#the great josh fight of 2021

[toasttt11]

introducing brinley

Brinley Amelia Matthews the third born of Brian and Ema Matthews born January 2, 1998.

Brinley went on the ice for the first time with her big brother when she was a toddler and fell in love with being on the ice, crying if she wasn’t on the ice.

Brinley always wanted to beat Auston when they were playing against each other amd while she started playing as a foward she tried playing as a defender and loved being in that position more.

Brinley has always adored letting her younger sister teach her golf, Breyana being a extremely good golf player and competitively plays loves being able to teach her older sister and in return Brinley will drag her sister into the ice.

Brinley joined the USNTDP in 2015 and met Quinn Hughes, Josh Norris and Brady Thchuck. Quinn and Brinley became Defensive partners and ended up being an insane duo.

She roomed with Quinn and Brady for the first year in the program and in the second year Quinn’s family had moved to Michigan as Quinn’s brother Jack was also joining the program and Brinley lived with the Hughes for a year.

Josh and Brady both are on the Ottawa Senators and is only two hours away from Brinley, they try to hang out whenever they can.

Quinn and Brinley live pretty far away from each other so they try to see each other the most they can when they play against each other and especially in the summer they always at least spend some time together.

Brinley was apart of Brady and Emma’s wedding and was the maid of honor for Emma, having know Emma almost as long as she has know Brady and has found a best friend in Emma.

Luke instantly adored Brinley and looked up to her since the moment he met her, Brinley became a really big mentor to him and helped him a lot in his skills in hockey especially as a Defender.

Brinley was at Luke’s NHL having flown in just for the game and leaving the next day, early in the morning.

Jack really was awestruck seeing Brinley and especially when he saw her play live for the first time and quickly grew to think of her as family. Brinley was the only one Jack went to with the pressure of going first overall and his rookie year.

Brinley loves being on the Montreal Canadiens and she’s loves living in Montreal, she has been through the up and downs with the team and was voted in as Captain in the 2021-2022 season.

She’s always been the player who would willingly pare up with the younger players and the younger players always seem to do great playing with Brinley on the ice.

Brinley doesn’t tend to get in a lot of fights but she is protective of her team especially the younger ones and she will willingly fight for her team.

When Brinley first met Cole he stared up at her with stars in his eyes and Brinley just assumed it was like Cole looking up to her, what she didn’t realize was Cole was completely enthralled with Brinley and thought she was stunning.

Brinley met Nick before her third season in the NHL, the two immediately clicked and were soon very close friends and Brinley offered to be his roommates on the road and his first year in the NHL, Nick stayed in Brinley’s house.

Shea Webber was the Captain of the Habs when Brinley joined the team and he took her under his wing and they played in the same defense line together for the three years together until Shea was getting traded and Shea only wanted Brinley to become Captain after him. Brinley grew close to Shea’s family and watched as his kids grew up.

Jurai is one of the younger rookies to join the Habs and Brinley took him under her wing and became quite protective of her rookie, Juari grew very close to her as he moved to a new country and city and Brinley helped him settle in and settle into the team quite well.

When Brinley was younger her grandmother taught her how to crochet and it’s something she has always enjoyed, she usually spends her time on the plane or bus crocheting something, she always makes something for her teammates and especially any new players she has something waiting for them in their stall.

[kylesvariouslistsandstuff]

Literally flew right by my radar.

The next ANGRY BIRDS MOVIE is not going to be released by Sony/Columbia, it'll instead be a Paramount release. In theaters, no less. It's penciled in for January 29, 2027, nearly eight years after the previous movie in the franchise. Thorup van Orman is back to write it, under director John Rice.

Soooo, the Paramount animated movie runway as of now...

07/18/2025: SMURFS

12/19/2025: THE SPONGEBOB MOVIE: SEARCH FOR SQUAREPANTS

01/20/2026: THE LEGEND OF AANG: THE LAST AIRBENDER

07/31/2026: PAW PATROL: THE DINO MOVIE

10/06/2026: UNTITLED TMNT: MUTANT MAYHEM SEQUEL

01/29/2027: THE ANGRY BIRDS MOVIE 3

In addition to a bunch of recently-announced movies with no release dates/frames.

DROPZ, MUTTNIK, ONCE UPON A MOTORCYCLE DUDE, SWAN LAKE, at least two more 2D animated LAST AIRBENDER movies, and former DreamWorks picture YOKAI SAMBA.

And there are a few other Paramount animated movies announced over the past 5 or so years - like SUPERWORLD and REAL PIGEONS FIGHT CRIME - that we've heard nothing about that could make a surprise appearance some time in the future. Who knows? If I had my way, TRANSFORMERS ONE's sequel would be in the hopper like right now, but alas. Director Josh Cooley supposedly has something else in the Transformers verse in some form of development, so we'll see about that.

Plus, you have the pending merger of Skydance and Paramount, set to be completed in a few months. And as we all know, Skydance Animation has several films in the works, like Brad Bird's RAY GUNN and Nathan Greno's POOKOO. As far as I know, they're still set for Netflix, where SPELLBOUND debuted, but that may change and they may get upped to theaters. I'd love to see the new Brad Bird animated sci-fi noir movie, one he had been trying to get off the ground since the mid '90s, on the big screen, for sure.

Again, we'll see how it all plays out. Paramount has been up and down w/ theatrical animated movies for a while, with plenty of slates and game plans that just never panned out. Plus movies that ran into various dilemmas, and lost money even.

They keep falling back on the tried and true of SpongeBob and Nickelodeon stuff, well-established franchises, etc. Their past three more original, more untested ideas didn't see a traditional theatrical release. MONSTER ON A HILL adaptation RUMBLE skipped theaters after being meant for such a release for years. A trailer ran in early 2020, I remember seeing that in front of SONIC THE HEDGEHOG. COVID resulted in it being delayed a few times, eventually all the way to early 2022; I saw a RUMBLE trailer before ENCANTO in November 2021... Then not too long after that, it was announced that it wasn't going to theaters and instead it went straight to Paramount+. UNDER THE BOARDWALK lost its summer release date to PAWS OF FURY - which Paramount just randomly picked up out of nowhere. Thus, BOARDWALK had had a tiny theatrical release somewhere, then got a home video release thereafter. Weird rollout. THE TIGER'S APPRENTICE, meant to debut theatrically in early 2024, also skipped theaters for Paramount+. CEO Brian Robbins had made some weird remarks about these kinds of movies around the time as well, which drew a lot of criticism.

I'd like to see them eventually get it together, lol. I love MUTANT MAYHEM and TRANSFORMERS ONE, great reinventions of arguably oft-visited wells, but I'd like to see some relatively newer stuff too.

[gchoate17]

I watched 47 movies in 2024 – up from 25 last year, and the most since 2021. Here they are, ranked in order. It was fun to revisit some classics with my boys, who turned 7- and 3-years-old this year. Movies denoted with an asterisk I'd seen before.

Dune – Part Two

So ethereal and beautiful and Hans Zimmer is brilliant. My only complaint is that Josh Brolin doesn’t belong in this world.

2. Meth Storm

Brilliant story, well-told, unbiased. The level of access they have to these meth users is crazy. I can’t imagine what filming this must’ve been like.

3. Oppenheimer

Worthy of the hype.

4. Star Wars*

I don’t know how to rate a movie that helped shape my childhood, man. It holds up, though.

5. Society of the Snow

Fascinating story about surviving in the Andes Mountains. FWIW, I’d eat a person in a heartbeat in that situation, so maybe don't get on a plane to the Andes with me?

6. The Exception

I’m in a WWII phase right now. I’m also in a Lily James phase. And I like stories that allow for normal, well-meaning people in the role of villains (re: Nazis). This one checked all those boxes.

7. Fury

World War II Tank Squadron’s perspective on the war. A solid ensemble cast, fighting against all odds. Ridiculous at the end, but good nonetheless.

8. Nate Bargatze: Hello World

I’d watched a few dozen clips before I watched this comedy special, and it wasn’t until my wife said something that I realized how clean the whole thing was. That level of humor without cussing is an unbelievable accomplishment.

9. Aniara

Fascinating post-apocalyptic space movie at a mesmerizing pace.

10. Black Mass*

I forgot I’d seen this until I was already well into the movie. Depp makes a solid villain, especially now that all the court shenanigans have happened in his real life.

11. Honey, I Shrunk the Kids*

All of the adult actors are fantastic in this. And the whole thing is a solid backyard adventure. Holds up.

12. Robin Hood* (Animated Classic)

This is probably my favorite classic Disney animated cartoon. Holds up.

13. Trumbo

Educated me to the number of great works of Dalton Trumbo, who I mostly only knew as the writer of Johnny Got His Gun. Politicians are (mostly) evil and self-serving.

14. The Revenant

I love a good vengeance piece. Leo is solid.

15. Hit Man

Fun/cute/ridiculous, but funny/Adria Arjona factor/bonus points for being set at my alma mater.

16. Am I Okay?

Interesting story that feels real, delivered with a sharp enough wit to keep my attention.

17. Birdman

I like this in premise more than in execution. I like any premise where a person is (basically) playing a version of himself. Michael Keaton and Edward Norton were fantastic.

18. Zone of Interest

[SPOILER ALERT, I GUESS] The choice to set the whole thing right beside a concentration camp without ever showing the concentration camp was brilliant.

19. Anthropoid

We went from introduction to being a spy to handling a major operation really quickly. And maybe that’s accurate, but it made the pacing of the movie feel insane. I needed some more character development.

20. Yesterday

Interesting concept, executed pretty well in a rom-com sense. The best part was the conversation at the picnic table. Great soundtrack – obviously. Also, it’s worth noting that I’m probably going to like any movie with Lily James in it.

21. Baby Driver

This was fun.

22. The ‘Vous

I enjoyed getting to know what goes on behind the curtain of this historic restaurant. The footage in the restaurant itself was especially well done – dark, like a culinary coal mine. There were multiple storylines, though, that didn’t seem to all tie up together. For example, when I thought the film was ending, a new storyline got introduced. While the music didn't have a recognizable sound specific to Memphis, it did have plenty of soul and could stand on its own.

23. Skin

This felt authentic.

24. Martha

I will always see Martha Stewart as she was in the late-1990s. I’ve always had a soft spot for her – and I liked reading Joan Didion’s essay about her a few years ago – but according to this documentary, there is nothing soft about Martha. She’s ruthless, but I still have mad respect for her. But she might be mentally unstable? I dunno. The photography from her youth was stunning. As was she.

25. Unfrosted

Absolutely stacked with starpower. The subtle (and not so subtle) references to real-life situations – at least as far as I’m aware – are hilarious. But it’s also a little too over the top. And frankly, I can��t stand Amy Schumer.

26. Top Gun: Maverick

Hollywood ridiculousness, but also exactly what it set out to be – adrenaline rush, nostalgia from the first one, etc. I wish Kelly McGillis would have made an appearance. I understand why they couldn’t, but it would have been satisfying to see them try. She could’ve been the – “You’re still doing this pilot thing?” self-doubt-inducing person to run into Maverick.

27. Dave Chappell: The Dreamer

It’s weird to rank stand-up. Chappell is funny, but he is more brilliant than funny these days. And that’s not necessarily a bad thing.

28. American Fiction

Moderately entertaining social commentary on the publishing industry.

29. Tell Them You Love Me

People are insane.

30. Juliet, Naked

This role had to have actually been written for Ethan Hawke. And I like any movie that pokes a little fun at fanatics of any kind.

31. Welcome to Me

Quirky, cute, awkward.

32. Land of Bad

Hollywood ridiculousness. They’re no way they have dudes in the middle of an operation while everyone else is watching sports. Enough adrenaline/action to keep my attention, though.

33. Return of the Jedi*

I’ve always loved this movie, but upon rewatch, this one is kind of ridiculous because it’s resting on the laurels of the franchise.

34. Spaceman

Tonally, very cool. Adam Sandler in a dramatic role is always good. But the giant spider turned me off.

35. Cyrus

Watch the trailer and you see most of the funny parts.

36. Dream Scenario

Nicholas Cage is great, but his character pisses me off.

37. The Kill Team

The whole time I was watching this, I got angry at the hoards of Americans who probably agree with (and celebrate) the villain.

38. Out of the Furnace

Lots of likeable star power, a well-established rust-belt vibe, but the story was lacking. I don’t believe people living in such poverty would be circulating in the wide circles these characters do.

39. Woman of the Hour

Dude was scary, and the movie had some intense, icky scenes, but it kind of felt like the intensity and the ickiness were more important than the narrative.

40. The Informant

The protagonist as a character was fantastic, but I found the story itself suffered because of an unreliable narrator.

41. Promising Young Woman

SPOILER ALERT – I had high hopes for this one. It would have been better had she just started killing dudes at the beginning. I thought that’s what I was tuning in for.

42. Untold: Johnny Football

It was nice to get a decent look at the guy as a person. But it wasn’t the tell-all I was hoping for. I still have lots of questions.

43. Dr. Delirium & the Edgewood Experiments

This mostly just made me sad.

44. Sword in the Stone*

There’s really just not a lot here. I remembered liking this as a kid.

45. High Life

Solid performances, but this concept didn’t get there for me. The “reproductive” element of this movie felt gratuitous.

46. Saltburn

Whuuuut?

47. Carry-On

I got duped by Jason Bateman’s presence in the trailer. This is terrible and ridiculous.

48. Mr. Magoo (1997)

I understand the filmmakers were trying to stay true to the original character, but not even Leslie Nielson can turn Mr. Magoo into a live-action success.

See previous years’ lists here: 2023, 2022, 2021, 2020, 2019, 2018, 2017.

[x--daughters-of-darkness--x]

NITA STRAUSS Celebrates Nine Years Of Sobriety

Nita Strauss is celebrating the ninth anniversary of her getting sober.

The 37-year-old Alice Cooper guitarist credited the 12-Step program with helping her live her life without alcohol.

Earlier today (Thursday, September 5),she shared an image revealing she has been sober for nine years, 108 months, 3,289 days or 78,916 hours.

During a December 2021 appearance on "Guitar Autopsy", the video podcast hosted by Rusty Cooley, Strauss spoke about how she managed to lose 50 pounds and get sober while on tour back in 2015.

"My whole approach to sobriety and health and fitness is to educate but not ever force," she said. "I wouldn't ever want it to be, like, 'You have to stop drinking. You have to do cardio every day,' or whatever. All I can share is really what worked for me, and that was alcohol was extremely, extremely detrimental in my personal life.

"I got sober in 2015 and I basically just decided to make the most of it and said, 'If I'm gonna do this, I'm gonna do it right,'" she continued. "And I switched from going to the bar after the show to going to the Barbell in the morning, for lack of a better term. [Laughs] I hooked up with great bodybuilding coaches that [helped] me [with] my diet and my workout while I'm on the road. I use the right supplements, I eat the right food. I have dieticians at RP Strength, I have a workout coach, I take all the right supplements, I drink my green drinks, I take all my vitamins and I stay on track. And the more I did it, people in our community — the rock and metal community — were starting to ask how I did it. And I was writing these long captions on my phone: 'First things first, you drink a lot of water…' da da da. And so I thought why not inspire people to do more. So I created 'Body Shred'. And 'Body Shred' is the first fitness challenge that I know of that is aimed at the music community."

In 2020, Strauss credited her now-husband and manager Josh Villalta with helping her live her life without alcohol. At the time, she wrote: "I thought I needed a drink for just about everything. To be confident on stage. To be social after shows. To celebrate. To mourn. To take the edge off frustration or the sting out of a bad day. To relax and laugh at lunch with girlfriends, or watch football with the guys on Sundays. I was terrified that my life was going to change, that without alcohol I wouldn't be ME anymore, that I would lose my circle of friends, and my onstage charisma, and become someone else. ALL those things happened... but not in the way I thought they would.

"Change came first in my relationship, in the form of less fighting and drama, and more productivity, peace and love. Thank you @thejoshv for being the catalyst to the best thing I ever did for myself. I love you.

"The ME that I was before would have stayed up until 6 am at the bar or in the bus front lounge. The ME that I became would rather get up at 6 and get to the gym before starting the day.

"My busy circle of friends was almost immediately reduced to a core 3. I've learned that when it comes to friendships, quality is ALWAYS better than quantity. If your friends have no interest in spending time with you after you make a change for the better, they weren't your real friends.

"My first show without alcohol was in front of 15,000 people. I felt like a scarecrow someone had propped up on stage to scare birds. Nothing felt natural. I was going through the motions, with this absurd idea running through my head 'everyone is looking at me. Everyone knows.'

"I went out by the bus to talk to fans afterward, and do you know what they said? 'Wow you were so great! Where do you get all that energy? You add so much to Alice's band!'

"ALL of that insecurity, ALL the fears, ALL the doubt was in my head. Those are your demons that make you think you need them.

"I'm content to sit at the bar, order a soda water with lime and watch the game now. I wouldn't trade back to my old life for anything."

Back in 2018, Nita spoke openly about how she got finally sober in September 2015, saying that Josh has always been "a tough-love type" in the way she approached her sobriety. "He's, like, 'Look, you're on this path, and I support you, but I'm not changing the way I do things at all," she explained in an interview with "Chasing Glory With Lilian Garcia". "And I'm kind of glad, in retrospect, that he did that, because it threw me into the fire and showed me, like, 'Hey, you can be [around people who are drinking] and not drink.' He has continued to drink throughout [this entire period], but he didn't want me to drink, because when I would drink, I would start fights and I would get emotional and I would overreact to stupid things, like you do when you drink — it's part of drinking; it heightens all your emotions and everything." Nita also revealed that she has never participated in Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) to help her stay sober.

[ap-kinda-lit]

I’m getting flashbacks to the great Josh fight of 2021

[thefernmanner]

"The Tachyon." From the Book of Sirach, "The Manner of the Fern" 4: 20-28.

Next we cover the Right Time, when the Black Pillar of violence and ignorance lifts, leaving mankind free to observe all the rights and privileges sentient man was allotted by God. How this is to be made to happen in the sole topic of the Holy Talmud. The process begins as the Torah says in Egypt after the Israelites kill all the first born of the Egyptians and any collaborators. This process must begin now: Anyone who has harmed a Jew is not allowed to live. Especially Donald Trump and his friends in the Republican Party and the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints who attacked Israel alongside their friends Hamas and Hezbollah.

There is no point in lying or denying it, I personally saw Senator Marco Rubio, Amy Coney Barrett, Sen. Mitt Romney, Rep. Thomas Massie, Senator Josh Hawley and others consorting with persons associated with Hamas and Hezbollah in the Marriott Bonvoy hotel on 1199 Vermont Ave, NW where I was attacked and left for dead on December 18, 2021 for attempting to close down their pedophile human trafficking ring.

I later saw the same persons working behind enemy lines in Gaza and Lebanon, including members of hotel housekeeping, front desk, and management staffers. The Trump Administration was and is a sham, it cannot be allowed to take power again, no matter determied the government is to be super shady.

Sirach says "beware of evil", which I myself have said for years but you will not listen. Even so the Zohar says "fight to the death for the truth". Because our government is run by total losers, that is what is probably going to happen. People die fighting for what is right because man waits to see if goodness, truth and justice will triumph on their own and this, they never seem to do:

20 Watch for the opportune time, and beware of evil,     and do not be ashamed to be yourself. 21 For there is a shame that leads to sin,     and there is a shame that is glory and favor. 22 Do not show partiality to your own harm     or deference to your downfall. 23 Do not refrain from speaking at the proper moment,[d]     and do not hide your wisdom.[e] 24 For wisdom becomes known through speech     and education through the words of the tongue. 25 Never speak against the truth,     but be ashamed of your ignorance. 26 Do not be ashamed to confess your sins,     and do not try to stop the current of a river. 27 Do not subject yourself to a fool     or show partiality to a ruler. 28 Fight to the death for truth,     and the Lord God will fight for you.

We tend to wait for High Holidays to make resolutions to do what is right and proper, but these are meant for personal progress towards Shabbat, not the onset of major movements in society.

The opportune time for all observe the Commandments and the Great Hillel is spontaneously and instantly. We should not be waiting to see if the US Attorney General is going to crack this rascal of a complex case, do what is right by the people of the planet earth, and arrest the Republicans who tried to siege our government, who should have been put in chains years ago. The evidence abounds, but Bobby is missing.

He'll get raped for sure as soon as Donald Trump frees those terrorists arreted on January 6 from prison. Maybe we'll get lucky and the Qanon Shaman will jump in and make a Tiktok!

"Do not show partiality or deference, this will be your downfall."

The Values in Gematria are:

v. 20-21: Do not be ashamed to be yourself. Donald Trump and the filth who are utterly shameless use shame against the human race all of the time. They should not be allowed to do this, such intimidation tactics are illegal.

The Number is 8731, חזגא‎‎ ‎, hezaga, "the performance."

Success is the proper measurement of a performance. One is not supposed to feel lower than any other person after a performance. If this is the feeling after an experience, the performance was a debacle.

What just happened here in America last week was a debacle, not a performance. Are you able to tell the difference? Was the Great Hillel observed? Or has the world gone madder than before?

v. 22-23: Do not refrain from speaking at the proper moment. The moment I write down or say something pertinent to the arrest of anyone and everyone involved in the DC Cock Ring, or the Election Fraud of 2016, or the Siege of 2021, which eventually became October 7, 2023, everyone gets all shhsshhy and nervous but so far they have not lifted a finger to stop the pervasive evil that grew and grew while I was trying to get law enforcement to act.

So what is one supposed to do? "Education is through the words of the tongue." Actions, however are louder.

The Number is 9580, טה‎ף, tahf, "like small children."

One obviously cannot tell little kids "pass on that dirty cock!" but if one does not smack their hands when they get grabby, discipline will not ensue. Adults are the same way. Every illegal act have a legal reaction or our Torah and society will become what they are today meaningless.

v. 24-25: Be ashamed of your ignorance. The Number is 9100, ץ‎יק‎, "check."

It is customary to pay homage to Ha Shem when words are coming or going through the ears and the mouth. What does not pay Homage to Ha Shem does not exit the ears or the mouth.

v. 26-27: But do not stop the current of the river, do not become the subject of a fool. The Number is 9520, טהך, tach, "quickly, suddenly improve comprehension and dissolve tension."

The adverb ταχιον (tachion), which actually derives from the comparative form of ταχυς (tachus), and thus means more quickly, more swiftly, even more suddenly, or with more haste than usual (hence the tachyon, the particle that goes "faster than" lightspeed and thus backward in time). This adverb is used 5 times; see full concordance.

The adverb ταχιστα (tachista), which actually derives from the superlative form of ταχυς (tachus), and thus means most quickly, most swiftly, most suddenly (Acts 17:15 only).

The noun ταχος (tachos), meaning speed or speediness, swiftness or expedience. In the classics this word was sometimes used to describe quickness of temper, volatility of mind or quickness of apprehension. And sometimes it was used to describe any sort of general sameness: people or things of similar "speed" were similar in many defining ways. 

v. 28: Fight to the death for truth, and the Lord God will fight for you. The Number is 3373, לגע‎ג‎, "touch to tease."

"One never teases, one does the whole thing, especially where the truth is concerned." The truth is a gun you put a gun to a man's head, and pull the trigger.

The difference can also be explained as the cusp of Ha Shem, what i called Shabbat Afternoon. Shabbat is 204, רד, red, "come down", but Shabbat Afternoon is 576, הזו‎, hazu, "this one", the end of all mistaken notions about a pluralistic reality. If one wants to do more than just tease at the truth and the Law, one must observe Shabbat Afternoon.

[theseaeaglelives]

THE SEA EAGLE

NO MONKEY BUSINESS!!!

It’s been a long time between drinks for the Sea Eagle, having somewhat lost interest and then venturing o/s for an extended holiday, but alas he is back and it is pleasing to see Manly well entrenched in the Top 8 and looking to mount a challenge in September/October.

Recap – Round 12 Manly 26 def FCWR Storm 20

Good to get a win against the filthy cheating wrestling rorters.

Recap – Round 13 Bye

Recap – Round 14 Penrith Panthers 32 def Manly 22

A respectable effort against the 3 times premiers at Penrith Park.

Recap – Round 15 Manly 30 def Dragons 14

The Dragons are hopeless so this was expected.

Recap – Round 16 Rabbits 14 def Manly 0

Why is this shit even played at origin time?

Recap – Round 17 Bye

Recap – Round 18 Manly 21 def Cowboys 20

A good win in Townsville against a bogey team also vying for the Top 8.

Recap – Round 19 Manly 44 def Knights 6

A solid win at home but the Knights are hopeless so this was expected.

Recap – Round 20 Manly 38 def Titans 8

Manly are starting to gain some momentum but again at home this win was expected and the Titans are hopeless.

Recap – Round 21 Roosters 34 def Manly 30

A respectable performance against a highly rated Roosters outfit.

Recap – Round 22 Bye

Round 23 Manly 46 def Canberra Raider 24

Coming off last weeks bye, Manly were a little rusty in the early part of this game and when milestone man Josh Papaliiii crossed after 10 minutes they were on the wrong side of the scoreboard against a Raiders team desperate for a win to keep their slim finals hopes alive.

Minutes later, Tommy Turbo hit back and scores were even. In the Sea Eagles absence it is understood Tommy has been building up nicely and long suffering supporters can only hope that he stays on the field for the remainder of the season.

Things weren’t looking good for Manly when ex-junior and now Raider Kaeo Weekes crossed, but any joy for the Raiders was short-lived.

In the blink of and eye tries to the other Tommy (Talau), Ethan Bullemor, Cherry Baby and Lehi Hopoate and effectively the game was gassed.  Lehi Hoapate looks a likely prospect. The son of former Manly great/madmen, John Hoppa, young Lehi is nimble, athletic, solid under the high ball, not likely to run off to a Mormon mission, has no known criminal record and does not seem to possess any propensity to insert one of his fingers into the rectum of an opposing player.

Manly eventually ran out convincing winners, which is pleasing against the Raiders in Canberra, but some late defensive lapses are concerning. If they are to compete with the competition heavy weights come finals times, these lapses will lead to an early exit from the September action and this is something that coach Seibold must address.

Next week, its back to Brookie to take on the Warriors. Notwithstanding the Warriors are shot in season 2024 they are unpredictable and dangerous and Manly will need to be switched on to ensure a win and sure up their first appearance in finals since 2021.

Haumole Olakau'atu – Sent off in Origin II

In what might be a world first, Manly powerhouse Haumole Olakau'atu unfairly dropped for NSW Origin III, managed to get himself a 2 week suspension for involving himself in an on field fight between Chery Baby and NSW 5/8 Jarome Luai, that then degenerated into blues winger Brian To’o being surrounded by up to 10 Queenslanders.

Olakau’atu later declared after the game he was simply “helping a brother out”. Although he later accepted in the press that it was a poor decision.

The Sea Eagle response to this entire debacle was the proverbial FFS.

Someone needs to tell young Haumole Olakau'atu, that when you are wearing a suit and not in the starting team, your cannot go on the field of play. Moreover, it is not acceptable to run onto the field of play and involve yourself in an on field brawl between those players fortunate enough to make the starting 17.

Whilst this is  rugby league 101 stuff, it would appear that the Manly think tank will now need to re-educate their players about some of these fundamentals of the game.

The Olympic Sized Embarrassment

Despite some amazing athletic feats (particularly those with Aussie Gold) these Olympics have been an embarrassment from go to woe. The opening ceremony was well documented debacle featuring a drag queen take on the last supper, thus managing to not only offend Christian groups worldwide, but set the tone for what was to come.

 Suggestions that former QLD Premier and NRL Chairman/Director of Embarrassment, Peter Beattie was involved in the coordination of this event cannot be confirmed, but the Sea Eagle wont rule it out.

In both the triathlon and distance swimming elite athletes were forced to swim in little more than a glorified sewer. The Seine at the best of times is a canal and to describe it as a river is a stretch. Despite the best efforts of organiser and an estimated $2.3 billion spend the canal still presented in a shitty brown colour and a number of athletes came down with illnesses immediately following their respective events.

The featherweight women’s gold medal boxing match was between Algerian Imane Khelif and China’s Lin Yu-ting, can only be described as an Olympic embarrassment.

Both competitors were disqualified at the 2023 World Championships for failing gender eligibility tests, but both are now remarkably competing at Paris 2024 because somehow, having been declared not to be women, the IOC felt that they were.

Imane Khelif won the gold, and there can be no doubt that the Olympics and boxing in general were the winners in this one.

The Sea Eagle would however like to acknowledge these guys. Not sure how they went in their respective events but they win Gold for their names if for nothing else.

And these guys did win Gold !!!!

We also had hockey player Tom Craig hung out to dry for allegedly trying to buy an unidentified white powder (suggested to be cocaine) off some dodgy bloke in the backstreets. As far as the Sea Eagle is concern this is a non-event and given that the hockey team had already been knocked out who cares.  Poor old Tom was publicly admonished, kicked out of the village and sent home in disgrace, but who could blame him, coke is relatively cheap in France and he was trying to take advantage of this price disparity in a time of a cost of living crisis.

And just when things couldn’t get any worse, we have this debacle. Aussie Breaker (why the fuck is this even an Olympic sport) known only as Raygun performs what can only be described an embarrassment to the sport (WTF) of Breaking, the Olympics, her country and her family. The Sea Eagle questions how this was even allowed and how did this person get to represent our country. Say what you like about Breaking as an Olympic sport, but surely this person is not the best that we could come up with.

Whilst Paris presents well on the TV the reality is very different. Having been there in the past month the Sea Eagle can report first hand what a shithole it is when you go beyond the usual tourist boundaries. A trip into the suburbs (more than about 5km away) reveals a ghetto like appearance, and definitely one to be avoided after dark. Other major cities in France are no better and arguably worse. Once great cites such as Lyon, Marseilles and Avignon are no longer recognisable having been overrun by undesirables and the Sea Eagle’s advice would be to avoid these places if possible.

NRL Supremo Peter V’Landys

Watching NRL Chairman Peter V’Landys take on NSW upper house lightweights (personal opinion) Mark Latham and Animal Justice Party member Emma Hurst, was a thing to behold this week.

Emma Hurst and Mark Latham, with every possible advantage via the protection of parliamentary privilege, attempted to win the battle against V’Landys, and failed dismally. It was something to behold.

Mr V’Landys is pure rugby league. From that viewpoint alone, the contest was over before it even began.

Mr V’Landys ate both of them up and spat them out (personal opinion).

In a statement to The Sydney Morning Herald, Mr V’landys called on Mark Latham to repeat the allegations he made against Mr V’Landys outside of parliament, insisting he had always remained at arm’s length during steward inquiries and there was zero evidence for his [Latham’s] baseless attacks.

“There is no doubt Mr Latham is running an agenda for some very wealthy breeders who don’t wish to be held to account for animal welfare,” V’landys said.

“…everything he is saying is completely and utterly rubbish.”

The NSW Premier Chris Minns also weighed in and said Latham’s accusations were “disgraceful.”

“Mark Latham is currently being sued for defamation for things he said outside of Parliament, so he’s taken his attacks inside Parliament, where he can’t be sued,” Mr Minns said. “It is the definition of the ‘Coward’s Castle’.”

Ouch.

Thankfully he (Mr V’Landys) is running  rugby league and not some latte sipping celebration of softness.

Return of Stench of the Bear

The North Sydney Bears have confirmed their return to NRL as Western Bears, playing out of Perth, according to news reports.

It has been more than 25 years since they last played in the competition, and an agreement to resurrect the team Phoenix like from the ashes, as the NRL’s 18th team, has apparently been reached.

The North Sydney Bears lost their NRL licence in 1999, but they  are expected to return as the competition’s 18th team in the coming years.

The team, which will be based out of Western Australia, is expected to join the NRL in 2027.

Their submission still needs to be finalised ahead of the August 14 deadline, but it looks almost certain to be ratified (apparently).

The Western Bears will wear the old North Sydney colours, according to 7NEWS Sydney’s Andrew McKinlay, and could play at least one token home game at their spiritual home in New South Wales (North Sydney Oval), which would likely be against arch rivals Manly.

Sea Eagle Comment:

Since 1947 when Manly joined the competition, Manly have won 8 premierships to the Bears none.

The Bears have brought the C back into choking and have turned losing the unlosable, and utter hopelessness, into an art form.

The Sea Egale cannot wait for their return, and the opportunity to critically examine and ridicule Manly’s most detested rival.

As is being suggested, the Western Bears will likely have one home game in Sydney against Manly at North Sydney Oval. This will be a must see event.

Of course nothing official has been heard from the NRL about this.

The Sea Eagle believes that the Bears have more than sufficient capability of ballsing up their so called certainty of readmission to the NRL, as the new 18th team.

Whether you think you can or you think you can’t, you’re right.

Henry Ford

THE SEA EAGLE

[dystini]

Indycar Driver Lore

Indycar Driver Lore Masterlist

Santino Michael Ferrucci

I debated how to start this for far too long. I’ve tried to be more or less impartial in these lore posts but I simply cannot manage to do that here.

Santino Ferrucci is a bad person. When half the Indycar field (or more) has publicly expressed distrust/disdain/dislike for/of a person, it’s hard to argue with. When Conor Daly doesn’t like someone and told them so to their face, there’s a problem with that person. When Josef Newgarden publicly burns someone on Twitter, there’s a problem with that person.

It begins when Santino was in F2. He deliberately made contact with his teammate after a race and was banned for 4 races. He forced that same teammate off the track in another race and was disqualified. He drove his car between paddocks while using his phone. He tried to run a "Make America Great Again" livery. In F2. In Europe. He was fired from his team for “behavioral issues, and non-payment of money required by contract.” Said behavioral issues where racist comments to his teammate. (See several of the videos below for details).

He has remained largely unapologetic for all of this, what little apology he has made has been of the “I’m sorry you’re upset by this.” variety. Now, it’s been five years since this all occurred, and some people might argue that surely he’s grown and matured. Perhaps. He’s not so vocal about his politics now. But he embraces the idea of being a ‘villain’ and has made little effort to make friends within the Indycar paddock, a paddock which is notorious for being very friendly. Add in insulting and picking fights with a man very well liked amongst his fellow drivers, Conor Daly.

Conflicting stories arise of his treatment of fans. I have heard that he’s been very friendly and good about giving autographs. I’ve also heard of multiple people nearly being run down by Santino in his golf cart at races. Both can be true. He’s not a complete idiot and knows that positive fan interactions are good but he is also careless. A large portion of fans do not like him but he does have his supporters. I’ve provided all the information I can for you to make up your own mind.

Conor Daly's epic reaction to Alexander Rossi vs Santino Ferrucci! The unusual story of Santino Ferrucci… What's the deal between Santino Ferrucci and Conor Daly? (I admit to being a Conor stan and I don’t agree with the commentary here but it does lay out the facts) A CAREER OVER?! Thoughts on the Santino Ferrucci Scandal in F2 @santinoferrucci says his battle vs. @conordaly22, @josefnewgarden and others is about home country pride. I Am Not Here for Your Santino Ferrucci Redemption Arc MP 382: A Conversation with Santino Ferrucci Josh Berry Gives The Middle Finger To Santino Ferrucci In NASCAR Xfinity Race At Phoenix Santino calls Conor a wuss on Instagram and the ensuing conversation.

Birthdate: May 31, 1998 Hometown: Woodbury, Connecticut Residence: Dallas, Texas Height/Weight: 5’4”/116lbs

Rookie Year: 2018

Team: A.J. Foyt Enterprises

Follow him on: Instagram Twitter

Career Stats

2018: 4 races with Dale Coyne Racing - 27th Overall 2019: Dale Coyne Racing- 13th Overall 2020: Dale Coyne Racing w/ Vasser-Sullivan - 13th Overall 2021: 5 races with Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing - 24th Overall 2022: 1 race each: Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing, Dreyer & Reinbold Racing, Juncos Hollinger Racing - 28th Overall 2023: A.J. Foyt Enterprises - 19th Overall

FIA Formula 2 Championship 2017: Trident - 22nd Overall 2018: 14 races with Trident - 19th Overall ( Banned for 4 races, disqualified from a race and then fired)

NASCAR Xfinity Series 2021: 7 races Sam Hunt Racing - 37th Overall 2022: 2 races with Sam Hunt Racing - 60th Overall

-At just 11 years old, Ferrucci was featured in an article for GQ magazine as a karting prodigy. -After his karting career, he raced in GP3 Series (now FIA Formula 3) and FIA Formula 2 and became the youngest winner of a British Formula 3 race, at age 16. -Ferrucci enjoys golf, gaming and movies from the Marvel Cinematic Universe off the track. -Nicknamed Santucci, amongst many more derogatory names.

Fanfic Lore

Villain, on the rare occasion he is used.

[aladdin]

WHO STOLE MY INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY? Aladdin Investigates

In 2021, I made a social media post to publicly call out one of my clients, Z2 Comics, for underpaying their creatives. I received between $45 - $75 a page for my coloring work, always below the industry minimum standard for mainstream work, while being pushed to work at rapid and unsustainable speeds. In that post, I expressed other grievances, as well, such as being told by Z2 leadership that I was simply replaceable - they told me they could hire new colorists for as low as $30 a page. 

The CEO of the company, Josh Frankel, appeared on my public call-out thread to tell me I was being "inappropriate,", and proceeded to terminate all active projects with my coloring studio, I Love Lamp, LLC. He was fully in his right to execute that decision - we had no work-for-hire contracts between us to complicate the business / legal side of things. 

Although Josh referred to himself as my “employer” on that thread, he must have either been confused. Luckily for him, because he was my client, and not an employer, it was not a federal crime for him to terminate our relationship over my open discussion of compensation with other working artists. 

Z2 found new colorists to finish up Elvis The Graphic Novel, Sublime: $5 at the Door, and Machine Gun Kelly's Hotel Diablo Graphic Novel. 

Although I met lots of great illustrators and editors during my time working with Z2, the experience was, broadly speaking, a nightmare. I was more than ready to sever ties. I retained, however, a massive financial stake in the work that I'd done - I never surrendered any of my intellectual property. 

The More You Know: In the American Legal system, a colorist is a co-author of the comic books on which they work, with the full rights that entails. 

I had no energy for a fight, so I straight up offered all of my IP to Z2, for free, under the condition that they write out an official contract. My intention was to have a complete list of work I'd done for Z2, and ensure that I'd be properly credited for my work, by the company, moving forward - a mutually beneficial arrangement, I believed. 

Josh rejected the offer, saying that a contract wouldn't be necessarily, and that the email itself "should work fine." In that same email, Josh also accepted an apology from me that I didn't make. I laughed at the clown, and wrote his name down in my burn-book ("Josh Frankel Is a Fugly Slut").

I made no further attempts to offer my IP to the Z2 circus show. Instead, when Z2 continued use my work in promotional material, I sent a cease and desist to Z2's marketing department, and offered an explanation to the various new hires that Z2 never secured the rights to my work. I was ignored, and the solicitations continued. 

The Hotel Diablo graphic novel, which was completed in my absence, was nonetheless heavily marketed using pages that my studio had colored - because, presumably, other colorists had been paid $30 a page, and their efforts reflected that. BloodyDisgusting and ComicsBeat both published uncredited previews of my work on that book, which have since been corrected to include my name. Explaining how my name had been omitted, the journalist at Bloody-Disgusting told me that he “was only able to run what I was provided with.” 

Z2 comics thought that it was in their best interests, apparently, to simply remove my credits from future publications - or, the company is just so sloppy that no one even knows who worked on what.

When the The Elvis Graphic Novel was released, the final print contained my my covers, my pin-ups, and more than a dozen pages of interior coloring, with the rest of the color art clearly modeled after my own - but my credits had been entirely stripped from the work.

Confused and angry, I checked the copyright text within the book - the Elvis Estate was claiming 100% of the IP rights in the book. Where did my intellectual property go? 

Did the Elvis Estate steal my color art? Does the Elvis Estate even know that my color art was stolen? Does the Elvis Estate they know they are trafficking in grifted IP? 

I'm sure that Elvis would be rolling in his grave to know that his brand was associated with stealing the work of other artists. 

Anyway, I checked online, and there exists no record (that I can find) that credits me for my coloring work on that Elvis, other than my own various social media posts. When I nominated myself for awards in 2021, I had included that Title -  how embarrassing to discover that there was no public record of my involvement.  

Newly incensed, I contacted an Arts / Entertainment lawyer for the first time. I never intended to file lawsuits - I just wanted to be treated fairly, and recover my intellectual property. The lawyer explained the dynamics of IP and copyright in 2022, and sent me on a quest to the US Copyright Offices to look up all the copyrights to the books I've worked on. 

Wouldn't you know it, almost every Graphic Novel I ever worked on with Z2 had been registered, with the entirety of the Intellectual Property being copyrighted by Z2's various clients. These copyrights were not filed independently by the artists - all the copyrights were registered by the same Lawyer in Alexandria, VA. I sent the lawyer an email asking, in effect, "Hey WTF?"

I have received no reply, and have since reported their office to the Virginia State Bar. 

Early in my tenure contracting for Z2, in 2020, Z2 co-founder Josh Frankel explained to me, at his birthday party, that he was withholding my creator credits in the press so that I wouldn't get poached out from under him. It was his clever solution for retaining my services. At the time, I didn’t have other offers for work, and I was encouraged by other creators to push through my frustrations, and earn my place at the table. I kept working for Z2, despite feeling devalued (because I was literally being devalued). 

Upon further reflection, there is reason to suspect that Josh's idea to withhold my credits may have had even broader implications than what he revealed to me. The concerted effort to minimize my association with Z2 comics happened to dovetail quite nicely with a possible corporate embezzlement scheme - Z2 had legal access to, but not legal ownership over, my Intellectual Property. Somehow, all of Z2′s clientele seems to be under the impression that they own 100% of the IP contained within their various projects.  I haven’t fenced a lot of stolen goods, but I imagine, as an arm-chair gangster, that it’s lot easier to sell stolen material if the buyers don't know that it was stolen. Did the clients even bother to check if the colorist had signed away his rights? 

From my studio in Baltimore, I can't do much other than speculate. Some questions remain, for me:

What happened, behind the scenes, that caused Z2's clients to believe that they owned all of my IP? 

Is there a relationship between this years-long IP 'displacement,’ and the fact that Josh Frankel left the company this Fall? 

If Z2 did, in fact, intentionally embezzle hundreds of pages of my coloring art over the course of 3 years, would that constitute a valid RICO case to be mounted against the company? 

Did God himself orchestrate these events to amuse himself over the irony of a bunch of 'anti-establishment' Artists and musicians using the power of the State to facilitate the theft of art from smaller creators? 

When I colored 2 pages of the Magic comic for Boom!, I was credited in their press release, and was tagged in tweets for months as the book was reviewed, and later collected into trade paperback editions. 

Z2, meanwhile, has sent dozens of my pages out for previews, while withholding my name from the credits. Some popular outlets that currently feature my uncredited work online include Paste Magazine, ScreenRant, the Hollywood Reporter, the Comics Journal, and BleedingCool. 

Was there a legitimate corporate conspiracy against me, with agents in place across all spectrums of Pop Culture? Is the US State going to stand in my way as I march through Hell to take revenge on God for his failure to protect me and my family? Must I surrender my own humanity in order to summon the cyberpunk that lurks within? What will I become? 

Sorry, my degree is in “Dramatic Writing,” not “Intellectual Property Law.”

Anyway, here's a non-exhaustive list of of Copyright Claimants that have filed, with the US Copyright Office, for full legal ownership over my Intellectual Property on their various publishing projects. For the lulz, I have added three asterisks to each book that utilizes “Anti-Authoritarianism” as a major literary theme. 

Grateful Dead Productions  Grateful Dead - Origins ***

Dominic Harrison ("Yungblud") Yungblud Presents: The Twisted Tales of the Ritalin Club *** Yungblud Presents: Weird Times at Quarry Bank ***

Moriah Rose Pereira ("Poppy") Poppy 1: Genesis *** Poppy's Inferno ***

Universal Music Group The Final Symphony: A Beethoven Anthology.

Skillet Eden II: The Aftermath ***

Dance Gavin Dance  Tale of the Robot ***

Rico Nasty, Inc.  Nightmare Vaycay *** Note: all images in this post were colored by Aladdin Collar for I Love Lamp, LLC, whose services were solicited by Z2 Comics. The Elvis Estate actually made minor adjustments to the Elvis cover, to their credit, they were very helpful in making their final touches, instead sending a thousand emails about inane bullshit. The paper texture on A Robot’s Tale was taken from an old book on archive.org, I don’t remember which one. The b/g textures of the Yungblud Presents cover below were originally from scans of a silk tie-dye scarf I originally made with my Mom for the Grateful Dead book and reused in at least 4 different projects. 

[vivelafrancemotherfuckers]

WEST SIDE STORY 2021 THOUGHTS (SPOILERS)

Yesterday I saw Spielberg's West Side Story and I have no words. I'm very picky when it comes to movie adaptations of musicals, and I was definitely slightly uncertain about this one, but it has absolutely blown me away. Spielberg's love for the show is blatant in every frame he presents and every choice he's made.

I don't want to conpare it too much with the previous adaptation. I just want to point out a few highlights:

1. THIS CAST. Seriously. I hate A. E. so I won't speak much about him. All I'll say is I was expecting him to be worse, but he wasn't. In fact, it would have been considered a better performance if he hadn't had to share the screen with these absolute human powerhouses. Which leads me to (standing ovation) Ariana DeBose, Mike Faist, and David Alvarez. Theater pros who have arrived in Hollywood to show them how it's done. Spielberg proves the importance of casting people who know the craft over people with name recognition. They stole the show. Rachel Zegler left me speechless. That voice, that emotional depth, and that screen presence, at that age? What a future ahead of her! And what can I say about Rita Moreno that hasn't been said already? She is such a beautiful addition to the film, and a gift to us all to be able to see this performance from her at almost 90. And, finally, the Sharks/Jets are phenomenal and I'm glad they were allowed to shine. Josh Rivera and Kyle Coffman come to mind as standouts. Josh makes Chino incredibly complex, and Kyle scared the shit out of me in the scenes after the rumble. It felt weird to be scared of a Newsie. Speaking of Newsies, playing "spot the newsie" was a lot of fun.

2. THE CINEMATOGRAPHY. Janusz Kaminsky's work is always stellar. But he was able to understand something crucial to movie adaptations that not many can master: make use of the medium. It's based on a stage show, but it's not a stage show. This, my friends, is A MOVIE. It encapsulates late 50s New York, the very vivid image of the rise of gentrification. You can feel the desperation of all the people who will soon lose their homes and their blocks in the name of progress. It lookd like it was made in the 1950s while being distinctively a modern movie. And the dancing. Oh, boy, do Spielberg and Kaminsky know how to film a dance number! Chef's kiss.

3. THE MUSICAL NUMBERS. Speaking of dancing... I can't find the words to describe how I felt watching Justin Peck's choreography performed by these absolute beasts. The opening number, the dance at the gym, AMERICA, cool. Oh, boy. The beauty of it all. I don't know how to explain it. You have to SEE it.

4. THE REFERENCES. I loved how there were very subtle visual references to '61 like the purple wall and pinkish tones before the song Maria and the use of snippets of Robbins' choreography here and there, as well as direct references to Romeo and Juliet when Tony says he's a by the book guy (Juliet tells Romeo "you kiss by th'book" when they first meet), or also visually with the clusters looking strikingly like Verona. It's a great nod to what came before them. I'm sure I'll find many more when I rewatch it.

5. CHARACTER DEVELOPMENT. Shout out to Tony Kushner for fleshing out the characters more to show us why they make the decisions they make and why they are the way they are. Chino's arc helped us to understand how he gets to the point of killing Tony. We understand why Tony has been away from the Jets, and Anybody's, my love, has more scenes and a bigger involvement in the plot. Even San Juan Hill itself and the community are explored more, which we as 2021 audiences might need for context if we wish to understand the characters. Other subtle but brilliant details like the Jets playing with the gun that Riff just bought hit you like brick with the reality that these guys are, after all, a bunch of kids fighting over a territory that won't be there for much longer.

Overall, I'm still impressed by it even a day later. Was it perfect? Probably not. I never liked the originall placement of I Feel Pretty in the second act, and hoped they would play out the dramatic irony of the audience knowing what happened at the rumble against María's happiness a bit more, and I wanted Bernardo to have more to do, but it still blew me away. I can say that, after almost a decade of being let down by movie adaptations of my favorite musicals, I finally left the cinema feeling every positive feeling possible and can't wait to watch it again. I feel blessed to have yet another way to experience this story. Because, remember guys, this movie doesn't replace the 1961 adaptation, it builds on it. It's not a remake, it's a different adaptation of the same material. And what a wonderful adaptation it is. Thank you, Mr. Spielberg.

[tabloidtoc]

Entertainment Weekly, June

Cover: The Pride Issue cover 3 of 4 -- Lena Waithe

Page 3: Contents, other covers featuring Lil Nas X, Mj Rodriguez, Bowen Yang

Page 4: Sound Bites

Page 7: The Cold Open

Page 14: The Must List -- In the Heights

Page 15: Instructions for Dancing by Nicola Yoon, Iceage -- Seek Shelter, Ziwe

Page 18: Trying Q&A with Esther Smith and Rafe Spall, Day Zero by C. Robert Cargill

Page 20: Milestone Returns #0: Infinite Edition, In Treatment

Page 21: Brat: An '80s Story by Andrew McCarthy, The Empty Man

Page 22: My Must List Pride Edition -- Niecy Nash

Page 25: Pride 2021

Page 26: Lil Nas X -- the 22-year-old rapper is still breaking barriers one song and several clapbacks at a time

Page 29: St. Vincent -- the chameleonic singer-songwriter returns with Daddy's Home, an adventurous new album inspired by her father's prison time

Page 30: Olly Alexander -- after a lauded lead turn in It's a Sin, the artist returned with the single Starstruck, from his newly solo musical act Years & Years

* Rostam -- the new solo album from the multi-instrumentalist is rooted in society's fear of change

Page 32: Lena Waithe -- the producer and actor, and the new star of Master of None season 3, wants to create provocative art while elevating voices

Page 35: Josh Thomas -- the Australian creator-star of Everything's Gonna Be Okay is telling his story through his art

Page 36: Meet Your Maker -- Natalie Morales -- the queer star directs her first film(s), the sharp indies Plan B and Language Lessons. Here's what got her behind the camera

Page 37: Joshua Safran -- the man behind Alex Parrish's attitude and Blair Waldorf's one-liners shares how his sexuality helps him empathize with his characters

* Brandon Taylor -- coming off his explosive, best-selling debut novel Real Life, the lauded author is looking toward his second act and beyond

Page 38: Mj Rodriguez -- with the final season of the history-making FX drama Pose, it's leading lady is ready to claim what's hers

Page 41: Colman Domingo -- after decades of stellar work, the scene-stealer is front and center on Euphoria, Fear the Walking Dead, and more

Page 42: Auli'i Cravalho -- the star of Disney's Moana proved how far she'll go to be her authentic self, and is now focused on joy and inclusion

Page 43: Queen Supremes -- the international RuPaul's Drag Race winning class speaks power to the franchise's worldwide domination and looks ahead to a fab future

Page 44: Bowen Yang -- the Saturday Night Live breakout is defining funny for a whole new generation and pushing boundaries in the process

Page 47: Margaret Cho -- the stand-up comedian plays the lesbian pal we all wish we had in the comedy Good on Paper

Page 48: Molly Bernard -- after playing Younger's pansexual publicist, she's ready to explore the full spectrum of queerness

* Josie Totah -- from Disney's Jessie to the Saved by the Bell revival and Amy Poehler's Moxie, the actress has made a name for herself twice and Hollywood's paying attention

Page 49: Calendar -- 10 upcoming LGBTQ projects to get excited for --from eye-opening documentaries to sweeping romances, there is plenty to add to your Pride watch queue

* Pride season's 6 essential reads

Page 51: Summer TV Preview

Page 52: Loki with Tom Hiddleston

Page 53: Panic, The Celebrity Dating Game, Gossip Girl

Page 54: September Mornings, Schmigadoon!, Masters of the Universe: Revelation, Ted Lasso

Page 55: Heels, The Good Fight

Page 56: Power Book III: Raising Kanan

Page 57: Sweet Tooth, Blindspotting, Kevin Can F**k Himself, Mr. Corman

Page 58: We Are Lady Parts, Love Victor, Sex/Life, Turner & Hooch

Page 59: Physical, Hit & Run, American Rust

Page 60: Bosch, Marvel Studios' What If...?, Lisey's Story -- Q&A with Julianne Moore

Page 61: Calendar

Page 62: The Fast and the Furious oral history -- how did a little movie about underground racing speed off to become one of the most profitable franchises in history? The cast and crew reminisce about 20 years of Fast, one quarter-mile at a time

Page 68: News + Reviews -- Nominate Them, You Cowards -- on July 13, the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences will announce the 2021 Emmy nominees. Here are some standout shows and performances we insist not be overlooked

Page 72: Movies -- Summer Star -- taking the lead in blockbusters A Quiet Place II and Jungle Cruise, Emily Blunt is the face of Hollywood's comeback summer

Page 74: Making the Scene -- Army of the Dead -- Zack Snyder explains how he bet big on destroying Las Vegas in his bloody zombie heist movie

Page 75: Oxygen, The Woman in the Window -- the journey from smash best-seller to star-studded streaming thriller was long and fittingly bizarre

Page 76: Meet the Fab G -- director Kay Cannon on how Billy Porter found a fresh, inclusive take on the fairy godmother in the new Cinderella

Page 79: My Favorite Shot Pride Edition -- Sebastian Lelio, A Fantastic Woman -- the Chilean director revisits a gravity-defying sequence in his groundbreaking Oscar-winning drama

Page 80: TV -- The Underground Railroad

Page 81: The Upshaws

Page 82: Oral History -- in 2011, Teen Wolf premiered on MTV. Ten years later, we look back at the pilot episode that introduced us to Scott, Stiles and the werewolves of Beacon Hills -- Jeff Davis, Tyler Posey, Russell Mulgahy, Dylan O'Brien, Crystal Reed

Page 84: What to Watch

Page 86: Music -- Miranda Lambert Q&A -- for The Marfa Tapes, Lambert decamped to the quiet artsy town in West Texas and recorded songs around a campfire. She talks to EW about the album and being an introverted superstar

Page 88: Ear Kandi -- Xscape member and current Real Housewives of Atlanta star Kandi Burruss reflects on the hits she's made for Destiny's Child, *NSYNC, TLC and more

Page 89: The Black Keys

Page 90: Books -- summer books special -- a comedy of eras -- in a sharp new essay collection, The Wreckage of My Presence, actor Casey Wilson weaves big feelings into even bigger laughs

Page 92: Poetic Justice -- prolific romance writer and political powerhouse Stacey Abrams bookend an incredible year with more thrills, this time in her first novel not written under her pen name Selena Montgomery

Page 93: Author Spotlight -- Silvia Moreno-Garcia -- Velvet Was the Night

Page 94: Fatal Attraction -- inside the intoxicating depravity of Animal, Lisa Taddeo's meaty follow-up to Three Women

Page 95: Critic's Pick -- The Great Mistake by Jonathan Lee

Page 96: Critic's Pick -- In the Country of Others by Leila Slimani

Page 97: The Conversation -- Taylor Jenkins Reid and Paula Hawkins -- the names behind Daisy Jones & the Six and The Girl on the Train are coming for your beach tote

Page 98: Q&A with Zakiya Dalila Harris -- The Other Black Girl, former book editor Zakiya Dalila Harris' genre-bending evisceration of workplace privilege, is set to become the debut of the summer

Page 99: Critic's Pick -- Afterparties by Anthony Veasna So

Page 101: Q&A with Billie Eilish -- in between winning Grammys and releasing her sophomore album, the pop star is publishing her first (self-titled) book, a collection of never-before-seen pics of her early life on the road

Page 103: Parental Guidance -- your crib sheet on the best entertainment for kids from toddlers to tweens

* Q&A with Gabrielle Union-Wade and Dwyane Wade -- the actress and her NBA legend husband, bring it on with their new children's book Shady Baby

Page 112: The Bullseye

[quicksweetdreamer]

I already miss hockey nights...

Since there is no match tonight and I’m sad I don’t have anymore hockey to watch for a while here’s what I’m going to miss about the Canadiens, 2021 edition:

Caufield’s smile

Petry’s bloodshot eyes

Perry’s scar

Carey Price

Weber’s protectiveness

Suzuki’s plays and chemistry with Caufield

Marc Bergevin’s lucky red suit

Gallagher’s fights

Carey Price

Danault’s pizzas

Chiarot being incredible in defense

Caufield being baby

The whole team being incredible when short-handed

Incredible saves (by Carey Price)

That one fight that put 6 players in the box

Romanov’s brief but intense presence

Caufield being speed

Josh Anderson’s mentality that “it’s not the end until it’s the end”

Me saying “ you can’t one v one Price ” every time someone tried to one v one Price

Montreal going batshit crazy on June 24th

Caufield and Price

The whole team and their incredible chemistry and family vibe

Thanks for the great season guys

[rose-tinted-juls]

juliana's fav tv shows updated: 26.07.2021.

la casa de papel / money heist (2017-) nationality: spanish created by: álex pina main actors: úrsula corberó, álvaro morte, itziar ituño, pedro alonso, miguel herrán, jaime lorente, esther acebo, alba flores short summary (imdb): "an unusual group of robbers attempt to carry out the most perfect robbery in spanish history - stealing 2.4 billion euros from the royal mint of spain." seasons: 4 - (season 5 is coming in september + december 2021) why i love it (in a few words): it's thrilling, all the characters are perfectly written, i love listening to spanish speech, the actors are awesome, SO INCREDIBLE PLOT, uncountable twists, i got attached so fast, i binge watched it, it never feels forced

band of brothers (2001) nationality: american created by: tom hanks, steven spielberg main actors: damian lewis, ron livingston, ross mccall, rick gomez, james madio, kirk acevedo, neal mcdonough, scott grimes, dexter fletcher, donnie wahlberg short summary (imdb): "the story of easy company of the u.s. army 101st airborne division, and their mission in world war ii europe, from operation overlord, through v-j day." - based on the book band of brothers by stephen e. ambrose seasons: 1 why i love it (in a few words): it's ww2 and i'm a huge ww2 enthusiast, i love hbo war, it shows the good and the bad, we follow the whole journey of these soldiers and it's amazing, the actors are absolutely incredible, their friendships are 100/10, the cinematography is beautiful, it's based on a true story

downton abbey (2010-) nationality: english created by: julian fellowes main actors: hugh bonneville, maggie smith, michelle dockery, dan stevens, robert james-collier, allen leech, penelope wilton, matthew goode, lily james short summary (imdb): "a chronicle of the lives of the british aristocratic crawley family and their servants in the early twentieth century." seasons: 6 + 1 movie (the second movie comes in december 2021) why i love it (in a few words): it has phenomenal actors, the plot is exciting-thrilling, there are twists you don't expect, so many love stories and i love them, fantastic characters, it's often so funny i can't stop laughing, dame maggie smith and her performance as the dowager is just incredible and i love her, costumes on point, tom branson o.o

broadchurch (2013-2017) nationality: british created by: chris chibnall main actors: david tennant, olivia colman, jodie whittaker, arthur darvill short summary (imdb): "the murder of a young boy in a small coastal town brings a media frenzy, which threatens to tear the community apart." seasons: 3 why i love it (in a few words): david tennant, his scottish accent i can't-, olivia colman, their duo oh my god these two together are something extraordinary, it's such a thrilling show wow, SO MANY PLOT TWISTS, cinematography is phenomenal and gorgeous, it's so funny at times oh lord (especially david), it's impossible to stop watching

the pacific (2010) nationality: american created by: tom hanks, steven spielberg main actors: joe mazzello, jon seda, james badge dale, rami malek, ashton holmes short summary (imdb): "the pacific theatre of world war ii, as seen through the eyes of several young marines." seasons: 1 why i love it (in a few words): hbo war, it's ww2 and i'm such an enthusiast of it, joe mazzello is incredible oh my, it's a bit graphic (for some people it's too graphic and i can see why) but i love it, it makes you feel you're there fighting and like wow, actually all the actors are amazing in it, we see three different story lines so we get to know different aspects of the whole thing

the crown (2016-) nationality: british created by: peter morgan main actors: claire foy, matt smith, olivia colman, tobias menzies, vanessa kirby, helena bonham carter, josh o'connor, emma corrin short summary (imdb): "follows the political rivalries and romance of queen elizabeth ii's reign and the events that shaped the second half of the twentieth century." seasons: 4 - (season 5 and 6 are in the making) why i love it (in a few words): i've always been interested in queen elizabeth's life, this is a look inside the royal family that you don't often have, the actors are SO AMAZING, honestly sometimes it's so funny and then the next minute it's heartbreaking, it teaches me more about them than anything else, i guess it gives you their point of view so you can understand them a lil bit better, as a child i loved the british royal family so baby me is happy inside when i watch it

the falcon and the winter soldier (2021) nationality: american created by: malcolm spellman - stan lee main actors: anthony mackie, sebastian stan, wyatt russell, daniel brühl short summary (imdb): "following the events of 'avengers: endgame', sam wilson / falcon and bucky barnes / winter soldier team up in a global adventure that tests their abilities - and their patience." seasons: 1 why i love it (in a few words): i'm a huge marvel fan, my fav characters are sam and bucky, SEBASTIAN STAN, it's funny (honestly which marvel movie/series isn't?), the cinematography is gorgeous, the plot is great, fight scenes on point

biohackers (2020-) nationality: german created by: christian ditter main actors: luna wedler, jessica schwarz, adrian julius tillmann short summary (imdb): "a fast-paced thriller following medical student mia akerlund who discovers the use of highly advanced biohacking technology in her university town." seasons: 2 why i love it (in a few words): exciting, plays in a city i know, plot twists, the cinematography is amazing, a beautiful show honestly, the plot is interesting and one of a kind imo, the actors are pretty great

the mandalorian (2019-) nationality: american created by: jon favreau main actors: pedro pascal short summary (imdb): "the travels of a lone bounty hunter in the outer reaches of the galaxy, far from the authority of the new republic." seasons: 2 - (season 3 is coming) why i love it (in a few words): i love star wars and the star wars universe, pedro pascal is amazing, honestly i fell in love with pedro just by his voice literally without even knowing his face, BABY YODA, the character development, exciting plot, pretty awesome fight scenes, great actors

the queen's gambit (2020) nationality: american created by: scott frank, allan scott main actors: anya taylor joy, thomas brodie-sangster, harry melling, jacob fortune-lloyd short summary (imdb): "orphaned at the tender age of nine, prodigious introvert beth harmon discovers and masters the game of chess in 1960s usa. but child stardom comes at a price." seasons: 1 why i love it (in a few words): cinematography is beautiful, anya taylor joy is gorgeous, and she's such a talent oh my, i love chess, the plot, TBS is in it, it's a show you can't not binge watch it just pulls you in

( +1 )

peaky blinders (2013-) nationality: british created by: steven knight main actors: cillian murphy, paul anderson, helen mccrory, joe cole, finn cole short summary (imdb): "a gangster family epic set in 1900s england, centering on a gang who sew razor blades in the peaks of their caps, and their fierce boss tommy shelby." seasons: 5 - (season 6 is coming) why i love it (in a few words): i love mob stuff in general, so amazing actors oh my, cillian murphy, helen mccrory, it's so dark i love it, plot plot plot, the soundtrack is phenomenal (especially when it's arctic monkeys shhh), it's british (yay)

[plasticnightmaredoll]

Mortal Kombat (2021) Review

Well, well, well....here we are, a Mortal Kombat movie -- not the first, obviously. I will say, it's much better than both films from the 1990s. I will also say that, for the most part, I enjoyed it more than "Mortal Kombat 11" and its garbage DLC "Aftermath."

Come for me all you want, but I am standing by my thoughts on that game and its DLC.

Overall, I did like this new "Mortal Kombat" movie. It was entertaining. However, I have...a lot of issues with it, too, pertaining to lore, acting, and special effects.

What was the best part of this movie? If I had to pick one? Oh, definitely Hiroyuki Sanada as Hanzo Hasashi/Scorpion. He is one of the best Japanese actors working today. He's one of the best actors working today. Having him play such an important character was probably the best choice the producers made.

Also, quick side note: Hiroyuki is 60 years old. HOW?! I mean, he doesn't look 20, but 60? I have my doubts.

Also, this is the first time I've heard him speak English. Interesting.

Another wise decision the producers made for this movie is casting Josh Lawson as Kano. I don't like Kano. He's a dick, but Josh gave the idiot a sort of douchebag charm that you couldn't help but be amused by.

So, what did I like, broken down:

Josh Lawson and Hiroyuki Sanada

The opening scene and final fight were the best scenes in the movie. Fantastically done, both of them.

Some cute little references to MK lore: a picture of Nightwolf, the use of "flawless victory," the use of "fatality," some suspiciously MK-sounding music cues, the massive statue of Shao Kahn...There were some nice fan service moments.

The fights, even the training ones, were all entertaining. Kind of like with "Godzilla vs Kong," the action is one of the strongest points of "Mortal Kombat" (2021).

The concept of the dragon brand to indicate who would fight in MK tournaments was actually a great choice. It does give the writers an excuse to not worry about including EVERY MK character; only the ones who have been "chosen" can fight at this time. It makes sense, it works, it's intriguing.

Kung Lao slicing Nitara in half (Sorry, Nitara -- love ya, Girl!) with his "spinning hat" technique was probably the most Mortal Kombat kill of the movie. It was extremely graphic, bloody, gross, over-the-top...it was perfect.

Hanzo toasting Bi-Han with his classic fire breath was a badass move if I ever saw one.

I did like how Mileena's mouth "worked" in this movie. She had sharp teeth and reddened skin(?) around her mouth to indicate that there was something not quite right with her face. Then she gets pissed later in the movie and opens her jaw completely, revealing an almost snake-like mouth, the skin tearing in the process. It was pretty badass. I liked it.

I actually liked Raiden a lot in this movie. I don't particularly like him in the games (don't come for me -- it's just my opinion) but I thought he was awesome in this movie, a truly intimidating but wise presence. His lack of full assistance made more sense in this movie, too (again, don't come for me because this is just my opinion).

The special effects were sometimes quite good. Sub-Zero's ice powers were well made, for example. Another example is Goro, who was fantastic (so much better than he did in the 1995 movie).

The backstory behind the main weapon of Hanzo was a pleasant surprise: it was a gardening tool to being with, and he just so happened to find it and turn it into a weapon.

Mixed thoughts:

The acting was decent overall. The only two I thought did great were Josh Lawson and Hiroyuki Sanada, but everyone else was ok. Some of the performances got a little hammy at times, but...I'm not going to take too many points off for that.

I liked Mileena but also was disappointed. She wasn't as malicious and flirty as she normally is; like she was watered down in this movie for some reason. However, she still was a dangerous fighter and her mouth was crazy! 👄

What I didn't like:

Some things didn't look so great. When Jax lost his arms, it looked...well it looked like blatant CGI. The lighting barrier Raiden created to protect his fighters from Shang Tsung looked pretty cheap as well. Some set pieces looked a bit too much like set pieces. I know we're on a set because this is a movie. However, when it looks kind of obvious, it really distracts you. I know this is a Marvel movie or something, but I think the special effects and sets could have looked a bit more refined.

I preferred the Quan Chi twist in regards to the death of Hanzo's family. It provided a much more complicated revenge story, and...I just think it was a better choice than making Bi-Han the murderer, like in this movie. I get that if they did use the Quan Chi twist, this movie would have become, like, 5 hours long or something, and would have had yet another character to develop (or attempt to develop). Still, it's not my favorite take on the Sub-Zero vs Scorpion story. So...meh.

Reptile looked impressive. He was more like a ... reptile than usual, you know, as opposed to a humanoid reptile creature. However, he didn't speak and didn't wear any armor, and his role in the movie seemed forced. It felt more like a badly executed fan service moment, like, "Heeeyyyy, it's Reptile, Guys! Ok, kill him because we have too many characters already...."

Cole was a likable guy, but I didn't see a point in his character being in the movie. He isn't an MK character from the games, and this just doesn't seem like the time to make a new character for the franchise. There are so many more MK characters to choose from, I think they could have avoided making up someone.

At the same time, though, this movie does suffer from having too many characters to focus on: Cole Young, Kano, Sonya Blade, Jax Briggs, Liu Kang, Kung Lao, Reptile, Mileena, Reiko, Kabal, Shang Tsung, Raiden, Hanzo Hasashi/Scorpion, Bi-Han/Sub-Zero, Goro, Nitara...I mean, damn, that's a bunch of characters to cram into one two-hour film. People who know little to nothing about MK may not be bothered by this, but fans like myself most likely will feel disappointed with how certain characters were handled in the movie.

Reiko, what...did they do to you? Did...he even need to be in the movie? I mean, he was just.....there.

Having the concept of "arcana" was just...I don't know. It wasn't a terrible idea but it also made things even less believable. No one got their unique traits due to some sort of weird-ass prophecy or whatever in the games. I suppose the writers used this "arcana" thing as a way to keep the movie flowing and avoid having it be hours long. However, it just didn't sit right with me.

I know this movie is only two hours but I would have liked a little more development for Mileena, Reiko, and even Kabal. Kabal gave us the short version of what happened to him but, again, it was so quick. Like, blink and you'll miss it. I think Mileena and Kabal are two very interesting characters in MK, and having them be so one-dimensional was disappointing.

Hanzo was barely in this movie. It seemed....weird to me. Bi-Han was out there wrecking everyone's shit and Hanzo was somehow trapped in the Netherrealm until Cole was forced to fight Bi-Han one-on-one? I mean, eh? They chose the absolute best actor to play Hanzo but didn't use him much.

I was so disappointed to see Kung Lao killed off. I mean, characters that die in MK games don't always stay dead but still....he was so much fun in this movie (as he should be).

I didn't care for the portrayal of Nitara at all in this movie.

I didn't hate "Mortal Kombat" (2021), but I didn't love it, either. I'd watch it again, and I would watch a sequel, but there is definitely room for improvement. There is a lot of potential for the next MK movie(s) to be much better (this movie had clear potential, too, to be honest). I just hope that maybe the writers will realize this if a sequel is made.

Final grade: C+