#ward 6.8

[ewingstan]

The Undersiders were never exactly stable as a group, but it does seem notable just how volatile their situation with Tattletale is currently. Yeah, Tattletale's an institution, yeah, she can get entire teams of independent heroes fighting with a call, but the other Undersiders might as well be one of those independent teams at this point. Tattletale wanted to present the Undersiders as a unified power block for Victoria to approach, but she pretty quickly ended up in a two-front defense having to actively convince Imp and Needlepoints that she hadn't gone over a line.

And though she plays it off, keeping everyone happy seems like an active challenge. Parian and Foil never really had the same forged-in-blood intense emotional bond as the core Undersiders, and have little sense of camraderie with the others. Parian is still treating the Undersiders as what Skitter originally pitched it as to her, as a team she could help people under that just so happens to be labeled villainous. Her leaving if she feels like she's aiding something truly evil is an active possibility. Foil is only here for Parian, and has an even stronger incentive to go against anything that stinks of archetypal villainy. And Aisha "killer of would-be warlords" Laborn is an active check on Lisa's ambitions at this point. I almost interpret her "if you think your getting rid of me line" as a threat.

The only people she can fully depend on to have her back for more underhanded moves are Rachel, who she's never been as close to as her other teammates, and Chicken Little, who she outright says she's keeping around cause he reminds her of Taylor (oh yeah get another close emotional attachment to someone who reminds you of a self-destructive loved one that worked out great the last time). I'm starting to get why Lisa always let Brian or Taylor lead things while they were around; she can manage people, but she can't bring them together like they could. And she's pretty obviously hurting from the absence.

[idontknowreallywhy]

Resurface 3 - Realise

Heh ok I’m on a roll now… previous bit here.

💙💚💙💚💙💚💙💚💙💚💙💚💙💚💙💚

Scott raced through his bedroom door and vaguely acknowledged the squelching noise and the probably related damp sensation seeping through his socks. Later. He slammed the door and tore the jacket off so hurriedly one of the buttons became detached and rolled somewhere out of sight. Later. Slinging the offending item over the back of the desk chair he turned his attention to the rest. Did he need to shed the shirt as well? Probably… he was never wearing any of this again anyway. It had been a terrible idea even to consider it.

He’d always intended to find out what Virgil’s deal had been in the aftermath of his capture. He knew about the others but there was nothing recorded about Virgil and the most he’d got out of his father was a hurriedly suppressed agonised expression and “He really missed you.” He was going to quiz John at some point but had never quite found the courage to ask. He knew it had been bad but nobody spoke of it.

All Scott knew was that Virgil had been there for him, his first clear memories of the hospital his brother’s eyes and his voice and he’d been singing and Scott knew he wasn’t in prison anymore because music had been banned in Bereznik. His little brother had been his rock, unfailing, unflinching… unmoving in the main. He had a vague recollection towards the end of his incarceration on the ward of nurses giving up and just working around the snoring figure hunched over his bedside.

But he had no idea what had gone on before. And he now realised he really should have made more effort to find out.

He crossed the room to where he’d left his civvies folded neatly and stumbled as he failed to get his left leg fully free of the narrow legged pants. Reflexes saved him, but not the photo frame he swiped off the bedside table with a rogue elbow. Broken glass joined the coffee in the chaos that was now his bedroom carpet. No matter just a photo frame. Dad’s photo frame though. He picked it up guiltily and then gasped as a sudden bolt of clarity hit him. As he suddenly realised when this framed photo of his past self had last seen the light of day. That Virgil probably hadn’t seen it since it graced the top of his empty coffin.

He flung it away from himself and bellowed a string of curses at the ceiling. How could he have been so STUPID?

Hands shaking, he wrestled with the buttons of his casual shirt and probably missed one or two. Later. Leaping over the wet patch and the glass he left his door swinging and ran for the lift before cursing again and hurrying back. As he struggled into his jeans he realised that this time he hadn’t avoided the glass and that at some point that was going to STING. Later.

The lift took 6.8 seconds to descend to the hangar and it was at least 6 seconds too slow. Snatching a spare jetpack from the store he ran past Two towards the pedestrian exit for her runway and she loomed over him. His brother’s ship was never cross, but right now he felt her disappointment. He silently promised her he’d fix this and fired up the pack as he slammed the door open with his already aching shoulder and shot into the sky.

💚💙💚💙💚💙💚💙💚💙💚💙💚💙💚💙

Chapter 4…

[trendingreportz]

Surface Disinfectant Market - Forecast(2024 - 2030)

Surface Disinfectant Market Overview

Surface Disinfectant Market size is $893m in 2019, growing at a CAGR of 8.7% during the forecast period 2020-2025. Surface Disinfectant are chemical substances that are applied to objects and surfaces for the purpose of sanitizing and killing microbes. It is used to disinfect food preparation surfaces, such as counter tops and cutting boards, owing to raw foods (meats, fish, and poultry) that contains pathogens like E. coli, Salmonella and Listeria. Hydrogen Peroxide, Quaternary Ammonium, Hypochlorite and others are the type of surface disinfectants used to disinfect frequently touched surfaces in households, hospital acquired infections and others to reduce the transmission of infectious illnesses, such as COVID-19, colds, flu and others.

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Key Takeaways

The increase of the prevention safety among the individuals in the medical and healthcare industry is set to propel the growth of the market. 

Increasing consumer awareness about hygiene coupled with government initiatives promotes the Surface Disinfectant market. 

Asia Pacific region is estimated to record the fastest growth rate during the forecast period 2020-2025.

By Product Type - Segment Analysis

In 2019, Hypochlorite segment dominated the Surface Disinfectant Market in terms of revenue is estimated to grow at a CAGR of 6.8%. It is the most common used type as it is available in solid (calcium hypochlorite) or liquid (sodium hypochlorite) forms. It is a bleaching product that is used in hospitals or private households all around the world to kill the germs or microorganisms which could spread the deadly virus like COVID-19 and others. It is used in isolation wards and for sanitization purposes. As the number of sanitization processes are emerging around the world owing to the recent COVID-19 outbreak, the market is estimated to grow at an exponential rate.

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By Distribution Channel - Segment Analysis

In 2019, Online Retailing segment dominated the Surface Disinfectant Market in terms of revenue. It is owing to the enhancements and availability of varieties of surface disinfectant product in all types. Online retailing provides discount which attracts lot of individuals. People find it more useful as it makes purchase easy by giving comparison on the basis of its varieties, helps in saving time. Convenience and ease of availability of products aids in the growth of the market.

Geography - Segment Analysis

In 2019, the North America region dominated Surface Disinfectant Market in terms of revenue with a market share of 42%. Growth in the market is attributed to the efficient healthcare structure and the rising cases of COVID-19 which has led to an increase in the number of surface disinfectants. As per claims of World Health Organization (WHO) the estimated statistics related to COVID-19 outbreak is 0.978 million, which would result in the growth of the market. Asia Pacific region is estimated to record the fasted growth rate during the forecast period 2020-2025. 

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Surface Disinfectant Market Drivers

Increase In Personal Hygiene

The growing demand for high quality surface disinfectants across the globe is owing to the increasing need to improve hygiene in hospitals, clinics, and ambulatory surgical centers to prevent the spread of infections (COVID-19) among patients and staff. Also the market is driven by the growing number of laboratories and the rising awareness among people about personal hygiene. The rising disposable incomes of people are the factors for the growth of the surface disinfectant market.

Surface Disinfectant Market Challenges

Heavy Adoption Of UV Radiation

The heavy adoption of UV radiation as a substitute for surface disinfectants is a major challenge for the market. Ultraviolet germicidal irradiation technique kills or restricts the effects of microorganisms by attacking their DNA and finishing the nucleic acids. The increased adoption of pre sterilization and practice of disinfecting medical instruments also act as major challenges for the surface disinfectant market.

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Surface Disinfectant Industry Outlook 

Product Launches was the key strategy of the players in the Surface Disinfectant Industry. Surface Disinfectant top 10 companies include 3M Company, CarroLLClean, Johnson & Johnson, The Clorox Company, The Procter & Gamble Company, Sealed Air Corporation, Whiteley Corporation, Metrex Research, LLC, STERIS Corporation and Cantel Medical Corporation.

Acquisitions/Product Launches

In October 2019, 3M Company acquired Acelity, Inc. This acquisition helped the company in enhancing its product portfolio in the field of woundcare and market worldwide.

In September 2019, CarroLLClean acquired Tomco-Harwel Industries Inc, to build a strong legacy of quality and customer service while creating more opportunities for customers.

[angelariasdominguez]

§ 3.292. Los inconquistables (Cecil B. DeMille, 1947)

Un clasicazo del cine de todos los tiempos. De un Director mítico en la industria, en la influencia posterior, en todo el cine de aventuras, en el clásico, en todo el cine. Me gusta mucho todo lo que he visto de él. 

La presencia de Gary Cooper es impresionante. Llena toda la pantalla. Hace pequeña a Paulette Goddart, que no era una actriz menor. Los secundarios son extraordinarios: Boris Karloff, Cecil Kellaway, Ward Bond, Howard Da Silva y Mike Mazurki.

Un color magnífico, unos encuadres y unos planos ortodoxos y un desarrollo magnífico. Un canon de las películas de aventuras. Tiene ese punto sentimental que suaviza la trama bélica, y la tensión de las aventuras.

Tiene algo de Raoul Walsh, algo de Tournier, algo de Mann, algo de Capra, algo de un cine de toda la vida. Algo inconmensurable, algo inasible, un ambiente tremendamente bien logrado, un guión camina y avanza suave pero firmemente. Da gusto ver este tipo de películas. No puedo entender la nota con la que la califican en las plataformas. Me parece sorprendente. En filmaffinity tiene un 7; en Letterboxd un 6.6, y en IMDb un 6.8. No entiendo muy bien cuál es la razón. Probablemente en las plataformas se valoran más las novedades, las películas actuales. Y lo entiendo. 

En cualquier caso, me parece muy buena. Tremenda, visualmente muy apetecible y extraordinariamente bien desarrollada. Planteamiento clásico, ortodoxia cinematográfica y conclusión estupenda. Me ha encantado.

[poojascmi]

Global Food Grade Calcium Chloride Market Is Estimated To Witness High Growth Owing To Increasing Demand for Food Preservation and Enhanced Nutritional Value

The global Food Grade Calcium Chloride Market is estimated to be valued at US$ 679.4 Mn in 2021 and is expected to exhibit a CAGR of 6.8% over the forecast period, as highlighted in a new report published by Coherent Market Insights. A) Market Overview: Food grade calcium chloride is a mineral salt used as a food additive to enhance the firmness and texture of various food products. It is widely used in the food and beverage industry for applications such as cheese making, meat processing, canned fruits and vegetables, and sports drinks. The market for food grade calcium chloride is driven by the increasing demand for food preservation and the need for enhanced nutritional value in food products. B) Market key trends: One key trend driving the food grade calcium chloride market is the rising demand for plant-based and vegan food products. With the growing awareness about health and sustainability, consumers are opting for plant-based alternatives to animal-derived products. Food grade calcium chloride is used as a firming agent in plant-based products such as tofu, plant-based cheeses, and non-dairy milk alternatives. For example, companies like Beyond Meat and Impossible Foods use food grade calcium chloride to enhance the texture and firmness of their plant-based meat substitutes. C) PEST Analysis: Political: The food grade calcium chloride market is subject to government regulations and standards regarding its usage as a food additive. Regulatory bodies such as the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) set standards for its safe use in food products. Economic: The increasing disposable income and changing dietary preferences of consumers are driving the demand for processed and convenience foods, which in turn is fueling the growth of the food grade calcium chloride market. Social: The growing awareness about health and wellness has led to an increased demand for clean-label and natural food ingredients. Food grade calcium chloride, being a naturally occurring mineral salt, is perceived as a safer alternative to synthetic additives, thus driving its market growth. Technological: Advancements in food processing technologies have enabled manufacturers to incorporate food grade calcium chloride in a wide range of food products, ensuring improved quality and longer shelf life. D) Key Takeaways: 1: The Global Food-Grade Calcium Chloride Market Demand is expected to witness high growth, exhibiting a CAGR of 6.8% over the forecast period, due to increasing demand for food preservation and enhanced nutritional value. With the need for longer shelf life and improved texture in food products, manufacturers are incorporating food grade calcium chloride as a key ingredient. 2: In terms of regional analysis, North America is expected to be the fastest-growing and dominating region in the food grade calcium chloride market. The region has a well-established food and beverage industry, with a higher adoption rate of food additives. Additionally, stringent regulations regarding food safety and quality are driving the demand for food grade calcium chloride in this region. 3: Key players operating in the global food grade calcium chloride market include Solvay S.A., Tokuyama Corporation, Occidental Petroleum Corporation, Ward Chemical Ltd., Tata Chemicals Ltd., TETRA Technologies, Inc., Zirax Limited, Weifang Yuze Chemical Co., Ltd., Mey Chern Chemicals Sdn Bhd., Anmol Chemicals Group, TCI Sanmar Chemicals S.A.E., and Weifang Haibin Chemical Co., Ltd. These players focus on strategic partnerships, product innovations, and expansion strategies to gain a competitive edge in the market. In conclusion, the global food grade calcium chloride market is witnessing high growth due to the increasing demand for food preservation and enhanced nutritional value. The rising trend of plant-based and vegan food products further drives the market growth. North America emerges as the leading region in terms of market growth, while key players focus on strategic initiatives to maintain their market position.

[rainof5]

My time has come

Corrections/confirmations:

Manpower: confirmed blond (Ward x.5)

Cuff is not blond, at least in Ward ("I could see wisps of black hair escaping. It was rare to see hair that fine and that black" (Ward 10.10))

Monokeros is not blond ("a woman with black hair and a few tattoos was leaning against the side of a building, camouflaged" (Ward 8.4)

To add:

Voltrage is "pale, with paler, drier hair than he’d had in his first life" (Ward 9.i)

Reconciliation is blond (Ward 9.x)

Rain's uncle has "graying blond hair" (Ward 4.b)

Lachlan is blond (Ward 4.b)

Jay is blond (Ward 5.d)

If you're counting silver/white hair, Mama Mathers has "bleached silver" hair (Ward 4.c)

Valefor has "white-dyed hair" (Ward 4.c)

Scapegoat is blond (Ward 8.y)

Vince Crowley has "long bleached hair with dark roots" (Ward 6.8), unsure if you want to count that or not

Nailbiter and Colt both have bleached hair (Ward 11.b and 5.2 respectively)

Moose is blond (Ward interlude 1)

Foggy Idea has "Einstein hair dyed gray" (Ward 11.1)

Lionwing is "strawberry blonde" (Ward 11.3)

Dino and Enyo are "Silver haired" (Ward 12.z)

Anita Vera has "white hair" (Ward 9.x)

Director Armstrong has white hair (Ward 5.6)

Presley dyes her hair to be "gray-white" (Ward x.4)

blonde wildbow characters:

WORM:

lisa wilbourn (Tattletale)

victoria dallon (Glory Girl/Antares)

carol dallon (Brandish)

sarah pelham (Lady Photon)

Neil Pelham (Manpower)? (Presumed, i'm not a geneticist but both his kids have blonde hair and i think that's recessive)

crystal pelham (Laserdream)

eric pelham (Shielder)

Dean Stansfield (Gallant)

Mike ? (Lightstar)

Missy Biron (Vista)

Elle ? (Labyrinth)

Riley Grace Davis (Bonesaw)? (it's never said if her hair is naturally blonde or she made it blonde to look more like America's Sweetheart)

Paige Mcabee (Canary)? (feathers are yellow, hair is technically unknown)

Ashley Stillons (Damsel of Distress)

Noelle Meinhardt (Echidna)

Marissa Newland (Sundancer)

Greg Veder (The Worst)

Oliver (Oliver)

Ava (Cuff)

Kurt Wynn (Harbinger/Number Man)

Jeanne Wynn/Brown (Citrine)

Rune/Scribe

Sam (Prism)

WARD:

Rain O'Fire Fraizer (Precipice)

Ashley Stillons II (Swansong)

Ashley Stillons III (Damsel of Distress)

Ryan (Cradle)

Nailbiter

Colt (Colt)

PACT:

Blake Thorburn

Rose Thorburn Jr.

Rose Thorburn Sr.

Paul, James, Roxanne, Peter Thorburn

Sandra, Penelope, Joanna, Lea, Chloe, Lola Duchamp

TWIG:

I didn't read twig

[yes-lana]

Earth draws ..

"When a magnitude 6.8 earthquake shook Olympia, Wash., in 2001, shop owner Jason Ward discovered that a sand-tracing pendulum had recorded the vibrations in the image above."

[blogmye947]

Call Of Duty Modern Warfare 3 Mac Download Free Full

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[angrycrabeyes]

 via  Gridllr.com  —  a grid of your Likes!

When a 6.8 magnitude earthquake hit Seattle in 2001, shop owner Jason Ward discovered that the quake had produced this pattern in a sand-tracing pendulum.

[ewingstan]

I missed you Aisha.

It's really good to see her interact with people outside the Undersiders, her vibe loosens people up in a very specific way. When Tattletale is being catty and theatrical it pushes people away and intimidates them. When Imp does it everyone stops whatever their doing to start petty arguments about bullshit. Triggers the sibling response in literally everyone around her all the time. Its great. I wanna see her and Ashley interacting more.

Rachel. You're my favorite

[met-american-paintings]

Anne Catherine Ward and John Ward, Anne Hall, ca. 1840, American Paintings and Sculpture

Gift of Gloria Manney, 2006 Size: 3 1/8 x 2 5/8 in. (7.9 x 6.8 cm) Medium: Watercolor on ivory

https://www.metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/15074

[taylor14firefly]

Sometimes, in the period of normal science, rival paradigms will arise (as in our example of mechanism vs. vitalism). Scientists then choose the paradigm that helps to better explain the phenomena explored by the theory. Scientists like Einstein, Newton, Darwin, and Mendel were revolutionaries. The hundreds of contemporary scientists who worked in the normal science mode as puzzle-solvers are much less well known. Revolutionaries make a better story.

As in political revolutions, scientific revolutionaries sometimes end as intellectual martyrs. Such was the case of Ignaz Semmelweis (1818-1865; see Figure 3), a Hungarian born physician who came to the hospital of Vienna as a trainee in the obstetrics ward from 1844-1848. The hospital had two different birthing wards. The First Maternity Ward was staffed by physicians and the Second Ward by midwives. That said, he was disturbed by the disparity in death rate between the two wards. Women in The First Ward suffered a death rate of 6.8-11.2% due to an infection called Childbed Fever. The Second Ward had a death rate of only 2-2.5% in the same period.

It seemed to Semmelweis that the cause for this could be found and treated. Also, he was certain that the problem represented a difference in the two wards. So, he set about trying a long list of tests. He tried having women deliver on their sides. He changed the route that the priest walked as he went to give last rites to a dying patient (in case the presence of the priest scared the women to death).

He was nearly ready to give up when he went to Venice for a vacation to clear his head and attempt to think through the problem. Upon his return to Venice, he learned that the head of Forensic Surgery named Kolletschka had died of all the symptoms of Childbed Fever. This had come on him after he cut himself with a knife during an autopsy.

Semmelweis reasoned that Kolletschka had introduced cadaverous (dead) tissue into his bloodstream thereby transmitting the disease to him. Similarly, women in the First Ward were attended to by medical interns who had spent the morning dissecting cadavers. If they carried any "cadaverous" material on their hands or under fingernails, they could transmit the disease to women who had given birth. In 1847, Ignaz Semmelweis instituted a policy of thoroughly washing hands before seeing patients in the First Ward. Quickly, the death rate dropped from more than 12% to less than 2% in the same year.

Semmelweis had pursued a puzzle and solved it. Indeed, he seemed almost revolutionary. However, the physicians were not impressed. By 1848 he was expelled from the hospital, and he finally ended his days in an Insane Assylum where he died. The cause of his death was somewhat mysterious and he may have been the victim of murder.

[lovelydeadlysocialite]

Put ☎ in my ask for your muses info in my muses phone:

NAME: Dard Ward (PI) (6.8)

RINGTONE: Standard Ringtone

PICTURE:

LAST TEXT RECEIVED: When you put it like that, I’m pretty damn sure I know a guy.

LAST TEXT SENT: Need a bed in the city tonight. Didn’t bring any nightclothes, though. Need someone who’s fine with that. Know any takers?

[maxmaggr]

Οι 10 καλύτερες ταινίες boxing όλων των εποχών

Δεν μπορώ να πω πως ήμουν λάτρης των σπορ ποτέ, αφού δεν μπόρεσα ποτέ να τα παρακολουθήσω επειδή με έκαναν να βαριέμαι αφόρητα. Μπορώ όμως να πω πως είμαι λάτρης των ταινιών που αφορούν τα σπορ, καθώς αυτές οι ταινίες ξεχειλίζουν από συναισθήματα και καταφέρνουν να περάσουν στον θεατή κάποια από τα σημαντικότερα μηνύματα. Οι ταινίες που το πετυχαίνουν αυτό σχεδόν κάθε φορά είναι αυτές που ασχολούνται συγκεκριμένα με το άθλημα του boxing, το οποίο είναι ένα άθλημα που αφορά την αξιοπρέπεια και τον αυτοσεβασμό. Στο "Creed" του 2015, ο Rocky του Sylvester Stallone λέει στον μαθητή του πως το νόημα του box δεν είναι να πολεμήσεις κάποιον αντίπαλο. "Το νόημα είναι να μπεις στο ρινγκ και να βγεις διαφορετικός και βελτιωμένος. Ο μόνος που στέκεται εμπόδιο σε αυτό είσαι εσύ". Οι παρακάτω ταινίες που περιέχονται σε αυτή τη λίστα αγκαλιάζουν αυτή τη φιλοσοφία όπου το box χρησιμοποιείται ως μέσο για να αποδεικνύει κάποιος την αξία του και παράλληλα να διαψεύδει τους επικριτές του. Η λίστα αυτή έχει δημιουργηθεί προφανώς με βάση την προσωπική μου γνώμη και παρουσιάζεται χρονολογικά και όχι με σειρά προτίμησης. Requiem of a Heavyweight (1962)

Πηγή εικόνας: Verizon Σκηνοθεσία: Ralph Nelson Πρωταγωνιστούν: Anthony Quinn, Jackie Gleason, Mickey Rooney Τrailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m3h4EHZSj6k Βαθμολογία IMDB: 7.8 Το "Requiem of a Heavyweight" του 1956 ήταν η πρώτη επιτυχία του Rod Sterling στη συγγραφή, ενώ λίγο αργότερα δημιούργησε το "Twilight Zone" που έγινε μία από τις διασημότερες τηλεοπτικές σειρές. Το "Requiem" φυσικά δεν έχει κανένα μεταφυσικό στοιχείο, καθώς αφηγείται την θυελλώδη σχέση ενός ξεπεσμένου μποξέρ και του μάνατζέρ του. Στην αρχική εκδοχή, ο Jack Palance είχε τον ρόλο του μαχητή, ενώ ο Keenan Wynn είχε αυτόν του μάνατζερ. Όμως η πιο πετυχημένη εκδοχή αυτής της ιστορίας είναι αυτή του 1962 σε σκηνοθεσία Ralph Nelson και σενάριο Rod Sterling, με τους Anthony Quinn και Jackie Gleason στους πρ��ταγωνιστικούς ρόλους. Η ταινία αυτή είναι επίσης γνωστή για τη συμμετοχή του Muhammad Ali, την εποχή που ήταν γνωστός ακόμη ως Cassius Clay, στο ρόλο ενός νέου μποξέρ που νικά τον πρωταγωνιστή στην αρχή της ταινίας. Το "Requiem for a Heavyweight" είναι μία  ταινία που μιλάει για περηφάνια, εμπιστοσύνη και αφοσίωση, η οποία ανυψώνεται από το ωμό συγγραφικό στυλ του Sterling. The Great White Hope (1970)

Πηγή εικόνας: JustWatch Σκηνοθεσία: Martin Ritt Πρωταγωνιστούν: James Earl Jones, Jane Alexander Trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DbNBlHsDB4k Βαθμολογία IMDB: 6.9 Το "Great White Hope" του 1970, αποτελεί κινηματογραφική μεταφορά της ομώνυμης παράστασης του Broadway και βασίζεται επίσης στην αληθινή ιστορία του Jack Johnson, ο οποίος υπήρξε ένας από του μεγαλύτερους μποξέρ όλων των εποχών. Το 1908 ο Johnson κατάφερε να γίνει ο πρώτος μαύρος πρωταθλητής βαρέων βαρών παγκοσμίως. Τότε όμως ξεκίνησε από τους ρατσιστές η αναζήτηση για τη λεγόμενη "Λευκή Ελπίδα", η αναζήτηση δηλαδή για έναν λευκό μποξέρ που θα έπαιρνε τον τίτλο από τον μαύρο πρωταθλητή. Φυσικά ο Johnson ήταν μία ήδη αμφιλεγόμενη φιγούρα επειδή ήταν παντρεμένος με μία λευκή γυναίκα, πράγμα καθόλου συνηθισμένο για την εποχή. Η ταινία παίρνει κάποιες ελευθερίες για να δραματοποιήσει περισσότερο τα γεγονότα, αλλά αποδίδει πιστά την κληρονομιά του Johnson, τα εμπόδια που αντιμετώπισε και την δυσκολία του να είσαι μαύρος μποξέρ και γενικότερα μαύρος σε μία ως επί το πλείστον λευκή κοινωνία. Rocky (1976) Πηγή εικόνας: Σινεφίλ Σκηνοθεσία: John G. Avildsen Πρωταγωνιστούν: Sylvester Stallone, Burt Young, Burgess Meredith Trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I2zFQmHWVCI Βαθμολογία IMDB: 8.1 Ο Rocky είναι ένας άνθρωπος ευγενής στην καρδιά αλλά αναποτελεσματικός στην δουλειά του ως εισπράκτορας ενός μαφιόζου. Ο υπόλοιπος κόσμος δεν τον εκτιμά ιδιαίτερα, μα ξαφνικά μία ευκαιρία ζωής παρουσιάζεται μπροστά του: Ένας αγώνας με τον Apollo Creed για τον τίτλο του παγκόσμιου πρωταθλητή βαρέων βαρών. Εκείνος αποφασίζει να δεχθεί τον αγώνα και να αποδείξει σε όλους την αξία του, κλείνοντας τα στόματα των επικριτών του. Ξέρει πως ίσως δεν κερδίσει, αλλά θα αντέξει μέχρι το τέλος. Προφανώς το Rocky δεν θα μπορούσε να λείπει από τη λίστα, καθώς αποτελεί το χρυσό στάνταρ για τις boxing ταινίες και το απόλυτο outsider story. Όπως οι περισσότερες καλές ταινίες του είδους, το νόημα του Rocky δεν είναι το αίμα και η μυική δύναμη αλλά η μάχη ενός άντρα ενάντια στις προσδοκίες ώστε να μπορέσει στο τέλος να γίνει καλύτερος. Έχοντας αξέχαστες ερμηνείες, άρτια σκηνοθεσία και τη Φιλαδέλφεια των 70s ως φόντο, το φιλμ κατάφερε να κερδίσει το Όσκαρ Καλύτερης Ταινίας, ενώ η τεράστια επιτυχία του γέννησε ένα ολόκληρο franchise. Περισσότερα για αυτό σε λίγο... Raging Bull (1980)

Πηγή εικόνας: JustWatch Σκηνοθεσία: Martin Scorsese Πρωταγωνιστές: Robert De Niro, Joe Pesci, Cathy Moriarty Trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yUp6d79WRVI Βαθμολογία IMDB: 8.2 Είναι πολύ δύσκολο, σχεδόν αδύνατο να διαλέξει κανείς την καλύτερη ταινία του Martin Scorsese, αφού ο σκηνοθέτης μας έχει χαρίσει τόσα αριστουργήματα μερικά εκ των οποίων τα "Goodfellas", "Taxi Driver", "The Last Temptation of Christ" και πρόσφατα το "Irishman". Το "Raging Bull" όμως είναι μία από τις ταινίες του που βρίσκονται πάντα στην κορυφαία τριάδα σε σχεδόν κάθε λίστα. Αν το "Rocky" λέει την ιστορία κάποιου που παλεύει να χτίσει μία ζωή, το "Raging Bull" είναι η ιστορία κάποιου που παλεύει να γκρεμίσει τη δική του, καθώς η ταινία βασίζεται στη ζωή του Jake LaMotta, του "Ταύρου του Bronx", ο οποίος ήταν ένας από τους πιο διάσημους πυγμάχους που πάτησαν ποτέ στο ρινγκ. Η ταινία είναι ένα ωμό πορτραίτο μίας αυτοκαταστροφικής ζωής που παίρνει τη βαρύτητά της από το σενάριο του Paul Schrader και την επιθετική σκηνοθεσία του Scorsese, η οποία είναι εμπνευσμένη από το εξίσου επιθετικό στυλ πάλης του LaMotta και προσφέρει βάρβαρες σκηνές αγώνων. Το "Raging Bull" έχει πραγματικό αντίκτυπο όταν αφηγείται την προσωπική ζωή του LaMotta που ενισχύεται από την εντυπωσιακή ασπρόμαυρη φωτογραφία. Φυσικά τίποτα δεν θα ήταν το ίδιο χωρίς της ερμηνεία του κορυφαίου Robert DeNiro, ο οποίος απέσπασε Όσκαρ Α Ανδρικού Ρόλου για αυτό το φιλμ, το δεύτερο Όσκαρ της καριέρας του. Ali (2001)

Πηγή εικόνας: The Village Voice Σκηνοθεσία: Michael Mann Πρωταγωνιστούν: Will Smith, Jamie Foxx, Jon Voight Trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4HooryZXjcE Βαθμολογία IMDB: 6.8 Το "Ali" σε σκηνοθεσία Michael Mann, είναι βασισμένο στη ζωή του Muhammad Ali, του καλύτερου πυγμάχου όλων των εποχών. Ο Will Smith είχε προταθεί για Όσκαρ Α Ανδρικού Ρόλου για την ερμηνεία του, ενώ ο Mann δεν ασχολείται μόνο με τον Ali αλλά επίσης με την περίοδο 1964-1974. Το φιλμ αποκαλύπτει το πως ο μποξέρ (γνωστός τότε ως Cassius Clay), ανακάλυψε το Ισλάμ και έγινε προασπιστής του, ρίχνει φως στην άποψή του για τον πόλεμο του Βιετνάμ και στην σχέση του με τον Malcolm X. Το μοναδικό στυλ του Mann λάμπει σε αυτή την ταινία, ειδικά στις σκηνές των αγώνων όπου προσφέρει αυθεντική ένταση, όπως ακριβώς στο πραγματικό ρινγκ. Ο ίδιος ο Muhammad Ali είχε δηλώσει εντυπωσιασμένος με την ερμηνεία του Will Smith όταν κυκλοφόρησε η ταινία και στο θάνατό του το 2016, ο ηθοποιός ήταν ένας από τους ανθρώπους που κρατούσαν το φέρετρό του. Million Dollar Baby (2004)

Πηγή εικόνας: FYR Podcast Σκηνοθεσία: Clint Eastwood Πρωταγωνιστούν: Clint Eastwood, Hillary Swank, Morgan Freeman Trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5_RsHRmIRBY Βαθμολογία IMDB: 8.1 Ο Clint Eastwood, ο απόλυτος σκληρός του κινηματογράφου ήταν στην κορυφή των δυνατοτήτων του όταν σκηνοθέτησε και πρωταγωνίστησε στο "Million Dollar Baby". Η ταινία κέρδισε τέσσερα βραβεία Όσκαρ στις κατηγορίες Καλύτερης Ταινίας, Σκηνοθεσίας, Α Γυναικείου (Swank) και Β Ανδρικού Ρόλου (Freeman). Η πλειοψηφία των boxing ταινιών διηγείται πάντα την ίδια διαχρονική ιστορία του ανθρώπου που παλεύει για να ζήσει όπως αυτός θέλει για να αποκτήσει μία ευκατάστατη ζωή ή να νικήσει προσωπικούς δαίμονες που τον βασανίζουν. Το "Million Dollar Baby" προσπαθεί να δώσει μία παραπάνω διάσταση σε αυτό λέγοντας πως δεν γίνεται η κάθε μάχη να νικηθεί και πως υπάρχουν τρόποι να διαχειριστούμε την ήττα με αξιοπρέπεια. Το φιλμ επίσης μιλάει για την αφοσίωση, τη φιλία και δείχνει πόσο μακριά μπορεί να φτάσει κανείς για να πραγματοποιήσει τις επιθυμίες των αγαπημένων του προσώπων. Rocky Balboa (2006)

Πηγή εικόνας: Askmen Σκηνοθεσία: Sylvester Stallone Πρωταγωνιστούν: Sylvester Stallone, Burt Young, Milo Ventimiglia Trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8tab8fK2_3w Βαθμολογία IMDB: 7.1 Όπως είπαμε προηγουμένως η επιτυχία του "Rocky" δημιούργησε ένα ολόκληρο franchise που ομολογουμένως είχε τα πάνω και τα κάτω του. Τα κάτω του, γνωστά με τον τίτλο "Rocky V" σκότωσαν τη σειρά το 1990. Ή τουλάχιστον έτσι νομίζαμε... Το 2006, ο Stallone αποφάσισε να γυρίσει το "Rocky Balboa" και να δώσει ένα καλύτερο τέλος στον θρύλο που είχε δημιουργήσει. Η ταινία είχε πολλούς επικριτές πριν καν κυκλοφορήσει. Το τελι��ό αποτέλεσμα όμως ήταν φανταστικό, με τον Stallone να αποθεώνεται παγκοσμίως από τους κριτικούς ενώ στην πορεία, όπως ο Rocky, έκλεισε τα κακά στόματα. Μπορεί το "Rocky Balboa" να ήταν η έκτη ταινία του franchise, είχε όμως ουσία και πολλά πράγματα να πει, αφού ο Stallone μέσω του σεναρίου του μας παραδίδει πολλά σημαντικά μαθήματα ζωής που θα κρατάμε μέσα μας πάντοτε. "It's not about how hard you can hit, it's about how hard you can get hit and keep moving forward". The Fighter (2010)

Πηγή εικόνας: Wallpaper Abyss Σκηνοθεσία: David O. Russell Πρωταγωνιστούν: Mark Whalberg, Christian Bale, Amy Addams Trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Sx7nVPQHZMY Βαθμολογία IMDB: 7.8 Οι Mark Whalberg και Christian Bale πρωταγωνιστούν στο "The Fighter", το οποίο διηγείται την αληθινή ιστορία των Micky Ward και Dicky Eklund, δύο αδερφών από τη Φιλαδέλφεια που πάλευαν για να αναγνωριστούν στον κόσμο του box στα τέλη της δεκαετίας του '80. Ο Dicky (Bale), κάποτε ανερχόμενο αστέρι του αθλήματος αλλά νικημένος από τον εθισμό του στα ναρκωτικά, είναι προπονητής του Micky (Whalberg) που αγωνίζεται με σκοπό την επιτυχία και μία καλύτερη ζωή. Το φιλμ εξασφάλισε Όσκαρ Β Ανδρικού Ρόλου στον Christian Bale και Όσκαρ Β Γυναικείου στη Melissa Leo που υποδυόταν τη μητέρα των δύο αδερφών και αποτελούσε passion project για τον Mark Whalberg, ο οποίος είχε και χρέη παραγωγού στο φιλμ και στόχευε για την αυθεντικότητα, καθώς εκτελούσε μόνος τις σκηνές των αγώνων χωρίς ντουμπλέρ. Το "Fighter" ευνοείται από τη σκηνοθεσία του David O. Russell, αφού ο δημιουργός χειρίζεται την ιστορία σαν μία R-Rated εκδοχή του "Rocky" που περιέχει επιπλέον μία περίπλοκη οικογένεια και μία ωμή ματιά στον εθισμό των ναρκωτικών, πράγματα που δουλεύουν προς όφελος της ταινίας γιατί όσο δύσκολα είναι τα εμπόδια, τόσο μεγαλύτερο αντίκτυπο έχει ο θρίαμβος. Creed (2015)

Πηγή εικόνας: Wallpaper Access Σκηνοθεσία: Ryan Coogler Πρωταγωνιστούν: Michael B. Jordan, Sylvester Stallone, Tessa Thompson Trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fCBzWLVQgk8 Βαθμολογία IMDB: 7.6 Η αλήθεια είναι πως μετά το "Rocky Balboa" δεν περίμενε κανείς να συνεχιστεί η σειρά. Σχεδόν μία δεκαετία μετά, ο Ryan Coogler έρχεται με μία ιδέα για ένα spin off franchise που βασίζεται στη μυθολογία του "Rocky" και τη συνεχίζει με πρωταγωνιστή ένα νέο χαρακτήρα, ο οποίος συνδέεται άρρηκτα με έναν άλλο του παρελθόντος. Ο λόγος για τον Adonis Johnson (Άδωνις, όχι Αντώνης), γιο του πρώην πρωταθλητή Apollo Creed από μία παράνομη σχέση, ο οποίος προσπαθεί να  ακολουθήσει τα χνάρια του πατέρα του στην πυγμαχία μαθαίνοντας τα κόλπα από τον Rocky Balboa. To "Creed" κατάφερε να κάνει κάτι φρέσκο με το franchise, λέγοντας μία ουσιώδη ιστορία όπου ο πρωταγωνιστής καλείται να μάθει γιατί θέλει να μπει στο ρινγκ και να αγωνίζεται, ενώ παράλληλα συνεχίζει την ιστορία του Rocky κάνοντάς τον μέντορα και πατρική φιγούρα, τιμώντας ότι έχει προηγηθεί σε όλη τη διάρκεια. Εσείς τώρα νομίζετε πως τελείωσα επιτέλους με τους μποξέρ της Φιλαδέλφειας... Κάνετε λάθος! CREED II (2018)

Πηγή εικόνας: This is Radelaide Σκηνοθεσία: Steven Caple Jr. Πρωταγωνιστούν: Michael B. Jordan, Sylvester Stallone, Tessa Thompson Trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u22BXhMu4tI Βαθμολογία IMDB: 7.1 Σας το είπα! Θα μου πείτε τώρα κι εσείς με τη σειρά σας: "Μα γιατί δεν έβαλες άλλες διάσημες boxing ταινίες στην λίστα σου, όπως τα "Cinderella Man", "The Boxer" ή "Southpaw" και βάζεις ακόμη μία από το σύμπαν του Rocky;". Η αλήθεια είναι πως το σκέφτηκα αρκετά, αλλά κατέληξα στο συμπέρασμα πως καμία από τις προαναφερθείσες ταινίες δεν με έχει συγκινήσει με τον τρόπο που με συγκίνησε το Creed II, το οποίο με έκανε να δακρύζω από την αρχή ως το τέλος χωρίς υπερβολές. Όταν η πρώτη ταινία έδωσε νέα πνοή στη σειρά και τοποθέτησε τον γιο του Apollo Creed στο κέντρο της, η πλοκή της επόμενης ήταν αναμενόμενη, αφού ο Adonis καλείται να αντιμετωπίσει τον γιο του Ivan Drago, του πυγμάχου που σκότωσε τον πατέρα του στο ρινγκ, πράγμα που το κάνει τελείως προσωπικό για τον πρωταγωνιστή και για όλα τα αγαπημένα του πρόσωπα. Ο Stallone επιστρέφει στη θέση του σεναριογράφου, δημιουργώντας μία δυνατή πλοκή που συνδυάζει στοιχεία από τα "Rocky III", "Rocky IV" και "Creed", με το τελικό αποτέλεσμα να είναι εντυπωσιακό ακόμη κι αν ο Ryan Coogler δεν σκηνοθετεί πια, γιατί η αλήθεια είναι πως η ταινία θα είχε ευνοηθεί περισσότερο από τη δική του σκηνοθεσία. Παρόλα αυτά πρόκειται για ένα sequel ισάξιο με την πρώτη ταινία λόγω της συναισθηματικής πλοκής, των ερμηνειών και της θεματικής, αφού το "Creed II" είναι μία ιστορία αναγέννησης, μία ιστορία πατεράδων και γιων και αυτό μπορώ να πω πως είναι κάτι που με συγκινεί, καθώς με θυμάμαι να βλέπω μέσα από την κούνια μου την πρώτη ταινία που είδα ποτέ, το "Rocky II", μία ταινία που ο πατέρας μου μου είχε δείξει. Read the full article

[hiromisuzukimicrojournal]

A Longer Trip Back Home

...

✽

Hey, have a cigarette?

She always asks me if I have a cigarette when she has emptied the last box. Of course I do not have it, she knows. My mother spends all her wages on cigarettes. My mother, a waitress at a café in the center of a suburban residential area at the edge of the world. In the afternoon, the café is filled with ladies. They are housewives coming from elegant houses at the edge of the world, killing time. Mother and the ladies play mah-jongg every Wednesday at the café, in the center of the town, where the smoke of cigarettes wafts stronger than the scent of coffee.

You must go straight home and study, Mother says, as a mother would.

I always stop by a used record store on my way home from high school. Music is the heart of my mind. Today, my favorite tune, “Running Away,” is playing in the store. The Raincoats’ version, not Sly & The Family Stone’s, which is actually called “Runnin’ Away.” I sing to the music.

Ha! Ha! Ha! Ha!

The vinyl collector is smiling wryly.

Delightful tune, but ironical lyrics, he says. I have a 30-year fixed-rate mortgage. I wonder how many more years I have to work. I want to sell this store and get away to San Francisco, the heart of the world. Why? You can see the ocean from the top of the hill. That is all.

His 11-year-old son, strangely mature, enters the conversation while listening near the cash register.

How about your boyfriend? No lover? If you are not in love yet, it is too late. But dad is too young for an affair.

The boy’s eyes twinkle with curiosity. There is a big Himalayan cedar in the back of the record store, and sometimes an owl appears on a branch. When I am staying in the store, forgetting time, I hear the owl tu–whit tu–whoo. A small river flows at the root of the cedar, and there is a small old church on the marsh.

When I was a child, a wedding was held by the side of this river. I was a bridesmaid, and the cedar was decorated like a Christmas tree. The guests carried an enormous red sea bream into the kitchen in preparation for the ceremony. My mother and the vinyl collector’s wife poached the eggs to a beautiful golden colour and boiled four dozen white asparagus as a side dish. On a Swedish glass dish in bas‐relief with dandelions, the butter slowly melted beside the radishes.

Yes. It was spring.

Someone knocked on the door of the kitchen. Ladies in aprons looked around. They thought the knock was the prank of a spring storm. But it was the bridegroom. He rushed to the kitchen sink and turned the tap to gulp down some water. An old woman named Eliza shouted to him from her house across the way.

Too late! The bride has gone somewhere! She is a wayward girl!

Too far! It took a million hours on a bus from Shibuya station! he joked, spouting water from his inflated mouth and soaking his bow tie. He was a chipmunk that came to this marsh on a gondola of chicory leaves.

The bride was beautiful. She was clinging to the cedar, and as she reached out to the star ornaments shining on the branches of the tree, a warm wind teased the hem of her champagne dress. Guests grew excited, little by little. The sky was getting dark. I was crouching alone on the bank of the river at dusk. The chipmunk ran away from the banquet and gave me a leftover chicory leaf like a tiny boat. The boat left my hand. The boat drifted on the river, far away.

Where does this river come from?　I questioned the bridegroom.

A mountain? I do not know. Ha! he answered.

Where does this river go to?

The river reflected the sunset. The chicory boat was floating freely on the water.

The sea? Ah, Tokyo Bay, the Pacific? Ha! Ha!

Tokyo Bay? Little did I know a small river in my small town flows into the infinite ocean. I had never seen the sea.

A girl in a swimsuit with a yellow floral pattern is swimming in a murky pool. Someone beckons her, seduces her. She becomes a little fish and approaches him trembling with fear. No. The girl dives in the ocean for the first time. Not the pool. A blowfish hides at the bottom of the sea. White round blowfish like clouds shine in the sunlight breaking through the faint waves. The blowfish has poison. She keeps swimming in pursuit of poison. A blowfish with white belly inflated does not move. Is he dead? As he opens his eyes slowly, he laughs, showing his teeth.

All of us have a place in history. Mine is in the clouds, he says *[1].

Dad! she cries with joy. Her father died a drunk at fifty years of age. Everyone says it was a slow-motion suicide. No. Certainly, he lives his life at the bottom of the sea, or as the shadow of a cloud floating on the surface of the ocean. There is a Japanese proverb: control poison with poison. Her father was fighting the evil in his mind with his own poison. She remembers his rounded back. Late at night, or on a Sunday afternoon, he headed to his desk with a bottle of Johnnie Walker and read the collection of poems. She cannot remember the titles of foreign books. The poems were written in English or French. The girl begins to swim toward the sun. Petals scattering from her swimsuit shine in the water. Like cherry blossoms dancing in a cloudy sky.

The memory of the wedding at the root of the Himalayan cedar raised for me the riddle of a small river in my small town. I decided to explore the headsprings and the destination of this flow. I bought a 1950s map of Tokyo at Jimbōchō. At the ward office, I found historical documents about Shibuya Ward. The map showed that the source of river was a marsh under the church. One more place. I found a pond on the site of an old mansion, the place I always see on my way to school. No one seemed to live there, and unmanaged trees grew thick behind the high wall. The map said Davies House. Once a British trading merchant lived here. Mr. Davies sold his mansion and returned home in the 1980s. During the Edo period, in the 1600s, it was a pleasure garden called Oyama-en. The garden was not a place for children to play. There were no merry-go-rounds, roller coasters or kiosks selling gelato. It was the place where poets gathered, in the gazebo at the pond. Intellectuals enjoyed tea and spent time meditating.

The gate of the abandoned mansion had been closed for about 40 years. One fine Sunday, I found out that the site of the mansion was open to Shibuya residents, but only for the day. The garden was already full of people strolling with flowers in their hands. The petals shine with droplets, because the night before was rainy. The faces of people are shining with curiosity. Not only the vines of feral trees but also the ferns are crawling at my feet. I have difficulty walking. In the deep green woods, a lacquered bridge is painted a particularly bright shade of red. I stand on the bridge. Under it, spring water bubbles in a dry pond.

A chipmunk of about 12 centimeters fills his cheeks with buds and jumps off the zelkova tree. The chipmunk is eating mock strawberries growing around the pond.

This is cute Fraisier de Duchesne. Mock Strawberry is also called poison strawberry, but it is not poisonous. Try it. Ha! the chipmunk says to me proudly and plays in the pond using the red fruit as a beach ball. The bright red strawberry slips through his fingers and is swallowed by invisible swirls on the water. It disappears into the drain of the pond. There is a river, a culvert, beyond the drain. It was buried in concrete beneath the Metropolitan Area when the Olympics were held in Tokyo in 1964.

Fraisier de Duchesne left itself to the water. Sunlight melted into the Kōhone-River. The water was warm. Kōhone Flowers–East Asian yellow water-lilies–surrounding the river were swaying gently in the wind. Leaves were floating on the surface. Fraisier de Duchesne came out of the darkness in the groundwater and bathed in the sunlight on a leaf. A little boy and his father held hands and passed by Fraisier de Duchesne. They were singing a song.

A small river in spring is flowing smoothly *[2]  

To violets and milk-vetch flowers on the shore

While flowering gently in beautiful colour

Bloom please, bloom, While whispering

Fraisier de Duchesne, pretty in red, has no poison and knows nothing about poison. It will leave itself to the stream of water and time as ever.    

I am standing on Inari-Bridge near the Shibuya Station. All rivers leading to this bridge are culverts. Buildings are towering on both sides of the bridge, a forest of department stores, restaurants, brothels. Shibuya River flows under the bridge. I can see the water with my eyes. The river passes through the downtown. Various people come and go. Various voices are confused with various languages. The clear stream has revived on the Shibuya River before the Tokyo Olympics in 2020. I am moved by the truth that there is a sea called Tokyo Bay, if I will swim about 6.8 kilometers from here. The orange colour of the sun floating on the Shibuya River is the same as it on the nameless small river in my small town. The murmur of a stream whispers.

Shall we run away to the ocean?      

I have forever heard it. The music was played repeatedly on a late-night program on the radio. Maybe it is a melody signaling that a passenger ship is leaving port but is not suitable for departure. Colourful flags on the mast are fluttering in the blue sky. On the surface of the sea, reversed flags shimmer like stained glass. Their shadows are waving to the pulse of engines. I recall that this was my favorite song while looking at the port far away. On my way home, on the bus, I am listening to “Runnin’ Away” on my mobile phone. Sly & The Family Stone’s version, not The Raincoats’, which is anyway called “Running Away.”

San Francisco is too far. Ha! Ha! Ha! Ha!  

Murmuring aloud, I can see from the window that the huge rain cloud chases the bus. The cloud seems to be as high as Montmartre. The front window of the bus is sprayed with heavy rain and becomes completely white. Lightning and the sudden shower cut off my music. The bus has no choice but to stop at the station square. The smell of rain invades. I hear footsteps of seasonal changes. I know that I was pretending not to notice the change of seasons. A mother and child in the seat across the aisle are talking.

We left our umbrella in grandma’s home, but it will clear up soon.

They are looking at brand new shoes they just bought at the department store. Desert boots which are made of suede. I wonder if they are trying to transport themselves by supernatural force to a desert planet 900 light years from the earth. There is no sea on the other side of the moon. I am thinking of the sea.

Yes. Summer will come soon.

✽

image: hiromi suzuki

…

*Quotations:

[1] The Tokyo-Montana Express, 1980 A collection of short stories by Richard Brautigan

[2] Small River in Spring, 1912 A song for schoolchildren Lyrics: Tatsuyuki Takano Music: Teiichi Okano (Translation: hiromi suzuki) Takano had his residence near the Kōhone-River (Yoyogi 3-chōme Shibuya-Ward, Tokyo) when he wrote the lyrics of Small River in Spring. At that time, Kōhone-River was running as a stream that supplied water to the fields, and joined the Shibuya River.

…

✽  ✽  ✽

A Longer Trip Back Home

© short fiction by hiromi suzuki

published in 3:AM Magazine (February 11, 2020)

 …

 via 3:AM Magazine

✽

I am grateful to have been given this opportunity by Mark de Silva, the Fiction Editor for 3:AM Magazine.

…

[why-this-kolaveri-machi]

Grand Titans Rewatch: 1.02

Grand Titans Rewatch: 1.02

it’s been literal months since i started this project and neither this nor the fic series that’s supposed to go alongside it has garnered much attention, if any, but damn it, i made a commitment and this time, i’m going to follow through.

for reference, episode 1’s recap here, and its corresponding fic tag is here.

SPOILERS ahead for pretty much the entire series.

1. the recap portion of the episode leans very heavily on the type of horror genre that rachel’s character brings to the show, and honestly, i love it. the superhero genre can feel very… sterile at times, with bright, clean colours and costumes and standard team-ups ending in a climactic punch-fest. the insidious horror of rachel discovering something huge and dangerous inside of her and trying—and largely failing—to control it bleeds into the rest of the show; each of the team has an inner demon to battle, but the lesson isn’t triumph over the beast as much as it is acceptance. it’s unfortunate that the dc live action universe in general has developed a reputation for being gratuitously grimdark; i love the thematic consistency that the tone brings to the show, and it is honestly the freshest take on these characters that i’ve seen so far.

1.5. there’s something to be said, too, about this muddy-window perspective we get into these established superheroes’ lives—the intriguing, sometimes downright opaque scenes of them trying to re-build from wreckage. i love that this is how they choose to distinguish themselves in a very, very crowded arena: the origin story here is not for the superheroes or even the team themselves, but the bonds they form and the family that they become.

2. i kinda love the clash between the goofy costume and the grimdark torture scene. it’s never immediately obvious, but this show is remarkably committed to its comic book roots—so much so that it’s kind of jarring. usually in the journey from the comic to the screen there is an ironing-out of genre and tone, but this show will show you its spandex clad hero with the plastic-feather cape being threatened with torture and castration because that’s how it goes in the comics, goddammit!

2.25. it’s pretty impressive that they’re able to afford such a big place in washington dc

2.5. hank and dawn’s easy intimacy is lovely to watch. i remember not being fond of this long detour to introduce these two relatively obscure characters right after all that juicy set-up in the first episode the first time i watched this, but now i can enjoy the languid way their story unravels, the little glimpses we get into the life they’ve led and the marks that it has left behind.

2.8. a delightfully cheesy moment with the giant bird cage immediately followed by a quietly devastating depiction of sexual impotence and a possible addiction to multiple painkillers! see what i mean?

oh! and before i forget:

MIRRORS, MIRRORS, EVERYWHERE: 9

3. flashback time! can’t say that i’m terribly impressed with the fight choreography; there appears to be hardly any contact between the heroes’ kicks and lunges and the thugs they’re supposed to be fighting, and a lot of slow-motion and editing trickery needs to be employed to make this look kinetic. i don’t really blame them much, though—those capes look awfully cumbersome to be just walking around in, leave alone fight. and i’m glad that the show is making a point of showing that robin’s style of fighting in flippier and more acrobatic than the others’.

3.65. aaaand we get our first hint of History between dick and dawn. to be honest, given what i remember of the rest of s1 and what we know of s2, it does seem like they’re making it so that the original titans did exist, swapping out roy and wally for hank and dawn. i’m not super-enthusiastic about this decision, but we’ll see how it plays out.

4. dick and rachel!

I LOVE EVERYTHING ABOUT THIS INTERACTION:

a) rachel desperately trying to hide how scared and vulnerable she feels behind brittle defiance

b) dick bemused and concerned and casting around for ways to connect with her but giving up too easily

c) “for the lady” – oh, dick. i love you.

d) rachel warily checking her reflection

e) dick making false promises of safety to rachel in order to get her to come with him to washington—a manipulative little ploy that i’m sure was par-for-the-course during his time with batman

f) “but sometimes there’s no time to be scared” is that what kid!dick told himself when he was starting out as robin oh my heart hurts

g) dick just dropping out of his job for an indefinite time without notice because why in the world would bruce wayne’s ward ever have to worry about keeping down a steady job? he’s utterly unconscious of this, which makes it hilarious

MIRRORS, MIRRORS EVERYWHERE: 10

5. i’m already really fond of rohrbach and charlie the m.e. i know s2’s slate is already really crowded, but i wouldn’t mind seeing a resurrected rohrbach make an appearance, and for bit more of a spotlight on dick’s day job.

6. OH MAN i honestly didn’t remember that dick phoned alfred this episode! and that he considered—for a second—calling bruce! poor guy’s genuinely scared. for all his ‘fuck batman’s, dick’s anger and fear is more internally directed than he realises. this boy needs therapy.

6.5. dick going “… obviously” at rachel telling him not to get pineapple on their pizza makes me think he was definitely setting out to get pineapple on their pizza at that moment.

6.75. oh fuck. i knew it was coming, but that dead guy screaming at rachel through the photo was still terrifying. man i wish they’d stuck a little longer with the horror/mystery vibe they’ve got going here.

MIRRORS, MIRRORS EVERYWHERE: 11

6.8. dick immediately reaching out to hold rachel and comfort her as she sobs, terrified, in the bathtub shouldn’t feel particularly special or heartwarming—it’s a very natural, human instinct, after all—but for this particular version of dick grayson to automatically show this compassion when he’s half convinced himself that his lifetime as a vigilante has left him an amoral husk of his previous self… is significant.

7. it’s an interesting choice to go with the nuclear family as the first major villains featured on this show, but fits totally with the tone so far—the dark, despairing and dank things that hide underneath a cracking veneer of cheery suburban normality. pretty standard horror genre stuff—with an added twist that these people aren’t actually androids, but regular people horrifically tortured and brainwashed to act as murder machines.

7.5. aside from that, it’s a neat contrast to the found family that’s actually starting to evolve, with all of its rough edges and imperfect but raw displays of love.

8. i really like that, for all that rachel and dick have in common, their interaction is weird, start-stop in nature, each dancing around answering the others’ questions with any kind of honesty. rachel has clearly picked up on dick’s caginess around her and dick, for all that he’s been trained in subterfuge and basically been living a lie to most of his friends and co-workers, is unable to keep acting like he knows what he’s doing. he hasn’t had to really live a double life in a while—and he’s rusty when it comes to doing anything that’s not detective or vigilante work.

8.5. dick’s interactions in general through the series contrast with the easy and intimate ways the others talk with each other; he’s just so isolated and so friggin rusty at this.

9. you’d think rachel would’ve figured out by now not to shake random people’s hands.

9.25. i’m so happy about this show’s commitment to showing just how much of a hot mess dick is.

9.35. i’ve certainly warmed up to the icy, washed-out way this show looks, and the general sense of… space, both in terms of physical space as well as the way each scene is allowed to unfold and just breathe. you don’t get that a lot in superhero media these days.

9.45. an update to the dick grayson timeline! dawn says she hasn’t seen dick in four years and seems genuinely surprised to learn that he’s working with the police now. so how do you go from zero to detective in just four years? is that even possible? the timeframe becomes even shorter if you assume that he only decided to join law enforcement after leaving batman. maybe that’s just another thing that dick kept hidden from his friends, even when they were, you know, friends.

anyway, dick continues to be a hot mess, and i am glad that is consistent over every on-screen iteration.

9.5. i am genuinely unsure why this dick/dawn history exists other than to create some weird conflict between hank and dick. i’d much rather that conflict come from dick being an asshole generally and dropping all contact with his friends when it all became just Too Much To Deal With.

10. OH MAN so him contacting alfred was to arrange a big sum of money to pay off hank and dawn?? yep, dick is 100 percent bruce wayne’s protégé. i’m sure he also thinks of this as a way to help hank recover and for hank and dawn to rebuild their post-vigilantism life. this is a terrible way to deal with your guilt, my friend.

and i love that all of this—the mistakes he’s making with rachel despite his genuine concern for and desire to help her, the way he’s unable to really talk to her instead of at her, his false platitudes when he thinks he has nothing to say—is a plausible reflection of the ways bruce floundered with him when he first took dick in. dick has spent so, so long as bruce’s sole heir; though i’m sure they learned to communicate better, the core dysfunction of his relationship with bruce is embedded in his bones.

but the show is clearly setting up the dick-rachel relationship to evolve—and in doing so, have dick come to terms with his own relationship with bruce, instead of spinning increasingly bitter and dark memories of it in his head.

all said, tho: what a dick move. in every sense of the word.

11. aaand here’s why i never understand criticism of this show that says dick is too dark: it’s just so typical of him to hold himself to insane standards and just cut loose and run whenever he feels he’s failed those standards. it’s why he’s always among the first choices to lead a team but his leadership almost never sustains very long. it’s why he’s everybody’s friend but so desperately, desperately alone, especially when it’s his turn to spiral and need help. it’s why when he is spiralling, he adopts spectacularly self-destructive methods to do so. standing aside while zucco died is essentially his (infamous) blockbuster moment, when he so egregiously compromised his moral code that he was forced to re-evaluate the very core of what he’d identified as for decades. he hates himself, but he splits the blame, recognising the very real damage being robin did to him but pinning everything that’s wrong with him on it.

this tracks with every version of dick grayson that i can think of, bar the golden age/silver age comics, more contemporary nightwing runs—especially after his stint as batman with damian as robin—where he’s matured a bit and more level-headed, and, of course, fanon.

11.5. but while dick is wrestling with himself, actual people do get hurt and lost on the wayside. i’m glad that this show is not shying away from showing that.

12. maaan you really, really didn’t have to do this to anyone, leave alone someone as prominent in nightwing’s history as amy rohrbach. still holding out hope that she’ll return somehow next season.

13. rachel using dick’s own words to get him to help hank and dawn… oh fuck yes.

13.5. to be perfectly honest, i quite enjoyed robin as this menace in the shadows, taking thugs down brutally when they can’t even see him. you never see hyper-competent robin on-screen anymore.

13.75. also? hank and dawn’s genuine horror at his brutality is another giant indicator that this is not a dick grayson who’s functioning optimally, by any standard. he needs a place to start growing from, and this is it.

14. dick getting called out on his bullshit is pretty satisfying to watch, no lie.

14.5. i’d forgotten just how brutally the nuclear family defeat hank, dawn, and dick. yikes.

14.8. that last shot of dick desperately trying to save dawn’s life while having flashbacks to his own parents falling to their deaths is so fucking haunting, holy shit.

15. that was… honestly so good, you guys! i remember seeing this episode for the first time and feeling a little irritated with the languid pacing and the way it seemed sort of like filler. but there’s so much great stuff that stands out to me on re-watch—this show genuinely rewards multiple viewings, even when you know what’s coming next.