#//mike might look like him but evan's so so so much more similar to their dad and its killing me | Explore Tumblr Posts and Blogs

anglophiletraveler · 1 month

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Chapter 5

You Can't Pick Your Relatives

Note: I finally got around to making a collage to go with this fic that I've been writing based on The Almighty Johnsons. The female lead in the story, Charlie, isn't based on anyone in the show, but in my mind she's a fiesty, beautiful red head from Canada! I did find a picture of the above actress that is similar to how I envision her. I hope this helps you enjoy the story more!

Anders was looking at his face in his bathroom mirror. It was as bad as Dawn said, and it will definitely not be any better by tomorrow’s meeting with Charlie. And he really had wanted to see her face after she received his basket. He was going to have to text her and tell her that he’s sick and won’t be at the meeting. He really hated to tell her in a text, but if she talked to him, he was afraid that she would figure out that he really wasn’t sick. “That damn Mikkel!!” Anders yelled! Of course he had a headache from the hit, so he took some medicine for that. He wanted to drink some vodka with it, but he talked himself out of it, so he grabbed a bottle of water and sat down to test Charlie.

“Hello blue eyes!”

“Lol! I could be calling you the same!”

“Well yours are much prettier than mine!”

“Well aren’t u just full of 💩 tonight! How are you?”

“Lol! Well, that’s actually what I’m texting you about. I’ve come down with a flu or something and I won’t be able to make it to the meeting tomorrow. Dawn knows everything I do, so she’ll be fine to run it. I’m sorry 🤢.”

“Oh no! I was looking forward to seeing you tomorrow!”

“I know. I really wanted to see you too.”

“Well, can I bring you over some soup or ginger ale or something?”

“Oh you’re so sweet. But I don’t want you coming over and catching what I have. But thanks for the offer.”

“Gosh you were fine yesterday. I must have worn down your immunity! Lol!”

“That’s probably it! I’m going to go lay back down. Thanks for understanding.”

“Oh you poor thing! Take care of yourself! ❤️”

“FUCK!” Anders yelled again. “Damn you Mikkel! You fuck up everything for me!!”

Anders grabbed his phone and called Ty.

“Anders? What’s up?”

“Ty! Everything is fucked up now with this fucking eye of mine. It’s going to take at least a week for it to go away! A week Ty! What am I going to do?? What am I going to tell Charlie? I just texted her that I can’t be at the meeting tomorrow and she wants to bring me soup! Soup Ty! I can’t avoid her for a week, she’ll think I don’t like her! She’ll think I’m, I’m, just playin her!”

Ty sighed. “Anders, try to calm down. I know that sounds stupid right now.”

“Fuckin’ right it sounds stupid!”

“Screaming right now isn’t going to make things better! If she thinks you’re sick, maybe she won’t push getting together with you for awhile. If she thinks you’re contagious she won’t want to come around, and maybe your eye will be better by then.”

“Maybe. And that’s a big maybe.”

“Besides Anders, what’s the big idea if Charlie did find out how you got the eye. You weren’t the one that was doing the swinging.”

“I just wanted to keep Mike and Axl out of our relationship. I didn’t want them to taint our relationship. You know how they are, they spew all sorts of shit about me to anyone. And if they find out I might have a.. a…”

“Girlfriend?”

“She’s not my girlfriend! She’s just a friend. And if they find out about her they’ll tell her a bunch of shit and chase her off.”

“Well Dawn and I won’t say a word to them about her. Just try to calm down and get some sleep. You might be getting upset for nothing,” Ty said.

“Right. Fat chance of that. I’ll see ya. Thanks Ty.”

***********************

The next morning, Charlie’s secretary Evan, was preparing for a busy day ahead with his boss when an unusual package was hand delivered from a delivery service for Charlie. Evan raised an eyebrow at the package and signed for the delivery so the delivery person could leave. It almost looked like a fruit basket the way it had been wrapped in that slippery cellophane wrapping paper. It was purple so he couldn’t see inside it and tied with a big bow and a card that was sealed, so he couldn’t see who it was from. He picked it up and knocked on his boss’s door.

“Come in.”

“Charlie, I have something for you,” Evan announced.

Charlie was reading some paperwork and didn’t look up right away. Evan was awkwardly standing there until she gave her attention to him.

Finally she looked up, “What is that?”

“I’m sure I don’t know, but your name is on the card,” Evan handed the card to her. “Where do you want me to put it?”

Charlie was looking at the envelope to see if she recognized the handwriting, “Well, just leave it here on my desk I guess.” Evan set it down and was hoping that she would open it so that he could see what was inside the package. Charlie hadn’t opened the envelope yet, but she was curious about the package. “You know Evan, it could be a bomb.”

“Oh good God!” Evan replied in an alarmed voice. “Who would want to send a bomb to you?”

“I don’t know. Maybe it’s really meant for you!” Charlie teased.

“Oh Charlie, for God’s sake open the damn envelope!”

Charlie let out one of her bawdy laughs. She carefully opened the envelope like it could be tainted.

Dear Charlie,

I tried really hard to find a florist to make an arrangement out of maple leaves to send to you, but none of them would cooperate with me. So this will have to be the next best thing. Ty and Dawn love baking cupcakes, so they created these maple flavoured creations for you. Enjoy!

Anders

Charlie let out a gasp, “Oh my gosh!!” She ripped open the package which caused the maple leaves to spill out everywhere on her desk.

Charlie was laughing even louder and she grabbed some of the leaves and threw them up in the air!! “I love it!”

Evan was looking at her like she lost her mind, “What on earth is all of this. Who is it from?”

Charlie looked at Evan, “It’s from Anders! His card said that he couldn’t find a florist to make an arrangement with maple leaves, so he made this basket! Isn’t that sweet!”

“What’s the deal with all of the leaves?” Evan asked.

“Don’t you get it? I’m Canadian!! Our symbol on the flag is the maple leaf! Duh! What else does he have here?” She pulled out the bottles of maple syrup which made her cackle. Then she pulled out a plastic container and when she opened it, it was filled with white cupcakes with little red maple leafs on them. “Oh look at the cupcakes Evan! Here, try one!” She gave Evan one and he bit into it and chewed, “It’s good but I can’t tell what the flavour is?”

Charlie bit into a cupcake, realising right away the flavour, “They are maple flavoured! I love it! And look at these decorations! Wow, they did a really good job, I’m impressed!”

Evan was finishing his cupcake, “So did Anders make the cupcakes?”

“No, the card says that his brother and Dawn did. Oh by the way he texted me last night and he’s not going to be at the meeting this afternoon and Dawn is going to run it. He said he’s really sick.” She started picking up the leaves from her desk.

“My my Charlie, you and Anders are certainly getting close,” he gave her a knowing smile.

“Maybe. Maybe not,” she wasn’t about to tell Evan about the weekend that she just had with Anders. This basket of goodies gave her hope that Anders was feeling the same about her, that she was about him. He could have just sent some ordinary roses, but she loved the fact that he went the extra mile to be different and quirky and sent this basket to her.

Evan was wadding up the cellophane wrapping paper to clean up her desk, “Do you want me to throw these leaves out?”

“Evan, don’t you dare!”

********************************

The meeting with the commercial director, editor, and Dawn had wrapped up, and Evan was showing everyone out, when Charlie stopped Dawn.

“Dawn! I just wanted to thank you for the cupcakes, they’re delicious. And so clever!”

Dawn smiled at Charlie, “Oh I’m glad that you like them. My husband Ty did most of the work. He and Anders were so cute with their heads together on what to send you since Anders couldn’t find the right flower arrangement to send you.”

“It was very original. I assume that all took place before Anders got sick?” Charlie asked.

Dawn had forgotten that Anders was supposed to be sick. She didn’t know what to say, “Oh, oh yes! Anders, he um, started getting sick when he was still at our place. And so he didn’t want to get Andrea sick, so, he went home.” She didn’t like the weird look that Charlie was giving her. It probably didn’t help that Dawn tapping a pen on her leg and she was fidgety.

“Dawn, why do I get the feeling that you’re hiding something from me?”

Dawn sighed. She looked around to make sure nobody was in the conference room that they were in, and she closed the door. “Anders is going to kill me for telling you this.”

Charlie started to panic inside and spilled her guts out to Dawn. “Dawn, I know he’s been a player in the past, but we just had a really good weekend. Do you think he regrets that now? I wonder if I came on too strong? Is he trying to avoid me?”

Dawn was surprised by Charlie’s confession and shook her head, “What? Nooo, that’s not it. I think, yes, Anders has been a player in the past, a very big player. But I think he likes you. But he was afraid to see you today, because his eye… can we sit down?”

The two women sat down. Dawn let out a big sigh. “Anders was afraid to come to the meeting today because he was afraid of what you and the others might think of him. It wasn’t Anders' fault. I felt so bad for him. His brother Mike is a big bully sometimes. And…”

Dawn wasn’t making sense, and Charlie was getting more confused, “Dawn! What wasn’t Anders' fault?”

“Anders got a black eye yesterday. A really bad one. He’s not really sick, but he was afraid of what you would think if he came in here today with a black eye. We tried icing it but the swelling just wouldn’t go down.” Dawn finally explained.

“I don’t understand. Did he get into a fight with a woman’s boyfriend or something?” Charlie was starting to doubt her feelings for Anders now.

“No, no it wasn’t anything like that. It happened when he was trying to pick some maple leaves from a tree. His brother Mike spotted him from his truck and pulled over, and went over and confronted Anders about a family issue, and in order to get away from Mike and not get into a fight, Anders turned away and started walking away from Mike. Well that made Mike even more angry, and so he grabbed Anders and punched him and gave him the black eye.” Dawn huffed.

Charlie couldn’t believe what she was hearing. She remembered the few times she tried to mention Anders’ family he always changed the subject. “That’s crazy. Did Anders hit him back?”

Dawn shook her head, “No, I don’t think so. He knew it wouldn’t have done any good.”

“Well, whenever I’ve tried to talk about his family, he’s avoided the subject. I guess this is the reason why. So he’s at home?”

“Yes, he has been working from home. He’s planning on doing that for the rest of the week until the eye gets better. But I think it’s going to take longer than that. It’s pretty bad. I’m starting to think he should’ve gone to the clinic or A&E,” Dawn said.

“Oh my gosh. Poor guy. Where does he live?” Charlie asked.

“Oh Charlie, he will kill me if you go over to his flat,” Dawn said.

“You let me handle that,” Charlie said. “Just tell me where he lives.”

*******************************

Anders had worked from home all day. Dawn had said the meeting had gone well and that Charlie had liked her basket. He was kind of disappointed that he never heard from Charlie herself about the basket, but then again she did think he was sick. He was just about to make some supper for himself when he heard someone knocking on the door. He didn’t know who it could be because he didn’t buzz anyone through the main door. They knocked again. He opened the door slowly and was shocked to see Charlie standing there with a big smile on her face. She quietly started singing, “Oh Canada! Our home and native land! True patriot love thou dost in us command.”

Anders started laughing and opened the door, “Get in here before the neighbours call the coppers!” He noticed that she was carrying a large pot. “Here let me get that for you. What is it? Smells delicious.”

“Well, I heard someone was sick, so I made some chicken noodle soup to help them feel better,” said Charlie.

Anders sat the pot down on the stove and opened the lid to look at it, “Wow, thank you. You didn’t have to do that. I was just getting ready to scramble an egg.”

Charlie was still smiling, “Well, now you don’t have to. It should still be hot if you want to have a bowl now. I’ve brought some crackers to go with it.”

Anders leaned on the counter, looked down and swallowed hard. He didn’t know what to say. Obviously Charlie had seen his eye by now.

Charlie started looking through his cupboards, “Where are your bowls, I’ll ladle you some out. Oh here they are.”

Anders cleared his throat, “Are you going to have some with me?”

“Sure, I’ll join you. Where do you want to sit?” Charlie was busying herself to get through the awkwardness between them.

“The couch is fine. Would you like something to drink?” Anders wanted to crawl under the nearest rock. Why is she being so nice to him after he’s lied to her and has a black eye.

“Um, water is fine for me,” She carried the bowls over to the table in front of the couch. She

pulled the crackers out of her bag and jumped up to get napkins and spoons.

They both finally sat down to eat. Anders finally looked Charlie in the face, “Thank you for bringing this over. You didn’t need to. I assume that Dawn told you where I live?”

“Yes she did. I twisted her arm,” Charlie said.

“Yeah I bet you did. It didn’t take much I’m sure. I assume she told you about my eye also?” Anders asked.

“What eye? I don’t know what you’re talking about? How’s the soup?” Charlie said with a twinkle in her eye.

Anders chuckled, “It’s delicious, thanks again. And I’m sure that my neighbours are relieved that you’ve stopped singing ‘Oh Canad’ as well.”

Charlie placed her hand on her throat, “What! I’m hurt that you don’t appreciate the Canadian National Anthem. It’s a beautiful anthem I’ll have you know!”

“I didn’t say that it wasn’t, all I said was that my neighbours are probably relieved that you’ve stopped singing it. Dawn said the meeting went well.”

“Yes it did, no thanks to you, ya egg!” Anders laughed at her use of the slang word. “And I loved the basket you sent me. It was awesome. Nobody has ever sent me a basket of leaves before. Thank you for going out of your way to make it special.”

Anders swallowed hard and his eyebrows raised as he looked at this woman in front of him. “I, um. You’re very welcome,” Anders said in a soft voice. Charlie raised her hand to gently touch his eye. Anders laid his hand on top of hers and closed his eyes, then touched her hand.

“Does it hurt?” Charlie asked.

“Just a bit.”

“Maybe we should get it checked out. It looks pretty bad.”

Anders smiled, “Nah, there’s nothing they can do. I’ll just keep icing it.”

“Anders, I really think it should be checked out. You could have some damage to your cornea or retina or something. Please? For me?” Charlie was giving her best puppy dog look to Anders.

Anders rolled his eyes, “Jaysus how can I resist you?!”

************************

After spending five hours in A & E, a tired and frustrated Anders and Charlie finally made it back to his place, complete with an eye patch covering the black eye. They both collapsed on the sofa.

“The next time you try to convince me to go to the A & E, I’m going to remind you of this night,” Anders growled.

“It was a long night, but obviously you needed to be checked out. I had no idea it would be this busy in the emergency room on a Tuesday evening. But from what the doctor and the ophthalmologist said, I’m glad you went. Your cornea is nothing to be messed with. If you’d like, I can spend the night and help you put the medicine in your eye in the morning,” Charlie offered.

Anders smiled at Charlie and teased her, “I’m never going to stop you from spending the night!”

Charlie chucked at the insinuation, “Okay, sounds good. I can sleep on the couch so that you can rest better.”

“Like fuck you are! You are sleeping with me!”

That brought out Charlie’s deep laugh, “Anders, the eye doctor said you need to take it easy for the next couple of days.” She was trying to sound all innocent.

“Listen here, he said take it easy. I don’t think that meant no sex!”

“I think you’re wrong Anders. It says right here on these discharge papers no sex for two weeks!” She loved teasing Anders.

Anders tried to grab the papers from her but she was holding them out of his reach! “Now I know it doesn’t say that in the paperwork. Let me see!”

“Mmmm with which eye?”

“Ohhh you are a cheeky little thing aren’t you!” Anders finally grabbed the discharge papers out of Charlie’s hands and was reading them with the one good eye he had at the moment. “Ha! Nowhere does it say no sex! So that means you are sleeping with me. And as luck would have it, my housekeeper put clean sheets on my bed this morning.”

“You have a housekeeper for this little apartment?” Charlie asked.

He grabbed Charlie and started tickling her. She ended up on Ander’ lap with his arms wrapped around her waist, while he was nuzzling her neck kissing her all over. She quickly rolled her head to give him more room to work, running her fingers through his hair.

Anders inhaled her scent, “Jaysus how do you still smell so good after all these hours?”

“I’m special like that!” They both giggled at that. “Anders?”

“Hmmmm”

“Where’s your bedroom?”

*******************************

Charlie woke up before the alarm on her phone went off so she quickly shut it off and reset it for a later time, then sent a text to Evan letting him know that she would be late getting into the office. She quietly got up to go to the bathroom, and then returned to bed to snuggle in with Anders.

Anders stirred, “What time is it?”

“It’s early. I just reset my alarm to go off at 8:00. Go back to sleep.”

Anders wrapped his arms around Charlie and gave her a lazy kiss to the side of her head. It didn’t take long for Anders to drop back to sleep. But Charlie stayed awake a little longer wondering where this was all going. She already felt herself falling for this adorable kiwi, but the question was, what did he think about their relationship so far? At this point she was nervous too bring it up. She didn’t want to risk scaring him off.

“You are thinking way too loud. Go to sleep Charlie,” Anders said.

Charlie smiled, “I thought you were asleep?”

“I was but your loud thinking woke me up.”

Charlie slid further down into his arms, “Sorry, I’ll try to go back to sleep.” She felt the warmth of his hand caressing her backside. She sighed and started to fall back to sleep again.

**************************

When Dawn told Ty about Anders having to wear an eye patch because of the injury to his cornea, Ty was livid. Anders could have lost his eyesight! So after Dawn came home that evening, Ty paid a visit to Mike’s Bar.

When he walked in the bar Axl and Zeb, sitting in their usual spot in the corner, but he didn’t see Mike.

Axl was surprised to see Ty at the bar. Since the baby was born Ty was rarely at the bar. “Ty! Hey bro how’s it going? Haven’t seen you in a while.”

Ty nodded at him, “Where’s Mike?”

Axl could tell something was up, “He’s downstairs bringing some supplies up. He should be back in a minute. Is something wrong?” Just then Mike came up with a crate of booze. He spotted Ty and had a feeling why he was in the bar.

Mike set the crate down on the bar and leaned against it, “Ty. What brings you here? Everything alright?”

“No Mike, everything isn’t alright. You hurt Anders the other day Mike. He had to go to the hospital because your fist caused some damage to his cornea! So no, I’m not alright. You need to get over your need to hurt Anders NOW! Anders didn’t deserve getting hit in the eye, Mike. You need to grow up and get over whatever it is that you’re pissed at Anders about.”

Mike stood up straight, “I didn’t even hit him that hard. He’s just being a pussy that he always was. And I’ll stop being pissed off at Anders when he starts taking responsibility and starts thinking of others instead of himself. He needs to go see Grandpa ….”

Ty interrupted him, “Anders does go see Grandpa, at least once a week, and he even pays for some of his expenses.”

“I don’t believe that. He’s never signed in to the visitors book. He’s just filling you another load of shit Ty.”

“He doesn’t sign in because he doesn’t want anyone to know he’s there. He doesn’t make a big deal out of spending time with Grandpa like you do Mike. Dawn has told me how much time he spends with him, and how much he pays for his expenses. When was the last time you paid for some of Grandpa’s expenses? Hmmm?”

Mike looked dumbfounded, “I didn’t know that,” he answered in a quiet voice.

Axl spoke up, “Way to go Mike. You fucked up again.”

Mike spun his head around to Axl, “Shut up Axl. When’s the last time you saw Grandpa?”

“It’s not a game or a competition Mike! Get over yourself!” Axl answered back. “I can’t believe you hurt Anders like that. How’s he doing Ty?”

“He has to put drops in his eye three times a day to help heal the cornea, and he has to wear an eyepatch for five days.” He looked at Mike, “Dawn has already said that she doesn’t want you coming over to the house at the same time Anders is there. You keep this up and she won’t want you there at all. So call before you come over from now on to make sure Anders isn’t there.” Ty turned around and left without giving Mike a chance to speak again. He didn’t want to hear anything else that Mike had to say.

Ty stopped over at Anders on his way home to check on him. He rang the buzzer and a female voice answered. It threw him for a moment, “Uh hi, this is Ty, I was just wanting to see my brother Anders.”

“Oh sure, I’ll buzz you up.”

Anders' door was open when Ty got there so he just went on in. He saw a woman cooking in Anders’ kitchen before he saw Anders sitting on the couch.

Anders stood up, “Oh hey Ty come on in, grab a beer. Charlie, this is my brother Ty, Dawn’s husband. Ty this is Charlie.

Charlie wiped her hands on a kitchen towel and held out her hand to shake Ty’s hand, “Ah yes, it’s nice to finally meet you Ty. I really love Dawn. She’s fun to hang out with. I’m just cooking us some supper, would you like to stay?”

Ty smiled at Charlie, “It’s nice to finally meet you! Dawn thinks a lot of you. And no, I’m sure Dawn will have supper ready by the time I get home. I just wanted to check up on Anders and see how the eye is doing.” He went over to the seating area and sat down with Anders. “I like the pirate look that you’ve got going.”

Anders chuckled, “Yeah too bad it’s not Halloween. So how’s my beautiful niece?”

“She’s good, she’s good. She’s starting to sleep better. Anyway, I just wanted to let you know, that I just saw Mike.”

“Oh wow, how did that go?”

“Fine as far as I’m concerned. He tried to defend himself for hitting you but I let him know that it’s not acceptable and that he has to leave you alone and stop treating you like a punching bag.”

Charlie was listening to the two brothers talk, and that comment made her smile.

“Wow thanks bro. I don’t know what good it will do. But anyway, I don’t plan on seeing him anytime soon.” Anders said.

“Well, I also told him that Dawn doesn’t want him at our house the same time you are there, and that he’s supposed to call first from now on before he comes over to make sure that you’re not there.”

Anders was stunned at that news. He didn’t want things to get this far. “Ty, you don’t have to do that. I don’t want the family to split even more than it already is.”

Ty raised his hand, “It was all Dawn’s idea. She doesn’t want Mike being a prick in front of Andrea. Maybe this will make him think a little before he does something stupid again. He has to realise that we don’t have to answer to him anymore. We’re all grown ups and he and Axl both need to grow up.”

“Was Axl there?”

“Yeah, he and Zeb were in their usual spot. I didn’t talk to him much. I can only hope that he has straightened up and is working. I didn’t stick around to find out.”

Anders looked down, “I haven’t seen or heard anything from Axl in months. Well I appreciate you talking to Mike. Hopefully he’ll start thinking about his actions.”

Ty stood up to leave, “Well, I need to get going. I just thought I’d check in on you. If you need anything let us know. Charlie it was nice meeting you. Maybe sometime Anders will bring you over for dinner and you can meet Andrea.”

Charlie smiled, “I’d like that. Thank you Ty. It was lovely to meet you.”

Anders walked Ty out, “Thanks for stopping by bro.” He gave Ty a hug.

“No problem. Hey uh, you better hang on to that one, she’s nice,” he smiled at Anders.

“Alright, alright, get out of here!” said Anders. He closed the door behind Ty and walked back to Charlie and put his arms around her waist.

“I like him. He seems very nice,” Charlie said. She leaned in to give him a kiss.

“He is. He used to be a twat but married life has been good for him,” he kissed her again.

Charlie leaned over and turned the stove off, “Time to eat!”

Anders got this devilish look on his face, “Yes it is.” He pulled the apron off Charlie and led her to the bedroom, Charlie laughing all of the way!

#work in progress #dean o'gorman #the almighty johnsons #anders johnson

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homerforsure · 3 years

Text

Whumptober No. 5

betrayal / misunderstanding / broken nose

(Hockey AU)

***

He’d always thought the night Jay took the picture would be the worst of it.

Buck’s hands were clutching the rails of Jay’s iron headboard, where Jay had wanted them, where Jay had placed them after stripping Buck of his clothes, saying “Don’t let go.” His slow, sexy, predatory smile was the last thing Buck saw before the silky black blindfold was tied in place. Jay was gone after that, climbing off the bed, telling Buck how good he looked and what he thought he might do and Buck had arched into the words until he was begging to be touched.

“Be patient,” Jay had purred, appeasing Buck with a single finger drawn shiveringly down his thigh. Buck could feel that he’d climbed back onto the bed, but Jay was too far away and he wasn’t teasing; he just wasn’t there. Stretching out longer on the mattress, trying to find him, he’d said, “What’s going on up there?”

Then the flash went off, the bright light cutting through the thin fabric of the blindfold. Jay swore, “Shit. Fuck,” and when Buck let go of the bed with one hand (one hand because maybe he misunderstood, maybe it was fine, maybe he’d laugh and put his hand back and they’d-)to push the tie away, he’d seen Jay, crouched above him with his phone in his hand.

If he’d asked, Buck might even have agreed. He liked posing. He liked having his body appreciated. But Jay’s expression was the alarm of being caught red-handed and Buck knew, knew with a sinking feeling of dread and betrayal, that Jay wasn’t just taking a memento to savor later. He was taking a picture of Rangers center Evan Buckley, naked, smirking, and vulnerable, to use exactly the way those kinds of pictures get used.

Buck forced Jay to delete the photo, made him prove that he’d done it, and then had somehow managed to get himself dressed and down to the street to get a ride without throwing up. His face burned the whole drive home and for half of the night.

And that was the worst of it until five years later. In a new city. When Buck was finally playing the way he’d always known he could. When he was finally earning the respect of his team and the hockey world at large. When he started thinking he might stay. That was when the anonymously authored post was retweeted and reblogged and shared and gleefully discussed on all corners of the hockey internet.

MY WILD NIGHT WITH AN NHL ALL STAR

The Good, the Bad, and the Kinky

His agent’s was the first text he saw when he got done with practice: “Do NOT respond yet. Call me first.”

It had taken another couple messages before Buck realized what he wasn’t supposed to respond to and in the meantime, the texts kept rolling in. Half of them from numbers he didn’t even have saved in his contacts.

“Dude, is that shit true?”

“Are you okay?”

“Do you know who it is?”

“You dog 😜”

“You never told me you were into that 👀”

“Ignore it, Buck.”

“We’re all with you.”

“Fuck that guy.”

“Hey if you need something to take your mind off of it💋💋💋”

“Evan, Mike from the Tribune. If you want to set the record straight, please give me a call.”

From the looks on the faces of his teammates as they tried to pretend they weren’t stealing glances at him, they were getting messages of their own. Hen was the first one to start to approach him with a look of concern, but Buck avoided her, grabbing his bag and sneaking out the door without bothering to hit the stationary bike like usual.

“What the hell did you do to piss this guy off?” Geoff said as soon as he answered Buck’s call. “More importantly, what else does he have on you?”

“Nothing!” Buck answered, nearly merging directly into another car as his hands shook on the steering wheel. “What do I do? How do I fix this?”

“I don’t know, Buckley. None of my other clients get up to shit like this. You need to get yourself a publicist. I’m going to get in touch with Grant and make sure they’re not already shopping you.”

His agent hung up and Buck’s phone continued to buzz and chime all the way back to his apartment.

There were cameras outside which there almost never were. Mostly only hockey fans cared about pictures of hockey players and the press was limited to the arena and their official events. Maybe one or two regular guys who Buck knew by name. It was just his luck that he lived in LA where there were almost more cameras than there were disasters to photograph.

“Buck! Do you know who the author is?”

“Have your teammates seen the post?”

“Are you worried about other former partners coming out with similar stories?”

Buck pushed past them, but the questions followed him inside. His phone didn’t stop. His mentions were a nightmare on every platform. He shut Twitter as soon as he opened it and saw his name in the trending topics. The statements put out by the Kings and Buck’s agent condemning the piece and the interest in it were drowned out by outlet after outlet picking up the post and sharing it out wider and wider.

Can you guess this NHL player by his sexcapades? (Hint: It’s exactly who you think)

Hockey players used to be the humble, hard working gentleman of sports. What happened?

Should the Kings trade Evan Buckley? Can they?

Nash should make Buckley sit for embarrassing the team like this.

Aw, man, don’t do that. Sitting’s a little tough for Buckley right now

🤣

And I thought it couldn’t get worse than the time he fucked that mascot in Carolina

{This post may contain explicit content}

😵‍💫

🤮

Excuse you, Gritty has standards

[98 more posts]

Whether from a latent masochistic streak or just because he didn’t want to look away and find that the story had gotten bigger while he was gone, Buck couldn’t stop refreshing the pages. He read Jay’s words over and over again as his stomach roiled. If it had all been lies, Buck wouldn’t have spent the morning pressed into the corner of his couch, hoodie pulled up over his head like armor. If it had all been lies, he could have made a fiery statement, condemning the mystery author and condemning everyone who thought they had a right to consume and critique another person’s sex life.

There were some lies, of course, but it was true enough that Buck’s heart clenched with it. True enough that he could remember how he felt when it was happening, during the three times they’d been together before the photo. Soft and desired and joyful. There was a part of him that was still exposed to Jay, that always would be, this man with the sharp wit and the sharp smile who got Buck bare, begging and biddable all to make him a joke. As he read the smug asides in the unforgiving narrative, he could hear Jay’s voice in his ear.

The sixth time he read it, there was an addition.

Edit: Ha ha wow this really blew up. Doing an AMA at 6 eastern if you’re looking for more dirty details.

And for the first time, Buck felt the burn of tears in his eyes. Furious. Powerless.

The buzz of his phone started making his skin crawl so he shoved it between the couch cushions and tried not to think about it. He sat with his knees pulled up to his chest and his arms wrapped tightly around, rocking just a little as he felt panic creeping in.

What else could Jay possibly have to say? Would he make up more and more audacious lies as long as he had an audience? Would an NHL team want to touch Buck when he was done?

Were there more pictures?

It was the fourth night, the night that Buck caught Jay. Not the first night with the blindfold. What if? Buck shuddered, sinking lower, deeper into the couch, folding himself tighter and smaller, trying to crush the mounting, hopeless fear. He was there for a long time.

When the gentle knock hit his door, Buck jumped and then crouched tighter into his ball. He didn’t answer. There was no one he could face right now.

The knock came again.

Then the door opened.

Buck was up like a shot, nearly falling over the coffee table as he whirled around toward the intruder. Eddie stood in the doorway, holding up one empty hand and pulling his key out of the door with the other.

“Just me.”

“What are you doing here?” Buck asked, shoving his hands into the pocket of his hoodie to hide the fact that he’d been digging his nails into his palms for the last hour.

“Well, you took off. And you weren’t answering your phone.”

Hot shame flushed across Buck’s skin. Eddie knew. Eddie had seen the article and the articles about the article and the tweets about the articles and been shouted at by the cameras outside and Buck wanted to sink into the floor.

“Notice you didn’t take the hint.”

The attitude in Buck’s response didn’t faze Eddie at all, “Do I ever?”

And that almost made Buck feel like smiling, because no, no he didn’t. He said, “No. But there’s always a first time.”

Eddie came a little further into the apartment and Buck felt crowded. Eddie always seemed to take up so much space around him. Maybe it was just that Buck felt his presence most strongly than anyone else’s. Especially when he was like this: arms crossed, focused, not letting Buck wiggle out of a conversation that he didn’t want to have.

This time was no exception. When Buck turned and went back to the couch, compulsively refreshing the comments on Jay’s post again as he went, Eddie followed right after him.

“I came by to make sure you were okay,” he said and Buck flinched again, hating that Eddie knew. Hating that the team knew.

“I’m fine,” he answered, keeping his eyes down and away from Eddie. “Coach is going to rip me a new one tomorrow, but my agent hasn’t called me to tell me I’m being traded so yet so I guess that’s-”

“Who the fuck said you were being traded?” His voice was loud enough that Buck looked up, surprised to see the intensity of anger in Eddie’s face.

“THN. NHL Network did a round table on it too, but they didn’t think anyone would take me. Oh, then Kirk Davis did a radio interview.”

Everyone had picked up those soundbites. Even through the heavily bleeped broadcast, the future hall-of-famer’s opinion on Buck had been crystal clear. At least that wasn’t new information for Buck. Davis had all but refused to shake Buck’s hand when he first joined the Predators and was a big part of why his tenure there had only lasted until the trade deadline.

“Kirk Davis is a fucking asshole. There’s a reason they never made him captain.”

“He’s not the only one who said it.”

“Then he’s not the only fucking asshole out there.” When he didn’t respond, Eddie came around the couch to stand face to face with him, noticing the open comments page as he did. “Christ, have you been reading that shit all day?”

Somehow it made Buck laugh. “It’s the same shit I’ve been reading for 8 years. Since I got drafted. Buckley’s a distraction to his team. Buckley’s an embarrassment to the game of hockey. Buckley cares more about getting laid and partying than he does about winning. It’s guys like Buckley that hurt the NHL.”

His voice pitched up as he recited the familiar accusations, staring somewhere over Eddie’s shoulder because Eddie already knew all this about him. Eddie was the opposite of Buck in every way. He would never make himself the center of attention. He’d never do anything to make his teammates ashamed to play with him. He’d never be so stupid as to go home with a guy like Jay.

“Buckley’s finally getting what he deserves.” Buck whispered.

“Look at me,” Eddie said. When Buck couldn’t, Eddie reached out, setting a light hand on his shoulder that got tighter when Buck tried to shrug out of the hold. “Hey. Look at me.”

He moved his head into the space where Buck was staring into the middle distance and waited. Until Buck couldn’t help but flick his gaze to meet Eddie’s. Once he did, he found a furious compassion that startled him.

“You don’t deserve this, Buck. You did nothing to deserve this. It is not your fault. Nobody in our room thinks it is. Bobby doesn’t think it is.”

Buck shuddered under the weight of the words. He wanted to pull himself free and he wanted to step in closer, “My agent told me I should own it. Post a couple thirst traps and a middle finger on instagram and just wave it off like another classic Evan Buckley weekend.”

There was a time when he would have. Times when he had. But this wasn’t a ridiculous paparazzi photo outside a bar, it was… It was private. It hurt.

As if reading his mind, Eddie said, “That’s not what this is. Fire him if he wants to make you pretend this is okay.”

“I just keep thinking if I was anyone else. If I was someone good, they’d all go after him and not me. I didn’t even do anything to him, Eddie. I didn’t-”

Before he could finish his sentence, Eddie tugged him forward and his arms were tight around his back. Buck should have tried to fight it, but he couldn’t help but fall against his chest and cling on. “You are someone good,” Eddie said, making Buck’s breath hitch. “And if you weren’t, it wouldn’t matter. It’s wrong. They’re wrong.”

“I shouldn’t have trusted him,” Buck confessed into the soft fabric of Eddie’s shirt. “I was so stupid back then. I just wanted- I wanted him to like me. And I’m still- It still hurts that he didn’t. How fucked up is that? He did this. And I still just wish he liked me.”

One of Eddie’s hands moved up to cradle the back of Buck’s head. They were swaying, just a little, Eddie rocking them gently. “I know,” he said. “I’m so sorry.”

He managed to keep from crying, but Buck couldn’t stop his breath from coming out in soft, stuttering gasps. Couldn’t keep his fingers from digging into Eddie’s back. If he thought about it, he could imagine this post too (Evan Buckley cried like a baby on my shoulder AMA), but Eddie would never do that. The warm heat of him against Buck’s chest was like a blanket hiding him from the world. It was the most vulnerable he’d been all day and the most sheltered.

Eddie didn’t let go until Buck pulled back and even then he didn’t go far, “Have you eaten since practice?”

“I didn’t think I’d be able to without throwing up,” Buck said honestly.

“Do you want to order something from-”

The timer on Buck’s laptop shrieked and they both jumped. Eddie recovered quickly, but Buck’s heart leapt into his throat. He’d almost forgotten. How could he have forgotten? Pulling away from Eddie, he turned off the timer and refreshed the post, looking for the link he knew would be there.

“Come on, Buck, really?”

Eddie reached out to slam the laptop closed, but Buck shoved his hand in the way. “I have to, Eddie. He’s doing an AMA. I have to-”

“I’m not going to let you torture yourself reading what a bunch of sick assholes have to say, Buck. No way.”

“I have to.”

“No, you-”

“Yes, I do!” He shouted it, standing up to look Eddie in the eye. “I have to read it. I have to see it now because if- if- if I wait and it gets reposted- I have to know if he has- I have to-”

“Buck,” Eddie said, putting his hands on Buck’s arms, trying to rub calmness back into him even as Buck’s heart-rate accelerated. “What does he have? What could be worse than what he already-”

“Pictures,” Buck yelled. “I have to know if he has pictures.”

A dark, dark look came over Eddie’s face and he stopped rubbing Buck’s arms to squeeze instead. “You think he has pictures?” he asked.

“I don’t know,” Buck whimpered. He saw himself as if from above, stretched out long and lewd against Jay’s sheets. He imagined ten thousand other people seeing it. “He took- I caught him taking one. Once. But I don't know if it was the only one. I don’t- I can’t let them get out. If he has them, I have to know. I have to report the post. I have to-”

“No,” Eddie said.

“Yes, Eddie. I have-”

“I hear you. Okay? I hear you, but I’m not letting you do that. I’m not letting you put any more of that garbage in your head.”

“Eddie.”

“I’ll do it. I’ll report every goddamn post.” Lifting one hand, Eddie stroked a thumb softly along Buck’s hairline. “Let me do it. Let me protect you.”

Buck swallowed hard, fear and relief and longing fighting for control of the tears that were building up again. He didn’t want Eddie to see any of that. He didn’t want Jay’s words in Eddie’s head. But Buck really really didn’t want them in his own. He wanted someone to protect him. “Thank you,” he said, falling forward again to rest his head on Eddie’s shoulder.

“I’ve got you,” Eddie replied, rubbing his hands firmly up Buck’s back.

Eddie wouldn’t let Buck sit on the couch while he monitored the thread. He fished Buck’s phone out of the couch and made him answer the important messages. From Maddie. From Bobby. From Hen and Chimney. Then he’d told him to order food from the Lebanese place they always ordered from when Eddie came over, asking for extra of the pickled turnips. All the while, Eddie’s fingers slammed onto the keyboard, that sound the only reaction he gave to any of the posts.

It should have been unbearable, letting Eddie comb through the messages. Even without seeing them, Buck knew what they were like. He blocked people every week for the same kind of thing. But Eddie had a defense against them that Buck never had: he didn’t believe they were true. Not even a little bit. He didn’t believe there was a chance that Buck was getting what he deserved for being a show off, for never being a points leader, for being open and soft hearted, for being himself. Eddie believed Buck deserved to be protected and he was ruthless about it.

“No pictures,” he said, a while later, when Jay had finally stopped replying to every comment on the page. “And the rest of it is… well. It’s nothing new.”

“Really?”

“Really. I think it’s done.”

Eddie closed the laptop as if by making that gesture of finality, he could make the words true. Buck, allowed back on his own couch, let himself believe it too. Let himself lean into the safety of Eddie’s arm over his shoulders, breathing in a deep sigh of relief as they caught the Canucks game.

The next morning, Jay’s story was hardly anywhere to be seen. It was replaced. By an essay in The Players’ Tribune. It excoriated Jay. It called out Kirk Davis by name and hundreds of online posters by their bad intentions. It praised Buck’s grace, tenacity, and backhand shot and it demanded respect and compassion and privacy from anyone who called themselves a hockey fan. And it wasn’t anonymous.

#whumptober2021 #no. 5 #betrayal #fic #911 #hanging out at the angst end of the spectrum #911fic #evan buckley #eddie diaz #hockey au #allison can’t write a short fic to save her life #minimal edits #messy ending #questionable formatting #230 am #😴

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fantasticgothicpeachsludge · 2 years

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Yeeee

Also these are so long that I'm only barely spell checking at this point so I hope they're still readable lol

So since Mike possesses his own corpse, he can disconnect his soul from his body the same way the other spirits can with their animatronics

He also uses an illusion disc similar to the way the fazbear frights books use them, so he just uses it to look not rotten

I also like the idea of him coding multiple forms for it, but the main two are just "looks normal" and "looks normal but with organs and no scoop wound this time" with are basically indistinguishable with his shirt on

All of the fun times AI and souls (only Circus Baby and Ballora are possesed) go back go their original animatronics and mike repairs them, but Ennards body still exists and eventually develops his own sentience the same way the other funtimes did

They realize hes not William but still dont know who he is and dont like him very much

He shortens Eggs Benedict to Ben because it's a much more normal name than Eggs

Lolbit is there too because I say so. They cause problems on purpose and say fuck gender, what else could you want

The entire town refers to him decaying and ejecting Ennard as "the purple incident" but dont bring it up in front of Mike out of respect for him

Practically no one in the town knows hes Michael Afton either, just that hes Mike and goes by several last names

Mike still let's them pay him like $3 an hour because they haven't given him a raise since the 80s even though that stopped being the legal minimum wage like 30 years ago

(Also hes both the owner of the company and dead so its not like money is an issue)

One time someone asked him why he disliked William so much (they know he hates William Afton, and they know he hates his father, but dont realize they're the same person) and he does Not Have The Energy to explain all the child murder and shit so he just says "he fucked my mom" and refuses to give any further context or clarification other than to say that hes not joking

Evan was right about pretty much everything and Mike knows it (the nightmares, the Fredbear plushie talking, what happened to Elizabeth, the animatronics were dangerous, etc.)

William and Mrs. Afton died on the same night but both were considered missing

Mike also knows about the cameras in his room

Mike has barely renovated the house because someday his family members might want their rooms back and he doesn't want to have changed them

(Though he did take the master bedroom for himself and moved his mother's stuff to his old room, but all of William's stuff is in trash bags in the basement somewhere)

William and Mrs. Afton both died on the same night but were considered missing

Mrs. Afton/Ballora realizes its Him after a while but doesn't say anything because he hasn't

Mike was 30 (so 1998) when he got scooped

William didn't die in the fnaf 3 fire, but the fnaf 6 fire never happened either, so at one point Mike went, found him again, and set him on fire again, and finally sent him to hell (UCN) because goddammit just stay dead already

I'll let you read this before starting with more lol

BRO?!?! IM IN LOVE WRTIH YOU!!

#Mrs Afton: I accidentally turned my son into a walking corpse thinking he was my husband :(#she would hug him and never let go #💕🍄🧚🏻answers🧚🏻‍♀️🍄💕

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letterboxd · 3 years

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Best of SXSW 2021.

From properly good Covid comedies to an epic folk-horror doc and an Indigenous feminist Western, the Letterboxd Festiville team reveals their ten best of SXSW Online.

We dug out old lanyards to wear around the house, and imagined ourselves queuing up the block from The Ritz (RIP). We dialled into screenings and panels, and did our level best to channel that manic “South By” energy from our living rooms.

The SXSW festival atmosphere was muted, and that’s to be expected. But the films themselves? Gems, so many gems, whether shot in a fortnight on the smell of an oily stimulus check, or painstakingly rotoscoped over seven years.

When we asked SXSW Film director Janet Pierson what she and her team were looking for this year, she told us: “We’re always looking for films that do a lot with little, that are ingenious, and pure talent, and discovery, and being surprised. We’re just looking for really good stories with good emotional resonance.” If there was one common denominator we noticed across this year’s SXSW picks, it was a smart, tender injection of comedy into stories about trauma, grief, unwanted pregnancy, chronic health conditions, homelessness, homophobia and, yes, Covid.

It’s hard to pick favorites, but here are the ten SXSW features and two short films we haven’t stopped thinking about, in no particular order.

Recovery Directed by Mallory Everton and Stephen Meek, written by Everton and Whitney Call

“Covid 19 is in charge now” might be the most hauntingly funny line in a SXSW film. In Recovery, two sisters set out on a haywire road trip to rescue their grandmother from her nursing home in the wake of a severe Covid 19 outbreak. There’s no random villain or threat, because isn’t being forced to exist during a pandemic enough of a threat in itself? If ever we were worried about “Covid comedies”, SXSW managed to flush out the good ones. (Read about the Festiville team’s other favorite Covid-inflected comedies, including an interview with the directors of I’m Fine (Thanks for Asking).)

Alex Marzona praises the “off-the-charts chemistry” between leads Mallory Everton and Whitney Call. Best friends since they were nine, the pair also wrote the film, with Everton co-directing with Stephen Meek. Every laugh comes from your gut and feels like something only the cast and crew would usually be privy to. “You can tell a lot of the content is improvised, which just attests to their talent,” writes Emma. Recovery doesn’t make you laugh awkwardly about how awful the last year has been—rather, it reminds you that even in such times there are still laughs to be had, trips to be taken, family worth uprooting everything for. Just make sure you’ve packed enough wet wipes for the road, and think long and hard about who should babysit your mice. —EK

The Spine of Night Written and directed by Morgan Galen King and Philip Gelatt

Don’t get too attached to any characters from its star-studded cast—nobody is safe (or fully-clothed) in The Spine of Night’s raw, ultra-violent and cynical world. Conjured over the last seven years, directors Philip Gelatt and Morgan Galen King’s rotoscoped epic recaptures the dazzling imagination and scope of their influences Ralph Bakshi and Heavy Metal. Approaching an anthology-style structure to explore how ‘absolute power corrupts absolutely’—a proverb more potent now than when Gelatt and King began their project—the film packs a franchise’s worth of ideas in its 90-minute runtime. Though the storytelling justifiably proves itself overly dense for some, it will find the audience it’s after, as other Letterboxd members have declared it “a rare treat” and “a breath of fresh air in the feature-length animation scene”. For sure, The Spine of Night can join Sundance premieres Flee and Cryptozoo in what’s already a compelling year for unique two-dimensional animation. —JM

Kambole Campbell caught up with Gelatt and King (who are also Letterboxd members!) during SXSW to talk about animation inspirations and rotoscoping techniques.

The Drover’s Wife: The Legend of Molly Johnson Written and directed by Leah Purcell

Snakes, steers and scoundrels beware! Writer-director-star Leah Purcell ably repurposes the Western genre for Aboriginal and female voices in The Drover’s Wife. Molly Johnson is a crack-shot anti-heroine for the ages, in this decolonized reimagining of a classic 1892 short story by Henry Lawson. And by reimagining, we mean a seismic shift in the narrative: Purcell has fleshed out a full story of a mother-of-four, pregnant with her fifth, a missing husband, predatory neighbors, a mysterious runaway and a young English couple on different paths to progress in this remote Southern land. Purcell first adapted this story for the stage, then as published fiction; she rightly takes the leading role in the screen version, too.

As a debut feature director, Purcell (Goa-Gunggari-Wakka Wakka Murri) already has a firm grip on the macabre and the menacing, not shying away from violence, but making very careful decisions about what needs to be depicted, given all that Molly Johnson and her family are subjected to. She also sneaks in mystic touches, and a hint of romance (local heartthrob Rob Collins can take us on a walk to where the Snowy widens to see blooming wildflowers anytime). Judging by early Letterboxd reviews, it’s not for everyone, but this is Australian colonization through an Indigenous feminist’s eyes, with a fierce, intersectional pay-off. “Extremely similar to a vast majority of the issues and themes explored in The Nightingale,” writes Claira. “I’m slowly realizing that my favorite type of Westerns are Australian.” —LK, GG

Swan Song Written and directed by Todd Stephens

Udo Kier is often the bridesmaid, rarely the bride. Now, after a lifetime of supporting roles ranging from vampires and villains to art-house muse, he finally gets to shine center-stage in Swan Song. Kier dazzles as a coiffure soothsayer in this lyrical pageant to the passage of queer times in backwater Sandusky, Ohio. “He is absolutely wonderful here,” writes Adrianna, “digging deep and pulling out a mesmerizing, deeply affecting and emotionally textured performance, proving that he’s an actor with much more range than people give him credit for.”

A strong supporting cast all have melancholy moments to shine, with Linda Evans (Dynasty), Michael Urie (Ugly Betty) and Jennifer Coolidge (Legally Blonde) along for the stroll. Surreal camp touches add joy (that chandelier, the needle drop!) but by the end, the tears roll (both of joy and sadness). Writer-director Todd Stephens ties up his Sandusky trilogy in this hometown homage, a career peak for both him and Kier. Robert Daniels puts it well, writing that Swan Song is “campy as hell, but it’s also a heartfelt LGBTQ story about lost lovers and friends, vibrant memories and the final passage of a colorful life.” —LK

Leo Koziol spoke with Todd Stephens and Udo Kier during SXSW about Grace Jones, David Bowie and dancing with yourself.

Islands Written and directed by Martin Edralin

Islands is a Mike Leigh-esque story that presents a Canadian Filipino immigrant family full of quirk and character, centered around Joshua, a reticent 50-year-old homebody son. The story drifts in and out of a deep well of sadness. Moments of lightness and familial love make the journey worthwhile. “A film so Filipino a main plot device is line-dancing,” writes Karl. “Islands is an incredibly empathetic film about what it’s like to feel unmoored from comfort. It’s distinctly Filipino and deals with the psychology of Asian culture in a way that feels both profound and oddly comforting.” In a year in which we’ve all been forced to physically slow down, Islands “shows us how slow life can be,” writes Justin, “and how important it is to be okay with that.” Rogelio Balagtas’s performance as Joshua—a first-time leading role—won him the SXSW Grand Jury Award for Breakthrough Performance. —LK

Ninjababy Directed by Yngvild Sve Flikke, written by Flikke with Johan Fasting and Inga H. Sætre

Ninjababy is as ridiculous as its title. When 23-year-old Rakel finds herself accidentally pregnant, scheduling an abortion is a no-brainer. But she’s way too far along, she’s informed, so she’s going to have to have the baby. The ensuing meltdown might have been heartbreaking if the film wasn’t so damn funny. Ninjababy draws on the comforting and familiar (“Lizzie McGuire if she was a pregnant young adult,” writes Nick), while mixing shock with originality (Erica Richards notices “a few aggressive and vulgar moments [but] somehow none of it seemed misplaced”).

An animated fetus in the style of Rakel’s own drawings appears to beg and shame Rakel into motherhood while she fights to hold onto her confidence that not wanting to be a mother doesn’t make her a bad person. Ninjababy’s greatest feat is its willingness to delve into that complication: yes, it’s righteous and feminist and 21st-century to claim your own body and life, but that doesn’t mean it’s easy to turn away from something growing inside of you. It’s a comedy about shame, art, finding care in unlikely places—and there’s something in it for the gents, too. The titular ninjababy wouldn’t leave Rakel alone, and it’s unlikely to leave you either. Winner of the SXSW Global Audience Award. —SH

The Fallout Written and directed by Megan Park

Canadian actress Megan Park brought the youthful wisdom of her days on the teen drama series The Secret Life of the American Teenager to her first project behind the camera, and it paid off. Following the scattered after-effects of a school shooting, The Fallout may be the most acute, empathetic depiction of childhood trauma on screen in recent memory. “It sneaks up on you with its honesty and how it spends time with its lead, carried so beautifully by Jenna Ortega. Even the more conventional moments are poignant because of context,” writes Kevin L. Lee. Much of that “sneaky” honesty emerges as humor—despite the heavy premise, moments of hilarity hang on the edges of almost every scene. And Ortega’s portrayal of sweet-but-angsty Vada brings self-awareness to that humor, like when Vada’s avoidant, inappropriate jokes with her therapist reveal her desperation, but they garner genuine laughs nonetheless.

In this debut, Park shows an unmatched understanding of non-linear ways that young people process their pain. Sometimes kids try drugs! Sometimes they scream at their parents! But more often than not, they really do know what they want, who loves them, and how much time they need to grieve (see also: Jessie Barr’s Sophie Jones, starring her cousin Jessica Barr, out now on VOD and in theaters). The Fallout forsakes melodrama to embrace confusion, ambiguity and joy. Winner of both the SXSW Grand Jury and Audience Narrative Feature Awards, and the Brightcove Illumination Award. —SH

Ludi Directed by Edson Jean, written by Jean and Joshua Jean-Baptiste

When Ludi begins, it’s quiet and dreamy. The film’s opening moments conjure the simple pleasures of the titular character’s Haitian heritage: the music, the colors, the people. Ludi (Shein Monpremier) smiles to herself as she starts her morning with a tape recording her cousin mailed from Haiti to Miami, and listens as her family members laugh through their troubles before recording an upbeat tape of her own. But that’s where the dreaminess ends—Ludi is an overworked, underpaid nurse picking up every shift she possibly can in order to send money home. Writer-director Edson Jean fixates on the pains and consequences of Ludi’s relentless determination, which comes to a head when she moonlights as a private nurse for an old man who doesn’t want her there.

Ashton Kinley notes how the film “doesn’t overly dramatize or pull at false emotional strings to make its weight felt. The second half of the feature really allows all of that to shine, as the film becomes a tender and empathetic two-hander.” George’s (Alan Myles Heyman) resentment of his own aging body steps in as Ludi’s antagonist. Jean throws together jarring contrasts: George throwing Ludi out of the bathroom, followed by Ludi’s memories of home, followed by another lashing out, followed by a shared prayer. The tension is unsustainable. By interspersing the back-breaking predicament of a working-class immigrant with the sights and sounds of the Caribbean, Ludi elegantly, painfully reveals what the cost of a dream can be. —SH

Woodlands Dark and Days Bewitched: A History of Folk Horror Written and directed by Kier-La Janisse

Building on the folk horror resurgence of films like The Witch and Midsommar, Kier-La Janisse’s 193-minute documentary Woodlands Dark and Days Bewitched is a colossal, staggering undertaking that should school even the most seasoned of horror buffs. “Thorough is an understatement,” says Claira.

Combining a historian’s studied, holistic patience with a cinephile’s rabid, insatiable thirst, the film, through the course of six chapters, broadens textbook British definitions, draws trenchant socio-political and thematic connections, debunks myths and transports viewers to far-flung parts of the globe in a way that almost feels anthropological. As Jordan writes, “Three hours later and my mind is racing between philosophical questions about the state of hauntology we generationally entrap ourselves in, wanting to buy every single one of the 100+ films referenced here, and being just a bit in awe of Janisse’s truly breathless work.” An encyclopedic forest worth losing yourself in—get ready for those watchlists to balloon. Winner of the SXSW Midnighters Audience Award. —AY

Introducing, Selma Blair Directed by Rachel Fleit

There’ll likely be some level of hype when this intimate collaboration between actress Selma Blair and filmmaker Rachel Fleit comes out later in the year on Discovery+, and that’s okay, because that is Blair’s intention in sharing the details of her stem-cell transplant for multiple sclerosis. There’d be little point in going there if you are not prepared to really go there, and Introducing, Selma Blair is a tics-and-all journey not just into what life is like with a chronic condition, a young son, and a career that relies on one’s ability to keep a straight face. It’s also an examination of the scar tissue of childhood, the things we are told by our parents, the ideas we come to believe about ourselves. “I almost felt like I shouldn’t have such intimate access to some of the footage in this documentary,” writes Andy Yen. “Bravo to Selma for allowing the filmmakers to show some truly raw and soul-bearing videos about her battle with multiple sclerosis that make us feel as if we are as close to her as family.” —GG

Femme Directed by Sam H. Freeman and Ng Choon Ping

I May Destroy You fans, rejoice: Paapa Essiedu, who played Arabella’s fascinating best friend Kwame, takes center stage in Sam H. Freeman and Ng Choon Ping’s intoxicating short film Femme. It’s a simple premise—Jordan, a femme gay man, follows his drug dealer (Harris Dickinson, mastering the sexually repressed brusque young man like no one else) home to pick up some goods on a night out. Except, of course, it’s not that simple. The co-directors build a world of danger, tension and electricity, with lusciously lensed scenes that lose focus as the threat rises. Frankie calls it “hypnotizing and brutal and gorgeous” and we couldn’t agree more. A crime thriller wrestling with hyper-masculinity seen through the eyes of an LGBTQ+ character, with a sucker-punch ending to boot, the world needs more than twenty minutes of this story. —EK

Play It Safe Directed by Mitch Kalisa

If you (unwisely) thought that the vulnerable, progressive environment of drama school would be a safe space for Black students, Play It Safe confirms that even a liberal bunch of actors (and their teacher) are capable of being blind to their own egregiously racist microagressions. Mitch Kalisa’s excellent short film explores structural prejudice head-on, in an electric acting exercise that rests on where the kinetic, gritty 16mm camera is pointing at every pivotal turn. At first, we’re with Black drama student Jonathan Ajayi as he receives the assignment; then we are with the rest of the class, exactly where we need to be. “Literally in your face and absolutely breathtaking,” writes Nia. A deserving winner of the SXSW Grand Jury and Audience narrative shorts prizes. —GG

Follow the Festiville team on Letterboxd

#sxsw #south by southwest #sxsw 2021 #sxswonline #SXSW Film #janet pierson #film festival #letterboxd #letterboxd best

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thestarkerisobvious · 4 years

Photo

inspired by art work by @starker-sorbet

moodboard by @von--gelmini aka @starker-stories

A snugglefic for @mrstarksbabyy

Sixteen

2 Three Worrisome Things. Alright, Four.

The first thing: When the day came and Tony could come out from under the bed, he was going to ask Peter to return to the castle. This was the first worrisome thing.

Peter had said no the last two times Tony had asked. They had already roamed the castle hand in hand, Peter telling Tony the story of Dracula, Tony pointing out

how many features a castle and a monastery had in common. And they had stargazed in the courtyards, one of Peter’s favorite pastimes. Having a friend like Tony was a dream come true, someone to talk to, who didn’t mind his endless lists of facts or even his endless questions. Someone he wanted to hold hands with.

But every dream of the castle ended up in Tony’s bedroom, the chamber of the menacing voices intoning eerie words in other rooms, the chamber where things happened that Peter wasn’t entirely sure about. In the last castle-dream they had both lost their shirts, Tony describing that the skin-to-skin contact was a type of feeding for him. They had lay in each other’s arms that way, kissing (but it wasn’t really kissing, it was just feeding, Tony was just feeding) and whispering for hours. The lack of shirts was not a worrisome at the time, because it was only a dream. Because it was only a dream, it didn’t matter.

But when morning came Peter always began to doubt himself. The first time they had met in the castle-dream was the very first time dream-Tony talked to him in full sentences. That next night, real-Tony was speaking in full sentences. Maybe Peter was fooling himself when he said that the dreams didn’t matter. What happened in their dreammeetings might very well have real-world consequences.

And then there was the second worrisome thing: mainly, that the very first time they had been in the castle Tony’s hands were doing wonderful things, roaming over Peter’s back and shoulders and waist and arms and back to his waist… feeling Tony’s hand on the small of Peter’s waist was the most amazing feeling. It was a memory he treasured late at night.

Once, but only once, Tony’s hand had strayed lower and Peter, in a moment of panic he couldn’t even explain, had stopped him.

And he regretted that deeply. He dearly wanted Tony to touch him there again, only he had no idea how to ask.

The third worrisome thing: The biggest question of all, perhaps, and that was the little matter (that was definitely not a little matter) of the voices that whispered in the other rooms.

“In the Master’s Chambers, there are no secrets,” the voices intoned ominously, and Peter had never, not even once, worked up the nerve to ask Tony what that meant, or why they were even there. Sometimes when those voices echoed Tony actually looked worried himself, as if he, too, were trying to work of the nerve to say something (but that was silly. Tony was fearless.) Sometimes Peter tried to convince himself that he had heard the voices wrong, but that seemed a little ridiculous. Then there was little question of who the ‘master’ might be. Tony called him “Master Peter” and “Master Doctor” all the time, but that was just because Peter had explained all the things he had learned in his advanced classes in NYC and Tony insisted that this was the equivalent of a masters or a doctorate in his own time. Mostly Peter just took it as a teasing reference to how much Peter had read, or perhaps a backhanded show of gratitude for reading all those books aloud to Tony. Besides, Tony had said on the first night that the was the master of that place. And it certainly was not Peter’s bedroom. It was Tony’s ‘chamber’ and if in his chamber there were no secrets, well…

…that was problematic. Because Peter was developing secrets.

Secrets from Ned. Secrets from what few kids at school decided he was worth talking to now. Secrets from his teachers. And although Tony wasn’t around to talk to, Peter was keeping secrets from him too.

But worst of all, Peter was keeping secrets from May and Ben.

Keeping secrets from the kids at school didn’t feel like a weighty sin, that was certain. Especially since all the boy’s talk about kissing girls or reaching under blouses and sweaters sounded pretty made-up anyway. And keeping Missy Lovelace’s secret felt like a GOOD thing, not a bad thing, especially since she had sworn Peter to secrecy anyway. A heroic thing. About how she didn’t miss school because she kept getting the flu. Or how her real name was “Hortense.”

And keeping secrets from Missy Lovelace also seemed more like a virtue than a sin. Like how he didn’t want to hold her hand as they walked home from school, and blushed furiously if anyone mentioned it. How he really didn’t think of her as a friend anyway, since the only movies she liked involved kissing and she didn’t read books at all. How he prayed every day that Mike DeSlaughter would walk home with them too because then he wouldn’t have to fight constantly to keep his hand safe from hers.

And keeping secrets from his other neighbor, Mike, felt more like self-defense, also fully justifiable. Like pretending he liked Westerns just as much as Sci-Fi. Pretending that he was just as interested in handguns as Mike was, and was probably going to receive one on his birthday too. Mike’s father had actually gone to college to study chemistry and was now a professional exterminator, which meant Mike was often good for a good science-based conversation. Just as long as Peter could keep the stranger parts of his personality under control, the parts that had made him so unlikeable when he had first moved to Devil’s Holler, he felt like Mike DeSlaughter was a pretty decent school-friend.

Once upon a time, the Post Family had owned magic books from two different continents explaining how to control and command demons. Peter wished there was a book explaining how to control and command his own weirdness. He had checked out How To Win Friends And Influence People from the library but it was of little use. All the things he liked and was fascinated by hadn’t been invented in 1936.

And keeping secrets from Mike had paid off, in any case. When the boys had dared Peter to go into the abandoned shed it was Mike who had warned him against it. He hadn’t listened, but at least Mike had made sure he understood that the whole thing had been a prank.

But keeping secrets from May and Ben just felt wrong.

But he kept it up steadfastly. For some reason it seemed very important for Aunt May that Missy Lovelace be his “sweetheart” or that he be “sweet on her” or something like it, and so he let her go on believing it. Or believing that when Peter said he had been “hanging out with the boys” he had really had been having fun with the other boys in town, instead of being pranked with the magazine in the abandoned shed.

That was just one more of the multitude of secrets Peter had now, weighing down on his neck like an iron collar. At least when Tony came back out from under the bed, he could share some of them. But not all of them, of course.

The secret of what happened in the shed, which no human being knew, and Tony would never know it either.

As the days approached when Tony would appear again, Peter still dreamed of the shed, even though the prank had happened the very last day of school and an entire summer had passed since then. If he had that dream he would hurry out of bed and sleep in one of the bedrooms in the hall. It was one of those kinds of dreams, the kind of dreams he didn’t even want Tony to know about.

Which brought up another thing that was weighing heavy in Peter’s brain. The other thing he had heard the ominous voices intone other rooms as he lay relaxing on Tony’s bed in the dream-castle.

“When the master commands…” those voices had chanted, and just thinking about it made Peter’s skin prickle.

It was true that Tony called Peter “Master Scholar” and “Master Doctor” and no matter how often Peter tried to explain the difference between a high school and a university education Tony would not budge on the subject. (Of course, Peter never got tired of being told that his high school subjects made him better informed than scholars that Tony had met, how could he? He glowed under Tony’s praise. He lived for it.) But Tony was the master of that castle, and this brought up weighty concerns in the evening hours that lasted Peter throughout the day. Tony was a killer, of that there could be no doubt. In the monastery he had killed and fed upon the bodies of heretics, apostates, lovers and rivals. He had killed his own lover Simeon, albeit gently.

For Evan Post he had slaughtered pigs (although, Peter reasoned, those pigs were going to be slaughtered anyway.) But Tony had also killed Evan’s neighbors, sometimes for the minor crime of asking him when he was going to get married. Although Peter could certainly relate (he sometimes felt similar feelings when the old biddies at church asked him if he had a ‘sweetheart.’ Why was everyone so desperate for him to have a girlfriend?)

“When the master commands,” those solemn voices had chanted from hidden rooms, and the very memory gave Peter chills.

Tony had asked Peter to difficult things before, although it had only been in the dream. Had asked Peter to follow him into the pitch-black passageway. Had asked him to lie beside him on the bed. And every time Peter had found he could do it, if he looked directly into Tony’s eyes.

But what if Tony asked him to do something… bad?

“When the master commands,” those voices had whispered. Had threatened. “When the master commands, what else can the servant do but obey?”

Whatever else Tony was, he wasn’t human. Whatever else he wanted to do, he might want to do bad things. And he might be able to command Peter to do those bad things.

And maybe, just maybe, Peter might want to be told to do some bad things.

But as September was well underway and the date that Tony had called “Mabon” drew near, the fourth worrisome thing was that thing that was foremost on Peter’s mind.

The fourth worrisome thing: For all the things he had learned the night Tony had fed from the vein in his neck, Tony had never, not even once, fed that way in his room.

And that was a problem.

Not at first, of course. The first time Peter had entered the dream-castle he still found himself afraid. Afraid of the old memory of too-young-to-be-reading-this-book-Peter and the terrifying idea of being in a vampire’s arms. Held close. Held down. Held helplessly, unable to move away from the stronger man whose arms were around him.

But Peter was sixteen now. And not-too-young-for-that-book-anymore-Peter had other ideas. And while it seemed like his sixteen-year-old body had ideas all its own, embarrassing ideas that often forced him to go sleep in the guest beds (so as not to share those secrets with Tony) Peter’s brain had set out on one solid course.

Tony had offered to feed on Peter’s light the way Dracula fed on Johnathan Harker’s blood. Had offered once, and never again.

This year, that was going to change.

Master (Post)

please direct all comments/questions/discussion to @witchwayisright

#The Thing That Lives Under The Bed #Demon!Tony #But not THAT Demon!Tony #TheWitchway writes stuff #Starker #Von's Moodboards

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thebachelordiaries · 5 years

Text

My Late ASF Recap of Some Early Episodes of ‘The Bachelorette’

What’s up, everyone? I’m at jury duty with some time to kill, so I thought this would be the best time to catch up on my Bachelorette recaps. Don’t feel sorry for me. If I had it my way, Casey Anthony would’ve been found guilty, Luke P. would need to go on trial for gaslighting women, and Ashley I. and Jared would be indefinitely banned from appearing on any Bachelor franchise show. Don’t thank me; I’m just a normal person who wants to make the world a fair and better place.

Ashley I. and Jared are the people five years removed from high school who still show up to the parties. Go home.

What even happened on Episodes 2, 3 and 4?

I just had to check and make sure there’s been four episodes already. I swear the premiere happened last week. It’s a similar feeling to being 23 and then waking up one day and realizing you’re 28. Time flies when you’re not doing anything with your life.

I don’t know a lot of things, but...

...Here’s What I Do Know About This Season

I have no idea why Tyler G left. This normal-ass dude with the jawline of a demigod and the personality of a barren midwest field got the first 1-on-1 date with Hannah. The only remarkable thing about it was we realized just how dirty the cast photo photographer did him.

This striking individual is allegedly the same person as this thumb-of-a-man below:

I don’t wish unemployment on anyone, but I hope the photographer who took this picture received a very fair severance package.

By episode four, Tyler G. was quietly sent home with no explanation. Obviously he was accused of something and ABC didn’t want that burden on their back, especially after they casted a SEX OFFENDER on Becca’s season, so he, and his Ian Somerhalder-esque jawline were sent back to wherever they came from.

Goodbye, Tyler G. We hardly knew ye. In the future don’t (allegedly) spit in any girl’s face. You might get kicked off a reality TV show one day.

Luke P. (the “P” stands for PLEASE LET’S STOP GIVING HIM ATTENTION)

I get that he’s the “villain” of this season, but hear me out.

Luke P. isn’t that bad. (Narrator: He really is that bad. Just wait)

Sure, he exudes so much confidence that it makes me roll my eyes into the back of my head, but I kind of respect it. (Narrator: She doesn’t respect it anymore)

I know people are saying he was “love bombing” Hannah on night 1 in order to get the first impression rose, but I just want to make it clear that it doesn’t make him an abusive person just because he flooded her with affection, and people shouldn’t label him a possible abuser because of that single instance. It’s not like he (allegedly) spat in his girlfriend’s face. (Narrator: Gaslighting is abusive behavior)

(Narrator: This paragraph somewhat defending Luke P. has beed removed due to bad judgement. Luke P. actually does suck. A lot.)

Every season there’s a little punk who has no chance at staying on the show with their connection with The Bachelorette alone, so they decide to spark a feud with the guy getting the most camera time. First there was Chad and Evan. Then there was Jordan and David. Now There’s Luke P. and Luke S.

Luke P. and I make the same face whenever Luke S. opens his mouth.

And I get it. I, too, have a secret hatred for every person with the same name as me, but Luke S. annoys me so much that I’m starting to feel bad for Luke P. (Narrator: She doesn’t feel bad anymore)

Maybe I’m wrong and Luke P. really is the worst. (Narrator: He is)

Maybe he really is being a douche canoe off camera and deserves to be ganged up on by the other guys. (Narrator: He is)

I don’t have the answers. (Narrator: You soon will)

I’m just saying I hate Luke S. more. (Narrator: This is no longer true. Luke S. is still annoying though)

MIKE FOR BACHELOR

I honestly don’t care if you don’t like Mike. Nobody asked you.

I see so much Bachelor potential in him, and I really think (with the right edit, COUGH, COUGH, ABC) he could become our first black Bachelor.

That smile. That damn smile.

I don’t care if you love Pilot Pete, Tyler C., Jedd, or whoever else the frontrunners are right now. If any of them get the gig over Mike, I’m strongly considering protesting in the streets. I’m fairly confident, with the power of Bachelor Twitter fandom, that we can make the #MikeForBachelor movement happen.

My only concern is that Mike seems like he is getting mixed up in the drama, which I hope doesn’t paint him in a negative light. And I’m scared he’s going to get eliminated before the top 6, which could hurt his chances. I’m at the edge of my seat at every rose ceremony.

Nevertheless, I do think that we can will this to come true. Mike :clap: for :clap: Bachelor :clap:.

FRONTRUNNERS

To put it bluntly, these are the only guys who have a chance with Hannah:

Jedd— He pulled an “8-Mile” and dissed himself before anyone else could by admitting to Hannah that he came on the show for the “wrong reasons.” The thing about “red flags” are that you ignore then when you’re into someone. Despite Jedd waving his “wrong reasons” flag (he wants to promote his country music career) in front of her face, Hannah could care less. She’s smitten.

Tyler C.— Look, if Hannah isn’t into Tyler C., she should just let Twitter fight over who gets what body part. I would like to call dibs on his torso. On a more serious note, Tyler C. is insanely hot, shockingly deep and actually seems like a genuine person. Everyone thought Blake was going to be to hottest ticket in Paradise, but now he’s not even on the starting roster. Meanwhile. Tyler C. is first up at bat. With that said, I don’t think Hannah is going to pick him, but he’s top four for sure.

A short list of people Tyler C. looks like: Patrick Swayze, Miles Teller, Ryan Lochte, Connor, my future husband.

Connor— Poor Connor may have had the worst 1-on-1 date of all time. Hannah was sick, so instead of doing whatever they had planned, they laid in bed for about 15 minutes. He was a good sport about it and still got the rose. My mom said he was the perfect gentleman. There’s something kind of pure about him, and he has big “best to take home to mom and dad” energy.

Pilot Pete— I admittedly didn’t “get” they hype surrounding this guy. He looks like a pudgy man baby from certain angles. But from other angles, he can get it. I officially became part of the Pilot Pete fan club when he PICKED UP HANNAH AND MADE OUT WITH HER AGAINST THE WALL.

Yeah, we stan. (Also follow me on Twitter, @thebachdiaries)

Garrett— He’s my dark horse. I feel like we haven’t seen enough of him, but I think he should get a 1-on-1 date soon. I mean, he literally looks like Jordan Rodger’s long lost brother. He’s rich (you can’t be a pro golfer and poor at the same time. I think you have to pay hefty annual fees), is from Alabama, has an adorable southern accent, and was the first person to come out of the limo (which always means something.) The thing is, I don’t really like him. He reminds me of a frat bro who giggles at immature poop jokes.

HONORABLE MENTION:

Luke P.— Even though Hannah is fed up with Luke P’s sh*t, she admitted she still has strong feelings for him. Plus, he received the first impression rose, and the recipient of that rose has gone on to get the final rose for FOUR SEASONS IN A ROW. I’m just saying. Luke P. may win this thing.

Stay tuned for more recaps that will come out whenever I feel like posting them.

I wrote this recap weeks ago, but never posted it. I need to get back on the ball with this blog. I promise I will be back on (or off...depends how you look at it) my bullsh*t soon.

#The Bachelorette #abc #chris harrison #hannah brown #luke p #tyler c #photo credit: ABC

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thewickedverkaiking · 5 years

Text

DEH Recap 25 July 2018 (Stephen's Debut!)

I JUST FOUND THIS IN MY DRAFTS AND REALIZED I NEVER POSTED ABOUT MY FIRST EVER BROADWAY MUSICAL WHAT THE FUCK IM A DUMBASS

anyway here's my recap of deh when i went to see it on broadway back in fucking july of last year

ACT 1

we were towards the back of the theatre but the music box is so small we honestly had a great view of both the stage and the band!!

stephen was such a cute evan, he was really anxious but a little more optimistic than ben platt

the opening monologue was so fast omg

it might just have been me but it seemed like rachel’s mic was turned a little low especially in comparison to evan. it sounds fine in the audio but i had a *little* trouble hearing one or two of her lines in the theatre. it might have been acoustics idk

heidi is so painfully optimistic it hurts my heart

alex’s connor literally does not give a fuck. mike’s connor came across as a kid who had too many emotions he didn’t know how to deal with; alex’s connor is just flat out apathetic

jlt’s cynthia seems a little sterner/reprimanding compared to the earlier boots i’ve seen so that’s an interesting change

at the “he’s not high” part alex had a really creepy smile on his face and then he stalked so defiantly offstage

olivia’s zoe was colder than i expected; her zoe is a little more similar to laura’s

phoenix’s alana—bless her heart, she was so earnest and adorable

when jared said that line about zoe’s instagram, stephen was so distressed he spun in an entire circle to make sure no one was listening it was hilarious

sky is really funny but i feel like will is much funnier in terms of comedic timing? like sky’s jared is still an asshole but will’s jared is like. Major Asshole™

there was this mixed groan + laugh throughout the audience during the school shooter line

waving through a window was gorgeous i’m not ashamed to admit that was when i started crying

‘evan right?’ ‘eVAN!!’ and he was so horrified he covered his mouth with both hands

during the jazz band part my mom was like “he’s so nerdy” lmao

the staging and choreo of wtaw is so fucking powerful i love it i love it i love it so much

evan’s desperation during the letter scene was so painfully acute and real and he started crying during ‘i wish everything was different’

i’ve always liked the letter scene/wtaw reprise but i never expected to cry so hard during it

alex said the line ’you fell out of a tree? well, that is just the saddest fucking thing i ever heard’ like, completely monotonous

‘because there’s zoe’; my mom next to me: ‘oh no’

the only time real!connor ever showed emotion was when he yelled at evan at the end of the lab scene he was completely apathetic anywhere else

asa somer’s larry is a little less stoic than michael park’s

evan’s head nod at the dinner table was so exaggerated it was like he was going to nod his head off lmao

righ after evan said “i remember a lot of good things about connor” his face was instantly like ‘oh shit’

for forever never used to be a favorite song of mine until now bc wow it was so pure and earnest and heartbreaking

‘girls we wish would notice us’ he looked at zoe and then whipped his face away so quick

the absolute sass and shade heidi throws about evan’s stepmother lmao

ALRIGHT!! IT SAYS CONNOR!!! ON YOUR CAST!!!!

honestly evan talks to heidi like he’s just…trying to placate her and wait until she’s gone; like he doesn’t really care about what she’s trying to say and it breaks my heart :((

fake connor is so much more animated than real connor alex really shows the difference between the two

the nipples pose was the most Fucking Cursed thing i’ve ever seen in my life

sky laughed so hard at ‘im sending pictures of the most amazing trees’

alex does the ‘not because we’re gay’ line quite differently from mike; alex’s one is like ‘no of course not we’re not gay!!’

connor and evan high-fived

jared actually never touches them when during the sincerely me dance, it’s like he’s trying to participate but can’t and idk i think that was a really genius blocking move

when evan left the murphy after giving them the emails he made a huge berth around zoe

requiem fucked me up!! when cynthia was sitting on connor’s bed and hugging his pillow to her chest i couldn’t take it i started sobbing

olivia’s voice is so lilting and pretty, but she hit ‘monster’ really harsh and then broke down crying

the transition from heidi not being able to do taco tuesday and evan going for dinner at the murphys is just genius that’s all

evan freaked out so bad when he said ‘you’ve never been poor then’ and olivia was so deadpan the whole time it was great

evan’s so in love with zoe during if i could tell her it was adorable and tender and sweet

i think zoe genuinely wanted to know what connor thought about her, she just didn’t want to show it

he didn’t freak out that much after ‘really pretty—er, good’ but when zoe asked ‘he did?’ he made this really frustrated ARGH noise which was so funny

zoe really was just drinking in everything evan said, which was beautiful and heartbreaking

stephen's voice wavered a little on the last 'i love you' which was kind of funny

phoenix's comedic timing as alana is really great which kind of surprising. i didn't expect alana to be so funny even with all her intensity and earnestness

anyway, disappear was really cool because alex and stephen are almost the same height? and from the back of the theatre they look p similar in terms of build and all that, so the way the scene was blocked made it look like good angel/bad angel which was just so neat!

the scene where cynthia gave evan connor's tie just broke my heart ouch

the part where evan screws up his speech just before ywbf is honestly so painful to watch because of how accurate it is

stephen is such a great actor his horror and fear and shame is all so palpable

he was just lying there on the ground and sobbing

you will be found was glorious the whole stage was lit up and all the projections were screaming

cynthia's "you did" was just so excited and joyful her smile was so infectious

baby alex was really adorable i die

when zoe appeared on her bed with the blue light washing over her she looked so alone and so sad i just wanted to run up to her and give her a hug

when larry broke down and cynthia hugged him i wanted to cry

the whole scene and song was just so powerful and the lights and projections and blocking all just tie in so so well

actually that applies for the whole show lmao

ACT 2

evan really brushes off jared after the sincerely me reprise and sky really plays up jared's hurt and ouch

honestly evan's fights with heidi in act 2 are so painful because evan's just getting colder and drifting away and you can tell how frantic and heartbroken heidi is

ngl i don't really like the line about evan not taking his refills and how his anxiety is okay but idk

'so, you and zoe' 'this glove's really cool wOW' lmfao

ugh, to break in a glove was so heartbreaking guys larry really cared about connor okay?

asa's larry seems less stoic than michael's and you really see how much he likes evan and he's not afraid to show that affection

"in three hours!" evan's growl was so cute and adorable

he was like yelling and freaking out so bad over the breakup part and then he went 'thank you' in the smallest most embarrassed voice

only us was pure and wholesome and i couldn't help but think throughout that entire song that wow zoe is amazing and i really want her as my girlfriend

also olivia puckett's voice is really smooth and gorgeous

and evan's really confident in only us which is just such a sweet thing to see

alana was really fucking pissed at evan wow

and jared is just flatout apathetic and unsympathetic while evan freaks out

heidi's so shy at the murphys she's adorable

"he's got his own toothbrush" my mom laughed out loud at that line lmao

larry went over to evan when he was curled up on the chair and kinda like, nudged his shoulders and lower back to get him to sit up straight it was so funny

you can see how mortified heidi is and evan just KNOWS he's going to die once they get home

ngl heidi IS terrifying once they get home

evan really doesn't hold back with his barbs holy shit

good for you!! rockstar heidi!! rbj just strutted out like a fucking model!! i love her so much!!

i love this song so much the lighting was amazing and the music was like. shaking the theatre

same thing for the ywbf reprise

it's so haunting and terrifying and you can just Sense how evan and the murphys feel everything falling apart

stephen's acting during words fail. holy shit. i thought no one could top ben platt's words fail? but i have to say stephen probably gave my favorite performance of the song ever

i've never been so emotionally shaken by a song before, i was sobbing so hard and i need to say that that scene alone was worth the entire price of the ticket.

so big/so small was so soft and heartbreaking. evan just collapsed into heidi's arms

stephen's kinda lanky and it was really funny seeing rbj trying to half-hug/half-carry him on the couch

i didn't cry as hard during that song because i think i ran out of tears after words fail

when the scrim is pulled back and everything turns blue?? so bright? so emotional so beautiful

all those plants rising up from the ground

the ending was so satisfying oh my god i have never seen a better musical

STAGEDOOR

it was my first broadway stagedoor and we got out asap after the show ended but holy shit there were so many people

it was drizzling just a little bit so some people left before the actors came out

the most annoying thing is when there are people going in and out of the theatre and the stagedoor keeps opening and closing and you're just on an emotional rollercoaster bc you think the cast is coming out >:)

april lavalle (alex's girlfriend) stuck her head out of the door to look around at one point! alex didn't come out tho :((

asa was the first to come out!

he was so sweet, i asked him to sign a playbill for my friend sarah and he was like 'do you want me to write her name?' and i was like 'yes!' and he drew a little heart next to it was so sweet omg

sky was the next one out and i told him he was really funny and he was like !! thank you and i almost died

stephen was the last one to come out and sky got really excited and yelled 'this is his first stagedoor' and everyone cheered for him

he was really shy at first and didn't want to take pictures

but he and asa and sky took a selfie! i couldn't get in but i got a photo of them taking it and omg i would die for this cast that's all

when stephen signed my playbill im pretty sure i told him something along the lines about him being fantastic and i was so happy to have seen him and he smiled this cute dorky grin and said thank you and i died a little inside

down the line he agreed to take some selfies

and then the security guard told us that that was everyone

i was really hoping to see olivia but it's okay!! it was such an amazing incredible wonderful experience

oh and apparently my parents were waiting off to the side of the stagedoor crowd and my mom said asa waved to them as he left the theatre?!?!?!

also she saw phoenix leave

and yeah that's basically what happened

i'm still pinching myself wtf

im sorry this post was so long i have a lot to say

this is also lowkey for me to look back on next time and so i wont forget what happened

:))

pictures

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meggtheegg · 5 years

Note

I’d love to hear your analysis/thoughts on Marrick Smith’s Connor if you have any.

Hey, sorry this took so long! It’s been a while since I listened to the tour audio, so I wanted to re-listen to it so it was fresh in my mind. To be totally fair, the only tour audio I have is the earliest one that came out, so things about his performance might have changed, since then.

Marrick definitely stands out as different from the other Connors purely because of his speaking voice. Where Mike and Alex and all the understudies except arguably Ben Ross have more high-pitched, kind of nasally voices, Marrick has a low, booming voice that makes him sound much older than the others. He feels like the basis for the line in the novel about Evan seeing himself as a kid and Connor as a man. There was one point in the opening scene where he actually sounded like Michael Park to me, which was a hilarious mental image. I do feel like they should have lowered the key of some of the songs, because he seemed to strain a little, and the transition from his speaking voice to the high notes that his songs start on was a little jarring, especially in Disappear.

But, putting that aside, he definitely gives an interesting and different portrayal. I think he’s very aware that he looks and sounds older than seventeen, so he makes up for that by playing a much more fragile, soft-spoken Connor. Even when he shoves Evan, he doesn’t yell and make himself intimidating, he is very much on the defensive, his voice getting higher and even a little breathy. He doesn’t actively yell until the computer lab scene, during which he is very audibly crying, a lot. Again, his Connor seems very, very fragile. Like one wrong move could shatter him. He’s less angry, and more noticeably sad.

His fake Connor is also different from what I’ve seen before. Where some act like something similar to the real Connor but just a little off, and others essentially become Evan in Connor’s body, Marrick’s imaginary Connor, for lack of a better explanation, feels like Evan’s squip. He’s cool, calm, a little snarky, and nothing like Evan or Connor. He’s almost more like a kinder Jared, maybe because that’s what Evan’s come to expect from a “friend.” It’s like he’s judging Evan and constantly pointing out the obvious, but in more of a cool, helpful way than a mean-spirited one. Even in the “did you fall, or did you let go” scene, where most Connors start yelling at Evan and arguing with him, Marrick keeps almost a monotone voice for most of it. The only time he raises his voice is on “if you really believe that, then why are you standing here talking to yourself? Again.” After that, he relaxes again and goes back to just calmly talking to him. It seems like he’s the exact opposite of Evan in that scene. Evan is breaking down and crying, and he’s just patiently talking it out.

Again, some of this might have changed, and I really wish I could see how his physicality plays into it, but that’s what I got from the LA audio, at least!

#Anonymous

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tkmedia · 3 years

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Week 4 Fantasy Busts: Chuba Hubbard, Nick Westbrook-Ikhine among matchup worries

Not like we should be surprised, but we've seen countless busts already during the 2021 season. Some have struggled all season long, while other seem to wait until you insert them in your lineup before laying an egg. We're here to help with our Week 4 fantasy busts so you don't take a near zero in your starting lineup. Whether the general hype around a player has gotten too high or someone on the start 'em, sit 'em bubble has a tough matchup, there are a number of reasons disappointments can happen. This week Chuba Hubbard and Nick Westbrook-Ikhine were hot names on waivers but have some red flags that owners might be overlooking. Even the top studs can bust, but we can't realistically sit those players. It's easy to say the Patriots are tough against wide receivers, so expect less than usual from Mike Evans and Chris Godwin -- but who in their right mind is going to bench these guys unless you're in a six-team league? Instead, we have to find guys on the start 'em, sit 'em bubble who could actually be candidates to ride the pine this week. As always, don't bench any of our selections if you clearly have no better options, but be aware of the possibility of a down week and explore your options. WEEK 4 FANTASY: Sleepers | Start 'em, sit 'emFor last week, we get an A-plus for identifying Justin Fields, Sony Michel, Will Fuller, Robert Tonyan, and the Washington defense as busts. Where did we go wrong, though? D'Andre Swift looks almost matchup-proof in PPR, so we missed there. The same might be true for Derek Carr, who we also thought was due for a regression. Tyler Higbee had a decent game, and Tom Brady ended up with a nice fantasy day due to volume and a rushing score. Do we get some credit there for the gutsy call, though? Nah, probably not. WEEK 4 STANDARD RANKINGS: Quarterback | Running back | Wide receiver | Tight end | D/ST | KickerOverall, our busts have been more on point than our sleeper picks, and we're back again to figure out who might struggle in Week 4.

Week 4 Fantasy Busts: Running backs

Damien Harris, Patriots vs. Buccaneers (Jackson Sparks). Harris hasn't gotten a workhorse load since he fumbled in Week 1, and even with all of Tampa Bay's defensive struggles, they've still been shutting down the run. Harris doesn't present much of a threat in the receiving game, so even with James White out indefinitely, Harris won't get much usage through the air. That said, his floor and ceiling are very low. A goal-line touchdown is all that can save his day here.Myles Gaskin, Dolphins vs. Colts (Vinnie Iyer). Malcolm Brown is getting some starting attention for his different skill set, and expect Salvon Ahmed to get some chances soon, too. The matchup is also meh.Chuba Hubbard, Panthers @ Cowboys (Matt Lutovsky). Hubbard is going to get his touches, which is half the battle, but the Cowboys' defense has been far better than expected, especially against RBs. Austin Ekeler had a good day receiving against them in Week 2, but that's standard for him. The Bucs and Eagles' backs were shut down on the ground and through the air, and Hubbard could find himself in a similar situation. Plus, Royce Freeman could wind up stealing more snaps than most think.WEEK 4 PPR RANKINGS: Quarterback | Running back | Wide receiver | Tight end | D/ST | Kicker

Week 4 Fantasy Football Busts: Quarterbacks

Sam Darnold, Panthers @ Cowboys (Sparks). Darnold has been the sleeper of the season sitting at QB12, but he'll be without Christian McCaffrey (hamstring) for a few weeks. The pressure will be on him to deliver without his safety blanket, and the Cowboys' defense looks legitimately solid after getting torched by the Buccaneers in Week 1.Derek Carr, Raiders at Chargers (Iyer). It’s slowing down at some point, and Monday night on the road against a tougher pass defense under Brandon Staley is the time. Las Vegas will be a better bet for success in the running game.Ryan Tannehill, Titans @ Jets (Lutovsky). This looks like a great matchup at first blush, but Tannehill’s top receiver (A.J. Brown) is likely out, and the Jets surprisingly are allowing the second-fewest fantasy points per game (FPPG) to QBs this year. Turns out when you’re as bad as the Jets, teams simply don’t need to pass against you. Tannehill could have a decent day, but it’s Derrick Henry who figures to be the winner here.WEEK 4 DFS LINEUPS: DraftKings | FanDuel | Yahoo

Week 4 Fantasy Football Busts: Wide receivers

Cole Beasley, Bills vs. Texans (Sparks). Beasley once again looks like a PPR machine, but his fantasy points come from volume. If this game is a blowout, Josh Allen won't attempt a ton of passes, and Beasley could see a quiet day after the first half. It's important to remember bad teams are not always a great matchup due to the possibility of a one-sided game.Nick Westbrook-Ikhine, Titans vs. Jets (Iyer). Because of injuries for A.J. Brown (hamstring) and Julio Jones (knee), he might be the top wideout for Ryan Tannehill against New York, but Tennessee won’t be throwing much and the hosts’ corners are actually playing pretty darn well.Kenny Golladay and Kadarius Toney, Giants @ Saints (Lutovsky). It’s easy to think Golladay and Toney shine with Darius Slayton (hamstring) and Sterling Shepard (hamstring) hurting, but Golladay (hip) is dinged up himself and Toney has done nothing this year. Collin Johnson actually led the Giants in targets last week, Evan Engram is back, and Saquon Barkley is commanding a lot of touches. The Saints are also a much tougher defense than Atlanta. This could be a bad all-around offensive day for New York's wideouts. MORE WEEK 4 DFS: Best stacks | Best values | Lineup Builder

Week 4 Fantasy Football Busts: Tight ends

Mike Gesicki, Dolphins vs. Colts (Sparks). Gesecki had his best game of the season against the Raiders, catching 10-of-12 targets for 86 yards. However, despite the Colts not being as good as expected on defense, they've been among the top half of the league against tight ends. Overall, this offense is just bad with Jacoby Brissett at the helm, so all Dolphins are bust candidates this week. The Colts' defense usually heats up as the season progresses.Robert Tonyan, Packers vs. Steelers (Iyer). His TD-dependent, low volume ways are becoming a concern, as now other receivers are well involved beyond Davante Adams.Dalton Schultz, Cowboys vs. Panthers (Lutovsky). Schultz has a big Week 3, but we’ve already seen him disappear one week and show up the next. While we like his overall outlook for the season, we’re not high on him against a Panthers defense that’s allowed the fifth-fewest FPPG to TEs this year.

Week 4 Fantasy Busts: Defenses

Carolina Panthers @ Cowboys (Sparks). The Panthers have been one of the top defensive units this season, but they've faced Zach Wilson, Jameis Winston, and Davis Mills. Dak Prescott will be the best quarterback they've seen, and it's not even close. It doesn't help that cornerback Jaycee Horn (foot) will out of the game, too.Washington Football Team vs. Falcons (Iyer). It’s unbelievable how poorly they are playing with questionable effort and shaky discipline all over the field. They could get right against the Falcons but seem more likely to fall further into irrelevance.Denver Broncos vs. Ravens (Lutovsky). The Broncos have been great this year, but it’s not overly difficult to put up fantasy points against the Giants, Jaguars, and Jets. The Ravens are a different animal, and Denver is destined to disappoint. Read the full article

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junker-town · 3 years

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How Emoni Bates survived the early hype and remained a top NBA prospect

Emoni Bates is still standing after the premature.

Emoni Bates didn’t ask to be hyped as the “next Kevin Durant” from the time he was 14 years old. He didn’t request Sports Illustrated to put him on a magazine cover a year later that bears a striking resemblance to the first one LeBron James graced in high school. He certainly didn’t urge the publication to write that he “often resembles a 6’ 9” Stephen Curry.”

All of this was outside of Bates’ control before he was legally old enough to drive a car. After a standout performance at his first USA Basketball junior minicamp in 2018, he was considered the best high school freshman in recent memory by some of the sharpest people in the industry. He felt like a player who personified the recent evolution of the modern game: a tall, lanky wing who could handle the ball like a guard and pull-up confidently with his jump shot from anywhere on the floor all before he was legally old enough to drive a car. I won’t act like I was above it. When I wrote a list of the best long-term prospects in the high school ranks three years ago, I put Bates at No. 1 just ahead of Jalen Green, Anthony Edwards, and Evan Mobley.

It all feels so unfair to Bates now, not because he’s necessarily fallen short of his ‘generational prospect’ status, but because the burden of those expectations would be unfair to anyone. The fact that Bates is still standing near the top of his class rankings is a testament to both his focus and talent.

Bates’ high school career feels like it ended in the blink of an eye. As a freshman, he led Lincoln High to a state championship in Michigan. The next year, he became the first sophomore to win boys Gatorade National Player of the Year, but the pandemic interrupted his playoff run. As a junior, Bates left Lincoln for a start-up prep school founded by his father. It was at Ypsi Prep that the same people who hyped Bates in the first place started to wonder if he was coming up short: there were some big losses, concerns about his scoring efficiency and frame, and rumors of tension with his teammates. Somewhere in between, he committed and decommitted from Michigan State, lost his No. 1 ranking to Jalen Duren, and had to publicly ask for more scholarship offers from college coaches who assumed he would never step foot on campus.

Bates should be preparing for senior year right now, but like most aspects of his life, he surged past that, too. Bates reclassified to essentially skip his final year of high school ball and get ready for the next level. It’s a common move for big-time high school prospects — R.J. Barrett, Marvin Bagley III, and Andrew Wiggins did it, too — but Bates is in a particularly unique situation because he’s too young to enter the 2022 NBA Draft regardless of what path he chooses.

Bates is about to announce his next step. He has four finalists: Memphis, Oregon, Michigan State, and the G League Ignite. While the G League would have been his only profitable route only a few months ago, the adoption of NIL rules across college basketball means Bates would now see a big pay day while going to school. ESPN has already named him the most marketable player in men’s college basketball before he makes his decision.

The discourse around Bates has already been swirling for years in every direction. Where is Bates really at as a player right now? This is what we see from him on the brink of his big announcement.

Why Emoni Bates is still an excellent prospect

Emoni Bates almost certainly won’t be the first pick in the 2023 NBA Draft, the first year he’s eligible to enter. That distinction will go to the next super prospect to earn the ‘generational’ tag: 7’3 French big man Victor Wembanyama. But even if Bates doesn’t eventually become a No. 1 overall pick, he’s certainly going to get selected near the top of the draft when he’s able to enter.

That’s because Bates is still an awesome prospect.

The appeal of Bates starts with his intersection of height and shooting. Most measurements put Bates at 6’8.5 or 6’9. He typically plays with the ball in his hands, and often dribbles it up the court like a lead guard. Bates’ scoring mindset could be described in one word: aggressive. As soon as he touches the ball in the halfcourt, he’s ready to set his man up to surrender a bucket.

Bates’ top skill is shooting off the dribble. He shoots an effortless ball with deep range. He already has a bag to step-backs and step-steps he can go into to get off open looks from three-point range. You won’t find another player in high school ranks that has this level of shot-making at the same size.

Bates is also an advanced ball handler at this stage, especially for a nominal wing. Ball handling is typically one of the biggest areas of improvement for high school age wings, but Bates usually has good control of the ball and knows who to create separation off the bounce. This is where his status as a super-hyped prospect from a young age has paid off: he has the handle of someone who had to learn how to open up space because he knew the ball was always going to be in his hands.

Check out the quick change of direction and body control on this layup.

While Bates’ feel for the game has come under question at times, he certainly has some impressive passing flashes. His occasionally poor shot selection could be chalked up to the fact the he had to score for Bates Fundamentals, the Nike EYBL team founded by his father, because he was so obviously the best player on the team.

The easier way for Bates to level up offensively is to continue growing as a playmaker for others. He’s going to generate so much defensive attention that his teammates are bound to be open if he can find them.

His play is another example of Bates using his tight handle to get into the paint, and then keep his eyes up until his teammate pops open. This sort of thing is exactly what NBA scouts are going to want to see from him at his next stop:

While Bates is still rail thin and badly needs to add muscle, he doesn’t shy away from contact — he embraces it. His ability to get two feet in the paint and try to initiate or play through contract will help him even as he tries to add weight early in his career.

Again you see his body control and burst with the ball in these plays. It’s encouraging to see him drive the ball to the basket instead of settling for his jumper all the time.

The upside here is a 6’9 wing who can be high volume three-point shooter, act as a secondary initiator in the halfcourt, and put some pressure on the rim with dribble combinations and solid burst helped by the threat of his shooting. These can still be bankable NBA skills if he isn’t a once-in-a-generation prospect.

Why Bates might not be as ‘generational’ as he was once thought to be

Bates started so far ahead of his peers in part because he stood out so much for his height. Three years later, other players in Bates’ class have caught up to him physically. He hasn’t gotten much taller or added much weight since the hype began.

Bates is still tall for a wing, but the lack of strength holds him back at times. He also isn’t particularly long, with a wingspan reportedly proportional to his height. It will be tough for him to slide up in lineups at the NBA level unless he adds significant bulk.

The last time we saw Bates was at Nike Peach Jam. While he put together some remarkable highlights, his scoring efficiency left a lot to be desired. During nine games in July, Bates averaged 20 points per game on 37.8 percent shooting from the field, 30.2 percent shooting from three (on 53 attempts), and 89 percent shooting from the foul line. He had the same number of assists (25) as turnovers, and he didn’t record a block, but he did grab 1.4 steals and 5.2 rebounds per night.

Keep in mind that Bates was asked to carry a huge offensive load for his team at Peach Jam, but it would have been nice to see him score the ball more efficiently given his lofty status.

Mike Gribanov, an analyst who has written for The Stepien, noted that outside of Bates’ shot-making, the rest of his skill set development hasn’t progressed as quickly as hoped. Gribanov said he thought Bates would have benefitted from playing on a more established high school team last year. He has Bates No. 6 overall in the early projection of the 2023 draft class.

“Building the school and building the team around him feels like it has been a bit of a problem,” Gribanov told SB Nation. “It happened to the determent of Emoni’s long-term upside. If he had played at Montverde or IMG, his future as a player would almost certainly turn out better than it has this year.”

The areas where Bates lacks on the court often feel more based on intangibles. He needs to learn to keep the ball moving in the halfcourt, and how to pick his spots as a scorer without holding the ball. More than anything, evaluators would like to see Bates simply play a winning brand of basketball.

“His feel for the game hasn’t always been good, but he also hasn’t been put in great spots,” Gribanov said. “Put him in a place with more established coaches and a program that has a lot of talent around him, and you’ll see if it improves. Hopefully they get him in a good spot and he figures some of those things out as far as his approach goes.”

Gribanov said Bates reminds him a bit of two players who were just taken in the 2021 NBA Draft: B.J. Boston and Ziarie Williams. Gribanov thinks Bates has higher upside than either player, but sees similar appeals to their games.

“It’s the ability to make shots and make shots off the dribble at a young age. Maybe you’ll see 6’1 or 6’2 guys hit shots off the dribble at that stage, but 6’8, 6’9 guys it’s not very common to be able to do that the way he does.”

How Bates fit with other great players on Team Final

Bates has had an insular upbringing in the game since rising to fame. He played for his father’s grassroots program on the EYBL, and later at his father’s prep school that was designed specifically for him. He never played on USA Basketball’s junior teams. But Bates did embrace playing on a talented, veteran team when he spent parts of May and June playing with Team Final.

Team Final is one of the premier programs on the EYBL based out of Philadelphia (alumni include Mikal Bridges and Cam Reddish). Bates had close relationships with several players on the team, including fellow top-10 overall recruits Jalen Duren and Dereck Lively. According to Team Final assistant Wayne Jones, Bates saw something special going on with the program and wanted to be part of it.

“People don’t realize how coachable and how much of a team player he was,” Jones said of Bates’ time with the team. “He was a listener and not a talker. He fit way better than most people would have thought he could. He superseded all expectations as a teammate. He was bringing energy, being a vocal leader, doing everything you want out of a player of that caliber.”

Bates was back playing for his father’s program by the time Peach Jam started, but according to Jones it felt like he never really felt Team Final. As Team Final took the floor for the championship game at Peach Jam, Bates was there working with the guys in the warmup line. When Duren passed Bates in the rankings for the No. 1 player in the class of 2022, Jones said Bates was the first to congratulate him.

Jones also saw a more well-rounded player when Bates joined Team Final. On such a loaded roster, he didn’t need to focus solely on scoring. There were some games where he didn’t even start, and he was fine with that.

“Emoni didn’t care about starting,” Jones said. “He did anything for the team. Sometimes he was a shooting guard, sometimes he’s a four man, he just fit in with the team. The kids on our team loved each other, and they brought him in with open arms.”

“He went against a lot of double times, junk defenses, and box and one (on Bates Fundamentals),” Jones said. “He has to score the ball for the teams he plays on. He takes some tough shots, but when you’re the best player on the court night in and night out you’re going to get forced to take shots like that. when he gets to the next level, his supporting cast is going to be better. You could see how diverse his game is when he played with us.”

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Bates is about to fully step outside of the bubble that was created for him after his rise to notoriety. Memphis will be expected to be a top-10 team if he commits there. Having another superstar freshman in Duren next to him will alleviate some of the burden he’d likely feel to carry the team. Having a coaching staff with Penny Hardaway, Larry Brown, and Rasheed Wallace could be massively beneficial, too.

The spotlight on Bates has always felt a little more intense than other top prospects since he entered it. At the next level, the early hype and outrageous comparisons will matter less. It will be about contributing to winning at a high level and proving his skill set can scale alongside and against other great players.

Bates has been touted for so long that it’s hard to believe he was born in Jan. of 2004 and is still only 17 years old. For as exhausting as his path as felt at times, there is still so much room for him to write his own story. The next chapter starts now.

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dustedmagazine · 6 years

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Listed: Tangents

Sydney-based quintet Tangents have been playing together since 2010, but 2016’s Stateless LP marked a shift in the band’s method and sound, bringing their improvisational, collaberative playing into the studio to be reconsidered and reconfigured in the moment. This year’s Stents + Arteries EP showed the continued vitality of that approach and teased their new album New Bodies, of which Dusted’s Ian Mathers said their “post-everything mode of working is embracing rather than exclusionary [...] the result creates something intoxicatingly new.” To mark the occasion, all five band members have contributed to our Listed feature, with influences and interests running from U2 to µ-Ziq and back.

SHOEB AHMAD

Tony Conrad & Faust—Outside The Dream Syndicate

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Leading up to the New Bodies recording session, I started playing bass guitar at points during our live set and really enjoyed locking into Evan with a singular pulse while the other three could let loose melodically. I wanted to pursue something similar in vibe when recording so that’s what you hear from me on ‘Gone To Ground’.

This album is pretty up there for me - not as ecstatic as LaMonte Young’s “dream music” works that Conrad was part of but also not as freewheeling as the Faust albums before this and definitely darker than both.

I love the myth of Jean-Herve Peron playing the second bass note on “From The Side of Man and Womankind” against Conrad’s wishes and I’d like to say that the loose implied funk of my bass playing is in a tribute to that.

U2—”Stay (Faraway, So Close!)” from Zooropa (1993)

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Tangents is pretty left field with our musical aesthetics so this selection could be seen as a complete joke but I’ll own U2’s influence on me as a musician, even if it’s a bit naff to others.

A lot of the processes in place for the making of Zooropa (the album this track is from) remind me of how we like to work in Tangents - Ollie in a pseudo Eno role with his loops and live effects, melodic/harmonic improvisations and rhythm based studio jams - but the thing that resonates most about this song in particular is The Edge’s lullaby-like guitar riff that creates and then sustains the sweet sentimentality throughout. I’d say as much as his “single note through effects” style is basically the seed from where my guitar playing grew from, his fondness to write simple twee melodies on their best songs has influenced me more. I enjoy being able to do something similar to offset the more adventurous elements of our music and I’d say it comes to the fore in New Bodies more than before too.

Oh - did I say I was a sucker for the Wim Wenders video that was intercut with scenes from Wings Of Desire? I be honest, I think U2 may have more to answer for in making me wanna pursue an Art Pop vibe...

PETER HOLLO

µ-Ziq vs The Auteurs—”Lenny Valentino 3″ from The Auteurs vs. μ-Ziq (1994)

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If we talk strings in Tangents, we’ll probably be referencing somebody like Godspeed, but as contemporaries I find it hard to describe them as an influential. I love their work but never for a second think of them when I’m playing the cello. So I’m choosing this gorgeous piece of faux-classical string pads with overdriven beats from the maestro Mike Paradinas aka µ-Ziq (it’s got very little to do with the Auteurs), because mid-’90s idm is in my blood, and Mike’s (and Richard D James’) plangent layered strings are always in there when I’m layered cello lines.

Amon Tobin—”One Day In My Garden” from Bricolage (1997)

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Ollie & I have many discussions about our love of jungle & drum’n’bass. Ollie’s duo Icarus of course were contemporaries of early Amon Tobin, and a track from their first album appears on his Recorded Livemix album - serious props! Obviously the insanely chopped beats of the junglist pioneers, then Photek & Source Direct et al, contribute to our modus operandi(Photek joke, sorry), as do the more avant-garde sounds from Plug, Aphex, µ-Ziq et al. But Amon Tobin drew from his love of jazz and Brazilian music to create magnificent journeys in each track - the samba gives way to snapping breaks as, presumably, the garden becomes a jungle, and calm is returned by the end. Amon Tobin once regarded himself as a collagist more than a musician, and this collage aspect, albeit drawn from the instrumentalists in the band, is a big part of Tangents’ construction of our music.

EVAN DORRIAN

Arca—Arca

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Everything Arca does has been blowing my mind for a while now. The production, rhythms, art, various (high-profile) collaborations, and on this record, his beautiful vocals, are all next level. Funnily/awkwardly enough I first heard Arca because his Soundcloud release (set/mix) Entrañas was reviewed next to our album Stateless by Pitchfork. A real honour to paired up with such a incredible modern artist, even just in web print. Looking forward to hearing more from him.

Scott Walker—Bish Bosch

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This was and is a very important record for me, as is all Scott’s stuff from Tiltonwards (and Scott 4). When I first heard it I wasn’t sure how to take it all in and I’ve come to accept that I won’t. It’s a complicated and dark record that has a lot of wit and heart too.

ADRIAN LIM-KLUMPES

Tim Hecker— “I’m Transmitting Tonight” from Radio Amor (2013)

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Tracks from New Bodies like ‘Immersion’ and ‘Oort Cloud’ spring from music like that of Tim Hecker. To call this music ‘drone’ or ‘noise’ is to ignore the delicacy of the rhythms of the layers, as well as the jazz-like piano chords that flutter around in his musical stratosphere. ‘I’m Transmitting Tonight’ drifts along but also has a driving momentum, depending on your perspective while listening. Our music too has different angles to approach it. When I produced ‘Immersion’, I enjoyed crafting the stretch, reverb and delay of the piano and guitar, while slamming the cello down an octave so it pensively mumbles below the stacked drum takes. This means you can hear this track almost as jazz, drone or minimal, depending on what your ear is drawn to. ‘Oort Cloud’ has similar cascading piano loops over cello and guitar drowning in sometimes noisy processing, all with an uptempo drum take layered in behind.

Bill Evans—Live in Helsinki 1970

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“You use the intellect to take apart the materials, learn to understand them and learn to work with them. It takes years and years of playing so that you develop the facility so that you can forget all of that, and just relax and just play.” - interview during the filming in Helsinki, 1970.

The music of Bill Evans has inspired me for many years. His approach to harmony, melody and interplay is nuanced and emotive, and almost always a sense of calm pervades his music. Playing like Bill Evans, and thinking like him, is a lifelong pursuit. With Tangents, Bill’s philosophy of facility before play is spread across many domains. This includes pianism, a fluid approach to harmony and layering, and even the skills involved to intuit the use of effects pedals and software. The same goes for the others in Tangents - having a meta-consciousness of our band sound while improvising on stage or in the studio is necessary for all of us.

I’d love to see more live concert videos where the artist eloquently discusses musical approaches mid-set.

OLLIE BOWN

This is more of a discussion of records that I dream might be more explicitly inspirational in future Tangents records.

Alice Coltrane—Eternity

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The loose funky joyousness that I associate with Coltrane is something I think we've started to explore in Tangents of late, though it is still quite latent. We don't really foreground solos too much though, which is something I like about our sound. I've been digging into her archives a bit lately and reflecting on how hard but rewarding it is to find that playful balance point where everything is poised on the verge of falling apart, as in the jammy madness and rhythmic pushing and pulling of Los Caballos. Many bands do this exquisitely and in one guise or another it's always been a strong interest for me, starting in my work with Icarus. There are moments where I think Tangents take it there, such as in the middle section of Terracotta. I look forward to exploring this more both in live improvisation and in studio post-composition. Then I love the fact that this record drops into a Rite of Spring passage (my favourite passage, seriously funky, excellently done). Also inspiration for future work: I'd love to work with Tangents to explore innovative covers and reinterpretations one day.

Pink Floyd—Wish You Were Here

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You can't get more boring than to pick Pink Floyd as an influence. Is anyone still reading? But! Truth told I was having a melancholy moment the other day and I put on Wish You Were Here and for the umpteenth time in my life it just blew me away. Tangents' current work is nowhere near this carefully planned, but I hope we might engage in this kind of strict structuring in a future album. Nevertheless that kind of space and casual smoochy blueseyness is something I think we have explored our own way in tracks like Lake George and Gone To Ground, which I actually think is very Floydy. I love the pace of Shine on You Crazy Diamond, that sax solo bursting out of nowhere is stunning, verging on ironic, but completely loveable. I love how Pink Floyd do suites and guest appearances and carefully work the segues between tracks.

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julesrulessports · 3 years

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NBA Free Agency Predictions for my Top 20 Players Available

I’m still gathering my thoughts on Thursday’s unpredictable NBA Draft, and free agency is underway today! What a busy time for front offices -- and most importantly, for me! After getting five picks correct in my mock draft, here’s to hoping I can nail a few more in my free agency predictions.

1) Kawhi Leonard (SF, UFA) - Clippers

Kawhi Leonard is, for obvious reasons, number one on my list of free agents. He opted out of his deal with the Clippers, and is expected to re-sign on a long-term deal. However, Chris Haynes of Yahoo Sports reported that he is going to test his options in free agency. While that should make for some intrigue, it’d be surprising if Leonard leaves his hometown.

2) Chris Paul (PG, UFA) - Suns

Similar to Kawhi Leonard, Chris Paul opted out of his contract with the Suns and is expected to re-sign on a long-term deal. Paul, though, will not be testing other options. So this isn’t much of a prediction, it’s pretty much me saying what we all know will happen.

3) John Collins (PF, RFA) - Hawks

John Collins is a restricted free agent, and there’s no world in which the Hawks don’t match any offer that comes his way. Collins played a crucial part in the Hawks reaching the Eastern Conference Finals -- averaging 13.9 points and 8.7 rebounds in the playoffs -- and is only 23 years old. He can stretch the floor, and I imagine he’s going to stretch the Hawks’ wallets too.

4) Kyle Lowry (PG, UFA) - Heat

We’re on my fourth-rated free agent, and this is the first that I have leaving his current team (Raptors). After not exercising the team option on Andre Iguodala’s contract, the Heat are setting themselves up to pursue a top free agent. Lowry is already 35 years old, but still playing at a high level, averaging 17.2 points, 7.3 assists, and 5.4 rebounds. Miami is interested in a sign-and-trade for Kyle Lowry, and ultimately I see that going down.

5) DeMar DeRozan (SG, UFA) - Knicks

DeMar DeRozan is on the wrong side of 30, but playing very well. His efficiency is poor, but he averaged 21.6 points, is an underrated playmaker (career-high 6.9 assists per game), and hauls in 4.2 rebounds per contest. DeRozan will draw interest from multiple teams, but the Knicks have the money and now a winning record to spark DeRozan’s interest.

6) Lonzo Ball (PG, RFA) - Bulls

The Bulls were interested in Lonzo Ball prior to the trade deadline, but a deal never got done. Coming off a career year that saw his three-point percentage rise, the Bulls still want him. There’s mutual interest here, and a sign-and-trade is very likely.

7) Mike Conley (PG, UFA) - Jazz

Mike Conley is coming off his first All Star campaign. While he’ll have plenty of options in free agency, the Jazz are making re-signing him their number one priority and there’s no reason he shouldn’t want to return. As with Chris Paul and Kyle Lowry, Conley will likely accept a short-term but high-priced deal..

8) Jarrett Allen (C, RFA) - Raptors

At 23, Jarrett Allen is young and talented, averaging over 11 points and 10 rebounds last season. You’d think there’s no reason for the Cavs to consider letting him go, but that’s not the case after they drafted the superior Evan Mobley third overall. There haven’t been many Jarrett Allen rumors until a report came out yesterday that the Cavs see the Raptors as the “biggest threat to retaining” him. Between the Cavs drafting Mobley and that report, I see Allen heading north.

9) Norman Powell (SG, UFA) - Blazers

Norman Powell opted out of the final year of his deal, and will test the free agency market. However, according to The Athletic’s John Hollinger, opposing teams are under the impression he’ll re-sign with Portland. The shooting guard averaged just over 18 points on 41.1% from three. With Dame possibly requesting a trade any day, Portland should push hard to retain one of their top players.

10) Duncan Robinson (SF, RFA) - Heat

Duncan Robinson is the best pure shooter in this free agent class, draining 42.3% of his threes over his career, and Marc Stein reported that the Heat are “strong favorites” to re-sign him. While they may have to include him in a sign-and-trade for Kyle Lowry if one were to happen, they’ll do everything they can to avoid doing so and instead re-sign him.

11) Dennis Schroder, (PG, UFA) - Mavericks

The Mavericks are very much in the hunt for some of the top free agents, but if they strike out then Schroder could be their Plan B. Shroder did poorly in the playoffs with the Lakers, but one series won’t define him as a player. He can still be a quality starter in the right situation, and the Mavericks are interested in him as they look to pair another ball-handler with Luka Doncic.

12) Tim Hardaway Jr (SG, UFA) - Mavericks

Hardaway Jr was essentially the number two option on offense for Dallas last season, as Kristaps Porzingis battled injuries and struggled while healthy. Hardaway shot 39% from three and can score in isolation. I expect the Mavericks to keep him.

13) Spencer Dinwiddie (PG, UFA) - Pelicans

With Lonzo Ball likely leaving, the Pelicans are in the point guard market. If they miss out on the top ones available, they could very well be in the market for Shroder or Dinwiddie. With Schroder going to the Mavericks in my predictions, Dinwiddie is very much in play for the Pelicans. Three seasons ago, he was a crucial part of the Nets team that made the playoffs and intrigued Kyrie Irving and Kevin Durant. The following season, while sharing the floor with Irving, Dinwiddie averaged 20.6 points and 6.8 rebounds. That said, he’s coming off of a torn ACL and is ball-dominant, which will drive his price down.

14) Richaun Holmes (C, UFA) - Kings

Richaun Holmes averaged 14.2 points and 8.3 rebounds last season, and is one of the better offensive centers in the league. While he’ll draw interest from many teams around the league, he’s expected to stay in Sacramento.

15) Evan Fournier (SG, UFA) - Knicks

Evan Fournier was dealt midway through the season from the Magic to the Celtics, where he averaged 13.0 points on 46.3% from three. Over his career, he averages 14.3 points on 37.9% from deep. While he doesn’t offer much outside of spacing the floor, he’s very good at exactly that. There’s mutual interest between him and the Knicks, and the Celtics are losing hope of re-signing him.

16) Gary Trent Jr (SG, UFA) - Raptors

After trading for him at the trade deadline, the Raptors will be looking to keep Trent Jr. in a Raptors uniform. In his time with them, he averaged 16.2 points while shooting 35.5% from downtown. Trent Jr is also beginning to develop some point guard skills, which gives the 22-year old some potential to grow into.

17) Kelly Oubre Jr (SG, UFA) - Spurs

Kelly Oubre Jr was traded to the Warriors last offseason, and he was inconsistent in his time with them. He can space the floor and rebounds well for a shooting guard (6.0 last season and 4.4 over his career). The chances of him returning to Golden State seem to be slim, and there’s mutual interest between him and San Antonio.

18) Will Barton (SG, UFA) - Nuggets

Will Barton opted out of his deal with the Nuggets to enter free agency. The veteran shooting guard averages upwards of 12 points per game and shoots close to 40% from three. While there’ll be many teams interested, returning to Denver seems to be the most likely scenario.

19) Lauri Markkanen, (PF, RFA) - Timberwolves

Markkanen is a tantalizing talent due to his size (7’ 0”), outside shooting (38.6% from three throughout his career and 40.2% last season), and age (24). He’s never quite lived up to the player he was supposed to be when he was the seventh pick in 2017, but that’s not to say he can’t. Minnesota is interested in a sign-and-trade for him, and that’s probably what’ll happen.

20) Reggie Jackson (PG, UFA) - Celtics

Reggie Jackson has always been a pesky defender, and his best stretch of games came in the 2021 postseason, where he averaged 17.8 points on 40.8% from downtown and took a bigger share of the offensive workload when Kawhi Leonard went down. Any team can use a player like him, but it’s the Nuggets, Pelicans, Knicks, and Celtics that are most interested. The latest Celtics rumors are that Marcus Smart might be on his way out because Brad Stevens is frustrated with him. If that’s the case, Jackson can come to Boston and fill the same role.

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wazafam · 3 years

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It’s now been close to eight years since the internet blew up after the finale of Breaking Bad, and in that time there has been a spin-off and even a follow-up Netflix original movie. The writers have gotten tons of mileage out of these characters, and rightly so, as they all have so much depth.

RELATED: Breaking Bad: 10 Times Someone Was Killed In Broad Daylight

Even the characters who have only appeared in a couple of episodes are memorable, and that’s in part thanks to the actors who portray them. However, just as the show would look a lot different if it was made in the UK, a Hollywood movie of the award-winning TV show could be just as exciting as the series.

10 Gomez - Michael Peña

It’d be easy to mistake Michael Peña for being a comedy actor because he's most famous for his hilarious performance as Luis in the Ant-Man. However, that’s just a bonus, as his performances in the Academy Award-winning Crash and the cop drama End of Watch have shown how capable he is as a dramatic actor. The role of Gomez (Steven Michael Quezada), Hank’s partner, would be perfect for Peña, as Gomez perfectly strikes that balance between dramatic and comedic.

9 Mike - Robert De Niro

Robert De Niro has played a mobster countless times. In fact, his character in The Irishman, a former hitman who regretfully looks back on the mistakes of his life now he’s lost his entire family, has a very similar arc to Mike. And though the roles are so similar, as Mike is one of the most loyal characters of the series, just like Frank Sheeran is to Jimmy Hoffa. De Niro could make the role his own more than anybody.

8 Saul Goodman - Eddie Murphy

What Bob Odenkirk did with Saul Goodman was unbelievable, as he became the MVP of the whole show and even stole the scene from Bryan Cranston at some points. A character that seemed more from the world of Malcolm in the Middle when he first appeared evolved into the most three-dimensional character in the series.

RELATED: 10 Questionable Parenting Choices In Breaking Bad

And there are few actors who can blur the lines between outright comedy and drama, but given his triumphant return in Dolemite Is My Name, Eddie Murphy would give an incredible portrayal of the criminal lawyer. And though Breaking Bad had the perfect ending, it was followed by Better Call Saul, and if that was a movie, Murphy would kill it.

7 Marie - Stephanie Kurtzuba

Being another star of The Irishman, Stephanie Kurtzuba has had a lot of success with Martin Scorsese, as she also starred in The Wolf of Wall Street as Kimmie Belzer. And everything the actress has been in between those two movies has proven how much of a slept-on actress she is in Hollywood.

Kurtzuba has shown that she has the emotional chops, and given how hilarious Marie (Betsy Brandt) can be in the show, whether it’s being overprotective of Hank or criticizing him for collecting minerals, Kurtzuba can capture that perfectly.

6 Todd - Ansel Elgort

Despite being a star and having leading roles in movies like Baby Driver, Divergent, and The Fault in Our Stars, audiences still haven’t seen too much of a range from Ansel Elgort.

However, his past roles have been largely subdued, as the characters he plays don’t generally like to show their emotions, which is similar to the psychopath Todd (Jesse Plemons.) And given that Elgort is leading the Steven Spielberg remake of West Side Story, a movie where the failure or success is based almost purely on the performances, it’s likely that the young actor can pull anything off.

5 Gustavo Fring - Don Cheadle

Being the owner of Los Pollos Hermanos, the fast-food joint fronting for a crystal meth empire, Gustavo Fring was brought to terrifying life by Giancarlo Esposito. Esposito is a hugely influential presence in everything he's in, though Fring is arguably his best character.

Don Cheadle could make the character just as iconic on the big screen, and though he doesn’t generally get much screentime as War Machine in the MCU, he is an Academy Award-nominated actor for his role in Hotel Rwanda. Cheadle finally gets to be a bad guy in the upcoming Space Jam sequel, but as of now, audiences haven't seen him in a truly antagonistic role.

4 Hank - Laurence Fishburne

Laurance Fishburne can play absolutely anybody. He has gone from playing a child in the Vietnam War in Apocalypse Now, an evil gangster in King of New York, and the leader of an uprising against machines in The Matrix.

RELATED: Breaking Bad: The 10 Most Tragic Things About Jesse Pinkman

And though the talented actor settled into his role of Dr. Raymond Langston in CSI: Crime Scene Investigation, he has never fully fleshed out a detective-type role on the big screen. And considering how Hank (Dean Norris) has the most intense scenes in the show, Fishburne would ace it, as he has such a commanding presence, just like Norris.

3 Skyler - Amy Adams

Skyler (Anna Gunn) got a bad rep among fans of the show, despite her husband committing much more heinous actions than she could even dream of.

But if there’s any actress who could win fans over to her side, it’s Amy Adams. Whether it’s in The Master or American Hustle, Adams has some kind of gravitational pull when it comes to the audience. And even in her movies that aren’t as beloved, such as Man of Steel, she's always a strength.

2 Jesse - Evan Peters

Whether or not audiences will ever see Evan Peters as Quicksilver again is up in the air, and though the actor’s filmography would be a little light if it wasn’t for the X-Men movies and American Horror Story, the actor has shown how much fun he can have in character.

Aaron Paul pulled off Jesse so well by giving off that charming, comic relief vibe, as he put so much effort into every variation of yelling “b**ch.” Peters could capture that same energy that Paul perfected in the series.

1 Walter - Brad Pitt

On the face of it, it might be a little jarring to imagine Brad Pitt as a struggling high-school teacher, but he has actually played average joes before, most recently in The Big Short and Moneyball. And though even to this day he’s in great shape, it’s easy to forget how old the actor is. He could master the role of a down-on-his-luck teacher turning 50. And at the same time, Pitt can play an evil, demanding, selfish antagonist too, just like Heisenberg.

NEXT: Breaking Bad: 10 Scenes That Live Rent-Free In Every Fan's Head

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