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youledmehere · 2 months

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THE ONES WHO LIVE EPISODE FOUR: WHAT WE

[WRITTEN BY DANAI GURIRA]

-> Vulture: After some tedious lies and deceptions, in Michonne’s words, they needed a time-out. That’s exactly what they get in one of the best stand-alone episodes in all of The Walking Dead. (…) It’s like watching a two-person play, which makes sense, as the episode’s writer, Danai Gurira (Michonne herself), is an acclaimed and Tony-nominated playwright (…..) “What We” is not a bottle episode. Multiple sets in a single location, two characters with an internal conflict, and the special-effects budget make it a “Suitcase” episode. Editors Rating: 5 stars

Bloody-Disgusting: Andrew Lincoln once again showcases a masterclass of acting as Grimes cycles through his damaged psyche, desperately trying to figure out how to connect with Michonne. Gurira matches Lincoln’s emotional performance, evoking Michonne’s desperation and anger with authenticity. Letting Gurira take over writing duties for this specific episode proved extremely beneficial given the emotional legwork the character trudges through in this particular installment. If there’s anyone who can understand Michonne the best, it’s Danai Gurira.

The Hollywood Reporter: As the writer of the episode, Gurira felt she clearly understood Michonne’s arc, but she wanted to make sure her co-star and fellow executive producer Lincoln had enough meat to sink his teeth into, as well. “You want to give an actor like him everything you can,” she says. “Andy’s such a fantastic actor who throws everything into it. I was keen to give him that workout.” Lincoln added to THR, “It was thrilling to do all of this with friends, but Danai had one heck of a role as well as showrunning the fourth episode as an added responsibility. I thought the work she did on that was an astonishing testament to her skills, especially because apparently she only needs two hours a day to sleep.”

Den of Geek: To call it a bottle episode is dismissive. Certainly, there’s one major setting, and most of the episode contains little in the way of special effects (by the standards of the average Walking Dead Televisual Universe show). However, most bottle episodes aren’t this interesting, or this gripping. “What We” feels like The Walking Dead taking a stab at doing a spinoff of the Richard Linklater Before trilogy, not wallowing in the usual zombie action or soap opera frippery. It’s almost certainly going to be polarizing, but it’s one of the most captivating, emotionally-deep episodes of television from this universe, and it’s all down to the powerhouse that is Danai Gurira.

SpoilerTV: “What We” is a captivating exploration of love’s transformative force. Rick and Michonne shed their pretenses, abandoning deceit to forge a profound reconnection. Andrew Lincoln’s performance brilliantly resurrects Rick from the abyss of a living man who is dead inside, courtesy of Danai’s masterful writing.

Bleeding Cool: But it’s Gurira pulling double duty that deserves all of the attention and tons of praise. Proving that she knows this couple and their dynamic better than anyone, Gurira presented us with what felt like a real couple going through the problems with real reactions- even in the midst of a zombie apocalypse. I know that reviews can sometimes go to the extremes-positive or negative- but in the case of “What We”, we have an easy contender for one of the best single episodes of the franchises run.

#acting was amazing. writing was amazing. 10/10 #richonne #the ones who live #rick grimes #michonne #andrew lincoln #danai gurira #*

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wheelsgoroundincircles · 5 months

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1961 Lincoln Continental

The 1961 Lincoln Continental: A Timeless American Classic of Elegance and Innovation

In the realm of classic American luxury automobiles, the 1961 Lincoln Continental stands as a symbol of elegance, innovation, and timeless design. A departure from the ornate styling of the 1950s, the '61 Continental marked a shift towards clean lines, understated luxury, and a new era of automotive design. In this article, we'll take a comprehensive look at the history, design, engineering, cultural impact, and enduring legacy of the 1961 Lincoln Continental.

The Dawn of a New Decade

The early 1960s marked a transition from the extravagant designs of the 1950s to a more refined, streamlined aesthetic. The 1961 Lincoln Continental epitomized this shift, embracing a sense of understated elegance that resonated with the changing times. As the United States entered a new era, the Continental reflected the desire for sophistication and modernity.

Timeless Design: The Art of Proportion

The hallmark of the 1961 Lincoln Continental's design was its commitment to proportion and minimalism. Spearheaded by chief designer Elwood Engel, the Continental introduced the concept of "slab-sided" styling, characterized by clean lines, uncluttered surfaces, and a seamless integration of form and function. This design philosophy elevated the Continental's visual appeal, giving it an enduring aura of sophistication.

Distinctive Features: Suicide Doors and Grille Design

One of the most iconic features of the 1961 Lincoln Continental was its unique suicide doors, which opened toward the rear of the vehicle. This design element not only added a touch of drama but also facilitated easy ingress and egress for passengers. Additionally, the bold front grille design, reminiscent of classic automobiles, became synonymous with the Continental's refined presence on the road.

Engineering Excellence: Power and Performance

Underneath its sleek exterior, the 1961 Lincoln Continental boasted engineering prowess. The Continental was powered by a potent V8 engine that delivered ample power for effortless cruising. This blend of power and performance was complemented by the Continental's smooth suspension and refined handling, ensuring a comfortable and commanding driving experience.

Interior Splendor: Craftsmanship and Comfort

Step inside the 1961 Lincoln Continental, and you're greeted by a world of opulence and refinement. The interior was a masterclass in craftsmanship, with rich materials, plush upholstery, and meticulous attention to detail. Every aspect of the interior was designed to cocoon occupants in comfort and luxury, creating an oasis of tranquility on the open road.

Influence on American Culture: Symbol of Prestige

The 1961 Lincoln Continental became a symbol of prestige and sophistication, often associated with influential figures of the era. Its presence graced the driveways of Hollywood stars, politicians, and affluent individuals, solidifying its status as a vehicle of choice for those who valued luxury and style.

A Cultural Icon: From Film to Fashion

The allure of the 1961 Lincoln Continental extended beyond the realm of automobiles. Its appearances in movies and television shows further cemented its status as a cultural icon. Additionally, the Continental's design elements, such as the iconic grille and suicide doors, became references in fashion and design, highlighting its lasting impact on popular culture.

The Legacy Lives On: Inspiration for Future Generations

The legacy of the 1961 Lincoln Continental lives on through its design philosophy and enduring influence on automotive aesthetics. Its emphasis on timeless design, elegance, and innovation continues to inspire automotive designers and enthusiasts, shaping the way luxury vehicles are conceived and crafted.

Collector's Dream: Rarity and Appreciation

Today, the 1961 Lincoln Continental holds a special place in the hearts of collectors and enthusiasts. Its limited production numbers and iconic status have elevated its value as a classic automobile. Owning a 1961 Continental is not just a possession; it's a connection to a defining era of automotive history and a testament to the artistry of automotive design.

Conclusion: A Timeless Beacon of Elegance

The 1961 Lincoln Continental stands as a testament to the marriage of art and engineering, capturing the essence of elegance and sophistication that defined an era. Its legacy as an automotive masterpiece continues to resonate with those who appreciate the fusion of design, craftsmanship, and performance. The 1961 Lincoln Continental remains an enduring symbol of an age when cars were not just modes of transportation, but expressions of style, luxury, and innovation that transcend time.

#lincoln continental #car #cars #lincoln #continental

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saintmeghanmarkle · 7 months

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Royal Silence: When Not Spilling the Tea is the Crowns Cup of Tea by u/Oakthrees

Royal Silence: When Not Spilling the Tea is the Crown’s Cup of Tea Ah, the royal family and Meghan Markle—a topic that has stirred more pots than a master chef at a soup competition. Why, you might ask, do the royals not bother to set the record straight and just adhere to the "never explain, never complain" mantra? Well, pull up a chair, and let's dive into this regal kettle of fish with a touch of snark and a pinch of controversy.The venerable mantra of "never explain, never complain" isn't merely a catchy slogan; it's a time-tested survival tactic for the royals, honed over centuries. It's as British as rain on a summer's day. Why should they ditch this tried-and-true policy now? Meghan Markle, with her cable TV credentials, has ventured into the high-stakes game of thrones (the British version, mind you), but this isn't a Hollywood script—it's the cold, hard reality of centuries-old monarchy.Moreover, the royal family knows the art of the subtle power play. They're not just representing themselves; they're upholding the image and stability of the monarchy as a venerable national institution. Engaging in tit-for-tat with Meghan and Harry? That would be as unseemly as the Queen doing the Macarena at a state banquet. It's not just about personal dignity; it's about preserving national decorum.Setting the record straight in the face of every critique is a Sisyphean task. With today's relentless news cycle, responding to every ripple of discontent is as futile as trying to catch fog in a net. The royals know this. If they started rebutting every allegation, they'd need a full-time spin doctor, not just a press secretary.The royal silence in the face of media storms can be seen as a shrewd move. In an age where oversharing is the norm, their tight-lipped approach is as mysterious and intriguing as a locked tower in an ancient castle. It's a masterclass in public relations: say nothing, and let the world keep guessing.Now, consider the charm of the "never explain, never complain" policy. It's a fortress of tradition and discretion. Entering a war of words with a former supporting actress from a legal drama and a prince who's swapped his royal cloak for California sunshine? That would be akin to Buckingham Palace hosting a garage sale—unthinkable!The royal family is playing the long game, a strategy as intricate as the crown jewels. They operate on a different wavelength than cable TV drama. Engaging in every spat would be as out of character as a corgi leading the Changing of the Guard.In essence, the royal family's response (or lack thereof) to Meghan and Harry's critiques is a sophisticated blend of strategy and tradition. They're not playing checkers; they're playing three-dimensional chess, maintaining their mystique in a world where discretion is as rare as a silent tabloid. Their silence is a statement, their inaction an action, all part of a grand design to preserve an institution that's been around since the Magna Carta was just a rough draft.So, there you have it. The royals don't need to set the record straight about Meghan and Harry’s critiques. They're content to let the cable actress and her prince speak their piece while they carry on, unshaken and unstirred, like a perfectly made martini in the grand banquet of history. post link: https://ift.tt/l1PLftR author: Oakthrees submitted: November 21, 2023 at 08:45PM via SaintMeghanMarkle on Reddit

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burnt-kloverfield · 11 months

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Nope is a beautifully crafted movie, but having to sit through my family asking questions about "what does the shoe have to do with anything?" And "the monkey parts of the movie don't make sense" is awful because the movie is so good because of the symbolism and the parallel narrative surrounding the animals and looking in the eye. Is it a spectacle or is it respect?

I love this movie so much because it's tied together so beautifully because of these literary devices. It's a whole masterclass in storytelling.

And I sound so pretentious when my stepmom asks "what's up with the shoe?" and I have to go "nothing specific except that it's a reference and symbol of a 'bad miracle' that OJ asks about. It's this serendipitous miracle, this impossibility, this brief moment that you focus on while the world is falling apart around you, and this is a symbol that relates to the freak stuff falling from the sky that kills the dad and also relates to the fact that there's a whole alien going on while OJ and Emerald are trying to move on and make a life for themselves. All of these different situations are parallel situations that relate to each other. The monkey is the horse is the alien is the hollywood showbiz industry is the camera is the eye is the TMZ guy on the motorcycle. They're all related to each other. Pick up the metaphors!"

#nope movie #nope 2022

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kittleskittle · 5 months

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been spending my Friday afternoon mulling over HFW and BS meta-wise, and my GOD I am so anxious about h3, I feel like I'm going to lose my mind. Warning: rant with personal opinions below.

More and more as the series progresses, spectacle and shock value have been prioritized over theme and emotional beats. Nothing is given room to develop organically. There's no time to breathe in the narrative. Quiet moments to process all of these SHOCKING DEVELOPMENTS (a very special fuck you to Liberation and their horrifying assassination of Avad for zero narrative reason) keep diminishing. Everything is a World Ending Threat™ that must be resolved IMMEDIATELY, so much so that I've started rolling my eyes every time the latest Big Bad End of the World scenario is revealed.

I suppose my biggest question is: what happened? HZD, to me, was a masterclass in thematic and character writing. I was so emotionally connected to Aloy that I felt as though I was experiencing the events of the game alongside her. The themes resonated with me in a way I very rarely have experienced. I literally could not shut up about this game the first time I played it years ago (big thanks to my incredibly patient friends and family for putting up with me LOL). How did the writing priorities and focus shift this hard?

HFW lost me, and BS even moreso. I don't feel connected to Aloy as a character anymore. I don't feel connected to a great deal of the side characters I used to connect with. The fact that BS was conceived as a "Hollywood Blockbuster" makes a depressing amount of sense, but goddamn, it's NOT at all what Aloy deserved for such a momentous experience as her first love, an event this series has been building towards - and yes, we know this from dev commentary - from the start. Regardless of how h3 turns out when it comes to romance, I'm going to stay bitter about that one.

I think h3 is going to have to do a LOT of work to pull me back in, and I'm afraid that it's not even possible at this point. I'm afraid we're going to get more of the same big flashy battles, this time with the Karen Reaper Spaghetti ball that is Nemesis, with little room leftover for substance. I'm afraid that I'm going to put down that game and feel unsatisfied and empty rather than complete and fulfilled by a trilogy of games over a decade in the making.

And that, to me, is going to be a really depressing end to a series that started out so strong.

#horizon critical #meta #Sad Thoughts choo choo

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dreamweaversfavsandthoughs · 7 months

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Rick and Morty S7 Ep. 6: Rickfending Your Mort

(Justice for Churry!)

I observe some spoilers ahead.

My Favs

“M-Morty Western Bacon Now!

Rick drunkenly demanding Morty to buy him a Western Bacon burger was kinda endearing and I loved his little laugh when Morty tossed it at him. Look at Rick making alcoholism look cute.

Bear witness to 9/11!

Dan Harmon’s gotta sneak in a 9/11 joke.

Morty licking the inside of Apeborg’s nostril

Rick is such a rascal tricking his grandson in order to win a bet.

“This is a gun…this a gun you use to shoot bad people.”

I love the whole setup and pay off to this joke. Just an absolute masterclass.

Churry!

May Churry find justice for the wrong that was committed against him! Morty’s going to get his ass kicked and, frankly, he deserves it. I have no sympathy. On a side note, the Wes Anderson sequence was kinda cute and Morty looks good in a red beanie.

RIP Space Jam Rick and Morty

It was a mercy killing, really.

I held onto my tits for nothing!

Not My Fav

Hottie Snatcher

Maybe it’s a little weird to comment on the attractiveness of a teenager girl but Summer’s at least a 7, maybe 6.8 or a 6.9. Either way that rounds up to a 7. Girl was done dirty.

The only way to escape is diving to the bottom of this vat of whale sperm.

I have no doubt they were poking fun at themselves for that sperm episode that I would really like to forget exists so that’s why it’s on my not fav. As Lindsey Ellis would say, “Thanks. I hate it.”

My Thoughts

After two spicy episodes in a row, Rickfending Your Mort, was a much needed glass of milk to calm the burn on my proverbial tongue. This was the first proper anthology episode since season 4 and a great way to get back into the fun, silliness of a Rick and Morty adventure. I laughed, I giggled, I chuckled, I guffawed and I may have even chortled. Truly, I think this is the most I laughed at an episode—ever. Also, this is the first episode where we got a clip from the intro!

If you haven’t already, you should read The Hollywood Reporter interview with Ian Cardoni and Harry Belden. They talk a bit about the intense audition process they went through and their reactions to finding out they landed the roles. I hope this opens the door to so many VA roles in the future because they both seem like some really sweet guys.

Now, do we think Churry will murder Morty this season or will they wait a couple of season down the road?

#rick and morty #rick and morty season 7 #RnM #rick and morty spoilers #rnm spoilers #rick sanchez #morty smith #rickfending your mort

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justforbooks · 4 months

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Michael Caine wears two watches: an analogue for the time and an Apple for everything else. It even knows his pulse, he says, impressed. Right now, it’s telling him his flat is 26C: warm enough for his wife, Shakira, to pour iced coffee into his flask, but not hot enough for those balcony doors to be open: “It’s blowing a bloody gale in here!”

I slide them shut slightly. Is that OK? A bit more. Enough? Bit more. I close them completely. He’s happy now.

Caine lives in Chelsea Harbour: posh 80s condos and Princess Diana’s gym. He likes the security and tolerates the helicopters. His London penthouse has caramel carpets, 360-degree views, two Oscars and 5,000 photos of his grandchildren.

Below us lies Battersea Bridge, tide low, shore glittering. No, he shudders, he’s never mudlarked. Why not? After all, his first novel, out in November, is about binmen who find uranium down at the dump. “Well,” he says darkly, “other people do things and it goes all right. I do them and bad things happen.”

He looks at me. We’re waiting for his co-star, John Standing, who is stuck in traffic. Caine is a big man with whom to make small talk. It’s not just that your brain short-circuits each time he speaks (Michael Caine?!?!), it’s that at 90, he’s still 6ft 2in, undiminished and simply intimidating.

In 1987, he gave an acting masterclass in which he revealed the secret to being forceful on screen was a) don’t blink and b) mascara. It works face-to-face, too. The first one, anyway.

During the Blitz, says Caine, he watched the city get flattened from his dormer in Camberwell; from here, he’s seen it rise up again. He loves new-build and soft furnishings with the passion of a man raised in an attic with no hot water, one outdoor loo and rickets. Every time a bomb fell, the mattresses doiiinged. “Me and my brother would laugh all through the bleedin’ air raids!”

An update: Standing will be here shortly. I praise the pot-plants and Caine mourns his garden. He was evacuated to Berkshire, where he was fed a tin of pilchards a day and locked in a cupboard for the weekends, and then to rural Norfolk, where he discovered a love of horticulture – later energetically indulged at his own places in Oxfordshire and Surrey.

Less so in Hollywood. He sold up there after someone told him that if he wanted to grow daffodils he’d need to put the bulbs in the fridge for a fortnight. “That was it! Final straw!” But did he do it? “Oh yeah. It worked.”

In comes Standing, 89 but nimble as a debutante, all polish and apologies. They settle down, discuss the weather and a window is discreetly opened. Caine goggles at my iPad, which he mistakes for a phone: “Blimey, that’s a big one!”

The Great Escaper is brilliant, I say. Caine is surprised I’ve seen it, let alone enjoyed it. Didn’t he? “Yeah. But I’ve had films where I liked it but other people didn’t agree with me.”

No wonder it tempted them from retirement: meaty roles dry up as you approach 100. Caine plays Bernard Jordan, a real-life Royal Navy veteran who made headlines in 2014 when he travelled alone from his care home in Hove, East Sussex, to Normandy for the 70th D-day anniversary. The film – flintier than you might think, and very moving – fictionalises a friendship with Arthur, a former RAF pilot (Standing) he meets on the ferry.

Both actors did national service in Berlin after the war; Caine was then drafted to Korea – “a bugger”, he says (his memoir suggests this is understatement). “When we got there they said: the Chinese have just sent a million troops. What? But they were just young kids and old men to take all our ammunition. You shoot at them and then the real fighters come. And that was the Chinese in a nutshell.”

In the film, the pair make a pilgrimage to the war cemetery at Bayeux in Normandy. “What a waste,” cries Bernard as the camera zooms out to show the rows and rows of headstones. Caine doesn’t agree. “You had to have full cemeteries because you’d had to fight the German army, which was not a load of idiots. And the Germans had to be stopped.”

And Korea? Well, communism is “perfectly frightful”, says Standing. Caine nods. “It doesn’t take care of the working class quite the way they say. My father was a fishmonger in Billingsgate, so I knew when I saw the communists, they had no idea what it was all about. Do any working-class people want to live in North Korea?”

They both think national service should be reintroduced. “It gives you a whole new realisation of life,” says Caine. “I notice how different young people are today. They’re so free with everything. Military training makes you think about helping other people. My grandsons – all they do is play football.” (Still, he adds later, they’re also “incredible, unbelievable, and they worry about other people – which is handy”.)

Standing chips in: one of his daughters is “a bit woke” and cautions him about getting cancelled. “It’s horrible! We’re not allowed to say anything. I loathe it. My God, you’re not allowed to have mother-in-law jokes! It’s sort of barking.”

Then again, “things were far less complicated” 70 years ago. He smiles benignly. “Your telephone alone is the most complex thing anybody’s ever dreamed of. You’ve got all the information you ever want. You can chat to Henry VIII. Have you seen the man made of wood and iron playing the most immaculate game of ping-pong and thrashing the ordinary Briton at the other end?”

I haven’t. Caine confesses some concern over robots – that’s partly what his novel, a thriller, is about. “But I’m 90. I don’t worry about the future. I worry if I’m gonna make it to lunch.”

Caine and Standing first met on another hot day, in the summer of 1976, shooting another war movie, The Eagle Has Landed. Caine played a Nazi eager to assassinate Churchill; Standing a rather flaky vicar. Memories of the shoot seem thin on the ground, but they agree moviemaking hasn’t changed much.

“I make my own world,” says Caine. “And if they employ me, they gotta leave me to do it my way. Otherwise I screw it up. And even if I do it my way, I screw it up as well.”

They both chuckle. “Michael, darling!” says Standing.

Have they changed?

Standing sighs. “We’re just so bloody old.”

“And we’re still here,” says Caine.

“Which is incredible! All my mates are brown bread.”

“Oh, mine and all. Sean Connery, Roger Moore. Everybody’s dead. It’s amazing.”

How does that feel?

“Lonely,” says Caine. “I had dinner last night here with eight women. Shakira gets ’em. I don’t get ’em. They’re the wives of my friends. I’m often sitting with a table full of widows.”

Standing empathises. “Hundreds of women round one all the time. And you sit there thinking: give us a break! Ask me something, anything you like!”

Caine nods. “Ask me a question about football! But I’m perfectly happy with all the girls. I love them.”

Again: consult his memoir for more details, but this is putting it mildly. Caine spent the 50s, 60s and early 70s hoovering up hotties across the continents, pausing only for relationships with Natalie Wood and Nancy Sinatra and to refuel on vodka with Terence Stamp and Peter O’Toole.

So when he says he was tired of bachelor life by 1972, you can believe it – he must have been exhausted. He had a night in, saw a Maxwell House ad on telly and resolved to fly to Brazil the next morning to marry the woman with the maracas. No need, said a pal: she was Indian, not Brazilian, and lived on the Fulham Road in west London.

This is one of Caine’s regular chatshow yarns and he duly does it for us today: “I tracked her down! Incredible!” Caine is a bit of an anecdote jukebox – tales triggered by the briefest mention of Cary or Larry or Frank – but with material like his, it’s hard to object. Though charming, he also dominates conversation in general – about which Standing is a gent. Does he miss the 60s? “I don’t miss it, but I love having done it. I used to get into trouble all over the place.”

He and Shakira have been married more than 50 years. Ageing is less awful, he advises, “if you’re married to someone really beautiful who doesn’t grow old. I wake up every morning and there she is!” It’s true: Shakira, 76, does seem preternaturally patient and gorgeous. “What is great about her is that she’s very bright. She was the secretary in the … I forget which country she comes from [Shakira was born in British Guiana, now Guyana], but she was the secretary of the American embassy, so she’s a great secretary for me. She runs everything. It’s unbelievable.”

At the heart of The Great Escaper is another enduring marriage, between Bernie and Irene, played by Glenda Jackson in her final film. She and Caine first worked together 48 years ago. “She was very young and pretty,” he says. “Very attractive. Bloody good actress. But a left-wing socialist and I’m all for making money because I come from a very poor background.” They never talked politics – bit busy making the movies. He saw her five days before she died in June: “She seemed fine.” He’s relieved it was quick.

Bernie and Irene are a devoted couple who, though the film doesn’t discuss it, didn’t have children. Might that have changed their dynamic? “Oh, tremendously,” says Caine. “You don’t have any other separate thing to talk about. You talk about each other. And you don’t have to judge how people feel about someone else. Only you.”

It’s a sharp insight, particularly given that he’s personally “always had children around me like wildfire”. His eldest daughter, Dominique, was born when he was 23, during a brief marriage to the actor Patricia Haines; he and Shakira have another daughter, Natasha. Picking up his eldest grandson from the school is, Shakira tells me later, the highlight of his week. “I love kids,” he says, a bit wistfully.

Standing murmurs agreement. He’s also been married for yonks. The secret, he says, is “laughing with each other”.

Caine is less on-message: “Don’t argue. Don’t try to prove it with arguments or a row. Let ’em do it.”

“Women are No 1 anyway,” says Standing.

“It’s the only place you can get babies,” nods Caine.

“But I gotta say this, Michael: have you seen what women do now?” says Standing. A dramatic pause. He’s a West End veteran, light comedies a specialty. “Cage fighting!” He turns to me. “What possessed your sex to do something like that? For men to cage fight is unthinkable. For women – boom, boom, boom, on each other’s faces! Deranged! But that’s modern life.”

Has Caine seen that? “Oh yeah,” he says blithely. “On television.” And? “I was stunned.” Why? “I wouldn’t do that to anyone. Even if I didn’t like them. I’d just knock ’em out and walk away.”

The real theme of The Great Escaper is – perhaps not one for the poster – that the only escape from old age is death. Yet Caine and Standing continue to produce work that will live on after they’re gone. Caine wrote his first novel bedridden during lockdown, and is now writing a second. Standing is a professional painter. They have six children between them. Are any of these enterprises better or worse as stabs at immortality? There’s only really one, says Caine: “Kindness.” And maybe Alfie. And The Muppet Christmas Carol.

“Michael, darling,” says Standing, “I said to someone the other day: ‘Have you heard of Peter O’Toole?’ She said: ‘Well, I know the name.’ Once you are dead, you are dead. You think of Bogart! But young people only know Goose. What’s he called? Gosling. Big names in the theatre – Gielgud – mean nothing.”

That craft and that class is history, they reckon. When I ask Caine who today’s version of him is, he agrees there isn’t one.

“Because you don’t get young people now who are that far back in society. That had to come forward in great leaps. I think my type of person is extinct. I can’t think of anybody who had a life like mine.”

It wasn’t just the poverty, he says, it was Korea and then, six months later, malaria (he nearly died). “And so it never stopped, you know? Until it did.”

And yet it sort of hasn’t. Caine remains an icon of a time and an energy that feel increasingly exotic. He still calls himself working class and frets over any potential betrayal of his roots. The fate of his brother, Stanley, troubles him. “He just stood there and watched me become a millionaire when he didn’t even have a job. I turned him into someone who couldn’t move. I should have gone and moved him.”

Once, Caine was shopping for a sofa and Stanley – who’d been awol for a while – appeared as part of the team lugging it in from the back. “I grabbed him. I said, ‘You are outta here.’ Oh, it was terrible. I didn’t know where he was.

“He became an alcoholic. So I bought him two houses: one to live in and one to rent so he could have some money to buy some booze.” Caine’s eyes are rheumy. “He’s three years younger than me. And he’s been dead for five years.”

There was an older brother, too, David, born with severe epilepsy and confined to an institution. Caine only found out about him after their mother’s death – though she had visited David secretly each week. Caine then made him as comfortable as possible. His mother spent her final years living in one of the houses he’d bought her with a carer and her two young sons, “who loved my mum like a grandma. I was very happy with that. I did everything for everybody. So that’s it. I’m sitting here, I’ve done it. I can’t do any more.”

The Great Escaper has been widely described as Caine’s final film, just as Harry Brown was in 2009, and then – 24 films later – Best Sellers in 2021. It’s not. He’s shooting another in January: “It’s about someone who is so famous I’d never heard of him. Charles, Charles …”

“ … Darwin,” says Standing.

“Yeah. I play Charles Darwin. And that’ll be it. I won’t do another one after.”

He’s sure?

“No! But the point is, can you do it? Can you remember all the lines? I’ve got used to not working and staying in bed till 11am and staying out late at night. I love it.”

In The Great Escaper, Jackson has a line about life being fun when you’re young, but once you hit her age, “you’re basically buggered”. Present company queers that pitch. “Oh blimey,” says Caine. “I have a great time.” Standing nods. His one concession to old age has been to give up tap-dancing – though you suspect he might oblige in an emergency.

Neither man can think of a single instance in which they’ve been ill-treated because of their age.

“Nobody patronises me,” says Caine.

“We don’t look like we need help,” says Standing.

In Caine’s case, that’s not entirely true. His skin is smooth, his cheeks full – “I’m very lucky the whole face has not collapsed” – and The Great Escaper showcases them with loads of fantastic closeups. Yet he does use a walker and wheelchair. Never had qualms about being seen with them, he says. “Nope. It’s my life and I do what I want.”

“I think you are bloody brave,” says Standing. “Michael, man-to-man, it was an admirable thing to say: ‘Bollocks, I will do the film’, in spite of all those things.’”

I think he’s right. For someone with an image as familiar – and cultivated – as Caine’s, to visibly concede frailty feels courageous. It’s a shame, I say, that “mobility issues” were given as the reason the Queen didn’t attend various events near the end – as if being seen in a wheelchair was inconceivable.

Caine opts not to criticise the Queen. Instead he cues up the story of the first time they met, at a dinner, when she asked him to tell her a joke. He couldn’t think of a clean one. “She pointed to the man on her other side and said: ‘I’m gonna talk to him now. In five minutes I’ll be back and I want a joke.’”

I don’t know what I’d imagined Michael Caine’s Queen impression to sound like, but it’s definitely a lot more mobster. That was quite frightening, I tell him, once he’s finished the joke (long, about a chicken). Does he see any similarities between them?

“I think everyone sees a similarity between themselves and the Queen.”

Even Standing, an actual baronet, demurs at that one. But the fact Caine believes it adds weight to the idea they do share something – the ability, perhaps, to unsettle others through their presence alone. The Great Escaper taps that, too. Bernie prompts in people – Arthur included – profound reckonings, without really trying. Can Caine relate?

“I don’t know,” he says. “A bit, probably, yes. But it could be quite unpleasant. I don’t do things that are unpleasant.”

But you feel you have that power?

“Yeah, oh yeah.”

And what’s that like?

He grins. “Great.”

Our time is up. Caine checks his watch. “28C,” he says, “and that’s with the bloody windows open.”

Daily inspiration. Discover more photos at Just for Books…?

#just for books #michael caine #john standing

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youcanseethecosmos · 2 years

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Hob Gadling: The Ingenue

< previous Dreamling Actors AU posts: 1 | 2 | 3 >

got another set of headcanons for yall ! i might end up writing this whole thing after im done with a few projects so i hope these headcanon posts are enough for now <3

Hob's grandfather was an actor but Hob's parents never got into it. Gadling Senior (Pop Pop as he's so affectionately called) never reached peak hollywood stardom.

Hob's favorite movie is The Breakfast Club because he had a crush on Judd Nelson and Molly Ringwald at the same time

Hob was always described as a "timelessly handsome face" for whatever time period the movie is set, he's handsome. Whether it's medieval times or a modern setting, his smile pulls you in

Dream was pulled in at some point too but this post isn't about him

TW: Death (not the character), Car Accidents

Hob lost Eleanor and Robyn three years before his first movie. They were part of a hit and run accident.

Hob to this day still doesn't know the driver who killed his family.

He was in a weird liminal space of feeling lost and restless when he fell in love with acting.

Robyn was a budding actor before the accident. He loved theater and they were on their way to an audition for a big play on the day he lost them both.

Hob dedicates every performance to Robyn and Eleanor.

Hob and the rest of the Endless

Destiny was a guest professor at his University for film production. He may or may not have sat in a few of his classes along with his colleague who offered him a spot in his acting masterclass

He's also seen Death several times on the West End. His favorite role of hers is when she played Juliet in &Juliet because he will always take any story that shits on Shakespeare

He has yet to see Delirium in a show but she visits Destiny at the University a lot. Often times when she's there, she asks the most questions in class.

One time, she and Hob were paired together in a class activity since they were technically sit-ins and she was a very fun conversationalist. They didn't get any work done.

Before working with Dream, Hob had not personally met Desire, Despair, or Destruction.

He eventually got invited to the infamous Endless Family Dinner but we won't get into that yet

and that's it for Hob for now ! as you can see i have SO MANY THOUGHTS about this AU and it gets more in depth as I go over it. There's a whole subplot too where I explore more of Dream and Desire's sibling relationship and how different it would be if they weren't cosmic beings but just... people.

anw thats enough before i ramble ! dont be afraid to like come into my inbox and engage in some discussion about this with me !! it will make me more motivated to write it hihi

#dreamling #the sandman #hob x morpheus #morpheus x hob #lights camera action: sky's dreamling actors au #hob gadling #the endless #i dont wanna tag every single one of them rn im sleepy HAHAH #sandman netflix #dream x hob #hob x dream #tw: death #tw: car accident #tw: grief

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mnetn · 5 months

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bob 📞

BON. j'ai découvert la filmo de cassavetes réalisateur (masterclass, jsp pourquoi j'ai attendu aussi longtemps) et la filmo acteur (mdr il a bien utilisé hollywood) et c'est vraiment troooop bien

qu'il est classe (new hyperfixation)

he is soooooooo 😳😳😳😳😫

j'ai fait 3 edits en 2 jours c'est l'usine ???

#the night holds terror #1955 #cinéma américain #andrew l . stone #john cassavetes #john cassaslay plutôt 🎀#i need him

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zeitgeistofculture · 3 months

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Bones and All (2022)

(Bones and All (2022) Photo Gallery, IMDb.com)

Dir. Luca Guadagnino

A new-age horror film that juxtaposes some gruesome practices with coming of age's first love and finding acceptance in yourself. We are presented with flawless performances from the two "future" Hollywood household names, Timotheé Chalamet and Taylor Russell. This film can be a testimony to how film can be seen as a series of photographs due to the long takes and intense emotion. The setting of the Midwest places an emphasis on the vastness/disconnection of the main characters from the rest of society due to their uncivilized tendencies. This allows for the writing and dialogue to breathe making us viewers listen deeper to the characters being fleshed out and their stories unfolding before us.

Cinematography Masterclass

#cinemetography #bones and all #luca guadagnino #timothée chalamet #taylor russell

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supersergiofabi · 2 years

Photo

#oliverstone #masterclass Allora Fest #ostuni #puglia #hollywood #registi #attori https://www.instagram.com/p/CfMD1U7s5Ri/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

#oliverstone #masterclass #ostuni #puglia #hollywood #registi #attori

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darkangel1791 · 21 days

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This might be a controversial opinion piece on the movie, "The Apprentice."

I don't feel as if any insult to Sebastian as a person, or an actor is intended in this piece. There is a mention of seeing Sebastian in the make-up as something that would "ruin your day", but I believe this comment would be made by this author about any actor made-up to look like Donald Trump. There is criticism of his decision to play Donald Trump, and for the movie to be made, and a mention of John Mulaney, so continue at your own risk.

It was authored in December 2023 someone named Sarah. And published on a site called Lainey Gossip.

Do Literally Anything Else

Please leave no insulting or political criticism on my post. It does no good there. Leave it at the source, thank you.

Block or unfollow me if you are offended by my posting this.

Read below if you don't want to click on the link.

Do literally anything else

DECEMBER 5, 2023 17:16:12 BY SARAH

I ignored it as long as I could but now there are photos and there is no denying it any longer—Sebastian Stan is playing Donald Trump in an upcoming movie, and this is a mistake.

The film is called The Apprentice, but despite the millennial title, it’s about a younger Donald in the 1970s and 1980s, when he took over the family real estate business and turned himself into “what a hobo imagines a rich man to be” (when John Mulaney nails it, John Mulaney nails it). Per Deadline, Stan is joined by Jeremy Strong as Roy Cohn and Maria Bakalova as Ivana Trump, and the film is being directed by Iranian filmmaker Ali Abbasi, who won an Un Certain Regard award at Cannes for his 2018 film, Border, and competed for the Palme d’Or with his last film, 2022’s Holy Spider. There are now photos of Sebastian Stan done up as The Donald which you can see here, if you want to ruin your day.

These are VERY talented people, but this is a mistake. Making a movie about Donald Trump, no matter the intent or how vicious the portrayal may be, is a mistake. It is giving that guy exactly what he wants—validation by people who hate him. We would be SO much better off if Hollywood ignored him. He probably never would have become president if the media treated him like what he was in 2015: a joke, an unserious person running an unserious campaign. But the ratings were too good, they couldn’t ignore him because cable news—a dying industry—boomed during the Trump years, so they kept feeding the beast and now there’s a chance he will actually get to be president AGAIN and no Hollywood movie is going to stop it.

I’m not saying we ignore Donald Trump entirely. At this point, we can’t. But he belongs to the realm of serious, investigative journalism, hopefully revealing and elucidating more (alleged) crimes that might halt his path back to the White House. Turning Trump, even a younger Trump, into entertainment is a mistake, just as it was a mistake with Vice and W. regarding Dick Cheney and George W. Bush, respectively. Some people don’t get the biopic treatment. Some people shouldn’t be converted to popcorn entertainment.

But I get the appeal of this project on paper. Sebastian Stan has a knack for portraying rich assholes in a most unflattering way—his brief appearance as Robin Hood co-founder Vladimir Tenev in Dumb Money was a masterclass in turning a certain type of Silicon Valley bro into a walking punchline—but not even he will be able to overcome the simple fact that Donald Trump loves any and all attention and he especially loves living in people’s heads rent free. Don’t give it to him!

The other casting is equally good. Jeremy Strong excels at playing complicated, conflicted losers, and Roy Cohn was certainly that, and Maria Bakalova as Ivana Trump is a stroke of genius. And Ali Abbasi probably has a lot to say about this man, but again, it won’t matter, the people who need to hear the message don’t even live in the same world as the messengers, and it will only give Donald Trump tingles that Hollywood can’t quit him. There is literally nothing to be gained here.

But art! No. We’re too close to the morass of the Trump years—too threateningly close to more Trump years—to see it clearly, to have the perspective needed to create even halfway decent art about it. But people will insist, like I said, I see the appeal on paper, and no one has been able to resist the lure of ratings and attention that comes with anything connected to Trump. People will be curious about this movie which will undoubtedly be on the long list of Oscar contenders next year. I super look forward to giving Donald Trump extra attention during a contentious election year in the US. Or, you know, everyone could decide to do literally anything else rather than give Donald Trump what he wants, which is attention, any and all attention, and the knowledge that people who hate him can’t stop thinking about him. I am begging Hollywood to stop thinking about him.

#the apprentice #sebastian stan #jeremy strong #maria bakalova #ali abbasi #donald trump #roy cohn

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