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hq92 · 2 years ago

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Seeing a lot of discourse lately regarding the 1992 Dracula movie. And I agree with some of it, Jonathan deserves more respect, Mina shouldn't be ditching him for a monster, Lucy is portrayed as incredibly loose...y (Pun Intended idgaf) and some of the dialogue and scene choices bounce between cheesy and off the wall bonkers Etc. Etc. I get it.

However, this will ALWAYS be one of my favorite movies of all time, and despite it's flaws I don't think it deserves the hate it's getting (And I understand the animosity comes from a love and defense of the original Dracula text, I get it)

Just a few short points I would like to make in the movie's favor:

1. The costuming. Whatever insanity is happening on screen, you've got to admit that it is beautiful to look at. Eiko Ishioka won an Oscar for her costuming work on this film, and it launched her career. Well deserved!

2. Anthony Hopkins' performance as Van Helsing. This man is only in a small portion of the movie, but my God does he chew every freaking scene he appears in. Severely blunt and socially unaware, I adore this madman. Large Ham indeed.

3. Gary Oldman as Dracula. Whatever your stance is on Drac/Mina, I will argue that this man's performance is amazing and inspired my love of Dracula and Vampires in general in the first place. He masterfully dances between creepy, unsettling, threatening, suave, sad, heartbroken, endearing, remorseful. He is not a book accurate adaptation, but that doesn't mean he isn't a GOOD adaptation.

4. Despite Keanu's bad accent, I just like seeing him on screen. I also love Winona Ryder and Cary Elwes, literally just think they're neat and am happy to have them there 😂

5. I won't take up too much more of your time, but whatever your thoughts, the real masterpiece of the movie is the soundtrack:

Wojciech Kilar did a PHENOMENAL job composing this material, and I implore you to give it a listen. Even if you hate the movie itself, please just listen to the soundtrack on a dark and stormy night or while reading the Dracula book or any other book. Pure gold, this soundtrack is a work of art and rightfully deserves the awards it was nominated for.

I just can't help myself, I will always love this movie ❤🧛‍♂️

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writerandee · 6 years ago

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Stages of Love

Here it is, my first dive in to Richard Armitage real person stories. Please read, reblog and let me know what you think and if you’d like to be tagged for future chapters of this story!

Coffee. The life brightener, mood elevator, necessary rich brown liquid gold sustenance. Right now, this was all she needed and could focus on. By the time she left her apartment and finally reached her favorite local coffee shop, Roasters, to say she was late to her day getting started would’ve been an understatement. Her alarm didn’t go off and she didn’t have time for a proper shower. After some simple make up and a quick blow dry of her hair she was done with all the society dictated primping. She was headed to work, a book store she inherited from her grandfather after his passing. Her store was close to Roasters and she always preferred this for her necessary daily caffeine intake instead of the more mainstream Starbucks which would’ve been hugely inconvenient since the nearest one was 3 streets away and entirely not within walking distance from her apartment to her store. This mostly unknown coffee shop happened to be very old-world where you would find that most patrons were locals, repeat customers with the occasional traveler seeking something different and unknown in this tourist ridden beach town. The city of Galveston, Texas was once a bustling port of trade and leisure for the wealthy elite of the area, but those days have long since passed. All that’s left of that bygone era are a few scattered well maintained buildings from the turn of the century.

Walking in to the coffee shop she noticed the usual few people who made this their regular go to hang out and quick coffee stop. Many of them were regular shoppers at her own store. Coffee and books do go hand in hand she realized long ago. After a quick order of a large caramel vanilla macchiato she sat at an empty table to wait for her order to be called. Timothy, a local artist and historian who had known her since grade school spotted her from across the shop and made a quick dash to her table.

Ugh, him of all days, this is just the cherry on top of this morning disaster sundae.

“Hello Lillian! I thought I might find you here this morning.” All 5’8 of him from head to toe was revolting and completely woman repelling. The lack of hygiene and clothes that looked like they hadn’t been washed in months were definitely a turn off.

If he was a more intelligent man, he’d know not to speak to me until I’ve had coffee.

The expression on her face was one of pure annoyance and impatience.

“Yes Tim, I basically come here every morning, but you already know that.” Imbecile.

He’d probably ask her to dinner, movie or any of the other typical date like things he could come up with. He must have asked her out at least once a week for the past year. Her answer was always a resounding, no.

“Also, I know I’ve told you this for maybe the 100th time, but call me Lily. Lillian was my grandmother’s name and last time I checked I’m barely past 30.”

“There’s that sass I know and love.”

“ORDER FOR LILY!”

Saved by the barista. Thank you, heavens, above!

“Alright Tim well I must be heading to work now, books don’t sell themselves you know.” She started making a quick escape towards the door from Tim the leech when he suddenly blocked her path.

“One last thing Lil, the historical foundation is putting on a performance of The Crucible at the Opera House on Saturday, mainly for charity but the director has gotten someone famous to headline or sponsor or something, I don’t know. What time should I pick you up?”

“And just what makes you think I’d be interested in going with you?”

“Oh, I just so happen to know you won’t say no this time.”

“Really? What makes you so sure?”

“It’s the Crucible Lil. Don’t you still have the VHS copy of the movie from the 90’s, Daniel Day’ Lewis and Winona Ryder or something?”

She had to admit to herself, he had a point, this was a performance she wouldn’t want to miss but going with him as his date made her suddenly very nauseous.

“If I go with you, it is strictly and only as friends, not a date.”

“Alright, fine, just friends. For now.”

With that last overly creepy statement, Tim left the shop. Her mind was conflicted. How was she going to spend an entire performance sitting next to him if she could barely stomach just a few minutes in his presence? But she knew without a doubt this was a performance not to miss. With her coffee in hand she left the shop and made her way to her own book store a block around the corner.

Opening time was 9 a.m., but I guess today it will be more like 9:30.

The store really was more like home than her own apartment was. Opening the front door was one of the best parts of her day. Inhaling the scent of so many books made her soul come alive with anticipation to start another day for a business she was truly passionate about. She put her purse and keys away in the back office before making her way to the front checkout counter. She noticed the voicemail indicator light on the phone illuminated letting her know there was a new message.

Odd, we don’t normally get calls before opening.

She pressed play for the voicemail box and listened with curiosity. A friendly and excited woman’s voice played over the speaker.

“Lily Montgomery, this is Aubrey with the Historical Foundation. I’m sure by now you’ve heard there is to be a performance of The Crucible at the Opera House this Saturday. We are inquiring on if your store would like to set up a stand with books for sale about the Salem Witch Trials before the performance? Please return my call if this sounds like something you’d be interested in.”

Well it looks like I have another reason to go after all.

After taking stock of what books she had available and which ones she needed to do a quick order for, she returned Aubrey’s call to let her know she’d be more than happy to be involved with the pre-show.

The rest of the day was business as usual with the random student needing a book and lookers and browsers who didn’t know what they were searching for and didn’t need help but when they find it, they’ll let you know. These customers were always Lily’s favorites. It seemed like they usually picked a book based on their current life situation. He wants something more exciting. She wants something with drama and a good love story. Everyone’s reasons for being in her store were always different and that was something she looked forward to every day.

Once closing time came and went, she locked the front door and made her way to the back office to get her things ready to leave for the night. She checked her email quickly before leaving and noticed an email from Aubrey. It was an advertisement for ticket sales to The Crucible. Her store name was listed as a sponsor at the bottom. But what had caught and kept her eye and attention was a head shot of the most handsome man she had ever seen in the middle of the page.

“OPENING PRESENTATION BY RICHARD ARMITAGE.”

Included was a short bio about his various roles in cinema, television and on stage. It seemed he had played the lead role of John Proctor in a run of The Crucible in London a few years back.

Makes sense why he would be here for this.

He really was quite the intriguing specimen. His face was the picture of masculine perfection with a pair of intense aquiline eyes that could almost peer deep down to your very soul and reveal your innermost secrets, an impossibly regal nose and a magnificent jawline complete with the perfect amount of stubble. Oh, he was magnificent indeed. Her nerves were immediately set on fire. But this was merely a publicity picture. Surely the man wouldn’t be this alluring or captivating in person.

#richard armitage #real person fiction #richard armitage x OC

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himbopietro · 5 years ago

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it’s late, I’m sad, it’s time for a tag game!

The other thread was getting a bit too long for my koelomg so I’m maksiug a nene post !! I was tagged by @caminc91 thank you love!!

pick 5 shows, then answer the following questions, don’t cheat. tag 10 (or however many) people.

1. breaking bad

2. arrested development

3. stranger things

4. anne with an e

5. bojack horseman

❥ who is your favorite character in 2?

Gob. Without a shadow of a doubt. Gob is the funniest fucking character in this show. Maybe I relate way too much to Gob. Gay? Very unstable? A dumbass? Kind of a dick? Kind of shit at so called talents? But very entertaining? Fuck yeah, that me. Also Gob is mineable tho. And I love him so fucking much. I listen to that damn fake album like all the time. It ain’t easy being white is so fucking funny shoot me with a nerf gun

❥ who is your least favorite character in 1?

That nazi fuckin ass who I’m not assed to remember or look up his name. Todd? The one who looks like Joel Egerton and is in that Star Trek black mirror episode. Also Bogdan and his fuckin eyebrows can like ,, choke on a dick. Oh and also Spooge and his wife. That poor kid man :(

It’s weird because the character I hate so much, and think is despicable is ,, Walter. But he’s not my least favourite because I love the way he’s written, you know?? This question is hard when there’s only literally like ,, a handful of actually morally good characters in the show.

❥ what is your favorite episode of 4?

2.07 I think !! Okay I love Anne but like I literally don’t remember too good what exactly happens in each episode but this is the one with Aunt Josephine and this is just very gay and I love it and it’s WONDERFUL

Also I love any episode that has a lot of focus on Jerry bc I love him

Also any Bash and Gilbert centric episode is pretty kickass

❥ what is your favorite season of 5?

Season 4! I nearly said season 5 because two of my favourite episodes are in it (dog days are over + free churro ,, god damn these two hit home) and also rami malek is in it but .. season four has the old sugarman place, time’s arrow, ruthie and hooray! Todd episode .. and all in all this has like one of the best narratives throughout and ugh this just ,, hits home in so many fuckin areas!! And hollyhock is one of the best characters ever and aghhh.. And this has the most growth in bojack and agh ,, the end of this one is just so.. I cried.

❥ who is your favorite couple in 3?

Hopper/Joyce. These two are just so sweet. Also David and Winona are so pure too. Like .. this is all just perfect ughhhh!!Please just take Hopper on a fucking date. I’m fucking begging you. Take Jim on a fucking DATE. PLEASE. Jim my poor love :((

❥ who is your favorite couple in 2?

There’s like no serious fuckin relationship in this show. And while it isn’t ,, rlly canon yet Gob/Tony ,, bc sAmE this is just ,, very gay and very funny lmao. But if we’re going canon George Michael/Egg (I actually forgot her name. I feel so bad. I’m calling her egg) because that shit is comedic gold.

❥ what is your favorite episode of 1?

U G H so difficult !! Here are my top 4 because this is too hard:

-Fly : because this shit is chock full of symbolism and character development and revelations and you could write a full thesis about this episode. It’s so ,, self contained and dialogue heavy but you could analyze and dissect this for days. Which I love !!

Pilot: because it’s the perfectly crafted pilot. It’s perfect as a pilot. What more can I say.

-Ozymandias: SHIT GOES DOWN AND ITS GReat

-Felina: PERFECT CONCLUSION! PERFECT !! So fucking satisfying. Ends each character’s story so well. Also the song. Perfect. Ugh. Ties everything together perfectly. Ugh. This show is beautiful.

❥ what is your favorite episode of 5?

UGH Here are my top 5 because I can’t choose

- Free Churro (the best fuckin monologue,,)

- The Old Sugarman Place (oh dear god it’s crying hours, also the song lin Manuel writes for this episode is bomb and makes me sob)

- Time’s Arrow (crying hours again)

- Dog Days Are Over (this hit home way too hard. I reblog sets from this constantly.)

- Ruthie (UGHHHHHH THIS IS SO BEAUTIFUL and heartbreaking it ,, also hit home too hard :( )

❥ what is your favorite season of 2?

Season 1! It’s just all very fresh and innovative and just .. comedic gold. All of it. Fuck ,, I will never forget the first time I watched season 1 of arrested development.

❥ how long have you watched 1?

I watched all 5 seasons in like ,, 2 months like ,, a year and a half ago. I was 15, and I started watching this show during my mocks lmao bad idea

❥ how did you become interested in 3?

I watched it when it was new to Netflix after my dad was like , yo, you should watch this! And I was like, fuck yeah!! And then ,, I fell in love with it oof!!

❥ who is your favorite actor in 4?

Lucas Jade Zumann I think! Maybe slightly biased bc I loved him in 20th century women!

❥ which do you prefer, 1, 2, or 5?

Breaking Bad for sure. It’s regarded as one of the best shows of all time for a reason!!!! Just,, story and character wise ,, it’s all very beautifully crafted and the cinematography and the acting and the UGH ,, I literally watch so much video essays about this stupid fuckin show I LVOE IT

❥ which show have you seen more episodes of, 1 or 3 ?

Breaking Bad because .. there’s 5 seasons and stranger things only has three lmao!

❥ if you could be anyone from 4, who would you be?

Uh, Anne or Cole. I wish I had talent lmao. And also to be that cute and lovable lmao!

❥ would a crossover between 3 and 4 work?

Ahh ,, it shouldn’t, and won’t .. but I’d pay damn good money to see the stranger things cast in wholesome avonlea ,, or like ,, scifi horror elements in this pure period piece ,,

❥ pair two characters in 1 who would make an unlikely but strangely okay couple?

Jesse X Happiness. :) please? please give him a break.

❥ overall, which show has the better storyline, 3 or 5?

Oh, man .. I really do love stranger things and it has like a. Really fodoof like storyline and overarching themes but like .. bojack is so real. It’s so ,, it cuts so so so deep. And it’s so moving even if half the characters are fuckin animals and called Princess Carolyn and Mister Peanutbutter. It’s just ,, it’s something else. So Bojack.

❥ which has the better theme music, 2 or 4?

If I’m being honest I haven’t really been paying attention to either of the music in either of thejsen shows so like ??? I’m doing tos aha Anne because I do think I remember the music being like ,, really good?

I’m gonna rag @emforrest @thedeacywaltz @queen-rogerina-mercury @somedeadredshirt @emilyenchanted4 !!! If duii wnwnr to of course !!!

#tag games #someone tell me to fo to bed lmaoo #u can tell im tired by how incrwainbly shorter my answrrs get :)

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nerdylittleshit · 7 years ago

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Thoughts about Spn 13x08

SPOILERS! SPOILERS! SPOILERS!

Overall this was a solid episode, that had some fun moments, but in the end it felt to me that if you skipped it you didn’t miss out much. There was no real development to the plot (we are as close to find Jack as we were last week), from all the new characters introduced only one survived (though it is likely we will see her again) and there was little to no character development. As for the actual heist theme I was expecting a bit more; the heist was too simple and they could have done more with it. Maybe in hindsight the episode and its themes will become more important as the season continues, but right now it just feels like an average filler episode (not a bad episode though).

The new recruits

I think it was no coincidence that both Barthamus and “Smash”/Alice were supposed to remind us of two other characters: Crowley and Charlie. With Bart it is uber obvious as he even says that after Crowley became the king of hell he became the new Crowley aka the King of the Crossroad demons. Crowley remained a crossroad demon in many ways even after he became king; he continued to work with the Winchesters because they were useful to him, because this way they owed him. He was making deals still and he was a master in doing his homework, which is why he never underestimated the Winchesters. Bart is similar in that way; he has done his research on the Winchesters and knows what they are capable of. He made them an offer they couldn’t refuse, because even if they did, they risked he would have given the spell to Asmodeus. (Though unknown to them I think that was unlikely, as Bart seemed to plot against Asmodeus in the same way Crowley worked against Lucifer)

There is a difference though between Crowley and Bart. Yes, Crowley was a businessman, but he was always earnest about his business. He never collected souls before their time and if you made a deal with him he would always keep his side of the bargain. We can only speculate about this but I think Crowley wouldn’t have let Luther’s son die. It is implied that Bart did kill the son, though it is also possible the deal was only about curing the child and didn’t include preventing him to die from other causes. Either way it is cruel and the kind of business Crowley wouldn’t have approved off.

I’m glad that Bart died in the end. His only function would have been to replace Crowley as the demon who would occasionally help out the Winchesters; it would have cheapen the memory of Crowley. Instead though Bart’s presence highlighted the negative space Crowley’s loss leaves. It was clear that Sam and Dean wouldn’t mourn Crowley in the same way they did with Cas and Mary, but this episode in a way paid a tribute to him nevertheless.

And then there is Alice, who reminded me a lot of Charlie. Both young woman who are on the run, who introduce themselves with fake names and insist that they can take care of themselves, and wo are specialist in illegal activities (safe-cracking and hacking are oddly familiar; both give you access to something others tried to lock away). Both bond easily with Dean about ‘weird’ stuff, both end up on the bus stop after the Winchesters saved them, and even though Dean didn’t say it this time, Alice gave off a “little sister that I never wanted”-vibe as well. And of course the “Sorry, Charlie”-line, which I think was a weirdly specific reference? I had to look it up, but then again I’m not American, but it felt like someone really wanted to drop the name “Charlie” into the episode.

Which makes me think: Could it be that Alice is Charlie? Don’t ask me how that would work or why she didn’t reveal herself to the Winchesters, it is just a thought I wanted to write out. This a season that brings back characters that are supposed to be dead (Cas, Ketch, pretty sure Rowena as well), or different versions of them (Michael, Kevin). And also the recurring theme of things that look like other things (Asmodeus, shapeshifters, wraiths, ghouls). Speaking of, I think Luther kind of filled this role as well: he was introduced as a villain (a sadist and murderer) but turned out to be a victim all along. Still, what is the deal with Alice? She was set up in a way that they could bring her back (she owes the Winchesters their life and has a very specific set of skills) and we still hardly know anything about her (why did she make a deal for example). Maybe she was only introduced to give us a similar character to Charlie, but I admit I would have rather have the old Charlie back.

The Harry Potter of it all

Seems like Meredith Glynn is a Potterhead after all. Her first episode, 13x05, revolved around a horcrux like pocket watch and this week’s episode is full of Harry Potter references. First there was the fang of a basilisk, who of course played a big role in “The Chamber of Secrets” (I wonder though if it was a test by Luther to see if Sam would spot the difference or if Luther just didn’t know what he was buying). The Chamber of Secrets of course could only be open by the true heir of Slytherin and if you were able to speak Parseltongue. The vault could only be open with the blood of a man who had been to hell and back (and did everyone just forget that Sam had been in hell as well?). Luther couldn’t die as long as he was on his property. Harry was safe as long as was in Privet Drive (and as long as he could still call it his home). And who of course was introduced to us as a huge Harry Potter fan? Charlie again.

There were of course also some Indiana Jones references and some pure comedy gold with the whole vault sequence (and Alice asking herself if this guy really had been to hell) and Luther on a wheelchair. This is perhaps the reason why it felt to me not like a heist movie but rather an adventure film.

Some other things

- “After Crowley, I told myself, no more demons.” This did sound like the kind of thing you say after a messy break up, right? When you swear you never date guys like this again.

- Dean calling Alice out on her shoes, saying “Hey Winona, the 90s called, they’d like their shoes back.” Like first of all, if you want to give someone fashion advice Dean, start with your brother and his fugly jacket. Second, this was oddly specific? Recognizing her boots as the kind of boots Winona Ryder wore in the 90s… like sure enough, Dean was a teenager in the 90s and was perhaps crushing on Winona, but it reminded me off fashion experts saying “the little black dress actress xy wore at the Academy Awards 1994”. It is the kind of detail you remember because you are interested in it. We know that Den is the more fashionable brother, but it makes me wonder how Dean would dress if he hadn’t grow up with a job/in a macho culture that taught him clothes have to practical, nothing more.

Overall an entertaining episode, which made me curious about Alice. Exited about next week’s midseason finale/ Wayward Sisters. Also, I am painfully behind on my dash, so it might take some time until I catch up with everyone else’s thoughts.

#supernatural #spn 13x08 #the scorpion and the frog #spoilers #spn meta #my meta

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sulietsexual · 7 years ago

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Hey, how would you rate seasons of friends and that 70s show from your fave to least fave and why?

Friends

Season 1 – In my humbleopinion, nothing Friends did ever topped the first season, everything was funand fresh and new, the characters were all endearing and well-written, theRoss-and-Rachel drama hadn’t started, and pretty much every episodes is purecomedy gold. Plus it is the epitome of all things 90s!

Season 2 – In similarvein to Season 1, Season 2 is still young and fresh enough to be thoroughlyentertaining and endearing. The Ross/Rachel ship is at its best this season,relatively drama-free and fun, and the season contains some of my absolutefavourite eps, such as TOW Ross and Rachel … You Know, TOW The Prom Video andall the episodes with Eddie.

Season 4 – This seasontook a bit to grow on me, but these days I absolutely love it. I love theapartment-swapping storyline, the Phoebe-as-a-surrogate storyline, and Iespecially love the Ross/Emily pairing (which was sadly thrown out the window)and the finale in London where we get the Monica/Chandler hook up.

Season 3 – For the mostpart I love and enjoy this season, it’s got some great episodes such as TOW TheFootball and TOW Chandler Can’t Remember Which Sister and it’s nice to seeChandler in a relationship in the early part of the season. That being said, Ihave grown tired of the Ross/Rachel drama and have a hard time watching the endof the season because of that.

Season 7 – This seasoncontains pretty much all of my fave guest stars (Kathleen Turner, Winona Ryder,Gary Oldman and Susan Sarandon), I love the countdown to Chandler and Monica’swedding, and there are some really fun and cute episodes, such as TOW All TheCheesecakes, TOW Chandler’s Dad and of course, TOW Monica and Chandler’s Wedding.

Season 8 – I actuallyreally liked the Rachel Pregnancy storyline (although I wish it had been usedas an avenue for getting Ross and Rachel back together, as opposed to the way it was usedfor extra drama), and I also liked the Joey-has-a-crush-on-Rachel storyline.There are also several really fun eps, such as TOW The Halloween Party and TOWThe Rumour.

Seasons 5 & 6 – I find theseseasons to be quite lacklustre, even if they do develop the Chandler/Monicarelationship. Unfortunately that ship gets a bit lost amongst the ongoingRoss/Rachel drama (Season 5 with the aftermath – or lack thereof – of Rosssaying Rachel’s name at the altar and Season 6 with the ridiculous married-in-Vegas plot) and the episodes of both seasonsare pretty dull (although there are a few gems tucked away, such as TOW CouldHave Been and TOW Everyone Finds Out).

Seasons 9 & 10 – By thispoint the show had well and truly run out of steam, and many of the episodesand storylines in the last two seasons are either stupid (Chandler watchesShark Porn) or boring (Joey and Rachel’s “relationship). I did like thestoryline with Monica and Chandler adopting a child in Season 10, and Phoebeand Mike’s relationship is quite sweet, but overall, the final two seasons ofFriends were un-involved and underwhelming.

That 70s Show

Season 1 – As withFriends, I find the first season of That 70s Show to be the best. Again,everything is new and fresh, the characters haven’t been Flanderized yet, theEric/Donna ship is still cute and fun, and there are some hilariousepisodes, such as Eric’s Buddy, That Wrestling Episode, Grandma’s Dead and HydeMoves In. All up, just a great season.

Season 2 – Almost asgood as Season 1, the second season of the show builds on thealready-established dynamics and explores the relationships in the show, inparticular Eric and Donna, as they move towards a sexual relationship. TheKelso-cheating-on-Jackie storyline was dragged out for too long, but aside fromthat, I don’t have a lot of complaints about Season 2.

Season 3 – Again, afairly strong season, really only let down by the repetitiveness of Eric andDonna’s ongoing issues (which definitely help explore the bumps in theirrelationship, but slow the overall season down). There are still some greatepisodes in this season, such as Too Old To Trick Or Treat, Too Young To Die(which is a brilliant tribute toHitchcock films), Dine & Dash and Jackie Bags Hyde.

Season 5 – The Eric andDonna engagement storyline is annoying, but Season 5 is the beginning of Jackieand Hyde, with the relationship at its strongest, so who couldn’t loveand enjoy this season? Not to mention there are a bunch of great stand-aloneeps and Fez finally gets a girlfriend and cashes in his V card!

Season 6 – Season 6 isnot the strongest season, but it does contain some fun episodes and a really nice arc for Kelso, with Brooke’spregnancy allowing him to finally grow and evolve as a character. The Eric andDonna engagement once again slows down the season overall, but it’s still anenjoyable and entertaining season.

Seasons 4 & 7 – I don’t havea lot of love for either of these seasons, as I feel they both go off the railsa little. Season 4 is hard to take, what with the Eric/Donna breakup and thatfallout, and Season 7 has little direction and wreaks havoc with theJackie/Hyde relationship.

Season 8 – does any 70s Show fan enjoy this season? NoEric, a Mary Sue replacement character in Randy, the Jackie/Hyde ship is torn to shreds, no one wanted Jackie to end up with Fez,Kelso is missing for much of the season and the episodes and overall feel ofthe show is lacklustre and un-engaging. A disappointing final season to a great show.

#f.r.i.e.n.d.s.#that 70s show #psychoticdelena #Anonymous #answered

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yourthyla · 8 years ago

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[STAR TREK] FANFICTION REC LIST

Phew! I’ve been reading a lot of fics so I’ve been doing this rec-list of my favourites for you. trust me it’s from MANY sources and depths of the internet. I’m gonna try to keep it clearly organized and updated.

Also, these fics are really various, but the pairings are only combinatinos of Spock, Kirk and McCoy. I warn you I have a huge thing for AUs.

I used AO3 ratings and sometimes included author’s description.

This is also a thanks to my nearly 400 followers, I LOVE YOU all! I hope this comes any useful to you!

TOS

Spock/Kirk

E// Hours of Freedom is a both-sided amnesia fic but the best I’ve read. Kirk and Spock in forest, surviving, fluffing around and eventually smutting.

E// Got You is a Mirror-verse PWP where Spock and Kirk do it right on the bridge. Yes, you heard me, in front of everyone. One of the hottest PWPs ever.

E// The Friend Awesome in-character fic taking place on Vulcan, exploring Kirk’s jealousy and sexuality

E// The power of suggestion Under an unfortunate influence of a drug, Kirk starts temporarily believing he and Spock have been lovers. One of the best get/together fics and solutions of long secret crush I’ve read!

M// Communication A wonderful epistolary fic (I love these) Being at war, Spock is separated from his crew before the end of 5YM and they miss each other immensely. They quite maturely handle their affections for each other and start writing between the lines.

T// A means to an end A morning-after fic with an interesting twist! Kirk and Spock shyly & slyly taking their friendship to ‘the next level’ :D

E// Turbo Tale This story is from Turbo lift’s POINT OF VIEW. No, trust me. This is too wonderful and I’ve never read a blowjob scene used so strangely appropriately and affectionately like here. .

G// The Game Very entertaining and originally handled challenge by the author. The crew plays a game in a bar. I love this too much.

E// The Berries One of the best ‘we’re in forest, you’re drunk and we’re too surprised we’ve both loved and craved each other all along so let’s get it finally over with’ I’ve EVER read.

E// Personal Effects Spock received a personal android, he likes him a lot. Kirk is furiously jealous.

M// Shall We? This one is different and so weird? It has plot but a humorous one and somehow this kept me entertained and I appreciate it in a strange way. Such an original view of K/S development!

E// Absolution The author truly spoiled me with this fic. It is a fuel to my hurt/comfort love, there is nothing like nasty abduction and then (most of the fic) soothing the character (Kirk) delicately with love while every single sentence of it is PERFECTLY in character that it awes me. The thing is very real. (However I only enjoyed the first half as much, I’m not sure if I ever finished the second.)

G// First comes love AU. Kirk is a single parent and Spock is a child doctor. Why you should read this? 1) PUREST THING EVER. 2) REALISTIC PURE CHILD’S (David) POV. 3) His daddy is falling in love with his doctor?!! 4)OhgodpleasejustREADit... I just wish this was longer *cries*

E// At a glance Teenage!AU. Ok I just realized I read this as AOS? It totally worked? Anyway, I only read 2 chapters because it felt satisfying enough the other day but I was IN LOVE with the first kissing scene, one of the most powerful I’ve EVER read. Love at first sight. Epic. I’m gonna finish it one day and update my opinion.

E// Surrender PWP. Warning for dub-con and dom/sub elements. Normally I’m not so into this and if yes I don’t bother rec-ing it BUT I am doing so for the massage scene because hot damn, that was the hottest stuff ever. Simply well-written Spock seducing Kirk. (wth was this published in year 1997?!?)

E// Master and Commander A satisfying first-time PWP, awkward shower sharing, pleasant switching of the roles.

E// Getting What You Wished For Having any wish on a planet that creates anything for you, Spock (very logically) summons copy of Captain Kirk to deal with his oh so suppressed sexual and romantic feelings toward him. It doesn’t work but it might give him a push to finally confess.

E// Ardor Amazing PWP which just didn’t feel too cliché for my taste. Features gym red pants and very nice foreplay and resolved sexual tension wohoo.

G// in love with my captain This is just a drabble to warm your heart. It’s just the last sentence...is everything good in the world.

T// An Impossible Smile “ Captain Kirk has a seductive smile that no man or woman can stand up to. He uses this against Spock.” THIS IS SO GOOD because nobody ever portrays Spock as ‘one of Kirk’s conquests’ (sorry for that) but this one does and IT HURTS SO BAD but it’s short enough so you won’t die but..wow..

E// Rose Hips and Vulcan Lips PWP with FLUFF, married Spirk, Spock is cold, there’s Kirk’s mom in the house while the two dorks go warm up in the shower and do nasty things, anyway: "Spock...Only you could stand there, naked, in the shower, with soapy water running down your chest and that big, thick hard-on poking out at me, talking about plants with vitamin C. And I love you for it." :>> i want marriage like that.

Spock/McCoy

T// Questions, Questions Brilliantly in-character fic about Spock being forced to answer very personal questions to McCoy as a part of the physical. M// The Sample is a sequel to Questions, Questions, where Spock must deliver semen sample for McCoy. He is failing, and asks for help. I will read these for the rest of my life.

E// Aegri Somnia Spock and McCoy are stranded on a planet and fight for their life. PERFECT food for hurt/comfort lovers. Contains horror atmosphere, very naturalistic description, love confessions & cuddles. What’s not to love.

E// I have enough Huge hurt/comfort. I have a thing for depressed!Bones and this one suffers all included (alcohol, secret love for Spock, self-harm..) But don’t worry, he gets the comfort he deserves.

T// Nothing By Halves This is mostly for the nice idea. All I can tell you is copy the description and my favourite quote summing it up: “McCoy wishes he could talk to Spock's human half. After a transporter malfunction, he can.” And: “It wasn't your human half I needed to get through to, or the Vulcan. It was just you.” I’m crying.

E// What happens in Vegas Can be AOS too. Crack-ish. This was lot of fun. Well, the first part looked more promising. Somehow I thought it would be better if they slept together sooner, when it was still kind of taboo, you know what I mean? It turned too sugary for me which seems to by my frequent problem but still adorable and fun fic!

Spock/Kirk/McCoy

E// Always watching You - “An asexual but not aromantic Spock contemplates his relationship with Jim and Leonard.” Exceptional fic.

E// Unbearable “As McCoy struggles with holding Spock’s katra, he finds himself stuck in the middle of a relationship between his best friend and a dead man.” How bittersweet.

E// Get the party started (if it works for all parties involved) PWP-ish. “Jim caught Bones calling Jim's and Spock's name in his 'self-loving' time. Jim's solution? Phone Spock. While Bones's still at it so Spock could hear it first-hand, of course.” Wohoooo! Voyeurism is my weakness trope.

E// Beautiful Liar “McCoy reveals hidden feelings for Spock after accidental contact with his mind. He doesn't know Kirk and Spock are lovers, so Jim lies to him.” This is actually kinda sad? But not exactly angsty.

________________________

AOS

Spock/Kirk

M// The Exchange Student Teenage Spirk AU. Jim is abused by his step-father, Spock, the exchange student comes to his rescue. Hurt/comfort, so fluffy, SO beautiful!

E// Gift An AU, takes place on xenophoibic Vulcan; Spock finds a young human and decides to keep him. I love how they grow up together and develop an unhealthy addiction to each other. However it gets a bit angsty at the end and I’m unsure how the ending makes me feel.

E// Papers in the Roadside AU. Jim owns a bar and Spock is a mysterious journalist who makes him lose his mind. This story has flawless atmosphere and slow development. It is essential.

E// Educated Differences A standard 21. century university AU where Jim and Spock are put as roommates and I don’t think I even need to comment this.

T// Mayday, My Darling Very realistic fic about Spock getting drug-addicted. I don’t usually enjoy established relationship but THIS is perfection! Tags speak for it all.

T// Subtext Jim has a crush on Spock, he misses him and regrettably end up trying to pick him through texting. Very enjoyable ‘texting’ fic (mostly.) Also funny and fluffy!

E// Tray Tables and Seatbelt Signs AU. You ever heard of Mile High Club? No? You will now. Spock is hot flight attendant and Jim a very annoying and needy passenger. Bonus: best description of Bones&Jim friendship ever.

E// In time AU. Kirk’s mother leaves to space for years and emplys Spock as her son’s ‘caretaker.’ Now, I know how difficult it is to characterise a child/teenager well but this author took my breath away. Jim's development feels 110% real and the relationship of him and Spock over THE YEARS is developing perfectly, it's balanced, flowing ideally fast. Lot of mutual pinning, slow-build, hurty comforty this is SO GOOOOOD and pure.

T// Stacks AU. Librarian!Jim and cadet!Spock. What I liked about this one is that Kirk was so pure, contrary to other AOS fics. As a librarian, interested in a regular Vulcan guest, he has this really nice character vibe. And he doesn't think it's creepy when Spock makes awkward sexual propositions and just goes with it because he actually respects him for once.

E// The third wheel Academy AU. Awh yes, another fandiction that I simply devoured at once. Spock is a professor who calmly dates around with cadet Uhura but Jim is an annoying bastard who decides to steal Uhura from him, however he ends up falling in love with Spock and stealing him instead. Spock is succumbing hopelessly and adorably, god.

M// The Fountain AU. “Somehow, Jim thought the brothel would be different—big and beautiful. Not like this, with just one broken Vulcan.” What can I say? Jim rescues Spock from where he certainly doesn’t belong. Hurt/comfort is my oxygen. Bones making important and appreciated appearance as well!

M// A Kingdom to Come Fairy-tale AU. “Jim has been ordered by his mother, Queen Winona of Terra, to marry crown princess T'Pring of Vulcan. He intends to do no such thing.” Who doesn’t need a kingdom-set fic once in their life? I tell you, this is better than you think, do give it a try. I could not stop until I finished. Pure gold.

T// Mother, why Kirk is a waiter and Spock was arranged an outrageous blind date with Gary Mitchell in the restaurant. Jim manages to be the only pleasant thing on the date. Pity for the happy but open ending.

E// Muddy Waters Uni AU. I’m not sure about this one. I know I really loved the beginning, or half of it and then again I was deeply disappointed and dropped it. But in this fic Spock is a human but has ‘Vulcan syndrome’ or something so he looks like a vulcan so that was pretty cool I think.

E// Creep College AU. I wasn’t sure if I wanted to read this at first but I am glad I did!! It was very good! The characters were given their names because their parents were Star Trek fans and stuff?? So they are in the Star Trek fandom? Kirk is in love with a ff writer while dealing with this creepy classmate at school. Well, as the author says: “ One story, two storylines, one love.”

Spock/Kirk/McCoy

E// Called You Friend This is not a fanfiction, this is PURE ART. This is so imaginative, various, makes you feel things. You have to read bit between the lines to follow the plot but this is just beautiful.

McKirk

E// Life is Just a Bowl Full of Peaches ??? AU. I don’t even know why I saved this one but I knew I could regret it?? Crack-ish, maybe? McCoy is a single parent countryman and he is online dating Jim, thinking he's a GIRL. I don't know. Just. It’s fun but it’s also like nice? I don’t know if I finished but I definitelly enjoyed the beginning.

T// Subtlety Cute Cofee shop AU! Too bad it isn’t longer.

#star trek #fanfiction #rec #rec list #recommendations #spirk #spones #mcspirk #mckirk #james t kirk #spock #bones #leonard #mccoy #fic #tos #aos #slash

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lostborderline · 4 years ago

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Introspection

When I think of who I am there are so many different things that come to mind. Like hundreds. All of them are jumbled into this one rubber band ball that I feel is the cocoon that is forming the ultimate creature within. It’s been developing for years and I still haven’t the slightest idea of who I am. I know for starters that I love nature, and the environment; I try to be more conscious but that doesn't always work. My music genre is the closest thing that really defines who I am. A person who doesn’t give a fuck what others think, and will be boisterous with her opinion whenever the opportunity prevails. I used to have this mindset to boost my mood in times of depression where I said that I was in my own league and that I was too good for anyone. It actually was super helpful to my psyche. However, I started to deter that mindset after my best friend said that it was really annoying and irritated him how narcissistic I was being about that. I want to be the person that doesn’t give a fuck. About anything, really. You don't like me? Cool, go fuck yourself, bye. I’m really big into animals too, just not dogs, like at all. In fact, I hate dogs. I don’t know, I guess having dogs when I was a kid was a turning point for me. Yeah, cool at first, but then when they don’t do what they’re expected (such as going to the bathroom outside, or be quiet, be respectful of furniture) it gets annoying and you start to develop a disgust for them. The reason they were probably like that was probably due to my mom locking them up in cages for hours on end and constantly abusing them. Let’s talk about children, literally from the moment I was born, I decided that I hated children. Never ever wanted one, I even prayed to God that he would never make me have one (I didn’t even believe in God, and I thought that every woman has kids for some reason). Twenty years later, I still don’t want one. My reasoning? First, they’re disgusting, a lot of work, and messy. I feel like when you have a child, you have to throw your whole life away and put everything on hold for this damn child. That’s not something I want to do. I love my sleep, I love my free (and alone) time, and I love my hobbies. Marriage, I also never wanted to get married. It was instilled into my head at a young age that I should never get married. My grandma always said that, and also to never have kids, she said that too. There were two times where I wanted to get married, actually. With my ex boyfriend of three and a half years, we got engaged at six months. It was no surprise, and the whole video that was taken (at a fucking mall) was completely staged. The ring didn’t even fit me. I have small fingers. I kept up with this charade for a while actually. At one point I was like “fuck it dude, let’s go to the town hall tomorrow and get married then and there”. I believe he was down with it, I just think I wanted to do it to spite his mom. The second time I wanted to get married was with the guy I am with now. This was also staged, as I begged him to propose to me. It was even quicker, at three months. He proposed where we both work, Dunkin’. I was happy for a while. I guess, a few months, that’s not really a while, is it? Things started to decrescendo after our first incident, his mistake. I caught him in a Kik group and he was messaging this one girl who claimed to be 12, he said “do you like cock?”. I found this right before I had to go to work at six am. I was appalled by this and couldn’t shake it off my mind. He still thinks its nothing and compares it to what I’ve done. I cried so much at work that my general manager let me go home three hours early. It was at that point that I started to act as if we were just boyfriend/girlfriend. I don’t even wear the ring, and I have no idea where it is in this hell hole of a house. I guess I am afraid of commitment, I have to really think before making decisions that involve long-term. Such as a gym membership contract, a Six Flags membership, marriage, a kid. I don't want those things (kids, and a marriage) because I also fear that what if the person giving them to me will deceive me or stop loving me. I want something to remind me that it was a product of love, and not hate. I want to be sure that that person is going to be “the one”, and let’s face it, we never know if a person is “the one” so fuck it, fuck marriage and fuck dem kids. I am completely fine with that. I really define myself as being a laid back, chill, cool, and strong human being. I used to get compliments on how strong I seem, physically and mentally. I also resonate with being an angry person and fueled by fights. Having BPD makes you feel like you have multiple personalities. I am creative, but I constantly say that I am not because I don’t have the motivation to come up with something new or even start on a project that involves creativity. I am pure laziness. I love spicy food, and especially spicy soup (my favorite is the Chunky’s buffalo chicken, I just eat around the chicken because it tastes like metal). I strive to be different, whether it be my hair color or clothing choices, music, anything outside the norm. I am incredibly political, however sometimes I choose not to say anything because it starts fights. I used to really hate feminists because everyone else did, including my ex, so I guess I followed the crowd. I now resonate with being a feminist and I believe that women should be able to dress how they want and do whatever that empowers them. My favorite books include A Series of Unfortunate Events, and countless Stephen King books. I am very picky when it comes to books, though. I am not really an avid reader, despite writing oceans worth of poetry and stories. When it comes to movies, I am very picky as well. Just about any Stephen King influenced movie will do, and it is incredibly inspiring to me. I enjoy thrillers, mystery, drama, and comedies. I hate action movies, and I hate anything that would make it seem very unrealistic, such as CGI monsters or transforming cars and whatnot. Beetlejuice is an exception to the CGI rule. Oh, and that reminds me, practically anything involving Johnny Depp or Winona Ryder is an absolute win for me. I would cram myself between those two any day of the week and any time. Tim Burton is a tier below Johnny Depp. Yes, I know they are like best friends and have movies together, but some claymation movies I can’t get into. Corpse Bride was okay, it’s just not something I would really watch over and over. Edward Scissorhands on the other hand, was gold tier and I can watch it with pure enjoyment every time. I guess that’t because it has Winona Ryder and Johnny Depp in it, oh dear. When it comes to my mindset to things, I am extremely weird and extremely pessimistic. I do not talk to anyone, and I actually enjoy that. I am constantly encouraged to “just talk” to people and I say “I don't wish to talk to people”. I’m perfectly happy being a loner. At work I constantly cuss at things, I guess that’s how you know I am doing okay, cause if I wasn’t, I wouldn’t be saying anything. I constantly say “I fucking hate people” or anything that relates literally whenever people come and order things. I can see the bad side of literally anything, and it’s typically the first thing that I see. I guess that’s what being a pessimist is all about. I have absolutely no empathy either. I don’t feel empathy. I mean, I feel it for an animal though. Whenever people message me, I actually have a fright. I panic, and I start breathing kind of heavy. I’m like “what do I do what do I do” inside of my head. It takes me so long to type out a simple reply. It always ends the same way, by me leaving their message unopened, and never talking to them like ever again. I guess that’s fine. I’m constantly stressed, there is no time where I am stress-free. That would be a dream come true. I feel like I will die of my stress some day, and that would be totally fine. If it was meant to be, then so be it. My mind constantly feels “icky” and “uUUUUGH”. I felt that was a better way to put it. When it comes down to it, I have ultimately two versions of myself: the angry punker who is fueled by fighting and is a total pessimist which enjoys video games, and then there’s the hippie who actually cares for the earth and wants to be positive, spread peace, loves animals, making art and has a love for the 60′s pop music while being totally chill and laid back. Now that I’ve gotten some sort of clarity out of attempting to untangle this giant rubber band ball that is me, I am going to attempt to sleep but in reality just scroll on my phone for hours on end while not watching the TV show in the background. Dang I am so thirsty and all I have is warm Gatorade because I forgot to bring the pack of water in and put it in the freezer. Fuck my life (-:

#bpd #borderline personality disorder #borderline #journal #journal entry #diary #entry #about me #introspection #mental health #mental illness #personality disorder

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mrwilliamcharley · 6 years ago

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The Remix Pack Vol. 045

Our 45th edition has landed with new remixes from Louis The Child, Galantis, R3HAB, DJ Sliink, Slow Magic, and more. Check out our favorite remixes of the week below and follow our Run The Remixes playlist on Spotify.

Elohim – The Wave (Louis The Child Remix) | Stream

If you’ve been missing Louis The Child‘s bubbly sound, then today is a perfect day for you. They just released their new remix for none other than Elohim, who has made a huge surge onto the scene the last couple of years. Louis The Child’s remix of “The Wave” is full of the sounds that made you fall in love with the Chicago duo in the first place. A great flowing beat, the perfect crescendo, and that light-hearted future bass sound that they’ve mastered are all wrapped up in one phenomenal remix. – Nick Isasi

Kygo – Think About You (Galantis Remix) | Stream

It’s been a minute since we’ve heard a Galantis remix and the Swedish duo have just delivered a stellar take on Kygo‘s “Think About You”. Spinning the Valentine’s Day released single into a silky, smooth dance-pop ballad, Galantis infuse their signature bright house vibes to give the track a club-ready feel. Galantis’ “Think About You” remix bursts with shiny synths and vibrant melodies that will easily intoxicate any listener.

SOFI TUKKER – Fantasy (R3HAB Remix) | Stream

R3HAB has become a king when it comes to the remix game. R3HAB has remixed some of the biggest names in music like The Chainsmokers, Marshmello, Kygo, and ZHU and has already released nearly a dozen official remixes this year alone. His latest takes on SOFI TUKKER‘s “Fantasy” and flips it into an anthemic house bop. R3HAB is on one serious hot streak.

The Bliss – Got The Love (DJ Sliink & Felix Snow Remix) | Stream

The Bliss, a new project consisting of TYSM songstress and Kiiara and Terror Jr. producer Felix Snow, have delivered a catchy new remix that’s sure to grab your attention. After garnering attraction with their debut single “Got The Love,” they’ve now enlisted DJ Sliink for a collaborative remix and it absolutely slaps. Brilliantly mixing Felix Snow’s sparkling electro-pop with DJ Sliink’s iconic Jersey style, the duo turn “Got The Love” into a sensational bouncy pop anthem.

PLS&TY – Motives (feat. GANZ & Nevve) [Slow Magic Remix] | Stream

Following his recent remix of Manila Killa’s “Wake Up Call,” Slow Magic is back with a gorgeous rendition of PLS&TY‘s “Motives”. Filling the future bass original with airy synths and euphoric melodies, Slow Magic wraps the track in a luxurious atmosphere sure to grab any listener’s attention. Slow Magic will certainly be turning heads with this remix.

Illenium – Pray (ft. Kameron Alexander) [blanke Remix] | Stream

Rising producer blanke has consistently impressed with his jaw-dropping remixes of Marshmello, RL Grime, and Gryffin, and collaborations alongside REZZ, 1788-L, and JayKode. Back with another stunning remix, blanke has been tapped as part of Illenium‘s official remix pack for “Pray”. Blanke’s electrifying mixture of gritty future bass and grungy trap brings a darkness to the track that will absolutely floor any listener. Check out the full remix pack here.

QUIX – Stronger (feat. Elanese) [TYNAN Remix]| Stream

TYNAN has quickly grown as one of our favorite rising producers. Between his remixes of RL Grime and Lookas and collaborations alongside 1788-L and Ekali, TYNAN has become an unstoppable force in trap music. He’s now been tapped as part of QUIX’s official “Stronger” remix pack. Delivering a downright dirty banger, TYNAN went all out for this remix. Check out the full remix pack here.

Illenium – Pray (feat. Kameron Alexander) [T-Mass & LZRD Remix]| Stream

T-Mass and LZRD know how to craft the perfect remix. The two previously linked for a collaborative remix of The Chainsmokers’ “New York City” and again for a remix of Illenium’s “It’s All On U”. Back with a shiny new remix, T-Mass and LZRD have joined forces once again to flip Illenium‘s “Pray”. Fueling their iconic future trap style into the Illenium original, T-Mass and LZRD’s “Pray” remix is the definition of a festival anthem. This one goes hard.

JOYRYDE – Yuck (feat. Gold) [Yvng Jalapeño Edit]| Free Download

Yvng Jalapeño has quickly caught our attention with his knockout remixes of QUIX and What So Not. His latest takes on JOYRYDE‘s “Yuck” and amplifies it into an insane mix of bass, house, and trap. Dosing the track with his spicy style, Yvng Jalapeño does not hold back on this remix.

Lil Nas X – Old Town Road (Bishu Remix)| Free Download

If you have been listening to the radio lately, chances are you’ve heard Lil Nas X’s country-trap heater “Old Town” at least once. The widely popular track has been popping up at festivals recently and if there is anyone that can take “Old Town” to the next level, it’s Bishu. Adding a heavy dose of his signature psytrance to the original, Bishu cleverly creates a psy-hybrid trap remix that will have you busting out your cowboy boots in no time. – Peach Gallagher

NERVO – Habit (Mielo Remix)| Stream

Hot off the release of his debut Anywhere But Here EP, rising producer Mielo has delivered a stunning official remix of NERVO‘s “Habit”. Deep basslines and sharp percussion lay the groundwork for spiraling synth melodies that will ease listeners into a euphoric state of mind. This is one of Mielo’s finest remixes to date.

Louis The Child – Breaking News (Justice Skolnik Remix) | Free Download

It seems like we are always covering another Justice Skolnik remix, and it’s because what he pumps out is pure quality. His newest track comes in the form of a Louis The Child remix, and it’s an absolute vibe. The San Francisco-based producer is known for his beautiful arpeggiating futuristic chords, and they add the perfect topline energy to his groovy “Breaking News” remix. Justice Skolnik also hinted on Instagram that he has a new EP in the works and has more remixes on the horizon, both signs that he’s gearing up for a major year. – Aaron Root

Dua Lipa – New Rules (BLU J Remix)| Stream

BLU J may have had a quiet 2018 but the dynamic house duo is on their way to having an incredible 2019. Following their recent releases “Don’t Look” and “Faded,” BLU J is back with a fresh take on Dua Lipa’s “New Rules.” Adding their signature touch to the pop original, BLU J creates a lush atmosphere where house vibes heighten Dua Lipa’s original vocals. Get ready to bust out your finest shuffle moves with this one. – Peach Gallagher

The Chainsmokers – Hope (feat. Winona Oak) [Nolan van Lith Remix]| Stream

Nolan van Lith has been making waves with his incredible remixes of Halsey and Lost Kings. Following his remix of “Side Effects,” Nolan van Lith has delivered his second official remix for The Chainsmokers, this time remixing “Hope”. His slow building remix is delicate and luxurious and will instantly take your breath away. This is one of Nolan van Lith’s finest remixes to date.

Manila Killa – All 2 U (Covex Remix)| Stream

Up and coming Denver-based producer Covex has stunned with his latest remix. Just weeks following his gorgeous take on London Grammar’s “Hey Now,” Covex has unveiled a shimmering official remix of Manila Killa‘s “All 2 U”. Teetering between indie and future bass, Covex’s sparkling downtempo remix is simply breathtaking.

Dog Blood – Turn Off The Lights (ORIENTAL CRAVINGS Flip)| Free Download

Oriental Cravings have continuously impressed with their wild remixes of RL Grime, What So Not, Alison Wonderland, and more. The Australian duo has now turned up Dog Blood‘s latest offering “Turn Off The Lights”. Hard-hitting and electrifying, Oriental Cravings’ “Turn Off The Lights” remix is absolutely insane.

Flume – Dreamtime (Spirix Remix)| Free Download

Spirix has consistently amazed with his vibrant remixes of Zeds Dead, Sweater Beats, San Holo, and more. His latest takes on Flume‘s “Dreamtime” and it is epic. Firing off wild future bass synths, Spirix brings the energy to his Flume remix. Spirix has outdone himself with this one.

LSD – Audio (Ben Maxwell Remix)| Free Download

Ben Maxwell has crafted stunning remixes of The Chainsmokers, Sweater Beats, and Mickey Valen, and his latest is no exception. Spinning LSD‘s “Audio” into a future bass banger, Ben Maxwell adds his classic melodic basslines and snappy percussion to take the track to the next level. This is one of Ben Maxwell’s finest remixes to date.

Kid Cudi – Man On The Moon (NOKO Remix)| Free Download

Newcomers NOKO floored us with their flawless debut remix of San Holo’s “Lift Me From The Ground”. Back with their second release to date, NOKO has unveiled a gorgeous rendition of Kid Cudi‘s “Man On The Moon”. Their atmospheric future bass, reminiscent to that of ODESZA, perfectly drapes around the Kid Cudi classic. NOKO are definitely ones to watch for this year.

Lost Kings – Anti-Everything (Jake Wolfe Remix)| Stream

Following the release of their newest Paper Crowns EP, Lost Kings have slowing turned out remix packs for each of the standout tracks. Their latest remix pack for “Anti-Everything” features a stellar remix from up and coming producer Jake Wolfe. Wrapping the emotional pop ballad in vivacious synth melodies and crisp percussion, Jake Wolfe delivers a sensational dance-pop anthem that will instantly hypnotize any listener.

Young Bombs – Starry Eyes (Steerner Remix)| Stream

Following the release of their phenomenal debut original “Starry Eyes”, Canadian duo Young Bombs have released their first official remix pack featuring Swedish producer Steerner. Bursting with silky guitar melodies and wondrous synths, Steerner’s dance-pop remix is an easy standout amongst the pack.

RKCB – Know Love (OTR Remix)| Stream

Rising indie producer OTR has delivered delicate remixes of Petit Biscuit, MAX, and More Giraffes. OTR has now drafted a gorgeous take on RKCB‘s latest offering “Know Love”. Light and airy, OTR’s atmospheric house-inspired remix is an absolute dream.

Restless Modern – Where We Could Go (HtPkt Remix)| Free Download

HtPkt has quickly caught our eye with his Lost Kings, NOTD, and more. Adding yet another stellar remix to his collection, HtPkt has flipped Restless Modern‘s “Where We Could Go”. Brilliantly silky and effortlessly luxurious, HtPkt’s emotional remix combines elements of indie and future bass into one cohesive work of art. HtPkt has outdone himself with this remix.

Party Favor & GTA – Work It Out (FOMO Remix)| Free Download

Up and coming duo FOMO has made waves with their flips on trap bangers like Ekali and SLUMBERJACK’s “Helios” and JOYRYDE and Skrillex’s “AGEN WIDA”. Taking on Party Favor and GTA‘s “Work It Out,” FOMO amplifies the track into an all-out trap rager. FOMO has seriously taken “Work It Out” to the next level.

Alison Wonderland – Peace (xelo Remix)| Stream

Newcomer xelo has seriously impressed with his latest remix. Serving as his second release to date, xelo’s take on Alison Wonderland‘s latest single “Peace” is absolutely stunning. Inserting heavier basslines, xelo brings a rush of darkness to contrast Alison Wonderland’s light and airy original. Xelo is definitely one to keep an eye on this year.

SHAED – Trampoline (Choice Remix)| Free Download

LA-based producer Choice first caught our eye with his remixes of Skrillex, ZHU, and Autograf. Back with a shiny new remix, Choice has taken on SHAED‘s hit single “Trampoline”. Choice builds around the electro-pop original, adding pitched vocal chops and rolling snares to bring it into the world of future bass. Choice has outdone himself with this remix.

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antionetterparker · 6 years ago

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J.R. Watkins: 13 fascinating facts to know before joining [Review]

It’s not often you come across a business that’s been around for 150 years.

J.R. Watkins is a popular network marketing company that offers a range of products from lotions and soaps to spices and oils.

J.R. Watkins isn’t exactly George Washington, but close, and almost as old.

With an intriguing rags-to-riches story, J.R. Watkins became the largest MLM in the world at one time.

FAQ

1. What does J.R. Watkins sell? J.R. Watkins sells natural, environmentally friendly personal and home care products, as well as gourmet foods, including spices, extracts, baking decorations, and cooking sprays.

2. What are J.R. Watkins’s most popular products? Their spices and extracts are now rivaling the industry leader, McCormick. Their body care products, sporting old-time labels that make it clear these products have been around for a long time, are also popular. Who can resist hand creams labeled, “Creme pour les Mains,” and hand soaps labeled, “Savon pour les Mains,” especially when those labels have a genuine apothecary look and feel?

3. How much does it cost to join J.R. Watkins? You can join Watkins for $29.95.

4. Is J.R. Watkins a scam? No, Watkins is one a legitimate business selling real products. Their products can be bought in retail stores, and some of their brands are rivaling long-time industry leaders.

5. What is J.R. Watkins’s BBB rating? A

6. How long has J.R. Watkins been in business? Since 1868

7. What is J.R. Watkins’s revenue? We couldn’t find any numbers published online.

8. How many J.R. Watkins distributors are there? We couldn’t find any numbers published online.

9. What lawsuits have been filed? In 2015, Watkins sued McCormick for underfilling their tins of black pepper—essentially using deceptive marketing and packaging practices. [1] In 1954, J.R. Watkins was slapped for using a specially denatured alcohol in its liniment without paying the tax for it. [2]

10. Comparable companies: Pampered Chef, Seacret Direct

So is it too late to get involved?

Product-wise this company might be legit, but if you’re just interested in the business opportunity, there are better options out there…

Click here for my #1 recommendation

Either way, here are 13 things to consider before joining J.R. Watkins.

#13. They’re an American institution

They’ve been around for a long time. Like about 150 years long.

If you’re looking for established, this company is literally historic.

The J.R. Watkins administration building in Winona, Minnesota is now a museum and has been added to the National Register of Historic Places [3], and his house in Plainview, Minnesota where he mixed his first batch of the company’s signature liniment was purchased in 2008 by the Plainview Area History Center [4].

#12. They tap into the vintage craze

Antique stores aren’t just for grandma anymore.

From college kids to Macklemore, thrift shopping is in, and the whole nation is going retro. Who doesn’t love nostalgia?

J.R. Watkins sets themselves apart from the “futuristic” vibe most MLM companies are rocking nowadays by really leveraging this trend and maintaining the original aesthetic of their bottles. Their products have that vintage charm that people love.

In fact, they love it so much that there are actually “Watkins Collectors” who collect vintage Watkins products in bottles that date back 100 years or more. [5]

#11. Give direct sales a good name

Their history is woven into the fabric of America’s. A lot of people’s grandparents or great-grandparents sold for them. “The Watkins Man” was a household name back when they were still a door-to-door sales company, and people actually looked forward to a knock on the door from their local Watkins Consultant. [6]

In fact, there’s even a sappy (ahem, “heartwarming”) made-for-TV movie inspired by the life story of a Watkins salesman called Door to Door.

Somehow, this company managed to build a nostalgic, positive image instead of the negative connotations that door-to-door sales usually conjures.

J.R. Watkins is the traditional “American success story”, and their classic, sentimental brand builds trust in people and invokes all the warm fuzzies. And it’s been proven time and time again that emotional connections drive sales. [7]

#10. Once the largest direct sales company in the world

In the 1940s, J.R. Watkins was the largest direct sales company in the world. [8] Obviously, they were doing something right. They might not be as trendy as Le-vel or Purium, but they’ve been around forever.

#9. Filed for bankruptcy in the 1970s

Glory days don’t last forever. J.R. Watkins peaked in the 40s and, much like the high school prom queen who ends up fat, ugly, and poor, 30 years later they hit rock bottom. [9]

While they’ve since rebounded and worked their way back up, they never fully recovered. In fact, nowadays, they aren’t even a top 100 MLM. [10]

#8. Purchased in 2018

In January 2018, Swander Pace Capital acquired Watkins’ lines of home and personal care products, creating a separate business under the name of “J.R. Watkins.” Watkins, Inc., the original company, will continue producing their spices, extracts, and gourmet cooking ingredients. [11]

#7. Struggling to keep with the times

As charming as the vintage wares can be, companies still have to update their image to keep up with trends and modern times, and J.R. Watkins seems to be struggling.

They’ve whipped up some creative social media campaigns, but they turned out to be fairly unsuccessful as the company only gained 2,000 followers over the course of an entire year. Sorry Watkins, but my 16-year-old little sister has you beat two-fold, and all she does is post pictures of her manicures. [12]

#6. 3-way compensation plan

J.R. Watkins offers their distributors, “consultants,” three ways to sell their products.

They can buy at wholesale prices and sell at retail prices, pocketing the difference. The company suggests prices but consultants can charge what they wish. Commission ranges from 15-49%.

They receive commission on sponsoring new team members who make product sales. Commission ranges 10-15%.

They can earn income through incentivized bonuses and leadership rewards. There are three main levels – consultant, manager, and executive – each of which has a bronze, silver, and gold level. Moving up will get you bonuses and additional earnings.

#5. Annual fee for distributors

The sign-on cost of $29.95 is actually an annual fee required to maintain a Watkins Membership, cheaper than a lot of MLMs (hint: SeneGence, Monat, or Norwex). The initial package to become an Independent Watkins Associate includes some training and literature to get you started and up to a 35% discount on product. You need to purchase $100 of product a month to stay active and qualify for commission.

That being said, upgrades in membership are encouraged and will lead to higher earnings. These range from $69.95-$349 in monthly orders that include product for home party settings on the lower end and product for “serious business builders” on the high end. The first three months of web maintenance for a distributor’s personal sales website are free, but afterward there’s a monthly fee for that as well.

#4. Quality, trusted products

Some of their main products include:

Hand creams

Lotions

Oils

Spices

Seasonings

Herbs

Recipes

Scrubs

Pain relief

Home cleaners

Soaps

Their products are backed by over a century of usage, and they are safe and effective. In fact, when the FDA recently banned the use of 19 antibacterial ingredients commonly used in hand soaps and body washes, causing most body care companies to panic, J.R. Watkins could smugly sit back and relax, because their products have never included these banned ingredients. [13]

They’re truly “committed to providing the highest quality products by using pure ingredients.”

#3. All-natural

In 2008 they introduced a line of all-natural personal care products capable of competing with the popular Burt’s Bees, although they’ve yet to catch up with Burt’s popularity quite yet.

They also started selling food dye made with 100% natural vegetable juices, which is huge. People have been freaking out for the past decade about synthetic food dye and its correlation to health problems. [14]

#2. Extracts are now the #2 brand in the nation

The company’s extracts — vanilla, lemon, almond, etc. — are now the No. 2 U.S. brand.

Extracts and spices are a rough market. McCormick basically has a monopoly on them, which you’ll notice at pretty much any supermarket around the country. Most extract companies only experience growth in the low single-digits, but J.R. Watkins’ extracts have been hitting double-digits. [15]

#1. They sell their product in stores

This one might be a deal-breaker.

A lot of changes have been introduced by the new ownership that pulled J.R. Watkins out of bankruptcy in the 70s and back into the green.

Namely, in the 90s and early 2000s, J.R. Watkins started introducing their products into retail stores. While they still have some products exclusively available through their consultants, the company now sells many of its products everywhere from Walmart and Hy-Vee to Whole Foods, Walgreens, Ulta, and even Target.

While this has been great for the company overall, it isn’t great news for distributors. Do you really think you can compete with the likes of Target?

The fact is, retail is cheaper and more convenient for consumers.

And the proof is in the numbers – their retail channels now make up a large majority of their $120 million in annual sales. [16] While this company shows a lot of promise, they may be phasing out their direct sales methods.

Recap

You definitely wouldn’t want to join J.R. Watkins expecting it to replace your day job.

They’re not a bad company at all, but there’s just more sustainable income opportunities out there.

Look, I’ve been involved with network marketing for over ten years so I know what to look for when you consider a new opportunity.

After reviewing 200+ business opportunities and systems out there, here is the one I would recommend:

Click here for my #1 recommendation

via https://mlmcompanies.org/jr-watkins/

0 notes

mlmcompanies · 6 years ago

Link

It’s not often you come across a business that’s been around for 150 years.

J.R. Watkins is a popular network marketing company that offers a range of products from lotions and soaps to spices and oils.

J.R. Watkins isn’t exactly George Washington, but close, and almost as old.

With an intriguing rags-to-riches story, J.R. Watkins became the largest MLM in the world at one time.

FAQ

3. How much does it cost to join J.R. Watkins? You can join Watkins for $29.95.

5. What is J.R. Watkins’s BBB rating? A

6. How long has J.R. Watkins been in business? Since 1868

7. What is J.R. Watkins’s revenue? We couldn’t find any numbers published online.

8. How many J.R. Watkins distributors are there? We couldn’t find any numbers published online.

10. Comparable companies: Pampered Chef, Seacret Direct

So is it too late to get involved?

Product-wise this company might be legit, but if you’re just interested in the business opportunity, there are better options out there…

Click here for my #1 recommendation

Either way, here are 13 things to consider before joining J.R. Watkins.

#13. They’re an American institution

They’ve been around for a long time. Like about 150 years long.

If you’re looking for established, this company is literally historic.

#12. They tap into the vintage craze

Antique stores aren’t just for grandma anymore.

From college kids to Macklemore, thrift shopping is in, and the whole nation is going retro. Who doesn’t love nostalgia?

In fact, they love it so much that there are actually “Watkins Collectors” who collect vintage Watkins products in bottles that date back 100 years or more. [5]

#11. Give direct sales a good name

In fact, there’s even a sappy (ahem, “heartwarming”) made-for-TV movie inspired by the life story of a Watkins salesman called Door to Door.

Somehow, this company managed to build a nostalgic, positive image instead of the negative connotations that door-to-door sales usually conjures.

#10. Once the largest direct sales company in the world

#9. Filed for bankruptcy in the 1970s

Glory days don’t last forever. J.R. Watkins peaked in the 40s and, much like the high school prom queen who ends up fat, ugly, and poor, 30 years later they hit rock bottom. [9]

While they’ve since rebounded and worked their way back up, they never fully recovered. In fact, nowadays, they aren’t even a top 100 MLM. [10]

#8. Purchased in 2018

#7. Struggling to keep with the times

As charming as the vintage wares can be, companies still have to update their image to keep up with trends and modern times, and J.R. Watkins seems to be struggling.

#6. 3-way compensation plan

J.R. Watkins offers their distributors, “consultants,” three ways to sell their products.

They can buy at wholesale prices and sell at retail prices, pocketing the difference. The company suggests prices but consultants can charge what they wish. Commission ranges from 15-49%.

They receive commission on sponsoring new team members who make product sales. Commission ranges 10-15%.

#5. Annual fee for distributors

#4. Quality, trusted products

Some of their main products include:

Hand creams

Lotions

Oils

Spices

Seasonings

Herbs

Recipes

Scrubs

Pain relief

Home cleaners

Soaps

They’re truly “committed to providing the highest quality products by using pure ingredients.”

#3. All-natural

In 2008 they introduced a line of all-natural personal care products capable of competing with the popular Burt’s Bees, although they’ve yet to catch up with Burt’s popularity quite yet.

#2. Extracts are now the #2 brand in the nation

The company’s extracts — vanilla, lemon, almond, etc. — are now the No. 2 U.S. brand.

#1. They sell their product in stores

This one might be a deal-breaker.

A lot of changes have been introduced by the new ownership that pulled J.R. Watkins out of bankruptcy in the 70s and back into the green.

While this has been great for the company overall, it isn’t great news for distributors. Do you really think you can compete with the likes of Target?

The fact is, retail is cheaper and more convenient for consumers.

Recap

You definitely wouldn’t want to join J.R. Watkins expecting it to replace your day job.

They’re not a bad company at all, but there’s just more sustainable income opportunities out there.

Look, I’ve been involved with network marketing for over ten years so I know what to look for when you consider a new opportunity.

After reviewing 200+ business opportunities and systems out there, here is the one I would recommend:

Click here for my #1 recommendation

#MLM companies #network marketing companies

0 notes

fashiontrendin-blog · 6 years ago

Text

Here's how YOU could land a role in Stranger Things 3

http://fashion-trendin.com/heres-how-you-could-land-a-role-in-stranger-things-3/

Here's how YOU could land a role in Stranger Things 3

Prepare to journey back to the upside-down world as Stranger Things is about to launch a comeback of supernatural proportions – and now there’s the opportunity to STAR in the show as Netflix has announced they’re looking for extras.

You have to be over 16 (obviously) and know how to play an instrument, as the casting is for people to be in a marching band, but you get to play two songs in the series so, y’know, next stop is Wembley.

They’re also casting adults for various roles including photo doubles.

The bad news, however, is that filming takes place in Atlanta, so unless you’re based there, planning a trip or just really really desperate to be in the show, we’re out of luck.

Teasing the release of season three, [link url=”http://www.glamourmagazine.co.uk/topic/netflix”] the latest trailer for the award-winning show presented us with a 1980s throwback Mall commercial.

Kitsch? Yes! Beyond great? Yes! Showcasing the new Starcourt Mall in Stranger Things’ location, Hawkins the infomercial describes the shopping centre as, “a shining example of the American dream.” Well, if the American dream includes stores like The Gap and Claire’s at their 80s peak then sign us up for a trip!

The mall, it appears, is set to provide a new location for Stranger Things alongside the infamous Arcade, the lab and the school. But the mall isn’t the only new addition to the show as the commercial teases the appearance of Hawkins newbie, Robin who is played by Maya Hawke and will play Steve’s new co-worker at Scoops Ahoy Ice-cream Shop. Their uniform comes complete with sailor hat and neckerchief. Chic, much?

However, whilst we get beyond excited about the show, you might want to curb your enthusiasm until at least December as at the end of the trailer, it states that the mall is coming, ‘next summer.’ So you may have to wait until summer 2019 to see season three of Stranger Things. Woe. Is. Us.

Stranger Things started filming season three in April and ever since there’s been much speculation about the plot twists the season will take, Shawn Levy, Executive Producer of Stranger Things, decided to set the record straight.

Speaking to the Hollywood Reporter, Shawn shared new details about what’s in store for us. The season will be set one year in the future, and we’re bound to see the groups’ relationships at new stages:

“Mike and Eleven and are going strong, so that’s a relationship that continues, and same with Mad Max and Lucas,” he told the publication.

How cute?! Even though that was enough to get us excited, what he revealed next will get fans (and meme pages) buzzing… Dad Steve is back in a big way!

“We’ll definitely get to see some more of Steve Harrington in season three, and I’ll just say we won’t be abandoning the Dad Steve magic. I don’t want to say much more, but I literally feel that we were walking along and we stumbled onto a gold mine with Dad Steve,” Shawn confirms.

Our favourite actors are probably just as thrilled as we are about the new season, because not only are they all signed back on, they also got a massive pay rise to continue starring in the show.

A source confirmed to The Hollywood Reporter early this month, that ‘intense’ negotiations wrapped up at the end of last week, and that the child cast ‘are worth roughly 12 times their previous deals’. As for the adults in the show, Netflix has renewed their contracts at $350,000 per episode. Wow.

The source also explained to the publication that the cast is divided into different pay tiers. Winona Ryder and David Harbour, the ‘adults’, are considered A-tier and are in for $350,000 per episode next season. The ‘kids’, or B-tier, includes Finn Wolfhard, Gaten Matarazzo, Caleb McLaughlin and Noah Schnapp, who will cash in $250,000 per episode. And the C-tier – the ‘teenagers’ like Natalia Dyer, who plays Nancy, Charlie Heaton, who plays Jonathan, and Joe Keery who plays Steve – are earning roughly $150,000 per episode.

As for our lead, Millie Bobby Brown? Well, the star of the show does not fall into the B-tier along with her mates. Last year, Millie separated herself from the rest of the cast during the renegotiation. And her crew has been tight-lipped about the new deal, which is rumoured to be between $250,000 and $300,000.

Production on season three is scheduled to begin April 23 – and as you can expect, there is a lot of speculation about what’s in store.

At the beginning of the year, we were given an extra special bit of information that got us totally hyped – there will be THREE new characters! According to That Hashtag Show, the trio are heading to the town of Hawkins. Their source has even given the names of the characters, but these could potentially change.

Mayor Larry Kline is apparently a classic 80s politician. Driven only by his own interests, he’s described as ‘pathetic’. The studio is looking for a male aged between 40 and 60 to fill the role.

Bruce is a sexist, overweight and bedraggled news reporter in his 50s, and Patricia Brown is dubbed as the sweet neighbourhood elder. The part will be played by a woman in her 70s and she’s apparently going to offer advice to the kids as she potters around her garden.

The information hasn’t been confirmed by Netflix yet, but we’re stoked to see what comes of it!

Here’s everything else we know about Stranger Things 3 so far…

Is it definitely happening?

Netflix officially greenlit a third season for Stranger Things on December 1 2017, which isn’t a huge surprise – especially following the success of the second season.

While discussing the second season, the Duffer brothers revealed that they had so many ideas that they’ve already got stuff lined up for season three.

“As the episodes were written by the Duffers, they realised that there was too much story for nine episodes. So it forced us to be judicious in which stories we tell this season,” executive producer Shawn Levy told Mashable. “So one of the surprises was, not all of our grand ideas are going to be serviced in one season… If we had 40 ideas going into the season, 30 [we] are going to pick, and the rest go in the back of our head for, hopefully, future chapters.”

In fact, the creators have even teased a fourth series while executive producer, Levy has hinted there could be a fifth.

Speaking to EW, Levy said: “Hearts were heard breaking in Netflix headquarters when the brothers made four seasons sound like an official end, and I was suddenly getting phone calls from our actors’ agents. The truth is we’re definitely going four seasons [sic] and there’s very much the possibility of a fifth. Beyond that, it becomes I think very unlikely.”

Ross Duffer added: “If we’re able to, there will be at least four, there could be more. I think there’s going to come a point where why aren’t these people leaving Hawkins? Like we’re going to stretch credibility. It wasn’t intended to be a seven-season thing.”

When will the release date be?

Judging by the release dates between the first and second seasons, we predict season three will hit Netflix in late 2018 or even 2019 as some of the key cast members are rumoured to be involved in upcoming Hollywood flicks.

Millie Bobby Brown has been already confirmed to star in Godzilla: King of Monsters while Charlie Heaton (Jonathan) is starring alongside Game of Thrones‘ Maisie Williams in 2018 film The New Mutants.

It won’t just be set in Hawkins…

One of the major highlights of season two was the episode titled The Lost Sister which saw Eleven branch out of Hawkins and head to Chicago to find her telekinetic sister, Kali (aka Eight). This established a storyline outside of Hawkins which is likely to be revisited – especially since Eleven and Eight have unfinished business.

“It feels weird to me that we wouldn’t solve [Kali’s] storyline,” Matt Duffer told The Hollywood Reporter. “I would say chances are very high she comes back.”

The Mind Flayer isn’t done with the kids just yet.

The final episode Stranger Things 2 may have seen Eleven shut the gate on the Mind Flayer, but according to the Duffer Brothers, that isn’t the end of it. “They’ve shut the door on the Mind Flayer, but not only is it still there in the Upside Down, it’s very much aware of the kids, and particularly Eleven,” they revealed. “It had not encountered her and her powers until that final episode. Now, it knows that she’s out there. We wanted to end on a little bit of an ominous note.”

Well, they can certainly tick that off.

It will be more about the characters and their individual storylines.

As much as we loved all the creepiness of the Upside-Down, future seasons are keeping the characters front and centre.

“As much density of story as our show has, we have to service the characters — and the moments and relationships between characters — above everything,” said the show’s producer, Shawn Levy. “If we stop being character-anchored, and we become pure genre, I think we take the beating heart out of Stranger Things, and we take the thing that people maybe don’t write articles about the most, but I think it’s what they love the most — these characters on screen.”

Matt Duffer added: “It’s not necessarily going to be bigger in scale. What I am really excited about is giving these characters an interesting journey to go on.”

Because the actors playing the children are ageing it’s also expected series three will start a year after series two ends.

Matt told The Hollywood Reporter: “Even if we wanted to hop into the action faster, we couldn’t. Our kids are ageing.

“We can only write and produce the show so fast. They’re going to be almost a year older by the time we start shooting season three. It provides certain challenges. You can’t start right after season two ended.

“It forces you to do a time jump. But what I like is that it makes you evolve the show.”

The gang will be off to High School next year and along with that comes drama, puberty and more girl trouble. While Lucas, Mike and even Will (who was that girl at the school dance and will she be joining the ‘party’?) may have already figured out the latter, we reckon season 3 will see Dustin blossom into Steve’s mini me.

Oh, and surely Nancy and Jonathan will finally become official? Although we’ll always be #TeamSteve after his heroic role in season 2.

As for bad boy Billy, we reckon there’s a lot more to him than meets the eye. Will he start an affair with Mrs Wheeler (aka Mike and Nancy’s mum) or will he have a bad-boy-one-good type transition like Steve?

One thing is for sure – we’ll be seeing more of Lucas’s sassy younger sister Erica Sinclair, and to be honest, that’s all we need to know.

“There will definitely be more Erica in Season 3,” Ross Duffer told Yahoo. “That is the fun thing about the show — you discover stuff as you’re filming. We were able to integrate more of her in, but not as much you want because the story [was] already going. ‘We got to use more Erica’ — that was one of the first things we said in the writers’ room.”

Amen to that!

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fathersonholygore · 6 years ago

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Netflix’s Stranger Things Season 2: “Chapter Eight – The Mind Flayer” Directed & Written by The Duffer Brothers

* For a recap & review of Chapter Seven, “The Lost Sister” – click here * For a recap & review of Chapter Nine, “The Gate” – click here In Hawkins at the Department of Energy, Chief Jim Hopper (David Harbour) and the others witness one of the baby Demogorgons crawl from the hole. Dr. Sam Owens (Paul Reiser) assures they’ll be safe behind the glass. That is, before several of the creatures appear, and all bets are off. Further inside, Mike (Finn Wolfhard) tells Joyce (Winona Ryder) and Bob (Sean Astin): “We‘re under attack.” Everyone in the facility runs for cover when the creatures form a pack and bust through the glass. Mike’s got to convince Joyce they need to put Will (Noah Schnapp) asleep so “the spy” can’t see them. Mom knows it’s got to be done when she sees her boy doesn’t remember her immediately. Hopper and Owens rush to Joyce, then they all move to the security room where the carnage around the DoE is visible on a wall of monitors like a live broadcast horrorshow. Soon, the lights go out, and the power to the building shuts down entirely leaving everyone in total darkness. Elsewhere in town, Billy Hargrove (Dacre Montgomery) catches shit from his parents because Max (Sadie Sink) sneaked out without him knowing to run off with Lucas (Caleb McLaughlin), Dustin (Gaten Matarazzo), and Steve (Joe Keery). We do get a look at why Billy’s such an asshole, seeing as how his father Neil (Will Chase) is a psychopath who roughs him up, calling him a “faggot” while his wife Susan (Jennifer Marshall) has to watch it occur. Out in the woods, Dustin and the crew keep on looking for D’Artagnan. Lucas obviously finds out Dustin kept the creature in secret. Things are breaking down between the good buddies, including their fighting over Max. They’re soon able to hear Demogorgon sounds in the distance. Lucas sees the lab and knows the creatures were “going back home” when they retreated. After another while, Steve and the crew run into Nancy (Natalia Dyer) and Jonathan (Charlie Heaton) outside of the DoE facility. Dr. Owens tells his survivors they’ve got to get to the breakers in order to reset the locks. That way they can get out of the building, hopefully. This requires computer nerd Bob to go reboot the system. He gets his big “superhero” moment, whether he likes it or not. He also tells Hopper to get everyone out as soon as he finishes the job. Oh, man. At the breaker, Bob starts rebooting the electrical systems, then he gets to work on the computers. He opens the doors and spritzes the Demogorgons with water from the sprinklers. But on the way out he forgets his gun. Up top, Hopper leads Joyce and Mike out, carrying Will. They rush for the front doors where Joyce waits, hoping Bob’s not far behind. The doc tries to help Mr. Computer on his way out, guiding him down the halls. However, halfway down a Demogorgon appears close by, and it forces Bob into a closet to hide. The creature eventually moves on, allowing him to keep moving. When he exits the closet he knocks over a mop. This proves to be the end of Bob. He almost makes it to the front door, but he’s tackled by the Demogorgon. It bites into him and others arrive before Hopper can start firing. The rest get away, just as Jonathan swings by to pick them up, and then they loop around for the kids on their way back. What a horrific end for Bob. I didn’t want to see him go. So nasty, too. At the Byers house, Hopper calls for military help, and Will remains knocked out. The kids are freaked out, naturally. There’s nothing anybody can do at the moment with wild “Demodogs” roaming Hawkins looking to feast on human meat. In the meantime, Joyce is left to mourn Bob while Jim consoles her in his own quiet way. Again, these people have been beaten down and broken by the forces of the Upside Down. Mike’s the one to rally his friends to stop things themselves. This brings out more Dungeons and Dragons terminology: “The Mind Flayer,” an ancient, rare, evil creature found in subterranean places. Hopper believes the whole thing is kid’s stuff, whereas the lads know different. And Joyce is ready to kill that shadow monster motherfucker. They’ve just got to figure out how to kill it via Will. They’ve got to confuse Will/the monster, by putting him in a place he doesn’t recognise. This has the crew fitting out a shed for their purposes. They tie Will to a chair with lights shined on him and Hopper wakes the boy up. Mike, Jonathan, and Joyce stand near. Will’s confused and scared. He starts freaking out, as the electricity flickers. Jim hugs the boy tight relaxing him. Joyce starts asking her son a few things to draw out the real Will, speaking of her fond memories about him. Jonathan joins in reminding him about “Castle Byers,” which they built together after their father left. Then Mike talks about their first day of kindergarten. They hope the memories are reaching Will in there. To no avail. Then Hopper notices the kid tapping his hand, reaching out through “Morse Code.” He confirms Will’s message. This prompts Jonathan to put on The Clash, dragging up more memories and getting his little brother to communicate further. They do this more and more, getting other Morse messages to build whole words. His message? “Close gate.” Is this the gate to the Upside Down? They don’t have much time to think about it. Demogorgons scream in the background, as the shadow monster’s found them. The group grab weapons and wait for the creatures to attack. Out of nowhere, a dead Demogorgon flies through the window. What could’ve killed it? You guessed it— our girl, Eleven (Millie Bobby Brown). She’s returned to Hawkins! What a kick ass and emotional reunion at once. The look on her and Mike’s faces is pure gold for the heart.

Another intense episode leading towards the end of Season 2. Plenty of great stuff. We’re gearing up for one hell of a finale! “Chapter Nine – The Gate” is next and last. Stranger Things – Season 2: “Chapter Eight – The Mind Flayer” Netflix's Stranger Things Season 2: "Chapter Eight - The Mind Flayer" Directed & Written…

#Baby Demogorgon #Computer Nerd #D&039;Artagnan #Demodogs #Dungeons and Dragons #Gay Slur #Shadow Monster #The Mind Flayer #The Upside Down

0 notes

theconservativebrief · 6 years ago

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To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before, the deeply sweet Netflix rom-com that has conquered hearts across the internet since its premiere, is a beautiful throwback to the 1990s. It speaks to a time when the characters of teen movies were constantly faking relationships for a bet or a dare or revenge, only to end up falling in love for real, and to a time when the teen movie and the romantic comedy were solid bets at the box office.

And the first way To All the Boys signals what kind of throwback movie you’re about to watch is through its costumes. The film’s wardrobe is pure ’90s revival. Our heroine Lara Jean runs across her high school campus in Clueless-style plaid skirts and platform combat boots; the mean girl slinks into a party in a slip dress and choker like she’s walking right off the set of Jawbreakers. The clothes are nonstop Looks, and they’re also fundamental to the film’s world building and character development.

To understand how To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before achieved its look, I called up costume designer Rafaella Rabinovich. Over the phone, we talked about the dream of the ’90s and why it would have been too easy to dress Peter Kavinsky like a jock, and — service journalism — I found out where Lara Jean’s perfect pink toggle coat came from.

This interview has been lightly edited for length and clarity.

Netflix

Constance Grady

This movie spends so much time paying homage to the teen movies of the ’90s, and one of the things that immediately places you in that world is its ’90s revival costumes, with all the slip dresses and chokers and combat boots. Was that the aesthetic you always had planned, or did it emerge more gradually over the course of development?

Rafaella Rabinovich

If I look at my original mood boards, there definitely was a ’90s inspiration there, because there was also a bit of a vintage touch to it. There was never a question that we were giving homage to the ’60s, and maybe ’70s, and maybe ’90s. I definitely always knew that was going to come up. But it really came to fruition while we were working on it, while we were reading through the script, finger-pointing certain elements and starting to collect the items and seeing how they fall together into this collection that we call a closet.

So It was absolutely in the back of my mind that it was going to come up, but I don’t know if I knew in the beginning how potent it was going to be.

Constance Grady

Where there any looks from the ’90s you specifically wanted to reference? I know Jenny Han [the author of the book that To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before is based on] has said she wanted to get a little bit of a Clueless vibe in there.

Rafaella Rabinovich

Oh, absolutely. Alicia Silverstone in Clueless was a huge inspiration. Not necessarily in the exact colors and cuts, but something about the texture and something about the vibe, and just the different choices that had been made in those combinations were inspiring.

I also looked at Claire Danes in the ’90s, at Winona Ryder in the ’90s. I also looked a little bit, even though it went into the 2000s, at Sex and the City, especially the first season. There’s such beautiful work there of, yes, following fashion, but at the same time following your inner instinct and style and where it is that you come from.

Constance Grady

In the books, Lara Jean is someone who thinks a lot about her outfits and the look she’s aiming for. Did you use the aesthetic of the books in putting together her closet, or did you want to develop something more different for the movie?

Rafaella Rabinovich

We did a little bit of both. We definitely tried to stay true to what the book had to offer to give us a base.

One of the things about making something based on a book is that you’re essentially basing it on what imagination has to offer you. There’s moments that are very specific, but you can also take a twist on it because everyone sees it differently when they read it. We wanted to offer something that everybody can connect to. It’s just looking at a bigger picture and at the same time giving it personality.

Netflix

Constance Grady

One of the details I love is that in Lara Jean’s fantasies, Josh is always wearing a leather jacket and Peter’s in a button-up and a tie, but in real life they’re both very dressed-down. How did you develop the idea of what they’d look like in her head versus what they’d look like in the rest of the movie?

Rafaella Rabinovich

The interesting thing about dressing high school students in general, when it comes to movies, is trying to find the type without making a joke out of it, so everybody who’s watching it can really find themselves in it. I think that’s one of the things that makes a movie into a popular movie: if you can see yourself in it.

It was too obvious to make Peter into a jock, right? We wanted to give him an essence of being the really cute guy who puts some energy into what he looks like, but being really approachable. It helped having Noah Centineo in that position, because he already had so much presence to him that we really didn’t need to overdo it. And the same goes with Israel Broussard. Just his facial expressions were so accurate that we didn’t need to do much.

To me, costumes are a part of a toolbelt. They’re there to serve the characters, not to take them over.

Josh and Peter are both dreamy in their own way, so we wanted to create two different types. We wanted the dreamy rock ’n’ roll guy for Josh, but without making him into too much of a punk or too much of a bad boy, because that’s not what it’s about. He’s the artist; he’s sensitive. And that’s versus what Lara Jean sees in Peter, who is this dream of a guy who she kissed when she was younger in a game. It’s two dreamy guys who she wrote letters to, and the difference is in how she sees them.

Constance Grady

What were your favorite looks in the movie?

Netflix

Rafaella Rabinovich

I have so many favorite looks. I have a lot of favorite pieces. Certain looks have become more favorites because I can see how they affected people who watched the movie.

I’ve received an overwhelming, humbling amount of love toward the movie about the costuming, on social media or even through my private email and my agent. I’ve received beautiful emails from costume students, from people who have just watched the movie, younger and older. It’s a really amazing amount of love and appreciation, which is so humbling. And it’s made certain moments in the movie — I recognize that the appearance of them was of significance to those people.

The people that we obviously get the most amount of emails about are Lara Jean and Kitty. I say “we” because it obviously takes a village, and I’m very grateful and humble for the people who have worked with me to get to where we did. We get a lot of comments about Chris, about Lucas as well, from a lot of young men who really appreciate the sense of style.

One of my favorite pieces is Chris’s leather jacket, which I have a personal thing with. I made that jacket for another show with [the production company] Awesomeness that hasn’t come out yet, and it ended up going on camera on Chris. It’s a custom-made piece that we modified a little bit for this show. I love this jacket, it was a lot of work to get that one made.

The pink toggle jacket that Lara Jean wears belonged to my sister.

Constance Grady

So many people have asked me to ask you where they can get a coat like that. It’s got its own little following.

Rafaella Rabinovich

It’s a very sweet piece. I bought it for my sister a couple of years ago in England. It’s by Gloverall, which is a UK-based company.

Other pieces that are my favorite: Kitty’s gold shoes. She has gold boots, which I love.

I really think the devil is in the details, as they say. There was so much thought behind every piece that was put on camera, in every combination, in order to create a mood and a feeling and to really show the arc of the characters, so to me, the wardrobe is significant for each piece.

The girls’ jewelry shows a really important connection between them. Lara Jean has this heart locket that she wears often throughout the movie, and Margot has a key, and it’s a play on the fact that she’s the key to Lara Jean’s heart. When Margot leaves to go to Scotland, she wears an Aries necklace, which is a bit of a play on the fact that she’s going off and Aries are known to be free-spirited and playful. Then when she comes back, she has a compass necklace on for coming home.

Netflix

One of my favorites, actually, I have to say, is Lara Jean’s homecoming look, for both her and Lucas. It’s a pretty small scene, but it’s significant. There was a lot of altering of her costume. It was originally a longer skirt that we cut short, and we added sequins to it to just make it more va-va-voom, in a sense. It was just a second that we were going to see it, so we wanted to make it specific. And there’s this really cute striped shirt that we cut short that was originally a tunic. She ended up wearing a vest that we took from Kitty’s closet, because we wanted bare hands because she was dancing. We put a gold choker on her, which was very much a reference to the ’90s.

And Lucas was in this really cool bright patterned button-up, and he wore this great pair of suspenders and cravat. I love that. I think it speaks to their friendship in a sense, to see how they look at the world in a very romantic, dreamy way, but at the same time they’re each to their own way, and they’re different.

Original Source -> The ’90s fashion of Netflix’s To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before, explained by its designer

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josephkitchen0 · 7 years ago

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Pumpkins and Winter Squash Varieties

People who are new to growing pumpkins often don’t realize how many varieties are available. They also don’t realize that pumpkins are winter squash varieties.

Within North America, a “pumpkin” is a winter squash variety that is usually orange and globe-shaped. That definition is quickly changing as new varieties emerge, such as white or multi-colored pumpkins, ornamental or colossal types, and with smooth or bumpy skin. But within New Zealand and Australian English, “pumpkin” refers to any winter squash variety.

Squash was originally an Andean and Mesoamerican crop but archaeologists have found evidence of domestication going back over 8,000 years, from Canada all the way down to Argentina and Chile. About 4,000 years later beans and maize joined, completing the nutritional trifecta of a Three Sisters planting system in Native American horticulture. It was cultivated in North America when explorers arrived and soon appeared in European art in the 1600s. The English word “squash” comes from askutasquash, a Narragansett word meaning, “a green thing eaten raw.” Now squash is grown worldwide with China, Russia, India, the United States, and Egypt as the top-producing countries. Because it cures and transports so well it is primarily purchased fresh.

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Moche ceramic sculpture, 300 A.D.

Winter squash isn’t a vegetable. It’s classified as a fruit, specifically, a berry, because it does not contain a stone and come from a blossom with a single ovary. Domesticated squash species include cucurbita pepo (zucchini, acorn squash, most pumpkins,) moschata (butternut squash, crookneck, cheese) maxima (banana, hubbard, and turban,) ficifolia (black-seeded squash, pie melon,) and argyrosperma (pipian, cushaw.) They are notably high in vitamin A, vitamin C, niacin, folic acid, and iron.

How to Grow Pumpkins and Winter Squash

Knowing when to plant squash is crucial because all summer and winter squash varieties are highly frost-sensitive. Either sow directly after all danger of frost has passed or start in a large container within a greenhouse. If you start early, be sure the container is large enough that the plant does not become root bound by transplant time, because it deals poorly with transplant shock. Many experienced gardeners wait to direct-sow the seeds, believing the plants do better from the start if allowed to sprout and grow in the same location.

Be sure the plants have plenty of room, whether they grow in a bush, semi-bush, open, or vining habit. If you companion plant, be sure other plants are at least four feet from the squash because the broad leaves will soon overtake the space.

Seedling leaves emerge as a pair of thick, green ovals that look nothing like squash leaves. The true leaves come next as five-lobed or palmately divided, and can be jagged or smooth depending on squash variety. Some leaves are solid dark green while others have white spots along the veins.

If your squash is a vining habit, provide plenty of ground space or sturdy trellising. Gently train the vines up along the supports. When blossoms emerge, prepare to tie heavy fruit to the trellis with stretchy material such as cotton knit or old pantyhose. Growing pumpkins and squash vertically take care to ensure crops don’t break the vines.

With separate and distinct male and female blossoms, your squash may need hand-pollinating in the absence of beneficial insects. Male blossoms often emerge first, since they tend to follow cooler weather, though females may come first. Locate the male blossom as a large, yellow flower with a thin stem and three stamens which fuse together to look like a single protrusion in the center. The female has a miniature fruit at the stem end which will become a squash or pumpkin after pollination; this fruit is similar in shape to the mature version. Gently pluck the male flower off at the stem. Peel back the petals to expose the stamens. Touch the stamens to the collection of pistils within the female flower. You can pollinate several females with one male. If you don’t want to pluck off the blossom, tickle a cotton swab first against the male stamen to collect pollen then apply it to the female pistils.

If you grow several squash side by side and one plant only has female flowers, you can pollinate with male flowers from other plants as long as they are the same species. Pollinate c. pepo with other c. pepo, such as zucchini with acorn squash. The resulting fruit will be true to plant variety, though the seeds will be a crossbreed.

In fact, squash cross-breed so easily that seed saving requires diligence. If you grow a butternut squash beside an acorn squash, and grow no other squash in the vicinity, seeds will be true to species because one is moschata and one is pepo. However, planting pumpkin seeds beside patty pan will most likely produce offspring of an edible but unpalatable cross between the two. Seed savers who grow competing plants in close vicinity often hand-pollinate blossoms then wrap them in paper bags to protect pistils from competing pollen until the blossoms die back.

Summer squash should be picked while young and tender but winter squash stay on the vine much longer. If the variety does not naturally change colors when ripe, harvest when the stem is woody brown and foliage begins to die back. Cut the stem so some remains on the fruit, as this helps it cure better and store longer.

If an early frost hits before your crops mature, cut the stem before the frost hits and bring the squash inside. Set them in a warm, sunny window to help them ripen. A frost kills the vines and might not visibly harm the squash but it does shorten storage life.

Cure squash by leaving them in a dry, warm location for a couple of weeks. Store in a cool, dry location. Check on your squash every week or so to see how well it’s storing. If it begins to soften but has not gone bad, roast it and freeze the cooked flesh in appropriate containers. Do not use squash that weeps liquid.

Notable Squash and Pumpkin Varieties

Zucchino Rampicante

Zucchino Rampicante (c. moschata): A close relative of butternut squash, this variety also goes by the names Tromboncino Zucchini and Zuccheta Rampicante. Edible before the blossom even pollinates, it soon grows to several feet long. Eaten fresh it tastes like zucchini; mature it tastes like butternut. Reserve plenty of room for this beautiful vine, as it quickly reaches 15-40 feet.

Dill’s Giant Atlantic (c. maxima): To win a Biggest Pumpkin competition, you must grow this variety. And you must provide plenty of water. A pumpkin reaching almost 2,000 pounds requires over 2,000 pounds of water. Fruit most commonly reach 50-100 pounds but plants need 70 square feet per plant in case you cultivate a whopper.

Gete-okosomin

Gete-okosomin (c. maxima): Ancient seeds sat in a clay vessel for over 800 years until archaeologists dug them up at a Menominee reservation near Green Bay, Wisconsin. The seeds went to Winona LaDuke, an advocate of native seed sovereignty, who named them Gete-okosomin, an Anishinaabe word meaning, “really cool old squash.” The seeds are still difficult to obtain as they make their way first through Native communities and heirloom advocates.

Kakai (c. pepo): This beautiful Japanese variety is golden-orange with green tiger stripes but it’s often grown for its hull-less seeds instead of its beauty. This semi-bush plant is tolerant of poor growing conditions and bears two or three fruit, weighing five to eight pounds apiece.

Celebrating in Style

Pumpkins and squash hold a special place within the autumn holidays. Jack-o-lanterns, traditionally carved from turnips in Scotland and Ireland, represent souls denied entry into both Heaven and Hell. Settlers in North America soon replaced turnips with pumpkins, with are much easier to hollow out and carve.

Though pumpkin pie is a famous holiday treat, the best pies are actually not made with “pumpkins.” A sugar pie pumpkin can be bitter after roasting. Jack-o-lanterns are watery and tasteless. Pie critics claim the best fillings come from butternut, buttercup, and Long Island Cheese pumpkins, all cucurbita moschata, which are sweet and dense. For a bright orange pie, choose castillo squash, pureeing the stringy flesh until smooth. Most winter squashes are interchangeable in “pumpkin” recipes.

Autumn Curried Butternut Squash Soup

1 large butternut squash*

4 or 5 large carrots

3 cups apple juice

2 Tbsp. butter or olive oil (use oil for a Vegan recipe)

2 bell peppers of different colors, such as red and yellow, diced

1 large onion, diced

3 cloves garlic

1 can coconut cream (or coconut milk for a lower-fat recipe)

2-3 Tbsp Vegan yellow curry paste, such as Mae Ploy brand

½ cup grated piloncillo sugar** (about 1 cone)

½ cup chopped fresh basil

Salt, to taste

Peel butternut squash and carrots with a vegetable peeler. Chop into 1″ to 2” pieces and place in a high-sided pan with 1 cup apple juice. Cover pan. Roast at 400 degrees until both squash and carrots are extremely tender, about an hour. Cool until easy to handle. Puree in a blender or food processor with the other two cups of juice. Set aside.

In a large saucepan, heat butter or oil over medium heat. Add bell peppers, onion, and garlic. Saute until tender. Add coconut cream and pureed squash mixture. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer while adding curry paste and piloncillo sugar. Salt to taste. Add more curry paste, sugar, or salt to adjust flavor. Cook 5-10 minutes. Add chopped basil right before serving.

*Other sweet and dense winter squashes may be used. Try acorn squash, roasted sugar pumpkin, hubbard, castillo, or banana squash.

**Piloncillo is a dark, unrefined sugar that is usually shaped into cones and shrink-wrapped to retain moisture. Look for it in Hispanic stores. If you can’t find piloncillo, use raw or brown sugar.

What are your favorite pumpkin and winter squash varieties?

Pumpkins and Winter Squash Varieties was originally posted by All About Chickens

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harry365in2016 · 8 years ago

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Top Movies Seen in 2016 NOT Released in 2016

Hey all! This is my list of the best movies I saw in 2016 that were not released in 2016. If you’re looking for the top movies I saw in 2016 that were released in 2016 check it out here! [Link forthcoming]

IMPORTANT NOTE: I'm gonna be honest, aside from #1 choice, the rest of this list is in a rough order rather than definitive.

20) Sunset Boulevard (1950)

While watching Sunset Boulevard I couldn't understand why it was classified as film noir. That is, until it became painfully obvious why it was film noir.

Sunset Boulevard is a pitch black movie about how far people will sacrifice they're own livelihood just for a taste of that Hollywood fame and fortune. It's about what happens when someone loses their fame and is desperate to get it back.

19) Everest (2015)

Disasters scare the piss out of me. Both real life disasters and fictional ones. Knowing this I'm not sure why I willingly chose to watch this movie. Even though it terrified me I'm still glad I watched.

It's a movie that shows even the most professional, most capable people can succumb to mother nature. There's no cartoonish dumbness in this movie. The mistakes that were made by the expedition team were all small, understandable mistakes. It just so happens that they all piled up to contribute to one of Everest's most deadly periods in history.

18) To Kill a Mockingbird (1962)

In a lot of ways this movie and 12 Angry Men share thematic similarities. I happened to like 12 Angry Men more but this is still a great movie.

Atticus Finch (and by proxy Gregory Peck) are the human personifications of what decency means. Finch is a quiet gentle man who does not back down in the face of adversary nor does he give up on his convictions. He knows what's right and wrong and he fights tooth and nail for it.

17) The Limey (1999)

It's unfair to compare this movie to Memento but also completely accurate. Both movies are about the nature of memory and how it's colored by grief and trauma.

The Limey is one of Steven Soderburgh's best films. It's quiet and meditative until it's not. Terrance Stamp puts in a great performance as an aging badass who is seeking vengeance. It's also a movie that's sort of about the death of the hippie counter-culture movement from the 60s?

16) The Kid with the Golden Arm (1979)

I loved this movie because of how many characters were in it. It's a simple plot. One group of people are transporting money and goods. Another group wants to rob them.

But the characters! There's a duo called Long Axe and Short Axe, a drunkard who might be a special agent for the local ruler, and a fabled fighter who may or may not exist. The gang trying to steal the money and wares are ruled by a hierarchy. Their ranks include Golden Arm, Silver Spear, Iron Hide, and more outrageous villains.

15) Singing in the Rain (1952)

They don't make them like they used to. Singing in the Rain is a fun romp about a group of actors who are struggling to transition from silent pictures to talkies. It's fun, charming, and will make you grin like an idiot.

I genuinely loved this movie but also my opinion of it was colored by the fact that I saw it in a ginormous theater with a ginormous screen.

14) Electric Boogaloo: The Wild, Untold Story of Cannon Films (2014)

The subtitle to this documentary is not lying. The story of the 1980s most infamous production company is amazing.

Aside from all the funny stories about how Cannon Films went about making their movies the movie is also an examination of what it means to be an artist who simply cannot help but make trash. The central figures to Cannon Films really did want to make good movies. They just time and time again ended up making at best B-grade flicks.

13) Kiki's Delivery Service (1989)

This movie is an exercise in making a movie the most purely charming thing ever willed into existence. In other words it's charming af.

What I love about Kiki's Delivery Service is that it's mostly just a story about a young person trying to make their place in the world. It's all about the difficulties of setting off on your own. It's about the struggle to provide for one's self.

12) 12 Angry Men* (1957)

What does it take to stand up (metaphorically) in a group of people to fight for what you believe in?

12 Angry Men is a meditation on that theme. Like a lot of other classic movies I saw in 2016 I didn't think this was going to hold up to the hype. It does.

It's also a movie I think people should watch or rewatch from time to time to remind themselves of what it takes to fight for the rights of other people.

In this movie the 11 other jurors are ready to throw the defendant of the case under the bus simply because they're acting on lazy and harmful stereotypes. They're convinced that just because the young man comes from the wrong side of the tracks that he's inherently guilty.

*Yeah, I made 12 Angry Men my 12th pick for the year. Do something about it.

11) Sorcerer (1977)

Ostensibly this movie is a remake of 1953's The Wages of Fear (also excellent), however Sorcerer is kind of its own beast.

It's one of the most tense, terrifying, and stress-inducing movies I've ever seen. Four desparate men are tasked with delivering two trucks full of nitroglycerin through the rocky mountains of South America.

The company that hired them needs the nitro to stop an oil field that is on fire and won't unless they blow it up.

The movie ends up being a sweaty and ugly meditation on the hell corporations put random, everyday people through just for the sake of profit.

10) Gaslight (1944)

"Gaslighting" is a term that has risen in popularity in the last few years. The term comes from this movie.

I don't want to spoil anything about it. The story is about a newly eloped couple who move in together. Then the wife starts having mental "episodes."

The movie is one of the most psychologically gripping films I've ever seen. It does a great job of putting you in the wife's headspace. You feel her frustration and terror as she loses grip on reality.

9) Creature from the Black Lagoon (1954)

Obviously the Creature is a monster, but I'm not sure why this movie is typically classified as horror. To me it's much more an adventure movie.

I'd hazard a guess that Michael Crichton loved this movie and it's what informed his writing. Cause it plays like a Crichton novel. A bunch of scientists discover that some lost creature is living in the lagoon and go to investigate. Along the way they have arguments about the scientific method and how to best deal with the creature.

8) Five Element Ninjas (1982)

There's a subgenre of martial arts movies that I love that I call "bat shit insane kung fu flicks."

Five Element Ninjas is one of the best.

Its story, if you can call it that, concerns a student getting vengeance for those who slaughtered the rest of his school.

The insane part is that the highest caliber fighters in this universe belong to a color-themed tier system of ninja clans each who base their fighting style off of Earth elements. There's the gold clan, earth clan, fire clan, and water clan. Each of these clans have looney ways of fighting. For instance, the gold clan is covered head to toe in gold cloth. Their clothes are so shiny it blinds their opponents.

This movie is sheer lunacy and I love it.

7) A Hard Day's Night (1964)

The best way I can describe A Hard Day's Night is that it's Animaniacs grandfather.

It's just a fun, absurd romp chronicling the life and times of the Beatles at the height of their fame.

It's movie magic. How many other pop bands tried to cash in on their fame with movies, tv appearances, or otherwise and failed miserably? This movie is lightning in a bottle that might not ever be repeated.

It's also barely a movie in that more than half of it is musical interludes (that also happened to inform the blossoming art form of music videos).

6) Casablanca (1942)

Gonna be honest, part of the reason I slept on Casablanca for so long was that I didn't believe the hype. I thought there was no way it still held up after all these years as one of the best movies of all time.

I was wrong wrong wrong wrong.

I'm in awe of this movie. I cannot think of many other movies in which literally every single character that comes on screen is a fully-formed character with their own rich backstory and traits.

This is one of those movies I want to get lost in. There's very few times in my life when I've wanted to immediately re-watch a movie after viewing it. You might wonder why it's not higher on the list but personal taste in art is a funny thing that's not easily explained. Anyway, the point is I still love this movie.

5) Inside Out (2015)

I guess it's called the Pixar Effect when you have a super charming and funny movie that turns on a dime to emotionally wreck you, yes?

Anyway, Inside Out, IMHO, might be Pixar's best movie to date. It's a fun, infectious movie that delivers a complex tale about how hard it is to grow up. Inside Out is one of those movies when you realize how important art is to explaining humanity. We might laugh at the Greek myths but what they were doing is no different than coming up with a brilliant metaphor for how memories and emotions are handled in the brain. In each case they're using the power of creativity and storytelling to figure out what life and humanity means.

4) Heathers (1988)

Heathers is my platonic ideal of what a satire should be. A heightened reality that is dark, off-kilter, and is still totally recognizable to audiences.

That a movie exists in which suicide is a fad is astonishing. Add a dash of everyday woes about surviving high school, a great performance from Winona Ryder & Christian Slater, and a hilarious script makes it for one of the best satires I've ever seen.

3) Once Upon a Time in the West (1968)

This movie is one that suggests the expansion of the west was not simply carried out by man. Rather, it was a chaotic force upon itself. Once western progress was started in this country there was nothing that could stop it. Even if you tried to stay out of its way it could ruin you. You could be prosperous from western expansion but you'd have blood on your hands.

Of course, since this is a Sergio Leone movie it's also wildly entertaining. It features a great performance from Charles Bronson as a harmonica-weilding gunslinger.

2) Rope (1948)

I think a lot of praise gets thrown to Rope for it's illusions of editing. Namely, that in Alfred Hitchcock's movie it is seemingly one long take. There's only a small number of cuts in the movie -- some of which are obscured cleverly.

However, I think this movie deserves praise for its story. In this film Jimmy Stewart flippantly suggests something awful should be legalized. What he doesn't realize is that he's inspired two younger men to take his word as gospel.

Words have meaning. When you speak you should speak clearly and without any sort of flippant tone. Not respecting language can lead to disastrous results. In the age of the Internet it's incredibly important not to mince your words. There's times that it's hard to suss out the meaning of what someone says online. In communication clarity is king.

1) Shock Corridor (1963)

Shock Corridor is a movie that is unbelievably relevant to today's societal woes. The movie concerns a reporter going undercover in a mental asylum to find out the truth why one of the patients died.

In his journey he crosses paths with patients who become bullhorns for different aspects of American society.

It is a relentless, strange, and ballsy movie. It's loud, brash, and sometimes uncomfortable. It's a great exploitation flick and an even better allegory.

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