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lovemesomesurveys · 3 years

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How are you doing today? It’s only 1:56AM, but so far I’ve just ate a bowl of ramen and watched a couple YouTube videos. What was the best thing that happened to you today? My ramen was quite delicious, ha. Which cell phone network are you on? Verizon. Do you like the smell of cinnamon? Yesss. What was the last book you've read? I just finished, “The Secret She Kept” by Elle Gray and I’ve started, “Autumn’s Strike” by Mary Stone.

Are you hungry right now? No, I just finished eating. What was the last thing you've had to drink? Water. How often do you visit this website? I’m on Tumblr all the time. Do you like frogs? No. Are you afraid of dying? Yes. Do you like bananas? I love bananas. Do you like the show American Dad? Meh. It has its moments, but overall I’ll pass. I don’t ever watch it by my own choosing, I just catch it here and there because my family watches it. What TV show do you miss the most that's no longer on TV? Gilmore Girls, Degrassi, and True Blood come to mind first. Are you currently fighting with someone right now? No. Is your life full of drama? No. I have other stressful things I’m dealing with, but not of the drama variety. How long can you hold your breath underwater *shrug* Where's the last place you've been to out of state? When I went to Arizona to visit my grandparents about 6 years ago. Have you ever been kissed in the rain? No. What letter does your last name start with. -- What are you listening to right now? I’m watching Gilmore Girls. Have you ever had a pet that died? Yes. Would you rather use a trackpad or a mouse? Trackpad. Do you consider yourself politically intelligent? No, not at all. Have you ever done any volunteer work? Yeah, I’ve done a lot with Girl Scouts, school clubs, and class assignments. Do you like the Beatles? I like some songs. Is it night time where you're at right now? Yeah, it’s 2:08AM. Do you like steak? Nope. Do you eat healthy? No, I definitely don’t. How often do you work out? I don’t. What was the best gift you've ever received? I couldn’t possibly choose. Have you ever participated in a spelling bee? Nope. If you could have one wish right now, what would it be? Good health. Do you owe anyone an apology right now? I kind of do. Are you the jealous type of person? I can be, but it’s not something I feel much. Or at least haven’t felt in a long time. I feel envy more. Have you ever tried doing yoga? Nah. Do you like getting massages? I’ve never gotten one. Would you rather be too hot or too cold? Cold. Are you good at telling jokes? No, I’m pretty much the worst. I don’t tell many jokes. When was the last time you've attended a sleepover? Several years ago. Tell me one of your pet peeves. Eating sounds. Do you wear glasses? I do. Do you like to keep your nails painted? I haven’t painted my nails for the past few years. Have you ever had a pedicure? Nope. What is your favorite smell? I have several favorites. Do you like the TV show Full House? I do. Would you rather listen to country music or rap music? I like both. Are you a Duck Dynasty fan? Nope. Have you graduated high school yet? Uh, yeah, back in 2008. What kind of person were you in middle school? Quiet, shy, awkward. Nothing has changed. Do you have any major regrets in your life? I have a few. :/ Do you like pixie sticks? Eh. I did as a kid, but I don’t have much interest in them the older I get. Do you like French toast? Mmm, yes. Are you a fast typer? I am. Are you good at doing math in your head? Nope. Or at all. Have you ever played with Silly Putty? Yeah. Do you take in a lot of caffeine daily? I do. I love my caffeine. Do you like watching Football? Nope. Or an sport. What language do you wish you could speak? Spanish. Do you know a lot about history? No, I wouldn’t say that. If we could travel back in time, where would you travel to? Can I travel back to childhood? Would you ever consider joining the military? No. I couldn’t anyway, I’m physically disabled. Are you a cigarette smoker? No. Have you ever done something you didn't want to just to look cool? That’s kind of how it was when I used to drink and smoke. I wasn’t a big drinker or smoker, only did so socially, but still. I also did so on my own accord, I’m not blaming anyone, and I’m not going to say I hated all of it because I did have good times, but there was a big part of me that did so because I felt I had to. My friends liked to do it and I wanted to partake with them and not sit out on the sidelines by myself. It’s just that truth be told I think I would have rarely drank at all if it weren’t for that and likely would have never smoked. It had its fun moments, but I didn’t feel the need to partake all the time like they did. Do you like zombie movies? Nah. Have you seen The Hunger Games? Yep, all of ‘em. Do you have a favorite piece of clothing? All my graphic tees, t-shirt dresses, leggings, and lounge shorts. All my comfy clothes, basically. Do you own any Uggs? Nope. Are you wearing any rings on your fingers? No. Name a TV show that you absolutely can't stand. Most sitcoms today. Do you have any unusual talents? No. Or any kind of talent. Do you look like your age? *shrug* I’ve been told I look younger. Do you feel confident in a bathing suit? Nooo. Do you do a lot of online shopping? I do. Do you like the Harry Potter films? Yeah. Do you judge people based on their sexual orientation? No. I care about who a person is, their personality, and whether we vibe. Have you ever been told you had an accent? No. Have you ever ridden an elephant? Nope. Are you allergic to pollen? I do have seasonal allergies. Have you ever eaten sushi? Ew, yes. Not a fan. If so, do you like it? Nope. Are you a fan of anime? No. Would you rather play Xbox or Playstation? Playstation. Are you a big fan of seafood? I don’t like seafood at all. What kind of food are you craving right now? I’m good right now. Are you currently in a relationship? No. If not, are you happy being single? Yeah, it’s for the best. Do you like to go fishing? No. Are you a fast runner? I used to be. I don’t have the energy or strength anymore for that.

Have you ever worked at a fast food place? Nope. What's on your mind right now? Now I’m thinking about food cause of some of the previous questions. Are you texting anyone as you're taking this survey? No. Have you ever had a nasty rumor spread about you? No. Have you ever sent someone sexual pictures of yourself? No. Do you like who you are on the inside or the outside more? Neither. :/ Are you good at drawing? No, I have no artistic abilities. Do you know how to dance? Nope. What's your favorite reality TV show? Catfish, Teen Mom OG, Teen Mom 2, The Voice... Do you think Kim Kardashian deserves to be famous? I don’t care. Are you excited for Christmas this year? I’m always excited for Christmas. Do you celebrate Halloween? I mean, I put up some decor, watch scary movies, and partake in treats. I stopped dressing up and carving pumpkins a few years ago. Have you ever had a concussion? No. Do you pretend to be someone you're not? No. I certainly wouldn’t pretend to be... *gestures vaguely* this. Do you listen to heavy metal music? No. Were you sad when Michael Jackson died? I was just surprised. Do you have more upper or lower body strength? I barely have any strength anymore it feels like, but I used to have really great upper body strength. Have you ever been in a tanning bed? No, and never want to be. Do you like hot tubs? No. Do you know anyone who is battling cancer? No. Have you ever donated money to a charity? Yes. Do you get bored easily? More so nowadays. I didn’t used to. Have you ever peed your pants in public? Maybe as a little kid. Are you afraid of roller coasters? Yes, except for the Cars and Big Thunder Mountain Railroad roller coasters at Disneyland. Are you good at doing tongue twisters? Not really. What was the last movie you've seen in theatres? Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings. Have you ever been to a drive-in movie? Yeah, a few times but it’s been a long time. I’ve been wanting to go to one, though. Are you good at doing fractions? Meh. I’m alright. Me and math don’t get along, but I could do some things somewhat. What is your favorite holiday? Christmas and Halloween. Do you prefer Apple or Android? Apple. Would you rather have a tablet or a computer? Computer. Do you like things that are touch screen? Yeah. What age did you have your first kiss at? 16. Do you regret losing your virginity to whoever you lost it to? I’m still a virgin. Do you have a good relationship with your mother? Yes. Do you like the color lime green? Sure. What are your plans for tomorrow? I don’t have any. Would you rather wear jeans or yoga pants? Yoga pants. Do you like your clothes to be baggy and comfortable or tight and revealing Baggy and comfy. Do you wish you could change something about your hair? Yeah, it’s really not a good look right now. I pretty much chopped it off a couple months ago for reasons and it’s in that awkward phase as it grows out. I want it to be longer and dyed red again because currently it’s all natural and I don’t like it. Have you ever gotten a makeover? Yeah. Do you get mad easily? No. but I get frustrated and irritable easily. Have you ever punched someone in the face? No. Do you think the minions from Despicable Me are cute? Ehh. Did you have a Gameboy as a child? I did. Would you rather have chocolate or gummy worms? Chocolate. I’m not a gummy fan. What are your favorite pizza toppings? Extra cheese, garlic, green onions, spinach, cilantro, crushed meatballs, and pesto. Have you ever auditioned for a talent competition? No. I don’t have any talent. Do you make good sandwiches? I think theyr’e better from a deli or when my mom makes them haha but sure. Would you rather get high or get drunk? High. Have you ever failed a drug test? Nope. Do you like the Silent Hill movies? I actually haven’t seen them. What is one thing you need to work on to make yourself a better person? I have a few things I need to work on.

#personal #text #survey #surveys

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bewitching-elizabeth-olsen · 5 years

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Press: Elizabeth Olsen Opens Up for Who What Wear's September Cover

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Gallery Links:

Studio Photoshoots > 2019 > Session 006

Studio Photoshoots > 2019 > Session 006 – Behind the Scenes

WHAT WHEN WEAR: A loose linen blouse. An untouched plate of madeleines. An empty French bistro in the Valley on a Tuesday at 4 p.m. These are the poised circumstances under which I spend an afternoon attempting to better understand one of Hollywood’s most discreet young celebrities: Elizabeth Olsen.

The 30-year-old actress’s identity doesn’t seem like it would lend itself to much mystery. Since 2014, Olsen has starred as the Scarlet Witch in Marvel’s superhero movie franchise—one of the most-watched film series in entertainment history. (This summer’s Avengers: Endgame quickly became the second-highest-grossing movie of all time.) It’s a role she’ll reprise later with WandaVision, a Disney+ spin-off series about her superhero character coming spring 2021. In the meantime, Olsen executive produces and stars in Sorry for Your Loss, a drama series following Olsen as Leigh, a young widow struggling to deal with the sudden loss of her husband. (The show airs on Facebook Watch, and its second season premieres October 1.) By any objective measure, business is booming for Olsen, the younger sibling of Ashley and Mary-Kate, who long ago reached a level of fame so behemoth they no longer need a last name. The Olsens are as much American royalty as the Kennedys or the Rockefellers. I should know everything about Elizabeth Olsen.

And yet, as soon as she walks through the door of Petit Trois (the setting she chose for our interview) and introduces herself to me, it sinks in how little I do know. “I’m Lizzie,” she says with a jumpy half-hug, half-handshake—though the awkwardness is entirely my fault. I’m caught off guard that the young starlet lives just outside of L.A., around the corner from where she grew up (I would have pegged her for more of a hip Eastside girl), and I never knew she went by the cozy nickname. “Thanks for coming to the Valley,” she says, smiling.

Following behind two heavy-hitting child stars turned esoteric fashion moguls, Olsen, who decided at a young age to pursue a career in acting (and obtained a degree in it from NYU), had prodigious shoes to fill. Her on-screen breakout, a critically lauded lead in the 2011 Sundance hit Martha Marcy May Marlene, suggested that Olsen would be taking a cleverly divergent route from her older sisters—one of a risk-taking indie cinema darling. Some of her filmography still reflects that identity—roles in quirky small-budget dramedies like 2012’s Liberal Arts and 2017’s Ingrid Goes West.

Maybe that’s why, even after all the Marvel movies, which are about as commercial as they come, I still see her in that light. Or maybe it’s Olsen’s enigmatic personal life, almost laissez-faire approach to style (“A combination of suburban mom meets little boy,” is how she describes it), and overall serenity of manner that create the sort of intrigue that independent film girls tend to have.

Her current project, Sorry for Your Loss, certainly has some of that indie energy, simply because Facebook Watch is still a new and unknown content platform. Olsen admits that selling the show to Facebook felt like a scary move in the beginning since most audiences don’t know that watching TV on Facebook is a thing at all. Moving into season two, she’s still figuring out the best way to spread the word to audiences. “There is no precedent, and that can be really challenging,” Olsen emphasizes. Still, there are major pluses to the marriage of television and social media, especially for a show that addresses a topic as personal and underrepresented as grief. “The show living on Facebook has been interesting because of the dialogue people get to have about their own experiences with grief and loss on the platform,” Olsen says.

The actress is looking forward to audiences’ feedback on season two, which finds Leigh “taking big swings, making big mistakes, and trying to figure out the balance.” As Olsen says, “Grief isn’t something that you ever just shut a door on or move forward from. It’s very cyclical.”

Olsen, however, will not be participating in these conversations with fans herself, because—ironically—she’s not on Facebook. She didn’t have a trace of social media presence until 2017. She finally downloaded Instagram shortly after the release of Ingrid Goes West, in which she pulls off playing a very convincing L.A. influencer. In contrast to millennial celebrities who use social media to speak about everything from beauty products to social justice, Olsen doesn’t feel the obligation to be any sort of influencer, politically or otherwise. “If I like blending into a wall, screaming from a stage isn’t something that would help me enjoy my life,” she says. “Sometimes I just don’t want to be part of a conversation because I don’t want anyone looking my way.”

As it turns out, privacy and stability inform everything about Olsen’s life—from how she dresses to the roles she chooses—more than any desire to seem “cool.” She lives in suburbia with her fiancé, musician Robbie Arnett, where she enjoys cooking, eating, and dabbling in interior design. “I love food more than I love anything that has to do with clothes,” she says, starkly contrasting her stylish sisters. (Though the actress is more of a beauty girl—she currently serves as a global ambassador for Bobbi Brown Cosmetics.) Categorizing herself as an “obsessive, detailed perfectionist” beset with a heavy dose of social anxiety, Olsen prefers poring over moldings and wood stains than obsessing over how her body looks in a dress and which angle she should pose in.

Transforming into a character—wearing costumes, acting on camera—puts the performer right at home, but photoshoots and red carpets, which give her no role to disappear into, are a source of great distress. “I don’t like standing out in a crowd,” she tells me just after ordering the dainty plate of madeleines. Our server also named raspberry tarts and pains au chocolat on her list of available pastries, but down to her desserts, off-screen Olsen likes to keep it simple.

“At 30, I feel like I’m finally getting to an age that was meant for my personality,” the actress says with no ounce of irony. “Just domesticated. A homebody.” I introduce her to the term JOMO: the joy of missing out. “Yeah… that,” she confirms. “I never feel bad about not leaving my house.”

Quietude feels inherent to Olsen’s personality, but it’s also something she learned from her family. She tells me her parents have had the same group of 10 friends their whole lives; so have her older sisters. Like other famously private Hollywood families (the Coppolas, the Fondas), the Olsens justifiably keep their circles tiny and exclusive to those with whom they have history—those they can trust. “I don’t have too many friends that I’ve met through work,” Olsen says. “I care about privacy. I don’t have a desire for people to speak about me.” Bottom line: Lizzie Olsen is not particularly interested in fame.

Ultimately, no matter how superhuman she appears on the big screen, Olsen values a fairly normal life: She wants her pastries from Petit Trois, where everybody knows her; she wants her white button-downs and her stable paychecks from Facebook and Marvel (most of which she’s been tucking away in savings to prepare for a family, she says). “Maybe I think about things too rationally, but my career goals are longevity and stamina,” Olsen tells me. “Working steadily, feeling challenged, and just kind of hunkering down for a bit.” One day, that paycheck might come from a less visible job; Olsen says that later in life she’d like to go back to school for a degree in architecture, interior design, or landscaping. “I’m interested in the new science of irrigation and water conservation in California,” she shares. “I could be someone who’s lived multiple lives, multiple careers.”

Before heading out, Olsen packs the six madeleines, which have all gone untouched, in a to-go box for later, when she’s home, to savor in her quiet, happy place. “The next career could be a lot more private,” she says. “Maybe. We shall see.”

Press: Elizabeth Olsen Opens Up for Who What Wear’s September Cover was originally published on Elizabeth Olsen Source • Your source for everything Elizabeth Olsen

#Elizabeth Olsen #Avengers #Scarlet Witch #Avengers Infinity War #Avengers Age of Ultron #Captain America Civil War #Kodachrome #Ingrid Goes West #Godzilla #Sorry For Your loss

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alicederauge-blog · 5 years

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The Siren ~ Alice DeRauge

Hello hello!!! I’m Jolie and I am honestly so excited to be here and create some amazing connections with you all, as well as read about and learn about all the amazing characters you have created. Below is some information about my girl Alice, who is also known as The Siren. I’m always here for plots, interactions and creating interesting connections!

A young woman leans against the slightly rusted rails of the small, Parisian apartment, the cigarettes drawn to her ruby red lips as she stares at the world passing by below her, watching as the ash falls from the tip of the cigarette and down to the earth below, the smoke billow up above her as she is caught in the middle of it all. The faint shouts of her parents an echoing reminding behind as she brings the cigarette to her lips once more. If a girl falls in the city, and no one sees; did she really fall?

Alice DeRauge was the only child born to two Parisian artists, them claiming that little Alice was merely a manifestation of their love and their art brought together. She was truly like something from an artists mind, with her pouted lips and wide dark eyes- she was like something from a dream state even as a child.

Despite her parents being passionate people, they did very little to provide for Alice growing up. Their art very rarely selling for a high enough price for them to live contently. The small family of three living in a two bedroom apartment in the heart of Paris where it was always too hot during the summer and too cold during the winter nights. Despite having a small child to care for, they still very much lived under the starving artist mentality. There was always never enough food in the cupboards and empty wine bottles littering the apartment.

Despite the hardships that were faced, Alice was a relatively happy child. The cobblestone streets of Paris becoming her playground, finding kindred spirits among the other children who the world seemed to have left behind. They would run through the streets well into the late evening, stealing candy from corner stores and cigarettes from their parents. They were content with the small lives they had created for themselves but young Alice always craved something more.

As she get older, Alice fell into darker habits. Sharing beds with men twice her age after spending the day drinking two bottles of red wine. The pills were always readily available and she indulged in this small escape, knowing she could get away with it, her parents having a complete disregard for what their daughter truly got up to in the evenings.

Alice was a mere seventeen years old when her mother declared that she was finally leaving her father for good, forced Alice to pack a small duffel bag and shoving a one-way ticket to America in her slightly, hungover face. The brief hug she shared with her father being the last time she saw him as Alice’s mother made promises of a brand new life for both of them.

It didn’t take long for Alice to adjust to American culture. Enjoying the wild parties that were thrown every weekend, the drugs that were happily supplied to her and the various males and females who showed a physical interest in her. She indulged in the popularity she had as being the exotic French girl and everything that was given to her with ease.

She was eighteen when she had first rehab stint, it was the average eight week program that introduced Alice to the twelve steps but really, it just taught her how to be more sneaky about her habits and the things she did when no one was looking for her.

Despite all the issues and the need for rebellion, Alice always managed to get good grades- something that helped her get accepted into St. Etinne on financial assistance, majoring in classic literature and wanting to live like the authors she worshiped growing up. The likes of Jake Kerouac, Allen Ginsberg and the likes of the rest of the beat generation who opposed everything around them.

It was halfway through her second semester when she was sent to rehab once more after a harrowing incident where she was found unresponsive at a frat party. It was there that she met Daisey, the two girls becoming fast friends and confiding deeply in one another about everything they had been through and what they hoped to achieve in life.

What Alice didn’t expect was to return to school and find Daisey acting as if the two were strangers, that they hadn’t spent sleepless nights sneaking cigarettes and talking about everything Alice had never spoken of before; missing her father, missing Paris, her resentment towards her mother- things she would never dare say aloud without the comfort of darkness.

Though Alice merely pushed it aside and acted as if Daisey were nothing more than the spoiled, entitled child everyone else viewed her as. Keeping their stint in rehab together a dark secret, though she would often catch the female eyeing her when she thought Alice wasn’t looking yet no words were ever exchanged between them. The two clearly being from two separate worlds.

The night the incident with Daisey occurred, Alice had reluctantly been attending the party, sneaking outside for a cigarette when she saw a car speeding away and then the commotion from inside. She then spent the next eight hours at the police station with no coffee or cigarette breaks, something that annoyed her greatly.

Down the rabbit hole:

Is very much a hopeless romantic but also a very big cynic due to being jilted in the past, though her heart often overrules her head.

Very much tries hard to live the beatnik lifestyle, resenting modern trends and pretending to despise the use of social media. Dreams of living a wild life like her favorite authors.

Her mother has recently become engaged to a man, something that Alice resents her deeply for. Since moving to America their relationship has become very strained.

Likes to play the role of the femme fatale but often ends up falling for the person she is seducing.

Very much pansexual and open about her attraction to all people.

Has never been able to hold down a steady relationship; either she is too distant for the person or ends up cheating on them or vice versa. Tends to fall into very toxic relationships with people.

Is a popular student yet no one truly knows her. Keeps things very close to her chest.

Rarely seen without a cigarette hanging from her mouth and a glass of cheap red wine.

Often seen wearing a red beret; considers it her trademark.

Misses her father deeply but has not been able to get in contact with him since she left Paris.

Always wanting something more. Never content with what she has.

Is a sucker for a good foreign film and obscure art expeditions.

Is honestly just an overall hot darn mess.

#veritasintro #tw age gap relationships #tw drugs #tw cheating

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veritas-alice-blog · 5 years

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The Siren - Alice DeRauge

Alice was a mere seventeen years old when her father declared that she was finally leaving her mother for good, forced Alice to pack a small duffel bag and shoving a one-way ticket to America in her slightly, hungover face. The brief hug she shared with her mother being the last time she saw her as Alice’s father made promises of a brand new life for both of them.

It was around her first year of college when her father announced that he engaged to be married to a woman, something that shocked Alice but begrudgingly accepted especially with an introduction of a step-brother into the mix though she believes as far as step-siblings go, he isn’t too bad.

Down the rabbit hole:

Is very much a hopeless romantic but also a very big cynic due to being jilted in the past, though her heart often overrules her head.

Very much tries hard to live the beatnik lifestyle, resenting modern trends and pretending to despise the use of social media. Dreams of living a wild life like her favorite authors.

Likes to play the role of the femme fatale but often ends up falling for the person she is seducing.

Very much pansexual and open about her attraction to all people.

Has never been able to hold down a steady relationship; either she is too distant for the person or ends up cheating on them or vice versa. Tends to fall into very toxic relationships with people.

Is a popular student yet no one truly knows her. Keeps things very close to her chest.

Has a slightly strained relationship with her step-mother and father especially after her second rehab stint. Though she does tried to keep the peace as best as someone like Alice can.

Rarely seen without a cigarette hanging from her mouth and a glass of cheap red wine.

Often seen wearing a red beret; considers it her trademark.

Misses her mother deeply but has not been able to get in contact with her since she left Paris. Can you scream mommy issues??

Always wanting something more. Never content with what she has.

Is a sucker for a good foreign film and obscure art expeditions.

Is honestly just an overall hot darn mess.

#vertiasintro #drugs tw #cheating tw #tw age gap relationships #nothing has actually changed #I just wanted to reblog on this account #so I can edit later if needed!!

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cookinguptales · 7 years

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SO. Some thoughts on the shorts presentations.

(Note: I only go to the live-action and animated ones; the documentary shorts are harder to see in my city and frankly, they’re often too intense for my current mental health.)

I went to see the shorts yesterday and like I said earlier, I thought the live-action shorts were generally very good and the animated shorts were generally a waste of time and In A Heartbeat was fucking robbed. The live-action shorts were mostly based on true stories, oddly enough, but they were still beautiful.

(This is two years of underwhelming animated nominees and I’m like ughhhh bc some years everything is amazing but recently I’ve not been agreeing with their picks at all.)

I’m about to discuss like 13 shorts, so it’s all under a cut.

Live-Action Shorts

DeKalb Elementary

I have to be honest with you, considering our current political climate, I started crying from the moment this short started until it ended. Like I saw the title come up on the screen and I was like OH NO. The short is based on the real-life school shooting at Ronald E. McNair Discovery Learning Academy, and I teared up just typing that sentence. However, this school had one of the few “happy” endings of a shooting; a receptionist at the school started talking to the shooter and calmed him down until he could admit that he really needed medical help and didn’t want to hurt anyone. She probably saved a lot of lives, and this dramatic interpretation of her 911 call is really deeply touching. The acting was really incredible, and the connection between the two of them was palpable without lessening the terrifying suspense of the moment. A really beautiful and deeply affecting short.

(Though, all that said, I wonder at the decision to create a mostly apolitical short about school shootings in today’s climate…)

(cw: guns, threatened violence, mental health issues)

A Silent Child

Surprise, I cried through this one, too! A Silent Child is a short about a young deaf girl in the UK whose parents refuse to learn sign language or teach it to her. This is a depressingly common experience in real life, and watching this girl’s nanny teach this girl sign language and seeing her really come alive now that she could truly communicate, neither the mother’s jealousy and self-consciousness nor her eventual decision to fire the nanny and forbid her child from ever using sign language again surprised me.

To keep a somewhat objective approach, I do think the end of the short was a bit maudlin; it seemed kind of odd that the girl, in that situation, would choose to sign “I love you” — this seemed more heartstring-yanking than something that felt realistic. That said, the rest of the short was really heartbreakingly realistic. It’s a personal subject for me; deafness runs in my family and my little sister is profoundly deaf. My parents started learning sign language the day she was born and made sure I did, too. I grew up in a truly bilingual household and didn’t understand until I was much older that many hearing parents don’t do this for their children. At first I was sitting in the theater like “well, my parents knew it might be a possibility; they were prepared before she was born” but then it is revealed that the mother in this short knew of a family history as well; her utter self-involvement and ego become more and more clear throughout the course of the story.

The short presents a very complicated familial relationship that felt very foreign and very familiar to me at the same time, and I’ll admit I cried a lot. Despite some shortcomings in the character writing, it really is a very important topic to talk about. I think I would have preferred that the emphasis be a little less on the nanny’s feelings and a little more on the girl, but it was overall a very good short — and notable for using an actual deaf actress and real BSL.

(cw: Ableism, child abuse)

My Nephew Emmett

This is a dramatic retelling of the experiences of Mose Wright as he tried to save his 14-year-old nephew, Emmett Till. If that name is familiar to you (and if it’s not, google this important case — but guard yourself for some deeply upsetting events and imagery) then you can probably figure out about how this short went. The story is a familiar, if horrifying one, but this film is interesting in that it doesn’t show much of the part we’re all familiar with. There isn’t that much graphic violence (IIRC, punching a boy in the stomach, manhandling him, and threatening folks with guns is the extent of it), and the very famous pictures of Emmett Till post-attack are not shown. (Though they are evoked in animation during the credits.)

Instead, this film really focuses on the emotional build-up of the event, and very palpably expresses the horrors and tensions of living during this time period in this place while black. There is some absolutely gorgeous imagery in this short, and some of the images of Mose sitting up all night with a gun, waiting for his nephew to come home, will stay with me forever. The acting and cinematography are top-notch, and there is a sort of dignity to these people that is not always afforded in shorts that can easily become misery porn for fascinated gawkers. Really just beautifully, meaningfully done. Media based on true stories like this can sometimes be wooden or insensitive. This was neither. A familiar story, but a breathtaking short.

(Cw: extreme racism, including racial slurs, violence, child death)

The 11 o’clock

In a year full of strong contenders, this Australian short was a glaring weak point. It’s a film about a psychiatrist who gets a patient who believes he’s a psychiatrist, and the rest of the fairly predictable short is pretty much just who’s on first shenanigans that get annoying very quickly. Also, after the powerful DeKalb Elementary, it felt uncomfortable poking fun at people with mental illness and using personal delusions for comedy.

But hey, at least it was short.

Watu Wote (All of Us)

Though it was a great year, this was probably my favorite of the shorts. As the film introduced itself as being about racial tensions between Christians and Muslims in Kenya, I was kind of bracing myself for some of the frankly racist/xenophobic content I’ve seen in some past years. However, this short was actually about an event in 2015 during which the militant group Al-Shabaab stopped a bus with an eye towards killing the Christians onboard, but were thwarted by the Muslim passengers who protected their Christian co-riders with, quite literally, their lives.

The short follows a Christian woman who is traveling home to visit with her sick mother, and the trip clearly terrifies her. It is later revealed that her husband and child had been killed by anti-Christian radicals years before and she still views Muslims with a large amount of wary mistrust. She clashes with other passengers on the bus, but she is shocked when the bus is pulled over and the Muslim passengers immediately move to protect and hide her. There are some truly tense scenes during which she is hiding from the militants and Muslim passengers are arguing with them about how un-Muslim their actions truly are. The short is not without bloodshed.

The short could have veered into being preachy at any time, but was instead a very raw depiction of these religious and ethnic tensions in this part of the world. While you could not fault the protagonist for being wary after her experiences, a lot of catharsis is felt when she realizes that there is a large difference between the men who killed her family and the terrified yet heroic passengers on her bus. It’s a true story and one respectfully told. I’d heard about the event when it happened, but didn’t know all the details; it was nice to have these heroes (particularly the fallen ones) commemorated in a moving short like this. The acting and directing was incredible, and again, I cried. A lot. I cried through basically this entire shorts presentation with a short break during the psychiatrist one, during which I ???ed a lot.

In a time where there is so much anti-Muslim sentiment in the world, I think this film made a very powerful statement, and I was glad to see it. I cannot believe this was a student film.

(Cw: ethnic/religious discrimination, blood, violence, death, child endangerment, mentions of dead children)

Honestly, this was a very strong year for the live-action shorts, and I would happy if any of the non-Australian shorts won.

Who I think will win: My Nephew Emmett or Watu Wote

Who should win: Very, very narrowly, Watu Wote

Animated Shorts

Negative Space

This is a French stop-motion film, and probably my favorite of the animated shorts this year — not that that’s saying much. It was kind of slight, frankly speaking, but the animation was really inventive and it was a joy to watch, at least, even if it was mostly just a guy relating a brief anecdote about his deceased father. Besides praising the really visually interesting animation, I’ll admit there’s not much to say about this one.

(Cw: death, you see an open-coffin funeral)

Garden Party

Beautiful animation, for the most part, but like. The entire plot is that a bunch of frogs take over this rich guy’s house after he’s murdered, which is…again, not that much of a plot. I guess the main point of it was “nature doesn’t care about riches or human life” and “corpses are funny”, which I’d tend to agree with and disagree with, respectively. While I appreciated the rising tension as you notice all the creepy details of this broken-into house in the background of cute frogs cavorting, the “punchline” of this short, which was a detailed close-up of the prior resident’s mutilated, bloated corpse that’d been sitting in the pool is just like. Pointlessly disgusting, and after watching a short about Emmett Till, it felt almost unconscionably callous. Honestly I was like. Mildly interested for most of it, and completely repelled by the end. People talk about this short’s “dark sense of humor” and I’m mostly just reminded of all those edgy assholes I met in college and was happy to never meet again.

(Cw: violence, very, very grotesquely graphic depictions of a corpse)

Lou

This one is Pixar’s inevitable nomination, and it’s very… Pixar. Idk, this one was kind of fun to watch, had a typical slightly-maudlin moment of sentimentality at the end, but it really wasn’t Pixar’s finest. It’s a pretty slight film about a bully befriending a sentient lost and found and learning to Be A Good Dude along with some stuff about the cycle of bullying that was dealt with too briefly to really be hard-hitting. What was odd to me while watching it is that I found myself thinking “wow, this animation does not seem up to Pixar’s usual standard”, which really surprised me. Like, it’s by no means bad! It just reminds me of the work that Pixar was doing several years ago, y’know? All in all, kind of cute but ultimately forgettable.

Revolting Rhymes, Part 1

(Longer review because this one was a half hour long as opposed to the rest, which were all 5-7 minutes.)

Ugh, okay. So the Academy, in their infinite wisdom, keeps nominating children’s specials for this award. They’re typically long-winded, rhyming adaptations of children’s picture books with subpar animation, and while Revolting Rhymes was better than The Gruffalo or Room on the Broom, I still felt my eyes glazing over. Plus, frankly, I take issue with this “short” even being eligible. It’s not a short. Shorts (in the Oscars) are 40 minutes or less. Revolting Rhymes is a two-episode miniseries that makes up one hour-long children’s program. In other words, if you see this at the short’s presentation, you will only see the first half of the story. (I googled the second half when I got home so I could properly review it.) They just split it into two; that doesn’t make it two discrete shorts. But I digress.

So this is your typical fairy tale retelling, and while I liked some aspects of it, others were trite and overdone. It was fun seeing Red Riding Hood go full vigilante, I suppose. It was actually frustrating as hell, especially because of In A Heartbeat’s snub; Revolting Rhymes really seemed like it was about to go to the f/f place with Red and Snow White. I was starting to get interested. These women were fighting for each other, giving each other flowers, embracing, leaning against each other, they eventually move in together… Like it was pretty fucking gay. AND THEN THEY NO HOMO’D IT AT THE END. I even looked up the second half to be completely sure. So that was really going to turn me against this film anyway because there’s nothing more tiring of getting one of those “in the future, they are gal pals and Red grew up and had kids!!” epilogues, especially when an actual queer love story was utterly ignored in favor of subpar shorts.

That aside, though, it’s just overly long, predictable, and kind of dull after a while. Frankly speaking, it’s for children and it doesn’t really have great crossover appeal for adults.

(Cw: pretty intense non-graphic violence, some sexist overtones, no homo-ing)

Dear Basketball

This short is just incomprehensible to me. It’s a short poem by Kobe Bryant that’s animated by the legendary Glen Keane with music by John Williams. Which should tell you how bewilderingly weird this whole scenario is. The whole time I was like “Is this a vanity project? How did he get such talent to sign on for such a self-indulgent little film? Did he just start throwing money around? Are both of these men closet Kobe fans?” Like I really don’t understand what even happened for this film to get made. It was inexplicable.

I guess it’s exactly what you’d expect. Kobe Bryant has written a saccharine poem about how much he has always loved basketball, and how he is now sad he has to give it up. It’s beautifully animated with a sweeping score. I am deeply confused, and cannot understand why this was even nominated in the wake of the #MeToo movement, considering the allegations against Bryant.

*shrugs???*

(And the highly commended shorts. IN A HEARTBEAT DIDN’T EVEN FUCKING MAKE HIGHLY COMMENDED, FUCK THE OSCARS COMMITTEE TBH.)

Lost Property Office

Another short about a lost and found…? I mean, okay, why the fuck not, this year is clearly a debacle anyway. This one was basically about a guy who works for the MTA lost and found, and he’s being let go because no one ever claims anything. The film, to be fair, does have a really interesting visual aesthetic… But the direction it goes in, again, is just kind of like. Okay. Not exactly emotionally gripping.

(Cw: no one actually commits suicide in this, but the short very clearly utilizes imagery that conjures up suicide)

Achoo

Trite little film about a dragon I’m supposed to think is cute but I really thought was kind of gross and annoying. It’s this thing about how this annoying dragon wants to make a fireworks display better than the mean bully dragons and he sneezes goop everywhere and uses chemicals (which feels like cheating..?) and accidentally invents fireworks. It’s always, uh, awkward when there’s a piece of animation that does some cutesy depiction of another culture’s faux “mythology”, and this one really didn’t particularly do it well.

Weeds

Short about a dandelion (I guess? They didn’t really look like dandelions, but oh well.) trying to move from a dead yard to the yard next door full of sprinklers. It dies before it makes it and its seeds float over to the lawn. Then you get some inspirational quote about NEVER GIVING UP and I’m like okay but it died???? It didn’t make it????? Is this some really depressing point about the struggles of immigrant parents or something or did you actually think this was inspirational?

Forgettable.

Who I think will win: Negative Space or Revolting Rhymes Who I think should win: In A Heartbeat

IN A HEARTBEAT WAS ROBBED NEVER FORGIVE NEVER FORGET.

#oscar nominated shorts #long post

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The Weekend Warrior 12/11/20 - MINARI, THE MIDNIGHT SKY, LET THEM ALL TALK, WILD MOUNTAIN THYME, PARALLEL, WANDER DARKLY and More!

Honestly, I almost didn’t write a column this week for reasons I’ll probably be ranting about for a few more months, but the long and short of it is that I’ve now been writing movie reviews for 19 years, as well as writing a weekly column through most of that time, and I’m kind of sick of working my ass off, usually for very little money, and just not getting anything out of it.

This mainly came as I crossed 200 reviews for the year a few weeks back. As I was preparing to write this week’s column, Rotten Tomatoes, where most of my reviews have been available as FREE content for the past 17 years, decided to upgrade a number of critics to be “Top Critics”… but not yours truly. I have a lot more to say about this but don’t want to waste any more of my time or anger right now. I will be wrapping this column up and taking some time off for a month in January and deciding whether I want to keep wasting my time every week for no money and little feedback. It really just isn’t worth it anymore.

Fortunately, I saw a few good movies this week, and more than a few bad, so let’s start with one of the good ones, shall we?

This week’s “Featured Flick” is Lee Isaac Chung’s MINARI (A24), which like Nomadland last week will get some sort of virtual cinema release in New York and L.A., presumably that can be seen across the country. It will then get its official release on February 12, 2021.

The movie stars Steven Yeun from The Walking Dead as Jacob, a Korean father who brings his family to an Arkansas house in the middle of nowhere in the ‘80s, hoping to start a farm. His wife Monica (Yeri Han) is not happy with this decision but their kids Anne (Noel Cho) and David (Alan S. Kim) try to adjust to the new life. Things aren’t going well but then Monica’s mother Soonja (Yuh-jung Youn) shows up, that just adds more pressure on Jacob, and the kids, especially David, who hates the quirky older woman who acts nothing like a grandmother.

I’d been hearing about Minari going all the way back to its debut at Sundance, and though I remained skeptical, I finally saw it a few months ago an again over the weekend, and it’s one of my favorite films of the year, probably Top 5. To me, it’s somewhat in the vein of The Farewell, my number 1 movie of 2019, vs. the Oscar Best Picture winner, Parasite. It’s a very personal story for Chung who based some of the experiences on his own childhood, which once again proves the adage that if you’re going to write a movie, make it personal since that’s the most likely to connect with others. (Not always true, but it was great advice when I was given it.)

It takes a little time to understand why Minari is so beloved, since Chung takes an interesting approach where we see various scenes that don’t necessarily seem to tie into some sort of plot. Characters like Will Patton’s ultra-religious zealot who seems to be a bit lost when Jacob takes him on to help with his farm. Otherwise, we see various character interactions as things get tenser and tenser between Jacob and Monica, who are fighting all the time. Although the drama does get intense at times, there’s a lot of joyful and fun moments, particularly those involving the wacky grandmother and her dysfunctional relationship with her grandson. I also enjoyed the relationship between the two kids where Anne is always protective of her younger brother, who has some sort of heart illness.

It's a beautiful movie with an equally gorgeous score, but it’s really in the last 20 minutes or so when we start to see where Chung has been going with all these seemingly disparate elements, which builds up to a wonderful ending. Yeun is terrific, and the fact he reminded me of my own father -- we’re neither Korean nor have I ever been to Arkansas -- shows why his subdued performance is so effective. Overall, the film proves that however many awful things life might throw at you, your family can always fix things. I love that message, and I hope others will find and love this as well.

After its one week in virtual cinema, Minari will get an expanded theatrical release starting February 12… hopefully, New York City theaters will be open by then and I can see it in a theater.

Film at Lincoln Center in New York also is starting its 49th annual “New Directors/New Films” series, which was delayed from March, although being virtual, the movies in it can also be viewed nationwide for the first time. I feel like a lot of movies that were scheduled to play ND/NF ended up being released already but there should be some interesting things in there.

George Clooney’s latest film THE MIDNIGHT SKY is based on Lily Brooks-Dalton’s novel Good Morning, Midnight, in which he plays Augustine, a scientist dying on his own at the Barbeau Observatory in the Arctic, who has to warn a group of astronauts returning to earth that it’s no longer safe for them to return.

Clooney has made a lot of good and great movies over the years, so that I’m one of those people anxiously ≠waiting for him to make something great again after the disappointment of Suburbicon. Midnight Sky is definitely one step forward and a few steps back, as it’s impossible not to think of previous Clooney movies like Solaris and Gravity, as well as The Martian and Passengers and Ad Astra. Yes, we somehow have gotten to the point where every year there’s some sort of space movie, and while Midnight Sky at its best is better than Solaris or Ad Astra (sorry, but I was not a fan), there’s enough that’s so quizzical and confounding I’m not sure people will be able to follow what’s going on.

Much of the first half of the movie involves Clooney’s Augustine alone at the Artic base interacting with a little girl (Caoillin Springall) who is completely silent. If it’s ever explained what the girl represents, I must have missed it. There are also flashbacks to Augustine’s earlier career as a scientist and explorer played by a somewhat only semi-impressive Clooney kinda look-alike in Ethan Peck.

The best moments of the movie involve the crew of astronauts on the spaceship Ether, including Felicity Jones and David Oyelowo, who are in a relationship, Demián Bichir, Kyle Chandler and Tiffany Boone, as they deal with various issues. This is really where comparisons to Gravity and The Martian are earned, but that’s such a mighty quintet of actors that these sections are far more interesting than sullen bearded Clooney with his young ward. The production design and visual FX in these portions of the film are also quite impressive.

The Midnight Sky throws a lot at the viewer but then tries too hard to be quizzical and enigmatic about how all of it ties together until the very end. I feel that some of Clooney’s more mainstream fans will be quite confounded and possibly even disappointed. The Midnight Sky is Clooney taking a swing and only partially connecting, and it might require multiple viewings to feel like it’s a worthy addition to his filmography.

Either way, The Midnight Sky will open theatrically in select cities this week and then be on Netflix on December 23, just in time for depressing everyone on Christmas!

Also hitting Netflix streaming this week is Ryan Murphy’s musical THE PROM, which I reviewed last week. It’s great, I loved it, and can’t wait to watch it again!

Next up is Clooney’s pal Steven Soderbergh, whose new movie LET THEM ALL TALK, will premiere on HBO Max this Thursday, December 10. It stars Meryl Streep as renowned writer Alice who is called to England to receive a prestigious literary award. Since she doesn’t fly, she’s booked on a cross-Atlantic trip on the Queen Mary II ship. Alice decides to bring her old friend Roberta (Candice Bergen)—whom hasn’t spoken to her in three decades--and Susan (Dianne Wiest) as well as her nephew Tyler (Lucas Hedges) to serve as her assistant so she can focus on her writing. Little does she know that her young agent Karen (Gemma Chan) is also on the ship hoping to find out what Alice is writing about with the help of Tyler, who is quite smitten with her.

I’m not sure where to begin with one of week’s films that I probably had the highest expectations and ended up leaving me with the most utter disappointment. I wasn’t really that crazy about last year’s The Laundromat, and I’ve generally found Soderbergh’s work to be hit or miss over the last few years. I loved his thriller Unsanefor instance, and the Magic Mike movies were fun. This one, written by author Deborah Eisenberg, is just plain boring for most of it, offering nothing particularly interesting or insightful, as it’s basically another movie where Streep is playing a character who moans about how difficult her life is and how much better everyone else has it. I mean, if I wanted that shit, I’d spend more time on Twitter than I already do. And then there’s Hedges, one of my favorite young actors over the past few years, who seems to have fallen into a niche playing

In fact, my favorite aspect of the film was Gemma Chan, who plays a character with far more depth and dimension than normal, although much of her role is just to spy on Alice and fend of the subtle advances by the much younger Tyler. The two actors have some fun scenes together, far more lively than anything involving the older actresses, but you always know where it’s going. It’s kind of awkward and painful to watch Hedges bomb so hard. (At least he fared better playing a similar role in French Exit, but in that one, his love interest was Danielle Macdonald.)

The movie looks good with Soderbergh handling his own camera duties and cinematography as usual, and it’s scored with the same hipster jazz he might have used in one of his Ocean movies, but the movie just goes on and on and on, and it hs one of the most “what the fuck?” moments you’ll see this year.

If you can imagine one of The Trip movies without any of the laughs or the delicious food porn…but on a ship, that’s basically what you end up with. More than once while watching Soderbergh’s movie, I was ready to abandon ship.

And from pretty bad, we go to much, MUCH worse. Do you know what thyme it is? It’s WILD MOUNTAIN THYME!!!

John Patrick Shanley adapts his own play Outside Mullingar into a film that will be released in theaters and On Demand by Bleeker Street this Friday, and believe me, its biggest problems isn’t some of the awful Irish accents on display, but they certainly don’t help. Emily Blunt plays Rosemary and Jamie Dornan is Anthony, childhood friends who live down the street from each other in their Irish farming community. When they grow up, Rosemary’s father dies leaving her with a plot of land that forces Anthony and his father Tony (Christopher Walken) to have to use a gate to get to their home. Remember this gate, because it’s going to be mentioned so much over the course of the movie, you’ll wonder why the movie wasn’t called “Wild Mountain Gate.” (It’s actually named after a song that Blunt’s character sings for no apparent reason.)

First, you’ll have to get past the odd choice of the very non-Irish Walken in a key role as the dead narrator of the story with that aforementioned horrid accent. It won’t take long for you to start scratching your head how a noted playwright like Shanley could write such a horrible screenplay. Soon after, you’ll wonder how he convinced someone to finance making it into a movie. I’m normally a pretty big fan of Blunt, but this movie and role might be one of her biggest missteps as an actor to date. As a child, Rosemary was told by her father that she was the White Swan in Swan Lake, so of course that will lead to

It’s not long before Jon Hamm shows up as one of Anthony’s distant relatives who also has interest in Rosemary’s plot of land – nudge, nudge, wink, wink. Pretty soon we’re thrust into awkward love triangle rom-com that falls somewhere between Leap Year and The Holiday. Not exactly something you’d expect from the filmmaker behind the drama Doubt that produced multiple Oscar nominations for the cast, eh?

Instead, Shanley ends up trying to foist the… I don’t want to call it chemistry. What is the exact opposite of chemistry? Between Blunt and Dorman with one long boring conversation after another. At one point, they’re having a romantic chat about suicide, the next Anthony is telling Rosemary that he thinks he’s a honeybee. I mean, what the holy fuck?

Honestly, the whole thing is just grueling to watch, because you wonder how so much talent could falter so badly, particularly Shanley? Even the recent Shane MacGowan doc was a far more romantic take on Irish farming than this could ever possibly be.

One of the nicer surprises of the week is the sci-fi thriller PARALLEL (Vertical), which will be in theaters and On Demand this Friday, and it’s likely to be missed by a lot of people who would enjoy it. Directed by Isaac Ezban from a screenplay by Scott Blaszak, it follows four young people working in the tech sector of Seattle who discover a mirror in a hidden section of the house they’re renting that apparently allows them to experience other dimensions and other versions of their lives. Soon, they’re experimenting with different ways they can make money and achieve fame, although not all of them are cool about how they’re doing it.

Although Parallel opens like a home invasion thriller featuring the great Kathleen Quinlan, we soon learn that it’s a red herring before we meet the quartet of young entepreneurs working on a parking app with an almost impossible deadline. When they find the mirror that leads into an alternative dimension, they immediately start to experiment with figuring out what is happening exactly, and once they do, they realize they can make money by stealing from “alts” i.e. other versions of themselves. Soon, their success starts driving them insane with a desire for even more money and power.

Ezban’s movie benefits from a talented mostly unknown cast, including Martin Wallstrom and Mark O’Brien as boisterous alpha males. Georgia King’s artist Leena is far more than a love interest, although she does become an obsession for one of them eventually – and man, does she remind me of a young Reese Witherspoon. British actor Aml Ameen plays Devin, whose father committed suicide after being accused of corruption, and he’s also wary of some of the activities his friends get up to. There’s also the quartet’s main competitor Seth who gets suspicious of their success as they start producing all sorts of incredible technical inventions.

Parallel is a pretty twisted sci-fi movie that in some way reminded me of the ‘90s thriller Flatliners and even Primer a little bit, but the mirror aspect to it also will draw comparisons to Oculus, one of Mike Flanagan’s cool earlier movies. It doesn’t take long for the twists to start flying at the viewer, and once they do, your mind will be boggled and not necessarily in a bad way. I wouldn’t want to even begin sharing some of the crazy places where the film goes, but even gore fans won’t be disappointed by some of it.

It’s a real shame this terrific movie has floundered without distribution or deserved attention for so long, because there’s absolutely no question in my mind that Jason Blum should be talking to Ezban and Blaszk about doing something together. Parallel is the type of quality high-concept thriller Blumhouse thrives upon.

Another nice surprise this week was Ekwa Msangi’s FAREWELL AMOR (IFC Films), which debuted at Sundance earlier this year and barely got any attention, which is a real shame. It’s expanded from her earlier short, and it’s about an Angolan immigrant named Walter (Ntare Guma Mbaho Mwine), who is reunited with his wife Esther (Zainab Jah) and daughter Sylvia (Jayme Lawson) after 17 years. As they share a small New York apartment, Walter and Esther try to rekindle their romance while Sylvia tries to adjust to an American school.

Msangi’s film opens at Newark airport where the small family is reunited, Walter not having seen either wife or daughter in a decade and a half. He’s working as a cab driver, and he’s ready to rekindle the old flame and meet his daughter who was only a baby when he moved to the States. (Little does Esther know that Walter was in a relationship with another woman, a nurse who isn’t too happy about having to leave Walter’s life.)

One of the things Msangi does to keep things interesting is that she splits the film into three sections, one for each character that focuses specifically on them, and the story gets infinitely interesting as we learn more about each of them. Walter is somewhat at odds with doing the right thing by his wife and daughter, who is wanting to explore her love of dance that her ultra-religious mother forebids. For some reason, I thought Sylvia’s section would be the most interesting as she deals with the trials of being a teenager, but then Esther’s section shows her to be a far more layered character we might have assumed earlier. She also befriends a neighbor woman played by Joie Lee that helps her expand. The thing is that all three are clearly good people, and you never feel as if one is doing something bad in relation to the others.

Farewell Amor is a quiet but beautiful film that explores an immigrant story in a far different way than we’ve seen before. It’s a discovery film, and I hope people will not just presume it won’t hold their interest. It’s a wonderfully relatable human story, similar to Tom McCarthy’s The Visitor.

Sienna Miller and Diego Luna star in Tara Miele’s psychological drama WANDER DARKLY (Lionsgate), playing Adrienne and Matteo, a couple who recently had a baby. After they get into a horrible car accident while arguing, they end up revisiting the highs and lows of their relationship as Adrienne believes either she or Matteo or both are dead.

This is a surprisingly stranger film than I expected, delving into the supernatural not quite in the way as something like Wes Craven’s Serpent and the Rainbow or Jacob’s Ladder, but having a few elements in common. Although I haven’t seen Miele’s other films, this one feels very much like something Drake Doremus might have made to the point where I’m not sure I could say I fully understood what was happening from one moment to the next. The film seems to be exploring a couple’s relationship through a horrible tragedy but does in a strange way.

With the emotional performances by the two leads being enhanced by an amazing score by Alex Weston (who also scored The Farewell last year), Wander Darkly is more than anything, a performance piece with a decent script and further proof Miller continues to be one of the most underrated actresses working today. Despite those great performances, the movie’s strange premise might be too metaphysical and intense in execution for everyone to be along for the entire ride. In that sense, I probably liked last week’s Black Bear just slightly more.

I reviewed Steve McQueen’s ALEX WHEATLE (Amazon Prime Video) in last week’s column, and that will hit Amazon Prime this Friday, but I think I’m going to save Education, the last film in his “Small Axe Anthology” for next week’s column. I was also hoping to review Tom Moore and Ross Stewart’s WOLFWALKERS (Apple+) this week, since it premieres on Apple TV+ on Friday, but I just couldn’t get to it. Story of my life.

I’m not sure if I could tell you how many of the Ip Man movies I’ve seen over the past 12 or so years, many of which I saw at the New York Asian Film Festival, but Ip Man is indeed back after last year’s Ip Man: The Finale, but that’s because IP MAN: KUNG FU MASTER (Magnet/Magnolia Pictures) is part of the spin-off prologue series starring Dennis (Yu-Hang) To, who looked enough like a younger Donnie Yen to start a whole sub-franchise. This one is directed by Liming Li, who is also directing a Young Ip Man: Crisis Time prequel movie that presumably stars someone younger than both Yen and To. Got it?

Okay, maybe this needs a little more explaining, although the nice thing about Kung Fu Master is that it works perfectly fine as a stand-alone in case you’ve never seen any of the other movies. This one takes place in the ‘40s as Man is a police captain in Foshan, dealing with the ever-present gang known as The Axes. He’s framed for murder when the leader of the gang dies in prison, and his daughter, Miss Qingchuan (Wanliruo Xin), wanting revenge as she takes over the gang. Ip Man has other issues like being disgraced as a police officer and then the arrival of the Japanese army who have their own agenda. Ip Man ends up donning a mask to become the Black Knight to fight crime in another way.

I make no bones about my love of martial arts films when they’re not stupid or hoaky and sadly, the Donnie Yen franchise was getting by last year’s so-called “finale.” Kung Fu Master starts out with an amazing action scene of To fighting off what seems like hundred of axe-wielding gangsters, and it barely lets up, constantly throwing interesting and thoroughly entertaining fights at the viewer. Eventually, there’s a bounty on Ip Man’s head with whoever kills becoming leader of the Axes, but he has other issues, like his wife giving birth to their baby boy, just as the police chief and force shows up to arrest him. Cutting quickly between childbirth and kung fu action is just one of the interesting things Director Li does to make his Ip Man debut.

The resemblance between Dennis To and Donnie Yen is more than just facial as his wushu techniques are equally impressive, and sure, there’s a few more dramatic moments between Ip Man and his wife, but it’s Xin’s Miss Qingchuan who ends up being more of a formidable counter to To in just about every way, including a few fight scenes where axes are flying through the air.

Ip Man Kung Fu Master is fairly short, less than 90 minutes, but it still feels long because it feels like it finds a good ending, and then tacks on an epilogue and then another one. There were times I thought it might end on a cliffhanger to set up Ip Man’s inevitable next movie. The abundance of evil antagonists Ip Man must fight in this one tends to become a bit much, but it’s hard not to be thrilled by the martial arts on display and Li’s terrifically stylish visuals that keeps the movie interesting.

Ip Man Kung Fu Master will be available digitally Friday through a variety of platforms.

Filmmaker Adam Egypt Mortimer, who released Daniel Isn’t Real last year, returns with ARCHENEMY (RLJEfilms), starring Joe Manganiello as Max Fist, who claims to be a hero from another dimension that fell to earth. He ends up spending time with a teen brother and sister, Hamster (Skylan Brooks) and Indigo (Zelee Griggs) who want to clean the streets of the local drug syndicate, led by The Manager (Glenn Howerton from It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia). It’s a strange and quirky dark superhero movie that includes appearances by the likes of Paul Scheer and Amy Seimetz, and though I ran out of time to review, I do have an interview with Mortimer at Below the Line.

Time to get to some docs, and there are definitely some you’ll want to check out, although I don’t have as much time to write that much about them, and some of them I wasn’t able to watch yet.

Another great doc out of the September festival circuit is Ryan White’s ASSASSINS (Greenwich Entertainment), which follows the assassination of Kim Jong-nam, half-brother to North Korean leader Kim Jon-un in 2017 at a busy airport in Malaysia by two young women. Although the two women had never met before, they were jointly charged with attacking the North Korean ex-pat with a lethal nerve gas called VX but White’s investigation takes him all over South-East Asia trying to get answers to how the two women were tricked into committing the assassination. This is a pretty masterful display of doc filmmaking by White, not just in the sense of the way the story is paced and edited like a good political thriller, but it’s one that keeps the viewer invested even as the last act deals with the trial of the two young women and the bond that forms between them.

I’ll have more about this film over on Below the Line sometime very soon, but it hits theaters and virtual cinema this Friday and then it will be on PVOD on January 15

I saw Seamus Murphy’s doc PJ HARVEY: A DOG CALLED MONEY way back in March when it was supposed to open at New York’s Film Forum, but it’s finally getting a virtual cinema release there. Murphy travelled across Afghanistan, Kosovo and Washington DC with singer/songwriter PJ Harvey as she prepared material for her 2015 album, The Hope Six Million Project, which she produced with Flood and John Parish as an installation at Somerset House where people can walk by and view the recording process. This is an amazing doc that allows you into the process of writing for an amazing recording artist who has given Murphy and the viewer unprecedented access into her creativity. I had fully lost track of Harvey over the years, even though I was a huge fan of hers when she first hit these shores – in fact, I saw her play a concert where Radiohead opened for her… and there as another band (Gallon Drunk) after them! Because of that, I wasn’t familiar with the album, but I just love good music docs, especially ones that take us behind the scenes of a talented artist, and Murphy has created quite a fascinating film even outside the recording studio, whether it’s following Harvey around (narrated by her own poetic observations) but also with commentary by others they encounter. I found the Washington DC segments particularly interesting, since that’s the one place where I’ve spent the most time. An absolutely fantastic doc whether you’re a fan of Harvey’s or not.

Also playing in the Film Forum’s Virtual Cinema this week is Thomas Balmés’ SING ME A SONG, the filmmaker’s second doc set in the Himalayan village of Bhutan that’s been isolated for centuries. He returns to update on Peyangki, the 8-year-old Buddhist monk from his 2014 film Happiness, now a teenager who has fallen under the sway of technology including pop music and smartphone games, as he begins a WeChat romance with a young singer, which makes him consider leaving the monastery.

Also premiering on Netflix this Friday is Jim Stern and Fernando Villena’s doc GIVING VOICE, tying into the streaming premiere of August Wilson’s Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom next week. It follows six student actors auditioning for the August Wilson Monologue Competition, which brings thousands of students from twelve U.S. cities together to perform the Pulitzer Prize winner’s work.

Joshua Faudem’s doc THE LAST SERMON (Gravitas Ventures/Will Kennan) follows the director and Jack Baxter as they follow 14 years after making their 2004 documentary Blues by the Beach, in which the two ended up in a terrorist attack by British Nationals on Mike’s Place, a bar next door to the National Embassy on Tel Aviv. This event sends Baxter and Faudem across Europe to refugee camps and mosques in order to understand the essence of Islam and the truth about the international terrorists that almost killed them.

Drew Barrymore plays a dual role in THE STAND-IN (Saban Films), directed by Jamie Babbitt (But I’m a Cheerleader). While under normal circumstances, Wild Mountain Thyme would have been the dog of the week, then this movie came along. Yikes. Barrymore plays Candy Black, a comedy star best known for her pratfalls in bad movies (ala Melissa McCarthy). She also plays Paula, Candy’s much sweeter and almost identical stand-in. Candy is a nightmare to work with and after a fall from grace, she holes herself up in her Long Island Estate for five years, while Paula’s own fortunes falter without having that work. I’m sure you can figure out where it goes from there.

Yes, folks, we have what is now one of the worst iterations of a Tale of Two Cities not made by Barrymore’s frequent co-star Adam Sandler, although there are times where you wonder if she is actually playing a version of Sandler with Candy. Eventually, either Candy or Paula or both decide that Paula can take Candy’s place in her attempt to return to work, but the results are just far worse than The Hottie or the Nottie, as Paula also stands in for Candy on dates with the man she’s fallen in love with online through their love of woodworking. (I didn’t make that up.) You almost always know where it’s going and can’t help but groan when you’re right.

Basically, there’s one Drew that’s glammed-down and the other talking in an annoying wispy voice, so there really isn’t getting away from the awfulness even for a second.The thing is that, like the worst comedies, The Stand In is not funny, and it’s sad to see a decent director like Babbitt being dragged into this one. It’s just a terrible overused premise that’s executed quite poorly. Not only that, but the movie also co-stars TJ Miller, who has fallen so far from grace himself, that it’s shocking to see him in another movie.

Besides guaranteeing Barrymore a double-dose Razzie nomination, The Stand In also leaves her with cow shit on her face, much like her character.

Movies I just didn’t have time to get to this week:

Funny Boy (Array/Netflix) Gunda (NEON) Safety (Disney+) Bee Gees: How Can You Mend a Broken Heart (HBO Max) 40 Years a Prisoner (HBO Docs) Through the Night (Longshot Factory) To the Ends of the Earth (KimStim) Rompan Todo: The History of Rock in Latin America (Netflix) The Wilds (Prime Video) Nasrin (Virgil Films) Finding Ying Yin

By the way, if you read this week’s column and have bothered to read this far down, feel free to drop me some thoughts at Edward dot Douglas at Gmail dot Com or drop me a note or tweet on Twitter. I love hearing from readers … honest!

#TheWeekendWarrior #Movies #Reviews #Minari #TheMidnightSky #LetThemAllTalk #VOD #Streaming #WildMountainThyme #Parallel #TheStandIn #IpManKungFuMaster

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nadjastersurveys · 4 years

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What color of suit did your father wear to your parents wedding? If your parents were never married, what kind of dress / suit would you like to wear to your own wedding? He had a black suit

What is your favorite show? How often do you watch it? I don’t watch TV

Are Zhu Zhu pets really that awesome?

I don’t know what those are lol

Ideally, how many children would you want in the future? I don’t know if I want any. Not more than 3 though

What is something that you hate to do every day? I don’t really do stuff everyday that I hate to do

Do you believe that true love can be found online? It can, sure

Have you ever just lost interest in a friend? No

If you had to live in an extreme environment — think Sahara, Antarctica, under the sea, on the Moon— where would you want to live? Why? I wouldn’t pick any of these but I guess Antarctica seems the least awful

What does your last outgoing text say? “Don’t forget”

How was your day overall? I just woke up but so far so good

Have you kissed someone more than 20 times in 13? No

How many people of the opposite sex do you fully trust? Umm I guess one? My dad

How often do you hold back what you want to say? Pretty often actually

It’s 2 in the morning and you get a text message, who is it most likely? One of my friends, she usually doesn’t sleep at night lol

Ever cried while you were on the phone with someone? Yes

Who did you last ride in a car with besides family? I don’t know

How do you know the last male you texted? He’s my brother

Remember the first time you kissed the last person you kissed? Yes

Did your last kiss take place on a bed? Nope

Do you think the last person you kissed cares for you? I guess?

Last movie you saw in theaters? I can’t even remember

Do you laugh a lot? Yes

Are you good at giving directions? Nooo

What does your mom call you? By my name, which is Nadja

Are you afraid of roller coasters? Yep

Ever had a song sang about/for you? No lol

Is there a person of the opposite sex who means a lot to you? My dad and my brothers

Have you ever been nice to someone who treated you like crap? Yeah that’s what I usually do

Is it hard for you to be happy for someone else? Nah

If you could have one language, one habit, and one skill “downloaded” straight into your brain, what would they be? French, waking up early and and being able to play any instrument

What are some upcoming films you’re looking forward to seeing? 007 No Time to Die but I feel like I have to wait forever for it lol

Write a sentence in another language:

I don’t want to hhaaha, I’m shy

Do you know what emancipation of minors is? No

Are you one to ditch set plans? Nah, I hate when people do that to me

Have you ever sent an X-Rated picture to someone? No lol

Can you actually play an instrument or do you say it to be cool? Neither haha

What big city do you live near? There’s no big cities in my country lol

Do you like breaded chicken sandwiches? Yes

Is there a Sonic in your area? No

Have you ever gone to a thrift store? Yeah many times

When is the last time you sneezed? About an hour ago I think

Are you happy with your weight? Yes

If you had to choose, would you rather be anorexic or bulimic? Umm

Have you ever starved yourself/made yourself throw up? No

Do you think Johnny Depp is attractive? Yesss he isss

Are you happy with the state you live in? Yes for the most part if I understood the question correctly lmao

How many times have you seen the opposite sex naked? I think just my lil brother when he was a bit yougner lol

How many times have you seen the same sex naked? I don’t know, more than couple times

Do u type lyke dis or do you type normally? Normally haha

Have you ever gotten in a physical fight? Did you win? No

Are you registered to vote? I’m not

When days go by, do you cross them off on the calendar? No

Are you currently counting down to something? If so, what? I’m not, I have nothing planned

How old were you when you got text messaging? I don’t know?

Do you pay rent to your parents? No, I have no money to do that lol

What do you think of Obama’s new healthcare bill? I don’t even know what that is, not American

How many icons are on your desktop? Not many

Do you spit or swallow? -

Ever wrote something on a bathroom wall? No

Do you dye eggs for Easter? Nope

What color hair did the last person you kissed have? Brown

Do you like your eye color? I mean I don’t mind it but I would love to have prettier shade of brown

What’s the nearest beach? Not very far away

Ever been to Florida? No

What type of car did you ride in last? BMW something, I know nothing about cars

Are you excited for summer 2013? I don’t remember if I was lol

What class were your parents (ex. class of ‘75)? I don’t know what that means?

Are you in debt right now? For what? No

What color is your phone? Rose gold

Have you ever had someone read a text message they weren’t supposed to see? Not that I remember

What’s the minimum age you think someone should have a cell phone at? I don’t really have an opinion on this

Would you ever work night crew? I’d prefer not to do that

How old is the last person you texted? 18

Has the power ever went out in your area when it wasn’t even storming? I don’t remember

Do you sleep with all the lights out, or do you leave a lamp or even the television on? I could sleep with the lights and TV on but I pretty much never do

Do you ever get scared of the dark? Under what circumstances do you feel afraid in darkness? I get scared if I’m alone walking outside in the darkness

Who was the last person that lied to you, or that you can recall lying to you? What did they lie about? How did you find out they were lying? I don’t remember

Do you know anyone that says they don’t lie, ever? How do you feel about this? I don’t know anyone who says that, but I wouldn’t believe them for sure

Do you ever use the term “smashed” to describe someone as being very drunk? No

What do you think makes a person ugly, physically? I don’t like calling people ugly based on their physical appereance

What do you think makes a person ugly, personality-wise? Being cruel and evil

Has anyone ever called you ugly, straight up, before? How did you react to this? Yeah many times, it fucked up my self esteem

Who is the most stubborn person you know {excluding yourself}? Well I’m not stubborn myself but I think the most stubborn would be my older sister haha

#survey

0 notes

artificialqueens · 7 years

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Coming Home Chapter 12 (Shalaska) - Jem

AN: I apologize profusely for the wait. I know I said last chapter that I was back, but I guess I’m not as good at sorting my life as I hoped I would be. That being said, thank you all for sticking by me and giving me feedback on where you’d like to see this story go. Special shout out to @thewritingnymph for advice and support!

Chapter 12

Violet was walking from her French class alone on Monday afternoon when Matt caught up to her. She hadn’t seen him since the other night when they’d kissed, and she was frankly unsure of how to act around him. She felt guilty over how she’d treated him, and she still wasn’t certain about how she felt about what had happened. Avoiding him had been the easiest option, but of course it hadn’t lasted long.

“Hey.” Matt greeted her with his standard nonchalance, but she could tell he was nervous by how his hands fidgeted in his pockets as he walked beside her.

“Hey.” She replied, trying to judge the situation. Matt didn’t seem angry, if anything he looked like he was holding something in. Violet didn’t want to force it, so she just relaxed her face so her brows weren’t furrowed and her mouth didn’t have its signature “bitch pout”. Maybe he’d feel a little better then.

“Listen Violet, I’m really sorry about what happened. I was being stupid and I wasn’t thinking.” Matt finally explained.

“It’s ok.”

Matt looked unconvinced.

“No, really it’s ok. You didn’t really do anything wrong. I actually had a good time before it all got out of hand.” That much was true. Violet had never been able to let her guard down like that before in her whole life. It was so nice to be able to feel like a real teenager, if only for a moment. Maybe they shouldn’t have gotten so drunk, and maybe they shouldn’t have broken into that building, but it had honestly been harmless fun. Everything had just happened so fast that Violet’s brain hadn’t been able to catch up with her actions.

“Were Sharon and Alaska really mad?”

“They were at first. But not about the crown, or the drinking or any of that really. We’re ok now.”

“I’m really glad….”

They walked together in silence for a moment. There was still some kind of unresolved tension between them that hadn’t been there before. Was it always going to be like this? It had just been a kiss and a silly fight, nothing monumental. Violet looked over at Matt; his blonde hair was messy against his forehead, and his blue eyes wandered in the awkwardness between them, not meeting hers. True, she didn’t know if she was really attracted to him, but she cared about the boy a lot and had found a genuine friend in him that she’d never expected to discover. She selfishly hoped she hadn’t compromised that after their kiss.

“I still feel bad and I’d really like to make it up to you.” Matt broke the silence, pulling Violet out of her thoughts. “The Winter Formal is coming up this Friday and I don’t know if you like dances or if you’re going with someone already but if you’re not, would you like to go with me? As friends?” Matt blurted out faster than she’d ever heard him speak before.

“Oh.” Violet paused. “I already told Fame I’d go with her, as friends. But I wouldn’t be opposed to a third musketeer?”

“She doesn’t still hate me?”

“If me and my stone-cold heart can warm up to you, I’m positive she can.” Fame had a good heart; she wouldn’t be hard to win over.

“Ok.” Matt agreed, smiling sheepishly.

“Ok.” Violet gave him a smirk and turned the corner into her next class.

——-

As Friday rolled around, Violet and Fame were getting ready for the dance at Violet’s.

Alaska had helped Violet sew her own dress for the event, which had been very exciting. Violet had always been interested in fashion design, and Alaska had the skillset to properly teach her how to sew for the first time. It had also been an opportunity for them to talk more about Alaska’s life.

“Did you learn all of this for art school?” Violet had asked Alaska as the woman was showing her how to pin her fabric tightly to the pattern they’d made together.

“Some. I did a lot of fibre and performance work in school. It was definitely… experimental in my early years.”

“Oh my god, please tell me you have them on video.”

“I don’t.” Violet sighed in disappointment. “But I’m sure Sharon does….” Alaska continued.

That had become a wonderful afternoon of watching not only Alaska’s cringey, but simultaneously brilliant, performance pieces filmed on Sharon’s grainy video camera, but also sneaky clips Alaska had taken of Sharon’s run in Miss Pennsylvania US. It was sickeningly sweet how much the two of them seemed to adore each other. And even with the distraction they’d still finished Violet’s dress in time for Friday.

The gown was made out of deep purple lace layered over top of solid lilac fabric. It had a sweetheart neckline with short, frilly sleeves over the shoulders and it fell just above her knees. Overall, the dress was simple but had vintage inspiration; Violet was really pleased with the result considering it was her first project. She paired the look with an amethyst necklace she’d borrowed from Alaska.

Her and Fame were painting their nails when Sharon knocked, with a visitor in tow. Matt scratched the back of his head nervously as he greeted Violet and Fame from the doorway of Violet’s bedroom.

“What’s he doing here?” Fame asked a bit coldly, and Violet berated herself for putting off telling her friend that he’d be joining them.

“He’s alright, Fame, I swear.”

The blonde girl raised her eyebrows but didn’t say anything.

“He asked to join us for the dance, and I know we both could use your esteemed fashion and beauty advice.” Fame finally seemed to take a breath, content with the compliment.

Sharon ushered Matt into the room, but lingered in the doorway, obviously wanting to speak.

“Do you guys need anything?” She asked cheerfully, observing the fun.

“No mom.” Violet rolled her eyes but smiled.

“Ok. I’m trying to be the cool mom, so I’ll get out of your way. Let me know if you need snacks or drinks or anything.”

Violet nodded a bit expectantly.

“Ok, ok I’ll get out.” She raised her hands in surrender.

Sharon turned and left so Violet invited Matt to take a seat on the floor next to her.

“Hello Matthew.” Fame said a bit curtly, barely looking up from her manicure to meet his eyes.

“You can call me Matt.”

“Alright Matt, do you have anything to wear tonight?” Fame stopped her work and looked the boy over. Violet could see the wheels turning in her head; the girl could never turn down a fashion project, even if said project was an asshole sometimes.

Matt pulled a basic, black suit jacket, pants, and a shirt out of the garment bag he’d entered with.

“It’s nothing special, really.” He said sheepishly. “What are you guys wearing?”

Violet showed him her dress, and he looked impressed, especially knowing she’d made it herself. Fame had also chosen a beautiful, strapless tan gown that hugged her form down to her knees then billowed out in a mermaid silhouette. They’d wanted to make sure their outfits complemented each other, so Violet had worn nude pumps and Fame had a lilac stole.

“Wow, those are really nice.” Matt remarked upon seeing both of their dresses. He seemed sincere but his voice held a tinge of sadness.

“Matt, what’s wrong?”

“It’s nothing, it’s stupid.”

“It’s ok.”

“We’re the last people who’d judge you.” Fame assured him, clearly warming up to the boy now that she saw some vulnerability.

“I’m just gonna look so plain in my hand-me-down suit and you both are going to be stunning.”

“Well… I’m not sure if Sharon and Alaska have any boy’s clothes…..” Violet trailed off.

Matt was quiet.

“Do you want to wear boy’s clothes?”

Silence again.

“I don’t know.” He finally answered.

“Matt, this is going to be blunt but, do you think you’re like me?” Violet blurted out.

“Like, transgender?”

Violet nodded.

“I don’t think it’s the same, like, I’m not a girl.” Matt began to play with his hands, not meeting Violet’s eyes. He was obviously uncomfortable, but not closed to the discussion.

“I don’t exactly feel like a girl either; gender doesn’t feel like it applies to me, I just like to present as femme, you know?” Violet added.

“I don’t mind presenting as a boy, like I am a boy, but I like those things, necklaces, hair, lipstick.” He elaborated. “I am happy as Matt, I am Matt, but I want more sometimes too.”

“Do you think you want to do drag, Matt?” Fame piped in.

“Like, dressing up as a girl?”

“Like gender as performance. Playing around with those feminine things you like, but not changing your gender.” Violet explained.

“That sounds kind of cool.” He sounded reluctant to admit it.

“Do you want to go to prom in drag?” Violet pushed.

“What? No! No way. Everyone would make fun of me.”

“Ok, ok. One step at a time.” Fame said gently. “Why don’t you try on that suit and let’s see what we can do.”

Matt went to the bathroom to change.

The suit wasn’t horrible, considering Matt had borrowed it from an older cousin. The pants were nice and the jacket fit him well in the shoulders, but the white shirt and tie looked like they were strangling him.

Violet got an idea and she ran into Alaska and Sharon’s closet to borrow a dark grey turtleneck shirt. She had him try that instead, and he immediately looked more comfortable and casual.

The whole look began to come together. Fame styled Matt’s hair so it was slicked back, and with encouragement he allowed her to do some makeup. The lines of gender began to blur as she traced his eyes with black and a hint of glitter, and he even let her paint on bold red lips that matched Violet’s. The final touch was the classic pearl necklace he’d worn the other night.

He looked at himself in the mirror, shocked but (hopefully) not upset. “Wow.” He said in a breathy voice.

“Do you like it?”

“I do.” He made a show of running his hand through his slicked-back hair. “Does this make me gay now?”

“Oh my fucking God, Matt.” Violet exclaimed, and there was the normal, slightly problematic but kind-hearted, Matt.

“That was shitty, sorry.” He blushed. “I think I am kinda gay though.” He said much more seriously.

“Aren’t we all?” Fame stated the obvious, rolling her eyes, but not unkindly. She glanced sideways at Violet but the girl kept her face stoic.

“Now let’s get out of here so that Sharon and Alaska can take the million pictures I know they’ll want without us being too late.”

——-

Violet wouldn’t consider herself much of a dancer. But compared to Matt and Fame, she was practically a prima ballerina. Fame wasn’t terrible with the actual movements, but she had no sense of rhythm at all, and Matt…. well he had about as much grace as a baby elephant. Luckily there weren’t very high expectations for a high school dance. In fact, the atmosphere was a lot more chill than Violet had originally expected. Someone had definitely spiked the punch, and everyone was having a good time and didn’t bother them the whole night. They danced all three of them, taking turns laughing at each other.

“Violet!” Two voices yelled out in unison.

Violet turned to see Katya and Trixie walking her way with linked arms. Trixie looked more than a little tipsy, and was visible leaning on Katya for support.

“You look so beautiful!” Katya exclaimed, reaching a hand to touch Violet’s shoulder. The gesture was enough to call Matt and Fame’s attention away from their failed dance attempts.

“Katya!” Fame yelled in excitement, rushing to hug her and Trixie at the same time. “Are you guys here together?” She asked, as if it wasn’t obvious.

“Oh yeah!” Katya answered fairly loudly, and Trixie blushed but didn’t look upset.

“That’s so nice! I’m so happy for you two.” Fame looked like she was getting emotional, but she was always sentimental about romance if any kind.

“Matt?” Trixie asked, almost as if she didn’t recognize the boy.

“Yeah?” He said tentatively, broken out of his carefree daze. He suddenly seemed self-conscious of his appearance and the makeup on his face. He bit his lip a bit nervously, Violet noticed.

“You look really good.” Trixie said fondly, maybe even proudly.

“Thanks Tracy…” Matt’s eyes shone as he pulled out her old nickname. “I think I finally get why you wear so much makeup.” He joked, gesturing to his own face then hers.

“Yeah?”

“To look like a hooker.”

Trixie burst into laughter that quickly spurred Katya and the rest of the group to join. “Ooh, you bitch!” She yelled at Matt, who looked rather pleased with himself. “Maybe if you’re lucky someone will want to take you home.”

Violet made sure to look straight ahead but she could tell Matt was looking at her through her peripheral vision.

Eventually Katya and Trixie returned to their date, and they were contrasting figures in hot pink and black and red, but somehow it all worked together as they spun rather expertly on the dance floor.

As the night came to a close, Fame was sleepy and that meant she was affectionate. Violet linked her arms around her waist as Fame leaned her head on her shoulder and closed her eyes. They swayed together to some slow song Violet didn’t recognize, content in the calm.

She was grateful to have someone who seemed to support her no matter what she did. Sometimes Violet didn’t know how Fame could still put up with her when she was being cunty and insensitive, but as much as she hated to admit it, she was insecure about just about everything and needed constant reassurance that she was loved. Fame seemed happy to give her that.

“Fame?” Violet whispered as people began to leave the dance floor.

“Mhmm?” The other girl mumbled, not opening her eyes.

“I think it’s time to go home.” Violet looked up at Matt over Fame’s shoulder, who smiled and nodded, coming over to stand closer to them.

“Oh, but I don’t want to go…”

“C’mon, you can barely stand on your own two feet.”

“I’m just having the best time ever, aren’t you guys? This has been the perfect night.”

Violet couldn’t agree more, but every night had to end.

Her and Matt managed to get Fame into the car, and they dropped her off at home first. The blonde gave Violet a gentle peck on the cheek before bidding them both goodnight.

Violet dropped Matt off next, and they sat in the car outside his house for a moment.

“Are you gonna be ok to go home like this?” Violet asked, hating that she had to at all.

Matt only then seemed to remember that he was wearing makeup.

“Oh.” He said gently, but not as scared as he usually appeared when discussing his family. “Do you have anything I can use to take this off?”

She nodded, fumbling for some makeup wipes in her bag. Matt took off as much as he could in the car mirror in the dark, and Violet was so sad to see him have to do it. She could relate to not feeling safe to present how she truly felt. He tried to give her back the pearl necklace he’d borrowed but she insisted he keep it. Sharon certainly wouldn’t wear it anymore.

“I’m sorry you have to do that.” She spoke.

“It’s ok.” He said calmly, and she raised an eyebrow. “My parents are not my rulers, you know? And I’m not gonna let them stop me anymore. Maybe one day I’ll be able to explain it to them and they’ll begin to understand.”

“I hope they will.”

Matt sat quietly for another second before speaking up. “Violet, I want you to know you don’t have to worry about me.”

“You’re my friend, of course I worry about you.”

“I mean, you don’t have to worry about hurting my feelings.” Matt continued. “You know I like you, obviously, but I don’t think you feel the same and I’m content to have you as my friend if that’s all you can give. Because you’ve really been my best friend, I mean it.”

“Matt, I-

“No really, I feel like I’m finally finding myself, and that’s thanks to you. I want you to go after whatever you truly want, can you promise me that?”

“Ok.”

“Ok?”

“Yes, now get out of the car, you big lug!” Violet wrapped the boy in a tight hug and let him go.

She drove home, but she had so much on her mind that the drive went by in a flash.

“Oh, hi….” Violet entered the apartment, head still spinning from the wonderful night she’d had. She was surprised to see Sharon and Alaska sitting on the couch in the living room. “I didn’t think you’d still be up.”

“Don’t worry, we weren’t just sitting here all night worried about you.” Sharon joked.

“Actually, we have something to give you. I know it’s late we were just really excited.” Alaska added.

“Ok…..” Violet didn’t know what could be so important, and good mind you, that it warranted them waiting into the late hours of the night for her. She looked at them both expectantly, and after a few long seconds of her two foster moms smiling at each other, Alaska burst out with:

“You’re ours! The paperwork went through.”

“Oh my god, I’m adopted?”

“Yes baby, you’re our daughter.”

Violet felt tears welling up in her eyes and she didn’t stop them from trailing down her cheeks. Maybe it was a combination of everything that had happened tonight along with the realization of how this was the happiest she’d ever been in her entire life, but she found herself sobbing before long.

“I’m sorry.” She apologized, trying to wipe her cheeks dry as more tears fell.

“It’s ok.” Alaska pulled her over the couch and gave her a tight hug.

“What are you feeling right now, Vi?” Sharon asked.

“I’m just so happy. I never thought I’d have friends and family who love me and that I love so equally in return.”

Sharon went to the kitchen to make some hot chocolate as Violet calmed down, but it wasn’t the normal kind from a powder mix. No, she melted two bars of chocolate into some milk on the stove and stirred it until it was warm and smooth. Violet was surprised that she hadn’t burnt it, considering her past kitchen endeavours. However, it seemed that Sharon was a hot chocolate connoisseur; it was one of the best things Violet had ever tasted.

Violet sipped the rich liquid and let the warmth fill up her body.

Sharon fell asleep in Alaska’s lap not much later, and god they were such a cheesy cliche of a family but Violet had never been lucky enough to have cliches before. She indulged herself, in what she would later call a moment of weakness, turned the lights in the kitchen off and went back to the couch to join them.

#coming home #jem #alaska thunderfuck #sharon needles #violet chachki #shalaska #miss fame #pearl liaison #parent #child #lesbian au #rpdr fanfiction #submission

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martens-movie-reviews · 7 years

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Released: April 4, 2014 Running Time: 2 hours 16 minutes

“After the cataclysmic events in New York with his fellow Avengers, Steve Rogers, aka Captain America, lives in the nation’s capital as he tries to adjust to modern times. An attack on a S.H.I.E.L.D. colleague throws Rogers into a web of intrigue that places the whole world at risk. Joining forces with the Black Widow and a new ally, the Falcon, Rogers struggles to expose an ever-widening conspiracy, but he and his team soon come up against an unexpected enemy.”

Marvel Cinematic Universe – Source – Marvel

You can find all of the reviews for the Marvel Cinematic Universe at the link here. At that link, you can also find the dates that the other reviews for the Marvel Cinematic Universe will be posted. My plan is to release one every single day, and because I’ve already reviewed Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 here, and Spider – Man: Homecoming here, they will not be included in the two weeks leading up to Thor Ragnarok.

As such, I will now move onto the actual review of the film, and I hope you enjoy!

Captain America: The Winter Soldier Trailer – Source: Marvel Studios

Cast and Crew

This film was directed by Anthony Russo & Joe Russo, whose most notable works prior to this film was televison shows ‘Arrested Development’ and ‘Community’. Since this movie is widely viewed as one of the best in the MCU from both the audiences the critics, the Russo brothers have been given the keys to the Marvel Cinematic Universe, having followed up this film with ‘Captain America: Civil War’, and the next two Avenger Films, one in 2018, and the other in 2019.

Scarlett Johansson as Natasha Romanoff / Black Widow & Chris Evans as Steve Rogers / Captain America – Source: Marvel Studios

The writing duo of Christopher Markus & Stephen McFeely have gone on to be the wonder boys of the MCU for their screenplays, even after the mess that was Thor: The Dark World, they followed that up with this film whose story was extremely well put together. They wrote the ‘Agent Carter’ television series, that unfortunately only lasted 2 seasons, as they never touched on the founding of S.H.I.E.L.D. They have also written the scripts for ‘Captain America: Civil War’ as well as the upcoming two Avengers films, which I’ve previously mentioned in the ‘Captain America: The First Avenger’ review.

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The cast featured Chris Evans, Samuel L. Jackson, Scarlett Johansson, Robert Redford, Sebastian Stan, Anthony Mackie, Cobie Smulders, Frank Grillo, Maximiliano Hernández, Emily VanCamp, Hayley Atwell, Toby Jones, Callan Mulvey, Georges St-Pierre, Garry Shandling, Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Elizabeth Olsen, Thomas Kretschmann and Stan Lee.

Review

Robert Redford as Alexander Pierce – Marvel Studios

As all my other MCU movie reviews in the past week, I’ve talked about how the music in these films really exude the tone and style of the character and aids in enhancing the overall experience. Most of the score of Captain America: The Winter Soldier was quick paced, and brutal in it’s punctuation. The composer, Henry Jackman, did a good job at mixing the spy genre music style with the grandiose and heroic nature of superhero films. The score featured less inspiring songs, and more dramatic songs, and it fit the movie, as Cap is learning the new truths of the world, that not everything is black and white, and is now mostly grey.

One of Marvel’s themes throughout their films is the comedic aspect of them, and while this film is hardly a funny one, there are several funny moments that work really well, such as the opening sequence with Cap literally running laps around Wilson, and Romanoff asking Rogers if the kiss they shared was his first one in 70 years (and Rogers said no, it wasn’t, now I’m curious to find out who he’s kissed since getting out of the ice).

Sebastian Stan as James Buchanan Barnes (Bucky) / The Winter Soldier

The fight choreographer for this film was Chris Carnel, and he did an amazing job. The first sequence on the Numerian Star against the French pirates as well as against Batroc the Leaper showed that Rogers had learned a few things since the Avengers, and his fighting style was more brutal than we’ve seen before, and displayed some pretty amazing sequences, as well as Romanoff’s action portions against random pirates.

The multiple fight scenes between Rogers and Barnes was fast, efficient and brutal. It was really tough watching them fight, knowing who the Winter Soldier was, before even watching the movie. One of the nitpicks that I have with the film, is that they decided to a lot of quick cuts for some of the action sequences, and I feel like it would have served the fight choreographer and the film a lot better if they had filmed it in less shots.

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I was happy that they introduced Agent 13 in this film, however I feel like they could have added a short cameo in the Avengers film, but I understand that making her the neighbour to watch over Rogers is a better ‘spy move’. When I saw this movie, I was really hoping that we would eventually get more of her, as she was really only a prolonged cameo in this film, and I’m happy that we got what we got in ‘Civil War’, if only for the reaction that Barnes and Wilson give him.

They did a really good job at aging up Hayley Atwell, to play a much older Peggy Carter, who is sadly suffering from memory problems, and is the ‘last’ of Steve’s old friends from WWII. I thought that scene was touching and added a bit of heart to the film, and to the character of Steve Rogers. I only wish we would have gotten more from Atwell in the television show, but it wasn’t run properly.

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Making Natasha Romanoff / Black Widow come back and aid Rogers in a conflict that is extremely morally based was something that would have took some explaining to make work, as she’s a former KGB operative, turned S.H.I.E.L.D agent, and is one of the greatest spies in the world. The fact that Cap learned to trust her over the mutual grief that they shared over Fury’s ‘Death’ is quick, but understandable in the film and it works for some reason.

Anthony Mackie as Sam Wilson / Falcon was another brilliant choice of casting for this film. He was Cap’s new sidekick, while being his own hero in his own way. Their shared history of both being from the military is something that gave them a strong bond right off the bat. The use of the flight suit was pretty awesome to see on the big screen, and the fact that they made it a military suit, rather than spandex (from the comics), was a smart idea. He proved his loyalty over and over again throughout the film, and I’m happy that they decided to include his character. His history in the military was briefly mentioned, and it didn’t need more than that for it to work.

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Maria Hill was awesome in this film. She managed to go infiltrate a van that was sent to pick up Rogers, Romanoff and Wilson, knock out the other guard in that were there, escape and bring them to the very much alive Nick Fury.

Nick Fury’s worldview is very than Cap’s, and that’s not necessarily a bad thing, just that it causes some friction at first between them in this movie. Samuel L. Jackson did a good job at adding a bit more depth to the character, showing that he is human, and can get hurt. He gives up his role as director of S.H.I.E.L.D. to go after the remnants of HYDRA.

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Seeing Georges St- Pierre in the film as Batroc the Leaper was really fun, and I’m not much of a mixed martial arts fan, sure, I’ll watch the highlights, but I don’t spend money to watch the fights the night of. I’m really happy that they didn’t kill him off in the film, leaving the door open to maybe having him pop up in a future MCU film down the road. I feel like they did a good job at having Brock Rumlow be a somewhat friend to Rogers before it’s revealed that HYDRA was inside of S.H.I.E.L.D all of this time. By having him survive, and having the crossbones on his chest was a hint that he would be in future films, and it didn’t take long, as he appears in Captain America: Civil War, but I’ll talk about that during that review on the November 1, 2017 review for that film.

Inserting Hydra into the the very foundations of S.H.I.E.L.D. was a stroke of genius, and helps in bringing the storyline together, as the comic book storyline of the Winter Soldier was very complex and includes characters that aren’t part of the MCU, or have been sent away. I feel it also helped the story as it gave it the spy thriller aspect, where you don’t know who you can trust, and it’s an internal conflict as well as bringing back Captain America’s original enemy.

Frank Grillo as Brock Rumlow / Crossbones – Source: Marvel Studios

Chris Evans gets to use a bit more of his acting talent as Steve Rogers / Captain America in this film than in prior films, as it’s more of a dramatic take on the character than the last two times we’ve seen him up to this point. I feel like his view on the world is something that people would aspire it to be, but unfortunately that is not what the world became after he sacrificed himself in WWII. It was disheartening to see him interact with Peggy Carter again, while she’s aged, and he hasn’t, and she’s dealing with memory problems.

Sebastian Stan did a magnificent job at showcasing the conflict in the eyes of the Winter Soldier. The scene when he’s about to get his memory wipe, and he’s trying to come to grips with what he knows, and what he thinks he knows was really well portrayed by him. He knows that man, yet he’s never seen him before, it must have been a harrowing experience in not knowing what is real and not, and I was really pleased with his portrayal of the Winter Soldier, and I was extremely happy that they didn’t kill him off, as there is so much that they could do with that character, and they’ve already done some of it, in the follow up to this film; Civil War.

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The Winter Soldier storyline from the comics in 2005 was the main inspiration for this film, and it’s a great story to pick from. I’ve included some pictures of the comics in this review to display that they did a really great job at adapting portions of that story. They included a lot of the same characters from the comics into the film, introducing Crossbones, Agent 13, Falcon in this film. I feel like I might have preferred having Agent 13 tag along with Rogers throughout the film instead of Black Widow, but because they didn’t introduce her until this film, I understand the reasoning behind that decision.

Bucky’s relationship with Steve is something that I’ve already talked about a bit in my review of their first film, ‘The First Avenger’. It’s different than any interpretation in the comics that I’ve read, and I’m really glad about that. Bucky knew Steve before he became Captain America, he knows that he’s a good person, and he went from being the hero of the duo, the sidekick, and he didn’t grumble or complain, he was happy to have his friend with him, and he saved his life. It’s something that I feel is something that the MCU has done a magnificent job at, and that they really show you that these two characters are brothers, probably even more so than Loki and Thor, because they chose each other, and to see them fight like they did in this movie, is supposed to be heartbreaking, because you don’t want either of them to be hurt, because once they find out / remember, that would destroy them.

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The final confrontation between the two in this film is a change up from the comics, where The Winter Soldier tries to finish Captain America off, but he dodges at the last second, whereas in the film, he hesitates, and a piece of the ship takes that problem away from him, dropping Cap back into the water. Their fight was brutal, and featured fantastic acting from both actors, and again, great fight choreography. It’s probably my favourite fight between two characters up from the MCU up until this movie.

There was two credit sequences at the end of the movie, with the first one hinting at introducing Quicksilver and Scarlet Witch into the MCU, and setting up the second Avengers film, ‘Age of Ultron’. The post credit scene shows The Winter Soldier going to the Smithsonian, and giving himself a little history lesson on who this Bucky character is, and if he can piece together his life, hinting that he will make a comeback as a fellow hero.

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In my opinion, Captain America: The Winter Soldier was the best stand alone movie of the Marvel Cinematic Universe since the first Iron Man, and from a critical standpoint, was a better overall film than The Avengers. The flaws in this film are very nitpicky, and I feel like it completely changed the way that Marvel started making their films. This was very much a spy drama film, hidden in a superhero movie. Adapting the Winter Soldier storyline was a stroke of genius, and it really hurt to watch Bucky and Steve fight each other, and knowing their history together, was brutal. The film had the best fight choreography that we have seen from the MCU until this point, and gave the characters adequate screen time, where their usefulness in this film was worth it.

At the end of the day, this movie is something that is hard to top from the Marvel Cinematic Universe, and I really hope that Thor: Ragnarok will be able to reach this score, but it’s tough, and I plan on going in there with no expectations (yeah right), even with everyone saying it’s an amazing film. This movie, in my opinion, deserves the score of 9.5/10, no questions asked.

What did you think of the film? Are you excited for Thor Ragnarok? Let me know in the comments below!

Thanks for reading,

Alex Martens

Captain America: The Winter Soldier Review Released: April 4, 2014 Running Time: 2 hours 16 minutes "After the cataclysmic events in New York with his fellow Avengers, Steve Rogers, aka Captain America, lives in the nation's capital as he tries to adjust to modern times.

#Comic Book Movie #MCU #Movie Review

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WHAT TO WATCH THIS WEEKEND March 1, 2019 – TYLER PERRY’S A MADEA FAMILY FUNERAL, GRETA

It’s my birthday weekend and while I’m not that interested in either of the two new wide releases -- both moderate releases opening in less than 3,000 theaters -- I probably will go watch some old movies around my work schedule. (Check out the full repertory line-up below!)

Either way, at least one of this weekend’s wide releases is being geared towards a very specific built-in fanbase, and that movie is…

TYLER PERRY’S A MADEA FAMILY FUNERAL (Liongsate)

Written and Directed by Tyler Perry (Too many movies to list them all.) Cast: Tyler Perry, Cassi Davis, Patrice Lovely, Mike Tyson, Ciera Payton, KJ Smith MPAA Rating: PG-13

Every night I go to sleep hoping and praying that I never have to write about another Tyler Perry movie again, and apparently, I may finally get my wish, at least in terms of Perry making another Madea movie, since this is apparently his last movie in a franchise which began all the way back in 2005 with Diary of a Mad Black Woman. (Actually, Madea began a lot further back than that with Perry’s stageplays, but 2005 was when Madea first entered my limited worldview, and I’ve written about twenty of his movies while only seeing maybe three or four of them.)

And because this is my column and I can do whatever I want, that’s all I’m going to say about his latest movie. J

On the other hand, you can read more about the movie and its box office prospects over on The Beat!

GRETA (Focus Features)

Directed by Neil Jordan (Too many movies to list them all.) Written by Ray Wright and Neil Jordan Cast: Chloe Grace Moretz, Isabelle Huppert, Maika Monroe, Colm Feore, Stephen Rea MPAA Rating: R

This week’s other new wide release is a high-concept psychological thriller from Ireland’s Neil Jordan which stars Chloe Grace Moretz as a young New Yorker who finds a purse on the subway that belongs to a Greta Hideg, played by the effervescent Isabelle Huppert. I think some people will enjoy this movie more than others, although as you can read in my review below, I was rather disappointed by it. I have a feeling that this will get a “C” (or lower) CinemaScore, too.

Mini-Review: In what seems to be a genre that’s making a comeback, Irish filmmaker Neil Jordan returns with his most sellable (i.e. obvious) premise in a long time, pairing two strong actors in a fairly mundane thriller.

Chloë Grace Moretz plays Frances, a new New Yorker working as a waitress, who finds a purse on the subway belonging to a Greta Hideg (Huppert), politely bringing the older woman the purse. Having lost her mother a year prior, Frances at first finds a kindly substitute in Greta, but Greta starts to get clingierj, especially when Frances learns that leaving purses on subways is the way Greta finds new “friends.” As Frances tries to break off the relationship, Greta keeps showing up and her presence becomes more threatening.

To avoid spoilers, that’s probably all you need to know about the fairly basic plot that gets some credit for filming New York City as New York, complete with Greta’s NYC ID card

I’ve seen better work from Moretz, but it’s not like the role of Frances gives her much to do besides acting scared or freaked out, depending on the circumstances. By comparison, Huppert gives a delicious nutty performance as the title character, and it’s obvious she’s having fun behaving badly. Possibly the biggest shocker of Greta is how great Maika Monroe is as Frances’ flaky and shallow roommate, who actually instills the film with a deliberate sense of humor rather than when you’re laughing at how weird it get.

Overall, the writing isn’t great and whoever composed the score goes so overboard with some of the cues, you might find yourself wondering whatever happened to subtlety?

Some things work, for sure, but much of the movie just seems to be so overwrought with Moretz overreacting to everything, and it’s clear Jordan was trying to make something more mainstream to feel pertinent again after a series of odder arthouse offerings.

Greta is fairly ridiculous and blatantly obvious, and frankly, don’t we deserve more or at least a little better from an Isabelle Huppert film?

Rating: 6/10

A last minute addition here: Since the Oscars were on Sunday, a number of theaters whose movies won prizes will re-expand the movies, some of them with new material. For instance, Bradley Cooper’s A Star is Born is being rereleased with 12 minutes of new music after “Shallow” won Best Original song, while Universal will likely expand Green Book into more theaters and Sony will do the same with Spider-Man: Into the Spiderverse. Granted, two of these are already available via home video, but they’re also worth seeing in theaters, and I might actually go see A Star is Born a third time.

LIMITED RELEASES

This is actually a fairly decent weekend for foreign fare with films by auteurs from Germany, Iceland, Austria, France and England, but the movie I’m most excited about is APOLLO 11 (Neon), the new documentary from Todd Douglas Miller (Dinosaur 13). If you were a fan of Damien Chazelle’s First Man (or even if you’re not), when it comes to space travel, the first Moon landing in 1969 by Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin is still one of the greatest moments in history. With their historic trip to the Moon hitting its 50thanniversary in July, Miller has gone through never-before-seen footage and audio that’s been sitting in the National Archives to assemble an amazing film that tells the story using the REAL footage and audio to tell the story. Apollo 11 will open exclusively on IMAX screens for one week only – I certainly will be seeing it again in this format -- and then expand nationwide on March 8. I was able to see this before its premiere at Sundance in January, and it’s already become one of my favorite movies of the year.

Easily one of the finest German filmmakers making movies these days, Christian Petzold returns with his new film TRANSIT (Music Box Films), a loose adaptation of Anna Seghers’ 1942 novel “Transit Visa” starring Happy End star Franz Rogowski and Paula Beer from Frantz and Never Look Away. Franz plays Georg, a German expat living in Marseille among refugees who falls for the mysterious Marie (Beer) whose husband has disappeared with Georg taking his identity. I’m not quite sure that what Petzold was trying to do with this, especially with the decision to set the story in present day despite clearly being a story set in Nazi-occupied with Georg having escaped from the concentration camps, but he set the story in modern-day France. I can understand that Petzold might not have wanted to do another WWII set story after the excellent Phoenix, but he seems to be reaching here, and I’m not sure the idea worked. It probably also didn’t help that I had just rewatched two far superior films about immigrants made in the ‘40s, The Third Man and Casablanca, as bookends to seeing Transit for the first time. I think some might like this better than I did, and if you’re a fan of Petzold’s previous work, you can see this in New York at the IFC Centerand Film Society of Lincoln Center.

Another fine filmmaker with a new movie this week is England’s Michael Winterbottom, who returns with the crime-thriller THE WEDDING GUEST (IFC Films), starring Dev Patel. It’s the filmmaker’s second film made in India after 2011’s Trishna, starring Freida Pinto and Riz Ahmed, and now he’s working with the other Slumdog Millionaire star. Patel plays a man hired to kidnap a woman who is about to get married (played by the smokin’ hot Radhika Apte), but things don’t exactly go as planned. It’s a slow-moving, moody film that once again shows off what an amazing actor Patel has become, something that continues into the real-life thriller Hotel Mumbai released later this month. This ALSO opens at the IFC Center.

French filmmaker Gaspar Noë returns with another strange movie, this one called CLIMAX (A24), which follows a French dance troupe as they start to go insane after having a party in which the alcohol is spiked with acid. I generally like Noë’s films, especially Irreversible and Into the Void, but this one goes off the rails quite a bit without being nearly as edgy or perverse as his previous work. I’m not sure if this is just more

From Iceland comes Benedikt Erlingsson’s WOMAN AT WAR (Magnolia), an amazing film starring Halldóra Geirharðsdóttir in a dual role. First, she plays 50-year-old Halla, a woman who has been involved as an environmental activist in vandalism and outright sabotage until she learns that her request to adopt a little girl from the Ukraine has been accepted, forcing her to rethink her life choices. Geirharðsdóttir also plays Halla’s twin sister who gets pulled into her sister’s machinations. I saw Iceland’s Oscar entry a while back and thoroughly enjoyed it, especially Geirharðsdóttir’s performance and that Erlingsson doesn’t try to make this too serious of a drama by including a score performed by a band that appears in random scenes. A Woman at War also opens in New York at the IFC Center and Landmark 57th, as well as in a few theaters in California. You can see the full release schedule on the Official Magnolia site.

And then, there’s Austrian filmmaker Wolfgang Fischer’s STYX (Film Movement), which will open onWednesday at the Film Forum, another one-woman film starring Susanne Wolff as a doctor sailing on her own when she encounters a sinking boat full of refugees. She calls for help but is told to sail away but she instead takes in one of the refugees who falls overboard. This is an amazing film, one that will inevitably be compared to Robert Redford and Chandor’s All is Lost because so much is focused on Wolff’s performance, but it’s an extremely timely film in terms of what’s going on in the world today and much more effective than Transit in that respect.

After premiering at the Tribeca Film Festival last year, Ondi Timoner’s biodrama MAPPLETHORPE (Samuel Goldwyn), starring Matt (Doctor Who) Smith as the famed and often controversial New York City photographer, is finally opening. I remember generally liking this, especially the performance by newcomer Marianne Rendón as a young Patti Smith, and I hope Timoner, who has made some fantastic docs over the years, will continue making forays into narrative films like this. Mapplethorpe opens in New York at the Cinépolis Chelsea and at the Landmark Nuart in L.A. with director Ondi Timoner in person for QnAs on Friday and Saturday night at the latter.

Fresh from its premiere as part of the midnight section of Sundance and a month-long run on DirecTV, Lee Cronin’s directorial debut The Hole in the Ground (A24/DirecTV) involves a mother and her young son Chris moving to a home in the Irish countryside next to a forest that hides a sinkhole. When Chris vanishes than reappears, his mother thinks that it might not be her son at all. (So basically, it’s a rip-off of Stephen King’s Pet Sematary.)

Opening in quite a few theaters across the country is one of my favorite actors, Michelle Monaghan, as immigration attorney Judy Wood in Sean Hanish’s Saint Judy (Blue Fox Entertainment). Wood fought for immigration rights by defending a woman being persecuted by the Taliban in a case that changed American asylum laws, while at the same time also juggling life as a single mother. Also starring Common, Alfred Molina, Alfre Woodard and Peter Krause, it’s getting a fairly decent release into roughly 100 theaters this weekend.

I also haven’t had a chance to watch Danishka Esterhazy’s LEVEL 16 (Dark Sky Films) yet, but I was intrigued by the trailer I saw at the Alamo a few weeks back. It involves a girls’ school called the Vestalis Academy, who put its students through rigorous training to become a “clean girl.” The ultimate level of training is (you guessed it) Level 16. The film focuses on Vivien (Katie Douglas from Every Day) who runs into a former friend Sophia (Celina Martin) with whom she shares a dark past. It’s playing in select theaters on Friday including a special screening at the Alamo Brooklyn on Saturday night at 10pm as a former Fantastic Fest selection. It will also pay the Alamos in Yonkers, Houston, Austin, as well as in Columbus, Ohio and a few select cities, as well as on VOD.

Opening at the Angelika in New York and then in L.A. and other cities March 8 is Keith Behrman’s Giant Little Ones (Vertical), a coming-of-age story starring Josh Wiggins and Darren Mann as high school besties whose lives are changed forever after an incident at the former’s 17thbirthday party. The film also stars Maria Bello and Kyle MacLachlan.

Two years after Sharkwater director Rob Stewart’s death while filming his final project Sharkwater Expedition, the doc will be released by Freestyle into select cities. In the film, Stewart was following and exposing the billion-dollar illegal shark fin industry, travelling from West Africa to Spain to Panama, Costa Rica and France.

Joe Sill’s Stray (Screen Media) stars Karen Fukuhara (Suicide Squad) as an orphaned teen who teams with a detective (Christine Woods) in trying to find her mother’s murderer, discovering a supernatural force in the bargain. The film also stars Japanese pop star Miyavi and Ross Partridge. Select cities and On Demand.

Stephen Portland’s psychological horror film Something opens at the Cinema Village in New York and the Laemmle Music Hall in L.A. Friday before its VOD/Digital release next Tuesday. It stars Michael Gazin and Jane Rowen as a young couple trying to deal with life as new parents who suspect a stranger is watching their home.

Lastly, we have the Brazilian horror hit Cannibal Club (Uncork’d Entertainment) deemed by some as the “goriest film in years” about a wealthy Brazilian couple who eat their employees. It opens in theaters Friday and On Demand March 5.

LOCAL FESTIVALS

If you’re in New York City, there’s a couple options for movie-watching, including the 9TH ANNUAL ATHENA FILM FESTIVAL, an amazing grassroots woman-run festival dedicated to showcasing women filmmakers and female-centric films. This year’s opening night film is Julia Hart’sFast Color starring Gugu Mbatha-Raw as a woman with superhuman powers., but some of the other films being screened are Mimi Leder’s On the Basis of Sex, The Favourite, the docs What She Said: The Art of Pauline Kael and On Her Shoulders and many more. I still haven’t made it to the festival mainly because it’s just too far uptown.

On top of that, The Film Society of Lincoln Center presents its annual RENDEZVOUS WITH FRENCH CINEMA, running from Feb. 28 through March 10 and featuring some of the finest films from France, many of which might never get U.S. distribution. Opening Night is the NY Premiere of Pierre Salvadori’s The Trouble with You, and there’s lots of new films from the likes of Bruno Dumont (Coincoin and the Extra-Humans), Mikhaël Hers (Amanda), Quentin Dupieux (aka Mr. Ouizo) (Keep an Eye Out!), the amazing Mia Hansen-Love (Maya), Louis-Julien Petit’s Invisiblesand lots more! I rarely know where to begin with the festival, but there’s always a few gems in there.

STREAMING AND CABLE

Streaming on Netflix Friday is Chiwetel Ejiofor’s directorial debut THE BOY WHO HARNESSED THE WIND, based on the true story of William Kamkwamba, a 13-year-old Malawi boy who comes with an inventive way to end famine in his African village. The movie premiered at Sundance and recently opened the 22ndNew York International Children’s Film Festival, but unfortunately, I haven’t seen it.

Also, HBO will air the controversial two-part Michael Jackson doc Leaving Neverland on Sunday and Monday nights. Again, haven’t seen it, so can’t add too much beyond what’s already out there.

(I’m going to ditch this section altogether if some of the publicists working on these movies don’t make more of an effort to get me screeners or invite me to screenings. I’m not PAID to go to so much effort to promote these films.)

REPERTORY

METROGRAPH (NYC):

Celebrating some of the work of the Chinese filmmaker who died last April, this weekend sees the start of Ringo Lam X3 featuring three of the master’s films: 1992’s Full Contact (which I saw for the first time this past weekend, and it wasn’t great), 1987’s City on Fire and Prison on Fire, all three of them starring Chow Yun-Fat. On Friday night, The Academy will present a new 4k restoration of Billy Wilder’s 1959 comedy classic Some Like It Hot, which will screen all weekend. This week’s Late Nites at Metrograph is Jean-Luc Godard’s 1967 film Weekend, while the Playtime: Family Matinees offering is Tim Burton’s 1988 classic Beetlejuice, starring Michael Keaton and Winona Ryder.

THE NEW BEVERLY (L.A.):

What’s quickly becoming the best reason to live in L.A. is the amazing repertory programming at the Tarantino-owned New Beverly. This week sees double features of Operation Mad Ball (1957) and Good Neighbor Sam (1964), both starring Jack Lemmon, on Weds and Thursday; the rockin’ double feature of Let the Good Times Roll (1973) and American Hot Wax (1978) on Friday and Saturday; and then a Gidget double feature of Gidget Goes to Hawaiian (1961) and Gidget Goes to Rome (1963) on Sunday and Monday. The weekend’s Kiddee Matinee is Tim Hunter’s Sylvester (1985) starring Melissa Gilbert, while the midnight offerings are Tarantino’s Kill Bill Vol 1 on Friday and The Kentucky Fried Movie on Saturday.

MUSEUM OF THE MOVING IMAGE (NYC):

As part of its series Ben Hecht: Fighting Words, Moving Pictures, celebrating the filmmaker and the Adina Hoffman’s new biography of him, MOMI is showing Alfred Hitchcock’s Notorious (1946) on Friday, Josef von Sternberg’s Underworld (1927) – which will include a book signing by Hoffman -- and Hecht’s own films* Crime Without Passion (1934) and The Scoundrel (1935) on Saturday, Howard Hawks’ Twentieth Century (1934), and Otto Preminger’sWhere the Sidewalk Ends (1950). This month’s Fist and Swordoffering is Lu Yang’s Brotherhood of Blades II from 2017. As part of MOMI’s ongoing tribute to the recently-departed Jonas Mekas, they’ll show the filmmaker and Anthology Film Archives co-founder’s 1964 film The Brig a few times over the weekend.

*Apparently, these movies were filmed at the Astoria-based Paramount studio where MOMI now resides. How cool is that?

FILM FORUM (NYC):

Henry-Georges Clouzot’s 1956 doc The Mystery of Picasso (Milestone Films) will premiere at the Film Forum in a new 4k restoration on Friday, showing the master painter at work. The Film Forum is also starting a new month-long series Forbidden Fruit: The Golden Age of the Exploitation Picture, curated by Bret Wood. This weekend’s offerings are Narcotic (1933), Mom and Dad (1945) and 1938’s Child Bride. One of my all-time favorite comedies, Stanley Kramer’s star-studded 1963 film It’s a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World will screen as part of Film Forum Jr. on Saturday and Sunday.

EGYPTIAN THEATRE (LA):

The Luchino Visconti: Cinematic Nobility series continues on Wednesday with Bellissima (1951), screening with “The Job,” a 55-minute segment from the 1962 anthology film Boccacio ’70. Thursday is a double feature of White Nights (1957) and The Witches (1967), Friday screens1960’s Rocco and His Brothers, and Saturday is a double feature of Conversation Piece (1974) and The Innocent (1975) with Burt Lancaster’s daughter Joanna Lancaster appearing in person to answer questions about the former.

AERO (LA):

The Aero’s Hitchcock, Truffaut and Jones (as in the Film Society’s Kent Jones, who made a documentary about the two filmmakers?!?) begins on Friday with a double feature of Truffaut’s Shoot the Piano Player (1960) and Hitchcock’s Rope (1948). Saturday is Jules and Jim (1962) and 1964’s Marnie, while Sunday sees a double feature of The 39 Steps (1935) and Confidentially Yours (1983). No word on whether Kent Jones will be in attendance but the two filmmakers won’t be. Also on Sunday, as part of the series Albert Finney Remembered, the Aero will show the 1982 John Huston musical Annie.

BAM CINEMATEK (NYC):

The George Romero retrospective Living with the Dead: The Films of George Romerocontinues with Diary of the Deadon Weds, Survival of the Deadon Thursday, Stephen King’s The Dark Halfon Friday, Creepshowon Saturday and both Knight Ridersand Martin (1978) on Sunday, as well as the 3D version of Dawn of the Dead. I’ll be seeing Martin if anyone needs to find me.

IFC CENTER (NYC)

Waverly Midnights: The Feds shows a 35mm print of the John Woo action-thriller Face/Off (1977)starring Nicolas Cage and John Travolta, as well as Brian De Palma’s The Untouchables (1987), Weekend Classics: Early Godard presents the master’s 1965 film Alphaville, while Late Night Favorites for the weekend is David Lynch’s Blue Velvet, David Fincher’s Se7en AND once again, Ridley Scott’s Alien.

QUAD CINEMA (NYC):

The West Village theater is still showing Joan Micklin Silver’s 1977 movie Between the Lines through the weekend. Also, the Quad will premiere a 4k restoration of Christopher Munch’s The Hours and Times (1992), which looks at a trip John Lennon (Ian Hart) and Beatles manager Brian Epstein (David Angus) took to Barcelona in April 1963.

LANDMARK THEATRES NUART (LA):

This Friday’s midnight movie is Takashi Miike’s Audition (1999) – can’t believe that came out 20 years ago now!

MOMA (NYC):

Modern Matinees: Sir Sidney Poitier ends on Thursday with 1965’s A Patch of Bluewith Wednesday showing 1961’s A Raisin in the Sun.

And that’s it for this week. Next week, Marvel Studios’ Captain Marvel!

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