#rewatching the tom simons channel again
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sardonic-the-writer · 2 years ago
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Spot the difference
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ax-y10 · 1 year ago
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Hello hello!
I'm here to make my first official request during my time on tumblr!
All i can think about is going to Disneyland with wilbur (heavily inspired by the Tom Simon's channel 🫢) and the rest of them and being apart of that video.
Like buying wilbur ears and having Tommy gagging at all the couple antics going on and Phil cheering wil on. Wilbur surprising you with a Disneyland sweatshirt and promoting Disney instead of Tommy's merch that was coming out of the time.
I hope all is well for you and I love your latest
:)
Pure Love And Disney Sweaters
In which- a certain "child" wants attention, but you have the most important eyes
A/n: I'm going to try my best fucking hardest to make your first request a really good one. I haven't watched in ages so I'm going to try my hardest to rewatch it. I'm tired pls don't bully me
Chapter info: Swearing, kissing, Tommy wanting attention, Wilbur making silly little jokes at you, fear of rollercoasters, Phil being a darling, Kristin also being a darling, Tommy being a shithead, mention of passing out, mention of panic attacks, mention of throwing up. It's funny because I actually didn't rewatch the vid, and this is all over the place (i'm sad that I didn't include the quirked up white boy thing or the stubble)
Pronouns: None (You/Yours)
Masterlist:
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You got so excited when Tommy told you that he was going to Disneyland for a new vlog. You were ecstatic at the idea as you'd never been to Disneyland before, jumping around in your seat. Wilbur heard your little cheers from the room over, and when he peered in, you were spinning your chair around. You yelped when you saw him in the doorway, a fond smile spread across his face.
The very first thing you did upon finding out was ramble to Wilbur about how excited you are, followed by packing. Tom said he got tickets for everyone's flights (you doubt it) and created a groupchat with everyone who was going, made up of Phil, Kristin, Tommy, Wilbur and you.
'Fair group' you thought. But oh my you were wrong.
The entire flight, Tommy was playing his DS, but as soon as Wilbur pulled out his 'You can rest your head on my shoulder move', Tommy was at it with the teasing.
"Oh Wilbur, how could you ignore me?" "How come Y/n gets to rest their head on your shoulder and I don't?" followed by him throwing his head on Wil's shoulder.
And it didn't stop until you finally reached the hotel. The constant teasing and poking fun dying down once you were both laying down on the bed, nuzzled against each other, and tired after a long day full of Tommy.
"Sweetheart?" Wilbur spoke into the silence of the room, snapping you from your anticipation for the day to come.
"Yes?" You rested your head in the crook of his shoulder and neck.
He paused for a moment, contemplating his next words, whispering "I love you" cheekily before turning away from you and curling into a ball.
You reefed on his pajama shirt, getting him to roll back over to cuddle you, the cold of the room finally finding its way under the sheets without your boyfriends arms around you. Complying, you were once again peaceful with the weight of his arms resting on your sides.
And soon enough, you were awake nice and early (against your will, blame Tommy), brushing your hand through Wilbur's curls, and getting ready for the day. An hour passed and you ran down the stairs to the lobby, stuffing up your sweater, and finding a seat next to Kristin.
"How come males always take forever to get ready when their is something important going on?" you whispered to Kristin, before leaning back and smiling cheekily.
"I think it should be the other way around, dear," She replied and laughed quietly.
All of a sudden, you let out a squeal as a warm pair of arms engulf you, followed by a forced weight and a yelp from a familiar boy.
"Ow, Tommy!" You exclaimed, the boy throwing himself down next to Phil.
Arriving at Disneyland, Tommy immediately wanted to go on "Space Mountain", and begged and begged Wilbur to take him over there, him declining each time
And then he got ganged up on by a bunch of presumably eight year olds who could pull the sword out of the stone, bullying Tommy for not being able to pull it out. You had to drag him away from it, all the while Wil was spouting false history facts about the building the group was approaching.
Later, you and Wilbur sat on a bench outside a ride while Phil and Tommy went on a rollercoaster together, and Kristin was getting food for everyone, even though you had offered to go with her. You were talking about how you had never been to Disneyland and how this entire experience was made all the better just by him being by your side. You weren't aware, but he was staring at your face and the excitement plastered over it, admiring you until you turned to him.
"I love you" you whispered, in which you broke him out of his trance.
"I love you too, forever and always, my love," he spoke sincerely, and you saw the genuine emotions behind his eyes.
Que the gag from Tommy and the exchanged smiles between Phil as Wilbur leaned down and pressed his lips to yours.
"Oh fuck off Tommy, you attention-seeking ass" your boyfriend teased, and pulled a small giggle from your lips.
"IT'S YOUR TURN ON THE ROLLERCOASTER, LOVEBIRDS!" Tommy yelled, and your eyes widened in fear. You hated rollercoasters.
A hand was placed upon your shoulder, and you were led into the ride with Wilbur, waiting nervously in line. You weren't ready for the roller coaster, not at all.
"Wilbur, please. I really don't want to do this. I'm terrified of rollercoasters," You begged, desperately wanting to avoid this, scared you'll pass out, have a panic attack or throw up.
"Okay, you head back out to Kristen and I'll get Tommy to come with me for forcing you on here," He laughed, and you quickly walked back out to Kristen and Phil. Thankfully, it was the last ride they were going on for the day, so you three walked back out the front and ordered an uber for when Wilbur and Tommy get back.
But little did you know, Wilbur had bought you a Disney sweater, and surprised you with it when you got back to the hotel. And he was met with a big, warm hug from you and kisses peppered across his face.
And the best part of the day for him? Watching you smile in your sleep, engulfed in the blue fabric of the sweater, accompanied by your sweet noises in your sleep.
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adultswim2021 · 2 years ago
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Frisky Dingo #1: “Meet Killface” | October 16, 2006 – 12:30AM | S01E01
Welcome to the first episode of Meet Killface! AKA Adam Reed's got something to prove.
Frisky Dingo was Matt Thompson and Adam Reed's follow-up to Sealab 2021. Sealab 2021 began life as “one of the good ones”, quickly got AWFUL (it was way before Capt. Murphy died, you philistines), then, and I don't think this is hyperbole, it became one of the worst TV series of all time. Then there was a LITTLE BIT of an uptick towards the end. A friend of mine noted in the mailbag that the transformation of Debbie, a shallow young woman who was traditionally the a vehicle for slut jokes, seems to have transformed thanks to Arrested Development’s influence; in the final season she became a born-again Christian and little bit of a Lindsay Bluth type trying to do misguided do-gooder things.
This episode starts off the same way the promos did: a brief clip of the Sealab 2021 opening becomes staticky and then fades into a close-up of Killface, a scary muscular alien type guy. He has a deep voice and a British accent. He is unmistakably a villain, but to make it 100% clear he lays out his plan to the viewing public: he's built a gigantic jet propulsion system designed to jettison the entire planet Earth directly into the Sun, destroying everyone and everything. I don't believe there's a ransom or anything like that involved. This message is simply to tell all of America that the world will soon be engulfed by the sun's flames.
The message ends with a lingering awkward silence and we pull out to reveal that he has a video crew; a pair of twins voiced by Brendon Small (credited as Donald Cock, the name of his doctor character from Squidbillies). He also has a female assistant who is terrified of Killface after he murders one of the twins by shooting him in half with some alien weapon. They argue about marketing and Killface's ability to reach a mass audience. They argue about the feasibility of getting his message to air on every channel at once, the price per unit on a DVD mailing campaign, and other, uh, stuff. It's sorta like Tim & Eric in that corporate speak is sorta lampooned. But there's more violence in this than in Tim & Eric. We also introduce Killface's son Simon, who’s rebellious and has emotional issues probably due to Killface's coddling. He's not nearly as intimidating as his father, but he's the only one that can stand up to him without being gored to death.
I always considered this first episode to be a little weak, and I think a lot of Frisky Dingo is weak, but I remember the series as a whole winning me over towards the end. Then it was done, and my goodwill just sorta had to evaporate into the ether. I guess I should've started watching Archer after that. Whoops. The main problem for me is that this show is WAY WAY WAY self-consciously trying to be intelligent. Gone are the “who gives a fuck” bad jokes of Sealab 2021. Make no mistake, Adam Reed and Matt Thompson must've looked at Sealab 2021 and pondered their own legacy and thought “we should maybe try to make something that isn't terrible”. So they made this show which is a little bit Tom Goes to the Mayor mixed with Arrested Development with the visual flair of Get Your War On.
Hell, the Arrested Development thing is inescapable. There's a part where Killface tells his son that they will never move back to Arizona. There were entire story-arcs built around Jason Bateman threatening to move to Arizona with his son. It's functionally the same joke, and the humor comes from the exact same place on both shows. I wonder if there will be more flagrant examples as the series goes on...
I don't think I’ve ever rewatched this show at all, really. I watched every episode when it came out, that's for sure. But I was never in love with it; it was merely good enough to watch once. I DID buy the DVDs for the sake of being an Adult Swim completist, but the lack of extras caused me to not even see what the menus looked like until this recent watch. They're okay, I guess. It's just like, big pictures of the guys in the show.
The only personal anecdote I have of substance regarding this show: one time I was showing Faster, Pussycat! Kill! Kill! to a group of friends and it was going pretty well. There was one guy who I won't name but I'll call him Harrison Stink. He was previously a shy unassuming guy who at that point in time was turning into a clout-chasing snot-nosed monster. He covered his body in awful tattoos and became a male model and eventually appeared in the “LOOK AT THIS FUCKING HIPSTER” book. This was back when Hipster meant one very specific thing, which was that you were a selfish, immature young man who made bad fashion choices in a smug way and propped up other shitheads who dressed like you as though were the most precious people on Earth. There was a female equivalent to this but they were not hipsters at all, they were just INSANELY BEAUTIFUL WOMEN. I know that sounds sexist, but to be fair I am sexist.
Anyway, this guy's default mode was to shit on everything unless he saw an opportunistic angle to liking it. One time he was offered a spot in a band just doing like handclaps (he did not play an instrument and they’d recorded a few songs with him for fun) and he acted like the whole thing was beneath him and turned it down. When the band started getting successful he suddenly was like “hey are you still needing a handclap guy?”
When he saw Faster, Pussycat! Kill! Kill! He immediately turned his nose up at it. If you are uninitiated: Faster Pussycat! Kill! Kill! actually has a GREAT reputation as a COOL GUY CULT MOVIE, and it was unmistakable to me that he had no concept of this; because if he did he absolutely would've acted like he'd seen it already and that it was his favorite movie. He was embarrassing himself on two separate levels.
But he didn't just turn his nose up at it: he defiantly sat in the room with a bunch of guys all laughing and cheering and having a great time and decided to shit on it humorlessly, just moaning “this sucks. We should watch something else” while everyone shouted him down. He wasn't even watching it, really, he was actually watching something else on his computer with headphones and would just periodically look up from his screen to torment us.
He was watching Frisky Dingo.
MAIL BAG
My write-up sure ended apruptly huh? Seems like another paragraph or two should’ve followed it, wrapping up my thoughts in a more definitive way? Fuck all that shit, here is Kon who is never wrong:
Ah… can't believe we're already up to Frisky Dingo…
I went into Frisky Dingo absolutely determined to hate it because of how much I hated the last half of Sealab. I just refused to believe it could be good. But also, my expectations for Frisky Dingo were so rock-bottom low that the show couldn't help surpass them. Like I was literally expecting Frisky Dingo to be 11 minutes a week of a Penny Arcade-esque Adam Reed analogue character looking at the screen and ranting about how unfair the critics are to him, calling out specific message board posters by username, etc. The idea of the show having settings, characters, jokes, even basic elements of storytelling, didn't even occur to me. When I saw it, I was genuinely astonished that it actually had any aspirations whatsoever to entertain, instead of being a completely self-indulgent wank. So, I simultaneously underrated Frisky Dingo because of Sealab's baggage, AND overrated it for actually being an actual show. I have no idea how I did that but in the fall of 2006 I somehow did. 
So in conclusion that is why Frisky Dingo is a pretty alright show sometimes. The end.
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jlf23tumble · 6 years ago
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Four Hangout: Recap
Oh, man, I know I “owe” this one, so I’m doing it, but I hate it for about 15 different reasons, 14 of those being Ben Winston, which means I’m gonna keep this fairly short. The Four Hangout (lmao, I will never stop laughing at the attempts to team up with Google’s shitty tech) predates my entry into this fandom, so I’m not as on top of every little thing that happened around it (and my god, there were some doozies). I’ve found other posts that do a better job of transcribing some key moments), but I’m sure lots of others are out there, and as ever, I recommend taking 35 minutes to stare at this work of art for yourself.
Whenever I’ve seen gifs from this, the read is that at least two people are coming off a coke bender as we all focus on Ben’s rather ham-fisted attempt to get Louis to admit that he hates people thinking he’s gay. But in rewatching it in full now and knowing more about the context around it, the true vibe is exhaustion mixed with some very real anger/mulishness aimed at management in general and Ben in particular. Because the point of the Four Hangout isn’t to promote Four, the album, but to exonerate the D’s management team, blow smoke up Ben’s ass, and “clear the air” about whatever rumors have been going around that the D’s team doesn’t like, all posed as questions theoretically from the fans, yet weirdly management focused.
I’ve found lots of good blog posts that summarize these 35 or so minutes, but here’s an executive summary of my comments coupled with others I’ve found:
Ben Winston is an insufferable dick
The D is so fucking TIRED at this point, everyone’s low energy, but Louis’s voice is the softest, raspiest, most enchanting thing
They regularly creep on social media and are up on pretty much everything fandom related
There are no rumors they need to dismiss except that they’re currently alive, go on, ask them twice!
Liam is great at delivering the corporate spiel
Harry really did get them sneezes out
The Louis/Ben feud is one thing; the Harry/Ben feud is a whole other
Louis reads fanfic (and has some faves!)
Narry are ride or die WMYB, except for when Harry needs to have a go at Ben
Zayn has somehow made himself look even more godlike
Louis has super cute socks
With that in mind, let’s jump into some key moments, but I’m paraphrasing a lot because it’s so hard to hear over all the cross-talk, asides, and inside jokes. More under the cut!
Shout out to Louis's collarbones and quiff combo...his voice is about to give out, but he’s so OPEN and present for this total shitshow, even when he defiantly refuses to take the path he’s being guided down. Also, please @ god let me play some poker while we enjoy a bacon butty over brunch, his face as Niall introduces Ben as a “very, very good friend of ours” (me as both Ziam and Harry):
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One of the most subversive things this band does is effusive praise when they’re pissed off, and never is it clearer than here, when Niall gushes on about all the wonderful work Ben has done for them, and the other boys pick up on it and start whistling and clapping (Louis: “My hero”; Harry: “LOOK AT THOSE TEETH!”) until Ben gets extremely uncomfortable.
We’re off to a good start, with Ben being sure to preface that all of these questions are from the fans, and then Harry asking Ben if he’s wearing makeup (Ben, mildly affronted, “No, I’m not wearing any makeup, but you guys do, you wear a lot of makeup, don't you, Harry” [Harry: “Tons”; Ben: “Well, you need to”]).
The first question is about the difference between this album and their first one, and it’s such a stupid, easy question that I want to answer it for Niall because I can do it in my sleep. Ben then asks Louis if he likes visiting the X Factor, if it reminds him of the old days (you know, four years ago), and AGAIN, this is a dumb-ass question, and Louis’s a pro, so what do you think he’s gonna say? (Of course he likes visiting, it’s lovely to go down and relive it). Is Harry nervous about playing there again tonight? Nope, it’s fun!! He can enjoy it this time around! Simon Cowell doesn’t give him ANY anxiety!!
The next question is about the simplicity of the old days, and my god, does my heart break for Liam saying that they had to work really hard back then, so it’s nice that four years later, they get a few more vacation days. Louis agrees, adding that the first American promo trip was a grind where they did 10 things a day (multiple interviews, signings, radio appearances, rehearsals, and shows)
Ben asks if they ever go back and watch clips of themselves from their early days (this genuinely does seem like a fan ask), and wouldn’t you know, Niall was just chillin’ out last week, rewatching all the video diaries again. Louis admits that his red trousers and braces were loud, but they worked for the time, “Or do you disagree, Ben?” (Ben: “No, I loved it.” Louis: “Thank you.”) And I wish I could travel back in time both so I could kill Hitler AND witness Ben showing up somewhere in a pair of Toms, only to be faced by Louis Tomlinson telling him that he wore that style two years ago, and he wouldn’t anymore, which Ben says cut him down to size (I highly doubt that, but I would have love to see it).
All of this fashion talk is side-winding into a question about who tells them what to wear and whether they have control over their image now. They all note that they wouldn’t have dared to push back in year one, presumably because “experts” were telling them what to do, plus it was all free (which makes all the dragging on their old looks extra fun to watch). Then Ben asks whether they make their own decisions now, and Liam says yeah as Louis smirks, lmaooooo, which morphs into, well, we have much more input than we used to have. I’m here for Harry giving a slow, long-winded answer as a construction project starts up somewhere in the studio, and Louis yells, “Keep it down” into his mic.
Ben, I mean, the fans want to know what piece of advice they’d give the fetus versions of themselves, if they could go back in time, and Louis advises his younger self to have a second glance in the mirror and see if he’s really sure about that particular outfit. (Ben: “Is that…really?” Louis: “No, Ben, I’m just trying to make a joke.”). Liam would fight the haircuts, and Harry would burn the supras (I’m assuming; Louis: “They were outrageous”). Zayn would tell his younger self to have a bit more fun, to try and take it all in and enjoy it more. :(
“The fans” are curious about the negative side of social media, how the D just exploded on YouTube and Twitter after X Factor, and does it ever go too far? Liam channels my inbox and says that people forget there’s a person on the other side of an anon message, that these guys see all the things that are said about them, and they’re self-conscious with cameras and comments, but it’s okay, they put up with it. Louis’s addicted to Twitter, and says that there are negative people there, but you’ll find negative people on every social media platform and in real life, too, it is what it is.
Of course, “the fans” are curious about how all this social media shit affects their girlfriends, and I would kill to hear more about what Narry, the two singles on this couch, keep giggling about in this ridick convo that I’m not even gonna bother to sum up.
Ben’s curious how the fans always manage to leak everything the band does, and yes, Louis, tell us more! How does it make you feel? Liam thinks it’s anticlimactic, Niall’s only beef is when something is leaked a week before it’s out, and everyone else just gets annoyed if it breaks the structure of a rollout, but nobody talks about songs that are leaked that were never meant for official release (cough cough, "Home”), and Harry’s just happy people get a sneak peek and then still buy the album, so all is good. Me as this exchange: Ben, incredulously, “It’s amazing they’re able to constantly do it”; Liam: “Lots of high-tech people out there.”
Probably my favorite part of this is the fanfic discussion, which kicks off with Ben’s “I've noticed, not that I’ve read it, but there's been a lot of fanfiction published about you boys, books published, have you any read it?”
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Zayn avoids it at all costs, but Louis’s aware of a fic writer’s book deal (who????) and says that he’s come across some of it on twitter (!!!). He finds some of it utterly bizarre (looking at you, self-inserts), but he’s read some nice little stories, and he’s seen some that go very deep and very, very weird. Liam acknowledges that it’s a whole different world, that he gets the idea of it, of fans putting themselves in situations with them (and Jesus Christ, it kills me that they’ve had to read self-insert wattpad fics), but some of it blows his mind. Niall doesn’t know where to go looking for it, but don’t worry friend, Ben’s gonna hook you up with his favorites! Harry is noticeably quiet during ALL of this.
With a horrible segue, Ben says, “Speaking of things that are made up, what’s the biggest rumor you’ve heard about yourself, this is a question lots of fans are asking” (SURE THING), and Harry never gets enough credit for his dry delivery, such as the way he says, “We’ve all been dead a couple of times.” But Ben can’t let it go, and that’s when Louis does his whole, “No”….dramatic pause (he might be saying “Go,” but the point is, he lets this bit drop where it lands). Zayn jumps in with the rumor that Niall used to be a jockey, and god bless him, honestly.
Ben realizes he’s not getting anywhere with this, so it’s time to move on to the actual album, why is it called Four, etc. It’s not really all that interesting, tbh, nor is the name they didn’t go with as a band (Liam’s dad’s suggestion, which was USP, if you’re curious). Liam figures USP will flourish one day, and this whole section proves how funny Liam actually is. I’m curious about all the One Direction tribute bands they’re mentioning, and I’m totally down to check one out if they’re ever in my area, just fwiw.
Anyway, moving on! What song are they most proud of? Zayn loves “Where Do Broken Hearts Go,” and Louis is WAY into “Fireproof,” which Liam’s down with, too. The part that’s interesting gets glossed over because Ben’s an idiot, but they talk about how many songs they’ve written that don’t make it to the album, like, Liam has a tattoo that says “somewhere is a place that nobody knows” from a song we’ll never hear called “Man on a Mission,” and how many others are stored in this vault (23 or 24 were in the final running for this album, where are they)? Harry suggests those songs will be on USP’s first album, and I will absolutely buy it. His story about the Norway bus trip makes me want to dig deep (he was on a party bus in Norway and heard one of their songs, sung by them, that had never been released anywhere, and he was the only one who knew it).
Zayn hints a bit at what happens (voting), and Liam hints at all the meetings, but I would love to know so much more about this process, especially since Niall says that lots of people are in these meetings, with lots of opinions (Simon, label, other managers).
Ben says that another recurring question is about what “Stockholm Syndrome” means, and I love the Alex Turner-esque dodge we get on Harry literally describing what Stockholm Syndrome means, without any real insight into what the song’s about. Still, I live in the awkward that happens right after this drops, with Ben still somehow trying to get them to admit they don’t feel trapped, lmao:
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Ben asks about which songs are about specific people, and god, I don’t care because all of this section is lies. Then he tries to get them to talk about songs they don’t like, and they aren’t here for that, like, Liam will say he can’t casually listen to WMYB, but he loves performing it, and the best part of this is Harry saying he’ll crank that song and mouth along, pretending that he’s Niall.
For their favorite songs, Liam goes with “Fireproof,” Louis goes with “Midnight Memories,” Niall goes with “Where Do Broken Hearts Go,” Zayn can’t pick one, and Harry says “Best Song Ever.” Ben likes “Through the Dark” because of course he does, and that’s when the needling from Harry starts about “Gotta Be You,” and I don’t understand, but I live for him on the attack, so geddit, son (also, Niall, with his “your boyfriend’s back, and you’re gonna be in trouble,” etc., YES).
Another question Ben kept getting from fans (got it!) is what would be the one thing they’d change in the past four years, and Louis starts with, “Why would you want to? It’s been great, there’s no point.” Liam agrees, and that’s that. Ben’s next question is what moment they’d relive in the past four years, and Niall says he was really nervous at MSG, although Zayn thinks it was a great gig BECAUSE they were nervous. Nothing’s really happening here, so Ben asks Harry what’s going on with his hair (I guess “the fans” want to know?), and Harry just says it tends to grow, that’s what hair does, and he’s letting it all hang out.
Another “fan” question that makes me laugh from Ben: “Who makes the decisions in One Direction? Is it always your call?” And they all say NO, but Liam jumps in with, “It’s totally us, people ask us now, ultimately we call the shots,” and there’s a LOT of back-chatter here, so draw what you see.
Ben tries to push how much they love the “Night Changes,” video, and AGAIN, Harry gets on his case about “Gotta Be You,” and someone else covers it better than I ever could, but this goading by Harry is wonderful. Ben’s creative process for video concepts is fascinating because he basically admits that it’s easy or it’s really hard (read: he steals it or just throws a shitty idea to a wall to see if it sticks).
Ben asks if they get nervous about people liking the album, and Louis says they care if critics like the album or not, but really, he’s out there on twitter searching different song titles to see the fan reaction. This is also when we learn they aren’t on ye olde social meeds that much anymore, but they all enjoy a good old-fashioned creep session (Zayn especially). Harry’s comment about feeling vulnerable when you release something you’ve been working on for a year feels especially poignant—he gets excited and nervous all at once—and I really don’t get this whole controlled leak promo thing they did for Four, but who am I to question Modest or Syco?? All I want to know is what Niall’s talking about on the side.
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mariocki · 6 years ago
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Mariocki's 2018 Top 5s
Top 5 films (previously unseen)
Hachijikan No Kyôfu (Eight Hours Of Terror, 1957). An entirely atypical Seijun Suzuki film, its basically The Lady Vanishes mixed up with The Wages Of Fear, all shaken about and told with Suzuki's unique blend of irreverence and humanity.
Die Blechtrommel (The Tin Drum, 1979). Volker Schlöndorff's adaptation of Günter Grass' seminal novel dispenses with much of the third act, making for a leaner, more coherent film. Magical realism walks hand in hand with the banality of evil in a visually stunning, difficult, funny and distressing film. Unique.
The Offence (1973). Sidney Lumet adapts a minor play and transforms it into a cinematic masterpiece. A gruelling, exhausting study of one man's destruction - or is it two men, or neither? In replaying the same scenes, with slight variations and a little more revealed each time, Lumet twists the plot and the characters until everything is either revealed or obscured - depending on your reading of events. Undoubtedly Sean Connery's finest performance.
Alice, Sweet Alice (1976). A cheaply made, independent slasher film - but so intelligently made, so thoughtfully put together, that to call it a slasher feels insulting. Full of symbolism, amazing visuals, and one of the most frightening knife attacks in all horror cinema.
The Shape Of Water (2017). The only time I ventured to the cinema this year, I think, and I was well rewarded. Guillermo del Toro's fairy tale is at once very modern and thoroughly old fashioned, a warm and rosy love letter to both Old Hollywood and modern love. Beautifully acted, directed, scored, costumed...
Top 5 films (rewatched)
Point Blank (1967). John Boorman tackles the familiar film noir tropes, only to pick them apart and produce something entirely new. Incredibly stylish, and towered over by Lee Marvin's amazing central performance as the inscrutable, unreadable, intense Walker.
A Man For All Seasons (1966). Robert Bolt adapts his own play, streamlining some elements and redistributing the Chorus to produce a powerful polemic on hypocrisy, politics, and ambition. Paul Scofield fully deserved his Oscar for playing More.
Butley (1974). Part of the American Film Theatre, Simon Gray's study of a verbose, embittered, drunken academic on the day his life falls apart, is both brilliantly witty and heartbreakingly sad. Alan Bates barely draws breath for two hours, but it doesn't drag for a second.
Night Of The Demon (Curse Of The Demon, 1957). Jacques Tourneur approaches the ghost story as film noir. Where the film suffers from special effects limitations of the time, it succeeds in producing an air of pure terror and suspense.
Operazione Paura (Kill, Baby... Kill!, 1966). A relatively tight and simple plot by Mario Bava's standards, but perhaps his most visually experimental film. Drawing on a wealth of sources, Bava weaves a gothic tale of dread in a lurid kaleidoscope of greens and purples.
Top 5 TV shows (new)
Sharp Objects (HBO). Had the audacity to tear me apart, then stitch me back together, only to tear me apart again. Truly one of the most impressive bits of television ever produced, perfect in design, casting, direction and every other aspect. I'm honestly not sure I've recovered from it yet.
Killing Eve (BBC America). Big, shiny, funny as hell, Gay ™, a brilliant cast work tirelessly to produce a show that works on multiple levels, all of them awesome.
Vic & Bobs Big Night Out (BBC). Its always a joy to have the dynamic duo back on tv, but to have them revisit some of their oldest and most beloved creations (The Man With The Stick! It's been nearly thirty years!!) felt very special. Undeniably an acquired taste, the pair are part of my childhood and nobody can do unbridled, joyful anarchy quite like them.
Derry Girls (Channel 4). Deeply funny, bitingly honest and at times truly moving. The young cast are excellent, and if you made it through the finale without a tear in your eye, you're a stronger viewer than I.
Doctor Who (BBC). Not, perhaps, the strongest series New Who has had - but Jodie Whittaker made, for my money, the strongest and most confident debut. She was The Doctor within seconds, and what the series might have sometimes lacked in depth and maturity it more than made up for with one of the strongest TARDIS teams the show has ever had, in New Who and Classic Who.
Top 5 TV shows (old)
The Fellows (Granada, 1967). Establishing itself as a formulaic, criminal-of-the-week crime show, about half way through this series creator Robin Chapman pulls the rug out from under the viewer, culminating in one of the most singularly impressive episodes of old telly I've ever seen - fifty minutes in which the two leads, irrevocably changed by a seemingly minor infraction, debate their own worth, the nature of crime, the relevance of justice and the very existence of evil. Spellbinding.
Callan (ABC/Thames, 1967 - 1972, rewatch). Was there ever a more anti-authoritarian series than this? Dispensing with black and white for shades of grey, and deep, dark shades of grey at that. Fantastic scripts, flawlessly cast, and with moments of genuine shock that will stay with you long after the series has finished.
Out (Thames, 1978). Trevor Preston shook off his association with children's television to produce this decidedly adult study of a career criminal deeply affected by his time in prison. Sticking rigidly to the 'show don't tell' school of storytelling, Preston slowly paints in the background to Tom Bells intense loner Frankie Bell, ending with a morose portrait of a man both damaged and damaging to those around him.
Mr. Palfrey Of Westminster (Thames, 1984 - 1985). Supported by scripts that are dense, literary, but often very funny, Alec McCowen makes Mr. Palfrey a truly unique figure in the world of spy fiction. Always witty, always clever, but sometimes devastating - like all the best TV should be.
The Nearly Man (Granada, 1974 - 1975). Unashamedly wordy scripts full of monologues and complex, barbed conversations. A fascinating insight into British politics in the 1970s, held together by Tony Britton's powerhouse performance as Labour MP Christopher Collinson - an arrogant, selfish, committed, honest, manipulative, courageous, decent bastard.
Top 5 books
Sense and Sensibility - Jane Austen. A lot funnier than I was expecting, quickly became my second favourite Austen novel. Considering we never really get inside his head, Brandon is a brilliantly realised, three dimensionsal character.
Selected Literary Criticism - D. H. Lawrence. I have a lot of issues with Lawrence, and almost as many with his writing, which is frustrating and irritating just as often as its beautiful and moving. His criticism, although far from perfect, is perhaps the best way to get to know the man behind the words - part genius, part raving zealot, insightful, clever, conceited and baffling.
To The Lighthouse - Virginia Woolf (reread). Light on plot, heavy on everything else, Woolf's masterpiece. Hauntingly beautiful, a semi-conscious daydream of a book which is about nothing much at all, but also what it means to be, what a soul is, and the nature of love.
The Dig - Cynan Jones. In style, Jones is the polar opposite of Woolf - short, clipped, without fanfare or decoration. At times an ugly book about ugly things, but there are moments of sheer joy - and of real shock.
Feet of Clay - Terry Pratchett (reread). What can I say? It's TP, and it's The Watch, a sheer joy. The man knew how to use words just right, so that you're laughing one minute, and the next you feel distinctly uncomfortable.
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itsawonderfullifewithz · 5 years ago
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The Soundtrack of Z.’s Life
Unlike all of the mix CD’s I burned for her (yes, I’m old school that way), this last playlist is meant to be shared; Z was all about sharing. 
I listed all 32 songs here, if you want to listen to them all the way through. If you want to listen to them one by one there are links on the bottom accompanied with a note on each song. 
Some are obvious favorites of Z.’s. Some just spark memories.  If you look into Z.’s Itunes account (also RIP), you’ll see a plethora of them comes from soundtracks because that’s how we primarily discovered songs--through movies.
The beauty of music is that it transports you back when the melody and lyrics attach itself to your soul. My hope is if people listen to these songs, you can get a sense of the feelings that Z. evoked in me.
“Everglow” by Coldplay.https://youtu.be/xn_1hFdE-5g This is the only song Z requested to be played at her funeral.
“When You Know” by Shawn Colvin. https://youtu.be/mARCRguuCrk From the Serendpity soundtrack. One of Z.’s rewatchable movies. I can’t confirm this but she probably played this song a lot when we got engaged. 
“January Rain” by David Grey.https://youtu.be/FlfvGWBSS4o Again from the Serendipity soundtrack. It’s from the final scene when Johnathan and Sara are reunited.
“Here Comes Your Man” by the Pixies.https://youtu.be/tPgf_btTFlc On July 13, 2018; Z and I went to see the Pixies and Weezer at the DTE energy theater. This was the only song she knew by the Pixies. They didn’t play it.
“Wake Me Up When September Ends” by Green Day.https://youtu.be/NU9JoFKlaZ0 Z once said that she’d rather go to a Green Day concert than to see Lady Gaga. We never did get to see Green Day live, but I put this song in here because Billy Joe Armstrong wrote it for his father who died of cancer when he was ten years old.
 “This Will Be (An Everlasting Love)” by Natalie Cole.https://youtu.be/rbaoKL1Ei0c From the Parent Trap soundtrack; another of Z.’s rewatchable movies. This movie was playing the Freeform channel on June 21st, 2019; the last night Z. was alive.
“Us” by Regina Spektor.https://youtu.be/fczPlmz-Vug From the 500 Days of Summer Soundtrack. On October 28th, 2009, Z. and I saw our first movie together in the theater.
“There’s a Light that Never Goes Out” by The Smiths.https://youtu.be/3r-qDvD3F3c Also featured from the 500 Days of Summer Soundtrack. Initially, Z. didn’t like the ending of the movie. But after watching it a couple of more times, she had a deeper appreciation for it. Around the time of Z.’s diagnose I had a deeper appreciation for Morrissey’s morbid lyrics. 
“Sweet Disposition” by the Temper Trap.https://youtu.be/4C8e7nNLZNs Again, from The 500 Days of Summer Soundtrack. This song could be found in Z.’s favorite scene when Summer and Tom reunite on the train.
“Bookends” by Simon and Garfunkel. https://youtu.be/sovVYInjHjw The last song from the 500 Days of Summer Track. When Tom and Summer breakup.
“Creep” by Radiohead (performed by the Scala Choir). https://youtu.be/3Ado5PMjr5k I remember when The Social Network trailer came out and it played this version of “Creep,” it was well done and haunting with what we do on the internet. Z likes this song but not the original radiohead version.
“Stand By Me” by Ben E. King (performed by Weezer). https://youtu.be/9JpQ_YTJmkE Z. likes Weezer’s cover songs more than their originals.
“Take on Me” by A-Ha (performed by Weezer). https://youtu.be/f7RwDnZI7Tw Another Weezer cover that was performed at the concert we went to on July 13, 2018. 
“Walk On” by U2. https://youtu.be/gwKEdFoUB0o I put this song on a Mix CD when Z was undergoing radiation treatment.
“Iris” by the Goo Goo Dolls. https://youtu.be/NdYWuo9OFAw Z and I agree that 90’s music was overall better than the modern stuff. We were supposed to see the Goo Goo Dolls this summer at DTE and close out the show with their signature song.
“Married Life” by Michael Giacchino. https://youtu.be/2rn-vMbFglI From the Up soundtrack. Up is one of our favorite animated movies. I’m not sure if I can ever bring myself to watch it again; I felt empathy for Carl when I first watched it and now I feel like I am Carl (without the dog). Z and I watched this movie on our first Valentine’s Day (2011).
“Magic” by B.O.B. w/Rivers Cuomo. https://youtu.be/Cq-NShfefks This song was playing when we at the Hard Rock cafe in Las Vegas in November of 2010. I remember this upbeat song coming on and being joyful that I was with my wife.
“Just a Girl” by No Doubt.https://youtu.be/PHzOOQfhPFg On March 8, 2019, Z and I saw our last movie in the theaters together--”Captain Marvel.” She was in the hospital when Avengers: Endgame came out. 
“Time in a Bottle” by Tim Croce. https://youtu.be/dO1rMeYnOmM  This was featured in the Quicksilver scene in X-Men: Days of Future Past. We saw this movie on May 31, 2014. This would be the last movie we’d watch in the theater pre-Xavier.
“At Least it was Here” by the 88. https://youtu.be/qEGbjR1Y9Qo This is the opening theme song from the show Community. You pretty much have to have a PHD in pop culture to appreciate the show, so I was very surprised when Z found it enjoyable when we marathoned the first four seasons during the summer of 2014, while taking care of our newborn. .
“I’m Going Home” by Richard O’Brien (performed by Tim Curry). https://youtu.be/mjHksjW4XQk From the Rocky Horror Picture Show. On October 23, 2015, in celebration of our 6th anniversary, we drove 100 miles to Kalamazoo to the Alamo Drafthouse (sadly, that location is now closed). We watched two movies: Crimson Peak and The Rocky Horror Picture Show. This was the first time Z. and I had dinner and a movie in 16 months since having Xavier.  
“Hallelujah” by Leonard Cohen. https://youtu.be/ttEMYvpoR-k An entire book has been written about this song. I can’t really add more to it. It’s the only song I can think of that has been played at both weddings and funerals.
“Hallelujah” by Leonard Cohen (performed by KD Lang). https://youtu.be/P_NpxTWbovE Probably the best version of the song.
“Heroes by David Bowie” (performed Peter Gabriel). https://youtu.be/35XptNZU2OA Z. marathoned the first season of Stranger Things when she got back from her first surgery in July of 2016. She knew I’d love the show. This song was featured in the third episode “Holly, Jolly.”
“Africa” by Toto (performed by Weezer). https://youtu.be/mk5Dwg5zm2U  She got so excited when they played this at the concert last year.
“There Will Never be Another You” by Harry Warren (performed by Chet Baker). https://youtu.be/3xpcBx1Gm-c We had this song playing on Valentine’s Day 2012, when we hosted dinner with our friends.
“Strawberry Fields” by the Beatles. https://youtu.be/HtUH9z_Oey8 On October 27, 2014, we went to the Strawberry fields section of central park. 
“Something Just Like This” by The Chainsmokers & Coldplay. https://youtu.be/FM7MFYoylVs On August 19, 2017, Z and I went to see Coldplay at the Quicken Loans Arena in Cleveland, OH. Having listened to nothing but Coldplay albums on the ride there, she had never encountered this one before. She instantly loved it.
“Song for Someone” by U2. https://youtu.be/RFjcd_d2PhY I put this song on the first mixed CD I made her after diagnosis in 2016. I remember her wiping away a tear.
“Across the Sea” by Weezer. https://youtu.be/1mxEoA3G9Wg Z. considered this the best Weezer song that was not a cover. 
“Everything” by Lifehouse. https://youtu.be/Li0jpfysBSI This will forever be our song. This was the first song I put on her first mix CD and was featured at our wedding.  
‘Viva La Vida” by Coldplay. https://youtu.be/dvgZkm1xWPE I hope Z. appreciates me ending her soundtrack with this selection. I am not a Coldplay fan (Weezer Ride or Die!), but I think this is the best song I can think of to end things. It’s upbeat but lyrically tragic. The Spanish translation: “Long Live Life.”
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