#top 10 finance movies

[pruchika99-blog]

Top 10 best finance movies to binge on your long weekend

Every cinema enthusiast has a genre of choice. For some it’s action, for others it may be romance, comedy, thriller or even sci-fi. That said, in recent times a new genre of cinema has emerged– one that has all the makings of multi-faceted, tear-jerking potboilers– it’s finance, or financial, white-collar crime to be precise.

Each one of us has different learning styles. While some like to do a thorough reading, others like to watch documentaries and movies to learn about the common money mistakes to avoid. This genre is excellent and exciting enough to motivate a majority of viewers to get their finances together. For the rest of us- it’s just pure entertainment.

Whatever your reasons may be, we have listed ten movies that deal with everything finance that every investor should watch at least once! Go, grab your popcorn!

The Big Short (2015)

This movie adaptation of the non-fiction book, ‘The Big Short: Inside the Doomsday Machine’ by Michael Lewis tells the true story of the financial crisis of the U.S. housing market that occurred in 2007-2008 due to subprime mortgages. You don’t know what that is? Well, thanks to the incredibly talented director, Adam Mckay, the concept of subprime mortgages is brilliantly explained along with other key financial concepts of banking in this movie.

The Wall Street (1987)

The immortal phrase ‘greed is good’ is synonymous with the film ‘The Wall Street’, made famous by Gordon Gekko (played by Micheal Douglas). Even after 35 years of its release, several analysts, bankers, brokers, and traders use this Oliver Stone classic as a handbook for recruitment.

Enron: The Smartest Guys in the Room (2005)

This documentary describes the rise and fall of Enron—one of the largest and most scandalous corporations in the U.S. The film is based on the bestseller with the same name and explores the dubious ways in which Enron underhanded its business dealings, as its executives misappropriated billions of funds, hurting the investment of thousands of employees.

Margin Call (2011)

This is a must-watch money movie if you want to understand the nitty-gritty of the 2008 crisis. The film’s plot takes place within the span of 24 hours at one of the largest Wall Street investment banks that is on the brink of collapse amid the 2007-2008 crisis. The film is an upfront portrayal of the greediness, fraud, and rash risk-taking actions of many reckless Wall Street companies.

The Pursuit of Happiness (2006)

The next one on our list is the true, inspirational story of Chris Gardner and his metamorphosis from a struggling, homeless single father to a successful, millionaire entrepreneur. The movie beautifully captures how Gardner uses his knowledge, charm, and tenacity to build his wealth and lands the most prestigious job in San Francisco’s brokerage firm. The film especially strikes a chord with the masses with its focus on a poor man who only wants a better life for his son.

Moneyball (2011)

This movie is a masterclass in budgeting. Billy Beane, played by Brad Pritt, must reinvent one of Major League Baseball’s teams within a tight budget. He cannot afford star players but analyzes statistical data to build a professional sports team.

Rogue Trader (1999)

Based on a true story, Rogue Trader tells the story of an ambitious Nick Leeson who single-handedly bankrupts Britain’s most prominent and oldest Merchant bank—Barings Bank.

Boiler Room (2000)

Although this movie is a work of fiction, it offers some valuable lessons on the basic fundamentals of investments and money mistakes to avoid. The film tells the story of a trainee stockbroker, Seth Davis, a 19-year old who runs a successful, illegal casino in his apartment. When his father, an influential judge, discovers his deceit, Seth becomes a stockbroker to earn back his father’s respect. However, the firm he gets into has its own share of secrets.

If you want to learn about the Top Investment Mistakes To Avoid This Year, read our blog here!

Scam 1992 (2020)

Though this article is about the best movies, it is impossible to not include the series ‘Scam 1992’ in the top 10, considering the massive impact it has made. The series tells the story of the trade investor Harshad Mehta, and how he orchestrated the Indian Securities Scam of 1992. It is set in Bombay in the early 90s and takes you back to the days when trading took place in a ring, where large groups of jobbers made trades in a frenzy every day.

Baazaar (2018)

This Hindi film depicts the strong power-play between money brokers, industrialists, and politicians. It also uses hard-core stock market jargon and delves into complex ideas of insider trading and financial manipulation.

[icyg4l]

PAC: What Do You Need to Let Go Of?

Hello beautiful people! Today is Saturday aka Saturn Day. In honor of Saturn Day, the day associated with banishment, protection and responsibility. Today is the day we let go of what no longer serves us; the day where we can no longer ignore what sits heavy on our spirits. So without further ado, please choose your Saturn.

**If you really loved this topic then you should book a reading with me, please read my guidelines and then message me privately! Also, if you had received a reading from me, don’t be afraid to leave a little feedback! Please and thank you in advance. 🫶🫶🫶

Top Left-to-Bottom Right: (1-6)

PILE ONE: “No More Mr. Nice Guy” is what I heard. I feel like you tend to have a lot of love & compassion for people. This doesn’t necessarily translate over to the other person/people though. You need to stop being so nice, Pile One. I think you have a lot of growing up to do. There is good and bad in everyone but what really matters is how this person makes you feel. Stop caring about the feelings of other people if you aren’t going to take yourself into consideration. This is why you always get taken advantage of. It’s okay to be a moody bitch sometimes. Having a sunny disposition 24/7 just isn’t realistic. Don’t act naive when you know the truth about certain situations. Move intentionally and with wisdom. If you don’t think they won’t do that, think again.

Cards Used: The Star, King of Cups, 7 of Cups, The Fool, The Moon, The Tower, Judgment.

PILE TWO: The movie Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind may resonate with you. I feel like you need to let go of your ex, seriously. You don’t have to forget about them but you do need to move past this person. They have caused much turmoil in your life, especially when it comes to your mental health. They could have indirectly negatively affected your finances as well. But there is someone else who is on the horizon. They want you to see the bigger picture. They want to show you better. If you have been writing notes about what you would like to see in your future partner, expect for these qualities to show up in someone that will soon approach you. They have a beautiful, colorful aura and they will let you shine. Your ex fucked you up bad but you can recover from this. Don’t be afraid to see what love has in store for you, my love.

Cards Used: King of Cups, The Magician, 2 of Cups (RX), The Star, The High Priestess, 5 of Wands, Judgment, Strength, The Fool.

PILE THREE: You’re a Virgo/Sagittarius, aren’t you? You don’t have to know and control everything, honey. Let go of the need to be involved in everything. You have been neglecting your soul’s needs. You have a lot of potential to grow but you don’t know how to accept help nor do you allow yourself to just be. You’re so uptight and burnt out right now. It would benefit you to just walk away from stress-inducing situations. If you know you can’t take that extra shift at work, why even bother? Who are you trying to please? You are making it hard for yourself to maneuver through this world peacefully because you do not know how to enjoy what’s in front of you. If only you could see the beauty of your labor. Slow down. Why are you going so hard for? You’re so used to making things happen that you get frustrated when things don’t work out your way. A word of advice: Please just allow time to do its thing. Don’t work against it.

Cards Used: The Sun (RX), Ace of Cups, Strength, 2 of Discs (RX), King of Wands, 7 of Wands (RX), 3 of Discs, 10 of Swords, The Magician, The Hierophant.

PILE FOUR: Christmastime must be your favorite time of the year, huh? I feel like you could also have a strong connection to Mariah Carey as well. Her book is on my mind heavy as I’m reading for you. I feel like you are so used to dysfunctional relationships. You have the tendency to move fast with people. I’m going to hold your hand when I say this, they ain’t going nowhere! Let go of your lovebombing tendencies and show up as your real self. I don’t think you see this as that but it is. You don’t seem to be big on communication. I don’t think you had the best role models for any kind of relationship so you just do what you know. But this does not translate well with other people, which results in chaos. Unpack why you interact with others the way that you do. You too, have a lot of growing up to do, my friend.

Cards Used: Knight of Wands, King of Swords, Queen of Cups (RX), Four of Wands (RX), Ace of Wands (RX), The High Priestess, 8 of Wands, 3 of Cups.

PILE FIVE: “Shut up and dance.” No seriously, shut up and dance. I feel like you are someone that refuses to be seen dancing in public or just in general. There is no need to feel like that. Let go of your shyness, babe. I feel like you actually have good dance moves, you just don’t want to be seen for some reason. Dancing will help you get more comfortable in the spotlight. You have gotten too comfortable in your little bubble. The next time someone asks you to dance, accept the offer (especially if it’s zydeco, salsa or kompa 🙈). You’re never too cute to dance, pookie.

Cards Used: The Hermit, Knight of Discs, The Chariot, 6 of Wands, The Empress, King of Discs (RX).

PILE SIX: Why are you wasting your time arguing with everyone? You need to master the art of preserving your energy. Let go of the need to prove yourself/defend yourself to other people. You exist just like everyone else on this planet but somehow you always end up in a verbal altercation. Is it worth it? I’m sure there’s plenty of alternative options you could choose. Just walking away could do you some good. You are the type of person to catch someone in a lie. Instead of cursing them out, you could just laugh in their face or block them. You could channel this energy into something else. It is normal to experience anger. But just know that you could always get in trouble if you never control it properly. Get a handle on your emotions. Be more logical & cutthroat. I think you definitely could benefit from taking the high road. Your soul is tired. Give it up, babe.

Cards Used: Knight of Swords, Queen of Swords, The Lovers, 8 of Cups, Ace of Swords, The Hermit, Justice, The Moon, The Star.

[electronicdelusionstarlight]

OK, uh, I am, like, writing this crack fic right now, don't worry about it too much, and I was looking back up the Meta Liberation Army thing...

And, uuuuuuuh...

Can we talk for a QUICK SECOND about the ideology of BNHA villains?

OK, like, I'm trying to do this thing in the fic, where I position the Meta Liberation Army and Humarise from the Movies as two diametrically opposed ideologies for obvious reasons, and Humarise is easy as shit to write, it's just a Death Cult who believes in what is, in universe, a fringe conspiracy theory by a disgraced quork scientist from 50+ years ago, an hypocritical one at that since none of their high ranking members are Quirkless despite advocating for Quirkless rights.

Anyway, in my fic they just finance the Shie Hassaikai for now, hence the gang not going under, and and will come into play later, but I had the bullheaded idea to also tackle the Meta Liberation Army immediately for added drama, you know, the parallels, and holy shit...

The MLA are Ancaps.

This is, and I can't stress this enough, the most charitable way I can read them.

Their entire ideology is essential unregulated freedom. Everyone should use the quirk the way they see fit, with no permits or licences, always. Basically the dissolution of the social contract they are currently living in.

This is also the ideology of the League of Villains mind you, but there is a big difference there.

ReDestro is a rich fucking businessman.

The three top leaders of the Army? One controls the biggest telecommunication company in the country (Modern Media) the other their biggest publisher (Traditional Media), and the third is a GODDAMN POLITICIAN.

Do we know... ANYTHING about the Political Leanings of the Hearts and Minds party in canon? Like, I assume they'd be advocating for ways to ensure Meta Liberation Army doctrine to be upheld right? Which means tax cuts for their allies, lessening in quirk regulations, I guess some Token Heteromorph support?

Keep in mind the only Heteromorph among the MLA top ranks, as well as the only woman, is also conventionally attractive. Like, I can DEFINITELY see her as a great example of some weird Glass Ceiling "Got mine fuck you" situation, in the way her gender and quirk are ultimately secondary to her Social Class as a member of the rich elite.

Like, shit, the more I read about them the more I am amazed Horikoshi essentially wrote about how in the BNHA universe there is a secret society composed by the richest men in the country, infiltrated at the highest ranks of society, even among heroes or the commission, advocating for deregulation and zero oversight...

And then just... Did nothing with it.

Like, ReDestro straight up... Picks a fight with the league and then that's it, we doing villain shit now, time to suicide bomb the commission for no reason, the MLA could have EASILY fucked over Japan with a 10 year plan of gradual political shift, and NO ONE could have done anything about it cause they are just normal businessmen at that point.

"You don't arrest Lex Luthor for burning the rainforest you arrest him for using a giant robot to do it" sort of shit.

Like, imagine this shit is tackled with the gravitas it deserves, and Izuku has to come face to face with the fact hero society is corrupt and a slave to capital and he can't do jack shit from stopping a LITERAL POLITICIAN from spreading harmful rhetoric via social media and the traditional medias unless he goes rogue and starts car bombing people, that he can't even "vote with his wallet" cause Detnerat controls most of the market when it comes to support items?

Like, damn.

[atonalginger]

I'm Your Huckleberry, Update #4

Howdy, howdy, howdy and happy Shattered Space day! I hope everyone is having a fun day!

Chapters 9 and 10 are now live on ao3. The Birthday is almost here and everyone is busy getting the finishing touches on Ashta Creek and their costumes. Costumes I happen to have concepts for:

Keen eyes will pick out costumes based off of RDR2, Deadwood, and other modern western movies and shows. Unfortunately I don't have concept art for Manny's costume, that one slipped my mind at the time that I did most of these back in the spring/early summer.

To read the latest chapters (9 & 10) you can click HERE!

To start from the very beginning you can click here.

And as always, a snippet under a read more:

“Well howdy, Mayor Delgado,” Jacob Coe said with the tip of his adventure’s hat. 

The old man looked different with his more casual getup, a green and blue flannel shirt tucked into some weathered blue jeans with a bolo tie around his neck. Del was still surprised Bella invited him, even with their occasional dealings. He knew the tension between the old man and Sam as well as his over-protectiveness over his granddaughter. But he was assured the old Coe would behave. 

“I see you wanted in on the fun,” Delgado tapped the silver tips of the bolo tie and smiled, “not many of the parents did.”

“Oh you know how it goes,” Jacob smiled, “they think because they’ve grown up they can’t have fun.”

“Speaking from experience?” Sam came to stand beside them. his attention was on his white cotton gloves, tugging at the edge to smooth out a wrinkle.

“Maybe I am,” Jacob conceded, “surprised Jamie was able to get you into a proper suit.”

“Sophie wanted city slickers visiting the frontier,” Sam shrugged, “who better to fit the bill than the Coes?”

“Except for Cora,” Jacob noted.

“Sophie wasn’t going to force anyone into a dress,” Delgado said as he looked down the path to where Cora was leading the gaggle of little kids toward the firing range as she gave them the grand tour of the town with Daiyu and Jazz alongside, “and while it might have given a certain flair to the trick shot routine she came up with, a dress would likely just get in the way.”

“So is the story that the Coes sent their daughter to Ashta Creek to work?” Jacob asked.

“I believe the story Cora came up with was that she was sent to live with her aunt and get the General Store up and running, which the Coe family finances,” Sam offered a tired grin, “and during her free time she practices out a the range with Calamity Jazz.”

“Calamity Jazz?” Jacob raised an eyebrow.

“My top engineer,” Delgado pointed to Jazz with all her dusty leathers and her dented top hat with the long white tail feather stuck in the ribbon, “when everyone was listening to Doc and Cora’s crash course on old Earth wild west history she became enamored with Calamity Jane.”

“I see,” Jacob said as he looked around the property, “you’ve got solid protections in place.”

“We invited some two dozen kids and their parents into ashta country, of course we have protections in place,” Delgado sounded borderline offended as he met eyes with Shinya leaned against a hitching post next to the saloon. Shinya tipped his hat and gave his duster’s inner pocket a loving pat before wheeling around and slipping back inside. Delgado turned to Jacob, “plus I wouldn’t want any of Bella and Sophie’s chickens getting nabbed.”

“Yes, those would be tasty little treats for the locals,” Jacob said sympathetically, “not to dwell too hard on the matter but how bad is the ashta situation out here?”

“Right now not so bad; it’s too fucking hot,” Delgado watched as parents milled about,  talking to the costumed crew and socializing, “in a few months we’ll have to put the reinforced run back up around the coop. Last autumn, when we first moved in, we had days where we all just stayed inside and watched the ashta roam the property. Zhenya and I are pretty sure there’s a den on the other side of the ridge. And the Mossgnath cross the creek to the west to graze with the ranch smack dab in the middle.”

“And to think your grandfather lived out here alone,” Jacob sounded impressed, “the ranch is older than the manor, correct?”

“Si,” Delgado smiled and waved at Sophie as she skipped past with some of the girls toward the General Store with Manny leading the way, “not by much, but it is. Like most of the founding families, the Delgados staked a claim out in the frontier and worked the land while the walls were built.”

“I still remember how mad your father was over Raphael’s decision to leave the ranch to you,” Jacob shook his head, “not because he wanted it, mind you. Pretty sure he was going to knock the old house down to make space for a warehouse or some nonsense. But instead it sat empty, waiting for you.”

“Probably why Abuelo did it,” Delgado said quietly, “Bastian had already ruined enough.”

Jacob took off his hat and wiped the sweat from his brow before smoothing back his hair, “no, Raphael did it because he loved you, Gabriel. You were his whole world. Hell, right there at the end, when he’d moved back to the city for treatment, Raphael talked about you all the time. I remember he and Bastian got into it after one of your more spectacular heists made the news. Raphael seemed to relish in throwing your successes in his son’s face. ‘He’s done more with our family name than you ever did,’ Sat outside the manor taunting Bastian for a while before his nurse walked him back to his apartment.”

Delgado laughed to shake the shock off his face, “that so?”

[robertdowneyjjr]

hiiii, if you're still doing them, 8 (sweater weather) and 10 (movie night) would be so cute for rhodey + tony! thank you! <3

After a long day of meet & greets with the fall season’s new batch of interns, Tony wants nothing more than to go home and crawl into Rhodey’s lap and have his hair played with. He’s exhausted and hungry, and the only thing keeping him going is the knowledge that Rhodey is back stateside for good, waiting for Tony in the penthouse apartment that’s finally starting to feel like home again.

He’s not disappointed when he steps off the elevator and into the apartment, spotting Rhodey immediately where he’s sprawled on the couch, flicking through the movie library on the television screen.

Tony wastes no time kicking off his shoes, undoing the top three buttons of his shirt, and rolling up his sleeves. He throws his tie across the back of the couch, drops his cufflinks on the coffee table, and does what he’d been waiting for all day. With absolutely zero grace, he climbs on top of Rhodey and clings on like a koala, nuzzling into his neck with a soft whine. Without missing a beat, Rhodey’s free hand comes up to card gently through Tony’s hair.

“Intern Day is so tiring,” Tony grumbles.

“You love meeting new interns,” Rhodey reminds him.

“Yeah but there were so many of them and they all had so many questions.”

“You love it when they ask questions. You say it lets you know how far they’ve come when their internships end and they start offering solutions instead.”

“Just let me be grumpy in peace,” Tony whines.

“Alright.”

Rhodey turns back to the TV and keeps stroking Tony’s hair, and Tony’s just about to drift off when Rhodey nudges him softly.

“Hmm?”

“Remember when Howard made you intern in the finance department that one year before you officially started working for R&D, and you came back to our apartment that first day all grumpy and cute just like today?”

“Of course. You made us change into pajamas even though it was only, like, 6pm, then we marathoned Star Trek until two in the morning and I showed up to work late the next day and fell asleep at my desk. Howard was so mad.” Tony smiles at the memory.

“Wanna change and marathon Star Trek until tomorrow morning?”

Tony kisses Rhodey’s cheek before he gets up, hurrying to their bedroom to change into something more comfortable. He slips on the worn MIT hoodie he stole from Rhodey their first year living together, then grabs the newer one he’d just bought the year before for Rhodey.

They settle in, snuggled on the couch under a soft fleece blanket, and spend the rest of the night feeding each other bites of pizza while watching Kirk and Spock’s space adventures together.

— soft fic prompts.

[darerendevil]

For archive purposes: March, 2013

If he has one driving goal in his film career, it's to participate in a project that leaves a lasting impression. "Ultimately what I'd like to do is leave behind a movie that's a piece of art," he says. "One movie out of however many I make that influences or has an impact or someone holds up in the future as a piece of art. That's the ultimate goal."

Chaos. Blackness. Then a pair of inconceivably blue eyes burst open, filling the screen. This is how most audiences were first introduced to Cillian Murphy three and a half years ago, when the Irish actor erupted onto the scene in the post-apocalyptic sleeper hit 28 Days Later. As Jim, a bike courier who awakens from a coma after London has been wiped out by a deadly infection, the largely unknown 24-year-old found himself as the lead in Danny Boyle's poetically terrifying film. As the audience surrogate, Murphy's face telegraphed all the confusion, innocence, and wonder we would expect of a hero-in-the-making who is realizing he might very well be the last man on earth.

After the success of 28 Days Later, a career in Hollywood films was inevitable. It's not just that Murphy looks as though his face were sculpted from marble, topped off by those aforementioned stunning eyes. As he showed in 28 Days Later and subsequent films such as Girl With a Pearl Earring and Intermission, he was a chameleonic performer, a character actor trapped in a leading man's bone structure. In 2005 he found himself starring in two blockbuster hits in which he played characters that couldn't be further from the well-intentioned Jim. As Dr. Jonathan Crane, aka Scarecrow, Murphy's silky smooth calmness was put to villainous use in Batman Begins. He followed that with a turn as Jackson Rippner, a mysterious stranger who traps hotel manager Lisa (Rachel McAdams) into an assassination plot in Wes Craven's Red Eye. While both films were unabashedly popcorn entertainment, each transcended its genre with stellar casting and sharp direction.

After these back-to-back successes, it seemed there was only one logical step for the newly minted star. So Murphy shaved his legs, plucked his eyebrows, and gamely jumped into the role of Patrick "Kitten" Braden, the transvestite orphan whose adventures with cabaret singing, prostitution, and the Irish Republican Army don't even begin to sum up the strange and delightful world of Neil Jordan's Breakfast on Pluto (opening in limited release Nov. 18). Written by Jordan and Patrick McCabe, on whose 1998 novel the film is based, Pluto is a loopy journey featuring Murphy in a bravura performance as the needy heroine who spends her life looking since he first auditioned for it four years ago. Jordan couldn't get the film financed at the time, but he never forgot Murphy--largely because the actor wouldn't let him. "I did a test with Cillian and several young Irish actors to see: Was the role even playable?" says Jordan. "Cillian was not well-known at all but gave a blistering performance. Problem was, after that he would never let it go. Every time we met, he'd ask, 'When do we start shooting?'"

Murphy got his wish in 2004, when Jordan got the money and jumped right into a 10-week shoot. It was sudden, but Murphy took it in stride.

Early Stages

In person Murphy speaks softly, his voice heavy with his native accent--one that has rarely been captured on film, as he frequently adopts English or American accents for roles. He speaks in simple, sparse terms of how he came to acting.Born and raised in Cork, Ireland, Murphy grew up on a diet of American TV and was interested in movies and music. At age 20 he was playing in a band, and he saw a play at the Corcadorca Theatre Company in his hometown. "I went up and knocked on the door of the theatre and said, 'Listen, if you have any parts in any plays coming up, let me know,'" he recalls. "And the guy said, 'There's this play called Disco Pigs. Come in for an audition.' I went in and got the part, and that was it, really."He may make landing the job sound easy, but anyone who saw the 2001 film adaptation of Disco Pigs can attest it was more than luck that got Murphy cast. As the violent and unpredictable Pig, pathologically devoted to his lifelong friend Runt, Murphy is a force of nature we can't take our eyes off of. Still, he admits that at times he felt out of his league. "I was going to go back to playing in a band; I was just acting as a laugh," he says. "But it didn't transpire like that. I don't think I realized it was a career until recently. But I don't enjoy anything as much as I enjoy acting. I never got a kick out of anything as much as I get out of acting when it's going well. You build up a real hunger for it."

For the next three years he worked in theatre, learning on the job while performing in such classics as The Seagull and Much Ado About Nothing. "I think that's the best place to learn as actor," he observes. "I consider it my training ground. I was very lucky to work with a lot of great directors and great plays. I went from smaller parts onstage to bigger parts onstage, then smaller parts in movies to bigger parts in movies. It was a very organic way to do it."

He landed his first agent, Richard Cook at The Lisa Richards Agency, when Cook saw him onstage in Disco Pigs; he remains with the agent to this day. Murphy has a Los Angeles agent, Darren Statt at United Talent Agency, whom he says "saw an audition tape I did for a movie and took me on based on that--which is actually quite unusual." He also has a London representative, Lou Coulson with The Lou Coulson Agency. As Murphy began landing various film and television roles, he had to adjust to auditioning regularly. "It took me awhile to realize auditioning is a different skill than acting," he says. "They're entirely unrelated skills. Just because you're a good actor, it doesn't mean you'll be good in a room with a director. I had to learn to audition."

It was the film version of Disco Pigs that caught Boyle's eye when he was casting for 28 Days Later. Surprisingly, Murphy's newcomer status worked in his favor. "We thought that it was more appropriate for the film that it should not be a star vehicle," says Boyle. "Rather, it should be a community of people we cast as equals." Boyle also felt Murphy displayed an innocent quality that would endear Jim to the audience. "The feeling of a child who is forced to become a man and, by the end of the film, be almost primal, I thought Cillian had that," Boyle reasons. Murphy rewarded his director's trust with a searing performance, taking Jim from wide-eyed youth to fierce protector in the space of 108 minutes. "I've been lucky to have support from great people like Danny," Murphy raves. "He let me carry 28 Days Later. But, ultimately, if you don't produce in the work, you won't get hired. You're only as good as your last job."

Armed with this knowledge, Murphy was selective about his projects after the success of 28 Days Later. "I'm aware of the system and how certain doors open when a film does well," he says. "A lot more people started taking meetings with me. And people began to pronounce my name correctly, that's always been a good yardstick for me." Although most people probably know by now, the correct pronunciation is "kill-ee-un."

Being Bad

Murphy claims he would have been perfectly happy to continue doing theatre the rest of his life; indeed, when he speaks of performing onstage, it's with a low-key but palpable passion. But he is also practical. "If there's an opportunity to do a good film with a good director, you've got to take it," he muses. "You'd be foolish not to. And if a bit of momentum builds up, you have to stick with it."

He has collaborated with some of the most prestigious directors working today, from Anthony Minghella in Cold Mountain to Ken Loach in the upcoming The Wind That Shakes the Barley. Yet he insists there's no deliberate strategy to his career. "I want to do different things and keep myself interested and keep improving," he remarks. "Wherever that takes me, I don't know. There's no plan--it's all out of your control anyway. The only thing I've ever insisted upon is diversity. Every role you take, you have to be afraid that you can't do it. Otherwise, there's no point in doing it." The primary factors that draw him to projects are the script and the director. "It's got to be a good script to start with," he says. "If it's a bad director, they can make the script mediocre pretty fast. But the combination of a good director and good script--that's the ultimate. And I can't believe how lucky I've been to have both."

When it came to auditioning for Batman Begins, Murphy didn't look at it as a blockbuster franchise that would raise his salary quote--he saw it as an opportunity to play a well-crafted character and work with director Christopher Nolan. "I would do any movie with Chris Nolan," he says. "It was a good script and a great part. I had so much fun." Nolan originally brought Murphy in to read for the role of Bruce Wayne/Batman. "I saw Cillian in 28 Days Later and was struck by the extraordinary intensity of his performance," says Nolan. "We tested him for Batman, and his presence just leapt off the screen. Everyone who saw it got very excited about the idea of casting him as Scarecrow. He has a fantastic ability to project interior passions with a power that can be by turns either chilling or seductive."

As Scarecrow, Murphy proved a hero is only as interesting as his nemesis, and his cool confidence was enthralling--just listen to the way he draws out "Batman" as two words in a cruel taunt.He brought that same dangerous appeal to Red Eye, a film in which his Rippner is more or less played as the romantic leading man--until he reveals he's a stone-cold killer. "I was very careful not to come at that character as the bad guy," he explains.

"He's been chosen for his job because he has access to this charisma and approachability. For him to be revealed too quickly would be pointless." Murphy also enjoyed being the heavy, a nice respite from saving the world in 28 Days Later. "It's fun to be the bad guy," he notes. "I thought it was a great role. Just because he turned out to be bad, it didn't represent any more or less fun than playing [Jim]. It's still a great range there to convey."Murphy also wants to make it clear that playing back-to-back villains was a fluke of distribution. "I did get very frustrated with the question, 'Why are you playing the bad guys this summer?'" he says. "I guess it's an easy in. I've made 10 feature films and played two bad guys. I think anyone who's seen the rest of my work will realize that's not what I specialize in at all."

Men Are From Pluto

If Murphy had any concerns about being pigeonholed, he certainly confounded expectations as Kitten in Breakfast on Pluto. "That role was a gift," he insists. "To work with Neil, who's a living legend--he's amazing." To prepare for the role, Murphy reread the book and talked extensively with McCabe, who was frequently on-set. "The book is a masterpiece but not always conducive to the screen, and the film has to be cinematic," Murphy notes. "I used a lot of the episodes in the book that aren't in the movie as my own research." Aware that the role was "completely transformative," he also spent a lot of time getting down Kitten's gestures and movements. "It's a long process," he says. "The physical side wasn't too hard; that's just grooming, really. The clothes and hair and eyebrows--anybody can do that. It was getting the voice and the walk and the physicality." Murphy went so far as to hit London nightclubs in drag. "It's important to do that. How much of it you use or not in the end is irrelevant," he says. "It's just important to have a reference point."

While the sight of Murphy in skirts and wigs is frequently funny, his sensitive and sweet portrayal elevates the film and engages the audience in Kitten's struggles. He is boosted by a top-notch supporting cast that includes Stephen Rea as a sad-eyed suitor, his Batman co-star Liam Neeson as a priest, and his 28 Days Later co-star Brendan Gleeson as a drunken theme-park character. It's a giddy, charming work Murphy aptly describes as "an unexpected fairy-tale disco fantasy."Murphy says he can talk about Pluto "until the cows come home," a bold statement considering that he confesses to an aversion to interviews. "I don't particularly like interviews or having my picture taken," he says, somewhat apologetically. "I don't mind it as a character, just not as myself. I don't like the perceived celebrity of it. I'm not about to become a personality or go on talk shows to entertain people as me, as Cillian." He points out he has never done a talk show in his life--mention Regis and Kelly and he pauses for a moment before replying, "I don't know who those people are."Of course, with his profile on the rise, Murphy admits he has given serious thought to how to maintain a healthy career without having his private life exposed to the world. He even discussed the topic with Batman co-star Christian Bale, whom he praises as "the best Batman" and a dedicated actor. "I actually asked his advice because you don't see him in the papers," says Murphy. "He pretty much told me, 'Don't behave like a celebrity, and you won't get treated like one.' I guess if you don't go out to a lot of parties and fall down, people don't take photographs of you."

Accent on Talent

Murphy recently wrapped Sunshine, a sci-fi adventure that reunites him with director Boyle in which he is once again saving the world-this time from a dying sun. Surprisingly--considering that Boyle gave the actor his biggest break--he still had to audition for the role. "I kind of wanted to," he says with a shrug. "That's what we do; we're actors. I don't understand this thing about actors who won't read for parts. I wanted to show him I could do it. I'm playing an American, and the movies hadn't come out yet where I'm American, so I think he wanted to see me do it." Murphy notes that early in his career he encountered resistance when auditioning for American roles. "They would hear me speak and say, 'Jesus, there's no way,'" he recalls. "But once you do it well, people accept it. And after a while it becomes second nature. That's why I think actors should never be limited by their background. This is what we do: We dress up and put on voices. So people should never be afraid to cast someone because of their accent."

Murphy isn't sure what he'll do next. He mentions taking a break, having worked steadily for the last few years. He'd also love to get back to theatre and tackle some of the great roles. Point out that a website erroneously reported that he has played Hamlet and he seems wistful. "No, I wish. I'd love to," he says. "I hope they said I did a good job." He also

acknowledges the differences between film and the stage. "Obviously, it's different vocally. If you're playing to an auditorium of 1,100 people, you've got to magnify the performance," he says. "For me, film acting is when you can see what the actor's thinking. Theatre acting, you've got to get up to the gods and let them know what's going on." Murphy doesn't mind returning to small theatres-he might even prefer it. "Disco Pigs was always in tiny little sweatboxes," he notes. "As the play got more popular and moved to bigger houses, I think it lost some of its allure. I remember doing Disco Pigs in its first incarnation and turning and getting sweat all over the front row. It was so visceral and dirty and sweaty. Then, when you start playing to bigger auditoriums, it's not as sexy."

If he has one driving goal in his film career, it's to participate in a project that leaves a lasting impression. "Ultimately what I'd like to do is leave behind a movie that's a piece of art," he says. "One movie out of however many I make that influences or has an impact or someone holds up in the future as a piece of art. That's the ultimate goal."

[senjusonlygirlfriend]

Hello, can I request the reader starting a girl gang? With basically most of the TR girls in it (Senju, Akane, Yuzuha, Hina, Emma, some girls from the brothel, the girls from Mitsuya's home economics club, pah's future wife, pah's buddy's girlfriend, etc). I'd be happy with just general headcanons, but you can do as you please with this idea! And it's okay if you don't want to, take your time!!

This might be one of the favorite things I’ve written <3

Starting an all girl gang with the Tr girls! 

𝑪𝒘/𝑻𝒘: 𝒉𝒆𝒂𝒅𝒄𝒂𝒏𝒐𝒏𝒔, 𝒈𝒆𝒏𝒆𝒓𝒂𝒍 𝒇𝒍𝒖𝒇𝒇

Ok so to start off with, I would think you’d want to know one of these girls. Although you could start your own, and one of them gets interested in your gang. 

But your gang is fr so powerful. I would think that the girls with fighting experience(Senju, Yuzuha, Emma ect) would train the girls to at least know self defense. 

It is gods gift that you have some of the girls join, because they’re making the uniforms..I feel like the uniforms would look super badass, yet easy to be fluid and move in. 

Pah and Pah’s buddy heard about their girlfriends joining a girls gang, and defently wanted to check it out. They would even go as far as to dress up as girls with wigs, makeup, clothes ect to get in.(They got caught, but you were chill about it)

The girls from the brothels are a little tricky to imagine they would be in a gang, but I think they would teach some girls how to like seduce men I guess? That and they could have people going to them to talk about their problems. They’re kinda like the supervisors in a sense

Drakens like: “???” when he sees like 10 girls walk in and ask for a certain girl 

Takemichi is kinda surprised that Hina would join, but I don’t think he would mind it. He did meet you one time though when he was having a little trouble taking down a couple of guys, and Hina introduced the two of you afterwards. 

You’d get Emma’s and Mikey’s help with behind the scenes stuff like finances, how to run things, battle strategies, and stuff like that and would be even more happy if you brought some dorayaki for him. 

Senju, Yuzuha and you in fights>>>> The three of you are such a deadly tro, BULLDOZING through dudes. Like some guys that have fought you before are afraid to mistake something in the street for one of you. 

You’re beloved by everyone. You treat everyone with kindness and respect despite being on the top. It really doesn’t matter if they’re a team caption, or a member 

Sometimes you’ll go to your meeting place like if it’s a shrine, and set up a “movie night” if you get extra money. Like with the movie screens you set up outside and get tables of snacks/drinks. Everyone would be huddled up sitting criss cross. 

You’d then take a vote out of three movies, the one most voted wins. And it’d be totally optional to attend. All of you are just one big family tbh 

The girls(Senju, Hina, Emma, Yuzuha, Akane) try and get you to take breaks since god knows you need them. A couple of them or all of them will come over to have a sleep over/self care night. 

Senju will take you on shopping sprees. Yuzuha will take you to the gym to work off all that stress. Hina and Akane will have tea at one of their places and just talk about anything. Emma will glam you up and dress you up nice to feel great about yourself.  

[gowns]

Among so many heinous problems trickling down on our heads from the top of the film industry is that of intellectual property. It’s not that adaptations are new, but that the ability to make a living by creating anything else has only recently been destroyed. IP obsession has killed the mid-budget movie, it’s killed the movie star, and it’s coming for the rest of the industry. This is as much a problem for audiences as for filmmakers (at any level), and it all comes from the same place: Unchecked greed, and the familiarity with which we accept it.

Tidy, consistent, sustainable profits—the kind of thing generated by movie studios that once offered a diverse slate of reasonably budgeted adult dramas, teen-date rom-coms, family films, and fence-swinging art movies—are a thing of the past for those in charge of the industry. Other forces from the entertainment world are certainly at play, specifically the rise of prestige TV as a destination for what the movies have abandoned. But the pivot to the IP Era feels simple, because it feels familiar. It’s because tidy, consistent, sustainable profits aren’t enough. There must be growth. There must be domination. There must be Shared Universes.

This attitude goes beyond being risk-averse. Risk aversion isn’t new. Single-minded speculation, trying to alchemize IP into gold, is.

The management decisions keeping workers from their fair pay—as described by Writers Guild of America board member John Rogers in a thread about the current strike—are the same ones milking old IP for all it’s worth: “The new robber barons of Hollywood are on a suicide run.” This shift is tech-bro economics, Wall Street-fellating “vulture capitalism” here to feast on the industry, not further it.

...Sure, an executive could gamble on a few million dollars on an “idea” from a “writer.” They could also flip the big Binder O’ Properties to a random page, do a rail of coke off of it and spend $100 million to reboot whatever’s underneath. A new Ghostbusters? Another go at the Dark Universe? Let’s do it! Monopolies, even monopolies built on unsustainable properties—on the slums of Baltic and Mediterranean Avenues, in board game terms—have the potential to be more than profitable. They can define decades of strategy. Investors like that. It feels stable yet exciting, predictable yet potentially limitless.

“We’re going to focus on franchises,” Warner Bros. Discovery CEO David Zaslav assured investors. “We haven’t had a Superman movie in 13 years. We haven’t done a Harry Potter in 15 years.”

It doesn’t matter if viewers are burned out or if the franchise is inextricably linked to a raging asshole. There’s recognizable media out there just asking to be exploited into an empire, one that could grow and grow and grow. If it eventually burns like Rome—say, if you’re former Disney CEO Bob Chapek and your streaming business continues to bleed money despite releasing bad franchise movies directly onto it—then you can simply fiddle your little heart out, floating away on your golden parachute. Naturally, studio leadership favors this approach, which in turn sets the precedent for the only kinds of movies their companies finance, market and stuff into theaters.

We, the country’s moviegoing public, have already been trained to understand this. 

Pretty consistently, folks go to the movies when they recognize something and stay home when they don’t. Looking at the past 10 years of box office Top 10s, it’s far faster to note which movies aren’t based on a pre-existing property: Frozen, Gravity, Inside Out, Zootopia, The Secret Life of Pets, Sing, Onward and Tenet.

That’s it. Eight movies out of 100. 

Two of them even let you see a person.

But in the IP Era, people are merely a liability. Movies seeking this modern kind of success—as many sequels, spin-offs and merchandise tie-ins as possible—only need humans in front of the camera when they function as an extension of IP. Laura Dern, Sam Neill and Jeff Goldblum were brought back for the latest Jurassic World cash-grab to excite us as embodied reminders of a better movie. They’re not actors anymore. They’re mascots. 

When you realize that that’s all AAA actors are being cast as, it becomes obvious why the biggest blockbusters have recently boiled down to ensembles standing around reskinned warehouses and parking lots. As Jake Ures writes, “when acting has been reduced to stewarding IP,” you don’t want people getting invested in the stars. Rather, “it’s better for investors if they function as empty vessels for stories much bigger than them, ones that can be endlessly iterated long after they’re out of the picture.”

...Performers have long feared being themselves turned into IP. Jet Li famously skipped out on The Matrix sequels so his moves wouldn’t be digitized in some Warner Bros. library, to be used to whatever future end by a company that no longer needed his martial artistry. This, by the way, is the plot of Space Jam: A New Legacy, as LeBron James attempts to avoid the same fate…threatened by the in-universe Warner Bros. Really, this idea is so normalized as to be the bad guy’s plan in a kid’s movie. Netflix is trying to own the rights to its actors’ simulated voices “by all technologies and processes now known or hereafter developed, throughout the universe and in perpetuity.” It’s not about creating something, it’s about owning something, forever.

And that’s the success model. Increasingly, it’s the only model. Because now we crave it, beaten into submission by the sheer onslaught of “Remember that?” requels, legacy sequels and reboots released since Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull, Star Trek and Star Wars: The Force Awakens helped establish the monoculture model of filmmaking. Audiences didn’t do this to pop culture. It was the corporate powers that invested in and encouraged their most ravenous demographic, turning “audiences” into “fandoms.” We’ve had slop shoveled onto our pop culture prison cafeteria trays for decades, and the prison-industrial multiplex expects us to give our compliments to the chef for another meal of empty-calorie Easter eggs.

[read more - jacob oller for paste magazine]

[simmetrycal]

oc facts and tidbits! ⋆.ೃ࿔*:･

just little(ish) things about everyone.

a/n: hi friends! haven’t written in a few long days so chew on this until i can finish up chapter three!

˚ · .

ash

he’s the type of mf to put a tampon up his nostril when he has a bloody nose

^“what?” with his nasally ass voice. “it works!”

played hockey in highschool and was a goalie for most of it but when he started losing weight he was center and left winger

one of his favorite things to do is just drive. like drive around the backroads in his audi listening to music.

he LOVES nicki minaj. especially barbie drip remix

he falls up the stairs

one time chantelle recorded him while he was eating salami wrapped around a cheese stick and he went “hm! it’s actually a bit fruity!” and the audio got really popular on tiktok

always keeps quarters in his pockets for vending machines

calls chantelle’s girlfriend an opossum bc he thinks she looks like one

his dad likes to keep him humble so for his first car he got him a total rust bucket

and he drove it to school. everyday.

and to work— he used to work at a grocery store.

his best/worst memory from the grocery store was getting deathly scared by a danny devito cardboard cutout that was around the corner

he does pilates once a week

has a pastel pink yoga mat for it and he ties his hair up into tiny pigtails

his dalmatian rocky is a fucking menace. absolute bark boy and does zoomies on the furniture but ash loves him way too much

he bought his sister kylie a white jeep off the lot when she turned 16.

called agnes raggedy anne one time as a joke. she wasn’t happy.

one time got sick from inhaling so many helium balloons

he’s obsessed with ludacris. the guy. he’s met him twice.

hes a shorts in the winter guy. “i’m not even cold bro.”

he has a bubble butt

he never remembers to check his pockets before he does his laundry. so much melted paper and coins are at the bottom of the dryer when he’s done.

messy handwriting

certified top of the doorframe slapper

he’s been on first name basis’ with all moms since middle school.

after he bought a bape bearbrick 1000 raymond manages ash’s finances. he only gets a certain allowance from his paycheck and the rest goes to his savings account which he isn’t allow to touch.

constantly bouncing his leg.

this man LOVES slumber parties. all aspects! the snacks, the movies, the skincare, the pillow fights! he goes crazy

super messy eater. his sloppy ass hotdogs slip out of the bun and land on his lap 7/10 times.

better at dancing that you’d ever think

likes taking picture of donuts just as much as he likes eating them

he knows how to crochet and somewhat how to play the guitar

can’t handle spicy food at all! bro is absolutely red, teary eyes, salivating, everything

really likes despicable me and minions

he is fucking feral at trampoline parks

^he has a video of himself that’s super sped up jumping around there really fast and doing flips and it makes him laugh everytime he watches it

he has shirts that say nerf or nothing on them.

when he was fourteen he shaved his head and bleached it.

lays on his belly all the time

broken so many bones in his life. bro was always in a cast or crutches. (he got hella signatures)

he likes red gatorade. a lot. he got that red circle around his lips

he often forgets to rerack his weights

bought a handicap parking pass on amazon, put it in his glovebox, and he takes it out when he wants to park somewhere easily (he knows he shouldn’t)

he makes your mom jokes maybe too often

he’s a sneaker head

^laying on his office couch like “chantelle should i buy these?” and they’re like some absurdly priced resale of travis scott jordans

his phone lock screen is rocky

he can’t use chopsticks.

says his favorite video game is call of duty black ops but secretly the real answer is roblox.

his favorite roblox game is meep city.

he bought an nft one time and it plummeted

he has never even been close to being in a car accident

he tries to come to all his sisters’ volleyball games. cora his stepmom is always there and ash doesn’t exactly like her but he’s so so kind and he always strikes up conversations with her.

he’s a cheerer and a clapper

his favorite color is blue

he always has a blue phone case

gets so so sunburnt everytime he goes to the beach

he has a ton of freckles on his back but not much in other places

^“i feel like one of them has to be cancerous right?”

a lot of people think he’s a picky eater bc he likes mcdonald’s so much but he’s actually got a pretty refined pallet. he’s a big fan of scallops

used to go to random mechanics for car stuff but for the past few months he’s been coming to chantelle’s girlfriends cousin’s shop.

he keeps coming in because he thinks oaklynns cousin, jericho, is cute but if he ever told chantelle she’d beat him to a pulp

at this point he’s getting unnecessary upgrades to his car. frequently. a tiny rock hit the windshield? shii guess he gotta replaced the whole thing.

“come here often? what am i saying— you work here.” he says, flustered over jericho. he can barely see his face half the time with it being masked by pairs of shiny sunglasses

he collects rap snacks

he likes to play hide and seek but when he hides he always goes behind a curtain and you can see his feet

bros the type of guy to open a bag of chips with scissors

has a pic of him and nardwuar.

he always downloads the games in the mobile ads

he has hundreds of games on his phone

bro always falls for the shit like “somebody wrote gullible on the ceiling” and “gayboysaywhat”

he quotes movies and shows ALL the dang time

he can’t cook for shit

his favorite video ever is that one old guy smoking a cigar in a car with the song no auto durk

˚ · .

chantelle

she’s quick to block someone

worked for an insurance company and she absolutely hated it. that place was the bane of her existence.

one thing she loves more than anything is going on vacation— especially tropical ones

“ash did you take your adderal today?” (always keeps extra in her purse)

her favorite flowers are blue hydrangeas

hates when ash just clocks out whenever he wants but there’s no stopping him

drives a 2022 toyota camry and she has one of those like corny rhinestone ignition button decals but now it’s stuck on there

she’s allergic to dogs (no rocky babysitting for her (grateful))

her girlfriend is chronically short

number one sza fan

single-handedly keeping vaseline in production

when she’s not in business clothes she wears like 3xl t shirts and like cheetah print booty shorts

˚ · .

raymond

bros a total chef.

would have vanessa do his sleeve tattoo when he’s a dad

secretly (maybe not so secretly) really insecure.

despite looking like a tough guy he’s a total square. always doing what he’s told no matter what.

he oversees payroll as well as company finances

he doesn’t mind commercials or ads, sometimes he even enjoys them

he is left handed

jia and him went to the same college (penn state)

he played basketball there and got quite good

he’s really interested in planes

loves loves loves food videos

he doesn’t do cardio kind of ever..? he only works his legs, arms, back, and shoulders, and doesnt really run a lot.

his favorite workout is doing deadlifts

raymond’s mom can only speak cantonese and she’s 4’11

his dad is as tall as raymond and speaks decent english

part of the reason why he’s such a good cook is because jia gets hangry and he wants no drama.

raymond’s aftershave is one of the sexiest smells you can ever possibly imagine.

he can be bold sometimes. confidence comes from nowhere and it’s shortlived

he’s very very patient

˚ · .

facts about side characters:

agnes used to be a stripper and everyone in the office knows about it.

headphone guy got his pinkie cut off by a yakuza member.

eli calls raymond “raymin” and everyone thinks it’s very cute.

oaklynn, chantelle’s girlfriend, is a florist and she drives a volkswagen rabbit that ash can never quit laughing at.

oaklynn doesn’t like ash.

ash’s sisters on his dads side kylie and parker don’t often get along (on kylie’s account) but parker gets along with ash’s sister on his moms side, eva. parker and eva each lunch in the library together

eva’s very secretive, she had a boyfriend that nobody knew about. one day ash found out and she broke up with him, scared that he was gonna tell their mom (he would never).

eva doesn’t drive bc of anxiety, but if she did ash would be quick to get her a car for her birthday. he thinks a miata would suit her.

vanessa used to be a biker

jia has a naturally high stress level perpetually, which makes her cranky.

ty for reading! not proofed so ignore any spelling errors, grammar issues, punctuation mistakes, and weird formatting

love yall!

jericho copyright dylan

vanessa and eli copyright yume

[crimsonblackrose]

.

Ah yes, the apple computer is a lemon because Lyle accidentally found himself as tech support.

Johnny's first computer is a Dell laptop. I wonder though if in the 80's they had computer classes, because then he might've known a desktop, which is still a different set up then a clunky Dell laptop.

LYLE WHAT IS THAT?!

Johnny is at least moving at the right part of the computer that is the mouse. Even though the cursor isn't moving. He also manages to open up every single Microsoft program ever, which how does he have those? They're totally extra now right?

Where's the internet? Have you tried connecting to the wifi? Obviously....what's wifi?

Book 2: The Internet for Dummies

His wifi password is Strike1strike (hard one guesses?)

Hot Babes > Wet T-shirt contest > Iron Eagle > Bloodsport (Lol he stops to read a blog post about it)> Conspiracy Theories (The Actual Truth: Mind Control, Flat earth, fluride poisoning children, herbal remides for sleep, faked moon landing, and of course dinosauras built the pyramids, zac efron is elvis's son) > misc fighting video from a movie I don't know. >all american karate championship on youtube> Top 10 spin kicks (blocked by a Daniel advertisement for Miyagi-do where he purposefully shows kicking Johnny in the face as part of his ad)

Daniel, darling, dearest, my boy, you were pissed when Cole made a targeted ad, you're literally putting kicking Johnny in the face on the worst night of his life (one of) as your ad for your dojo. You even say "Don't be a snake in the grass. Be a champion."

And then Daniel's once again undercutting Johnny's finances by making sure all the sessions are free. Which I get is because his lessons with Mr. Miyagi were free but still.

You know I do like that they didn't actually show google, and just made their own random generic internet search

New movie rec: Bloodsport

Whose making the cobra kai merch? a beach ball and a towel?

Demetri claiming the wins of Cobra Kai as his own is...something.

First mention of Johnny's rap sheet, I like how Eli's parents actually did their research on the guy teaching their kids.

Valley fest mention (did they only do valley fist in this one instance in the whole series?)

Amanda is a CEO.

Daniel spent half the Q3 (third quarter) marketing budget for LaRusso Auto on his dojo advertisement. That seems...uh...financially very bad. I don't know legal laws for corporations but...bad.

Like he excuses it because the dealership will get publicity at the Valley fest, but still to take corporate funds to use for personal I feel like is an actual white collar crime.

Jessica Bluestein is I guess one of Amanda's friends or coworkers/staff whose husband started a ska band and then hooked up with a palates instructor half his age.

Amanda misses the simple days of dicks on billboards. Which fair, it's going to get a million times worse Amanda, so be prepared.

Anoush got transferred from Encino to North Hollywood. Which I guess is a downgrade

Sam's hair when it's braided or in these little three buns is very cute.

Robby's hot water was also turned off.

Jacuzzi confirmed at the LaRusso's. It must be that thing by the fire place. Also apparently a possum died in it.

There's also a cobra kai phone case. Seriously? Johnny did you have all this made or did the students have it all made?

Poor bonsai, also did you go out and buy these to hurt the bonsai? Also poor kid holding the bonsai that was dirt and ceramic and tree that hit him in the face.

What Johnny says is pretty much exactly how Tom Cole did his targeted ad against Johnny.

Hashbrown and send it to the internet.

His students doing his whole internet marketing team is very sweet, but also he needs to compensate them for all that free tech labor.

I don't think I'd fully realized that he'd bought more space from Zarkarian. I guess he just had this room locked for Zarkarian to have storage previously?

I get why the kids automatically assumed that because of Robby being Johnny's son that's why Johnny got mad at them for the tournament. But in reality his rules he tried to instill after the tournament was don't cheat and don't be unsportsmanlike. And that should apply to everyone even Robby. And maybe he should've reminded them of that rather than just shutting down the conversation and telling them to clean mats because they got into his business and it's not their business.

Especially since Kreese is going to use that to drive a wedge between them all.

I get why Amanda is getting frustrated, Daniel said that he used part of the budget to get eyes on his dojo, and it's fine because they have valley fest for the dealership. But then he goes after the dealership spot too.

I don't think she has a name yet and I don't remember it, but I like that she gives Johnny the 411 on free food. He's got kind of a community in the area. Lyle his tech person, the Mini Mart guy (sorry I forgot his name) and the homeless lady.

Did Kreese not know previously that Robby was Johnny's? Or that Johnny had a kid? Because it feels like not only does he have his eyes on a way to drive a wedge but also a target.

Johnny says he'll never get a chance to train Robby.

Kreese dumping a lot of paranoia and random fears on Johnny, like Daniel stealing away Miguel too.

Ah the correction, Johnny's learning and paying attention.

They changed it, Miguel and the Diaz's are in apartment 1.

Johnny kidnapping Miguel: 2? 1? I feel like generally he has the kids meet him somewhere rather than driving them somewhere.

Sal and the delicious chopped onion burgers. So Johnny knows the name of the chef at this diner and it's not Smitty's.

Robby's birthday Monday February 4, 2002 after 17 hours of labor.

Johnny was coming off a 3 day bender.

He gets chocked up when he says he failed Robby on his first day in the world and every day since.

Mr. Miyagi never taught Daniel how to use a weapon during the first 3 films, so sometime later he must've taught him some, at least a bo staff.

Stingray is out here talking about the teenage mutant ninja turtles, Donatello is his favorite.

The initial shots make it look like they're up much higher then they actually are.

Look how proud he looks to have that thing and his ice blocks. It is really cool.

Okay so it always comes off as if Johnny like snuck in and struck, but the fact someone dropped the logo over valleyfest makes me think someone on the valley fest prep team knew about it.

Yup I went back, it's right there rolled up above the Valley fest logo

Plus all the lighting people knew exactly where to direct the lighting and the music to play. So they knew that Daniel would get interrupted and didn't tell him.

The smoke, the lighting, the fireworks, Daniel someone did not give you an updated memo on this and the Valley Fest was more than happy to put this on without telling you. Also the amount of work these kids put in to perform on even less notice then Sam and Robby?!

Like sure Kreese is standing in the back talking to a tech person but still, they had to have gotten permission and people had to have agreed otherwise security would've taken them off the stage. Someone on the Valley Fest committee loved this idea.

This crowd craves violence.

Omg there's even custom logo lights being shown on the backwall.

I do love that Aisha got her own solo where she was blindfolded and kicked and broke a bunch of boards. She looks so happy and proud.

Like yes, them upsurping Daniel sucks, but also this is such a great celebration for his students. And also again Aisha! (add to it disproving one of Silvers goals of blinding your opponent and making them unable to do anything, here Aisha is proving you can still kick ass and not see, which you would think Daniel and Sam would be proud of her)

Hawk's jump kick is also really cool.

For a festival it also makes sense, they're throwing out merch and what not. It's fun for the crowd.

Daniel's thing would've been super cool, and two stages can go at the same time, the fact they completely stopped to watch Cobra Kai is a bit of a bummer, because they could've continued. Our local fest had a big main stage performance and then a small stage performance like super close but the noise pollution wasn't bad enough to disturb either. But because the crowd left and Daniel was so stunned they just seemed to have given up, when that didn't have to be the case, he could've show cased his own thing at the same time and gotten a different audience because Cobra Kai isn't going to be for everyone.

Johnny and his five cement bricks on fire. I wonder if those are from Cutter. (Daniel btw has 6 blocks of ice)

Kreese looks ecstatic in the back with the tech and sound people.

The melting ice makes me so sad every time.

So do you think Johnny and Daniel both had similar ideas of breaking bricks without Johnny knowing that Daniel had that planned? Because Daniel's plan was a secret, they just both thought it'd look cool? Daniel's of course is from TKK2 but did Kreese teach Johnny that? Johnny told Kreese that he had a few moves Kreese didn't teach him, and if that's the case where'd he pick those up?

Robby looks mad. That's probably one of the biggest one step forward another step back is that not only did Johnny upstage Daniel but he also upstaged his own son.

[lordzannis]

There are several serious concerns regarding DreamWorks Animation in recent years:

Shifting Production Away from In-House

DreamWorks is shifting away from fully producing animated films in-house at its Glendale, California studio. The studio is partnering with Sony Pictures Imageworks to handle asset builds and shot production for an upcoming 2025 film. This reflects a new cost-cutting model where DreamWorks will outsource some work to partner studios in lower cost locations to reduce production costs by 20%[1]. This has raised concerns among DreamWorks staff about job security and the studio's commitment to in-house production.

Significant Layoffs

In March 2024, DreamWorks announced huge layoffs across multiple departments. Reddit users commented that the studio won't be recovering from this round of layoffs, blaming the outsourcing strategy[2]. The exact number of jobs lost is unclear, but it seems to be a major blow to the studio's workforce.

Questionable Leadership Decisions

DreamWorks CEO Jeffrey Katzenberg has made some decisions that have raised eyebrows. In 2013, President Obama visited DreamWorks and joked about Katzenberg's large ego[4]. More concerning is Katzenberg's history of overseeing the shift of production from Culver City to Vancouver at Sony Pictures Imageworks to take advantage of tax credits[1]. This suggests a willingness to prioritize cost savings over maintaining jobs in Los Angeles.

Outsourcing Threatens Local Economy

The animation industry is a major economic engine for Southern California, similar to how finance is to New York or tech is to Silicon Valley[4]. By shifting production overseas, DreamWorks is putting local jobs at risk and threatening the viability of the local animation ecosystem. This could have ripple effects on the broader economy of the region.

In summary, DreamWorks appears to be making decisions that prioritize short-term cost savings over maintaining a robust in-house production workforce. While some outsourcing may be necessary to stay competitive, the scale and speed of the changes raise serious concerns about the studio's long-term commitment to its Los Angeles workforce and the local economy. Significant layoffs and the CEO's history of prioritizing tax credits over local jobs add to the sense of unease among DreamWorks employees and the surrounding community.

Citations: [1] https://www.cartoonbrew.com/studios/dreamworks-shifting-away-from-in-house-production-in-los-angeles-sony-imageworks-is-new-production-partner-233466.html [2] https://www.reddit.com/r/vfx/comments/1bdemof/dreamworks_layoffs/ [3] https://www.thegamer.com/things-wrong-dreamworks-movies-choose-ignore/ [4] https://obamawhitehouse.archives.gov/the-press-office/2013/11/26/remarks-president-economy-dreamworks [5] https://www.watchmojo.com/articles/top-10-times-dreamworks-movies-tackled-serious-issues

Here are some potential solutions for holding DreamWorks Animation accountable and ensuring they pay their fair share of taxes:

Advocate for Closing Corporate Tax Loopholes

DreamWorks and other large corporations often exploit loopholes and tax havens to minimize their tax burden[3]. Employees should urge lawmakers to close these loopholes and ensure companies like DreamWorks pay their fair share. This could involve measures like:

Eliminating deductions for offshoring jobs and profits

Imposing a minimum tax on corporate book income

Increasing IRS funding for auditing large corporations

Requiring public country-by-country reporting of taxes paid

Push for Transparency Around Tax Practices

DreamWorks should be more transparent about its tax practices and lobbying efforts related to taxes[3]. Employees can demand the company publicly disclose its effective tax rate, tax credits and incentives received, and political contributions. Greater transparency would allow stakeholders to hold the company accountable.

Support Unionization to Increase Bargaining Power

Unionizing gives workers more leverage to demand that DreamWorks invest in its workforce rather than prioritizing tax avoidance[2]. Unions can negotiate for higher wages, better benefits, and more training that improves productivity and reduces the need for tax breaks. Collective bargaining power is key to rebalancing the scales.

Collaborate with Community Organizations

DreamWorks employees should partner with local community groups, nonprofits, and advocacy organizations that are pushing for corporate tax reform and responsible business practices[3]. By pooling resources and amplifying each other's voices, workers and activists can build a powerful movement for change.

Engage with Shareholders

As a publicly traded company, DreamWorks is accountable to its shareholders. Employees who own stock should engage with the company's leadership and other investors to voice concerns about tax avoidance and demand more responsible corporate citizenship[3]. Shareholder resolutions and proxy voting can influence company policies.

By pursuing these solutions, DreamWorks Animation employees can help ensure the company contributes its fair share to society through the tax system. Closing loopholes, increasing transparency, unionizing, collaborating with allies, and engaging shareholders are all important levers for driving accountability. Responsible corporate tax practices are key to funding public services and infrastructure that benefit workers and communities.

Citations: [1] https://dreamworkstaxsolutions.com [2] https://www.reddit.com/r/vfx/comments/1bdemof/dreamworks_layoffs/ [3] https://filmstories.co.uk/news/dreamworks-animation-set-to-outsource-work-to-tax-advantaged-lower-cost-geographies/ [4] https://www.gamedeveloper.com/business/how-to-manage-taxes-as-an-indie-developer [5] http://www.filmstrategy.com/2015/04/production-tips-filmmaker-and-taxes.html

[thetragicallynerdy]

15 people, 15 questions

Tagged by @zombiethingy, thank you for the tag buddy!!

1. Are you named after anyone?

Nope!

2. When was the last time you cried?

I can't remember specifically but I'm sure it was within the last week lmao. More definitively: the last time I talked to my mom (because I was sad and she is safe to cry with)

3. Do you have kids?

Nope! Aiming to keep it that way lmao

4. What sports do you play/have played?

All of this is pre-injury but:

Powerlifting (have competed once pre-injury! My fav sport I've ever done!!)

Rec dodgeball

Climbing

As a kid: soccer, baseball, all at like church leagues

Now: I hike :3 and sometimes do yoga. And sometimes weight lift but it hurts my brain so it's been hard to get back into

5. Do you use sarcasm?

Probably too often XD

6. What's the first thing you notice about people?

Hmmm. I don't think there's really something that I notice first? Or if there is I can't think about it.

7. What’s your eye color?

Greyish blue.

8. Scary movies or happy endings?

Happy endings - I don't mind sad endings, but I rarely watch scary movies.

9. Any talents?

Many, but my most useless and favourite one is that I can peel a clementine (and sometimes big oranges) in one long segment.

10. Where were you born?

British Columbia!

11. What are your hobbies?

Writing, the dungeons and the dragons, art, just getting into pottery, gardening/growing too many succulents, reading.

12. Do you have any pets?

Not right now! I typically have hamsters, but a really beloved one passed away this summer and it's been hard finding the energy to get a new one. Hoping to in December or January, though.

13. How tall are you?

Short enough that I can leave my very top cupboard door open and just walk under it

14. Favorite subject in school?

I haven't been in school for nearly a decade, but I took a pottery class at a community centre this fall that was so fun so we're going to go with that

15. Dream job?

For the government to pay better disability so I don't need to worry so much about finances and not being able to work a real job (alternatively, to make enough with really part time art that I no longer need to worry about finances and being able to work full time)

Thanks for the tag buddy!! If you feel like doing it, I'm tagging @lovewithagirl @nevershootamockingbird @bringinghometherain @thou-art-of-the-stars @yourlocal-charlatan @alfalfairy @yerbamansa @draculafemme @georgekirrin @ginbiscuit @ladythmpr @stillbelievinginfireflies

If you didn't get tagged but see this and want to do, please consider this your tag!

[strandnreyes]

jen, i've been trying to think of something super unhinged for nice ask week and i haven't been able to think of anything. so here's my shit excuse for nice ask week and sorry that you might have to look some of these up. please rank these fictional vampires in order from least want to befriend to most want to befriend AND ALSO from not-est to hottest (others opinions are welcome - this is MY ask, MY rules - just kidding pls post this jen, i worked so hard on it):

1. count dracula, dracula (specifically, the 1992 adaptation of the novel in which gary oldman - admittedly, my older gentleman crush - plays dracula)

2. stefan salvatore, the vampire diaries

3. damon salvatore, the vampire diaries (had to ask for both brothers, come on)

4. laurent, twilight (u know i think he is a lil something something)

5. daddy cullen i mean carlisle cullen, twilight

6. dakota fanning looking extremely slay, twilight

7. spike, buffy the vampire slayer

8. count von count, seasame street

9. eric northman, true blood

10. bella swan, vampiric edition, twilight

11. blade, blade

12. me.

THANK YOU FOR COMING

hello, lola. first let me start by saying here is a different vampire ranking without a definition of best, just vibes (you create one vampire au and suddenly this is your whole life). I am not rereading it though, so no promises that I'm not about to contradict myself

I appreciate how hard you worked on asking this, so I hope you appreciate how hard I worked on answering it

Least want to befriend to most want to befriend:

damon - he seems like a walking red flag, he really does

2. dakota fanning - I respect a girlboss but I do think she would kill me after one wrong move. would constantly have a tummy ache, stressed to the max.

3. spike - I have never seen buffy, but google tells me he was a villain. have to play it safe here

4. bella - I'm so sorry bella but I think you would annoy me

5. blade - I really tried looking him up to give an honest friend ranking, but there were so many version?? is it a comic? a movie? a tv show? idk I got confused therefore he defaults to the middle of the list

6. laurent - one of the nicer members of his little posse (unlike that bitch james). might try to kill me but a good sob story would probably get me out of it

7. count dracula - i just read his backstory. that's so tragic, I think he could use a friend

8. carlisle - turning a bunch of teenagers into vampires when they were on their death bed is a little odd, but he had good intentions. and now look at the house he provides for them like I'll move in no questions asked

9. stefan - admittedly have only seen a few seasons of tvd, but he seems to have some kind of morals so that's always a good place to start for a friendship

10. eric - "calculating yet loyal and generally willing to absolve those that aggravate him, unless they have grievously crossed him. However, he is fiercely vindictive towards anyone who harms or threatens those he loves". thank you, trueblood.fandom.com. If I'm befriending all of these vampires, making him a top priority seems like a good choice

11. count von count - he has a cat. I'm using him and abusing our friendship for that. sorry count

12. lola - who shouldn't (?) be on this list (unless you have a secret to tell)

okay hotness below the cut because this is already too long

Least hot to most hot

1. dakota fanning (jane) - default to last because she is a child lmao

2. count von count - he is a cartoon (puppet? I don't know). I feel like there is only one right answer here and it is to put him in the second least hot position (unless that's your thing. you do you)

3. damon - this man creeps me out. I don't know if it's the eyes or what but again, bad vibes. stay away from her (elena), old man!

4. count dracula - willy wonka looking vampire. sorry to your older gentleman crush. you can keep him

5. eric northman - I do not know this man but he is giving 'just some guy' with a little bit of finance bro

6. bella - one too many awkward smiles while tucks her hair behind her ear moments, you know?

7. spike - cheek bones are cheek boning. some may say too much though. hair is giving 90s boy band. although for his time I can excuse it

8. carlisle cullen - not the biggest dilf in twilight, but an important one

9. laurent - unfortunate that you didn't pick the picture where he rolls up with his jacket undone and no shirt underneath. what an entrance. he also gets hotness points because laurent is a very good vampire name

10. stefan salvatore - the objectively better brother based on my limited knowledge. good picture. love a henley moment. look at those forearms.

11. blade - I don't know this man, but I would like to.

*you can't be ranked on the hotness scale because you did not provide a picture. sorry ;)

[zkyfall]

14 Questions ✨👻

Thanks for tagging me, @sweatandwoe and @dreamyonahill 🥰!

Nickname: IRL it’s a more masculine shortening of my given name. If someone uses my full name we’re Conducting Business. Online I’m Zky 👨‍🚀

Sign: 🛑 /jk its Virgo and yes I’m a neurotic perfectionist but I try to choose peace and keep it under control 

Height: 178cm/ 5′10″ 

Last thing I googled: "cm to inches” lmfaooo the metric system is admittedly superior but damned if I can remember it

Amount of sleep: Not enough

Dream job: Saw an artist at a con the other day that sells cute fanart and art of their OCs to cover their cat rescue costs and I think that would be nice. Or finance coach for people with money anxiety. 

Wearing: Denim short shorts + Denim Shirt over a cat tank top 😎🌞unusually fashionable today

Movie/books/media that summarizes you: The Stranger by Albert Camus, I read it as a child and it resonated so much with past me, I’m hesitant to re-read it now and re-examine myself. At the time though, it left me with the strongest impression that while you can choose to embrace apathy and insulate yourself from the rest of the world, it will kill you for it. 

Favorite song: Currently In undertow by Alvvays (gonna see them live this fall SO EXCITED👏 ) 

Instrument: C grade Shower Singer 🤠can’t wait to go to karaoke again and force everyone to listen to classic country

Favorite author: Kathryn Ann Kingsley, the best Villain Romance author ever imho. Still insane over her necromancer series so if you’ve ever read one of her books pls tell me your thoughts 👀

Aesthetic: Generic cubicle worker, lots of sweaters and black slacks. Would love to be more fashionable one day but that day is not today. 

Random fun fact: I have eye implants because I lost a substantial amount of my vision by my late 20s. A decent amount of it was genetic (astigmatism) but a lot of it was my fault. Please try to limit screen time to four hours a day and, when performing close work (reading, writing, anything on a computer or phone) take breaks every 20 minutes to look at something more than 20 Ft. away for 20 seconds.

...that wasn’t really fun. I guess what IS fun is that technically I might be considered a cyborg 🤔?

Anyways! Happy Monday, tagging @bucky-yes, @riddlcr, @agoutighost, and @bennidraws Feel free to ignore if you’ve already done or want to stay sexy and mysterious on main 😘

[thishadoscarbuzz]

266 - The Nest

We who loved his debut Martha Marcy May Marlene (see previous episode!) waited eagerly for director Sean Durkin's follow-up feature while he worked in television and produced other films. That sophomore feature came almost a decade later with The Nest. Starring Carrie Coon and Jude Law, the film follows a married couple who move to England to follow the husband's finance career, only to quickly get consumed by financial woes. The film also returned Durkin to the Sundance Film Festival... and then the pandemic happened.

This episode, we talk about Durkin's upcoming The Iron Claw and Carrie Coon's work in theatre and on The Leftovers. We also discuss how the film dabbles delicately in psychological horror, Jude Law's playing pathetic men to perfection, and the 2020 Sundance Film Festival lineup.

Topics also include the National Board of Review's Top 10 Independent Films of 2020, Durkin's work on Dead Ringers, and IFC Films.

Links:

The 2020 Academy Awards

The 2020 Sundance Film Festival

Vulture Movies Fantasy League

Subscribe:

Patreon

Spotify

Apple Podcasts

Google Play

[devitalise]

now i’m curious what ur top 5 of this year are 🤔🤔🤔🫡

hiii this ask is SO long omg tried to be succint but talking about things i like is so.... <3

shows

the bear - easily one of the best shows i've watched this year. episode 7 is a headrush

succession - technically season 3 was both new in general and to me. my sad little baby girl out from under logan's thumb and then spending 9 episodes desperately trying to get his siblings to respect him and realise all that he's suffered for them??? sooo eldest male daughter of him

industry - took me a while to get round to this. so juicy and dramatic and fast paced, and i loved not understanding any of the finance talk!

ugly betty - watched this for the first time as an adult at the beginning of the year and it's just so funny and fun and heartwarming i know it's an older show but i'm counting it

pachinko - tied between this and severance for what would make the top 5. this show is just such a masterpiece in storytelling and cinematography like just genuinely stunning and so moving

movies

i don't know if i've been that much of a film babe this year actually. i liked nope and the batman. i did watch cruel intentions for the first time this year and i liked it but that same weekend my laptop broke so it's a complicated situation

books

open water by caleb azumah nelson - i'm never going to shut up about this book! a Black british photographer meets a dancer one night in london and they become best friends and fall in love. both poetic in its prose, and unflinching in its reckoning of trauma within and outside of the Black body- my favourite book.

a passage north by anuk arudpragasam - one of the most tender books i've read this year. a guy gets a call that his grandmother's carer has died, so he makes the journey to the north of sri lanka. he reckons with the shrinking of his grandmother's world as she succumbs to her illness, the trauma and despair of outliving your own children, the spoils of war, religion, identity, mortality and politics. so beautiful

transcendent kingdom by yaa gyasi - i'm going to read everything yaa gyasi ever publishes. i loved reading homegoing last year, and this book just didn't disappoint. short but so substantial, a med grad prepares for her final project, trying to make sense of what makes an addict, an addict. caring for her depressed mother, she tries to bridge the gap between faith and science, as her family of 4 is now 2. there's just so much heart and care in this book

tell me i'm worthless by alison rumfitt - my horror book of the year. so twisted and malicious, a haunted house exposes the worst parts of a fascist society preying on a trans woman and her ex-girlfriend. this book is genuinely so insane, so menacing, and fucking incredible.

outline by rachel cusk - a writer travels to athens to teach a writing course. a novel in 10 conversations, she meets people who divulge their deepest desires, regrets, hopes and realities of their marriages, parenting, and what they think freedom looks like. i love a good monologue, and i got 10. cusk wields english in such an inspiring way

music

major music year. gonna do top 5 albums :)

AMERICAN GURL by KILO KISH

sexy by coco & clair clair

CRASH (deluxe) by charli xcx

renaissance by beyoncé

three dimensions deep by amber mark

thank you SO much for asking and reading if you've made it this far <3