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mrmichaelchadler · 5 years

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Relaxer

I don't know if you can get on the same wavelength as "Relaxer"; you're either with this grimy slacker comedy or you aren't. I like "Relaxer" a lot, possibly because it is what high-school age me thought American indie cinema was like. Adenoidal drop-out protagonists, over-determined scatological humor, an oppressive dream-like mood—"Relaxer" takes me back to my adolescence (I was a teenage misanthrope!). I was reminded of the hilariously crass Gen X indie comic books of Chester Brown ("Ed the Happy Clown"), Dan Clowes ("Ghost World"), and Joe Matt ("Peepshow"), as well as the sad-sack antihero protagonists of early movies by Jim Jarmusch ("Stranger Than Paradise") and Richard Linklater ("Slacker").

Which is weird, because "Relaxer" isn't really like those comics or movies. Instead, "Relaxer" is a light, but moody comedy about an irredeemable loser who is too unwell to save himself. Imagine a deceptively optimistic comedy concerning a neurotic fish who's slowly circling his unwashed, slow-draining aquarium.

"Relaxer" follows Abbie (Joshua Burge), a scrawny oddball who refuses to leave a ratty, over-stuffed leather couch—he says it doesn't belong to him—until his snotty older brother Cam (David Dastmalchian) says he can. Unfortunately, Cam won't let Abbie get up until he's completed the latest in a series of bizarre dares/challenges, all of which involve eating or drinking too much, too fast. So when we first meet Abbie, he's about to vomit and/or urinate after drinking (most of) a gallon of milk. Soon after that, Cam gives Abbie an ultimate, final challenge: sit on the couch and defeat level 256 of "Pac-Man." The year is 1999, the place is suburban Michigan, and the rest is mostly immaterial.

According to Potrykus, Abbie represents his own long-held fantasy of dropping out of society just to play video games. Watching "Relaxer" does not, however, feel like having a bad nightmare. It's more like a detailed stress dream, one that you just have to get out of your system, no matter how grim and unbearable it may seem in retrospect.

After all, Potrykus' jokes are never really on Abbie—they're just about Abbie. Abbie's completely unhygienic: he rarely wears a shirt, so we often get two eyes-ful of Burge's sweaty, acne-covered chest. Abbie's also too weak-willed to take care of himself. And he doesn't really have any friends, except for Faygo-swilling burnout Dallas (Andre Hyland) and fair weather acquaintance Arin (Adina Howard).

But wait, there's more: Abbie's dad is in jail, but Abbie wants to visit him—after he wins $10,000 from a "Nintendo Power"-sponsored contest (hosted by disgraced competitive video game player Billy Mitchell). Abbie also thinks he might have psychic powers. He is pretty much as incompetent and unlikely to survive as his brother Cam says he is. Which is funny since, in the movie's press notes, Potrykus says that his earlier comedies are "cold and dark," like Cam and his worldview. I've only seen "Buzzard"—which features at least one all-time great sequence (Bugle Treadmill!)—but I can see similarities between it and "Relaxer." Cam's borderline nihilistic point-of-view defines Abbie's world, even if Abbie refuses to let his brother's apparent obnoxiousness bring him down.

"Relaxer" is not as grim as it sounds. Potrykus clearly loves Abbie, though I suspect it's because he, and the audience, already know that Abbie is useless ... we just want to believe he's not. That sort of magical thinking is the key to enjoying "Relaxer," a comedy about wish fulfillment. Which strangely makes a lot of sense since, generally speaking, a lot of DIY/maker culture looks like modern-day alchemy (for more on DIY culture's ties to the supernatural, I highly recommend Peter Bebergal's recent non-fiction book Strange Frequencies).

If you believe you can do something impossible, then your quest to hack the code of everyday life can be a spiritually fulfilling reward unto itself. Abbie's quest to beat "Pac-Man" (and win money, and be self-sufficient, and reunite with his dad) isn't at all spiritual, but that's what makes it funny—he has the patience of a saint, without any other saint-like qualities. Everyone else in Michigan may be scrambling for their bunkers because of pre-Millennial fears of the Y2K bug. But Abbie will succeed no matter what happens—because he knows he will. Even if he has to bury himself in sweat, debris, vomit, feces, urine, and, uh, is that snow? I can't honestly recommend "Relaxer" to most readers, but if you like this kind of thing, you'll probably love it.

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books-in-a-storm · 7 years

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Book Cover Love Master List

Book cover can be so pretty. They need love sometimes. These are all the book covers that I love. Complete series that have a the covers have a red heart beside the series name(❤).I hope you love them too.

Alphabetical Covers:

A Madness So Discreet-Mindy McGinnis

All The Bright Places-Jennifer Niven

A Court Of Thorns And Roses

A Court Of Thorns And Roses(A Court Of Thorns And Roses #1)-Sarah J Maas

Anna

Anna Dressed In Blood(Anna #1)-Kendare Blake

Abby Sinclair

A Brush of Darkness(Abby Sinclair #1)-Allison Page

Asylum❤

Asylum (Asylum #1)-Madeleine Roux

Sanctum(Asylum #2)-Madeleine Roux

Catacomb(Asylum #3)-Madeleine Roux

Arcadia Bell

Kindling The Moon(Arcadia Bell #1)-Jenn Bennett

Summoning the Night(Arcadia Bell #2)-Jenn Bennett

Beneath The Scars-Melanie Moreland

Blood Sinister-Celia Rees

Beau Rivage

Kill Me Softly( Beau Rivage #1)-Sarah Cross

Blackwell Pages

Loki’s Wolves(The Blackwell Pages #1)-K.L.Armstrong &M.A.Marr

The Cold King-Amber Jaeger

Coraline-Neil Gaiman

The Coldest Girl In Cold Town-Holly Black

The Conqueror’s Saga

And I Darken(The Conqueror’s Saga #1)-Kiersten White

Now I Rise(The Conqueror’s Saga #2)-Kiersten White

Bright We Burn(The Conqueror’s Saga #3)-Kiersten White

Callaghan Brothers

Dangerous Secrets(Callaghan Brothers #1)-Abbie Zanders

First and Only(Callaghan Brothers #2)-Abbie Zanders

House Calls(Callaghan Brothers #3)-Abbie Zanders

Seeking Vengeance(Callaghan Brothers #4)-Abbie Zanders

Cruel Beauty Universe

Cruel Beauty(Cruel Beauty Universe #1)- Rosamund Hodge

Chicagoland Vampires

Some Girls Bite(Chicagoland Vampires #1)-Chloe Neill

Friday Nights Bites(Chicagoland Vampires #2)-Chloe Neill

Twice Bitten(Chicagoland Vampires #3)-Chloe Neill

Hard Bitten(Chicagoland Vampires #4)-Chloe Neill

Drink Deep(Chicagoland Vampires #5)-Chloe Neill

The Curiosity House

The Shrunken Head(The Curiosity House #1)- Lauren Oliver & H.C. Chester

Code 11-KPD SWAT

Center Mass(Code 11-KPD SWAT #1)-Lani Lynn Vale

Dangerous Lies-Becca Fitzpatrick

Don’t Look Back-Jennifer L. Armentrout

Daughter of Deep Silence By Carrie Ryan

Daughter Of Smoke And Bone❤

Daughter of Smoke & Bone(Daughter of Smoke & Bone #1)-Laini Taylor

Days of Blood & Starlight(Daughter of Smoke & Bone #2)-Laini Taylor

Dreams Of Gods And Monsters(Daughter of Smoke & Bone #3)-Laini Taylor

Darkest Powers

The Summoning( Darkest Powers #1)-Kelley Armstrong

Dark Guardian

Moonlight(Dark Guardian #1)-Rachel Hawthorne

Full Moon(Dark Guardian #2)-Rachel Hawthorne

Dust Lands❤

Blood Red Road(Dust Lands #1) By Moira Young

Rebel Heart(Dust Lands #2)-Moira Young

Raging Star(Dust Lands #3)-Moira Young

English❤

Dirty English(English #1)-Ilsa Madden-Mills

Filthy English(English #2)-Ilsa Madden-Mills

Flame In The Mist- Renne Ahdieh

Furthermore-Tahereh Mafi

Fangirl-Rainbow Rowell

Heartless-Marissa Meyer

The Hurricane ❤

The Hurricane(The Hurricane #1)-R.J.Prescott

The Aftermath( The Hurricane #2)-R.J.Prescott

The Heroes of Olympus

The Lost Hero(The Heroes of Olympus #1)-Rick Riordan

The Son Of Neptune(The Heroes of Olympus #2)-Rick Riordan

Hidden Legacy

Burn for Me (Hidden Legacy #1)-Ilona Andrews

Hudson Valley❤

Nuts(Hudson Valley #1)- Alice Clayton

Cream Of The Crop(Hudson Valley #2)-Alice Clayton

Buns(Hudson Valley #3)-Alice Clayton

Hex Hall

Hex Hall(Hex Hall #1) By Rachel Hawkins

Harry Potter-J.K.Rowling

The Philosopher’s Stone 20th Anniversary Edition Paperback

I Was Here-Gayle Forman

The Infernal Devices❤

Clockwork Angel(The Infernal Devices #1)- Cassandra Clare

Clockwork Prince (The Infernal Devices #2)-Cassandra Clare

Clockwork Princess(The Infernal Devices #3)-Cassandra Clare

Indexing

Indexing(Indexing #1)- Seanan McGuire

The Grisha ❤

Shadow And Bone(The Grisha #1)-Leigh Bardugo

Siege and Storm(The Grisha #2) By Leigh Bardugo

Ruin And Rising(The Grisha #3) By Leigh Bardugo

Guild Hunter

Angels’ Blood(Guild Hunter #1)-Nalini Singh

Archangel’s Kiss(Guild Hunter #2)-Nalini Singh

The Killing Jar-Jennifer Bosworth

Kate Daniels

Magic Bites(Kate Daniels #1)-Ilona Andrews

Magic Burns (Kate Daniels #2)-Ilona Andrews

Magic Strikes(Kate Daniels #3)-Ilona Andrews

Magic Bleeds(Kate Daniels #4)-Ilona Andrews

Magic Slays(Kate Daniels #5)-Ilona Andrews

Long May She Reign- Rhiannon Thomas

Leave A Mark-Stephanie Fournet

Let It Snow- John Green, Maureen Johnson & Lauren Myracle

Life And Death-Stephenie Meyer

The Lunar Chronicles

Cinder(The Lunar Chronicles #1)-Marissa Meyer

Scarlet(The Lunar Chronicles #2)-Marissa Meyer

Cress(The Lunar Chronicles #3)-Marissa Meyer

Legend

Legend (Legend #1)-Marie Lu

Missing- Kelley Armstrong

Made for You-Melissa Marr

My True Love Gave To Me

Magisterium

The Iron Trial(Magisterium #1) By Holly Black & Cassandra Clare

The Copper Gauntlet(Magisterium #2) By Holly Black & Cassandra Clare

Mayhem❤

Mayhem(Mayhem #1)-Jamie Shaw

Riot(Mayhem #2)-Jamie Shaw

Chaos(Mayhem #3)-Jamie Shaw

Havoc(Mayhem #4)-Jamie Shaw

The Mortal Instruments❤

City of Bones(The Mortal Instruments #1)-Cassandra Clare

City Of Ashes(The Mortal Instruments # 2)- Cassandra Clare

City Of Glass(The Mortal Instruments # 3)- Cassandra Clare

City of Fallen Angels(The Mortal Instruments #4)-Cassandra Clare

City Of Lost Souls(The Mortal Instruments #5)-Cassandra Clare

City Of Heavenly Fire(The Mortal Instruments #6)-Cassandra Clare

Mythos Academy

Touch of Frost(Mythos Academy #1)-Jennifer Estep

Kiss Of Frost(Mythos Academy #2)-Jennifer Estep

Magonia❤

Magonia(Magonia #1)-Maria Dahvana Headley

Aerie(Magonia #2)-Maria Dahvana Headley

Man Hands

Man Hands(Man Hands #1)-Sarina Bowen & Tanya Eby

Monsters of Verity❤

This Savage Song(Monsters of Verity #1)-Victoria Schwab

Our Dark Duet(Monsters of Verity #2)-Victoria Schwab

November 9- Colleen Hoover

Of Beast And Beauty-Stacey Jay

Our Chemical Hearts-Krystal Sutherland

Poles Apart-Kirsty Moseley

Passenger

Passenger-Alexandra Bracken

Percy Jackson And The Olympians

The Lightning Thief(Percy Jackson And The Olympians #1)- Rick Riordan

The Sea Of Monsters(Percy Jackson And The Olympians #2)- Rick Riordan

The Titan’s Curse(Percy Jackson and the Olympians #3)-Rick Riordan

Poison Study

Poison Study(Poison Study #1)-Maria V. Snyder

Assassin Study(Poison Study #1.5)-Maria V. Snyder

Magic Study(Poison Study #2)-Maria V. Snyder

Fire Study(Poison Study #3)- Maria V. Snyder

Power Study (Poison Study #3.5) by Maria V. Snyder

Shadow Study(Poison Study #4)- Maria V. Snyder

Night Study(Poison Study #5)- Maria V. Snyder

Dawn Study(Poison Study #6)- Maria V. Snyder

Roseblood-A.G.Howard

Real

Real(Real #1)-Katy Evans

Mine(Real #2)-Katy Evans

Remy(Real #3)-Katy Evans

Rogue(Real #4)-Katy Evans

Real Love

Eye Candy(Real Love #1)-Jessica Lemmon

The Rule Breakers ❤

The Rule Book(The Rule Breakers #1) -Jennifer Blackwood

The Rule Maker(The Rule Breakers #2)-Jennifer Blackwood

The Raven Cycle ❤

The Raven Boys(The Raven Cycle #1)-Maggie Stiefvater

The Dream Thieves(The Raven Cycle #2)-Maggie Stiefvater

Blue Lily, Lily Blue(The Raven Cycle #3)-Maggie Stiefvater

The Raven King(The Raven Cycle #4)-Maggie Stiefvater

Reawakened

Reignited(Reawakened 0.5)-Colleen Houck

Reawakened(Reawakened #1)- Colleen Houck

Spinning Starlight-R.C.Lewis

Simon Vs. The Homo Sapiens Agenda-Becky Albertalli

Suspicion-Alexandra Monir

Stitching Snow-R.C.Lewis

The School For Good And Evil

The School For Good And Evil(The School For Good And Evil #1)-Soman Chainani

Simon Snow

Carry On(Simon Snow #1)- Rainbow Rowell

Wayward Son(Simon Snow #2)-Rainbow Rowell

Shatter Me

Shatter Me(Shatter Me #1)-Tahereh Mafi

Slater Brothers

Dominic(Slater Brothers #1)-L.A.Casey

Bronagh(Slater Brothers #1.5)-L.A.Casey

Alec(Slater Brothers #2)-L.A.Casey

Keela(Slater Brothers #2.5)-L.A.Casey

Kane (Slater Brothers #3)-L.A. Casey

The Storymakers❤

Spelled(The Storymakers #1)-Betsy Schow

Wanted(The Storymakers #2)-Betsy Schow

Banished(The Storymakers #3)-Betsy Schow

Six of Crows❤

Six of Crows(Six of Crows #1)-Leigh Bardugo

Crooked Kingdom(Six of Crows #2)-Leigh Bardugo

Stalking Jack the Ripper

Stalking Jack the Ripper(Stalking Jack the Ripper #1)-Kerri Maniscalco

Stage Dive

Lick(Stage Dive #1)-Kylie Scott

Play(Stage Dive #2)-Kylie Scott

Lead(Stage Dive #3)-Kylie Scott

Trick-Natalia Jaster

It Ends With Us-Colleen Hoover

Twilight Saga

Twilight(Twilight #1)-Stephenie Meyer

New Moon(Twilight #2)- Stephenie Meyer

The Tiger Saga❤

Tiger’s Promise(The Tiger Saga 0.5) by Colleen Houck

Tiger’s Curse(The Tiger Saga #1)-Colleen Houck

Tiger’s Quest(The Tiger Saga #2)-Colleen Houck

Tiger’s Voyage(The Tiger’s Curse #3)-Colleen Houck

Tiger’s Destiny(The Tiger Saga #4)-Colleen Houck

Tiger’s Dream(The Tiger Saga #5)-Colleen Houck

To All The Boys I’ve Loved Before

To All The Boys I’ve Loved Before(To All The Boys I’ve Loved Before #1)-Jenny Han

Tales of Beauty & Madness❤

Nameless(Tales of Beauty & Madness #1)-Lili St.Crow

Wayfarer(Tales of Beauty & Madness #2)-Lili St.Crow

Kin(Tales of Beauty & Madness #3)-Lili St. Crow

Throne of Glass

The Assassin’s Blade(Throne of Glass 0.5) by Sarah J. Maas

Uprooted-Naomi Novik

Unexpected Reality-Kaylee Ryan

Until Harry-L.A.Casey

Ugly Love- Colleen Hoover

Unfinished Fairy Tales

The Ugly Stepsister(Unfinished Fairy Tales #1)-Aya Ling

Twice Upon A Time(Unfinished Fairy Tales #2)-Aya Ling

V is for Virgin❤

V is for Virgin(V is for Virgin #1)-Kelly Oram

A Is For Abstinence(V is for Virgin #2)-Kelly Oram

Wintersong

Wintersong(Wintersong #1) -S.Jae-Jones

Shadowsong(Wintersong #2)-S. Jae-Jones

Women of the Otherworld

Bitten (Women of the Otherworld #1) -Kelley Armstrong

Stolen(Women of the Otherworld #2)-Kelley Armstrong

Dime Store Magic(Women of the Otherworld #3)-Kelley Armstrong

Industrial Magic(Women of the Otherworld #4)-Kelley Armstrong

Haunted(Otherworld #5)-Kelley Armstrong

White House❤

Mr. President(White House #1) - Katy Evans

Commander in Chief(White House #2- Katy Evans

#book cover love master list #book cover #chloe neill #ilona andrews #jennifer blackwood #alice clayton #colleen hoover #jenny han #cassandra clare #rainbow rowell #alexandra bracken #recommendations #booklr #june 2017 #adult booklr #bookworm #bookblr #blog banners

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