#rooting for Conclave and The Substance

[writebackatya]

Me looking for any Challengers’ Oscar nominations:

[yesimtrashforit]

Oscars 2025

As a huge film fan, I'm fairly happy with this year's Oscar nominations!

Best Picture

I'm very happy to see Anora be nominated. It was one of my favorite films of 2024 and personally, it is one of my favs to win. I haven't seen The Brutalist and I have chosen not to. I'm sure the film is fantastic, but I've read about what it depicts and I'm concerned it may be triggering for me. I'm personally frustrated that, as I've heard, The Brutalist depicts gratuitous nudity and scenes of SA. I only hope that it's depicted in a negative light and it serves the story. I might see the film if it comes to streaming, just so I have a chance to pause. I did see A Complete Unknown the other day and thought it was fine! Timothee Chalamet is absolutely great as Bob Dylan. I started listening to Dylan's discography a while ago and I'm fairly happy with how the songs were used in the film. I saw Conclave a while ago and liked it! It's far from my favorite film of the year, but I thought it was beautifully shot and had great commentary. Dune: Part Two being nominated for Best Picture is more than appropriate. I love love loved it. It's a perfect movie. I have mixed feelings on Emilia Perez that I'm probably going to post about later. I'm quite surprised that I'm Still Here made it into Best Picture. I haven't seen it yet, but it is coming to theaters near me in February so I will definitely go see it! I haven't seen Nickel Boys yet. The Substance is one of my favorite films of last year and i'm so so overjoyed that a feminist body horror film about beauty standards directed by a woman is nominated for Best Picture at the Oscars?? That is so cool!! Wicked was obviously fantastic and amazing. Such a well-deserved nomination.

Best Actor

I've only seen A Complete Unknown and Conclave, so out of the performances that I've seen in this category, my pick is Timothee Chalamet in A Complete Unknown. However, I do think it is hilarious that Sebastian Stan is nominated for an Oscar for playing Donald Trump in a movie that depicts how terrible and abusive he was to his wife in the year Trump got re-elected.

Best Actress

I've seen all performances in this category except for Fernanda Torres. Out of these, I'm stuck between Mikey Madison in Anora and Demi Moore in The Substance. However, I have to celebrate the fact that Karla Sofia Gascon is the first openly trans actress to be nominated for an Oscar. That is absolutely incredible.

Best Supporting Actor

I've seen Anora, A Complete Unknown and A Real Pain. My personal pick would be Kieran Culkin in A Real Pain. I thought his performance was awesome.

Best Supporting Actress

This is one of the only categories where I'm rooting for Emilia Perez. Zoe Saldana is easily my pick for Supporting Actress. She has been since I saw the film.

Best Director

Either Sean Baker or Coralie Fargeat. I will be happy with both.

Best Cinematography

It's between Dune: Part Two and Nosferatu for me. I love both of those films and their cinematography.

Best International Feature Film

I've only seen Emilia Perez and Flow. Between those, my pick is honestly Flow.

Best Original Screenplay

It is so hard to choose, but I would go with Anora or The Substance here.

Best Adapted Screenplay

I'm choosing Conclave here, out of the ones I've seen. I liked its script the best and I think it is a very important story to tell.

Best Animated Feature Film

I've seen all except Wallace and Gromit. My pick is Memoir of a Snail. However, I did love The Wild Robot and will be happy if it wins, too!

Best Original Song

My pick is El Mal from Emilia Perez here. It's the best musical number in the film and the best sequence in the entire movie. Despite my mixed feelings on the film, I loved that part.

Best Original Score

I'd go with Wicked here. Beautiful score with some great details.

Best Makeup and Hairstyling

I've seen all except A Different Man, but I am planning to watch it now! My pick for now is The Substance, but wow, all the makeup nominees were really good.

Best Costume Design

Nosferatu. Period. The costumes were incredible and seemed very accurate to the time.

Best Editing

Anora is my pick. That entire second act is basically one continuous scene and the incredible editing made it work.

Best Sound

Dune: Part Two. Easily. It's fricking astonishing.

Best Production Design

Got to give it Wicked. Those sets were all practical and built for the film! Absolutely stunning.

Best Visual Effects

I loved Alien: Romulus and I'm very happy it was nominated. However, I'm giving it to Dune: Part Two.

[academiaipromise]

Oscars are tonight, and for whatever reason, I’ve actually watched all 50 nominated films this year. So. I just want to give some shout outs because contrary to popular belief, there were some excellent films this year. Focusing on films that I think have unfortunately not gotten the acclaim that they deserve - I do love some bigger ones (The Substance, Conclave, The Wild Robot, A Real Pain, just to name a few), but here are five nominees that I think should be bigger in our awards conversations.

Nickel Boys (directed by Ramell Ross) - this is my favorite film of 2024, and I genuinely believe it’s maybe the snub of the season that it wasn’t nominated for both Best Cinematography and Best Director. An extremely faithful adaptation of Colson Whitehead’s Pulitzer Prize-winning The Nickel Boys (which is also excellent), the film follows two teenage boys at a reform school in Florida in the 1960s. Inspired by horrifically real events, the film largely tells the story in first-person POV, which is something I’ve never seen done so effectively and emotionally before watching this movie. The visual language this film creates is stunning, and the performances were knockout. Highly, highly recommend that everyone check this out if they can; it’s extremely unlikely to win big at the ceremony tonight, but it’s one of the standout films of the year for me. My pick for Best Picture if I were an Academy voter.

I’m Still Here (directed by Walter Salles) - nominated for both Best Picture and Best International Feature Film (as well as an extremely deserved Best Actress nomination for Fernanda Torres), I’m Still Here follows the life of Eunice Paiva (Torres) and her family after the Brazilian military dictatorship disappeared her husband (former federal deputy Rubens Paiva) in the 1970s. While this film is firing on all cylinders (directing, cinematography, just everything truly), it hinges on Fernanda Torres’s performance, which for me is really a once in a lifetime thing to witness. Maybe that sounds hyperbolic, but I left the theater a shaking mess, and I’ve thought about her and this story almost every day since. Fingers crossed this at least wins Best International Feature Film, but I genuinely think this deserves every award it was nominated for and more. Putting it in this list because it’s honestly confusing to me that this hasn’t been the front runner all year long.

Sing Sing (directed by Greg Kwedar) - nominated for Best Actor (Colman Domingo), Best Adapted Screenplay, and Best Original Song (“Like a Bird”), this maybe doesn’t sound like a film that’s been overlooked by the Academy, but it unfortunately really has. The snub of Clarence Maclin not being nominated for Best Supporting Actor is something I think about watching every single awards show this year, and while I am rooting for Kieran Culkin still (with close seconds from both Guy Pierce and Jeremy Strong), it is difficult for me to take that category seriously without Maclin there. This film follows a theater group in Sing Sing prison and through incredibly powerful performances (most of which, outside of Colman Domingo, were delivered by actors who were or currently are part of the real life theater group that inspired this movie), the film explores the human need for art, expression, and connection within the lived reality of incarceration.

Better Man (directed by Michael Gracey) - y’all knew this was coming if you know me at all. It’s time to talk about the Robbie Williams musical biopic wherein Robbie Williams is played by a CGI monkey (aka a fantastic performance in motion capture by actor Jonno Davies). Now listen to me seriously: this is one of the best films of 2024. It’s nominated for one Oscar tonight (Best Visual Effects) and this is maybe the thing I’m rooting for the most for the whole night (other than Emilia Perez losing). It’s unlikely to happen, but man is it deserved. It’s amazing how much this movie actually wouldn’t work as well if Robbie Williams wasn’t a CGI monkey; it sounds like a weird gimmick, but it’s the linchpin of making this character and story work. As you can maybe tell, I’m USAmerican (sorry), so the only context I had for Robbie Williams before this movie was that episode of Derry Girls where they’re hitchhiking to Belfast to see Take That in concert, but you don’t need to know who Robbie Williams is for this film to work (though I now know there are plenty of Easter eggs for Robbie fans throughout the film; I’ve been won over!!). It’s an incredibly moving look at fame, addiction, mental illness, and loss; on top of all of that, it’s actually a great musical! Please watch this movie!

A Different Man (directed by Aaron Schimberg) - yes, we’ve had too many “Man” movies recently (the week’s difference between the rated-R horror film Wolf Man and the children’s animated film Dog Man in January being the most egregious), but don’t let that distract you from the excellence that is this movie. Part dark comedy, part horror, part…whatever this movie is, A Different Man follows aspiring actor (Sebastian Stan) who undergoes a radical medical procedure to change his appearance, only to descend into obsession and madness when he loses out on a once dream role to an actor with the same features he used to have (played by a phenomenal Adam Pearson). When I saw Sebastian Stan was nominated for Best Actor, I was pleasantly surprised until I realized he wasn’t nominated for this movie. Only nominated for Best Makeup and Hairstyling, A Different Man really is one of the movies that has stuck with me ever since I saw it at a screening back in September, and if nothing else, it’s also a fascinating counterpoint to The Substance that I think is necessary for both films.

Thank you for indulging me on five of my favorite but underrated Oscar nominees 💜 I’ll leave you with a rapid-fire of my top 20 of 2024 movies; some of these will make more sense than others, but the reality is that I watch a lot of movies (things Academy voters can never say lol) and I like a wide variety of movies. Anyways - if you love movies, strive to watch enough so you too can have a completely nonsensical list of favorites and fight with the Academy, too!

Nickel Boys

I’m Still Here

I Saw the TV Glow

The Fall Guy

The Substance

Thelma

Twisters

A Different Man

Challengers

Sing Sing

The Wild Robot

A Real Pain

Better Man

Hit Man

Dìdi

Conclave

Hard Truths

My Old Ass

La Chimera

The Seed of the Sacred Fig

[rickrosset]

Oscar Thoughts 2025

For the second time in 4 years, I will be watching the Oscars in a hotel room by myself. The last time was 2022 and the slap heard round the world gave the proceedings a charged, chaotic energy that the awards had been missing since Parasite’s win in 2020.

In honor of tonight’s ceremony, I’m bringing back one of my most popular segments, Oscar Thoughts.

1. No amount of counter argument will make me believe that 2024 wasn’t a down year for movies. It’s 100% because of the writer’s and actors’ strikes that crippled the industry in 2023 and frankly, we’re still feeling the effects of stateside.

2. Dune II was the best movie of last year and it was never taken seriously as a contender. Therefore, I’m not taking this year’s show seriously. Will I watch? Yes, I want to see how it all shakes out but when the best movie of the year isn’t in serious contention, mentally, I’m out.

3. If Anora wins, I’ll have friends who worked on back to back Best Picture winners and I believe it will be the first Oscar movie to have multiple scenes of nude twerking.

4. By January 1st, I’m pretty much done watching screeners and ready to move on to Dumpuary gold like Den of Thieves: Pantera. 2025 has proven to be no different as I never sat down for 7 hours and watched The Brutalist. Sorry, Brady. I’ve worked with you on The Crowded Room and met you on a commercial for Josh Mond and the borderline crew years ago. You’re a great director and I’m happy you have a legit chance to win an Oscar.

5. Regardless of all the terrible tweets the lead actress of Emilia Perez sent, that was a daring, exciting musical soap opera that could have been 5 stars without some of the questionable song choices. Please give Zoe Saldana the Oscar she deserves.

6. Though I haven’t seen I’m Still Here, are we really trying to say Demi Moore’s performance in The Substance was better than Mikey Madison? Really? Cue up the Tim Robinson meme please. That said, I was rooting for Demi because of her amazing career arc and I really enjoyed The Substance but an Anora rewatch forced me to re-evaluate Madison’s work and she gave the best performance of 2024.

7. No Best Supporting nod for Denzel for Gladiator 2? Yes, the CGI animals are ridiculous and the movie never quite gels like fans of the original wanted it to but Denzel carries that movie and is exceptional in it.

8. Even with that notoriously bad ending, Conclave deserves Best Screenplay. That or September 5, which probably isn’t nominated (checking… it is nominated!). Okay, now having checked the nominations, Conclave deserves Best Adapted Screenplay and September 5th Best Original Screenplay.

9. Though I didn’t love the overall film, Nosferatu deserves a lot of the below the line and technical awards. Cinematography, Production and Costume Design, as well as Makeup and Hair. Even a hater like me sees the incredible craftsmanship of Nosferatu.

10. Speed Round: Nickel Boys is overrated (the POV style choice was incredibly distracting), Wicked was good big budget spectacle but not an Oscar movie, Timothee Chalamet comparing himself to Michael Jordan was laughable when we all know he’s more of a Steph Curry, Sing Sing was the most emotionally stirring film and has received no real attention - what the hell? And, in closing, I’ll never watch The Apprentice because I’m done supporting Donald Trump content. Because, well, fuck that guy and fuck you too. Thanks!

[areyoutherejod]

I stopped using tumblr cuz I just got overwhelmed. But I'm just sharing things I guess, whatever.

I suppose now I'm mostly here to talk about stuff I can't talk to anyone else about. There's just no one else to talk to, and frankly, no one cares about my musings/the few that do haven't watched Conclave (yes I'm late to the game I always am with films). I'm trying to watch a couple oscar movies before tomorrow so I can have at least some idea of what to root for tomorrow. All I've seen so far is Wicked (I hope Cynthia wins and becomes an EGOT that would be killer), A Real Pain (go Kieran go), and Conclave (I love me some cunty cardinals). I'm going to probably watch The Substance tonight while I do some notes for school (I don't care enough to be good at school right now, my grades are fine and no one cares if you're doing well really). I still want to see The Brutalist. The clips of Emilia Perez and the discussion around it make me not interested and not a fan. A Complete Unknown could be good, but I am a noted Timothee Chalamet hater so that turned me off, plus musician biopics for whatever reason aren't that appealing to me. I can't explain why, but like Rocket Man or Bohemian Rhapsody a few years ago just missed me. Even the tongue in cheek satire of the Weird Al one just didn't seem my vibe despite being clearly parody and Daniel Radcliffe is a nice bonus. IDK what the point of sharing this is, other than I want to write something since no one is around to listen or share with. My parents don't listen or put a lot of thought into stuff, plus they don't want to see The Substance/they wouldn't like something with that much body horror. But they don't like if I have Opinions a lot of the time so thinking about and analyzing stuff just doesn't work. If i criticize I'm told I'm too negative if I praise they dont' listen to a word I say. Plus they don't like much of the stuff I do, and the stuff we agree on they don't really think about in any detail. They dont' show interest in anything I really like or care about or seem interested in learning new stuff or anything so idk. I guess this is why people have blogs, to share their thoughts with someone, even if it's just the empty unfeeling void of space and internet. Plus I don't think anyone I know IRL follows this account (on purpose, I isolated myself super hard from a lot of folks that had started to make me feel very unwelcome/unwanted/hated/were kind of cruel in a not fun teasing way, plus I don't really have any friends in this area so the only people I see are the boomer parents and occasionally sibling and sil), and of the people that do see this account, they ain't readin' all that. I wouldn't probably, given how little I'm actually on here or engage with anything, and certainly never expect anyone else to engage. The loneliness is real though, that there is no one to talk to or share with in any real way and the only people around who do are not all that inviting or welcoming. And thus we come to tumblr for our once in a blue moon long posting to no one, like a wolf howling at the moon separated from the pack as the unwanted runt.

[redeyye]

ok my best picture nominee opinions atm. in rough order of how good i think they were.

anora — banger!! i appreciated this movie like i appreciate fine music, which is to say, much more than i usually care about movies. so many moments that made me go "oh my god the symbolism..." and a lot of laughs and a lot of heartbreak. I've been thinking about scores and soundtracks a lot recently and I'm obsessed with all the music being diegetic. is this good representation of sex workers? i don't know, im not worldly enough or well-versed in feminist theory enough to say, but i will say that i found the mc very human and 3-dimensional, and I'm not sure what more i can ask for. i loved loved loved the scene where we first met igor and garnik. when i first watched it i was like "huh this scene sure is going on a long time. can we move on." and then it pivoted into the main plot!! idk I can't explain it well but i just thought that was so effective and fantastic.

the brutalist — really sick. i wish that the posts about it weren't just people upset about the israel stuff. maybe I'm the freak, but i did not think the movie itself was pro-israel. loved all the shots of the road, and the still images of architecture, and the weird level of homoeroticism that the main character seemed to have with every single man in his life.

conclave — I'll be real this one dragged in the middle. i was impressed by the cinematography and intrigued by the characters. the last ten/twenty minutes were REALLY good. but I didn't care much about the events in between the beginning and the end, and a lot of them didn't seem to matter anyway. also i did not believe stanley tucci as a cardinal and he never managed to convince me. everyone else was great.

wicked — a whole lot of fun, I looped the broadway recording of this show in middle school and was really excited to fill in the gaps of the story! this is the only one I've seen multiple times. that being said... i don't know if it deserves oscars. it's definitely a good time and all, but oscar-worthy? i mean, i really want paul tazewell to finally get an award for costuming, but I don't think the actresses should win (ariana grande was effectively copying kristin chenoweth one for one, and cynthia erivo's vocal style was really fucking boring and pop-y. which SUCKS because i KNOW she can do better), and I don't think it should get best picture. i wouldn't be upset if it got sound, but i would be if it got score.

the substance — fascinating movie. but i am also not sure this one deserves oscars. it was so heavy-handed with all the flashbacks, which i guess is nice if your media literacy sucks shit. personally, one of my main motivations for consuming art is the joy i get out of making those connections myself, and I didn't get to do that much at all with this one. the physical horror scenes were so over-the-top ridiculous and fake-looking that i broke out laughing multiple times. the sets were fantastic, though, like "im going to be thinking about the visuals of that hallway and that bathroom and that kitchen forever" level fantastic, and the props for the substance itself were really sleek in a way that was effectively unnerving. the look was right (mostly), the critique was true, and the storytelling was... something.

complete unknown — I'm a bob dylan hater to be so honest. this movie was fine. i understand why people like it, i guess, but i didn't care for the music, couldn't convince myself to root for the main character, and there just wasn't much else to enjoy.

still haven't seen dune, emilia perez, i'm still here, or nickel boys. and tbh i probably won't. the only one out of these that i actually think would be worth watching is nickel boys, and that just seems so Rough that I'd need more time to emotionally prepare for it which i straight up don't have. if it wins best picture I'll watch it eventually, if it doesn't, who knows.

[rebelwithoutacause]

ok let's see who i want to win these oscars lol

best picture - so i haven't seen the brutalist, nickel boys, or i'm still here yet so after i see those my answer might change.... now technically wicked was my fave movie of the year but i think of these options i actually want the substance to win tbh.... i assume it'll probably go to the brutalist or wicked though (or worst case emilia perez lol)

best director - again haven't seen the brutalist so for now i'm going with the substance again (though i think it'll go to the brutalist)

best actor - timmy!!!! it needs to go to timmy i'm sorry like a complete unknown was good but if he hadn't been playing bob dylan it would've been just alright like he elevated that movie i need him to win (it'll probably be adrien brody but i think timothee has a shot)

best actress - demi moore! and tbh i think it'll probably be her or mikey madison but most likely her

best supporting actor - kieran duh and he's gonna win lol roman girls never lose btw

best supporting actress - pleaseeeee ariana we need this... though i know it's going to zoe saldaña...

best original screenplay - again haven't seen the brutalist (or september 5) but hmmm... any of them could win and i'd be happy tbh... leaning more towards wanting anora or the substance

best adapted screenplay - haven't seen nickel boys or sing sing... i think after i watch it i'll be rooting for nickel boys but as of now ummmm.... conclave i guess

[klarks]

@conclaved.

  the pain that thrummed in her ears was stronger, louder than klark’s voice. it hadn’t subsided since the commander had come for her, since the imprisonment had ended, freeing her from what she had considered to be final. a rescue had been foolish, not worth the trouble, yet it had been done. lexa had told them nothing, she would have continued to tell them nothing even until the end        even if she had woken in the cells until her eyes refused to open.

       it hadn’t come to that, though. klark’s hands pressed against her cuts, left a substance against her bruises, made certain both were clean        all while she laid, unable to help, unable to sleep due to the pain. each brush against her flesh drew more blood from the wounds, though they had to be cared for, lest they get infected        so she was told. the sight of crimson didn’t trouble her anymore, the sight had become as normal as anything else.

   a hand slipped down, trapping a wrist, refusing to let it leave her side. being alone was beyond unfavorable, even for a moment.  “ please don’t go. ”

          her hands are coarse, pocked with scarred tissue and toughened skin, but the touch is soft. had she the chance, she'd devote more time to healing. helping. but she knows enough -- enough to apply the right pressure to the right spot, or the right root to the right wound. so there’s ground wort coating her fingers, pressing against the poultice -- it's cool against her skin. (cool and dark and don't think she can't see the blood because there's only a small part of her that's able to block it out in order to focus.)

klark stays quiet, offering little besides the occasional word on progress -- i'll clean up after.  the wound's deep, stop moving. (her mind's occupied, chewing over the rage and the hurt and -- she knows herself. knows that if she stops, and if she breathes, it'll consume her. lexa needs this first -- the anger comes later.)

                 she’s not sure if she was planning on leaving. at this point, she's not sure of anything. that's the danger. that's -- why she's hurt. i may as well have stuck the knife in you myself.

                               ‘---- i'm not going anywhere, lexa.'     that decides it, with the way her eyes flicker down to their hands then back to her face. i'm not going anywhere. i'm here. the hardness cracks that quickly. she touches over the back of her hand -- just barely, enough so she can feel it, and nods.

                                                             ‘i’m here.’

[soltheshiny]

The Incident at Adamant

Snow pattered against the window pane. Fat flakes shining briefly beautifully white before melting. Streaks of water running down the patterned pane. Beyond the lead lined diamonds of glass the distant sky was dark and grey. Misted with white as the snowstorm raged outside. In his favourite high backed chair the room was warm. An unfamiliar cosy warm that dragged at his eyes. Comforting and drowsy. It was a sensation he was entirely unfamiliar with. In the wide streets and foreboding architecture of home the heat was dry and settled across your skin. His parents expensive estates all designed to be wide and cool. A respite from the constant heat he adored. In distant Tevinter heat was the constant and the cool shade of inside the relief. In the south however the opposite was true. The biting cold he had never really experienced outside of harsh desert nights was almost constant. The snow replacing the sands. Here the cosy bone deep warmth of the fire the relief to be relished. He found himself snuggling deeper into the chair. His legs thrown lazily across the arm as he sipped some cheap Fereldan vintage he’d found in the Inquisitors rooms. A bottle they had been going to share before settling down for the night. He recalled there plans being interrupted as they often were by some urgent missive from some far away town he did not recognise the name of. He sighed. It had briefly hurt to open it without him. But his own wines and the better vintages The Herald’s Rest had recently required held no pleasure for him tonight. It was a night for bitter, cheap wine. Easily discarded and hard to swallow. Just like the news he had received.

He shot the window a grimacing smile. Scolding himself for his wasted self pity. None of this was going to bring him back. Not the cheap wine they were meant to have shared. Not feeling sorry for himself and certainly not staring into the night doing nothing. He grabbed the book he had been failing to read from his lap and threw it onto the side table. Cursing quietly in his mother tongue at his own inability to do anything. He just had sit and wait. It was all he could do now. It hurt. Rubbing his brow he sighed heavily and adjusted his position. His legs beginning to ache. It had been another long day of meetings and discussions. As Leliana had been quick to point out, the Inquisition could not grind to a halt just because of the incident at Adamant. He found himself gritting his teeth and taking a deep draught of the bitter wine. Adding to the sour taste in his mouth. It was all anyone would refer to it as. The ‘Incident at Adamant’. Distantly he could hear Solas pacing. The only other presence in the tower this late in the night. The many other members of the inquisition long since retiring. As he held his arms and adjusted the wine glass he listened. Mostly for something to do to distract himself. But he found himself caught in the moment. The deep silence and warmth of the late night disturbed here and there by the birds above. A slight shift or chatter from the crows in there cages. A rustle from the room below as Solas poured through old tomes. Attempting to find a way to locate Trevelyan. A memory forced its way into his mind. A wide childish grin and deep amber eyes gazing into his own.

“Call me Max, Dorian. Unless you prefer to be formal Altus of the Imperium, Dorian Pavus?”

He closed his eyes and bit down on a long stream of curses. He already seemed to be consigning him to death. But all he had was the same information from a myriad of scattered reports. At the very top of Adamant, the Inquisitor faced down Corypheus’ pet. After a brief struggle involving Warden Commander Clarel which led to her death the structure collapsed. Casting Max, Blackwall, Iron Bull and Varric into the abyss below with the dragon. The dragon or Archedemon or whatever Corypheus’ pet actually was had been sighted after. Flying back to its foul master. But the no trace had been found of the others. There was only a brief report from a Warden scout on the battlements. Claiming a green light had burst into life beneath the falling Inquisitor and they had disappeared into it. He took another sip. Shaking his head to free himself from the same circular thinking. It had been a week. Wincing he stretched and sat upright. Hearing as he did sure footsteps below. He paused. Listening in as the familiar tones of Cassandra echoed up to him. Her and Solas conversed briefly. Awkwardly. He couldn’t make out the substance of the discussion. But he didn’t need to. He could hear in there tone the awkward and slightly begrudging manner they addressed each other. He straightened and stared past the bannisters to the room below. Glaring at the warm light filtering up into the darkened library. The only other light a soft candle burning near him. Daring the seeker to disturb him. As he willed her to leave he heard Solas loudly bid the Seeker goodnight. There was a heavy pause as a door swung shut. Then heavy footsteps on the stairs. He cussed and stretched. Rolling his shoulders as he prepared for the Seeker nose being poked into his business. He reclined as he awaited Cassandra. He may feel like curling up and abandoning the day. But by Andraste’s tits he was not allowing anyone else to know that. He still had his pride. Cassandra stalked from the stairway with purpose. Her dark eyes falling on him as she approached. Marching to a halt she inclined her head, curt as ever.

“Good evening, Dorian” She said gently. Her rolling accent disturbing the deep silence.

“At this point I do believe we are closer to the morning Cassandra” He responded dryly.

She sighed heavily and gestured towards the chair beside him. A plainer affair than his own.

“May I sit?”

“Do I get a choice?” He snapped a little harsher than he meant.

She threw him an aggrieved look and sat in the chair. Staring intently at him as they both paused. Waiting for the other to begin. Finally she caved.

“I just...” She said, groping for the rest of her sentence. “wanted to see how you were. I know the Inquisitor and you were… close”

“Close?” He said sitting upright and fixing her with a glare. “Is that what we’re calling it? I didn’t realise that because of a single ‘incident’ as you all refer to it, my relationship with Max had been downgraded. You know full well that we were more than ‘close’ Cassandra. Now if you came her to lecture me get it over with”

Cassandra recoiled from the force of his wrath and he immediately regretted opening his mouth. He didn’t usually approve of discussing his and the Inquisitors relationship. But he was sick of the tip toeing. The pitying looks and whispers as he passed. Not being able to do anything was bad enough without having to put up with that as well. He watched as she wrung her hands in front of her. Staring awkwardly at her own hands A thing she did when she needed to express something honest with deep felt emotion at the root of it. She had always been awkward at exposing her emotional underbelly. It was a side of her Max had seemed expert at prying out. The deep emotional creature lurking beneath the steely shell she constantly wore.

“Forgive me. I did not mean to offend. I know you and the Inquisitor were… together.” She said the sentence haltingly. Biting into each word as if viciously considering the next for any trace of deviance. “I thought I should check on how you were doing and pass along this”

He would have bitten at her for her bad attempt at babying him if he she hadn’t of peaked his curiosity. Intrigued he watched as she reached for her belt and pried a letter free from the leather. Carefully she extended the heavy envelope towards him. Eyeing him warily. Foreboding filled him as he placed his wineglass on the side and took it. With her eyes open him he opened the envelope. Noting the seal had already been broken with some annoyance and withdrawing the letter within. As he did he felt something heavy within the envelope. Pausing he withdrew an item sealed within. He studied it distantly as he smoothed the letter on his knee. His curiosity and grief deepening. The item was a small silver ring depicting the sunburst symbol of the chantry. He frowned at it and set to reading. Seeking answers from the paper in his lap.

Dear Seeker Pentaghast,

I thank you for your letter. Although we have not had contact with my son in many years we still grieve for him. It is a comfort to know the Inquisition still hold hope for his safe return. Though I fear this may be a false hope, I pray to the Maker I am wrong.

If you could send word with any news we would be grateful. Should the Inquisition require any aid in the search please contact me directly. Any aid House Trevelyan can provide to locate Maxwell, or aid the Inquisition in over matters will be granted if we are able.

I have heard tell that my son has found a suitor amongst the Inquisition ranks. Though I cannot be certain and am displeased my son never contacted us if this is true; I attach the following for his suitor. Maxwell passed this ring on to his younger brother before the conclave for safe keeping. He had not contacted us for its return and we assumed he wished it kept within the family until he was certain he could once more keep it safe.

He commissioned it to commemorate him leaving our home to begin his service amongst the Ostwick Chantry. It has always held a lot of importance to him and considering the circumstances we believed his suitor, whomever they be may appreciate it as a reminder.

Awaiting your word,

Bann Trevelyan

He gripped the ring tight in his free hand and couldn’t help but let his lip curl. He had known that Max had also had bad blood between him and his family. His amatus briefly mentioning just a few of there behaviours that made him embrace the Chantry with great relief. But he had never gone into great detail. But now he didn’t need to. The letter laid out pretty clearly would kind of people they were. Not to mention striking some disturbingly familiar chords. He growled in the letters general direction and retrieved his wine. Taking another deep swig as he turned the ring in his fingers. Reclining once more he noticed Cassandra’s eyes on him. The seeker eyeing him distantly. Her expression betraying nothing.

“So tell me Cassandra” He said fighting back the vitriol in his heart. “What are your opinions on this letter and the great Bann Trevelyan?”

Cassandra straightened and steepled her fingers. Staring at them for a long time before breaking her silence.

“I believe I understand now why the Inquisitor did not have contact with them.” A short bark of bitter laughter escaped him and echoed in the lofty chambers. Shattering the warmth of the room and making him take another drink.

“I think they have certainly made there thoughts clear. Why is it that so many families these days seem more concerned about whether or not there offspring has managed to secure a marriage. Than whether or not that offspring continues to breathe?” He said thinning his eyes at the ring.

With a deep sigh he slipped it onto a finger and held his hand to the candle light. Twisting his fingers this way and that to make the light dance across the metalwork.

“I could not say” Cassandra said distantly. “Marriage is a concept I have hotly debated with my own family for many years. I can say I still do not understand the obsession. Nor do I wish to”

He rose and she looked up sharply at him as he stretched. Allowing the letter to fall abandoned on the floor. As she reached to retrieve it he paced forward and snuffed out the candle.

“On that note I am retiring to my bed” He said.

He did not wait for a response but stalked off before she could follow. Leaving the Seeker to the dark enclosing hush of the library. As he paced into the main hall and eyed the distant throne, careful not to spill his wine he paused. His eyes falling on the door the left of the giant throne. A huge piece worked into the likeness of Andraste being burned. A tad melodramatic for his taste but it was certainly striking. He found himself walking towards the door. His feet taking him on a familiar path without his input. Guiding him of their own accord. Numb he pushed the door open and strolled up the wooden staircase beyond. Each footstep heavy. Each tread echoing hollowly in the large tower as he followed the winding staircase. He reached the top and stared distantly around the room. Undisturbed except for the stolen wine.The windows were closed and the curtains drawn. The darkness stifling as he flicked his hand towards the fireplace. It flared into life. Warm light thrown across the plush carpets. The light soaking into the fine white silks of the Orlesian bed. The fire threw heavy shadows across the room and for a moment, if he squinted his eyes he could picture him. There at his desk in the heavy shadows of the chair. Head bent as he wrote as he had often watched him doing before. Quill scratching as he wrote another report or letter to some incredibly important foreign figure neither of them had heard of. He paced forward and felt the emptiness of the room. Heard his footsteps echo. Dampened only slightly by the rugs. His eyes fell on the painting high on the wall above and behind the bed. The stone owls staring down from the ceiling. His eyes wandered as if it was his first time seeing the room. Or perhaps the last.Tears prickled in his eyes. Even if Max’s family had abandoned hope he would not. Even if the Inquisition gave up on him he would not. Until he was presented with a cold corpse he would not believe his amatus was gone. Could not believe it. He finished his drink with a single swig and placed the empty glass on the desk. As he had done many times before. Remembering him scolding his love for leaving him alone in the bed. Now alone with an empty glass. He smiled ruefully at the memory and paced round the desk towards the bed.Finding himself sinking onto his side. Collapsing and letting the mattress rush up to embrace him as his chest grew heavier. Before he could stop himself he nuzzled forward and caught the indescribable scent of his love. It clung to his sheets and pillow. Though faded now he could still smell it.

Grief consumed him. With a broken heart he clutched the pillow and sobbed himself to sleep.  

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War Against Terrorism Essay

form of address: US m opposite country defense\n\nTerrorism by its genuinely nature disrupts multinational intermission and protective covering through premeditated, regimeal violence. The 11th family line attacks on the World Trade union and the Pentagon disrupted the spherical economy. The attacks spawned and facilitated general personal fear, panic and stinting dislocation (Bergen, 2002).\n\nAccording to the unite Nations protective cover Council, angiotensin-converting enzyme of the objectives of the solicitudeists was to pass water a plead of orbicular anarchy by inwardness of influencing the conduct of g overnments vis-a-vis determent and coercion (joined Nations bail system Council, 2001).\n\n on that point be no travails to commix conflict and consensus paradigms of advantageously-disposed unconscious process, which are rooted in the transcendent insight that in all(a) human inter follow through one can discover patterns of some(prenominal) col laboration and conflict.\n\nThe task for government is to discover when people ordain collaborate and when they leave behind fight. In other words, the control and statute of collaboration and conflict in the common interest pose a significant line pre-11th September, 2001. Law and the conceptions of law within the society post-11th September suffered a serious set back. shuffling no mis vex, law is a major - indeed a massive - instrument of social control.\n\nThe relationship of law to the process of effective effect is an solo relevant datum. Critical, however, is belief that the semiformal foundations of the process of checks and balances of effective power arc reflected in constituent(prenominal) arrangements. The relevance of power over constitutionalism was accentuated post-11th September, 2001.\n\nSince 9/11, political tensions mingled with the Middle East and the linked States have increasingly been expound in hostile supranational terms. As the fear of bane ist human action becomes a part of livelihood for m each near the world, sundry(a) nations become implicated in these fears. Questions of the role of Islam in terrorist activities and accusations against the joined States, perceived as a Christian nation, of abrogating the human rights of political detainees can non be avoided at all. especially since 9/11, official joined States discourse has tended to deploy at the same time universal human rights rhetoric to justify actions outside the join States and an idea about U.S. sovereignty as uniquely (culturally) egalitarian or particular in its constitutional structure to resist the legitimacy of international examination of the actions of the United States.\n\nEconomic repose and sequent inequality imputable to expanding globalisation motivates terrorists by providing them with capable preconditions for terrorism attacks. To name a few, fast-breaking and cheaper communications, approachingibility to teachingal resour ces, excreting of trans-national b lay outs, right transportation and channelize capacities in fact modify the go around of powerful technologies. At that, globalisation really worsens the brat of terrorism attacks (Smith, 2004).\n\nAt that, no wiz press out has acquired opposition contract from either foreign or national bio-terror attacks, and peculiarly US security agencies permanently monitoring device densely inhabit and senior super visible tar subscribe tos to go along any attempt of assertable terror attack (Gwerder, Beaton, 2001). For instance, in recent years, anthrax hoaxes consisting of earn with powdered substances enclosed, and mailed to discordant facilities, endangered numerous US communities (Cole, 1999).\n\nAfter September 9/11 attacks the security measures in the United States are problematic than ever. One of the first measures interpreted by USA was passage the USA Patriot get along on October 26, 2001, and later Homeland pledge twis t of 2002, in response to the terrorist attacks against the United States, which dramatically expanded the authority of American law en personnel departmentment for the stated utilisation of fighting terrorism in the United States and abroad. It has also been apply to detect and prosecute other alleged potential crimes, such(prenominal) as providing false information on terrorism.\n\nNonetheless, Homeland earnest Act of 2002 is deemed unconstitutional, since it had imperiled a result of elegant liberties, including: the rights to freedom of speech, religion, conclave and privacy; the rights to counsel and due(p) process; and protection from preposterous searches and seizures.\n\nConcerns about curtailment of well-behaved liberties by the HSA were given a heightened sense of urgency by media revelations in 2002, about another(prenominal) Bush judicial system initiative, which created a new Pentagon agency to a lower place the direction of John Poindexter, cognize as the O ffice of extreme Information Awareness.\n\nIn 2003 president Bush charged the department of Homeland Security with determine how sensitive moreover declassified information allow for be identified, shared, and safeguarded. However, the Homeland Security Act does not indicate the instrument of development of such procedures.\n\nThen, 75 organizations sent a garner to the Department of National Security to allow public chit chat on the proceeds. Herewith, the Homeland Security Act allows sensitive but unrestricted information to be shared with appropriate state and local power. Yet the administration can direct these personnel how to handle this information and force them to sign nondisclosure agreements - which are deemed as enforcement of information-sharing bars.\n\nAccording to Scott Armstrong of Information Trust, It is chill out un loose how restrictive these agreements will be or whether state and local personnel will have much cream in signing them. Potentially, refusal to do so could lead to termination, and misdemeanour of these agreements could carry heavy penalties including almost criminal liability (OMB Watch, 2006, p. 3).\n\n belongings state and local officials in the loop regarding terrorist nemesiss, potential vulnerabilities, and issues of misadventure response is certainly desirable. In this case, however, the four million people who could be granted access to sensitive but unclassified information may sensible horizon this privilege as a burden due to the match restrictions (OMB Watch, 2006, p. 4).\n\nWorse than that, the Act promotes the earth of a global security system controlled by the United States. Apparently, this agenda falls neatly in line with the throw for American global empowerment endorsed by a issuance of experts, namely Cheney, Wolfowitz, Powell, and Rumsfeld.\n\nFinally, the Homeland Security Act was structured on the recommendations of a special bang that was closely connected to, if not derived fr om, the Council on Foreign traffic (CFR), which has had its hand in any major twentieth vitamin C conflict (Bergen, 2002).\n\nFrom the above evidence, it is clear that the analyzed acts are to a large extent unconstitutional, though passed in response to terrorism threatening American society. more(prenominal) than that, the drawbacks of both acts concern international community as well since by implementing these acts the US reinforces its global dominance.\n\nAs is seen no anti-terrorism action could justify unlawful restriction of human rights and civil liberties. The new state of affairs indicates that legislative measures should be amended and altered to the extent where human rights and civil liberties are violated.\n\nThis is an issue which is high on the agenda since September 2001. National governments, NGOs and civil champions should take best possible effort to eliminate terrorism without confining citizens legal rights and freedoms, no matter what consequences wer e caused by the terror. \n\n9/11 act of terror and consequent anthrax letter attacks necessitated the reconsideration of the US homeland security policies, which implied offensive approach in combating terror on both domestic and international levels. Therefore, homeland security measures were mainly aimed at prediction and prevention of a possible terror act before it actually occurs by pursuing potential terrorists and identifying, disrupting, and preventing approaching terrorist attacks (Robert 1).\n\nConsequently, the war on terror widely supported by international community necessitated any country of the world to stomach alert and develop anti-terror measures in close cooperation with its counterparts. Such measures cannot run declarative for long as the threat is just around the corner. Therefore, firm multilateral actions are much needed to espouse and prevent the causes of global terrorism.\n\n goal\n\nEconomic liberalization and subsequent inequality due to expan ding globalization motivates terrorists by providing them with sufficient preconditions for biological terrorism attacks. To name a few, faster and cheaper communications, accessibility to informational resources, elimination of trans-national borders, advanced transportation and transfer capacities in fact enable the spread of powerful biotechnologies. At that, globalization really worsens the threat of bioterrorism attacks (Smith, 2004).\n\nApparently, bioterrorism presents global threat to all world countries, including domestic communities, households, and workplaces. At that, no single state has acquired immunity guarantee from either overseas or domestic bio-terror attacks, and particularly US security agencies permanently monitor densely populated and highly visible targets to prevent any attempt of possible terror attack (Gwerder and Beaton, 2001). \n\n If you want to get a full essay, order it on our website: Custom essay writing service. Free essay/order revisio ns. Essays of any complexity! Courseworks, term papers, research papers. 100% confidential!Homework live help. 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