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smarchit · 3 years

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Look Around, Look Around pt 3

Summary: You escaped an abusive marriage, pregnant with your husband’s child. He sends a bounty hunter after you to bring you back. Everything changes. Din Djarin/pregnant!reader, no use of y/n

Word count: 2.4k

Warnings: Pregnancy/related topics, implied/referenced rape, mentions of abuse

Notes: yaaaaaaall better get ready bc the story really starts to kick in during this chapter - stay tuned!

So you'd been travelling with the Mandalorian for a little over a month now. A month of helping him as best you could around the Razor Crest, which usually meant watching the baby while he was out looking for work.

He'd kept it to touring mostly well-populated planets for now, and ones usually far less dangerous than he was used to working on. He didn't want to put you in any unnecessary danger than what came with one in his field of expertise, so it was mostly touristy things on larger planets.

You had fun at first, but those weren't the type of places his work usually stuck around on. So you had to keep moving, keep hopping from skughole to skughole in pursuit of work.

Presently, you were seated on a crate outside of the Crest while he negotiated a docking fee from the Twi'lek woman who owned the hangar and adjacent inn. You rubbed a soothing hand over your stomach while the unborn baby inside you did somersaults. It's okay, little one. I'm right here.

"Need a room for your wife?" the woman asked, slightly louder so you could hear her. She raised a brow at the Mandalorian, who slightly turned to face you.

"She's not my wife - and no," he corrected sharply. "We don't. Just need the hangar spot for a day or so."

You sighed and looked down at the bounty hunter's little one that was currently trying to chase down a cricket nearly as large as he was. He'd tire himself out, which would be good for you later on.

It had been getting a little more difficult for you to sleep at night, not due to anxiety, but due to the creeping pressure on your back and hips.

The Mandalorian, stoic and chivalrous as he was, had offered you his bed to sleep in. He'd found some extra bedding in a shop on Tatooine and bought it all for you so you weren't suffering anymore than you had to. You were nesting. The child constantly was snuggling in the bed with you, and would make his way into your room while the Mandalorian slept, much to his panic. He'd wake in the morning and frantically search for him at first, but now he knew right where to find you.

"Ready?" the Mandalorian asked, making his way back over to you. He had a bag slung over his shoulder and the keys to a speeder in his hand.

Dare you say it, it looked very dad-like, and you actually found a smile creeping across your face at his casual pose.

"Where's this one hiding?" you asked as he shut up the door to the Crest. You scooped up the child, something that was getting increasingly difficult with each day, and stood with him in your arms.

"About a four hour ride that way," Mando said, gesturing with his whole hand pointing east.

You groaned internally. "Four hours!"

"You can stay here if you want," he said with a shrug.

You glanced around the old hangar and scowled. It was completely walled in, and you could see none of the planet from here.

"I'm coming," you said firmly.

He nodded once. "Alright then. Let's go."

***

It took almost five hours to get to your destination, due in part to the rough terrain and also to the fact that your baby thought it would be a wonderful idea to park itself on your bladder.

Coupled with the fact that you were carrying a squirming infant on top of that didn't make for an enjoyable trip.

You finally made it to a small inn in the middle of nowhere long after dark. The soft yellow light from the windows lit up the otherwise overwhelming darkness around you and the front door opened quickly as you neared the inn.

You pressed your back against his chest in fear. This was out in the middle of no where - you hadn't seen another settlement in hours. They shouldn't know anyone was coming...

"They're waiting here for us," Mando explained. "There's nothing to worry about."

You didn't relax even as the bike slowed to a gentle stop in front of the house. Mando jumped off first and held his arms out to you to jump into. The step down was higher than you realized and you stumbled off of it, landing against him heavily. He caught you with ease and set you back on your feet.

The child cooed in your arms when he realized how close his adopted father was. You gently shushed him and pulled his little swaddle over his head.

"Mando!" a booming voice called from the doorway of the in. You jumped a mile and yelled in fear. On instinct, you jumped behind the Mandalorian and turned your body to protect yourself and the two children from any harm.

"Dern," he said, holding up his hand in a greeting to the hulking figure in the doorframe of the inn. "Thank you for agreeing to house us. It's... Greatly appreciated."

"I'm always happy to help you after what you did for me all those years ago," the one called Dern said. He finally stepped into the light. A Devaronian man smiled down at you and you tried your best to not cower from him. He towered over the Mandalorian, who was already tall compared to you, and you had to crane your neck to see him.

"Don't mention it," Mando grumbled. "Really."

The Devaronian roared with laughter and slapped his hand on Mando's backplate hard enough to send him stumbling forward. He then approached you and you squeaked, holding the child tight enough to make him give a sharp cry.

"What's this?" he cooed, giving you a quick once over. "You have two little ones now, Mando? The green one Xi'an's or something?"

"Neither are mine," he said, sounding midly disgusted. You hoped that wasn't directed towards you. "I'm raising the one. The girl is a friend."

Friend. The word, you found, stung more than it should have. You were only that, you supposed. Patched him up a few times. He held your hair back when you got motion sickness on more than one occasion. You were the one he called for when he had a nightmare. He was the one you ran to when you first felt your baby kick - you had laughed when he called your baby aruett'ika when it stopped moving as soon as you managed to convince him to put his hands on your belly. Friend.

"Well, I'm always happy to give you shelter when you need it," he said, nodding in the Mandalorian's direction. "And as for her, I'm just happy to give shelter to anyone who can put up with you and not want to dump you in the Sarlacc pit."

You swore you heard Mando's eyes roll back into his head as he retrieved the bag from the rack on the speeder.

Dern held the door open for you and bowed when you entered. He waved one finger at the baby in your arms, who blew a tiny raspberry and made a mean face.

"Please, make yourselves comfortable," he said, making a sweeping gesture at his living space.

You looked around, noting all the potentially soft places for you to lay and you sighed wistfully before making your way to a pile of cushions. The child wiggled out of your arms and plopped itself on a black cushion and babbled up at Mando, who gave a heavy sigh.

"I made supper," Dern offered. "Wasn't sure what guests you brought with you, so I made a bit of everything."

"Something with bones for the little one," Mando said.

"Anything that isn't fish," you said quietly, leaning back in the cushions. "It's been turning my stomach."

"Aren't you glad you didn't stay on Sorgan," Mando teased as Dern turned to the pot on the stove.

"Could have been making a fortune as a basket weaver," you hummed, pressing a hand to your belly. The baby had been restless all day and still hadn't settled and you shifted uncomfortably as they chose that moment to kick particularly hard.

"You okay?" Mando asked. He sounded worried and he leaned forward in his chair to get closer to you.

"Fine, fine," you murmured, "She's just jumpy."

"You think you're having a girl?" he asked, resting his elbows on his thighs.

"Omera thought I was having a girl, so it just sort of stuck," you replied with a shrug.

"Might be nice," he mused. He sounded distant, like he was thinking about something.

You wanted to ask him why, but Dern returned with two bowls of hot soup and a cup of broth for the child.

Mando gave an awkward cough and stood, taking the large bowl in both hands.

"Ah, forgive me, my friend," Dern said. "I have forgotten. A guest room is set up for you - please, eat there."

He nodded and thanked his host before he disappeared down the narrow hallway.

In the few weeks you'd been travelling, you realized you never saw him eat, never saw him take food into a room to eat. He must eat long after you and the baby go to bed. The thought broke your heart. How often did he wait for you to decide you were sleepy and go to bed so he could eat?

"So," Dern chuckled as he watched the baby slurp his broth, "You've been traveling with him long?"

You shook your head. "A month," you murmured. "He... saved me."

Dern nodded. You hoped he didn't ask anything else. It wasn't like it was hard for you to talk or make friends, like you imagined it potentially could be for Mando, but you really didn't want to consider the possibilities of all the stuff that could have happened to you had another hunter found you.

Would you be dead? Alive? You shuddered at your internal question - would you still have your baby?

"See?" Dern said, "Man's got a good head on his shoulders."

You nodded absently in agreement. You'd been told that by Cara before, and by a man named Greef Karga only a week or so prior when he realized you were sticking around for a while. The Mandalorian made an impact. He killed with such an acute precision and his skills as a bounty hunter were unmatched. Yet he was gentle in ways that you don't think anyone would believe if you told them.

You, the child, and the Devaronian ate in silence. You hefted yourself off the cushion and walked to the sink basin. Your host got up to follow you into the kitchen.

You were aware of his proximity to you as you took a sponge to wash your dish. He watched you with dark eyes and you felt your pulse rise in fear.

"If you're just a friend, who's child is it you carry?" he asked, leaning against the counter.

"My ex husband," you said. Then you added dryly, "He's dead."

It was a bold faced lie and you hoped he wouldn't notice and leave you alone. No such luck.

"Perhaps then you need some... Assistance with raising your bundle."

Dern trailed a broad hand up your arm and you shied away from his touch. Goosebumps broke out on your skin, but the act of touching at all made your flesh crawl.

"I'll manage," you said firmly. You heard the quiver in your voice and you kicked yourself.

"Are you sure?" Dern didn't even wait for you to reply. He reached a hand over and roughly grabbed your belly. He dug his nails into your arm and spun you so he had you pinned against the counter. One of the drawer pulls bit into your back. His hands gripped you tight enough to bruise your skin.

"She's sure," came a gruff voice from behind you.

Mando was standing there, bowl in hand, helmet firmly back in place. You could tell from his body language that he was upset.

Dern took a step back, his hands raised in surrender.

"Come here," Mando ordered, nodding at you. You walked over to stand by him, your legs shaking bad enough that he wrapped a hand around your waist to steady you.

"She's going to bed," Mando said, keeping his eyes steady on Dern. "Got it? If I find out you did this again, I'll reactivate your tracking beacon. I know quite a few people looking for you."

"Whatever," he grunted, turning to the dishes.

Mando took you down the hall to the guest room, making sure to not frighten you.

Once inside the bedroom, you let out a loud sob and a shaky breath. You leaned heavily against the door and pressed your hand to your mouth to calm yourself.

"Breathe," he whispered, his strong hands on your shoulders the only thing keeping you upright.

"Just breathe. I've got you, okay?"

You nodded quickly and tried to even out your breathing so you wouldn't hyperventilate.

"Can I hug you?" Mando murmured. "Is that okay?"

You thought for a minute and then nodded. No one had ever asked if they could touch you before...

He gently wrapped his arms around you and held you. His gloves were warm as they spread across your back. You expected the chest of his beskar to be cold, but it felt warm against your belly.

"You're safe," he promised, the modulator of his helmet made it come out in a whisper. "No one is going to touch you unless you let them first. Just breathe. I'm here."

You took a few more gulping breaths and relaxed into his arms, one hand gripping the fabric between his arm guards. You didn't think a metal man would give great hugs, but you also didn't think there was a way out of your marriage. You've been known to be wrong before.

There was a gentle flutter in your belly and you laughed, wiping your cheeks. "It's okay, little one..."

Mando pulled away from the hug slightly and looked down at where your hand rested on your stomach. He made a slight move to pull away but you grabbed his wrist and gently placed his hand beside yours.

"I still can't feel it," he said softly but with as much seriousness as he could muster, "Aruett'ika."

You laughed louder than you had in months.

TAGLIST (ask to be tagged!): @miscellaneous-mando @lestrange2703 @someplace-darker @the-last-twin-of-krypton @divineangelix @c1996 @mell-bell

#my writing #din djarin x reader #din djarin x you #the mandalorian #the mandalorian fic #no use of y/n

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weremarkable · 3 years

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This should be good fun! We need more comedy these days.

"“Jennifer and Armie’s irresistible magnetism, separately and together, make them the perfect pairing for this action comedy,” said Erin Westerman, President of Production for Lionsgate’s Motion Picture Group. “They are both incredibly funny actors that can also deliver on the action, but what sets this movie apart is the way their infectious chemistry commands the screen. You can’t take your eyes off them.

The film follows Darcy (Lopez) and Tom (Hammer), who gather their lovable but very opinionated families for the ultimate destination wedding just as the couple begin to get cold feet. And if that wasn’t enough of a threat to the celebration, suddenly everyone’s lives are in danger when the entire party is taken hostage.

Lopez can be seen next in highly-anticipated Universal rom-com Marry Me opposite Owen Wilson. She recently received rave reviews in the STX pic Hustlers. She is reppedd by CAA, the Medina Co and Hirsch Wallerstein Hayum Matlof and Fishman.

Hammer is coming off the Netflix thriller Rebecca which also stars Lily James and bowed on Netflix earlier this month. He will also star in Dreamland opposite Gary Oldman and Evangeline Lilly. He is represented by WME, Sloane, Offer, Weber, Dern.

XCLUSIVE: Jennifer Lopez and Armie Hammer are set to star in Lionsgate’s action-comedy Shotgun Wedding. Pitch Perfect‘s Jason Moore will direct from a screenplay by Mark Hammer and Liz Meriwether.

Mandeville’s Todd Lieberman and David Hoberman, who produced Lionsgate’s hit film Wonder, will produce. They will be joined as producers by Nuyorican Productions’ Lopez, Elaine Goldsmith-Thomas and Benny Medina. Alex Young is overseeing the production and executive producing for Mandeville Films, and Courtney Baxter for Nuyorican Productions.

Ryan Reynolds is also executive producing along with George Dewey. James Myers and Scott O’Brien are overseeing the production for Lionsgate. Production is expected to begin early next year. The film will be presented at the upcoming AFM

#armie hammer #jlo #shotgun wedding #film news #Rebecca #Lionsgate #comedy #action #cmbyn #Jennifer Lopez

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ethanamen · 3 years

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TRIAL BY FIRE

Yesterday I watched this heart touching, though an uncustomary story with an uncustomary climax on Netflix. Can humans feel for each other, strive to save ones life without knowing each other, selflessly? This true story depicts this unusual relationship of Cameron Todd Willingham (Jack O'Connell) and Elizabeth Gilbert (Laura Dern). Not only the dedication of her towards Todd to prove his innocence, but also to embrace the fact that capital execution is only a way of ‘revenge’ but does not actually cure the ‘motive’ of any crime.

As the story progresses, I felt that Liz would finally succeed in saving Todd’s life by proving all the anomalies in the testimonies of the witnesses and the jury. But it ends with a harsh reality of life, where justice is not always served. But selfless human relations void of any physical attractions do exist and this is the essence which drives us to make tireless efforts for the counterpart.

This movie takes us to a broader version of life and its harsh realities along with a soothing sensation of the world that exists afterlife, how one’s faith in God matures by time and the opens up our eyes with the fact that ‘Life is not a destination, it’s a journey’.

I wish that no innocent human is ever punished for the crimes or offences he / she never committed.

#trial by fire #netflix #movie review #heart touching #justice #true story

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aion-rsa · 4 years

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Emmy Awards 2020 Predictions and Analysis

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After several years of, let’s say, improved taste, the Emmy Awards backslid a bit last year. Sure, it was nice to see Fleabag get the recognition it deserved. But that recognition came along with a Game of Thrones final season onslaught that nobody asked for.

With Thrones firmly in the rearview, the 2020 Emmy Awards have a chance to welcome in some new blood. And with an eclectic list of first-time nominees like The Mandalorian, The Morning Show, and Watchmen they may be able to do just that! Below you can find all the major categories that will be announced during the 2020 Emmy Award ceremony at 8 p.m. ET on Sept. 20 on ABC. We have indicated what shows we think will win in bold and what shows should win in italics.

Outstanding Drama Series

Better Call Saul

The Crown

The Handmaid’s Tale

Killing Eve

The Mandalorian

Ozark

Stranger Things

Succession

Who Will Win: The Emmy Awards have a preoccupation with HBO dramas and who could blame them? For the better part of 30 years, HBO has been the go-to spot for brilliant television drama. That preoccupation went too far last year though with the choice of the questionable final season of Game of Thrones. Thankfully, this year’s HBO choice won’t be nearly as onerous. Succession season 2 is a superb year of television.

Who Should Win: Though Succession is a wonderful TV series and a fine choice for Outstanding Drama, the real winner here should be Better Call Saul. Vince Gilligan’s Breaking Bad prequel just gets better with age and arguably reached its apex with its fifth season.

Outstanding Comedy Series

Curb Your Enthusiasm

Dead to Me

Insecure

Schitt’s Creek

The Good Place

The Kominsky Method

The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel

What We Do in the Shadows

Who Will Win: The Emmys have largely ignored Schitt’s Creek’s existence up to this point but could no longer do so in its final season. The little Canadian show that could took in an impressive 16 nominations – the most for any comedy in its final season. And the Emmys didn’t hand out all those nominations just to leave the show hanging at the podium. Schitt’s Creek will win big throughout the night, including taking home Outstanding Comedy Series

Who Should Win: We have no complaints with Schitt’s Creek winning Outstanding Comedy Series to honor its contributions to television and comedy for the past six years. But for the purposes of choosing 2020’s best comedy, What We Do in the Shadows has to be it. Shadows was at its absolute best in season 2, a year that contained zombies, witches, and one Jackie Daytona, normal human bartender.

Outstanding Limited Series

Little Fires Everywhere

Mrs. America

Unbelievable

Unorthodox

Watchmen

Who Will Win: Watchmen will win. Obviously.

Who Should Win: Unbelievable is a remarkable piece of work. Mrs. America more than lives up to its potential. But let’s not overthink this one – Watchmen was arguably the best thing on television this past year and will likely be remembered for years to come. It’s the only choice here.

Outstanding Television Movie

American Son

Bad Education

Dolly Parton’s Heartstrings: These Old Bones

El Camino: A Breaking Bad Movie

Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt: Kimmy vs. The Reverend

Who Will Win: The Emmys always like to honor big name film actors like Hugh Jackman when they can. This time they get to do so and select the best TV movie of the year to boot.

Who Should Win: Dolly Parton’s Heartstrings is great but not really a TV Movie and slipped in here as a technicality. The Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt interactive special was wonderfully executed. But Bad Education is as deserving as any.

Outstanding Reality/Competition Program

The Masked Singer

Nailed It!

RuPaul’s Drag Race

Top Chef

The Voice

Who Will Win: RuPaul’s Drag Race has won this honor for the past two years and there’s no reason to believe it can’t be victorious again.

Who Should Win: It would be nice to see Netflix’s charming Nailed It! take home the top prize. And though The Masked Singer is certainly a corny endeavor, one cannot argue that the show hasn’t executed its concept perfectly.

Outstanding Variety/Talk Series

The Daily Show with Trevor Noah

Full Frontal with Samantha Bee

Jimmy Kimmel Live

Last Week Tonight with John Oliver

The Late Show with Stephen Colbert

Who Will Win: At this point, for as long as Last Week Tonight with John Oliver is on television, there’s no reason why it shouldn’t be expected to take home the Outstanding Variety/Talk Series trophy.

Who Should Win: And there’s a reason for Last Week Tonight’s dominance. The category has gotten weaker in recent years with many talk shows understandably working on expanding their respective brands into the digital space. Last Week Tonight does the most research, has the best writing staff, and the most appealing host. It’s the best show of its kind on television and will likely continue to be so for quite awhile.

Outstanding Animated Program

Big Mouth

Bob’s Burgers

BoJack Horseman

Rick and Morty

The Simpsons

Who Will Win: The Emmys do enjoy honoring series in their last season. The fact that BoJack Horseman’s last season was truly superb is just icing on the cake.

Who Should Win: Rick and Morty’s creative demise is not as steep as some cultural commentators would have you believe. It would be a decent choice here. As would the relentless charming Bob’s Burgers, which just keeps getting better. But BoJack Horseman deserves this trophy for a pitch-perfect final season that brilliantly blends the series comedic and dramatic impulses.

Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series

Jennifer Aniston, The Morning Show

Olivia Colman, The Crown

Jodie Comer, Killing Eve

Laura Linney, Ozark

Sandra Oh, Killing Eve

Zendaya, Euphoria

Who Will Win: At first glance, Aniston seems like a solid possibility for her work on The Morning Show. She has the biggest name recognition and the world’s most valuable company marshaling its resources behind her. But something tells us that Olivia Colman is the surer bet. The Emmys have always been fond of The Crown. And after Colman took home an Oscar for The Favourite, the Academy of Television Arts and Sciences might be eager to remind folks what medium Colman is best known for.

Who Should Win: Anyone would be a fine choice here, really. We will go with Zendaya for the degree of humanity she brought to a truly difficult role.

Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series

Jason Bateman, Ozark

Sterling K. Brown, This Is Us

Steve Carell, The Morning Show

Brian Cox, Succession

Billy Porter, Pose

Jeremy Strong, Succession

Who Will Win: Billy Porter was a pleasant surprise last year but this time around the Emmys likely won’t be able to resist the allure of Succession. Either Brian Cox or Jeremy Strong are extremely likely to win this. We will guess Cox as his Golden Globe win is likely fresh in voters’ minds.

Who Should Win: Being the lead on a prestige HBO drama often means getting to play with a pretty showy role. Jeremy Strong’s beaten down Kendall Roy is anything but showy and that just makes the actor’s performance all the more impressive. The consequences of a lifetime of outrageous wealth and outrageous paternal neglect play out mostly between Strong’s ears in a superb, subtle performance.

Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series

Christina Applegate, Dead to Me

Rachel Brosnahan, The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel

Linda Cardellini, Dead to Me

Catherine O’Hara, Schitt’s Creek

Issa Rae, Insecure

Tracee Ellis Ross, Black-ish

Who Will Win: It’s likely to be a big night for Schitt’s Creek but even if it isn’t, all involved can be pretty certain that they’re taking home at least this award. Catherine O’Hara is Schitt’s Creeks MVP and here she becomes the show’s Emmy firewall.

Who Should Win: O’Hara absolutely should win for her consistently larger-than-life performance. It’s a shame we won’t be able to honor Issa Rae with a statue this year though.

Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series

Anthony Anderson, Black-ish

Don Cheadle, Black Monday

Ted Danson, The Good Place

Michael Douglas, The Kominsky Method

Eugene Levy, Schitt’s Creek

Ramy Youssef, Ramy

Who Will Win: Look, we’re just betting big on Schitt’s Creek around these parts. Comedy all-timer Levy has won an Emmy for writing but never for performance and that seems bound to change this year.

Who Should Win: We have absolutely no problem with Levy getting his first acting Emmy. But Ted Danson would be the slightly better pick this time around. His performance as Michael on The Good Place is one of TV’s most human creations…despite Michael being a demon.

Outstanding Lead Actress in a Limited Series/TV Movie

Cate Blanchett, Mrs. America

Shira Haas, Unorthodox

Regina King, Watchmen

Octavia Spencer, Self Made

Kerry Washington, Little Fires Everywhere

Who Will Win: Lock this one in. Empty out your savings and 401k and take it all to the betting markets.

Who Should Win: Duh.

Outstanding Lead Actor in a Limited Series/TV Movie

Jeremy Irons, Watchmen

Hugh Jackman, Bad Education

Paul Mescal, Normal People

Jeremy Pope, Hollywood

Mark Ruffalo, I Know This Much Is True

Who Will Win: It’s tempting to make fun of the Emmys preoccupation with big name film talent as a reason for giving Mark Ruffalo this award. In fact, this award in recent years has been all but reserved for film stars “slumming it” on television. But the truth is that Ruffalo gives a spectacular performance in I Know This Much is True and is certainly worthy of recognition.

Who Should Win: Also worthy of recognition in Paul Mescal for his warm, human performance on Normal People.

Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series

Laura Dern, Big Little Lies

Meryl Streep, Big Little Lies

Fiona Shaw, Killing Eve

Julia Garner, Ozark

Sarah Snook, Succession

Helena Bonham Carter, The Crown

Samira Wiley, The Handmaid’s Tale

Thandie Newton, Westworld

Who Will Win: Julia Garner won this award last year and has done nothing to lose it since. But if Succession is destined for a big night, Sarah Snook is likely to be a part of it.

Who Should Win: Snook should win anyway for her performance this year. Until Kendall pulls off his major finale maneuver, Snook’s Shiv is undoubtedly the character who grows the most in Succession’s second season.

Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series

Giancarlo Esposito, Better Call Saul

Nicholas Braun, Succession

Kieran Culkin, Succession

Matthew Macfadyen, Succession

Bradley Whitford, The Handmaid’s Tale

Billy Crudup, The Morning Show

Mark Duplass, The Morning Show

Jeffrey Wright, Westworld

Who Will Win: Look, Succession is really good. And Kieran Culkin gets to play one of the show’s flashier characters.

Who Should Win: Culkin’s castmate Matthew Macfadyen deserves consideration here but in the end it’s hard to justify anyone other than Kieran winning.

Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series

Betty Gilpin, GLOW

Yvonne Orji, Insecure

Kate McKinnon, Saturday Night Live

Cecily Strong, Saturday Night Live

Annie Murphy, Schitt’s Creek

D’Arcy Carden, The Good Place

Alex Borstein, the Marvelous Mrs. Maisel

Marin Hinkle, The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel

Who Will Win: This might be the hardest award to predict of the night. Though Borstein and Hinkle are wonderful, The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel feels like a bit of an afterthought this year. And who knows if Schitt’s Creek’s big run will make it all the way down to the supporting category. Gilpin and Orji are very intriguing but in the absence of a sure thing, this feels like a year in which the Emmys could return to McKinnon.

Who Should Win: It’s hard to think of someone in the TV landscape more deserving of an Emmy than D’Arcy Carden for her work on The Good Place. The actress has taken a Siri-like digital assistant of the afterlife and transformed it (not a girl) into a full-fledged character.

Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series

Andre Braugher, Brooklyn Nine-Nine

Mahershala Ali, Ramy

Kenan Thompson, Saturday Night Live

Dan Levy, Schitt’s Creek

William Jackson Harper, The Good Place

Alan Arkin, The Kominksy Method

Sterling K. Brown, The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel

Tony Shalhoub, The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel

Who Will Win: This is a particularly stacked category that is hard to pick. And when that happens at the Emmys, a good rule of thumb is to go with recency bias – who has won the most awards recently? Multiple Oscar award-winner Mahershala Ali fits the bill here but Shalhoub and Arkin are also appealing in that regard. Levy could ride the Schitt’s Creek wave as well.

Who Should Win: It’s quite frankly asinine that Andre Braugher has not won an Emmy yet for his nuanced, yet still utterly hilarious performance as Captain Raymond Holt on Brooklyn Nine-Nine. Portrayals of police officers are particularly fraught this year but Braugher deserves some recognition all the same.

Outstanding Writing for a Drama Series

Gordon Smith – Better Call Saul “Bagman”

Thomas Schnauz – Better Call Saul “Bad Choice Road”

Chris Mundy – Ozark “All In”

John Shiban – Ozark “Boss Fight”

Miki Johnson – Ozark “Fire Pink”

Jesse Armstong – Succession “This is Not for Tears”

Peter Morgan – The Crown “Aberfan”

Who Will Win: This is a strong category. Sometimes writing awards can be seen as a consolation prize for excellent series that can’t otherwise pick up the biggest honor of the night. Should that formula hold true, one of the two Better Call Saul entries has a shot, but the allure of Succession will likely prove too strong this year.

Who Should Win: Both Better Call Saul options are worthy of an Emmy. But the writing of season 5’s penultimate episode “Bad Choice Road” is brilliant and absolutely teeming with tension.

Outstanding Writing for a Comedy Series

Daniel Levy – Schitt’s Creek “Happy Ending”

David West Read – Schitt’s Creek “The Presidential Suite”

Michael Schur – The Good Place “Whenever You’re Ready”

Tony McNamara – The Great “The Great”

Sam Johnson and Chris Marcil – What We Do in the Shadows “Collaboration”

Paul Simms – What We Do in the Shadows “Ghosts”

Stefani Robinson – What We Do in the Shadows “On the Run”

Who Will Win: “Happy Ending” is the platonic ideal of a comedy series finale. It’s perfectly executed with callbacks, humor, and heart. The Emmys will be happy to award it.

Who Should Win: “Happy Ending” is a superb choice but any half hour of television that features Matt Berry living a life as a bartender in Pennsylvania just cannot be allowed to lose. Justice for Jackie Daytona!

Outstanding Writing for a Limited Series or Special

Tanya Barfield – Mrs. America “Shirley”

Sally Rooney and Alice Birch – Normal People “Episode 3”

Susannah Grant, Michael Chabon, and Ayelet Wadman – Unbelievable “Episode 1”

Anna Winger – Unorthodox “Episode 1”

Damon Linelof and Cord Jefferson – Watchmen “This Extraordinary Being”

Who Will Win: A good rule of thumb for this year’s Emmy Awards is that if Watchmen is in a category, it’s going to win that category. Such is the case here.

Who Should Win: “This Extraordinary Being” deserves to win. Lindelof and Jefferson’s script was the starting point for a stunning episode of television that presented an idea so radical (and yet so logical) it inspired Lindelof and HBO to reimagine an already near-perfect graphic novel.

Outstanding Directing in a Drama Series

Leslie Linka Glatter – Homeland “Prisoners of War”

Alik Sakharov – Ozark “Fire Pink”

Ben Semanoff – Ozark “Su Casa Es Mi Casa”

Andrij Parekh – Succession “Hunting”

Mark Mylod – Succession “This is Not for Tears”

Benjamin Caron – The Crown “Aberfan”

Jessica Hobbs – The Crown “Cri de Coeur”

Mimi Leder – The Morning Show “The Interview”

Who Will Win: The Emmys really love Ozark. And they should! It’s a good show. Having said that, the dominance of Succession will likely close off a lot of opportunities for the series this year. But it should be able to at least squeak this one out.

Who Should Win: Ironically, this is the one award that Succession really should win this year above all else. Mark Mylod’s direction of “This is Not for Tears” is a minor miracle, turning a sun-drenched day on a luxury yacht into a tense, paranoid thriller.

Outstanding Directing in a Comedy Series

Gail Mancuso – Modern Family “Finale Part 2”

Ramy Youssef – Ramy “Miakhalia.mov”

Andrew Civdino and Daniel Levy – Schitt’s Creek “Happy Ending”

Matt Shakman – The Great “The Great”

Amy Sherman-Palladino – The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel “It’s Comedy or Cabbage”

Daniel Palladino – The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel “Marvelous Radio”

James Burrows – Will & Grace “We Love Lucy”

Who Will Win: It’s a little weird to see the Modern Family series finale in a category and not be favored to win. For years, the Emmys heaped statues upon this very good but not all-time classic comedy. In the end, the Academy will instead opt to honor the tasteful direction of another series finale in Schitt’s Creek.

Who Should Win: The Great has a real argument here with its drama-level production design assisting director Matt Shakman. But at the end of the day, “Happy Ending” accomplishes exactly what it needs to accomplish and is a fine choice.

Outstanding Direction for a Limited Series or Special

Lynn Shetlon – Little Fires Everywhere “Find a Way”

Lenny Abrahamson – Normal People “Episode 5”

Maria Schrader – Unorthodox

Nicole Kassell – Watchmen “It’s Summer and We’re Running Out of Ice”

Stephen Green – Watchmen “Little Fear of Lightning”

Stephen Williams – Watchmen “This Extraordinary Being”

Who Will Win: Watchmen will win this category. It’s only a question of which episode. The premiere, “It’s Summer and We’re Running Out of Ice” thanks to the two stunning setpieces guided by Nicole Kassell.

cnx.cmd.push(function() { cnx({ playerId: "106e33c0-3911-473c-b599-b1426db57530", }).render("0270c398a82f44f49c23c16122516796"); });

Who Should Win: And “It’s Summer…” is the right choice in the end. “Little Fear of Lightning” and “This Extraordinary Being” are both superb but credit always goes to the premiere director for establishing a visual tone for the rest of a series.

The post Emmy Awards 2020 Predictions and Analysis appeared first on Den of Geek.

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adamwatchesmovies · 4 years

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Little Women (2019)

It’s one thing to begin your directorial career with Lady Bird but to cement yourself as a writer-director we should forever paying close attention to, you need to follow-through with a great second film. Greta Gerwig brings us the 7th big-screen adaptation of Louisa May Alcott’s and does a stunning job at it. More than simply translate the pages to the screen, she makes the story her own. It's a heartfelt, hilarious, heartbreaking and absolutely wonderful picture.

In New York, Jo March (Saoirse Ronan) is an aspiring writer on her way home. The trip brings back memories of growing up in 1861 when the March sisters - Jo, Beth (Eliza Scanlen), Amy (Florence Pugh), and Meg (Emma Watson), under the care of Marmee (Laura Dern) awaited anxiously for their father (Bob Odenkirk) to return home from the civil war.

The source material upon which Gerwig is basing her screenplay is obviously doing a lot of the work. Time and again, we’ve regaled in the March sister's lives. This is not a grandiose tale of peril and adrenaline but in everyone we meet, from the lonely Mr. Laurence (Chris Cooper) to the handsome Laurie (Timothée Chalamet), headstrong Jo and meek Beth, you see a piece of yourself. The trip down memory lane feels like your own warmest childhood memories brought to life once more.

Gerwig also makes key choices to make this Little Women stand out. The many flashbacks may disorient you at first but you become acclimated to them in no time due to the actresses' uncanny ability to channel the passage of time through their lines and faces. We get to know everyone in a steady, uniform way, which makes it less obvious as to what's coming next than in other adaptations.

The performances are uniformly superb. Although you’re completely invested and never think of checking your watch, deep down you know your time with the ladies is limited, making every second precious. It's as if the emotions on-screen are a reflection of what's happening in your heart, not the other way around. You're not an onlooker. You're an active participant in this journey. It's like a sad song with a catchy beat and just the right amount of harmonica that compels you to listen to it on a loop while dancing like no one's looking. When the drama hits, you’re too invested to hold back. You want to stand up and cheer. You wring your hands in anticipation and when things go bad, you want to throw a tantrum but are unable to because the person you're supposed to be mad at is also someone you relate to and have fallen in love with.

Don’t be fooled by the title. Nothing about Little Women destines it for one gender rather than the other. A great story like this one, brought to life with this astonishing of a cast, and under the tutelage of Greta Gerwig is a can't-miss movie. (Theatrical version on the big screen, January 4, 2020)

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popentertainment-moviereviews · 4 years

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Big Little Lies

The Complete Second Season (2019) (Warner Bros.-2020)

When Big Little Lies debuted on HBO in 2017, it was proof positive – if more was needed – that television drama had surpassed film as the go-to destination for Hollywood’s creative community. Created by longtime television icon David E. Kelley (Ally McBeal, The Practice), based on a hit novel by Liane Moriarty (who also contributed to the writing of the series) and directed by respected filmmaker Jean-Marc Vallée (Dallas Buyers Club, Wild), the series signed up the kind of deep and impressive cast that most movies could only dream of.

First off, the show signed genuine A-list movie stars Reese Witherspoon and Nicole Kidman for their first TV series work (though both had done miniseries early in their career). It surrounded them with impressive names like Shailene Woodley, Laura Dern, Zoe Kravitz, Alexander Skarsgård, Adam Scott and Jeffrey Nordling.

The story is a soapy mystery about five very dysfunctional mothers of first graders who are somehow involved in a mysterious death in a coastal California town. (Surprisingly for a high-profile show like this, Big Little Lies was filmed in Canada rather than California).

These mothers were Madeline (Witherspoon), the busybody stay at home mom whose current marriage is being negatively affected by her obsession with her ex.

There is Celeste (Kidman), the beautiful former lawyer turned stay at home mom whose seemingly storybook perfect marriage is being rocked by violence and abuse.

Renata (Dern) is the super-controlling mom and CEO who dotes over her young daughter, to the point that she messes up her relationships with other adults.

Jane (Woodley) was the youngest of the group, an outsider who dotes over her son Ziggy (Ian Armitage of Young Sheldon), even though he is the result of a long-ago rape. That trauma has made her extremely distrustful of other people, particularly men.

Bonnie (Kravitz) is also younger, and the only black person in the group (as well as one of few in the very homogenized community), the sunny and level-headed new-age second wife of Madeline’s ex.

They are drawn inextricably together in the first day of classes, when Jane’s son is unfairly accused to trying to choke Renata’s daughter on the schoolyard. Battle lines are drawn and the whole town joins into a skirmish about this schoolyard incident, eventually snowballing into an increasingly dangerous situation that leads to death.

They all live in glass houses – literally. Most of the homes on display are massive banks of huge, curtainless windows, the better to see the lives within.

It was a smart and dramatic and mostly realistic look at modern America – though one of the major final twists feels like a bit of a cheat, a bit too convenient and not realistic enough. However, other than that one complaint, it was a terrific season.

The show became immediate appointment television.

With an excess of caution about spoilers, I will not tell who was killed in the first season, simply because the killing was teased throughout that first season and the identity was the big reveal in the final episode. Chances are anyone who is reading about season two will have already watched season one, but I’m not going to be the one who ruins the surprises if someone hasn’t. It will make discussing season two a little bit tricky because most of the second group of episodes revolves around the fallout from that death.

So, how to one up the first season? Big Little Liars added a queen to the already stacked deck of their cast by signing up movie star Meryl Streep for her first TV series work (although, again, she had done earlier miniseries, including the classics Holocaust and Angels in America).

However, the second season lost director Vallée, who had moved on to another HBO miniseries, Sharp Objects. He was replaced by American Honey director Andrea Arnold, though eventually HBO felt her vision of the show was too dissimilar from Vallée’s original season and took the final edit from her, giving it back to Vallée, who had by then finished Sharp Objects. That is never a good sign.

When the second season was first aired last summer, it was met with much more muted fanfare than the first. That is probably because, honestly, the second season simply isn’t as good as the first. It’s not bad, mind you, but it has lost the unique spark and sense of adventure of the earlier episodes.

Season two mostly revolves around the aftermath of the death the complications of the lie they told the police – the five swear the death was an accident though it was caused by one of them, though she was acting in defense of her friend.

Their connection in experiencing the death has solidified their friendships at the same time as it tears at them – Renata and Bonnie, who were on the outskirts of the group before the death (and were even often antagonistic towards it), became charter members of “The Monterey Five” in the aftermath. It was the intimacy of a shared secret.

Interestingly, though the first season revolved around the children, in the second season they fade into the background somewhat. Oh, sure, they are still there, and all of them have some periodic storylines, particularly two kids who are in the middle of a custody battle, but they play much less of a part in the new season.

Instead, the show revolves around the group trying to cover up their parts in the death – even though had they not lied they probably would have been easily exonerated. This is made particularly difficult because the mother of the dead person is certain that it was a murder, or at least a killing.

Surprisingly, Streep as that mother is the weak spot in the season. Her character of Mary Louise is cut off, stringent and rather unlikable. This puckered and abrasive performance was undoubtedly what was asked of Streep – after all, the woman can play anything – but it makes the character obnoxious and unlikable. It saps the main conflict of the season’s plotline, causing the audience to root against justice, or at least the giving up of a toxic secret.

Season two will probably be the final go-round for the “Monterey Five” – most people involved say it is unlikely, but not impossible, that the show will return for a third. Honestly, I think it’s probably best that it doesn’t. Not to say that the second season was bad, but it ended in a very appropriate spot for the saga, an elegant place to end this particular story.

Jay S. Jacobs

#Big Little Lies #The Complete Second Season #2020 #TV on DVD #Jay S. Jacobs #Reese Witherspoon #Nicole Kidman #Meryl Streep

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filmspun · 4 years

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Oscar Nominations 2020: The Complete List

The Academy Awards will air on ABC on February 9, 2020

Best Picture:

“Ford v Ferrari”

“The Irishman”

“Jojo Rabbit”

“Joker”

“Little Women”

“Marriage Story”

“1917”

“Once Upon a Time in Hollywood”

“Parasite”

Lead Actor:

Antonio Banderas “Pain and Glory”

Leonardo DiCaprio “Once Upon a Time in Hollywood”

Adam Driver “Marriage Story”

Joaquin Phoenix “Joker”

Jonathan Pryce “The Two Popes”

Lead Actress:

Cynthia Erivo “Harriet”

Scarlett Johansson “Marriage Story”

Saoirse Ronan “Little Women”

Charlize Theron “Bombshell”

Renee Zellweger “Judy”

Supporting Actor:

Tom Hanks, “A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood”

Anthony Hopkins, “The Two Popes”

Al Pacino, “The Irishman”

Joe Pesci, “The Irishman”

Brad Pitt, “Once Upon a Time in Hollywood”

Supporting Actress:

Kathy Bates, “Richard Jewell”

Laura Dern, “Marriage Story”

Scarlett Johannson, “Jojo Rabbit”

Florence Pugh, “Little Women”

Margot Robbie, “Bombshell”

Director:

Martin Scorsese, “The Irishman”

Todd Phillips, “Joker”

Sam Mendes, “1917”

Quentin Tarantino, “Once Upon a Time in Hollywood”

Bong Joon Ho, “Parasite”

Animated Feature:

“How to Train Your Dragon: The Hidden World” Dean DeBlois

“I Lost My Body” Jeremy Clapin

“Klaus” Sergio Pablos

“Missing Link” Chris Butler

“Toy Story 4” Josh Cooley

Animated Short:

“Dcera,” Daria Kashcheeva

“Hair Love,” Matthew A. Cherry

“Kitbull,” Rosana Sullivan

“Memorable,” Bruno Collet

“Sister,” Siqi Song

Adapted Screenplay:

“The Irishman,” Steven Zaillian

“Jojo Rabbit,” Taika Waititi

“Joker,” Todd Phillips, Scott Silver

“Just Mercy” Destin Daniel Cretton and Andrew Lanham

“Little Women,” Greta Gerwig

“The Two Popes,” Anthony McCarten

Original Screenplay:

“Knives Out,” Rian Johnson

“Marriage Story,” Noah Baumbach

“1917,” Sam Mendes and Krysty Wilson-Cairns

“Once Upon a Time in Hollywood,” Quentin Tarantino

“Parasite,” Bong Joon-ho, Jin Won Han

Cinematography:

“The Irishman,” Rodrigo Prieto

“Joker,” Lawrence Sher

“The Lighthouse,” Jarin Blaschke

“1917,” Roger Deakins

“Once Upon a Time in Hollywood,” Robert Richardson

Best Documentary Feature:

“American Factory,” Julia Rieichert, Steven Bognar

“The Cave,” Feras Fayyad

“The Edge of Democracy,” Petra Costa

“For Sama,” Waad Al-Kateab, Edward Watts

“Honeyland,” Tamara Kotevska, Ljubo Stefanov

Best Documentary Short Subject:

“In the Absence”

“Learning to Skateboard in a Warzone,” Carol Dysinger

“Life Overtakes Me,” Kristine Samuelson, John Haptas

“St. Louis Superman”

“Walk Run Cha-Cha,” Laura Nix

Best Live Action Short Film:

“Brotherhood,” Meryam Joobeur

“Nefta Football Club,” Yves Piat

“The Neighbors’ Window,” Marshall Curry

“Saria,” Bryan Buckley

“A Sister,” Delphine Girard

Best International Feature Film:

“Corpus Christi,” Jan Komasa

“Honeyland,” Tamara Kotevska, Ljubo Stefanov

“Les Miserables,” Ladj Ly

“Pain and Glory,” Pedro Almodovar

“Parasite,” Bong Joon Ho

Film Editing:

“Ford v Ferrari,” Michael McCusker, Andrew Buckland

“The Irishman,” Thelma Schoonmaker

“Jojo Rabbit,” Tom Eagles

“Joker,” Jeff Groth

“Parasite,” Jinmo Yang

Sound Editing:

“Ford v Ferrari,” Don Sylvester

“Joker,” Alan Robert Murray

“1917,” Oliver Tarney, Rachel Tate

“Once Upon a Time in Hollywood,” Wylie Stateman

“Star Wars: The Rise of SkyWalker,” Matthew Wood, David Acord

Sound Mixing:

“Ad Astra”

“Ford v Ferrari”

“Joker”

“1917”

“Once Upon a Time in Hollywood”

Production Design:

“The Irishman,” Bob Shaw and Regina Graves

“Jojo Rabbit,” Ra Vincent and Nora Sopkova

“1917,” Dennis Gassner and Lee Sandales

“Once Upon a Time in Hollywood,” Barbara Ling and Nancy Haigh

“Parasite,” Lee Ha-Jun and Cho Won Woo, Han Ga Ram, and Cho Hee

Original Score:

“Joker,” Hildur Guðnadóttir

“Little Women,” Alexandre Desplat

“Marriage Story,”Randy Newman

“1917,” Thomas Newman

“Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker,” John Williams*“The King,” Nicholas Britell

Original Song:

“I Can’t Let You Throw Yourself Away,” “Toy Story 4”

“I’m Gonna Love Me Again,” “Rocketman”

“I’m Standing With You,” “Breakthrough”

“Into the Unknown,” “Frozen 2”

“Stand Up,” “Harriet”

Makeup and Hair:

“Bombshell”

“Joker”

“Judy”

“Maleficent: Mistress of Evil”

“1917”

Costume Design:

”The Irishman,” Sandy Powell, Christopher Peterson

“Jojo Rabbit,” Mayes C. Rubeo

“Joker,” Mark Bridges

“Little Women,” Jacqueline Durran

“Once Upon a Time in Hollywood,” Arianne Phillips

Visual Effects:

“Avengers Endgame”

“The Irishman”

“1917”

“The Lion King”

“Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker”

#oscars 2020 #oscars #academy awards 2020 #oscar nominations #oscar nods

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cinemavariety · 5 years

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The Director’s Series: David Lynch

The director series will consist of me concentrating on the filmography of all my favorite directors. I will rank each of their films according to my personal taste. I hope this project will provide everyone with quality recommendations and insight into films that they might not have known about.

Today’s director in spotlight is David Lynch

#10 - Dune (1984) Runtime: 2 hr 17 min Aspect Ratio: 2.35 : 1 Film Format: 35mm

In the year 10,191, the world is at war for control of the desert planet Dune – the only place where the time-travel substance ‘Spice’ can be found. But when one leader gives up control, it’s only so he can stage a coup with some unsavory characters.

Verdict: Most directors who make enough films will always have a few misses. Dune is almost unwatchable with its convoluted storyline that will confuse anyone who hasn’t read the novel. I’ll give it this - the set and costume design are out of this world, no pun intended.

#9 - The Straight Story (1999) Runtime: 1 hr 52 min Aspect Ratio: 2.39 : 1 Film Format: 35 mm

A retired farmer and widower in his 70s, Alvin Straight learns one day that his distant brother Lyle has suffered a stroke and may not recover. Alvin is determined to make things right with Lyle while he still can, but his brother lives in Wisconsin, while Alvin is stuck in Iowa with no car and no driver’s license. Then he hits on the idea of making the trip on his old lawnmower, thus beginning a picturesque and at times deeply spiritual odyssey.

Verdict: The only one of Lynch’s films that could be considered purely “heartwarming”. It also feels the least like a Lynch film, with the director never really foraying into his autuerist territory. It is a simple, cute film that didn’t exactly leave much of an impression on me.

#8 - Lost Highway (1997) Runtime: 2 hr 14 min Aspect Ratio: 2.35 : 1 Film Format: 35mm

A tormented jazz musician finds himself lost in an enigmatic story involving murder, surveillance, gangsters, doppelgangers, and an impossible transformation inside a prison cell.

Verdict: Lost Highway has a few scenes that I find to be the most bone-chilling in Lynch’s oeuvre. However, I wish that the entirety of this film had the same effect on me. There are more than enough satisfying plot elements to this, but I also feel like Lynch utilizing a modern soundtrack more than Badalementi’s superb score really does make this film feel dated.

#7 - The Elephant Man (1980) Runtime: 2 hr 4 min Aspect Ratio: 2.35 : 1 Film Format: 35mm

A Victorian surgeon rescues a heavily disfigured man being mistreated by his “owner” as a side-show freak. Behind his monstrous façade, there is revealed a person of great intelligence and sensitivity. Based on the true story of Joseph Merrick, a severely deformed man in 19th century London.

Verdict: The Elephant Man showcases how cruel human nature can be. It is one of Lynch’s most sentimental works that manages to be both horrendous and beautiful. John Hurt’s performance as the “elephant man” is multilayered and one of the most impressive, humanistic feats of an artist embodying a character with the utmost ingenuity.

#6 - Blue Velvet (1986) Runtime: 2 hr Aspect Ratio: 2.35 : 1 Film Format: 35mm

The discovery of a severed human ear found in a field leads a young man on an investigation related to a beautiful, mysterious nightclub singer and a group of criminals who have kidnapped her child.

Verdict: This is Lynch’s detective film, and I would say one of the best starting films for someone looking to get into his work. It has all of the surrealist plot motifs we come to expect from Lynch, but also has a pretty understandable storyline for the most part. Blue Velvet explores the dark underbelly beneath the fake “harmless” veneer of a seemingly quiet and peaceful small town.

#5 - Wild at Heart (1990) Runtime: 2 hr 5 min Aspect Ratio: 2.35 : 1 Film Format: 35mm

Young lovers Sailor and Lula run from the variety of weirdos that Lula’s mom has hired to kill Sailor.

Verdict: Many might not see Wild at Heart as one of Lynch’s strongest works, but I personally find it to be the most fun film he has ever made. Lynch creates such a wide variety of scummy characters that truly make your stomach church (I am looking at you Willem Dafoe). It’s one of those so-bad-it’s-perfect movies and the Wizard of Oz allusions are a great addition to the story.

#4 - Twin Peaks: Fire Walk With Me (1992) Runtime: 2 hr 14 min Aspect Ratio: 1.85 : 1 Film Format: 35mm

In the questionable town of Deer Meadow, Washington, FBI Agent Desmond inexplicably disappears while hunting for the man who murdered a teen girl. The killer is never apprehended, and, after experiencing dark visions and supernatural encounters, Agent Dale Cooper chillingly predicts that the culprit will claim another life. Meanwhile, in the more cozy town of Twin Peaks, hedonistic beauty Laura Palmer hangs with lowlifes and seems destined for a grisly fate. Verdict: I think it’s a real shame that this film was held in such low regard by both critics and fans alike when it was released. These people seemed to be truly confused as to the types of films Lynch makes. Thankfully, it has developed into a real cult classic since then. This film, which also serves as a prequel to the iconic television series, abandons the campy tone of the series and is Lynch achieving the vision that he wanted from the show. It’s a beautiful, haunting, and heartbreaking story.

#3 - Inland Empire (2006) Runtime: 3 hr Aspect Ratio: 1.85 : 1 Film Format: Mini DV & 35mm

An actress’s perception of reality becomes increasingly distorted as she finds herself falling for her co-star in a remake of an unfinished Polish production that was supposedly cursed.

Verdict: Lynch has yet to make a feature film since this one, and it truly is the director going off the rails with his style in the best of ways. Inland Empire is almost completely impossible to describe because it is more of an experience than it is a structured narrative. It returns to Lynch’s often-used idea of “hollywood is hell”. To me, this is Lynch’s scariest film. It’s utterly hopeless and the pixelated DV cinematography exudes a very cold and artificial aesthetic. Laura Dern deserved an Oscar for her performance as an actress who confuses her own life to the character she is playing.

#2 - Mulholland Drive (2001) Runtime: 2 hr 27 min Aspect Ratio: 1.85 : 1 Film Format: 35mm

Blonde Betty Elms has only just arrived in Hollywood to become a movie star when she meets an enigmatic brunette with amnesia. Meanwhile, as the two set off to solve the second woman’s identity, filmmaker Adam Kesher runs into ominous trouble while casting his latest project.

Verdict: You will very rarely find such a perfect masterpiece of a film, but Mulholland Drive manages to do that. It also seems to reveal new layers every time I revisit. Lynch blurs the lines between the dream world and reality so masterfully in this film that it really does linger in your subconscious afterward - much akin to a haunting dream that you can’t seem to shake. Naomi Watts is electric as an LA newcomer who gets involved in the dark recesses of Hollywood.

#1 - Eraserhead (1977) Duration: 1 hr 29 min Aspect Ratio: 1.85 : 1 Film Format: 35mm

Henry Spencer tries to survive his industrial environment, his angry girlfriend, and the unbearable screams of his newly born mutant child.

Verdict: By no means am I trying to say Eraserhead is Lynch’s “best” film - but for me it will probably always remain my personal favorite. This was my introduction to Lynch’s work and it holds a very sentimental spot for me as this was the time in my life when I really began exploring experimental film. Eraserhead is set in a dystopia that could also serve as an alternate reality altogether. Henry Spencer has to deal with his demanding wife and deformed child while daydreaming of a singing woman in the radiator. This is Lynch at his most surrealist, his most uncompromising, and his most nauseating. It truly is one the most impressive low-budget films ever made. It manages a fine line between repulsion and transcendence.

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tabloidtoc · 4 years

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Hollywood Reporter, November 20

Cover: Spotify’s Daniel Ek and Dawn Ostroff unveil a plan to harness Hollywood talent and exclusive podcasts to become the world’s #1 audio platform

Page 10: Contents

Page 14: Contents

Page 21: The Report -- Star Wars Uncertainty Extends to Disney’s Lucasfilm Leader Too

Page 22: What the End of the Paramount Decrees Actually Means

Page 24: Taylor Swift vs. Scooter Braun and the Imminent Rerecording War

Page 26: More Joker -- Warners’ 1B Reasons to Say Yes

Page 28: Box Office, Broadcast TV, Cable TV, Billboard Hot 100, Billboard 200, Closer Look -- Apple TV + Audience So Far

Page 30: Awards Season -- Best Picture -- Joker, The Good Liar, Ford v Ferrari, Best Original Screenplay -- Lena Waithe for Queen & Slim, Best Actress -- Jessie Buckley in Wild Rose, Best Supporting Actress -- Margot Robbie in Once Upon a Time in Hollywood, Zhao Shuzhen in The Farewell

Page 32: 7 Days of Deals -- It’s Showtime for A24-produced Features on Television, $500M Price Is Right for Sony’s GSN Takeover, Rights Available -- The Districts by Johnny Dwyer, Revelation by Bobi Gentry Goodwin, Film -- Nicolas Cage, Spike Lee, Mark Wahlberg and Tom Holland, Sam Worthington and Russell Crowe, Michael De Luca

Page 33: Television -- Sarah Michelle Gellar, Vanessa Bayer, Kingsley Ben-Adir, Nick Cannon, Clive Owen, Jenni Konner and Sarah Treem, Digital -- Joe and Anthony Russo, Riley Keough, Bill Murray and Alyssa Milano, Eddie Murphy, Gary Oldman, Real Estate -- Nick Jonas and Priyanka Chopra Jonas, Rep Sheet -- Mia Maestro, Valerie Weiss, Drake Doremus, Tionne “T-Boz” Watkins, Victoria Mahoney, Julia Fox, Next Big Thing -- Jonah Hauer-King

Page 37: About Town -- Cenk Uygur: ‘I’m Going to Maul Them’

Page 38: R.I.P. Retail Therapy: A Fond Farewell to Barneys, Mike Nichols and Sidney Lumet and Roman Polanski: Three New Reads on Larger-Than-Life Moviemaking

Page 40: Yes, I Did Say That! Taylor Swift, John Stankey, Elizabeth Banks, Byron Allen, Julia Wolov on Louis C.K., Gayle King, Alex Zhu, Jeff Probst, Flashback -- Courteney Cox in 2014

Page 42: HFPA and THR’s Golden Globes Ambassador Party -- Kaitlyn Dever and Olivia Wilde and Beanie Feldstein, Daniel Kaluuya and Emilia Clarke, Jacob Tremblay and Rob Gronkowski, Kate Beckinsale and Jamie Foxx and Tyrese Gibson, Adam Scott, Will Ferrell and Paul Rudd and Robert Pattinson, Greta Gerwig and Amy Pascal, Ali Wong and Chrissy Metz, Florence Pugh and Joe Keery and Ginnifer Goodwin and Jameela Jamil, Natasha Lyonne and Jill Soloway and Shakina Nayfack, Dylan Brosnan and Pierce Brosnan and Lorenzo Soria and Paris Brosnan, Justin Hartley and Bonnie Arnold, Sam Taylor-Johnson and husband Aaron

Page 43: The Big Bash Gala -- Megan Colligan and son Lukas Roybal, Nina Jacobson, Mike Shumard, Susan Moseley and Priscilla Valldejuli and Sherry Lansing and Laura Lizer, Mike Daly, Michael Green and Rob Steinman and Dan Gardenswartz

Page 44: Rambling Reporter -- Finding Jack’s directors originally wanted Elvis Presley to bring back from the dead but had to settle for James Dean, Noah Baumbach’s agent Jeremy Barber has cameos in three of his films including Marriage Story, Mr. Smith Goes to Washington finally won the top prize at the 1939 Cannes Film Festival, Idris Elba is now shilling for Ford but he used to work on their assembly line, Power Dining -- Dana Walden, Jeremy Zimmer, T Bone Burnett, Billy Porter, Halm Saban, JoJo Siwa, Bruce Willis, Olivia Munn, Michael Ovitz, Ben Stein, Bob Simonds, Roy Price, John Branca, Jennifer Lopez and Alex Rodriguez, Common, Laura Dern

Page 46: Hitched, Hatched, Hired

Page 50: The Business -- Lisa Katz and Tracey Pakosta

Page 52: Law & Policy -- The Streaming Wars’ Wild West: Programmers vs. Distributors

Page 54: The Race -- Are Films About Slavery Good for African Americans?

Page 56: Behind the Screen -- Finding the Revs and Roars of Ford v Ferrari

Page 62: Style -- Wine for Everyone on Your List

Page 64: Send Me the Same Stuff the Guys Get -- Don’t buy into antiquated stereotypes and assume women want wine as gifts

Page 66: Cover Story -- Spotify the Storyteller

Page 72: Producers Roundtable -- Debra Martin Chase, Peter Chernin, Charlize Theron, Dan Lin, Emma Tillinger Koskoff and David Heyman

Page 80: Awards Season Playbook -- Directing -- James Mangold of Ford v Ferrari, Taika Waititi of Jojo Rabbit, Destin Daniel Cretton of Just Mercy, Noah Baumbach of Marriage Story, Quentin Tarantino of Once Upon a Time in Hollywood, Bong Joon Ho of Parasite, Melina Matsoukas of Queen & Slim, Dexter Fletcher of Rocketman, Robert Eggers of The Lighthouse, Benny and Josh Safdie of Uncut Gems, Trey Edward Shults of Waves

Page 82: Writing -- These screenplays might seem fantastical but the exploration of how a dad’s love (or lack of it) shapes a man couldn’t be more real

Page 84: The making of A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood

Page 88: Critic’s Notebook -- The “Plus TV” Era Is Upon Us

Page 89: Social Climbers -- Actors -- Lili Reinhart, Tom Felton, Scripted TV -- Stranger Things, TV Personalities -- Jimmy Fallon

Page 90: Backlot -- Hollywood’s Top 25 Marketing Masterminds

Page 94: How Singapore Is Shaping Asia’s Digital Future

Page 96: 90 Years of THR -- 1982 -- Tom Hanks Got His Start in Splatter and D&D Flicks

#tabloid #hollywood #spotify #daniel ek #dawn ostroff #charlize theron #will ferrell #paul rudd #robert pattinson #rob pattinson #bobby pattinson

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clemsfilmdiary · 2 years

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The Best of March 2022

Best Discovery: The Green Planet

Runners Up: An Actor's Revenge, Devi, There's Always Tomorrow

Best Rewatch: Blue Velvet

Most Enjoyable Fluff: As Luck Would Have It

Runners Up: Aurora Teagarden Mysteries: How to Con a Con, Chasing Leprechauns, Flashdance, Garage Sale Mysteries: Picture a Murder, It Could Happen to You, Live Nude Girls, Lost & Found, The Quest

Best Female Performance: Isabella Rossellini in Blue Velvet

Runners Up: Barbara Stanwyck in There's Always Tomorrow, Ayako Wakao in Bamboo Doll of Echizen

Best Male Performance: Kyle MacLachlan in Blue Velvet

Runners Up: Fred MacMurray in There's Always Tomorrow, Shin Saburi in Equinox Flower

Best Supporting Performance or Cameo: Dennis Hopper in Blue Velvet

Runners Up: Laura Dern and Dean Stockwell in Blue Velvet, Kinuyo Tanaka in Equinox Flower

Most Enjoyable Ham: Jean-Claude Van Damme in The Quest

Runners Up: Faye Dunaway in Scorchers, Lori Loughlin in Garage Sale Mysteries: Picture a Murder, Catherine Mary Stewart in Scenes from the Goldmine

Best Mise-en-scène: Blue Velvet

Runners Up: An Actor's Revenge, The Castle of Sand, Devi, Equinox Flower, The Green Planet, Himiko, The Martian Chronicles, There's Always Tomorrow, Wings of Desire

Best Locations: Blue Velvet (suburban paradise and seedy corners of Wilmington, North Carolina)

Runners Up: As Luck Would Have It (assortment of picturesque Irish tourist destinations), The Castle of Sand (various landscapes from all regions Japan), The Green Planet (rolling hills, South Australian desert), Himiko (forest, mountains, lake)

Best Score: Blue Velvet (Angelo Badalamenti)

Runners Up: Bamboo Doll of Echizen (Sei Ikeno), Devi (Ali Akbar Khan), Himiko (Tōru Takemitsu), Made in U.S.A. (Sonic Youth), The Martian Chronicles (Stanley Myers), Wings of Desire (Jürgen Knieper)

Best Cartoon: Red Hot Mama

Runners Up: The Country Cousin, Mother Pluto, She Wronged Him Right

Best Leading Hunk: Patrick Warburton in The Woman Chaser

Runners Up: Zac Efron in Gold, Niall Matter in Aurora Teagarden Mysteries: How to Con a Con, Adrian Pasdar in Chasing Leprechauns and Made in U.S.A., Jorge Rivero in Manaos, Jean-Claude Van Damme in The Quest

Best Supporting Hunk: John Ford Coley in Scenes from the Goldmine

Runners Up: Vincent Lindon in The Green Planet, Jason Patric in Lost & Found, James Remar in The Quest, Patrick Warburton in Scorchers

Assorted Pleasures:

- Otherworldly pink-tinged Martian landscapes in The Martian Chronicles

- Virtuosic dance, music and acrobatics sequences in The Green Planet

- Delightfully bizarre, grotesque and sloppy animation style in Buddy's Day Out and I've Got to Sing a Torch Song

#list #best of the month

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hadeschan · 2 years

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item # K14E20

RARE Pra Khun Paen Soom Ruan Kaew, Nua Din, Luang Phor Dang Wat Tung Khok. A baked clay Pra Khun Paen amulet made from earth blended with holy powder and human bone fragments. Luang Phor Dang made this amulet copied the work of Luang Phor Tay, and made accordingly to the process of baked clay amulet of the Holy Luang Phor Nhong of Wat Klong Ma Done (Wat Amphawan), and Pra Khun Paen Pong Prai Kuman Maha Phood of Luang Phor Tay Kongthong of Wat Sam-ngam. Made by Luang Phor Dang of Wat Tung Khok, Suphan Buri Province around BE 2485 (CE 1942).

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BEST FOR: You will NEVER be alone EVER, the spirits are with you everywhere you go. They are following you all the time. They watch your back, they protect you, and your family and prevent danger. They blinds people who are going to harm you. They cast magic charm and love spells on people around you. Pra Khun Paen is one of Thailand’s Best amulets for Nak-layng, ruffian (a violent person, especially one involved in crime), Mafia Boss, Crime Prevention Police Officer, Park Ranger, Field Soldier and Nak-layng Poo Ying (a connoisseur of women / a womanizer). Mahasanay (Magic Charm) it helps turn you to prince charming in the eyes of girls, Metta Maha Niyom (it helps make people love you, and be nice to you), Kaa Kaai Dee (it helps tempt your customers to buy whatever you are selling and it helps attract new customers and then keep them coming back. Wealth & Prosperity, Maha Laap (it brings lucky wealth). It warns danger coming ahead, Klawklad Plodpai (it helps push you away from all danger), Kongkraphan (it makes you invulnerable to all weapon attack), and Maha-ut (it stops gun from shooting at you). Ponggan Poot-pee pee-saat Kunsai Mondam Sa-niat jan-rai Sat Meepit (it helps ward off evil spirit, demon, bad ghost, bad omen, bad spell, curse, accursedness, black magic, misfortune, doom, and poisonous animals). And this amulet helps protect you from manipulators, backstabbers, and toxic people. And Baihuay, the spirits of the dead may tell/give hints of winning lottery numbers.

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THE CONTENTS OF BE 2485 PRA KHUN PAEN SOOM RUAN KAEW OF LAUNG PHOR DANG OF WAT TUNG KHOK

It was made from many types of sacred earth, for instance; earth from holy temples in Thailand, Din Kui Puu (earth balls piling up in front of male crabs’ holes to tempt female crabs to mate), Din Jet Ta (earth from 7 bus/boat destination terminals filled with lovers’ mind power while waiting for one they love to come homes), Din Jet Pacha (earth taken from 7 most haunted cemeteries), and various types of holy powder, and crushed bone powder and fragments of the dead toddlers after cremations.

THE BLESSING/CONSACRATION RITUALS

Luang Phor Dang blessed this Batch of amulets by Dern Jong Glom (walking meditation) circling around the amulets that put in an alms bowl, and cooked on fire until the dried clay turned hard. Luang Phor Dang blessed the amulets with Te-cho Grasin or Grasin Fire Meditation. Luang Phor Dang practiced Te-cho Grasin or Grasin Fire, the meditation method that generates heat, to achieve state of Nirvana via fire. About the Grasin Fire Meditation, it is believed that “voluptuous thoughts are heat, heat must be stopped by heat, fire stops satisfaction of sensuous or sensual desires, to achieve nirvana”. The nirvana in Buddhism is a transcendent state in which there is neither suffering, desire, nor sense of self, and the subject is released from the effects of karma and the cycle of death and rebirth. It represents the final goal of Buddhism.

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THE AMULET MADE FROM SOIL OR EARTH

The soil or earth is the oldest minerals on Earth, it accumulates all power of good deeds of all Arhats (or Luohan), Bodhisattva and Buddha as long as you and your enemies are standing/living on the earth, the Pra Mae Thoranee (the Earth Goddess) will witness good deeds and bad deeds, if you have made good deeds, then your good deeds have already witnessed by Pra Mae Thoranee, Pra Mae Thoranee will help you, and your enemies could not do any harm to you. And the difficulties of your life, Pra Mae Thoranee also witnesses, and Pra Mae Thoranee will ease all of your difficulties.

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The process of making Buddha amulet that contains human remains blended with sacred plants, and other holy materials is known as “Pong Prai Kumarn Maha Phood”, the Guru Monks who have ability to make this type of Holy Powder must have “Vicha Arkom”, special sermons, and a powerful mind power to control spirits that come with human remains and those sacred plants, NOT every monk could make Pong Prai Kumarn Maha Phood. It would bring disaster to those who made and those who wear amulets that contain this type of Holy Powder if the process of making was completely wrong! But the amulets made by Luang Phor Dang of Wat Tung Khok have proven themselves to the wearers to be one of Thailand’s Best amulets that contain spirits of the dead to help the owners.

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Luang Phor Dang, the Abbot of Wat Thung Khok (Wat Suwan Sadhukit), Suphan Buri Province living between BE 2440 to BE 2510

Luang Phor Dang was a disciple of the holy Luang Phor Nhong of Wat Klong Ma Done (Wat Amphawan), and the Holy Luang Phor Niang of Wat Song Phi Nong. Luang Phor Nhong was a teacher of Luang Phor Sod of Wat Paknam Phasi Charoen, and Luang Phor Parn of Wat Bang Nomko, Luang Phor Peung of Wat Sawang A-rom, and Luang Phor Dang was their classmate. Luang Phor Dang was also a close friend of Thailand’s BEST Maker of Kumanthong, Luang Phor Tay Kongthong of Wat Sam-ngam, Nakhon Pathom Province.

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WARNING: This amulet contains human remains. Not suitable for people who have Spectrophobia (the fear of ghosts). People who have Spectrophobia cannot control themselves while experiencing ghosts, they might have sudden cardiac death or cause harm to themselves from temporary loss of consciousness.

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DIMENSION: 4.10 cm high / 2.40 cm wide / 0.90 cm thick

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item # K14E20

Price: price upon request, pls PM and/or email us [email protected]

100% GENUINE WITH 365 DAYS FULL REFUND WARRANTY

Item location: Hong Kong, SAR

Ships to: Worldwide

Delivery: Estimated 7 days handling time after receipt of cleared payment. Please allow additional time if international delivery is subject to customs processing.

Shipping: FREE Thailandpost International registered mail. International items may be subject to customs processing and additional charges.

Payments: PayPal / Western Union / MoneyGram /maybank2u.com / DBS iBanking / Wechat Pay / Alipay / INSTAREM / PromptPay International

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tatooineknights · 6 years

Text

the last jedi (spoilers included)

The Last Jedi is a movie that has already proven to be divisive. Mysteries conjured up by JJ Abrams were dashed to pieces in the melodrama epic and fates were sealed. Plot takes a backseat for the sake of character development - particularly in the characters of Luke, Rey, Kylo Ren, Finn, Poe, and Rose. This is a movie all about the expectations we place on ourselves and our heroes and how we can both rise and succumb to them. We also see some of our own expectations tossed out the window - Rey is a nobody and she isn’t going to be turning or falling to anyone in the Dark Side.

I totally understand why some Star Wars fans do not like this movie - Johnson does not seem interested in making his film a direct sequel to The Force Awakens, instead opting for a character driven epic that is largely self-contained minus a few developments. My little mini-review isn’t to invalidate those feelings - but I hope that some take the time to read this and understand why I feel the way that I do. The rest is going to be in bullet points.

The big one - Luke Skywalker has become a depressed hermit the past six or so years. I definitely understand why this one hurts. This was our hero; the boy who stood in the face of evil itself and pulled it back toward the light. He should have had a perfect ending and a happy life. After all, that is what we expect from our heroes, right? Considering though that over thirty years happened between this movie and Return of the Jedi, it is very likely that Luke and his friends had a good life. They had adventures. They helped do their part. But where we are at, now, Luke is crushed by a mistake he almost made (key word being almost - and I will get back to this later) that made the seeds of evil that Snoke had planted into his nephew’s head sprout. How do you recover from that? I think the Luke that we see in this film is very human and flawed. I like that. It crushes my soul but I like that Luke isn’t this perfect wonder boy still.

Rey and Kylo Ren - this was fascinating because, on a surface level, they seem to be building on a relationship between the two. This is false - it is actually a mirror tale of a man fully embracing his darkness while a woman triumphantly stands with the light. They want you to think that something is there - maybe these two are similar, maybe they will go down the same path? They fight together, Kylo Ren even saves her life. But she chooses to not go down the evil path that he chooses. Their connection proves just how different they actually are even though they both try to turn the other. They are destined for battle now.

Leia can use the Force - one of the most beautiful moments in the movie for me and especially poignant because of Carrie Fisher’s passing. We’ll probably never see her again so seeing her float around in space and surviving something that should have instantly killed her made my eyes well up.

Rey is a nobody - huh? But surely that goes against everything JJ was setting up in The Force Awakens? Most definitely. But on a thematic level, I feel like this really works because it shows that there are things much more important than bloodlines and fate. She is a nobody.. and yet she was capable of beating Kylo Ren, the supposed inheritor of Darth Vader. Anyone is capable of greatness, not just those from the Skywalker clan.

Holdo and Poe - really torn on this one because I love both actors and I loved the choices Laura Dern did her character. I feel like they really did both characters a disservice by refusing to tell Poe her plan. That mutiny was pointless lol. The payoff was worth it though because Holdo’s sacrifice in the movie was one of the most powerful moments. I jumped.

Finn and Rose - contrary to many of the critics, I enjoyed their little storyline. It helped establish that there people holding out for the Resistance within the galaxy in the most unlikely places; we got to see darker shades of a rich upperclass that is treating the universe like their own personal little play thing. We also got to see Finn and Rose destroy it. I love John Boyega and Kelly Marie Tran.

Yoda returns - this might have been the most poignant moment of the movie. Luke is confused and unsure of what to do with himself, the Jedi, and Rey. His old master comes to comfort him and guide him to the right path. Luke threatens to burn down the tree - but you know that he really doesn’t want to. Because he still believes in the Jedi and their cause. Yoda uses this to free him from those thoughts by striking the tree on fire. There is so much more to the Force than just these sacred texts.

Snoke is dead - you know, I probably would hate this if it wasn’t so beautifully done on screen. We probably are never gonna learn anything about Snoke now unless JJ decides to do something nasty with his spirit. Outside of comics and novels, of course. This also means that the First Order is crippled significantly - Kylo is a terrible leader already and they are destined to collapse with his leadership.

Luke had a dark thought - this was probably the most controversial but I don’t think it was the character assassination others are making it out to be. He had a thought in his head for a second, a dark and dangerous thought, that he quickly cast aside because he realized how evil it was. This is the same Luke that almost killed his father in blind rage. But he pulled back and caught himself - he is a wise Jedi. He is also the son of the most tortured individual the galaxy has ever seen that was responsible for uncomparable pain and destruction. It is natural that he has these fears and seconds of hesitation. The point is that he refused to act on them and always stayed true to himself.

Captain Phasma is a joke - but at the very least, it helped end the character thread of Finn’s connection to the First Order and allowed him to completely reclaim his agency from Phasma.

Luke ascends - in the final moments of the film, we see Luke Skywalker visit his sister and the rebels. He does the impossible and projects himself onto a planet thousands of light-years away to meet with his sister and confront his nephew. This is probably the most impressive feat we have ever seen with the Force - almost Godlike. He gives the Resistance time to escape and also finds forgiveness and atonement for what happened the past six years. He becomes the legend that the galaxy needs - instead of dying a broken and beaten man, he ascends into the above, becoming more powerful than anyone could possibly imagine. He truly becomes one with the Force in a way that no one likely ever has. This is true peace and harmony - balance - this is The Force.

Who are you? That is what Luke asks Rey in the first third of the movie. But this is a good question that summarizes much of what the movie is about - who is Rey? Who is Luke? Who is Finn? Who is Kylo Ren? Who is Rose? Who is Holdo? They aren’t always the people you think them to be - some of them are depressed from what they see to be as failures. Some are captains that only wish for the best of their crew, to help their people survive. Others are still looking for purpose - others have found their purpose. Others refuse to accept the purpose laid out before them and choose a different path, one of pain and regret. It is about finding and freeing oneself from those expectations.

#the last jedi #the last jedi spoilers #star wars #tlj spoilers

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