#support sean baker

[g3othermal3scapism]

So ‘Anora’ was fucking amazing.

[hq-reviews]

Anora- ★★★★★ (Spoilers)

First Watched- 10/18/2024

Anora broke my heart. 

Now, I don’t want to be that guy, but I feel like this movie was made for me. I don’t want to be that guy, but I’ve been on board with this film since Mikey Madison’s casting. Additionally, when this movie won the Palme d’Or a day after my birthday, I was locked in. I figured this movie was sent down from a higher power just for me, and I was right.

When I think of Anora, I think less of the comedic moments than I think of the echoes of the tragedy of Anora herself. Anora is a story about difference. It is a story about love, and how that larger-than-life, human feeling can manifest in the most unexpected ways. 

One of the reasons this film is so effective is how these deeply human themes can be so prevalent behind humor. The movie plays into irony so well- in fact, I think this is one of the funniest movies of the year. There were points where my hand would fly to my mouth so I wouldn’t, like, cause a scene. This is mostly due to the fact that the dialogue in this film is so sharp, and most importantly, so real. Sean Baker’s writing oozes charisma, and the actors accentuate that beyond what I could’ve imagined. 

Mikey Madison is a star. I seriously believe she is locked in for the Oscar, or, at the very least, she deserves to be. When I read and watched the interviews behind the making of Anora, I was in awe of how much passion and care she brought to the role. Even the supporting actors and actresses were on a different level, however, I want to specifically mention Yuriy Borisov, who played Igor. Exploring that, even before the film starts, the audience, through the marketing, is led to believe that this film is a love story between Ani and Ivan. The surprising beauty of this film, though, is the bond that her and Igor develop throughout the course of the film. The whole series of events throughout this film focuses on Ani and Ivan, yet, by the end of the film, Ani and Igor’s forced proximity bond is finally given the opportunity to shine through.

Something else I want to gush about is the visuals; this movie is gorgeous. I was lucky enough to catch a 35mm showing at the Brooklyn Alamo Drafthouse with my sister, and our experience was unforgettable. The sheer clarity in the colors was just out of this world. Actually, to expand on that, something about Anora that really did catch my eye was the color. Ani herself is advertised in red. In all the promotional material for the film, she’s got either red nails, red shoes, red outfits, or red accessories. This is really interesting because Ivan, in contrast, is usually seen wearing clothes with blue highlights. This is explored ingeniously by the Vegas-bender scenes. In Vegas, Ani, wearing a red bikini, is in an outdoor pool, with the water and sky taking up most of the screen. I find this important because it serves as a direct mirror to her first meeting with Ivan. At first, the two met on Ani’s “home turf,” so to speak. When Ani first meets Ivan, it’s at HQ, bathed in red light. Compare that to the point in which after agreeing to be exclusive with Ivan for a week, Ani is seen wearing her colors being drowned out by Ivan’s color- blue. Hell, even the scene when Ani first visits Ivan at his house, she is wearing a light blue dress. As she continued going to his house, Ani’s wardrobe got more red. To me, this feels like Baker trying to emphasize not only  the two characters’ differences- how they are two completely different people, but also their individuality, and the strength in that individuality. One of the only times we see the antithesis to this principle is at their marriage ceremony in Vegas, in which both Ani and Ivan wore white; they are both at the same level with the same intention of loving each other. It is also interesting to note that at Ivan’s party to which he invites Ani to, they are bathed in purple lighting. With that, though, as their marriage broke down, so did their colors. By the end of their marriage, Ani is left donning red again with a red scarf(GIVEN TO HER BY IGOR, BY THE WAY) as she has this big crisis of faith in Ivan, while Ivan is left wearing his blue hoodie in broad daylight, as his true colors began to show. 

In that, though, is what I find heartbreaking about Anora. Throughout the first third of the film, Ani and Ivan’s romance is given space to breathe and grow. The movie gives the audience time to believe in their romance, emphasized by the chemistry Mikey Madison and Mark Eydelshteyn had. Ivan’s entire family, though, was hellbent on tearing their marriage apart, telling Ani that she doesn’t know Ivan, and that she shouldn’t trust him. The movie, even around the halfway mark, tries to hammer the point home by having Ivan run away when he was confronted by his family. I remember thinking to myself, Okay, he’s gonna come back, because the movie makes the audience want them to make it all the way. The film did an excellent job of putting us in Ani’s shoes, immersing us into her mindset. Anyways, to go back, I wanted to say that this movie broke my heart because Ivan’s family was right…kind of. They were right in the fact that Ani did not know Ivan- that he was just a bachelor- a bratty kid who wanted to blow his money away. The film broke my heart because Ani believed that her Cinderella dreams were coming true, only for the rug to be pulled underneath her by her own husband.

Anora is a film that I expected to love, honestly. That doesn’t stop the fact that the film was an emotional rollercoaster that left me stunned. What Sean Baker and Samantha Quan achieved with this film is something for the history books, and I hope that Anora receives all the critical praise it can get. My experience venturing to Brooklyn with my sister to watch the film was unforgettable, and I don’t think it’s out of the realm of reason to say this film could potentially be an all-time favorite of mine; hell, it’s already probably my favorite film of the year. Call it recency bias, call me crazy, whatever- the feeling this film gave me is not one a regular film can give me- it’s something more. Anora is more than a regular film, and needs to be experienced by everyone.

[animusrox]

Golden Globes Nominations - FILM

Best Motion Picture – Drama​

The Brutalist (A24) A Complete Unknown (Searchlight Pictures) Conclave (Focus Features) Dune: Part Two (Warner Bros. Pictures) Nickel Boys (Orion Pictures/Amazon Mgm Studios) September 5 (Paramount Pictures)

Best Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy​

Anora (Neon) Challengers (Amazon MGM Studios) Emilia Pérez (Netflix) A Real Pain (Searchlight Pictures) The Substance (Mubi) Wicked (Universal Pictures)

Best Motion Picture – Animated​

Flow (Sideshow/Janus Films) Inside Out 2 (Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures) Memoir of a Snail (IFC Films) Moana 2 (Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures) Wallace & Gromit: Vengeance Most Fowl (Netflix) The Wild Robot (Universal Pictures)

Cinematic and Box Office Achievement​

Alien: Romulus (Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures) Beetlejuice Beetlejuice (Warner Bros. Pictures) Deadpool & Wolverine (Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures) Gladiator II (Paramount Pictures) Inside Out 2 (Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures) Twisters (Universal Pictures) Wicked (Universal Pictures) The Wild Robot (Universal Pictures)

Best Motion Picture – Non-English Language​

All We Imagine as Light (Sideshow / Janus Films) – Usa / France / India Emilia Pérez (Netflix) – France The Girl With the Needle (Mubi) – Poland / Sweden / Denmark I’m Still Here (Sony Pictures Classics) – Brazil The Seed of the Sacred Fig (Neon) – Usa / Germany Vermiglio (Sideshow / Janus Films) – Italy

Best Performance by a Female Actor in a Motion Picture – Drama​

Pamela Anderson (The Last Showgirl) Angelina Jolie (Maria) Nicole Kidman (Babygirl) Tilda Swinton (The Room Next Door) Fernanda Torres (I’m Still Here) Kate Winslet (Lee)

Best Performance by a Male Actor in a Motion Picture – Drama​

Adrien Brody (The Brutalist) Timothée Chalamet (A Complete Unknown) Daniel Craig (Queer) Colman Domingo (Sing Sing) Ralph Fiennes (Conclave) Sebastian Stan (The Apprentice)

Best Performance by a Female Actor in a Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy​

Amy Adams (Nightbitch) Cynthia Erivo (Wicked) Karla Sofía Gascón (Emilia Pérez) Mikey Madison (Anora) Demi Moore (The Substance) Zendaya (Challengers)

Best Performance by a Male Actor in a Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy​

Jesse Eisenberg (A Real Pain) Hugh Grant (Heretic) Gabriel Labelle (Saturday Night) Jesse Plemons (Kinds of Kindness) Glen Powell (Hit Man) Sebastian Stan (A Different Man)

Best Performance by a Female Actor in a Supporting Role in Any Motion Picture​

Selena Gomez (Emilia Pérez) Ariana Grande (Wicked) Felicity Jones (The Brutalist) Margaret Qualley (The Substance) Isabella Rossellini (Conclave) Zoe Saldaña (Emilia Pérez)

Best Performance by a Male Actor in a Supporting Role in Any Motion Picture​

Yura Borisov (Anora) Kieran Culkin (A Real Pain) Edward Norton (A Complete Unknown) Guy Pearce (The Brutalist) Jeremy Strong (The Apprentice) Denzel Washington (Gladiator II)

Best Director – Motion Picture​

Jacques Audiard (Emilia Pérez) Sean Baker (Anora) Edward Berger (Conclave) Brady Corbet (The Brutalist) Coralie Fargeat (The Substance) Payal Kapadia (All We Imagine as Light)

Best Screenplay – Motion Picture​

Jacques Audiard (Emilia Pérez) Sean Baker (Anora) Brady Corbet, Mona Fastvold (The Brutalist) Jesse Eisenberg (A Real Pain) Coralie Fargeat (The Substance) Peter Straughan (Conclave)

Best Original Score – Motion Picture​

Volker Bertelmann (Conclave) Daniel Blumberg (The Brutalist) Kris Bowers (The Wild Robot) Clément Ducol, Camille (Emilia Pérez) Trent Reznor, Atticus Ross (Challengers) Hans Zimmer (Dune: Part Two)

Best Original Song – Motion Picture​

“Beautiful That Way” – The Last Showgirl; Music & Lyrics By: Andrew Wyatt, Miley Cyrus, Lykke Zachrisson “Compress / Repress” – Challengers; Music & Lyrics By: Trent Reznor, Atticus Ross, Luca Guadagnino “El Mal” – Emilia Pérez; Music & Lyrics By: Clément Ducol, Camille, Jacques Audiard “Forbidden Road” – Better Man; Music & Lyrics By: Robbie Williams, Freddy Wexler, Sacha Skarbek “Kiss The Sky” – The Wild Robot; Music & Lyrics By: Delacey, Jordan K. Johnson, Stefan Johnson, Maren Morris, Michael Pollack, Ali Tamposi “Mi Camino” – Emilia Pérez; Music & Lyrics By: Clément Ducol, Camille

[theholmwoodfoundation]

THE HOLMWOOD FOUNDATION PILOT EPISODE CAST/CREW - PART ONE

REBECCA ROOT - MADDIE TOWNSEND/MINA HARKER

Rebecca trained at Mountview Academy of Theatre Arts. Theatre credits include A Midsummer Night’s Dream at Shakespeare’s Globe, The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time for the National Theatre (UK and Ireland tour); Rathmines Road for Fishamble at the Abbey Theatre, Dublin; Trans Scripts at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe and American Repertory Theater in Cambridge, Massachusetts; The Bear / The Proposal at the Young Vic; and Hamlet at the Gielgud Theatre and Athens International Festival. TV, Film and Video Game credits include Monsieur Spade, This Is Christmas, Irvine Welsh’s Crime, Hogwarts Legacy, Horizon Forbidden West, Heartstopper, Annika, The Rising, Sex Education, The Gallery, The Queen’s Gambit, Finding Alice, Creation Stories, Last Christmas, The Sisters Brothers, Colette, The Danish Girl, Flack, The Romanoffs, Moominvalley, Hank Zipzer, Boy Meets Girl, Doctors, Casualty, The Detectives, and Keeping Up Appearances.  Radio credits include Clare In The Community, Life Lines, The Hotel, and 1977 for BBC Radio 4. Guest appearances include Woman’s Hour, Front Row, Loose Ends, Saturday Live, and A Good Read.  She plays Tania Bell in the award-winning Doctor Who: Stranded audio dramas. Rebecca has also recorded numerous documentary narrations, audiobooks, and voice-overs. Rebecca is also a voice and speech coach, holding the MA in Voice Studies from Royal Central School of Speech and Drama.

SEAN CARLSEN - JEREMY LARKIN/ JONATHAN HARKER

Born in South Wales, Seán trained at the Royal Welsh College of Music & Drama. He has worked extensively in audio drama, television, theatre and film.  Seán is perhaps best known to Doctor Who fans as Narvin in the Doctor Who audio series Gallifrey and has appeared on TV in Doctor Who - The Christmas Invasion and Torchwood. Recent TV credits include Mudtown (BBCiplayer/S4C), Dal y Mellt (Netflix), His Dark Materials (BBC1), All Creatures Great and Small (Channel 5), A Mother's Love (Channel 4) and Series 5 of Stella (Sky1).  Films include supporting leads in Boudica - Rise of the Warrior Queen, cult horror The Cleansing,  the lead in Forgotten Journeys and John Sheedy’s forthcoming film ‘Never Never Never’

SAM CLEMENS - ARTHUR JONES

Samuel Clemens trained at the Drama Centre London and is an award-winning director with over twenty years’ experience. Samuel has recently written and directed his debut feature film ‘The Waterhouse’ with Take The Shot Films & Featuristic Films and represented by Raven Banner Entertainment, which is due for release this coming year.  In addition, he has directed fourteen short films, winning awards all over the world including shorts ‘Surgery (multi-award winning), A Bad Day To Propose (Straight 8 winner 2021), Say No & Dress Rehearsal’. Samuel also directs critically acclaimed number one UK stage tours and fringe shows (Rose Theatre Kingston, Swansea Grand, Eastbourne, Yvonne Arnaud, Waterloo East Theatre) and commercials include clients JD Sports, Shell and Space NK. Samuel is also a regular producer and director for Big Finish Productions & Anderson Entertainment. He has cast, directed, produced and post supervised numerous productions of ‘Doctor Who – (BBC), The Avengers (Studio Canal), Thunderbirds, Stingray (Anderson Entertainment), Callan, Missy, Gallifrey’& Shilling & Sixpence Investigate’ and many more. Samuel has directed world class talent such as, Sir Roger Moore, Ben Miles, Tom Baker, Sylvester McCoy, Alex Kingston, Frank Skinner, Rita Ora, Rosie Huntingdon-Whiteley, Rufus Hound, David Warner, Celia Imrie, Samuel West, Youssef Kerkour, Sophie Aldred, Ian McNiece, Colin Baker, Olivia Poulet, Stephen Wight, Jade Anouka, Mimi Ndwendi, Michelle Gomez, Peter Davidson, Paul O’Grady and many more. Samuel is one of the founding members and directors at Take The Shot Films Ltd and is Head of Artistic Creation and Direction. Lastly, Samuel is a regular tutor at The London Film Academy, The Giles Foreman Centre for Acting & The Rose Youth Theatre and is a member of The Directors Guild UK. As for upcoming projects, Sam is currently in pre-production on his next feature film “On The Edge of Darkness”, which is based on his dad’s stage play “Strictly Murder”.

ATTILA PUSKAS - DRACULA

Attila Puskás is a native Hungarian Voice Actor born in Transylvania – Romania, so Romanian is in his bag of tricks too, but most of his work is done in English, in a Transatlantic Eastern European Accent, but is quite capable of Hungarian, Romanian and International Eastern European accents, plus Standard American. His voice range is Adult to Middle Aged (30-40+) due to his deep voice. Vocal styles can range from authoritive, brooding to calming and reassuring and much more. He’s most experienced in character work, like Animations and Games, but his skills encompass Commercials to Narration as well. He’s received training through classes and workshops, pushing him to the next level to achieve higher standards. Now on a journey to perfect these skills and put them to good use!

PART TWO: HERE

PART THREE: HERE

[dizzymoods]

For reference this is about sean baker who is an ardent rittenhouse defender, fan of neonazi jake shields, and supporter of sending the national guard to student encampments

Unlike this tweeter, some of us were not liberal zionists on 12 October. Some of us understood that if israel used six thousand (6,000) (6k) bombs within the first 6 days of the genocide—12 october being the 5th day— then this could not possibly be about returning the hostages.

As the great mathematician and my fourth (maybe fifth) cousin Beyoncé Giselle Knowles-Carter teaches us: 1 + 1 is 2! There’s still hostages in Gaza and now the israelis are over in Beirut! That’s a whole nother country! That’s not equaling two!

I bet if you explained that to a normal person they’d think Sean Baker is an insane zionist!

[sherlockianscholar]

part 2 (1991-1995): the saga of jeremy brett through the scuttlebutt archives

go here for part one!

since 1971, sherlockian and baker st irregular, peter blau has published a small "gossip" sheet for all sherlock holmes news under publication of the "Scuttlebutt from the Spermaceti Press." after the advent of computers, peter started digitizing all his sheets from 1985 onward.

we are now officially in the later stage of granada's sherlock holmes. production was driven by the desire to make large profits. thus, the quality of the show took a significant dip. our only remaining constants were jeremy and edward. but their acting stood strong even through significant trials and tribulations. by 1991, jeremy's health (mentally and physically) would continue to worsen dramatically, which ultimately led to his death in 1995.

March 1991: mmmm, not sure he's joking there

October 1991: jeremy finally commits to doing all of the stories

January 1992: first of all, Y I K E S. this is so messed up and homophobic to sherlock holmes. why, because of his usual celibacy?and "to the relief of fans who have wondered about his bachelor lifestyle." what the fuck.

this might be reading too much into it, but i think it might've been a jab at jeremy's sexuality. He had (at least) two long-term homosexual relationships: gary bond (1969-1976) and paul shenar (~1973-1978). while jeremy never publicly came out as bisexual, his relationship with gary bond was considered "one of the first relatively out" couples in the acting world. at least in the industry, it was common knowledge.

now i'm going to wildly speculate, so here goes. jeremy and joan married in 1976, which is also when jeremy and gary bond broke up. it's unknown how long jeremy and joan dated prior to their wedding. reportedly, jeremy dated paul shenar from 1973-1978 (and they remained close friends until paul died of aids in 1989), which overlaps with jeremy and joan's marriage. jeremy and joan spent a lot of time apart, with her in the usa and him in manchester. now, i don't think jeremy would EVER cheat on joan. but, i wonder if they had an open relationship (or maybe some form of polyamory). mind you, i have nothing to back that up, but it's something i've wondered about before.

circa 1993: this is the earliest article i've been able to find on jeremy's mental illness, which still makes me wonder when his difficulties became public. the details of his psychotic break in this article are heartbreaking to read.

as stated prior, linda pritchard (the interviewee) was jeremy's companion/probable girlfriend for the last seven years of his life. they met backstage during the secret of sherlock holmes. linda approached jeremy for help raising money for cancer research, which he naturally supported with a passion. she nursed and took care of him. she provided life-saving mental support and no matter how painful or how much jeremy's bipolar lashed out, she made sure he felt safe and loved. she's kind of controversial because she's written a lot of books about jeremy. firstly, she doesn't actually profit off them at all--she just wants to share jeremy's story. and at the end of the day, who cares? that woman loved and protected jeremy during the most vulnerable chapter of his life. she was there till the end. she will always have my respect.

March 1993: okay, sean day-lewis, you have no idea what you're talking about and your views are bad.

June 1993: we have 1 hour episodes back! but it's too little, too late.

July 1993: happy birthday, young michael! according to the sherlock holmes society of st. charles, "jeremy became very fond of the young boy by his side and they corresponded for many years. his father was one of the leaders of the chester baskerville society and editor of the devonshire chronicle."

on a heavier note, this is the beginning of the end. jeremy's health began slipping faster and faster. as did the the future of granada's sherlock holmes. once again, what could've been if jeremy hadn't gotten ill?

September 1993: okay, so there's a lot to unpack here.

firstly, they label jeremy as "a heavy drinker." this is the only thing/quote i know of that could approach that statement:

"i started drinking champagne as a kind of celebration to lift my spirits. it started with just a glass in my bath, and grew until i needed a whole bottle to put me to sleep at nights. well, that was getting entirely out of hand, and it had to stop." -jeremy brett during the beginning of granada

but i don't think that really spells out "heavy drinker" or "alcoholic."

secondly, jeremy's physical illness has become extremely noticeable and is officially out of the bag. but not the specifics. "jeremy brett has been struck down by a crippling illness." he "was taking medication for most of the day and at one stage had an oxygen mask to help him breathe." jeremy is now "suffering from pleurisy," which a granada spokesperson "confirmed" was true. but they were only the symptoms of a far greater problem--jeremy's heart disease and the lithium poisoning/complications that led to it.

November 1993 #1: and now we're calling it an "asthma attack." again, stating a symptom, but failing to understand how that piece fits into the big picture.

November 1993 #2: the big picture is revealed (except for the key piece of info--that this was because of the lithium). granada's june wyndham-davies (and presumably the rest of the major staff) remained publicly optimistic.

December 1993

February 1994

Spring 1994: JEREMY BRETT BREAKS HIS CONTRACT WITH GRANADA

March 1994: another psych ward stay. although it says that jeremy had a "nervous breakdown" in 1986, it's highly probable that it was actually a psychotic break. i believe the quote below is about the article cited above, but i'm not certain b/c i don't have an exact date for this quote nor do i have the article in question:

"i went there to pick him up, and two tabloid newspaper men, from the sun, had actually been clever enough to use his real name at the door, which is jeremy huggins. they went up to his bedroom where he was waiting for me, burst in with a camera, and said, 'we have come to see if you have got aids.' he kicked them out." -june wyndham-davies

April 1994: "i have bounced back like bambi," said brett. "i'm as fit as a fiddle, though still a little fragile." if only...

his second psych ward stay in a month. jeremy's lithium poisoning becomes public. (i'm on lithium! which literally saved my life. when i was first prescribed it, a nurse actually sat me down to make sure i knew how serious potential complications could be if i didn't adhere to exactly what the doctors told me. that never happened with any other medication.)

when the very last episode of jeremy brett's sherlock holmes premiered: "after completing 'the cardboard box', jeremy brett was back in the hospital--a mental hospital. in his own self-effacing way he called it 'the nuthouse.' when the memoirs was screened in britain, the man who was sherlock holmes failed to see his own last series because he was in a ward where the other patients preferred to watch another station. jeremy brett deferred to their choice of viewing." -david stuart davies from bending the willow

June 1994: jeremy continues to remain optimistic

December 1994: even though jeremy was incredibly ill, he decided to try and continue acting as best he could. "after mad dogs and englishmen, he had to renounce the fine projects proposed to him: the role of ebenezer scrooge at the national theater with a script by john mortimer, a season in chichester and the role of professor higgins in a new version of my fair lady. he hoped to at least to be the voice of a deer or an elephant in a future disney cartoon, but even this modest ambition proved impossible." (ACD encyclopedia)

can you even imagine how delightful jeremy would've been as a disney character? that would've been priceless.

January 1995: at this point, i believe jeremy began to realize he was dying

February 1995: jeremy is "on the mend"

July 1995: jeremy is forcibly retired from acting

September between 3rd-11th 1995: jeremy's doctor told him that he needed a heart transplant. jeremy's reply, “that's too dramatic, darling, even for me.”

September 12, 1995: peter jeremy huggins dies at the age of 61

“bless your darling hearts. much love, keep warm and dry and if you see him whisking around the corner – you know who, SH – then wave, because that’s all you’ll see of him. bless his darling heart, isn’t he wonderful, streets ahead of us – still.” -jeremy brett, 1995

and bless your darling heart, jeremy. thank you for everything.

[tinyreviews]

Tiny Review: The Florida Project 2017. Living in the shadows of Disney World.

It’s one of those experiential, thoughtprovoking movies. Not really a story imo. No character development or arc.

It’s an eyeopener on the lowest caste in the Disneyland hierarchy. A really good commentary on poverty and wealth disparity. Through the eyes of a child.

I wonder how they got permission to film though.

The Florida Project is a 2017 American drama film directed by Sean Baker and written by Baker and Chris Bergoch. Starring Bria Vinaite, Brooklynn Prince, and Willem Dafoe, with Valeria Cotto, Christopher Rivera, and Caleb Landry Jones in supporting roles, it was many of the cast members' first film appearance

[beeblackburn]

Top 5 media with trans rep/themes?

Thank you, @xserpx!

Truth be told, this question is actually trickier than you think, because I haven’t read/watched that much medias with explicitly trans rep/themes, I own a lot, but haven’t read them quite yet, and the better stuff I’ve read is sequestered in my writing server via snippets and tidbits from others... or indie/self-published publications and patreons... and, uh, not to oversell my stuff, but my own writing KOFF KOFF.

To be clear, I do have enough to give a list, but given what I’ve heard of Manhunt by Gretchen Felker-Martin (can you believe I bought that damn book six times?) and Tell Me I’m Worthless by Alison Rumfitt, this list is liable to change after checking out at least the former.

But without further ado...

Cheer Up! Love and Pompoms by Crystal Frasier and Val Wise - Look, I promise I love pain and violence and self-loathing and feeling like your skin’s a stranger to you, but this was done by a trans writer and artist team and it damn shows. As a whole, it really sings in how the trans experience feels like acceptance in your support network is conditional on how well you act. How well you don’t rock the boat, how well you perform to your preferred gender, and how unstable and insecure you can still be, despite all that and more. It doesn’t wallow in those thorns too long, but in terms of trans rep and theme? It’s my favorite, and it doesn’t hurt that I love the art. 

Tangerine, directed by Sean Baker - If the above was the more optimistic take of trans childhood, this is the poignant, if still playful, reality behind a decent chunk of adult trans womanhood, done with a cheap budget, but with verisimilitude intended. It doesn’t pull punches on how shitty trans sex workers are treated, how they’re objectified and abused, but it still allows them agency and personhood in how they go about the tangle of their professions and personal lives. And, more importantly, it doesn’t pull punches of how fellow trans people can hurt each other through their flaws and bad choices... but doesn’t surrender that they can still offer solidarity when the going gets really tough from systemic transphobia.

A Grisly Communion by N.J. Barna - If the first above was trans experience as childhood joy and love, the second was grounded street-walking reality, this is transcendental body horror. It’s a story that understands following our commonplace religious institutions can give you some degree of safety... but it can’t give you peace of mind, nor body. That the (fat) trans experience is conditional on being useful, on not taking up so much space for threadbare tolerance, and it’ll never be enough, given that fatness intersects upon the transness of it all. So, when unusual idols of worship are offered... we take them, because they, at least, would pay respect to our bodies and grant us the power to be on the other side of being meat from judging eyes.

Boys Run the Riot by Keito Gaku - I really wish this wasn’t cancelled before its time. This manga deserves at least a year’s worth of chapters, being an unconventional look into high school adolescence through a trans man’s pen, and a trans boy’s eyes as he navigates through being closeted in Japanese school culture and masculinity, his love life, and especially his daily choices of fashion, and how he eventually tries to gain more friends and allies through opening himself up... with plenty of teeth in how trans privacy must be respected for their safety, and how influencer culture intersects with gender performance and the need for online cache, with no easy answers there.

Realm of the Elderlings - What Hobb lacks a bit in the full understanding of transgression in the trans experience or culture as a whole, she makes up for in allowing a messiness in individual characterization and having one of the best gender nonconforming characters in all of fantasy. I’m not as crazy about the Fool as some fans, but he’s eminently quotable, layered, complex and messy as hell, and when he talks about love and yearning, such concept of malleable bodies, and how he transgresses cultures with utter confidence in his presentation, it’s enough to make one’s heart swell and ache at how there are not more characters like him in fantasy, for when he speaks of such experiences, it feels like he touches a part of you that transcends the physical.

[docrotten]

13 SLASHER FILMS THAT INSPIRED SCREAM and HORROR NEWS OF THE WEEK

This week on HNR, movie news of the week and the top 13 Slasher Films that influenced the SCREAM franchise . All this, and more, coming up next…Join your host Doc Rotten are the scariest, goriest, bloodiest co-hosts on the 'Net: Dave Dreher, the lead news writer at Gruesome Magazine, and Crystal Cleveland, the Livin6dead6irl.

HORROR MOVIE NEWS

Jamie Lee Curtis dedicates Oscar win for Best Supporting Actress in Everything Everywhere All At Once to "Hundreds" including Genre Fans! Source: Deadline

Alicia Witt and Blair Underwood join Nicolas Cage and Maika Monroe for Osgood Perkins' next feature, Longlegs.

Warner Bros. is courting Jenna Ortega for Beetlejuice 2. Source: Hollywood Reporter

TOP 13 SLASHERS THAT INFLUENCED SCREAM (Chronologically)

Norman Bates (1960, Psycho)

d. Alfred Hitchcock

a. Anthony Perkins

Billy (1974, Black Christmas)

d. Bob Clark

a. Albert J. Dunk (uncredited)

Leatherface (1974, Texas Chainsaw Massacre)

d. Tobe Hooper

a. Gunnar Hansen

Michael Myers (1978, Halloween)

d. John Carpenter

a. Nick Castle and Tommy Lee Wallace

Curt Duncan (1979, When a Stranger Calls)

d. Fred Walton

a. Tony Beckley

Mrs. Pamela Voorhees / Jason Voorhees (1980, Friday the 13th)

d. Sean S. Cunningham

a. Betsy Palmer and Ari Lehman

Frank Zito (1980, Maniac)

d. William Lustig

a. Joe Spinell

Cropsy (1981, The Burning)

d. Tony Maylam

a. Lou David

The Miner / Harry Warden (1981, My Bloody Valentine)

d. George Mihalka

a. Peter Cowper

Russ Thorn (1982, The Slumber Party Massacre)

d. Amy Holden Jones

a. Michael Villella

Angela Baker (1983, Sleepaway Camp)

d. Robert Hiltzik

a. Felissa Rose

Freddy Krueger (1984, A Nightmare on Elm Street)

d. Wes Craven

a. Robert Englund

Charles Lee Ray / Chucky (1988, Child's Play)

d. Tom Holland

a. Brad Douriff

Check out this episode!

[theprophet359]

We have centuries of contributions to the fashion industry! It’s no secret that mainstream culture is Black culture and, more importantly, Black style is the foundation on which all things cool exist. Still, many would like to conveniently leave that part out, opting to rename our innate styles under newfangled terminology, but we will never forget. Fashion rockstars like Kanye West and the late, great, Virgil Abloh may seem like supernova stars, but the truth is that they exist because of a long line of fashion forefathers and matriarchs. Black fashion magic isn’t a new concept, and fashion mavens like Kahlana Barfield and Samantha Black are able to run primarily because legends like André Leon Talley walked.  While some of our fashion patriarchs like Dapper Dan were forced into obscurity for decades by gatekeepers, torch bearers like Sean “Diddy” Combs held space in their absence. This intentionality, with the added help of social media’s long memory, made way for an eventual resurgence of the OGs. And now that brands like Dap’s and Karl Kani are back in the game, a new generation is able to properly give them their flowers.   View this post on Instagram A post shared by Karl Kani🦅 (@karlkani)   It’s impossible to know where you’re going if you don’t know where you’ve been,...

[awardswatcherik]

2024 Philadelphia Film Critics Circle (PFCC) Winners: 'Anora' Named Best Film Among its Six Awards

Anora was the big winner from the Philadelphia Film Critics Circle (PFCC), earning six awards including Best Film, Best Director and Script for Sean Baker and Best Actress and Breakthrough Performance for Mikey Madison. The Brutalist was a winner in Best Actor for Adrien Brody and Best Soundtrack/Score. In the supporting acting categories the winners were Margaret Qualley for The Substance (with…

[themovieblogonline]

Sean Baker returns to the director's chair with Anora, a comedy-drama that delves into the clash of cultures, socioeconomic divides, and human frailty with his trademark rawness and empathy. Powered by Mikey Madison’s stellar lead performance, the film tackles its ambitious themes with a mix of humor, poignancy, and biting social commentary, though its sprawling narrative occasionally falters under the weight of its complexities. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p1HxTmV5i7c A Tale of Two Worlds: Set in the vibrant yet insular Russian-American community of Brighton Beach, Anora opens a window into a milieu rarely explored on screen. Baker’s keen observational eye captures the texture of the neighborhood with authenticity, immersing the viewer in a world of garish nightclubs, seedy strip joints, and gilded mansions that symbolize the contradictions of Ani and Vanya’s intertwined lives. Mikey Madison shines as Ani, a sharp and resilient young woman navigating life as a stripper. Madison imbues Ani with a mix of vulnerability and steeliness, anchoring the film’s emotional core. Opposite her, Mark Eydelshteyn portrays Vanya, the overgrown man-child whose privileged upbringing clashes starkly with Ani’s grit. Eydelshteyn effectively balances Vanya’s charm and immaturity, making his character frustrating yet occasionally endearing. Love and Transaction: At its heart, Anora is a relationship drama that probes the tension between love and transaction. The relationship between Ani and Vanya is riddled with contradictions: it begins as a business arrangement but morphs into something more ambiguous. Is Ani genuinely drawn to Vanya, or is she seduced by the promise of a better life? Does Vanya love Ani, or does he see her as a means to rebel against his family? Baker refuses to provide easy answers, instead presenting the couple’s dynamic with a messy honesty that feels refreshingly real. The film’s comedic beats often emerge from the absurdity of their mismatched union, such as a lavish Vegas wedding that is both romantic and farcical. Yet Baker never lets the humor undercut the emotional stakes, grounding even the most outlandish scenarios in Ani’s struggle for agency and dignity. A Critique of Power and Privilege: The Zakharov family serves as an incisive commentary on the corrupting influence of wealth and privilege. Yura Borisov’s portrayal of Igor, Vanya’s reluctant henchman, is particularly compelling; his quiet disdain for his employers and subtle moral conflict provide a counterpoint to the Zakharovs’ ruthlessness. Meanwhile, Karren Karagulian’s Toros brings a mix of menace and world-weary pragmatism, illustrating the moral compromises required to survive in this world. Aleksei Serebryakov and the rest of the supporting cast round out the ensemble with sharp performances, though Galina’s one-dimensional villainy feels like a missed opportunity to explore the nuances of maternal power and control. Visual Storytelling: Baker’s direction and editing shine in Anora, blending his signature cinéma vérité style with striking visual contrasts. The gritty streets of Brighton Beach juxtapose sharply with the gaudy interiors of the Zakharov mansion, underscoring the cultural and economic chasm between Ani and Vanya. Baker’s use of natural light and handheld camerawork heightens the film’s intimacy, drawing the viewer into Ani’s perspective. Themes of Survival and Resilience: While the film leans heavily on comedy in its first half, the second half takes a darker turn as Ani confronts the limits of her newfound independence. The narrative becomes a meditation on resilience and survival, as Ani grapples with the fallout of her impulsive decisions. Her journey is less about finding a fairy-tale romance and more about reclaiming her agency in a world determined to strip her of it. The final act is particularly striking, as it subverts audience expectations in ways that feel both heartbreaking and cathartic. Baker’s refusal to tie up the story with a neat resolution is a testament to his commitment to realism, though some viewers may find the ending unsatisfying. Flaws in Execution: While Anora is ambitious in its scope and themes, it occasionally stumbles in execution. The film’s pacing is uneven, with certain subplots—such as Ani’s conflict with Vanya’s family—feeling underdeveloped. Additionally, the tonal shifts between comedy and drama are not always seamless, which can detract from the emotional impact of key moments. The screenplay also struggles with juggling its ensemble cast, leaving some characters, like Vache Tovmasyan’s Garnick, feeling underutilized. These shortcomings do not diminish the film’s overall impact, but they prevent it from reaching the heights of Baker’s best work. Overall: With Anora, Sean Baker delivers a flawed yet compelling exploration of love, power, and cultural identity. Anchored by Mikey Madison’s captivating performance, the film is an engrossing portrait of two individuals caught between their desires and the constraints of their circumstances. While its ambition sometimes exceeds its grasp, Anora is a testament to Baker’s ability to blend humor and humanity with sharp social critique. It may not be his most polished work, but it is undeniably a thought-provoking and emotionally resonant film that lingers long after the credits roll. Read the full article

[dizzymoods]

ppl have known sean baker is a weirdo since tangerine. And here he is following known stochastic terror enabler, thee transphobe of the internet LibsOfTikTok. This is after being an avowed tulsi gabbard & kyle rittenhouse supporter.

[oscarwoodland]

2025 Golden Globes Nominations (For Film)

Best Film - Drama

The Brutalist

A Complete Unknown

Conclave

Dune Part II

Nickel Boys

September 5

Best Film - Musical or Comedy

Anora

Challengers

Emilia Pérez

A Real Pain

The Substance

Wicked

Best Female Actor In A Film - Drama

Pamela Anderson, The Last Showgirl

Angelina Jolie, Maria

Nicole Kidman, Babygirl

Tilda Swinton, The Room Next Door

Fernanda Torres, I'm Still Here

Kate Winslet, Lee

Best Male Actor In A Film - Drama

Adrien Brody, The Brutalist

Timothée Chalamet, A Complete Unknown

Daniel Craig, Queer

Colman Domingo, Sing Sing

Ralph Fiennes, Conclave

Sebastian Stan, The Apprentice

Best Female Actor In A Film - Musical or Comedy

Amy Adams, Nightbitch

Cynthia Erivo, Wicked

Karla Sofía Gascón, Emilia Pérez

Mikey Madison, Anora

Demi Moore, The Substance

Zendaya, Challengers

Best Male Actor In A Film - Musical or Comedy

Jesse Eisenberg, A Real Pain

Hugh Grant, Heretic

Gabriel LaBelle, Saturday Night

Jesse Plemons, Kinds of Kindness

Glen Powell, Hit Man

Sebastian Stan, A Different Man

Best Film - Animated

Flow

Inside Out 2

Memoir of a Snail

Moana 2

Wallace & Gromit: Vengeance Most Fowl

The Wild Robot

Best Film - non-English Language

All We Imagine As Light

Emilia Pérez

The Girl With The Needle

I'm Still Here

The Seed of the Sacred Fig

Vermiglio

Best Female Actor In A Supporting Role In A Film

Selena Gomez, Emilia Pérez

Ariana Grande, Wicked

Felicity Jones, The Brutalist

Margaret Qualley, The Substance

Isabella Rossellini, Conclave

Zoe Saldaña, Emilia Pérez

Best Male Actor In A Supporting Role In A Film

Yura Borisov, Anora

Kieran Culkin, A Real Pain

Edward Norton, A Complete Unknown

Guy Pearce, The Brutalist

Jeremy Strong, The Apprentice

Denzel Washington, Gladiator II

Best Director - Film

Jacques Audiard, Emilia Pérez

Sean Baker, Anora

Edward Berger, Conclave

Brady Corbet, The Brutalist

Coralie Fargeat, The Substance

Payal Kapadia, All We Imagine As Light

Best Screenplay - Film

Jacques Audiard, Emilia Pérez

Sean Baker, Anora

Brady Corbet & Mona Fastvold, The Brutalist

Jesse Eisenberg, A Real Pain

Coralie Fargeat, The Substance

Peter Straughan, Conclave

Best Original Score - Film

Volker Bertelmann, Conclave

Daniel Blumberg, The Brutalist

Kris Bowers, The Wild Robot

Camille & Clément Ducol, Emilia Pérez

Trent Reznor & Atticus Ross, Challengers

Hans Zimmer, Dune Part II

Best Original Song - Film

"Beautiful That Way", The Last Showgirl

"Compress/Repress", Challengers

"El Mal", Emilia Perez

"Forbidden Road", Better Man

"Kiss The Sky", The Wild Robot

"Mi Camino", Emilia Pérez

Cinematic and Box Office Achivement

Alien: Romulus

Beetlejuice Beetlejuice

Deadpool & Wolverine

Gladiator II

Inside Out 2

Twisters

Wicked

The Wild Robot

[annieandro]

Executive Producer: Cassie Kitchen

Story Editor: Doug Tennapel

Line Producer:Joshua Slice

Production Coordinators: Craig McCracken, Noah Z Jones

Production Assistants: Butch Hartman, Eric Coleman

Script Coordinator: Jose Chavez

Executive Assistant: Maddie Manges Character Designer: Lankybox

Layout Designers: Speekygeeky, Riffcoms Prop Designers: Eric Robles, Colors 358

Background Painter: Nikki Karlsson

Color Key Stylist: Dre Higbee

Final Checker: Nickcheezy Clean-up Artist: Carl Jung, Henry Miller, Sir Francis Bacon

Storyboard Revisions: John Erwin, Nancy Priddy, Michael Bell

Starring: Annieandro: Cassie Kitchen

Maisy: Gracie Jones

Little Miss Cassie: Phoebe Fortney

Zapper: Tom Kenny

Tetro: Doug Lawrence

Prowler: Bill Hader

Pouncer: Wizardzwiz

Predator: Gooseworx

Mailman Pelswick: Rob Paulsen

Umberta: Jocelyn Clark

Tyler: Darrell Stern

Chatters: Tara Strong

Jumper: Allan Trautman

Giggle: Leslie Carrara Rudolph

Bumper-oo: Kevin Clash

Nizzie: Stacy Gordon

Lotta: Grey Desleslie

Crossbone: David Kaye

Nimble: Kevin MacDonald

Zap-Zap: Frank Oz

Cozy: Lizzie Freeman

Puddles: Michael Kovach

Buckthorn: Robert Tinkler

Tutu: Sonya Leite

Katie: Cindi Milo

Pavo: David Hornsby

Aquila: Christian Jacobs

Ursa Major: Lara Jill Miller

Orion: Ariel Winter

Hercules: Wayne Knight

Flutterbutter: Amanda Hufford

Eden: Gary Yudman

Aquarius: Paul Wensley

Pisces: Jo Vannicola

Aries: Nika Futterman

Taurus: Steve Little

Gemini: Lucas Slice

Cancer: Hynden Walch

Leo: Dee Bradley Baker

Virgo: Ellie Ellwand

Libra: Billy West

Scorpio: Fred Stoller

Sagittarius: Cree Summer

Capricorn: Sean Chiplock

Casting By: Ryan's World Casting Coordinator: EventubeHD Casting Assistant: Allison Gatewood Supervising Recording Engineer: AJ Lyles Recording Engineer: Trainlover16

Production Dialogue Supervisor: Devinurdog Dialogue Editor: Tweeterman287

Picture Editor: Zee's Branch Assistant Editor: Dimon CamiPost Production Supervisor: Kan and Aki's Channel Big Scanning Department: Mr.George, Genevieve's Playhouse

Additional Post Production Services: Craig Mario Fan, Nostalgia Cat Picture Editior: My Friends Assistant Editor: My Family Post Production Supervisor: My Classmates Bg Scanning Department: Arlene Klasky, Tom Yohe Additional Post Production Services: Gabor Csupo, AJRaider Post Production Services: Teri Weiss Telecine Colorist: Rico Hill

Animation Production Services: Public Broadcasting Service Special Thanks To: Steve Burns, The Wiggles, The Return Of Cakey, The Beatles, and The Sesame Street Rock and Roll Request Show, and The Children's Hospitals From All 50 States

Production Executive: Aubrey Cox Executive In Charge Of Production: Joe Biden

CTW Provides Partial Funding For Annieandro Pinkpaws Through Its Self-Support Activities.