#ricky cruz

[fantom-flower]

fantom's album review #1

I decided I'd go through NPR's The 150 Greatest Albums Made By Women.

Doing all 150 seemed a little too daunting, so I'm just doing the top 50. I'm going in order from 50 to 1, listening to all the albums from start to finish, rating them and writing my opinion.

I'm just doing this for fun, to learn more about the history of popular music and also listen to genres that I'm less familiar with.

All my ratings are based on my own personal tastes, so the following list is HIGHLY subjective.

50. Hole - Live Through This (1994)

7/10  I’ve never been much for 90s grunge. I was a little too young for its heyday (I was <10 when this album came out, hardly the intended audience) and later when I got into 90s music, grunge never really appealed to me. Still, I enjoyed this album, and I think a few of the songs on it will make it into my regular rotation.

49. Ricki Lee Jones - Pirates (1981)

2/10  Wow. I fucking hated this album. Her voice is okay, sometimes annoyingly breathy, and not nearly interesting enough to carry the meandering talk-singing she engages in nearly every song. Best thing I can say about this album is that it ends.

48. Etta James - Rocks the House (1964)

7/10  I don’t like live albums. That being said, this one is actually pretty good. It has a fun energy, with some great call and response with the audience. NPR's review said she “howled her way through” her songs, and that is accurate. Not something I usually enjoy, but aside from the howling, she has a very powerful and lovely voice, and even the howling started to grow on me by the end of the album.

47. Celia Cruz - Son con Guaguanco (1966)

10/10  No notes. I fucking loved this album. Es La Humanidad is my favorite song off of it. Stunning voice, great instrumentals, so fun to listen to.

46. Emmylou Harris - Wrecking Ball (1995)

6/10  A lot of the songs were really hit or miss for me. Largely, I really preferred the accompaniment. Wrecking Ball in particular stood out with this great lonely, yearning sound. Deeper Well is the best song on the album, if the rest had been like that, could have been a 9/10 easily. Orphan Girl was awful.

45. Dusty Springfield - Dusty in Memphis (1969)

5/10 Boring. The Windmills of Your Mind was alright.

44. Heart - Dreamboat Annie (1976)

9/10  Glad to find that Magic Man and Crazy on You are representative of the album rather than exceptions from it. Soul of the Sea is probably my favorite track. Lots of fun to listen to.

43. M.I.A. - Kala (2007)

2/10  I think I like Paper Planes as much as the next guy, but not enough to listen to a whole album of it.  Absolutely chock full of the most annoying sound effects known to man.  This one took me a long time to get through. When it was time for me to listen to music I kept thinking, “I don't want to ruin the pleasant vibe I have going by making myself listen to this.”

42. Ella Fitzgerald - Ella Fitzgerald Sings the Johnny Mercer Song Book (1964)

9/10 Hard to go wrong with Ella Fitzgerald. Name a song of hers that’s not an instant classic. I was surprised to see that this album was from the 60s when I started listening to it. Not the decade I associate with big band. I deduct one point because for me, all slow, soulful, romantic big band songs all kind of sound the same. I like the sound, but I like having some variety. 

41. Tracy Chapman - Tracy Chapman (1988)

10/10  Came into the album only having heard of Fast Car. It lives up to the hype, and the rest of the album does not disappoint! Great sound, great lyrics, great social justice message. Talkin’ bout a Revolution is going to be the next song I listen to over and over again to wring every drop of serotonin I can get from it.

Final thoughts of albums 50-41

Favorite album from this group is Tracy Chapman's self titled album. 

As for my least favorite, it's really hard to choose between MIA and Ricki Lee Jones. They were both so deeply awful to listen to.

What I'm looking forward to in albums 40-31:

Kate Bush and my childhood favorite, Tina Turner

What I'm dreading in the next ten:

Björk. I've been doing my best to listen to all the albums from start to finish even if I don't like it. Björk might break the streak.

[texaschainsawmascara]

My So Called Life

[littlestoneinspace]

Happy birthday, dear Wilson!

[thecoffeeloverbutterfly90]

I literally hate Guido (Daniel Day Lewis was actually fab) for, how he treated Luisa. Also, this scene was the best, tho. Luisa deserved better, than Guido. ❤️📽👏

[badmovieihave]

Bad movie I have Plane 2023

[goawaywithjae]

Wilson Cruz...aging like fine wine...

[abs0luteb4stard]

W A T C H I N G

⬆ ⬆ That's actually a beautiful scene in an insanely off-the-wall satirical film.

[therealmrpositive]

Nine (2009)

In today’s review, I find that 8 and a half might be key to creativity, if you round up. As I attempt to provide a #positive review of the 2009 musical Nine #DanielDayLewis #GiuseppeSpitaleri #MarionCotillard #PenelopeCruz #NicoleKidman #JudiDench

What is it that inspires us? That drives us to carry on? To create? That is the secret spark that responds to our world-view and compels us to capture it, distil it, and package it. Conversely, what happens when the spark has dwindled, and the infamous blank page is left taunting you, what is the course of action then? In 2009, a film recounted a creative struggle to recapture that flame and the…

[ulyflynn]

"Why the fuck would anyone take your niece's painting?" Uly questioned, perplexed by the dilemma being placed in front of him. Unless the man's niece was Banksy, he can't see the value in jacking it. Even he wouldn't have taken it, and he had a long track record of taking shit for fun.

"I didn't get swept away by the storm so I'm doing better than your radio and painting right now. Hell of a way to get a weekend off work."

open: @aurorabaystarter

location: wherever

"some jackass broke into my car last night and stole my radio and the painting my Niece had done for me, now the radio was one thing but my niece's painting?"the male sighed, he knew it was stupid to complain with how un harmed he and most of his belong where but he couldn't help the anger coursing through his body. "Im sorry to complain , how are you ? are you okay?" he asked the person in front of him

[popandfilms]

Gustavo Cruz & Ricky Hard by Menatplay

My IG : https://www.instagram.com/xboysareheroes/

[alldancersaretalented]

Dancers performing new Solos:

Aliya Yen - Before it ends (C&T)

Airi Dela Cruz - To Build a Home (Renee Baldwin)

Bristyn Scifres - Perdese (Chantel Aguirre)

Regan Gerena - Heartburn (Molly Long)

Makeila Bartlett - Liquid Slow (Timmy Blankenship)

Leighton Werner - Back To Black (Molly Long)

Dillon Barron - Beneath The Surface (C&T)

Stella Eberts - Nothing More Simple (Ricky Ubeda)

Loila Rhee - Rework (C&T)

Kami Couch - Volant (C&T)

Katie Couch - Winding and Unwinding (C&T)

Avery Reyes - Tell Me Why (Timmy Blankenship)

Sammi Chung - In One Ear (C&T)

Kenzie Couch - Siren (Renee Baldwin)

Allison Choi (Ricky Ubeda)

Dancers not performing Solos:

Delaney Anbarden

Olivia Armstrong

Sienna Carlston (injured)

Mady Kim

Brooklyn Safford

Savanna Musman

Madelyn Nasu

Amount of Groups per Dancer:

Sara Von Rotz (8 Groups)

Regan Gerena, Lexi Blanchard, Couch Twins (7 Groups)

Makeila Bartlett, Airi Dela Cruz, Leilani Lawlor, Sammi Chung, Stella Eberts, Richie Granese, Avery Reyes, Loila Rhee (6 Groups)

Lilly Barajas, Brooklyn Ladia, Gracyn French, Dillon Barron, Kenzie Couch (5 Groups)

Ellie Anbarden, Allison Choi, Kira Lieberman, Chloe Mirabal, Scifres Twins, Mady Kim, Lieberman Twins, Leighton Werner (4 Groups)

Aliyah Yen, Brooklyn Safford, Olivia Armstrong, Madelyn Nasu (3 Groups)

Savanna Musman, Cece Chung (2 Groups)

Delaney Anbarden (0 Groups)

[roe-and-memory]

❤️💛💚💙

❤ - unpopular opinion about the movies

honest to god. i think lightning was completely valid in how he acted in cars 2 😭 AND I HAVE A REASONING. HEAR ME OUT.

first of all, im personally not a huge fan of this movie. i think all of it is extremely out of character (for every character involved), but i have a specific spot in my heart for lightning in this film because really, i understand where hes coming from. if you went to a foreign country with your best friend, and instead of being respectful, they acted like a total douche the entire time - as well as screwing you up during the event THEY SIGNED YOU UP FOR (with knowledge that mater could have simply turned off his headset instead of ignoring lightnings multiple requests to clear the line) i would be angry too! and i think that the moral of the story being “act like youre at home Everywhere” is such a harmful thing to tell people 😭

also strongly dislike how mater pushed a romantic relationship onto holley, who is quite literally decades younger than he is and was very Not into it ..

💛 - unpopular opinion about a main character

i think that the concept of cruz’s grandfather being a race fan should have stayed in. this probably isnt unpopular, but genuinely it would have made her as a character so much less.. flat.. it would have given her REASON to wanna be a racer - to make her grandfather proud. giving her a reason would have been much better than the just Out of Nowhere fight, and in that concept lightning and her make up right then and there (plus, instead of him being an ass and debating whether he was right or not like he did in the movie, his anger in the concept comes from a place of just.. genuine stress, adrenaline, and probably being overwhelmed in the moment.)

💚 - unpopular opinion about a side/background character

i dont really understand the hype around the wgp racers? like this isnt a jab at anyone but i just cannot grasp it 😭 my ooh ooh ah ah brain cant understand enjoying characters with no lines or screen time. i applaud the people who do love them though i cannot fault u for having silly little guy brainrot

although one of my favs is a bg character with like 3 lines 😭 cal my son i adore you

💙 - unpopular opinion about a ship/ships in general

i have a list of all the ones i dislike…. i am not a multishipper i am #salqueen4life … please dont get mad at me…

cruz/jackson - cannot stand this ship because that is a lesbian and a sexist, asshole man 😭

lightning/jackson - i hate this ship with a passion i am so . so sorry. first of all, there is a Major age gap? jackson is a rookie (although not as young as mcqueen was, still pretty young - in my head hes about 21?) and second. enemies to lovers fills me with rage it is not my cup of tea. since it says keep it civil i Will but…… augh

and. i am so very sorry. lightning/chick. - this is due to personal lore research, lightning being eighteen in cars 1 (and chicks being about 40+) really, really throws me off? and im not accusing anyone of anything because again, everyone has different lore ideas, but i personally dislike it because 18/40 is Odd to me in my personal cars human au 😭 . also again, enemies to lovers has gotta be one of my least favourite ship tropes.

this isnt one i hate but seriously francesco/lightning shippers are the funniest people in the world i love u guys. i dont ship it myself, but every time i see people talking about them being together all i can think of is the scene in the end of talladega nights where ricky kisses jean and when jean goes in for a second one ricky is like no.. no one was enough..

[jerzwriter]

And my Latin music - then I'm going away - I swear...

More below...

I'm done now... I think lol

Oh I am going to have a ridiculous amount here....

@annoyingmillenialnewbie @crazy-loca-blog @aallotarenunelma @dr-colossal-pita @coffeeheartaddict2 If anyone wants to be tagged, let me know! :)

Fucking classic. I love it so much I added it to Delaying the Inevitable lol

OH - by the way, I'm glad we didn't have social media when this was out...

REALLY glad there were no smart phones and social media for those last two. Like REALLY lol

OK I'm going to have to do more later lol (Sorry, former club kid here. lol)

[patternweaver]

"I'd bleed for anything if it held me the right way"

Phantom Pain - Caitlin Conlon

Unfucktheworld - Angel Olsen // Lauguing Couple With a Money Purse - Hans vin Aachen // Mr. Loverman - Ricky Montgomery // I Swear, Next Time I See You I'll Be Funny - Clementine von Radics // Nandor the Relentless (and Guillermo de la Cruz) - What We Do In The Shadows // Slow Show - The National // From The Gallows - I Dont Know How But They Found Me // Ashitaka and Princess Mononoke - Princess Mononoke // Gomez Addams (with Morticia Addams) - The Addams Family (1991)

[auseyre]

Pride Month: Noah's Arc -2005

Little primer because I feel like it's probably not that well known.

Noah's Arc was the black QAF, the gay Living Single/Sex and the City/Girlfriends. Short-lived but notable and groundbreaking for focusing on black, queer men. For me, the characters were more mature in some ways than the multiple series it mimicked -the show was less about growing up and more about finding your way as a grown-up. And also about hot bodies.

This is Noah - the Carrie. Noah is a wannabe screenwriter (because as we all know, writing is *that* job.)

This is Alex -The Charlotte. (The cutie getting brushed off is Alex's longtime/long-suffering boyfriend). Alex is an HIV/Aids educator, which is awesome because the show gets to direct focus on something that has been and remains a major problem in the black community.

This is Ricky -The Samantha. Ricky has a little bit of an unrequited thing for Noah. And later hooks up with Wilson Cruz(lucky man).

This is Chance -The Miranda. Chance is a professor whose first and strongest love is and will always be academics. Which is a problem with his newly domestic life.

They are Noah's ARC(get it, look, I love puns and whatever this counts as okay). And this...this is Noah's Big.

On the one hand, it's definitely hilarious watching Wade protest how straight he is when stuff like this happens.

On the other hand, he's an African American, macho, man's man having a bi-awakening as an adult and the show doesn't flinch away from what that means.

There are two seasons and a movie that gives everyone a happy ending.

[jackredfieldwasmyjacob]

i decided to unite my love for maps and for OT and make a map of the distribution of OT contestants from OT 2017 - 2023 in regards to their residence* because i find it so fascinating, like yeah it does kinda follow where major urban centers concentrate but also why is there so little people in valència? so many in iruña specifically? how is that outside madrid the only other OT contestant from castile is from guadalajara from all places???

*I followed the locations from the wikipedia page; in OT it's necessary to reside in spain but you don't need to have the spanish nationality to participate so i'll add the nationalities when needed!

below the cut i'll specify where each contestant is from, province by province, with pics of all the towns and cities !!!

A CORUÑA:

OT 2017: Pontedeume (Miriam Rodríguez), Santiago de Compostela (Roi Méndez)

OT 2018: As Pontes de García Rodríguez (Sabela Ramil)

OT 2020: Sada (Eva Barreiro)

OURENSE:

OT 2017: Ourense (Luis Cepeda)

BIZKAIA:

OT 2017: Bilbo (Juan Antonio Cortés)

OT 2023: Getxo (Martin Urrutia)

NAFARROA:

OT 2017: Iruña (Amaia Romero)

OT 2018: Iruña (Natalia Lacunza)

OT 2020: Iruña (Anne Lukin, Maialen Gurbindo)

ZARAGOZA:

OT 2023: Zaragoza (Naiara Moreno), Magallón (Juanjo Bona)

TERUEL:

OT 2020: Alcañiz (Anaju Calavia)

BARCELONA:

OT 2017: Sant Climent de Llobregat (Aitana Ocaña), El Prat de Llobregat (Alfred García), Gavà (Nerea Rodríguez), Montgat (Raoul Vázquez), Terrassa (Miki Núñez)

OT 2018: Esplugues de Llobregat (Carlos Right)

OT 2020: Sant Cugat del Vallès (Nick Maylo), Sant Joan Despí (Ariadna Tortosa)

OT 2023: Vallirana (Lucas Curotto, he's Uruguayan)

ILLES BALEARS:

OT 2017: Palma (Ricky Merino)

OT 2018: Bunyola (Joan Garrido)

OT 2023: Ciutadella de Menorca (Chiara Oliver, she's half British)

GUADALAJARA:

OT 2023: Yunquera de Henares (Omar Samba, he's half Senegalese)

MADRID:

OT 2018: Madrid (María Villar, África Adalia, Alfonso La Cruz - he's Venezuelan)

OT 2020: Alcalá de Henares (Bruno Alves, he's Uruguayan)

OT 2023: San Fernando de Henares (Bea Fernández), Madrid (Ruslana Panchyshyna, she's Ukranian and has lived several years in the Canary Islands; in fact her accent is Canarian. I do not know which island / town and in the wikipedia page it listed her as a Madrid resident, that's why she's included here)

CÁCERES:

OT 2017: Malpartida de Plasencia (Thalía Garrido)

ALACANT:

OT 2018: Elx (Alba Reche)

OT 2020: Beniarrés (Samantha Gilabert)

MURCIA:

OT 2020: Murcia (Flavio Fernández)

GRANADA:

OT 2017: Huétor Tájar (Mimi Doblas)

OT 2023: Armilla (Paul Thin), Motril (Violeta Hódar), Ogíjares (Denna Ruiz)

MÁLAGA:

OT 2017: Alhaurín de la Torre (Mireya Bravo)

OT 2018: Torre del Mar (Marta Sango), Málaga (Noelia Franco)

OT 2023: Mijas (Salma Díaz)

CÓRDOBA:

OT 2020: Córdoba (Hugo Cobo), Adamuz (Rafa Romera)

OT 2023: Córdoba (Álex Márquez)

SEVILLA:

OT 2017: Dos Hermanas (Marina Rodríguez)

OT 2018: Bormujos (Famous Oberogo, he's Nigerian)

OT 2023: Sevilla (Álvaro Mayo)

CÁDIZ:

OT 2018: San Fernando (Julia Medina), Sanlúcar de Barrameda (Dave Zulueta)

OT 2020: Barbate (Jesús Rendón, Javy Ramírez)

CEUTA:

OT 2020: Ceuta (Gèrard Rodríguez)

LAS PALMAS:

OT 2018: Gáldar (Marilia Monzón)

OT 2020: Las Palmas de Gran Canaria (Eli Rosex, Nia Correia - she's half Cape Verdian)

SANTA CRUZ DE TENERIFE:

OT 2017: San Cristóbal de La Laguna (Ana Guerra), Adeje (Agoney Hernández)

OT 2018: Adeje (Damion Frost, he's German)

OT 2023: San Cristóbal de La Laguna (Cris Bartolomé, he's half Equatorial Guinean), Santa Cruz de Tenerife (Suzete Correia, she's Sao Tomean)