#saga anderson deserves happiness

[pinkomcranger]

Chapters: 1/1 Fandom: Alan Wake (Video Games), Alan Wake 2 Rating: Teen And Up Audiences Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply Relationships: Saga Anderson/Alex Casey Characters: Saga Anderson, Alex Casey (Alan Wake), Logan Anderson (Alan Wake) Additional Tags: Valentine's Day, Valentine's Day Fluff, Established Relationship, Secret Relationship, Nerves, Sharing Body Heat, Making Out, So much kissing, Tooth-Rotting Fluff, exchanging gifts, Teasing, Puns & Word Play, More than partners, Romance, I avoided angst for once, Logan is the best daughter, reassurance, they love each other your honor, I love them so much they get a happy ending, IT'S STILL VALENTINE'S DAY ON THE WEST COAST, ignore the fact I live in the midwest, this still counts, I Wrote This Instead of Sleeping, no beta we die like Taken Series: Part 3 of moving through the special days Summary:

Should they go out on a date? The idea makes her grimace a little, she’s not opposed to it, but there’s the minor hiccup of having to leave the city because no doubt they’d run into colleagues. She can’t count the number of times Casey has raised his eyebrow at her during their day, inside and outside of the office. He hasn’t been the least bit convinced by her reassuring smiles, not even her daily habit of kissing his dimples had hidden her nervous air. 

[honestlyvan]

And, listen, I don't really talk about it because personally it didn't read as romantic to me but I am a believer in the beliefs of SagaCasey shippers. Like, they're just fucking right about this one, and I love nothing so much as Saga ripping Casey out of Alan's hands, in no uncertain terms telling him fuck you, he's mine, you can't have him. That is, in fact, the only way for me to read the text. Casey is Saga's partner. It doesn't matter what the story thinks, his belonging to her is unconditional.

[fbczine]

Happy Mother's Day from the Oceanview Guestbook zine!

Here's to the best mom in the Remedyverse: Saga Anderson, a dedicated mother who would do anything to save her daughter. From puns to great taste in cozy sweaters, Saga Anderson is an incredible character who deserves recognition for her love, compassion, and strength.

If you haven't already, don't forget to follow our socials to stay tuned for future updates about the zine!  

📌 https://fbczine.carrd.co 📌 https://twitter.com/FBCzine

[todaydreambelieversfic]

Author Spotlight: Honeysucklepink Day 1

Author : @honeysucklepink​ 

How did you get into Glee and Glee fandom?

I was actually an American Idol fan, and I had seen the previews for the show, but I had already been burned on Eli Stone and honestly didn't want to get into a show that would get cancelled after a few episodes. Plus I was watching Lost and it conflicted (I to this day have not invested in a DVR). But the same site that was recapping Idol started recapping Glee, and more annoyingly my sister was watching it (and yet hated Idol). So anyway, fast forward to the end of Lost, and suddenly my Tuesdays were free again, so I decided to tune in to the "Home" episode. This goes to show how influential fandom can be to how a show is perceived. I loved Will, I was charmed by April, I felt bad for Kurt but rolled my eyes at his pursuit of Finn. I think the only thing that has stayed consistent was being WOWED by Mercedes. I watched the rest of the season, and then I'm pretty sure they re-ran it over the summer (I swear I'm sure they did, though even by 2010 most networks had stopped doing summer reruns).

Even through the second season, I kept up with Glee and other shows via sites like MJs Big Blog and Entertainment Weekly.  But I never was in FANDOM...not until, honestly, Blaine and Darren. I knew he was coming thanks to an EW news item. I was also watching Californication at the time, and they were using his original music to promote the show (Mia's doing, I later discovered). So my joke for a while was that I kept getting hooked on these singer-songwriters from Fox TV shows (David Cook and Kris Allen from Idol, and now Darren). But also by this time I was liking Kurt more...yes I had thought his pursuit of Finn was inappropriate, but then Laryngitis and Theatricality happened and by the time Never Been Kissed was about to air I was like 'THIS BOY NEEDS SOMETHING HAPPY IN HIS LIFE.' And then Blaine sang, and Kurt smiled, and I was a goner.

But I still wasn't there-there. Not until the following summer. The tour was happening, and of course it was happening NOWHERE NEAR ME, so I followed it on social media. I had a Tumblr, but wasn't using it that much. There was a Glee Forum that I frequented much more (don't even ask what my username was, it's long-forgotten). Also, I was in Seattle for a continuing education thing, and I spent a lot of time on my computer...doing work but also taking a lot of breaks by hanging on the forums. I got sucked in...soon I was doing more fan stuff on Tumblr, drifted from Glee Forum, and well, the rest is history.

In general, what drew you into writing (and/or creating)?

I think like a lot of people it was having stories in my head that I wanted to read and, not seeing anyone else writing them, realizing I had to write them myself. Writing fic for me usually goes much more stream-of-consciousness (thank goodness for betas). Very different from the academic writing that I have to do for my career, which involves a lot of research, structure, deadlines, etc. Being Southern and coming from a storytelling tradition helps. And a little morbid, but I think a little fatalism? Knowing we all die in the end, and the idea of leaving a little something behind, something that's not a kid, but a little part of me, that someone comes across and it means something to them. Even if my actual name isn't attached to it, it's still there.

What was it about Glee that made you decide to write fanfic for it?

It wasn't like my little reader prompts were always going to get the attention of a writer, so sometimes a scene would get stuck in my head and I'd just have to write it to get it out, or a song would get stuck in my head that I wished the show would do. Sometimes it was speculation, or wish-fulfillment...I'd read a spoiler and wonder how it COULD go, or see a song done and go "pfft, not how I would have done it, I'm rewriting this." And um, let's be real, I was at the peak of my sexual health, heck I'm pretty sure the show helped me accept that yep I'm really fucking queer, and there are just some Klaine scenes that the ol' Fox Network ain't gonna show you...

Have you been a part of other fandoms before? Have you written fanfiction pre-glee?

I posted in fan communities... I was on an E! board for The Girls Next Door for a while, I was a frequent poster on college football message boards, and of course I was on some boards for Idol (and regrettably, Vote For the Worst). But those communities didn't always stick to the fandom object...like half the time on the GND boards we didn't talk about GND at all! And re: fanfiction, I never read it until season seven of Idol... there was a David Cook saga I really got into (because there was intrigue and stalking and drama), that in retrospect was very much a self-insert Mary Sue (I know that term is fraught but in this case it was SO deserved), there were quite a few "Mavid" one-shots that were pretty juicy, and oh lord there was a D/s with Clay Aiken that, if you try not to actually picture CLAY FUCKING AIKEN, was hot. I really wasn't reading a lot of LGBTQ fic. My one hand at writing fic was as a joke...there was an off-shoot of the VFTW blog, and I wrote an RPF hetero scene of Kris Allen and his wife. To this day I cringe at that. I didn't touch writing fic again until Glee and Klaine.

Is there a trope you’ve yet to try your hand at, but really want to?

I haven't really done a true "enemies to lovers" fic, but I'd like to try it sometime. Or fake dating, that's one I'd need to get inspired by the right set-up.

Is there a trope you wouldn’t touch with a ten foot pole?

I can't do incest, not even in a "well technically they're stepbrothers so it's not REALLY..." Yes really it's still a NOPE. And while there have been slave fics I've really liked, like the "Def" verse? Um, I'm from the American South, my ancestors go far back enough, fuck no I'm not writing a slave AU.

How many fic ideas are you nurturing right now? Care to share one of them?

Oh lord, there's maybe two or three...there's one that has the premise written, that I don't know if or when I'll finish it, that has Kurt as a quarterback and Blaine as a center (the guy who is bent over right in front of the QB that passes him the ball), and it's solely inspired by a college football player that waxed poetic at a press conference about what kind of butt a good center should have, and I'll let you fill in the blanks.

***

Check out Honeysucklepink’s Fics

A Place That's Safe and Warm -  Writer and blogger Blaine Anderson just wanted to have a few drinks, hook up with his friend Kurt, and pretend for a little while that his adopted city of Boston hadn’t been attacked. He meant to make a quiet exit the morning after, but overbearing parents, a cranky roommate, and the justice system had other plans.

Later On, We'll Conspire -  My "naughty" fic for Klaine Advent 2015: Kurt and Blaine get snowed in, with an empty loft and an extra-special gift basket from Santana (takes place in Season Five, pre-5.14).

Somebody Loves You -  My "nice" Klaine Advent 2015 fic: missing scenes from Glee Season Six. Chapter titles are the prompts.

[bog-o-bones]

Kaiju Media Forecast 2020

The kaiju fandom has certainly seen a gigantic upswing in content since the last time I did one of these “year going forward” reviews. Let’s take a look at some of the major movies, events, merchandise and more that kaiju fans have to look forward to in the coming year!

Movies

Every year since at least 2013, the kaiju fandom has had one “tentpole” film event of the year, usually the most highly anticipated feature coming out that year that most media and merchandise hype will surround. This year’s choice is the latest (and possibly last?) of the Legendary MonsterVerse which just last year introduced us to the first American incarnations of Mothra, Rodan, and King Ghidorah. Later this year, the King of the Monsters will once again take on the King of Skull Island in a rematch nearly 60 years in the making with Godzilla vs. Kong. The only snippet of footage we’ve seen is featured in the screenshot above and recently leaked toy fair displays have quite a lot in store for the big crossover event of the MonsterVerse. Godzilla vs. Kong drops November 20th.

According to your definition, the first kaiju film of 2020 launched two weeks ago with Underwater. The Kristen Stewart-helmed deep-sea monster movie isn’t really making the splash it was looking for box office-wise and most people who have seen it say that it’s okay at worst. Regardless, if you like big monsters and quasi-Cloverfield type films, you can give it a shot in theaters now or in a few months when it hits home media.

Godzilla’s sole big screen appearance won’t just be limited to the big crossover with Kong as a snow-covered cameo role will land him a spot in the new Shinkalion movie. From a clip posted on Yahoo Japan (refresh the page if it doesn’t work) Godzilla briefly faces Hatsune Miku piloting a giant train-based mecha (I tried pinching myself, believe me) at the very end. This role is likely going to be very short but nonetheless, it’s always satisfying to see Godzilla pop up in the most unexpected places.

Again, stretching the definition of “kaiju” here, but also apparently the Monster Hunter movie still exists and is coming out later this year in September? I don’t know much about the franchise, but I do know it’s probably going to be butchered with a Paul W.S. Anderson directed schlock fest. Who knows, maybe the monster scenes will make up for it?

As is tradition, the Ultraman franchise hits us once again with an annual theatrical movie based off the previous year’s show. Ultraman Taiga The Movie: New Generation Climax will be out in March and judging by the title, will feature a climactic event featuring the New Generation assortment of Ultraman heroes. I still have yet to see Taiga but hopefully this provides a fun conclusion to the show.

Famed director Hideaki Anno returns to the world of his most famous creation with Evangelion 3.0+1.0, the highly anticipated final installment in the Rebuild series to be released this June. I have not seen any of the Rebuild movies myself but this is sure to be a wild and crazy ride for Evangelion fans.

Finally, the oddball of the bunch. Kadokawa rises from it’s dusty grave with a brand new monster film focused on the unproduced predecessor to Gamera: Nezura 1964. Featuring giant rat monsters and a cast comprised of many Daiei/Kadokawa favorites, it’ll be interesting to see if this film can capitalize on the recent kaiju craze and be successful enough to possibly give our old turtle friend the revival he truly deserves. Nezura 1964 is due out in December in Japan.

Television

Not much on the television docket this year. It’s far too early to speculate about Tsuburaya’s next Ultra series, leaving us with little to discuss. Studio Trigger is supposedly making some kind of new series related to it’s Gridman show from last year (another item I have yet to see). Titled SSSS.DYNAZENON, nobody knows when it’s due out so for all I know this could be a rather outdated entry.

What we do know for sure is coming is something not particularly kaiju but still related via the tokusatsu connection is the continuation of Kamen Rider Zero-One, the first Rider series in Japan’s newly named Reiwa period. This isn’t really related to the year 2020 but honestly I’d rather have something in this TV section to talk about than just the Gridman sequel.

Merchandise

Last year was one of the greatest years in the history of the American Ultraman fandom with the officially sanctioned releases of Ultra Q, Ultraman, Ultraseven, Ultraman Orb and Ultraman Geed to Blu-Ray in the West for the very first time. In this new year, Mill Creek will continue to satiate the needs of Western Ultra fans with releases of previously unseen-on-western-disc series Return of Ultraman, Ultraman Ace, Ultraman X, and the Ultraman Orb Origin Saga. A schedule flyer released online also teases many other entries in the franchise making the continuous release of these beloved shows a treat to look forward to. You can pre-order the four releases discussed above on Amazon.

American toy company Playmates acquired the license for the Godzilla vs. Kong toyline last year and in early January, a few figures from their non-film focused toylines showed up at Walmarts across the country. They’re uh...well, let’s be honest: they’re not great. Leaked images of the Godzilla vs. Kong toyline were also shared around social media but I’ll avoid talking about them here for spoiler purposes. Let’s just say the line is looking mighty juicy for kaiju fans and it will be interesting to see if they’re promoted come New York Toy Fair.

Bandai’s Movie Monsters Series line will likely continue to issue newly reissued/remolded monsters in the Godzilla line (as well as produce new figures for Godzilla vs. Kong) but coming out in March is a sight for sore eyes: a brand new sculpt of the 1995 Gamera design for the 25th anniversary of Gamera: Guardian of the Universe. Hopefully a Super Gyaos is not far behind!

The S.H. MonsterArts line had a fairly predictable and underwhelming list of releases last year. Great figures for the most part, but obvious choices without much surprise. This being a movie year, I don’t expect much to change and we’ll likely see Godzilla vs. Kong figures soon enough. What is confirmed and releasing in May is their take on the Burning Godzilla design featured in Godzilla: King of the Monsters last year. Originally a Tamashii WebShop exclusive, it’s being released in America by Bluefin around June.

Media company SRS Cinema continues to throw unexpected independent kaiju films our way with releases of Deep Sea Monster Reigo and Deep Sea Monster Raiga last year on limited Blu-Ray and wide-release DVD. They’ll continue the assortment this year with Attack of the Giant Teacher and Raiga vs. Ohga. The films likely won’t be much to look at, but more independent kaiju films seeing a western release is never a bad thing. Here’s hoping Daikaiju Eiga G or Gehara see a release soon.

In an almost perfect repeat of Daiei and Toho’s box office bout sixty years ago, boutique label Arrow Video has reportedly secured the rights to the Gamera franchise and are planning a box set that could rival Criterion’s late 2019 release of the entire Showa Godzilla series. Arrow Video puts out sublime products and kaiju fans will likely want to keep their eyes peeled for this set, even if they’ve already secured Mill Creek’s rather dull bargain sets from years past.

While not on the docket for tie-ins to Godzilla vs. Kong (yet), NECA will likely be continuing to pump out new figures in their Classic Godzilla line. No brand new sculpts are known at the moment, but fans can look forward to a blue, poster-styled repaint of their KOTM Mothra figure and some reissues of their older molds in new box-styled, poster-featuring packaging. Some, like the 1985 Godzilla, might even feature newly molded details.

In rather shocking news, Media Blasters has seemingly propped one of its kaiju films up from the depths of licensing hell with an announcement of a Blu-Ray release of Gappa the Triphibian Monsters scheduled for a February release. The out-of-nowhere circumstances surrounding this release as well as a proclaimed inclusion of an “uncut” Japanese release (despite the International version containing more footage than the Japanese version) and Media Blasters rather spotty history regarding kaiju Blu-Rays should have folks taking this with a grain of salt until the actual discs are in collectors’ hands.

Events

As per usual, the kaiju fan’s Woodstock G-FEST will be continuing it’s annual celebration of all things giant monster from July 10-12 at the Crowne Plaza Chicago O’Hare in Rosemont, IL. No guest announcements at this time, but fans looking to go should register and book a hotel immediately as attendance will continue to spike and rooms in the convention’s hotel are already sold out.

As is tradition, the San Diego Comic Con will take place this summer a week after G-FEST is over and will likely bring with it new information on Godzilla vs. Kong and many other kaiju-related media. NECA will possibly show off new figures and we may even see some post-2020 information on the MonsterVerse.

Not necessarily guaranteed, but kaiju fans may also want to look out for this year’s New York ToyFair taking place in February. ToyFair has pretty much become the SDCC for toy collectors with many companies showing off their new products for the new year. Kaiju collectors will possibly get a glimpse at the Playmates Godzilla vs. Kong assortment as well as a few other possible surprise reveals from other companies like NECA or Diamond Select.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

2020 is looking to be a monstrous year for kaiju fans. Hopefully the fandom will enjoy everything to come from our favorite franchises.

Here’s to a happy 2020!

[placetobenation]

It seems like the WWE is much like the Holiday season for most of us these days. We’re all rushing around trying to meet a thousand different masters, some good, some bad and not always succeeding at mastering any of them. But, at the end of the day, we all will arrive on Christmas hoping for the best that everyone likes what we’ve given them enough to celebrate a wonderful with family and friends.

So, with that, we can easily divide the three WWE shows into the naughty, nice and Santa Claus categories.

On top, leading the way as Santa is NXT. While not playing in front of the same crowd numbers or audience, the product itself easily outdoes its mainstream counterparts on a weekly basis and this week is no exception. Two unbelievable championship matches from Adam Cole vs. Finn Balor and Shayna Baszler vs. Rhea Ripley highlighted by a returning fan favorite in Johnny Gargano show that NXT is getting really good at delivering those “moments” while continuing to bring solid, in-ring quality throughout the show.  And to boot, NXT beat AEW in the ratings this week in both viewership and the coveted young demo for the first time. That’s something surely to hang their hat on and build on there.

Smackdown is our “nice” show. There’s enough there each week to keep us happy but still not enough there to break it into the out-of-the-box stratosphere. We expect more now that it’s on broadcast TV but it has yet to deliver anywhere near the viewers – 4 million – it did in its debut show. I will give them credit though this week. A better show from start to finish. Unfortunately for them, with the holiday weekend starting, it may not get reflected as such in the ratings.

What can we say about RAW? What was once the “A” show has now declined into a show that out of the three, is the one you could miss each week without not missing much. That’s something I would’ve never thought especially after Paul Heyman was put in charge of it. We need more attention, more personal development so that we can get that emotional payoff. Storylines, good ones with a touch of reality would go a long way. Rollins and the AOP could be the start of something good, so let’s see where it goes.

The good thing, just like in wrestling itself, is that things can change at the drop of a dime. So, in the spirit of the season, we wish all three shows a Happy Holiday Season ahead and lost of Season’s Beatings with good tidings ahead of the new year coming in.

She stands tall above the rest.

#WWENXT #NXTWomensTitle #AndNew @RheaRipley_WWE pic.twitter.com/afnm69A0C0

— WWE NXT (@WWENXT) December 19, 2019

STAR OF THE WEEK – Easy choice this week and yes, we go chalk. Kudos to Rhea Ripley on her first NXT Women’s Championship. A shooting star has now landed and taken over NXT.

TLC PPV

RESULTS

Humberto Carrillo defeated Andrade

Smackdown Tag Team Title Ladder Match: Champions The New Day defeated The Revival

Aleister Black defeated Buddy Murphy

Raw Tag Team Title Match: Champions The Viking Raiders vs. Luke Gallows & Karl Anderson (double count out)

TLC Match: King Corbin defeated Roman Reigns

Non-Title Match: Champion Bray Wyatt defeated The Miz

Tables Match: Lashley defeated Rusev

Women’s Tag Team Title TLC Match: Champions The Kabuki Warriors defeated Becky Lynch & Charlotte

What we loved:

New Day, Great Start – Applause to both The New Day and The Revival for kicking off TLC in grand style with a ladder match that left both teams strong and made sense.

Action packed Aleister – Just as he’s done on Monday nights, Aleister Black continues to deliver a fast-paced, action-packed match. Black and Murphy kept the emotion and physicality from the ladder match brought it up a notch.

The Fiend vs. Bray Wyatt vs. The Miz vs. Daniel Bryan – Yup, a four way out of a single match. That’s well done my friends. After a more serious-looking match from The Miz that saw him take the clean defeat, the mind games continue with Wyatt being told by The Fiend to finish The Miz off with a giant, clown-like mallet only to see Bryan return, more clean shaven than in the past thanks to The Fiend’s clippers a few weeks back, to take out Wyatt. It’s not the last we’ve seen of this four-way I’m sure and that’s good for the entire WWE Universe.

What we didn’t like:

All downhill – After the first two matches, TLC simply fell flat. Starting with a double count out (seriously, a double count out on a PPV?) from The Viking Raiders and Luke Gallows & Karl Anderson to the en masse beatdown of Roman Reigns to a lackluster Tables Match from Lashley and Rusev complete with spots that simply looked out of pace to the TLC main event from The Kabuki Warriors and Becky Lynch & Charlotte Flair that spent way too much time out of the ring, it just didn’t connect. Why was the Women’s Tag Team Title Match the main event in the first place? That made no sense to me. There was more intrigue in the Bray Wyatt vs. The Miz match, which while the match itself was nothing to write home about, the finish with Wyatt being confronted by The Fiend on screen led to a clean finish over The Miz and the re-emergence of a clean-shaven Daniel Bryan. That to me seemed more of an emotional connection to end a show than the women’s tag match that just seemed to meander through 20+ minutes and Asuka’s claiming of the belts at the finish. Now, kudos to Kairi Sane for taking some insane, concussion-inducing bumps, but the match as a while didn’t resonate.

The end – Why did we need to have a restart of the en masse brawl between King Corbin, Roman Reigns and what seemed like the entire locker room during and after the women’s match? Did we really need 30 more seconds to close the show? Not me. Consider me as one who is bored with Reigns vs. Corbin and we’ve been saying that for weeks. Corbin’s a great heel, but the feud is just going nowhere. Cut the losses and move on instead of doubling or tripling down.  

RAW

RESULTS

Non-Title Match: The Good Brothers defeated RAW Tag Team Champions The Viking Raiders

Erick Rowan defeated Dante Leon

US Title #1 Contenders Gauntlet Match: Ended in no-contest when Andrade stretchered Humberto Carrillo (Akira Tozawa defeated R-Truth, Ricochet defeated Tozawa and Matt Hardy, Humberto Carrillo defeated Ricochet, Carrillo vs. Andrade went to no-contest)

Asuka defeated Deonna Purrazzo (submission)

Randy Orton defeated. AJ Styles

What we don’t get:

Proposals, Gauntlets, #RKO's outta nowhere and more… These are your top ten moments from #Raw. pic.twitter.com/tQbQNzXpEO

— WWE (@WWE) December 18, 2019

Common sense – I thought with Paul Heyman in charge of RAW on Monday night, we were supposed to get better storylines, creative development and the details being more paid attention to. Yet, instead of that, we continue to get Erick Rowan’s cage with no payoff, a no-contest to a six-man gauntlet match that sees both Humberto Carrillo and Rey Mysterio, Jr. get punked out and many segments to Seth Rollins and the AOP. Please WWE, I’m begging you, please stop starting every non-NXT show with a person standing in the ring droning on and on for 20 minutes just to set up the night. It just makes me change the channel because they’ll be replaying it three of four more times over the next 2.5 hours. Heyman’s better than this product is delivering on Monday nights. Outside of Carrillo’s push and Rollins returning to a heel character he should’ve never left, what do we have? It seems like RAW is a show that’s lost its identity and not sure which way it should go. With the Royal Rumble and the road to WrestleMania about to begin, it’s high time they discovered their way again and do it fast, especially since this Monday’s RAW is already in the can having been taped last week.

Matt Hardy – We’ll say it again, Hardy deserves better. Just listen to the WWE Universe, they actually booed when Hardy lost to Ricochet. What does that tell you! Ricochet’s one of the top faces in the company and the crowd still isn’t happy. Listen to the Universe my friends! Remember that credo announced earlier this year by Stephanie McMahon and Triple H? It seems like they have not.  

What we liked:

Wedding anyone? – Not that we love the Lashley-Lana saga being drawn out any further, but we do love a good wrestling wedding on TV! Can’t wait for the destruction and Lana’s tears coming in this one! BTW: I’m with CM Punk – put Lashley and Rusev together against Lana and a new young stud team to start the new year!

NXT

RESULTS

NXT Title Match: Champion Adam Cole defeated Finn Balor

Damian Priest defeated Killian Dain

Cameron Grimes defeated KUSHIDA

Io Shirai defeated Santana Garrett

Pete Dunne defeated Travis Banks

NXT Women’s Title Match: Rhea Ripley defeated Champion Shayna Baszler

What we loved:

Untouchable. Unbeatable. Undisputed.#AdamColeBayBay #UndisputedERA #AndStill pic.twitter.com/xMiN8fzCaX

— Adam Cole (@AdamColePro) December 19, 2019

Everything! – Honestly, not a damn thing to not like about this show. From start to finish, just an enjoyable show with hard-hitting action, a surprise return in Johnny Gargano and an absolute thrilling feel-good moment to end the show with Rhea Ripley becoming NXT Women’s Champion for the first time. Now, that’s saying a lot especially when you figure the show didn’t feature Tommaso Ciampa, Keith Lee or Matt Riddle.

His past is back. This time… in the form of a FURIOUS @JohnnyGargano!!!#WWENXT pic.twitter.com/gwgoySpLqr

— WWE (@WWE) December 19, 2019

Welcome back Johnny – I’ll be honest, I didn’t expect to see Johnny Gargano until 2020 and just when you thought Finn Balor was about to become NXT Champion again, Mr. Gargano changes the game. A look, a nutcracker and a cradle by Adam Cole and the new twist is here. BTW: awesome line by Mauro Ranollo sneaking in the anniversary of The Nutcracker in there after Cole’s nut shot on Balor. So, not only do we have a reason to see Balor vs. Cole again, but we certainly have Balor vs. Gargano to look forward to as we begin the new year. And again, it wasn’t forced. It all felt seamless.

All Hail the New Queen – We’ve been telling you for weeks that Rhea Ripley is truly a superstar in the making. Well, after defeating one of the baddest MF’ers on the planet in Shayna Baszler, Ripley has the gold to prove it. And talk about the way she does it! Ripley absorbs an assault from Baszler’s henchwomen – Jessamyn Duke and Marina Shafir – and turns what look like a championship retaining submission into a top rope stunning reversal and an avalanche riptide for the title! To boot, the NXT crowd fills the ring to make a special moment even more inviting. Kudos new champ!

Solid. Solid. Solid. – Week in and week out, it’s generally the in-ring performances that keep NXT at the top of the Wednesday night chain for me. This week, it’s even more important as Damian Priest, Io Shirai and Pete Dunne built a solid bridge between the epic title matches that kicked off and finished the show. Truly, it’s what turns a good show with some great moments into one of the most memorable shows of the year from start to finish. It’s also something that makes NXT stand out from RAW and Smackdown where silliness and things that absolutely make no sense seem to be more common place than not.

SMACKDOWN

RESULTS

Miracle on 34th Street Fight: Heavy Machinery defeated The Revival

Carmella defeated Sonya Deville

Non-Title Match: Smackdown Tag Team Champions The New Day defeated Cesaro & Shinsuke Nakamura

Non-Title Match: Smackdown Women’s Champion Bayley defeated Dana Brooke

Lacey Evans vs. Sasha Banks went to a double count out

The Miz & Daniel Bryan defeated King Corbin & Dolph Ziggler (submission)

What we loved:

NEXT WEEK on #SmackDown, a Triple Threat Match between @WWEDanielBryan, @mikethemiz and #King @BaronCorbinWWE will determine who will challenge #TheFiend @WWEBrayWyatt for the #UniversalChampionship at #RoyalRumble 2020!https://t.co/t9JfsYg2Ld

— WWE (@WWE) December 21, 2019

A triple threat treat for The Fiend – So, not only do we get The Miz and Daniel Bryan as contenders for The Fiend’s Universal Title, but after Friday night’s Smackdown, we get King Corbin added into the mix. For the final Smackdown of 2019, it’s a #1 contender’s match for The Fiend’s opponent at the Royal Rumble. Beautifully done to slide Corbin off of the Roman Reigns feud and onto the main event status. Corbin’s a perfect foil as the top heel on the show to face-off with his counterparts. Plus, when you add in Dolph Ziggler, you’ve got so many combinations to fuel the fire. All of that was fully evident in their tag team match and a final laugh from The Fiend to close the show.

We feel ya kid, we feel ya. #SmackDown pic.twitter.com/C4cyB1QqJK

— WWE on FOX (@WWEonFOX) December 21, 2019

Lacey Evans, One Teed-Off Mama – A couple of weeks ago, we made Lacey our Star of the Week for bringing that personal touch to her feud with Sasha Banks and Bayley. This week, after saving Dana Brooke from a two-on-one attack, we get the next step as Sasha taunts Lacey’s daughter, enraging Evans and igniting a fire to this confrontation. We should plenty of Lacey, along with Brooke vs. Sasha and Bayley over the next few weeks.

Merry Christmas, @otiswwe! #SmackDown pic.twitter.com/MqnzqeuGK0

— WWE on FOX (@WWEonFOX) December 21, 2019

Otis and Mandy – Heavy Machinery is just wildly entertaining week in and week out both in and out of the ring. Now, add in the sexy Mandy Rose (oh Mandy! – sorry couldn’t refuse all you Barry Mannilow fans!) to flirt with Otis (and his ham) is a juicy story we can sink our teeth into.

Braun’s next step – It’s been teased for weeks and now it looks like we’ll finally get Braun Strowman taking on Intercontinental Champion Shinsuke Nakamura. His save of The New Day to take a shot at Nakamura is a perfect way to kickstart a title run for the big man. Let’s see if it’s a slow burn or a quick shot for Strowman.

Addition by subtraction – Noticeable by his absence is one Roman Reigns. To me, that’s a good thing. It’ll help us forget the forgettable match at TLC and help him move on to whatever is next for The Big Dog.  

What we didn’t like:

Carmella vs. Sonya Deville – Why only 90 seconds for them? Carmella danced with The New Day for longer than that. Deville’s talent is getting wasted at the moment. If they can’t use her right on Smackdown, I’d love to see Deville in NXT as an addition to Shayna Baszler’s team to take out Rhea Ripley.

Sheamus’ vignettes – There needs to be another layer to these vignettes. It’s the same thing week after week. I’d rather see Sheamus build up the roster rather than the tired “no one on Smackdown is any good” line of smack. It’ll be interesting to see who he physically attacks first.

Parting thoughts:

Food for thought – are we headed towards a surprise Rhonda Rousey entry into the Royal Rumble?

Thanks for letting us share our thoughts! Shoot me an email at jcrowe567@gmail.com. We’d love to hear your comments and suggestions! You can also check out my blog, The Crowe’s Nest as we delve into more pro wrestling, sports entertainment and the World of Sports. My apologies ahead of time – I AM a Patriots and Red Sox fan! If you’re not down with that, I’ve got TWO WORDS for you… NEW ENGLAND!

[briangroth27]

Dark Phoenix Review

The final installment in Fox's X-men franchise, Dark Phoenix, is unfortunately not one of their best, but it doesn't deserve the hate it received from critics (or the box office) either. Like Apocalypse (which I also enjoyed for the most part), Dark Phoenix falls into the middle of the X-pack; not too shabby considering there are some legitimately great movies in this series! I was looking forward to this film—I like the cast, they've got most of my favorite X-men on this team, and the Dark Phoenix Saga had been wrecked by The Last Stand so I was ready to see them give it another go—but while Dark Phoenix has some really solid ideas and cool moments, it needed another draft to fully realize its potential (another unfortunate similarity to Apocalypse).

Full Spoilers…

The X-men starting out as public superheroes with a direct line to the White House was a fun change of pace! Giving them fans that cheered them on was a cool reversal from the protest groups we saw in X-men, though for this development to really make an impact we should’ve seen more civilians hating/attacking mutants in the movies beyond the brief glimpses we got in X-men and Apocalypse, both in fight club scenes (The Gifted explored the idea that everyday racism would come from the people just as much as the government in much more detail than the movies ever have). Regardless, I loved that they were able to retain a very "X-men" quality to this new status quo, with mutants’ acceptance hinging on their continued best behavior and the idea that they would unendingly risk themselves to save the world. It was smart to not have bigotry solved only for Jean (Sophie Turner) to wreck it with her newfound power (and also because solving it off-screen would’ve been a disservice to the entire mythos as well as those who face it in real life), but to instead keep them constantly on the edge of losing everything they'd gained. Mystique (Jennifer Lawrence) was absolutely right that mutants shouldn’t have to save the world (or worse, keep saving it) to be accepted by the rest of humanity, and I wish the movie had come back to that point by the end of the film. Her argument with Charles (James McAvoy) ties back to his insistence in First Class that humanity would accept them in exchange for stopping war really nicely though. Forcing mutants to always be over-and-above model minorities works perfectly, but they should've done more with this point instead of just creating a rift between Raven and Charles and using it as stakes for Jean's fall. I would’ve liked some closing statement on where mutants’ standing landed after the events of the film; maybe even Jean or someone making Mystique’s argument to the public to force them to face themselves and the position they’d put the X-men/mutantkind in.

Speaking of Jean’s fall, Phoenix was done much better here than in The Last Stand. I think X2's idea of making Phoenix a natural evolution of Jean is a fantastic choice (as was X2-writer Michael Dougherty’s idea to have her continue to evolve into the cosmic Phoenix in his version of X3), but making Phoenix a split personality ruined that by taking it out of Jean's control and stopping it from being Jean’s story. I’d argue this is the same problem the revised comic canon has, with a space bird taking the place of a split identity but resulting in the same lack of control/meaning/development for Jean’s character. Here, they do the cosmic origin fairly faithfully, but oddly ignore Apocalypse’s revival of the "secondary mutation" plot when Apocalypse forced Jean to evolve into full-firebird status through conflict (which, by the way, is perfect for him). They could’ve easily resolved this rift by having Hank (Nicholas Hoult) tell Jean her powers had been boosted "even beyond what Apocalypse caused" or that En Sabah Nur’s “upgrade” enabled her to survive absorbing the cosmic energy into herself in the first place. As it is, that's not a big leap for viewers to make, but it should've been said in the film.

Getting into the actual mechanics of Jean trying to deal with all this new power, I think this was a mixed bag. I liked her senses opening up at the party and would’ve liked to see that enhanced awareness continue. Her crushed reaction to her father (Scott Shepard) giving her to Xavier because he couldn't forgive her for the accidental death of her mother (Hannah Anderson) or handle raising a mutant child was a rough, powerful reveal that Turner acted perfectly, but then we got to an element of Jean being confused by what she can/should do with all this power rather than acting with that power, which slowed the momentum of her character (and the story). I’d really like to see a version of the Phoenix Saga where Jean runs with her new powers rather than being manipulated or confused about what to do with them, especially if they’re insistent on doing it all in one movie. Her talks with Erik (Michael Fassbender) and especially Vuk (Jessica Chastain) offer insight into what she could be and I wouldn’t want them to have less character-building conversations in favor of meaningless fight scenes, but I wanted to see Jean take action and deal with the fallout of her choices rather than only get to the point where she’s ready to make those decisions in the first place. I would've much preferred her trying to, say, forcibly fix the world so they don't have to keep saving it like Mystique was worried about or something (especially given their obviously strong bond at the beginning).

This is another unfortunate similarity to Apocalypse: while En Sabah Nur said a lot of great stuff in that movie, despite getting rid of all the nukes and leveling Cairo, it felt like we were constantly on the cusp of him escalating things instead of actually getting to see him do what he talked about. Here, I felt like we were on the verge of Jean taking ownership of her powers, only to have her talked into denying them, try to give them away, get captured by the government, get attacked by aliens, etc. Similarly, they really needed to dig into her decision to leave Earth on a bigger level than just being scared she’d hurt people she cared about. Why not make it her choice to see what’s out there and to see what she can become instead (which would be a cool parallel to mutants as a whole not being able to develop while stuck in savior mode for humans)? Leaving Earth should’ve been something that tied to or conflicted with her hopes and dreams for her life during and after the X-men (which would’ve been nice to know before she’s forced to give all of that up in the face of this power), rather than falling back on what feels like a much more simplistic “the power is just too unsafe for her to have on Earth” idea. That idea almost looks like humans are right to fear mutants, because even they can’t safely use their powers here, and that’s the wrong message for a X-men story. I did like that Jean acting with her emotions rather than burying them was shown as a good thing here that made her stronger: that’s a great rebuttal to Xavier trying to block them off and hide pain from her to protect her.

I was very glad that the movie didn't have Xavier blocking her split personality this time, but rather that he'd covered up Jean's accidental manslaughter in an effort to help her have a normal, happy life. That was always my read from the trailers—she didn't seem like she knew she killed her parents in Apocalypse—but I didn't expect the twist that her dad had survived and didn't want her at all and I loved it. I fully bought into Xavier's "you are not broken" reassurance to young Jean (Summer Fontana), so that moment worked really well to help sell the betrayal Jean felt. I wish we’d seen Scott (Tye Sheridan), Ororo (Alexandra Shipp), Kurt (Kodi Smit-McPhee), and Peter's (Evan Peters) reaction to what Xavier did as well though. I also would've liked to see their opinions on Xavier's massive hubris here ("All I did was create a world where we can all live in peace"), as well as his insistence that they be superheroes to earn their keep. Despite the lack of opinions from everyone but Mystique, I did like seeing this side of Xavier and thought it was just as interesting to see how he handled winning as how he’d handled mutants being the underdogs for so long. I'm glad this movie didn't agree with him that it was right to manipulate Jean's mind like Last Stand did, and Charles thinking she shouldn't experience any kind of pain is a nice callback to his own attempt to ignore the pain of the world in Days of Future Past (his older self told him that hope would allow him to bear the pain of the world without breaking, and it seems that Xavier decided he should be the only one to take on that pain rather than let others bear it as well). It also works well as an early form of his attempts to keep mutants safe even to their detriment (like making them superheroes to stay in humanity’s good graces). This habit of ignoring pain was especially evident in his almost cavalier discussion with Hank after Mystique’s funeral (with a side of “you can’t criticize me when I’m hurt too”), and it took me a bit to understand that he’s trying to do the same thing to Hank that he did to Jean, just without using his powers: he can’t process the pain of his loss and doesn’t want to see anyone else “stuck” in their feelings either. I’m glad he actually apologized on the train; I wasn’t expecting that and it was a solid development. Of the things Kinberg improved this time from Last Stand, Xavier as a not-so-great guy was definitely handled much better, precisely because he was proven wrong and dealt with it.

Erik nicely (and finally) transitioned into the peaceful existence promised by Apocalypse, even if (as others have noted) the disconnect between his crimes in that movie and the government respecting him here is a little jarring. I really liked him running Genosha, though it would've been nice to comment that this community was the last stop on the mutant Underground Railroad Mystique was part of in DOFP and Apocalypse. It didn't have to be and worked just fine without that connection, but it would've been nice to say that she helped build his mutant paradise (especially given the impact losing her has on him) and that effort would’ve buttressed her argument with Xavier nicely, since she would’ve had a hand in creating a better life for mutants as well. Erik's talk with Jean about letting go of vengeance once he realized it wasn't helping was solid (he learned something from Charles back in First Class!), but I wanted the movie to bear out that he really had changed. I hated that this movie again relied on a woman getting fridged so Erik had a reason to get murdery (with added Hank rage!): that's lazy, especially since they used that already-tired plot in the last movie. I wish both of these films had Erik as a teacher at the school, but if we couldn't get that bit of 80s comics lore, surely there was another way to use Erik here. Maybe his point of view should’ve shown us what everyday mutants think of the X-men as the poster children of the atom, and how that affects their ability to have a modicum of respect/tolerance from humans. If they couldn’t find something for Erik to do except try to kill Jean, he shouldn't have been included so they could focus on the other characters more. I did like his life on Genosha essentially proving Mystique's point and enjoyed him telling Xavier to shove his speeches, even if it was in the midst of his rage. I'll also say that the ending they found for Erik and Charles—Erik taking him back to Genosha to live out the rest of their lives together—was perfect.

I loved where they took Mystique over these prequel films! We got the badass villain in the original trilogy, so seeing her morals develop for the better in these movies was a breath of fresh air and a chance to explore new, original possibilities (even if they were inspired by her actions in the Age of Apocalypse comics timeline). I liked that she came so far as to be the field leader of the X-men and thought her argument with Xavier here was great. It meshed nicely with her opinion in X2 that they shouldn't have to conform to human appearances (or, here, their expectations) to live in peace. This was an important truth to bring up and I'm surprised that it feels like the first time I've seen it addressed in an X-story. I can almost accept her bristling at fame (and the unfair burden that fame represents) as the reason she shifts into her human appearance so often, even at the mansion, but that needed to be spelled out. I liked the rapport she had with the team, especially Jean, and I wish we saw more of an impact on them when she died (if we're wishing for things, I wish she hadn't died at all). Storm especially should’ve had more of a reaction, given Mystique was her hero. The younger students get a moment, but it's more about Jean as the culprit than Mystique's loss. I wish Mystique had let Jean know she agreed with her sense of betrayal and stuck with her instead of trying to bring her back to the mansion (even if I do see why she'd want to play up their family relationship to calm her down). It also wasn't the best strategy for the team to wear their X-uniforms to meet Jean at her house: what kind of message does that send? Having Mystique run with Jean and perhaps toy with the idea that they could change humanity for the better with Jean’s new powers so they could stop fighting to earn their peace might have been a cool development of her argument. Mystique could've played the role the Hellfire Club did in the comics & the Brotherhood did in X3, but with altruistic intentions. If she had to die, I wanted it to have more meaning and purpose: it should’ve been about her and what she stood for instead of immediately being about Erik/Hank's anger and Jean's culpability. I wonder if being impaled is an echo of how Wolverine “killed” her in X-men?

I was generally disappointed by Hank's role throughout the whole movie. I didn't like that he was in his human form so often: so he never got what Mystique was saying about loving himself as he is, even with the world loving the X-men? That’s depressing and if it was meant to be a conscious decision on his part, it should’ve been explored as his own self-hatred (or maybe he is secretly afraid that humanity will turn on mutants again, so he doesn’t want to fully give himself over to embracing his Beast appearance), not brushed aside like a common secret identity. And shouldn't he have shifted into his Beast form at Mystique's funeral, since his transformation was triggered by his emotions? I liked that this borrowed bit of Hulk mechanics revealed what he truly felt in DOFP: that was a cool comment on trying to suppress your real self and way to dramatize who Hank actually was. Here, he has full control but chooses to look human most of the time, which is not a good look (even if I bet a lot of it was about letting Hoult act more clearly without the Beast prosthetics). Like others have said, Hank getting fired up to kill one of his students is an even worse look and if they had to go there, I wish it had more fallout. The movie doesn’t bother much with the betrayal Scott & Co. must feel about their leader turning on one of them like this (instead, that anger is directed at Erik as if Hank didn’t go to him). Then they just let him come back as the headmaster of a school renamed after Jean after all that? No way. Not that I don't believe in forgiveness, but his actions were brushed aside way too easily (just like Erik and Storm's team-up with Apocalypse was in the last movie). I wish he'd retired like Mystique wanted to (if nothing else, to honor her wishes) and left the school to Scott and Ororo instead (they're nearly 30, after all).

I wish there had been less focus on the First Class characters and more of a passing of the torch here. In fact, we needed a lot more of the younger team members' opinions on everything happening in this movie, especially Jean's turn. They’d spent 10 years fighting and living together, after all: surely they have strong opinions. Ororo gets the point of view that Jean’s shown who she really is and isn’t coming back, but then she immediately acts counter to that by backing Scott’s effort to bring her home (and all of this is beside the fact that she too was party to massive loss of life but got to waltz onto the team, which would’ve been an interesting perspective to bring up). I also would’ve liked to see their reaction to Xavier's betrayal (if I were them, I'd be asking how much of their own lives he might’ve changed) and their fame (how do they see their (much safer) world vs. how do the older characters (who fought for it) see it?) as well as the implications of that celebrity status. The short shrift they got was a big negative for me. I was here to see Jean, Scott, Ororo, Kurt, and Peter as the leads, but we only really got Jean out of this bunch. Scott gets some solid moments with Jean—enough to sell their romance and connection—and it’s obvious there’s a friendship amongst the younger generation of X-men, but I feel like the things Jean was going through should’ve created more shockwaves amongst her closest friends. Even with a relatively small roster, you’d never know Storm and Nightcrawler were major X-men from their showing here and Peter is almost completely sidelined after getting his own spotlight scenes in the previous two movies. I would’ve liked Erik to know Peter is his son after he awkwardly didn’t find out in Apocalypse, though it wouldn’t have fit into this movie as it is. Kurt being Mystique’s son would’ve given a unique flavor to their mission interactions, but I guess we’ll have to wait for the MCU to get that relationship.

Another conversation/argument the younger and older generations of mutants could’ve had was about whether Jean’s powers were acceptable within the mutant subculture (which is something we also need to see more of in live-action), much less to the rest of humanity. How much is “too much” mutation (Kurt might have some feelings on that vs. the others’ invisible mutations, not that he’s any more a mutant than the rest of them)? Is there a line where a mutation just won’t be acceptable to non-mutants, no matter what goodwill they’ve gained in society? What about to other mutants (and crossing that line should really come without also making Jean a killer)? With the X-men becoming accepted as the backdrop, Jean’s evolution into Phoenix and the fight against her could’ve been played as a metaphor for people who accept LGB rights but are Transphobic, which would’ve fit the themes of the X-men as a franchise and would’ve added a new layer of complexity to the mutant metaphor (though as a straight cis guy, I defer to the LGBTQ community on whether that'd actually be a good idea and a story worth telling, or if it would hurt more than it helps; it might be preferred to bring in more trans mutants to the team and deal with mutants who are transphobic rather than piling another metaphor onto it, particularly as Jean is already a white woman dealing with racism & homophobia via hatred of mutants). It could also simply be about power & control: maybe Charles and Erik ironically can’t accept the new kind of mutant Jean is (Hank’s apparent self-hatred probably wouldn’t let him either), and they could’ve built the heroes’ split out of that lack of tolerance rather than killing Mystique.

The D’Bari mostly worked for me as antagonists if that was the way Kinberg wanted to go: they made for solid, tough cannon fodder that required mutant powers to defeat. I appreciate that they included that bit of comics canon, but ultimately them being Shi’ar who’d detected Jean's growing power signature and came to extinguish the Phoenix before it destroyed another solar system would’ve worked better IMO, since they could be the authority figures for Jean that humankind couldn’t (also opening the door to the conversation of whether she needs authority figures or if she should be trusted with her power). As it is, even still being the D'Bari could've worked if they'd come to put the Phoenix Force on trial for destroying their world, with Jean an unfortunate "accomplice" to the power. With them wanting to use the power to recreate their world instead, I would’ve liked more comparison between the D’Bari wanting to reclaim their home and mutants saving the world to maintain their place in society. You can also draw a connection between their willingness to manipulate Jean into bringing back their world (or coaxing her to give up her power so they can do it themselves) instead of the harder path of accepting and dealing with their loss and Xavier trying to ignore pain altogether (I do like that parallel a lot). Both the D’Bari and Xavier reached obsessive levels, and the aliens’ obsession with recreating their home at the cost of Earth serves as a nice foreshadowing of what could happen to Jean if she doesn't deal with her pain. I understand that in a two-hour movie we can’t see nuance to every faction, but it would’ve been nice to see some variance between the D’Bari’s goals: were any of them content to live out their lives peacefully? Were these just the fanatics of their species? Did any of them initially buy in before seeing what Vuk brought them to and thought, “this is too far?”

The action was solid, with a mostly good range of power use (even if they weren't as creatively applied as in previous installments). I liked the space rescue sequence a lot (minus apparently not caring about covering Kurt's hands in the vacuum of space) and the fights in New York City and on the train were well-done and comic booky. I was disappointed in the Quicksilver super-speed scene this time and agree with others on Twitter that every character should get spotlight moments like his. Regardless, it was cool that the team didn't hold back their powers and that the effects budget had the capability to let them cut loose. Weaponizing the team’s powers through the X-jet was a great idea! The one character cutting loose that seems weird in hindsight is Kurt’s murder spree on the train: at first it didn’t strike me as particularly odd, given the X-men aren’t at a Superman-level of not killing their enemies and all comic book heroes tend to get their bloodlust elevated in live-action, but after hearing my brother and others online point it out, yeah, it’s an odd choice for him.

Simon Kinberg’s writing and direction carried over a consistent feel from the previous installments, which (like others have noted) was not the case in the transition from X2 to Last Stand. Whatever my wishes for things that they could’ve covered or done differently here, these at least felt like the same characters we’ve been following for the past 1-3 films. He kept the action clear and managed to juggle the characters who did get the most focus pretty well. The scope could’ve been a bit bigger given Jean’s potential and left me wanting more, but I liked that they kept personal focus on the characters instead of having Jean gain absolute power and then stand behind Magneto, saying nothing. I wish they had used the 90s setting a lot more: the only 90s thing about this is that the space shuttle is still in regular operation. First Class and DOFP used their decades to enhance their respective stories; I’m sorry Apocalypse and Dark Phoenix fell short of that. They could’ve at least made a nod to Scott being an X2-canon boy band fan! I get the reason for the team’s matching uniforms—Xavier wanted an orderly image—but they really should’ve used the 90s-inspired ones from the end of Apocalypse instead. They looked so much cooler! I wish they’d brought back John Ottman’s main theme as the X-theme here, because this score didn’t resonate with me like the music of the previous films did.

Dark Phoenix is definitely a mixed bag, but overall I enjoyed a lot of it while wishing it had taken things further. I admire its ambition, even if its success is hampered by the same mistakes of previous films. I’ll buy it on home video, but for the first time I’m looking forward to the MCU’s X-men relaunch more than feeling sad about losing Fox’s version (though Feige is right to let the franchise rest for a bit). While this movie doesn’t have the emotional impact that Endgame does as a culmination, the X-films (along with Blade) kickstarted the modern superhero film and the weight of the franchise’s reach and impact is not lost on me. This series has been a huge part of my life for more than half of my life and I would’ve followed these actors and characters into another adventure—I still genuinely love or like nearly all of the movies in this 19-year franchise—but I do think they’ve kinda run their course. I’m happy that this felt like an ending even though it wasn’t planned as one, and I know I’ll revisit these films even after Disney releases their take on the franchise (which should really be a long-running TV series rather than films, but that’s neither here nor there). It feels weird to say goodbye, but it’s time.

If you’re into the X-men or a fan of these films, don’t let the rotten reviews scare you off from seeing this one. It’s not perfect, but it’s well-acted and there are solid themes with good action. It’s definitely worth a trip to the theater to see this version of Marvel’s merry mutants on the big screen one last time!

 Check out more of my reviews, opinions, and original short stories here!  

[demitgibbs]

Winter Movie & TV Preview

Winter is normally a season that is accompanied by long, snowy nights and freezing temperatures that make going outside unbearable; however, for us that call South Florida home, winter means that we can finally enjoy being outside without suffering from heat stroke and wear things other than shorts and flip flops. From blockbuster movies to the most talked about TV shows to festivals and fairs, there is no shortage of things to see and do around South Florida this winter. Here is your definitive guide to what to watch and do this season, so grab your cuddle buddy and get ready to enjoy winter in paradise.

MOVIES:

When the temperature drops, stay inside and watch these must-see, blockbuster movies:

December:

Jumanji: Welcome To The Jungle

Four teenagers discover an old video game console and are literally drawn into the game’s jungle setting becoming the adult avatars they chose.

Starring: Dwayne Johnson, Karen Gillan, Kevin Hart, Jack Black

Release Date: Dec. 22

Pitch Perfect 3

Fat Amy, along with your favorite Bellas, are back following their win at the world championship. The now separated Bellas reunite for one last singing competition at an overseas USO tour, but face a group who uses both instruments and voices.

Starring: Anna Kendrick, Rebel Wilson, Ruby Rose, Hailee Steinfeld, Brittany Snow

Release Date: Dec. 22

Father Figures

Upon learning that their mother has been lying to them for years about their allegedly deceased father, two fraternal twin brothers hit the road to find him.

Starring: Owen Wilson, Christopher Walken, J.K. Simmons, Ed Helms

Release Date: Dec. 22

The Post

A cover-up that spanned four U.S. Presidents pushed the country’s first female newspaper publisher and a hard-driving editor to join an unprecedented battle between journalist and government.

Starring: Meryl Streep, Tom Hanks, Sarah Paulson, Bob Odenkirk

Release Date: Dec. 22

Downsizing

When scientists discover how to shrink humans to five inches tall as a solution to overpopulation, Paul (Matt Damon) and his wife Audrey (Kristen Wiig) decide to abandon their stressed lives in order to get small and move to a new downsized community — a choice that triggers life-changing adventures.

Starring: Matt Damon, Christoph Waltz, Hong Chau, Kristen Wiig

Release Date: Dec. 22

Crooked House

In Agatha Christie’s most twisted tale, a spy-turned-private-detective is lured by his former lover to catch her grandfather’s murderer before Scotland Yard exposes dark family secrets.

Starring: Christina Hendricks, Gillian Anderson, Honor Kneafsey, Glenn Close

Release Date: Dec. 22

The Greatest Showman

Inspired by the imagination of P.T. Barnum, “The Greatest Showman” is an original musical that celebrates the birth of show business and tells of a visionary who rose from nothing to create a spectacle that became a worldwide sensation.

Starring: Zendaya, Rebecca Ferguson, Hugh Jackman, Zac Efron

Release Date: Dec. 22

All The Money In The World

This crime thriller is based on the true story of the kidnapping of 16-year-old John Paul Getty III and the desperate attempt by his devoted mother to convince his billionaire grandfather Jean Paul Getty to pay the ransom.

Starring: Mark Wahlberg, Michelle Williams, Charlie Plummer, Christopher Plummer

Release Date: Dec. 29

Molly’s Game

The true story of Molly Bloom, an Olympic-class skier who ran the world’s most exclusive high-stakes poker game and became an FBI target.

Starring: Jessica Chastain, Idris Elba, Kevin Costner, Michael Cera

Release Date: Dec. 29

Phantom Thread

Set in 1950’s London, Reynolds Woodcock is a renowned dressmaker whose fastidious life is disrupted by a young, strong-willed woman, Alma, who becomes his muse and lover.

Starring: Vicky Krieps, Daniel Day-Lewis, Lesley Manville, Sue Clark

Release Date: Dec. 29

January:

Insidious: The Last Key

Parapsychologist Dr. Elise Rainier faces her most fearsome and personal haunting yet – in her own family home.

Starring: Kirk Acevedo, Spencer Locke, Josh Stewart, Lin Shaye

Release Date: Jan. 5

Proud Mary

Taraji P. Henson is Mary, a hitwoman working for an organized crime family in Boston. Mary’s life is completely turned around when she meets a young boy whose path she crosses when a professional hit goes awry.

Starring: Neal McDonough, Taraji P. Henson, Danny Glover, Xander Berkeley

Release Date: Jan. 12

THE FINAL YEAR

“THE FINAL YEAR” is a unique insiders’ account of President Barack Obama’s foreign policy team during their last year in office. Featuring unprecedented access inside the White House and State Department, “THE FINAL YEAR” offers an uncompromising view of the inner workings of the Obama Administration as they prepare to leave power after eight years.

Starring: John Kerry, Barack Obama, Samantha Power, Ben Rhodes

Release Date: Jan. 19

12 Strong

12 Strong tells the story of the first Special Forces team deployed to Afghanistan after 9/11; under the leadership of a new captain, the team must work with an Afghan warlord to take down the Taliban.

Starring: Chris Hemsworth, Michael Shannon, William Fichtner, Elsa Pataky

Release Date: Jan. 19

Den Of Thieves

In this gritty crime saga, follow the lives of an elite unit of the LA County Sheriff’s Dept. and the state’s most successful bank robbery crew as the outlaws plan a seemingly impossible heist on the Federal Reserve Bank.

Starring: Gerard Butler, Jordan Bridges, Pablo Schreiber, Evan Jones

Release Date: Jan. 19

The Leisure Seeker

A runaway couple go on an unforgettable journey in the faithful old RV they call The Leisure Seeker.

Starring: Helen Mirren, Donald Sutherland, Kirsty Mitchell, Janel Moloney

Release Date: Jan. 19

White Boy Rick

The story of teenager Richard Wershe Jr., who became an undercover informant for the FBI during the 1980s and was ultimately arrested for drug-trafficking and sentenced to life in prison.

Starring: Jennifer Jason Leigh, Matthew McConaughey, Eddie Marsan, Bruce Dern

Release Date: Jan. 26

February:

Winchester

Eccentric Winchester firearm heiress believes she is haunted by the souls of people killed by the Winchester repeating rifle.

Starring: Helen Mirren, Sarah Snook, Jason Clarke, Angus Sampson

Release Date: Feb. 2

Fifty Shades Freed

In the third, and final, installment of the erotic Fifty Shades of Grey trilogy, newlyweds Christian and Ana believe they have left behind shadowy figures from their past and fully embrace an inextricable connection and shared life of luxury. However, just as she steps into her role as Mrs. Grey and he relaxes into an unfamiliar stability, new threats could jeopardize their happy ending before it even begins.

Starring: Rita Ora, Jamie Dornan, Dakota Johnson, Arielle Kebbel

Release Date: Feb. 9

Black Panther

T’Challa, after the death of his father, the King of Wakanda, returns home to the isolated, technologically advanced African nation to succeed to the throne and take his rightful place as king.

Starring: Chadwick Boseman, Michael B. Jordan, Lupita Nyong’o, Danai Gurira

Release Date: Feb. 16

Annihilation

A biologist signs up for a dangerous, secret expedition where the laws of nature don’t apply.

Starring: Tessa Thompson, Natalie Portman, Jennifer Jason Leigh, Oscar Isaac

Release Date: Feb. 23

The War With Grandpa

Upset that he has to share the room he loves with his grandfather, Peter decides to declare war in an attempt to get it back.

Starring: Robert De Niro, Jane Seymour, Uma Thurman, Christopher Walken

Release Date: Feb. 23

March:

Red Sparrow

Ballerina Dominika Egorova is recruited to ‘Sparrow School’ a Russian intelligence service where she is forced to use her body as a weapon. But her first mission, targeting a CIA agent, threatens to unravel the security of both nations.

Starring: Jennifer Lawrence, Joel Edgerton, Mary-Louise Parker, Ciarán Hinds

Release Date: March 2

Game Night

In this comedy meets crime movie, a group of friends, who meet regularly for game nights, find themselves trying to solve a murder mystery.

Starring: Rachel McAdams, Jason Bateman, Jesse Plemons, Kyle Chandler

Release Date: March 2

A Wrinkle In Time

After the disappearance of her scientist father, three peculiar beings send Meg, her brother, and her friend to space to find him.

Starring: Reese Witherspoon, Chris Pine, Gugu Mbatha-Raw, Levi Miller

Release Date: March 9

Gringo

Gringo, a dark comedy mixed with white-knuckle action and dramatic intrigue, explores the battle of survival for businessman Harold Soyinka (David Oyelowo) when he finds himself crossing the line from law-abiding citizen to wanted criminal.

Starring: Amanda Seyfried, Charlize Theron, Joel Edgerton, Thandie Newton

Release Date: March 9

Tomb Raider

Lara Croft, the fiercely independent daughter of a missing adventurer, must push herself beyond her limits when she finds herself on the island where her father disappeared.

Starring: Alicia Vikander, Hannah John-Kamen, Walton Goggins, Dominic West

Release Date: March 16

Love, Simon

Everyone deserves a great love story. But for Simon it’s complicated: no-one knows he’s gay and he doesn’t know who the anonymous classmate is that he’s fallen for online. Resolving both issues proves hilarious, scary and life-changing.

Starring: Nick Robinson, Katherine Langford, Jennifer Garner, Josh Duhamel

Release Date: March 16

Pacific Rim Uprising

Jake Pentecost, son of Stacker Pentecost, reunites with Mako Mori to lead a new generation of Jaeger pilots, including rival Lambert and 15-year-old hacker Amara, against a new Kaiju threat.

Starring: Tian Jing, Scott Eastwood, John Boyega, Adria Arjona

Release Date: March 23

TV:

No matter if you’re looking to find your new tv addiction or are waiting for the new season of your favorite show, we’ve got you covered. Here are the most talked about premieres and returning favs for you to binge watch all winter long!

New Shows:

Ellen’s Game Of Games

Ellen DeGeneres hosts this six-episode, hourlong game show that will feature expanded versions of the various party games featured during her daytime talk show.

When to Watch: January 2, NBC

9-1-1

From the masterminds behind “Glee,” Ryan Murphy and Brad Falchuk, comes this procedural drama, starring Peter Krause, Connie Britton and Angela Bassett, that explores the high-pressure experiences of police, paramedics and firefighters who are thrust into the most frightening, shocking and heart-stopping situations.

When to Watch: January 3, FOX

Grown-ish

Black-ish’s Yara Shahidi gets her very own spinoff, Grown-ish, which finds her freshman college student Zoey Johnson navigating the ins and outs of living away from home — crazy roommate, instant ramen, and all — for the first time. But despite a burgeoning checking account thanks to her parents, Zoey isn’t going to have an easy time when she gets to campus. Ah, the naivety of the youths these days.

When to Watch: January 3, Freeform

The Four: Battle for Stardom

FOX’s new Voice/American Idol competitor attempts to reinvent the singing competition by starting with just four strong contestants. Each week, and there are just six episodes in all, the four must defend their spots on the show against potential upstarts. The celebrity judging panel includes Sean Combs, DJ Khaled, Meghan Trainor, and label executive Charlie Walk, while Fergie serves as host.

When to Watch: Jan. 4, FOX

Will & Grace

Everyone’s favorite foursome is back, and we are loving every minute! Join the party when season 9 returns!

When to Watch: Jan. 4, NBC

75th Annual Golden Globe Awards

Celebrate the very best in TV and Film.

When to Watch: Jan. 7, NBC

Making A Model With Yolanda Hadid

Real Housewives of Beverly Hills alum, Yolanda Hadid brings her expertise to the forefront as she coaches aspiring teen models to succeed on and off the catwalk. As the mother and agent to fashion’s “IT” girls Gigi and Bella, and model son Anwar, Yolanda and her trusted team of experts will put the girls and their “momagers” through an intensive eight week training program, focused on the physical, mental and emotional wellness that it takes to build a sustainable brand.

When to Watch: Jan. 11, Lifetime

24th Annual Screen Actors Guild Awards

Hosted by Kristen Bell, the 24th SAG awards honors the best achievements in film and television.

When to Watch: Jan. 21, TBS/TNT

Good Girls

This drama, from executive producer Jenna Bans (“Scandal”), follows what happens when three suburban moms get tired of trying to make ends meet and decide it’s time to stick up for themselves by robbing the local supermarket at gunpoint with a toy gun. The series, described as a mix of “Thelma and Louise” and “Breaking Bad,” stars Retta (“Parks and Recreation”), Mae Whitman (“Parenthood”) and Christina Hendricks (“Mad Men”), with the latter replacing Kathleen Rose Perkins, who starred in the pilot.

When to Watch: February 26, NBC

American Idol

Less than a year after ending its 15-season run on Fox, ABC has revived the singing competition series with a new roster of judges. Katy Perry, Lionel Richie and Luke Bryan will join returning host Ryan Seacrest when the reality juggernaut makes its debut after the Oscars.

When to Watch: March 11, ABC

Returning Shows:

Dick Clark’s New Year’s Rockin’ Eve With Ryan Seacrest

America’s favorite TV/radio broadcaster Ryan Seacrest will return to host television’s largest again joined by actress and comedian Jenny McCarthy. The show also announced that multiplatinum music superstar Ciara will officially ring in the New Year from the west coast as the new host of the Hollywood Party.

When to Watch: December 31, ABC

Bones

The season premiere of Bones will answer exactly why Zack kidnapped Bones and reveal his full involvement with the Puppeteer murders. There will also be more developments in Hodgins’ quest to be able to use his legs again, though not all of them will be good. The final 12 episodes of the show will see fan-favorite characters continue to return as well as last season’s special guest Betty White.

When to Watch: January 3, FOX

The Blacklist

The task force has more pressing problems to deal with in the return episode: Namely, finding out who has been leaking information to suspected terrorists. The person’s identity will be revealed by the end of the episode, and will have major repercussions going forward. In other news, Aram and Samar get one big step closer to romance.

When to Watch: January 5, NBC

Emerald City

This gritty take on L. Frank Baum’s Oz books finds a 20-year-old Dorothy (Adria Arjona) and a K9 police dog swept off to a fantastical world unlike anything she’s seen before. Vincent D’Onofrio stars as the manipulative Wizard, who has banned magic and rules with an iron fist. Joely Richardson stars as Glinda the Good Witch and Florence Kasumba stars as the Wicked Witch of the East.

When to Watch: January 6, NBC

A Series of Unfortunate Events

The whimsical novel makes its very whimsical television debut in this beautifully bleak adaptation about a trio of orphans who are placed in the care of their scheming relative Count Olaf (a heavily made-up Neil Patrick Harris), who plans to steal their inheritance. Netflix will air 26 episodes in total, with each of the 13 books in the series adapted into two episodes. The first season will consist of eight episodes and cover the first four books. Patrick Warburton, Aasif Mandvi, Joan Cusack and Catherine O’Hare also star.

When to Watch: January 13, Netflix

The Assassination of Gianni Versace: American Crime Story

The second season of the American Crime Story anthology from Ryan Murphy explores the July 1997 assassination of Versace (Edgar Ramirez), the famed fashion designer, by Andrew Cunanan (Darren Criss), who was also behind four other slayings before he ultimately killed himself eight days later. The drama boasts an all-star cast that also includes Ricky Martin and Penelope Cruz.

When to Watch: January 17, FX

XXIII Olympic Winter Games

Watch the world’s best athletes compete in Pyeongchang, South Korea.

When to Watch: February 9-25, NBC

from Hotspots! Magazine https://hotspotsmagazine.com/2017/12/21/winter-movie-tv-preview/ from Hot Spots Magazine https://hotspotsmagazine.tumblr.com/post/168788352410

[cynthiajayusa]

Winter Movie & TV Preview

Winter is normally a season that is accompanied by long, snowy nights and freezing temperatures that make going outside unbearable; however, for us that call South Florida home, winter means that we can finally enjoy being outside without suffering from heat stroke and wear things other than shorts and flip flops. From blockbuster movies to the most talked about TV shows to festivals and fairs, there is no shortage of things to see and do around South Florida this winter. Here is your definitive guide to what to watch and do this season, so grab your cuddle buddy and get ready to enjoy winter in paradise.

MOVIES:

When the temperature drops, stay inside and watch these must-see, blockbuster movies:

December:

Jumanji: Welcome To The Jungle

Four teenagers discover an old video game console and are literally drawn into the game’s jungle setting becoming the adult avatars they chose.

Starring: Dwayne Johnson, Karen Gillan, Kevin Hart, Jack Black

Release Date: Dec. 22

Pitch Perfect 3

Fat Amy, along with your favorite Bellas, are back following their win at the world championship. The now separated Bellas reunite for one last singing competition at an overseas USO tour, but face a group who uses both instruments and voices.

Starring: Anna Kendrick, Rebel Wilson, Ruby Rose, Hailee Steinfeld, Brittany Snow

Release Date: Dec. 22

Father Figures

Upon learning that their mother has been lying to them for years about their allegedly deceased father, two fraternal twin brothers hit the road to find him.

Starring: Owen Wilson, Christopher Walken, J.K. Simmons, Ed Helms

Release Date: Dec. 22

The Post

A cover-up that spanned four U.S. Presidents pushed the country’s first female newspaper publisher and a hard-driving editor to join an unprecedented battle between journalist and government.

Starring: Meryl Streep, Tom Hanks, Sarah Paulson, Bob Odenkirk

Release Date: Dec. 22

Downsizing

When scientists discover how to shrink humans to five inches tall as a solution to overpopulation, Paul (Matt Damon) and his wife Audrey (Kristen Wiig) decide to abandon their stressed lives in order to get small and move to a new downsized community — a choice that triggers life-changing adventures.

Starring: Matt Damon, Christoph Waltz, Hong Chau, Kristen Wiig

Release Date: Dec. 22

Crooked House

In Agatha Christie’s most twisted tale, a spy-turned-private-detective is lured by his former lover to catch her grandfather’s murderer before Scotland Yard exposes dark family secrets.

Starring: Christina Hendricks, Gillian Anderson, Honor Kneafsey, Glenn Close

Release Date: Dec. 22

The Greatest Showman

Inspired by the imagination of P.T. Barnum, “The Greatest Showman” is an original musical that celebrates the birth of show business and tells of a visionary who rose from nothing to create a spectacle that became a worldwide sensation.

Starring: Zendaya, Rebecca Ferguson, Hugh Jackman, Zac Efron

Release Date: Dec. 22

All The Money In The World

This crime thriller is based on the true story of the kidnapping of 16-year-old John Paul Getty III and the desperate attempt by his devoted mother to convince his billionaire grandfather Jean Paul Getty to pay the ransom.

Starring: Mark Wahlberg, Michelle Williams, Charlie Plummer, Christopher Plummer

Release Date: Dec. 29

Molly’s Game

The true story of Molly Bloom, an Olympic-class skier who ran the world’s most exclusive high-stakes poker game and became an FBI target.

Starring: Jessica Chastain, Idris Elba, Kevin Costner, Michael Cera

Release Date: Dec. 29

Phantom Thread

Set in 1950’s London, Reynolds Woodcock is a renowned dressmaker whose fastidious life is disrupted by a young, strong-willed woman, Alma, who becomes his muse and lover.

Starring: Vicky Krieps, Daniel Day-Lewis, Lesley Manville, Sue Clark

Release Date: Dec. 29

January:

Insidious: The Last Key

Parapsychologist Dr. Elise Rainier faces her most fearsome and personal haunting yet – in her own family home.

Starring: Kirk Acevedo, Spencer Locke, Josh Stewart, Lin Shaye

Release Date: Jan. 5

Proud Mary

Taraji P. Henson is Mary, a hitwoman working for an organized crime family in Boston. Mary’s life is completely turned around when she meets a young boy whose path she crosses when a professional hit goes awry.

Starring: Neal McDonough, Taraji P. Henson, Danny Glover, Xander Berkeley

Release Date: Jan. 12

THE FINAL YEAR

“THE FINAL YEAR” is a unique insiders’ account of President Barack Obama’s foreign policy team during their last year in office. Featuring unprecedented access inside the White House and State Department, “THE FINAL YEAR” offers an uncompromising view of the inner workings of the Obama Administration as they prepare to leave power after eight years.

Starring: John Kerry, Barack Obama, Samantha Power, Ben Rhodes

Release Date: Jan. 19

12 Strong

12 Strong tells the story of the first Special Forces team deployed to Afghanistan after 9/11; under the leadership of a new captain, the team must work with an Afghan warlord to take down the Taliban.

Starring: Chris Hemsworth, Michael Shannon, William Fichtner, Elsa Pataky

Release Date: Jan. 19

Den Of Thieves

In this gritty crime saga, follow the lives of an elite unit of the LA County Sheriff’s Dept. and the state’s most successful bank robbery crew as the outlaws plan a seemingly impossible heist on the Federal Reserve Bank.

Starring: Gerard Butler, Jordan Bridges, Pablo Schreiber, Evan Jones

Release Date: Jan. 19

The Leisure Seeker

A runaway couple go on an unforgettable journey in the faithful old RV they call The Leisure Seeker.

Starring: Helen Mirren, Donald Sutherland, Kirsty Mitchell, Janel Moloney

Release Date: Jan. 19

White Boy Rick

The story of teenager Richard Wershe Jr., who became an undercover informant for the FBI during the 1980s and was ultimately arrested for drug-trafficking and sentenced to life in prison.

Starring: Jennifer Jason Leigh, Matthew McConaughey, Eddie Marsan, Bruce Dern

Release Date: Jan. 26

February:

Winchester

Eccentric Winchester firearm heiress believes she is haunted by the souls of people killed by the Winchester repeating rifle.

Starring: Helen Mirren, Sarah Snook, Jason Clarke, Angus Sampson

Release Date: Feb. 2

Fifty Shades Freed

In the third, and final, installment of the erotic Fifty Shades of Grey trilogy, newlyweds Christian and Ana believe they have left behind shadowy figures from their past and fully embrace an inextricable connection and shared life of luxury. However, just as she steps into her role as Mrs. Grey and he relaxes into an unfamiliar stability, new threats could jeopardize their happy ending before it even begins.

Starring: Rita Ora, Jamie Dornan, Dakota Johnson, Arielle Kebbel

Release Date: Feb. 9

Black Panther

T’Challa, after the death of his father, the King of Wakanda, returns home to the isolated, technologically advanced African nation to succeed to the throne and take his rightful place as king.

Starring: Chadwick Boseman, Michael B. Jordan, Lupita Nyong’o, Danai Gurira

Release Date: Feb. 16

Annihilation

A biologist signs up for a dangerous, secret expedition where the laws of nature don’t apply.

Starring: Tessa Thompson, Natalie Portman, Jennifer Jason Leigh, Oscar Isaac

Release Date: Feb. 23

The War With Grandpa

Upset that he has to share the room he loves with his grandfather, Peter decides to declare war in an attempt to get it back.

Starring: Robert De Niro, Jane Seymour, Uma Thurman, Christopher Walken

Release Date: Feb. 23

March:

Red Sparrow

Ballerina Dominika Egorova is recruited to ‘Sparrow School’ a Russian intelligence service where she is forced to use her body as a weapon. But her first mission, targeting a CIA agent, threatens to unravel the security of both nations.

Starring: Jennifer Lawrence, Joel Edgerton, Mary-Louise Parker, Ciarán Hinds

Release Date: March 2

Game Night

In this comedy meets crime movie, a group of friends, who meet regularly for game nights, find themselves trying to solve a murder mystery.

Starring: Rachel McAdams, Jason Bateman, Jesse Plemons, Kyle Chandler

Release Date: March 2

A Wrinkle In Time

After the disappearance of her scientist father, three peculiar beings send Meg, her brother, and her friend to space to find him.

Starring: Reese Witherspoon, Chris Pine, Gugu Mbatha-Raw, Levi Miller

Release Date: March 9

Gringo

Gringo, a dark comedy mixed with white-knuckle action and dramatic intrigue, explores the battle of survival for businessman Harold Soyinka (David Oyelowo) when he finds himself crossing the line from law-abiding citizen to wanted criminal.

Starring: Amanda Seyfried, Charlize Theron, Joel Edgerton, Thandie Newton

Release Date: March 9

Tomb Raider

Lara Croft, the fiercely independent daughter of a missing adventurer, must push herself beyond her limits when she finds herself on the island where her father disappeared.

Starring: Alicia Vikander, Hannah John-Kamen, Walton Goggins, Dominic West

Release Date: March 16

Love, Simon

Everyone deserves a great love story. But for Simon it’s complicated: no-one knows he’s gay and he doesn’t know who the anonymous classmate is that he’s fallen for online. Resolving both issues proves hilarious, scary and life-changing.

Starring: Nick Robinson, Katherine Langford, Jennifer Garner, Josh Duhamel

Release Date: March 16

Pacific Rim Uprising

Jake Pentecost, son of Stacker Pentecost, reunites with Mako Mori to lead a new generation of Jaeger pilots, including rival Lambert and 15-year-old hacker Amara, against a new Kaiju threat.

Starring: Tian Jing, Scott Eastwood, John Boyega, Adria Arjona

Release Date: March 23

TV:

No matter if you’re looking to find your new tv addiction or are waiting for the new season of your favorite show, we’ve got you covered. Here are the most talked about premieres and returning favs for you to binge watch all winter long!

New Shows:

Ellen’s Game Of Games

Ellen DeGeneres hosts this six-episode, hourlong game show that will feature expanded versions of the various party games featured during her daytime talk show.

When to Watch: January 2, NBC

9-1-1

From the masterminds behind “Glee,” Ryan Murphy and Brad Falchuk, comes this procedural drama, starring Peter Krause, Connie Britton and Angela Bassett, that explores the high-pressure experiences of police, paramedics and firefighters who are thrust into the most frightening, shocking and heart-stopping situations.

When to Watch: January 3, FOX

Grown-ish

Black-ish’s Yara Shahidi gets her very own spinoff, Grown-ish, which finds her freshman college student Zoey Johnson navigating the ins and outs of living away from home — crazy roommate, instant ramen, and all — for the first time. But despite a burgeoning checking account thanks to her parents, Zoey isn’t going to have an easy time when she gets to campus. Ah, the naivety of the youths these days.

When to Watch: January 3, Freeform

The Four: Battle for Stardom

FOX’s new Voice/American Idol competitor attempts to reinvent the singing competition by starting with just four strong contestants. Each week, and there are just six episodes in all, the four must defend their spots on the show against potential upstarts. The celebrity judging panel includes Sean Combs, DJ Khaled, Meghan Trainor, and label executive Charlie Walk, while Fergie serves as host.

When to Watch: Jan. 4, FOX

Will & Grace

Everyone’s favorite foursome is back, and we are loving every minute! Join the party when season 9 returns!

When to Watch: Jan. 4, NBC

75th Annual Golden Globe Awards

Celebrate the very best in TV and Film.

When to Watch: Jan. 7, NBC

Making A Model With Yolanda Hadid

Real Housewives of Beverly Hills alum, Yolanda Hadid brings her expertise to the forefront as she coaches aspiring teen models to succeed on and off the catwalk. As the mother and agent to fashion’s “IT” girls Gigi and Bella, and model son Anwar, Yolanda and her trusted team of experts will put the girls and their “momagers” through an intensive eight week training program, focused on the physical, mental and emotional wellness that it takes to build a sustainable brand.

When to Watch: Jan. 11, Lifetime

24th Annual Screen Actors Guild Awards

Hosted by Kristen Bell, the 24th SAG awards honors the best achievements in film and television.

When to Watch: Jan. 21, TBS/TNT

Good Girls

This drama, from executive producer Jenna Bans (“Scandal”), follows what happens when three suburban moms get tired of trying to make ends meet and decide it’s time to stick up for themselves by robbing the local supermarket at gunpoint with a toy gun. The series, described as a mix of “Thelma and Louise” and “Breaking Bad,” stars Retta (“Parks and Recreation”), Mae Whitman (“Parenthood”) and Christina Hendricks (“Mad Men”), with the latter replacing Kathleen Rose Perkins, who starred in the pilot.

When to Watch: February 26, NBC

American Idol

Less than a year after ending its 15-season run on Fox, ABC has revived the singing competition series with a new roster of judges. Katy Perry, Lionel Richie and Luke Bryan will join returning host Ryan Seacrest when the reality juggernaut makes its debut after the Oscars.

When to Watch: March 11, ABC

Returning Shows:

Dick Clark’s New Year’s Rockin’ Eve With Ryan Seacrest

America’s favorite TV/radio broadcaster Ryan Seacrest will return to host television’s largest again joined by actress and comedian Jenny McCarthy. The show also announced that multiplatinum music superstar Ciara will officially ring in the New Year from the west coast as the new host of the Hollywood Party.

When to Watch: December 31, ABC

Bones

The season premiere of Bones will answer exactly why Zack kidnapped Bones and reveal his full involvement with the Puppeteer murders. There will also be more developments in Hodgins’ quest to be able to use his legs again, though not all of them will be good. The final 12 episodes of the show will see fan-favorite characters continue to return as well as last season’s special guest Betty White.

When to Watch: January 3, FOX

The Blacklist

The task force has more pressing problems to deal with in the return episode: Namely, finding out who has been leaking information to suspected terrorists. The person’s identity will be revealed by the end of the episode, and will have major repercussions going forward. In other news, Aram and Samar get one big step closer to romance.

When to Watch: January 5, NBC

Emerald City

This gritty take on L. Frank Baum’s Oz books finds a 20-year-old Dorothy (Adria Arjona) and a K9 police dog swept off to a fantastical world unlike anything she’s seen before. Vincent D’Onofrio stars as the manipulative Wizard, who has banned magic and rules with an iron fist. Joely Richardson stars as Glinda the Good Witch and Florence Kasumba stars as the Wicked Witch of the East.

When to Watch: January 6, NBC

A Series of Unfortunate Events

The whimsical novel makes its very whimsical television debut in this beautifully bleak adaptation about a trio of orphans who are placed in the care of their scheming relative Count Olaf (a heavily made-up Neil Patrick Harris), who plans to steal their inheritance. Netflix will air 26 episodes in total, with each of the 13 books in the series adapted into two episodes. The first season will consist of eight episodes and cover the first four books. Patrick Warburton, Aasif Mandvi, Joan Cusack and Catherine O’Hare also star.

When to Watch: January 13, Netflix

The Assassination of Gianni Versace: American Crime Story

The second season of the American Crime Story anthology from Ryan Murphy explores the July 1997 assassination of Versace (Edgar Ramirez), the famed fashion designer, by Andrew Cunanan (Darren Criss), who was also behind four other slayings before he ultimately killed himself eight days later. The drama boasts an all-star cast that also includes Ricky Martin and Penelope Cruz.

When to Watch: January 17, FX

XXIII Olympic Winter Games

Watch the world’s best athletes compete in Pyeongchang, South Korea.

When to Watch: February 9-25, NBC

source https://hotspotsmagazine.com/2017/12/21/winter-movie-tv-preview/ from Hot Spots Magazine http://hotspotsmagazin.blogspot.com/2017/12/winter-movie-tv-preview.html

[hotspotsmagazine]

Winter Movie & TV Preview

Winter is normally a season that is accompanied by long, snowy nights and freezing temperatures that make going outside unbearable; however, for us that call South Florida home, winter means that we can finally enjoy being outside without suffering from heat stroke and wear things other than shorts and flip flops. From blockbuster movies to the most talked about TV shows to festivals and fairs, there is no shortage of things to see and do around South Florida this winter. Here is your definitive guide to what to watch and do this season, so grab your cuddle buddy and get ready to enjoy winter in paradise.

MOVIES:

When the temperature drops, stay inside and watch these must-see, blockbuster movies:

December:

Jumanji: Welcome To The Jungle

Four teenagers discover an old video game console and are literally drawn into the game’s jungle setting becoming the adult avatars they chose.

Starring: Dwayne Johnson, Karen Gillan, Kevin Hart, Jack Black

Release Date: Dec. 22

Pitch Perfect 3

Fat Amy, along with your favorite Bellas, are back following their win at the world championship. The now separated Bellas reunite for one last singing competition at an overseas USO tour, but face a group who uses both instruments and voices.

Starring: Anna Kendrick, Rebel Wilson, Ruby Rose, Hailee Steinfeld, Brittany Snow

Release Date: Dec. 22

Father Figures

Upon learning that their mother has been lying to them for years about their allegedly deceased father, two fraternal twin brothers hit the road to find him.

Starring: Owen Wilson, Christopher Walken, J.K. Simmons, Ed Helms

Release Date: Dec. 22

The Post

A cover-up that spanned four U.S. Presidents pushed the country’s first female newspaper publisher and a hard-driving editor to join an unprecedented battle between journalist and government.

Starring: Meryl Streep, Tom Hanks, Sarah Paulson, Bob Odenkirk

Release Date: Dec. 22

Downsizing

When scientists discover how to shrink humans to five inches tall as a solution to overpopulation, Paul (Matt Damon) and his wife Audrey (Kristen Wiig) decide to abandon their stressed lives in order to get small and move to a new downsized community — a choice that triggers life-changing adventures.

Starring: Matt Damon, Christoph Waltz, Hong Chau, Kristen Wiig

Release Date: Dec. 22

Crooked House

In Agatha Christie’s most twisted tale, a spy-turned-private-detective is lured by his former lover to catch her grandfather’s murderer before Scotland Yard exposes dark family secrets.

Starring: Christina Hendricks, Gillian Anderson, Honor Kneafsey, Glenn Close

Release Date: Dec. 22

The Greatest Showman

Inspired by the imagination of P.T. Barnum, “The Greatest Showman” is an original musical that celebrates the birth of show business and tells of a visionary who rose from nothing to create a spectacle that became a worldwide sensation.

Starring: Zendaya, Rebecca Ferguson, Hugh Jackman, Zac Efron

Release Date: Dec. 22

All The Money In The World

This crime thriller is based on the true story of the kidnapping of 16-year-old John Paul Getty III and the desperate attempt by his devoted mother to convince his billionaire grandfather Jean Paul Getty to pay the ransom.

Starring: Mark Wahlberg, Michelle Williams, Charlie Plummer, Christopher Plummer

Release Date: Dec. 29

Molly’s Game

The true story of Molly Bloom, an Olympic-class skier who ran the world’s most exclusive high-stakes poker game and became an FBI target.

Starring: Jessica Chastain, Idris Elba, Kevin Costner, Michael Cera

Release Date: Dec. 29

Phantom Thread

Set in 1950’s London, Reynolds Woodcock is a renowned dressmaker whose fastidious life is disrupted by a young, strong-willed woman, Alma, who becomes his muse and lover.

Starring: Vicky Krieps, Daniel Day-Lewis, Lesley Manville, Sue Clark

Release Date: Dec. 29

January:

Insidious: The Last Key

Parapsychologist Dr. Elise Rainier faces her most fearsome and personal haunting yet – in her own family home.

Starring: Kirk Acevedo, Spencer Locke, Josh Stewart, Lin Shaye

Release Date: Jan. 5

Proud Mary

Taraji P. Henson is Mary, a hitwoman working for an organized crime family in Boston. Mary’s life is completely turned around when she meets a young boy whose path she crosses when a professional hit goes awry.

Starring: Neal McDonough, Taraji P. Henson, Danny Glover, Xander Berkeley

Release Date: Jan. 12

THE FINAL YEAR

“THE FINAL YEAR” is a unique insiders’ account of President Barack Obama’s foreign policy team during their last year in office. Featuring unprecedented access inside the White House and State Department, “THE FINAL YEAR” offers an uncompromising view of the inner workings of the Obama Administration as they prepare to leave power after eight years.

Starring: John Kerry, Barack Obama, Samantha Power, Ben Rhodes

Release Date: Jan. 19

12 Strong

12 Strong tells the story of the first Special Forces team deployed to Afghanistan after 9/11; under the leadership of a new captain, the team must work with an Afghan warlord to take down the Taliban.

Starring: Chris Hemsworth, Michael Shannon, William Fichtner, Elsa Pataky

Release Date: Jan. 19

Den Of Thieves

In this gritty crime saga, follow the lives of an elite unit of the LA County Sheriff’s Dept. and the state’s most successful bank robbery crew as the outlaws plan a seemingly impossible heist on the Federal Reserve Bank.

Starring: Gerard Butler, Jordan Bridges, Pablo Schreiber, Evan Jones

Release Date: Jan. 19

The Leisure Seeker

A runaway couple go on an unforgettable journey in the faithful old RV they call The Leisure Seeker.

Starring: Helen Mirren, Donald Sutherland, Kirsty Mitchell, Janel Moloney

Release Date: Jan. 19

White Boy Rick

The story of teenager Richard Wershe Jr., who became an undercover informant for the FBI during the 1980s and was ultimately arrested for drug-trafficking and sentenced to life in prison.

Starring: Jennifer Jason Leigh, Matthew McConaughey, Eddie Marsan, Bruce Dern

Release Date: Jan. 26

February:

Winchester

Eccentric Winchester firearm heiress believes she is haunted by the souls of people killed by the Winchester repeating rifle.

Starring: Helen Mirren, Sarah Snook, Jason Clarke, Angus Sampson

Release Date: Feb. 2

Fifty Shades Freed

In the third, and final, installment of the erotic Fifty Shades of Grey trilogy, newlyweds Christian and Ana believe they have left behind shadowy figures from their past and fully embrace an inextricable connection and shared life of luxury. However, just as she steps into her role as Mrs. Grey and he relaxes into an unfamiliar stability, new threats could jeopardize their happy ending before it even begins.

Starring: Rita Ora, Jamie Dornan, Dakota Johnson, Arielle Kebbel

Release Date: Feb. 9

Black Panther

T’Challa, after the death of his father, the King of Wakanda, returns home to the isolated, technologically advanced African nation to succeed to the throne and take his rightful place as king.

Starring: Chadwick Boseman, Michael B. Jordan, Lupita Nyong’o, Danai Gurira

Release Date: Feb. 16

Annihilation

A biologist signs up for a dangerous, secret expedition where the laws of nature don’t apply.

Starring: Tessa Thompson, Natalie Portman, Jennifer Jason Leigh, Oscar Isaac

Release Date: Feb. 23

The War With Grandpa

Upset that he has to share the room he loves with his grandfather, Peter decides to declare war in an attempt to get it back.

Starring: Robert De Niro, Jane Seymour, Uma Thurman, Christopher Walken

Release Date: Feb. 23

March:

Red Sparrow

Ballerina Dominika Egorova is recruited to ‘Sparrow School’ a Russian intelligence service where she is forced to use her body as a weapon. But her first mission, targeting a CIA agent, threatens to unravel the security of both nations.

Starring: Jennifer Lawrence, Joel Edgerton, Mary-Louise Parker, Ciarán Hinds

Release Date: March 2

Game Night

In this comedy meets crime movie, a group of friends, who meet regularly for game nights, find themselves trying to solve a murder mystery.

Starring: Rachel McAdams, Jason Bateman, Jesse Plemons, Kyle Chandler

Release Date: March 2

A Wrinkle In Time

After the disappearance of her scientist father, three peculiar beings send Meg, her brother, and her friend to space to find him.

Starring: Reese Witherspoon, Chris Pine, Gugu Mbatha-Raw, Levi Miller

Release Date: March 9

Gringo

Gringo, a dark comedy mixed with white-knuckle action and dramatic intrigue, explores the battle of survival for businessman Harold Soyinka (David Oyelowo) when he finds himself crossing the line from law-abiding citizen to wanted criminal.

Starring: Amanda Seyfried, Charlize Theron, Joel Edgerton, Thandie Newton

Release Date: March 9

Tomb Raider

Lara Croft, the fiercely independent daughter of a missing adventurer, must push herself beyond her limits when she finds herself on the island where her father disappeared.

Starring: Alicia Vikander, Hannah John-Kamen, Walton Goggins, Dominic West

Release Date: March 16

Love, Simon

Everyone deserves a great love story. But for Simon it’s complicated: no-one knows he’s gay and he doesn’t know who the anonymous classmate is that he’s fallen for online. Resolving both issues proves hilarious, scary and life-changing.

Starring: Nick Robinson, Katherine Langford, Jennifer Garner, Josh Duhamel

Release Date: March 16

Pacific Rim Uprising

Jake Pentecost, son of Stacker Pentecost, reunites with Mako Mori to lead a new generation of Jaeger pilots, including rival Lambert and 15-year-old hacker Amara, against a new Kaiju threat.

Starring: Tian Jing, Scott Eastwood, John Boyega, Adria Arjona

Release Date: March 23

TV:

No matter if you’re looking to find your new tv addiction or are waiting for the new season of your favorite show, we’ve got you covered. Here are the most talked about premieres and returning favs for you to binge watch all winter long!

New Shows:

Ellen’s Game Of Games

Ellen DeGeneres hosts this six-episode, hourlong game show that will feature expanded versions of the various party games featured during her daytime talk show.

When to Watch: January 2, NBC

9-1-1

From the masterminds behind “Glee,” Ryan Murphy and Brad Falchuk, comes this procedural drama, starring Peter Krause, Connie Britton and Angela Bassett, that explores the high-pressure experiences of police, paramedics and firefighters who are thrust into the most frightening, shocking and heart-stopping situations.

When to Watch: January 3, FOX

Grown-ish

Black-ish’s Yara Shahidi gets her very own spinoff, Grown-ish, which finds her freshman college student Zoey Johnson navigating the ins and outs of living away from home — crazy roommate, instant ramen, and all — for the first time. But despite a burgeoning checking account thanks to her parents, Zoey isn’t going to have an easy time when she gets to campus. Ah, the naivety of the youths these days.

When to Watch: January 3, Freeform

The Four: Battle for Stardom

FOX’s new Voice/American Idol competitor attempts to reinvent the singing competition by starting with just four strong contestants. Each week, and there are just six episodes in all, the four must defend their spots on the show against potential upstarts. The celebrity judging panel includes Sean Combs, DJ Khaled, Meghan Trainor, and label executive Charlie Walk, while Fergie serves as host.

When to Watch: Jan. 4, FOX

Will & Grace

Everyone’s favorite foursome is back, and we are loving every minute! Join the party when season 9 returns!

When to Watch: Jan. 4, NBC

75th Annual Golden Globe Awards

Celebrate the very best in TV and Film.

When to Watch: Jan. 7, NBC

Making A Model With Yolanda Hadid

Real Housewives of Beverly Hills alum, Yolanda Hadid brings her expertise to the forefront as she coaches aspiring teen models to succeed on and off the catwalk. As the mother and agent to fashion’s “IT” girls Gigi and Bella, and model son Anwar, Yolanda and her trusted team of experts will put the girls and their “momagers” through an intensive eight week training program, focused on the physical, mental and emotional wellness that it takes to build a sustainable brand.

When to Watch: Jan. 11, Lifetime

24th Annual Screen Actors Guild Awards

Hosted by Kristen Bell, the 24th SAG awards honors the best achievements in film and television.

When to Watch: Jan. 21, TBS/TNT

Good Girls

This drama, from executive producer Jenna Bans (“Scandal”), follows what happens when three suburban moms get tired of trying to make ends meet and decide it’s time to stick up for themselves by robbing the local supermarket at gunpoint with a toy gun. The series, described as a mix of “Thelma and Louise” and “Breaking Bad,” stars Retta (“Parks and Recreation”), Mae Whitman (“Parenthood”) and Christina Hendricks (“Mad Men”), with the latter replacing Kathleen Rose Perkins, who starred in the pilot.

When to Watch: February 26, NBC

American Idol

Less than a year after ending its 15-season run on Fox, ABC has revived the singing competition series with a new roster of judges. Katy Perry, Lionel Richie and Luke Bryan will join returning host Ryan Seacrest when the reality juggernaut makes its debut after the Oscars.

When to Watch: March 11, ABC

Returning Shows:

Dick Clark’s New Year’s Rockin’ Eve With Ryan Seacrest

America’s favorite TV/radio broadcaster Ryan Seacrest will return to host television’s largest again joined by actress and comedian Jenny McCarthy. The show also announced that multiplatinum music superstar Ciara will officially ring in the New Year from the west coast as the new host of the Hollywood Party.

When to Watch: December 31, ABC

Bones

The season premiere of Bones will answer exactly why Zack kidnapped Bones and reveal his full involvement with the Puppeteer murders. There will also be more developments in Hodgins’ quest to be able to use his legs again, though not all of them will be good. The final 12 episodes of the show will see fan-favorite characters continue to return as well as last season’s special guest Betty White.

When to Watch: January 3, FOX

The Blacklist

The task force has more pressing problems to deal with in the return episode: Namely, finding out who has been leaking information to suspected terrorists. The person’s identity will be revealed by the end of the episode, and will have major repercussions going forward. In other news, Aram and Samar get one big step closer to romance.

When to Watch: January 5, NBC

Emerald City

This gritty take on L. Frank Baum’s Oz books finds a 20-year-old Dorothy (Adria Arjona) and a K9 police dog swept off to a fantastical world unlike anything she’s seen before. Vincent D’Onofrio stars as the manipulative Wizard, who has banned magic and rules with an iron fist. Joely Richardson stars as Glinda the Good Witch and Florence Kasumba stars as the Wicked Witch of the East.

When to Watch: January 6, NBC

A Series of Unfortunate Events

The whimsical novel makes its very whimsical television debut in this beautifully bleak adaptation about a trio of orphans who are placed in the care of their scheming relative Count Olaf (a heavily made-up Neil Patrick Harris), who plans to steal their inheritance. Netflix will air 26 episodes in total, with each of the 13 books in the series adapted into two episodes. The first season will consist of eight episodes and cover the first four books. Patrick Warburton, Aasif Mandvi, Joan Cusack and Catherine O’Hare also star.

When to Watch: January 13, Netflix

The Assassination of Gianni Versace: American Crime Story

The second season of the American Crime Story anthology from Ryan Murphy explores the July 1997 assassination of Versace (Edgar Ramirez), the famed fashion designer, by Andrew Cunanan (Darren Criss), who was also behind four other slayings before he ultimately killed himself eight days later. The drama boasts an all-star cast that also includes Ricky Martin and Penelope Cruz.

When to Watch: January 17, FX

XXIII Olympic Winter Games

Watch the world’s best athletes compete in Pyeongchang, South Korea.

When to Watch: February 9-25, NBC

from Hotspots! Magazine https://hotspotsmagazine.com/2017/12/21/winter-movie-tv-preview/

[flauntpage]

Your Friday Morning Roundup

Ron Hextall pretty much described the Flyers game for us:

Current mood: http://pic.twitter.com/ulXb8SpeAS

— Chris Jastrzembski (@CFJastrzembski) October 27, 2017

The Flyers lost to the Ottawa Senators 5-4. It started off pretty bad. 91 seconds in, Ottawa scored on the power play. That was one of three goals they would score in the first 13:28 of the game.

Philly’s scoring came in short spurts in the second and third period. Jake Voracek got his first tally of the season, while Travis Konecny got his second of the season in the middle period. Ivan Provorov and Sean Couturier both scored late in the third.

Michal Neuvirth did not look good at all. He stopped 23 of 28 shots faced, and despite a good start in his first few games, Neuvirth came crashing down to Earth.

The game could have gone a different way had some calls went in favor of the Flyers. Early in the third, Brandon Manning’s goal was reversed due to Jordan Weal interfering with Sens goaltender Craig Anderson:

Refs checking if Weal interfered with Anderson on Manning's goal. http://pic.twitter.com/m85ypDajky

— Chris Jastrzembski (@CFJastrzembski) October 27, 2017

And as the Flyers decided to wake up and try and get at least a point late in the third, this was not called a goal because the refs deemed the play to be over. Somehow:

The play was deemed dead. http://pic.twitter.com/IygVKGF6nO

— Chris Jastrzembski (@CFJastrzembski) October 27, 2017

So of course, this game was a game the Flyers deserved to lose, but should have won, yet didn’t because of the refs. This team is strange. The extraordinary Anthony SanFilippo will have his takeaways from this game later this morning.

They stay in Canada for a couple more days as they take on Auston Matthews and the Toronto Maple Leafs Saturday night.

The Roundup:

The Eagles continue to get ready for Sunday’s game against the 49ers. Lane Johnson will stay at right tackle, while Halapoulivaati Vaitai replaces Jason Peters at left tackle.

Mike Quick believed in Nelson Agholor for a long time, including when he struggled. Now, Agholor’s proving doubters wrong:

It took a while, but it appears the light has finally gone on for Agholor in this, his third NFL season. Through seven games, the 2015 first-round pick is tied with tight end Zach Ertz for the team lead in touchdown catches (5) and third-down receptions (11), is first in yards per catch (15.3) among the starters, second in receiving yards (366) and third in receptions (24).

Quick cited several reasons for Agholor’s not-so-sudden success, including his move to the slot, the additions of Alshon Jeffery and Torrey Smith and the hiring of a new wide receivers coach, Mike Groh.

But more than anything else, he thinks Nelson Agholor finally just got comfortable with being Nelson Agholor.

“I think just having success [helped],’’ Quick said. “Nelson has spent some time just dealing with Nelson, trying to figure out Nelson, and I think it’s helped him a lot.

With the team dominating in two areas of the game, the Eagles have what it takes to go all the way.

Kevin Kinkead thinks the Eagles can get more out of running back LeGarrette Blount.

Carson Wentz found a way to use one of his old college plays with the Eagles:

Following the spectacular third-quarter touchdown pass to running back Corey Clement against the Washington Redskins — in which Wentz ducked past an initial wave of defenders and tossed a perfect ball to the corner of the end zone while getting hit from both sides — Monday Night Football commentator Jon Gruden focused on the roots of the play while everyone else in the nation was buzzing over the fruit.

“Carson Wentz is unbelievable,” Gruden said. “That’s the same play that they featured at North Dakota State. He went to [coach] Doug Pederson. He said, ‘I want to put this play in our offense.’ They threw it for a touchdown against the Giants, and now they throw it for a touchdown against the Redskins.”

Offensive coordinator Frank Reich confirmed that Wentz championed to have that play from his Bison days added to the Eagles’ playbook.

“That’s accurate. Sometimes plays have a good mojo for you — you’ve had a lot of success, you’ve got a lot of confidence in them,” Reich said. “I think what happens when you run a play over and over again, you see it against all kinds of different coverages, you see it against different coverage techniques and leverage that defenders play, and really good quarterbacks learn how to beat any coverage when they have one play that they really like, and you feel like you can’t stop the play.”

On the 49ers side, the team has switched Eric Reid from safety to linebacker. Some think he’ll be really good.

With Stranger Things 2 coming out on Netflix, Matt Mullin of PhillyVoice.com compares Eagles players to Stranger Things characters.

—

Small Sixers news on the day, as Furkan Korkmaz practiced with the Delaware 87ers before being called back up.

If you want to remember Wednesday night’s heart crushing defeat to the Houston Rockets, Kinkead and Kyle have you covered. But don’t worry, there’s some good things from that game!

Kinkead also takes a closer look at the team’s pick and roll struggles, along with selling the contact for some calls.

So who’s better at 2K?

Markelle is at 2k

— Joel Embiid (@JoelEmbiid) October 26, 2017

Jojo is at 2k

— Markelle Fultz (@MarkelleF) October 26, 2017

I’m nice

— Joel Embiid (@JoelEmbiid) October 26, 2017

And who lives in Voorhees?

Finally, whoever made this cake and decided to use the “LOVE” sculpture instead of the Sixers logo should never be allowed to make wedding cakes again:

Philly sports-themed wedding cake! http://pic.twitter.com/DYgiCmLXq0

— Paul Lukas (@UniWatch) October 26, 2017

—

The Phillies are reportedly down to at least two solid candidates, according to NBC Sports Philly’s Jim Salisbury:

Team officials began the final round of interviews on Thursday. In-house candidate Dusty Wathan and outsider Gabe Kapler have emerged as finalists while former Boston Red Sox manager John Farrell is getting a late look, according to sources.

Major League Baseball frowns on clubs making significant announcements during the World Series, but there is a scheduled off-day in the event on Monday so an announcement could come on that day if club officials wrap up their search. Otherwise, an announcement would have to wait until later in the week.

By the way, Joe Girardi announced he wouldn’t return to the Yankees next season. Bob thinks the Phillies should go after him.

I had differing thoughts:

I'd rather have Wathan than Girardi. https://t.co/pvmMPnVb7X

— Chris Jastrzembski (@CFJastrzembski) October 26, 2017

Also, please consider helping Salisbury’s family:

You may have heard by now that Jim’s daughter, Mary, suffered a severe stroke in her spine that left her with a significant spinal cord injury and widespread paralysis.

Mary had recently graduated from Temple University with Honors as she earned a degree in communications. The summer after college graduation should be one of the best summers of a person’s life. New degree, new job, real money, and opportunity to go out and have fun in the city. The summer after graduation should not be spent in the hospital and at rehab facilities. It’s a terrible story, but it’s also one that can have a happy ending with some help.

Freddy Galvis is a Gold Glove finalist.

—

In other sports news, the Ravens shut out the Dolphins. Hopefully you didn’t watch. But if you did, Kiko Alonso tried to kill Joe Flacco:

Kiko Alonso knocked Joe Flacco out of the game with this hard hit to the head. http://pic.twitter.com/ChMmOA0Owi

— Brad Galli (@BradGalli) October 27, 2017

Alonso, who doesn’t say a ton when he speaks, defended the hit:

.@MiamiDolphins LB Kiko Alonso defends his hit on Joe Flacco tonight in #MIAvsBAL. http://pic.twitter.com/Lk2ArnkTAa

— NFL Total Access (@NFLTotalAccess) October 27, 2017

Blake Griffin for the win:

5 seconds to go, down 2 … Blake Griffin, FOR THREE?!?! http://pic.twitter.com/2i4yonzvGz

— ESPN (@espn) October 27, 2017

Giannis tried to kill Aron Baynes:

Giannis attempting this slam on Baynes is so audacious http://pic.twitter.com/mRxml7jtJv

— CJ Fogler (@cjzero) October 27, 2017

DeMarcus Cousins was the third player in NBA history to record at least 40 points, 20 rebounds, and five assists in a game. He did that last night against Sacramento, his former team

Philip isn’t a fan of the Zeke Elliott suspension saga.

Jim Tomsula is back:

From the man that brought you: "Everybody' gonna eat!!"

Here is: "Everybody play butt-ass naked!"

Jim Tomsula – Legend@PardonMyTake http://pic.twitter.com/eEvZIS9AN8

— Dov Kleiman (@NFL_DovKleiman) October 26, 2017

—

In the news, Philadelphia Police have confirmed that South Philly gunfire from early this morning is connected to the murders of two high school students earlier in the week.

Most of the JFK Assassination files were released, but some were still withheld for at least six months.

iPhone X pre-orders began this morning. They’re already sold out.

Your Friday Morning Roundup published first on http://ift.tt/2pLTmlv