#the ferrari lore continues
Explore tagged Tumblr posts
waterbendingwaves · 10 months ago
Text
Tumblr media Tumblr media Tumblr media
sebastian grandfather allegations confirmed
265 notes · View notes
harrysfolklore · 28 days ago
Note
i’ve always loved the piastri sis lore because the sibling dynamic is so healthy but just to switch it up a little bit in the tiny verstappen!sis universe i can imagine her skipping out on the WDC celebrations with max and be with charles instead and max is a little mad at her at qatar until kelly knocks sense into him 🥰
verstappen!sister was one of the first f1 fics i ever posted 🥺🥺 its kinda heartwarming that you guys still remember it and want to read more about them! it was nice to take a dip into that little world agai, i hope you like this!
READ VERSTAPPEN!YN HERE
The neon lights of Las Vegas blurred through as you rushed through the paddock, your heart torn between two directions. Behind you, the thunderous celebration at Red Bull's garage continued – your brother Max had just sealed his fourth world championship. Any other day, you'd be right there, spraying champagne and screaming until your voice gave out.
But right now, all you could think about was Charles.
You found him in the Ferrari cooldown room, still in his race suit, head in his hands. He looked up when you entered, those green eyes stormy with frustration.
"Mon coeur," he whispered, and despite his evident pain, his lips curved into a small smile at the sight of you. "You're here."
You crossed the room quickly, wrapping your arms around him. He buried his face in your neck, breathing deeply. "Of course I'm here. Always."
"I had it," he mumbled against your skin. "I had the pace, the position... everything. Then they called me in at the worst possible moment—" His voice cracked slightly.
You ran your fingers through his hair soothingly. "I know, baby. I watched the whole thing."
Charles pulled back slightly, cupping your face with both hands. "You should be celebrating with Max, though. It's his championship. I don't want to take you away from that."
"You're not taking me anywhere," you said firmly, pressing your forehead to his. "I choose to be here."
He kissed you softly, gratefully. "Je t'aime. What did I do to deserve you?"
"Existed," you smiled against his lips. "Come on, let's get you out of here."
As you were leaving the cooldown room, hand in hand with Charles, you nearly collided with Max in the corridor. Your brother was still in his race suit, championship cap askew, smelling of champagne and victory.
"YN?" His voice was smaller than usual. "Where were you? Everyone was asking... we were all celebrating and you just disappeared."
Guilt twisted in your stomach. "Max, I'm so sorry, I—"
"She was with me," Charles said quietly, squeezing your hand.
Max's face fell slightly, though he tried to hide it. "Oh." He looked between you both, jaw working like he was trying to find the right words. "I thought... it's the championship, YN. Our fourth championship."
"I know," you said, stepping forward to hug him tightly. "And I'm so, so proud of you. You were incredible out there. But Charles needed me."
Max returned the hug, but you could feel the tension in his shoulders. When he pulled back, his expression was complicated – hurt mixed with resignation.
"Sure, whatever. Stay with your boyfriend." He shook his head, jaw clenched. "It's fine. Not like it's my fourth world championship or anything."
The sarcasm in his voice cut deep. Before you could respond, he turned on his heel and walked away, leaving you and Charles standing in the corridor.
The next morning, you found Max in the hotel gym, pounding away at a treadmill despite probably being hungover from the celebrations. You knew your brother well enough to recognize when he was working out his frustrations physically.
"Max," you called out softly.
He didn't look at you, just kept running. "Shouldn't you be with Charles?"
"Can we talk? Please?"
He jabbed at the treadmill controls, slowing to a stop. When he finally turned to face you, his expression was guarded. "About what? About how you ditched your own brother's championship celebration to comfort your boyfriend? Because he finished P4?" He grabbed his towel, wiping his face roughly. "Real nice, sister."
"That's not fair and you know it."
"Kelly already gave me the whole speech last night, you know," he said, "Something about 'understanding love' and 'being supportive' and how she'd do the same for me."
"And?"
"And I told her she's supposed to be on my side," he said, but there was less heat in his voice than before. "She just laughed at me."
You sat down on a nearby bench, and after a moment, he joined you. "I'm still mad," he admitted. "And it's still weird as hell that my sister is dating Charles bloody Leclerc of all people."
"Could be worse," you tried. "Could've been Lewis."
"Don't even joke about that," he groaned, but you caught the tiny smile he tried to hide. His face turned serious again. "Kelly made some good points though. About how she'd choose to be with me if I was struggling after a race, even if it meant missing something important. Still doesn't mean I like it."
"I really am sorry about disappearing like that."
"I wanted my sister there," Max's voice cracked slightly. "You've been there for every important moment in my career. Every single one. Until yesterday. It's like ever since you started dating him, I'm losing my little sister bit by bit."
"You're not losing me, Max. You're my brother, nothing will ever change that. But Charles...I love him."
Max was quiet for a long moment. "You really love him that much? It's that serious?"
"Yeah," you whispered. "It is."
He sighed deeply, running a hand through his hair. "I still don't like it. And I'm still mad about yesterday." He paused, then added grudgingly, "But I guess I need to get used to sharing you. Just... don't disappear on me like that again, okay? I had to listen to Helmut asking if you were sick or something. Do you know how awkward it was explaining that my sister was too busy consoling a Ferrari driver to celebrate with us?"
"Did you actually tell him that?"
"No, I told him you had a headache. You're welcome, by the way." He paused. "But seriously, YN. I get that you love him or whatever—" he made a face at the words, "—but you're still my sister."
"And you're still my annoying big brother," you leaned against his shoulder. "So... fourth championship, huh? Getting a bit boring now, isn't it?"
"Never," he grinned, then added more seriously, "Would've been better with you there though."
"I'll make it up to you. Plus, there's still family dinner tonight."
"Yeah, about that..." Max's expression turned mischievous. "I might have told Mom to make that really spicy Indonesian dish Charles couldn't handle last time."
"Max!"
"What? If he's going to be family, he needs to build up his tolerance," he said innocently. "Besides, it's payback for making me miss my sister at my championship celebration."
"You're impossible."
"Yeah, but I'm a four-time world champion impossible brother," he smirked, pulling you into a headlock like when you were kids. "And don't you forget it."
629 notes · View notes
cazzyf1 · 8 months ago
Text
Some information and lore about Gilles Villeneuve
Tumblr media
During the driver's strike, Gilles played some joyful tunes, like music by Scott Joplin, he knew on the piano before it was used to barricade the door
He also played romantic music on the piano for Didier Pironi when Didier took some ladies out on a date
Alain Prost and Gilles Villeneuve shared a bed together during the driver's strike, and Patrick Tambay said if a baby came because of this, the rest of them might as well give up
Someone was snoring so loudly during the drivers sleepover that Gilles put a blanket over them to muffle it
Gilles once flew his helicopter near Niki Lauda's window at a hotel as he tried to land it. It woke Niki up from his sleep and Niki glared at him through the window
Enzo Ferrari saw Gilles like a son, and there were only a few drivers that Enzo was particularly close to
Gilles Villeneuve was discovered by James Hunt when Gilles raced against him. James and Gilles became quite close
He got nicknamed the 'Prince of destruction' at one point
Gilles Villeneuve and Didier Pironi got up to lots of fun together, including a game where they competed to see who could crash their rental car the best. They even got Alain Prost involved
Once, Gilles was giving Jody Scheckter a lift back home in his helicopter, Jody noticed a red blinking light, but Gilles told him not to worry. Every so often, suddenly, the aircraft would free fall (as Jody put it), freaking Jody out before Gilles got it under control again. Jody grabbed the manual for the helicopter and looked up what the red light meant. It meant that the battery was overheating. He then realised Gilles was purposely shutting down the engine to let the helicopter battery cool and then carry on flying
"During the flight between Montreal and Milan, Villeneuve had told Parent that he wanted permission to continue doing risky activities like skiing, driving his 4x4, boating and the like. "I told Mr. Ferrari that Gilles wanted to be the owner of his body. You have to believe that I used unusual words! Because Ferrari looked at me and asked me if I was a lawyer. I told him no. Then he asked Gilles if he was a lawyer. No. Ferrari asked me to repeat my question, which I did using the same words. And he accepted. In fact, Ferrari understood, by mistake, that Gilles wanted to be the owner of his body, in fact of his racing suit! That Gilles wanted to negotiate his own personal contracts. This is not what we had in mind, but that we got by mistake!" Parent exclaimed
Quebec rock and pop band 'The Box' made a song 'Live on TV' inspired by Gilles televised death. A Italian rock band 'The Rock Alchemist' wrote the song '27' as tribute to Gilles Villeneuve #27 f1 Ferrari
A film based on Gerland Donaldson's book about Gilles Villeneuve, directed by Daniel Roby reportedly entered production in 2023. However there hasn't been much information on it since.
Feel free to reblog with any other information you know about Gilles Villeneuve <3
123 notes · View notes
starset21 · 15 days ago
Text
Ok here’s my final thoughts I guess?
First of all congrats to McLaren fans, your team worked hard. I was rooting for Ferrari and they gave it their absolute all, Charles, Carlos and the team.
Some race reactions:
- The start of the race was just 😮
- The collision between Bottas and Perez and Perez having to park it 😬
- Charles moving to 6th by like lap 10
- Colapinto retiring from the race 🥺
- Bottas and Magnussen’s collision😒
- Leclerc in 3rd!!
- Lawson out?
- Lewis!!! that run up to 4th was just wow!!
Reflection on the year for me personally: (I’m gonna yap)
If someone would have told me 8 months ago that I would have fallen in love with formula one I genuinely would have laughed in their face. In fact last summer I was teasing my friend’s (now ex) boyfriend about him watching it and the weird times for American fans. I’ve made no shortage of referencing that I am a nascar girlie, it’s what I grew up with. One night near then end of March after my dad had watched the nascar Netflix docuseries (without me 😓) I saw Drive to Survive and suggested maybe that be our next watch together (despite the fact that my dad had always said formula one was boring). From the first episode and Danny Rics iconic personality I was hooked. I watched more and more, fascinated by the things that go into building and racing these formula one cars.
In the beginning of April this year I was in a hotel room and bored looking for something to watch on tv. It just so happened that it was free practice 2 of the Japan GP. I watched until the end of the session and then went to bed, didn’t think much about it. Continued watching DTS and learning more (knowing that it was exaggerated). Then Miami in May. My first time watching a full qualifying and a race. And what a race it was. I had bugged my cousin to watch it with me and from then on she was hooked too. Some of the races I couldn’t watch due to them being when I had other time commitments in the mornings but I was checking my phone for the timings, others I swore I wasn’t gonna wake up early (like 3 am) but my body had other plans and woke me up anyways 😂. I learned some f1 lore, watched more of the drivers interactions with each other, became a Max fan after starting off as Charles fan, stopped being afraid to yap about it to just about anyone who will listen to me, I guess to sum up everything is what a season!
Formula one is kind of the first sport I’ve gotten into for my own personal enjoyment and I’m so grateful for all the people I’ve interacted with here on tumblr and the laughter from other peoples reactions to things that have happened this season <3
22 notes · View notes
w1ld-wr1t3r · 12 days ago
Note
lestappen with no 49? ❤️💙
I almost did yet another on-a-whim AU with this one, since the song comes from the game Death Stranding, but the lore of the game is super complicated and I don't feel like tackling it when I've already recently committed to another new AU. (yeah, I'm committing to the Creator AU. I got some chat messages asking some great questions about it, and it encouraged me to clarify and flesh out the lore a bit more!) Luckily, I found a way to make this one work as a normal drabble too.
49. Death Stranding by CHVRCHES
"Let's make a toast, yeah?"
Charles sighed but raised his glass, smiling at Max. He was glad that the long, grueling season he'd had was finally behind him, but he was more glad that Max was here with him.
"What are we toasting, exactly?" he asked. For him, there wasn't really much to toast. This season had been aggravating from day one. He'd gotten into more on-track incidents than he could count, had multiple bad pit stops (including two in one race - how did Ferrari fuck up that badly?), and had nearly had to resort to tearing his own hair out so he didn't jump on the drivers who had angered him all year.
It felt like he had to beg the universe sometimes for even a hint of a win. Why did things have to be so aggravating?
And he and Max had nearly had trouble this year, too. He still wondered what would have become of them if they had let things continue to fester before talking them out. Would they have fallen apart? Would they have still been able to hold it together?
Thankfully, he didn't have to worry about the answer to that question. Because Max was still here.
"To us," Max said, smiling and giving Charles' hand a squeeze. "To the light and happiness we fought to keep."
This time, Charles' smile was more authentic. He thought about the darkness they'd avoided, keeping their relationship strong. Maybe someday, they could make their mark in the stars together.
He clinked his glass with Max's. "To us."
17 notes · View notes
phoenixisobsessed · 2 months ago
Note
Does your black and red oc (Night Runner I think?) have any lore? Like I see you post them sometimes but I don't know much bout them
Also I've seen multiple designs, what continuity are those each from? Or are they all redesigns? I assume the big one is from prime because it looks really detailed??
Oh bro somebody actually asked me about this holy fuck. You better be SO READY.
So all of the different versions are from different generations yes. My ultimate goal is to make one for each continuity but yk.
Tumblr media
So this would be Nightrunner animated ^
Tumblr media
That’s Nightrunner IDW ^
Tumblr media
Then there’s Transformers Prime ^
Tumblr media
And of course, generation 1. ^
And y’all better be ready to hear extremely self indulgent “I don’t give a shit what other people think” cringe levels of lore.
So, I created Nightrunner with the thought in mind that he (and his twin brother, Nightmare) are made using Megatron’s genetical code. Which MEAAANS yes they are in fact sons of Megatron. Yaaaaaayyy!!!! Off to a great start guys. Basically they were created like mid-war, and heavily modified as sparklings to become weapons, and were experimented on to see just how efficient you could artificially make a Cybertronian, especially at a younger age. Imma be focusing on Nightrunner rn though.
(EXTRA NOTE: This is mostly within an AU I have so universe facts and shit may be different. 🔥 This is what I have made for funsies.)
(Blue text is gonna just be a bunch of fun facts of his systems/functions)
His pain sensors were turned way down, but to counter that bis system scanners are extremely sensitive and constantly activated, so he’ll immediately get alerted if ANYTHING is wrong. But, it means he can handle more abuse and last longer in battle. He’s a slight bit taller than your average bot at around 6-7m (depending on continuity I guess) and stands at 8 meters of height. He is in no way the biggest bot though, since he is specifically designed for stealth and speed. (He is surprisingly light for his size as well!!) He is also a triple changer, being both a jet and Ferrari GT3 296. (Don’t ask me how his designs make sense with that, they don’t and I don’t CARE.) So he lacks a bit in strength, but he makes up for all of that in speed. His morals have been turned all the way down as well, again having been designed as an actual weapon, and 99% of his life has been combat training and stealth missions. Like his dad is a warlord, what do you want. But he actually doesn’t get to spend that much time with his dad as a sparkling since, he is a warlord and is busy af. So instead he gets sent around to different Decepticon commanders for training and such. Or he’s forced to stick around his brother so he won’t run off and cause trouble. In his later years though, (post-sparklinghood I guess) he’s a great spy/assassin, who usually goes on high-profile or more dangerous stealth missions. He often does infiltration, or outpost-takedowns. Intel gathering is his main thing. He does though struggle with extremely horrible nightmares due to his difficult upbringing, and the war, but he’s usually nocturnal, going on missions after dark. Again, depending on continuity he very much enjoys spending time with Skywarp, or Knock Out. Some people he can gossip with. And he usually uses charm to get out of trouble if ever finds himself in deep shit. Horribly desensitised to violence and death. I’d say that’s mostly his lore though.
TLDR; Megatron’s son, created in the middle of the war, experimented on and made into a weapon, now a very successful spy with some kind of PTSD.
I don’t have any very specific stories of him really I guess. He’s just a silly little guy. I guess I have a few stories where they used him as an undercover spy before the Autobots found out about his existence, where he used the name Blacknova. That’s a kinda silly thing.
7 notes · View notes
moonvisi0n · 3 months ago
Text
Tumblr media Tumblr media Tumblr media
🗣️ Continue watching...
Tumblr media Tumblr media Tumblr media Tumblr media
Been watching races from 2015 & 2022!
Tumblr media Tumblr media
Initially bc Ferrari's F175 genuinely made me laugh. Look at the sides, every overhead shot kills me. It's even worse when they DNF cause it's in the gravel or or the engine blew yet the car is comically that shape :D 2022 szn is kind of 2019 championship reborn so love it
Tumblr media Tumblr media Tumblr media
At first I stopped watching the 2015 season cause they announced Bianchi's passing, which stressed me too much to continue. Wanted to watch a modern race (?) and since Redbull were insane 2023, I picked 2022 cause Mick ! (2015 Silver war lore ruining me however--
Tumblr media Tumblr media Tumblr media
Also watched the 2018 German Grand Prix...
Tumblr media Tumblr media Tumblr media Tumblr media
Knew that angle looked familiar :( sigh 2019 Charles Don't you know you're Vettel, Alonso, Massa, Räikkönen, Prost? The hand beckons ?
Also 2022 was the porpoising chaos szn & it hurts watchin' the goat have back issues
18 notes · View notes
skitskatdacat63 · 1 day ago
Note
I may not match your freak but I’m grateful to talk and bounce off your ideas
— Penalanon (when you remembered my masquerade ask 🥹)
Thank you as always!!!!! 🥹🥹 Also how could I ever forget!!! Seriously you really make my day every time I get an ask from you about some specific thing. It makes me feel very seen 🥹 I have a tendency to lock myself up when I'm working on an idea and don't say anything until I'm done, but that can feel very isolating :/ but at least I can always count on you to be interested to ask and talk about things :D I'll tell you about one of the wips I'm working on rn. I think in my head, I'm plotting like....5 fics(dhfjfk four for the au and one 2010s one) Its annoying though, I still can't get over my resistance to wholeheartedly post about wips, bcs my brain is like "spoilers!!!!!" though feel free to inquire more
I don't know if you ever saw this, since it's from so long ago, but rn I'm working on illustrations and a second chapter for this fic. As I said about the stocking drawing, it really invigorated me to actually draw narrative stuff, so I'm really happy to go back to the drawing board with this, as it's an idea that's haunted me for a while. Funnily enough, I wrote it in the first place because I didn't feel like I could draw the idea properly, and now I'm here drawing it. Though ugh it's one of those sketches I'm so enamored with that it's really hard to make proper progress on bcs I like working on it so much. In general, I'd really just like to write more little vignettes, ones that I touched on in lore a days. Though under the cut lemme list the ones I've actively written bits of
1. Obviously the one I talked about on this post already. God I love the start of the second chapter...which i wrote a year ago at this point and finally am getting back to. Seb sending Fernando a letter at night, like "lets finish what we started ;) :3 <3" Fernando scoffs at it. Then immediately proceeds to Seb's chambers. Two men who on a crash course who can't stop each other from colliding
2. Post-Masquerade fic !!! Basically, Seb goading Fernando as usual, saying that of course he went for full accuracy with the dress and thus....isn't wearing anything under it except a chemise–
3 and 4. I've talked about these before I think. The one where Seb reveals his culpability with the marriage plot. And then the one where Fernando legitimately upsets him by rejecting his affections 😞 this is technically a 5, but I'd like to also continue the funeral one I mentioned in a lore day once
5. 2010s fic.....something something Fernando's chair in the Ferrari garage something something(wip I've been thinking about for over a year now)
2 notes · View notes
dystini · 2 years ago
Text
Indycar Driver Lore
Tumblr media
Indycar Driver Lore Masterlist
Callum Benjamin Ilott
Birthdate: Nov. 11, 1998 Hometown: Cambridge, England Residence: Indianapolis, Indiana Height/Weight: 5’10”/136lbs
Rookie Year: 2022
Team: Super Sub (The first driver teams call when they need a substitute driver.)
Tumblr media
Follow him on: Instagram Twitter Twitch YouTube
Career Stats
2021: 3 races with Juncos Hollinger Racing - 38th Overall 2022: Juncos Hollinger Racing - 20th Overall 2023: Juncos Hollinger Racing - 16th Overall
Tumblr media
The Side Pod (with Marcus Armstrong) You Tube
WEC 2024 Hertz Team Jota Hypercar
Callum and Tatiana Calderón were team mates in 2015 with George Russell in European F3. Felix Rosenqvist was the series champion that year
Felix worked with the Prema F3 team in 2017 which was the year Callum raced with Prema in F3
he went to the same school as Devlin DeFrancesco and Enaam Ahmed who drives with Juncos in Indy pro 200 (for anyone interested in F1/F2 Oscar Piastri, Jehan Daruvala and Clem Novalak went there too)
He first met Conor Daly in 2013
he was meant to drive Romain’s Haas car during an FP1 session in 2020 but it was rained off
at the end of April 2022 he was asked on twitch who his friends in IndyCar were and he could only name Conor and Christian Lundgaard
he was karting rivals with Alex Palou
Competing in his second full season in the NTT INDYCAR SERIES with Juncos Hollinger Racing.
Member of the Ferrari Driver Academy who served as Scuderia Ferrari’s test driver and one of Alfa Romeo’s reserve drivers in 2021. Also raced in the 2021 GT World Challenge Europe Endurance Cup with Iron Lynx and co-drove an Iron Lynx Ferrari 488 to LM GTE AM class podium at 24 Hours of Le Mans.
Finished second in FIA Formula 2 in 2020 with three wins and five pole positions.
Enjoys swimming, climbing, building remote-controlled cars and video games.
Looking forward to learning American sports.
Favorites - TV Show: "Money Heist;" Movie Star: Chris Hemsworth
Says racing heroes are Ayrton Senna and Michael Schumacher.
Allergic to cats
Tumblr media
Iconic/memorable moments 2022 INSIDE THE RACE // CALLUM ILOTT AT MID-OHIO 'It was a CHAOTIC race!' | Sky IndyCar Vodcast: Callum Ilott Indy 500 Open Test Day 1 Report with Callum Ilott Calum Ilott INDY 500 CRASH - 2022 Indianapolis 500 Screaming Meals - Episode 002 - Callum Ilott Screaming Meals - INDYCAR! ft. Callum Ilott St.Pete IndyCar Race Recap with Callum Illott and Marshall Pruett TRACK WALK // GRAND PRIX OF PORTLAND CALLUM ILOTT GIVES PACERS DRAFT PICKS TOUR OF IMS CALLUM ILOTT: The F2 Star Talks F1, Indy, and Rolling w/the Punches | THE RED FLAGS PODCAST Interview with INDYCAR Driver Callum Ilott from Juncos Hollinger Racing Aeroscreen saves Callum Ilott from debris! | Onboard IndyCar Texas 2022 Callum Ilott Talks About His Indy500 Debut | KC Happy Hour Callum Ilott Interview After Topping Final Practice | 2022 NTT IndyCar Series at Barber ‘How do racing drivers wee?’: Watch IndyCar Ace Callum Ilott Answer Your Questions Callum Ilott becomes friends with a frog…
Tumblr media
Callum is easygoing and happy, with a ready grin. He’s one of the friendliest people in the paddock with fans and other drivers alike. He’s got the typical dry British sense of humor and can be self-depreciating, except when it comes to his racing. In that area, he is analytical, confident in his own abilities and ready to offer constructive criticism to his team every time he gets out of the car. He built his team up from scratch in 2022, often finishing races higher than his car was capable of and with the addition of a second car and driver, is continuing to lead the way. Rumors abound that he is headed for a bigger and better team in the near future. While his current contract is for several years, only 2023 is guaranteed and there are likely several different options available to him and the team concerning where he will drive.
Tumblr media
Fanfic Lore
Paired with Kyle Kirkwood. Ship name kirklott Paired with Marcus Armstrong due to their time together as roommates and in F2. Members of the Ferrari Acadamy together.
Paired with Mick Schumacher (F1). They raced together in F2. Members of the Ferrari Acadamy together.
Tumblr media
26 notes · View notes
enam3l · 2 years ago
Note
Oooh while your requests are open what about Eddie buying reader the first big purchase after the band goes big
Eddie and reader had discussed being tight with the money he makes, still not used to their new life, but what if Eddie buys her a new car she desperately needs and it’s not just any car its a super car 😭 like she goes to work in her beat up beetle with the wobbly tailpipe and no air and comes out to a ferrari 😭😭😭😭😭😭
This is so cute! I'm gonna change it a lil if that's okay to fit the storyline so far. Basically, when reader and Eddie meet, Corroded Coffin have already released their debut album so he's pretty set for cash. Although he is still shook he has money but loves spending it on reader (like in their first holiday fic.) Check the comments for theeee car.
driving mrs munson (rockstar eddie x reader) ficlet / fluff
you can see all rockstar eddie x reader stories and lore at #enam3ls rockstar eddie or the masterlist! and check out my new series love, lola
Once you were married, you and Eddie both decided to make Hawkins your permanent residence. Your house had been one that Eddie went past everyday when growing up, always admiring how it stood out from the other suburban cookie cutter houses. Once the band had been signed, as if by magic, for the first time ever the house was for sale. Eddie used the check to buy the house for himself, a reminder of his ultimate goal in life -  to fall in love and build a life and family with someone. Now that is exactly what was happening. 
Moving to Hawkins marked a the start of something you'd both always dreamed; creating a loving and safe family that you'd both grown up dreaming of. Although you and Eddie had both loved living in New York where you had spent your five years together getting into mischief, it was absent of the people you loved the most. The pair of you wanted the kids you longed for to grow up around their makeshift family. At night you'd hold each other and plan it all. How your kids would only know Wayne as Grandpa (regardless of biology, he was Eddie's father) and have sleepovers at his house. Or how they could walk down the road to play with Steve and Marissa's kids. And how they'd been spoilt rotten on birthdays and christmases by all their adoptive aunties and uncles. 
Whilst Eddie had always been back and forth between New York and Hawkins, it had been a very long time since you'd lived anywhere but a bustling city. So long that you'd forgotten about one issue - transport. It took a week before you were clutching your hair in frustration at a small town's answer to public transport. No subways or frequent buses to take you anywhere you desired. Eddie had to hide the smirk on his face watching you attempt to resurrect the battered white (and splattered with rust) Mustang you'd owned since before he knew you. Although he was grateful the old car was literally what brought into his life in February 89, Eddie wasn't keen about letting you continue to drive it. It was unreliable and was beginning to feel like sitting in the Flintstone's car, and whilst he loved being your personal chauffeur, it just wasn't feasible. So Eddie had a solution. 
One thing Eddie had found about being a rockstar was people were always trying to sell him things like cars. Ridiculous extravagant and expensive things that no human actually needs. Many parties and events he'd listen to other celebrities boast and croon over their latest purchase. Eddie had always thought it was surreal, looking round the room waiting for someone to reveal it was a prank. These people were buying cars that cost five times the trailer he'd grown up in with Wayne, and they dropped the cash so casually like it was a packet of cigarettes. But all of this did mean Eddie knew where to buy a good car from. 
Even before you'd gotten married and moved, Eddie had an inkling you'd be in need of a car once you moved. Therefore, he was thoroughly prepared for the moment. For months when you were out he dropped careful questions when you went past a car. 
'That one is cool, hey sweetheart?'
'Could you imagine driving a car that big?'
'I never knew you could get cars that colour...'
So with the help with some very eager salesmen, he'd whittled down the options to one he thought was perfect for you. And for the last month Eddie was waiting on the call to say they'd tracked down the exact car he wanted to you. 
As he watched you in the drive away flipping the bird and your old banger, Eddie struggled not to chuckle down the phone to the salesman. The car was ready for him to collect, finally. Eddie grabbed his jacket and keys and went to offer his chauffeur services one last time. 
'Want me to drop you off sweetheart?' 
Your frustrated little face turned to him and gave a small little nod. 
'Okay, get in Miss Daisy,' he chuckled giving a playful smack to your ass. 
Eddie dropped you off at Marissa and Steve's with a kiss. Then, sped off to pick up Wayne who would drive the van back for him as Eddie took your new car home. 
As he stood in the driveway admiring the beautiful vehicle, Eddie couldn't believe how perfectly the plan had come together. Steve was on his way to drop you home and everything was ready for your arrival. Even though the showroom had it perfect, Eddie had to make sure it was sparkling and had polished it himself. Then, he finished it off with a comically large bow he'd been hiding for weeks just for the occasion. Finally, Steve pulled up (still loyal to the BMW brand). Artfully, he was distracting you with chatter so you had yet to notice the new toy in front of your house. 
'Thank you Stevie! See you guys at the weekend!' You shouted through the open window before he sped off. What you didn't notice was the cheeky wink Steve gave Eddie before he left. You walked towards the house, totally oblivious as you fished for your keys until a cough from the the voice you'd recognise anywhere, caught your attention. 
'Jesus Ed you near-' your jaw dropped, along with your keys to the floor when you looked up. 
There stood your husband leaning like a model against the nicest car you'd ever seen. A Porsche 964. 
'Who? What? Whose is that?' you gawped, taking in the lush metallic paintwork. The sporty car was the colour of a glittery purple grape. 
'Yours, hot stuff,' Eddie's grin spread right across his face as he threw a set of keys your way. You stood shell shocked, only just managing to scramble to catch the keys before they pelted you in the head. 
The keys jangled as you analysed them, he was right - they were yours. Indicated by a keyring with a photo of you and Eddie from a photobooth on your honeymoon as well as another keyring with your new initials on. 
Y/I M
When you finally found your voice you scolded him. 
'Edward! What the fuck! You got this... for me?'
'Don't full name me, baby! I just bought you a badass car. Couldn't let you out in the death trap anymore,' he frowned. 
Of course, that was so Eddie, always looking at for you and putting you first. Your face crumpled, overwhelmed by his extravagant thoughtfulness. 
'Eds,' you gasped, 'you shouldn't have! You've just given me my dream wedding and honeymoon and hou-'
You're silenced by Eddie pinching your lips closed, a boyish grin on his face. 
'Sweetheart, I'd pay for that all again and more. Consider it a late wedding present or early birthday present. Look, where's my thank you kiss?' He pursed his soft lips. 
You launched yourself at him, arms and legs wrapping around him. Mouth pressed to his, then peppering the rest of his pretty face in misses. Eddie's hands tucked under your ass, fingers gripping your soft thighs as he deepened your kiss. He went to rest you on the bonnet until you pulled away, tutting. 
'Ah ah ah, don't muss my paintwork!' 
'Sorry sweetheart! Do you like it?' he asked so earnestly, as if you'd ever disliked anything he ever gave you. 
'Are you kidding, baby? It's perfect,' you squealed, fingers skating delicately over the car. 'Can we go for a drive?' 
Eddie's heart swelled watching your eyes wide with excitement, bouncing like a giddy child on the spot. 
'Of course! Let's go!'
Your hands lay intertwined with Eddie's on the centre console as you ventured down the winding Hawkins roads. Never in your life had you driven a car this spectacular, let alone owned one. The car glided effortlessly up the off-road path let led to Lovers Lake and you pulled to a stop. Eddie raised his eyebrow in confusion. 
'Whatcha doing sweetheart?'
Noticing your wicked smile. Your free hand inched up his chest until you reached his collar, pulling him close towards you. 
'Wanna see if this cars big enough to make out in?' your breath warm on Eddie's mouth. 
'Fuck yeah,' he gasps before latching onto your mouth. 
The pair of you grunted into each others mouths, tongues intertwining as both your hands wondered, tugging each other closer. Eventually you break for air. 
'Don't think it's quite big enough for car sexy anymore, will have to bend you over the bonnet,' Eddie smirks nipping at your neck. 
You swat him, feigning annoyance but his shamelessness never fails to make you laugh. 
'Behave... I don't want to ruin my paint job.'
The pair of your grin at each other, completely smitten. Eddie looks over his shoulder, straight out the rear window due to the absence of backseats. 
'We'll have to upgrade you once you're pregnant though,' his face is still cheeky but Eddie speaks with a slightly timid tone. His hand instinctively reaching out, warm and gentle on your soft tummy. You both look down at where his hand rests, butterflies in both your stomachs at the thought of what could be. 
Tumblr media
my taglist angels: @whoahoney @lukewearingbeanies @esme-viridian @elysian-chaos @munsonology @mseddiemunson @kreepja
255 notes · View notes
sweetsmellosuccess · 5 years ago
Text
The Best (and Worst) Films of 2019
Tumblr media
In many ways, 2019 served as a crucible, and no more so, at least cinematically, than with the venerable superhero flick. After a deluge of big studio films on the subject of capes and spandex (the MCU includes 22 films since the 2008 release of Iron Man; the nascent DCU, running it fits and starts has seven), we saw the explosive close-out of the previous “phases” with Marvel’s Avengers: Endgame; as well as the rise of pseudo art-house comic book film, Joker, in the same bloody year.
The talk on Film Twitter  —  the living definition of ‘tempest in a teacup’ —  was all about those films, and Martin Scorsese’s now legendary take down of the genre by referring to the super hero films, collectively, as  “theme parks.” But in truth, there were many, many other films that came out during the year, some of them utterly brilliant, some of them ridiculously awful. Here are my picks for both, with some of what I wrote about them at the time in my review.
10. Avengers: Endgame
“There are so many small but noteworthy details -- opening the film with Traffic's "Dear Mr. Fantasy"; the name drops, and special shout-outs to comics' fans; the small character beats that allow each protagonist more than just a quip or two; the closing credits, which give singular notice to the stars who have been there from the beginning, and wisely do not use the signature Marvel trick of teasing out the next film, which gives the series, at last, a sense of real closure, if only temporary -- the film feels as if it has been created and calibrated with the utmost care. For a film destined to break the bank no matter how shoddy they might have made it, Marvel has poured enough genuine soul into it to earn its inevitable bounty.”
Full Review
9. Her Smell
“In some ways, the film takes on a sort of Raging Bull aspect, Martin Scorsese's classic film about a boxer's rise and fall, only to turn the ending on its head. In Scorsese's picture, we see Jake LaMotta, now fat and retired, attempt to break into showbiz as a comedian, the scenes draped in cutting sardonicism. Perry gives Becky a much less punishingly ironic turn, but instead a hero's journey, venturing away from the abyss into something a good deal less grandiose and realized.”
Full Review
8. The Last Black Man in San Francisco
“It's also a film about the versions of the stories whose ideas lend depth and valor to our otherwise nondescript lives, the things we hope make us the heroes of our own narratives. In this way, Jimmie's story is conflated with that of the city itself, and the palpable sense of loss he feels about his family's house is mirrored in the city's own loss of identity.”
Full Review
7. Under the Silver Lake
“Mitchell fairly stuffs the film with portents, symbols, and runes, some real, some imagined. Squirrels mysteriously fall dead at Sam's feet, a parrot in his courtyard keeps calling out something he can't decipher, a dog killer stalks the neighborhood, and graffiti strewn about the area calls out to him. Films are always encoded with symbolic meaning, utilizing visual language to instill emotion and establish significance for the audience (think of Spielberg's girl with the red coat in Schindler's List, or James Dean's red windbreaker in Rebel Without a Cause), Mitchell's film gives us so many options, almost everything can be read symbolically, which perfectly captures the paranoia his character feels, and the pointlessness of trying to make sense of it at all.”
Full Review
6. Marriage Story
“Noah Baumbach’s latest film, about the dissolution of married couple – played extraordinarily well by Adam Driver and Scarlett Johansson – will no doubt get comparisons made to Bergman’s brilliant Scenes From a Marriage. But whereas that 1972 film concerned the relationship itself, its highs and lows and metamorphoses, Baumbach’s film is much more about the logistics, legal and otherwise, of ending a very much shared life together.”
Capsule Review
5. Midsommar
“Viewing Aster's films is a bit like walking into an art installation -- quite literally, as he populates his frame with stunning compositions and art-focused mise en scene, as with the beautifully designed wooden structures of the compound, or the exquisite murals and art displayed on the building's walls (a huge shout-out to his production designer, Henrik Svensson, and the art directing crew) -- but, as with Hereditary, behind all the sumptuous, hand-crafted beauty, there is a cruel, brutal core of humanity's continued savagery. If art represents the best sort of impulses of humankind, in Aster's hands, it becomes yet another facade, hiding -- or in this case, exemplifying -- our instinct for vicious barbarity.”
Full Review
4. Parasite
“By the end, as it swerves inexorably into blood-soaked violence, the film reveals to be a bit of a con itself, drawing us in with its enticing humor, then opening up into a much darker vision, before ending on an emotional note of surprising vulnerability. Through it all, Bong shows a mastery of odd tones, from the opening comedic salvo, to the final emotional beats.”
Capsule Review
3. Uncut Gems
“It’s one of those pressure-cooker films, where the steam builds more and more intense as Howard gets in and out of trouble through his ability to constantly shift the playing board. There’s a scene about midway through, with various aggrieved characters coalescing at once in his office, as he’s trying to have a speaker phone conversation with his doctor, that’s so stressful, you will want to avert your eyes and remind yourself of the exit signs.”
Capsule Review
2. Once Upon a Time in Hollywood
“It's also an unexpected joy to watch the nonchalant swagger of Pitt match up with DiCaprio's more high-strung ministrations. Two of the biggest film stars alive playing mostly washed up TV actors may stack the irony, but both of them settle in so well into their characters, you can't help but admire the result. Rick is a dude whose ego has gone from tumescent to shriveled -- he parks his car miserably in front of one of his own old movie posters -- but beneath all his hubris and despair, he actually has a lot of talent. As always, it's pure joy to watch Pitt smoke up a screen, a middle-aged Redford speaking every line with a sinfully breezy smile, whose confidence extends around him like the golden hue of his deep suntan.”
Full Review
1. Knives Out
“More than the plot itself, an ingenious and kinetic thing that's as satisfying as a hot bowl of soup on a raw and windy day, there's the sense of joyous chaos from the cast. Those scenes where the family is all together, in the drawing room and continually at each other's throats are so delicious, they should come with a napkin. The interplay between vets like Shannon, Johnson, Curtis and Collette is filled with fractious energy, the characters revisiting age-old disagreements ("Your kid's a brat!" -- "Your kid is a Nazi!") with sadistic glee. Even when they band together, in moments, against what they believe to be a common enemy, it's clear the harmony between them is more Iggy and the Stooges than Beach Boys. In short, Johnson has devised a perfect ensemble of dreadful characters and set them all against one another in a narrative fishbowl filled with lye.”
Full Review
Other Worthy Mentions:
Amazing Grace, American Factory, Apollo 11, Bacurau, Birds of Passage, Charlie Says, Cold Case Hammarskjöld, Dark Suns, Dark Waters, Ford v Ferrari, Greener Grass, In Fabric, John Wick 3, Jojo Rabbit, Luce, Midnight Traveler, Ms. Purple, Pain and Glory, Rewind, Something Else, Terminator: Dark Fate, The Farewell, The Hole in the Ground, The Irishman, The Lighthouse, The Nightingale, The Report, The Souvenir, The Vast of Night, This is Not Berlin, Us, Varda by Agnes, Vitalina Varella
Best Upcoming Releases of 2019
The Personal History of David Copperfield
The Burnt Orange Heresy
Bad Education
First Cow
The Worst Films of 2019
5. Greta
“In short, Jordan turns Greta into a Michael Myers-esque boogeyman, everywhere and no place at once, almost a phantom, but for her high heels and French condemnation. In this way, the filmmaker loses his grip on his material.”
Full Review
4. Ma
“Apart from a truly absurd script, director Tate Taylor's film performs ungainly political gyrations -- asking us to root against a survivor of sexual abuse and humiliation for trying to gain (albeit misplaced) revenge on her attacker. Sort of a rape-revenge thriller set upside down, such that nothing makes any ethical (or emotional) sense. It quickly becomes an awkward mishmash of impulses, wanting to provide cheap scares while fostering a deeply schizoid sense of sympathy, while managing to fail mightily at both.”
Full Review
3. The Dead Don’t Die
“Jarmusch's proclivities have always leaned toward such lightly affecting material -- as if the act of actually generating emotion is somehow vulgar and unseemly -- which has also endeared him to his faction of fans. For everyone else, though, it doesn't leave much to look at. Filmed without fanfare (albeit with a few more special effects than usual, and a kind of cool splattering of sand-like mist when the zombies are beheaded), and with the intensity knobs all turned down to their lowest setting, he continues his sous vide-style of filmmaking. Whether you like the dish he's serving, or want to throw your hands in the air and go somewhere else for dinner is all in your temperament. Whatever you choose, you can be certain the same menu will be available the next time you venture back.”
Full Review
2. Dark Phoenix
“The clearest loss, however, is with the story itself -- its legacy struck deep in Marvel lore -- once again being studio nitpicked, and focus-grouped to within an inch of its life. If Endgame audaciously proved a superhero movie could rise toward an emotionally satisfying arc, this failed attempt proves the opposite is also true: Chronic incoherence, even if spread out among a multitude of titles over 20 years, just feels like a soulless money grab. Adding to the sense of this film's slapdashery, the trailer features lines and moments unused in the actual cut, which is never a good sign.”
Full Review
1. Lucy in the Sky
“The film is meandering and pretty much pointless, a major flaw that Hawley himself indicated in his introduction (“we work as hard on the bad ones as we do the good ones,” he told the audience in an example of supreme foreshadowing. Portman does her best, but the film sputters pretty hard, and is never able to justify itself.”
Capsule Review
Other Dishonorable Entries:
The Aftermath, The Curse of La Llorona, Gemini Man, Glass, Hellboy, Joker
Inexplicably Overrated: Joker, The Dead Don’t Die
Biggest Welcome Surprise(s): Ford v Ferrari, Once Upon a Time in Hollywood
Most Bitter Disappointment(s): The Lodge, Wounds
Film That Critics Got Wrong: Waves
Best Film I Saw Last Year, Period: Scenes From a Marriage
5 notes · View notes
cherrynika · 3 years ago
Text
I just have a question. How many people who believe this were fans in the TR and RB years? Because I’ve followed him since 2008 (took a break for much of the Ferrari years so I’m not well-versed in the Charles/Seb lore)
He’s not really as bad as many people: he wasn’t racist or anything, but he was a lot of things! And I think that a big part of why I continue to be a fan is because he’s changed and grown. I take this attitude towards a lot of the younger drivers as well: it’s ok to admit that someone is a prick or a racist. Let him change and grow. It’s really normal and healthy for someone to become a different person between 18 and 34. It is admirable when they take steps to be a better person.
Tumblr media
THIS
826 notes · View notes
mechanicsden-blog · 7 years ago
Text
The Risky Business of Skirting Trademarks (re-publish)
Due to shutdown of Pretend Race Cars blog (since the admin, under the pen name “James”, although the sim racing community knows who’s him), where I originally submitted this, I’ve archived one of my reader submissions here. This post was originally published on April 6, 2016, at the height of Automobilista F1 livery controversy that led the game being delisted from Steam for a while. Unfortunately, I am unable to restore any of the pictures, although every pictures there are just taken from the interwebs.
James’ thoughts are in italics. (except for italicizing of game titles) My commentary/fixes are in [italics in brackets]. 
A snapshot of the original is here.
As the debacle surrounding Reiza Studios and their battle with Formula One Management continues into its second week – with Automobilista still failing to appear on the Steam marketplace – avid PRC.net reader FMecha has sent in a beautiful Reader Submission chronicling the long list of copyright claims across various driving games. A great entry that is well worth your time to read on this otherwise quiet Friday afternoon, the piece goes to show that Reiza Studios weren’t the first developer team to run afoul of copyright technicalities, and they certainly won’t be the last.
Hello PRC! I would like to discuss the issue and examples of skirting trademarks in racing games, in light of a recent controversy – what allegedly forced Steam to de-list Automobilista.
Dodging, evading, or skirting trademarks – whatever you want to call it – just like the alleged reason behind the de-listing of Reiza Studios’ Automobilista is nothing new. Other racing game developers, just like Reiza, when they are unable to afford license(s) for something they want to represent in their racing games, may chose to take shortcut and attempt to thinly disguise it. There are three types of skirting trademarks I have witnessed in racing games:
The first kind involved deliberate misspelling of trademarks, like it was a counterfeit brand or something. This was prevalent in Japanese racing games around the 80’s and the 90’s. [Supposedly because Japan at the time do not really protect trademarks.] Examples of games using this technique include Video System’s (best known for the Aero Fighters arcade shmup series) Tail to Nose (based on the 1988 F1 season and also known as Super Formula in Japan), and Visco’s Drift Out. Of note, both games had sequels with licensed vehicles – Video System would later create licensed F1 games based on early and late 90s seasons, while Visco’s Drift Out was followed with Drift Out ’94: The Hard Order, that had licenses for all manufacturers (except Ford) and Neo Drift Out, the best known of all three due to the fact it was one of few racing games for the Neo-Geo platform and had licenses for all three Japanese WRC racers featured in the game.
This method was not free of repercussions. Tobacco giant Phillip Morris sued Sega because of the “Marlbobo�� logos in early revisions of the arcade version of Super Monaco GP, primarily on grounds it was seen as marketing cigarettes to the youth. Sega was forced to issue a revised version of the game with many of the fake “sponsors” edited out; the title screen, which featured a Marlboro-sponsored McLaren car and a partially visible Marlboro ad, had to be edited as well.
The second method involved changing everything that belongs to the original cars (usually race car sponsors) with something original, and invented by the developer, while keeping the livery intact – this is usually done only on the race cars. This tactic was probably as closest I can to describe what Reiza did; apart from that, a small, obscure developer, Prism Arts, released two arcade rally racers, Rally de Africa and Rally de Europe, both for PlayStation and only in Japan. Both games featured various rally cars that have the body and the livery of the original cars, but all sponsor decals have been changed to those invented by the developer. (For example, the Diac logos on the Renault Megane Maxi were changed to Juno, etc). A similar act was done in Grand Prix Legends, after Sierra/Papyrus’ inability to secure Honda and Cooper licenses forced them to thinly disguise both teams as Murasama and Conventry, respectively.
I don’t know if this belongs to the first or the second method I described, but BATracer did something similar after the debacle with Ferrari that lead to the birth of Team Wales; every other manufacturer and team names were changed, most of them were play of the name of the originals. For instance, McLaren became McLewis, Red Bull became Red Bell, Toro Rosso became Roro Torso, Lotus became Sotul, etc.
Japanese racing games that deal with JDM cars, such as Shutokou Battle (Tokyo Xtreme Racer) series, play it differently. Most of them opt to just put the chassis codes of the car directly in their games, since every car nerd – their target audience – practically knew them and under assumption that those are not trademarked. AE86, BNR34, NA1, CE9A, GC8, FD3S, JZA80, EK9, S14, you name it. The risks were displayed when Crave, the company that localized the PS2 Shutokou Battle/Tokyo Xtreme Racer series (Genki developed them), was asked by Honda – a manufacturer that [at the time] has a flip-flopping stance against street racing (they were absent in Tokyo Xtreme Racer 3/Shutokou Battle 01, the first game in the series with licensed cars – as well in the Wangan Midnight Maximum Tune series, yet appearing in Need for Speed Underground games, as well as the latest NFS title [NFS 2015], albeit late in the development) to rename their cars’ chassis codes to something unrecognizable, as well as redrawing the front box art of the game (recycled from TXR2 for Dreamcast; fitting since TXR0 is retelling of TXR2’s story) so that one of cover cars’ front fascia resembled the NSX less. (Unfortunately, not only the disc art went unchanged, they left a Honda chassis code unchanged: RF2, for Honda Stepwgn, a Japan-only MPV. Yes, you can play as an MPV in TXR0).
Yes, I mentioned lots of obscure racing games and yes, thinly disguising things when a developer doesn’t have the license is nothing new, and a carries a high legal risk.
A great write-up, and I can’t say I have much more to add. Any time a developer tries to interpret copyright laws in their own way, it turns into a giant game of roulette. Either they get away with it and it becomes a part of the game’s lore – as seen with Tokyo Xtreme Racer – or it gets a developer in deep shit, which is what most likely happened to Reiza Studios.
Retrospective Commentary
I forgot to mention one method of trademark skirting (or actually, one variation of the method) when road cars are involved: developers would take a car exactly it is and slap a made-up name on it. That’s what happened when the Honda chassis codes got renamed in TXR0, actually. Many cheaply developed racing games on Steam and mobile platforms go this route (as well as many Chinese developed arcade racing games). Look at the incident where the Mercedes Vision GT sneaks into to Dubai Drift.
Something to note, several months/years after I wrote this, Honda officially joined Wangan Midnight Maximum Tune’s car list in 5DX+ along with Lamborghini, although their appearance is currently restricted to NSX old and new.
Also in the end, Automobilista ended up recoloring some of the F1 cars (the not-McLarens now wear the Madonna colors from Super Monaco GP, probably since Brazilians love that game, for instance). And it’s actually easy to go back to old liveries... provided you keep backup of old liveries, or knew someone who uploads it.
Maybe next I can make a rogue’s gallery of those trademark skirtings...
1 note · View note
glenngaylord · 5 years ago
Text
AND THE REST - CAPSULE FILM REVIEWS FOR 2019
Tumblr media
I see a lot of movies but don’t always have time to write a comprehensive review for every one of them.  By catching up on screenings and screeners these past few weeks, I’ve managed to compile a small batch of artisanal, locally-sourced capsule reviews.  While less wordy than usual, you still get my clever/groan-inducing titles, one to five star ratings, and their placement on the Gay Scale.  So start your New Year’s Resolutions off right with these bite-sized morsels.  
The Aging Of Innocence - Capsule Review: The Irishman ★★★★1/2
So much ink has been spilled about Martin Scorsese’s latest gangster epic, with naysayers lamenting the lack of strong female roles and supporters getting swept away by its grand presentation.  While I also missed a Sharon Stone, a Sandra Bernhard, or a Lorraine Bracco in the mix, I loved this film.  With a masterful script by Steve Zaillian, it deconstructs the genre, starting with its Goodfellas-like steadicam shot through a nursing home, to its mournful third act, which achingly lays out the consequences for this band of murderous thugs. With great performances from DeNiro, Pacino, and Pesci and a fascinating exploration of male ego and hubris, I’m in the camp who saw it twice and never felt its 3 1/2 hour length.  The de-aging CGI work may have proven a little distracting at times, but I’m glad each actor had the chance to be their characters throughout.  
Currently streaming on Netflix.
Performance Of A Lifetime Movie - Capsule Review: Harriet ★★1/2
Despite an extraordinary performance by Cynthia Erivo as legendary freedom fighter Harriet Tubman, there’s no getting around Director Kasi Lemmons’ surprising lack of imagination in depicting her life.  Her earlier films suggest a strong and unique visual sense, but everything here plays out like an uninspired, standard coverage, bullet points overview we’re used to seeing in Lifetime movies.  Still, Tubman remains such an important part of history and Erivo truly delivers, so see it but don’t expect cinematic greatness.  Not helping matters is Terence Blanchard, Spike Lee’s talented, longtime composer,  who contributes the most intrusive, overblown score of the year.  
 Faster, Speed Racer! Thrill! Thrill! - Capsule Review: Ford v Ferrari ★★★1/2
Proving they still make them like they used to, James Mangold delivers an old-fashioned true story detailing the competition between the two automotive companies to win the 1966 Le Mans. The film nails it glorious technicolor aesthetic and offers vibrant performances by Christian Bale, Matt Damon, and in one of my favorite film moments of the year, Tracy Letts with the most unexpected and wonderful crying scene.  A pity its lack of character development doesn’t justify its extended running time, but for a movie-movie, you could do a lot worse.  
Days And Days And Days Of Hell - Capsule Review: A Hidden Life ★★★1/2
After the one-two punch of Badlands and Days Of Heaven, the world waited 20 years for Terrence Malick to return with another masterpiece.  Since then, he’s made films of quality but seems to keep spinning his wheels with the same whispered voiceovers, endless nature photography, and barely there narratives.  I’m happy to report that his latest, based on the true struggles of a pacifist during Hitler’s reign, has a real narrative tucked inside his usual bag of tricks.  Yes, every shot is awe-inspiring, but it takes 180 minutes to tell 90 minutes of story.  Still, he’s carved out his own cinematic niche and this time has something profound to say about the human condition.  
  All’s Quite Dire On The Western Front - Capsule Review: Little Woods ★★★1/2
Tessa Thompson delivers a raw, quietly powerful performance as a parolee whose desperate financial circumstances point to a return to drug dealing in her small North Dakota town.  Along with her sister, played by a lovely Lily James, they try to earn enough money to keep possession of their late mother’s house.  Firmly planted in that “low key, indie Sundance” style along the lines of Winter’s Bone and Frozen River,  it may not break new ground, but this deadly serious, hope-deprived story feels like America today, for better or for worse.  
End This Already! - Capsule Review: Terminator: Dark Fate ★★
As much as I loved seeing another triad of strong women in a film (a nod to the Halloween sequel last year), and as sexy as Gabriel Luna is as the latest killing machine, I just didn’t care for a second what was happening onscreen.  Despite some fun action set pieces, none of them have stuck with me.  I loved having Linda Hamilton’s gravely, mature butch energy coupled with Mackenzie Davis’ tough, baby butch energy, and I prefer seeing Schwarzenegger in this role than as Governor, but this franchise needs to…um…terminate.  
Jeez (Thelma and) Louise! - Capsule Review: Queen & Slim ★★★
Road movies sometimes have problematic screenplays due to their often rambling and random structures.  While Queen & Slim tells an important story about the perils black Americans face during a routine traffic stop, its forward momentum as a fugitive tale loses steam and credibility every time our leads (a fantastic Jodie Turner-Smith and Daniel Kaluuya) stop to make love, ride horses, visit relatives, or go dancing.  Although Melina Matsoukas delivers a striking directorial debut, Lena Waithe’s script, which still cuts to the bone, could have used a logic pass before going into production.  She tries hard to jump through many hoops and sometimes hits many cultural zeitgeist bullseyes, but its just misses the mark due to a lack of narrative urgency.  
(Sun)Dance Fever - Capsule Review: Brittany Runs A Marathon ★★★
Maybe it’s the altitude or the need to justify the expense of going to a film festival during a blizzard, but this movie, which won the Sundance Audience Award and started an intense bidding war, plays out like a pleasant, indie version of Trainwreck.   Amy Schumer-a-like, Jillian Bell, delivers a fine performance as an unmotivated mess who changes her life by, well, look at the title of the film for chrissakes!  While definitely sweet, elliptical, inspirational but somehow forgettable, it gets points for getting out of scenes faster than most films of its type, for its oddly off-the-cuff but funny final moment, and especially for a devastating sequence in which Brittany decimates a heavy woman.
Currently streaming on Amazon Prime.
Adoptive Behavior - Capsule Review: Luce ★★★1/2
Kelvin Harrison Jr. excels as Luce, an adopted American teen whose past as an Eritrean child soldier calls into question whether he’s a terrorist sociopath or the perfect high school valedictorian.  With fantastic support from Naomi Watts, Tim Roth, and especially Octavia Spenser as a History teacher with a healthy distrust of Luce, Harrison’s unnerving performance keeps you guessing up through the very last, chilling frame.  
High Tide/Low Tide - Capsule Review: Waves ★★★1/2
Playing another teen who can’t live up to society’s expectations, Kelvin Harrison Jr. electrifies again in Troy Edward Schults’ fluidly directed, unconventional drama.  Unfortunately, while the first half has tremendous power as we watch this young man’s total flameout, the second half loses considerable steam.  Still worth a look for the vivid performances, the great cinematography, and the elliptical storytelling style.  
A Different Kind Of Thing - Capsule Review: I Lost My Body ★★★1/2
Jérémy Clapin’s award winning animated feature uses a fractured timeline to tell the story of a severed hand which seeks to reunite with its host, a lonely Pizza Delivery Man. Prior to whatever event led to his amputation, he stalks a young woman he grows to love.  While the characters may seem cold and distant, a palpable sense of longing permeates every frame of this fascinating film.  I would have preferred a less obtuse ending, but this is French existentialism, so don’t expect an Addam’s Family tone or a completely filled-in storytelling experience.  
Currently streaming on Netflix.
Black Savior - Capsule Review: Just Mercy ★★★
This true story of a black attorney who, in the late 80s/early 90s attempts to exonerate black death row inmates, features vibrant performances by Michael B. Jordan and Jamie Foxx and a refreshing lack of a white savior.  Think about it.  Had this been made in the 90s, Kevin Kline would have starred, truth be damned.  While strong, especially in its depiction of a man bravely advocating for his community, it suffers from a very 90s presentation.  Still, what it lacks in a true filmmaker’s voice, it more than makes up for it with good old-fashioned storytelling and an offbeat, charming chemistry between our two leads.
Cool One-Handed Luke - Capsule Review: Star Wars: The Rise Of Skywalker ★★★1/2
As a casual Star Wars fan, I’m less steeped in the lore and more invested in the Saturday matinee whiz bang, kinetic action of the franchise.  I really don’t know a Boba Fett from a Bib Fortuna, and that’s ok.  Sure, it may undo a lot of plot elements The Last Jedi laid out and has an annoying habit of refusing to let dead characters stay dead or in one case actually die at all, but I just loved the quest for the macguffin in order to kill the Big Bad.  It’s fun, easy to follow, and has spirited performances from our leads, especially Oscar Isaac, who has more than a touch of Harrison Ford’s charisma.  It has an unpretentious quality that feels less like a grand finale and more like a good resting place before the inevitable continuations in some form or another.  Major “Boo! Hiss!” for its handling of Keri Russell, Lupita Nyong’o and Kellie Marie Tran, who get the eyes only, barely there, sidelined treatment respectively…and I see you Pixar Lamp disguised as a new droid!  I see you!
Killing Me Hardly - Capsule Review: Clemency ★★★
Intentionally austere and drab, Clemency features a fine, brittle performance by Alfre Woodard as a Prison Warden who gets more and more affected by the executions she oversees. Aldis Hodge also excels here as the next inmate on Woodard’s list.  A quiet, moody, visually disciplined film with so much to read in between the lines, it’s still a bit of a slog, although Woodard plays drunk better than most actors.  So come for the Johnny Walker Black but stay if you’re in a contemplative mood.  
All Children Left Behind - Capsule Review: One Child Nation ★★★★
What this Sundance Grand Prize Jury Award-winning documentary may lack in filmmaking technique, it more than makes up for it emotionally in this harrowing accounting of China’s decades spanning but now defunct One-Child Policy.  Showing the issue from many points of view, the law may have seemed like a good idea for population control, but quickly descended into forced abortions and sterilizations, kidnappings, abandonment, destruction of property, separation of families, and lives ruined.  A heartbreaking look at what happens when women don’t have control over their bodies and the patriarchy exerts its power over a population.  The chilling propaganda on display and the faces of those who suffered make for a terrifying, unforgettable, and highly relevant film.  This brutal policy began in 1979 and ended in 2015, just a few years ago.  Think about that.
Currently streaming on Amazon Prime.
Industrial Resolution - Capsule Review: The Aeronauts ★★1/2
The somewhat true story of a balloonist (Felicity Jones) and a meteorologist (Eddie Redmayne) who team up to soar higher than anyone has before in order to better predict the weather, is oddly threadbare and plays out like a 19th century Gravity. It does feature some thrilling set pieces and stellar cinematography by George Steel. While you truly feel the cold and agonize over the increasingly dire circumstances, the air isn’t the only thing that’s thin here.
Currently streaming on Amazon Prime.
Achy Breaky Bloody Bastard Heart - Capsule Review: Wild Rose ★★★1/2
Directed and shot by the same people who made The Aeronauts, Jessie Buckley earns her bonafides as a Scottish parolee, complete with ankle bracelet, who aspires to make it as a country singer in Nashville.  While breaking no new ground with its “Quaint Little UK Village” vibe we’ve seen a gazillion times before, its success rests squarely on Buckley’s more than capable shoulders and a wonderful final song written by none other than Mary Steenburgen.  It also features fine work by Julie Walters and Sophie Okonedo.  Still, as unlikely as they make it seem for a non-American to make it in the country music world, I wanted to shout “Keith Urban” repeatedly at the screen!  
Rust Belt Blues And Reds - Capsule Review: American Factory ★★★★
Maybe because I grew up in Ohio and witnessed firsthand the decline of the auto industry, this incredible documentary about a shuttered GM plant in Dayton getting a new life from an anti-Union Chinese billionaire ranks among the year's finest. Like a slow-moving pileup, the film builds and builds towards an inevitable crash. With sit-down interviews relegated to voiceovers, this scrupulous film makes you care about the people it follows while taking you on a fascinating cross-cultural journey. The fact that the filmmakers had access to all of the parties involved comes across as a miracle. It’s impossible to forget the distraught workers’ reactions every step of the way.
Currently streaming on Netflix.  
Mini Driver - Capsule Review: The Report ★★★
There’s a really good film about the amoral detention and torture tactics sanctioned by the George W. Bush presidency and it’s called Zero Dark Thirty.  Meanwhile, The Report, plays out like a dull, disconnected melding of Spotlight and All The President’s Men as we watch Adam Driver’s depiction of Daniel Jones under the auspices of Senator Dianne Feinstein (a fine but fairly one-note Annette Bening) put together an unwieldy report to expose the government’s tactics.  While Driver does well and shows great passion and alacrity with his bulky speeches, the whole film feels like a slow-cooked beef chili served at a Vegan Barbecue.  It just kind of sits there.  
Currently streaming on Amazon Prime.  
0 notes
perksofwifi · 5 years ago
Text
Scuderia Ferrari Brought 60 Cars to Pebble Beach for its 90th Birthday
There’s nothing like an anniversary as an excuse to throw a bash, and at this year’s Monterey Car Week, there were a couple of major blowouts. Bentley’s Big 100 was the headliner. Its cars were all over the peninsula, with one of W.O. Bentley’s finest scoring Best of Show honors at the 69th Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance. Then there was Ferrari, who celebrated the 90th anniversary of Scuderia Ferrari with an astonishing smorgasbord of some 60 of the greatest racing Ferraris of all time.
The founding of Scuderia Ferrari is arguably as important as Bentley’s 100 because while 1929 doesn’t mark the beginning of the Ferrari brand itself (1947 does, and Ferrari just got done celebrating the 70th anniversary of that milestone), it’s the year Enzo Ferrari started the race team. Without the Scuderia, there would be no Ferrari.
At the outset, Scuderia Ferrari was the official race team of Alfa Romeo, and indeed a handful of those racing Alfas showed up on the first fairway of the Pebble Beach Golf Links, including a superb 1933 Alfa Romeo 8C 2300 Monza (pictured below). When Alfa Romeo eventually decided to rename its team and go in a different direction, Enzo went in one of his own. After World War II, Ferrari accelerated its motorsports efforts, culminating in the Scuderia Ferrari’s entry in the 1950 Monaco Grand Prix. The rest, as they say, is history.
And what a history it’s been. Out on the fairway was a who’s who of Prancing Horses with significant motorsports pedigrees, including a 1956 250 GT, 1958 250 Testa Rossa, and a 1992 F40 Competizione (pictured at top). Everywhere you looked, there was another priceless piece of Ferrari racing royalty.
Ferrari also used the occasion to make a big deal of its latest model, the stunning new hybrid SF90 Stradale supercar. It also brought along a special one-off Ferrari P80/C, a wild, track-only machine inspired by the 330 P3/P4 and Dino 206 S of the 1960s using the Ferrari 488 GT3 as its basis.
There’s an old story that Enzo Ferrari often said that he only made street cars so he could fund his race team, and the legacy he left behind while chasing glory on the racetrack continues to resonate to this day. Below is a look at some of the cars that played starring roles at the 90th anniversary of Scuderia Ferrari. May they live on in the annals of motorsports lore.
The post Scuderia Ferrari Brought 60 Cars to Pebble Beach for its 90th Birthday appeared first on MotorTrend.
https://www.motortrend.com/news/90-years-scuderia-ferrari-racing-machines-photos/ visto antes em https://www.motortrend.com
0 notes
greggory--lee · 8 years ago
Text
The History of AC Cars
AC Cars was established in 1907 and is the oldest British car manufacturer that is still producing vehicles today.
The AC name came from the name of their first commercial three wheeler – the autocarrier, which was designed and manufactured by John Weller.
In 1908, a new passenger version called the AC Sociable was introduced. The name came about because the passenger and drivers seat were side by side and not in tandem as many other three wheelers were at the time. It was also the first time that the initials AC had been used.
During World War 1, AC continued to produce vehicles as well as shells and fuses. By 1919, they were back in full car production with 10hp and 12hp engines. These were later replaced by a six cylinder 16hp model.
For the next few years, AC turned to producing four wheeled vehicles and did not produce another three wheeler until 1953 with the AC Petite. The petite was powered by a 346cc single cylinder two stroke Villiers engine and had an aluminum body fastened to a light steel frame.
The all new Ace arrived in 1953, designed by John Tojerio. The Ace used the old 1991cc AC engine.
The distinct body was produced in aluminum and looked similar to contemporary Ferrari models and it would also form the basis for the lengedary Cobra.
The AC Cobra was produced during the 1960s and is one of the most iconic cars of all time, and this was thanks to Carroll Shelby asking AC Cars to build a car that would take a V8 engine.
The first 75 Cobra Mark I (including the prototype) were fitted with the 260 engine (4.2L). The remaining 51 Mark I model were fitted with a larger version of the Windsor Ford engine, the 289 in ((4.7L) V8.
By 1963 the leaf-spring Cobra was losing its supremacy in racing. Shelby tried fitting a larger Ford FE engine of 390 in.. Ken Miles drve and raced the FE-powered Mark II and pronounced the car was virtually undrivable. A new chassis was developed and designated Mark III.
Cobra Mark III production began on 1 January 1965; Two prototypes had been sent to the United States in October 1964. Cars were sent to the US as unpainted rolling chassis, and they were finished in Shelby's workshop.
Unfortunately, the Mark III missed homologation for the 1965 racing season and was not raced by the Shelby team. However, it was raced successfully by many privateers and went on to win races all the way into the 1970s.
Interestingly, 31 unsold competition cars were detuned and made road worthy and called S / C for semi competition. Today, these are the rarest and the most valuable models.
AC Cobras had an intensive racing career. Shelby wanted it to be a "Corvette Beater" and at nearly 500lb less than the Chevrolet Corvette, the lightweight car did just that. The Cobra was perhaps too successful as a performance car and reputedly contributed to the implementation of national speed limits in the United Kingdom. An AC Cobra Coupe was calculated to have done 185 mph on the M1 motorway in 1964, driven by Jack Sears and Peter Bolton during shakedown tests prior to that year's Le Mans 24h race. However, government officials have cited the increasing accident death rate in the early 1960s as the principal motivation, with the exploits of the AC Cars team merely highlighting the risk.
AC also produced the AC Frua until 1973. The AC Frua was built on a stretched Cobra 427 MK III coil spring chassis using a very angular steel steel body designed and built by Pietro Frua. With the demise of the Frua, AC went on building less cars and now fell into bankruptcy in the late 1970s. The company's tooling and eventually the right to use the name, were licensed by Autocraft, a Cobra parts reseller and replica car manufacturer owned by Brian Angliss.
A road-going Shelby Daytona Cobra replica is being manufactured by Superformance and Factory Five Racing, a well known kit car company. These cars use Peter Brock's bodywork designs, scaled up to increase room inside, and a newly designed spaceframe chassis, they are powered by Roush-built Ford Windsor (Sportsman) engines. The Superformance Shelby Daytona Coupe is the only modern day vehicle recognized by Shelby as a successor to the original Coupes. Peter Brock's Australian namesake, the race car driver, was killed while driving a GM-powered replica of a Shelby Daytona Coupe in competition in Australia in 2006.
To date most continuations are produced in fiberglass, with some very special customers custom ordering cars with aluminum or carbon fiber bodywork.
Shelby Motors built 22 427 competition roadsters. In 1965, one was selected and converted into a special model called the 427 Cobra to End All Cobras. The first one of these (number CSX 3015) was originally part of a European promotional tour before its conversion. This conversion called for making the original racing model street legal with mufflers, a windshield and bumpers among other amendments. However, some things were not modified, including the racing rear end, brakes and headers. The most notable modification is the addition of Twin Paxton Superchargers. This wave the car an identical 800 bhp and 462 ft lbs of torque at an astounding low of 3000 rpm. Officially rated at 0 to 60 at 4.5 seconds, legend and lore have it as doing that in a little over 3 seconds as one must lay the off throttle heavily just to get the traction off the line.
Source by Dawn MR Martin
Source: http://bitcoinswiz.com/the-history-of-ac-cars/
0 notes