#And Paula Small from Home Movies
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PSA: Let 2023 be the year we completely stop the “Dad is a idiot/clueless parent/drunk and Mom is the badass rock of the family who is also a bitch most of the time” Trope.
As someone raised by only a Dad. This trope is 100% offensive and sexist in 1000 different ways.
#tlevision#sexist#DADS CAN BE JUST AS GOOD IF NOT BETTER PARENTS SOMETIMES.#STOP MAKING MOMS FUN KILLERS#BEING A BITCH TO YOUR KIDS ISN'T QUIRKY#fix tv#tv tropes#why is Full House the only show with good parents?#I have hated all tv moms besides Roseanne sometimes and Pickles from the Oblongs#the rest as assholes#maybe Marge SImpson she was nice#And Paula Small from Home Movies
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Friends, Relatives, Countrymen, we come to play bingo.
Yesterday I went out to Sheila's hometown to play bingo with many of her relatives and other people we know. It was an annual get-together to remember one of the cousins who passed away from cancer a few years ago.
My BIL's dog had been at my house. I started the day by bringing Stella home. She howled with happiness when she saw Bill. A friend of ours was at his house. Bill made pancakes before we headed off to the VFW for bingo. Sadly, Sheila was under the weather and missed the day's events.
The last several times I played bingo it was with Sheila. I didn't win any games. Yesterday, without her, I won $99. Hmmmm.
My SIL Paula and her daughter were at bingo. The daughter just turned 18 and is new to bingo. Paula knows I like to do laundry and gave me this box of wonderfully scented detergent strips to try. My washer is broken (repair person comes Monday). I'm more than eager to use some of these strips. To thank Paula I taunted her when I won a game and she went home empty handed.
I sat with a monther-daughter pair of relatives I've seen many times over the years but never really talked with at length. We had a lot of fun at our table. Our laughter might have been a tiny bit loud. The daughter got a friendly warning from the bingo caller. After the session the mom told me she enjoyed getting to know me. I was flattered. Another of Sheila's cousins was at our table along with her husband. She won a round of bingo too.
Afterward most of us barhopped in the small downtown. At the first bar a waitress with a small computer on her wrist worked the open floor area. She did an excellent job alleviating thirst.
I didn't drink at the second bar but joined everyone in conversation. Our final stop was the bar with the best food. My BIL ordered several large appetizers and told me to help myself. I grazed on chicken and onion rings as I talked and talked and talked.
When I got home my brain was still in talk mode. I passed along the many well wishes that had been offered to Sheila. We settled in for the evening and started season 5 of Fargo. I saw the movie but none of the previous TV seasons. Someone told me season 5 is excellent so that's why we started it. So far it has not disappointed.
I may need to try some of the older seasons (they are all unrelated, so it doe not matter to watch them out of order). The petite actress who played Keely in Ted Lasso is a main character. She's English but does a good job doing the North Dakota/Northern Minnesota accent.
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#HuntForThePirateHome Watch Party
(crossposted from my twitter)
Hunt for the Wilderpeople reflects a common theme in Taika Waititi's work, and in OFMD, about people's perceived worth/capabilities. It's easy to look at someone from the outside and call them a "bad egg" or an idiot/failure.
But with love, affirmation, and understanding, people are so much more than that. It's funny when Paula sums up all of Ricky's delinquency, but it's also so sad that she's pre-decided his kid's entire future, boxing him in before he's even started.
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I'd forgotten that Oscar Kightley was in this. He was one of my favorite parts of Next Goal Wins!
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In a weird way, Bella is a bit like Stede after his reunion with Ed. She's thrilled to have Ricky there and eager to lavish him with everything he could want, but she's also cognizant of what he's been through and trying to respect his space.
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"I'm so happy we found you, buddy. I'm sorry it took so long." 🥹
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"He's tricky like that, Jesus"--lol, I love it.
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Taika is so good at setting up little visual things that pay off later in the film, creating a great narrative moment without any dialogue. It's such a gut punch when Ricky pulls back his blankets and the hot water bottle isn't there.
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I love this movie. Every element is just wonderfully executed. The acting, dialogue, camera work, music choices, even the chapter titles--they all serve to enhance the story the film is telling.
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"Do you want me to go find help? ...I'd die, wouldn't I?"
Julian Dennison is so great as Ricky. Taika's gift for casting/directing kids is impeccable, he never misses.
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The most heartbreaking thing about Ricky's story about Amber is that we the audience (and Hec) understand what really happened better than he does. Brilliant scene, gaahhhh!
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"'Faulkner is Cauc... Caucasian.' Well they got that wrong, 'cause you're obviously white." Love that line!
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I love Ricky's "he made me do stuff" monologue. It's common to have one character innocently say something that sounds completely wrong to another character, but it's rarely done with such finesse. Nothing Ricky says sounds forced for the sake of the joke.
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I like Ricky and Hec's conversation about "majestical" vs. "majestic." I relate to that feeling of knowing a word isn't "proper" but using it anyway because it feels closer to what I want to say than the real word.
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@netflix is a great platform for Hunt for the Wilderpeople. It would pair wonderfully with Our Flag Means Death, another hilarious, heartfelt story with a unique vision whose amazing cast features some talented Polynesian actors! Won't you #AdoptOurCrew?
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"She wanted to save us poor wretches when no one else wanted us, like rescue dogs"
This is a line that could easily be uncomfortable and patronizing. But we've met Bella, so we know that this is true in the sincerest way possible.
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Paula is a subtle Miss Trunchbull, change my mind.
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Oh god, poor Zag--you were a good dog. 😢
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"I was trying to tell you it was like The Lord of the Rings!"
Ricky Baker has never done a single thing wrong in his life, your honor.
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"Don't even get me started on the national rugby team! They're not human."
Psycho Sam has entered the chat!
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Okay, so Frenchie would absolutely believe the same conspiracies as Psycho Sam, but he'd also be like, "Take it easy, man, alright?"
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It's hard for me to pin down my favorite Taika film, but I think Hunt for the Wilderpeople is his quintessential film. While his onscreen role is small, it's like concentrated Taika Waititi, and it's the one I'd use to introduce people to his work.
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@netflix, Hunt for the Wilderpeople is about finding a place to belong after you've been rejected
Our Flag Means Death, which is also about belonging, was rejected by its former streamer
You could #AdoptOurCrew and give this diverse, critically-acclaimed show a new home!
#hunt for the pirate home#adopt our crew#save ofmd#fallenrocket#hunt for the wilderpeople#our flag means death#taika waititi#once rejected now accepted#it's about belonging to something
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Brendan's mom Paula Small from the adult swim cult classic Home Movies in a slingkini, oiled up and twerking on my cock
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[OC Profile] Cordelia Lillian Offdensen
Because I am now contractually obligated to infodump about her now. Some parts might have been influenced by other fan fics ,but I either have permission and/or at least gave them enough of my own twist that I'm copying other people's homework too much
Spoiler warning for all of Metalolcaypse so far (this is all pre-movie so if my predictions are wrong, oh well). Also content warnings for: pregnancy-related death, child neglect, sexual harassment, alcoholism, and parental death, as well as bits of canon typical dark humor.
Born May 13th, 1945
Died October 3rd, 1993 (...probably, I'll explain in a bit)
Voice Claim: Rachel Bloom/Laraine Newman (if we have to follow the pattern of the other Dethklok moms)
Face Claim: This lady from Writersklok
Personality: A well-intended and kind, but very troubled woman that has trouble being taken seriously despite being rather intelligent and ambitious leading her to unhealthy coping mechanisms such as drinking and casual sex.
Character Inspirations: Cutie Cutie Cupcake (BoJack Horseman), Meredith Quill (Guardians of the Galaxy), Paula Small (Home Movies), Paula Proctor (Crazy Ex-Girlfriend), Misato Katsuragi (Evangelion), Annie Hughes (The Iron Giant), Peggy Olson (Mad Men), Halley (The Florida Project), Mina Harker (Bram Stroker's Dracula)
Music Tastes: The Amazelingtons, Blue Oyster Cult, Jimi Hendrix, Janis Joplin, Electric Light Orchestra, Led Zeppelin, The Beatles, Elton John, Nina Simone, Fleetwood Mac
Bonus playlist
Backstory
She was Salacia’s consort in a past life, unfortunately, she was slain in a siege alongside their unborn child. He tried to resurrect her using a certain kind of purple magic...it did not end well. Cordelia would sometimes have past life nightmares about this with zero context as to what was happening.
She and Salacia met by chance in 1965, back then being a mere law school student; while Salacia was happy to see his beloved wife again...this time he had more ulterior motives convinced that it was part of the Prophecy (if still having to create the Sal persona for obvious reasons). Which he was right, but for the wrong reasons since Charles was an accidental pregnancy so she had to drop out of school and the two had to elope. Her parents were pissed of course and they did not see Cordelia or Charles until he abandoned the family some five or six years later.
Even though Salacia can technically be in two places at once it's pretty taxing (as well as worries that his other self was starting to develop a personality and will of his own) and eventually just to started to realize the more practical problems of his facade such as...oh yeah and his presence having bits of the plague that cause sickness if not death in some people to the point where people assumed for years that Charles was chronically ill. He might've been an asshole for abandoning them, but financially supported them in secret and had them under surveillance by marking them as "people of interest". Although even if he didn't have high hope for him, he had quite a few other children on standby.
Mysterious checks from the government she didn't question aside it was a bit difficult being a single mother in the 1970s albeit was able to get work as a paralegal at the slightly dubious Ensiferum & Associates. So because of this, she was pretty much what you think of when "Gen X mom" comes to mind, with Charles being very much a latchkey kid who more or less raised himself at points. Not for lack of trying since she was capable of being a very loving mother, but was severely overworked and self-medicated with alcohol to cope with the stress of working as an unmarried woman during Mad Men times and general untreated mental health issues. In fact, it was to the point where Charles feeling the need to take care of other people's needs above his own partially explains why he's slightly messed up as an adult. And yet she's among one of the more competent employees at the firm when sober (gee why does that sound familiar?).
Was generally supportive of Charles's goals, but was terrified of him abandoning her much like his father so she definitely didn't take Charles heading off to boarding school well (although she at least had the decency to not say it out loud) and was enough of a mess to require intervention so she at least mellowed out in her final years before peacefully passing in 1993, her lifespan cut tragically short due to a combination of the Salacia plague still affecting her body years later and alcohol abuse.
...which is the version I usually go with in my fics, but personally, I think it's funnier and opens more story potential if she survives to the series' present day, but is just locked out of the loop of the whole "son being the manager of the world's largest band/economic force and later a cult leader" thing. Like I'd probably figured she get along with most of the Dethklok moms (except for maybe Molly but even then because the latter is a massive hypocrite), and Dethklok for themselves for that matter, especially Toki, which Charles would be a bit conflicted about the latter even if she is trying to make up for her previous faults as a mother. I guess for now it's sort of diverging paths, but at least until the movie comes out "dead mom" is the main timeline for my fics.
Overall Charles has a...complicated view of his mother, on one hand, her neglectful parenting did cause a fair amount of emotional scarring that hasn't healed even decades later and severely affected his interpersonal relationships even as an adult, but on the other hand, was at least aware of her struggles with the benefit of hindsight and wouldn't be half the man he was today without her influence.
#Skwisgaar: RIPs she would haves mades an excellent GMILFs#metalocalypse#dethklok#mtl oc#metalocalypse oc#cordelia lilian offdensen#momdensen#ocs#cw: parental death#cw: child neglect#cw: alcoholism
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Doctor Fudge! Welcome back!! I am so glad to see you on my dash! Also since I know you have amazing good taste, I wanted to ask if you have any recommendations of movies/books about dad/daughters with complicated relationships? Perhaps even a bit incest in the mix.
thx!
erm, in terms of books, a few that come to mind: funny home by alison bechdel is such an interesting and queer exploration of a father/daughter relationship. and another memoir that stayed with me is borrowed finery by paula fox, which is on another level because the father/daughter/mother trio is so unhealthy and tragic, but also oddly funny, and the father/daughter duo in particular really unsettled me because it seemed so harmless yet adult. in terms of fiction, our endless numbered days by claire fuller is a pretty disturbing exploration of a father/daughter relationship and it does go into incest territory in a really sad way. i didn't really like this one, but it is oddly compelling. then there's elizabeth jane howard's cazalet series, where there's a terrifying father/daughter subplot that still haunts me.
as for movies: i think somewhere (2010) by sofia coppola is very moving, if slow; it's about a relatively successful film star who is depressed and totally checked out from his meaningless lifestyle and only seems to find joy in the presence of his neglected daughter played by elle fanning, and there are a couple of scenes that have stayed with me, especially one where stephen dorff is watching elle fanning figure skate for ten minutes while "cool" by gwen stefani is playing in the background....i tell ya. another infamous one, the ballad of jack and rose goes into some incest territory briefly and is sooo weird and fascinating, but i wish it was a more cohesive film. a really off-putting (at times) but compelling film is towelhead (2007), about a young arab-american teenage girl exploring her sexuality while coping with a super strict and emotionally damaged father. there's also oldboy (2003), the korean original, which just by including here i'm kiiiind of spoiling, but it's a great one. i also recall a preeeetty disturbing film starring alan rickman called an awfully big adventure (1995) and, to me, the most unsettling thing about it was how young the female protagonist looked because it made the situations she was placed in all the more uncomfortable.
anyway, this is a super small list that isn't meant to be comprehensive at all, there are loads more out there
#father/daughter#film recs#book recs#(but not all of them are 100% recs - more like oh that's interesting)#replies#books#films
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FINDE (2021)
Ever since I watched 2021 Argentinian horror-comedy FINDE I find myself wondering exactly why it is that I gravitate toward this sub-genre. Almost every movie I've watched that can loosely be described as "couple stays at a seemingly normal vacation home only to find its owners are total creeps" plays out mostly the same, but like a character who can't leave well enough along, curiosity always gets me in the end. Sure, I know that the folks who run the property in question likely dip their toes in some kind of sadistic wading pool, but what flavor? These questions must be answered.
And answered they are, if not in spectacular fashion, at least in a funny way in director Nano Garay Santaló's FINDE. Agos (Malena Pichot) and Santi (Julián) are a couple experiencing a unique brand of cabin fever during the pandemic. Cramped together in their small flat before, during and after work and occasionally clashing over minor squabbles, they end up getting a good deal on a villa for a nice weekend getaway. They leap at the opportunity, and it serves as a bonus bit of extra credit for work since Agos is always on the hunt for attractive new destinations to point her company's clients toward. Maybe this could be another diamond in the rough?
When they arrive at the villa they meet the charming pair of Lore and Emi, played respectively by Paula Grinszpan and the scene-stealing Leonardo Sbaraglia. Their villa is lovely, but there's one not-so-small catch: Their plans fell through and they have nowhere else to stay this weekend. Agos and Santi are hesitant to spend this getaway living with another couple, but their hosts promise to stay out of the way and even act as their own personal servants for the entire visit. They cook, they clean and there's absolutely no way any of this could go south, right?
As you may have guessed by the very premise, Lore and Emi have their own dark secrets that go beyond simply making their guests incredibly uncomfortable, whether it be through a complete lack of respect for personal space, Emi's sudden outbursts or an unexpected pill-powered boner. FINDE has all the trappings of the genre, but while it's not a full-blown comedy, it definitely eschews any sense of dread and prefers to revel in the absurdity of it all. From disturbing stories about Emi's past to the mystery behind Lore's "evil" twin sister, FINDE manages to maintain this tonal balance without dipping into parodic territory. It succeeds in being funny without coming off as trying too hard or taking you too far out of the proposed reality of the situation.
FINDE is a nicely directed and acted effort, and while I personally don't vibe with pandemic storytelling given how close we are to it all right now, that aspect of the narrative isn't overbearing in its presentation. Without calling everything out to the forefront, it simply serves as the jumping off point for a tightly-paced trip to the countryside with a few standout moments. It also has to be one of the only horror films to roll a blooper reel during its credits, so be sure to stick around for some goofs and gaffes.
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13 Autumn Trifles
Czech version
Hello magical souls,
We have an uncountable amount of trifles, which we can enjoy, yet we often overlook them, even when they're right under our noses.
Let's say we discover 5 trifles in a day. That's 5 reasons to up our mood and when is the better chance than in autumn. It's okay if you can't remember any of them because that's why I'm here today. I wrote down some of them, which I enjoy the most, as the start of the academic year is always really hectic, so why don't we make him more fun?
Something warm
I think that's one of the easiest things as it's affordable and until now I don't know who couldn't make a cup or mug of tea, coffee or anything else. It can literally warm the heart and help us enjoy the moment. I personally love black tea with milk, green tea and...
On the walk outside
To add more esthetic we won't forget a scarf, of course. The trees slowly start turning yellow, which is why I can't wait to see the end of October because the leaves always bring me different thoughts.
Rain
Someone may already know I love rain and walking in it as it's the part of autumn. Everyone is more at home, which creates a cosy atmosphere.
Books reading
It's sad that so many people don't read books because the story can draw you into entirely different worlds with a snap of the finger, where the best part is that you can imagine them by yourself. Fall is usually connected with fantasy, wicked titles and thrillers, but it's absolutely your choice what you will choose. I would recommend The Silver Witch by Paula Brackston, The Power by Naomi Alderman and The Secret History by Donna Tartt (currently reading).
Decorating of desk/room
Some decorations don't even have to be bought. There is lots of material outside like pine cones, nut shells, leaves or rosehips. I know not everyone has that option, so try to find alternatives (paper-one f. e.) on Pinterest. I believe you will always have at least 1 way.
When you look in the stores around decorations, even that can bring you a good autumn feeling.
Autumn to-do list
We all know how hectic the academic year can be, and that's why you should write an autumn to-do list (or bucket list) to don't forget all the fantastic ideas. You just need to choose what you would like to do this cosy season.
Series/Movie night/day
Don't say you don't have time. Everyone needs to relax, and so do you, so plan one night or day you're going to watch a movie. Alone or with friends and choose some great piece. Watching movies through Zoom isn't as good as in one room, but being with others is just much better.
My personal favourites: Fantastic Mr Fox, Chilling Adventures of Sabrina and The Gilmore Girls
Leaf pressing
This activity doesn't even need to use your strength. All you need to do is just put a leaf between the pages. It's also so lovely to find these leaves when you forget they are in the book. Also, you can use them as a decoration for a diary, for a room or make an album, which some people do.
Autumn background
I take this Trifle from Ruby, but if you have your own device, costumes it to your needs and changing wallpaper into autumn esthetic is also part of it. On my Pinterest, you can find some inspiration in section season. The fall wallpaper I'm using now on my laptop you can find on this page.
Candles
It's the small warm light. Perfect for studying and mindfulness. In fact, I never start autumn without at least one candle. It brings such a cosy feeling when the flame slowly burns the wick. For those who live in the dark:
"Be light to your own darkness" - P. N.
Playlist with autumn theme
Music can change our perspective and how we can perceive the world around us. Even when we have no energy left, the tone can give us at least a little energy. Taylor Swift, Chillhop music, the choice is yours and if you are wanting to find out what I'm listening you can check these two playlists. One relaxing, one energic :)
Lying in the leafs
This thing is usually happening during the pre-Christmas season when almost all leaves have fallen. I'm just after the first week of uni and I already feel stressed, but lying in the leaves always helps kinda clean my mind, so try to stop and think for a minute.
Colours
These thanks belong to Solomon, who gave me this beautiful advice. The most beautiful and essential part of autumn is simply enjoying the world around us, which partly follows up the outside walk I wrote about earlier. Sometimes all we need is to see a bird or feel the grass. Wherever you are, just stop and recognize the colours around you.
I hope you all will make time in your busy schedule for some of these trifles because a good mood is simply what we need. I hope you enjoyed today's article and see you soon.
V.
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Desert Fury (Lewis Allen, 1947)
Cast: John Hodiak, Lizabeth Scott, Burt Lancaster, Wendell Corey, Mary Astor. Screenplay: Robert Rossen, based on a novel by Ramona Stewart. Cinematography: Edward Cronjager, Charles Lang. Art direction: Perry Ferguson. Film editing: Warren Low. Music: Miklós Rózsa.
Where there's a desert there are going to be rattlesnakes, and the one in Desert Fury is full of them, hissing and showing their fangs. The opening scenes of the movie are so full of poisonous dialogue and hostile conversations that you wonder how anyone survives in the small Nevada town of Chuckawalla. Chief among the serpents is Fritzi Haller (Mary Astor), who runs a casino and tries to run the life of her rebellious 19-year-old daughter, Paula (Lizabeth Scott), who has a tendency to get involved with the wrong men. Eddie Bendix (John Hodiak) couldn't be wronger, a gambler and racketeer whose wife recently died under suspicious circumstances and who also used to be involved with Fritzi. Now he makes a play for Paula, which not only upsets Fritzi but also irks his ... well, what is Johnny Ryan (Wendell Corey)? Eddie's sidekick? His factotum? His fall guy? When we see Johnny sitting on the patio with a shirtless Eddie we may get other ideas, especially when Paula shows up and Johnny treats her with contempt -- as, we find out, he did Eddie's late wife. The coded gay relationship only becomes more obvious when we find out that the two men first met in Times Square, where Johnny bought the down-and-out Eddie breakfast at the Automat and then took him home with him. The only apparent good guy in Chuckawalla's nest of vipers is Tom Hanson (Burt Lancaster), a former rodeo rider who after a disabling accident moved there and became a deputy sheriff. Tom is such a good guy that he takes off his badge before he slugs Eddie and refuses Fritzi's offer to set him up with a ranch if he'll marry Paula and get her away from Eddie. All of this is familiar film noir stuff, even in glorious Technicolor, but it would take a Douglas Sirk to figure out how to make it good. Lewis Allen is not up to the task, and he's hampered by the acting limitations of Scott and Hodiak. Astor and Corey (making his debut in a film career that never quite panned out) are fine, and Lancaster does what he can with a fairly thankless role. But too often, Allen seems to be letting Miklós Rózsa's somewhat overbearing score tell the story.
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Sunday, September 04, 2022 Canadian TV Listings (Times Eastern)
WHERE CAN I FIND THOSE PREMIERES?:
NAKED AND AFRAID: BRAZIL (discovery +)
McENROE (Crave) 7:00pm
RICK AND MORTY (adult swim) 11:00pm
WHAT IS NOT PREMIERING IN CANADA TONIGHT
LOVE’S PORTRAIT (Premiering on September 09 on W Network at 8:00pm)
STILL A MYSTERY (Premiering on September 09 on Investigation Discovery at 9:00pm)
ON THE CASE WITH PAULA ZAHN (Premiering on September 12 on Investigation Discovery at 10:00pm)
EVIL LIVES HERE: SHADOWS OF DEATH (TBD - Investigation Discovery)
PROJECT ARTEMIS: BACK TO THE MOON (TBD - Smithsonian)
NEW TO AMAZON PRIME CANADA/CBC GEM/CRAVE TV/DISNEY + STAR/NETFLIX CANADA:
NETFLIX CANADA
THE BROKEN HEARTS GALLERY
CORALINE
THE DRESSMAKER
MARLEY
SEEKING A FRIEND FOR THE END OF THE WORLD
THE SPONGEBOB MOVIE: SPONGE ON THE RUN
IIHF WOMEN’S WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP
(TSN) 9:00am: Bronze Medal Game: Czechia vs. Switzerland
(TSN/TSN5) 1:30pm: Gold Medal Game
U.S. OPEN TENNIS
(TSN3/TSN4) 11:00am: Round of 16
(TSN3) 7:00pm: Round of 16 - Primetime
MLB BASEBALL
(SN) 12:00pm: Jays vs. Pirates
(SN1) 1:30pm: Yankees vs. Rays
(SN Now) 4:00pm: Astros vs. Angels
CFL FOOTBALL (TSN/TSN3) 6:00pm: Blue Bombers vs. Roughriders
AN AUTUMN ROMANCE (CTV Life) 6:00pm: A woman tries to save a small, historic hotel from developers, but she soon realizes that the man she's falling for is behind the hotel's development plans.
THE GREAT BRITISH BAKING SHOW (CBC) 7:00pm: It's the semi-final, and time to test the remaining bakers' abilities in pâtissérie, including luscious layered slices, fruity sablé Breton tarts and eye-popping entremet displays.
MLS SOCCER
(TSN4) 7:30pm: Toronto FC vs. CF Montreal
(TSN/TSN4) 9:30pm: San Jose vs. Whitecaps FC
DAYS OF OUR LIVES: BEYOND SALEM (W Network) 8:00pm - 12:00am (SERIES PREMIERE): In epic, action-packed tales that span the globe, from Miami and Phoenix to Monte Carlo and Hong Kong, a group of beloved residents of Salem find themselves embroiled in dangerous mysteries as they trade the comforts of home for once-in-a-lifetime adventures.
RACE AGAINST THE TIDE (CBC) 8:30pm: The top three teams must defy gravity if they want to make it to the final.
SKYMED (CBC) 9:00pm (SEASON FINALE): Hayley struggles to make a life-altering decision, while Bodie reels from his son's premature birth; Crystal must deal with the consequences of Jeremy's actions once and for all.
AUSSIE GOLD HUNTERS (Discovery Canada) 9:00pm
THE SECRET OF SKINWALKER RANCH (History Canada) 9:00pm (SEASON PREMIERE): As the team returns for its third year to investigate the high strangeness of Skinwalker Ranch, it finds new evidence of a mysterious anomaly in the sky one mile above the Triangle Area that may be connected to something deep within the Mesa.
GORDON RAMSAY: UNCHARTED SHOWDOWN (Nat Geo Canada) 9:00pm (SERIES PREMIERE): Gordon explores England's southwest coast to find culinary gems in his own backyard.
OUTBACK OPAL HUNTERS (Discovery Canada) 10:00pm: The Bushmen take a big risk, trying out a new mining method deep below the ground, and injury slows down progress for The Bros and The Poms are struggling to find their first piece of opal.
WORLD OF FLAVOR WITH BIG MOE CASON (Nat Geo Canada) 10:00pm (SERIES PREMIERE): Big Moe explores South Carolina's connections to Black history and culture.
IMMACULATE MEMORIES: THE UNCLUTTERED WORLDS OF CHRISTOPHER PRATT (CBC) 12:00am: The life and art of Canadian artist Christopher Pratt.
#cdntv#cancon#canadian tv#canadian tv listings#the great british baking show#race against the tide#skymed#aussie gold hunters#outback opal hunters#iihf women's hockey#tennis#mlb baseball#cfl football#mls soccer
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Loewe Fashion Model
This stupendous multicolor creation is crafted from canvas, nubuck, and leather ... Loewe Red Canvas Vintage Messenger Bag - Made of soppy canvas - Bright purple hue - Loewe trim to the entrance - Magnetic fastening to the flap - Adjustable branded shoulder strap - Le... Loewe signature pouch clutch bag in floral-print canvas and leather. 9.8"H x 10.2"W x 1.2"D. Made in Portugal. One of the label’s most revolutionary creations, the Loewe Puzzle bag, was an immediate hit because the second it debuted in 2015 and has been seen on the arms of a lot of your favorite celebrities. This shoulder bag is extraordinarily versatile as its puzzle-like construction allows it to be worn in many alternative ways.
Also made with traditional calfskin leather-based, the Hammock can also be embossed with Loewe’s brand. Teen queen Kathryn Bernardo was seen showing off her Loewe Hammock on her YouTube video. Loewe shoulder bag in calf leather-based and woven elephant grass. Designed in collaboration with Paula's Ibiza. Adjustable shoulder strap with knot trim.
Its innovative form follows the principles of origami and is handmade for a fuss-free and unique carrying experience. Re-imagined each season in numerous sizes and materials, it’s no marvel it's everyone’s favorite fashion bag. On the models that walked down Loewe’s spring 2018 runway had been saddle-shaped handbags seemingly headed straight for It-bag status. Dubbed the Gate because a metallic hinge keeps the leather latch in place, the bag is beloved for its quiet brilliance.
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garden of eden ; 1/5 || alex kerner x fem!reader
summary: on the day of east germany's 40th birthday, your entire life shifts before your eyes
pairing: alex kerner x fem!reader
warnings: drinking (alex and reader), protest violence, hospitals
word count: 6,714
a/n: here's the first chapter of garden of eden! i hope you enjoy and if you are interested in being added to the taglist please let me know! :)
taglist: @spookyanabarnes
October 7, 1989
Alex had stopped by your apartment after he woke up and got around for the day. He was annoyed just as much as you were about the parade of soldiers that galavanted around the city. It was East Germany’s 40th birthday and many of those who worked had the day off to celebrate. Alex, being one of them, perhaps didn’t celebrate it in the way East Germany intended, but indeed still did in his own way with you.
It didn’t take him long to walk over to your apartment, as you only lived a couple blocks away. Jogging up the stairs, Alex stopped to catch his breath on the last step before heading down the hall to your door, knocking on it harder than usual - just in case you were still sleeping. He wasn’t surprised to see you still not ready for the day. Your hair still pulled back in a messy ponytail, the makeup from yesterday smudged on your face and you were still in your pajamas. You were a mess, but you were his mess.
“What are you doing?” You asked, eyes heavy as you were still trying to wake up, moving off to the side for him to walk in, shutting the door behind him. You leaned against the door, arms crossed over your chest as you watched him turn, looking at you with his hands in his pocket.
“Remember? East Germany’s 40th?” He chuckled at the sight of you rolling your eyes, waving him off as you headed into the kitchen to grab something to drink from the fridge. You listened as he followed behind you, leaning against the doorway - watching you pull two beers from the fridge, opening the caps before handing one to him.
Alex was the one to take the first drink, letting his head fall back as the beer went down his throat, waking him up in the process. Pulling the bottle from his lips, tilting his head back down, Alex let out a sigh, wiping his mouth before setting the bottle on the counter.
“You still wanna hang out? Mom is gonna be gone tonight, figured we could watch a movie or something. Might have to watch Paula, but you don’t mind, right?”
Of course you didn’t mind watching Paula with him. His niece was a bundle of joy to be around and you loved holding her close to you, listening to her cute baby babble while she pulled at your hair in her tiny hand. You had known Alex for the better part of six years now and were stuck at each other’s side like glue. Alex’s sister, Ariane, always liked to tease him on that. - asking him where his shadow was, referring to you.
His mother, however, wasn’t overly fond of you like Alex always liked to say she was. You knew that Christiane tolerated you, and that was it. You tended to speak more freely on your dislike for East Germany - stating that you felt like a prisoner trapped in a cage. Alex’s mother often bit her tongue at your ideas, as she was a strong supporter of the Socialist Unity Party.
Alex and Ariane, while they had similar views to you, Christiane didn’t seem to jump down their throats as much as she did with you. This left you uncomfortable the majority of the time you were in the same room as her. Alex though, you knew he was close to his family. After his father left, the three of them stuck together, all still living under the same roof.
When you and Alex finished school you offered for him to move in with you. You even said that you’d apply for the two bedroom apartment on the floor below if he really wanted to move in. It wasn’t that you wanted him away from his family, but as his friend, his best friend, you only wanted what was best for him.
But here you were, around three years later and things still hadn’t changed.
“Where’s your mom going?” You asked casually, taking a swig from your own bottle, opening the cupboard to find something to eat. You decided on some bananas that were spotting brown - picking one from the bunch and peeling it, stuffing the fruit in your mouth.
You listened as he explained that she had been invited to something, what exactly though slipped his mind. You nodded, pulling some of your banana apart to give him some, finishing the rest and tossing the peel into the waste bin.
“Well, I’ll be sure to be on my best behavior for Mother. Wouldn’t want to upset her on the 40th.” Your sarcastic comment didn’t sit well with Alex, who caught your arm tightly as you walked past him, pulling you around to look down at you.
“Hey, I get you don’t agree with her. I don’t either, but you don’t have to be rude.” He was always a mother’s boy. Ever since his father left them, he was at her side caring for her like she was his god. You always kept your mother shut on it, knowing that it was obviously something Alex didn’t realize - and if he did he didn’t care enough to change.
You quickly pulled your arm out of his grip, glaring at him for grabbing you the way he did. You wouldn’t deny that what you said was probably rude, but he had to realize that it wasn’t like she was doing it to be a bitch - his mother was always at her throat, was he seriously expecting her to just sit back and take it?
“I’m not arguing with you on this, but you gotta think about how it makes me feel sometimes, Alex. Your mother makes comments and you just sit there and let her. How do you think it makes me feel? Knowing my best friend’s mother doesn’t like me-”
“Where are you getting that she doesn’t like you at? She does like you, she just shows it in a different way. Look, I’m sorry for not standing up for you, you always seem to handle it on your own so well that it just feels pointless to jump in,” He took a deep breath and watched as you rolled your eyes, crossing your arms over your chest, “How about this? Today if she starts something, I’ll tell her to back off, okay? I promise.”
You stared up at him for a moment, blinking slowly as you calmed yourself down. There were two things he said that really bothered you: you could handle yourself and pretended like he didn’t know why you thought his mother hated you. You could handle yourself, yes, but sometimes what you needed, wanted, was your best friend to have your back. Alex was also a horrible liar - of course he knew that his mother didn’t like you as much as she pretended. It didn’t take a genius to know that.
“Fine, fine. Whatever - can we just be done with this? I don’t want to be fighting over your mother right now. It’s too damn early.” You rubbed your eyes and felt him nudge you, looking up to see him smiling at you.
“I’ll wait for you out here. No rush.” Alex moved from the doorway and to the living room, settling in on your sofa before clicking on the television, mindlessly watching whatever station you left it on while he waited for you to get ready.
It didn’t take long for you to get around. You figured at most it took you twenty minutes, cleaning your face and redoing your hair, pulling on some jeans and a plain t-shirt, your sweatshirt thrown over. You grabbed your keys off your nightstand and headed back to the other room, grabbing some sneakers by the door and sitting down to slip them on.
By now the parade had made way to your side of the street, the music drowning out the television and your own thoughts. You watched as Alex clicked the television set off, standing up from the couch and stood above you, waiting until you finished tying your shoes before pulling you up. The two of you then headed out, you locking your apartment before joining him down the steps.
⋆ ⋆ ⋆
After spending some time sitting outside, watching as East Germany decorated the city with flags in honor of the 40th birthday, you and Alex decided that you had had enough of the day and headed back to his apartment. You all but avoided his mother as you walked in behind him, taking off your shoes at the door and setting them beside his own. Following him into his bedroom, once the door was shut you rushed to his bed, turning and flopping down on your side, the one closest to the wall.
You shook your head in though, hands placed on your stomach as he came and laid down beside you, his head resting on the pillow that he tucked under him. Even with his eyes closed, he still knew that something was troubling you.
“What is it?” He mumbled out, cheek squished against the pillow, tired from the night previous and the disruptive morning he had. It was a long night at work and when he got home, he was hoping to sleep in and get some sleep that he had missed from the extra shifts he had picked up. To his dismay, what he got was a wake up call from East Germany.
Letting out a sigh, you rolled onto your right side, propping your head up on your hand while looking down at him. You smiled at how his eyebrows were furrowed together, his small mouth pursed, as if he was trying to sleep. He looked cute, almost innocent, if it weren’t for the disgusted look on his face.
You opened your mouth to speak, but closed your mouth, deciding against it. Alex already had to listen to his mother talk about politics every day, the last thing he wanted to do was talk about them with you - or rather hear how his mother was blinded by East Germany. Besides, you hadn’t realized just how tired he was until you got back to his class. Even if you did want to talk with him about it, there was a good chance he would have fallen asleep before you finished.
“Nothing, just forget it.” You dropped your arm down and let your head fall onto the pillow that Alex wasn’t using, closing your eyes as you laid beside him, arms crossed at your chest while your legs curled into a ball. It looked as though you were trying to keep your body warm, but really you just liked the position. Sometimes Alex would pull you in, wrapping himself around you as you napped. You never thought much of it, it being so normal for you both - but when Ariane started the teasing, that’s when things got awkward.
It was incredibly cliche - you knew that - crushing on your best guy friend that you’d known for a good part of your life. It’s not like you were planning on it, but one day it just happened. You stopped looking at him like he was just one of ‘the boys’ and saw him for something more. You enjoyed the little things about him that you hadn’t seen before - the way his favorite blue striped shirt seemed to fit him smaller as the years went on, how he doted on Paula when nobody was looking, or even the way he would sit on the couch, manspreading yet making it look so good.
Okay, so you were in love with him - but what could you do about it?
Your relationship with Alex balanced between the realm of dating and family, as weird as that sounded. You were there for him in the way that families were meant to be there for each other, but consoled him during his lowest points the way a partner would. Alex never made any advantages towards you in the way that would make you uncomfortable - he treated you the same way you treated him, ‘like one of the boys’. You had a strong hunch that he didn’t feel any sort of romantic feelings towards you, and while it broke your heart, you moved on.
It was selfish of you to think, but despite you doing your best to convince yourself that you moved on, ignore the feelings that you obviously had for Alex, you still had a hard grasp when it came to the idea of Alex seeing someone. Being with someone and growing a bond the way that you had with him. He was a young boy- man now, you were surprised that it had been this long even for him to still not have a girlfriend.
So when Ariane woke the two of you up from your unexpected nap, explaining that there was a girl there for Alex - your heart sank. You did your best to not showcase your evident disappointment, watching as he smoothed his hair down and got up, making his way to the door. He looked out of his room and leaned back in, looking down at his sister.
“Where’s my visitor?” He asked, confused at the lack of a girl standing outside his door.
You smiled then, when you realized what Ariane was doing. She was teasing him with the idea of there being a girl for him, a date, when really his date was with the precious baby Paula. You shook your head and fell back into the pillows, closing your eyes as you listened to them.
“Your visitor’s name is Paula. She’s your date, as agreed.” You heard Alex groan, taking the baby from Ariane as he tried to protest.
“Can’t your ex mind her?” He questioned, only to roll his eyes and kick the door shut behind him as Ariane explained that he was on call for the day.
When you felt the bed dip back down beside you, you opened your eyes and looked to your right to see Alex laying on his back, holding Paula close to him. She began to fuss and the sigh that escaped from Alex prompted you up, motioning for him to hand Paula to you.
“She doesn’t like the noise, I’d assume. I wouldn’t blame her, poor girl’s ears are far too sensitive.” You found yourself talking in a baby voice, bouncing Paula in your lap to calm her down while Alex got up himself, rubbing his eyes before moving the pillows to make a makeshift bed for Paula to sleep in, seeing as though he wouldn’t be getting anymore sleep that day.
“Here, lay her down. Maybe she can get some sleep.” You did as Alex asked and carefully laid Paula down, watching as she fidgeted for a moment, whining in discomfort before hitting a spot that seemed to satisfy her enough. You smiled and placed your hand against her tummy, cooing her to calm down before watching as she yawned, slowly falling asleep.
“You’re pretty good at that you know?” Smiling, you looked over at Alex and shrugged, “I gotta be. You can hardly hold her without her crying.” Alex rolled his eyes at your comment, scoffing as you stood up, nudging him before he got up in suit, leading the way out of his room and into the living room.
You weren’t surprised to see his mother in there, talking with a friend about the sizes of women’s clothing. You held back rolling your eyes, moving to sit on their sofa while Alex sat behind you at the table. You picked at the loose thread on your jeans, ignoring as Christiane and her friend continued to draft the letter they would send in with their wishes.
It took everything inside of you to not make a remark towards their letter, claiming that the idea would never get past the mailbox. There was no denying that Alex’s mother was intelligent - she was good at what she did, but you knew that if she just listened to what you had to say, what Alex and Ariane had to say, she could do more things that would help Germany.
Your thoughts were pulled out when you noticed Alex walk in front of you, turning the television set on before going back to his seat. Your attention, now fixed on the broadcast of the celebration of East Germany’s 40th birthday.
“Look at them, celebrating themselves, the old farts.” You smirked at Alex’s comment, looking down to shake your head as you tried to bite back your laugh. The mood turned sour quickly though, not that you were surprised, when Christiane told Alex that he didn’t have to watch.
Setting his coffee cup down, Alex pointed towards the television, looking at his mother, “Can’t you see what’s going on?” He questioned, eyebrows furrowed.
Pausing the current piece she was ironing, Christiane set her hands on the ironing board, looking at Alex, “What do you want to do?” She asked him suddenly, her tone sharp, “Emigrate? Nothing will ever change if everyone emigrates.”
You glanced over at Christiane, watching as she quickly returned back to drafting the letter. It was something you learned over time that she did. Whenever someone would make a rebuttal against something that went against her own personal views, she would move on from the situation before you could get the next word in, always letting her have the final word.
When you caught glances with Christiane, you found yourself not pulling from the gaze that the two of you locked on one another. It was like a silent conversation going on - both of you daring the other to say what they were thinking. Before you got the chance to speak, or her for that matter, you heard Paula begin to fuss from the other room.
“I got her.” You explained, motioning for Alex to stay where he was, heading back into his room. You heard Ariane thank you from the bathroom as she got ready while you made your way towards the bed, picking Paula up with a smile.
“Hi there sweet girl, is it too loud for you?” You hummed gently and held her close, resting her head under your chin as you rocked her in your arms. You listened as her crying faltered into a low whining, her tiny hands gripping at your shirt. Smiling weakly, you moved your head back to kiss the top of her head.
You were happy to hear the parade soldiers finally moving on from the side of town you and Alex lived on, moving to go towards another part of the city. The music fading until you were left standing in Alex’s bedroom in silence. When you figured it was safe to lay Paula back down, you carefully placed her back on his bed, making sure she was secured in the middle of the pillows before standing back up.
When you turned around, you were met by Alex who had just walked in his room, shutting the door behind him. You smiled and motioned towards Paula who was on his bed, finally asleep.
“She’s asleep this time, don’t think we have to worry about her waking up anytime soon,” You put your hands on your waist as he approached you, smiling down at you while you smiled back at him, “I should be compensated for my services - without me she’d never settle down.”
You both laughed, maybe a little too loud with the sleeping baby in the room, but Alex could only shake his head and move around you to look out his window, watching as the parade soldiers became smaller and smaller until disappearing from sight. Turning around, you moved your arms up and over your chest, crossing your arms as you watched him from your spot in the middle of his room.
“I hear there is going to be a protest tonight. You wanna go and check it out?” He asked, moving to the chair that was at his desk finally, looking up at you.
The older Alex got, the more he found himself wanting to be involved with protests and politics. Growing up with a mother who was heavily involved with Socialist Unity Party meant he was already surrounded by politics, but when he got older and formed his own views, it meant for him to be more vocal on it. You weren’t surprised when he asked if you wanted to see what it was all about, he often heard about protests going on and dragged you with them. You weren’t the protest type, however, so you were hesitant.
“I don’t know, I’m not sure if it’ll be a good ide-”
“It’s not going to get out of hand, if that’s what you’re worried about. We’ll walk with them, hold up our signs, chant, and come back home,” He leaned forward and extended his hands out to you, in which you took without question, “If it gets out of hand we will leave. I just want to see what it’s all about.”
You trusted Alex and his judgement, for the most part, so it didn’t take long for you to agree, smiling when he squeezed your hands before pulling away, leaning back in the chair. You shook your head and sat at the end of the bed, leaning against his wall.
“If it gets out of hand though, we’re gone. I don’t need to be the one explaining to your mother why you ended up in prison.”
You were caught off guard by Alex who leaned across the arm of his chair to kiss your cheek, blushing as you felt his warm breath against your ear.
“You worry too much, you know that?”
When you felt him return back to his seat, you looked down at your lap, a smirk on your face as you tried to not show your obvious enjoyment of the intimacy - knowing that for Alex it was nothing more than just a friendly kiss, but to you, it was more.
⋆ ⋆ ⋆
Everything happened so quickly. You didn’t have time to process what had even happened until it was too late. Alex was taken, Christiane had fallen - you were all alone in the middle of a peaceful protest gone wrong.
The protest was going smoothly for the most part. You kept close to Alex as the two of you walked among the other protestors, voicing that it was the people of East Germany’s right to be able to go on walks freely without the Wall getting in their way. You weren’t surprised with how underwhelming it was - it seemed that many protests were mostly filled with older couples sluggishly moving down the streets, or younger people like you and Alex who just followed what everyone else was doing.
Walking beside you, Alex was repeating the current chant ‘Freedom of the Press!’ while crunching down on the apple that he was given to by someone in the crowd. His brain wasn’t entirely focused on chewing fully - chanting with the others.
“Alex, you’re going to choke on that.” You warned, watching as he rolled his eyes, continuing on, “Am not.”
You rolled your eyes at his stubbornness, continuing on as you ignored the fear in the back of your head of him choking on his apple. No matter how often he liked to remind you that he was an adult and could handle himself - you always reminded him back that you were the older one and that men weren’t as smart as women.
So when he finally did choke on the apple, his words cutting short, you couldn’t say you were surprised. Coming to a stop beside him, you looked down and shook your head, bending him forward while he tried to cough up the apple.
“Come on, Alex! Spit it out!” You tried to hit his back hard enough for him to spit the bit of apple out, but even your heavy hand couldn’t get it out. You grew worried, thinking the worst as you looked around, hoping to find someone that could help. But nobody seemed to notice Alex as soldiers now stood ahead of the protest, linking arms to block them from going by.
It was a girl your age that finally approached, quickly hitting him on the back, bringing his posture up so he could cough up the apple - and thank heavens did it work.
Gasping when you finally saw the fruit shoot out from his mouth, you grabbed his arm and looked at him, “Alex! Are you okay?”
He seemed to be spaced out though, gasping for air as he looked at you, nodding once before at the girl who saved his life.
“Are you okay?” She asked, pausing in the middle of the protest to be sure. You watched as he smiled shyly at her, nodding and thanking her before she took off ahead to catch back up to where she originally had been at.
Before you could scold Alex, you watched him take off suddenly ahead of you, chasing after the girl that saved his life. With your mouth open, you raised your hands in frustration before fighting through the crowd to catch up with him.
“Alex! Wait!”
You desperately fought the people in front of you, forcing your body to squeeze through the crowd to find Alex. By now the police had shown and the sirens were echoing the streets, ringing in your ears as both the soldiers and cops yelled at the protestors to stop and go back. You knew that Alex wouldn’t stop - of course he wouldn’t, he would go head first into the fire to prove something. Damn him and his fucking ego.
While trying to force yourself past the crowd of people, you fumbled forward onto the hard gravel, hissing as your palms scraped against the road. You were lucky not to be trampled over and thankful when you felt someone grab you by your arms, pulling you up.
“Careful! You could’ve been run over!”
You turned around, gasping as you stumbled back, regaining your posture. You frowned at the man who was looking at you, a worried expression washed over his face. He couldn’t have been much older than you, in his late twenties at most.
“Are you okay? Your hands, they are-”
“I’m fine!” You didn’t mean to snap at him, but you were desperate to catch up to Alex before you lost him, or something worse happened, “Thanks, but I have to go. I have to find my friend.”
You ignored the disappointed look on the man’s face when you turned around, going back to pushing through the crowd, calling out for Alex before you finally broke through to the front, the trucks now barricading the protestors in, the cops trying to catch whoever attempted to run off while soldiers pulled people out.
It was a goddamn shit show. You flinched when you heard the first initial cry - your attention moved to an older woman who was pulled by a soldier, thrown to the ground before getting viciously kicked in her side. You needed to find Alex, and fast.
You did your best to ignore the tears that were welling up in your eyes, sniffling as you frantically began to look through the crowd, jumping up to look over the wave of people who were now scattering across the street. Alex was still nowhere in sight and the chaos that erupted around you suddenly only grew worse. You didn’t even realize that you yourself had been grabbed by one of the soldiers until you were being pulled off to the side.
“Let go of me! I didn’t do anything!” You found yourself shouting, hands flat against the soldier’s chest as you tried to push yourself away. His grip only tightened as he roughly pulled you with him, your heels desperately trying to dig into the gravel.
“Quit fighting! You’re coming with me! Not a chance I’m letting you go-”
He stumbled back when your spit slapped him in the face. When his grip loosened from your wrist you took the chance to break free, stumbling back as you watched him grow red, going for his baton that was at his side. Feeling your heart sink, you continued to stumble backwards until you found yourself toppling over someone, landing on your back as the soldier approached you both, the baton now in his hand and high in the air.
You were waiting to be beaten, knowing that it would eventually come, but to your surprise it didn’t. Your hands were above your head, cowering with the other person that was with you as the two of you prepared for the worst.
When you heard the sirens, the shouting of more soldiers approaching, you looked up and saw the crowd begin to flee, running back to where the protest walk started. Some soldiers chased after them, grabbing some that were too slow to pull them back and into the trucks that would take them to prison. Other soldiers just stayed back, assisting where they could.
“Come on, you’re coming with us!”
The soldier that originally grabbed you forcefully yanked you up by your collar, pushing you towards the truck with your hands now behind your head. Your tears were now freely falling down your cheeks, your heartbeat thumping in your ears as reality soon sinked in.
Alex was still nowhere in sight. You were being taken to prison for the protest.
Before you were escorted onto the back of the truck, you heard your name be called out. Turning, you noticed Alex who was fighting with the guards that were on him, trying his best to break free and rush to you. You did the same, flailing your body around and kicking at the soldier who continued to pull you at the truck.
You knew something was wrong when the world around you seemed to freeze, the painful ringing in your ears as your brain felt heavy. Alex’s attention pulled from your own, off to the side where his mouth fell open, the tears welling in his own eyes. Your own gaze followed his line of sight, looking at where he was looking to see his mother on the ground unconscious.
Everything felt slow passing by, yet it all happened so quickly. Alex tried to break free and run to his mother, calling out to her as he was grabbed by the guards again, kicked and punched at to slow him down before dragging him into the back of the truck, before the truck drove off.
You were pulled back into the present, everything around you suddenly becoming clear again and moving around you at a normal pace. Your body was slacked in shock as you watched the truck Alex was placed in drive off, before looking at his mother on the ground.
“Please,” You began, turning towards the soldier who had a grip on you, “My friend’s mother, she’s over there. I think something is wrong. Please, I need to help her, she could be in danger.”
You wanted to believe that there was still good in this world, that the soldiers of East Germany cared even a miniscule amount about the people. And perhaps they did, or it was your own luck that gave you the chance to go after her. You didn’t stick around to wait, feeling the soldier let go of your wrist before nodding for you to go.
You were by Christiane’s side in seconds, on your knees as you cradled her head in your hands, shaking her slightly, “Christiane! Christiane! Please, wake up!” Your head fell to her chest and you listened for a heartbeat and when you didn’t hear one you screamed out for help, pleading with anyone who listened for help.
It was an older guard who finally approached you, kneeling on the other side while he looked over Christiane. He checked her pulse and moved far too slow for your liking.
“She’s not breathing, damnit! She needs medical attention!” You found yourself screaming. The guard fell back on his knees, looking at you intensely before down at Christiane. He stood up and you figured he gave up on you before his whistle caught your attention. The lights from the ambulance illuminated off of your face, your hand going up to block the light, eyes squinting to see what was happening.
Christiane was pulled up onto a stretcher by the two medical responders in the truck, placed in the back before one of them stopped and looked down at you.
“Are you going with her?” He asked you, waiting for your response before he went back to the truck to leave. For a moment you didn’t process what he had asked you, still in shock with everything that happened. But when you finally came to again, you looked at him and nodded, standing up and climbing into the back of the truck.
It didn’t take long for Ariane to arrive at the hospital. You knew that Alex wouldn’t have been able to be reached and you hoped that Ariane would answer. She did, thankfully, and said she would be there after she dropped Paula off at her father’s. You sat with Ariane outside of her mother’s room, holding her in your arms as she sobbed into your chest, your own tears silently falling. You had been informed that Alex would be let go from prison, given his mother’s current state of health. The heart attack she suffered led her into a coma and there was no telling when, or if, she’d ever wake up.
Despite the doctor still standing in front of you, Ariane and yourself weeped together, comforting one another until Alex arrived. When the footsteps approached down the hall, the three of you turned, seeing Alex rushing down the hall. Ariane was the first up, meeting her brother into a hug while you stayed seated, chewing on your nails as you waited for Ariane to deliver the news to him. You tried to ignore the bruising on Alex’s face, but you couldn’t help but tear up even more at the beaten state of him.
“She had a heart attack.” Ariane choked out, finally able to answer Alex’s question on what was wrong with their mother. You closed your eyes and felt your head sink, taking a deep breath to calm yourself down. Even with their differing political views, Alex and Ariane were still close with their mother. The idea of losing her was not something they dwelled on. Even you, someone who was not fond of the woman, was broken at the news.
“CPR was performed rather late,” The doctor began, approaching Alex and Ariane, “She’s in a coma.”
Alex seemed to be in a lost state of mind, desperately trying to process everything that the doctor was telling him. He tried to ignore Ariane’s weeping as he stared ahead at the doctor, “When can I talk to her?” Alex asked.
Your head snapped up at the question, looking at Alex sadly as you listened to his question. He was so innocent in the mind, not understanding what was wrong with his question and why you all looked at him the way you did. His cheeks went red and his eyebrows furrowed.
“Alex, Mama is in a coma!” Ariane explained, perhaps a bit too forceful for your liking, but you knew that in the moment it was something that maybe Alex needed. The doctor didn’t offer much reassurance either, as he explained that it was uncertain if Christiane would ever wake up.
Looking at the doctor, before his eyes glanced down at you, Alex pushed Ariane away before moving towards the room his mother was in, opening the door and shutting it behind him, wanting a moment to himself with her. The doctor, who didn’t have anything else to add, offered his condolences before leaving you and Ariane outside the room.
“Ariane...I-”
“What happened? Why did Mama have a heart attack?” Ariane demanded, glaring down at you. It felt like she was pointing the blame towards you, since you were the one who brought her in. You did your best to ignore the guilt that settled on you, shaking your head.
“Alex he- he wanted to go to the protest that was being held. It was going okay at first, but then the soldiers came. The cops came. We were going to be taken but when Alex was grabbed I- I don’t know, your mother must have seen and it was too much for her.”
You let your face fall into your hands, hunched over in your seat as your own sobs finally let out. Your body began to shake as you continued to cry, reality settling in with what happened and the fear of what was to come.
Ariane felt guilty herself, snapping at you the way she did. She knew that you would follow Alex wherever he went, even if it weren’t the best of places. She moved and sat down beside you, sniffling as she pulled you into her arms, letting your head rest in her lap, rubbing your back.
“I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to snap.” She whispered, stroking your hair as your cries began to dull. “Thank you for bringing Mama here. If you hadn’t, I fear she may not be with us at all.”
You heard Ariane whimper, the thought of their mother dying that night frightening her. She continued to console you, giving you the comfort you gave her, until you finally calmed down. Ariane moved your head carefully up, looking at you while brushing your tears off your face.
“Alex, he...I’m worried to know how he is going to be. You two are close, you love each other - please, please just watch him for me. I don’t want him to spiral from this. I know he will blame himself for what happened, but it’s not his fault.”
You nodded at what Ariane told you, leaning your forehead against hers as she embraced you, pulling away moments later to stand up and gather her things.
“I’m going to go get Paula, head back home. I-I will come back in the morning. I don’t expect you to stay but...if you could stay with Alex until I come back, I would appreciate it. I just need to get some things around the house. I-”
You cut Ariane off with your hand on her, looking up at her as she stopped in her tracks. “Ariane, please, it’s okay. Go and do what you need to do, I’ll be here.”
The corners of her mouth twitched, nodding before turning and heading down the hall to leave, leaving you alone until Alex came back out. You wondered if he heard Ariane leave, because only moments later he was exiting the room, looking at you blankly.
Standing up, you frowned and opened your mouth to speak, but before you could get a word out, Alex was hugging you, sobbing into the crook of your neck. You held him, of course you did, your hold around him tight as you smoothed his hair down and gripped his jacket in your other arm. You ignored the damp feeling against your skin from his tears, doing your best to hum him into a state of semi-peace.
You managed to coax him to the chair that you and Ariane had been seated on together, letting him rest his head on your lap, his hands grabbing at your knee. You continued to run your fingers through his hair, your other hand resting at his side. He let out the occasional whimper, sniffling his tears away until sleep finally consumed him.
You, on the other hand, didn’t sleep that night. Your own thoughts buzzing with what happened and wanting to stay awake for Alex in case something happened with his mother. You were surprised that Alex fell asleep so easily, but you assumed that because of what he went through that night, he was more exhausted than you were. It didn’t matter though, you stayed with him, holding him close until the sun rose the next day.
#garden of eden#daniel brühl#daniel bruhl#daniel bruehl#good bye lenin#goodbye lenin#alex kerner#alex kerner imagine#alex kerner smut#alex kerner x reader#alex kerner x you
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Today’s disabled character of the day is Paula Small from Home Movies, who has Obsessive Compulsive Disorder and unspecified anxiety disorder
Requested by Anon
#OCD character#unspecified character#Home Movie#Home Movie paula#paula small#disabled character of the day
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Teacher!Dean Winchester: Crayons
Pairing: Teacher!Brother!Dean x Sister!Reader
Pov: Deans
Warnings: Cute Dean, fluff, lots of laughs, Dean making kids giggle, Dean being great with kids, Talk of Deans baby Y/n
Summary- Dean and his sister (Y/n) doing cute little projects with his pre-school/ kindergarten class.
Word Count: 3k
Main Masterlist:
Taglist: @akshi8278 @deanswaywardgirl
I’ve been working for the cute little mam and pop, day-care. This year will mark the second year I’ve been here.
I grow-up with loving parents, and a baby sister. When Y/n was born I felt the natural pull to protect her, and make she was safe at all times. My parents, let me take that brotherly role in her life. My baby sister Y/n was only a year younger than me, so we pretty much did everything together.
When we were in elementary school, I’d walk Y/n to her kindergarten class, and then I’d walk to my first-grade classroom. I honestly can’t believe I still remember that memory.
I walked up the hall and to my classroom door. I had only had these kiddos for about three weeks now, but there were making great progress. And since today was Friday I thought it be cool if I dressed up a little and we had an arts and crafts day.
I looked down at my watch, the digital numbers popping up it read “8:30″. ‘Great I had enough time to pull out all the supplies, and have a few more cups of coffee to keep up with the little munchkins.’
I set my half empty coffee cup on my desk in the front of the classroom, and open the shades letting the morning sun fall into the class room. I pulled out my phone, scrolling through the abundance of playlists on my Spotify account.
This was the only time, when the kids weren’t in my room was, I allowed to listen to my type of music. “Heck yeah, let’s rock baby.” I said as I clicked the most recent playlist.
I set my phone down on my desk and walked around the room. I had a fairly small class this year. I had 2 baby girls that were only about ten months old, but the rest of my class was 2 years, which had the attention span of a Nat, and had the most energy I had ever seen.
Ya, see I love working with this age group. The babies which have to come to day care are the most adorable little girls I had ever seen. Little toes and babbles coming from them as I would change them into their afternoon outfit, or we sit down and eat.
My other kiddos were just having equally adorable. They’d raise their hands for everything, they also asked the oddest of question, but I think what I love most about being with these kiddos every day is that they make me so much happier.
I generally wake up in an over-all happy mood, but the minute my kiddos step into my room. I can feel the joy raise through me, starting at my toes and ending at head. And just like any day, I’m always the first to make it to the daycare. The second person to make their way into the building was my co-teacher. My co-teacher just so happens to be Y/n. She had a thing for being late, but I didn’t mind.
Y/n walked into the classroom, setting her belongings on the rounded desk in the back of the classroom. When Y/n had told me, she had interned to be a part of the daycare I couldn’t help but feel so excited.
Y/n and I’s relationship was prefect damn near unbreakable. Something about having her by my side thirty years later had a great feeling. “Hey big bro!” She said as she looked up after setting her things down on her desk.
“Hey sis, you get enough sleep last night?” I asked knowing she probably didn’t, not with the way those two-year-old ran her ragged yesterday. Y/n and I had a system to how we took care of our class. I’d take Monday with the two-year-old, and then Tuesday I spent with the baby girls, Wednesday I was with the big kids again and then Thursday I was with the babies yet again Friday I’d take the big kids.
Then the cycle would change and Y/n would start with having the big kids Monday. I went over to the paper section, pulling out craft paper, crayons and markers for the kids to play with. “Today if you can’t tell by my amazing outfit, it’s craft day.” I said walking past Y/n desk in the back, as I kicked out the raveling carpet.
I set the paper down at my desk. The day care didn’t open until nine fifteen. “Sis, what may it be?” I said fancying my best London accent, doing things like this made me even happier, it got me in a mood to see my kiddos in the morning.
“Tee time may be nine ten brother.” Y/n said trying her fancy on the old London accent. I got up, quickly turning my playlist off and standing neither my door, other teachers were starting to the same. I waited, and the first child I saw was one of baby girls. Her name was Amber. Her mother said hello handed me her Amber’s bags and then said a short and quick bye-bye to her daughter. “Y/n, Come get amber and bring her to the back room.” I said Y/n came running taking Amber to the back room.
The back room was meant for any kiddos under the age of one year old. It was a quiet space for them, a space dedicated to just them. When I handed Amber off, I heard coo at the Y/n, “Awe, good morning sweetheart.” I heard Y/n say has she walked father away from me and closer to the back room.
The next kiddo was the other sweet baby girl. “Hey, Dean. I like the outfit today.” Said Poppies mother, and she handed me a sleeping poppy, and of course her bag for today. “And look you two match, how adorable.” Poppies mother said before kissing her baby's temple and then walking out the front door. The sun was starting to peak further above the horizon.
I figured since Y/n wasn’t back yet that she was probably putting amber things in the respectful place. I set Poppy down slowly and softly. “Well, the two baby girls are here, you need anything with these two and I’m right outside okay, sis.” I said as I saw Y/n come back from the little kitchenette we had in the back room.
AS Y/n got closer to me, she too noticed the matching outfits that me and Poppy were wearing. “You and poppy match today!” She spoke. Both poppy and I were wearing striped shirts, and dark blue overalls. The only different was that Poppy had a cute little bow in her short hair. “Okay, I’ve got to go out into the classroom and get ready for the other kiddos.” I said to Y/n before walking out of the back room.
When I made it to the door, Justin, Rachel, Cassie, and Paula were standing outside with their parents. ‘Good morning!” As each kid kissed their mothers' cheeks and ran over to me.
after all the parents had left, saying their goodbyes. We all went into the classroom. Like I said before my classroom room size was fairly small. Which I of course didn’t mind.
The kids put all their belongings on the little racks, and ran over. In the morning time we’d sit around in a circle and say one good thing that happened yesterday. I never picked on the kids, I just let the first kid that wanted to go, start us off.
Rachel was the first to start us off. “Yesterday, my mommy and I had ice cream for dessert.” She said her high and squeaky voice, making me smile. “Oh, that sounds awesome! Do you remember what flavor?” I asked sitting down like the kids were. “it was CHOCOLATE!” Rachel screamed the last part. “Oh, that does sounds yummy.” I spoke.
The next kiddo to go was Paula, she started off by saying “When i got home yesterday, I help my daddy make dinner. And we had mac and cheese.” She said rubbing her tummy as she looked back at that not do long ago memory.
Justin interrupted me before I could say anything “Mr. Dean? Where’s miss Y/n?” He spoke. playing with his shoe strings. “That a good question, but remember we have to raise out hand if we are going to ask a question.” I spoke. “I’m sorry.” Justin said.
“To answer Justin question, Miss Y/n is in the back room’ I said pointing towards the door in the back. ‘She’s taking care of the babies today, like I did yesterday.” I spoke.
“Really?” The four kids said in unison. I laughed a little. “Yes, Now Justin would you like to share your good thing?” I asked. “Of course, I want to share Mr. Dean. Yesterday, I helped my sissy with her make-up.” He said putting both his hands on his hips.
I again laughed, another reason why I love working with kids. They are always no matter what so eccentric. “Okay Cassie, what was one good thing that happened yesterday?” I asked. Cassie and I had a rocky start in the begging of class. She was an overly shy girl, and talked softly. But she grew comfortable with me. “Mr. Dean?” She asked getting up from where she had been sitting. “Can I whisper it to you?” She asked.
I just shook my head; she came closer and cupped her hands around my ear. “Yesterday, I told my mommy and daddy I couldn’t wait to come back to class.” She said in a very quiet whisper.
Awe I thought to myself, and said out loud. “I’m glad your excited to come to see me.” wrapping one of my arms around Cassie already small body and hugged her. “Okay kiddos, since today is the last day of the week. We’re are going to arts and crafts.” I spoke.
“Yay!” Justin said getting up and walking over to the little table. I looked over at Cassie, and smiled. she gave me a short smile and walked over to where Justin was. So, I got up and made sure that Rachel and Paula were walking with me. Once they were all sitting down at the table.
I grabbed the different colored papers, and the crayons and markers. Placing everything in the middle so they would be able to share. "Now kiddos, if you want anything else. I will be at my desks.” I spoke.
I sat down at my desk, trying to figure out anything else that I could do with the kiddos since today was Friday. ‘We could sit down and watch a movie; I could wait for them to do finished with their crafts, and then do another craft all together.’ I thought to myself.
I was pulled out of my thoughts when I heard the back-room door open, “Um, Mr. Dean. I need your help!” Y/n said. The kids rose their heads, but went back to coloring when they noticed it was just Y/n. “Listen kiddos, I have to go help miss Y/n, so just continue doing your drawing.” I spoke. I heard a “Okay, Mr. Dean.”
I walked to the back-room, Y/n walked back through the door, not shutting it. “What’s up Y/n? ” I asked. “I just needed your help, getting them into their afternoon clothes. They both had accidents.” Y/n said walking over to grab Amber and Poppy’s bag.
“Alright then, let's get started.” I said taking Amber’s bag. When I came over to where Y/n and had laid them out on the soft blanket on the floor, Amber had her small hand wrapped around her small ankle chewing softing on her big toes. “Awe sweetie, not that icky.” I said taking her foot from her mouth. Amber’s mother had packed two different outfits, one being a short sleeve shirt that said “Daddy's girl!” in purple glitter with a black skirt. Her second outfit was a long sleeve that had a momma and baby elephant on it, with blue leggings.
I held up either one of the shirts, I know she’s only ten, but I bet her Amber’s mom is letting her choose some sort of her outfits. I held the shirts up and Amber did the thing that most kids her age do which is grabby hands. Amber wanted to wear the elephants, which meant she was pants.
So, I lightly lifted Amber's head to let me put her head in through the hole at the top of the shirt, then I had to grab her arms. Amber had this thing when you changed her cloths. All the sudden she’d become a wiggle worm. Finally, after a few minutes of trying to grab her arms, she let me. I gently put her hands and arms through the holes. Afterwards I put her leggings on and I sat her up in my lap.
“The kiddos out there asked where you were today?” I said catching Y/n attention. “Did they? Awe that’s cute” She said had she lifted Poppy into her lap. “I’ve got them drawing out there, since it’s Friday.” I said “I figured you go easy on since today is Friday. Yesterday I tried to teach them number one through twenty, but it didn’t work out as I planned.” Y/n said laughing a little when poppy babbled into her lap.
“I was thinking that we could let them watch a Disney movie and feed these girls, maybe go for nap time too.” I said lightly bouncing Amber in my lap, and she chewed on her binky. I saw Y/n face contort like it always did when she was thinking.
“I don’t see why not; what movie were you thinking?” Y/n asked. Without missing a beat “Frozen” I said, a little giggle erupted from my younger sister. “Okay, I guess we got a plan then.” She said putting Poppy on her hip, and walking towards the door, so I followed her. “Let’s go Amber!” I said putting her on my hip and walking out of the room.
When I walked out the kiddos were still coloring and drawing. “Alrighty kiddos let’s be done with coloring. Because we are going to watch a movie.” I said All heads turned and looked at me, in the moment you could hear a mouse scurrying across the floor for how quiet it was.
“What movie are we watching?” Rachel said after raising her hand. “Rachel we are watching Frozen!” I said as I put Amber in the high chair. All that could be heard for a few seconds was screams of happiness.
“Alrighty calm down, kids. I want you all to go sit on the carpet in the front of the classroom.” Y/n said as she buckled Poppy in her high chair. “I’ll get the movie started, and you get the babies food.” Y/n said. “Okay.”
I walked in to the back room and grabbed their food. Y/n had finished set-up the movie and it had already started playing the starting credits. She walked back over, and grabbed a fandom one from my hand, and we started to feed the babies.
The kiddos watch the movie in silence, at one point close to when Anna meets Kristoff. The babies were done eating so we took them out of the high chairs and set them down in our laps as we sat behind the kids. When Cassie noticed that we were now on the floor, she turned around, and crawled over to me.
Laying down and resting her head on my thigh. “Are you tired Cassie?” I asked, all I got in response was a hum. I smiled, and brushed her arm. I felt the change in her breathing. I looked over at Y/n. “Cassie is out and so is Amber. Should we call it?” I asked her. She looked down at Poppy. “Poppy is asleep, and I think so is Justin.” She said looking at the kids.
Y/n got up with poppy in her arms. She came over and grabbed a sleep Amber in my arms. And brought them into the backroom. I gently picked up Cassie, she didn’t weight much seeing as she was asleep. I moved her over to the sleep mat, and grabbed her a blanket, before walking over and noticing that the once awake Rachel and Paula were asleep, which made this whole process just so much more easier, Y/n walked out of the back-room and noticed the same thing as me.
Whispering Y/n said “Looks like they did the job for us.” Giggling she picked up Rachel, and brought her over next to Cassie. I picked up Justin, now he weighed more than Cassie, causing me to grunt a little when I picked him up. I heard Y/n giggle a little at me. “Stop laughing at me, he’s heavy then I thought.” I said setting him down. Y/n grabbed Paula and did the same thing with her.
“At least they are all asleep.’ She spoke. ‘I could use a lap.” She said leaning her head against my shoulder. I leaned my head against the top of hers. “How about we just take a little nap since it’s the last day before the weekend.” I spoke. She shook her head.
We waked over to the shades that I had pulled letting the morning sun in, and Y/n pulled them back, and then she slides down to the floor, and sat down next to her and she rested the head of my shoulder, “I’m glad I work with you De.” She said a yawn passing her lips.
“I’m glad you’re here to help, Y/n.” I said patting her knee. I kiss her forehead, something I had done since she was a baby girl. I kissed her forehead every night when it was time to go to bed. “I love you, big brother.” She said before she hugged me tightly. “I love you too baby sis.” Hugging her back.
Completed: 03/16/2021
#dean winchester#dean winchester fanfiction#dean fanfic#dean fanfiction#dean x reader#dean#supernatural fanfiction#supernatural#Supernatural fanfic#supernatural fic#fluff#dean fluff#supernatualfluff#overallfluff#kids#brother!Dean#sister!reader#sister!winchester#teacher!dean#au#alternate universe#preschool
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Holistic Analysis of ‘Volver’ by Pedro Almodovar
tw// mentions of child abuse, pedophilia, death, blood, and sharp objects
Conduct a holistic of the film Volver by Pedro Almodovar. Be sure to integrate terminologies and concepts from course discussions on both photography and film in your analysis. Cite all borrowed materials.
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‘Volver’ by Pedro Almodovar is a 2006 Spanish film set in Madrid, Spain as well as a small village in the La Mancha Region. Upon further research, it’s noted that La Mancha is where Almodovar grew up, which indicates that this film highlights the essence of his childhood.
‘Volver’, which is Spanish for ‘to come back,’ beautifully captures the importance of women’s lives and what comes of life after death. The film is compacted with stunning architecture, camera angles, color, music and sounds, and visual images that all fit into the film’s overall message.
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Composition: I have noticed throughout the film that Almodovar chose interesting and compelling camera angles for different situations. When people walk through big doors-- mostly with the windy village in La Mancha-- the camera would be at a one-point perspective. The center of the door would be the ‘vanishing point’ of the frame so that you’ll see the rest of the hallway that the characters will soon walk down. When Almodovar films the characters going up a flight of spiral staircases, he puts the camera on the ground facing upwards in the center to show the movement of the characters. When his characters are going down the set of stairs, he changes the angle so that the camera is at the top facing downwards. When characters are walking down or off onto the street, the camera tends to follow their movement in a single shot; either in front of the characters for more intense scenes and dialogue or on the side of the characters in a distance shot to move along the plot. I also noticed his choice of car scenes. He would usually show the red car driving down a dirt road of wind turbines in a distance shot. If there were people in the back seat, the camera would shoot from the front of the car, and if it’s only one person or two they would shoot their side profiles. I also noticed that certain frames had significance to the plot as an angle would be used for multiple shots; one with Raimunda cleaning the knife before and after the murder of Paco, and when Raimunda was standing by the tree by the river after burying Paco then later that same angle was used when Raimunda and Paula visited the same spot.
Visual Cues:
Color- The main color of the film-- as well as any Almodovar film-- is red. The color symbolizes death as well as womanhood-- the passion, empowerment, and life that goes with women. The film was full of bright colors, which is a usual touch that the director loves to add to all of his films. Almodovar chooses his color precisely by the setting, as he stated in his interview with Jennifer Merin about the film. He chose to use a lot of black and white because of the location and social environment of La Mancha. Those colors, he says, aren’t ones he typically uses but were the best choice for those certain parts of the film.
Gestalt Laws:
Proximity- The closeness between Raimunda and Paula throughout the entirety of the film shows that the two are related in some way. The fact that the two characters are inseparable and are seen living together, an individual can assume that they’re mother and daughter. Paco getting constantly pushed away and being distant from the characters symbolizes the dysfunctional relationship he had with Raimunda and Paula. When Sole ran away screaming from Irene upon first meeting her, one can assume that the relationship is unwanted by the forcible distance. However, we see about 20 minutes later, Sole allows Irene into her home and ends up sleeping next to her in the night. The sudden closeness indicates the love and comfortableness between a parent and child.
Common fate- The people of Madrid and La Mancha always kissed each other’s cheeks as a form of greeting. Raimunda and Irene both had their partners murdered for doing something taboo. Irene’s husband was having an affair and sexually abused and impregnated their daughter Raimunda. Raimunda’s partner, Paco, was stabbed by her daughter Paula for sexually assaulting her. Another common fate is that Raimunda and Paula were both sexually assaulted by their fathers/father figures.
Semiotic Signs and codes:
Indexical Sign- The abundance of people are dressed in minimal amounts of clothing which indicates that the weather must be quite warm. When the characters are in the La Mancha village, the character’s clothes and hair move rapidly indicating that the area has harsh winds.
Symbolic Sign- The use of red in the women’s clothing, on and in buildings, on the furniture, vehicles, and close-ups on vegetables and blood certainly doesn’t go unnoticed. However, an individual who notices may not understand its significance. Therefore, the color red is an example of a symbolic sign in this film. It emphasizes the meaning of life after death and the importance of womanhood. Another example of a symbolic sign is the song sung by Raimunda within the film. The title of the music is the same as the movie’s title, ‘Volver’. The song is about the need for one’s life to come back, especially a mother’s, in order to move forward in life, which is an addition to the film’s message. One final example is at the very beginning of the film. The women of the La Mancha village are seen cleaning off the gravestones in the local cemetery. The way the women talked with one another made the audience indicated that this was a common practice. This scene set up the meaning of life beyond death and womanhood because only women were standing over the dead.
Purpose of the Work: A main purpose of the work was for the director to pay homage to his childhood as the movie filmed in the place he grew up and the characters were similar to the women who raised him.
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Personal Perspective:
As usual, when films start, I need to take some time to get into it. This is the same with any kind of story, even with books. But, unlike books, I can stay focused and entertained by good cinematography. The Spanish film ‘Volver’ did just that for me. The stunning single-point shots and frames kept me wanting more. I completely adored the close-up shots of characters doing simple tasks. For example, when Raimunda was putting away Tupperware, washing the dishes, and grabbing paper towels-- just to name a few-- I absolutely adored how they were shot. When the plot began to thicken, however, it was more than just the cinematography that left me breathless. The acting was incredible that I was convinced I was watching someone else’s life right before my eyes. There were many surprises that I didn’t see coming that left me on the edge of my seat the whole time. When the film ended, I had felt satisfied and unsatisfied. I wanted to know more of the story, it felt like the conclusion was only starting when the credits began to roll. But, at the same time, I was okay with how it ended because I can make up my own conclusions about how I feel the story will continue. I really enjoyed how the visuals throughout the whole film were chosen carefully to match the overall message.
Cultural Perspective:
Almodovar uses a lot of past and present aspects of the Spanish culture in his films. As he grew up in Spain, it’s something he knows well and feels most inspired from. The director is obsessed with the media of Spanish culture-- such as telenovelas, magazine stories, infomercials. Almodovar adds Spanish media to his films quite often. For example, in ‘Volver,’ he uses the idea of a film-within-a-film aspect near the end of the movie. Another example is when Paco was watching soccer on the television in the earlier shots of the film. Almodovar claims that the brightness and intenseness of the colors match the drama that Spanish films have, which is why he tends to this culture more to satisfy his creativity. A quote from a 2006 interview mentioned in an Amuse article by Colin Crummy, Almodovar states, “It is something very Spanish but it is hardly used in Spain. It corresponds both to my personality and the baroque behaviour of my fictional characters. Explosions of colour fit in very well with high drama.”
Critical Perspective:
There were multiple mentions of child abuse and pedophilia within the film. One example is that Raimunda’s father abused and raped her as a child that led to the birth of Paula. Near the beginning of the film, there was an up-close shot of the fourteen-year-old girl’s private spot indicating that Paco-- the supposed father-- was looking at it, and he was creeping on her while she got undressed in her room. After a few scenes roll by, we see Paula waiting for her mother at the bus stop in the rain looking petrified. After Paula didn’t give a clear answer, we see Raimunda finding Paco’s dead body on the kitchen floor. Paula began to explain the whole event of the assault that led to her stabbing him in detail. The aspect of child abuse and murder is enough to provoke a strong response from the viewer. The whole event is extremely traumatizing that will make people talk about it afterward. A major theme throughout this film is death and the afterlife. The superstitions of spirits visiting you before you pass on overflowed the village. Irene was thought to have passed in a fire four years prior to the story’s timeline. So, when she had visited her sister who was dying, many suspected that it was her spirit helping the living pass on. The idea of death and the afterlife is a difficult topic to bring up in conversation, so it wouldn’t be unusual if someone had felt uncomfortable. There were many ways death occurred within the film; stabbing, old-age, a house fire(that was intentional), and cancer. Each death-- and the reason it happened-- can provoke an emotional response from the audience. The running themes and cultures of the film will leave anyone’s mind wondering: what’s next?
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References
Merin, Jennifer. “Jennifer Merin Interviews Pedro Almodovar Re ‘Volver.’” ALLIANCE OF WOMEN FILM JOURNALISTS, 13 Dec. 2006, awfj.org/blog/2006/12/13/jennifer-merin-interviews-pedro-almodovar-re-volver/.
Team, Amuse. “A Musical Tour of Ibiza.” Amuse, 24 Mar. 2021, amuse.vice.com/en_us/article/bvg3p4/a-musical-tour-of-ibiza.
Lester, Paul Martin. Visual Communication: Images with Messages. Sixth ed., Michael Rosenberg, 2014.
Almodóvar, Pedro, Agustin Almodóvar, Esther García, Penélope Cruz, Carmen Maura, Lola Dueñas, Blanca Portillo, Yohana Cobo, Chus Lampreave, Antonio . Torre, Carlos Blanco, José L. Alcaine, and Alberto Iglesias. Volver. , 2006.
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Home Movies #2: “I Don't Do Well in Parent-Teacher Conferences” | May 3, 1999 – 8:30PM | S01E02
Adult Swim airdate: October 14, 2001 – 10:30PM
My episode 2 theory (good episode 1 almost always yields a bad episode 2) is put to the test here, isn’t it? Of course it is, as it would with any TV series that lasted beyond one episode, which is to say all of them.
Brendon forgets to write a speech for class and has a disastrous time trying to wing it. So, Mr. Lynch calls his mother in for a parent-teacher conference. Meanwhile the kids make movies and McGuirk threatens Lynch with violence for not allowing Brendon to play soccer.
This episode is GREAT. It’s actually better than episode one, and I have a feeling that most of what we see here is unused stuff from the first episode. For example: in episode one we hear Paula discuss having a babysitter come to the house which caused me to anticipate scenes that are actually in THIS episode. Jason has yet another extended riff talking about his various disgusting maladies; this is the one where he bemoans his “craddle cap,” and casually mentions getting hit by several teachers. Fuck dude, it’s so funny.
Another really funny bit in this is a scene where Brendon faces the music with his mother and he casually says “aw, Jesus” to almost no reaction from Paula. I love that the Smalls are so non-religious that Paula doesn’t even think to scold Brendon for blasphemy. Also Brendon deflecting his mother’s scorn for not doing homework for almost a year by saying “you don’t think I feel bad about this? I’m on YOUR side!” is so fucking funny and such a great line.
This is also the first Mr. Lynch episode. This episode has a scene where McGuirk makes fun of Lynch’s thin little mustache and slicked-back hair, which damned Mr. Lynch to look the way he does in the show. From what I understand Ron Lynch was anticipating his character looking like himself. Too bad, bitch!
This is the first episode featuring Dwayne, who supplies bitchin’ rock guitar for Brendon’s monster movie. This is also a really fun scene, where Brendon depicts himself as a guy who gets so nervous attempting to give a speech that he turns into a monster. There’s something kinda delightful about the kids movie making. The foreboding guitar kicking in as they announce that it’s Brendon’s birthday, and demand he give a speech. It’s not jokily bad, and it’s sorta accidentally good. It’s just so nice to see them get the formula right so early on. I’d hazard to say that this episode is as good as most anything that came after it.
There’s another bit in this with a babysitter character that looks weirdly like McGuirk. It’s clearly supposed to be a teenage girl but she’s voiced by Sam Brown, who appeared on Dr. Katz a handful of times. He will be missed! (I’m assuming he died).
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