks. Mix very quickly (this is called tempering).

Add this mixture to the one on the stove. Mix well until it thickens up more, about 3-4 minutes.

Remove to a metal mixing bowl; then place this bowl on top of a bowl of ice, stirring quickly to cool. The result should have a texture of pudding. Keep chilled. Preheat oven to 325 degrees (Fahrenheit).

Line a 9-inch pie pan with one piece of dough, trim off excess, then place in a preheated oven for 10 to 12 minutes. This is called blind baking the shell and is done to cook the bottom of the shell a bit before you put in the wet filling and bake it a second time, thus preventing "raw" dough texture and taste at the bottom of the pan.

Remove the blind-baked shell, allow to cool slightly, then spoon in chocolate filling and cover with the second piece of dough. Trim ends attractively. Steam vents, as used in fruit pies, are not necessary here.

Combine 1 egg yolk and water, brush on upper crust, then sprinkle with remaining 1 ounce of sugar. Bake in preheated oven for about 25 minutes, or until top turns a light golden brown.

Remove and cool completely before serving, or filling will run.

NOTES

For a sweeter pie, ass more sugar to filling.

MENU IDEAS

A perfect alternative to a birthday cake after someone's favorite meal.

SERVING SUGGESTIONS

A dab of vanilla-flavored whipped cream and a sprinkle of your favorite crumbled candy bar for the extra crunch take this pie to a whole new level.

WHAT CHILDREN CAN DO

Little hands can stir the bowl of chocolate pudding over ice; they can also brush the top of the pie shell with the egg mixture and sprinkle it with sugar.

VARIATIONS

This dessert can be made with the same amount of chopped bittersweet chocolate for a more intense chocolate flavor. For a more adult-style pie, spread 2 ounces melted raspberry preserves over filling before covering with upper layer of crust.

Disney Recipe Poll Round 4

Previous Poll

Recipe List