#sterling cooper imagines

[ruggiethethuggie]

Sterling Cooper || Stardew Valley

wc: 2550 tags: fem!reader, she/her pronouns, Sterling Cooper, fluff, first meetings, alcohol consumed (by adults obv), reader is mid 20s, a bit flirty if you ask me hehe, never proofread ~we type and upload

Walking to the local general store was the last thing you wanted to add to your to-do list for the day. If only you had gotten up earlier, then maybe you would’ve noticed sooner that you were out of seeds to be planted for this season. No seeds means no crops, and no crops means you would be struggling to maintain the little level of sanity you had after taking on your grandfather’s long abandoned farm. The autumn season was beautiful here in your new home of Pelican Town. It was much different than the typical rustle and bustle of the city life you had before. But working in the corporate world had become too much stress. Not that this new flourishing farm was any less stressful, but the townspeople were always willing to help and you knew your grandfather would be proud that you were doing this for yourself.

Luckily, the farm wasn’t too far from the heart of the town where all the little stores and businesses were. It was just on the outskirts, maybe a mile or two outside the town limit, but you didn’t mind the walk. Walking was much more pleasant than sitting at a desk all day. Every day you fidgeted in your seat, anxiously awaiting for some way to leave and get out of the hell hole that was the corporate life. If not for that letter you remembered your grandfather had sent you, then you would probably still be stuck, the metaphorical chain still attached to your leg from the desk you were assigned to. It was a huge leap for yourself. Taking on an abandoned farm? Since when did you know anything about farming or crops or profit margins? The truth is that you had zero idea what you were doing, zero idea if this would even work out in the long run, but you wanted to have faith in yourself. You needed this change badly.

You checked your watch, almost 2pm. The store was still open until 5pm, so you had more than enough time to get there. Thankfully, you weren’t noticing your lack of seeds on a Wednesday or else you’d be out of luck until the next day.

The door’s chime bells dinged and donged as you opened the front door of the store and walked inside. Ever since moving to Pelican Town, you had told yourself that if you were going to buy seeds, you weren’t feeding the wallet of that scoundrel, Morris, at stupid Joja Mart down the road. You’d much rather contribute to the small community businesses. The mom and pop shops were always your favorite in the city; here, it was the same. You were no stranger to the aisles of Pierre’s; however, this was the start of a new season. The layout changed a bit each time, making room for the new seeds and items for sale. As you looked towards the counter, you could see Pierre speaking with Mayor Lewis. The conversation looked … intense? More than likely something about taxes and what not, so you didn’t want to really interrupt just to ask where the new season’s seeds would be.

You went down the first aisle, browsing through the shelves. There were so many new fall things that caught your eye, you almost forgot your real reason for coming to the store. As you turned down the next aisle, where hopefully those pesky new seeds were at, you bumped into another who was moving to the aisle you were on. You stumbled back a step or two but were able to catch your balance quickly.

“Oh, gosh! I’m so sorry, miss! I wasn’t looking where I was going. I hope you’re okay.” A hand reached out to assist you from the person you ran into. Clearly neither of you were paying any attention coming around the corner.

You brushed off his extended hand. “No, no. It’s fine! I wasn’t paying attention either, I’m sorry, too. I’m fine though, thank you,” you said with a smile. The man in front of you looked relieved that he didn’t hurt you in the head on collision you two had had. He was wearing a white button up, where the sleeves were so casually rolled up his forearms, with a black apron and a nametag on it. “Oh! Do you work here… Sterling?” you asked as you tried to read the scribbled name on the tag. He patted over his nametag and laughed. “Yeah, I do. Sorry, I know this chicken scratch ain’t the easiest to read. My name is Sterling, Sterling Cooper. And you are?” he asked, his smile was as radiant as the sun outside. “Oh, me? My name is Y/N. I just moved here awhile ago, took on that old farm down the road. It used to be my grandfather’s and he passed it on to me.”

“Ah, so you’re new here, huh?” he chuckled. “I used to live here as a kid and then moved to the city. I just moved back not too long ago either. Ole Pierre was nice enough to let me have my old job back from my teenage years.” As he said teenage years, you stared at him and laughed. He honestly didn’t look that old, but he talked as if he was pushing his 30s. “Teenage years? You mean like 2 years ago?” you jokingly said. He shook his head and snickered at your words. “I know this face looks fresh and new, but I promise I am 27. Those teenage years feel like a lifetime ago.” Twenty-seven? He didn’t really look it, but you were going to take his word. You laughed at his response as you stood there. His sapphire-like blue eyes sparkled the more he smiled. It was hard not to admire him, but you were here for seeds- not some maroon haired, blue eyed store clerk that you just met.

“Is there anything I can help you with?” he asked to break the silence between you two. You noticed he had a cart next to him that was full of new seasonal items. He must be stocking the shelves, I bet he knows where the stuff is at, you thought to yourself.

“Actually, that would be amazing?! I’m looking for some of the new fall seeds so I can get ahead on planting them on the farm. Just some things like artichoke, amaranth, bok choy- oh and pumpkins, of course! It wouldn’t be fall without those,” you chuckled as you read off your small list you had made for yourself.

“Well, let me see here,” Sterling said as he turned around and dug through the cart behind him. He was almost tossing stuff to the side in his search before finally finding a few seed pouches and turning around. “I’ve got the amaranth and bok choy seeds right here, but you’ll have to go down that way to get the artichoke and pumpkin seeds you need.” He offered you 4 small pouches of seeds, which you gladly took from him. “Thank you so much, Sterling! You’re so handsome!” The words just seemed to roll off your tongue without you even realizing it. You stood there like a deer caught in the headlights, embarrassed that you just said that out loud. Sterling, shocked as well, stood there silent with his mouth open- almost as if he was going to respond but couldn’t find the words to say.

Without saying anything more, you hurriedly walked past him and put your head down as you made your way to where he said the other seed packs would be. You could feel your face get hot with anxiety. You told yourself that next time you needed help, you were just going to interrupt Pierre or wait however long it took to get assistance from him. There was no way you would even think about asking Sterling for help again. You picked up the other packs of seed and damn near ran to the front counter. All you wanted to do right now was pay for your things and leave without talking to anyone else, especially not any other store clerks here. 

“This it for you today, y/n?” Pierre said as he took the packs and started ringing them up. “Yeah, for a while at least. Hopefully I can get these planted today and have a good start for the season, y’know?” You spoke the words, but your mind was elsewhere, and Pierre could tell. “You okay? I can get you water if you need, you look like you should sit down or something.” You shook your head at his words, you didn’t need anything more from the store- you needed to go home and plant these seeds and, maybe later, hop into Gus’ bar and relax with a drink or two after today’s efforts. “Well alright then,” Pierre said with a sigh. He gave you your total, and you passed money over the counter. It took everything in you to not snatch the bag from him as you rushed to leave. But before you left, you decided to torture yourself even more and sneak a glance at Sterling, who was still stocking the shelves in the aisles. He was very handsome, there was no denying it, but why, oh why, did you have to say it out loud?

You were standing at your kitchen sink, still cursing yourself internally about being weird at the general store, while you washed the dirt off your hands. The seeds were finally planted- at least one stressor for your day was gone, and with the homemade fertilizer you had whipped up, you hoped that this coming harvest would be bountiful enough in profit to hold you over til the cold winter months were through. After the day you had had, you just wanted to relax, so you changed out of your dirty, farming attire and slipped into some comfy,everyday wear. A nice drink and slice of pizza from Gus’ would make anyone’s day better.

By the time you arrived back in town, it was roughly about 9pm- a young night for those out and about at the saloon. You walked inside and approached the bar. “Oh, goodness! Y/N! Been a bit since you’ve come in, what can I get ya tonight?” Gus cheerily said as you sat down. “Can I get just a rum and coke and then let’s do a slice of that Gus’ famous pizza,” you hummed as you tapped your fingers on the counter. “Comin’ right up!” Gus turned around and started prepping the oven and grabbing an empty bottle to make your drink. The atmosphere was already making you relax; Gus had felt like a long distant uncle since you met him. He was always someone you could rely on that would listen to your woes and try to brighten your day in any way he could, which was usually with that pizza you loved so much.

As Gus put the drink in front of you, out of the corner of your eye you could see another person leaning on the bar as they sat down. “Hey, Gus! Can you get me an ale? Actually- make it two!” the voice sang. It didn’t take long to figure out who the person was that took the seat beside you. “Ah, absolutely, Sterling! Let me check this pizza and I’ll get ‘em served.” Sterling nodded as Gus went about his business and then turned to face you. “Did you get your seeds planted alright? Pierre said you didn’t look so good when you left the store earlier.” He put his hand on his cheek and leaned on the counter, smiling as he waited for you to answer.

“I’m fine,” you said as you glanced over at him. “They all got planted. I just … felt a little light headed. Yeah, lightheaded. But I’m fine now.” You traced the rim of your drink with your finger and then took a sip of it. The awkwardness from earlier in the day was still there for you, but he acted like nothing was wrong- or like you didn’t weirdly blurt out a compliment and run away when meeting him the first time.

“Lightheaded?” Sterling chuckled. “If that’s what you say it was, then I’ll take your word for it.” Gus placed the two ales in front of Sterling and went to the other side of the counter to take more orders from the townspeople waiting. “Don’t think this is a pickup line, but do you come here often?”

“Come here often? Sounds like a pickup line to me,” you teased. “But no, actually, I only come every once in a while- usually when it’s been a long day and I just need to relax. Why? Do you come here often?”

“Wow, first you call me handsome and now you’re asking if I come here often? Was it me that made you lightheaded? I’m flattered.” He grinned at you with a smile so delicious you thought that the few sips of your drink were already clouding your thoughts. As he took a drink of his ale, he could sense you still felt some type of way about the exchange earlier. “I mean, you called me handsome and I couldn’t even say anything before you scurried away. What if I was going to compliment you back?”

“So it was a pickup line. I’m not interested,” you said harshly, your brain and heart pulling you two different ways. “It wasn’t a real pickup line, I swear it,” he said as he held his hand over his heart in sincerity. “But what if I said I was interested? Then what? What if I wanted to tell you that I also think you’re stunning and I’d like to get to know you more, if you’d allow me?”

“Gus, is my pizza ready? Can you box it for me?” You practically shouted as you ignored Sterling beside you. You stood up from your seat and fumbled in your wallet to grab the money for your food and drink. “It’s like that?” Sterling asked with a surprised look on his face. “I have to get back to Shane anyway, he’s probably laughing at my failed attempt right now. I hope I’ll see you around though.” You watched him from the corner of your eye get up from the counter and grab the two drinks and walk over towards the fireplace where you could see Shane standing. 

As Gus took the money you handed him and put the box in your hand, he didn’t let go of it. You looked up at him confused. “He’s a nice guy, really. Been through some hard times, but I wouldn’t cross him off your list just yet.” He gave a wink to you and let go of the pizza box. “Thanks, Gus,” you said quietly. You looked over your shoulder at Sterling and Shane, laughing and drinking their ale together. The way he looked when he was happy, smiling and laughing, it was like sunshine in human form. You downed the remaining bit of your drink, which truthfully wasn’t even that much, and left the saloon with even more on your mind than before you came in.

© please do not copy and or repost my work as your own, my brain is massive and these are my thoughts.

[aardvaark]

Leverage character asks: 1,3,17,45 (your choice on character)

thank you for the ask & for fueling my leverage obsession lol <3

1. Canon I outright reject

honestly i love the character development on leverage, even when it means the character has some negative traits or weaknesses or something. hmm… i think one thing i disliked was hardison being a super bad tipper (some ep in s5). he doesn’t care about workers? particularly after five years of leverage? idk.

i also wish eliot didn’t seem to like cops so much, but thats more of a gripe with the show’s/showrunners’ attitudes towards police.

3. Obscure headcanon

sophie: that she’s trans! love that hc. shout out to @transsophiedevereaux. also that sophie had a drunken one night stand with maggie, which is actually (word of god) canon rather than a head canon, but seems to be rarely mentioned.

nate: nate x sophie x sterling… it’s happened at least once.

parker: so many!! but the one i’ll share is that. uh. she’s probably killed someone. pre-leverage, she’s known to be dangerous for a reason, and she’s been in a lot of awful situations unfortunately. she would probably have done so out of necessity, it might even have been self defense, but yk. it’s still killing someone. and no, i don’t mean the pilot flashback - according to word of god (ie john rogers) she probably didn’t kill her foster parents when exploding their house. anyway, i’ve seen some cool fics about this idea and discussed this topic w @laser-tripwires and i think it’s really interesting for a variety of reasons, but i won’t list them here bc this is already getting so long lol.

hardison: that he still secretly adds to nana’s income somehow (he canonically paid off her medical bills), that he plays D&D, that he likes [insert media beloved by geeks that i don’t really know much about, but i love that people hc him as enjoying the things they enjoy so much].

eliot: my own silly hc that many of his scars are actually from kitchen accidents rather than fights lol

17. Quotes, songs, poems, etc. that I associate with them

gonna answer this one for sophie only, cause i have quite a few answers just for her!

1) i saw a gif set of sophie once with the lyrics of "thief" by imagine dragons, and it was a really gorgeous gif set and the lyrics fit very well.

2) yk the fable "the scorpion and the frog"? at the end of s1, she seems to excuse her actions (conning the team) like the scorpion - that it’s just in her nature, lying is who she is, she’s a thief and this is what thieves do, etc. additionally, it’s what sterling says about her, that her behaviour was predictable because it’s "who she is".

3) the gambler by kenny rogers. bc the chorus is canonically her life philosophy lmao (according to the last dam job).

45. Their favorite celebrity

sophie: canonically, db cooper. she idolises him in the db cooper job lol. poster above her bed as a teenager etc etc.

nate: man, his would be oddly specific im sure. like he reads war strategy books, maybe sun tzu. or perhaps a chess grandmaster, like bobby fischer. i don’t know much about war strategists nor chess players, so if anyone does, then maybe you can suggest a more specific person.

hardison: i know he loves star trek, doctor who, star wars - im simply not pop culture savvy enough to know who his fave actors from those shows might be. BUT. i think it would be funny if his fave celebrity was wil wheaton (who was in star trek, and who, of course, played cha0s in leverage). also, wil wheaton is famously into D&D, video games, comics, and other "geek" stuff that hardison proudly enjoys too. hardison does not see the resemblance btwn wheaton and his nemesis, no idea what you’re taking about.

eliot: i think he would have people he looks up to or thinks are incredible, who are celebrities but only in a very specific field. like a renowned chef, but not a "celebrity chef" as in one who’s on tv. i mean like a chef who is famous among chefs, for being one of the most talented in the world.

parker: i feel her definition of celebrity would be somewhat different to most people’s. plus, her knowledge of the world is deep but narrow - she knows everything possible about thievery and anything even tangentially related (probably a decent amount of physics, for example), but pop culture? not so much. she later gets into stuff like dr who via hardison though, so perhaps the actor of the current doctor, ncuti gatwa. now, there’s also famous thieves, BUT they’re generally only famous because they eventually got caught. parker does not get caught. she would not idolise someone who ended up caught. maybe the thief of an unsolved heist. honestly, parker is famous in the leverage crime world. so. herself? not that she enjoys being a celebrity lol.

[ubervillez]

Sterling Cooper Draper Pryce 1/5

When I saw @extraayogurt 's architecture/design lot for their hood I loved the concept so much I knew I had to add it into Belladonna Cove. The idea is so clever and imaginative and would never have occurred to me in a billion years, so lucky for me they were so kind to share this nearly cc-free lot!

It's the lot I play with when I'm stuck on a current lot I'm working on or feel like I've hit a block and just want to decorate something without thinking too hard. It's got all of these cute little sections that I'm slowly filling up and I can change them when I want!

I like to have a show in the background while I'm simming/doing anything and lately it's Mad Men! I think seasons 2-5 are some of the best in TV! It's funny (to me) to kind of see glimpses of what I was hyper focusing on throughout my game. Like in my last save, one of my Sims had two pets named Cassian and Nesta because I had just finished ACOSF and was still obsessed.

SCDP would have been interesting as an architecture/interior design firm instead of advertising lol this lot is certainly more fun decorating it as such instead of making it into an ad office.

[moorheadthanyoucanhandle]

'23 SKIDOO

Before rattling off a list of my top ten movies for the year, I should offer a disclaimer. As with most years, it's based on incomplete information. There are still quite a few significant movies I haven't yet seen. But here, based on what I've seen and how I'm feeling at this writing, is my Top Ten List for 2023.

Killers of the Flower Moon--Martin Scorsese's epic yet intimate nightmare about the Osage murders in Oklahoma in the 1920s is a masterpiece; one of his best works and probably the best movie of the year.

Oppenheimer--Half of the midyear smash duo, this chronicle of the atom smasher of White Sands is a dazzling directorial performance by Christopher Nolan, fracturing his narrative yet keeping us focused. Possibly a hair overlong and anticlimactic, it's riveting at its best.

Barbie--The other half of "Barbenheimer." Greta Gerwig's brightly-colored take on the Mattel icon is crazy, imaginative and deeply goofy, yet in its own way no less serious in its ambitions. Margot Robbie is improbably touching in the title role.

American Fiction--Jeffrey Wright is quietly marvelous as an African-American novelist who so resents being expected to pander to white ideas about the black experience that he does so with a vengeance and becomes a smash. Cord Jefferson's adaptation of the Percival Everett novel Erasure is both rueful and hilarious, often at the same time, and beautifully acted by Sterling K. Brown, Tracee Ellis Ross, Leslie Uggams, Myra Lucretia Taylor, Issa Rae, Miriam Shor and the criminally underutilized Erika Alexander.

Maestro--It's not so much a biopic in the usual sense as a portrait of the marriage of Leonard Bernstein and Felicia Montealegre. Bradley Cooper is luminous as Bernstein, and his reserved directorial style balances Bernstein's grand self-dramatizing manner beautifully. Yet it's Carey Mulligan's Felicia who emerges as the movie's guiding spirit.

Godzilla Minus One--The Lizard King stands in for postwar despondency in this one-off, one-of-a-kind monster spectacle that's also a surprisingly moving portrait of a nation coming to terms with utter defeat, and gradually starting to rise from its own ruins.

Are You There God? It's Me, Margaret--Judy Blume's classic for adolescent girls was a long time coming to the screen, but under the direction of Kathleen Fremon Craig it struck just the right note; sweet and lighthearted.

Air--Sneakers have become such a cultural touchstone that it's probably inevitable that we'd get an origin story for athletic footwear. Ben Affleck's account of the development of the Air Jordan line and the issues around it is absorbing and amusing.

The Holdovers--Alexander Payne's '70s-period comedy, set at a private school in Massachusetts, is essentially a vehicle for the performances of Paul Giamatti as a splenetic ancient history teacher, Da'Vine Joy Randolph as a bereaved cafeteria manager and Dominic Sessa as the kid they're stuck with for the holidays. But what performances they are.

Saltburn--After her stunning debut with Promising Young Woman, Emerald Fennel's second feature, a neo-gothic take on class, is by comparison a little overwrought and sour. But it's no less brilliant, and it comes together joltingly at the end.

A few others that I found to be worth my time: The Blackening, A Haunting in Venice, Dumb Money, Jules, Theater Camp, Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny, Thanksgiving, Somewhere in Queens, Cocaine Bear, Renfield, Dungeons and Dragons: Honor Among Thieves, Napoleon and The Boys in the Boat.

A superb 2024 to us all!

[pashterlengkap]

Sean Penn’s rant about “timid & artless” Hollywood shows he just doesn’t get how privileged he is

Actor Sean Penn doesn’t agree that LGBTQ+ characters should be played by LGBTQ+ actors. In a recent New York Times profile by Times opinion columnist Maureen Dowd, the 63-year-old actor mentioned that filming Milk, out director Gus Van Sant’s 2008 biopic about the life and murder of trailblazing gay politician Harvey Milk, was the last time he “had a good time” on a movie set. Noting that at the time, Penn “got credit” — not to mention his second Oscar — “for being a straight man playing a gay one,” Dowd asked the actor whether he thought he could play Milk today, at a time when “there is sometimes an outcry when straight actors get cast as gay characters.” Related Actor Matt Bomer lost the role of Superman after he was outted as gay “That was a time in the industry when something like that could still really be weaponized against you.” “No,” Penn said. “It could not happen in a time like this. It’s a time of tremendous overreach. It’s a timid and artless policy toward the human imagination.” Dive deeper every day Join our newsletter for thought-provoking commentary that goes beyond the surface of LGBTQ+ issues Subscribe to our Newsletter today Neither Penn nor Dowd bothered to interrogate the issue further. But based on both Dowd’s dismissive framing of the question and Penn’s reactionary response, it seems unlikely that any further discussion of the topic by these two would have been particularly enlightening. Like so many cis, straight performers, Penn seems to view the issue in terms of creative choices. Certainly, there’s an argument to be made that LGBTQ+ actors, by virtue of their lived experience, may be better equipped to fully embody LGBTQ+ characters, resulting in more authentic performances. But that’s not to say that gifted, talented straight actors can’t convincingly play queer characters. Some certainly can, and they are routinely rewarded for doing so. This year alone, Bradley Cooper, Annette Bening, Sterling K. Brown, and Emma Stone all received Academy Award nominations for playing queer characters, with Stone winning her second for her performance in Poor Things. And it’s bizarre that Penn seems to think there is a “policy” in Hollywood that prevents straight actors from playing queer roles, considering that Paul Mescal, Margaret Qualley, Pedro Pascal, Ethan Hawke, Anne Hathaway, and Daniel Craig have all played queer characters in films that have been or are expected to be released this year, while White Lotus star Theo James was reportedly being considered to play George Micheal in an upcoming biopic. Like Scarlett Johansson and so many others before him, Penn only seems concerned with the opportunities he believes he may be denied while ignoring the historic privilege he and all straight performers continue to enjoy when it comes to casting. To paraphrase a recent Threads post from Toronto-based stylist, designer, and model Josh Pasquale, straight actors just don’t seem to get it. It’s not that LGBTQ+ audiences don’t want to see straight actors in gay roles. The issue is that out performers are rarely afforded the same opportunities as their cis, straight peers. Hollywood producers routinely cast straight actors in high-profile queer roles, which frequently result in awards nominations — Oscars voters love a transformation after all. And as them notes, over the Oscars’ 95-year history, Academy voters have awarded 80 acting nominations to cis, straight performers for LGBTQ+ roles, 15 of whom ultimately won. And those awards and nominations don’t just lead to greater prestige; they mean greater name recognition, marketability, and earning potential. Meanwhile, out actors are often relegated to supporting parts or struggle to find work at all.   Of course, there are exceptions. Say what you will about Ryan Murphy, but the out mega-producer has provided unprecedented opportunities for out actors on his TV and streaming series, while creators like Julio Torres, Billy Eichner, and Joel Kim Booster… http://dlvr.it/T8nyLN

[a2zbookmark]

2024 Oscars Nominations Unveiled: Celebrating Cinematic Brilliance

Introduction:

The stage is set, and the spotlight is on as the 2024 Oscar nominations have been revealed, showcasing a stellar lineup of talent and creativity in the world of cinema. In this blog post, we'll delve into the nominees across various categories, celebrating the outstanding achievements that have captured the hearts and minds of audiences around the globe.

Best Picture Nominees: A Tapestry of Stories

The Best Picture category features a diverse array of films, each weaving a unique narrative tapestry. From the gripping "Killers of the Flower Moon" to the heartwarming "Maestro" and the thought-provoking "Oppenheimer," these films promise an unforgettable cinematic experience.

Acting Excellence: Leading and Supporting Roles

The nominees for Best Actor in a Leading Role include stellar performances by Bradley Cooper, Colman Domingo, Paul Giamatti, Cillian Murphy, and Jeffrey Wright. In the Supporting Actor category, outstanding portrayals by Sterling K. Brown, Robert De Niro, Robert Downey Jr., Ryan Gosling, and Mark Ruffalo have earned well-deserved recognition.

Leading Ladies: A Celebration of Talent

Annette Bening, Lily Gladstone, Sandra Hüller, Carey Mulligan, and Emma Stone grace the Best Actress in a Leading Role category with their phenomenal performances. The Supporting Actress category sees the likes of Emily Blunt, Danielle Brooks, America Ferrera, Jodie Foster, and Da'Vine Joy Randolph adding depth and brilliance to the cinematic landscape.

Animated Wonders: Where Imagination Takes Flight

The Animated Feature Film category is a testament to the magic of animation, featuring enchanting creations like "The Boy and the Heron," "Elemental," "Nimona," "Robot Dreams," and "Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse."

Behind the Scenes: Cinematography, Costume Design, and Directing

The unsung heroes behind the scenes are recognized in categories like Cinematography, with standout work in films like "El Conde," "Killers of the Flower Moon," "Maestro," "Oppenheimer," and "Poor Things." The artistry of Costume Design shines in films such as "Barbie," "Killers of the Flower Moon," "Napoleon," "Oppenheimer," and "Poor Things." Directors leave their mark with nominations for "Anatomy of a Fall," "Killers of the Flower Moon," "Oppenheimer," "Poor Things," and "The Zone of Interest."

Global Perspectives: International Feature Film

Representing cinema from around the world, the International Feature Film category includes "Io Capitano" (Italy), "Perfect Days" (Japan), "Society of the Snow" (Spain), "The Teachers' Lounge" (Germany), and "The Zone of Interest" (United Kingdom).

The Magic of Music: Original Score and Original Song

Original scores by composers like Laura Karpman, John Williams, Robbie Robertson, Ludwig Göransson, and Jerskin Fendrix elevate the emotional resonance of these films. Original songs, including "The Fire Inside," "I'm Just Ken," "It Never Went Away," "Wahzhazhe," and "What Was I Made For?" enrich the cinematic experience. Read Also: NFC Showdown: Packers vs. 49ers Playoff Thriller Unveiled

Crafting Visual Realities: Production Design, Makeup and Hairstyling, and Visual Effects

The nominees in Production Design, Makeup and Hairstyling, and Visual Effects showcase the artistry and technical wizardry that bring stories to life on the big screen. Films like "Barbie," "Killers of the Flower Moon," "Napoleon," "Oppenheimer," and "Poor Things" exemplify excellence in these categories.

The Pen is Mightier: Writing Categories

The writing categories honor the backbone of storytelling. Cord Jefferson's work on "American Fiction," the collaborative efforts of Greta Gerwig and Noah Baumbach on "Barbie," Christopher Nolan's screenplay for "Oppenheimer," Tony McNamara's "Poor Things," and Jonathan Glazer's "The Zone of Interest" all contribute to the rich tapestry of cinema.

Conclusion:

As we eagerly await the Oscars ceremony, these nominations stand as a testament to the power of storytelling, the magic of filmmaking, and the incredible talent that continues to shape the world of cinema. The 2024 Oscars promise to be a celebration of creativity, emotion, and the enduring impact of the cinematic arts. Read the full article

[thesuburbanerd]

Ok I’ll provide some context. Elsewhere on social media, someone posted Canadian Tire catalogs from the 1950s:

Looking like something out of the comics pages of vintage Playboy magazines, I responded that I imagined the pitch meeting at Sterling Cooper Draper Pryce went something like this:

Stolen from twitter bc I need to see everyone's answers

[ayejayque]

The Bretton Woods and The Smithsonian Agreements

When the world transitioned from the gold standard to the present-day forex markets, it was not smooth sailing by any stretch of the imagination. World Governments cooperated to make two pacts. These would form the foundation of the current monetary system. However, both arrangements were disastrous. In this blog, I will shed light on those arrangements. Bretton Woods Agreement Situation: Europe was embroiled in WW2. Many world economies were in ruins. A lot of nations were simply printing money for them to be able to meet the gigantic war expenses. It was feared that as soon as the war finished, the European economies would implode from within. Such was the intrinsic instability in their currency markets. To avoid this fiasco, most major world leaders and leading economists held a conference at Bretton Woods in the US. History knows this as the Bretton Woods Conference. It had enormous consequences on the future monetary system and the development of the Forex market. Objective: The idea was to form a new monetary system. A system that was robust enough to withstand the WW2 aftershocks. The conference was supposed to devise a system, which would allow nations to evade fast depreciation and a complete fallout of their currency systems. Arrangement The very complex agreement that was reached, had the following action areas: - Dollar pegged to gold:US had the largest gold reserves post-WW2. It even had more gold than all of the European economies put together. The US dollar overtook the UK pound sterling as the most important currency in the world. Because the US was the gold leader, the United States dollar was pegged to gold. The price initially fixed was $35/ounce. There was a federal gold window where anybody having money could exchange it for gold. - Peg to the dollar:All world currencies were pegged to the dollar. A change in the dollar would mean a change in all the currencies. There was a 1% fluctuation. It was allowed between the value of the dollar and other currencies. If this fluctuation was more than a dollar, then the central banks were told to participate in open market buying and selling operations and bring the currency within the pertinent range. - Concept of reserve currency:The Bretton Woods conference made the dollar the reserve currency of the world. All nations were trading in dollars instead of gold. Even gold and oil came to be priced in terms of US dollars. The dollar thus became a reserve currency. All countries now needed US dollars to trade internationally. This was for all the nations of the world and not just the US. Institutions IMF (International Monetary Fund) and World Bank were created as an outcome of the Bretton Woods agreement. The Bretton Woods system was one of the most common arrangements between nations to create a recognized monetary system. IT could barely survive till 1971. It was finished after the Nixon shock. The US then unilaterally took the world off the gold standard. Smithsonian Agreement President Nixon took the world off the gold standard in 1971. He was apprehensive that the free market maneuvers in the foreign exchange markets would bring suffering and depression to many currencies. HE asked most countries to enter into what is now called the Smithsonian Agreement. This was another failure. It barely lasted 2 years. It saw the complete holdup of the Foreign Exchange markets! The US then persuaded the G-10 countries to enter into an agreement wherein they would keep their exchange rates attached to the US dollar. However, the dollar would not be attached to gold. It was similar to the Bretton Woods agreement except for the gold backing. Central Banks were allowed certain liberties. Their currency value was allowed to oscillate to 2.5% plus or minus the value of the dollar. This was before their Central Banks were to conduct open market operations. US Trade Deficit This arrangement was weak on paper. Under world markets’ pressure, it completely crumbled. The US trade deficit kept mounting. The gold value was up to $210 for an ounce in 1972. The G-10 members simply abandoned the Smithsonian agreement. This saw the closure of the forex markets for some time. The failure of the governments to form a system where the exchange rates of the currencies would be fixed and steady left no substitute other than a market for freely floating currencies. This is where we are at present. The Forex market of today is because of the disaster of the Bretton Woods and the Smithsonian agreements. Read the full article

[starcrossed-selfships]

Imagine you and your F/O(s) sitting out on the porch, watching the rain come down and eventually falling asleep to the sound of droplets hitting the awning.

Does everyone fall asleep? Does someone get you up or do they take you to bed somehow? Perhaps you just spend the night out there... However you think it might happen.

[titioosstuff]

https://www.hexham-courant.co.uk/news/18785082.tv-highlight-prepared-laughs-taskmaster-returns-screens/

Alex and Greg discuss Daisy May Coopers advanced pregnancy and their concern that her fits of laughter would be her going in to labour.

"When we got to about episode 9, we're thinking: 'Well now, this would be a good story'... we'd have been the worst at delivering a baby," says Horne.

"We are not a good paramedic team. You wouldn't want this combination turning up in an emergency," agrees Davies.

As for whether the pair would ever consider brushing up on their first aid skills?

"When you're giving birth, you don't want a man with a stopwatch and another man shouting... Maybe this interview could answer that question? Maybe women giving birth could let us know if that's what they actually needed? Maybe we'll become professional birthing partners?

"I'm ready. Call my agent."

And since I read this I can't get this idea out of my head. Because, you know what? As a pair I think they would be excellent doulas.

Yes, Alex seems to be embarrassed and uncomfortable with any sort of contact with women (other than his wife, I'm presuming). And it wouldn't be ideal if he approached a woman in labour with the same energy he had when he ate the mask off of Katherine Ryans' face.

But! Someone with a stopwatch is really really good to have around during delivery. It's very helpful to time the contractions. And I think Alex is a meticulous orderly man with a sense for details. There are things that needs to be done at certain intervals, in specific phases, and that it is important to keep track of.

Yes, one would want him to have read a book of some kind on the subject before it starts, but he has three children, which makes me think he once read all the books about it. And having a calm person with a clipboard and a stopwatch keeping track on what's going on and thinking about what's going to come next is a really good thing.

When it comes to Greg shouting it very much depends on what he's shouting about.

During hospital delivery being an advocate for the person giving birth is a very important job, and I for one wouldn't have minded one bit having someone on hand that could if necessary bellow down hospital corridors for help, or who could glare threateningly at people for me when needed. Being in labour is a very vulnerable process, and a strong support network is important.

But I don’t think he would shout that much. When Jessica Knappet fell off the stage he lunged forward immediately to check on her and help her up. No shouting at all, and no hesitation.

Most of all Greg could be an absolutely awesome physical support. There is a lot of leaning on people and getting around in increasingly difficult and ridiculous positions. Kneeling, squatting, laying on your back with your knees up, standing on all four - all the while having contractions, being in pain, and with a cumbersome, heavy body. Giving birth is a miracle, but a rather awkward business all around. So having Greg there, a great cuddler with massive strength, would be perfect. He could support and hold up and be safe to lean on.

The pain part is important too. Both of them seem fine with the two things that tends to be the most discouraging when it comes to giving birth. The first one is that it's painful, and the other one is that it is messy.

Gregs' happy sadistic chuckles might not really come in to play when it's this kind of pain, but I can't really imagine him freaking out about it either. He seems to be able to bear other peoples discomfort in a perfectly calm and balanced way, whether it's physical or emotional. Yes Alex of course, but in the Taskmaster-setting I also come to think of when Iain Sterling found it genuinely hard when his volcano fizzled out. Greg dropped it and moved on, neither stressed about it nor pushing the issue.

Alex is the one who thought up and carried through with tasks that for example required people to roll through geese droppings, drink vinegar with a straw, rub onion and chilli in their eyes, crawl with bare legs over gravel and just generally be uncomfortable, stressed out or in pain.

While he observed them holding a stopwatch and a clipboard. That makes me very calm when it comes to his ability to endure standing with his clipboard and observe the painful and absurd process of childbirth without freaking out.

And the messy part shouldn't face either of them. During a birth there will most probably be every kind of bodily fluid; feces, vomit, urine, blood, everything. But on the other hand, the same is true about any series of Taskmaster.

For better and for worse I wont be giving birth to any more babies, so I wont be able to test this theory. But if Alex and Greg set up shop as professional birthing partners I will definitiely recommend them to my pregnant friends.

Come on guys! You can do it!

[variousqueerthings]

Favourite Horror Tv Shows (Unranked)

The Haunting Of Hill House 

You want trauma in your ghosts? You want plottwists and time shenanigans? You want excruciatingly beautifully shot episodes? You want m o n o l o g u e s ! Family drama! Shirley Jackson with a twist?

I’m someone who generally loves Mike Flanagan’s work, because he’s not particularly pretentious about it. He clearly just loves horror as a metaphor for grief and trauma in particular, and also his wife Kate Siegel, and I think that’s sexy of him. 

This is definitely my favourite out of everything he’s made though, movies included. 

The Exorcist

Underrated! Wonderful! Queer! It’s unfortunate that this show was so misjudged that it didn’t reach the audience that it would have thrived under. I imagine a bunch of angry edgy fanboys wouldn’t be too happy with queer priests (amongst others) and feminist horror. 

Geena Davies in season 1. John Cho and Brianna Hildebrand in season 2. And the leads (Marcus and Tomas) are the version of partners-in-crime (sometimes literally crime) who pine for each other that for once isn’t grounded in no homo. 

The tenderness of affixing someone’s priest collar 🥺

(they get this close the first time they meet. this is their first meeting).

Buffy The Vampire Slayer

The Classic! Created so many tropes! And, despite J*ss Wh*d*n being a dick, full of women who are played by wonderful, talented actresses, and who get (for the most part) interesting, harrowing, fulfilling, varied narratives. 

I really didn’t see a genre show with this many female leads again until... I wanna throw out a year like 2015-2016. And even then, this one breaks the mold in terms of sheer accessibility and fun and inventiveness!

Sarah Michelle Gellar is an icon. This is her show!

Santa Clarita Diet

You know that post that’s like: My favourite “het” couples in film are actually bisexual. You know when a woman is unhinged and her husband is simply there to assist her in that goal? You love domestic serial killers? Zombies with-a-twist? Drew Barrymore and Timothy Olyphant being married? 

Literally what’s not to love? Sometimes your spouse becomes a zombie and because you love her, you’re going to help find the right victims (usually nazis) and hide the bodies. I don’t even like the idea of marriage, but if this is what it’s about, I finally get it!

Twin Peaks

I feel like I’m due a rewatch of this. The tragedy of it wasn’t lost on me when I was younger, but I was definitely very caught up in the eerie dreaminess and idiosyncrasies of the characters. 

Also, I still haven’t seen Fire Walk With Me, which I feel would help to recenter the whole narrative where it rightfully belongs: With Laura Palmer.

It’s aesthetically so right though. It draws you in, it unsettles you, it embodies the idea of a place being alive. 

Not to mention we love Dale Cooper in this household! 

The Addams Family

Okay before there were any other married couples, there was Morticia and Gomez Addams. 

This show is so funny - so many of the gags you see in the later movies that are also still hilarious are directly from the original show. 

I’ve got no ability to say how this was appreciated in the 60s, but considering it only had two seasons I feel like Not Enough. 

Somethingsomething ahead of its time, very subversive, Gomez Addams is Sean Astin’s stepfather, which feels important to me.

The Twilight Zone 

Speaking of ahead-of-its-time right? 

This show is everything! It has everything! It’s fantastic writing! It’s gorgeous set-up-and-pay-off! It’s political! It’s spooky! It’s anthology! It’s classic! It’s wild to me that its first season was in 1959, but it was a time of change and this fits perfectly into that push against all kinds of sensibilities and norms, both within Hollywood and America beyond.

Rod Sterling was a masterclass writer and anyone interested in the strange and unusual, but also just in good stories put to screen ought to watch this. 

Seriously: The Classic!

Hannibal

The joke I was going to make was “haha look I chose a gif for this show that’s less about Cannibalism and more about how gay these two are,” but honestly a large proportion of the gifs are about how gay these two are, and isn’t the show really a gay dramedy when you get down to it? 

The inverse Pushing Daisies, the continuation of Bryan Fuller’s perfect career of making beloved - and then cancelled - shows (Wonderfalls, Dead Like Me, Pushing Daisies, Hannibal... what next?) and my personal favourite of the bunch, because I love gothic gay idiots.

Chucky

I’ve seen the first 4 episodes. I love the film franchise (me, having watched the Child’s Play Verse films in the last two months, clutching them to my chest and hissing like a cat). 

It is more enjoyable if you watch the movies first, since it situates itself in an already-established verse and narrative, but it’s a fascinatingly built world that - because of its continued story through the last 30 years - feels very congruent to its own internal wacky laws. 

It also has queerness baked into its bones and I’m fascinated by how it’ll delve further into that legacy now that it’s become more possible to be direct about it. 

[fearsmagazine]

Welcome To The Blumhouse 2021 | Official Teaser & Images

The “Welcome to the Blumhouse” slate once again showcases both well-established and breakout actors collaborating with emerging, predominantly female, directors.

BINGO HELL and BLACK AS NIGHT will be exclusively released on Prime Video on October 1, followed by MADRES and THE MANOR on October 8.

BINGO HELL October 1, 2021

When a sinister figure threatens the residents of a low-income community, a feisty senior citizen tries to stop him in Bingo Hell, a wickedly original horror movie with a fiendishly funny twist. After 60-something neighborhood activist Lupita (Adriana Barraza) discovers that her beloved local bingo hall has been taken over by a mysterious businessman named Mr. Big (Richard Brake), she rallies her elderly friends to fight back against the enigmatic entrepreneur. But when her longtime neighbors begin turning up dead under grisly circumstances, Lupita suddenly discovers that gentrification is the least of her problems. Something terrifying has made itself at home in the quiet barrio of Oak Springs, and with each new cry of “Bingo!” another victim falls prey to its diabolical presence. As the cash prizes increase and the body count steadily rises, Lupita must face the frightening realization that this game is truly winner-takes-all.  

Directed by: Gigi Saul Guerrero Written by: Shane McKenzie, Gigi Saul Guerrero, Perry Blackshear Starring: Adriana Barraza, L. Scott Caldwell, Richard Brake and Joshua Caleb Johnson Executive Produced by: Jason Blum, Lisa Bruce, Jeremy Gold, Marci Wiseman, Raynor Shima and Lauren Downey

BLACK AS NIGHT October 1, 2021

A resourceful teenage girl leaves childhood behind when she battles a group of deadly vampires in Black as Night, an action-horror hybrid with a strong social conscience and a biting sense of humor. Fifteen years after Hurricane Katrina ravaged New Orleans, a new threat leaves its mark on the Big Easy in the form of puncture wounds on the throats of the city’s vulnerable displaced population. When her drug-addicted mom becomes the latest victim of the undead, 15-year old Shawna (Asjha Cooper) vows to even the score. Along with three trusted friends, Shawna hatches a bold plan to infiltrate the vampire’s mansion in the historic French Quarter, destroy their leader, and turn his fanged disciples back to their human form. But killing monsters is no easy task, and soon Shawna and her crew find themselves caught in a centuries-old conflict between warring vampire factions, each fighting to claim New Orleans as their permanent home.

Directed by: Maritte Lee Go Written by: Sherman Payne Starring: Asjha Cooper, Fabrizio Guido, Mason Beauchamp, Abbie Gayle with Craig Tate and Keith David Executive Produced by: Jason Blum, Jeremy Gold, Marci Wiseman, Lisa Bruce, Maggie Malina and Guy Stodel

MADRES October 8, 2021

Beto (Tenoch Huerta) and Diana (Ariana Guerra), a young Mexican-American couple expecting their first child, move to a small town in 1970’s California where Beto has been offered a job managing a farm. Isolated from the community and plagued by confusing nightmares, Diana explores the rundown company ranch where they reside, finding a grisly talisman and a box containing the belongings of the previous residents. Her discoveries will lead her to a truth much stranger and more terrifying than she could have possibly imagined.  

Directed by: Ryan Zaragoza Written by: Marcella Ochoa & Mario Miscione Starring: Tenoch Huerta, Ariana Guerra, Evelyn Gonzalez, Kerry Cahill, and Elpidia Carrillo Executive Produced by: Jason Blum, Jeremy Gold, Marci Wiseman, Lisa Bruce, Sanjay Sharma and Matthew Myers

THE MANOR October 8, 2021

A malevolent force preys upon the residents of a sleepy nursing home in The Manor, a gothic tale of terror with a modern twist. When a mild stroke diminishes her ability to care for herself, Judith Albright (Barbara Hershey) moves to Golden Sun Manor, an assisted living facility with a sterling reputation. But despite the best efforts of the staff, and a budding friendship with fellow senior Roland (Bruce Davidson), strange occurrences and nightmarish visions convince Judith that a sinister presence is haunting the massive estate. As residents begin to die mysteriously, Judith’s frantic warnings are dismissed as fantasy. Even her devoted grandson Josh (Nicholas Alexander) thinks her fears are the result of dementia, not demons. With no one willing to believe her, Judith must either escape the confines of the manor, or fall victim to the evil that dwells within it.

Written and Directed by: Axelle Carolyn Starring: Barbara Hershey, Bruce Davison, Nicholas Alexander, Jill Larsen, Fran Bennett and Katie Amanda Keane Executive Produced by: Jason Blum, Jeremy Gold, Marci Wiseman, Lisa Bruce, Sandy King and Richard J Bosner

[locke-writes]

Not Requested

Imagine impressing Don Draper during a pitch meeting

You were a little fish in a big pond handling an account for a no name company. The firm needed accounts wherever they could get them and while everyone else was focused on pulling large business they tossed the small business to the new employees. You'd only been working in advertising for a few years and only at Sterling Cooper Draper Price for a few months which really was comparable to the amount of time the firm had been opened but the firm had already been filled with those whose experience was far more than your own.

When trying to make major financial decisions what did Don care about a company that was only going to bring in a couple hundred thousand. They needed the money that was certain but it wasn't worth his time. He hadn't even wanted to show up to the pitch meeting although he'd been talked into it, talked into representing the firm that he had helped create, the firm he technically owned. So there he sat in the middle of a pitch meeting for a small chain of clothing stores at first only partially listening and then by the end of it as hooked on the chain as the store owners had been.

You were good, you knew what you were selling and how to sell it. Don could recognize the hunger inside you, that same desire he had at one point to hook someone on what they were trying to get you to sell. The pitch was solid he had to admit it might have been a mistake keeping you on small accounts, he knew you could be a valuable asset.

Tag List: Ask to be Added

[ireadyabooks]

Books to Read in 2021

It’s a NEW YEAR, everyone! 

We made it through 2020, and whether or not you hit your reading goal this past year, don’t worry! 2021 is a new year for your TBR, and we have an AMAZING line-up of books you should add to your reading list ASAP.

THE LIFE I’M IN 

This story of the power of forgiveness and second chances presents the unflinching story of a young woman trapped in the underworld of human trafficking. In Sharon G. Flake's latest and unflinching novel, we follow Charlese Jones, who, with her raw, blistering voice speaks the truths many girls face, offering insight to some of the causes and conditions that make a bully. Turned out of the only home she has known, Char boards a bus to nowhere where she is lured into the dangerous web of human trafficking.

HOLD BACK THE TIDE

A darkly seductive story of murder, betrayal, love, and family secrets in a small town in the Scottish Highlands. Alva knows that her father killed her mother, but she can’t prove it. The more she investigates though, the more she realizes that the truth can be more monstrous than lies/ And while you might be able to outrun anything that emerges from the dark water, you can never escape your past . . .

MUTED 

Denver is more than ready on the day she and her best friends Dali and Shak sing their way into the orbit of the biggest R&B star in the world, Sean "Mercury" Ellis. Merc gives them everything: parties, perks, wild nights -- plus hours and hours in the recording studio. Even the painful sacrifices and the lies the girls have to tell are all worth it. Until they're not. Denver begins to realize that she's trapped in Merc's world, struggling to hold on to her own voice. As the dream turns into a nightmare, she must make a choice: lose her big break, or get broken.

THE POETRY OF SECRETS

A lyrical portrait of hidden identities and forbidden love set against the harrowing backdrop of the Spanish Inquisition. Isabel’s dreams to pursue poetry and a partner of her own choosing are thrown into jeopardy when the Spanish Inquisition reaches her small town. 

SHURI #2: THE VANISHED 

Shuri, the Princess of Wakanda (and sister to the Black Panther), sets out to save a group of kidnapped girls in this all-new, original novel by New York Times bestselling author Nic Stone!

BRIDGE OF SOULS

Where there are ghosts, Cassidy Blake follows . . .unless it's the other way around? Cass thinks she might have this ghost-hunting thing down. But nothing can prepare Cass for New Orleans, which wears all of its hauntings on its sleeve. And the city's biggest surprise is a foe Cass never expected to face: a servant of Death itself.

FOLLOW YOUR ARROW

When bisexual influencer CeCe breaks up with her girlfriend, Silvie, she’s devastated. But then she starts falling for a new guy who has no idea she’s internet famous...and CeCe wants to keep it that way. But as her secrets catch up to her, she finds herself in the middle of an online storm, where she'll have to confront the blurriness of public vs. private life, and figure out what it really means to speak her truth.   

MIRROR’S EDGE

The danger rises and the deception grows in the heart-stopping third book in the New York Times bestselling Impostors series! Are twins Frey and Rafi on the same side . . . or are they playing to their own agendas? If their father is deposed from Shreve, who will take control? And what other forces may be waiting in the wings?

ZARA HOSSAIN IS HERE

Zara's family has waited years for their visa process to be finalized so that they can officially become US citizens. While dealing with the Islamophobia that she faces at school, Zara has to lay low. But when her tormentor vandalizes her house with racist graffiti, a violent crime puts Zara’s entire future at risk. Now she must pay the ultimate price and choose between fighting to stay in the only place she's ever called home or losing the life she loves and everyone in it.

REMEDY

It's a mystery - why is Cara so sick? It feels like she's been sick all her life . . . but she and her mom have never stayed in one place long enough for doctors to really understand what's happening to her. Now, at fourteen, Cara is tired of being tired, and sick of being sick. Unable to afford the care she needs, Cara's mom starts a Caring for Cara campaign online. The money starts pouring in. But something's not right to Cara. And the harder she looks, the less she understands.

HEARTSTOPPER VOLUME 3

The third volume in the poignant and sweet Heartstopper series, featuring beautiful two-color artwork! Charlie didn't think Nick could ever like him back, but now they're officially boyfriends. Nick has even found the courage to come out to his mom. But coming out isn't something that happens just once, and Nick and Charlie try to figure out when to tell their friends that they're dating. Not being out to their classmates gets even harder during a school trip to Paris. As Nick and Charlie's feelings get more serious, they'll need each other more than ever.

THE BLOCK

In the second book of The Loop trilogy, Luka is trapped in a fate worse than death. But now that he knows the truth about what he and his fellow inmates are being used for, it's more important than ever that he not only escapes, but that he builds an army.

ON THE HOOK

Hector has always minded his own business while he works towards a better life. Until Joey, whose older brother, Chavo, is head of the Discípulos gang, tells Hector that he's going to kill him: maybe not today, or tomorrow, but someday. And Hector, frozen with fear, does nothing. From that day forward, Hector's death is hanging over his head every time he leaves the house. But when a fight between Chavo and Hector's brother escalates, Hector is left with no choice but to take a stand. It's up to Hector to choose whether he's going to lose himself to revenge or get back to the hard work of living.

MISTER IMPOSSIBLE

Do the dreamers need the ley lines to save the world . . . or will their actions end up dooming the world? As Ronan, Hennessy, and Bryde try to make dreamers more powerful, the Moderators are closing in, sure that this power will bring about disaster. In the remarkable second book of The Dreamer Trilogy, Maggie Stiefvater pushes her characters to their limits – and shows what happens to them and others when they start to break.

THE GHOSTS WE KEEP 

Everything happens for a reason.At least that's what everyone keeps telling Liam Cooper after his older brother Ethan is killed suddenly in a hit-and-run. Feeling more alone and isolated than ever, Liam has to not only learn to face the world without one of the people he loved the most, but also face the fading relationships of his two best friends in the process. Soon, Liam finds themself spending time with Ethan's best friend, Marcus, who might just be the only person that seems to know exactly what they're going through - for better and for worse.

SIMONE BREAKS ALL THE RULES

Simone is shaking things up by making a bucket list of everything she hasn’t been able to do thanks to her strict Haitian immigrant parents. But as the list takes on a life of its own, things get much more complicated than Simone expected. She'll have to discover which rules are worth breaking, and which might save her from heartbreak.

SPEAK FOR YOURSELF

Skylar is ready to show everyone that her latest app is brilliant by winning an academic competition. To do that, she's going to use it to win State at the Scholastic Exposition, the nerdiest academic competition around. But when she falls for one of her team members and things get complicated, is her path to greatness over before it begins?

THE GIRL FROM THE SEA

A graphic novel about family, romance, and first love! Morgan's biggest secret is that she has a lot of secrets, including the one about wanting to kiss another girl. Then one night, Morgan is saved from drowning by a mysterious girl named Keltie. The two become friends and suddenly life on the island doesn't seem so stifling anymore. But Keltie has some secrets of her own. And as the girls start to fall in love, everything they're each trying to hide will find its way to the surface...whether Morgan is ready or not.

RISE TO THE SUN

Three days. Two girls. One life-changing music festival. Toni is reeling in the wake of the loss of her roadie father and desperate to figure out where her life will go from here. Olivia is a hopeless romantic whose heart has just taken a beating (again). When the two collide at the Farmland Music and Arts Festival, it feels like kismet. But when something goes wrong and the festival is sent into a panic, Toni and Olivia find that they need each other, and the music, more than they ever imagined.

YOU & ME AT THE END OF THE WORLD

Hannah Ashton wakes up to silence. The entire city around her is empty, except for one other person: Leo Sterling. Leo might be the hottest boy ever (and not just because he's the only one left), but he's also too charming, too selfish, and too devastating for his own good, let alone Hannah's. Together, they search for answers amid crushing isolation. But while their empty world may appear harmless . . . it's not. Because nothing is quite as it seems, and if Hannah and Leo don't figure out what's going on, they might just be torn apart forever.

IN THE SAME BOAT 

Sadie is ready for the race of a lifetime: The Texas River Odyssey. But then her brother ditches her and she has to pair up with her former best friend, Cully. It's irritating enough that he grew up to be so attractive, but once they're on the river it turns out he's ill-prepared for such a dangerous race. But as the miles pass, the pain of the race builds, they uncover the truth about their feuding families, and Sadie's feelings for Cully begin to shift. Could this race change her life more than she ever could have imagined?

THE GREAT DESTROYERS 

In this alternate-history novel, Jo joins the Pax Games: an Olympics-style competition that pits pilots of mechas against each other. But when fighters start dying in the arena, Jo is drawn into a deadly political plot. In a global arms race between superpowers, playing out in violent games that only humanity could create, comes a chilling story of clashing titans, ruthless competition, freedom, and the girl caught in the middle of it all.

[brokehorrorfan]

Welcome to the Blumhouse returns with four new Amazon original horror movies produced by Blumhouse (Get Out, Halloween) premiering on Prime Video: Bingo Hell and Black as Night on October 1, and Madres and The Manor on October 8.

Broke Horror Fan is giving away passes to advanced virtual screenings of the films. Choose between Bingo Hell and Black as Night on September 30, then all winners will be invited back for their choice of Madres or The Manor on October 7.

Click here and fill out the form as instructed to enter. Winners will be drawn this Friday, September 24. To help you decide, information on all four titles can be found below.

Bingo Hell is directed by Gigi Saul Guerrero (Culture Shock) and stars Adriana Barraza, L. Scott Caldwell, Richard Brake, and Joshua Caleb Johnson.

After 60-something neighborhood activist Lupita (Adriana Barraza) discovers that her beloved local bingo hall has been taken over by a mysterious businessman named Mr. Big (Richard Brake), she rallies her elderly friends to fight back against the enigmatic entrepreneur. But when her longtime neighbors begin turning up dead under grisly circumstances, Lupita suddenly discovers that gentrification is the least of her problems. Something terrifying has made itself at home in the quiet barrio of Oak Springs, and with each new cry of “Bingo!” another victim falls prey to its diabolical presence. As the cash prizes increase and the body count steadily rises, Lupita must face the frightening realization that this game is truly winner-takes-all.

Black as Night is directed by Maritte Lee Go (Phobias) and stars Asjha Cooper, Fabrizio Guido, Mason Beauchamp, Abbie Gayle, Craig Tate, and Keith David.

Fifteen years after Hurricane Katrina ravaged New Orleans, a new threat leaves its mark on the Big Easy in the form of puncture wounds on the throats of the city’s vulnerable displaced population. When her drug-addicted mom becomes the latest victim of the undead, 15-year old Shawna (Asjha Cooper) vows to even the score. Along with three trusted friends, Shawna hatches a bold plan to infiltrate the vampire’s mansion in the historic French Quarter, destroy their leader, and turn his fanged disciples back to their human form. But killing monsters is no easy task, and soon Shawna and her crew find themselves caught in a centuries-old conflict between warring vampire factions, each fighting to claim New Orleans as their permanent home.

Madres is directed by Ryan Zaragoza and stars Tenoch Huerta, Ariana Guerra, Evelyn Gonzalez, Kerry Cahill, and Elpidia Carrillo.

Beto (Tenoch Huerta) and Diana (Ariana Guerra), a young Mexican-American couple expecting their first child, move to a small town in 1970’s California where Beto has been offered a job managing a farm. Isolated from the community and plagued by confusing nightmares, Diana explores the rundown company ranch where they reside, finding a grisly talisman and a box containing the belongings of the previous residents. Her discoveries will lead her to a truth much stranger and more terrifying than she could have possibly imagined.

The Manor is directed by Axelle Carolyn (Tales of Halloween) and stars Barbara Hershey, Bruce Davison, Nicholas Alexander, Jill Larsen, Fran Bennett, and Katie Amanda Keane.

When a mild stroke diminishes her ability to care for herself, Judith Albright (Barbara Hershey) moves to Golden Sun Manor, an assisted living facility with a sterling reputation. But despite the best efforts of the staff, and a budding friendship with fellow senior Roland (Bruce Davison), strange occurrences and nightmarish visions convince Judith that a sinister presence is haunting the massive estate. As residents begin to die mysteriously, Judith’s frantic warnings are dismissed as fantasy. Even her devoted grandson Josh (Nicholas Alexander) thinks her fears are the result of dementia, not demons. With no one willing to believe her, Judith must either escape the confines of the manor, or fall victim to the evil that dwells within it.

[caniaskyouabouttoday]

“He was conceived out of desperation and born into a mess,” Don Draper narrates from his own therapeutic diary. He’s referring to his youngest son, Gene, born from a fleeting moment of passion in Don’s decaying marriage to Betty — but clearly this sentence describes his own bleak, sordid origins.

Mad Men is one of the most spoiled shows ever so this will have spoilers. Don’s moment of zen became a meme seconds after the show wrapped. What’s strange is that the meme doesn’t seem to have an opinion on this ending of this series. The end of Mad Men isn’t beloved like Six Feet Under, polarizing like The Sopranos, or reviled like Dexter. It simply is an ending.

Much like Mad Men’s ostensible parent series, The Sopranos, there is some ambiguity. I guess you could interpret that the smirk followed by the “Buy the World a Coke” advertisement means that Don made a triumphant return and penned a masterpiece ad for his dream client. But does the smirk mean that Don has let such things go? Has his mentality changed to regard these conquests as trivialities? After his disappearance nothing indicates that McCann Erickson would continue to placate Don let alone give him creative carte blanche on their largest account. Don’s career, for all intents and purposes, appears over in 1970. He is a very rich man and McCann Erickson is a very unhappy workplace.

Mad Men is a hulking 92 episodes, a long show in today’s era of shows doing 8-10 episode seasons every two years; and sags heavily after season 5. The first half of Season Six is nigh unwatchable and the show got bogged down in constant business intrigue with multiple mergers and new names for Sterling Cooper. We’re saddled with pointless characters like Ted Chaough and Lou Adler who are one-dimensional and the show spins its wheels hard including a very poor creative decision to mostly pull the show out of New York and thrust it into Los Angeles to make Don “bi-coastal” — a move that was pretty clearly designed to accomodate outside film projects, not to bolster the quality of Mad Men itself.

Harry Hamlin, who had been mostly missing from TV since major stardom in the 1980s in L.A. Law does add to the proceedings as soft spoken and self-serving weasel, Jim Cutler. I never felt like Mad Men needed an antagonist character, but he was the most worthy one and had a unique presence and delivery. Don is his own worst enemy. Dick Whitman is the hero. The contradictions of Don, and Dick, who I think are primarily distinct (Hamm makes it very clear which he is playing) are the conflict.

Much has also been made of Jessica Pare. She performs a notorious burlesque at Don’s birthday party that embodied “cringe” before that was an ubiquitous word. By the time they had developed any chemistry together the show started ripping them apart by her acting career causing conflict about where they should live; and cooled tensions between Betty and Don reminded audiences of their superior chemistry and more fascinating relationship.

I skipped locating all my discs and watched Mad Men on IMDB TV which gave the series, appropriately, advertisements. Some were loud, garish, and artless; but there were some like a sexy beach themed ad for Calvin Klein “Eternity” set to a sultry lounge cover of “Unchained Melody” - I could imagine Don Draper flashing a whisky soaked grin of approval at the spot. This is a good way to watch the show; monitor your volume button as some ads are much louder than the show volume and horribly obnoxious.

Mad Men is a long, uneven, and imperfect show but its grace notes are incomparable. The “Carousel” sequence from Season One is one of the most perfect bits of TV drama ever. Jon Hamm’s performance as Don Draper and Dick Whitman, what little we see of the latter, are fascinating television characters portrayed to perfection. His work in The Town shows that he has presence in film and I’m baffled at how such a versatile talent has had a tepid career in the six years since the show signed off. Elisabeth Moss has launched into the stratosphere and I sure would like to see more of John Slattery, Christina Hendricks, and Vince Kartheiser (making Pete relatable and somewhat likable is a small miracle of the writing and performances on this series.)

Mad Men isn’t as good as The Sopranos, it isn’t as marketable as Breaking Bad, and it certainly could have told a more compact story; yet I loved spending time in its beautiful dream of the turbulent 1960s. I do not believe we’d have masterworks like “Once Upon a Time...in Hollywood” that were made in its wake without it.

My time with the show was much like Don’s relationships; thrilling highs and plunging lows - yet I can’t wait to hop on that carousel and revisit the series again soon. It truly is a time machine.