#nice and refreshing after watching all those hollywood movies

[videoworm]

omg if someone had told me that Posession 1981 is a french/german STASI horror movie i wouldve already watched it months ago

[sparkliingdust]

I liked Venom The Last Dance like sue me lol

And, I'll be the first to say,it's not perfect. The movie was definitely unbalanced. The script was giving very early 2000s comic book movie - clunky exposition and cheesy supporting characters, and a couple of red herrings that once again or may or may not show up later if Sony wants to cash in with Marvel. There was some odds and ends going on that needed to be smoothed out.

But, I think Tom came through. Maybe the movies needed to do more than that for the masses, but they were a vehicle for a story he wanted to tell and characters he loved, so I think it's fitting that he made these work as best as possible. He's given one of the best physical comedic roles we've had in general since the first movie, and it's kind of sad that a lot of people have missed out on that.

And, like how cool is it that Kelly Marcel went from co-writing the first movie, to writing the second (which no offense Andy Serkis totally butchered as the director) to become the director and writer. Even though her script was clunky at times, she handled the front end of things very well - some of the cinematography and slowed down moments were really gorgeous that some of the highest grossing CBMs can't come up with. It was nice to watch action scenes that weren't all over the place, and had decent pacing between the different subplots (the Rhys Ifans one took up too much time though - that's where most of the script is too clunky). I would like to see her direct something else but we know how Hollywood works blacklisting female directors after getting one shot, and men are given like 30 chances, so :/

Maybe it's about picking the lesser of two evils at this point and that's sad for this genre. But, the thing is - I'm always going to be a movie goer that will see the positive side of movies that aren't received well because at least they're trying to do something different from the copy and paste corporate content. Marvel keeps getting chance after chance after chance to waste billions of dollars to put out one good thing for every four mediocre or bad things, and then uses those bad things to advertise more movies down the road that we have to wait and see if they can even deliver something good. Like, it's gotten out of control.

Which like - Tom and Kelly said fuck the multi-verse in the first five minutes. That is what Deadpool vs Wolverine failed to do - that movie was just Ryan Reynolds hitting you over the head with 'look what we can do now that we got Disney owning Fox' and people were convinced it was just some clever meta twist. It wasn't. It was lazy and unimaginative with overwrought cameos to temporarily go viral. The sooner more people accept that, the better we'll be as a nation I swear lol

I don't know, I also just thought it was fun in general. I always looked forward to these coming out, mainly for Tom Hardy and Venom, so to see that not continue anymore (??) really sucks. It was a nice harmless fun break from all of the other action movies that take themselves so seriously now. But it was a good run, and hopefully Tom and Kelly run as fast and far as possible if Feige comes around because this was finally a trilogy that for the most part existed on its own, and that in itself (even the ending that's making me piece my soul back together) was refreshing. I'm gonna miss these movies, they were the quirkiest escape every couple years.

[imaginesforjohnnydepp]

Summer ‘97 (Johnny Depp x fem reader)

based on summer by the carters. listen to the song here

@kittenlittle24  @evelynrosestuff

You and Johnny laid back on lounge chairs, watching the summer sky go from pink to orange, the both of you with a bottle of Corona but neither of you drunk, only a slight buzz. Your two kids, John Christopher, or Three as everyone called him, and Camille, who are five and one respectfully, were in their room sound asleep. They’d be up again in a few hours but for now the two of you were enjoying the quietness, save for the seagulls. “Can you believe this is our life? Married, two kids, a big house? And getting to do stuff like this?” Johnny asked you, leaning on his forearms. No, you couldn’t believe it. 

You just celebrated your fifth wedding anniversary and already you have two adorable kids, a house in the Hollywood Hills, and enough money to where you don’t have to worry about where the next meal is coming from, or if you’ll have enough money to keep the lights on. It’s a privileged life, one you never thought you could have, and you voiced those thoughts out loud. “I still can’t believe it. All of the rich kids I went to school with had vacations and lives just like this. Traveling the world every summer, expensive toys and clothes. Todd, Joan and I got our clothes and toys from garage sales and thrift stores,” you reminisced. Oftentimes, you and your sister would share a wardrobe and your brother’s hand-me-downs to save money, which meant you were the perfect target for bullies. You also didn’t have a car until you graduated college, and you got it cheap at the time off your roommate.

Everything is so peaceful out on the water, it was so easy to forget where you are or who you are, and you didn’t want to leave. Unfortunately, you had to get back to the real world as Johnny starts filming his new movie in a week, and you have to enroll your son in pre-k. Thankfully, Johnny will be filming in L.A. but it’s not as if he would be home every night for dinner or to see Three off to school or pick up, which meant you were basically going to be running the house by yourself and keep up with two kids who got into everything under the sun. “Are you sure you’re going to be okay by yourself with the kids?”

He sounded nervous. “Really Johnny, I’ll be fine. If I get too in over my head I’ll call both our moms.” Your mom and mother-in-law loved helping out with the kids, and Three seemed to love all of the embarrassing stories of your youth, and their cooking. Plus your mom and Betty Sue get along like white on rice. The sky was turning a nice shade of purple and you finished your drink.

Johnny pulled you across his lap and kissed the back of your head. “Sometimes I feel like I’m always leaving you to do all the work. I can’t remember the last time I spent this much time with Three and Camille, and they’re growing so fast.” For the majority of your pregnancies, Johnny was always filming, and after this mini vacation, he would be filming again. “Johnny, we knew this wasn’t going to be easy, but I think we’re doing okay, and I had to practically pry the baby away from you to put her down.” Over the course of the week, your toddler had turned into a complete daddy’s girl who always wanted to be held by her daddy.

It was a wonderful week, no cameras watching your every move, and if they did, you never saw them. You taught the kids how to swim in the ocean and ate great food. Every night they fell asleep at the same time, in the evening after dinner and a book, and you and Johnny would just sit out on the balcony of your hotel room. You twisted around to look at him and smiled. “You know, I think we got this marriage thing down. Five years, two kids, no bumps in the road.” The two of you eloped after six months of dating when you found out you were pregnant with your son, and only your family knew about it.

You made the most of the time you had left, documenting every experience, but all too quickly for your liking, you were ambling through LAX, Camille in her carrier with the blanket covering her face and Three right next to you while Johnny pushed the cart that held your luggage. All of you were wearing ball caps and sunglasses, and you managed to get through the terminal unnoticed. Tomorrow would be back to business for you: getting your son ready for school meetings with your manager, grocery shopping and laundry. You were ready to tackle it all now that you felt relaxed and refreshed. Just another Tuesday.

[tomhollandnet]

Vanity Fair: How have you been doing this past year? I mean, what has life been like in these COVID times for you?

Tom Holland: I got to say, Richard, I’ve been very fortunate during these difficult times. For me, my career hasn’t really halted. I’ve been lucky enough that I’ve been able to continue working. I made a film called Uncharted with Mark Wahlberg last year. I’m currently shooting Spider-Man 3 at the moment. So I’ve been very lucky.

It put a pause for a while, and I went home and we locked down in London, and I had a few months where I was sort of kicking about the house. But all in all, I’ve had a great time. And I’ve really enjoyed the jobs I’ve been working on. And I definitely recognize how lucky I am to be working, when so few people are at the moment [and are] really, really having a hard time. So I’ve been very lucky, and I’ve been enjoying myself.

And now you have this whole different kind of work, promoting Cherry and kind of getting the word out about that movie. I have a bunch of questions about this big epic. But I’m curious in terms of, what’s the origin story? Obviously you’ve worked with the Russo brothers pretty intensely for the past few years. Was it just kind of an automatic collaboration?

Yeah, basically as simple as that, really. I mean, I was working with Joe and Anthony on Avengers: Endgame. And Joe took me aside and said, “We’re making this film. We want you to be the lead. It’s a small, independent film.” He didn’t tell me what it was about. He just sort of told me that he wants me to be in it. And I was honestly just touched that they wanted to work with me. Of all the people in the business they could work with, I just felt really honored that they’d chosen me. And then when I finally got the chance to read the script, I was even more blown away, because I finally recognized the opportunity that had been handed to me.

As a young actor, you’re always looking for ways to challenge yourself. You’re looking for ways to push yourself you haven’t been in the past. And I think we could probably agree that this film achieves both of those goals. So as soon as I read the script and I knew that it was the Russos making it, it was a no-brainer, and it was a very definite yes.

It definitely does feel, I mean, in terms of its content and its style, even, like a big change for you. Do you at all view this as your first grown-up role, or your first adult role? I mean, is that how you kind of look at a project, or is it more just, this specific thing interests you?

That’s an interesting question. It depends what you mean by an adult role, but my agents and I are very strategic in choosing our moments, and trying to be really clever with when we decide to take that next step into becoming an adult and making films about real people and about real problems and getting messages across. And we did that a little bit with Devil All the Time, the Antonio Campos movie. That was kind of the first step, but Cherry is the big step. And that was why it was so daunting, because I haven’t done a film like this before. And I was nervous to see how the world would see me in that light and as that character. Obviously, the film hasn’t come out yet, but I am very apprehensive as to see how people respond to my work in this film.

There’s a lot of intense stuff in Cherry. What was, to your mind, when you read the script, the most daunting thing? What were you most scared to shoot?

I think it was probably the emotional aspect of the film. Physically, I knew I could do it. I knew I’d be able to do that. But emotionally, I’m very lucky and lived a very charmed life, and I’ve been an actor since I was 11. So I haven’t really had to deal with much trauma, or sorrow, or grief, or things like that. So I was worried that I wasn’t going to be able to maintain that level of emotion for a four-month period. That is where the Russos became so valuable, because they were my safety net. That’s where Ciara Bravo was so valuable. She was my partner in crime, and she’s absolutely astonishing in the film and a great friend. And I can’t tell you how lucky I am to have had her to help me throughout this process. So I think for me, yeah, the thing I was most daunted about was maintaining that level of emotion.

What kind of prep did you do? I think actors who are very good actors, they can fall into the trap of when they’re supposed to be acting high or on drugs or something, there can be a sort of showiness to that, as sort of theater. And something that’s really, I think, immersive and bracing about Cherry is that there’s none of that. It feels entirely credible when these characters are in these lows of their lives. Did you talk to soldiers, addicts, anything like that, in prepping to shoot?

Yes, absolutely. We did loads and loads of research. I mean, I must’ve sat down with 30 different people who are all veterans, who are all medics, all suffering from PTSD and substance abuse. And for me, the more information I could get about a problem that I knew so little about to begin with, the better. I worked with nurses. We worked with someone who was running a rehab clinic in Cleveland, and he became our consultant and would be there on set with us every day and would show us how to shoot someone up and show us how to cook heroin, or explain to us the feeling of what would it be like if you mixed a bit of crack with heroin.

There’s a scene in the film where I go to rob a bank, and I shoot up in the car just before. And he said to us that day, “You would never do that before you go into rob a bank.” But if you put a bit of crack in there, it would totally change your attitude and your physical prowess, I guess. So having people on set like that to kind of guide us through the process was so valuable.

I think I’m a bit older than you, and these characters are about my age. I was in college in the early 2000s, and 9/11 was my first week of college. And people in my hometown, well, my neighborhood in Boston, a lot of them were lost to opioids, either killed, or went to prison. And you’re younger, but did you see any parallels between this kind of half-generation removed and your age, the Generation Z? Do you think that a lot of these things are still kind of ongoing?

Yeah. I mean, arguably the opioid epidemic is worse now. And it’s affecting far more people. I think one of my favorite things that Joe said, Joe Russo, is the opening of the film is these swooping shots over Cleveland. We fly over Cleveland, and we see thousands and thousands of houses. And that is to convey to the audience that, yes, we’re telling the story of two people, but really, we’re telling the story of millions of people. This is one story amongst millions. And I really hope that this film can shed the light on a problem that’s invisible, and a problem that is mostly fought in the shadows. People are very ashamed to talk about their addictions and that sort of thing. So I hope that this will shed light on that problem, and people will change their attitude towards people who are suffering from addiction.

It almost feels surprising that there hasn’t been something about this very epic subject matter. What were the conversations like on set about the film’s style? I mean, it is pretty stylized. Did you feel that in the shooting, or is that kind of all added after the fact?

Absolutely. I mean, the Russos changed their way of shooting time and time again while we’re making this film, from different lenses they were using, from different styles of lighting, from different performance techniques. They would frame us sometimes very differently throughout the film. So we were very much aware of the different type of chapters we were trying to make.

Was that a real head-shaving moment in the film?

Yes. Well, we’d already shaved my head, because we were shooting prior. But what we did is we had about a week’s worth of work where we just allowed it to grow, and then he shaved it down to a one. But I actually loved having a shaved head. It was so nice. It was so refreshing to wake up, get out of bed and realize that your hair was already done. It was one of the only luxuries of playing this character.

Yeah. I let my hair get too long during quarantine, and then said, “Screw it. I’ll get the shortest haircut I’ve gotten in years.” And it is liberating. You just wake up, and you’re done.

Totally.

You’re on set, filming something else now, in very changed times from when I think Cherry was filmed. What is it like being back on a set? I mean, I’m not asking for spoilers or anything, don’t worry, but just in terms of the actual day-to-day of filming a movie with all these new restrictions, how has that experience been?

I mean, I love being on set. It’s where I feel most at home. It’s obviously limiting, with COVID, and we’re having to be very careful and very responsible in the way that we behave. There’s certain protocols that we have to follow, to make sure that we maintain this level of safety for the cast and crew. It can be a little tedious at times, but it’s so necessary. And we all recognize how lucky we are to be working right now. So it’s a necessity that we don’t mind taking on because, as I said, we’re also lucky to be here.

[watching-movies-alone]

Wonder Woman 1984 (2020) - Review & Reactions

🚨🚨SPOILERS!(duh)🚨🚨

Wonder Woman 1984, directed by Patty Jenkins, written by Jenkins along with Geoff Johns, and Dave Callaham, is the sequel-not-sequel to the pretty successful 2017 Wonder Woman (IMDb gave it a 7.4/10). While directed by the same person, this one just didn’t quite hit the mark. 

ONCE AGAIN! Spoilers. 

We open on Themyscira, the land of the Amazons, and the birth place of protagonist Diana. In this, Diana is a child, and competing alongside fully-grown and trained Amazons in an extremely cool obstacle course. 

One of many shots of feet in the movie... was I the only one uncomfortable in these scenes? What is the purpose?

Maybe she’s born with it, maybe it’s Maybeleen--Maybelline-- fuck it, you know where I’m getting at.

From an intensely riveting opening giving way to an almost cringe-inducing fight scene, I was a bit concerned as to where Wonder Woman 1984 would go. 

We get to see some awesome new characters, with Pedro Pascal taking on the role of Max Lord, and Kristen Wiig as Barbara Minerva. I’m very pleased to say that all of the actors involved did magnificently, and the costuming and makeup departments were superb. 

A lot of backstory was explained with just a few shots, this one included of Diana Prince visiting Trevor Ranch (love-interest Steve Trevor’s family) some time after the War, his watch in front of it.

For all of it’s missteps, Wonder Woman 1984 is overall a pretty okay movie. However! There are quite a few missteps. 

There are a lot of really beautiful shots, and well-executed scenes. Yet, out of the nearly two and a half hours, I’d say maybe two hours are decent. I have a lot of respect for the commentary the movie makes on women in society, and the prevalence of harassment that extends to the present day, but sometimes, this got preachy. 

(Spoilers, again.)

In the movie, we see Kristen Wiig’s character Barbara go from the socially awkward, yet charming, girl to a badass without independent personality. This in and of itself is quite the fall, and the movie was written for this to happen in the way that it did, so there is no reason to knock Wiig for the excellent job she did at working with the script she was given, even if said script could pass for the writings of a semi-coked-up person getting a bit carried away.

I’d like to point out that the incidents of harassment that both Diana and Barbara face are by no means rarities: I’ve noticed more movies addressing this, even briefly, such as in Birds of Prey (2019). This is a good step going forwards, as Hollywood is no stranger to harassment incidents, and this needs to be remedied.

Now back to the movie: Wiig’s character is harassed while walking alone at night, and Diana comes to the rescue. This is a pivotal point in the film, as it makes Barbara even more awestruck by Diana, and she wishes to be ‘like Diana’ when she holds the Wishing Stone thing. Of course, she had no idea that the Diana Prince she knew was also the Wonder Woman saving civilians in shopping malls. She has her ‘glow up’ -- handled quite well -- incrementally, rather than a Spider-Man-esque “I woke up absolutely shredded” moment. 

A few things I really liked about Barbara’s transformation: it was explained why she didn’t need her glasses anymore (something along the lines of “I’ve been reading so much I’ve fixed my eyesight!”), the sense of style is absolutely killer, and seeing Barbara open up socially was fantastic. 

The stuff that wasn’t too great: her personality went totally into the ground, her morals were lost, and she forgot who she was before, desperately clinging onto her newfound powers and status.

Now let’s talk about Max Lord, the other new character and main(?) antagonist of the film.

First thing’s first: I adore Pedro Pascal. 

Secondly, the character he plays is disgustingly familiar. While staying true to the Comics, he also was heavily influenced by 80s pop culture and figures such as Nicholas Cage, as cited by the cast, as well as having an eerily-Trumpian vibe to him. From the hair to the self-absorbed, one-track minded personality, to the estrangement from morals, it’s pretty fair to draw the comparisons. 

Yet, the main drive for Lord was to set up his son, Alistair, for a good future, not wanting him to think his father was a “loser,” and wanting his son to be proud that he was his son. 

This is refreshing because Lord really, really did care about his son, although he did get lost off of the deep end in trying to make himself ‘Great’ (yikes) Enough to take care of them both.

His ‘redemption’ at the end is nice, but good god that scene was uncomfortable to watch. Not in a ‘this is really upsetting because it’s upsetting material’-type uncomfortable, but in a ‘wow this is preachy and soppy as hell, am I being shown Be A Good Person propaganda?’-type uncomfortable. 

My main issues come from the monologues. Not gonna lie. 

I love a good monologue, they’re pretty hard to write, and harder to bring to life. And while I love Gal Gadot’s voice, I hate the words. Off of the top of my head, I can remember at least three monologues: the opening one, the one she gives as Max Lord is Doing His Thing, and I’m pretty sure there was one as she runs away from her meatsack-possessing dead boyfriend. 

La La Land, anyone?

Also a side note, just because you have a lot of material to use, does not mean that you have to use as much as you can fit in. A lot of scenes could have been cut short, and some shots could have been removed entirely and the movie would have conveyed the same messages with less of a door-to-door religion recruiter vibe. 

It was a fun watch, but I wouldn’t pay ticket prices for it, and I sure as hell wouldn’t go to a theatre in the middle of a pandemic to watch any movie, least of all this one. 

Had this been thirty to forty five minutes shorter, it would’ve gotten a whole letter grade higher. 

Cinematography: 70

Screenplay: 40 (had a few gems)

Delivery: 80

Average: 63.33% D-

IMDb gave it a 5.7/10, Rotten Tomatoes gave it a 62%, and Metacritic gave it an outstanding 59%

Stay safe kiddos.

For those who have experienced sexual assault: you are not alone, the hotline is +1(800)656-4673 

[give-me-back-my-rhodey]

Here We Are, Born to be Kings - AUgust Day 9

Title: Here We Are, Born to be Kings

Author: Purple_ducky00

Rating: Teen

Warnings: N/A

Pairing: Rhodey/Tony

Square Filled: G2 Dramatic Proposal

Link: Read on AO3

Summary:  Prince James is in love with Lord Tony Stark, a childhood friend. However, the Starks have been disgraced due to embezzlement charges. Can they overcome this?

++++++++++

“Your Highness. Lord Stark is here to see you.” Quentin Beck holds up his nose.

 Prince James Rhodes rolls his eyes. It’s not like Beck should judge. He was only hired because his family was in serious debt.  Tony is working out of his.

 Tony walks in a few minutes later, hair askew. “Wow, Rhodey, your servants hate me. I call it an achievement.”

“They just think it’s ok to judge since their scandals happened long ago enough for people to forget. You don’t deserve this.”

 “I probably do.” Tony shrugs. “It doesn’t bother me. Actually, it gives me the chance to ditch my politeness because they already dislike me.”

 “Oh for that luxury,” Rhodey sighs. He hates the protocol he must go through. Maybe that’s why he finds Tony so refreshing.

 They first met at a football match. Tony was on the other team, and he told the young prince, “We’re not playing any easier because you’re the prince. So, be ready for that.”

 Rhodey laughed and started playing. Tony’s team was clearly better, and they defeated Rhodey's team easily. After the game, Tony invited him to grab some lunch. They have been fast friends ever since.

 Now, Rhodey is 22 and Tony is 21. Tony’s father died last year, and Tony inherited his estate. After going over the numbers, Tony’s godfather, Obadiah Stane informed him that Howard had been falsifying records and was basically bankrupt.

 Dazed and reeling from his parents' sudden death, Tony doesn’t know what to do with this information. He reaches out for help, but as Howard had been stealing money from his peers, everyone refuses to help him. Rhodey offers to bail him out completely. Tony won’t let him. He decides he will work to pay off his father's debts.

 Tony was always incredibly smart. His patented inventions were used worldwide. He decides to start his own company, Stark Enterprises, where he builds and sells hi-tech machinery and entertainment devices. As his company quickly grows, he branches out into clean energy and satellites. Not even a full year after starting his company, Tony is very successful. With only Stane and his PA, Pepper Potts, at his right hand, Tony makes sure that he himself takes care of the books. Every entry is painstakingly entered and checked by the big boss himself.

 Rhodey is very proud of his friend, but it seems that his family is the only one in the kingdom that is. King Terrance and Queen Roberta love the young man as a son, but they often wonder if he is taking on too much, causing his sleepless nights and unhealthy eating habits. Tony waves them off saying he had had those problems before his parents had died.

 Prince James’ PR agent tells him that finding someone to date might be a good look for him. Everyone is looking for news of the royal family, and they will only assume the worst if they don’t hear from each member. Queen Roberta’s cooking classes and bingo games are televised. The king does a podcast twice a month. Jeannie plays tennis professionally. James is the only one without a big public profile, and he prefers that. However, there are some people who think that James is being pushed out of the spotlight or being abused in some kind. To quell any quickly rising rumors, Rhodey agrees to attend sports matches and talk to the press for a few minutes each time. When Tony’s not working his ass off, he often accompanies Tony.

 What Rhodey doesn’t tell his PR agent is the reason he doesn’t date. He is hopelessly in love with Tony and admitting that would be bad for a few reasons. 1.) Everyone in the country is against Tony. They would slander his name even more if they thought he had got his “money-grubbing claws” in the prince. 2.) Tony is straight. He had never told Rhodey otherwise, and he has only dated women as far as Rhodey knows. 3.) He doesn’t want any reason to make Tony uncomfortable in the only place he is welcome other than his home. So, he skirts the topic because fake dating is not his idea of fun.

 Now, Tony’s here and Rhodey knows he’s giving Tony heart eyes. “So, you’ve got a day off from me. What’s the plan, Rhodey?”

 “You pick today. I’m up for anything.” Rhodey trusts that Tony won’t do anything Rhodey can’t.

 Tony sits on the chair beside Rhodey. “I need to sit. I don’t think I’ve stopped moving for a week.”

 “So, what you’re saying is you need sleep.” Rhodey retorts.

“No, I need to spend time with my Rhodeybear. We never did that Star Wars marathon after Rise of Skywalker came out, did we?” Tony pokes him. “We can order like tons of pizza and greasy foods and bro it out like the old times.”

 Stuck in a theatre room with only Tony and highly unhealthy food? “Sounds like a great day. Let’s queue up the movies. I’ll have |Miss Cabe order our food. The usual?” Tony nods and heads off to the theater.

 Rhodey pulls out his phone and texts a maid, Bethany Cabe, to place an order for the following: an extra-large bacon pizza, two orders of cheesy curly fries, mozzarella sticks, and onion rings. Rhodey has cases of Tony’s favorite beer, so they did not need to worry about drinks.

 As they settle in to watch the movies, Tony tells him, “Wake me up if I fall asleep. I don’t want to miss Episode Six again.”

 “Come on Tones, Return of the Jedi isn’t the best.” Rhodey smirks.

 Tony glares at him. “It’s my favorite. Leave me alone. Go ahead and like Empire or whatever one you like the best. Geez.”

 “You know mine is Episode Three. The tragedy, the pain, the John Williams’ scores? A masterpiece.”

 “Anakin deserved better.” Tony mumbles as he eats a bite of pizza. Rhodey sighs. He’s heard this rant many times, and he’ll probably hear it again tonight. Tony really gets into these movies.

 Tony falls asleep at the end of A New Hope, his head falling on Rhodey’s shoulder. He looks so exhausted so Rhodey lets him sleep through Empire since Tony thinks it’s overhyped or something. Rhodey likes it. When Return of the Jedi starts, Rhodey nudges Tony awake. “Episode 6? Honeybear, you are an angel.” Tony kisses his cheek.

 By the time The Last Jedi comes on, both of the men are sleeping. Jeannette comes in to check on them and snaps a picture of Tony lying on top of Rhodey, both snoring away.

 Rhodey wakes up a few hours later and freezes. Tony is sleeping peacefully on him, his head on Rhodey’s chest. He doesn’t dare move in fear of waking Tony up. He slowly reaches for his phone and scrolls through Instagram and other social media apps until Tony wakes up.

 Tony wakes up slowly, but when he’s fully awake he jumps up and goes. “I’ve got to get to work!”

  “Hey Tony. It’s Sunday. We were going to spend Saturday and Sunday together, right?”

 “Oh. Oh. Whew. I thought.” Tony slumps. “Probably hallucinating from all that grease.”

 “Maybe we should get a little more sleep in a real bed.” Rhodey suggests. Tony nods, and they walk up to Rhodey’s room. Since they were kids, Tony always slept in Rhodey’s bed with him. They only ever slept and/or cuddled, and Rhodey has a king bed in case either of them needed their own space.

 They go to Jeannie’s tennis match then accompany her to an expensive Italian restaurant for dinner. The next morning, there are pictures splashed across the tabloids. Stark trying to get in with the Royal Family? Read more on page 3! One says. The Apple Doesn’t Fall far from the Tree – Another Gold-Digging Stark! Rhodey shakes his head. He was afraid this would happen. He calls his PR agent, Maria Hill.

She answers with a “Now do you see why having a partner would be good?”

 “Yes. Do you have any candidates who would be willing to date with no sex and/or strings attached? For public only?”

 “You don’t know how many celebrities only hope for that. Let me see which ones I can get. I’ll send you over a packet when I get them.”

 When he gets the packet, Rhodey isn’t surprised to find that 75% of them are women. Skipping through them, he tells Maria to reach out to an A-list actress Natasha Romanov. She is a beautiful woman, and they seem to have a lot of the same likes and dislikes. She agrees to meet with Rhodey at a small café near the palace. He introduces himself as Rhodey, then corrects it to “James or Jim” when Romanov gives him an odd look. “I’m sorry. My best friend always calls me Rhodey. It’s just what I expect now. I mean, if you want to call me that in private, it’s fine. Maria thinks it’s better if you call me James or Jim when talking with the press.”

“Tell me about this best friend.” Natasha leans forward. “He sounds like a nice guy.”

 Rhodey launches into a detailed description of Tony: his strengths, his flaws, his quirks, etc.  When he’s done, she asks, “And you’re dating me because you can’t date him?”

 “How did you…?”

 “You’re in love with him. Just look at your face. It’s ok. I won’t tell the press. I have almost the same problem. I’m in a poly relationship with a different celebrity couple. However, since Hollywood, even with its sex scandals, still looks down on poly relationships. I need a beard to keep our activity on the downlow. Is that acceptable for you?”

 Rhodey nods. “Of course. And you’re right. I love Tony, but I need to keep the press out of his life. His father put him through a lot, and he’s trying to make up for Howard’s sins. He doesn’t need the extra press coverage. Also, I don’t know if he likes me like that. I’ve never seen him date a guy.”

 “Well, I’d like to meet him.”

 +++++++ Natasha and Tony eventually meet. Tony is happy to meet her, but Rhodey feels that Tony is wearing one of his many masks. |When they kiss goodnight, Natasha tells him, “Rhodey, he likes you.”

 “Not that I want to doubt you, but I’m highly doubtful on this one here.”

 A few months pass, and Natasha and Prince James are photographed at red carpet events, at sports games, and at galas. Rumors are spreading that Prince James might propose soon. Natasha shows up at the palace for a surprise visit. “Hey, can we talk?” She pulls James from his family dinner.

 She tells him how the couple that she is dating are planning on coming out to the press as poly with her because they know some younger people who are receiving hate for their relationships. They want to be allies for such people. And they want her there when they come out. “Can we say we amicably split? I’d love to keep in contact with you.”

 “That sounds good.” His phone pings. He has a google alert set up for Tony because the press likes to come up to him for hostile interviews at the most inopportune times. James does his best to save him. “Listen Nat, I will talk to my publicist, but I have to go.”

 The press has trapped Tony on the palace driveway. “What do you think of Prince James marrying Ms. Romanov?” One reporter asks.

 “I didn’t know they got engaged, but I think they are an excellent match. Well-suited for each other.” Rhodey can see Tony is keeping his press face on but was not ready for the sudden press conference.

 Another reporter sneers. “We know you were trying to get a piece of the royalty. Will you try for the princess now that the prince is spoken for?”

 “Excuse me?” Tony reels. “What are you talking about?”

 “They’ll never have you. You’re just a charity case to them. What do you think of that? Did you think Prince James really liked you? Especially after what your father did?” Another reporter shoves a microphone in his face.

 Tony loses his mask. “Do I think Rho- Prince James really liked me? I have known the prince since we were young teenagers. I know he likes me… as a friend. But anything more? No. He never did, never will. I know what my father did; I know what I have to do to fix it. My father and Prince James have no correlation. What are you even trying to say here?” Rhodey can see the pain in Tony’s eyes. They flash when he says that Rhodey will never like him as anything more as a friend.

 “Excuse me.” Rhodey steps forward. “Can you step away from him, please?”

 The press apologizes and steps away. “Now, I want to say this once more and hopefully never again. Lord Stark is not his father. Lord Stark is paying his father’s investors back as quickly as he can. He started up his business on his own with his trust fund from his maternal grandmother. Howard never saw or added to a penny of that fund. What is the point of hating a man for the sins of his father? Keep rolling. I am talking to the country as a whole. Leave him alone, please. I want to say one more thing. Tony Stark, you are the love of my life. The reason I have not dated is because the only person I have ever loved was you. Yes, Natasha and I dated, but we did to keep other things hidden. I’m sure she will let you know at some point. It’s not my job. Tony, again, I love you. I want to spend the rest of my life with you and perhaps rule with you. I do not have a ring yet because I had not planned to propose to you in front of live TV today, yet here I am. Will you make me the happiest man in the world and marry me?”

 “You’re serious?” Tony gasps.

 “Completely.”

 “Then Rhodey, my Honeybear, my Platypus, my Sourpatch, I will marry you in a heartbeat.” Tony smiles widely, and Rhodey kisses him deeply, in front of the cameras. As they turn to the palace, Tony turns back to the cameras, lifts his middle finger, and says, “Fuck you” whilst smiling sweetly.

 ++++++ The country is so shocked at Prince James’ dramatic proposal. People wonder if Tony is a good fit for the prince due to his blatant disregard for protocol. Princess Jeannie posts the picture she took of them sleeping in the theatre room on Instagram, the caption “I knew it.” She broke the internet with the most likes on an Instagram post.

  Tony goes through his numbers and his father’s numbers again to make sure everyone is paid off. While looking at his father’s records again, he notices some discrepancies from Obadiah’s report. The truth comes out – Howard had not done anything wrong; it was Obadiah. He falsified documents, records, and even bills to give him much more money. Obadiah is fired and imprisoned. Tony’s name is cleared. Anthony Stark marries Prince James Rhodes a happy man.

[ficsnroses]

Perhaps - Keanu Reeves x Reader

Hi everyone! This fic is a bit different than what I’ve done in the past. Let me know if you like longer fics like this, or if you prefer the shorter and more fluffier ones. I love your feedback! I really hope you guys like this, it felt a bit out of my comfort zone.

Word count : 3884

Warnings : Smut? Kind of? a little? I didn't mean to write smut but I think I accidentally may have...

Requested : No

Summary : After becoming good friends on set, Keanu and Y/N end up in bed together, leaving Y/N scared for which way their relationship may turn when Keanu wakes.

Perhaps your ambitiousness was the quality that got the best of you. Being assertive and head strong were normally auctioned off as rather desirable qualities. Maybe things would be different if you’d slowed down, looked at things from a more sedate, deliberate standpoint. Perhaps, your mother was right on that overcast afternoon back home, the gray undertones of the silver kissed sky promised a good rain. She reluctantly handed you your last bag, the fine lines and wrinkles more prominent in recent times around her shuttered eyes. She had her doubts over your instantaneous move to LA, it killed her to even dream you may have your ambitions broken.

Perhaps, if you slowed down, thought things through, cautiously evaluated the consequences, you would have saved yourself the sorrow. Perhaps you wouldn’t be sitting on the edge of the bed, your head in your hands, your chest and lower half covered with nothing but a faint white bed sheet, quietly weeping melancholy tears. The bitter, crisp air engulfing the room pricked at your nude shoulders. It felt almost glacial, or perhaps that was the feeling flooding your uncertain body. You glanced wearily over your shoulder, and saw Keanu still sleeping, his bare chest rising and falling in harmony with his breathing. His raven locks rest upon his face, a few strands cascading over his eyelids, slightly rising and falling each time he breathed out his nose. He looked at peace, for now at least. But perhaps, he would awake soon. And perhaps, peace would be replaced with hesitance. Perhaps. That darn perhaps. Anxiety inducing, dreadful, appalling perhaps. 

Your move to LA had been tough at first and really pushed you to your limits, but you weren’t complaining. Constant determination and effort had landed you a career opportunity of working on the set of John Wick Chapter 2. Yourself and a few other people around your age had earned jobs as assistant directors. It sounded like a big role, a job demanding leadership, however, you thought otherwise most of the time. It almost felt as an internship. The experience would open numerous doors for you however, and it was a hands on way of discovering movie making technique and process. The job consisted of arranging logistics, preparing daily call sheets, checking cast and crew, and maintaining order on the set. Your strong work ethic and natural niche for determination had lead many of the other AD’s to not be so fond of you. You didn’t mind though, Hollywood was competitive and you were here to make a mark.

When you weren’t working on set, you’d often be left alone. You were rather shy and hadn’t made any friends on set yet. You enjoyed your own company, rather fond of indulging in your thoughts, taking a mental break from the demanding reality of the world. At lunch breaks, the cast and crew working on principal photography would gather in the designated rest area, where people would branch off into groups, socializing and enjoying their lunches together. You however, sat alone at whatever table wasn’t occupied. Sometimes you would eat quietly all alone, or sometimes you would set your mind adrift in a book while eating. It all depended on the day and your mood.

Keanu had been noticing you since the first day. He would watch the way you poured your heart and soul into your work. He admired that, he didn’t see it from any of the other ADs. He would see you sitting alone at lunch every day, often walking by you to sit with the people he knew and was familiar with. He would watch the way you would get so invested in your novel, the way you would tuck your long strands of hair that framed your face behind your ears, your brows furrowing. He was quite intrigued by you, almost fascinated. He was drawn to you in an unexplainable way, as if his soul had somehow read yours and wanted a taste of the serenity your aura gave off. After a week of production, he had finally mustered up the courage to brush past your table, finally approaching you one on one for the first time.

       “Remembrance of Things Past, I’m quite fond of that novel myself.” His voice caught you off guard. You’d known exactly who’s voice it was before even looking up, it just surprised you it was filling your ears so close, directed at no one but you.

You glanced up and saw him smiling down, his tray full of food in his large hands, still in his costume from filming. He had a few cuts and gashes on his forehead and cheek from makeup. Had this not been a movie set, it would have been quite concerning.

       “Yeah, it’s a good read. I’m trying to get through them all actually, although its proving to be quite the task.” You chuckled, your soft voice had a very calming effect on him. It was almost as a sweet break from the chaotic environment surrounding.

       “It took me a while, but I got through them. Worth it, trust me.” He smiled back. “Is this seat taken?” he gestured with his free hand to the seat in front of you.

       “No no, it’s not!” you replied quickly, almost not believing the words he had just asked.

       “May I?” he asked politely. “Of course, my pleasure.” You said with just as much politeness, almost being formal. You weren’t sure how to act, Keanu Reeves, the star of the movie had asked to join you for lunch.

      “Y/N, right? I’m Keanu. Nice to meet you.” he held his hand out for you to shake. “I must say, I admire the work you do here on set, we’re really in good hands.” He spoke as you shook hands, smiling at each other, relaxing eventually in each others presence. You noticed the other AD’s and many other crew members turn their heads your way, just as surprised, almost jealous that Keanu had sat with you alone. You chatted and got to know each other a little better that day before returning to set. You were just as surprized when the next day, Keanu ended up asking to sit with you once again. Your company was so refreshing to him, like a breath of fresh air after being inside walls too long.

Keanu and yourself ended up becoming quite good friends from that day forward. You would sit together every single day at lunch breaks, and often chat or hang out on down time between takes. You managed to make each other laugh a whole awful lot. When the set was packed up for the day, Keanu would help you with your stuff, walking you back to your car to make sure you were safe. He would ask you if you needed a ride every time, even though he knew you had transportation home. It was a sweet gesture, it showed you his caring and compassionate side. He was very gentle with you, a complete contrast to the character he was playing on set. He would let you go with a quick hug, and a “get home safe, Y/N.” before waving goodbye and walking back to his car. You would be lying if you said you didn’t feel a slight flutter in your chest every time he hugged you goodnight, sending you off. But it was best you keep those thoughts at bay, Keanu was just such a gentle, kind, loving personality. It was practically impossible to not feel warmth after just a glance his way.

On Keanu’s walks back to his motorcycle after dropping you off to your car, he would shove his hands in his pockets, reminiscing back on the day’s work. He often found you at the center of his thoughts, the moments you’d share together being a prominent, radiating light out of the sea of everything else. He felt for the first time in a while that he had someone to confide in, someone to relieve the stress of life with. He felt something there. He felt something for sure.

On a Friday afternoon, you and Keanu sat at your regular table as always, chatting away, laughing over Keanu’s slip up during one of his action sequences earlier that day.  The rest of the crew didn’t find it so amusing, but you and Keanu were left gasping for air, giggling away tremendously thereafter. It was almost like you had a mental connection that just made you sync when you were together. To you, it was nice to have a friend. A real, true friend. Your first and only friend in LA actually. He had made the journey so much more bearable, and you couldn’t be more thankful. You knew internally you were longing for something more with him, but you constantly pushed the thoughts away, knowing the bond was too special to you to have anything determine otherwise.

Keanu shoved his spoon into your cup of yogurt, taking a bite into his mouth. You two often shared food. It almost made you feel…closer.

      “Keanu you know that’s my favourite! Leave me some.” You chuckled, playfully shoving his hand away. Keanu had suggested he take you on a bike ride after pack up that night, the lovely California weather, complied with the smell of fresh orange fields and the lavender sunsets were a magical sight he wanted you to experience. You had agreed, it was the weekend and a bike ride sounded like a good way to replenish.

That evening after pack up, Keanu held his arm out for you to take as usual, only this time, he’d be leading you to his bike, taking you with him. He’d dreamt of the scenario often, wishing he could whirl you away to experience the pure bliss of the wind in your hair, and the unexplainable calmness, complete ecstasy a bike ride brought him. He knew how stressful working on set had been for you, and he wanted to help relieve you of some tension.

Sitting behind Keanu with your arms wrapped securely around his waist felt like true security. You eventually found yourself resting your head on his back, your cheek brushed up against his muscles, your eyes closed, just relishing in the moment. He was radiating warm heat, it felt nice to be so close to him, so in touch. It almost left you wanting more.

Keanu felt very protective of you in that moment, as if a fragile doll rest upon him that he had to defend at all costs. He hadn’t felt that way in a long time. Eventually, he stopped the bike at his favourite spot, a cliff overlooking the beauteous California waters. He often came there to be alone, to take time to himself, to feel grounded. It was special to him to share it with someone else, almost as if he were taking a very vulnerable part of himself and handing it into your hands. He helped you off the bike, holding his hand out for you to take as he walked you to the edge where you could see the divine scenery.

      “Isn’t it breathtaking?” He smiled at you, before glancing down at your hand in his. It was a nice fit, he thought to himself.

      “It’s gorgeous. Thank you for showing me, Keanu.” You replied as you looked off into the distance, smiling to yourself. The sunset had cast a vibrant, golden hue on your face that left it sparkling in all the right places. Keanu couldn’t help but grin as he watched you. You both stood there for a few moments, sulking in a comfortable silence, just over looking the California horizon. A few moments later, you realized your hand was still tucked away tightly in Keanu’s grip. You looked down, and then up at his face. His eyes met yours, glowing. Keanu slightly inched you closer, and without thought, you moved into his touch, resting your head on his arm. You felt real at ease in that moment, a free wave of tranquility flowing through your veins engulfing your body in a tight embrace. Keanu moved his arm around you, pulling you closer, watching the distance. This is what it felt like to have certainty.

You glanced up at Keanu, so intoxicated by the view and his zen like presence. He looked down at you, and your eyes instantly locked. You both smiled, getting lost in each other. His eyes reminded you of two drops of coffee, with clouds of steamed milk surrounding. They gazed into yours, as if he was reading a map to a town he had already roamed in its entirety, as if in that moment, your collective energies gravitated together and ignited a whole universe, and you were the only ones in it. The only ones with a key. You both inched closer, and closer, his head moving down, your moving up to meet him hallway,

And then it happened. Your lips grazed against each other’s, and locked. You shifted, and put a hand on his shoulder, your other hand on his bicep. He wrapped one of his arms around your waist, managing to pull you in even closer, while his other hand caressed the back of your head, getting lost in your locks.

The kiss was sweet, passionate, and eventually became demanding. You moved both your arms around his neck, lightly ruffling his hair while indulging in his candied lips. Keanu eventually broke the kiss, pulling back only to rest his forehead against yours, as he looked you in the eyes once again, except now they were filled with need, with lust, with desire.

      “Would you wanna go back to my place? Maybe?” he breathed.

      “Yeah, I would like that.” You grinned, eyes glancing at his lips.

And with that, he took your hand and lead you back to his bike, helping you on, and zooming away, frantically racing home with your body close to his once again. He felt butterflies in his stomach anticipating what was to come next.

As you reached Keanu’s home, you held his arm as he lead you in. Instantly, as the door locked and he turned the lights on, your eyes met once again. You were stood about a foot apart, your arms at your sides. You both smiled, it felt almost as this was something you had both wanted for a while, something you never knew you were craving. After a moment or so, you inched forward, unable to resist any longer. He followed, attaching your bodies once again with a kiss. He bit at your bottom lip, asking for entrance, which you cheerfully allowed. And with that, he suddenly picked you up, carrying you up to his bedroom where you both would spend the night, showing your admiration for each other in the closest, most vulnerable, most intimate way you could.

Keanu laid you down on his bed lightly, making sure you were comfortable. The dimly lit room was illuminating your skin perfectly, he thought you looked like an angel sent down from the heavens. He climbed on top of you gently, making sure to position his weight on either side of you so he wouldn’t crush you. You wrapped your arms around his neck and pulled him down, missing his lips on yours. His hands connected to your waist, softly caressing your love handles, running his hands over them smoothly.

Your lips collided again, and Keanu toyed with the hem of your blouse.

      “May I?” his raspy voice spoke in a whisper, tugging on the bottom of your blouse, asking permission to remove it. It was an action that set your heart a flip. He was such a gentleman, no matter the situation. You had made it quite clear you wanted him as much as he wanted you, yet he still made sure you were definitely on the right page. He respected your boundaries, and that may have just made you want him even more.

      “Yeah” you smiled, gently grabbing his hand and helping him move the blouse over your breasts and off your body. He wasted no time in taking his own shirt off, and then moving his hands underneath your resting figure to undo the clasp of your bra. He delicately took it off your shoulders, exposing your bare chest to him. He admired you for a second, before connecting his lips to your neck, kissing each and every inch of the skin. He his wet kisses trailed down your shoulder, over the top of your breasts, dipping between your cleavage and disappearing down your stomach. He made sure he showed you just how grateful he was for you in that moment, how in awe he was with your mind, your body and your soul in that moment. You tangled your hands in his hair, pulling him back up.

Within the next few moments, his pants were off as were yours, leaving you both skin to skin with each other, no barrier in between. Keanu reached over to his nightstand pulling out protection, and slipped it on himself in a swift motion.

      “Is this okay, Y/N?” he asked, lined up and ready to show you just how much he wanted you, his voice low, showing concern. He didn’t want to do anything you weren’t comfortable with; he wouldn’t dare want to hurt you in the slightest way.

You nodded frantically, ready to feel him in the most intimate, cherished way possible.

And with that, he slipped himself in, lips connecting to your neck leaving love bites. He moved passionately, his hand lacing in yours, your hands on his shoulders, gripping them tight. A few moans escaped your lust filled lips, feeling all of him.

The night was amorous, filled with heartfelt admiration and praise for each other. You both gave each other a part of yourselves that night. A part that perhaps, you would never get back.

It was now morning, and there you were, on the edge of the bed, anxiety ridden, with the evidence of last night sprawled over the floor in forms of your clothing. You had woken up with Keanu’s arm secured around you, snoozing away.

It was a confusing feeling, but you couldn’t quite shake the feeling that you may have made a mistake. Keanu was, after all, your co worker. It was a professional setting you worked in together. But he was also your closest friend here, in this town of a billion lights, but an unexplained solitude. Perhaps last night was just a moment of passion for him, a spur of the moment where he needed you, but perhaps, that was all it was. You couldn’t possibly be dreaming of a future with him, could you? He was a star, he had it all. People like him probably do this all the time when they’re lonely and need someone. Your pessimistic train of thought had got the best of you.

Keanu’s eyes opened, and he felt a dip on the edge of the bed. He instantly smiled to find you still on his bed, wrapped in nothing but his bed sheets, showing an indication of the love you shared the night prior. He reached forward and touched your arm.

      “Hey you…” He smiled. You didn’t reply, nor turn around.

Keanu moved towards you, approaching you from behind, and attached his hands to your waist. He began to leave soft kisses along your nude, exposed shoulder, running his hands up and down your sides, the same love evident in his gestures. That was when he heard you sniff.

      “Woah Y/N, are you okay sweetheart?” he whispered, slightly taken back, immediately moving himself away. “I’m so sorry Y/N, I shouldn’t have, I just thought…. I don’t know.” He spoke moving away, running a hand through his hair, thinking he had made you uncomfortable.

Your tears got heavier at that point. You felt like a fool. You weren’t even sure why you were crying, perhaps you were just scared that this was all only temporary. You felt you had tasted paradise last night, and to have that ripped away from you would have been sheer torment.

      “I’m sorry Y/N. Y/N? Is something wrong? Did I do something? I apologize if I did something wrong, I just thought we…you know…” he trailed off, still extremely concerned, his eyes filled with worry that he had been the cause for your tears. He gave you space, hoping not to further upset you.

      “Y/N can I…. can I touch you?” He asked cautiously.

You nodded in return, you wanted to feel him close. Perhaps it would be the remedy to calm you down.

He scooted over closer, and wrapped his arms around you, kissing the top of your head repeatedly, whispering soothing dialogues in your ears.

      “You’ll be okay honey; you’ll be just fine. I’m right here. Talk to me, Y/N.” he whispered. You held onto him tighter, scared to open your mouth. You weren’t even sure what to say. What even was there to be said?

      “Keanu...” you started finally, with your shaky voice.

He looked you in the eyes, full of compassion, encouraging you to go on as he took your hand in his, rubbing it with his thumb.

      “Last night…we uh…it was special. It was really special. I just…” your eyes glanced around the room, unsure of the words to say next. You didn’t want to say more, perhaps this was your defence mechanism. To say it first, before he did. To reject. Before he did.

      “What about it, Y/N?” Keanu quietly questioned, suddenly feeling insecure. Had he not shown you properly what you meant to him? Had he not expressed his love to the best of its ability?

      “Last night was really special to me too, Y/N.” He glanced down at your intertwined hands.

      “Really?” you questioned, looking up at him.

      “Yeah… I felt something, I’ve always felt something here. I feel like there’s something that pulls me to you. I’m really not too good at the whole confessions thing but I uh…I can’t help but feel like this…feels right. Gosh I don’t even know if I’m making sense I just...” he trailed off, before you interrupted.

      “I uh, I agree. I feel something too; I see something in you that I admire. Your eyes connected finally, both feeling the confidence to stop staring away from each other.

      “If you’ll have me, I’m willing to try. You’re special, Y/N. I don’t want to lose that.” Keanu confessed.

You rest your head against his bare chest, pulling the sheet covering your figure higher up. He wrapped his arms around you again, resting his head on top of yours for the second time that morning. You traced the veins on his arms, admiring his figure and everything about him. His cologne from the night before still lingered on his porcelain skin. It felt nice to be close to him again.

      “I’m sorry, where are my manners.” He chuckled. “I’ll let you get dressed Y/N. Perhaps I can make us breakfast, if you’ll spend the morning with me, love?” he smiled down into your hair, breathing in your shampoo.

      “Perhaps.” You smiled up at him, grasping onto his bicep tighter. “Perhaps, I’d like that a lot.”

[banjodanger]

X-Men: Days Of Future Past(2014);or, How To Squander Potential Without Really Trying

Yes, I should absolutely have posted this by now. However, what I actually did was doomscroll twitter and refresh three news websites constantly for a week and a half and give myself anxiety attacks.

We live in a country where seventy million people thought Trump was anything more than dogshit in semi-human form. Three turds in a poorly-tailored suit. Ugh. Can we please get just have a candidate that supports UBI and M4A? Like, basic human rights?

Anyway.

Let’s get something out of the way. The Rogue Cut is the best version of this movie. Hell, it’s the best of the core X-Men movies. They made a mistake not releasing this in theatres, because I can easily say this movie has everything that make the X-Men team great. It’s dramatic, there are fights, the movie is horny...it is everything you would want out of this movie. It builds off of what made First Class great and continues that story, while still bringing in the characters that made the first three two movies enjoyable.

Even things that didn’t work in previous movies comes back here and get a chance to succeed. Ellen Page was used as a dramatic tool in the(ugh) third one and her version of Kitty Pryde really suffered as a result. I won’t act like she’s given much more to do in this film, but she’s a bit more clearly defined. Her conversation with Logan involves more characterization than the entirety of the third movie. And by bringing in Rogue as Kitty’s salvation at Bobby’s expense, you get a dramatic tension that Ratner either isn’t capable or has never bothered to try.

I think what really makes this movie, and The Rogue Cut specifically, distinct is the amount of world-building it does. The expanded cut gives time to suggest Quicksilver’s mother is a alcoholic, which goes to explain his own risk-taking behavior. It suggests a world that exists beyond his moments in the movie, and that’s something this series has been extremely lacking in. A flaw in this series, and indeed in the entire superhero genre, is a fear of showing these characters as anything other than ON. It’s ok to allow these characters to breathe. Do we need to see his mother’s frustration and coping mechanism? No. But it brings us further into this world

Specifically, take a look at when Beast asks Logan if he makes it in the future. In the theatrical moment it’s a brief aside during the final battle. It’s not a bad choice, Hoult has played Beast as someone who is conflicted and not extremely self-assured; it makes sense that his character would look for encouragement before running off. However, in the Rogue Cut it’s placed before any excitement. We still get the character beat but here it is allowed to breathe, given it’s own room and it’s own focus. It’s seperate and distinct and much better as a result.

All of which makes everything that comes after this movie all the more frustrating. This movie goes out of its way to put the franchise in a new spot, and then it does nothing with it. Hugh Jackman and Ryan Reynolds give us some great solo movies but Hugh Jackman has continuously been the highlight of this franchise, and Ryan Reynolds has basically been auditioning for Deadpool his whole career. There’s a reason he’s the only actor making the transition to Marvel from this series.

While I do still consider this the high point of the franchise, I do wonder if, in hindsight, the movie deserves a little reconsideration. Obviously hard work was put into making this movie, but where does the hard work go? Assume for a second Disney hadn’t consumed Fox into its gaping maw, as to go all intellectual property on its own sullen death march. Apocalypse had certain moments of fun but still brought nothing new to the series, and everything after Deadpool 2 was bogged down in reshoots and delayed releases(Dark Phoenix was originally scheduled for 2018, hardly the delay New Mutants got but by no means did it help.)

Which leads us into problematic stuff. You can’t make an X-Men movie at Fox without some problematic stuff, there’s an ancient incantation in the first movie or something. I mentioned this in the last post, but let’s go through it again. Days of Future Past is a Kitty Pryde story, not a Wolverine story. I get not introducing Rachel Summers and in fact I’m glad they didn’t. And before you get mad, Rachel Summers is a great character. But this movie introduces a half-dozen characters for their “film debuts,” and apart from Quicksilver it wastes every single one of them. Fox does this throughout the entire series too, and I’d rather they not introduce a character than use them for a cameo. This series introduced Jubilee three separate times to literally forget about it in the next scene, so yea, we should be happy they left this character for the inevitable Marvel reboot.

But they had already introduced Kitty. She’s supposed to be the main character in this story. Days of Future Past, in the comics, was Kitty Pryde’s first major story. She was coming in as the brand new character right after the Dark Phoenix Saga which(in case you somehow didn’t know) saw Jean Grey’s death and Cyclops leave the X-Men. It’s not a huge arc but it gave a brand new character a memorable introduction. And in the movie, she’s pushed to a supporting role. This isn’t to say Jackman isn’t great in his role, but that’s something that has been proven time and again. If the movie as a whole was about acknowledging the mistakes, then it stands out that they’re unable to cede the spotlight to another character. People have devoted time and energy to documenting all the ways female superheroes have gotten neglected and pushed to the side, and a lot of those thinkpieces are done by better writers than I. So I’ll just say that Kitty Pryde is absolutely a character that deserves better than this treatment. 

This movie does play fast and loose with history and I’d be remiss if I didn’t make notice here. The Paris Accords were signed in January of 1973, so Peter’s Dark Side of the Moon shirt and Hello Hooray are anachronistic by about a month’s time. Though RFK stadium was there, Washington did not currently have a baseball team in 1973. So, it’s nice that guy is maintaining the baseball diamond but he’s probably doing it for free, and Erik’s probably better off not accepting his help. It deserves mention, however, that this movie doesn’t gloss over the fact that the US decisively lost the Vietnam war. It’s not a huge leap but considering Hollywood in the eighties made “winning the Vietnam War” its own subgenre the change is respectable. The advent of examining DNA is also anachronistic by about forty years. As the last two core films in this series are both set up as period pieces I believe it becomes more necessary to call out these mistakes.

Throughout all of this I feel like this is an essential movie in the franchise. I also don’t think it would have the same impact without watching the six previous movies in the franchise. Not to say people wouldn’t enjoy it, but there’s some jokes and plot beats that I don’t think would hit the same. It’s nothing compared to where the MCU is now(in half the time no less), but I think Marvel as a studio had the benefit of seeing other studios screw up. Fox, in 2000, had no blueprint. I think a move like DOFP was always going to become inevitable, but that it would turn out so well was not. In the end, this movie proves that a launching pad does nothing if you cannot grab that next rung.

Up Next: Ryan Reynolds ensures this franchise will have a second legacy, and finishes out the longest streak of solid movies in this whole franchise.

[helloandwelcometomariasblog]

Review #57-61

Old Review #57: 500 Days of Summer Written 31/08/18

Directed by Marc Webb Written by Scott Neustadter, Michael H. Weber

I was really, really surprised. I honestly thought they’d showed us the ending at the very beginning, so even when Summer was getting married, I had the confidence that things would turn out well in the very end. But no. She actually did get married to someone else and they didn’t end up together. I LOVED THAT. It was heartbreaking but I LOVED IT. It’s so unique! So unconventional! Even the very last scene was unconventional, how Autumn declined when he first asked. It was both funny and unexpected. This entire movie was full of unexpected twists and turns and I absolutely loved that.

Now, about how I could relate to the film. I think I could really relate to Summer. Not in terms of attractiveness and all that, but the difficulty she had in commitment and how private she was. And it’s weird but Summer’s right, you can just tell. You know when you fall in love.

All in all, a great movie. I loved the twist in the end. I also loved the message. It made me kind of sad though. The message is true, but it made me a little sad. That there really isn’t something like fate and in the end, even the most painful breakup, even the most compatible relationship, even the most unforgettable person, can be replaced by someone new. Christians tend to believe that God has prepared someone special for them. But that’s probably not true.

Old Review #58: The Dark Knight Review Written 20/07/17

Directed by Christopher Nolan Written by Jonathan Nolan, Christopher Nolan, David S. Goyer, Bob Kane

Just finished The Dark Knight, then had a brief squeal fest over the fact that Netflix had the sequel as well. I’d really wanted to rewatch it. I loved it so much when I first saw it. I still can’t forget that well scene. I personally think it’s one of the best I’ve seen in any Hollywood film.

As for The Dark Knight, amazing, amazing, amazing. THE AMOUNT OF SUSPENSE. Honestly, if anyone wants to learn how to write suspense, they should study this film page by page, beat by beat. I’m just going to jot down the amazing bits in bullet points cause I can’t think straight to write full paragraphs right now. But one thing – the Joker wasn’t as terrifying as I thought he’d be. Harvey Dent’s face was much more terrifying.

The amount of choices. CHOICES. CHOICES!!!!

The choices were always equally DIFFICULT. The balance was astounding. Rachel or Harvey? The wife or the boy? The ship full of civilians or prisoners?

The amount of TWISTS. You honestly never knew what was going to happen. I loved that so much. I absolutely loved the scene where that one prisoners gets up and throws the detonator out the window. He was a better man than the police officer. Those kinds of scenes. Where you think someone will be a certain way, and then they totally surprise you.

The Joker was smart. I loved that. I love a smart villain. When you don’t know what the villain is going to do and how, that’s when it gets amazing.

I also love how Harvey turned into a villain too. I also love how they used the two-face concept. That was great. Terrifying, therefore great.

I LOVE HOW THEY KILLED RACHEL. Look, it was great. It was one of the best things the film did. How many times in a superhero film does the hero save the damsel in distress? ALL THE TIME. It was refreshing seeing that NOT happen for once. It was new and positively shocking to see the death of an important person ACTUALLY happen. It was the best motivator, the best trigger for the story to be pushed forward. There was so much force now. The story, the characters, their motivations, became rich and meaningful. Rachel had to die. It was good that she died. (I’m talking about this all from the point of view of a screenwriting freak. Of course I didn’t ACTUALLY want her to die.)

I just love how the film presents choices, and then actually ACTS ON THOSE CHOICES. There are so many films where someone’s in danger, or something terrible is about to happen, and then the film saves it in the last moment. It’s kind of like a cheat. They build up the tension immensely, and then destroy it by making everything all well in the end. ‘Oh, were you scared? Hehe. It’s okay now!’ They’re teasing us.

But this film actually follows through, and that’s what makes it so terrifyingly good. With other superhero movies, whenever a threat is introduced, of course I’m scared at first, and tense, but after a while I’m like, “The hero’s going to save the day anyway.” And it happens.

But with this film, no. If time runs out, the hero doesn’t get to save the day. No deus ex machina. He can’t get there on time? She dies. It’s that simple. They don’t cheat the audience by suddenly presenting a miracle. Things go to plan. How come the good people always get a second chance? Keep things real.

The coin. Leaving it up to chance, Harvey’s coin was the most suspenseful token I’d seen in a film. AND AGAIN, HE FOLLOWED THROUGH. I really love that. That’s honestly what makes the film truly suspenseful. It follows through. So when the next decision making moment comes up, you KNOW they might actually die. The stakes are high and the stakes are fucking REAL. They actually will die. Decisions HAVE to be made, actions need to be taken.

I love that.

Review #59: Fight Club Written 18/07/17

Directed by David Fincher Written by Jim Uhls Based on the novel by Chuck Palahniuk 

I want to, no, need to, talk about Fight Club.

It’s a fucking crazy movie. I really don’t like this movie. I can’t stop watching it, but I really, really don’t like it. I guess as a viewer, I could be told the same thing: Just stop caring and let go, and watch the fucking movie for what it fucking is.

But I CAN’T. I’m typing furiously right now because I just really can’t. I can’t bear to see all this crazy insane yoloness. I want it to stop. I want them to stop fighting and I want them to stop doing crazy shit and get their FUCKING LIVES TOGETHER.

I want the main character (do I even know his name?) to honestly get a grip and stop making a mess out of his life. He knows it’s wrong. But he’s so affected by Tyler’s words and his useless charisma all the time that he thinks it’s cool to be so crazy.

I think the movie is kind of glorifying Tyler, putting him up on the same level as a god. There was even a crucifixion moment. And the main character is trying really hard to look good to Tyler (like all his other 꼬봉s) and honestly it’s all a matter of self-esteem. Main character, you don’t need to do all that insane shit to feel like you’re worth it. So Tyler is a charismatic dude. So what. He’s not worth all that effort for you to feel accepted and appreciated. I just can’t with this film.

Review AFTER the film ended:

My mind… is blown away. Has been blown away. Not literally. Thank goodness not literally. I’m really amazed. I wasn’t really surprised at the split personality twist, for some reason. I was just sitting there going meh a little. It was a nice save, though, is what I thought. It was the right move to make in order for us to start understanding and liking the main character. A good move. A redemptive move.

The last 15 minutes? or so? were pretty amazing. Full of tension, and I had no idea what would happen. I loved it when the gun shifted from Tyler’s hand to… uh… Tyler’s. The movie turned out to be so much more different to what I thought it would be. At first I thought it was about fighting, and letting it go, and then it got way too much and I started feeling really uncomfortable, and then it turned out to have some fantasy aspects and got really good.

I’m kind of shaken right now, and I have to go home. But uh, let me talk briefly about what I think the message was.

Don’t FAKE IT. You are who you are. Even if you’re going through hard times. That’s who you are. Don’t hide yourself, don’t fake yourself. Don’t create a fake personality to slip into whenever you feel vulnerable. Let yourself be vulnerable. 강한 척… 하지 말자. I’m really shaken by the film right now. I can’t believe that gun shot didn’t blow his head off. Wtf.

Review #60: Catch Me If You Can Written: 13/07/17

Directed by Steven Spielberg Written by Jeff Nathanson Based on the book by Frank Abagnale Jr., Stan Redding

It’s a really good film. It made me think a lot, and I was never bored. I was always kept in suspense, and I was emotionally moved. I think that’s pretty much enough for it to be a great film. All around amazing in terms of action line and relationship line and character depth and development.

Frank was such a great character. He just felt so multi-dimensional and real. That’s the amazing thing about great characters. You never get the thought that they’ve been made up. You never get the thought that some writer sat at their desk for hours on end developing this “character”. I guess DiCaprio’s acting made it more realistic, but in general, Frank’s character was just really raw. I really loved him. He was interesting, dynamic, and had an intention behind everything. He was really active, he led the story. He was always making decisions. Argh. Amazing. He was always pushing the story on by making decision after decision. Even though he was the one being chased, he was the one making all the decisions and leading the story. Isn’t that amazing? You’d think that the person being chased would be the passive one, reacting to the fact that they’re being chased. Running away and escaping all the time. But no, even his escaping seemed like a feat, a beat, an extravagant decision.

And underneath all that, was his broken soul. That was the most amazing part about his character. He was doing all that because he was broken inside. All he wanted, was for his dreamy, perfect life to be put back into place. And he thought money could solve that. He thought if he tried hard enough, he could get his parents back together. He thought he could give them money, and the three of them could live as a happy family again. He always, always had fantasies of happy families – you see it so clearly and deeply in his eyes when he’s staring at his parents dancing, or when he sees Brenda’s parents washing the dishes together. That was his dream, deep deep inside. And he tried to achieve that and failed. He became disappointed with himself and his life, and came face to face with the fact that he couldn’t save anything – never could turn back time and put things right again – and made the decision that the real life wasn’t worth living. And so he began running away, living a lie. Remember what Carl says in the end. It’s easier living the lie (I think?).

I was so glad Frank came back in the end though. I’m glad he made that decision. See? Until the end, Frank is very much a strong, active character. HE makes the decisions.

I learned a lot. I think this just became one of my favourite films. (2020 me: Really?)

Review #61: Beauty and The Beast (2017) Written 18/03/17

Directed by Bill Condon Written by Stephen Chbosky, Evan Spiliotopoulos

The main problem I had with this film was some of the dialogue. It felt forced, cheesy, too economical. I know that each line of dialogue needs a purpose and you should only write what is needed, but I felt that it was a bit too much here (for example, the scene where Belle talks to her dad for the first time).

However, other than that, I was more than happy about what I saw on screen last night. It was truly enchanting. That is the perfect word for it. It reflected the animated film enough to feel joyfully and uncontrollably nostalgic, but also challenged several aspects of the original to create a more logical, credible, interesting story. It was a perfect adaptation.

When we see Belle for the first time in that small provincial town, in her blue and white dress, we are completely floored and can only watch mesmerized as she walks through the town, the townspeople singing one of the most famous Disney introduction songs.

Said simply, I gained immense pleasure from two things:

Recognizing things from the original film. Seeing how they made it into live action.

The things they did differently. They added bits and pieces to the story to make it perfect.

I'd love to watch it again just to jot the differences down. Also, I was holding my breath during the ballroom dancing scene. Perfect. And when she picked up the plate to drink from it. That was perfect. She didn't teach him to use the fork and spoon. It was like she got down to his level and tried to understand him while also showing him a better way to do things.

It had just the right amount of difference to make people wonder what might happen next. And that's amazing for an adaptation.

[mk-asks-and-headcannons]

Could you do the ship questions for CageBlade? Thank you

 Of course friend.

Who is the most affectionate?

Both show plenty of affection toward one another, however, Johnny is much gaudier when expressing his love. He is more likely to indulge in PDA or sweet talk Sonya by flattering her until she loses her composure (and that's regardless if they’re in public or not. But something tells me Johnny would get a kick out of embarrassing Sonya a bit.) Sonya is much more subtle but still loving as she’d be the type to have Johnny’s coffee made just the way he likes it and serves it with a peck on the cheek. There are also rare but meaningful compliments.

Big spoon/Little spoon?

I actually see Sonya being the big spoon. Yep. Johnny is a helpless little spoon who adores cuddles. He’s also a sucker for having his back rubbed and his hair tussled. This also kinda works since Sonya sometimes feels more dominant and she’s got much longer hair.

Most common argument?

For the most part, it starts about disagreements. This is since Sonya believes Johnny takes nothing seriously and Johnny doesn’t want to believe that Sonya is just a hardass. It becomes more serious and becomes an argument when one makes a dig about the others’ character, and things become personal quickly. These words cut deep like blades, but below the surface, their intents aren’t malicious.

Favorite non-sexual activity?

Four words: Johnny. Cage. Movie. Night! Now of course there will be hors d’ oeuvres and refreshments as these nights should be something to remember! Johnny is definitely one to playfully scold Sonya if she looked away at “The best part.” Sonya is also that friend who asks questions during the movie, but then the question is immediately answered, but they can't hear it because they're talking. They definitely talk about films after they watch, and Sonya has a got a helluva critique for ninja mime 4 and has Kabal on speed dial if Johnny has any objections (I know that kinda hated each other, but they made up and have a friendship built upon the foundation of how much they hate ninja mime 4! It’s cannon -- no kannon guys!).

Who is most likely to carry the other?

It should probably go without saying it’d be more likely for Johnny to carry Sonya (But Sonya is strong as hell nonetheless. We just want to save you the grief of imagining Sonya trying to lug around Johnny...) Sonya also secretly loves it when she’s swooped off her feet like you’d see in the movies. She gets a little flustered and usually hides her face in Johnny’s chest if she’s being carried bridal style. And Johnny knows this. And adores it.

What is their favorite feature of their partner’s?

When Sonya finds herself gazing into Johnny’s eyes, she is practically mesmerized. He has a nice pair of brown orbs (particularly in mk 11. imo his face was a bit more feminine due to his eyes? But that's just me) and she loves when he winks at her. It’s just so refreshing to take a gander at that face when a pair of $500 sunglasses aren’t shielding it. 

If we’re being honest? Johnny just thinking of Sonya’s legs makes him weak in this knees. She’s a strong woman with a nice pair of ‘em and she knows how to use them whether she is in kombat or she wants to woo Johnny.

What’s the first thing that changes when they realize they have feelings for the other?

This one applies for both of them. Both most definitely watch out for there personal hygiene more subtly primping themselves up for the others’ attention. Sonya would wear Johnny’s favorite scent while Johnny’s hair is much more gelled than usual. 

Johnny would also become more protective and would love to show off in front of Sonya (even though Johnny just isn’t a hypermasculine guy) and I also see Sonya doing this, but Sonya wouldn’t fail to impress unlike Johnny...he’s more clumsy. But I definitely see Soyna being more mild when it comes to showing off since she’s not that ready to risk sacrificing her pride.

Nicknames? & if so, how did they originate?

Nicknames for Sonya: Mrs. Cage, Baby/Babycakes, Moviestar, Sugarlips, other schmoozy nicknames. The only names with actual meaning are Mrs. Cage since he’s always joked about wifing Sonya up and having her as his) and Moviestar, since Sonya does things that takes Johnny’s breath away more than any action movie or star could. That woman blows him away.

Nicknames for Johnny: When she’s not addressing him as “asshole” Johnny adores it when Sonya uses his name since Sonya can be brutal with her teasing calling him anything but.

Who worries the most?

Definitely Sonya. She’s just much better at putting on a face and hiding it. Whenever it seems like she is barking unnecessary orders or is tedious, it comes from a place of worry if not anxiety. Sonya loves control. And she is willing to fight for that feeling.

Who remembers what the other one always orders at a restaurant?

Johnny has all of the hookups and knows waiters, waitresses, cooks, and managers by name in the swankiest eateries. If he can remember that then he can surely remember what Sonya wants when she’s craving some grub. It doesn’t fail to flatter Sonya when Johnny remembers these things.

Who tops?

Not sure if this specifically refers to who is more dominant in the bedroom or who is literally on top usually. Regardless, I see both applying to Sonya as she’s a lady who knows what she wants and her assertiveness makes Johnny flutter. This also goes back to Sonya’s desire or maybe need to be in control even during intimacy.

Who initiates kisses?

When it comes to pecks on the lips, cheek or forehead, Sonya has those in the bag. They’re short and sweet. Johnny is much more likely to initiate more longing kisses as he grazes his thumb onto Sonya’s chin. He’s even one to initiate steamy makeout sessions.

Who reaches for the other’s hand first?

Johnny being the sweetheart and romantic at heart he is. I also see Sonya taking a while to warm up to physical affection.

Who kisses the hardest?

Sonya. I see Johnny being much more tender. Sonya’s aggressiveness took Johnny aback the first time, but at this point, Johnny certainly doesn’t mind.

Who wakes up first?

Sonya. Her body is set on a particular timetable and she sticks to it. But she’s not one to force Johnny to be an early riser if he’s not cool with that. One of the first things she does when she gets up is cup Johnny’s snoozing face as she gazes down at him. If she’s feeling extra affectionate, she’ll plant a kiss on his face ever so slightly not to wake him. Hours later when Johnny wakes up, Sonya reverts to her old self as if none of that sappy mumbo jumbo in bed didn’t happen.

Who wants to stay in bed just a little longer?

If you’re one to sleep in until 1 pm, Johnny is your guy. With his love of sleep and spooning, it takes a lot of willpower from Sonya to not succumb to the temptation of Johnny as his offer. But she’d never admit that Cage makes her feel tempted.

Who says I love you first?

Who gets jealous easiest

Both can be possessive and protective of one another, but Johnny is definitely the jealous type. Once he has his eye on someone special, and they feel the same way about him, he doesn’t want to lose that person by any means, so he’ll be damned if one of those reasons is a pair of prying eyes.

Who leaves little notes in the other’s one lunch? (Bonus: what does it usually say?)

Johnny has more...creative methods of showing the people close to him that he loves them and this just may include silly notes in Sonya’s lunch. Sonya loves pasta with specific types of cheeses (she drools over Italian cuisine). One note that made her chuckle in particular, was a post-it note on top of a Tupperware dish with alfredo in it, the note reads, “This may sound cheesy, but I think you’re grate :)”

Who tells their family/friends about their relationship first?

Sonya. She’s closer to her family while Johnny isn’t. Johnny is also hesitant to share his dating status as his folks are extremely toxic and judgemental. They have opinions about who Johnny should be dating and would prefer that he settles down with a nice, more traditional rich girl. And the families judgment has only gotten worse since Johnny found fame.

What do their family/friends think of their relationship?

Each person family has a negative reaction to some degree. On Sonya’s side, it’s hard to hear, but Johnny is a grade a movie star! And Sonya? Just a military lady. Sonya’s family and friends are curious as to what Johnny sees in her, and what should convince them that this Hollywood sleazebag isn’t just toying with Sonya’s feelings?

Again with Johnny’s family, they are almost automatically disapproving as they see Sonya’s down to Earth nature and not richness offputting. 

Who is more likely to start dancing with the other?

Johnny. Can’t dance, but is silly enough to try and dance like no one is watching furthering making Sonya go red. Something they can do successfully is slow dancing and swaying. They both love being close to each other.

Who tries to do subtle things that they know drives the other crazy

Both do this, but it’s much more effective when Sonya does this since this behavior is expected of Johnny. And boy is he surprised when Sonya becomes a flirt all of a sudden.

Who cooks more/who is better at cooking?

Sonya somehow manages to still burn toast, and Johnny merely dabbles with food. Needless to say, they are much more of a take-out kind of couple.

Who comes up with cheesy pick up lines?

Is this even a question...? ( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°) 

Who whispers inappropriate things in the other’s ear during inappropriate times?

Again - is this even a question...? ( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°) 

Who needs more assurance?

Johnny is more likely to be vulnerable with his partner if the relationship is deep enough, and if his vulnerability is an 11 out of 10, he’ll need some comforting. It’s so different from Cage’s usual flashy persona, so when Sonya is faced with Johnny being a vulnerable mess, its awkward at first. But later when they understand each others’ needs as a couple, they handle these things much better creating emotional safe places practically.

What would be their theme song?

This one was really hard (forgive me for the lackluster answer), but I chose “Ridin round” by Kalis Uchis ft Tory Lanez (Oshi Redo) (Here’s the link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hPYQMcM7q1MI ). I listened to this song recently, and tbh it’s a badass bop. Is it suitable for cageblade? Debateable. Is cageblade a badass ship? The answer is yes and that's not debatable.

Who brings up the idea of kids?

Surprisingly, the actor who has left a trail of broken hearts is the one who discusses the idea of settling down and starting a family. And originally, Sonya didn’t have that intent as she is driven by her career. This heavily shaped the relationship and Cassie’s upbringing due to Sonya’s headstrong way of looking at things.

Who would sing to their child back to sleep?

Johnny. And that man can’t even sing. The very first time he does this, Sonya watches in amusement wondering if he’ll calm or horrify that poor thing.

What do they do when they’re away from each other?

Both have lives and outside of each other and that’s totally normal and healthy. If either isn’t in kombat, you’ll find Johnny on one of his movie sets if he’s not playing video games with Cassie and wiping the floor with her in Mario Kart 8. Sonya will be doing her usually military drills if not training her troops. Johnny is more prone to talk about Sonya to others while Sonya likes to keep things professional while she is Major Blade.

one headcanon about this OTP that breaks your heart

Though being on again/ off again may be necessary for some couples, it may have caused some of their undoings (following the events of MKX). Particularly when Cassie was born and Sonya never played out as a central role in her childhood. Though the couple had their disagreements, it shouldn’t have affected Cassie in my opinion.

one headcanon about this OTP that mends it

They’re one of those polar opposite couples that helps the other grow in specific ways. Johnny teaches Sonya to face her fears and helps her kombat her stubbornness, while Sonya is filled with wisdom, as he hasn’t had the easiest life, providing Johnny with new perspectives in life, and also maturing him a bit, teaching him that not everything has to be a joke. There’s a time and place. And despite their differences, they have love for one another.

Now. This list was very tedious, but I’m still happy with the end result! Thank you for this ask! Johnny and Sonya have always been favorites of mine.

Oh, and by the way - I am officially back.

[doubledeaky]

Here’s Looking to You, Kid

Rami Malek x Actress!Reader

A/N: Hi, everyone! This was requested by @psychshawnjuleshanluke so thank you very much! Sorry it took me over a week but she’s finally here! It kinda turned into something different than I had originally intended but I’m really happy with how it turned out! If anyone is confused, the title is a reference to the movie “Casablanca.” As always, feedback is very much appreciated! Much love! - macy:)

Summary: A story of struggle, love, and how beautiful both can be.

Word Count: 4,088 words

Warnings: cursing and mentions of blood, that's it :)

It was a nervous habit you’d developed around the age of eight. Picking or biting at the skin of your lips until bloodied and scabbed. Your mother always chastised you harshly, ripping your fingers away from your lower lip or tapping your chin with a bit too much force in order to release the irritated flesh from in between your gapped teeth. Who could blame you though? You were a child cast prematurely into the adult world, the world of acting. From the ripe old age of five, your mother had begun carting you around the busy streets of New York from one audition to another, your chubby legs struggling to keep up with the quick strides of her heeled feet. The stress of securing jobs emerged when your young mind recognized that getting callbacks made your mother happy, the money you earned made her very happy. So, you took it on the chin and missed out on the simplicity of childhood for a life in the limelight. It was your reality, passion ran its course through your veins every morning and calmed minutely when you laid down to sleep.

Now in your mid-twenties, you often reflected on the many years you dedicated to the craft. Was this really what you wanted? Was this really your dream? Is your entire life built on a foundation of misguided hope? Your career had taken so much from you; countless hours of practice, bloodied fingertips and broken toenails, tired eyes, and sore limbs. It all seemed fruitless, a never-ending cycle of maybe and the instability that came with it almost nauseating. You were very close to throwing in the towel, calling it quits, until you met him.

It was a chance meeting. You'd gotten a much anticipated call back, and so did he. You’d nearly sprinted to the final audition, a fresh pep in your step and a content smile on your face. You knew little of the secondary roles, all you cared about was that you were potentially going to be cast as the lead. You walked into the obnoxiously extravagant lobby, the glare of the crystal chandeliers nearly blinding you. Your head made quick movements back and forth, searching for someone to provide you with instructions. An older woman dressed in a tailored suit stalked up to you after only a few moments of your frenzied confusion, quirking a thin brow at your disheveled, certainly unique appearance. Your anxious eyes didn’t recognize her, and you assumed she was head of casting, the top dog. You gulped nervously, accidentally shoving your crumpled resume towards her instead of your shaky hand. She pulled her sloppily red painted lips into a tight line, her judging gaze weighing heavy on your chest. You seized up, folding and stuffing your resume into your coat pocket and extending a hand in her direction. Her cold eyes glanced at it, before gripping it harshly and shaking it twice up and down. You cleared your throat and attempted to meet her eyes, disappointed that your first impression had gone so horribly.

“Y/N Y/L/N. I’m here for the, um, callback concerning the female lead.” You mumbled, eyes unfortunately looking anywhere but hers. She huffed through her narrow nostrils and cocked a hip, her silence overwhelmingly condescending.

“I take it you’re new to all of this.” She said, her voice steely, gesturing to the space around her with one hand and lowering her thick-rimmed glasses with the other. Your eyes widened, and you characteristically pulled your lower lip between your teeth, biting down hard on the flesh.

“Um, no ma’am. I’ve actually been acting for a little over twenty years.” You mumbled, wiping your sweaty palms on the material of your blue jeans. She smirked, smug and experienced, evident in the etched wrinkles at the corners of her thin lips.

“I couldn’t tell. Come now. We haven’t got time to waste.” She barked, turning quickly on her heel, not looking back to see if you were following her, she just expected you would. You quickly collected yourself, rushing to fall in line behind her, careful not to clip the back of her heels. She zoomed expertly around corners and through narrow corridors and you struggled to keep up, the maze-like structure making you dizzy. She suddenly stopped and turned to you, expression still unwaveringly stern.

“Alright, you’ll be reading lines today with the prospective male costar. All you have to do is impress me.”

You nodded, still biting feverishly at your lip as you watched her enter. You followed, stopping abruptly as she turned.

“And stop biting your lip.”

You released the flesh immediately, your cheeks growing exponentially warm, but you continued further into the gray room nevertheless.

It was only you, the woman, and her assistant at the moment; you all waited amongst a deafening silence for the “prospective male costar,” who happened to be exactly eight minutes late. Mere seconds after you took a fleeting glance at the analog clock hung on the wall, he burst through the heavy metal door, huffing violently and gushing apologies on his way in. Your eyes widened, stepping back to avoid being knocked over or smacked by his flailing limbs.

“You’re late.” Said the woman without looking up from the stack of papers before her, brows noticeably drawn together in annoyance.

“I know, I know. I’m really sorry.” He breathed, still trying to force air into his lungs, hunched over with his hands resting on his bent knees. She scoffed, before tossing you and the man a script. He caught it skillfully without looking up, while you fumbled to grab it out of the air; the two women at the desk grimaced.

“Alright, you both have twenty minutes. Be grateful I’m being generous with the time slot. Now, go on.” She urged impatiently, gesturing for you both to take position and read out your lines accordingly.

Now with the man stood so close, you could scan his appearance fully and to say you were impressed would be an understatement. He was beautiful, regally attractive in such a unique manner that you felt small and vulnerable under his concentrated gaze. You cleared your throat unceremoniously and so did he, stretching his neck and shaking his limbs before scanning the script with quick flits of his green eyes. You steadied yourself, closing your eyes momentarily to settle into character. The woman raised her brows in anticipation, gesturing for you to proceed with your first line. You nodded, all anxiety melting once you stepped into the role. The woman’s eyes widened as she watched the scene before her play out, equally impressed by the two young actors in front of her. The scene concluded, and you let out a long, drawn out breath. The two women nodded, seemingly pleased as they both jotted down notes with fancy oak pens.

“Thank you both for your time. If you receive a call from us in the next few days, you’ve got it.” The assistant said politely, standing up to usher you both back into the front lobby; the other woman remaining pensive in her desk chair.

You looked back with worried eyes as the heavy, windowless door closed behind you, the anxiety of waiting for the coveted call back already settling in the pit of your stomach. The man was unmoving from his position, studying you intently with curious eyes, eager to introduce himself to his potential costar. He clasped his hands behind his back awkwardly, clearing his throat to draw your attention. Your head snapped towards the sound, heart immediately hammering against your ribs when your eyes met his. He shuffled towards you, sticking out a hand and giving you a kind smile.

“I’m Rami.” He said simply, smile widening as you took his hand. You nodded politely, attempting to mask the effect his intimidating energy had on you.

“Y/N.”

“Hope I’ll be seeing you.”

He turned and walked out of the automatic sliding glass doors, hands in his pockets and bouncing on his heels like a child. You couldn’t help but stare at his retreating figure, the warmth of your face and fuzziness in your chest growing significantly more noticeable.

“Me too.” You whispered, catching a final glimpse of the man before he disappeared into the heavy crowd of busy New Yorkers.

***

You got the part, and lucky you, so did he. Table readings and rehearsals were approaching, and life seemed to adopt a refreshingly fast pace, it had been too long since you’d been able to embrace the life of an actress. For nearly a year you’d been living pay check to pay check, working any and every job, and eating dinner on the floor of your small apartment. Now you were being tended to hand and foot with a number of assistants catering to your every need, it was nice but to abuse the power was unlike you, humility was more your game and that’s what Rami first noticed about you. You were kind and generous, never condescending or cold to those considered below you. You were the refreshing breeze of crisp air that Hollywood so desperately needed.

As the process of making a film was in full swing, getting to know Rami had become your favorite pastime. He was captivating; he lived an interesting life and you yearned for something akin to it. He was funny, effortlessly so and you were never frowning in his presence. He was devilishly intelligent, quick witted with a sharp tongue. He was kind and out of character, shy and reserved. That was the Rami you most enjoyed, the Rami that was himself and didn’t have to be anybody else. With all this in mind, how could you not have fallen for him?

***

The first scene. Again, your lip was nearly bloody at the force in which you were biting it, your lipstick worn away from the motion; guaranteed to anger makeup when they would eventually notice your appearance. Your legs bounced with anxiety and you were unable to keep still. Your assistant noticed this and gave you a reassuring smile, both thumbs pointing up as you were escorted onto set. Once you were sat down, the head of makeup narrowed her eyes at your smudged lipstick and ran a finger under your lower lip to sharpen the edge.

“You and your lip biting, I swear.” She murmured in mock disapproval, giving your cheek a gentle pat as she moved on to work on the background actors.

Your eyes searched the room for Rami, hoping to get his famous words of reassurance before the director shouted “Action!”

He was truly a frustrating sort, only around when he was needed, otherwise off of his own accord. Time was ticking down, and you remembered how shit you were at managing panic, your heart jumping widely in your chest, the steady flow of your blood ringing in both ears. A hand upon your shoulder brought you out of your daze and you immediately calmed at gentle touch, knowing who it was without having to turn around and find out.

“Ready?” He whispered into your ear, face mere inches from yours. You could tell he was excited; his voice was a pitch higher and his smile was wide and bright.

“Guess I don’t have a choice.” You laughed, dry and humorlessly. He waved you off dismissively, shaking your shoulder gently.

“You’ve got this.” He said, stepping to the side and setting himself before you, placing both hands on either side of your chair and effectively trapping you under his gaze.

“Remember, this is your gig. You are the heart of this film.” He said, pointing a long finger to your chest, right above your pounding heart. You nodded, hypnotized under his intense gaze, charmed by the spell he unknowingly had over you. He smiled, giving your shoulder a pat and pressing a soft kiss to your cheek, the contact sending a shockwave through your entire nervous system. He turned to take his place, sending you one last smile before dissipating into a blur of color, similar to the day you’d met him.

***

Three months into filming was when it had dawned on you, it being your undeniably feelings towards your costar. It was inevitable considering you spent nearly every waking hour with the man, filming scenes on set and spending a lot of time together away from the chaos. 

It wasn’t hard either, Rami was lovable, and no one knew that better than you. It was getting more and more difficult to film scenes with him and remain in character. You’d often stare longingly at him or reach out absentmindedly to touch his hand, neither of these actions in the script. The director noticed the sudden shift in your usually professional demeanor and the last few days of shooting had been particularly frustrating, for both yourself and the director.

He planned on speaking with you after the scene currently being shot, which wasn’t exactly going according to plan. You were forgetting lines, stuttering during the ones you did know, and your body language was totally off for the stoic, confident character you were supposed to be playing. You could tell he was growing frustrated and even Rami was confused by the amount of trouble you were having, raising his brows in question every time you’d flub a line or nervously wring your hands. After several takes the director had had enough and called time, telling Rami and the other few actors on set to break, excluding you. He waited until everyone had filed out of the room and then narrowed his eyes at you, beckoning you in his direction with a crooked finger. You hung your head to avoid his gaze and stalked over to him, your clammy hands laced behind your back.

“What are you doing?” He hissed, crossing his tense arms over his chest. You didn’t look up, only drew your lower lip between clenched teeth. He widened his eyes and drew his mouth into a tight line, anticipating your coming excuse.

“I’m sorry.” You mumbled, kicking the ground awkwardly. He huffed in exasperation, flailing his arms momentarily, clipboard in hand swinging through the air.

“Don’t apologize, Y/N. Just...what’s up with you? I’ve never seen you struggle like this.” He questioned, pinching his brow with his thumb and forefinger, seemingly embarrassed by his sudden outburst. You bit harshly at the inner flesh of your lip, debating whether or not to tell him the truth.

“Just having an off day is all.” You lied, and it was obvious. You’d been having an off two weeks and he could see right through your paper-thin fib.

“Don’t bullshit me, Y/L/N. I’ve seen you have off days. This isn’t one of them. Something else is going on.” You sighed in defeat, shoulders falling from their tensed position.

“Am I that transparent?”

“Very.”

You smiled, feeling your mood lift minutely. He cocked his head, expecting you to elaborate and you subsequently took in a deep breath.

“It’s Rami.”

“Rami?”

“Yeah, Rami.”

He seemed confused, his face almost pulled into a pained grimace.

“I don’t understand. You and Rami have great chemistry. You’ve never clashed.” He said, seemingly dumbfounded as he tried to make sense of your words.

“That’s the problem.” You huffed, hoping he’d get the hint.

“Oh. Oh.”

“Yeah.”

“Well, fix it.”

You scoffed, nodding your head incredulously as he eyed you expectantly.

“How do you expect me to do that?” You asked, eyes narrowed, and arms crossed over your chest, your attitude uncharacteristically sassy.

“You…tell him.” He said cautiously, backing away from you discreetly. You laughed in disbelief, running your shaky hands over your face.

“God, you’ve had some bad ideas but that is the worst one yet.” You mumbled, sitting down and burying your heavy head in your hands.

“Doesn’t matter. Either you tell him, or I will. We can’t have any more delays, we’re already behind as it is.” He said simply, almost stomping away before you could protest.

You gaped at his retreating figure, watching in horror as he disappeared into the next room. You groaned and rubbed your eyes with the heels of your hands, trying to formulate a plan of action. Either you tell Rami how you feel and suffer the inevitable heartbreak of rejection or your director would rat you out and you’d suffer not only heartbreak but sheer embarrassment. Doing it of your own accord seemed like the lesser of two evils. It didn’t matter either way, you were stuck and the threat from your director was enough to convince you to bite the bullet.

***

“Ram?” You called out softly, tapping a knuckle against the metal door of his trailer. You heard a faint shuffling and the muffled sound of his favorite Billy Joel vinyl before he opened the door, greeting you with a sheepish grin and kind eyes.

“Come on in.” He said, stepping aside to allow you access, his hand on your lower back guiding you to the rock-hard futon pushed against the wall. You sat, shifting uncomfortably on the cushion. Rami retreated into the back room and returned with a blanket, throwing it over the both of you. You thanked him with a smile and took in a deep breath, the silence between you jarring.

“Ram- “

“Did I do something?” You furrowed your brows, heartbeat already growing erratic.

“What, um, what do you mean?” You sputtered, leaning forward in his direction.

“Like, did I upset you? Did I do something to upset you? You’ve been off the past week or so. Didn’t know if I’d done something.” He mumbled, looking down, obviously flustered. Your heart swelled, and you closed your eyes tight, a grin spread across your face.

“Oh, Rami, baby. No, you didn’t do anything wrong.” You cooed, grabbing his hand in yours, caressing his knuckles with your thumb. “It’s me and my stupid feelings fucking everything up.”

It was his turn to furrow his brows in confusion, his hand gripping yours tighter momentarily.

“What’d ya mean your feelings are fucking everything up?” He asked, face holding nothing but concern and you refrained from melting into a pathetic puddle on the material of his couch.

“Ok, here goes.” You breathed, noticing his eyes widen and his breath hitch.

“If I don’t tell you now, you’ll probably here it from someone else.” You gushed, rolling your eyes at the thought of your director.

“The reason I’ve been so all over the place is because I’ve been...distracted.” You stalled, habitually biting your lip. Rami’s confusion only grew, scooting closer to your trembling body.

“Distracted?”

“Basically.”

“Care to elaborate? Maybe I can help.” He laughed, gesturing for you to continue. You grimaced, your body tensing as if bracing for impact.

“That’s the thing. You can’t help me because, you’re my distraction.” He froze, hand falling limp in yours. Your heart seized, the blood in your veins stalling, the activity in your brain ceasing. A nervous energy took over and you instinctively began to ramble.

“You don’t have to say anything. Just listen, because I may never get the chance to say this again.” You drew in a breath, his eyes following your small movements intently.

“When I met you, I was in a dark place. I was so close to giving up on acting. So close to moving home, maybe even taking up a job with my dad at the deli. But I didn’t need to, obviously. Because I got the part of a lifetime and I truly believe it was because you read lines with me that day. You brought out the best in me. I hadn’t done that well in an audition in years.” You laughed humorlessly, looking down at your hand lain alone in your lap.

“But it’s not just that. I’ve grown to admire you so much. Everything you do, you do it with so much purpose and I think that’s so beautiful.” Your eyes are cloudy with tears now, your voice small and choked.

“You’re so wonderful to me. I couldn’t have stopped myself from falling in love with you if I tried.” You whispered, tears now falling freely, teeth clenched tightly to stifle pained sobs. Rami’s chest was tight, his own eyes glossy.

“I can’t think clearly when I’m around you. My mind’s a mess and I fuck up my lines. I trip over nothing.” You laughed dryly, Rami joining you, his smile providing minor relief to the pressure in your chest.

“I guess what I’m trying to say is that I have a big, stupid crush on you. If you don’t feel the same, that’s fine. I just needed to get it off of my chest.” You sighed, giving him a sad smile and readying yourself for a cold rejection. Instead Rami huffed, laughing incredulously and then pulling you into an air tight hug. You froze, completely stunned, arms still glued to your side as he buried his face into the crook of your neck.

“You think all those romance scenes we do are just acting? I’m not that good.” He laughed, voice muffled into heated skin of your neck. You breathed out in relief, finally wrapping your shaky arms around him. He pulled away and cradled your tear-soaked face in his hands.

“You think I stare at you cuz’ I just so happen to like looking at things?” He laughed, and you giggled, face muscles aching under your wide smile.

“No, looking at you, being around you, it’s a privilege. Those who know you don’t know how lucky they are. To be in your presence is happiness, to look at you is happiness. I don’t know if I could live without you. So, I won’t.” He breathed, eyes boring into you. You were trembling, smiling wide, tears completely obscuring your vision.

“I wouldn’t want you too.” You breathe, bringing a hand up to caress his face, thumb swiping stray tears from his skin. He smiled, throwing his head back and breathing a sigh of relief before bringing you into his arms again. You felt him place a kiss to your temple, your face buried into the material of his jumper.

“I can’t believe it.” He breathed, hand running soothingly up and down your spine.

“Feeling’s mutual.” You laugh, looking up to meet his eyes. His expression is soft, and his eyes are aglow with love, like the crystals of the chandeliers you distinctly remember were hung in the building in which you met him. His hand comes up to cradle your face and you nuzzle into his palm, finally feeling the touch you so craved from him.

“For the record, you got this part all on your own. If anything, you carried me.”

“You flatter me so, Malek.”

“I don’t mind.” He mumbles, drawing closer to you, lips so close you can feel the heat radiating from them. 

Your face suddenly grows serious, eyes heavy lidded as you instinctively lean in. Rami grabs your face in both hands, pulling your lips to his. All doubt, all anxiety, any negative emotion stowed away in your mind evades you in a cloud of heavy smoke. Replaced with a fuzzy warmth as his lips move against yours. You can’t possibly hold onto him tighter, feeling no stimulus other than his touch. You’re connected now, and it’s beautiful. All at once you’ve been enveloped in a pink hue of love. You feel complete, whole again after being fractured for far too long.

Rami pulls away hesitantly, smiley and breathless.

“Is this real?” He breaths, eyes still shut delicately.

“God, I hope so.” You laugh, hugging him tight again, placing chaste kisses to the column of his throat.

As if on cue, your beloved director barges in, grinning smugly as he takes in the scene.

“Looks like we’re all keeping our jobs.” He laughs, turning abruptly and skipping out of the trailer. You roll your eyes, cheeks hot with embarrassment. Rami just laughs, his arms still tight around you. You scan his profile, taking in every detail the naked eye can catch. Rami notices this, narrowing his eyes and smiling.

“Your staring is how you got into this situation in the first place.” He laughed, gesturing to the space around him.

“If my staring got me here, then I’m glad I’ve got a looking problem.” You giggle, leaning into his frame.

“Me too.” He whispers, smiling wide before pressing his lips to yours in a dizzying kiss.

Your career has taken so much from you. It stole your childhood, and robbed you of your most tender years. But, despite this, it’s given you so much and Rami is living proof of its beautiful gifts.

read my other fics here!

[badchoosey]

Red Carpet Diaries, Book One. Chapter 1: Hello, Hollywood!

The limo rumbles gently underneath you as it rolls up to the theater. You can hear the chatter of the crowd outside. 

Jester: (No matter how many times I do this… it never gets old.)

With a deep breath, you throw open the door… And step out onto the red carpet! People clap, lights flash, and voices call your name!

Fan: We love you, Jester!

Fan2: You’re the best, Jester!

You walk forward with a smile and a wave. One reporter waves you down…

Pippa Majors: Jester! Jester! Pippa Majors, Fashion Network… can I have a word?

Jester: Of course, Pippa! You’re looking as radiant as ever!

Pippa Majors: Well, I’ve got nothing on you! You’re absolutely stunning! How are you feeling about the premiere of your latest film?

Jester: Who cares? I’m just here for the after-party! I heard they’ve got trained penguins serving the cocktails!

Pippa Majors: Ha! There’s the Jester we all know and love! I have to say, you have quite the crowd here! I’m pretty sure I’m looking at all of Hollywood’s A-list!

You turn back around, and even now, it’s a little hard to believe just how many incredible people you see. There’s legendary movie star Chris Winters, brilliant director Thomas Hunt, and your all-time hero, legendary actress Victoria Fontaine!

You turn back to Pippa with a smile.

Jester: Yeah… it’s pretty amazing. 

Pippa Majors: I’ll let you go, but one more question first….

Jester: Of course!

Pippa Majors: You’ve built up an incredible career in the last few years… broken all box office records… Won three Best Actress awards… started an acclaimed clothing line… and even released a chart-topping album!

Jester: What can I say, Pippa? I’m prolific!

Pippa Majors: So I just have to ask… is it true there’s a special someone in your life? Has Jester finally found love?

Jester: I… I…

A rough jolt snaps you out of your dream! You wake up to find yourself on a coach seat in a crowded plane, arriving in LA. 

Pilot: Welcome to Los Angeles, where the local weather is 75 degrees and sunny… pretty much always! From this Des Moines based crew, thanks for flying with us. Enjoy your stay!

Jester: (Oh…. just a dream… But hey, as far as dreams go… not bad!)

You make your way out of LAX Airport into the bright California sun. 

Jester: I can’t believe I’m really here… Hollywood… 

A car horn grabs your attention. Across the street you spot an expensive convertible, and the man driving it is waving… at you!

Chazz: Hey beautiful!

It’s Chazz, an old friend from high school, now a Hollywood agent!

Jester: Chazz? Wow… You’re really giving me the star treatment!

Chazz: Hey, around here, it’s not just ‘dress for the job you want’. You gotta drive for it too!

Jester: Let me guess, you’re applying for… millionaire playboy?

Chazz: Perpetually.

You climb into Chazz’s convertible, and the two of you take off down the streets of LA. 

Chazz: So! I want to hear everything that’s going on with you. 

Jester: Besides moving to Hollywood and trying to make my dreams come true?

Chazz: Aren’t we all? So dish-a-lish… what are those dreams? What are you hoping to do now that you’re in Hollywood?

Jester: I want what everybody wants.

Chazz: Money? Fame? A pool full of cabernet that you can just sorta soak in?

Jester: No, dummy. To fall in love!

Chazz: Oh my god. You are PERFECT for this town. Even your dreams sound like something out of a movie! We are so on the same page. It’s totally decided already. I’m representing you!

Jester: Really? But you haven’t even seen me audition! I’m pretty sure the last time you saw me act was our class production of Oklahoma… where I was ‘Cowgirl #3’. 

Chazz: I still remember you in that… an adorable dorky sophomore with braces and a huge crush on Mark Pomodoro…

Jester: Like you were any better… a loud-mouthed senior attention-hog with an even bigger crush on Mark Pomodoro…

Chazz: And to think… he chose Jenna Tromboli over both of us.

Jester: No accounting for taste.

You reach over and squeeze Chazz’s hand. 

Jester: For real, though, Chazz… your friendship got me through the hardest years of high school. 

Chazz: Right back atcha… which is precisely why I’m offering you representation, no audition needed! Besides, you’d be doing me a favor. Every agent wants to be representing the hottest new actress in town, after all!

Jester: Chazz, that sounds too good to be true. Don’t you think that’s aiming a little high? I can’t be the only wannabe actress in this town. 

Chazz: You don’t think I can pull it off?

Jester: Of course I think you can do it! I just don’t want to let you down!

Chazz: Oh, if that’s all, then we have nothing to worry about. You could never let me down, Jester!

Jester: Thanks, Chazz! That makes me feel better. 

Chazz: What are friends for?

Chazz turns onto a winding drive lined with palm trees. At the end is the biggest, most luxurious manor you’ve ever seen! He parks and walks around to help you out of the sports car. 

Jester: Is this your house?

Chazz: Well, I don’t like to brag…

Jester: This place is… alright, I guess.

Chazz: Oh come on. I know you’re impressed. We grew up in the same town, Jester. Where the most impressive building was the Corn and Corn products museum. 

Jester: You think this compares to CaCPM? Seems a little meh after the glories of ‘the hall of seed varietals.’

Chazz: Can’t argue with that!

Chazz walks confidently through the door. Inside, the manor is even more opulent. Framed movie posters line the walls. The two of you wander through the entrance hall, peering at each one. 

Jester: Wow, is that poster for Kingmaker signed by the entire cast? That movie was huge!

Chazz: What can I say, I’ve got a nose for a hit. 

Jester: Oh, and The Warmest Winter! I have always adored Victoria Fontaine. 

Chazz: She’s brilliantissimo. One of the best. 

Jester: I haven’t seen her in anything for a while though…

Chazz: Yeah, well, the shine can come off anything around here. 

Chazz’s phone rings. 

Chazz: Damn, I have to take this. Why don’t you check out the grounds and meet me back here in a few minutes?

Jester: The grounds? How very ‘to the manor born’ of you. 

Chazz rolls his eyes and answers his phone, pointing down a hallway that leads to the back of the mansion. 

Dozens of beautiful people lounge on chairs or float in the water, drinks in hand. 

Jester: Wow…

Feeling starstruck, you turn back to a sleek, fully-stocked bar. 

Waiter: Mimosa, miss?

A waiter offers you a tray filled with champagne flutes. You smile and pluck one off the edge. 

Jester: Uh, thank you. 

He walks off towards a cluster of women in bikinis dangling their legs in the pool. Feeling awkward, you lean against the bar and sip your drink. As you do, you notice a movie poster framed under the bar of ‘The Devil’s Canyon’ with Matt Rodriguez…

Jester: (The biggest action movie of last summer… and Matt Rodriguez was amazing in it…)

Guy’s Voice: Excuse me… 

You turn to say hello to whoever has joined you at the bar….

Matt: Could I get a gin and tonic?

It’s Matt Rodriguez! From the poster! In the flesh! And totally shirtless.

Matt flashes his multimillion-dollar smile at you and reaches for his drink. Somehow it makes his abs look even more cut. 

Matt: I don’t think we’ve met. I’m Matt. 

You smile politely and sip your drink. 

Jester: I’m Jester. NIce to meet you… Matt, right?

Matt: Yes. Matt. Matt Rodriguez. You… haven’t heard of me?

Jester: I’m not sure. Should I have?

Matt: Wow, uh… no. I guess there’s no reason you should have. It’s frankly refreshing to meet someone who hasn’t. 

Jester: Well, then you’re welcome for the refreshment… but I have to be honest. I was just playing around. I’ve definitely heard of you. I mean, there are literally posters of you all over the house. 

Matt: Oh, right. I kinda… try to tune those out. Kudos on your acting chops, though. You actually had me going there. 

You give him a quick half-bow. 

Matt: So, I haven’t seen you around before. New in town?

Jester: Just flew in this morning, actually. Kind of hard to believe I was in Iowa less than twelve hours ago…

Matt: Time flies when you’re flying, right?

Jester: Hold up… did you just reference the theme song to Pegasus Squad?

Matt: … Maybe?

Jester: The obscure Canadian kid’s show about a gang of high schoolers who turn into magical space pilots? Because I’m like 95% certain I’m the only one who ever watched it. 

Matt: Well, you clearly weren’t the only one, because I loved it as a kid. 

Jester: Matt Rodriguez is a Pegasus Squad fanboy. You do know I’m going to blast this all over the Internet, right?

Matt: Dear god, no! Tumblr will eat me alive!

The two of you share a laugh, his eyes sparkling softly in the warm light. 

Jester: So… is there a special occasion why everyone’s hanging out here? I feel like I’m crashing the party. 

Matt: See, you’d have to be unwelcome to crash. And I’m having way too much fun talking to you for that to be the case. 

Jester: I’ll consider that my official invitation, then. 

Matt: But no, there’s no occasion. My agent lives here, and he has kind of an open-door policy. He thinks a lot of beautiful people hanging around his house all day is good for business. 

Jester: This is your agent’s house? We must have the same agent!

Matt: Well, that’s lucky. 

Jester: Yeah?

Matt: I want as many excuses to run into you as possible. Not every day you meet another Pegasus Squad fan!

Just then, a pair of voices shouts your way from the far side of the pool. 

Chris Winters: Hey, Rodriguez! C’mere, I need to settle a bet. 

Thomas Hunt: Lose a bet, you mean. 

Chris Winters: Me? Never. 

Matt: Sorry, I think that’s my cue. Hunt only gets more cranky if you make him wait. 

Jester: We wouldn’t want that. 

Matt: I’ll see you again, though, won’t I?

Jester: If you’re lucky. 

Matt flashes you one last smile and walks over to his friends. 

Jester: (Chris Winters, Thomas Hunt, and Matt Rodriguez? Am I sure I’m not still dreaming?)

You finish your drink and walk back through the house to find Chazz. You’re too fizzy with excitement to stand still any more. He’s just finished his call. 

Chazz: Perfect timing as usual. Did you like the pool?

Jester: Like it? It was stunning. But you’ve been holding out on me. 

Chazz: What?

Jester: How could you not tell me that Matt Rodriguez in your client? I’d have come out here way sooner if I’d known you could introduce me to him!

Chazz: Oh… well I… It’s not something I like to brag about. 

Jester: You have clearly changed since high school then. The Chazz I knew would have tattooed it on his forehead!

Chazz: Ha. Yeah. Listen, we… uh… should probably get going…

Jester: Why? Your house is so nice, I thought we could hang out a little longer…

Chazz: Yeah… about that… you see… I…. 

Just then a man in a perfectly tailored suit bursts into the entryway. He storms over to Chazz and sticks a finger in his chest. 

Man: Took you long enough, Chazz. I was ready to tell the police you’d stolen my Bentley. 

Chazz: Sorry, boss. You know LA traffic. 

Jester: (‘Boss’?)

Chazz’s Boss: Don’t let it happen again. Time is money, and you’ve wasted too much of mine already today.

Chazz: Yes, sir. 

Chazz’s Boss: And who’s this?

Jester: Oh, I’m… I’m Jester sir. 

Chazz’s Boss: And what are you doing in my home?

Jester: Your home?

Chazz: Jester, this is my boss, John Castle, head of Castle Agency. He was kind enough to let me borrow his car to pick you up. 

Jester: Oh, well… thank you. I appreciate it. And I’m excited to be joining the Castle team. 

John Castle: And why the ell would I want someone so hopelessly generic?

Jester: … What?

John Castle: Let me guess, Chazz told you he’d turn you into the next big thing?

Jester: Well…

John Castle: He probably didn’t tell you that he’s the most junior agent we have. We leave him in charge of… 

Castle grimaces.

John Castle: Internet stars. 

Jester: Look, I don’t know about Chazz. I just know I want to make my mark somewhere a little more… impressive. 

Chazz’s face falls. 

Chazz: … Right. 

Jester: Look. The Castle Agency’s clout can only help me, no matter who I sign with. 

John Castle: I don’t know what bus stop of 24-hour diner Chazz found you in, but I’d recommend you lower your aspirations. That, or get very used to waitressing. 

Chazz: Sir, with all due respect… you’re wrong about Jester. She’s the real deal. The next big thing. She’s going to light this town up. I know it. 

John Castle: And I know that you’re one bad day away from being fired. And getting closer by the minute. 

Mr. Castle’s phone rings. He raises a finger at the two of you and puts the phone to his ear. 

John Castle: Can you at least manage to show yourself out? Or will I have to stare at that eyesore you call a vehicle indefinitely?

Chazz: We were just leaving. Thank you again for letting me borrow your car, it was--

Castle turns on his heel and starts barking into the phone. 

John Castle: He what? For the last time, Celeste, he’s a glorified sitcom star! He doesn’t get to demand anything, much less a bigger part! You tell him that if he bothers me one more time, he’s donezo! DONE! ZO!

Castle stalks away. Defeated, Chazz leads you out to his actual car, a beat-up old clunker with a dented fender and one window covered in duct tape. 

Jester: Yikes. 

Chazz: It’s not as pretty, but I promise it still does the job. 

Jester: Right…

Chazz speeds out of the driveway, obviously eager to be away from his boss. 

Jester: So… that wasn’t your house. And that wasn’t your car. And you’re … a junior agent?

Chazz: Technically, all true. 

Jester: You lied to me?

Chazz: I prefer the term ‘tactically misled’. 

Jester: God, this is so you. It’s just like sophomore year when you promised everyone you’d get us into a college party… but the best you could do was a lecture on macroeconomics!

Chazz: I’m sorry, okay! I screwed up. 

Jester: I just don’t understand why. I’d already signed with you. What did you have to gain?

Chazz: Look… I’m not exactly living the dream out here. I sleep in a crappy apartment, my car’s a clunker, and I haven’t had a date in six months. But… when I talked to you… I just… I couldn’t bear to share that. 

Chazz lets out a long sigh. 

Chazz: I just didn’t want you to think I was a loser, Jester. Everyone else already does. 

Jester: I’ll give you one more chance. 

Chazz: Really?

Jester: Really. But you have to be honest with me from now on. I expect nothing less from my agent. 

Chazz: So… you’re not firing me?

Jester: Of course, dummy. Just don’t lie to me again, otherwise I will show your boss that photo of you during your ill-advised emo phase. 

Chazz: I promise, I won’t! Anything but that!

Before long, Chazz pulls you up in front of a run-down looking concrete building. 

Chazz: TA-DA! Welcome to your new home-sweet-home! I know, I know, it’s not exactly a mansion… but I promise you’ll love it once you get used to it. 

Jester: Do people really get used to Soviet Bloc architecture?

Chazz: Think of it this way. Maybe you could use it as motivation?

Jester: For what?

Chazz: For ‘getting enough work to move out of this craptastic apartment.’

Jester: Sounds like I’ll be studying The Method whether I like it or not, huh?

Chazz: I’ve always liked to go above and beyond for my clients. Speaking of which, I went ahead and set up a bunch of the stuff you mailed out. Nothing slows down a big Hollywood debut like unpacking, right?

Jester: Thanks, Chazz. 

Chazz pops the trunk, and helps you with your bag. He leads you up to a depressing beige door, the number half falling off, and hands you the keys. 

Chazz: Alright, I’ve gotta dash, but I’ll call you soon. And seriously, I can’t wait to work together. We’re gonna do great things. 

Jester: … Right.

You’re just heading into the building when you hear a wobbly voice from behind you. 

Old Lady: Oh my! It pours off you in waves! It’s a veritable miasma!

Jester: I’m sorry, who are you?

Old Lady: They call me… Gloria the Glittering… But you can just call me Gloria. I’m your neighbor. 

Jester: Nice to meet you, Gloria. Now what exactly was I… miasming?

Gloria: Why stardom, my dear. You glow with its mystical aura. Unless you’re oozing it. It’s rather hard to tell with auras, you know. 

Jester: An aura of stardom? That’s ridiculous. Pretty sure those auras you’re seeing are just smog. 

Gloria: The third eye is never wrong! And besides, they took care of the smog years ago. Trust me, this is stardom. 

Jester: Do you tell this to all the girls who move into the building, Gloria?

Gloria: Oh, heavens no. Only the ones who might one day thank me in an awards speech. 

Gloria whisks away in a cloud of perfume and grandiosity. Alone again, you open the door to your apartment. You walk inside, set your bags on the floor, and take a deep breath. 

Jester: I guess this is it. Maybe Chazz was hoping to provide a ‘struggling young actress’ story to tell down the line?

The apartment is definitely a bit run down, but clean and bright, with a huge window and… A live raccoon?

Jester: Dear god why?! AHHHHHHHHH!

Raccoon: SKREEEE!

The raccoon runs into an open cupboard, knocking several pots and pans over on its way. 

Jester: Great! How do I disinfect my dishes for rabies?

Just then, a man’s head pops around your open door. 

Guy: Hey, is uhh… everything alright in here?

Jester: Oh, it’s peachy. You know, except for the live raccoon in my apartment. 

Guy: Ah, so you’ve met Rocket, huh? He’s kind of a fixture around here. Back in a shortly!

He dashes out the door, reappearing a few minutes later with a giant cooler and a half-eaten bag of chips sitting on top. 

Jester: Were you planning on inviting him to a barbecue?

Guy: Only if he’s bringing the beers. 

The guy sets the cooler down nearby, pries off the lid, sprinkles some chips in the bottom, then tilts the cooler on its side. 

Guy: I figured this trick out a little while back. Works way better than flailing around wildly, which was my previous go-to. 

After a few minutes, the raccoon sneaks out, grabs a chip… then hops into the cooler for the rest! The guy slams the cooler lid over the top, tilting it upright and locking it in place with the handles in one swift motion. 

Guy: If you want me to turn him back into a prince, that’ll be an extra $20. 

Jester: I’ll pass. 

Guy: Alright, but you owe me a bag of chips. 

You follow the guy as he takes the cooler out onto the front lawn, unlocks the handles, and knocks off the top. Within minutes, the raccoon has scampered off into the nearby dumpster. 

Jester: That was amazing! I can’t thank you enough… Mysterious Stranger?

Seth: Seth. I live across the hall. 

He extends his hand. You shake it. 

Jester: I’m Jester. 

Seth: Nice to meet you. 

He squints, taking you in. 

Seth: Let me guess… Fresh out of Ohio… dreams of stardom… and a poster of Matt Rodriguez on the ceiling of your childhood bedroom?

Jester: You’ve got it all wrong. I’m from Iowa. 

Seth: Ooooh, I stand corrected! As a fellow flyover-zone transplant, let me welcome you to fair Los Angeles, City of Angels…

Jester: And home invasion by rodents!

Seth: I see you’ve already gotten the tour. 

Jester: Just the highlights. And thank you. I’m pretty sure I’d have been spending my first night in town getting a rabies vaccination without you. 

Seth: The rabies clinic is on my top-five list of greatest LA hotspots… But… if you’re looking for something closer, I know a little place that’s worth checking out… 

Jester: Oh?

Seth: Here’s the pitch… A six pack of craft beer… sparkling conversation…. And the best view in the city. What do you say?

Jester: Is that where you take all the girls you rescue from raccoons?

Seth: Nope. Just the pretty ones. 

Jester: That sounds great and all but I really need to start unpacking. Would you take a raincheck?

Seth: Sure, but only if you take some advice, Iowa. 

Jester: What’s that?

Seth: Call it a ‘suncheck.’ Didn’t you know it never rains here?

Jester: Thank goodness I have you to show me the ropes. 

A little while later… you’re busy organizing the kitchen when there’s a sudden pounding on your door!

Jester: Who’s there?

Chazz: It’s me! Open up! Open uuuuuuuup!

You open the door and Chazz rushes in, practically bouncing off the walls. 

Jester: You are a veritable miasma of energy right now. 

Chazz: I don’t know what that means, and I don’t care! I have the BEST. NEWS. EVER! I don’t know what kind of magic you worked by the pool… But you just got us both invited to Matt Rodriguez’s birthday party!

Jester: Wait, are you kidding? I thought I made a total fool of myself!

Chazz: Apparently not, because Matt specifically asked that you be there. Are you fainting? Because I’m fainting. Don’t faint, btdubs. He’ll never let me in without your gorgeousness on my arm. 

Jester: This party, it’s… a big deal?

Chazz: The biggest. VIP central. Networking nirvana. The perfect chance to make the biggest Hollywood splash. Put on your best dress, babe… We are going out in STYLE!

[moviesasonionheadlines]

Thoughts: “Pokémon Detective Pikachu”

tl;dr While nowhere near perfect, it’s nice to see this much effort and passion thrown behind a type of movie Hollywood normally doesn’t care about.

Detective Pikachu had a lot to prove coming up on its release. The curse of video game movies remains a strong and almost constant force among gamers and film buffs alike (Sonic the Hedgehog currently comes to mind). By creating a charming and beautiful world though and delivering a full narrative, the movie's able to get the job done for both fans and most first-time viewers. Although the former will definitely get more mileage out of it than the latter.

The visuals are all well-established and vibrant. When footage from Detective Pikachu first released; the monsters looked sincerely jarring. Many people seemed ready to watch the film for this aspect alone. After some time to adjust though, the Pokemon easily blend into our world. Every single design feels like part of the larger group. In an even greater surprise though, they're cute! They're adorable! Seeing them move around for a full film and more than a short clip, you can see how much effort truly went into making these things look alive and wonderful. Not one scene in this movie features shoddy effects work.

One aspect not made as clear in that early footage though, was the visual look of the world as a whole. Sharp edges and blocky buildings give a feel similar to that of the early pixel Pokemon games. Mixed in with the dark lighting and neon colors of a detective movie, the look can feel a bit unnerving and overcrowded at first. Yet just like the designs of the titular creatures, it's something you grow to love throughout the film's runtime. The visuals as a whole are truly unique and different. It's great to see a big-budget film with such a distinct look to it.

The two leads are also both great. Even though one of them is a yellow squishy monster, Justice Smith and Ryan Reynolds have a ton of chemistry. Both also seem to be having a ton of fun (something that a movie like this needs from their actors to succeed). As an audience insert, Smith had the very important job of making the film's world seem real through his reactions to it, and he nails that aspect of his performance. Sometimes an actor with a role like this will resort to just yelling at everything in surprise and astonishment, which is more the script's fault than the actor's. Yet for the most part, Smith shows a refreshing restraint in his reactions to the colorful and exciting world.

It's been said that Reynolds is just doing a child-friendly Deadpool impersonation, which is partially true, but it's also fair to note that he gets to bring much more emotional range to this character than most of his previous ones. There are some surprisingly heartfelt scenes between the two leads, and they always land due to Reynold's range and well-done motion capture performance. His quips may not do as much for him here as they do for his superhero counterpart, but they still feel organic and fun enough to not really hold the movie back. The filmmakers definitely built the character around Reynold's persona which worked out pretty well in the end.

Certain things keep Detective Pikachu from being anywhere near perfect though. The plot, while serviceable and surprising for younger viewers, won't do nearly as much for those attuned with common tropes and outcomes. The story muddles along hitting the individual beats you'd expect from a detective film. The pacing can be all over the place, with a few sections feeling almost unnecessary in the first and second act. The mystery gets stretched along with these pitstops pretty frequently. Certain characters come into the movie early on, only to not be introduced again until a random sequence more than halfway through the film. It feels more like an episode of Scooby-Doo than it does a true mystery at most points. The movie becomes much more interesting, if not outright bizarre, in the final act though. While not done perfectly either, it's certainly easier to give the movie more credit when treading that uncharted territory.

The world building is done mostly successfully. Viewers new to the franchise will have very much to be caught up on, and the script does it's best to do so. Although certain sequences may sound more like an unnecessary video game tutorial than dialogue (a certain Pokeball sequence comes to mind). Even viewers fully attuned to the Pokemon world may find some new concepts they need to wrap their heads around though, and the script does a much better job explaining those more complicated topics. It's also good that the filmmakers decided to add in these new bits to the mythos, as the film may have felt a bit hollow if it just played with already established lore.

While a fair example of style over substance, Detective Pikachu is a great first attempt to bring Pokemon to the big screen. It's also a breath of fresh air to see a mega-franchise movie that tells a complete and full story without setting up the next installment. Yet the world and storytelling options are so rich and varied with this franchise, that I'm very excited to see what's done with it now that the studio will have more faith in the IP.

p.s. I’ve decided to just call these thoughts from now on instead of quick thoughts because they are not very quick at all and rather long to be honest.

My Letterboxd: https://letterboxd.com/tommy369/

[abitterlifethroughcinema]

         #ABitterLifeThroughCinema’s WOKE! Film Reviews

     The Top Ten (+1) Best Movies of 2018 and where to find them!

                                                          by

                                           Lucas Avram Cavazos

+1…11. Overlord  Having its premiere at this year’s Sitges Int’l Film Fest, Overlord not only happened to be one of the fave films screened there this past festival, but this cinematic fantasy is an all-too-real and stark portrayal of a horror that actually occurred, and it deserves a nod from the Barcelona film critic family, so here it goes. Duly noted, I’d say. It starts with an insane aerial combat mission on the night of D-Day, one which goes awry and sees only a handful of paratroopers surviving the drop when enemy fire rains hell. They land in provincial France and the plot sets out to detail some of the inner workings of the Third Reich in reference to the insane, gruesome experiments done on captured Europeans and Jews. Those stories you’ve heard about turning these poor people into guinea pigs for super soldier intent using potent, injected serums…yeah, those? They’re true, if you believe the words of JJ Abrams. Are they as utterly brutal and horror/zombie film-like as displayed here? I sure as hell hope not. (now available On Demand and DVD)

10. The Ballad of Buster Scruggs There once was a film called O Brother Where Art Thou? While this is not its sequel, there is a sharp-witted vein to this film that could only be crafted and gifted to us by the Coen Brothers. What a hoot it is, even if it is a rather darkly-tinted hue of that hoot and humour. It is also one of their finest in years. Revolving around the singing cowpoke Buster Scruggs (Tim Blake Nelson) and five other tales brought to us with the commonly-threaded theme of death in often brutally funny ways, this film is a fine return to oddball form from two of the finest sibling directors of all time. Starring Liam Neeson, James Franco, Zoe Kazan, even Tyne Daly and so many in its vignettes, and that acting star power fuses this Western comedy into new territory for the brothers. Their previous works set in the west always seemed to be re-hashing works of years gone by but here, with their usage of almost comic-book-like details and witty banter make this much more enjoyable than their other historical works like O Bother and their remake of True Grit. Best western in absolute years! (available on Netflix or VOD)

9. Eighth Grade This poignant little film, which should have been wide-released everywhere the world over, is given fierce and bittersweet star power by Elsie Fisher, protagonist and student at the heart of this film. Comedian Bo Turnham has brought us the quintessential coming-of-tweenage story and along with Fisher, everyone in this film is so perfectly placed in their roles, especially Josh Hamilton as her dad, who deserves some nominations for this film but is unlikely to get any. Telling the story of 13-year old Kayla, we the audience get a sneak-peek into the minds and lives of today’s young adults. From her simple YouTube videos made to encourage other young kids to her obvious desire to fit in with older kids to her insecurity with boys, this film paints a stark reality that too many have lived through and this little indie film deserves aplomb from anywhere it can get it! (now available On Demand and DVD)

8. A Star is Born I skipped the critics’ screening of this film for the mere fact that I couldn’t bear to see if the acting and plot lines were another torrid take on a much-redone film. Even into the holiday season, I had not yet seen it and then when I did, I certainly took back any reservations. Bradley Cooper’s update of the film starring himself and Lady Gaga is just about as good as everyone said it was, and that was beyond refreshing to note post-viewing. In many ways, I feel that Cooper is likely revealing a few things about himself with the guise of “it’s a movie” being a nice cover; in some ways, he gives us what I believe are hints of his covert life, and it’s with Gaga’s turn as Ally that we really see him shine beyond the shtick of his character, country-rocker Jackson Maine. In a tad corny-tad, gripping way that takes hold the moment you see Gaga, let’s be frank and real, this film goes on to detail a Diet Coke version of the grim realities that often detail too many a tale of celebrity in Hollywood. Without revealing too many details of the film’s plot and denouement, we are looking at a necessary conversation about alcoholism, drug addiction and fame (plus a lack of ’NO’ men/women in many relationships) that needs to addressed for all ages. Well done, Mr. Cooper Goes to the Oscars. (At select screens, On Demand & DVD)

7. El Angel Incidentally, this may be the first time in a rather long time that I say something good about Argentinian men, so do take note. Telling the true story of fresh-faced boy killer Carlos Robledo Puch, played to Oscar-worthy perfection by newcomer Lorenzo Ferro, the masterful detail to which director Luis Ortega has crafted this arthouse meets dramedy-thriller is astounding and easily touches heights set by dePalma and even, dare I say it, Scorcese. We follow young Carlitos Puch, who is just nearing the edge of seventeen, as takes up with a rough and tough family of his devilishly attractive school chum Ramon, played by the spirited Chino Darin, son of Ricardo Darin. But as Carlitos comes to find out, his street crimes can easily be paved to real ones and his sadistic tendencies suddenly yet gradually paint a picture of someone who is in part desperate for attention and tacceptance and in part a fairly smart, well-to-do young adult. He parlays his sociopathy at pubescence into psychopathy with time, and this film will likely be, but should definitely not be, forgotten come awards and Best Of lists time.(available On Demand and DVD)

6. Black Panther As Oscar season comes to a head, it is worth talking about one of the most striking films that you’ll see for a while. Black Panther is that good, not only because of its genre but also because of its message: that seeking freedom through recreating systems of oppression will only extend the ill-treatment and broken nature we find ourselves in nowadays. Set in the fictional African nation of Wakanda, protagonist King T’Challa (Chadwick Boseman) brings us the first real black superhero from the Marvel universe. With a cast including Lupita Nyong’o, Angela Bassett, Forest Whitaker and Michael B Jordan, the acting is beyond impressive. What is even more amazing, however, is how the plot power-plays many elements of our world’s current political climate. (now available On Demand and DVD)

5. Chappaquiddick Another film which is nothing short of striking in its relevance to the current political situation in the USA. Senator Ted Kennedy was the only remaining Kennedy that I was familiar with throughout my adolescence and early adulthood. Jason Clarke as the Massachusetts senator is astounding, as is the cut of his jib and chin, although the accent was a tad weak, to be ever sincere. This is a complete revelation on the many details that were only gingerly touched upon during the course of the week following the death which this movie is detailing . As the facts are laid out in the film, it astounds me that the American people continued to vote and elect Kennedy for decades after. This is a study on arrogance, class and governmental ambiguity. And if that was the case with liberals in the Sixties, how much more so with conservatives in this digital age? My favourite film of last year’s BCN Film Festival. (now available On Demand and DVD)

4. Private Life Good Lawd this is such a heartwarming/breaking story with the finest elements of believable comedy and situational realism that define the art of the classic Gen X film from the 90s to now. May we never forget that it was Gen, and even those a few years before them, who gave us the digiverse-Netflix-instant oatmeal www.orld in which we live today and when I see a very NYC film like this one, it makes it a true reality check. Being the age that one should be married with kids, I watched Kathryn Hahn as Rachel absolutely slay the silver screen and am eager to see if she picks up any more accolades throughout the current awards season. Simple plot…she’s in her early 40s and her hubby Rich (played by Paul Giamatti) is entering his late 40s and they are fully entrenched within the confines of every single way to conceive a baby. Following the couple through their trials and tribulations really get pushed up an ante when sort-of relative Sadie (the lovely Kayli Carter) decides she will be the surrogate mum for them as things get a tad pear-shaped. This could easily be dubbed a dreamed, for in effect, it is; what needs to be known is that this is also a morality tale for a new age. The old-fashioned ethics of yesteryear just do not apply anymore, at least not in big cities, and the less is more factor easily makes this one of the finest films released within the last year. (available on Netflix)

3. BlacKKKlansman Without a doubt, this is the finest work in all too many years by Spike Lee, and he takes no prisoners in letting you know that the spilled essence of blaxploitation all over this celluloid is to egg you into knowing that this story is 100% true…and crazy. The mere fact that David Duke is literally cheerleading for the current President of the United States should scare us all and wake those who are not. Watching actor John David Washington portray Ron Stallworth, the real-life cop who slyly infiltrated the inner workings of the Klu Klux Klan 40 years ago. After signing up for the Colorado Spring PD, he realises the lack of trust in the 98% Anglo-Saxon workforce, as he’s thrown into monitoring the goings-on of any Black Panther student situations. Eventually, he takes up with a guy on the force that he can dig called Flip and played to skilled excellence by the oddest of lookers Adam Driver. Basically, the plot follows the twosome, as they tag team the aforementioned white supremacist movement, Ron being the voice and Flip being the wingman as they start an investigation on grand wizard bastard himself David Duke, played to troubling perfection by Topher Grace, evoking all of the calmness and utter sociopathic tendencies of a man reviled by most yet revered by still too many. And watching this taut film and how it rolls through such a daunting story with comedic aplomb and vicious realness gives you goosebumps. That said, as the film gets toward its ending, is when Lee gives you the goods when he flashes to scenes from the crazy Charlottesville, Virginia, riots, AntiFa protesting and subsequent death of Heather Heyer, may she rest in peace. God Save the World…and Amerikkka.

2. Fahrenheit 11/9  Premiering a few weeks ago here in Spain at very select cinema screens across the country, this is the first documentary in some time by Michael Moore that could play across an international landscape and should be required viewing on any critic’s or person’s list. The titular oddity refers to the day after we all woke up across the world in shock and awe that Donald J Trump had won the Presidency of the USA. Even if this is not Morre’s best film to date, it is undoubtedly the one that holds the viewers’ feet to the fire and calls for them to fight the nasty funk of this administration. But, it’s when he takes it back to his roots, to Flint, Michigan, and ends up involving all local and state politics, that we start to see the more sinister undertakings happening amongst conservative parties, ideals and societies. When you add in the fact of the Parkland High School shooting and the way Moore later fuses footage of Hitler and his minions and followers with a rally speech made by the current occupant of the White House, it becomes all too obvious that things are exactly as we think they are (A HOT MESS!) and we have very little recourse rather than claiming truth. (now available On Demand and DVD)

1. ROMA There are tender moments of realism that are permitted to happen with the rise of instant cinema on VOD and direct-to-home films, and it has been a pleasure to see that sites like Netflix and Amazon and Canal+ have truly added to the foray in which great celluloid can be brought to the masses. Case in point comes the finest piece of dramatic celluloid that graced the silver screen in the last year. Being a Mexican whose father is a naturalised citizen of the US and a mother who is Chicana from the US, like myself and my siblings, the sentimentality ran deep with this film. One of the differences I experienced was the fact that we were the only Mexican-American family in a stately US country club…and we had an entire childhood spent with loving housekeepers, which is what this film inherently is honouring and depicting, using the backdrop of Alfonso Cuarón’s take on growing up in 70s-upper middle class Mexico City in the neighbourhood of Roma. Depicting the life of the house assistant Cleo (first-time performer Yalitza Aparicio in a J.Hud moment, frankly) and the family of Sr. Antonio (Fernando Grediaga), a doctor in the Mexican capital, what Cuarón has called his most personal film to date, is also a B&W modern tale in the vein of Gone with the Wind, and the fact that he centres around a privileged Mexican family is poignant for several reasons: it not only takes a focus away from how Donald bloody Trump has painted Mexicans, in general, to the world, but it also highlights a very human element to how many classes of society function and live there in the frontier regions of North America and, more importantly, EVERYWHERE…easily put, this is a sweet, oft-times simple, oft-times brutal story on humanity. What binds so many critics together on this film’s merits is that fact that Alfonso Cuarón has crafted the past year’s most enigmatic movie, leaving us to make our own answers to what happens to Lady Cleo, her best mate Teresa, and this beautiful family. Absolutely and quietly stunning! (available on Netflix and selects screens across the country)

[fcbabyx]

Salander Twins

I watched The Girl in the Spider’s Web last Sunday to say the least, is better than the book. WHAAAAAAT?? With little dialogue, nice cinematography, good acting, action scenes, vigilante AU Lisbeth, and sprinkles of hacking, the movie manages to be a good time killer film. Long story short, I had some time to kill after work on Sunday night, I got a pretzel and watched Lisbeth kick ass. 

True to the core of Salander, Claire Foy manages to bring Lisbeth quiet, badassery to the screen and I am 100% attracted to every woman whom has played the character, being honest. Claire in occasions seemed very charismatic and charming without uttering a single word, I loved it. She also, managed to capture the silent stalker genius that Lisbeth can be interpreted as. Quick, confident, a woman of minimal words, this adaption of Salander captures you that. As for the other characters from Mikael to Gabriella Grane, they managed to fall flat as they come. 

Look, for once I had always pictured Mikael older than Salander. Also, quite confident, mature, but still clueless with technology and still charismatic. On the short amount of screen time our newest adaptation of the journalist it lacks all of it and more. You can see that it was a hollywood attempt in not making him seen like an old man and just someone 3 - 5 years older than Salander. Fine. Needham is turned into your typical American secret intelligence governmental agent cliche. Guns and blazing with the whole I don’t care attitude included. Grane is straight up as flat as they come. Now August is a different ball game.

This particular character was stripped of what made him, him in the books. The core essence of his autistic genius never speaking, drawing, and numbers obsessed talents were completely replaced with your typical cute smart child. Ironically enough 75% of the book is just Lisbeth babysitting the said child, which on paper made the book quite boring. While I do not mind the lack of the babysitting period, I do mind of the lack of August complexity in this adaptation. The fact that August wasn’t able to talk except for his drawings made the whole who did it? who is the person? far more difficult than the hey I saw who killed my dad and so did you aspect. Regardless of those major changes the child actor happens to bring justice to what he was given to work with, just like Sylvia’s Camila. 

You know, I’m pretty sure Camila and Lisbeth aren’t exactly buddy buddies. One loved their father, the one saw him for the monster he was. One followed their father’s footsteps, the other one didn’t. One enjoyed watching their father beat their mother, the other one tried to protect their mother. Camila and Lisbeth are like fire and ice, water and oil, cats and dogs, batman and the joker, I think you get the picture, they are opposites, mirror images to be exact. The emotion, the closeness, and longing showcased in this movie is well surprising, but it works for this movie. It added a layer that the movie so desperately needed. 

Due to the lack of an actual strong story line, the movie needed layers to come as a strong crime thriller, but it still fails to accomplish that. It does tell the story of twins whom chose different paths and eventually meet in opposite sides of the outlaws and criminal world. One can serve as an anti-hero and the other one as a villain due to circumstances but never truly evil, just 2 different shades of misfits. In other words, you could never guess how bad Camila is without reading the books, the movie portrays something entirely different and to a point it justifies it.

 So, how come I prefer the movie over the book? Simple, the movie constructed a quick story by cherry picking aspects of the book that were interesting and added action to it while adding different cinematographic aspects to frame it as appealing. A perfect example of this in the house scene with Camila and Lisbeth trying to get August. A beautifully executed scene with the right amount of action to keep you entertained. The movie does lack the darker image of the original trilogy of the books, but so does the book as well. It is an attempt to turn this into an action movie led by an actress. 

There’s nothing wow about this movie, but there is something about it that makes you think huh, is entertaining or pretty decent. If the movie would had managed to take the strong aspects of investigation and tweaks here and there it would had been a solid crime mystery movie, but it didn’t. As someone whom has read the book, I would say the movie is a good netflix potential for those days that you are bored out of your mind. Also, if you are like me, who does not has to pay for the movie ticket, then why not? Go kill some time at the movies, with some popcorn or pretzels.

This was clearly hollywood not knowing how to adapt the previous 2 books that were supposed to follow The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo into movies, so decided to take the weakest of the 5 books line up and switch it up for the audiences. While is not mind blowing, is not terrible. is a good way to kill time. Now if you want to see an action movie led by an actress Atomic Blonde, Alien, Kill Bill, and Wonder Woman  are definitely worth it. Tomb Raider, Mad Max: Fury Road, Salt, Colombiana,etc... are also good additions.  This particular movie is going to join to other female led movies that unfortunately aren’t excellent not due to the cast, but to the lack of writing. While is refreshing to see ladies as the lead role in action movies, something with a stronger plot, would be better. I still love Claire as Lisbeth, to be honest...

[starlessskies94]

The Star and The Saviour (Negan/BlakeAU) Chapter 2

And already on chapter two! Thank you so much for the love for the first chapter, I’m over the moon people liked it! And I’m buzzing that the awesome @thetruebornwildchild approved! Much love to you my dear!! ❤️

As always huge thank you to @neganandblake for your support, girl you’re fabulous!  ❤️❤️

Hope this next chapter doesn’t disappoint. 

(Gifs belong to owners) Also I seem to be leaning toward the JDM gifs with him wearing glasses and I’m so down for that! The man is beautiful nuff said! 😍😍

Chapter 2

From the moment Blake walked into the restaurant, she felt sick. Struggling from a sleepless night and a slow morning; the last thing she wanted to do was play up the cameras. But knowing well enough that her album needed the publicity and the fact that she’d already agreed to the arrangement meant there was no chance she couldn’t back out now. 

The restaurant was crowded for a Wednesday afternoon but she was somewhat grateful that she wouldn’t be totally alone with this new man in her life. Even if there were strangers to her. She’d sighed the odd autograph from fans passing by as she made her way through the sea of diners. Her green orbs looking to spy the actor she’d been set up with. 

Noticing by the front window the paparazzi already flocking with their cameras. Proving Negan’s ‘anonymous’ tip had worked of the new couple and the start of their blossoming relationship.

She saw him sitting at table in the middle of the room, an obvious choice to attract the most attention. The blonde approaching cautiously before tapping the man on the shoulder.

“Hi...I’m Blake...I uh guess, I’m your date.” She smiled awkwardly. God she really didn’t want to be here, and that feeling only intensified when David practically pulled her into her chair. A fake smile worn across his lips as he roughly took a hold of her hand.

“Yeah whatever sweetheart, just sit your ass down. Close that little mouth of yours and look pretty okay?” He hissed quietly. “I want the paps to get a good shot of this.” 

Blake sat stunned at the actor’s attitude. Surely he wasn’t serious?! Of course she’d done her research about her new ‘boyfriend’ and it seemed this David was quite well known as a Hollywood bad boy that didn’t care for following set rules or listening to the advice from his Agent. He craved the limelight, to be Hollywood’s next big thing. And for some reason the public had fallen in love with the image. This persona of a man that did his own thing and couldn’t be tamed. 

Even Blake herself had understood some of the appeal but this guy wasn’t just using the persona to stay relevant, he really was like that in real life. 

But still she’d agreed to commit to this relationship, fake or not. She needed to give the guy a chance. 

“It’s David right? I’ve seen a couple of your movies...you’re pretty talented.” She tried politely. “I wasn’t sure myself about this whole arrangement but I’m sure this could work out if we get to know each other a little.” She swallowed the lump in her throat, running her tongue across her parched lips watching David intently as he sat turned in his chair, looking out for the flashing cameras.

Not listening to a single word she had said.

The blonde took a sip of her water as she waited for David to turn back, her patience truly wearing thin after she checked her watch a fourth time; clocking it to a whole eleven minutes he’d been watching them. Until finally he managed to pull him away to sit back at the table.

His eyes now glued to his phone, fingers scrolling through the newly refreshed feeds. 

“Look Blaire-” 

“It’s Blake.” She corrected.

“I don’t care.” He dismissed with a wave of his hand as he continued scrolling through his phone. “We’re both know we’re only in this to get the publicity, we play the part, we smile for the cameras and spin the love story for those dumb as shit fans...but as soon as my premiere hits the screens and I’ve sold out the theaters all over the globe...as far as I’m concerned, you can hit the bricks babe.” 

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If it was possible, Blake left the restaurant feeling even more worthless than when she’d arrived. Her lunch with David not going at all as she’d expected. 

At first it had seemed as though she’d be using him to boost her career, her album filled with love songs for a man she ‘adored’ more than life itself. But it seemed in reality, he was the one using her for the rise in fame and admiration. The weight hanging over her and tightening her chest the more she thought about it. 

Heading down to Negan’s office, she opened the door to find him sat at his desk, laptop in hand. A kind smile inching across his face at the sight of her.

“Hey Peaches...only an hour and you and Davey boy are already trending.” He marveled. “Not to mention the rumors of a budding romance already circulating on the tabloids’ media pages.” 

“I take it the date went well then?” He asked. 

And Blake could already tell that he had no idea what David was like in person. Hell there was even the chance he’d yet to meet the guy. But with the genuine look in his soft eyes, the man clearly believed that this arrangement was helping her career and had no clue about David’s people using her to get what he wanted. 

Negan had been there from the beginning, he’d gone with her to the open mic nights, talked away her fear when she’d suffered from stage fright. Offered to pay for recording sessions and guitar repairs when she’d been too broke to afford it herself.

It was why; when she did finally get discovered and offered a record deal; she’d wanted him with her throughout all of it. 

And so she did the only thing she could think of....she lied.

“It went great...he’s a nice guy.” She felt the words turn bitter in her mouth as she said them. But they’d been convincing enough that Negan never called her out for it. Instead nodding and resuming his work. Leaving Blake feeling hollow at her own lies.

In the weeks that would follow, she would appear on numerous talk shows; endless interviews. Gushing over a man she despised. 

The magazines and newspapers constantly reporting about the ‘happy couple’ and their appearances throughout the city at Hollywood’s hottest events.

The flashing and clicking of the cameras making Blake dizzy whenever she was forced out with David, playing her part of the doting girlfriend so proud of her man’s work. It was exhausting. 

When the two month mark rolled around Blake felt the dread twisting again. Slipping into the dress and flipping her golden locks down her back, she paused by the mirror. Feeling as fake as she looked. 

The fake smile, the burning love in her eyes that she carried for someone else. It was ridiculous to her to celebrate an anniversary of a relationship that was as fake as David’s nose and white pearly teeth. 

Somewhat satisfied with how she looked, she made her way downstairs towards the hall. A smile instantly appearing when she found Negan stood waiting for her.

“Well? How do I look?” She asked nervously.

“I mean, what the hell do you even wear to a fake anniversary dinner anyway?!” the blonde scoffed. Negan chuckled as he ran a hand over his stubble covered chin. Giving a shrug and sliding his hands into his pockets.

“Your guess is as good as mine Darlin’...but you look beautiful Peaches.” 

The dark-haired man lost himself as he gazed at her. Her long shapely legs, her curve-hugging dress that fit in all the right places. The glowing mane of blonde locks cascading down her back. She truly did look beautiful. 

She smiled his way and he caught himself before she noticed, shaking himself sober from the spell of her as he picked up his car keys up from the side table.

“Right.. we should probably get you to that date..” He sighed turning for the door. “After you sweetheart.” He offered holding the door for her as she giggled. 

And for a minute, he could have sworn his heart stopped as she passed him with a bright smile. “Why thank you, Sir.” She beamed, strolling down the hall towards the elevators.

The journey to the dinner was short and quiet. But the closer Negan got, the more he didn’t want to stop the car. The idea in itself had worked, Blake’s music was in the number one downloads lists, her music was playing on the radio, her album orders were coming in thick and fast. The scheme had paid off with the rise in profits so far.

But the reports and the rumors of quickie marriages, secret pregnancies and infinite photographs of the two of them together was killing Negan. 

The way David held her in the paparazzi shots, the way he forced kisses for the camera. The ridiculous declarations of love he constantly faked on the shows he appeared on.

He was milking this opportunity for all it was worth. Using Blake as a pawn for his desperate claim to fame. And it made him sick to know that he’d been the one that had talked her into it. 

For there was no going back now. They were too far in to give up with no reasonable explanation. There were still weeks leading up the album release and he’d already sighed a contract with the production team. 

As he waved her off, she skipped across the street towards the outdoor seating of the restaurant. The paparazzi already following like vultures, capturing her every move until she reached David. Her well-rehearsed false smile shinning across her features as the sleaze pulled her into a loveless kiss after clocking the cameras.

The sight making Negan’s blood boil the more he pawed all over her. David didn’t care about her, not like he did. He only wanted her for what she could give him, for the press and the attention. 

Negan didn’t know how much longer he could watch this spectacle as it was getting harder and harder to pretend it didn’t bother him. 

To watch her with a man that didn’t give two shits about her. Blake deserved better than that. She deserved a man that treated her right. That cared about her and not just what her status could give him. That took her out just to spend time with her, not just because the world was watching. 

She needed someone who put her and her happiness first. Someone that loved her with no strings attached. Someone that would protect her from the heartless playboys like David...

Someone like him. 

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