#this is the greatest perfect most iconic “i love you” scene to ever exist change my mind

[nine-frogs-in-a-trenchcoat]

same. i will riot if it doesn't happen exactly like this

LISTEN

after that season finale, that last SCENE, if we don't get this exact scene in season three i'm calling the police...

[theeasterlymedia]

A Normative Discussion on Andrei Rublev

Meghnad Mukherjee 

While watching Rublev, I couldn’t help but think about Béla Tarr and his The Turin Horse. Tarr developed his distinctive style over time, and so one should presume Rublev was a stage in Tarkovsky’s development towards perfecting his almost magical cinematic philosophy that we admire today. In this essay we will be discussing only some of the scenes (and a short general discussion) of this three hours long masterpiece otherwise the obvious following rant would not have stopped.

Holiday, 1408, June

The scene opens with the greatest of all Russian Icon painters Andrei Rublev and his crew of apprentices and helpers on their way to a job in the once-powerful feudal fortress city Vladimir in June of 1408. It is probably the evening of June 23, St. John the Baptist Eve, which falls immediately after summer solstice, the end of spring. The Kliaz'ma River rises north of Moscow, flows between Moscow and the Trinity-St. Sergius Monastery and eastward past Vladimir.

Gathering firewood, Andrei gets caught up in a village pagan ritual. We should notice the sounds of nightingales and of ritual bell percussion.Some would say he seeks a way to join his high spiritual calling and art to the real soil of Russian folk experience, his "civilization" to his "culture". One way to describe the linkage of Christian "civilization" with Russian pagan "culture" is dual faith. Andrei is about to have a "dual faith" experience himself, and so are you if you let the film have its way.The making of a straw effigy and the burning of it are documented features of peasant ritual on St. John's Eve. The sexual license portrayed here is characteristic of peasant spring and summer rituals. Andrei stands over a smoldering camp fire and his monkish robes catch fire. Fire and water are central to the pagan rituals of St. John's Eve (they are also central to Tarkovsky's own personal film imagery). The men and women are performing a characteristic ritual of St. John's Eve. Also don't miss the scene downstream from the two lines of naked folk---a white horse comes into view and begins to thrash the river's surface as the ritual boat approaches.

Andrei is captured and bound in a stable by villagers who do not want him to interfere with their dear ritual. Marfa approaches him and plants an earthly kiss: physical contact of native paganism with highly refined and civilized Christianity. Notice the necklace she wears. Also notice how Andrei sheds his monkish cowl (identifying "uniform" of the black or monkish clergy) as he decides to melt into the woods and rejoin the village fest. As the next morning follows someone has squealed on the village revelers. The local landlord and his ruffian men-at-arms on horseback appear, accompanied by clerical enforcers, all bent on doing their official Christian duty. They hope to run down participants in last night's ritual. Sure enough, here comes Marfa and her significant other, chased by authorities. He doesn't get away, but she swims toward the middle of the river, immediately past the boat carrying Andrei, but he will not look at her. She splashes bravely out to deep waters.

Raid, autumn, 1408

Now we jump ahead a few weeks to the fall of 1408 and the outskirts of the city Vladimir. This army is led by a Russian prince who is a rival of his own brother for power in Vladimir. A tatar Khan’s army and his one will join up at a difficult river ford in preparation for an attack on Vladimir. As the two armies link up, the Khan and the Russian prince vie with one another to see who is faster. The Russian prince recalls an event in the previous winter in which the church tried to reconcile him with his rival brother. The wintry church is the great in Vladimir, built in 1194-1197. You can just barely make out the remarkable animal, vegetable and human figures carved in relief in the white stone outer walls of this ancient cathedral. These figures are taken to be themselves representatives of the combination of old pre-Christian "Scythian" motifs with Biblical themes.

Two times later in this section of the film, the Russian prince flashes back to this treacherous "kissing of the cross" which he and his Tatar ally are now about to betray. The second flashback occurs as the Russian prince witnesses the Tatar humiliation of the captured prince's brother and family and receives from the Tatars the vestments of the now deposed brother's power. The sounds of the Orthodox mass can be heard again, now in the courtyard as the Tatar khan nervously walks his war horse back and forth in anticipation of breaking into the church. A dying horse comes down a stairway and falls to the ground, bleeding to death. This is a disturbing and powerful scene. We may be more touched by this cruel death than by all the other film portrayals of human death. As the horse stumbles to its death, from the church we hear the most characteristic phrases from the Russian mass: Hospodi, pomilui, Hospodi, pomilui... [Lord, have mercy, Lord, have mercy...].

Soon, we see inside the cathedral being rammed by the Tatar army.We spy Andrei again. He is with a young blond woman. The actress is Tarkovsky's wife, and she is playing a paradigmatic Russian cultural role: the holy fool. She is a "durochka", not able to take care of herself, but in her naive simplicity representing something very dear to Russian tradition. Andrei has made himself her protector in earlier scenes, and now they are trapped together as the cathedral door breaks open. What a scene, as the Tatar khan paces his horse around inside the cathedral, asking the Russian prince taunting questions about the holy images on the walls, most now burning. The brave and defiant Foma is tortured, molten lead is poured into his mouth, and he is dragged to his death by a stallion stampeded through the devastated streets of Vladimir.The traitorous prince is beset with deep misgivings about this destructive adventure. Large white geese float from cathedral rooftops to the disordered streets below, all in slow motion. Andrei and Durochka are still in the church and try to come to terms with what has just transpired.

Tatar's Wife

The final scene I have selected is four years later, the winter of 1412. It is a hard winter, and famine stalks the land. Andrei is heating large stones and trying to transfer them to wooden casks to heat water. Durochka is eating an old apple. The Tatar khan rides into the monastery with several of his warriors. They are in a playful mood. The khan feeds frozen meat to quarrelsome dogs. Durochka wants some too. What follows is one of the most intriguing "falling-in-love" scenes in all of filmdom. Andrei tries to intervene, but this situation is beyond his or just about any imaginable power to change. As the khan sweeps Durochka up behind his saddle and he and his warriors gallop out of the monastery courtyard through a roofed gateway, our time is up.

Some commentary or rather a casual discussion --

Tarkovsky created a film about faith in a time when there were no films about religion, apart from satire or anti-religion propaganda. At the same time, people who were religious have tended to view film as a profane medium, inappropriate for religious topics. Andrei Rublev was a 15th-century monk regarded as Russia’s greatest icon writer. While his work is well known and celebrated throughout Russia, little is known of his life except for the handful of icons he left behind. Tarkovsky invented life for Rublev. It is then not an investigation into the painter’s life, but Tarkovsky’s response to what the filmmaker saw and felt by looking at Rublev’s icons.

Moving through ‘a sequence of detailed fragments’ in which Rublev is sometimes present, sometimes only an observer, the film works toward difficult questions: how is experience related, and how can it be communicated? How can art be true to its subject and its audience?How do you paint the trinity without just reducing it to the sum of its parts?

At once humble and cosmic, Rublev was described by Tarkovsky as a “film of the earth.” Shot in widescreen and sharply defined black and white, the movie is supremely tactile—the four classical elements appearing here as mist, mud, guttering candles, and snow. A 360-degree pan around a primitive stable conveys the wonder of existence. Such long, sinuous takes are like expressionist brushstrokes; the result is a kind of narrative impasto.The film’s brilliant, never-explained prologue shows some medieval Icarus braving an angry crowd to storm the heavens. Having climbed a church tower, he takes flight in a primitive hot-air balloon—an exhilarating panorama—before crashing to earth. Fifteenth century Russia was a tumultuous country, never really at peace, and Tarkovsky shows this in particular in the latter half of the film. The theme of conscience is present throughout the film.Tarkovsky plays here with sound and silence, almost deafening silence.

Shooting the entire movie in black and white, Tarkovsky finally dazzles the audience with close-ups of Rublev’s works, revealed for the first time during the movie in all their brilliance and colour. After more than two hours of sombre and austere imagery, the beauty of the frescoes amazes the viewers. The art, born from the endeavours and aspirations of the artist, is presented to the audience in all its grandeur, rising over the everyday like the man on the balloon at the beginning of the movie. This universal quality of the artist and his work makes the historical period irrelevant, performing a spiritual sweep, casting an ethereal spell on the audience.

Andrei Rublev is itself more an icon than a movie about an icon painter. (Perhaps it should be seen as a “moving icon”) This is a portrait of an artist in which no one lifts a brush. The patterns are God’s, whether seen in a close-up of spilled paint swirling into pond water or the clods of dirt Rublev flings against a whitewashed wall. But no movie has ever attached greater significance to the artist’s role. It is as though Rublev’s presence justifies creation.

[gravecinema]

Why Fright Night is the Best Vampire Movie Ever Made - 05/21/2020

You may have noticed that vampires just may be my favorite subgenre of horror to watch. So, I don’t say this lightly when I say that I believe that Fright Night is quite possibly the greatest and best vampire movie ever made. A strong claim, I know, so I must also say that Fright Night is the best one that I have ever seen while also fully admitting that I have not seen every vampire movie ever made in existence. I can however confidently say that I have seen all the great classics of the genre, and in my opinion Fright Night stands above the rest of them in terms of story, effects, soundtrack, and characters.

Made in 1985 and expertly written and directed by Tom Holland, the story of Fright Night contains what I believe to be the perfect structure of any classic vampire story: A vampire (with an unassuming name of Jerry Dandridge) moves in next door, our young hero Charlie Brewster (played by William Ragsdale) discovers the vampire’s secret, the young hero makes themselves a target and seeks the help of an expert, and then lastly the hero and expert face off against the evil vampire for one big final climatic confrontation. Add all of those together for your story, and you have Fright Night.  

This is a story that works so well, they repeated it almost exactly in the next three Fright Night movies, and two of those were remakes. Since this particular story structure works so well, those movies actually turned out to be pretty damn entertaining to watch all on their own. I recommend them. Seriously, there is not a weak movie in this entire series, which is pretty rare for a horror franchise, and even rarer for remakes. That’s just how much this entire story structure is a joy to watch for vampire fans.

Fright Night also boasts some of the best practical effects work of the 80’s that continue to stand up today. There’s just something about the use of good practical effects versus the use of CGI that make a movie that much more immersive for the viewer, and the use of the effects in Fright Night really help to make the movie that much more believable and fun to watch. My favorite example of this has to be when they kill the main vampire’s minion and familiar Billy, who must be some type of ghoul or golem considering the way that he dies shows that he is clearly not a human. The melting of his body and decomposing of his bones is beautiful to watch knowing that the effects were all done practically.

Fright Night also is one of the first films to give its vampires monstrous faces instead of just plain old fangs, so the viewer never forgets that these charming and sexy creatures are truly monsters at heart that should be feared. The vampire mouth effect used on Amy was a last-minute decision and prosthetic that they made turned out great for the promotion of the film, since that is the image that is prominently displayed on the great poster for the film. The 80’s gave us some great horror movie posters, and Fright Night is truly one of the best ones among them. One look at it, and you can tell exactly what this movie is all about.

The soundtrack for Fright Night also has some great 80’s sound throughout it. The dance scene at the nightclub showcases some of the best music in the whole movie. It’s also a universal law that almost every vampire movie needs a dance scene at a nightclub. This one does a fantastic job of setting the tone of the scene by having Jerry using his vampire mojo to seduce the young and virginal Amy while some of the best 80’s synth and pop sounds are playing. Jerry even plays some pretty pimping music later when he’s getting ready to seduce and bite Amy. You got to love a villain who plays his own soundtrack.  

Speaking of Jerry, he is played to absolute perfection by Chris Sarandon who is most well-known for his roles in The Princess Bride and Child’s Play. He’s perfectly charming, well-dressed, sexy, and completely in love with being evil. This is not a tortured vampire who hates the curse of what he has become. He relishes in his predatory instincts to hunt and kill. When he sees something he wants, he goes after it and won't let anyone get in his way. He knows he’s the apex predator, and as such, he has no fear of the boy Charlie who discovers his secret, or the actor vampire hunter Peter Vincent that Charlie turns to for help.

Peter Vincent is also the best and most memorable character in the movie, played by Roddy Mcdowall. At the start of the movie, he’s just a classic horror movie host and actor who used to star in a bunch of B films as a vampire killer, similar to the famous Van Helsing from Dracula. A clear reference to when the role of Van Helsing was played by Peter Cushing in the Hammer films. He now hosts the horror program Fright Night, where the film gets its title from. Charlie just so happens to be a big fan of the program, so when he discovers that a real-life vampire has moved in next door to him, he seeks out the help of the horror host for slaying the beast.

Peter Vincent shows great character development while first being in denial that a real vampire actually exists, to then being scared out of his mind, and then facing his fear and letting himself become the character for real that he played for so long. In many ways, it is the character of Peter Vincent who undergoes the classic hero’s journey tale that many classic stories use instead of the main character of Charlie Brewster. There are many moments where Peter Vincent summons the strength to face his fears and to continue on in his mission to slay the evil Jerry Dandridge, slowly becoming more and more like the character that he has only just played for so long. Make no mistake about it, the faceoff between Peter Vincent and Jerry Dandridge is the one element that completely makes the film a superior work of the genre.

I also have to mention Charlie’s best friend Evil Ed played by Stephen Geoffreys. He’s the first person that Charlie turns to for advice on dealing with the vampire next door and is played delightfully somewhat over the top. He’s a very loud personality and is a great supporting character who suffers tragic circumstances later in the film. Jerry eventually turns him into a vampire, and when Evil Ed is finally slain by Peter Vincent, he suffers one of the longest and most drawn out deaths in the movie. That doesn’t stop the character though from providing us with a little stinger at the end of the movie using one of his iconic lines from earlier to end the movie with.

The biggest thing I find that Fright Night has whenever I rewatch it is that it has practically everything that you could ask for a vampire movie to give you... Fantastic practical effects: Check. A great cast of characters: Check. Sexy love scenes: Check. A soundtrack that sets the perfect mood: Check. A strong, sexy, and powerful main vampire bad guy: Check, check, and check. It has all of that to go along with a great and satisfying story that can be appreciated by anyone at any age. I rewatch it more than a few times a year and will continue to do so. I can’t say that it’s my top favorite vampire movie to watch, since that’s a personal choice that can change depending on my mood for that particular day. I can confidently say however that it is in my mind and in my view the best vampire movie ever made... for now. I am of course always looking forward the next vampire movie that’s yet to be released just right around the corner.

[smokeybrandreviews]

Smokey brand Movie Reviews: Full Shares

I have one helluva backlog of films to work through but, between those and other distractions, i am having just the dickens of a time getting through them. I’ve started Uncut Gems three different times but the tension, man, it stresses me out way too much. I have to take breaks in between and just forget about where i left off so i need to start over. I have to say, though, the twenty to thirty minutes i have seen is absolutely excellent. In the meantime, while i muster enough nerve to actually finish that film, i wanted to revisit one of my all-time favorites. Way back when i first saw this movie, it gave me the same intense, stressed out, panic i feel watching Gems. Alien changed the way that I interacted with film and, to this day, it’s one of maybe a handful of movies to ever illicit true fear from me. I saw it, for the first time as a young kid of maybe six or seven, in a late night showing on TV and i remember even the broadcast edit spazzing me the f*ck out. Imagine my apprehension seeing the theatrical cut fr the first time a few years later. As i got older and learned to appreciate the moving parts of film individually, i came to love Alien even more. Not only is it actually terrifying. it’s one of the best built movies i have ever seen and carries the template for bad-ass film like a badge of honor. Cats say the sequel, which i’ll get to in a later review, is better than the first, but i wholeheartedly disagree. This movie is easily top three all-time for me and here’s why. I have to tell you from the outset, this movie is perfect in my opinion. There  are no flaw so don’t expect any negative, just me gushing about the excellence within.

The Outstanding

The very best aspect of this movie is easily Sigourney Weaver’s portrayal as Ellen Ripley. My goodness, was this character absolutely amazing. When people think of Ripley, they often remember Cameron’s version of her from Aliens. To most people, Ripley is that chick, strapped down in a power loader, calling the Queen Xenomorph a b*tch to her face. That is, undeniably, iconic. Ellen Ripley solidified the template for strong, female, lead with that scene. But Ripley didn’t start out that way. She had to earn that title and it began with her battle for survival in the original Alien. Ripley began as an undermined, kind of by-the-book, Warrant Office, just trying to get back in time for her daughter’s eleventh birthday. Over the course of two hours, we watched Ripley evolve into the absolute unit that she is known for and the nuanced portrayal of that evolution by Weaver shows us the harrowing journey with an almost visceral vulnerability. Ellen Ripley is not a character, she is a person. You feel for this woman and her struggle. You root for her. You gasp when she fails. You want her to survive. To get attached to a film character so completely is testimony to the excellence of that actor’s performance and Sigourney Weaver turns one in for the ages. Not bad for a twenty-year-old’s second film appearance, first speaking role.

You can’t speak about Alien without the iconic imagery provided by the nightmares of H.R. Giger’s art. The raw, horrifyingly sexual, disgustingly organic, yet wholly bizarre vestiges of the LV-426 hive were incredible. That initial pan of the fossilized Space Jockey fused to his pilot’s seat can’t help but inspire very real awe. I imagine seeing that reveal on an Imax screen and it is absolutely riveting. More so, entering into the hive itself, wit all those corridors woven from steel and flesh, leading into the pitfall trap full of the waiting, legitimately alien eggs illicit a feeling of primal terror. Those things are nothing like anything terrestrial. They are just familiar enough to inspire curiosity from the audience but uncanny enough to trigger apprehension. Absolutely brilliant but the true genius, the source of constant panic, belongs to the adult xenomorph, itself.

Big Chap, as the production team called it, was a miracle of effects work. The suit was custom built to fit the near seven foot frame of Bolaji Badejo but it was his physicality that lent an organic presence to the techno-organic monstrosity. That original Xenomorpgh was wildly terrifying to me. Even at my young age, i weathered Freddy Krueger, Michael Myers, and Jason Voorhees, with rather stoic aplomb but the Xenomorph sent me into a panic. I had legitimate nightmares about this thing which had never happened before. Giger had created a creature of such instinctual terror that you has no choice by to fear it and that sh*t is amazing.

I touched on how excellent Ellen Ripley was as a character, giving well deserved credit to Weaver’s portrayal but, like all classic characters in storytelling, Ripley began on the page. The writing for Alien is some of the best i have ever had the pleasure of experiencing. Every character, every scene, every aspect, of this story is tight. Dan O’Bannon deserves all credit for this classic script. He wrote a story filled with characters and suspense, never identifying male of female unless absolutely necessary. I miss when films were films and not soapboxes for gender politics. It’s amazing how timeless and iconic characters can become when you’re not trying to push a goddamn agenda.

Now, O’Bannon’s script is excellent but it took a true visionary to bring it to life. Ridley Scott was that creative. Alien was Scott’s second directorial effort and he was able to craft a visual narrative far beyond what his tangible experience would dictate. Scott is a true visionary. The way he saw O’Bannon’s script was incredible. I mean, the vistas of the Derelict Ship, the sanitized halls of the Nostromo, that whole retro-futuristic look, the abject terror and repugnant reversal of sexuality with the Alien; All of that is Scott. O’Bannon gave this man one helluva blueprint but Scott built a goddamn monument of cinema in his own right.

The sound design in this film is absolutely classic. The hisses from the alien, the clacking of the computers, that harrowing voice from MOTHER during the adrenaline packed climax; Every sound, echo, pitch, and clank is perfectly administered to embellish the hellish visuals onscreen. I’ll never forget the first time seeing Brett’s death scene. The subtle sway of chains giving way to the impactful sound of those water droplets hitting his face, lulling you into a false sense of security, only to see the Xenomorph puncture his skull. That mixture of screams and rattling chains was haunting, brilliant use of sound for a horror set piece and testament to it’s voracity.

I spoke at length about Sigourney Weaver’s casting and performance but literally everyone is outstanding in this film. being an original script, not based on any existing media, you had an open template to create these characters. In a sense, casting for this type of project is even more tantamount than building a cinematic adaption of a novel or comic. This film is going to be known for these characters, for this world, going forward and Alien nailed this sh*t. Aside from Weaver’s star-turning performance as Ripley, John Hurt turned in a rather endearing outing as Kane, the first victim of the Xenomorpgh. Tom Skerritt was probably the biggest name in the film so everyone thoight that his character Dallas would be the lone survivor. Nope. Veronica Cartwright’s Lambert was woefully unraveled, specially during the Chestburster scene and Ian Holm’s Ash is easily unnerving his uncanny valley-esque performance. Harry Dean Stanton’s Brett was a man of few words but my second favorite performance in this entire film belongs to Yaphet Kotto. His portrayal as the aggressive, outspoken, incredibly loyal, Parker, endures to this day. These characters are all incredibly written and skillfully performed, bringing characters to life that will endure through time.

This movie came out in 1979, man! It is four decades old an can still give anything created today, even with out advances in effects work and film techniques, a run for it’s money. That is testament to the deft hand and expert precision in the construction of this movie. It’s rare that a film can be so timeless and it’s easily the first i have ever seen to capture that high mark. There are others like that; Jurassic Park, Twelve Angry Men, Jaws, The Godfather, To kill a Mockingbird, Star Wars, but even those classics show chinks in the armor. Not Alien. That Retro-futuristic design is absolutely timeless and fits in with any era of cinema.

The world Alien created was ripe for elaboration. The franchise, alone, produced three sequels; Each an amazing look at different film styles, directorial vision, and cinematic genre. Aliens is arguably one of the greatest sequels ever and has a completely different tone that the first. Some would ay it’ even better than the first. I wouldn’t but others do. There have been books, comics, games, and so much more based on this world. Alien: Isolation is easily the best game ever made based on the franchise and it stars that eleven-year-old daughter turned adult woman, Amanda Ripley, in a similar situation as her mother. Let me tell you, bad-assery must run in the family because Amanda was just as dope as her mom during her own gauntlet. And just like her ma’s adventure, Amanda’s outing stressed me out to no end. I loved the Earth War comic growing up and the introduction of Ripley 8 was something special. She was kind of ridiculous in the fourth film, Alien; resurrection but the comics did 8 much better justice. Speaking of artificial constructs, i would be remiss if i didn’t mention the absolutely charming android Xenomorph, Norbert, and his predecessor, Jeri, but my favorite hybrid is definitely Eloise. That’s not to mention the excellent stories with in the Aliens versus Predator mythos. I’m not going to get too heavy into that lore but you’d be hard-pressed to find a more amazing, female protagonist, outside of Ripley, than Machiko Noguchi; The human Japanese woman, blooded by the Elite Leader Yautja, Broken Tusk, given the title of Little Knife by the space-faring Predators. Ma is a f*cking machine and it’s a crime AvP ignored her story for what we eventually got in cinemas. Hell, there are even aspect of the Prometheus portion of this universe that i like, even though i don’t particularly like the film, itself. Elden is a dope character with a ton of potential for the overall lore going forward. There is so much excellent material in the Aliens expanded universe; Characters, concepts, worlds and more. The expansive nature and reverence for this universe rivals that of Star Wars, none of which could be possible without the inspired execution of the original Alien film.

The Verdict

What can i say? Alien is a goddamn masterpiece. From the second those titles slowly manifest to the exploration of LV-426, to the claustrophobic panic of the Nostromo, to Ripley’s triumphant yet uncertain fate in the end, i absolutely adore every aspect of this movie. Everything about this movie is deliberate and amazing. The performances are all excellent, everyone does an exceptional job. The set design is gorgeous and in the case of the alien hive within the Space Jockey’s ship, disgustingly beautiful. Giger’s art as perfect for this film but his design for Big Chap, the original Xenomorph design, was absolutely unnerving. The first time i saw it onscreen, i was both enthralled and horrified. To see the massive beast, in the few glimpses you got between some of the most excellent lighting ever captured on film, was incredible. There are shortcomings, sure, all films have them but i don’t believe them to be a negative. The pacing can be a little dragging at times but it’s absolutely necessary to build atmosphere. I thrive on slow burn films like The VVitch or Blade Runner 2049 and it was Alien that taught me patience in film can be a virtue. I cannot praise this film enough. For me, Alien is as close to perfect as can be. This easily gets my highest recommendation. If you’ve never seen Alien and appreciate sheer psychological terror, beautiful sets, brilliant direction, awe inspiring shots, and some of the best sound design ever captured on film, you’ll love this movie.

[back-to-swift]

How I Became A Swiftie...

So, I was at this camp in 5th grade for a school field trip. I was 10. The counselors at this camp were singing Love Story the whole time we were there and I was like, ‘What is this song?!?!’ When I got home, I immediately looked it up and I fell in love with what I was hearing!! A few days later, I told my mom about this singer, Taylor Swift, and she drove me to Target and bought me Fearless. Not too long after that, she bought me the debut album as a surprise and omg I was instantly OBSESSED with both of these masterpieces!! I told all my friends and got some of them hooked! I would literally spend HOURS of my days locked in my room listening, singing, dancing, and even writing my own versions of these songs!! My whole life became Taylor! I looked up to her SO much! Fearless still holds such a special place in my heart because it was the first Taylor album that I ever listened to and the songs just bring back this feeling of nostalgia. They’re very special to me, so that album will always be one of my favs!

Fast forward to 2010 when Speak Now came out!! I was in 7th grade and that one really impacted me, as well. Junior high is an interesting stage in life because you’re trying to figure out who you are and you’re experiencing certain emotions for the first time. For me, I had this huge crush on my best friend at the time, so these songs really struck a chord with me. What really helped me through this time in my life was the prologue that she wrote for the lyric booklet. I also looked back at the Fearless prologue as well. Some quotes that stood out specifically are, “Words can break someone into a million pieces, but they can also put them back together. I hope you use yours for good, because the only words you’ll regret more than the ones left unsaid are the ones that you use to intentionally hurt someone,” and, “...I think the words you stop yourself from saying are the ones that will haunt you the longest.” Also, “There is a time for silence. There is a time for waiting your turn. But if you know how you feel, and you so clearly know what you need to say, you’ll know it. I don’t think you should wait, I think you should speak now.” The main quote that really really stuck with me and still sticks with me to this day is, “Fearless is having the courage to say goodbye to someone who only hurts you, even if you can’t breathe without them. I think it’s fearless to fall for your best friend, even though he’s in love with someone else.” When I took in these messages that I know came straight from Taylor’s heart, they helped me tell my best friend, and when he didn’t like me back in that way, these words also helped me be okay with that. When he fell for my other best friend, Taylor’s words helped me accept that, too. These albums became the soundtrack to my life. These songs made me feel less alone. They made me feel like somebody got me, somebody understood exactly what I was feeling. And even though I didn’t know her personally, I knew she was there for me. That’s when I knew she would start to mean so much more to me than just a singer I look up to. She started to feel more like a friend or an older sister who had all the advice I’d ever need.

In 2012, Red was released. It was my freshman year of high school. It was a time where everything was changing. I had changed schools for the first time in my entire life and I was still desperately trying to get over my best friend. This album came out at the perfect time. Songs like I Almost Do and All Too Well made me feel, again, like Taylor knew exactly what I was feeling. It was one of the saddest times in my life for a plethora of reasons. I felt insecure, I had to come to terms with the fact that this boy would never like me and I had to watch him and feel him grow further and further away from me, I felt lonely, I was fighting with my parents a lot, and I just was not happy, at all. The first few years of high school be like that sometimes, but thanks to Taylor, I didn’t have to feel completely hopeless and lost. I didn’t really understand the album fully at the time, but the songs on it that did resonate with me became a huge part of my life.

1989 came out when I was FINALLY getting over all that sadness and insecurity. I finally found the strength to let go of that guy and I finally had a solid group of friends who accepted me and loved me for me. I was getting along with my parents and I just felt a little more free. And what better album to become the new soundtrack to my life than 1989?? An album that is literally about freedom and becoming comfortable with where you’re at in life. Another reason why I loved this specific era was because it was the first time I ever got to go to a Taylor concert!! I was absolutely in love with the songs on 1989!!!! I went to the San Diego show with my best friend. We were at the very top, but it was truly one of my favorite nights ever. It still is to this day!!! I had just started my senior year of high school when I went to this concert. I was also new to the Tumblr scene and other fans inspired me to do a project. I cut out probably 100 colorful hearts and I brought them with me. When I got to my seat, I passed them out to people around me and I told them to hold them up during Clean. I wanted to show my love and appreciation to Taylor through that. I seriously can’t thank her enough for writing, “She lost him, but she found herself, and somehow that was everything.” That quote is exactly what I needed and it became my life motto! That night was so special and it’s one I’ll never forget.

Now, let me talk about reputation, which is personally, my favorite album ever!! I was a sophomore in college and omg, I was absolutely completely in love with everything about this album and this era!!! I still am!!! When Look What You Made Me Do dropped, I was driving. I blasted it all the way home and I swear, I SCREAMED every single time I listened to, “The old Taylor can’t come to the phone right now. Why? Oh, cause she’s dead!” I am not kidding you!!! I was OBSESSED and also SHOOK. I was blasting it in my car outside my house and my mom came out and was like, “What are you doing?” And I told her that Taylor Swift just released the greatest song ever!!! When the whole album came out, my best friend and I filmed our reactions to every song. We screamed, we cried, we fell on the floor, we laughed, and we smiled. We still watch those videos and die laughing at ourselves being so shook every few months. I was fully immersed into this era because it was different and it was dark and sassy. 

When I first heard Gorgeous, I felt like the Taylor Swift entered into my mind and wrote exactly what I was feeling and how I acted whenever I liked someone. It was seriously so accurate, I was actually scared like WHAT?!?! Did I meet Taylor and tell her about my life and I just don’t remember or…??? Anyway, this era is special to me because I got to see my idol from the front row for the very first time in that whole decade of loving and supporting her. We got to our seats on the floor at the Pasadena show, but we couldn’t see ANYTHING because these tall guys were in front of us. So, my friend went over to the Shake It Off B-stage and asked security if we could stand there. Sure enough, she told us we could!!!! So we got to be front row!!! And I was on the edge right where there was a little opening for her to come out and go to the other B-stage. So, after that set, right before Blank Space, she walked right next to me. And I mean, if I reached out my arm, not even halfway, I would be touching her. Of course, I was too in shock to do anything, but holy shit!!!! THAT was the most iconic moment I’ve ever lived through. AND on top of it all, my friend won tickets for the next night!!! And that was the night Selena Gomez came out, AKA my other QUEEN!!!! I fell on the floor and cried, okay?? The two best nights of my life, honestly.

Anyway, I wrote this all to say that I cannot find the words to describe how grateful I am for Taylor Swift. She has been here for me for 11 years of my life… that is more than half of my existence. Her words made me feel less alone when times got hard, and they also made me feel more alive when times were good. I appreciate her for always being kind to us, sticking by us through all the ups and downs, and going out of her way to make us smile. I will never ever be able to thank her enough for writing the soundtrack for my life and for being the big sister I never had. I didn’t realize until right now, as I’m writing this, that each album came out at the perfect time in my life. Each album represents and fits each stage of life that I was experiencing at the time of each release. I can’t even tell you how much I love this woman and I will always look up to her. She means the world to me and I can only hope to meet her, hug her, and tell her exactly how thankful I am for her and how much I love and appreciate her. I can’t wait to hear Lover and analyze every word when it comes out! Thank you, Taylor, for everything.

Love, Carly

@taylorswift @taylornation

[helihi]

The Good, The Bad, and the Dirty: RWBY Vol 6 Ep 13

#GayForSummerRose

#BeesConfirmed #RenoraStyle #RTWhatAreYouDoingWithMyEmotions #ThisShitIsIllegal.

Overall rating: 8/10.

A.N.: RT provided us with an official “Look how far we’ve come.”

The Good:

Okay, I can definitely say I love this season finale more than the vol 5 finale. yes, even if Vol 6′s greatest tragedy is having no Raven in it, I have to say, the rollercoaster of emotions the last 16 gave me were a thrill.

Where to start?

Let’s kick it chronologically. Watched it 2 more times for this.

"Yes, and we just ruined the only thing capable of stopping it.”

I want to applaud Kara for her delivery of this line. It was cold, in a very Grimm tone. Loved it!

I think the structure of the episode was well thought as most of the contents of this episode belong in this section:

Set up:

This whole episode is mainly centered around Ruby. She is the one the camera will follow and point and for reactions, this is crucial for the emotional beat of this episode.

Cordovin’s redemption is set up at the beginning of the episode and follows a good narrative in the next 16 minutes. 

Blake’s state and struggle is acknowledged by those around her, specially Yang and Ruby. This scene is great, not only because it cements that what Blake went through is not something to be shrugged off, but because also provides with one of the most wholesome moments of the whole episode: Ruby looks at Yang and she knows.

Maria comes in and paints an objective: 

The utilitarian route - They take the chaos as an opportunity to run.

The idealist route - They stay and fight, even if they are at a disadvantage.

Camera focuses on Ruby for choice —> Team for back up —> Back to Ruby for confirmation. She is the one who makes the call.

Strategy one: Doomed to fail.

Ruby states that she HAS to do this.

Build up:

Cordovin reaches her breaking point as she listens to Ruby’s resolution.

Cool flight sequence.

Plan fails.

New strategy which focuses a lot more on team effort. I love the scene were Blake goes over to Weiss. We are Weiss stans first, RWBY fans second. The fact that everything feels connected, shows you this was more thought out than the Vol 5 ending battle sequence (With the exception of Cinder vs. Raven vs. Yang). Ren and Jaune are out of the game, no aura. Yang and Nora are to distract the Leviathan. Blake is there for emotional support, she has no aura and Gambol Shroud is broken. Weiss is giving Ruby method of transportation.

Ruby faces the Leaviathan: This is the official RT RWBY “Look how far we’ve come” montage, I say this not only because this is meant to show Ruby’s memories, but because most of the time, the clear point of view of these is not Ruby, but the audience.

Toddler Yang + Young Taiyang: Emotional connection to childhood from Ruby/ Reminder of the fan favorite Burning the Candle episode.

Zwei joins the team: highlight of the time at beacon/everyone’s fav corgi.

Food fight: call back to the ‘good ol’ days’/ Everyone’s favorite fight sequence.

Blake loves tuna: nice team building/One of the funniest scenes for the FNDM.

Penny: scene were she tells Ruby she wants to leave Atlas.

Vomit boy: First time Ruby saw Jaune/Some old FNDM nicknames.

Team JNPR at the noodle station.

Pyrrha —> ANGST TRIGGER.

Jaune training at night: Ruby was woken up every night by this/Sad Arkos moment that hit everyone.

Yang losing an arm: scarring memory for Ruby to see her sister like that/one of the most telling shots of Vol 3 ending.

Yang closing up: see above.

Pyrrha dying.

Penny dead.

Ruby’s powers don’t work, focus on the Leviathan noticing her. Zoom to the lamp.

Pay off:

JINN INTERVENTION! Set up for future volumes, probably one of the smartest moves Ruby pulled up ever. And it’s perfect tied in to the way Ruby react after being reminded of the relic’s existence and how it affect Grimm, established in earlier episodes.

Continuation of montage:

Team RWBY ready for mission: fond memory/of of the iconic moments of the first volumes.

Weiss apologizing: Official beginning of their friendship/Iconic moment of vol 1.

Blake cheering: old classes/meme’d image.

Yang telling Ruby she will always be there for her: emotional contrast to the last Yang flashback/connection of Yang’s short to her self-sacrificial nature/mother hen attitude.

Vol 2 Ending: crisis avoided when the bad guys were easy to deal with.

Dance: Another excellent scene from vol 2.

Team JNPR together.

Qrow’s first appearance: emotional core of Ruby/Qrow relationship.

Oscar hopeful.

María giving Ruby lessons.

Penny when she confirms they are friends.

SUMMER ROSE OMFG

Gotta say, I wasn’t expecting to see her this soon, but I am so fucking glad to see her! I can finally draw all the Team STRQ I’ve wanted to draw! She's so fucking pretty aaaaaaaaaa

Does this confirm STRQ backstory soon?

Ruby is able to stop the Leviathan momentarily.

Cordovin redeems herself.

Now, we get to skip all the fight, which I find to be a great choice. After the last 3 episodes of constant action, we need a breather. We need interactions, a slow down of the pace and some discussion.

We get the small closing scene for the Qrow and Ruby arc. She restates her love for him and Qrow realizes he has someone new to inspire him. It’s very important that he hesitates before taking a drink, and actually pouts his flask down down.

María is also inspired by Ruby. After patting Qrow in the back (metaphorically), we get a reinforcement of team RWBY + JN_R + Oscar as the new generation who take on the mission of saving the world and protecting others as huntsmen.

We got some wholesome and organic exchanges between the kiddos. It’s so refreshing and welcome to see them interact, even if it seems like something so ordinary and miniscule.

Bees get confirmation Renora style. Volume 7 will be filled with filled with Bumblebee y’all! Happy to see they will explore their feelings for each other after they settle the Adam fiasco. They can move on and build a healthy relationship together.

When the Renora kiss tho.

Oscar reveals that Ozpin helped him land the ship. This is super important! Ozpin shows that he has faith in them, and instead of taking over, he shows his support and guides Oscar. This is a very good sign, even if it leaves a sour taste in everyone’s mouth.

Good for the Ozpin arc.

I love the way Atlas looks! It’s an interesting way to protect the city from oncoming Grimm attacks after what happened to Matle. I wonder however, how they keep the city up and what plan of evacuation/defense they have for the impending invasion.

It’s clear the set up for the next season is more political and I’m all here for it!

The Bad

The way Yang and Blake to join the others at the beginning of the episode has me face palming. How the fuck could they have gotten there in time when they were both tired, with no aura left and shocked after what they went through?

That was cheap as fuck, I’d rather they fly to pick them up, that woudl have added what? 1 minute to the 16 minute chapter?

The Dirty

The first scene of the whole episode is completely disconnected for everything else, and though it’s a clear set up for volume 7, I feel it would have been a better post credits scene than the one we got with Salem that was a huge meh.

I will make a Vol 6 review in the future (cause I can’t decide if I like it better or worse than Volume 5), but for sure, the Cinder scenes are completely out of place and only serve for set up for volume 7. They are so clumsily implemented, I can’t believe they couldn’t set up a theme to have them make sense.

Anyways, this is here for the following reasons:

Good callback to Pyrrha’s death. That exchange clearly triggered the audience because boi we’re not over that.

Cool new outfits, kind old how the CRWBY keeps pulling these outfits change to indicate a new arc and make it so obvious.

WHERE ARE MY RWBY ALTAS OUTFITS. I NEED THEM NOW.

Nice to see Neo’s Semblance being explored. She has limits, and we know more of how it works.

Still disappointed Neo doesn’t use sign language. I’m pretty sure Cinder would be able to get some context or read her lips, but whatever. I guess it’s too complicated to animate.

Overall rating: 8/10.

A.N.: Okay I am very gay for Summer someone body please help me the thirst—

[x-i-l-verify]

Top 10 TV Show List

Tagged by the awesome @rum-and-shattered-dreams​ (thank you!)

10. Over the Garden Wall The shortest entry on this list, but damn if it wasn’t a memorable one from start to finish. This little miniseries has it all: mystery, comedy, drama, horror, insanely catchy songs (damn you, “Potatoes and Molasses”!), surreal imagery, and fantastic characters, and manages to be quite unlike anything I’ve seen before or since.

9. Voltron Legendary Defender AKA how to do a reboot cartoon right. I never watched the original Voltron, but from all appearances, this show took all the elements people loved about the original, kept them, and changed basically everything else. It’s not afraid to branch out and do its own thing when it wants to, but it also pays homage to the series that came before it quite a lot, and you can tell the creators deeply respect the source material. The animation and cinematography are fantastic, the characters all lovable and well-written, and the plot gripping and able to keep you on the edge of your seat the entire season.

8. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (circa 2003, seasons 1-4) THE definitive TMNT for me; if there was a series that combined this series’ sense of maturity and grit with the art style of the 2012 Nickelodeon series, then that would be the perfect TMNT TV show, imho. I am still utterly astonished by how dark this series was allowed to get at times while still never losing the franchise’s unique brand of slightly absurdist humor. Where else can you find a series rated Y-7 where the lead villain is decapitated on screen, one of the lead characters spends an entire season with blatant PTSD, and a main character’s pet kitten drowns on screen (sure, the episode turned out to be all Just A Dream, but still!), while, in the same series, you have a main character distracting the bad guy with a pigeon puppet, the main characters defeat an entire coalition of armed guards with nothing but a toilet scrubber, a broom, two toilet plungers, and spoons, and this iconic scene? Not to mention the writing is absolutely top notch, and the characters feel so delightfully three dimensional and human (er, for lack of a better term.) [Do keep in mind that my praise for this series only pertains to seasons 1-4; I’m really not a fan of the direction the writers decided to go in after that, and I prefer to pretend that the later seasons don’t exist, especially season 5.]

7. Goblin This show is basically Rick Riordan’s “Percy Jackson and the Olympians” series with Korean mythology instead of Greek, and it is absolutely delightful. The character writing here is sublime, as are the performances turned in by every single member of the main cast. The main couple’s chemistry and relationship progression is incredibly satisfying, but honestly, the other relationships in the series are just as intriguing and well-written as the romance, especially the Goblin and Grim Reaper’s budding friendship that honestly is almost more compelling than the actual romantic subplot. The story admittedly does move a bit slowly, but this series is more about the characters and the journey they go on than it is about the plot anyway, so since I loved all the characters so much, I didn’t find myself overly minding that all that much. I also want to give a shout out to just how damn pretty this show is; the cinematography, the special effects, the costumes - both period and modern, they spared no expense on anything here, and it really shows. Oh, and the OST is one of the greatest soundtracks of all time for any show ever, and you can quote me on that.

6. Motorcity “Sexy Cars, Absurdly Badass Action Sequences, and Heartwarming Bromance: The Series” and there are not enough words in the English language to convey how pumped this series makes me every single time I watch even a gifset from it. No, it’s not the deepest or most profound show I’ve ever seen, but one thing it is is pure, unadulterated fun, and we all need a little fun in our lives every now and then. Plus it has hilarious writing, great characters, incredible animation, and one of the most absurdly entertaining chaotic neutral villains in the entire history of fiction. It has only 20 episodes, due to Disney putting the kibosh on production only one season in, but luckily, the creators were able to account for this and give the show a satisfying ending, so you have no reason to not watch this and then treat yourself to a proper viewing. 

5. Stranger Things I’m not sure there’s much I can say about this particular series that hasn’t already been said by other better writers, so I’ll keep this brief. This is THE best live-action show to have come out in at least the last decade, and if you haven’t seen it yet, you have done yourself a disservice.

4. Star Trek: The Original Series The nostalgia is strong with this entry, it’s true, but this show holds too much of a special place in my heart to put it any lower on the list. I have many fond memories of watching episodes on my dad’s old VHS tapes over and over again, just loving the old school sci-fi aesthetic and wonderful character interactions in every episode. Even today, the writing holds up remarkably well, even if the special effects have aged very obviously. Still, it just adds to the show’s charm, and I’d still wholeheartedly recommend it to anyone who loves science fiction.

3. Firefly My experience with this series is probably a bit different than most, since I actually watched the theatrical movie (which was basically meant to be the series finale) first. I had no idea who these characters were or even that they came from a series, but the universe and characters were so engaging and different than anything I’d seen before that was incredibly drawn in all the same. When I figured out there was a series, over four years later, I knew I immediately had to watch it, and was hooked from the first episode. The character writing on this show is some of the best I’ve ever seen in my life, the worldbuilding absolutely top notch, and it’s a damn shame it didn’t get the chance to become the next big hit because of FOX’s meddling. There’s a reason this is still one of the biggest cult classic sci-fi shows in the west, that’s for sure.

2. Fullmetal Alchemist (2003/Brotherhood) While I prefer the 2003 anime for personal reasons, I love both anime adaptations of Himoru Arakawa’s magnum opus too much to leave one or the other off this list, so into the number two slot they both go. Besides, I’ve always privately held that if you combined both series into one, they’d basically cancel out each other’s personal failings and you’d be left with the single most perfect anime in existence. And come on, how often do you get two adaptations of the same incredible story and characters that are so drastically different in tone and themes? It’s just more FMA to enjoy, imho, and spending more time in this fascinating world which such dynamic, well-written characters exploring such heavy, thought-provoking concepts and themes would never be something I’d say no to.

1. Avatar: The Last Airbender I think this one speaks for itself.

I tag: @rainewhisper, @epic-and-kitty, @bill-beauxquais, @quicktothebatjalopy, @vietbluefic, @be-the-piano, @arthurpenhaligons, @fredgolds

[denimwrites-archive]

Disney is NOT Lame

Prompt: Requested by @helplesshansen - “Prompt 38: “I can’t believe you don’t like Disney movies” with trying to get Connor to see Star Wars???”

Fandom: Dear Evan Hansen

Pairing: Connor Murphy X Reader

Summary: Connor Murphy was stubborn, but you were going to try and convince him to see Star Wars anyway, but that meant being prepared. Good thing you’re his greatest weakness.

Word Count: 2,337

Warnings: Probably incorrect Star Wars plot, language, Disney favoritism

A/N: Sorry this one is a day late, I hope it’s worth the wait though! As I’ve said previously, I haven’t seen any of the new Star Wars movies, all my knowledge comes from things I’ve seen on my dash (which isn’t a whole lot). And I don’t remember everything about the original series because I haven’t seen it in years. Also I totally picture Connor as a Carrie Fisher fan because she’s a badass Space Mom and dealt with mental health issues openly and set a good example. (I don’t mention finals at all either, just pretend they don’t exist)

~~~

You were so excited. The Last Jedi had finally come out and you couldn’t wait to go and see it with your boyfriend, Connor. You rushed up to him in the hallway, smile on your face as you waited for him to finish putting some books in his locker. Bouncing on the balls of your feet, you raised an eyebrow at his slow motions. “Connor!” you called, and he gave you a glance from the side of his eyes.

“Yes, darling dearest? What’s up?” he asked, finally turning to you and closing his locker. He smiled at your excited state.

“The Last Jedi is finally out! We’ve got to see it this Friday. I don’t even know if I can wait till Friday.” At your words Connor rolled his eyes, turning to go to class. “Hey!” you caught up to walk next to him, “What’s up with you?”

As you walk down the hall, he just gives you a look before letting out a sigh. “I don’t like Disney movies, okay?”

You gasped and stood frozen in the hallway. Staring at him in shock you couldn’t help but voice the obvious, “I can’t believe you don’t like Disney movies. They’re classics and there’s so much work that goes into all of them, how can you not like them?”

“Easy, I just don’t. They’re lame, with predictable storylines and always end with happy endings. They paint false pictures of a reality where things always work out, and I don’t support that. Give me the original Star Wars and I’ll be happy, but I haven’t even seen any of the new movies, and I’d like to leave it that way before the series is ruined. Sorry hon, but I’m not the one you should see it with. We can still hang out on Saturday though?” But then the bell was ringing and you really had to get to class.

“We’re not done talking about this Murphy!” He just gave a small chuckle and continued down the hallway while you went the other direction to your first period. You couldn’t focus on the lesson when your mind was reeling with the fact that your boyfriend didn’t like the most precious of childhood experiences. And that he was willing to skip a continuation of an amazing series just because of who was making the movies! It was absurd, and you were going to prove it to him.

When lunch finally came around, you already had a list of reasons as to why Connor should have a Disney marathon throughout the week. You sit down across from him, an intense look on your face. “Connor Murphy, here are the reasons why you should see the new Star Wars series with me, along with some more Disney movies.” Clearing your throat, you begin, “It continues a franchise that you already love, but with the twist of having more strong female leads, and diversity in the cast, along with more robot companions to love. Also, your favorite person and space mom, Carrie Fisher, is in both The Force Awakens and the brand new The Last Jedi.”

At that, Connor’s eyes lit up. “I know Carrie’s in the new movies. But how much is she in them? Because I’ve heard that they cut out a few of her scenes and I’m not for that.”

You think for a moment before responding. “I can’t speak to how long she’s in it, or if some of her scenes were cut, but I can say that she’s in it and just as badass as ever. She’s leader of the resistance and not taking any shit from people. Even if she doesn’t get all of the screen time she deserves, don’t you want to see the time she does get?”

He seems to contemplate it for a few moments, bobbing his head as he weighs the pros and cons. Then he looks at you and lets out a sigh. “Alright I’ll see it with you.” But before you can get excited, he holds up a hand and says, “But only if we have a movie marathon of the originals first.”

“Deal!” you excitedly agree. “We can marathon them this weekend, and then go see The Last Jedi on Sunday! Oh, Con, I’m so excited! You’re going to love it, I promise!” You get up and give him a kiss on the cheek before getting in the lunch line to get food. When you get back to the table, the rest of your friends are there and Jared is talking about Star Wars with Evan, the two already having seen the movie. “Guys! Spoilers!”

Evan gives you an apologetic look, while Jared just rolls his eyes. “How’d you know we were talking about the new movie? We could have been talking about the classics and how Jar Jar Binks is really the main protagonist of the prequels. Which is the truth, by the way,” he said, raising a finger at you.

You return the eye roll and sit down, changing the subject to school so as to avoid any information about the movie. Soon enough, lunch is over and you head to class, giving Connor one more kiss before you part ways. At the end of the day you go home and pick up a little bit in preparation of your marathon with Connor the next day, as well as go out and get some snacks for the event.

Tomorrow doesn’t come soon enough and you excitedly talk about the snacks you got and how you know Connor will change his mind about Disney doing Star Wars. Evan even backs you up on it during lunch. “I d-didn’t think I’d-d like the new movies either, b-but they pleasantly surprised me. They might not be perfect, but the prequels weren’t either, so what’re you going to do?”

That seemed to get Connor slightly more on board, and by the end of the day you could barely sit still in anticipation. When the final bell rings you burst out of your seat and into the parking lot, ready to have a fun marathon with your boyfriend, as well as prove him wrong about Disney. You waited impatiently for Connor to make his way to your car, but he eventually made it, casually sauntering over with a smirk on his face. “Oh, were you waiting on me?”

“Just c’mon! I want to try and get through the first two tonight.” At that you two got in your car and you were off to your house. After finally getting through the school’s traffic it was smooth sailing and you turned on the tv as soon as you got inside. Tossing your stuff in your room you grab some snacks from the kitchen before returning to the couch and putting on The Phantom Menace.

You settle in, sharing some chips as the movie plays. Leaning against Connor’s shoulder, you find yourself getting really into the movie. After it finishes, you take a bathroom break and grab some more snacks before starting Attack of the Clones.

When that movie ends you look at the clock and see that it’s not too late yet. After talking to Connor you decide to start the next movie, even if you won’t finish it tonight. About halfway through, when there’s a brief lull, you decide to take Con home, just so that you can get started on the marathon again at a reasonable time tomorrow. Driving him home, you discuss what’s happened so far and how you’re getting even more excited to see the new movie.

Even Connor says that the marathon is getting him excited for it, but that the real test will be seeing the other new releases tomorrow, or Sunday. “And I’m going to be a tough judge, (Y/N).” You can’t help but shake your head at him, knowing he’s teasing by his smirk and light tone.

Dropping him off at his house, you give him a kiss goodnight, and tell him you’ll pick him up at 8:30 the next morning. He groans at the early time, but you persuade him with a McDonald’s breakfast, which changes his tune slightly. “Bribery always works,” you say smugly, before waving and driving back home. You clean up the living room before going to bed.

You wake up to your alarm and stretch before heading out to grab Connor and some delicious, albeit unhealthy food. Conversation is light in the car, and once you’re back at your house, settling back in for the marathon, you’re comfy and full. Ready to face the menace that was the Sith.

Finally finishing that, you decide to just jump right into the next movie. You were a little nervous how Connor was going to like Rogue One, but decided to just see how it played out. Sneaking glances at him at some parts of the movie, you could see he was fighting not to get invested and couldn’t stop the smirk forming on your face.

When the movie ended you turned to him with the smirk on your face, and he rolled his eyes at you. “It was okay, still not the best movie in the franchise.”

“C’mon, just admit that you liked it. Or at least that it wasn’t lame.”

“It’s Star Wars, it can’t be lame. But I will concede that they didn’t entirely fuck it up, okay?” He raises an eyebrow at you, and you sigh. It wasn’t much, but it was progress. You decide to take a small break for stretching, bathroom, and snack grabbing before setting in for the real stars of the marathon, the originals.

You both can’t help but get excited as you start A New Hope, grabbing each other as certain iconic moments play out on screen. At the end you hop right into the next movie, unable to contain yourselves. Getting more and more into the marathon, you even decide to get up and recreate one of the duel scenes with some Pringle containers. Connor even making some sound effects which you can’t help but giggle at.

Taking another break at the end of The Empire Strikes Back. You talk to Connor and decide to try and finish the rest of the series tonight, just so you can see The Last Jedi without having to wait. You give him a big hug before getting comfy on the couch once more, snuggled into his side.

With only two movies left, time seems to fly and then you’re watching The Force Awakens. Seeing Rey being a badass, along with Finn and Poe just gets you more and more amped up. And you can tell that Connor loves it by the way he lights up whenever BB-8 appears on screen. When the movie ends you both sit there in silence for a few moments before Connor bursts out, excitedly going over the scenes of the film and analyzing the implications of certain details.

You don’t think you could smile any wider as you watch him gesture and go on and on. You interject some of your thoughts and how the trailers for the new movie have gestured to certain ideas as well. There were so many theories you talked about and soon enough you’d been sitting there for another hour.

“What time are we seeing it tomorrow, because it better be the first time available.” You giggle at Con’s enthusiasm and pull out your phone to look up the times. Seeing that the earliest one is at 1 in the afternoon, Connor lets out a sigh in frustration, wishing it was sooner.

“At least you’ll get to sleep later,” you tease. He gives you a light hearted glare in response. You drive Connor home and give him a kiss goodnight, telling him you’ll text and make sure he’s up at 11, just to ensure you get to the theater in time. You sleep a little fitfully that night, too excited for tomorrow to come, but soon enough you’re dreaming of androids and the power of the force.

Upon waking up the next day, you get dressed and have a good breakfast, deciding to only have a light lunch so you can snack on popcorn in peace. Texting Connor, and deciding which snacks to try and sneak into the theater, you feel yourself get excited again. You even end up at Connor’s house early, but he seems just as thrilled as you are.

You arrive at the theater about an hour early, so you buy your tickets and decide to walk around a little bit since you have some time to kill. As the time comes closer, you hurry back just so you can get the best seats. You’re the first people in the theater and you talk about more ideas as you wait for the movie to start, sometimes commenting on the previews and mentioning which ones you might want to see in the future.

The theater soon fills up, barely any room left by the time the movie officially starts. You grab Connor’s hand as the opening plays, him giving it a squeeze in response. Watching the events of the movie unfold on the edge of your seat, you can’t believe how soon it ended. As the credits start to roll you look at Connor with an open mouth, and he looks just as shocked as you do. Deciding to wait for everyone else to leave before getting out of your seats, you start to discuss the main plot points of the movie.

Finally walking out of the theater, Con’s hand still in yours, you turn to him with a smug look on your face. “So Disney movies are lame, huh?”

He scoffs, “Shut up. It’s Star Wars, it can’t be lame. Even if Disney does it.”

“You won’t be saying that when we watch Moana next weekend.” He lets out a slight groan and you giggle, giving his hand another squeeze. He’ll come around, you think to yourself, cause that’s the magic of Disney.

Tag List: @helplesshansen

[acsversace-news]

As Ricky Martin talks about playing Antonio D’Amico it’s hard not to feel his emotion and how deeply telling the story of Gianni Versace’s lover affected him. The story Martin tells of playing D’Amico is an emotional, but important one.

When Versace was murdered on the steps of his Miami villa, fear spread among the gay community as news of Andrew Cunanan’s serial killing spree made headlines and Martin remembers his own fears at the time.

Another aspect that Martin could relate to was Versace’s acceptance of his own sexuality, keeping D’Amico in the shadow as his shadow as friends and family told the iconic designer coming out as gay would ruin him. Martin discusses being able to relate to that because he had been in Versace’s shoes with accepting his sexuality and for this role, he was on the other side, the hidden lover.

Martin’s performance is one that deserves all the Emmy attention for his portrayal of D’Amico. Read the interview below:

I was so excited to see you work with Ryan Murphy again, how did that conversation begin for American Crime Story: Versace?

I had the opportunity to work with him on Glee a few years ago and I was living here in LA when he called me. “Hey, Buddy! I’d love to have dinner with you.” Of course, I replied, “Let me think about it.” Just kidding. I showed up at the Sunset Tower and we had a lovely dinner. After 45 minutes he told me, “Rick, I think I have something for you. I’ve found something perfect for you.” He explained he was doing Versace and Crime Story. I was curious about who was going to be Donatella. He said, “No one knows, but it’s going to be Penelope.” I went crazy because I’ve known her for many years. I knew Edgar was going to be playing Gianni. I didn’t even have to ask about who was playing Gianni and I told him that Edgar and I are super close friends. He’s like my brother. Ryan teared up, saying how powerful it was because he said how he needed a friendship for this character

It was very beautiful. Everyone was asking when was I going back to acting, and first of all, I’ve always loved acting. I first did a TV show when I was 15. I was in Mexico City and doing theater and TV. People were always asking when I’d go back to it, but things were going so beautifully with the music. I told people that I would go back to acting if I was feeling the story and surrounded by the right cast. I would also have to work with a producer who I trusted and admired. You have to be careful with what you wish for because that’s exactly what happened. It was really interesting.

I started doing all the research. I was lucky enough to speak to Antonio himself. It was interesting and intense. It doesn’t matter how gentle you want to be, but I told him that I would be asking him deep questions. I said, “It’s been twenty years and if you allow me, I want to shed some light on what you and Gianni had.” He was just so generous. I know it had to be so difficult for him but he gave me so much information that I could bring to the set and the role.

What was it like for you when Versace was assassinated? We all know where we were when it happened and it was impossible not to be affected by that. Talk about revisiting that and learning about Antonio.

I used to live in Miami when this happened and I was also a victim. I was afraid of walking down the street. We knew there was a serial killer walking down the street and that’s the heavy side of the story. This guy was on the FBI’s Most Wanted List and he was living in Miami and not hiding. Sadly, he got to Gianni.

I remember the loss and the pain. Miami Beach was never the same and I think it took over ten years for Miami to be what it was and return to normal. I thought I knew a lot because I was in Miami, but once I started doing the research, I learned a lot.

That’s why I insist that it’s such an important story to tell. There’s so much injustice behind this story and we have to be loud about this story and we have to be agressive and tell it as it is because history tends to repeat itself.

There was a lot of homophobia and we don’t want to go there again. We lost a genius. It’s not how he died, but it’s why we allowed it to happen. It’s so emotional for me to see the series and talk about it.

The other day, Penelope told me, “Baby, we have to move on.” I’m a gay man with kids and a husband. There are people out there who are vicious that do not like what I represent and that’s one of the reasons I thought it was part of me to be in this production.

Your episode after Versace is murdered and Antonio is ostracized was heartbreaking to watch. Talk about shooting that day.

Every scene I had was intense. I never had a simple day on set. I’m telling you, I lived as Antonio for all those months. Penelope said, “Ricky, I want to hate you but I can’t.” Coming from her, that meant so much to me. I was in it, I was in touch with the sadness and the darkness and the uncertainty of being in love. I was in touch with the idea of your man not being there anymore. After fifteen years of being his shadow and then all of a sudden, you have nothing. I have nowhere to live. The person who was my friend was no more. I asked, “How can I vanish from this world?” This is what I was working with and at the end of the series, you see him trying to commit suicide because nothing was ever going to be the same for him without Gianni.

It was intense and sad. I was crying. It would take me a minute after they yelled cut for me to let go.

My kids and husband were not around. When I was in Miami, no one came to visit and that helped a lot.

How did you shed that character when you’re in there so deep? Do you shed it?

I wonder if you ever do. I wonder if you ever shut that door because it touches me and it hits close to home. When I go home, my kids and family are there. I go on the road and promote the show and talk to people who share their stories by which I’m so fascinated to hear. I don’t think I’m ever going to close it. It’s just one of those things right?

What was the most surprising thing you learned from him when talking to him and doing your research?

The love they had for each other. No one really knew about their love. There was the close circle. Antonio was always in the shadows wearing black until Gianni decides to come out and present Antonio as his lover.

It takes me back to me when it was hard for me to accept my sexuality. Me playing the other side of the coin. I was hiding my lover and my boyfriends. It was another emotional scene because I was in the shoes of my ex-lovers and I knew exactly where Gianni was. I knew where he was with the fear. That internalized homophobia. Everyone was telling him not to come out or it would end his career. He was being told no one would respect him after that.

At the same time, you have this need to just be yourself without walls. We tend to isolate ourselves as artists and creators. When you say no more, you really want the people around you to support you. Sometimes you have to say, “I’m not afraid regardless of what happens after this. This is what I need to be happy.” I’m telling you Jazz, I brought that to set.

I’d sit with the directors and tell them what scenes meant to me. It was such a beautiful dynamic between the writers, cast and director. Especially with Edgar and Penelope. I didn’t work with Darren.

But, you guys are friends because I saw you at The Greatest Showman right?

That’s the thing, we really are friends. We’d spend days off. We’d come home, have barbecues, play music and it was all about unity.

This happened twenty years ago and there was this whole homophobia that existed, but have we moved forward? Sometimes, in this day and age, I don’t think we fully have.

We’ve taken significant steps such as marriage equality and these are steps taken by the government in parts of the world. Sexuality is such a taboo regardless of where you come from. I’m a Latin man and Latin culture is about the macho man, but I can not say that someone in Omaha, Nebraska is going through exactly the same emotions I was going through and dealing with and that’s why it’s so important for stories like this to come out, and for people to say everything is going to be fine.

Walking down the street in New York, people will come up to me and tell me how the show made them understand who they were or who their parents were.

It’s the same thing that happened to me when I wrote my book and it has become a mission. Am I an activist? Of course, I am. When Ryan Murphy comes with this gem, we need to be bold and loud.

I’m ready for more characters like this and more stories.

Ryan Murphy is such a trailblazer for these stories. What was it like reading this story and Andrew’s backstory?

It was super scary, but the way we work with Ryan, he gives it to you little by little. He doesn’t give you all the episodes. When we’re working on set, he can come up with this amazing idea that can change the whole situation. Every time he comes up with this great idea, it’s an outstanding idea, so as an actor, he keeps you constantly on the edge. You’re really tip-toeing at all times. We have a lot of information and we can go into debates about how you perceive a situation, but everything he comes up with is brilliant.

We were shooting episode four and would have no idea what would happen in episode nine.

I have to ask about being reunited with Penelope on screen for this.

It was the scariest thing when she walks on set and she is Donatella.

Yes, that she is.

Her voice, her accent, and the characterizations are so powerful. You forget your relationship that you have as friends. I was Antonio and he was always on the defense because you never knew what would come out of her mouth.

I played with it and had a lot of fun with that defense that Antonio had when she was around.

What was the positive takeaway in playing Antonio?

I never had any negatives. I got to play a voice that had not been heard. I got to tell the world what their love was like. It was a very open free love. Who am I to judge how they decided to sculpt their life and the way they loved each other? You jump into acceptance because love manifests in different ways. For me, it was the most rewarding part of it all.

So, now that you’ve done another Ryan Murphy role would you like to work with him again?

Are you kidding me? I would give anything to work with him again. You know, he made it public and said he’d work with me again. He put it out there.

It’s out there and he said it.

He said it! It’s out! I’m just preparing myself as an actor and I keep finding the colors that will get me ready for whatever he has in store for me.

[abrajadex-blog]

Remixing, re creating or copying?

Remixing is the art of taking someone’s original idea and transforming it into something original by changing or embellishing enough elements to call it original.

A perfect example of remixing would be any of the older “Disney princess” stories.

Disney was founded October 16, 1923 in LA California. Walt Disney came to California armed with a sketch series titled “Alice’s Wonderland”. Walt and his brother Roy were contracted to distribute the Alice comedies on Oct. 16th, 1923 by a New York distributer, M.J. Winkler. Walt and his brother formed what is now known as the Walt Disney studio.

www.d23.com

Walt Disney made many original animated characters (Mickey Mouse anyone) however, he found the greatest success with his animated feature film “Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs”. Snow White debuted on December 21, 1937 and became the highest-grossing film of all time. It held this record until the release of Gone with the Wind.

Now, anyone familiar with Disney history know that many of Disney’s princess films are based on other stories. The original “Snow White” is a 19th-century German fairy tale.

The Brothers Grimm published Snow White in 1812. Snow White was featured in the first edition of their collection Grimm’s Fairy Tales.

  Now, the original story of Snow White is a little more gruesome than Walt Disney’s version, however he retained the basic story in his animated retelling. The original story sees Snow White’s mother prick herself with a needle and wish for a child that is “As white as snow, as red as blood, and as black as the wood in (the window) frame”. Snow White’s mother then gives birth – dying in the process. Disney decided against placing this in their version of the film. Disney leaves out a lot of the darker more depressing elements of the story. Both stories have the same basic elements – an evil stepmother hellbent on being the “fairest in the land”, a magic mirror, Snow White needing to flee her home after a failed murder attempt, 7 dwarfs, Snow Whites iconic death by apple, and a Prince to come and rescue her.

Disney did a great job remixing this story. They kept the basic premise of the story but changed enough details to make it original. Disney made original names for the dwarfs and gave them a personality to add to the film, making the dwarfs almost as iconic as Snow White herself. The ending is also different from the original. The Grimm’s story saw Snow White placed in the iconic glass coffin, however unlike the Disney version there was no “true loves kiss” to awaken her. In an almost anti-climatic ending Snow White was awoken by her coffin being dropped on the ground and the poisoned apple being dislodged from her throat. This scene would have been a lot less dramatic than Disney’s version, as who doesn’t want to believe in true love?

Pretty much all of Disney’s princesses are based on other Fairy tales (www.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_Of_Disney_animated_films_based_on_fairy_tales). Cinderella is another great example of remixing existing material to make something original. Cinderella was a successful Disney movie, based off of an illustrated book of the same name. It again has the premise of an evil stepmother and ending with the “happily ever after” ending that most Disney princesses enjoy. It is also a fairy tale that has been re-created in so many different formats it is hard to keep track.

One of my favorite adaptions is “A Cinderella Story”. The movie – released in 2004 stars Hilary Duff as a modern day “Cinderella” named Sam. Like in the Disney film Sam is made to behave like a servant for her evil stepmother and stepsisters after her father dies in a tragic accident. As a Cinderella story is based in modern times, we get modern technology. Sam’s dream is to be accepted into Princeton. She becomes pen pals with a boy - Austen (Chad Michael Murray) who also shares that dream but is struggling with the pressure of what his father wants from him instead. We see a lot of social dynamics at play mainly Sam and Austin’s complete opposite social standing, Austin’s popularity VS Sam’s unpopularity. There is even a scene at the ball where Sam dresses up like a masked Cinderella and loses her cell phone (instead of a glass slipped) at the dance. This leads Austin on a frantic search for his “Cinderella”. 

  Also like the Disney version we see these two end up with their “happily ever after – well for now”, with both being accepted to Princeton and ending up together. This is a great example of how you can take something and remix it enough to be original. Almost everyone who watches this movie knows that it is a remix of something else, yet with the original take on the concepts it’s completely loveable all the same. What also makes this original is that while Sam’s family is wealthy, she’s not a princess in the way Disney portrays it. She won’t inherit a kingdom - instead she inherits a diner, and she won’t be “ruling” over anybody. She goes to Princeton and lives her best life.

Disney isn’t a stranger to controversy, however. While their Disney Princess stories were always known to be adaptions of other stories, there is one dark stain on their history. “The Lion King” (1994) was credited as being Disney’s first original story. Almost immediately, people started realizing a great deal in common with a Japanese manga series “Kimba the white lion”. Disney adamantly denied any copyright infringement, instead trying to plead ignorance and stating that “The Lion King” was created by using concepts from “Hamlet” – a Shakespeare play, and Bambi. Most don’t exactly buy that defense… it’s hard not to see the similarities between the two – with some scenes almost mirroring each other. You can watch this side by side comparison and draw your own conclusions, however to me, this looks like a clear copyright infringement.

www.avclub.com/disneys-claim-that-the-lion-king-was-their-first-origi-1822629988

When remixing and remaking movies how far can you go before, you’re just copying instead of remaking? In 1994 such as when the Lion King was released, I think it was easier to copy and not credit the original sources. This was before the internet was such a popular place. People in the Western world didn’t always know what was happening in the Eastern world. Disney probably thought no one would notice that they copied direct scenes from another source. If this happened now, the entire internet would be alit with hundreds of YouTube video’s showing the similarities between the two and making Disney accountable. Instead, it happened in 1994 and instead, they probably got a couple of digs in the newspaper – and one notable nod in “the Simpsons”. Pretty much, if you don’t want to be accused of copying something else… change more than one letter in a character’s name, and definitely do not copy entire scenes from the original.

[albionjake]

My Top 20 EastEnders Characters Of All Time

Yes this is happening.

I love EastEnders. Everything about it really. I think it’s responsible for some of the greatest characters ever created on TV. Also some of the absolute worst but we’re not here to talk about those! (Looking at you, The Ferreiras) I have come up with a (questionable) list of my favourite 20 EastEnders characters. My criteria? I think longevity is a big plus. The more time I spend with these characters, the more fond I’ve become of them I guess? I also tried not to be blinded by nostalgia... People tend to forget that Michelle Fowler was only in EastEnders for 10 years, to put that in context: Lauren Branning has now been a character for 11 years... It’s the same for many EastEnders ‘legends’. Den and Ange were only really around for 4 years or so... So I’ve been wary of filling the list with a load of pre-2000 people. Jamie Mitchell, you were handsome but you’ve not made the cut.

ANYWAY. Time for a bloody list.

20. Carol Jackson I originally had Sonia here but then I remembered her old mum and changed my mind. Sorry Sonia, you can have the non-existent number 21 spot. Always the bridesmaid. Carol Jackson is an interesting one because she spent so much of her time being a mopey, moaning old cow but when it mattered she showed so much heart and realness that it has to be commended. Lindsay Coulson is one of the best actresses the show has ever seen and made Carol into the most sympathetic of characters. Carol was more like a real person than most characters on the show and I found it refreshing. She’s also the mother of three genuine EastEnders legends (Sonia, Robbie, Bianca) and has so many strong links to the Square. I think it’s a real shame that she’s gone and I really hope she returns one day.

19. Tamwar Masood This seems an odd placing, I know. But I feel Tamwar represents a side of the show that is a little unrepresented in this list. Comedy. Yeah sure, some of the comedy in the show is a little heavy handed (the wonderful Kim Fox, for example) but there are some characters that are so wonderfully, subtly funny and Tamwar was certainly one of those. He was on the show for 9 years and was such a great presence to have around. Always there with a deadpan, sarcastic comment. He wasn’t involved in many memorable storylines (his whole wedding storyline was a waste of time, in my opinion) but now that he’s gone, I really miss him. The Masoods in general were absolutely brilliant and I’d love to see a return for them, if not the whole family then at least more Tamwar.

18. Billy Mitchell Yeah that’s right, I refuse to ignore the runt of the Mitchell litter. I love Billy. I think he’s another very realistic and believable character. He’s so loveable and kind, completely different to who he was when he was first introduced. A perfect example of a character growing into something more. He’s always there to help the Mitchells, no matter how horrible they are to him. His relationships with characters are always so heartfelt and believable too. His granddaughter Lola, his ex-wife Little Mo, his wife Honey, his kids, Jay, Roxy, Pam and Les and even Jamie Mitchell in the end. All really lovely relationships to have watched over the years and all down to how bloody great Billy Mitchell is. May he remain in the Square for decades to come.

17. Shirley Carter She feels like a fairly new character but she’s been on the show for over 10 years now. In her own right, she was brilliant but since her family joined she’s been a pretty unstoppable EastEnders force. Her initial Phil romance and all that came with it was brilliant and her friendship with Heather was one of the best the show has seen, along with her relationship with Ben. But since Mick and his family arrived, things have got incredibly interesting for Shirley. She’s now the matriarch of a whole family. So many new relationships and dynamics and still so many more places to go as a character. She’s grumpy, funny, nasty, bad tempered but ultimately very good hearted. Characteristics we may see again a bit further up this list. Shirley is the sort of character that EastEnders will always work well with. She couldn’t be more perfect for Albert Square.

16. Jay Brown/Mitchell I want to put him higher but I need to be honest with myself and admit Jay hasn’t exactly been at the forefront of EastEnders classic storylines or anything. I just really bloody like him. Yes, I fancy him a bit too. Ultimately, I just like him a lot. I think he’s a lovely character, the sort of character I hate seeing bad things happen to. His tragic early years with his dad’s death still feel very raw and I feel protective over him. The way the Mitchell’s made him one of their own was a brilliant idea and his relationship with Phil, Billy and Ben have all been a joy to watch. I really hope the show gives him more to play with because wasting such a wonderful little character would be a shame.

15. Den Watts Yeah that’s right. I’ve put Dirty Den here. Why? Because overall he’s only spent about 7 years on the show. His first stint is undeniably iconic. He was the first big character the show ever had. He was the reason that 30 million people tuned in on Christmas Day in 1986 when the show wasn’t even two years old. He was the first landlord of the Queen Vic. He was in the first scene and said the first words. But he wasn’t around for long. By 1989 he was floating in the Thames. Then it was 2003 and he was ‘back from the dead’. That whole return was a waste of time. Yes it gave us the brilliant Chrissie Watts and a few other great moments but ultimately it just soured the memory of who Den was before. He’ll always be iconic to the show but he’s not too high on my list.

14. Bianca Jackson Some may be surprised at how high this is but the woman is an absolute legend. Her friendship with Tiffany was one of the great EastEnders friendships, something the show often does very well indeed. Her affair with her mum’s husband Dan was gripping. Her relationship with Ricky was utterly iconic. She has links to a lot of the greatest characters the show has seen which makes her pretty important all round. Her horrible clothes, her gaggle of children, her brash personality, all of it is bloody wonderful. I can’t imagine we’ve seen the last of her and I hope she comes back soon.

13. Grant Mitchell Lower than many EastEnders fans would put him but Grant isn’t what he once was. Sure, he’s got bags of charisma and has had some of the greatest storylines the show has ever seen. He’s also one half of the most iconic brothers in TV history. His whole family is (in my opinion) the best EastEnders has seen or will see. But Grant keeps coming and going and I think it’s damaging his legacy. Don’t get me wrong, I am all for bringing Grant back but please can we have him for a couple of years rather than a few months! It’s such a shame when he just pops back for a bit to remind us of his potential and then just leaves again. I understand that Ross Kemp isn’t interested in a full time return and that’s a real shame but maybe then we should just say goodbye to him for good?

12. Sharon Mitchell/Watts I know, I know, I know. The way I go on about her, you’d expect Sharon to at least have made the top 5... But the reason I love Sharon so much is that she is a bit shit. She’s been a character since the very first episode and has never gone away long enough for a return to feel like too much. Her initial return in 2001 is one of the most iconically camp moments ever. Everything Sharon does is camp. She’s like a lowkey drag queen. I love every Dynesty-esque look, every flutter of the eyelid, every pout and every black outfit. She’s completely ridiculous and annoying but she’s a complete legend and I love her.

11. Ian Beale I know, that’s three real legends in a row now. It’s just... Ian is Ian isn’t he. He’s never going to set our worlds on fire but he’s fucking Ian Beale and he’s been with us since 1985. He’s the annoying little brother we’ve all grown to love(ish) after 30 years. We’ve seen Ian go through all sorts of things and he really has been at the centre of some of the biggest storylines. His marriage to Cindy was truly delightful and his breakdown over the death of his daughter Lucy was incredible. I maintain that Adam Woodyatt’s live acting on the special episode was Oscar worthy. Ian is a legend and he’ll hopefully be there until he’s very old.

10. Ben Mitchell Look, I’m aware that he’s pretty annoying. But what a character. Why do I love Ben? I find his weird personality very funny. He’s always been weird in a variety of ways and I’ve enjoyed them all. His daddy issues have never felt forced. Anyone with Phil as a father would have issues, particularly if they were gay so everything about Ben makes perfect sense to me. Also, we’ve known Ben since he was born. We saw his mum meet his dad, his mum discover she was pregnant, him being born, him contracting meningitis giving him impaired hearing. We only missed 7 years of his life when he went to South Africa with Kathy so we know him so well. I’ve loved pretty much all of his storylines and I hope Ben sticks around ages longer. I must say, I do hope he goes off the rails again soon, I wouldn’t want him to be normal for too long.

9. Frank Butcher A legend if ever there was one. It’s such a shame that Mike Reid died at the relatively young age of 67. It would have been great to see a bit more of Frank. Frank Butcher truly embodies EastEnders, in the same way Alfie and Mick (neither of whom have made this list) have done since. Proper EastEnd wide boys are a staple of the show and you’ll never get a better one than Frank. His relationship with Pat is one of the most famous in British television and the scene where he wore nothing but a spinning bowtie is one of the show’s most iconic. Three of his strongest connections on the show were to characters that that are yet to come on this list which is probably the reason he’s featured so high, I associate him with the best. He was loud, funny and sometimes utterly heartbreaking. I miss him.

8. Max Branning A higher placing than I expected for Max but I think it’s warranted. He’s an absolutely brilliant character. He’s so charismatic, he’s funny, he’s charming, he’s sneaky, he’s frustrating, he’s clever, he’s a hero, he’s a villain and he’s one of the show’s greatest ever characters. His marriage to Tanya was always brilliant viewing, I still hold out hope that we’ll see a return to those days. The affair storyline with Stacey is obviously up there with the greatest. His two daughters are also fantastic characters in their own right with so many layers. The show is always a better place with Max around and I’d love to see a proper return for the Max Branning we know and love. I want him back with Tanya, with a good relationship with his girls and a nice strong base in the Square.

7. Stacey Slater/Fowler I adore Stacey. I think she’s just absolutely bloody fantastic. I want her to my friend. When she first arrived, it felt like one Slater too many seeing as the family were taking up every storyline going but how wrong I was. Stacey Slater is the best thing about EastEnders right now and she’s not even got a storyline. I just love having her around. Her relationship with Martin has gone from something that felt a bit weird to something that feels entirely right. The way she talks him down from his crazy parenting habits is always such a joy to watch and the way she’s always such a great step mum to Bex is delightful. I obviously loved her affair with Max and now I love their friendship. I love her relationship with Kat and the way she isn’t afraid to kick off. Her mental health storylines have always been compelling and Lacey Turner is just one of the best actresses on British TV.

6. Pat Butcher/Evans This is getting very difficult now. The top 6 really are in a different league for me. Pat Butcher is one of the absolute best. She is almost THE icon of EastEnders. She was an ex-prostitute with a heart of gold and a vicious tongue. Her and Frank were the (pearly) King and Queen of the show for many years. Pat was related to so many fantastic characters over the years and had friendships with anyone that mattered. Her relationship with step-daughter Janine was always brilliant to watch. She was always there for her granddaughter Bianca and all her kids. She was a great enemy and eventual best friend to Peggy. Pat Butcher was so many things to so many people. She had the most iconic look with the huge earrings, loud shirts and too much makeup. Her death came far too soon but was incredibly moving to watch. It’s a shame she’s gone. Would be great to have had her around the past few years.

5. Peggy Mitchell The best woman that ever owned the Queen Vic. Yeah sure, Angie was iconic. Pat looked very at home there. Kat couldn’t have been a better fit. Linda is doing a brilliant job. But Peggy is the true landlady of the Queen Vic. “Get out of my pub” is all you need to say to realise that she’ll forever own that place in a way. Peggy was such a tiny little ball of fury and passion. The Mitchell’s are my favourite family by far (there are 6 people with that surname on this list) and she was the undisputed head of that family. Peggy with her two boys, Phil and Grant, will always be the most iconic soap family. She had some incredible storylines and Barbara Windsor gave some wonderful performances. Her one downfall might be the amount of time she actually spent on the Square. She went on breaks fairly often and I always feel like that ruins the characters momentum a little bit. Saying that, her return for her death really was beautiful. I’ve cried multiple times at the scene where Phil reads her letter to him after she’s gone. I think the nation felt the pain at Peggy’s loss as much as the characters did. 4. Kat Slater/Moon What a character. She’s the newest character in the top 5 but has managed almost 17 years! I suppose there was a 5 year break but I don’t think it did much to slow her down. Kat is such a brilliantly complicated character. Viewers loved her and the whole Slater family pretty much as soon as they arrived and Kat was immediately the stand out member. She’s loud, loveable, nasty, compassionate, funny, emotionally draining and much more. She really has got it all. Her Zoe storyline came so soon into their arrival that it gave us an understanding of Kat’s past straight away. It was a brilliant way of giving an explanation of Kat and that little girl who was abused is constantly visible in the character. Her relationship with Alfie is one of the most beautiful on the show. Her relationship with Stacey is a joy. She’s now got a load of kids who will hopefully grow up into great characters in their own right and have Kat as an old EastEnders matriarch figure. She had a great friendship with Bianca that couldn’t have felt more right and she’s had so many fantastic enemies over the years too. You’re never bored when Kat is around and I really hope she returns soon because I miss her terribly. No more RedWater please! Just Kat in the Square. 3. Phil Mitchell The top dog of the Mitchell family has to come highest really. He might not be as likeable as the previous Mitchells listed but he really is the best. He’s had more storylines than most of this list and has spent so much time actually on the show. A good handful of these characters have had loads of extended breaks but Phil really hasn’t. He’s just got back from a break but is already in full Phil Mitchell mode. Phil is best when he’s tearing the Square apart and putting people in their place and it’s great to have him back. This list is full of names that have strong links to Phil: Peggy, Grant, Ben, Sharon, Ian, Billy, Jay, Shirley. It really is testament to what a brilliant character he is. Back in the day, it was Grant who was everyone’s favourite. Grant had all the storylines and Phil was his softer and slightly more boring brother but once Grant was gone, Phil very quickly took over. The ‘Who Shot Phil’ storyline was one of the show’s most iconic. His relationships are always great, even if it is sometimes unbelievable that quite so many beautiful women would fall for him. His rivalry with Ian is one of my favourite long standing strands in the show too. Then you’ve got his two kids Ben and Louise, both great characters in their own rights now who will hopefully be around for a lot longer. He recently had another son with Denise who I’m sure will pop up 15 years or so down the line if the Mitchell’s are still a thing by then. The best thing about Phil is how flawed he is. He’s been a nasty piece of work and will probably continue to be in the future but it’s played so well that you can never properly hate Phil. Everything he does makes sense in his world and the viewers always understand where Phil is coming from, even when they disagree with him. He’s a very special character that Steve McFadden should be proud of. 2. Dot Cotton/Branning The face of EastEnders. Fair enough, Dot’s storylines these days (and most of her history, really) isn’t as exciting as most others on this list but it really doesn’t matter. The character work that has been done on Dot over the years is second to none. EastEnders fans love this woman from the bottom of their hearts and that’s down to how she’s been written for all these years. She’s an incredible character. She’s the only character that’s done a single handed episode. One whole episode with only Dot in it. Dot’s history is so rich and so full of heartbreak but also full of love and happiness. A simple storyline like Abi moving out of Dots comes with such huge emotion and that’s because she’s leaving Dot alone. Anyone but Dot and it wouldn’t have had half the impact. We care about Dot as if she was our own grandma and I can’t think of many characters I can say that about. She’s also so funny. It’s easy to think of Dot as a tragic character after all that’s happened to her and the losses she’s suffered but it’s just as easy to think of her as a comic character. June Brown has always played both sides to perfection. We love Dot whether she’s feeling sorry for herself on her own or being a busy body in the Vic drinking her tomato juice (or sherry at Christmas of course). Dot is an icon if ever there was one and it’s going to be an unbearably sad day when she leaves us. 1. Janine Butcher Yeah yeah yeah, I’m aware that the 5 people above Janine have a much stronger case for being proper EastEnders legends. But come on… Janine is such a force of nature when she turns up, it’s impossible for me to choose anyone else. I’ll admit, I’m pretty obsessed with Janine. I find her completely captivating. She’s so completely evil but then she shows you that tiny glimpse of good in her and you’re right back on her side. She couldn’t be more manipulative, for the characters or the viewers. Obviously the moment you think of when you think of Janine is pushing Barry down the cliff (“If only he’d worn slip on shoes”). She’s manipulated so many people over the years that it’s amazing she’s never been the subject of a whodunnit, hopefully she’ll return one day for that. Although not a murder whodunnit, I want Janine making people’s lives a misery for many years to come. Then there’s the soft side. We often saw the soft side with her beloved dad Frank. We also sometimes saw it between her and different men in her life but never for long. The person I remember most fondly for bringing out Janine’s soft side is Pat. Janine and Pat’s relationship was one of the most hate-filled yet love-filled I’ve seen. When Pat was dying, it was Janine that made me cry most. Seeing Janine so sad about losing someone was too much for me. I have such a great fondness for every side of Janine. I really really really hope Charlie Brooks decides one day that it’s time for Janine to come back because I can’t imagine a year goes by without EastEnders giving her a call. If she never returns though, I wouldn’t mind too much. That final scene when she’s in the airport after murdering Michael and someone asks her what she’s been up to: “Oh you know, just getting away with murder”. OH MY GOODNESS. What a line. What a woman. What a character. Please let her come back soon.

[justanothercinemaniac]

Epic Movie (Re)Watch #140 - Singin’ in the Rain

Spoilers below

Have I seen it before: Yes

Did I like it then: Yes.

Do I remember it: Yes.

Did I see it in theaters: No.

Format: Blu-ray

This post is dedicated to @hyla-brook, as I can no longer watch this movie without thinking of my friend.

1) This film is not only one of the best movie musicals of all time, but one of the best movies of all time period. More on that coming up.

2) The opening credits include the line, “Suggested by the song...” In fact, the entire film was written AFTER the songs with only two exceptions (“Moses” and “Make ‘Em Laugh”), with all the other songs already being released and known to the world at the time. This effectively makes Singin’ in the Rain one of the earliest karaoke musicals (alá Rock of Ages), but today the songs are known largely if not exclusively because of the long lasting popularity of this film.

3) The backstory given by Don (Gene Kelly) is a wonderful opening to the film for almost countless reasons.

For one, we get a strong establishment of the friendship and loyalty which exists between Don and Cosmo (Donald O’Connor) as relationship as important to the film as Don’s love with Kathy. We also get a clear establishment of the film’s sense of humor, giving us a nice juxtaposition of expectations vs reality (“Dignity, always dignity.”) and incredible slapstick moments. It is also one of the most accurate portrayals of how someone finds success in Hollywood: through an endless stream of shit jobs in the hopes that you’ll be noticed. Kelly’s and O’Connor’s comedic brilliance are on full display, and we also get our fist inkling of the tumultuous relationships between Don and Lina.

Don [after he gets a lead in a movie, to Lina who was a jerk before]: “Are you doing anything tonight, Ms. Lamont? [She shakes her head no.] That’s funny...I’m busy.”

4) In case you ever think Hollywood making normal people feel self conscious about themselves is a modern invention:

Female Movie Patron [while Lina is onscreen]: “She’s so refined. I think I’ll kill myself.”

(GIF originally posted by @casey-jones)

5) Lina Lamont.

Lina’s character is established immediately from the second she opens her mouth: drunk on power, more than a bit of a moron, and a selfish jerk. She’s hysterical and Jean Hagen totally loses herself in the character. No, that’s not Hagen’s normal speaking voice, but you thought it didn’t you? That’s how incredible she is in the role, and it is easy to forget how much brilliance she shows off when compared to the trio of Kelly, O’Connor, and Debbie Reynolds. This film wouldn’t be nearly the classic it is without Jean Hagen as Lina Lamont.

6) In case there was any question: I am Cosmo.

Studio Rep [about Lina]: “The studio has to keep their stars from looking ridiculous at any cost.”

Don: “No one’s got that much money.”

7) There are going to be so many Cosmo quotes in this recap, I’m just warning you. Because, you know, I’m Cosmo basically.

Don [being swarmed by fans]: “Hey Cos, do something! Call me a cab!”

Cosmo: “Okay, you’re a cab!”

8) Debbie Reynolds as Kathy Seldon.

What on earth can I say about one of the greatest actresses of all time in only her fourth credited screen real knocking it out of the park? I honestly don’t know but I’ll try to figure it out as I type. Reynolds is...perfection. In a trio of incredible performances I think she may give the strongest. Her chemistry with Kelly is great, subtle, trusting, and she does just such a wonderful job of making Kathy an amazing character. She’s not some manic pixie dream girl. She has her own desires, her own dreams, her own sacrifices she’s willing to make. Reynolds is able to portray Kathy as honestly good while still remaining interesting, honestly optimistic without being too naive or annoying, and honesty is just the word to apply to Reynolds’ whole work in the film. I love it.

9) One of the things I LOVE about this film is that Don and Kathy are not a “love at first sight” type of relationship. Don’s hitting on her is obviously because he’s a cad, she shuts him down, and then they’re able to have this unique conflict with each other where they both sort of act like jerks. Yet later they develop an honest connection with and affection for each other in such little time, it speaks greatly to the chemistry of the performers. One of my favorite love stories from this era of cinema.

10) The advent of the talkies are captured pretty accurately in this film. Everyone is skeptical about it, thinks it’ll be a fad, but the few likes Cosmo and studio head RF Simpson see how it could (and probably will be) the future.

11) I don’t think there is a better showcase for Donald O’Connor’s skills as a physical comedian than in “Make ‘Em Laugh”.

According to IMDb:

Donald O'Connor recalled, "I was smoking four packs of cigarettes a day then, and getting up those walls was murder. They had to bank one wall so I could make it up and then through another wall. We filmed that whole sequence in one day. We did it on a concrete floor. My body just had to absorb this tremendous shock. Things were building to such a crescendo that I thought I'd have to commit suicide for the ending. I came back on the set three days later. All the grips applauded. [Gene Kelly] applauded, told me what a great number it was. Then Gene said, "Do you think you could do that number again?" I said, "Sure, any time". He said, "Well, we're going to have to do it again tomorrow". No one had checked the aperture of the camera and they fogged out all the film. So the next day I did it again! By the end my feet and ankles were a mass of bruises."

The entire number is just packed full of classic Charlie Chaplin or Buster Keaton style gags all done to a fast pace number and it gets to the reason this old school movie musical has lasted the test of time where others have failed:

Most old school movie musicals have songs which don’t serve the film AT ALL they could be totally skipped and nothing would change. In some respects this film is the same. HOWEVER: the numbers are just so wildly and fantastically fun and entertaining that you are never bored by watching them. You are just so focused on what is going on and enjoying it so damn much you wouldn’t dream of skipping it (for the most part). THAT is why this film is such a classic. THAT is why it stands the test of time.

12)

RF [after pitching a talkie to Don]: “Lockwood and Lamont! They talk!”

Lina: “Of course we talk! Don’t everybody?”

Man RF, you did NOT think that through.

13) For me, “Beautiful Girls” is always the number I want to skip. It just is not nearly as entertaining as some of the other ones. It does nothing for me.

(GIF source unknown [if this is your GIF please let me know].)

14) Be still my beating heart.

Don: “Kathy I’m trying to say something to you but I’m such a ham. I guess I’m unable to without the proper setting.”

My heart doesn’t get mushy romantic for much, but "You Were Meant For Me”...It is just so beautifully staged, the lighting and setting is incredible, and Kelly is able to portray such honest emotion in the song that...I LOVE IT!

15) “Moses” is another example of a number which really doesn’t serve the plot in anyway but is just so damn entertaining I don’t really care! Donald O’Connor is great again, and we get some nice bromantic fun!

16) We get like a solid ten minutes of this film’s excellent comedy in two back to back scenes: when the filmmakers are trying to deal with the sound equipment, and when they see just how poorly it worked in the final film. It’s accurate really to today too: audiences will forgive crappy visuals but if your sound is shit then your film is shit. I know this because I’ve directed a number of films with shit sound (most of them back in high school).

17) Don’s conflict is perfectly summed up in one line:

Don: “The picture’s a museum piece. I’m a museum piece.”

The film’s mostly a musical comedy so it’s easy to forget about Don’s conflict, but he’s an actor in a changing industry and his first encounter with Kathy had him questioning his skills. Everything he does for the movies in this film is driven by that issue.

18) “Good Morning”.

Another song which is totally superfluous and serves the plot in no real way, I totally love it. It shows the trio at their best together in a wildly fun and entertaining number. But it was a pain to shoot!

After they finished the "Good Morning" number, Debbie Reynolds had to be carried to her dressing room because she had burst some blood vessels in her feet. Despite her hard work on the "Good Morning" number, Gene Kelly decided that someone should dub her tap sounds, so he went into a dubbing room to dub the sound of her feet as well as his own.

During a TV interview Debbie Reynolds shared while filming "Good Morning" one of her feet was bleeding, requiring flesh-colored bandages beneath her hose. As the trio collapsed on the overturned sofa, she turned her head to Donald O'Connor and said, "Thank God that's over." Watch closely and you can see her say it during the dubbed jolly laughter.

Their effort yielded one of the best numbers in the film!

19) The iconic titular song/number: “Singin’ in the Rain”.

Pretty much everything you need to know about Kelly’s devotion and hardwork in the film can be summed up by this fact:

The "Singing in the Rain" number took all day to set up--and Gene Kelly was very ill (some say with a fever over 101). When it was all set up, Kelly insisted on doing a take--even though the blocking was only rudimentary (starting and ending positions only), and the director was ready to send him home. He ad-libbed most of it and it only took one take, which is what you see on film.

Kelly’s sheer joy and the memorable/simple imagery is what makes the number so iconic. It is truly relatable, and its existence makes walking in the rain just a bit less melancholy.

20) Hey, remember how I’m Cosmo?

RF: “Cosmo, remind me to give you a raise!”

Cosmo: “Oh RF!”

RF: “Yes?”

Cosmo: “Give me a raise.”

21) Okay, “Broadway Melody”...

“Broadway Melody” is THE most superfluous number in the film and honestly the one which could probably be cut. It is very entertaining - and much more engrossing than its equivalent in Kelly’s An American in Paris in my opinion - but it’s just so damn long! It works as it’s own short film. However the visuals are incredibly strong and Kelly is in top form, so it obviously doesn’t ruin the film. But honestly it is the song you are most easy to skip and keep watching.

22) Aww, these two...

Don [to Kathy]: “From now on there’s only one fan I’m worried about.”

23) So far Lina has been a funny antagonistic dunce in the film, but damn if at the end she doesn’t turn into a manipulative evil jerk. I LOVE IT! She shows off she’s smarter than she’s shown [at least a little], boosts her own public image, almost sabotages Kathy’s career, and tries to extort RF into giving her more power. It is the fact she flies so close to the sun which causes her downfall, but damn if she ain’t just EVIL!!!!!

24) According to IMDb:

In the "Would You" number, Kathy Selden (Debbie Reynolds) is dubbing the voice of Lina Lamont (Jean Hagen) because Lina's voice is shrill and screechy. However, it's not Reynolds who is really speaking, it's Jean Hagen herself, who actually had a beautiful deep, rich voice. So you have Jean Hagen dubbing Debbie Reynolds dubbing Jean Hagen. And when Debbie is supposedly dubbing Jean's singing of "Would You", the voice you hear singing actually belongs to Betty Noyes, who had a much richer singing voice than Debbie.

25) These three are just so happy to embarrass Lina.

26) Kathy’s teary eyed look at Don when she realizes he WASN’T being a total jerk by having her sing for Lina and in fact letting the whole world know who she is just...be still my heart.

I miss Debbie Reynolds.

Singin’ in the Rain is a classic of cinema. Even though it falls into the trope of songs which don’t advance the plot, the songs are just SO fun to watch! This film is pure entertainment, with great acting on all parts (especially from the trio of Kelly, O’Connor, and Reynolds) and just honest character writing. It’s SO good! Go watch it if you haven’t!

[kinkykinard]

Eleven Questions Tag Game

Rules

1. Always post these rules

2. Answer the questions given by the person who tagged you

3. Write 11 questions of your own

4. Tag 11 people

Tagged by @mccoymostly

Anna’s Eleven Questions

1. What’s your absolute favorite scene from any film?

In Legally Blonde, when Elle wins Brooke’s case.  I love this scene because it shows everyone that the so-called underdog no one expected to succeed can do whatever she dreams of doing and with an amazing kind of dignity and integrity (by not exposing Brooke’s liposuction alibi).  Growing up, I wanted to be Elle Woods.  She was made fun of, but she didn’t let it get her down.  When obstacles cropped up, she overcame them.  When someone told her she couldn’t, well, she just fucking went and did.  She inspired me a lot growing up.

2. What’s the most terrible book you’ve ever read?

I guess it’s time to admit that I read Fifty Shades...

I read it so that when people fired the “oh but you haven’t read it” argument at me when I tried to tell them how badly written, badly conceived, and wrong it was I could fire back with “oh, but I have” and dear God.  It was so bad it took me about six months to read, a page at a time, and I wanted to set fire to it the whole time.

I was right, though - it’s badly written, it’s poorly conceived, and all kinds of wrong.  It’s sexual exploitation, manipulation, and abuse, and you’ll never convince me otherwise.  As someone knows how healthy, respectful, loving, mutually consensual BDSM should work, I can now honestly say that Fifty Shades is about as good at portraying BDSM as I would be at portraying a semi truck by sticking paper plates made to look like wheels onto my knees and elbows.

3. Star Trek NoTP, and why?

AOS Spones or McSpirk.  I just do not feel the chemistry between Spock and Bones AT ALL in AOS, though I think this is largely because Zachary Quinto’s Spock just isn’t right.  I’m a TOS Spock girl all the way.

4. The four most badass humans to ever walk the earth? If you’re feeling it, I’d love to hear your justification. ;)

Oh man, I have to pick only 4?!

Alexander Fleming - he invented penicillin, the world’s first antibiotic. Without it and other beta-lactams (and next-gen antibiotics that followed), most of us wouldn’t be here - someone in our family line would likely have died of some terrible infection, ending us long before we even began.  Penicillins have helped save millions, if not billions, of lives over the years.

Lise Meitner - a female nuclear physicist who was instrumental in the discovery and theorization of nuclear fission.  She was only allowed to work as a scientist as long as she kept out of the way of the “real scientists” of her time (men), and was not credited with her part in the discovery until a long time after it was presented and widely accepted.  She was a champion for women in STEM.

Adam Foss - no one’s heard of him, I’m sure, but he’s a prosecutor in the US criminal justice system.  He works with youth, doing his best to reduce or eliminate their sentences so that they have a second chance at a life outside of the system.  His goal is to help foster a more caring, compassionate, and fair CJS, especially where PoC are concerned.  He recognizes the power dynamic of white people in power versus PoC in the system and wants to shift it more in favor of PoC.

Anna Julia Cooper - The fourth Black woman in US history to receive a PhD.  She was an educator, a scholar, an author, a sociologist, and a Black Liberation activist.  She was born into slavery and broke out of the system, going on to become hugely successful and to make a difference in the lives of many members of her community.  She revolutionized the way sociologists viewed Black rights at the time and was instrumental in the forward movement of the Black Liberation party.

5. The fictional character you identify most with, and why?

Hermione Granger.  She was picked on a lot for being bookish and a goody two shoes, even by her own friends sometimes, and that’s my childhood in a nutshell.  She overcame a lot of obstacles and stood up for the things that mattered to her, all of which I aspire to do every day of my life.  She’s also rocking the craziest curls, and I also have that problem, only instead of Sleekeazy’s hair potion, I have a flat iron.

6. If you could hang out with one person for a day, living or dead, who would you pick, and why?

Chris Hadfield.  I met him once, briefly, and in those two minutes he inspired me more than anyone else has ever done to reach for my dreams.  He seemed really down to Earth, and I’d just love to hear of all of his adventures on the ISS first hand over coffee.

7. What character, from any source, do you think gives the best kisses, and why?

Bones.  The man is a sensualist, and he feeds off of his partner’s responses.  He knows how to read a body and he adapts to his partner’s reactions until they reach the perfect equilibrium.

8. Who is your favorite artist (any medium; this can be interpreted broadly), and why? 

Leonard Cohen, may he rest in peace.  He was an incredible poet with a golden voice, and growing up on his music and anthologies gave me the deep appreciation of the English language and literature that I have today.  So many of his works resonate with me.  Getting to see him live in concert a few years before his death was the most incredible experience of my life.

9. What’s your favorite theoretical crossover? In other words, what characters, from different fandoms, would you like to see interact, or who would you like to see thrown into a different universe? I hope this question makes sense, guys.

I’d like to see a Star Trek and Torchwood crossover.  I think Bones and Owen would either be BFFs for life, or hate the living shit out of each other.

10. Who is your favorite iconic scientist, and which of their contributions do you find most significant?

I’m a sucker for Charles Darwin, without whose foundation on natural selection and evolution we still might not understand how species change, diverge, evolve, and prosper.  The entirety of biology might not have advanced without his contributions to the discipline.

11. If you could remake any movie, in any way you want, what movie would you pick, and what would you change? 

Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull.  I would make it NOT ALIENS because what kind of X-Files bullshit is this?  Just no.

Bonus, because Anna lives to break rules

If you could make any contribution to any field (cure any illness, make any discovery, invent any technology, write any book or create any art, be remembered for anything), what would it be, and why?

I would perfect oncolytic viral therapy so that cancer was a lot less of a problem and so those affected wouldn’t have to suffer the horrific side effects of chemo or radiation and disfigurement of major surgery for a mere chance at a cure.  It would be effective and targeted with minimal side effects and survival rates would go through the roof.

Jules’ 11 Questions

If you had the power to eliminate any one single form of discrimination (such as racism, sexism, etc), which would it be and why?

If you could live in any one make-believe land or universe, which would it be and why?

If you were an animal, what animal would you be and why?

Which of your teachers (in any level of education) had the greatest impact on you - how and why?

If your closest loved one came down with some awful, painful, incurable illness and you could save them in one of two ways, which of these would you pick and why: 1) you can cure them instantly, but the second you do they forget you ever existed and you must live your lives apart, or 2) you can cure them instantly, but you die in their place and they have to live forever without you.

What is the craziest thing you’ve ever done to impress someone?

How good are you at facing your fears?

What characteristic do you value the most in friends and why?

If you could wake up tomorrow and suddenly be the world’s best at something, what would it be and why?

What’s the worst injury you’ve ever gotten and how?

Name one random fact that you know that people are always surprised to learn when you tell them.

Tagging - @trekken81 @kilismaiden @dolamrothianlady @littlecarowrites @musingsongbird @storiesfromstarfleet @imamotherfuckingstar-lord @starshiphufflebadger @fandomheadrush @youre-on-a-starship @imaginestartrek @medicatemedrmccoy @imoutofmyvulcanmind @enterprisewriting and anyone else who wants to take part!

[eurydicedramaturg-blog]

Let’s talk about me. Hi! I’m Lydia. I’m dramaturg, assistant director, and your guide to the wacky world that is Sarah Ruhl’s Eurydice.

I’m also queer and proud of it. How does that connect to all this? As you may or may not be aware, Orpheus and Eurydice in modern culture is incredibly heteronormative. The quintessential story of doomed heterosexual love.

Let’s start with a definition. For my purposes, heteronormative here means “portraying heterosexual desire as default or ‘normal’ state of being” as well as “enforcing stereotypical gender roles in romantic and/or sexual relationships.” So, for example, Li Shang and Fa Mulan in Disney’s Mulan would not qualify as heteronormative, despite the relationship being between a man and a woman, because Mulan actively defies stereotypes of how a woman should behave.

I’ll be spending a lot of time talking about the differences between the adaptations I’ve looked at, but let’s first talk about the similarities. Every single adaptation I looked at, with one exception (The Hip Hop Waltz of Eurydice), features not only a romance between a male Orpheus and a female Eurydice, but more or less conforms to stereotypical gender roles.

Eurydice’s agency can mean the difference between her being a sock puppet and an actual person, but let’s look at how the story as its understood in popular culture is almost inherently heteronormative, and why.

Extremely influential in western understandings of heteronormative love throughout the ages is the medieval tradition of courtly love, most notably encapsulated in the poetry of Petrarch, where he speaks of his desire for a beautiful woman named Laura, who never returns his feelings and is out of reach because she is already married. Laura is the ideal woman: beautiful, unattainable, and silent. Her side of the story is never told. This illustrates the ideal of courtly love: a man in love with a woman who remains out of reach. While Petrarch was already being parodied and subverted by Shakespeare’s time (Romeo and Juliet being the most famous example), the ideal has greatly influential in western culture.

So here we create a vision of an ideal heteronormative romance: A man who goes to great lengths for the woman he loves and suffers without her, and a silent woman whose most characteristic trait is her beauty and who seems unattainable.

Eurydice has long been seen as either a symbol or a quest object, sometimes both. In many ways, she’s become an Ideal Woman: silent and out of reach. Being killed on her wedding day, Eurydice retains the “purity” of her virginity, while still giving Orpheus claim to her. What could be more unattainable than death? And what could be a more noble and doomed quest for love than following her into the underworld in an attempt to restore her to life?

In earlier versions of the myth, Persephone was often the one who gave Orpheus the “don’t look back” stipulation. In many modern adaptations, the role of Persephone is altered or left out entirely. Beginning with Offenbach’s Orpheus in the Underworld, the tradition of Hades as the “other man” has become somewhat common in adaptations. Often, the roles of Hades and Aristaeus become inextricable. Male insecurity about being unable to control women’s sexuality leads to adaptations where Hades is no longer Eurydice’s jailer, but instead Orpheus’ rival for her affections, and Orpheus’ failure to bring her back to the world of the living is a manifestation of a man’s fears that his wife will leave him.

Like the Orpheus and Eurydice myth, Romeo and Juliet has also been assimilated into this courtly love tradition in popular culture. Consider the role of the balcony scene in popular imagination (iconic) versus the scene where Romeo and Juliet, having just consummated their marriage, struggle with their desire to stay together in the face of Romeo’s banishment (almost forgotten). Consider how the ending is commonly watered down to “and then the teenagers killed themselves because they loved each other so much” without considering the context of the toxic world created by the feud, which made death their only option.

Perhaps because Romeo and Juliet has a solid source material that actively refutes these cultural misinterpretations, there are several examples of people turning back to the original play and pushing back against the heteronormative mold of courtly love that it’s been shoved into, and even against heteronormativity entirely. For example, the film Private Romeo uses Romeo and Juliet to critique homophobia and the toxic masculinity of a military training academy.

However, there is no equivalent for Orpheus and Eurydice. Even The Hip Hop Waltz of Eurydice, for all its exploration of gender, ends with compliance to heteronormativity.

The strange thing about Orpheus and Eurydice is that there have been plenty of chances to queer the story, and yet no one has done it. Gluck’s opera Orfeo ed Euridice was written with the intention of Orpheus being played by a castrato, a male singer castrated at a young age to stop his voice from changing. Which might in itself seem queer, however, castrati were actually considered quite masculine and commonly played kings and heroes on the stage. As the practice was made illegal in the mid-nineteen century, the role has been played mainly by women ever since.

A perfect opportunity for the sapphic Orpheus and Eurydice of my dreams? Definitely. Sadly, modern opera companies have not delivered. Instead of acknowledging the female body filling the role, they choose to gloss over it, presenting Orpheus as male and carefully avoiding any implications of homosexuality.

Now, let’s take a minute to look back at the Orpheus and Eurydice story in one of its earliest versions. Ovid provides a few interesting elements that are almost universally forgotten in all subsequent adaptations. The first, that Orpheus, after his failure to rescue Eurydice, turned his love to boys. The second is that, after his death, Orpheus’ head washed ashore on the island of Lesbos, most famously home to the poet Sappho, who often speaks of her love for women in her poetry. As Sappho was considered one of the greatest Greek poets, on the same level as Homer, this is most likely intended to imply that she was a spiritual successor to Orpheus. Well, that all sounds very queer. So what happened to all this? Why were these elements dropped, when so much of the rest of the story survived almost completely intact? The answer probably has a lot to do with the subject of this post: heteronormativity. But a better question might be this: why has no one gone back and put these elements back in?

While still a somewhat new trend, there is a history of queering heteronormative stories. Collections of gay erotica based on fairy tales, crossgender casting in Shakespeare productions to create productions such as Private Romeo, and, of course, fanfiction (free fiction stories posted on the internet using already existing characters and worlds. A popular subset known as “slash” consists of stories about characters in queer relationships.) For many queer people, presenting queer versions of traditionally heteronormative stories is not a matter of lack of imagination, but of claiming a place in a society that has shut them out and of fighting the heteronormativity these stories often enforce.

As one of these queer people, I want to make sure our production of Eurydice fights heteronormativity rather than reinforcing it. I want to acknowledge the queer elements that have been stripped from the myth of Orpheus and Eurydice, and find ways to reintegrate them into the story.

[stokan]

The 20 Best Things of 2016

Fun fact: Many good things actually happened in the year 2016. It’s true! It wasn't all death and Trump, although as you’ll see, those two factors hang heavy over even the best of things. But just like every year, 2016 still managed to produce its fair share of great art, cultural triumphs, and viral delights. Leaving out, obviously, things from 2016 that it seems like I’ll probably love but have yet to experience (OJ: Made in America, Search Party, 20th Century Women, Fences, etc.), and TV shows I’ve already written about in years past (OITNB, Transparent, You're the Worst, Veep, etc) here are my top 20 favorite things from 2016, listed in no particular order:

1. Beyonce - “Formation” video

How upset old white people were about this should give you some idea of just how great it is.

When I was growing up, the biggest music video from the biggest female pop star of the day involved her dancing around suggestively in a Catholic school girl outfit. Trump may have won the election, but progress still remains undefeated.

2. Kendrick Lamar’s Grammys Performance

(Of course this isn't anywhere on the internet for me to link to. Because Neil Portnow.)

Kendrick’s performance was the performance that Kayne always thinks he is giving. It’s a performance that made everyone else who took the stage on Music’s Biggest Night seem like talent show contestants.

I don’t want to tell artists how to use their fame, but this is how they should use their fame.

3. Last Week Tonight - #MakeDonaldDrumpfAgain

SPOILER ALERT: He didn't make Donald Drumpf again. In fact the viral success of this piece and lack of any resultant effect on Trump whatsoever does raise some big questions about the effectiveness of comedy in actually changing anyone’s mind about anything in 2016. But yet, like death from a thousand paper cuts, it definitely drew a little blood. And even though I really wish John Oliver had stuck with guns and only referred to Trump as Drumpf for the rest of the year, it was still a more thorough and effective attack ad than anything the Clinton campaign managed to put together, and that was basically their whole job. John Oliver can never be president, but the world is going to be a better place as long as he keeps trying to help decide who will be.

Also, says everything about 2016 that this piece now feels like it came out ten thousand years ago.

4. La La Land

Hey, remember joy? And love? And having hopes and dreams? Well La La Land sure does! The best and worst thing you can say about it is that it’s a pre-Trump movie. Maybe the last one ever in fact. But for my money, Damien Chazelle’s quest to Make Musicals Great Again is exactly the tonic we need right now. And it seems fitting the Oscars after the death of Debbie Reynolds are going to be headlined by a colorful and happiness-inducing musical about show business, complete with its own dream ballet. Sometimes the best way to reinvent an art form is to just do it the same way its always been done, only better and at the right time.

5. Olympic Swimming

When the Olympics began I barely cared. I was raised on the Olympics, but in 2016 there’s so much else going on it felt like maybe time has passed the Olympics by. And then the swimming started. And Ledecky destroyed all challengers. And Phelps proved that calling him the greatest swimmer of all time is still underrating him. And Simone Manuel made history. And Lochte Lochted. And Anthony Ervin spun an all-time Olympic athlete backstory into Olympic gold. And for a week there was nothing in the world more compelling than watch people swim laps in a pool.

So turns out the Olympics are the Michael Phelps of sporting events - the second you think they’ve slipped a bit is when they have you right where they want you.

6. LVL Up - “Pain”

Point: Rock and roll is dead

Counterpoint: “Pain” by LVL Up

7. Stranger Things

I hate the 80s. I hate supernatural shows and horror-based shows and “genre” shows in general. I hate homage as the starting place for a work of art. I hate culture’s obsession with nostalgia and youth. And yet I loved Stranger Things. It felt like nothing else on TV while feeling like so many other things all at once. It’s the show Lost wishes it could have been, and what JJ Abrams wishes he had made instead of Super 8.

Also: I hate that there’s going to be a season two. I hate that dialogue around the show seemed so #TeamBarb when clearly any sane right-thinking person is #TeamNancy all the way. I preemptively hate all the imitators Stranger Things is going to spawn. And I hate the Stranger Things backlash that’s inevitably coming and coming hard. But right now, in this moment, let’s all embrace a wonderful television ride and not worry about the demigorgons in the woods coming to put slugs in its mouth.

#KeepHawkinsWeird

8. Flossie Dickey

Sometimes you find true love where you least expect it. Like in an interview with a 110-year woman at a nursing home.

9. Sam Donsky on The Ringer

(Speaking of soul mates…)

In the age of Trump it’s more important than ever that we have writers brave enough to ask the tough questions. Like: Who would win the Oscar for Best Baby? What is the best night any celebrity has ever had at Madison Square Garden? And why does David Benioff always thank his wife by her full name?

From analyzing the Kim/Kayne/Taylor tapes like they're the Zapruder film, to asking 74 questions about a film no one saw or liked, 2016 was the year Sam Donsky officially made himself into this generation’s Woodward and Bernstein, if Woodward and Bernstein were mostly known for dissecting dumb pop culture on the internet. We may never fully understand why Trump won, but, also, what’s up with Chris Pratt’s vests?

10. Black-ish - “Hope”

A perfect piece of writing and a perfect argument for the continued existence of network TV.

That being said though, 40 years ago this would be a classic TV episode people would talk about for generations. Now, it didn't even get nominated for an Emmy. Maybe network TV is just beyond saving.

11. The People vs. OJ Simpson

It’s almost a cliche at this point to point out how many societal issues the OJ Simpson case touched on, but watching this miniseries unfold was a great reminder that looking at the the past is usually the best vehicle for exploring the present. To choose just one example, the scene where the jurors argue over what to watch on TV is a perfect encapsulation of how something like a Trump victory could some day be possible. And if Marcia Clark isn't a perfect Hillary Clinton avatar then I don’t know who is. My only complaints about a perfect eight hours of television are that it wasn't longer and that Sarah Paulson and Courtney B. Vance aren't eligible for Oscars.

12. Samantha Bee’s Donald Trump Conspiracy Theory

Look, I don't want to say that Full Frontal with Samantha Bee is the best and most important show on TV. That is has the best joke writers in the business. That it has the righteous anger and indignation that this year called for. That it’s going to be our guiding light for the next four years. And that it’s proof that giving The Daily Show to Trevor Noah was one of the dumbest decisions in recent television history. All I’m saying is that some people are saying that, and who am I to disagree? If I was going to make claims that outlandish, I guess the first pieces of evidence I would direct you to are this already iconic Donald Trump conspiracy and the show’s Harriet Tubman segment. But I’m not one to make accusations about things using facts and evidence. I’m no expert; I’m just a guy. A guy standing in front of samanthabee.com asking it to to love him.

13. David Bowie - “Lazarus” video

The ultimate mic drop.

They say Native Americans used to make use of every part of the buffalo. David Bowie was like that, only the buffalo was his life.

14. SNL

“Farewell Mr. Bunting”

Having enough trust in your audience and your vision to attempt this sketch is super inspiring. Getting people in 2016 to wait through two and a half minutes of build up in a viral video before it pays off feels like a miracle. And getting the feeling back in my face when I finally finish laughing at this is going to be really great.

“Black Jeopardy” This is what comedy can do when its at it’s best. It cuts to truths about America more clearly and cleanly than 1,000 think pieces ever could. Are comedy sketches eligible for the Nobel Prize in Literature now?

“Hillary Clinton/Hallelujah” And this is what comedy can do when it’s not comedy at all. When historians 200 years from now want to know what the days just after the election of Donald Trump felt like all they need to do is watch this. The best thing SNL has ever done.

15. Songs That Made Me Unsure Whether I Should Be Sad, Dance, Or Both

Christine and the Queens - “iT”

I have absolutely no idea what this song is about. All I know is it sounds like the feeling of being alive. Between this song and Marion Cotillard’s eyes the French really continue to have the whole beautiful sadness thing figured out.

Eleanor Freiberger - “My Mistakes” The best Rilo Kiley song of 2016. The world can change however it wants; as long as it keeps giving me new versions of the exact song I’m totally good.

Mike Posner - “Took a Pill in Ibiza” The exact opposite of me is an EDM-influenced song about taking drugs in a nightclub in Ibiza. Yet here we are. Turns out that existential melancholy translated into Douche from the original Neurotic Intellectual is still pretty damn relatable. And yes I realize this song came out in 2015, but this will always be the sound of 2016 to me.

16. Moonlight

Moonlight feels like a miracle. That a serious drama without any name stars about a poor, gay, black man coming of age could be made at all, yet alone breakthrough into the popular consciousness. That a cast this natural and flawless could be found, like an album where every song that comes on makes you go “no THIS one is my favorite!”. That there are two different sets of three actors so similar and so good that when I see them together doing press it hurts my brain because I can’t process that they were not ACTUALLY the same person at three different ages. That two people making small talk at a table in a diner could have a whole audience on the edge of their seats. That a no-name director with one prior little-seen credit could create the most powerful and well-made movie of the year. None of these things seems possible or plausible, and yet they're all true. This movie is a miracle. And its success gives me hope. To quote critic Dana Stevens, in the pitch-black year of Trump, Moonlight was a “crack in the wall that allowed light to shine through”.

17. Atlanta

In 2016, what even is TV? It’s basically anything now. And it’s everything. It’s whatever it wants to be. And no artist has yet risen to meet the challenge and possibility of our post-Louie world better than Donald Glover has. In 2016 Atlanta is TV, and TV is Atlanta. There are no rules. There is only what you can dream up.

What will season two of Atlanta be? It could be literally anything and no one would bat an eye.

18. Chance the Rapper - Coloring Book

Chance the Rapper is so millennial it hurts. Chance the Rapper definitely has strong feelings about safe spaces and Bernie Sanders. Chance the Rapper has never even considered doing something ironically. Chance the Rapper makes Lin-Manuel Miranda look like a cynical pessimist. Hell, Chance the Rapper named himself Chance the Rapper. And as a millennial, Chance the Rapper is the future.

And the future sounds amazing.

The future is like if Old Kanye had been raised on new Kanye and was actually good at rapping. (As the old saying goes: every generation gets the Late Registration it deserves) The future is like if Picasso painted with emojis. The future is earnestness being the new aggression. The future is Future being the past.

Hip-hop is dead, long live hip-hop.

19. “A Closer Look” on Late Night With Seth Meyers

I almost left this reoccurring segment off my list of the best of 2016 because it’s become such a constant part of my life that I assumed it had been around longer than just this year. Who knew when Jon Stewart retired that the new iteration of The Daily Show would be called Late Night With Seth Meyers? Or as I call it: Essential.

20. Revisionist History Podcast

Facts and knowledge really took a beating in 2016, but turns out both are still great if you just re-examine them rather then throw them out all together. Perhaps looking more deeply into our assumptions about the world can help us better understand human nature and the reality we all share. Who knew?

Of everything I experienced in 2016 this podcast is the thing I reference most frequently. I’m fun at parties.

[smokeybrand]

Smokey brand Movie Reviews: Full Shares

I have one helluva backlog of films to work through but, between those and other distractions, i am having just the dickens of a time getting through them. I’ve started Uncut Gems three different times but the tension, man, it stresses me out way too much. I have to take breaks in between and just forget about where i left off so i need to start over. I have to say, though, the twenty to thirty minutes i have seen is absolutely excellent. In the meantime, while i muster enough nerve to actually finish that film, i wanted to revisit one of my all-time favorites. Way back when i first saw this movie, it gave me the same intense, stressed out, panic i feel watching Gems. Alien changed the way that I interacted with film and, to this day, it’s one of maybe a handful of movies to ever illicit true fear from me. I saw it, for the first time as a young kid of maybe six or seven, in a late night showing on TV and i remember even the broadcast edit spazzing me the f*ck out. Imagine my apprehension seeing the theatrical cut fr the first time a few years later. As i got older and learned to appreciate the moving parts of film individually, i came to love Alien even more. Not only is it actually terrifying. it’s one of the best built movies i have ever seen and carries the template for bad-ass film like a badge of honor. Cats say the sequel, which i’ll get to in a later review, is better than the first, but i wholeheartedly disagree. This movie is easily top three all-time for me and here’s why. I have to tell you from the outset, this movie is perfect in my opinion. There  are no flaw so don’t expect any negative, just me gushing about the excellence within.

The Outstanding

The very best aspect of this movie is easily Sigourney Weaver’s portrayal as Ellen Ripley. My goodness, was this character absolutely amazing. When people think of Ripley, they often remember Cameron’s version of her from Aliens. To most people, Ripley is that chick, strapped down in a power loader, calling the Queen Xenomorph a b*tch to her face. That is, undeniably, iconic. Ellen Ripley solidified the template for strong, female, lead with that scene. But Ripley didn’t start out that way. She had to earn that title and it began with her battle for survival in the original Alien. Ripley began as an undermined, kind of by-the-book, Warrant Office, just trying to get back in time for her daughter’s eleventh birthday. Over the course of two hours, we watched Ripley evolve into the absolute unit that she is known for and the nuanced portrayal of that evolution by Weaver shows us the harrowing journey with an almost visceral vulnerability. Ellen Ripley is not a character, she is a person. You feel for this woman and her struggle. You root for her. You gasp when she fails. You want her to survive. To get attached to a film character so completely is testimony to the excellence of that actor’s performance and Sigourney Weaver turns one in for the ages. Not bad for a twenty-year-old’s second film appearance, first speaking role.

You can’t speak about Alien without the iconic imagery provided by the nightmares of H.R. Giger’s art. The raw, horrifyingly sexual, disgustingly organic, yet wholly bizarre vestiges of the LV-426 hive were incredible. That initial pan of the fossilized Space Jockey fused to his pilot’s seat can’t help but inspire very real awe. I imagine seeing that reveal on an Imax screen and it is absolutely riveting. More so, entering into the hive itself, wit all those corridors woven from steel and flesh, leading into the pitfall trap full of the waiting, legitimately alien eggs illicit a feeling of primal terror. Those things are nothing like anything terrestrial. They are just familiar enough to inspire curiosity from the audience but uncanny enough to trigger apprehension. Absolutely brilliant but the true genius, the source of constant panic, belongs to the adult xenomorph, itself.

Big Chap, as the production team called it, was a miracle of effects work. The suit was custom built to fit the near seven foot frame of Bolaji Badejo but it was his physicality that lent an organic presence to the techno-organic monstrosity. That original Xenomorpgh was wildly terrifying to me. Even at my young age, i weathered Freddy Krueger, Michael Myers, and Jason Voorhees, with rather stoic aplomb but the Xenomorph sent me into a panic. I had legitimate nightmares about this thing which had never happened before. Giger had created a creature of such instinctual terror that you has no choice by to fear it and that sh*t is amazing.

I touched on how excellent Ellen Ripley was as a character, giving well deserved credit to Weaver’s portrayal but, like all classic characters in storytelling, Ripley began on the page. The writing for Alien is some of the best i have ever had the pleasure of experiencing. Every character, every scene, every aspect, of this story is tight. Dan O’Bannon deserves all credit for this classic script. He wrote a story filled with characters and suspense, never identifying male of female unless absolutely necessary. I miss when films were films and not soapboxes for gender politics. It’s amazing how timeless and iconic characters can become when you’re not trying to push a goddamn agenda.

Now, O’Bannon’s script is excellent but it took a true visionary to bring it to life. Ridley Scott was that creative. Alien was Scott’s second directorial effort and he was able to craft a visual narrative far beyond what his tangible experience would dictate. Scott is a true visionary. The way he saw O’Bannon’s script was incredible. I mean, the vistas of the Derelict Ship, the sanitized halls of the Nostromo, that whole retro-futuristic look, the abject terror and repugnant reversal of sexuality with the Alien; All of that is Scott. O’Bannon gave this man one helluva blueprint but Scott built a goddamn monument of cinema in his own right.

The sound design in this film is absolutely classic. The hisses from the alien, the clacking of the computers, that harrowing voice from MOTHER during the adrenaline packed climax; Every sound, echo, pitch, and clank is perfectly administered to embellish the hellish visuals onscreen. I’ll never forget the first time seeing Brett’s death scene. The subtle sway of chains giving way to the impactful sound of those water droplets hitting his face, lulling you into a false sense of security, only to see the Xenomorph puncture his skull. That mixture of screams and rattling chains was haunting, brilliant use of sound for a horror set piece and testament to it’s voracity.

I spoke at length about Sigourney Weaver’s casting and performance but literally everyone is outstanding in this film. being an original script, not based on any existing media, you had an open template to create these characters. In a sense, casting for this type of project is even more tantamount than building a cinematic adaption of a novel or comic. This film is going to be known for these characters, for this world, going forward and Alien nailed this sh*t. Aside from Weaver’s star-turning performance as Ripley, John Hurt turned in a rather endearing outing as Kane, the first victim of the Xenomorpgh. Tom Skerritt was probably the biggest name in the film so everyone thoight that his character Dallas would be the lone survivor. Nope. Veronica Cartwright’s Lambert was woefully unraveled, specially during the Chestburster scene and Ian Holm’s Ash is easily unnerving his uncanny valley-esque performance. Harry Dean Stanton’s Brett was a man of few words but my second favorite performance in this entire film belongs to Yaphet Kotto. His portrayal as the aggressive, outspoken, incredibly loyal, Parker, endures to this day. These characters are all incredibly written and skillfully performed, bringing characters to life that will endure through time.

This movie came out in 1979, man! It is four decades old an can still give anything created today, even with out advances in effects work and film techniques, a run for it’s money. That is testament to the deft hand and expert precision in the construction of this movie. It’s rare that a film can be so timeless and it’s easily the first i have ever seen to capture that high mark. There are others like that; Jurassic Park, Twelve Angry Men, Jaws, The Godfather, To kill a Mockingbird, Star Wars, but even those classics show chinks in the armor. Not Alien. That Retro-futuristic design is absolutely timeless and fits in with any era of cinema.

The world Alien created was ripe for elaboration. The franchise, alone, produced three sequels; Each an amazing look at different film styles, directorial vision, and cinematic genre. Aliens is arguably one of the greatest sequels ever and has a completely different tone that the first. Some would ay it’ even better than the first. I wouldn’t but others do. There have been books, comics, games, and so much more based on this world. Alien: Isolation is easily the best game ever made based on the franchise and it stars that eleven-year-old daughter turned adult woman, Amanda Ripley, in a similar situation as her mother. Let me tell you, bad-assery must run in the family because Amanda was just as dope as her mom during her own gauntlet. And just like her ma’s adventure, Amanda’s outing stressed me out to no end. I loved the Earth War comic growing up and the introduction of Ripley 8 was something special. She was kind of ridiculous in the fourth film, Alien; resurrection but the comics did 8 much better justice. Speaking of artificial constructs, i would be remiss if i didn’t mention the absolutely charming android Xenomorph, Norbert, and his predecessor, Jeri, but my favorite hybrid is definitely Eloise. That’s not to mention the excellent stories with in the Aliens versus Predator mythos. I’m not going to get too heavy into that lore but you’d be hard-pressed to find a more amazing, female protagonist, outside of Ripley, than Machiko Noguchi; The human Japanese woman, blooded by the Elite Leader Yautja, Broken Tusk, given the title of Little Knife by the space-faring Predators. Ma is a f*cking machine and it’s a crime AvP ignored her story for what we eventually got in cinemas. Hell, there are even aspect of the Prometheus portion of this universe that i like, even though i don’t particularly like the film, itself. Elden is a dope character with a ton of potential for the overall lore going forward. There is so much excellent material in the Aliens expanded universe; Characters, concepts, worlds and more. The expansive nature and reverence for this universe rivals that of Star Wars, none of which could be possible without the inspired execution of the original Alien film.

The Verdict

What can i say? Alien is a goddamn masterpiece. From the second those titles slowly manifest to the exploration of LV-426, to the claustrophobic panic of the Nostromo, to Ripley’s triumphant yet uncertain fate in the end, i absolutely adore every aspect of this movie. Everything about this movie is deliberate and amazing. The performances are all excellent, everyone does an exceptional job. The set design is gorgeous and in the case of the alien hive within the Space Jockey’s ship, disgustingly beautiful. Giger’s art as perfect for this film but his design for Big Chap, the original Xenomorph design, was absolutely unnerving. The first time i saw it onscreen, i was both enthralled and horrified. To see the massive beast, in the few glimpses you got between some of the most excellent lighting ever captured on film, was incredible. There are shortcomings, sure, all films have them but i don’t believe them to be a negative. The pacing can be a little dragging at times but it’s absolutely necessary to build atmosphere. I thrive on slow burn films like The VVitch or Blade Runner 2049 and it was Alien that taught me patience in film can be a virtue. I cannot praise this film enough. For me, Alien is as close to perfect as can be. This easily gets my highest recommendation. If you’ve never seen Alien and appreciate sheer psychological terror, beautiful sets, brilliant direction, awe inspiring shots, and some of the best sound design ever captured on film, you’ll love this movie.