#this is like that but with all of them. and stoner dallas

[featherwhiskered]

*hits them with my kitty beam*

eughhh

[tempest-toss]

The Call - Beginning

Being an Insurgent was difficult. Every day as a grunt was a day on the chopping block. Depending on your station you could be used as fodder or sent on a "rescue" mission to liberate those contained from the Foundation. Those lucky enough to survive this long earned something truly rare: Vacation.

Thorn Thomas was a beta operative, and after years of saving, decided to cash in all of their vacation days at once, giving them two full weeks of time off. They had found a quaint little camp site near a verdant forest, and set off to stay there, especially when they heard the price for staying was more than 80% off.

After a few days of peace and quiet, several more campers had arrived. While Thorn was irritated that they couldn't enjoy peace alone, they begrudgingly became used to it, mostly spying from their camper to gather any intel that might betray them as Foundation scum.

The first to arrive was a conservative family, consisting of husband Gordon Muntz, wife Trudy Muntz, and their "daughter", which was their dog named Rockette. Yes, spelled exactly like that. Thorn realized early on that Trudy and Gordon were quite conservative, both showing displeasure at some of the bumper stickers Thorn had. At least Rockette was a kind soul.

A Winnebago in rainbow colors showed up next, bringing floral spice to the camp. A stoner named Marvin Viscontti was one of them, often clad in an oversized sweatshirt, red beanie, and often found with a blunt in his mouth that reeked of SCP-420-j, The Super Weed. He mostly stayed inside, but always joined his buddy for outdoor dinner.. The other member was a hippie by the name of Dallas Richter. Wearing tie dye head band, oversized poncho and shirt, and even tie-dye sandals, he was the epitome of flower child attire, complete with a peace sign ear pierces and red tinted glasses. He was one of the few Thorn got along with, as he was relaxed about everything, and would wake up the whole camp to some morning Hand Pan music.

Next to arrive was another duo, a photographer and a cook. Both were somewhat viral stars online, with Norman Fotoparat posting his pictures online and Cassidy Rakoto posting her food cooking videos and tutorials to thousands of hungry viewers. Both announced an indefinite from their work, performing an internet detox involving deactivating accounts after they felt their art was deteriorating in quality that they could produce.

In rapid succession a slew of "nature freaks" (according to Trudy) joined the campsite, bringing with them several trailers, campers, and tents.

A trio arriving together were the explorers and the hiker. The explorers were a lesbian couple, Della and Natasha Lawrence, freshly married and eager to explore some ruins nearby the campsite. The hiker, Slyvester Reid, was just a close friend known for playing matchmaker and helping the two fall in love. He spent every day hiking the different forest trails of the woods. Trudy complained about the three of them, the Lawrences for their lifestyle, and Slyvester because he hiked without a shirt.

Also interested in the ruins as well as the river that connected it to the campsite was an archaeologist, fisherwoman, and a gold panner. The gold panner, Cindy Simmons, was an odd case. Her interactions with Thorn left the impression that she was an uptight valley girl, yet she was standing int the river, scooping dirt and laughing whenever she'd accidentally trip and fall into the river. She became close to the archaeologist Sable Proctor after she helped fight an artifact remnant through panning. Sable was one of the few campers rarely seen, as she spent most of her time in the ruins or in her camper, taking deep care of her discovered relics. Her only time of a more public interaction was when she helped Cassidy cook some trout. Penelope Lordes was the queen of the river, showing off her angler skills, providing an ample supply for Cassidy to cook with. When not rambliing on the "aquatic beauties" that swam in the river, she often gushed about her daughter. This made her close friends with Cindy and Sable, as they all had children attending Brunshire Academy. Thorn remembered that place; they were supposed to lead a mission to kidnap students, but were persuaded not to by hidden anti-personnel guns hidden in the academy's face.

Nobody knew when Silky Cooper showed up. The quiet geocacher appeared in camp one day, setting up a small tent on the outskirts of the encampment. She never spoke a word, only gesturing, nodding or shaking her head, or using whatever she was holding for emphasis. Thorn only learned her name because Cindy knew her. Silky's arrival caused Gordon to make a rude remark about preferring women who were meek and obedient liker her. The next day his truck's tires were slashed and there was cat poop found on his pillow. No one knows how it happened, but Dallas and Marvin looked quite pleased with themselves.

The last to arrive was an ice cream truck, carrying a tired man by the name of Chip Gelato. A natural loner, he often kept to himself, joining the others but not interjecting himself into any conversations. In fact, he seemed a bit ill, often holding an ice pack on his forehead most times Thorn saw them.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Today was supposed to be another day in a foresty paradise for Thorn.

Then the call came in. It wasn't a verbal call, but a set of beeps. Morse Code, specifically spelling out S-O-S. This was confusing to Thorn, as the radio was meant for short distances, but there was no Insurgency outposts for miles. Thorn picked up the transmitter and checked it. Two potential spikes, one from the forest and the other from the ruins. One of these had to be whatever this distress call is coming from.

Thorn thought about it some more, realizing that this could be dangerous. Maybe they should grab a camper for back-up? Or would they be dead weight? Thorn thought these possibilities before making a plan

[1800nosleep]

Bird Song Headcanons

headcanons for lydie, vinnie and the rest of the main characters !!

warnings;; vinnie is vinnie, swearing, cig smoking and alcohol drinking, parent deaths, drug overdose (parents), child abuse, vinnie being the best older brother, normal outsiders warnings,

VINNIE

vinnie is so AHHHHHHH

best way to describe vinnie is malewife

he cooks, he cleans and he takes care of lydie

if im being honest, i based him off of darry if darry wasnt constantly on ponys case

but anyways

vinnie was born vincent frank rockwell on june 18th, 1945 in tulsa, making him twenty years old at the beginning of the story

he is older than lydie by four years

he works at a cafe on the west/northside and is a barista

he is a neutral greaser, he doesn't fight in rumbles but he hangs around Tim and Buck and Veranno (his hcs are further down)

vinnie has some pretty terrible childhood trauma, from witnessing his mother overdose from a prescription pill to his father beating him and lydie

he started smoking cigarettes at the age of twelve, he calls them cancer sticks and exclusively smokes menthols

he thinks they make him better than everyone else

70's! vinnie would absolutely love the doors, jimi hendrix and all of those artists/bands

70's! vinnie moves to california and tries to live out his hippie, stoner, runaway fantasies

anyways

vinnie is dating a neutral chick from the west/north side

maude monroe, a twenty-year bartender at buck's

vinnie and maude are always hip to hip when they're together

vinnie is absolutely obsessed with her

he helps her dye her hair platinum blonde and he will bend over backward to make her happy

that being said lets talk about maude

MAUDE

MAUDE IS A GIRLBOSS ICON

she was born lara monroe on february 7th, 1945 in New Jersey, to her single mother, who worked in a bar when maude was younger

maude had changed her name to maude in memory of her mother, maudie

she moved to tulsa after her mother passed and the idea of still living in Jersey made her stressed out

BUTTTT once she moved to tulsa she met vinnie and lydie at one of buck's parties

she dresses in a minimalistic greaser style

she adores marilyn monroe, audrey hepburn, bette davis, and all of the og girl bosses

she and vinnie have dressed up like holly and paul from breakfast at tiffanys for halloween at least twice since she has seen the film

maude and angela shepard are bffs

absolute besties

if maude isn't with vinnie, she is with angela

70s! maude and vin get married after they move to cali

70s! maude gets into very cringy and shitty horror/ thriller films and she dresses very similar to stevie nicks

maude and lydie defo smoke weed together

they hotbox in maudes and vins stolen chevy impala

anyways let's get to lydie

LYDIE

our main bae

alr first things first

bae is an angry, angsty sixteen yr old who was born on august 29th, 1949

she and vinnie have always been super close especially once their mother died

lydie is in tenth grade with ponyboy, she and pony have study sessions

anyways enough of that boring shit

lydie listens to nina simone, julie london, ella fitzgerald, billie holiday and most of the music greasers listen to (not saying that the greasers listen to nina, billie, or any of the people I listed )

lydie will say that she loves one song and then go back on that and claim she loves another song, she cannot decide what her favorite song is

her fav song is april come she will by simon and garfunkle

she is a very smart person, like she and pony are some of the smartest greasers regarding book smarts

she is definitely one of the more responsible greasers

she isn't respectful to authority but she is more kind to others compared to dallas for an example

anyways

she mostly hangs around pony and johnny with the occasional dallas and soda

SPEAKING OF DALLAS

she and dallas have full-on brawls

dallas will say something completely buck wild and she will fucking go off on him

throwing punches and slapping and just a full-on beatdown between the two at least until they're broken up

vinnie or darry pull them apart and make them apologize

lydie and dallas have a very complicated and complex relationship

lydie will say she absolutely fucking hates him

and dallas will be like "shes so wonderful"

its his mommy issues

its fine tho cuz ultimately they fall in love after a near death experience and lydie is like "nah im just in love with what he did" but in reality...

she is in love with him, period.

also read dallas' hcs right here

alright last but not least, lets talk about veranno

VERANNO

my sweet baby

veranno is literally the dirtiest and most raunchy greaser out there

he is always in and out of jail, constantly getting into arguments and fights, and he's never quiet

never a relaxing time with him

veranno was born veranno gerard bianco in new york on april 27th, 1945 making him twenty years old

he is an orphan who was never adopted or cared for

he hangs around anywhere, in alleys, in ditches, in vans

he is everywhere

he mostly hangs around vinnie and his friends when he isnt in jail

like dallas, he has been in jail for squatting and breaking in several times

lydie writes to him all the time, especially when his stay is longer

he travels a lot, he visits nevada and arizona a lot, just to get away from tulsa

regarding what music he's into, he exclusively listens to chuck berry, elvis, and all of those fifties artists

he makes fun of people when he overhears them listening to bob dylan, the beatles or simon and garfunkle

he thinks they are "pussy musicians"

lydie will defend them so hard

dallas is very jealous of veranno and literally no one knows why

most people think it's because of lydie and how close veranno is to her

but dallas will deny it every time its brought up

anyways

last but not least

veranno has a big soft spot for children

when he was a teenager (13-15)

he babysat this rich families children and these children changed him

he treated them like they were his own

i luv veranno sm

thank you for reading !!

likes and reblogs are appreciated

pls do not steal my work or repost it anywhere as for that is plagiarism and that my friends is a crime !!

[dankusner]

From: Daniel Kusner Subject: Lawrence wright Date: September 7, 2015 at 1:29:18 PM CDT To: "Kusner, Daniel" Daniel.Kusner@dps.texas.gov

You could use this: "Austin is already at the center of the bicycling culture, with flatlands on one side and hills on the other, and great weather for cycling. All we need is more bikeways to make it the perfect place for bikes to rule."

Sent from my iPhone

On Sep 7, 2015, at 1:10 PM, Kusner, Daniel Daniel.Kusner@dps.texas.gov wrote:

Next Thursday, author Lawrence Wright ("Going Clear: Scientology, Hollywood, and the Prison of Belief.") is coming to Dallas for a reading and signing to promote his newest, “God Save Texas: A Journey Into the Soul of the Lone Star State ” which Knopf releases on April 17.

In Chapter 7, “Big D,” Wright recalls having dinner with Robert Wilonsky. That same chapter, Wright says, “The Dallas Morning News, the most important paper in the state and one of the leading papers in the county."

PDF — 512 CYCOLOGY

PDF new yorker — 1988

Can God Save Texas? A Film God Like Richard Linklater Might Help

One of Texas film's greatest voices speaks on the "cruelty" of the criminal justice system in a new HBO docuseries.

Eva Raggio

Film director Richard Linklater takes a look at the inhumanity of Texas prisons. Mat Hayward/Getty Images for IMDbGod Save Texas, a trilogy of documentaries that debuted Feb. 27 on Max, examines some of the state’s deeply rooted issues. Based on the book God Save Texas: A Journey into the Soul of the Lone Star State by Lawrence Wright, the limited series was made in three parts, each by a different Texas director.

The first, “Hometown Prison,” was directed by Richard Linklater; the second, “The Price of Oil,” by Alex Stapleton; and the third, “La Frontera,” by Ilana Sosa.

Linklater has produced a widely varied body of work, including the highly stylized intellectual favorite Waking Life, the coming-of-age comedy and stoner cult classic Dazed and Confused and indie hits such as School of Rock and Bernie.

Cinephiles are perhaps most sincerely attached to his naturalist masterpieces on time, such as Boyhood — which followed its characters through scenes that took place over 12 years and earned Patricia Arquette a Best Supporting Actress Oscar— and the Before trilogy, in which he surprised viewers with out-of-the-blue sequels, completing a love story through near-voyeuristic glimpses of a couple (played by Julie Delpy and Ethan Hawke) across cities and decades.

We spoke to Linklater via Zoom from Paris, where he's working on a film that’ll keep him away from his adopted hometown of Austin’s SXSW festival — an event he’s hardly missed in two decades. It's nighttime in the City of Lights, and he has Woody Allen's Midnight in Paris and much more on his mind.

For the Austin-based director, dealing with real subjects (including his own mother, Diane Margaret Linklater, a former professor and advocate for inmates) in God Save Texas prompted a different form of investment into his film’s characters.

“I'm always close to my characters, even if I've kind of created them, written them,” Linklater says. “But there's a real actor there. There's a real person you're working with. So in this case, you're working with real people, you're getting their own personal stories. On one hand, it didn't feel that different. I want to have an affection and an understanding for people, but it's personal: It's their lives, it's my life, it's my mom. It couldn't help but be personal. And you're asking others to tell very personal, sometimes painful stories in their own lives. 

"So yeah, it's a big ask. But I think in a way, they trusted me because I was local and maybe they knew it was personal for me, but I feel close to every story. You're just trying to tell in the way you feel. So it felt right.”

Intercut with scenes from protests and stories of death row inmates, the film sees Linklater returning to Huntsville, a city 70 miles north of Houston that has the most active death row prison in the U.S. Viewers can practically smell the grease off the small-town diner menus as Linklater reflects with his subjects (many of them his old classmates), on how his hometown’s prison industry grew so wildly out of control — at least tenfold, from 10 prisons to 114 — in the past few decades, and uncovers the inhumanity of inmates' living conditions.

The auteur filmmaker is a proud Texan whose roots creep up in his work. And he maintains the love of home while decrying its systemic failures.

“You're catching me on the wrong night,” he says of his feelings for Texas. “We're executing an innocent guy tomorrow in Huntsville, Ivan Cantu, who's being put to death without … I mean, I can't believe it. I'm just stunned and really depressed, kind of a little desperate. We've been doing all we can. It's just like, gosh, the new normal. OK, we can kill innocent people. The next administration, maybe we can start … There's talk of camps. What's next? What can we put up with? 

"So on the one hand, I love Texas and I love the people, but I really do feel a disconnect with the cruelty. ‘Cause I know Texans aren't cruel by and large, but I think our government policies are extremely cruel, and this executing an innocent person is about the top of the list. So I don't know. It's times like this you feel pretty bad.”

Linklater says he didn’t stumble into any major production roadblocks, but taking on a project that required such a deeply personal investment was a matter of facing his past to expose a haunting present.

“Everyone was so giving and open and kind; I think it was just me getting over just wanting to go there myself,” he says. “This film concerns my mom. It's a lot of my own past. I was asking people to tell their stories. So it was just deciding to do it, I think. And I mean, these issues about criminal justice and the death penalty, these have swum around in my head all these years. 

“It was kind of cathartic and satisfying to find a home for some of these feelings. And my summation is fairly simple, really. I think after all of it, it's just like, yeah, the death penalty really does hurt a lot of … there's a lot of collateral damage to so many people and these state employees who have to be dragged through it. So to me, it's just kind of unnecessary trauma induced on innocent people.”

The film focuses on the trauma on both sides of the bars, from convicted inmates (many of whom proclaim their innocence) to state workers whose daily duties include strapping the bodies of death row prisoners onto and off the gurney. His opinions on the death penalty haven’t necessarily changed, but Linklater is more adamant than ever that the system predatorily exploits human error for profit, as we idly cede our rights to a state where punishment far too often exceeds the crime.

“My conclusion is don't do it,” he says. “I'm not a full-blown prison abolitionist, but I'm heading that way only in that — I don't mean let murderers out on the streets. I just think we could approach in a much more humane … the way we systematically create all this pain. We could systematically create more worthwhile treatment. I mean, face it, the prisons are full of people in on — it's mental health and drug addiction. If you treated those things, there goes 90% of the population right there.

“And then keep really the psychopaths, the murderers, serial sexual assaulters. I think we all have a vested interest in keeping certain people isolated from the general population, but people who made a bad mistake or something, I can't explain a tenfold increase. Crime is down everywhere. That's just the trend. Violent crime, everything's down. So why is our prison gone up 10 times in the last 40 years? I don't know. Things we have to ask ourselves. ... We should be investing in people, not just punishing them.”

For God Save Texas, he says, the trio of directors hardly compared pre-production notes beforehand. 

“We were sort of siloed in our own projects,” Linklater says. “We knew what everybody was doing, but I guess I went first and set a certain tone, maybe with the personal. When we started I don't think we really had a full plan. I was like, ‘Larry [Wright, who also executive-produced the series], so are we gonna go to Huntsville?’ And we just felt our way through it.”

Before and After the Before Trilogy

With his cinematic oeuvre falling into an array of styles and genres, Linklater doesn't give much thought to his overarching body of work, preferring to hyper-focus on each film. He says he hasn’t even pondered the uniting thread woven across his projects.

“I don't know. I'm always telling kind of character-based work,” he says. “The concept is never bigger than the characters. They're pretty far away from superhero or anything like that.”

While his films are often of the deeply felt variety that persist on viewers’ minds long after the credits roll, he also adds: “Or laugh. I've made comedies, a little bit of everything. I don't know, just always trying to express myself in my own relation to the particular story or subject.”

Least of all does he consider his legacy, or his writing living on through the ages.

“Boy, I can tell you, I never think I'll live on for generations,” he says with a laugh. “I'm really focused on what I'm doing like right now, making this movie. So that's really all you can do.”

He concedes that he's mildly aware the Before movies have prompted a niche form of tourism, made up of fans who visit the first film’s Vienna locations, for example. But he hasn’t been to Vienna in about 15 years and assumes the interest has dwindled. (It hasn’t; visit the record shop where Jesse and Celine share a charged exchange of awkward missed glances in a listening booth, and see for yourself.) He laughs at our joke suggesting the Austrian capital should’ve given him a key to the city.

Nonetheless, as he finds himself in Paris, Linklater has learned that the bookstore featured in the second installment, Before Sunset, is still a bit of a treasure for fans following the Before map.

In Huntsville, he’s known as “Rick,” a former football player for the state’s highest-ranking team. As a young adult, he self-taught filmmaking on a Super 8 camera. Before long, Rick went on to receive Academy Award nominations, be named one of Time’s most influential people in the world in 2015, and become an advocate for filmmaking, and particularly Texas filmmaking, as co-founder of the Austin Film Society.

He's a successful independent filmmaker whose movies have made a crater-sized mark on pop culture, so one would assume Linklater finds himself in a privileged spot coveted by any artist looking to make an impact without the fine print double-dealings. 

“Successful? I don't know. It doesn't feel that way all the time when you're working on a real low budget and you don't have enough time or money to make your movie,” he says. “But maybe that's it. I've just never cared about, I guess, the money or that result. I've really just focused on the next story I'm trying to tell and kind of avoided a certain kind of careerist trappings. Maybe staying in Texas probably was a good thing for my mental health.”

It hasn’t been hard, he says, to sustain that balance, keeping a sense of artistic autonomy while avoiding industry money grabs and other Hollywood pitfalls.

“You say no a lot," he says. "I think you define yourself a lot in this world — it sounds corny or maybe you heard it: It's like you kind of define yourself by what you don't do. Just because you have opportunities doesn't mean you have to do it. So the things I've turned down, the things I've not wanted to do that I could have, kind of defined you. It's like, yeah, no, I'm really focused over here. I know that's more money and that [I’ll] get to work with some big star, but I don't really want to do that. I want to tell [my stories]. So just follow your own muse.”

During the pandemic, his kids became an elite audience in a Linklater-selected, at-home film festival. He was glad they’d grown past the animated children’s movie days (“I could not wait to get out of kid movies. We did that pretty quick. I'm a filmmaker, I was showing them stuff, but yeah, I could not wait until they were starting to ask me more about movies”) and into more sophisticated cinematic territory.

“Say what you will, the pandemic was terrible, but we watched a movie every night,” he says. “These teenagers [would ask], ‘What movie are you going to watch now? Let's do the French New Wave, or let's watch films from Brazil.’ It was like my own little one-year curation, my own little film society in the family.”

For all the brilliant dialogue that mark his own films, the uniting thread he never thinks about, Linklater isn’t surprised that the most quoted line from his movies was famously ad-libbed by Matthew McConaughey in Dazed and Confused.

“He wasn't even scheduled to work that night,” he says of his fellow Texan. “We worked up that scene and he just threw in that 'All right, all right, all right’ — he said that as he was driving in, and I thought it was really funny."

Linklater remembers that "within a day or two after that," the expression became a popular saying among the film crew.

"I noticed a key grip say, ‘OK, we're laying some dolly track over there. Let's go do that. And [he] goes, ‘All right, all right, all right, all right.' He was already repeating it," Linklater says. " And on one hand, I'm not surprised. I mean, of course you're surprised when you see a T-shirt with it or something like that, that's crazy.

“Matthew … he's earned it, I guess.” 

click to enlarge 

A new HBO docuseries finds Austin director Richard Linklater visiting his hometown to examine a universal issue: the ever-expanding prison industry. 

Max/Richard Linklater

newyorker.com

In “Hometown Prison,” Richard Linklater Looks at Life on Both Sides of the Wall

Richard Brody

8–11 minutes

With little fanfare, a complex and far-reaching personal documentary by Richard Linklater, “Hometown Prison,” dropped last week on the streaming service Max. It’s one of a trio of excellent films made under the rubric “God Save Texas,” based on the book by Lawrence Wright, of this publication—all of which consider the state’s history and politics in the light of the filmmakers’ own lives and families. The second film, “The Price of Oil,” directed by the seventh-generation Texan Alex Stapleton, traces the economic racism on which the state’s oil industry was built, as manifested in its disproportionate pollution of predominantly Black neighborhoods, including her family’s own. The third, “La Frontera,” by Iliana Sosa, who was born in El Paso to a family of Mexican descent, considers the historical unity of that city with its Mexican neighbor, Ciudad Juárez, and the enduring burdens imposed on Mexican Americans by white supremacy and the resulting militarized border. It takes nothing away from these latter films—exemplary blends of journalistic investigation, historical analysis, and intimate experience—to call particular attention to the power and the aesthetic range of Linklater’s documentary, which combines a narrow focus on a single institution with a conjoined exploration of the director’s life and his œuvre.

“Hometown Prison” is about Huntsville, Texas, where Linklater lived from 1970 (the year he turned ten) to 1981. He has previously explored his boyhood experiences there in such films as “Dazed and Confused,” “Everybody Wants Some!!,” and, of course, “Boyhood.” However, “Hometown Prison” concentrates on one oppressive peculiarity of the town: there’s a large prison in the middle of it, in plain view of much of daily life there, and a vast network of prisons spread throughout the town and its vicinity. The prison system is the town’s main employer. Texas, as Linklater relates, has the most incarcerated people of any state; it also executes more people than any other state, and those executions take place in Huntsville. Prisons, in other words, are a ubiquitous presence in Huntsville’s landscape, and yet, Linklater says, “At some point, you don’t really even see it.” In “Hometown Prison,” he attempts to see—and to give voice to silences on the subject, in his life and his work, that he has until now not managed to break.

It wasn’t for lack of trying. Though Linklater credits Wright (one of the filmmaker’s longtime friends, who appears on camera, as he does in the other two films in the series) with the suggestion to make “Hometown Prison,” the work is anchored in two incomplete projects of Linklater’s. The first, a drama that he’d hoped to make in 2002, was about two high-school football players who, a year after graduation, end up on opposite sides of the prison walls. The second was to have been made from documentary footage that he shot in 2003, of protests outside those walls, when an inmate named Delma Banks, Jr., was about to be executed despite abundant evidence of his innocence. Linklater couldn’t find funding for the drama and never did anything with the footage—plentiful amounts of which appear in “Hometown Prison.”

Here, Linklater breaks silence in the most direct and literal way—by speaking. He delivers a copious and confessional voice-over, complete with reminiscences, observations distilled from research, and candid assertions (as when he declares capital punishment “barbaric”). He also appears on camera, in conversation with Huntsville residents whose lives intersect with his and with the town’s carceral economy. Linklater’s recollections of his late mother, Diane (included by way of a talk with one of her friends), involve her activism on behalf of incarcerated people released into town with no support. One of the most revealing exchanges is with Elroy Thomas, a manager at a Huntsville bus depot, who estimates that, in his thirty years on the job, he has sold one-way tickets out of town to hundreds of thousands of newly released prisoners—and adds that, in the process, he has become acutely sensitive to their frame of mind and the extent of the preparedness to return to private life. It’s shocking to see a line of former inmates walking casually away from prison with no clear destination down the closed-off vista of a leafy street. “They don’t offer no rehabilitation,” one of them comments. “If you’re trying to get right, you need to do it on your own.”

Among the ex-prisoners with whom Linklater speaks is Dale Enderlin, one of his former baseball teammates from Huntsville’s Sam Houston State University, where Linklater’s mother taught. (The team was later the subject of “Everybody Wants Some!!”) Enderlin spent thirty-nine months in prison for white-collar crimes, and his main observation from his time there is how routinely young, nonwhite people are railroaded into confessions for crimes that they didn’t commit. A civil-rights lawyer, Bill Habern, who arrived in town as a public defender in the nineteen-seventies, dated Linklater’s mother, and remained a family friend, says, “I came to Huntsville and I thought I’d landed in Mississippi twenty years before.” He shows Linklater bullet holes in his home, estimating that there are twelve to fifteen. Ed Owens, the first Black warden of a Huntsville prison, says that he experienced far more racism owing to his work inside the walls than to anything in ordinary town life; during protests involving one execution, the Ku Klux Klan demonstrated outside his house.

A prison in Huntsville, Texas.

The attitudes of many Sam Houston students interviewed in the documentary belie the centrality of prison to life in Huntsville. Despite being on a campus with clear views of uniformed prison guards, inmates being released, and demonstrations against capital punishment, they claim not to pay much attention to the facility’s proximity. “I’ve never given too much thought to it, until you hear the siren go off,” one student says. Another notes, “It seems that everyone’s aware of it, but no one wants to talk about it”; a third adds, “I’ve never heard no professor talk about it.” Linklater affirms that the “disconnect” is “kind of a Huntsville tradition.” One of his former high-school football teammates says that, even now, the prison “doesn’t even come to my consciousness.”

Of course, there are some in Huntsville for whom the prison system looms large. Linklater interviews many of them: the formerly incarcerated, and family members of the incarcerated; a local historian and activist who seeks to change the town’s civic life and is well aware of being despised for it; former corrections officials, whose firsthand experiences witnessing or even participating in executions has caused them to reject the practice; and a current one who finds the rigors of the carceral system hard to bear. Moreover, Linklater recalls one of his stepfathers, a prison guard (whom he dramatized in “Boyhood”) whom the stresses of the prison system psychologically warped and darkened.

Just a few minutes into “Hometown Prison,” there’s a shot of a restaurant across the road from a barbed-wire-fenced prison unit, which has a cheerful sign announcing “Sunday: Kids Eat Free.” I was reminded of another movie in current release, Jonathan Glazer’s historical drama “The Zone of Interest,” which is set outside the walls of Auschwitz, in a house where the camp’s commandant, Rudolf Höss; his wife, Hedwig; and their three young children live, apparently pretending, to the fullest of their capacities, that their lives are normal. Unlike Glazer, Linklater doesn’t merely observe Huntsville residents’ lives alongside prison but also hears from them. He displays deep and sincere curiosity about what people involved in a cruel system—or even merely living in view of one—say, think, and feel. He probes the psychology of their efforts to keep prison from their minds and also considers the ideologies behind the prevalence of incarceration and the death penalty in Texas—including racism, class-based inequity, an enduring myth of frontier justice, brazen demagogy, and a form of Christian fundamentalism that emphasizes strictness rather than mercy—as well as the practical policies that sustain the carceral system there, including the economic motives of contracts for businesses and employment for residents.

“Hometown Prison,” with its free and hybrid form, empathetically and indignantly brings suppressed agonies to light. It does more, too. Linklater looks deeply at the town’s self-gaslighting, at how it’s maintained and who maintains it, and to what ends. The film is a fervent and trenchant work of political psychology, living history, investigative journalism, and anguished confession.

With humor and the biting insight of a native, the Pulitzer Prize-winning author Lawrence explores the history, culture, and politics of Texas, while holding the stereotypes up for rigorous scrutiny.

God Save Texas (Penguin, 2018) is a journey through the most controversial state in America. It is a red state in the heart of Trumpland that hasn’t elected a Democrat to a statewide office in more than twenty years; but it is also a state in which minorities already form a majority (including the largest number of Muslims). The cities are blue and among the most diverse in the nation. Oil is still king but Texas now leads California in technology exports. The Texas economic model of low taxes and minimal regulation has produced extraordinary growth but also striking income disparities. Texas looks a lot like the America that Donald Trump wants to create. And Wright’s profound portrait of the state not only reflects our country back as it is, but as it was and as it might be.

Lawrence Wright is a staff writer for The New Yorker and the author of nine previous books of nonfiction, including In the New World, Remembering Satan, The Looming Tower, Going Clear, Thirteen Days in September, and The Terror Years,and one novel, God’s Favorite. His books have received many prizes and honors, including a Pulitzer Prize for The Looming Tower. He is also a playwright and screenwriter. He is a longtime resident of Austin.

A light reception will precede the event beginning at 5:30 pm, with the lecture starting at 6:00 pm. Parking will be available on the SMU campus. FREE passes will be emailed to registered guests before the event.  Seating is limited, and not guaranteed.

Wright's publication of the same title will be available for purchase and signing after the event.  

TEACHERS ONLY -- Please sign in at the registration table to receive continuing education credit.

Co-sponsored with SMU's Clements Center for Southwest Studies, Center for Presidential History, the John Tower Center for Political Studies, the Clements Department of History, the Dedman College Interdisiplinary Institute, and Dedman College of Humanities and Sciences.

-- Southern Methodist University

[ocw-archive]

Herald-Sun, August 03, 2006

Owen Wilson, the hard-working slacker

Owen Wilson's dad is out for vengeance, the actor tells CLAIRE SUTHERLAND. You seem to have acquired a reputation for acting the slacker/stoner. How did you corner that part of the market? It's not a calculated thing, like I'm this workaholic trying to pass myself off as a stoner/slacker. I don't think it's really accurate, but it doesn't bother me. I don't lose any sleep over it. I'd like to think I'm a pretty thoughtful person. Maybe that, and being from Texas and talking in a deliberate way, sometimes gets pushed through the media thing and comes out as stoner/slacker. It wouldn't be how my parents would describe me. Certainly, compared with (my brothers) Luke and Andrew, I wasn't the easy-come, easy-go kid. I was more of a worrier. I can still get anxious about things. I guess it doesn't come across that way.

Speaking of your brothers, you've all been pretty high achievers in the movie world. You were nominated for an Oscar for co-writing The Royal Tenenbaums. You also co-wrote Bottle Rocket, which starred Luke. Andrew has a writing/director career. Did your parents have an inkling you'd go on to great things? No. They definitely weren't saying, "Just you wait; something great's going to happen". They weren't saying that as I was getting kicked out of school and going to military school. They didn't know there was good news to follow. They must be relieved that good news did follow. Nobody gets a bigger charge than my dad when something good happens to us. Even (writer/director) Wes Anderson, when we were working on scripts or movie stuff together, used to like to call my dad when we had good news, just because my dad gets so worked up and enthusiastic about it. One of the funny things about calling my dad with good news was it went beyond just "That's great". Often it was, "That's great, and I'd love to know what that teacher who kicked you out is thinking". My dad even had this thing he called the Stake in the Heart Club -- that was for people for whom good news about us was like a stake in the heart. That's not the most spiritual way to greet good fortune, but that's the way my dad is. Did he ever actually make the phone call to the teacher who wronged you? No, but the society columnists for the Dallas papers will sometimes have little bits on me and my brothers, and it's obviously stuff that my dad gives them. Maybe he's addressing those people with that. What's your reaction to Steely Dan's claim that you stole the idea for You, Me and Dupree from their song Cousin Dupree? I stole the movie from their song, even though I'm not the writer of the movie? I think they're just kidding around, because I heard they're Bottle Rocket fans. I was supposed to go to a concert to apologise on stage, but I'm here in Australia so I wasn't able to go. But I should send them something funny back. I assume they're just kind of goofing around. Or mentally unhinged. Or mentally unhinged. What are you doing next? I think I'm working on a movie about these kids who are getting bullied and they hire me as a bodyguard. Then there's a movie I'm going to do with Wes in India, that Wes wrote and is directing. It's about three brothers -- with me, Jason Schwartzman and Adrian Brody. But it's not a Bollywood movie? No. It's going to be wild. Wes assures me it's great, and I kind of believe him because I think of myself as more likely to go some place where I'd be roughing it before Wes. He likes staying in five-star hotels, and nice things. Have you turned down great roles and later regretted it? Sometimes I hear actors say, "I was offered that part but didn't do it". But I've never been offered a part in a film that went on to become a great movie. I love The Insider. I thought that character was so great and Russell Crowe did such a good job, but I didn't necessarily say, "Oh, I should have been that guy". I don't want to say I'm limited as an actor, but I don't see myself as an actor who can dramatically change his looks the way Dustin Hoffman does in Rainman. I think I'm OK at making things sound hopefully believable and natural. How do you do that, given your plan was to be a writer and you have no formal training? I don't want to act like it's some mystical gift that I've been given, but I'm not a big extrovert. I wasn't always performing at school. I don't like public speaking. A couple of times I've been asked to speak at some event that sounds really great and I'll agree to it, then as it starts to sink in. I'll inevitably cancel because I'm not that comfortable with that stuff. But for some reason, with the acting I'm pretty relaxed. You came to Australia in a private plane. Is that just part of a normal day for you? No. You feel like you're a member of Led Zeppelin when you get on a private plane. You grew up in Texas. Are you a hometown hero there? Not really. I feel like the papers in Dallas are kind of tough

on me. How do you deal with criticism? You have to have a little bit of a thick skin if someone writes something not so great about you, which is probably why it's best not to pay that much attention to it. But Bottle Rocket, that was a very wounding experience when we didn't get into the Sundance Film Festival and had all those problems with test screenings. That was really hard, like a personal rejection. But now I'm not as invested. Even though it's still not going to feel that great, I'm not devastated. You have more perspective. You're going to have a career and you're going to do things. But that one was make or break; if that didn't do well, you weren't really going to get a chance to do other stuff. Now you can feel a bit more secure and think, well, on to the next thing.

[yeaahishowedupatyourparty]

ally: 10.05.21

I think it’s been literal years since I wrote this thing properly. I just flipped back to my last entry and it was from the day I got into Gold Coast; Brett and I had been downtown and bought our touch bracelets. The ones that vibrate to show that the other person is thinking of you - so not me, but clearly I was swept away in an ocean of first real love and whatever. I’m not so sure I’ve found my way back to shore since and I’m not complaining.            I flipped back even further but didn’t put myself through the pain of actually reading them. Going off my handwriting alone; manic and barely touching the line; I was in a bad place. The irony is, I started this journal after seeing some of Mum’s and seeing how much Haley was spoken about. I wanted one of two things:

A) For her to find mine and feel like shit 

B) For a future child of mine to see it and feel amazing 

Now I’m not really sure what I want. I wouldn’t say I’m on great terms with Mum or Dad but we speak like, once a fortnight, which is major progress from sleeping on the sofas of weird stoners just to avoid them. Haley and I are ok. Amy and Lily got into a big drama with their parents this week so I honestly feel like a cunt for even contemplating whether I’m on good terms with mine or not. They are who they are, and I am who I am. I think in a weird way, all four of us have come to that conclusion.           Brett’s still here. I don’t think I expected that, because regardless of what people see or think, it hasn’t been easy. I’ve spent the past year living in my head and he’s the only one who knows it because in this place, all you have to do is declare your love for travelling and attend every party you’re invited to and you’re the care-free, loose canon. There’re things that followed me from Violet Springs and I haven’t worked out how to kill them yet. You know that one scene where Ron, Harry and Hermione are trying to kill the horcrux and it’s near impossible? That’s how I feel sometimes.              Brett’s had his own problems too. I never actually realised how much of a prick Dallas actually is and I wonder how he isn’t exactly the same. That would’ve been the easy route, after all; never take responsibility for your actions and leave a trail of heartache and destruction wherever you go because your troubles are way deeper than anybody else’s.               Brett’s not his father’s son. That I can confirm. If anything, he usually swallows his own problems to make room for mine; and being brought up by overly-doting parents, I’m happy to let him. It’s work in progress, I swear.  I actually hope we never stop being work in progress. I just want us to keep getting better and better. Couples who hit their limit get bored, and couples who get bored break-up.               I’m also contemplating leaving Gold Coast Academy. When I signed up, I think I just wanted to get away but like I said before, flying to the other side of the world is apparently not enough to fully rid of anything you’re trying to kill once and for all. Nobody knows this but the first thing I did when I reached the Gold Coast was cry because I thought about my Mum.              I didn’t miss her. I just felt bad. I don’t understand how we’ve never seen eye-to-eye when both of us know exactly what it’s like to try really hard and still fail. Or, at least fall short of your own expectations. I thought about how she probably did her best as Haley’s “sister”, but that wasn’t enough for Haley because she still holds it against her. She then had me and tried to be the best mum she could, but that wasn’t enough for me because I felt like the spare part...And it suddenly sunk in that I’ve been feeling the same.             Since I was little, and would listen in on Mum and Dad talking about Haley when they thought I was sleeping, I’ve had this burn to prove that I don’t want them because they don’t want me either - not in the same way they yearned for her. I was only seven when I first decided that one day I’d teach them all a lesson and cut myself off until they missed and wanted me as much as they wanted her.             It started with sneaking out at night, and then having secret boyfriends I knew they wouldn’t like, and then missing big family events in favour of sneaking into clubs I didn’t really like, and then missing the smaller things, like coming home from dinner. And then not coming home at all. And then secretly getting pregnant and only letting them know when I wasn’t anymore so they could understand how much they didn’t know me anymore. And then moving to the other-side of the world without looking back once at the airport. 

Yes, they still came to say goodbye at the airport. 

Then, I got to Sydney and was as far away from all three of them as possible, and the seven year old inside of me was crushed that I was still Ally; the one that’s how quite Haley. I was still the train-wreck and the one who caused more arguments than anybody else, or spoke out of turn one too many times. I still hated myself, just on a different continent.         That’s how it dawned on me that I don’t really want Gold Coast Academy. Besides Brett, I don’t know what I want. I think I’d like to be just Ally; the one who’s enough on her own; but I’m not exactly sure where she is.

[popculturebuffet]

Mission Hill Review: Plan 9 From Mission Hill or I Married a Gay Man From Outer Space!

Commission for @weirdkev27​. Hallowen Havoc marches on! For my first commission ever, I take a look at the cult classic mission hill’s final produced episode and one of it’s most loved. Kevin’s visit to an x rated movie pays off less with boobs and more with a friendship with his elderly gay neighbor and film buff wally and a new appreciation for cinema, only for this new friendship to nearly end over Kevin’s good natured attempt to spotlight Wally’s only film, the man from pluto. Gay spaceman, a touching gay love story, and a surprisingly likeable guy with a neckbeard insue. Spoilers and full recap FROM PLUTO, under the cut. 

Well this was a nice suprise. After the utterly draining process of my review of “Let’s Get Dangerous”, it was a nice suprise to find out one of my handful of fans had tried to comission me a while back and I hadn’t realized it, and I was happy to oblige him. I was even happier when I found out what his commission was: Plan 9 From Mission HIll, an episode i’d planned to cover for pride but got squeezed out due to how little i’d planned the month out in advance, a lesson I still REALLY need to learn. Regardless not only was it a nice, funny, and heartwarming ep to cover after the sheer amount of analysis and recapping the last one took, I realized it ended up fitting the spooky season, as there’s just as much fun to be had in truly fantastic horror movies like “Nightmare on Elm Street”, “Get Out”, “Child’s Play”, “Tales from the Hood” and “The Thing” as there is from so bad it’s great horror films like “House (The Japanese one), C.H.U.D. II: Bud The Chud, Terror Toons and House Shark. Seriously watch House Shark i’ts hilarious. Hell I fully plan on watching the Gary Busey film Hider in the House tomorrow. I mean it’s a film about hollywood’s favorite nutball  living in the walls and attic of someone’s house. What’s not to love? Maybe it might be entirely boring but that’s the risk you sometimes take to find so bad it’s gold filmaking. Plus cheeestastic films like these are the reason we have the classsic and incomprable mystery science theater 3000 and it’s succesor rifftrax. So while I need to watch more of them, I have a spot in my likely overtaxed heart for this kind of film, and as a result this episode resonated with me on rewatch in a way it didn’t the first time around, even if it was still my faviorite. 

Backing up a bit as usual I like to give my history with a show first time covering it: Mission HIll was one of a handful of shows picked up by Adult Swim in it’s early days. Since most of Adult Swim’s early originals were 11 minutes at a time when this was still a new and radical thing they were doing having 11 minute shows that weren’t sold as half hour pairs of 11 minute episodes, they likely needed more shows to fill up the air and clevelry simply bought the rights to several shows that had only had one season, along with Family Guy and Futurama which as history would bear out both made the shows into huge names in the animation industry but brought both back.. though in Family Guy’s case sometimes dead is better. Point is, several shows got a second life thanks to Cartoon Network if sadly not more seasons, with the sole exception of the utter classic Home Movies which I really need to talk about at some point, and thus are really more associated with Adult Swim than their original networks. Hell before doing this review I genuinely didn’t know what Mission HIll’s original networks. But now you know the framework this show came out in what IS Mission Hill anyway? 

MIssion Hill was a cartoon from the wonderful brains of Bill Oakely and Josh Weinstein, no relation to the MST3K one who due to this confusion now goes by J. Elvis Weinstein instead, who showran the simpsons and did some great episodes, my faviorte of there’s being $pringfield, aka the casino one. 

The show was about Andy, a 24 year old slacker whose happily lazing about after college in his loft with his friends Jim, a stoic but friendly stoner played by Brian Posehn, and Posey, a sensitive hippie. However when he goes to pickup his childhood dog he ends up with an unexpected roomate: His nerdy, sheltered and neurotic brother Kevin, who has a love of sci fi, a type a personality and a habit of going bling blong to focus when studying or just whenever. He’s also voiced by future robin and future psychopath claming to be robin Scott Mellinville. Also in the building are Carlos and Natalie, an unemployed artist and college professor and their baby Nameless.  I forgot they existed.  And of course saving the best for last we have the brother’s neighbors, and a very early gay couple for animated television Wally and Gus, played by the legendary Tom Kenny and Nick Jameson who hasn’t done much of note but does a great job anyway. Wally is a fastudious, Gus is angry and very brooklyn, but the two genuinely love each other, makeout frequently, with their first showing off the two as a gay couple, and are an adorable but very beliviable couple. It’s part of WHY I wanted to spotlight them. The late 90′s/early 2000′s, the show originally aired in 99 and into 2000 and aired on adult swim in the early 2000 for the curious, were not a great time to be gay in animation with most gay characters used as punchlines and hardly any queer stories. Not only that but just a year earlier will and grace had to have one overly camp chracter and one “regular” gay character in order to get made. Granted that show has it’s issues but still, the point stands having a gay couple that plays fairly realistically, is shown to both be sexually active and love each other and who’ve been together for decades was a hell of a step for a medium where Family Guy around the same time had a joke with the punchline “Whoa transvestite back off!” Granted Family Guy would do far worse to both the gay and trans communities, but we’ll get to that someday. Or sooner if you commission me, but I swear if you do I will pull a gary busey on your house. Point is not only is it INCREIDBLY forward for it’s time but it holds up even now. There’s a reason the creators are working on a spinoff/revivial focused on the two and a reason these two tend to be one of the most talked about elements of the show. That and frankly their hilarious having realistic banter.. and also having one episode where Gus has a knife in his head for a whole episode. It helps that this episode, their spotlight one and the last one produced, is also one fo the series best. So with all that build up let’s take a look shall we? 

We open with Kevin passing a theater showing x rated movies and are shown, over a bunch of times of him passing it him condeming it publicly but his tone clearly telegraphing the classic battle between a teenage boy and his dick. Dick wins and Kevin heads inside and gives us... this. 

.... If you will excuse me, please enjoy the musical stylings of the late great Zorak while I go shower the “EeEEEEEEUUUUGGggggggHHHhhuuuuuuggghhhhhhhhewwwwuuuuugggghhhhggooooodddddddwwwyyyyyy” off me. 

God rest his soul. Okay i’m good now. Thankfully this isn’t an episode about Kevin getting addicted to x-rated theater, and they already did an episode about him masturbating. No really it actually had a good message as Kevin was so embarassed about the incident, he nearly let two other guys, granted not remotley good people who were stealing from there anyway, take the fall. Andy even ends up giving a great speech coming to his defense

“People, you mock this boy, but it's your fault he's here today. Your hypocrisy has made this boy a prisoner, terrified of his own sexuality. So much so that he'd rather send two relatively-innocent men to prison than admit he looks at pornography! He thinks his natural urges are filthy and perverted, and why? Because of your conspiracy of silence! Nobody dares admit the truth - that you're all just like him!”

IT’s a damn good moment and a good message. That sadly is still relevant as America still views sex as worse than violence for some weird reason. At least he has the internet now. Anywho when Kevin goes to see what’s up he runs into Wally who explains the confusion: He’s just showing old “X-Rated films”. Now some of you are probably wondering “Wait non-porn films used to use that?” Or “Wait what’s an x-rating?” Well while I knew some films did used to do that I was honestly curious myself as to why it was retired and why porn films got to use it and took a quick hop to google to find out reading both the wikipedia article for the rating and this vulture article on the subject to get a slightly deeper look at it. 

It’s actually quite intresting as I genuinelly also didn’t know when the MPAA ratings started for films: When the rating’s board started in 1968 there were four raitings: G, GP (Later flipped to PG), R and X. X was the modern equivlent of today’s R really, and films like Last Tango in Paris, Midnight Cowboy and a Clockwork Orange, with Orange even having a poster up at the cinema in this episode and Midnight Cowboy being part of the plot very soon. We’ll get to that in the moment. Point is it allowed filmakers to push the envelope break barriers all that good stuff and makes me curious about those very films, which is a good thing as i’ll admit to not being exactly a film buff.  But as Kevin’s confusion here shows, eventually the porn industry took a hold of it, using the X as a way to get sex movies into regular cinemas and have an air of legitimacy, hence why Debbie Does Dallas was a mainstream hit.. and yes that’s an actual film that I only know about thanks to I Love the 70′s. If your wondering why the MPAA just couldn’t you know, tell them to know or why they didn’t take over other ratings it turns out for some weird reason why the G and R ratings were owned by them, and later PG , they forgot to trademark X and by the time they even thought of it it was too late. Hence terms like XXX rated and what not or the ungodly stupid XXX porn parodies. Just.. just give them actual names and slap “A porn parody” ont he end if you want to avoid a lawsuit.  Naturally the film industry struck back and X soon went from a way to have daring, interesting films.. to basically a threat by the MPAA that your film wouldn’t be carried by any major distributors if it had one, with Dawn of the Dead having to just go unrated just to get distributed. The 80′s brought the killing stroke: With the rise of big theater chains, mall theaters with restrictions I wasn’t aware of, and big home video outlets like blockbuster that didn’t carry porn, the x rating was well and truly dead and the MPAA lukewarmly added NC-17 which serves the same bullshit purpose as theaters still refuse to carry them and the MPAA still uses it for essenitally the same reason. Nothing changed! If your wondering why people sometimes have problems with the MPAA, yeah there’s your answer, as they could’ve campaigned harder for NC-17 but clearly enjoyed having a raiting to hold over films heads. 

So yeah if you don’t know, know you know bud, let’s move on. So yeah Wally explains the confusion and decides to educate Kevin on film by showing him Midnight Cowboy, with John Voight “Before his head looked like a radish” and Dustin Hoffman. Also Andy brings up Sphere.. a film I also know nothing about. Hang on... checking Letterboxd and okay. It’s a Dustin Hoffman starring Sci-Fi film about a research team investigating a mysterious sphere at the bottom of the sea. Huh.. I prefer Cube myself but to each his own.  But once Kevin clams up he really enjoys it. Will grant the episode lays it on a tad thick, with Kevin comparing the film to , of all things, Armageddon. I mean I get MIcheal Bay is a good metric for crowd pleasing schlock but still, even nerds have standards. My standards aren’t very high at times mind as I still want to watch this sometime today. 

But I still think even awkward teens have better standards. Then again one of my faviorite films at the time was Saving Silverman which while I can’t hate it due to nostalgia , having watched it from 5th grade well into my teens, I can see was not very good. Though it did have R. Lee Ermy being both really funny and turning out to be gay so that was awesome. 

And he does make a good point that heroes like Ratzzo Rizzo don’t go well on Taco Bell cups.. though it also feels weird to me in 2020 where while not big sellers films with deep stories and unlikeable heroes are some of the biggest on tv and one of them was one of the greatest animated series of the last decade, so things must’ve been pretty damn bleak in 1999. The two also run into Gus who wants dinner and a fight ensues between the couple about the fact Gus owns a restraunt, could just bring his lunch etc. It’s hilarious and as I said I like how they feel like a couple you’d meet in real life. Sadly I don’t have an elderly gay couple in my neighborhood but here’s hoping. Or maybe i’ll be the neighborhoods wally when I grow up who knows. Also Tom Kenny’s delivery is great. 

Kevin later relays his fun day to his loftmates, with Andy expressing genuine suprise at Wally’s job and love of art house cinema, as none of them knew what he actually did. Andy’s genuinely shocked and mildly appalled they’ve lived near Wally for so long but having no idea what he does.. but really I had a sweet old lady, Delores who lived next to me for almost my entire life before she moved to be closer to her family, visited her house frequently pet her cats, went to her house after school at one point.. and I cannot tell you what he did, so it’s incredibly relatable. However in a scene that’s both hilarious but also really, really sweet, the three relate that they do know him well and due to being neighbors after all and know Gus and Wally’s morning routine: They wake up at 8, Wally brews the Coffee, Gus reads him the funnies, then they shower together while singing college fight songs, and then, with Jim saying this part so picture it in Brian Posehn’s voice please you won’t regret it, argue or have gay sex and then it’s off to work. It’s really sweet, both in showing off their well worn dynamic with each other, and the fact that the loftmates really DO know these two even if they dont’ know everything and they are close in their own way. Kevin can only give out a “Hm” in response... which is probably the closest he can get to saying touche without breaking into nerdy giggles. 

Cue the good times montage as Wally introduces Kevin to Ingmar Bergman, who I have heard of even if i’ve never seen any of them, and some director I never heard of who made old timey comedies apparently. IT’s a really nice sequence. Kevin also shows 2001: A Space Oddesy to his friends, who are bored to tears by it while Kevin’s enraptured. Which I would say was another heavy-handed swipe at late 90′s cinema but being a teen myself who had mostly watched things like Star Wars, I did not gel with 2001 and need to rematch it at some point, so I totally relate to his friends utter boredom and confusion with it given it’s rep. It’s a visually stunning film. I will however stand by not liking Star Trek: The Motion Picture, as that film TRIES to be 2001 but is instead just really, REALLY boring. 

But naturally things can be entirely good natured bonding between an elderly gay man and , as Wally puts it in the best line of the episode “The son god never wanted me to have”, as Kevin notices a film coming up that Wally apparently made, and looks to star gus. Wally panics and shoos his young protégé away... which yeah he could’ve just you know told him he doesn’t like the film or anything else and prevented this episode but then we wouldn’t of seen the gay equilvent of plan 9 from outer space so fair enough. 

At the Gus’ Diner, the loftmates and their neighbors I mentioned earlier look over the poster, and we find out from Gus that that is him, and he starred in a movie.. and naturally Wally explained never showing it to his husband in the simplest way possible: By claming a shark ate it. You know while I watched the show I didn’t quite get it when I was younger and it’s probably why it took me decades to revisit it.. but I wish I had sooner this show is REALLY damn funny and i’m really looking forward to that spinoff with Wally and Gus. 

Wally continues to dodge Kevin, so Kevin, trying to find info about the film and it being lost, goes to the video store.. back when those existed. Something I have to give the show is honestly the use of vhs, visits to video stores, and the movies Kevin mentions are the only things that really date this film. While swapping another Dustin Hoffman film in proved impossible, it is plausible Kevin would see it streaming somewhere. and it’s easy enough to swap Armageddon for Rise of Skywalker given that film’s just as good.. Last Jedi was excellent though. Point is this story REALLY holds up, which is the sign of a good story: where even if some elements are stamped to the time, the story itself could easily be told again with few changes. It’s also why i’m not AGAINST Reboots, as my coverage of ducktales makes obvious: As long as stories can still be told or you can retell a story in a unique and intresting way, it’s fine to reuse something. I do think hollywood overdoes it, but I’ve never thought there was genuine harm in it or reviving old franchises. It’s all in how you do it.  But yeah while the local video store dosen’t help at all, Andy happens to know just the man for the job, though Jim and Posey nope out of going with them. Also something to note is the series animation: It’s animated like an old 30′s cartoon or a comic strip, modernized a bit in color and realisim, but still having comic strip stuff like shaking head lines, heat lines coming off coffee that sort of thing.  I really love it. 

Anyways the brothers head off to a funky out of the way video store, I wish there were more hole in the wall used media stores where I lived. We mostly have chains like Vintage Stock and Half-Priced Books, though I genuinely love both of those stores and VIntage Stock is the modern equilvent of places like blockbuster honestly. Anyway after Beardo confuses Kevin for an Employee kevin asks him about the man from pluto which Beardo reveals he knows about but is very rare and has few prints. I like Beardo.. he’s a neckbeard who seems more liable to complain abotu some reboot on the fact their rebooting it again rather than “gasp” women are involved. I prefer my neckbeards just a tad pretentious rather than you know, sexist, homophobic, deranged assholes with nothing better to do. I mean i’m still living at home and didn’t get out much before the pandemic either but you dont’ see me bitching every time a franchise gets a female lead. 

Anyway, Kevin is inspired by that and with help from everyone gets the word out about the film. As you’d expect though this can’t end well, as Wally tries avoiding the premire entirely (And we get a great bit where Jim happens to see him trying to flee down the fire escape and Wally’s expression is priceless) 

Huh.. I bet that’s what Rob Reiner when North had it’s premire. As you can probably guess the showing dosen’t go well: The film itself is a hilarious combination of the day the earth stood still (the general plot as we’ll find out more in a second) and Plan 9 From Outer Space (A cheestatic no budget film with a hulking man brute who can’t act as the lead), and in catching the feel of a b-movie it’s utterly perfectly done. This film would go perfect on MST3K and the audience’s howls of laughter agrees with me. 

Wally however is utterly humiliated and doesn’t want to speak to Kevin which.. yeah is about the only issue I have with an otherwise marvelous episode. While I get Wally’s humiliation was Kevin’s fault.. Kevin GENUINELY meant well. While Kevin is book smart at his core he’s a dumb kid who didn’t know any better and didn’t realize Wally hated his film and it’s Wally’s own damn fault for not telling him.  Sure Kevin should’ve picked up the hint, but given the kid is oblivious and didn’t even know what an x raiting is it’s clear he’s not the sharpest crayon in the box when it comes to life experince. Wally had every opportunity to just explain his story but didn’t. And I put most of the blame on Wally when he’s you know, the adult. He’s a 60 or so year old man. He should know better. But it really doesn’t take away from the episode entirely.  But the loftmates clearly love the film and are quoting bits from it, with jim having a fishbowl on his head, when they run into Wally, though Wally is fine with them admitting it’s crap and he knows it is. We then get what REALLY makes the episode and really makes me primed for a spinoff: Wally and Gus’ backstory, which also makes it obvious the crew was probably going to use the two more had the series got another season. 

Anyways it was the 50′s, Archie Andrews was an average teen and not shredded both in muscle and by a bear that one time, Fonzie was out and about and eyying, and Wally was a first unit director given a shot as the studio asked him for a script having utter faith in him. HIs script was a day the earth stood still esque parable on the Cold War.. until he met Gus who, naturally for Gus, was outrunning a ton of police having stumbled on set and likely defeated them all bare handed because Gus is as incredible as the hulk and likely also comes back through a glowing green door when he dies.  So Wally made the tragic mistake of mixing his love life with his career, and lost both Kurt Douglas, who he bumped down from lead for Gus, and Charleton Hesston who just walked off and they got a dinkier stage and worse actors as a result. The resulting film ended Wally’s career but he was able to sell the rights to cinemas to make enough for them to start over in mission hill and buy the diner.. and at least they had each other. It’s a really great story that explains why it upsets Wally so much: This was his baby and while he dosen’t even for one second regret meeting gus or the life they’ve had, he regrets that his one film was a total trainwreck and goes off to the theater to mope as he plays his film for laughing crowds, as it was naturally held over. I mean when you get the next plan 9 from outer space, this was a bit before the room mind you, you hold onto that shit. 

Kevin, who heard the whole thing, goes to mope by watching what is likely a MIcheal Bay film, who was a target even then folks. Oh you poor poor fools you knew not how much worse it could get... i.e. robot testicles. Just.. robot testicles. And their MAKING A DELUXE MOVIE DEVISTATOR. Why. Just.. why who wanted this after that scene. He’s sworn off good movies as he feels he no longer deserves them. Andy however bluntly tells him to cut the pity party, while he’s moping his friend really needs him and when you love somebody, you put your pants on for them. When you love somebody you see it to the end, when you love somebody the conclusions forgone when you love somebody you put your big boy pants right onnnnn! ... I’ll put the song at the end. Point is Kevin goes to help his friend, and as Wally is moping in the projection booth and wonders what he was thinking Kevin tells him the obvious truth: He was thinking of how far he’d go.  “You taught me the best films are personal stories.. and this film is your valentine to Gus” While Wally starts to break a little, he does point out it doesn’t make it good.. but Kevin rightly counters that he’s not so sure of it. Wally sees the audience enjoying the film and goes down, with all of them carrying red light bulbs like the one gus has to show when he’s mad in the film. And Wally finally realizes waht I got to in the beginning: It doesn’t matter if a film’s good or bad, what matters is someone enjoys it. A film can be utterly terrible, and still be good. It can be a mess and still have merit. And Wally finally realizes it doesn’t matter if it’s the film he wanted, it’s the film he made for his future husband, it’s a film that brings laughter and sticks in people’s heads and really  brings them a godo time. It’s a film worth remembering and Wally finally accepts that and his film as his own.  Later that night Kevin and Wally exit the theater, with Wally no longer mad at him and the two still friends or as Wally puts it in the second best line of the episode “As close as an elderly gay man and a straight boy can be” Awwww. The two depart and we get a touching final scene as Wally comes home and finds a bottle of wine and a note from gus saying he has a suprise for him> Turns out Gus put on his old space helmet.. but fell asleep in it. So we get a really nice tender moment as Gus takes the  helmet off, smooches his husband on his bald head and smiles brightly as the episode ends.

Final Thoughts on The Man From Pluto or I Married a Gay Man From Outer Space: Before you ask each episode had two titles for funzies, the first one to get past the censors and the second for fun and likely what they would’ve gone with if they could. As for this episode.. it’s spectacular. It holds up well even 20 years later, it’s touching, sweet and really damn funny and makes me want to rewatch the show as a whole again. I highly recommend seeking it out and hope mission hill is eventually made officially available somewhere. Till then you can find the whole series including this episode on YouTube and despite being the last one you could easily watch this one first if you want and it’s a decent enough intro to the show as a whole. I highly recommend it, an utter pleasure to watch.  If you liked this review, you can comission your own by PMing me on this very blog, just mention you want to do a comission and we can talk it out. As this review proves, it dosen’t have to be a show i’ve done before or even one that’s remotely recent. Hell i’d gladly do Fonz and The Happy Days gang, the animated happy days spinoff that’s like dr. who but with the Fonz. Yes really. Whatever you want i’ll do it as long as it’s not porn for just 5 bucks an episode and 10 for a movie. YOu can also join my patreon, and for 2 dollars a month get acess to my discord (that i’ll start once I get patreons) and once I get enough patreons exclusive polls or 10 bucks for all of that and a review of your choice each month. You can find said patreon right here. And even 1 buck a month would be apricated if you can spare it and if not simply reblog this and share it around.  You can also follow this blog for weekly ducktales, loud house and amphibia coverage as they come out.  I’d also personally thank WeirdKev27 for both being a long time fan of this blog and for the comission. 

Until we meet again say safe, wear a mask, check your atttic for Gary Busey and happy Halloween! Play us out Mr Heere!

[nxsmss]

Movies I watched in February

fyi, I have zero knowledge on how to professionally rate or review a movie. I am not gonna pay attention to every little detail. these rating are simply based on how much I enjoyed/liked the movie

Follow me

Unhinged

In Time

Avengers Age of Ultron

Songbird

Star Trek

Step up all in

Project Almanac

Ant Man

Space Sweepers

Christiane F.

Jurassic World

Jurassic World the fallen kingdom

1. follow me

A social media personality travels with his friends to Moskow to capture new content for his successful vlog. Always pushing the limits and catering to a growing audience, they enter a cold world of mystery, excess, and danger. 

starring: Keegan Allen, Holland Roden, Denzel Whitaker, Ronen Rubenstein, Pasha D. Lchnikoff

the end was very predictable and i pretty much already knew halfway through the movie what was gonna happen. but it still was quite thrilling and I did enjoy watching it

6.5/10

2. unhinged

After a confrontation with an unstable man at an intersection, a woman becomes becomes the target of his rage. 

starring: Russel Crowe, Caren Pistorius, Gabriel Batemen

hm idk, I didn’t really like it, my sister didn’t really like it but my mom did, I think. it just seemed so, no overdramatic but just too much in a way

3/10

3. in time

In a future where people stop aging after 25 and need to buy time to live, the rich become immortal while others cease to exist. So, Will is on the run with a hostage in a desperate bid to survive. 

starring: Justin Timberlake, Amanda Seyfried, Cillian Murphy, Olivia Wilde, Alex Pettyfer

yes, such a good movie. Ireally like the concept. can recommend

7/10

4. avengers age of ultron

When Tony Stark and Bruce Banner try to jump-start a dormant peacekeeping program called Ultron, things go horribly wrong and it’s up to Earth’s mightiest heroes to stop the villanious Ultron from enacting his terrible plan. 

starring: Robert Downy Jr., Chris Evans, Mark Ruffalo, Chris Hemsworth, Scarlett Johanson, Jeremy Renner, Elizabeth Olsen, Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Paul Bettany

hell yes, one of my favourite marvel movies. Wanda and Pietro.. Hawkeye.. all the little jokes throughout the entire movie and of course the scene where everyone tries to lift thor’s hammer, what’s not to love about this movie

10/10

5. songbird

In 2024 a pandemic ravages the world and it’s cities. Centering a handful of people as they naviagete the obstacles currently hindering society: disease, marital law, quarantine, and vigilantes. 

starring: K.J. Apa, Sofia Carson, Demi Moore, Bradley Whitford, Peter Stromare, Alexandra Daddario, Craig Robinson

I really enjoyed watching this. yeah sure, the ending was obvious but I was still glued to the screen. I also felt super weird watching this, kinda surreal because we are basically living a more harmless version of this rn. I really liked seeing sofia carson in such a movie, I’ve only seen her in the descendants so this was a bit of a change haha. I’m not that big of a fan of kj but he was great as well and i really loved his characters style.

7/10

6. star trek

The brash James T. Kirk tries to live up to his father’s legacy with Mr. Spock keeping him in check as a vengeful Romulan from the future creates black holes to destroy the Federation one planet at a time. 

starring: Chris Pine, Zachary Quinto, Leonard Nimoy, Carl Urban, Eric Bana, Bruce Greenwood, Zoe Zaldana, Simon Pegg, John Cho, Anton Yelchin

I put it on because I wanted to have some background noise while playing sims but I ended up playing like 20 minutes and then just watching the movie haha I forgot how good it was, and the others as well, aaand I totally forgot carl urban was in it, so that was a little surprise. anyways, can recommend watching them if you’re into sci-fi action movies but at the same time, if you’re into that I’m pretty sure you’ve already watched them.

7.5/10

bonus: I also watched star trek beyond the other day but this time I was barely paying attention so I can't really say too much, but it's also quite good👍🏻

7. step up all in

All-stars from the previous Step up installments come together in glittering Las Vegas, battling for a victory that could define their dreams and their careers.

starring: Ryan Guzman, Briana Evigan, Adam Sevani, Misha Gabriel Hamilton, Sephen Stevo Jones, David Schreibman, Mari Koda, Alyson Stoner, Izabella Miko

definetly one of my favourite dance movies. highly recommend it!! I’d like it more without the romancde but it’s fine, I guess, I can live with it haha and the last performance... wow just wow that’s all I can say to that. y’all go watch it

9/10

8. project almanac

A group of teens discover secret plans of a time machine, and construct one. However, things start to get out of control.

starring: Jonny Weston, Sofia Black-D’Elia, Sam Lerner, Allen Evangelista, Virginia Gardner

okay... I did enjoy watching it! the beginning was a little slow imo but then it just got more and more intense which was kinda nice. god, at some point the main guy kept making the wrong decisions and that was very frustrating to watch. the ending was alright, spoiler ahead (I guess) I would have liked the ending more if it was the exact same as the beginning, meaning that the movie is just one big time loop and the events from the movie were about to repeat themselves. but that's just my opinion🤷🏻‍♀️

6.5/10

9. ant man

Armed with a super-suit with the astonishing ability to shrink in scale but increase in strength, cat burglar Scott Lang must embrace his inner hero and help his Mentor Dr. Pym, plan and pull off a heist that will save the world.

starring: Paul Rudd, Michael Douglas, Evangeline Lilly, Corey Stoll, Michael Pena, Bobby Cannavale, David Dastmalchian, T.I.

another one of my favorite mcu movies. it's just fun and easy and doesn't have a lot of pain in it. the giant ant it's my favorite part haha I want it as a pet

9/10

10. space sweepers

Set in the year 2092 and follows the crew of a space junk collector ship called The Victory. When they discover a humanoid robot named Dorothy that's known to be a weapon of mass destruction, they get involved in a risky business deal.

starring: Song Joong-Kim, Kim Tae-ri, Seon-kyu Jin, Hyang-gi Kim, Richard Armitage, Ye-Rin Park

I really loved this movie. I cried like 6 times haha, which came unexpected. (or maybe it's because I'm suppose to get my period any day now) I did not think I was going to enjoy this movie as much as I did, at all. it was fun, it was exciting, it was sad (even my dad said that) the plot was good, the visual effects were amazing, it did feel like I was watching this movie for like 5 hours but not in a bad way and I am now kinda emotionally attached to the characters haha (I might do a rewatch). another thing I really liked was the language/synchronization. in the original version they speak mostly korean and english but also some other languages and it's the same in the synchronizations. the dialogue of the main characters is in the language you pick but every other character (I guess) is a different language and I absolutely love that. I highly recommend watching this!!

also, its was super weird seeing Richard Armitage not as a dwarf hahaha

10/10

11. christiane f.

A teen girl in 1970's Berlin becomes addicted to heroin. Everything in her life slowly begins to distort and disappear as she befriends a small crew of junkies and falls in love with a drug-abusing male prostitute.

starring: Natja Brunckhorst, Thomas Haustein, Jens Kuphal, Christiane Reichelt

I binged the series the other day and after the last episode this movie was in the "watch next" thingy idk and I thought "well, why not" and watched it. good movie, definitely!! I really liked that they didn't show the highs of doing heroin but focused on the negative effects it has on someone and what it's doing to your body. it is a super realistic but very very dark movie. the actors were all about 15/16 years old and looked very young which was a good and kinda disturbing thing because christiane and her friend were like 13/14 when that all happened and it made you realise that there were kids doing all that stuff

9/10

12. jurrasic world

A new theme park, built on the original site of Jurassic Park, creates a genetically modified hybrid dinosaur, the Indominus Rex, which escapes containment and goes on a killing spree.

starring: Chris Pratt, Bryce Dallas Howard, Ty simpkins, Nick Robinson, Irrfan Khan, Vincent D'Onofrio

13. jurassic world fallen kingdom

When the island's dormant volcano begins roaring to life, Owen and Claire mount a campaign to rescue the remaining dinosaurs from this extinction-level event.

starring: Chris Pratt, Bryce Dallas Howard, Rafe Spall, Justice Smith, Daniella Pineda, Isabella Sermon

I am tired and don't really want to say all that much other than both of them are very good and I do like them. good action/adventure movies. can definitely recommend them. I definitely like the first one more because it feels like (just a little bit) that the main story in the second one is the same as in the first one, someone creates a new dinosaur species to make more money and something goes terribly wrong along the way. but it's still entertaining!

jurassic wolrd: 7.5/10

jurassic world fallen kingdom: 7/10

[dominique-myles]

Degrassi season 12 part 2 20-40

The back half of season 12 is in the books, literally just finished. We said goodbye to cam(previous post on this). We also see Owen, Mo, Jake, Katie, Eli, Fiona, Marisol and Bianca graduate. We starts things off with a bang Becky and Adam. I was right about Becky she does get sent to conversion camp but it doesn’t stick. Her and Adam end up together and are together by the end of the season. She has a bit growth there. We still haven’t gotten a Luke based episode but I don’t trust him. We get to see how Cams death affects Zig, Maya and Eli. Zig doesn’t take it well that he might have pushed cam over the edge and has to work through that. Eli has nightmares and does drugs to cope. This leads to the end of Eli and Clare, to be fair they end up together at the end of the season. Maya well she take it hard. She kinda lashes out thinking that she’s over Cam only for her realize that she isn’t and has to work on figuring out how to heal and grieve. As always I love me some Dallas and he and Ali are kinda connected a lot more this half. Turns out he has a kid so that will be interesting. Tristan suffers with extreme weight loss problems I would even go so far as to say it kinda becomes a form of Eating disorder (ED) it’s nice to see boys been depicted with ED. Degrassi was known to push the limits, I mean they also explored the idea of boys with ED with a storyline back in season 2 with Toby. Even stlll it’s nice to see this depiction on screen. Drew and Biance rush into a Vegas wedding but it doesn’t work out. The wedding, as of the end of the season they are going strong. Katie, Mo, Jake and Marisol pretty much spend the entire season joined at the hip. Except Katie almost cheats on Jake in Vegas and that end that. They make up as friends by the end of season. Honestly I love Jake, he’s like this big stoner who is amazing. Conner and Jenna, I like them but have no idea what to think. Drew goes back to school. This leaves Fiona in a situation and she gets robbed. Imogen and Fiona break up by the end of season because they want different things in life. Clare is left on a cliffhanger she might have cancer. They did the thing that I Kinda hate where they ended on Clare and Eli. They did that at the end of season 11 the carnival. In the mid of season 12 with the play and now at the end of the season 12 with them kissing at grad. Only spoilers I know going forward Adam dead (😭😖😭) no clue when, how, why, where, drew and Biance don’t make it. I’m hoping no more spoilers. All in all solid back half B. All in all season 12 as a whole was a B. 

[dreamworxbotanicals]

https://www.instagram.com/dreamworxbotanicals/ Insomnia tincture DreamWoRx Botanicals Oklahoma Tinctures CBD Flower THC Gummies Capsules Full Broad Spectrum #cbd #cannabis #thc #cannabiscommunity #hemp #cbdoil #420 #weed #marijuana #cannabisculture #sativa #hightimes #indica #medicalmarijuana #dabs #weedporn #vape #710 #maryjane #stoner #highlife #mmj #kush #wellness #hempoil #weedstagram #highsociety #health #love #dank  #tulsa #oklahoma #tulsaoklahoma #okc #tulsaok #music #losangeles #texas #travel #brokenarrow #miami #california #tulsaphotographer #oklahomacity #newyork #instagood #love #chile #art #usa #918 #photography #dallas #radio #latinos #venezuela #radioonline #panama #chicago #medellin https://dreamworxbotanicals.com/cbd-oil-business-tulsa-where-can-you-find-it-what-does-the-law-say/ CBD Oil Business Tulsa: Where Can You Find It, What Does The Law Say? CBD Oil in Tulsa, Oklahoma: Where to Buy & Updated News in 2020 If you are looking for CBD oil business Tulsa, you most probably came across DreamWorx Botanicals. The company specializes in CBD oil as well as other CBD products such as edibles and capsules. Since the start of the CBD products market, there was clear evidence that customers were feeling that such products could help them in a myriad of ways. From pain relief to anxiety and stress relief, CBD products have become a key part of many people’s lives.   While the CBD product range is diversified, there is a general consensus among most customers and CBD manufacturers that CBD oils remain the most popular option. CBD oils can be used in different ways. Some of the most popular methods include vaping the oil, swallowing and ingesting it, rubbing it onto the skin, or applying it underneath your tongue. CBD oil is thus convenient and able to suit different people’s preferences and needs. CBD Oil Business Tulsa Where Can You Find It, What Does The Law Say CBD Oil Business Tulsa Where Can You Find It, What Does The Law Say Medical Marijuana Laws in Oklahoma The DreamWorx Botanicals CBD oil business Tulsa is made from an all-natural plant-based formula. The hemp plants that are used for the production of the CBD oils by DreamWorx Botanicals are locally cultivated in Oklahoma. The extraction and production processes are also carried out in the high tech facility, also situated in Oklahoma. This guarantees rigorous quality checks from start to finish. And this is in fact what makes the CBD oil business Tulsa by DreamWorx Botanicals so successful. The CBD oils and all the other CBD products in the range are of superior quality. They are non-GMO as well as pesticide and fertilizer free. Since the ingredient composition is all-natural, it helps to make customers experience the best product experience, and also avoid side effects or any problems. If you are considering setting up your own CBD oil business Tulsa, DreamWorx Botanicals can assist you with the products as well as private labels, branding, and continued support throughout. For more information feel free to get in touch. Please Follow Us: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dreamworxbotanicals/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC7P3IIkxEGCrXspwRlvXt8g/videos Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/dreamworx-botanicals/ Do you want to learn more about the Best CBD Suppliers Tulsa? Moreover, would you like to schedule a meeting with us? Schedule Here! https://calendly.com/supremekevin Lastly, please include your phone number if you would like a callback.

[caricatlc]

BASICS –

full name: alice marisol romero

nicknames: none

birthdate: 4 august 2025

birthplace: plattsburgh, new york

ethnicity: columbian, cuban, and caucasian

nationality: american, english 

languages: english, spanish

accent: slight bronx accent

APPEARANCE –

hair color & style: dark brown, usually kept waist-length and wavy, with green tips after breaking up with nigel

eye color: dark brown

height: five feet five inches

build: thicc. muscular but also hyper-feminine

skin tone: olive skin that rarely burns and tans well

personal style: 

grunge lite. alice prefers to be comfortable above all else, so soft fabrics and denim are her go-tos. when she dates nigel she adopts a more instagram ho aesthetic to match his, but her heart isn’t really into bodycon dresses if she cant accessorize them with doc martens and a flannel. 

distinguishing marks: expressive face

tattoos: ‘esforzada’ on back of neck ( x ), ivy on left wrist ( x )

piercings: two piercings in both lobes, helix piercing in left ear, daith and industrial in right ear, belly button

FAMILY –

parents: noah romero and lia villace

parental relationships:

while seth is more gregarious, alice is a quiet reflection of noah. as a result, their relationship deals largely in companionable silence. he’s not one to gossip with but always good help for moral quandaries. he’s also more likely to catch alice in the middle of doing something wrong,  but mostly just offers gentle advice and hopes for the best. alice really hates to disappoint her father.

lia is a fun parent. alice almost always has fun with her mother, even if the interaction ends on a sour note. she can run a lot of day-to-day thoughts past her mother-- lia is kept mostly in the loop about the goings on in her daughter’s life. however, some compulsion leads alice to remain silent about her love life as it seems like it would be much easier to let her mother believe that everything is going fine.

siblings: rex, seth, and michael romero

sibling relationships:

when rex came into their lives, alice understood the difference between her twin and an actually older brother immediately. she enjoys spending time with rex, and ever since she was young she was always content to tag along with her ‘fun’ brother.

what can alice say about seth? they know each other better than anyone else, and speak almost exclusively in snark. but opposites don’t always attract, and their very big, drastically different personalities clash and erupt frequently. when times are good, though, they’re each other’s biggest hype-man as they snap another selfie.

michael is a strange one, but alice will always hold a tenderness for her little brother. she’s helped house dozens of wild animals and filmed a vine or two in her time. while she’s not keen on him bringing insects into the house it’d certainly be difficult for her to turn him down for anything.

birth order: only girl, younger twin, middle child

status in family:

alice likes to think that she’s practically invisible in her family. she’s not as rebellious as rex, or as obnoxious as seth, or as rambunctious as michael. but alice is a quiet ride-along for almost everyone in her family-- she really holds good relationships with everyone in the house. for the most part, it really seems like her parents and brother just want the best for her.

distant relations: bash romero, second cousin

pets:

wells and bilbo, the dogs, are always happy to see her, but she’s also conditioned them to remain quiet if they want a treat from her nightly comings and goings. felix, the cat, is a good companion on a gloomy day, with alice finding comfort in his rumbling, sleepy purr.

FRIENDS –

close friends:

alice has known ellie albright since birth. or even before that since ellie’s parents attended the same birthing classes as alice’s. the albrights returned to italy for a few years shortly after ellie’s birth but the two girls were paired up again before they could even tie their shoes. they’ve been best friends ever since. ellie brightens alice up to draw out a softer side than alice rarely presents alone. alice makes ellie more assertive, unafraid to stand up for her friend if she thinks ellie needs help.

it took rumi thatcher a bit longer to enter the picture, but she’s not going anywhere. rumi’s dead-pan sense of humor endeared her to alice immediately after she moved into town in the forth grade. ever the calm logician, rumi finds great amusement in tempering alice’s hot temper. they share a mutual love of nature that often leads them to dreamy afternoons surrounded by beautiful woods.

technically considered a cousin through brotherly love, dallas hong is probably the only boy that alice can completely get along with. he’s certainly the easiest to get along with out of her brother’s crew, with his laidback guy’s guy charm. while she’s annoyed at how tall he’s gotten as they age, she knows that his easygoing personality won’t ever change on her.

tensions:

adam hudson has been seth’s best friend for years, but his and alice’s interactions have always been tentative. he has a way of confronting her with the truth when she’s least likely to accept it. their relationship is hard to define, atleast on alice’s part.

alice and dapne newcomb used to be friends, much to the chagrin of ellie and rumi. the brash blonde wasn’t  always a good influence, and they tended to clash over their many differences in opinion. it wasn’t until alice supposedly ‘stole’ nigel chadwick-wembley from daphne that their relationship fractured completely. daphne is the root cause for much of the suffering alice experienced in high school, so she’s not at all keen to rekindle the friendship.

if there’s one person that alice could do without ever seeing again, it’s nigel chadwick-wembley. he was her first real boyfriend, but the supposed fairytale beginning led to nothing but trouble, even if alice did her best to keep anyone from finding out about the more controlling aspects of his personality. they were on-again off-again for so long, but alice finally broke it off for good and never looked back.

there’s nothing wrong with ruby robbins-- in fact, she’s perfect. alice has always felt like she was competing with the other girl, even if that’s hardly true. they share similar interests but ruby’s easygoing demeanor makes everything seem so effortless in a way that alice can’t help but envy. she does consider ruby a friend, though, and would do anything for her if she asked.

crushes:

so much of the tension in alice’s relationship with adam hudson stems entirely from their mutual attraction. when they were much younger she was aware of it but content to ignore it, but as they’ve grown older things have changed. alice finds herself at odds with his ill-suited girlfriend and with him over it. ever since she kissed him on christmas, the muddled emotions there have only gotten worse.

the first boy that ever had alice truly starstruck was leo robbins. the definition of a cool, older boy, leo’s appeal quickly passed but she remained impressed by his sense of style and teenage rebellion. in fact, alice was quick to take up his mantle selling weed to a few of their acquaintances when leo decided to move on from the business. 

as a friend:

alice is a friend like batman-- she’ll come if you send out the signal. anytime anywhere, alice will be by your side if you’d let her. she’s fiercely protective of them and will want to help them achieve their goals no matter how trivial. she can be too blunt at times, which tends to rub people the wrong way if it’s not quite what they want or expect to hear. but she’ll have your back until the end, without saying ‘i told you so’ to anyone but seth.

PERSONALITY –

positive traits: enterprising, candid, empathetic 

neutral traits: self-sufficient, meticulous, noncommittal

negative traits: volatile, withdrawn, self-involved

astrology sign: leo sun / gemini moon, the confidence man ( x )

mbti: istp-t, the virtuoso

theme songs: i’m not okay (i promise) by my chemical romance / agnes by glass animals

aesthetic:

dyeing your hair in the bathroom, guitar calluses, jumping off the porch roof, lilac bushes, the solitary silence of 4 am, soil between your fingers and toes

LIFESTYLE –

partying habits:

a stoner to the max, alice deals quite literally in weed, inheriting a small client base from leo robbins. when she first started dating nigel, alice found she didn’t mind the party scene. there’s always fun to be had, and she can handle her alcohol. she’s also not necessarily opposed to experimenting at parties-- if there’s a good time to be had, alice will try a sporadic drug or two without feeling particularly inclined to do these things later on her own.  

smoking habits:

directly inherited from her father, alice took up smoking as an act of teenage rebellion and favors menthol cigarettes. she finds it calming to smoke late at night when no one is around, or whenever she is overwhelmed by the situation at hand. finds it to be a handy tool to escape social situations if things aren’t going well.

eating habits:

growing up in a four-child household has definitely made alice a bit food aggressive. she eats when the opportunity presents itself but doesn’t pig out very often. snacks usually seem like a good idea, and alice is content to bring healthy options when she can. late-night meals are a staple in her diet. salty-sweet combinations are her usual favorite.

excercise habits:

alice has been practicing aikido and tae kwon do since she was young, and as a result has adopted a fair amount of exercise and weight training into her daily routine. mostly she just works to maintain equilibrium and not lose any muscle mass or physical ability, but if she’s feeling particularly stressed or upset she’ll throw herself into her workouts.

work ethic:

it’s alice’s belief that she can work hard and play hard, so long as she meets the deadlines set out for her. she’s got decent time management skills and works best with a loose schedule where she can make the decisions about what to do, when. when it comes to school work, alice is content to maintain her good grades in order to fly under the radar with her parents. 

sleeping habits:

when alice feels tired she can fall asleep anywhere, but her penchant for the peace of nighttime usually finds her awake well into the early mornings. she is a deep sleeper, but an agreeable one. sharing a bed with her is not a bad experience as she’ll typically move wherever she is prodded without much fuss. she usually prefers to sleep with a loose comforter and top sheet and will cocoon inside. waking up outside of her typical routine can be a challenge, but once alice wakes up she is awake for good.

ideal living space:

alice’s bedroom at home is well-lit and cozy, with an abundance of houseplants in any available spot of sunlight. her walls are filled with things she likes looking at: posters of her favorite bands, watercolor prints she and ellie made, and endless photos of herself and her friends. she usually takes time once a week to clean up, as she has a tendency to drop clothes or books wherever they lay as she moves onto something else.

quirks:

despite being a fan of all things spooky, jump scares always get her good. she’s usually the middle person in the haunted house group, and subsequently is always getting picked on. she will let you borrow anything she owns, but it’s of utmost importance that you ask first.

INTERESTS –

hobbies:

alice has been playing guitar and practicing martial arts since she was very small. her love for plants wasn’t fostered until later in life, but she prides herself on rehabilitating various wilted houseplants she happens upon. she loves a good smoke session and will make a whole event out of some rolling papers and a gram of fresh weed. she’s usually a pretty willing participant in any photoshoots that ellie cooks up.

best school subject:

science has always been a passion of alice’s. she’s a stem student through and through, excelling in maths and sciences from a very young age. through high school she took college level chemistry and biology courses.

worst school subject:

history always presented its challenges, but as alice grew older and her inability to learn much hands on coupled with the fact that most schooling was a little on the white supremacist side of the situation, alice tended to skip these classes as much as possible or spend as long as she could backtalking a teacher just trying to stick to curriculum. 

opinion of education:

alice doesn’t mind school itself-- college classes are perfectly designed to give alice all the free space she needed in a high school curriculum. but her not-so-stellar experience with the allegedly popular social scene made her more than ready to finally be free of high school.

career aspirations / achievements:

a perfect overlap of her loves of science and nature, alice dreams of becoming a bioengineer. she’s well on her way to it, quickly showing aptitude for higher-level stem courses from an early age.

favorite things:

her guitar, family breakfasts, american beauty, ellie & rumi, pop punk music, hand-rolled joints, ghost adventures,  her freshly-made bed, chocolate covered pretzels, restarting the bell jar,  when plants grow new leaves, her led zeppelin shirt ( x ), god of high school

boredom cure:

driving then walking, or just walking, as far as you can in silence, discovering a beautiful spot to watch the sun set, or rise, depending on when the urge strikes.

[lindners]

with great excitement and not so much honor i introduce you my newest character n o r a   l i n d n e r — history geek & puts up walls around her high enough that even genghis khan cannot fight. okay but serious business — hello there ! my name’s dallas ( i play adala + alvaro ) & i am eighteen, and am from the netherlands. i love dogs, i love football, i love watermelon and i love any roleplay shenanigans. send me pictures of your pets ?1!? if you’d like to plot, talk, send me pictures of your pets, you could either like this post or message me at any time. it’s free, it’s a good offer js.

so, after long preperation of making gifs for her and finding the perfect fc over the span of like three days, i am finally ready to introduce nora to y’all. her name is nora alexandra lindner, she’s nineteen and a freshman at bernard studying history and philosophy.

she’s originally from washington, one of the smaller towns near seattle. she grew up within a high class society, with both of her parents coming from old money and having connected in a marriage that only secured their position is this layer of society. she used to go to private schools in both primary and secondary school, living in this determined societal bubble. ever since she was young, she grew up in this quite big, old mansion that was originally her grandparents’ place. ever since she was only three or four years old, she would explore the endless rooms, the attic, the hidden doors all throughout the house. perhaps in a quest to fight her curiosity. the place also had a gigantic library with bunches of old books and ever since the moment she could read it was where she spent most of her time, reading as she sat in the windowsill.

her mother passed away when she was five years old, an event that had a major impact on her life although she claims to never have once shed a tear. she dealt with the loss in her own way, which was mostly to reminisce her fondest memories and perhaps honor her mother more than grief her. even around her family, it wasn’t considered proper to show your emotion in excessive ways as crying or screaming. she dealt with it internally more than anything.

ever since then it was nora, together with her older sibling and her father, together in this big estate, however the family always had the tendency of being fairly mysterious, quiet, secretive. the loss of her mother merely increased this feeling, making the family feel more broken up despite their unconditional love for each other — there just had been a sense of distance between nora and her father especially. her older sibling was hard to connect with when she was younger, due to the gigantic age difference between the both of them. the true distance was formed however, by the closer bond that her sibling and father seemed to have. for some reason there were all these suspicious meeting in the living room late at night that she would notice when she sat on the stairs because she couldn’t sleep, and for some reason it never connected in her mind why it was going on, until ... drum rolls, her secret got revealed to her.

her dad especially always carried this air of mystery around him. being a college professor in english, he was very career oriented in the first place, however the doors to his office were closed far too often to be casual. he used to have these meetings with his friends, fairly late at night behind closed doors and the mere things that nora would notice as she tried to listened to the muffled sounds behind the door, would be the smoke of the cigars and their hushed voices. it always had some kind of dark feeling in nora’s mind, never knowing about what took place behind those doors. her dad and his friends were this group a la dead poets society,  with their similar interests. they grew up together, her dad being one of those people spreading self proclaimed revolutionary poetry in banksy style by writing it on the walls in the bathroom stalls or leaving messages in everyone’s lockers. it was something they got into trouble for back in the day, but perhaps this part of her dad is mirrored within nora herself, seeing how she likes to think about big questions left unanswered. perhaps not with the same skepticism or revolutionary thought as her dad, but with a hint of curiosity and interest. but in the end, nora was always obsessed with the idea of what was going on.

nora herself could be perfectly described as an old soul in a young body. ever since the moment she could think straight for herself, she started to think and she never stopped thinking. she asked endless questions, even if they don’t require an answer just because she likes the philosophical thought. the meaning of life was probably a concept she understood by the age of four, i would not be surprised.

notorious for her calm interior and exterior. in some ways, nora carries this calm atmosphere with her, some kind of relaxing way of living life to the fullest. even besides her intense trains of thoughts. she is the kind of person who lives by don’t worry, be happy and whose main goal in life is to pursue her dreams and seek fulfillment. not to be successful, to outdo her parents, to become a doctor or whatever else.

this calm of hers might also come from the weed though. she’s a stoner, often to be found late at night on a park bench face up looking up at the night sky as she wonders about the future of the world. she simply enjoys the rush it gives her, the boost it gives her thinking and the way it makes her feel slightly alive.

a gigantic history geek — from when she was incredibly young it was mostly informative history books that she found in her grandparents’ library, and it is exactly where she found her passion for the subject. she is interested in puzzling together the theories, the what ifs, trying to predict the future by looking back at what happened years ago. probably makes too many history jokes, spams you with history memes.

she is a talkative person, who knows how to keep a conversation going. but despite her talking a lot, she never truly says anything. it all comes down to the same — they speak about anything, but not themselves. she’s fairly closed off, building her walls high not for a particular reason but because she tends to like breathing this air of mystery. keeping people guessing about what will be coming next, she gets off on the thought of being an enigma.

she is known to be considered apathetic, however. she deals with emotion but in a way that is far less intense than any normal person would. it nearly looks like it doesn’t phase her, like it does not do her anything. but dealing with both excitement and pain with a kind of restraint was always how she was raised, and still how she expresses herself. because she doesn’t. her lack of expressive emotions nearly makes her feel scary. perhaps because the line between right and wrong is more blurry in her eyes, or because she is able to look at these happenings from a bit of a distance, and it only causes them to be able to experience it less intensely.

her aesthetic i see as this schoolgirl like vibe, with her plaid skirts, the sweaters, stockings and black boots. carrying around a backpack at all times. smoke between her fingers, books pressed between her arm and her chest. breakfast for dinner. soft rock and alternative music. has this truly soft and pretty singing voice that she rarely lets anyone hear. looks incredibly put together, but is a mess. does not know what she wants to do with her life. shrugs a lot.

I DONT HAVE A CONNECTIONS PAGE UP ! because i’m absolute trash. but what i would love to see is a childhood friend, perhaps something like a roommate, enemies, study buddies or someone she tutors, someone who has a bad ( making her more wild or reckless ) or very good ( letting her open up ) influence on her & someone she has a good and calming influence on, or who she drags into her addiction. confidants, because she’s a good listener even though she barely talks about herself. former flings, perhaps a former friends with benefits on bad terms. current flings even.

[petty-crush]

An open letter/retort to the “honest trailer” for “Alien Covenant”

Of course people can disagree and of course this is a sarcastic video. But since this contains a lot of knee jerk, being negative for views comments, (and because people may get fooled by just watching this video)I think this is a good place to dissect frogs.

My bias; I think “Covenant” is a truly great film. Spectacular in ideas, behaviors, visuals, and pure fun. I loved it. I am clearly willing to die on a hill for it

The main gap is that it’s really a different series, under the mask of the “Alien” series. It actually veers closer to the 1932 film “Island of lost Souls”. Ship of survivors representing normal veer into uncharted territory; a mad scientist bending the rules of biology encounters and clashes with them; the monsters he creates go to war with the ship. And in this film evil wins.

It also contains genuinely great performance(s) from Fassbender, grand sketches of gods wrecking the cosmos, humanity abandoning its children to go after unanswerable questions, and more that harken back to Mary Shelley’s “Frankenstein” sandbox of sci fi.

To me, this film is all about David. The humans are cannon fodder for them. Which justifies their characterization. Also, he’s clearly a stand in for Ridley Scott and the work + wonder of being an artist, film director in particular.

I love this. I can see others liking it less, but is beautifully realized, staged, and executed.

So what are people looking for? Well…

[quotes around their words, mine by themselves]

“From Ridley Scott, one of the best directors… And one of the worst”

-first off, I think an artist is judged by their best work, not overall average

Scott can be quite varied. I personally favor going to cosmos than staying in your lane. Sometimes that make mistakes, but interesting ones.

Make no mistake though: “The Counselor” is a first rate film, acidic in the extreme, but so totally gonzo that it makes you breathe a different air. It’s the kissing cousin to “Covenant”, and both show a director willing to try new ideas and tones, and pulls it off spectacularly. Both have no interest in making the viewer feel good or flatter them, which definitely pushes some people away

“There are now more bad alien films than good ones”

-first off, where is “Prometheus”? Isn’t it an alien film? If not, and “covenant” is clearly a sequel to it, then maybe this film should be judged apart from the Ripley saga.

-I have wondered at times if calling it “Prometheus: Covenant” would have cut down on the confusion

-“Alien 3” is a spectacular film. It fully commits to the idea of Ripley having courage and purpose to her life as she knows she will die. It is completely different to “Aliens”(which may have been its problem concerning reception,as we will see) and “Alien”, it forms a perfect trilogy. Fincher may hate how fucked he got by the system, but it is a beautiful and wonderful film

“Alien resurrection” less so. But it is an odd, French splatter cartoon; certainly worth watching, not at all bad.

The “vs predator” films are largely minor, and I have no qualms with considering them less successful films.

-What makes the alien series great is that with each film the xenomorph changes to be what the film needs it to be. It’s flexibility storytelling wise is impressive. The problem comes when a audience only wants one type of story done

“When Ridley Scott wanted to talk about the meaning of life, he wanked for two hours”

-“Prometheus” has nothing to do with life, and everything to do with death. The characters in the film want to know about life (particularly Shaw since she can’t give birth) but they are punished at every turn, showing the universe to be uncaring.

Disagree with that statement or not, that is the rule that “Prometheus” and “Covenant” is abiding by.

Hell the first shot of “Prometheus” is an engineer killing himself. “Covenant” starts with life and realizing how the creator will die. There is consistency in this film universe.

And it also totally vibes with “Alien”.

“Save the philosophical stuff for ‘Blade Runner’, I want a short haired girl, in a tank top, fighting a xenomorph, who kills it by sucking it into the vacuum of space”

-and now we come to the real discussion/thorn in the side; this film isn’t a damn thing like “Aliens”

One thing that makes the alien series so fascinating is how it allowed two totally different filmmakers to make their masterpiece.

Also, it’s the rare series where the sequel brought in a bigger and wider audience.

I bet money that most people really only like “Aliens”. And that’s no shame, it’s a brilliant film. It’s strengths are the set pieces, the use of xenomorph as locusts, and characters that are simple but snappy and endearing.

In comparison to “Alien” which is cold, weird and slow moving (and brilliant) “Aliens” charm is more warm and dynamic. It doesn’t ask you to wait, it asks you to hold on. It gets kids in the door with Newt, it sets up a deep chord with Ripley giving her mother like affection , and it also makes Ripley more feminine and kick ass (she was wonderfully butch and joyfully selfish in “Alien”)

Cameron said it best in his critique of “Covenant”; “ I don’t like films where you invest in a character and they get destroyed at the end.”

Some people share that opinion. Ridley Scott does not. (Nether do I)His films generally have had the protagonist go through hell and often destroyed them. I admire that in him.

But that point of view explains why “Aliens” is so successful; it makes us love the characters and be sad when their friends die. Cameron is a genius, and is warm with his characters. Scott is also a genius, and picks their wings off like a cruel child.

Every alien film post “Aliens” has had to bear that cross, of creating such lovable stock characters. “Alien 3” didn’t give a shit, and made a impressive gathering of detached male prisoners. “Resurrection” came close with goofy space pirates, but were weird as shit.

In my opinion, if “Alien” came out after “Aliens” it would have not been as warmly received, because, got damn, is it cold and weird and hurts its people. It’s suppose to. The reaction to “Prometheus” and “Covenant” shows that all too clear.

Finally, Scott clearly does not give a shit about any alien film after his. I don’t think the Prometheus saga will show the queen alien because it came after Scott and he considers it invalid.

With this in mind, I can see how people are upset. Cold, hateful, sadistic are what “Covenant” are. And I love it for that.

I love mean films with a purpose and artistic flourish. And the Prometheus saga does it so well.

If you came to “Covenant” to root for its human characters, you are fucked (and kinda an idiot). Scott is making big budget sci fi epics about the mass murder of nature and survival of artists.

You can hate that, but call a spade a spade.

“In a franchise full of unforgettable characters”

(Shows only “Aliens” characters)

What about Dallas? Ash? Clemens? Golic? Call? Elgyn? Gediman?

There exists good characters other than the second film, guys

Once again, this love for “Aliens” blinds people to everything else

“Forget the humans”

Duhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh

-but also, that slipping on blood part was (intentionally) hilarious

“Freshman philosophy class…two versions of same pretentious professor..flute”

-why do I get the feelings that the people who say stuff like this never study philosophy and just consider anything even slightest bit about talking about feelings and ideas just stoner shit, because they are the only people that talk about those subjects they let in their social circle?

I dunno, the idea about humanity killing its children for vague reasons, someone trying to better himself against cruelty and going mad himself, and finally having the courage to create something even when everyone else tells him to stand down sounds pretty universally relatable and human to me.

And even if it was pretentious, that is what art is, to subtract the distractions, and focus on what you want the world to be

-to me, David is sad Walter cannot create, like Scott is upset younger directors don’t get to make original universes and material. But David is also a fucking maniac who will stop at nothing, to whom other lives means nothing. That kind of grand vainness is perfectly at home in the world and its what art leisure to create out of whole cloth

But all of this gets in the way of watching strong men blow things away with guns, doesn’t it? (“aliens” did this to show how ineffective the marines were, not to worship them)

-the flute adds to the fantasy element, of the pied piper trying to lure others away, to their doom

Plus, it’s just fucking funny

“Snickers at 'I’ll take care of the fingering’”

See? This film is just so much fun

“I was not expecting this much flute playing”

I love it when films surprise me. I adore it when filmmakers follow their strange urges and give us scenes I never saw coming.

I love the scene of David tempting Walter with the flute.

I marveled at the scene where David drops his black plague on the engineers(who look totally different).

I looked around as David played the fucking theme to “Prometheus” on his flute. I starred at the other audience members, as if to ask “is this the real life?”

I laughed uproariously as just when you think it’s safe the xenomorph tracks the two pilots shower sexing, like it’s 1982 slasher time.

As soon as the humans delver us to David, I could see who this film was about. And really, the humans are just for showing his gentle and different Walter is.

Ridley Scott delivered a new horror classic, with a eye towards the 70’s and 30’s, but both feet in the present, with the score and design to make it work.

The first victim convulsing and back blood shooting. David acting as satan. Terror of trapped in the sick bay. The aforementioned shower scene. The cross bearing xenomorph rejects. The puppet master pulling the strings of the first post face hugger.

This is a brilliantly conceived, written, directed, and persevered treat for horror fans. I loved every second of it.

“Thrill of seeing the xenomorph move. In full daylight. Which just looks…wrong”

This is the best point of the video, though I disagree with the conclusion.

It is weird and against the vibe of the Ripley saga for the xenomorph to be a servant. But clearly these creatures are the hounds to mr burns. Satan. Evil mad dr Moreau.

It definitely gave the the film a totally new vibe. As did all the green life. But isn’t that what films are about, showing new images?

It just looks so damn different. I like different. Different and great-even better.

“Cgi Ripley?”

That would be pretty weird. But since I more or less wash my hands of any continuity, why not?

It’s probably just a spur of the moment statement. But also incredibly funny

“It asks [x] questions but leaves you wondering [y]”

Mac, the real question is, do you like to create? That’s all this film is about. The joy of creation. Of weaving something new out of something old.

Like, Ridley is literally exploiting his own creation. It’s surreal and the best.

“Compares terminator series to Alien series”

This is more apt, but in a different way.

For both series, The first film is a stand alone classic. A low key masterpiece. The second is an expansive blockbuster which really really skewed expectations for future films.

The comparison ends there though. Sigourney Weaver has way way more character to work with. Poor Schwarzenegger had so so directors to work with, while the Alien series put down the work of real filmmakers making challenging art.

I enjoy the terminator series, but it’s clear that it’s so much the work of one man (James Cameron) so no one else can make it work. But the fluidity of the xenomorph makes every single film worth watching and honestly essential.

The second film in both series cast a long shadow. But while the following films in the terminator series really don’t hold up if stand alone, the following xenomorph films all showcase a different side to hubris and death

Which is honestly the best way to approach this film. Something new, vibrant, and bizarrely personal

Respecting and knowing horror and monsters films for what they do helps too

“Me at the idea of six more alien films”

I love it. I usually get tuned out after a few films, but this Prometheus saga just works. The possibilities are endless.

Ridley Scott deserves the highest kudos for turning this series into greatness

In a certain way, “Alien” is “Halloween”, perfect in its execution and of its singularity.

Prometheus saga is Friday the 13th series. Messier, off to an odd start, but a snowball of its own delights that fosters an utterly nihilistic universe. Like Jason, David is too good for just one film, and we need those eight films of him. It may indeed prove to be the essentials space monster-mad scientist series, just like Jason is the essential slasher killer.

Is this pizza to a steak? Yes, but each have their own pure delights, and like a certain pie, it just gets better and beautifully blurrier with each dizzying bite

Long live Prometheus saga; may it rule in hell for an eternity. Just as “Covenant” does in my heart.

[whittlebaggett8]

19 celebrities who made victorious career comebacks, Defence Online

Some stars leave the spotlight and return later for victorious comebacks.

This includes actors like Winona Ryder, who was hiatus from Hollywood following drug and theft scandals, but is now known for her “Stranger Things” role.

Singers like Kesha and Shania Twain have also had career comebacks.

Visit INSIDER.com for more stories.

The careers of celebrities can be tumultuous.

Some stars leave Hollywood of their own accord, others disappear after worrying public incidents, and some fade after scandals. When that happens, returning to the spotlight isn’t always easy. Some never do. But that doesn’t mean it’s not possible.

Here are 19 celebrities who have had career comebacks.

Editor’s Note: A warning that this article contains descriptive language that could be triggering for anyone struggling with or recovering from substance abuse.

“Stranger Things” marked Winona Ryder’s comeback after a hiatus from Hollywood following drug and theft scandals.

caption

Winona Ryder attends the Screen Actors Guild Awards in 2018.

source

Emma McIntyre/Getty Images

Winona Ryder’s career was in full swing during the late ’80s and ’90s. From classics such as “Beetlejuice” and “Heathers” to “Edward Scissorhands” and “The Age of Innocence,” Ryder was keeping busy. But in 2001, the actress was arrested on charges of shoplifting and being in possession of illegal prescription drugs and her career stalled.

She spoke with Time about how a brief break from acting following the incident affected her career.

“I took some years off, and I didn’t realize that was very dangerous in terms of my career,” she said. “I was constantly being told, ‘You have to keep working so you stay relevant.’ When I was ready to come back, I was like, ‘Oh, where did everyone go?’ A lot of actors have ups and downs. I think mine were – people might see them as awful – but I learned, and I appreciated the time away.”

Now with “Stranger Things,” she’s a leading lady once more.

Robert Downey Jr. was arrested multiple times in the ’90s and did a stint in rehab, but now he’s a leading man in the Marvel Cinematic Universe.

caption

Robert Downey Jr. attends the premiere of Disney and Marvel’s “Avengers: Infinity War.”

source

Neilson Barnard/Getty Images

Robert Downey Jr.’s career took off in the ’80s, and he eventually earned an Oscar nomination for 1992’s “Chaplin.” But his successful trajectory hit a snag after a string of run-ins with the law and time in rehab.

In 1996, authorities caught him with an unloaded gun, heroine, and cocaine in his car. A few months later, he was cited for trespassing after passing out inside his neighbor’s home. He was arrested multiple times, spent time in prison, was in and out of rehab, and was written out of “Ally McBeal.” But Downey Jr. has been sober since around 2003, and his career has picked up.

He played Sherlock Holmes in two movies, he earned an Oscar nomination for “Tropic Thunder,” he’s been dominating the box office as Iron Man since 2008, and he’s showing no signs of slowing down.

After a string of worrying public incidents in 2007, Britney Spears rose again and her career is now better than ever.

caption

Honoree Britney Spears attends the 29th Annual GLAAD Media Awards in 2018.

source

Alberto E. Rodriguez/Getty Images

Britney Spears was a pop icon with five albums under her belt when her life began to spiral. Spears lost custody of her children to ex-husband Kevin Federline and was in the public eye for a string of incidents – including shaving her head in public, driving with her son on her lap, and attacking paparazzi with an umbrella. Spears was admitted to UCLA Medical Center’s psychiatric hospital in January 2008.

She was released five days later and then released her sixth album, “Circus,” later that year to positive reviews and chart-topping success. Since then, she has held a Las Vegas residency and released three more albums. She was honored with GLAAD’s Vanguard Award in 2018 for her support of the LGBTQ+ community.

Kesha overcame a restrictive record deal and legal battle to launch her comeback album, “Rainbow.”

caption

Kesha attends the 2018 Billboard Music Awards.

source

Matt Winkelmeyer/Getty Images

After five years without a new album, Kesha released “Rainbow,” her third album, in 2017 to praise and celebration. The powerful album was the result of a years-long legal battle with Dr. Luke, her producer, over allegations of sexual assault and physical and emotional abuse. She was stuck in a five-record contract and couldn’t release music outside of the label.

The legal battle has not ended, but she’s touring, performing, and making music once again.

Neil Patrick Harris broke out as a child star in “Doogie Howser, M.D.” but his career stumbled until a quick cameo in “Harold and Kumar Go to White Castle” changed perceptions and brought him into the forefront.

caption

Neil Patrick Harris attends The 77th Annual Peabody Awards Ceremony in 2018.

source

Michael Loccisano/Getty Images

Teenage Neil Patrick Harris broke out as the star of “Doogie Howser M.D.” in the early ’90s, but he couldn’t mimic the success in the years that followed.

Finally in 2004, he made a cameo as a fictionalized version of himself in the stoner comedy “Harold and Kumar Go to White Castle.” He followed that up with the role of Barney on “How I Met Your Mother,” which earned him four straight Emmy nominations, and his career has boomed.

Martha Stewart went from business mogul to prison and is now the host of a TV show with Snoop Dogg.

caption

Martha Stewart attends the 2018 Time 100 Gala.

source

Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty Images

With a successful catering company, a series of best-selling books, and a magazine, Martha Stewart was a business mogul worth millions. But all of that came crashing down when she was charged with insider trading and found guilty on all counts, including charges of obstruction of justice and conspiracy. She served five months in prison.

After she got out of prison, Stewart managed to work her way back as a popular personality and make her company profitable once again. She even has a show with Snoop Dogg, “Martha & Snoop’s Potluck Dinner Party,” on VH1.

Nicole Richie was best known for “The Simple Life” before a series of arrests dominated headlines. Now, she’s turned to acting and designing.

caption

Nicole Richie attends WE Day California in 2018.

source

Matt Winkelmeyer/Getty Images

Nicole Richie spent some time in rehab before filming “The Simple Life,” a reality show with Paris Hilton. The show rocketed the two to stardom the girls had never had before.

That all abruptly came to an end when Richie was arrested after driving down the wrong side of the highway and failing a sobriety test. She was sentenced to four days in jail and three years’ probation for the incident.

She is now married, has two kids, launched a successful fashion line, and starred on the NBC sitcom “Great News” until its cancellation in 2018.

Matthew McConaughey’s comeback in Hollywood was dubbed the McConaissance.

caption

Matthew McConaughey attends the 90th Annual Academy Awards in 2018.

source

Matt Sayles/A.M.P.A.S via Getty Images

Matthew McConaughey broke out in Hollywood thanks to “Dazed and Confused.” But by the early 2000s, he was being typecast in romantic comedies. But in 2013, McConaughey’s rise began again in what The New Yorker writer Rachel Syme dubbed the “McConaissance.”

He was nominated for an Emmy for “True Detective,” won an Oscar for “Dallas Buyers Club,” and starred in “The Wolf of Wall Street.”

Dave Chappelle is making movies and doing stand up comedy again after walking away from his famous Comedy Central show.

caption

Dave Chappelle attends the Netflix FYSEE Kick-Off in 2018.

source

David Livingston/Getty Images

Chappelle was a well-known actor and comedian through the ’90s and was the star of his own sketch show on “Comedy Central.” But when “Chappelle’s Show” was supposed to be heading into its third season, Chappelle walked away in 2005. He popped up to occasionally perform stand-up, but he largely stayed out of the spotlight.

He starred in “Chi-raq” in 2015, his first movie role in almost 10 years. Then he made his “Saturday Night Live” hosting debut in 2016, which was followed by four specials released on Netflix in 2017. He won a Grammy in 2018 for his first two. He also starred alongside Bradley Cooper and Lady Gaga in “A Star Is Born.”

Drew Barrymore hasn’t exactly been out of the spotlight, but her career has had its ups and downs.

caption

Drew Barrymore in 2018.

source

Christopher Polk/Getty Images

Drew Barrymore broke out as a child actor in “E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial,” but her early teens were troubled. She spent two stints in rehab – one for drug and alcohol abuse and the other for a suicide attempt – all before she was 15. Because of her reputation, she struggled to find work.

In an interview with Movieline when she was 17, the actress said, “I had two, three years of casting directors telling me I’d never work again in this town … That s–t- only made me angrier, made me put that much more into my work … And, through pure ambition, ‘I showed those sons of b—es that I can do it.’ Success is the best revenge in the world. And I’m back.”

She continued to act, but it was 1998’s “The Wedding Singer” that brought her back to the forefront. She followed it up with movies like “Charlie’s Angels” and “50 First Dates.” Now, she’s the star of Netflix’s “Santa Clarita Diet.”

Paula Abdul was a pop star in the ’80s and ’90s, but her career had some setbacks, until she rose again thanks to “American Idol.”

caption

Paula Abdul attends WE Day California in 2018.

source

Jesse Grant/Getty Images

Paula Abdul was best known as a choreographer and pop star in the 1980s and early ’90s. She had six No. 1 singles on the Billboard charts and won a Grammy for “Opposites Attract,” but her music career stalled after an accident left her in pain.

In an interview with Forbes in 2017, the musician said, “I had to leave the music business … I crash landed in a plane when I was on tour 26 years ago. I went through a lot of reconstructive spinal cord surgeries.”

Abdul rose to prominence once again in 2002 as a judge on “American Idol,” which she did for eight seasons. She tried to revive her music career in 2008, and though she had a minor hit, she didn’t mimic the early success she had on the charts. Since then, she’s acted and appeared on multiple reality shows.

Michael Keaton’s career was strong in the ’80s and ’90s, but the velocity didn’t continue through the 2000s until he was cast in “Birdman or (The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance).”

caption

Michael Keaton attends the 2018 Vanity Fair Oscar Party.

source

Dia Dipasupil/Getty Images

“Beetlejuice” launched Michael Keaton to “Stardom,” and he followed the Tim Burton film up with Burton’s “Batman.” Keaton kept working – and received praise for movies like “Jackie Brown” – but nothing was quite the same.

Then in 2014, he was cast in “Birdman or (The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance)” and earned an Oscar nomination. He followed that up with “Spotlight” and played the villain in Marvel’s “Spider-Man: Homecoming.”

Shania Twain retired from music in 2004, but came back with an album in 2017 and revealed her diagnosis of Lyme disease.

caption

Shania Twain performs in 2017.

source

Gerardo Mora/Getty Images

Shania Twain had won five Grammys and was a pop country superstar before she retired from music in 2004. In 2011, she revealed that she had been struggling with dysphonia, a disorder that affects vocal cords. She had to go through voice therapy. In 2017, she revealed that the dysphonia was caused by Lyme disease.

She came back a few times with a Las Vegas show in 2012 and arena tour in 2015, but 2017 marked her major comeback when she released “Now,” her first studio album in 15 years. The album went platinum and hit No. 1 on the Billboard charts.

Rob Lowe was a teen idol, but his career hit a low point before he returned on hit shows like “The West Wing” and “Parks and Recreation.”

caption

Rob Lowe attends the premiere of “Super Troopers 2” in 2018.

source

JB Lacroix/ Getty Images

Rob Lowe broke out as a teen actor in hit movies like “The Outsiders” and “St. Elmo’s Fire” and was a member of the Brat Pack. But then a sex tape scandal rocked his world. A video surfaced that showed Lowe having sex with two women, one of whom was underage. But because it happened in Georgia, the age of consent was 16, so he didn’t face any charges. Lowe went into rehab shortly after and is now almost 28 years sober.

But his career picked up once again when he was cast on “The West Wing,” which earned him an Emmy nomination. He followed that up with a role on “Brothers and Sisters” and was the beloved Chris Trager on “Parks and Recreation.”

Mandy Moore’s career slowed a bit in the early 2000s, but she’s back and stronger than ever as a star on “This Is Us.”

caption

Mandy Moore attends the 2018 Paley Honors in 2018.

source

Dia Dipasupil/Getty Images

Mandy Moore burst onto the music scene as a teen and had a hit with her debut single “Candy.” She broke out as an actress with roles in “The Princess Diaries” and “A Walk to Remember,” but things started slowing for her career. She had a few small roles, but nothing stuck.

Then she was cast as the voice of Rapunzel in Disney’s 2010 movie “Tangled” and now stars on “This Is Us.” She earned her first Golden Globe nomination for the hit TV show.

Eminem released a comeback album in 2017.

caption

Eminem performs at Samsung Galaxy stage during 2014 Lollapalooza.

source

Theo Wargo/Getty Images

Eminem scored his first mainstream success with “The Slim Shady LP” in 1999. He won two Grammys off of that album and followed that up with more success – and more Grammys – thanks to “The Marshall Mathers LP” and “The Eminem Show.” He later starred in “8 Mile,” a film loosely based on his own life, and won an Oscar for his original song “Lose Yourself.” But after 2004’s “Encore,” Eminem disappeared for a while.

After canceling his 2005 European tour, Eminem was treated for addiction to prescription sleeping medication. When his friend Proof was shot and killed, Eminem became depressed.

“I think it kind of hit me so hard,” he told XXL. “It just blindsided me. I just went into such a dark place that, with everything, the drugs, my thoughts, everything. And the more drugs I consumed, and it was all depressants I was taking, the more depressed I became, the more self-loathing I became.”

He came back with “Relapse” in 2009. He disappeared from the music scene briefly after his 2013 album but came back in 2017 with “Revival,” which featured collaborations with Beyoncé, Ed Sheeran, Pink, and more.

As well-known as Ellen DeGeneres is now, her career wasn’t always like that.

caption

Ellen DeGeneres presents the Michael Jackson Video Vanguard Award onstage in 2017.

source

Kevin Winter/Getty Images

Ellen DeGeneres‘s career started with her doing stand-up and soon transitioned into acting roles. She rose in popularity thanks to her late ’90s sitcom “Ellen.” A few years into the series, both she and her character came out, but then ratings fell and her career faltered. She returned a few years later for the sitcom “The Ellen Show,” but it was canceled before the season finished airing.

Then 2003 brought a whole new level of success. DeGeneres was chosen to voice Dory in Disney-Pixar’s “Finding Nemo” and launched her own talk show. “The Ellen DeGeneres Show” has won 29 Emmys since its start. She has risen as an icon, taking home nine Teen Choice Awards and 20 People’s Choice Awards. She’s also hosted the Academy Awards, Grammy Awards, and the Primetime Emmys.

Vanessa Williams was faced with a scandal after she was crowned Miss America but went on to have a successful career.

caption

Vanessa Williams attends the New York City Ballet 2018 Spring Gala.

source

Steven Ferdman/Getty Images

Vanessa Williams was primed for success after she made history as the first African-American woman to be crowned Miss America in 1983. But in July 1984, Williams became the first woman to resign her crown following a scandal involving nude photos that were published in Penthouse magazine without her consent. At the time, Williams told People that she’d hit “rock bottom.”

But that wasn’t the end for Williams. She launched a successful music career garnering 11 Grammy nominations, releasing eight studio albums, and scoring multiple Billboard hits. Her acting career has also fared well. She starred on “Ugly Betty,” “Desperate Housewives,” and was recently on “The Librarians.” To top it all off, she’s been nominated for three Emmys and a Tony.

Christian Slater disappeared from the public eye for a bit but is back on TV.

caption

Christian Slater attends The Alliance For Children’s Rights 26th Annual Dinner on 2018.

source

Emma McIntyre/Getty Images

Christian Slater dominated the 1980s and early ’90s. He was a breakout star in “Heathers” and a radio DJ in “Pump Up the Volume.” He was in “Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves” and “Interview With the Vampire.” But he had multiple run-ins with the law: There was drunk driving, trying to board an airplane with a gun in his luggage, assault while under the influence, and a later-dropped charge of harassing a woman on the street. In the meantime, he was in a series of quickly canceled TV series and movie flops.

He bounced back with “Mr. Robot” in 2015 and won his first Golden Globe for the role.

If you or someone you know is struggling with substance use, call SAMHSA’s National Helpline (1-800-662-4357) to get confidential, free, 24/7 support for individuals and family members facing substance use disorders. The service offers referrals to treatment facilities, support groups, and more.

The post 19 celebrities who made victorious career comebacks, Defence Online appeared first on Defence Online.

from WordPress https://defenceonline.com/2019/04/18/19-celebrities-who-made-victorious-career-comebacks-defence-online/

[mfmagazine]

Flee the Century

When did it start- We started on May the 12th 2003 under a different name, it was called Right Turn Danger, and we went through a lot of line-up changes. Me, the bass player and Justin, the keyboard player, started it and then we lost the drummer. We got a new drummer and then we decided about a year and a half ago to change the name to Flee the Century and go as a three piece. We have been doing this for about a year now and touring as a three piece but we still count it as we started, May the 12th 2003, even though Flee the Century didn’t start ‘til Dec. of 2004 Name- The name, we were thinking of names to name our band, we had a lot of stupid names that we were gonna use, like hyper cube, or flying underground, or one million, actually we almost played a show under the name lands, but we thought that sounded too much like lance, like Lance Armstrong. So after trying to name our band for a month straight, Justin said somebody at work was talking about fleeing the country and getting the hell out of here and he just said why don’t you take it one step above that and flee the entire century, and the kid just looked at him and said that doesn’t even like make sense, Justin just laughed and just kept thinking about fleeing the century, it doesn’t really mean anything in particular, it’s just something that’s impossible to do, and I like the way it sounds and the way it’s written out. So we named ourselves Flee the Century. Lyrics- I try to make my lyrics as unmeaningful to the listener as possible, I don’t want people to read my lyrics and say oh my god that has a deep meaning or that means something to me I make sure that it can’t. Basically what I do when I write, is each line is something completely different, it’s not all one big story, or one big meaning or all comes together or rhymes, it’s all just different ideas. Basically just I come up with words that sound good with the music and I go with that, if I need some inspiration I will think about space, I’ll think about leaving the universe and things like the fountain of youth. I come up with impossible situations in my head and then write something about it, and I do that about 8 times. Each song is a complete lyrical mess but to me, I know what it means. I make sure that nobody else would be able to know because that’s not our main focus with our music, its background basically. Live shows- Spokane scene- when we first started as a band 2003 the scene was horrible, 10 people were coming to shows, a touring band would show up and it would be 16 people, then all of a sudden, about a year ago after we changed our name to FTC, all of a sudden this new batch of people started coming to shows, buying things. A normal 3 or 4 band show that before would draw 16 people, are now drawing 80 and 100 people. Same show, same bands, you know nothing has changed. It’s actually been really awesome, you don’t even have to promote for it, it’s just word of mouth around here, and internet, no flyers ever, and people show up. The new batch of kids, are like the 16 year old kids that were 14 years old 2 years ago and couldn’t go to shows and now can. Everyone’s totally into music here, nobody’s stuck up about music in Spokane at all, they appreciate everything and anything that people do, now it’s just a friendly community. Before if you’re in a hardcore band you don’t go to an acoustic show, now everyone’s just getting together, getting more involved. Now there’s a show every day in this town, so the scene has gotten really good, it was sucking bad before. The all ages scene is bigger, the bar scene is still pretty big, but it’s a totally different people, it’s 21 and up, the bands that do well in the bar scene here are like punk bands, metal bands, new metal bands, stoner bands, they do well here in Spokane because Spokane is about six years behind in music, compared to Seattle, which is up to date on current music, current trends. Bands that play the Spokane bar scene still sound like Korn, Limp Bisquit, so they’re still five years behind in music, I think there’s a lot of just generic sounding music, here nothing really interesting is happening in the Spokane music scene, the all ages scene is getting better, but it’s not up to date with what’s going on currently with touring bands. As far as playing live shows, for our band, that’s a main focus, we really like to play live, and we look forward to it still even being a band as long as we have its still just awesome and fun to play live whether it’s to five people or 300 it doesn’t matter. Tours- Well, that’s why we are a band. Nothing makes you feel better than when you’re in Boston, and somebody says hey I liked your band can I buy a CD, that’s why were driving 3,000 miles just getting your music out, even though on our last tour, we toured for a month and half, and all we brought was 100 CDs, we sold out of them, but that was worth it to just get rid of 100 CDs, we went a month and a half losing tons of money just to get rid of 100 CDs. I think me, Justin, and Jordan all think the same way, and we all just want to tour bad and getting rid of 100 CDs means a lot to us. We enjoy touring a lot and meeting new bands meeting new friends. We’re not really the most professional band, we just go out tour and we want to sound good, but it’s just all about having fun, and living life to the fullest, that’s why we tour and we want to tour all the time. Label- He [previous label] contacted us, right around the time that we changed our name to FTC, and said he liked our music, said he was doing a label in Utah and was putting out records around the Northwest. We had nothing going for us anyways; it’s hard to get on a label. I've actually come to the conclusion that every single person that owns a label is just an elitist piece of crap, actually. There’s some people that are cool, but everybody that I’ve come into contact with to give demos to, give no feed back at all, if it sucks, I want bad feedback too. I want you to tell us what sucks and what doesn’t. He heard us just on the internet, I think maybe Pure Volume, we had a couple songs on there, he liked it, we were planning on having that record, The Border of Light, CD anyways, so we're just like ‘why don’t you put that out?’ He put it out, we went on tour immediately. Future goals- I want to be in this band forever, so that’s a goal. The band going as long as it can, me and Justin have been friends for a long time, so even if something happens with drums or me not wanting to play bass, I think we'll always make music somehow together, I hope. I want to keep making music, keep making records, just try and get more people to listen to our band, tons of tours, tons of having fun.   Fans- I think we get mixed reactions. I think people around here are starting to catch onto us, we're finding the same people going to every one of our shows which is the main goal, people just coming out to every single show. Out of town we haven’t toured enough to for me to really say we have any fan base in any other city besides here, maybe Lewiston, Idaho, they really like us down there. Boise’s tough to play shows at. The best places to find the best people, the best fans are the small cities, if you book a tour, your tour is destined to fail if you are a band that is unsigned, and your tour goes Seattle, Portland, Sacramento, SF, LA , San Diego, Phoenix, Dallas, that tour will not work because you play those cities and nothing happens. 10 people show up to the show and no one cares; those cities have 6 million people in them. The smart tour, if you were to go on the Western United States, would be Lewiston, Walla Walla, Olympia, Bellingham, Kelso, Vancouver, WA, and small cities like that. Where they don’t have that many shows happen, plus they don’t know much about music and they’re just totally down with the music. It’s fun. It’s funner to play to those people than to people just shrugging their shoulders.

[roserecaps]

Week Five: Lifting Weights, Reading Books and Writing Toasts

A two night Bachelorette event... I’m sorry, but besides semi-alcohol dependent, soccer moms and lonely freshman chicks who attend their 8am’s... Who the fuck is excited about 4 hours of the Bachelorette in one week. We got shit to do ABC! 

Anyway we dive right back into the yacht club where Lil’ Lee is about to go head-to-shoulder with Stone Ken Steve Austin. The two get into a pointing match, but part ways before Lee could get lawn-darted into the water. 

Bryan’s “confidence” gets him the group rose and Kenny feels he has to let the group know how much he appreciates Rachel’s selection:

Kenny: “Bryan, I respect you for playing this the right way... Not being a snaky, bitch, snake-bitch, snake.” - Sounded sincere to me.

ONE-ON-ONE (Jack Stone)

The world is reminded that there is a guy on this show with a first and last name. I remember this fuck getting out of the limo, but not where has his pervy smile been for the past 3 weeks?

They kick their date off with oysters... If Rachel is not horned up for this used car salesman after 2 dozen oysters she better send his ass home. Stoner goes in for the kiss and Rach pulls the ole “I don’t wanna get you sick”, this fool is still convinced it’s going well. 

Rachel

Back at the house, “Battle Aggression” is still burning hot. Lee is still looking for clarity on why a giant man would call him a bitch after finding out he snitched on him. I can’t wait for the lightbulb to click on and Kenny to smash it over his Jimmy Neutron head. 

Back to this one-on-one:

Rachel: “If we were to go back to Dallas, right now, what would we do” Jack Stone: “I would lock the door, move everything out of the room.... unroll my painting tarps and knife set.” 

SOMEONE GET SECURITY

Jack: “Lay down and talk” Rachel: “Well that doesn’t sound good to me.” 

No shit Rachel, if you enjoy your skin attached to your body I would get Hannibal Lector Jr. out of the room.  

He gone. No go chug some NyQuil and pray Jack isn’t hiding in your shower. 

Rose Ceremony

Remember the good ole days of the Bachelor/ette where there would be some dates, drunk screaming, but would all end in the rose ceremony. Where have we gone wrong where we are having a rose ceremony 40 minutes into the episode!?

Iggy and Jonathan are sent packing.

WE’RE GOING TO NORWAY

The bros land in Oslo, Norway. If you are not sure where that is... It is 300 miles from anywhere you probably want to be. 

Surprise date for Bryan. 

Rachel literally ditches all the guys at the bar 5 minutes after inviting all of them there, fucking rude. 

The two try and discover their emotional connection by riding to the highest point in Oslo only to repel off the side of it.

Rachel: “Is it crazy to anyone else that it’s 187 feet down... 1-8-7?!” Producer: “What’s 187?” Rachel: “Murder, you fuckin’ cracker”

How about you culture yourselves. 

Bryan and Rachel sit down to another fake dinner so we can listen to Bro-yan spew some more tool trash about the struggles of having acne in 10th grade only to fuck half his senior class two years later.

GROUP DATE

The crew is learning/playing hand ball. Rachel unnecessarily puts them all in unitards. The whole crew was wondering why Dean asked for an extra pair of socks and why the fuck is he wearing a jockstrap over his uni? 

Nothing helps America, in this time of international tensions, more than a bunch of douche bags making a mockery of this country’s national sport. Arm the nukes.

Night falls on this group date and Rachel gets to suffer through a long line of corny lines and smooth talkers before dragging Peter into the hot tub and forcing all the other guys to sit and wait. Regardless of the over the swimsuit handy J, Will ends up with the rose. 

Back at the resort Kenny is getting a pep talk from his daughter as Lee pumps iron in bell bottoms and cowgirl boots. This is setting up to be a battle for the ages.  

TWO-ON-ONE (Kenny/Lee)

Rachel is taking these guys deep into the Norwegian woods... Like mafia deep. Three chairs, a tree and some bourbon? If they don’t wheel a ring out here in the next 5 minutes before the “To Be Continued” I may not come back for tomorrow’s episode. 

Here comes the tail of two stories, which will Rachel believe... but how can you trust a man with the hair of a 14-year-old european soccer player and the clothes of a 14-year-old girl who shops at Limited Too?

Kenny gets pulled aside for the second time after Rach gets an earful from Lee.

Lee: “The inevitable will happen and Rachel is pulling Kenny aside, probably because of what I told her.” - uhhhhhhh ya think?! 

After Rachel fills Ken dog in on what Lee said about him, the girls walks away and leaves the two dudes alone?! The producers must have a big pot of money on this fight. 

See you tomorrow.