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dr-drckken · 1 year

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Day 30: Character Wishlist

1. Dr. Doofenshmirtz: ALSO putting doof on my list because i think having him on multiple lists really speaks for how much his ass needs to BE HERE. begging, pleading, down on my knees. look people, what do I need to do to convince someone to get Doofenshmirtz!! He’s literally the best cartoon dead known to humanity AND he’s a mad scientist. We could be the best of friends, chopping it up on the block. Talking about lab safety! Complaining about how hard it is to find a good lab assistant! I’m not Anya, I don’t have his daughter to entice you with, but I do have his predecessor in funny little cartoon scientists in a beloved children’s show. The point of a disneyrp is for the crossovers and this could be THE crossover. AND if you use nick cage his could be us: https://thyla.tumblr.com/post/702286691264872448/pedrohub-the-unbearable-weight-of-massive-talent

2. Jackson Storm: i know he was voiced by armie hammer and that’s weird, but like pls. Join that Cars hive! I think he could be a fun addition. We��ve seen the mean girl trope before but let’s talk about a mean GUY! which….yeah we have also seen before, but since it’s being done for my personal benefit i think that’s totally fine and welcome and im giving you permission. I know the mean jock boy has plagued the world, but I ALSO KNOW that with the world that has been created here at swynrp, that the cliche could actually be fun instead of annoying.

3. Mike and Sully: putting them back on here because they have not left my mind since last year kids and at this point they probably never will. Only thing keeping me from getting one is that fact that they wouldn’t have their buddy and thankfully my brain won’t allow one to live while the other is not there.

4. Eda Clawthorne: The only thing keeping me from getting Eda at any given point is that I would love to write with her, but like I would also love to WRITE her and fjdskajfdksl it’s a very frustrating position to be in you know. She’s just such a good character!! I love her! She adopts people left and right! She’s funny! She’s powerful! She’s got a funny little demon deal to grapple with! Her sister is here!! AAGHH! Begging someone to get her before I give in besties.

5. Cruella de Vil: I just think she’s neat. And by neat I mean unhinged and possibly one of the worst Disney villains out there lmfao. but that’s what I like about her. I think more women should be able to be mean and evil and commit atrocities. We’ve had our time with the Order Boys (and knife girl) in the hunting ring, but I just think it’s time that a new villain clan takes the spotlight.

6. Arawn Prydain: ….that being said, I also think we need some less than nice sorcerers hanging around. There’s a few in the open characters tag, but since we’ve got Eilonwy and Taran hanging out I think Arawn would be a good addition to the ranks. Plus with all our #spooky gang characters, a baddie necromancer would be fun to see adding to the mix.

7. Granmamare: I think we should have more merfolk in GENERAL so I’m going to advocate for a QUEEN because, like, come on now, how fun is that. An ethereal lady wandering the town and trying to find like minded people to bring back home to run off the poachers? That’s a fun plot. I like it. I think she should be here, being everyone’s mom.

8. Scuttle: We’ve got a lot of business owners around town! Some new, some old, but who we do NOT have is the antique shop owner with all his little merfolk friends. I SIMPLY THINK it would be fun to have the kinda kooky, very fun, very well meaning, very bad singer, Scuttle come join us down in Swynlake Town. both because that’s my boss! he could have some really cool stories/shit to say about the stuff he sells! and another business owner to spice things up! what’s his perspective on everything? if he EVEN HAS ONE

9. Winnie the Pooh: I just think this one is really funny. COULD BE TRAGIC IDK, there’s always something a bit tragic about winnie the pooh but still. let’s get this cutie in here! a guy who used to be a literal stuffed animal?? must give the best hugs in town. and this town could use them. and if he doesn’t wear crop tops then idk maybe you shouldn’t be playing him actually. just a thought.

10. The Recess Gang: doing a 5 in 1! I really like the recess kids’ skeletons and think they should all be here, having a grand old time. Whether that be in secondary or even in the uni. There’s nothing like a core group of friends just making their way through life together despite the different paths that they came from to this point. They’re all different but that’s what makes their dynamic work baby!!

#swynwrimo

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misssophiachase · 3 years

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You Make My Heart Smile

So, happy (belated) birthday, Tina @tnapki Your edits make me smile (pardon the pun) and I wanted to thank you for that and everything you bring to the fandom.

I based it on your GORGEOUS EDIT

I also made it about food cause it’s SO you. On AO3 HERE

Also thanks to the gorgeous Kait @an-awesome-wavve for being amazing and my part brainstorm, part beta, part researcher and part undercover partner in crime.

Renowned Chef Klaus Mikaelson has a bad reputation until he meets food blogger Caroline Forbes and has no idea how to handle her or the unfamiliar feelings she evokes, especially that annoying ability to make him smile.

3 May - Alinea - 1723 N. Halsted St, Chicago IL - 3pm

“I’m not going to do some stupid interview, you know I have other, more important things to do, right?”

Klaus Mikaelson didn’t do interviews. He didn’t need to because his accomplishments spoke for themselves. He hadn’t slogged away in kitchens since he was twelve and worked his way through culinary school and some of the best restaurants to waste his time.

Being a world-renowned chef owning not one, but four, three-Michelin-starred restaurants across the globe meant he could do whatever the hell he wanted.

But yet here she was running his life.

Still.

“Like yell at me? I mean, you’ve been doing that since we were little so I guess it’s nothing I haven’t experienced before. ”

“I knew I should have never mixed business and family,” he snapped. “You always throw our childhood back in my face as an excuse to insult my life choices.”

“Because it’s too easy not to,” she pouted, flicking a stray, blonde lock over her shoulder. “And, while I am unfortunately related to your sorry ass, I am also your publicist and this interview is good for your career.”

“I don’t need publicity.”

“Correction, you do need publicity,” she argued, her fork now attacking the very veal he’d cooked with more fervour than needed.

“Easy on the product, little sister,” Klaus growled, his protectiveness for his art on full display.

“Oh, silly me I thought it was already dead,” she shot back, tartly. “And before you interrupted, I was going to say that, yes maybe you shouldn’t need publicity given your career achievements, but that was before you dropped an entree on the food critic’s lap from the Chicago Tribune, fired your sous chef in front of the entire restaurant and insulted Gordon Ramsey on national television.”

“Ramsey is a sell out, I stand by my comments,” he muttered. “The critic had it coming and, now you mention it, so too did that sorry excuse for a sous chef.”

“You realise people call you the angry chef, right?”

“Better than the naked chef I suppose.” He shrugged his shoulders indifferently. Klaus wasn’t in the business for gimmicks or to secure his own cooking program. He took his food seriously and there was nothing wrong with that.

“At least people like Jamie Oliver,” she replied, arching her eyebrows knowingly. “Anyway, there’s no point in arguing because she’ll be here in five minutes.”

“Please tell me you didn’t just schedule an interview without my permission?”

1717 N. Halsted St, 3:10pm

“What’s with the expression of impending doom, Care Bear?” He asked, lugging his camera equipment as they walked up the block toward Alinea.

“What have I told you about calling me that?”

“Not to do it but it’s too fun not to, Care Bear.” Given his general maturity level, Caroline decided it was a losing battle and she had more important things on her mind.

“Anyway, it’s not doom,” she muttered. “It’s just the overwhelming desire not to do this interview but given I don’t want to get fired and also pay my rent, there’s no other option.”

“Is someone afraid of the angry chef?”

“Oh, puh-lease, I’m not afraid. Although, I might not be able to bite my tongue if he decides to insult me like he did Gordon Ramsey.”

Caroline wasn’t one to judge but his indiscretions were well-known and well-documented. Although, chefs with egos weren’t an entirely new phenomenon to the industry or to Caroline given interviewing them was her job.

“You and I both know Ramsey deserved that dressing down, if anything Mikaelson earned my respect that day.” Caroline couldn’t argue with that.

Although this one was another kind of beast.

The effortlessly attractive kind.

For Caroline, this was an unsettling prospect. Until she reminded herself why she was here in the first place.

Caroline loved food. Sometimes, she thought, more than life itself.

So, when she became a food blogger after graduating with a journalism degree from Northwestern, it wasn’t a surprise. She was currently the senior blogger at popular food blog Delicious.

“You love food and writing about it,” Was Enzo reading her mind? “How about instead of focusing on the negative, remember that this will be your biggest interview yet. Think about all of the exposure this will garner.”

The upper echelons of Delicious had decided that an interview with Klaus Mikaelson would be a big scoop. Caroline was all for interviewing chefs about their food and the passion behind it but she knew her editor wanted something less about his craft and more about his bad boy reputation.

“Yes, but I want to write about food, not produce tabloid fodder.”

“Just think, once you do this then maybe you’ll have enough of a following to start your own blog and write what you want and not what someone tells you to do.”

“Mmmm, you do have a point.”

“Of course I do because Enzo knows everything. Also, take me with you because you’d be lost without me, sweetcheeks.”

“Third person, huh? That ego of yours knows no bounds, Lorenzo.”

“You know it, Care Bear,” he joked, flashing his most dazzling smile. “Well, looks like we’re here.”

“Looks like it,” she murmured, noting the intimidating sign overhead and wondering what she’d gotten herself into. “Here goes nothing.”

3:15pm

“Caroline Forbes?”

“You must be Rebekah and this is my photographer Lorenzo St John.”

Klaus, who’d been throwing a temper tantrum not one minute ago, found himself looking up into the blue eyes of one Caroline Forbes. Suddenly, all of the white noise of the moment fell away and it was just the two of them in the room together and the blonde in question was looking at him expectantly.

It was paralysing.

But good paralysing he decided.

“Nik?” Rebekah questioned. Now they were both looking at him. Had he zoned out and not realised it? Well, if so, this was all kinds of embarrassing. “Caroline is the senior blogger for Delicious and she’s here for that interview, you know the one we talked about earlier?”

Yeah, ten minutes earlier, he thought to himself doing everything he could not to bite back in front of the new arrival.

“It’s nice to meet you Mr Mikaelson, I have to say I’m a big fan of your…”

“Look, it’s not going to be possible, I have to prep for dinner service,” he lied, although regretted it immediately when he noticed her expression. Klaus wasn’t used to being nice, it wasn’t in his DNA and usually it didn’t bother him.

Until now.

Klaus decided to blame it on the foreign feelings she was causing. As soon as he got some distance between them it would be fine, especially that vanilla scent he couldn’t ignore given it was infiltrating his first line of defence.

Klaus liked women, in fact he slept with many when his busy schedule permitted, but that was sex and nothing else. Just the way he liked it, easy and unemotional.

“Why don’t we multitask then? I’m happy to help. ” Her voice was light and melodic. Klaus was hoping it wasn’t going to sound so enticing. He also wasn’t expecting that response. “I worked in a restaurant kitchen for years, I can do dishes, polish cutlery and peel a mean potato and an onion, well almost without crying.”

Why was he buoyed by that ridiculous statement and increasingly trying not to flash her a goofy smile?

Klaus didn’t smile. He just didn’t. Ever.

This wasn’t how he saw his day going at all. He was going to kill Rebekah. Before he could reply, the current subject of his ire spoke.

“That sounds like a fantastic idea,” she grinned. “How about Lorenzo and I make ourselves scarce then?”

“It’s actually Enzo, darling, you sound a bit too much like my mother and my oppressive boss Care Bear here.”

Klaus hadn’t even realised there was someone else in the room up until this point but it was clear Caroline wasn’t too impressed by his nickname or the oppressive part. Maybe they had more in common than he thought?

Care Bear. Klaus thought it was adorable. Then he could feel it, that idiotic urge to smile again.

Before he could object again, Rebekah had made a quick exit with the photographer and she was just standing there. Klaus could feel the awkward tension between them and knowing he’d caused it wasn’t helping matters. But he didn’t know any other way to act.

Then the words he’d struggled with just tumbled out.

“How do you feel about fish?”

Not the most suave topic or question but this was his ‘uncomfort’ zone.

“Depends on the context.”

“The context?”

“I mean, if you think I can clean, fillet and debone a fish, you’ve obviously overestimated my cooking talents.”

Klaus had to practically eat the smile that was threatening to appear. Again.

“Everyone has to start somewhere and get their hands a bit dirty, otherwise what’s the point?” He advised. “But, if you don’t want to then…”

“Oh, I never back away from a challenge, chef,” she promised.

Again, the pesky smile was hovering just beneath the surface.

Leading her towards the kitchen, Klaus told himself that preparing a fish was definitely going to keep his emotions at bay and also block out that perfume which was throwing him off balance.

4:45pm

“Why do I feel like this was a ploy to distract me from my interview?” Caroline asked, dipping the fish into egg wash and then flour as instructed by her cooking mentor for the day..

This was not how she saw her day going. It was surreal to say the least. This guy was supposed to be an ogre but Caroline was realising he was something else entirely.

“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” he shot back. “But you filleted that fish like a professional, maybe you’ve missed your true calling?”

“I suppose I had a semi-good teacher,” she admitted wryly.

“Wow, tell me what you really think, Forbes.”

Caroline was trying not to to get too caught up in the moment but Klaus Mikaelson had challenged every judgment she’d ever harboured about the temperamental chef. He’d been unusually kind and patient.

The one thing she’d noticed was that his overall demeanour didn’t match his expression.

He didn’t smile.

Not once.

A few times, Caroline could swear it was close or maybe she was just imagining it?

“So, why do you like food?” It was a question she wasn’t expecting. Especially seeing as she was the interviewer and him her subject.

“Isn’t that what I’m supposed to be asking you?” He was silent for a moment, almost like he was contemplating it. “But I get the impression you don’t like that question much?”

“I’d much prefer to hear your story first, call it a warm-up.” Clearly he was nervous and Caroline was happy to oblige if it helped.

“My grandmother,” she smiled knowingly, visions of her nana filling her head. “When I was younger I’d go to her house most weekends and we’d cook together. She could make anything and everything. She died last year and it’s been tough without her but at least I still have those memories.”

Caroline didn’t mean to get personal, especially with the so-called “angry chef” but for some reason she felt nothing but comfort in his presence, even if he didn’t smile.

“What was her specialty?”

“Banana cream cheesecake,” she smiled, the taste of it rushing back in all its delicious glory.

“Hard to beat,” he murmured. “Have you ever eaten a Bananas Foster? My restaurant in New Orleans does a modern version over flame. According to my maitre’d there’ve apparently been a few proposals over dessert.”

“Over your dessert?”

“Someone sounds dubious. Let’s just say it’s fireworks but without the danger. Well, unless the tablecloth is accidentally set on fire but the fire department down there are pretty good first responders I understand.”

“I just didn’t take you for the romantic dessert type.”

“I suppose there’s a lot of things you don’t know about me then.”

“So, why do you like food then?”

“Well, of course I like food, I wouldn’t be a chef otherwise,” he shared, moving swiftly in behind her and taking the fillets from her hand and placing them in the hot pan, Caroline was trying not to react to his touch or that welcoming and heady mixture of sandalwood, spices and soap . “But one interview isn’t going to even begin to answer that question.”

He had a point and Caroline knew it. How could you sum up what food meant to you in one interview?

“So, what exactly are you trying to say? I do have a deadline to meet.”

“How about we schedule a follow-up interview tomorrow morning? Dinner service is imminent and if you stay I’m going to have to ask you to do more than fillet a fish. My pastry chef Lucien is also very needy, requires constant gratification, and you don’t want to be on the receiving end of that.”

“Not gonna lie I’m intrigued and by that I’m talking about Lucien. Did you insult his choux pastry or something?”

“Not if I want my patrons to eat dessert this century. But, if you insist on staying, there’s a whole pile of onions there with your name on it and we can call it even.”

“You wouldn’t dare.” He raised his left eyebrow by way of response. Caroline was trying to ignore just how good he looked, even if there was no smile forthcoming.

“Fine,” she conceded. “Tomorrow morning but that’s it otherwise my editor might fire me.”

“Great, let’s make it 10:30, you can poach an egg, right? And I also expect extra crispy bacon.”

Caroline knew she was possibly in trouble and not because he was tasking her with cooking. Enzo would also parrot that particular concern but she couldn’t help herself.

Today was probably the best day she’d had in a long time and she didn’t want it to end. She told herself that she’d return tomorrow and get her interview, that’s all she wanted from him, right?

4 May - Alinea - 1723 N. Halsted St, Chicago IL - 11am

Klaus Mikaelson was in uncharted territory.

That’s what scared him the most.

Caroline Forbes was seated across from him at his best, window table in jeans and a cream sweater, her plate empty and a very full but satisfied look on her face. Klaus decided to add that to his favourite expressions file. It was fast filling up and he’d only known her for 20 hours.

He wasn’t this guy.

At all.

But she’d consumed his thoughts since their first meeting and all night through dinner service and beyond. He’d barely slept, but it wasn’t a bad thing. He’d been looking forward to seeing her as soon as she left.

The only problem? Not smiling because it was that difficult when she was in his presence. He had his reasons of course.

“So, why do you love food? And no arguments given I poached a mean egg and also let you have a reprieve yesterday.”

“The bacon could use some work, just saying.”

“Well, you’re more than welcome to cook itself yourself, Mikaelson. Are you always such a critic? Last time I checked that was my job. Also enough with the distractions. So?”

“My mum,” he admitted quietly, even if it took a minute or so to verbalise. For some reason her opening up about her grandmother had filled him with courage. He didn’t do feelings or talk about them for that matter. “She cooked with me practically from birth until she got too sick last year.”

Those last words wobbled, it was unfortunate as it was expected. He’d struggled for a long time and losing his mother had been difficult.

“What was her specialty?” Klaus recognised the question he’d asked himself yesterday, but the fact her hand squeezed his at the same time filled him with the confidence and warmth he needed.

“Rosemary braised lamb shanks, it was her favourite protein. I’ve tried to pay homage on all my menus since.”

‘So, that explains the Saddle of Elysian Fields Farm Lamb with Babaganoush, Romano Beans and Harissa Jus on your menu then?”

“You’ve done your homework clearly?”

“That and the fact it’s the first time I’ve seen you smile, and I have to say it’s really nice.”

Klaus didn’t even realise he’d let it slip but suddenly it didn’t matter anymore. He didn’t want to hide it, not with her.

“She used to tell me to smile all the time because I was too serious, you could say it’s something I’ve battled with ever since she passed.”

“All the more reason to smile, even just to introduce those dimples to the general public. Has anyone ever told you they should come with a warning?”

“No, but more than happy to discuss further.”

“If only, but I have to get going.” Klaus felt almost deflated that she was leaving as quickly as she’d arrived. Maybe he’d shared too much. “Deadlines and all that. But if you could just consult the email I sent confirming the details of our interview that would be great.”

Klaus felt disillusioned, he’d opened himself up to someone and she was running away. She was out the door before he could even move from his seat. Checking his emails was the last thing he felt like doing, but his hand went to work on his cell checking it anyway and dreadfully waiting for its contents.

“As of three minutes ago, I no longer working for Delicious. It wanted a story I wasn’t prepared to write. I like your smile and dimples too much and I also want a Bananas Foster.”

His chest constricted as he read each word and his grin was unmistakable. It didn’t take long for him to reply.

“You make my heart smile.”

Tabloids would report months later that famed food blogger Caroline Forbes married famed chef Klaus Mikaelson in rural England after proposing over a dessert of Bananas Foster in New Orleans.

#you make my heart smile #happy birthday #tnapki #klaroline fanfiction #misssophiachase

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poisonepel · 5 years

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Chemistry Between the Dorm Leaders and a Hero-Inspired S/O— (pt.1)

After that Snow White request, I had a small idea... so here are headcanons for each dorm leader with an s/o inspired by the heroes of their respective films. I had some hesitation with both Vil and Leona, since their heroes are the Evil Queen’s stepdaughter and Scar’s nephew respectively... I could get past the Snow White one bc Vil’s so different from the Evil Queen, but the Simba one weirded me out too much ;; so I substituted him for Nala. Sorry !!

Of course, this is disregarding the original characters’ ages and assuming they’re all students at Night Raven, in the same dorm as their villain. Please let me know if there’s a problem with anything though !!

Idia, Leona, and Malleus will come in a second post.

Riddle & Alice

I remember Alice as a bratty, opinionated girl who is dissatisfied with her normal life and prefers to escape to her imagination. Very stubborn, but also very sensible. Pairing these traits with Riddle’s hotheadedness and severe need to keep things under his command, I don’t think they would make a very good match. Alice constantly rolls her eyes at all of his decisions, and blatantly refuses to listen to him if she doesn’t agree with what he says.

It would be extremely difficult for these two to even tolerate each other. Alice sticks out to Riddle because she’s the only one who doesn’t fear him—but that might not be a good thing. He develops a “You will fear me, you will obey me” type mindset, to which she responds with an unimpressed, “Oh, really?”

Riddle gets so fed up with her that he marches down to Headmaster Crowley and demands that Alice be relocated to a different dorm—“She’d be great for Pomefiore, with all the other stuck-ups.” (Dire says no).

As much as she loathes Riddle though, Alice might enjoy some of his nonsensical rules. She hates boring things like order and routine, instead craving the thrill of things unique and unpredictable. Riddle is taken aback when one day she exclaims how much fun she’s having during one of his sudden events, which had annoyed and tired out everyone else. He’s not sure how to react.

He spends a long time thinking about this, and then curiosity gets the better of him; he tries to experiment to see if he can do anything else that doesn’t make her turn her nose up at him. So basically, this is his odd way of figuring out her interests - and he realizes she’s not just automatically appalled by everything he does; she’s simply very opinionated. He might even start to appreciate the fact that she’s got such a strong grip of her views and morals.

It takes much longer for Alice to fall in love with Riddle, though. She has such a great distaste for him that there’s no way she’ll even consider falling in love with him. She would have to catch him in a vulnerable state to realize there’s more to him than simply yelling at everyone all the time - maybe when he’s stressed from school, or sleeping, or witnessing him experiencing true happiness (perhaps with his friends? does he even have friends?) And then she, too, having a natural curiosity, might try to learn more about him.

Tbh, the only thing that might help bring them together is the fact that both of them are way too nosy for their own good.

Azul & Ariel

Like Alice, Ariel is very curious, stubborn, and determined, but she can be a little gullible and naive at times. She’s been sheltered her whole life and Night Raven is the first time she’s been away from home for so long. Azul, on the other hand, is very independent; he’s somewhat of an information broker, good at observing people and seeing what makes them tick - and also swindling what he wants out of them. Naive little Ariel makes a perfect target.

Azul is very gentlemanly and polite, enticing and friendly, so Ariel is immediately swayed. She pretty much falls into the honeymoon phase with him straight away, but not truly in love; she’s just excited to be socializing with a nice boy.

It’s easy for Azul to trap her in a deceptive contract with ambiguous conditions. He doesn’t have any personal interest in her initially, but Ariel responds to his betrayal with vigor and goes above and beyond in trying to void the contract. It is only here that Azul starts taking more of an interest in her, since she’s now causing problems for him and therefore in the way.

But, even he has to appreciate her fierce determination to get out of this contract. He even stops at one point to consider why he’s been trying so hard to prevent her from getting out of it; Ariel is nothing but sweet and pure, so why is he so intent on inconveniencing her? He tries to convince himself that his original mindset is the same as it was before: Ariel was unable to pay the price he had set. Perhaps under misleading terms, but it’s her fault for not reading the contract carefully enough - therefore he can’t give her any leeway until he’s collected his payment. Even so, a part of him feels regretful.

However, Ariel has developed a (rightfully) bitter attitude towards Azul, and even though he understands why, it still leaves a sour taste in his mouth. Witnessing how beautiful of a personality she has has made him rethink his whole view of her - and a part of him wishes they were on better terms.

If Azul was serious about remedying their relationship, it would take a serious amount of effort on his part to regain her trust. Ariel can be naive, but she’s not stupid; and she’s already established that Azul is not an ally. But, in the case that he is able to prove himself to her, then the same elation she had when she first met him would resurface.

For their relationship to work, Azul would need to be the one who’s most committed. He already has a personality Ariel would immediately grow infatuated with, so it really depends on him being able to truly become someone she can trust and rely on - and make sure she knows that too.

Kalim & Aladdin

These two are hopeless idiots together. They come from vastly different backgrounds: while Kalim grew up with basically everything handed to him on a silver platter, Aladdin comes from a poor family and barely scraped by in his youth. They share a common resourcefulness, though, as they both are very talented at making do with whatever situation they’ve landed in (but, Kalim always has the advantage of wealth and power).

While Aladdin might be initially turned off by Kalim’s extravagant wastefulness, he also admires it greatly; much like his canon love for Jasmine, he is struck by beauty and wealth and only dreams about what it might be like to live with such greatness. This overpowers his slight aversion for him.

It’s easy for Kalim and Aladdin to become friends. Aladdin is funny and bright, with a knack for socializing since he’s come across so many people from being in such open, unstable living conditions before. Overall, he’s just very easy to slide into conversation with and feel like you’ve known him forever. Kalim is also very extroverted, but in more of a you-will-pay-attention-to-me-now forceful kind of way. Like Jamil, Aladdin is one of the few people who doesn’t tire out from Kalim’s constant energy & semi-sheltered mindset.

Once they find out their shared extroversion is very compatible, Kamil and Aladdin talk nonstop. Aladdin is a natural storyteller, and loves sharing about all his experiences from his childhood. He had to be very independent and willing to defy authorities in order to secure his survival, while also helping all the other orphans and street rats obtain food and shelter as much as he could. Kalim finds this extremely admirable. To him, Aladdin is almost like a literal prince - he rose from nothing and now is thriving at the prestigious Night Raven College. Also, he seems to have turned out fairly normal for someone who suffered so many hardships as a child.

But evidently, the closer the get, the more Kalim realizes Aladdin is not as normal as he makes himself out to be. His traumas from his youth have and are still affecting him, and once Kalim sees this different, more somber side of Aladdin, he becomes desperate to help him any way he can. He first takes him on a “date.” This isn’t meant to be romantic, just a nice all-expenses-paid trip to give Aladdin something nice.

Jamil is surprised because this is the first time Kalim has ever thought about anyone other than himself. But then, once the “dates” keep happening, Jamil realizes there’s more between them than just Kalim “being nice.” Things might escalate between them both, and while the final trigger for Aladdin was Kalim’s little acts of kindness, there had been something clear between them since the beginning.

Vil & Snow White

This sort of piggybacks off the headcanons I wrote here.

Snow White is sweet and pure of heart, a girl who doesn’t fully realize when someone might be taking advantage of her. She is gentle and sweet when she talks to you, but also doesn’t mind keeping to herself for long periods of time. On the other hand, Vil is vain and proud, constantly needs attention, and keeps his own appearance as his top priority. He always makes sure his connections are up to his own beauty standards too, and if Snow White enters his social circle, this includes her. Fortunately, there’s not much for him to do, because she is already extremely beautiful.

Vil takes interest in her because of her beauty. He feels a bit threatened by it in the beginning, but every time he talks to her, she always, always acts like the nicest, most genuine human being he’d ever met. He gets a little frustrated because he wants to hate her for being so much more beautiful than him, but she’s so ridiculously precious.

Snow White doesn’t mind Vil much. Like with everyone, it’s basically impossible for her to view him in a bad light, and she respects him as Pomefiore’s dorm leader. That being said, he’s not a major interest for her - she has a very tight-knit circle of 3 or 4 girl friends who she spends most of her time with.

Their interactions are usually initiated by Vil. Half the time, it’s because he can’t understand how she’s so nice all the time, so he tries to draw out a negative reaction from her.

But with enough time spent together, the opposite effect happens. Snow White develops a small crush on him. She starts getting flustered whenever he talks to her, and even more fidgety and precious - and even more, starts picking up his little mannerisms and habits. She sometimes points out whenever she notices something’s changed in his appearance.

Then, it’s Vil’s turn to feel flustered. She noticed. She notices whenever he does his hair differently, or when he paints his nails a new color, or when he wears a new arrangement of jewelry. He’s taken aback when his own heart starts fluttering whenever he’s around her, and soon he drops his mission to find fault with her and refocuses his attention on trying to avoid her. He has no time for falling in love.

But now Snow White is the one nervously trying to get his attention. And he's fallen so head over heels for her, he can’t not interact with her - and would feel too bad if he was mean to her. For a while, there’s a lot of tension between them, and Vil feels hideously awkward. He hates it. So he tries to finally confess, as slyly as he can.

Snow White isn’t very good at reading between the lines, but Vil isn’t very good at being subtle when he’s struck by so much emotion - so their feelings for each other come to light very quickly. There isn’t much verbal communication between them when they “confess,” though - Snow is too shy and Vil can’t admit anything unless he’s not being serious. But, if they do establish that they love each other, their relationship would be stable and warm from both parties.

#twisted wonderland #twst hcs #riddle #azul #kalim #vil #riddle rosehearts #azul ashengrotto #kalim al-asim #vil schoenheit

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sweetsmellosuccess · 4 years

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The Best (and Worst) Films of 2019

In many ways, 2019 served as a crucible, and no more so, at least cinematically, than with the venerable superhero flick. After a deluge of big studio films on the subject of capes and spandex (the MCU includes 22 films since the 2008 release of Iron Man; the nascent DCU, running it fits and starts has seven), we saw the explosive close-out of the previous “phases” with Marvel’s Avengers: Endgame; as well as the rise of pseudo art-house comic book film, Joker, in the same bloody year.

The talk on Film Twitter — the living definition of ‘tempest in a teacup’ — was all about those films, and Martin Scorsese’s now legendary take down of the genre by referring to the super hero films, collectively, as “theme parks.” But in truth, there were many, many other films that came out during the year, some of them utterly brilliant, some of them ridiculously awful. Here are my picks for both, with some of what I wrote about them at the time in my review.

10. Avengers: Endgame

“There are so many small but noteworthy details -- opening the film with Traffic's "Dear Mr. Fantasy"; the name drops, and special shout-outs to comics' fans; the small character beats that allow each protagonist more than just a quip or two; the closing credits, which give singular notice to the stars who have been there from the beginning, and wisely do not use the signature Marvel trick of teasing out the next film, which gives the series, at last, a sense of real closure, if only temporary -- the film feels as if it has been created and calibrated with the utmost care. For a film destined to break the bank no matter how shoddy they might have made it, Marvel has poured enough genuine soul into it to earn its inevitable bounty.”

Full Review

9. Her Smell

“In some ways, the film takes on a sort of Raging Bull aspect, Martin Scorsese's classic film about a boxer's rise and fall, only to turn the ending on its head. In Scorsese's picture, we see Jake LaMotta, now fat and retired, attempt to break into showbiz as a comedian, the scenes draped in cutting sardonicism. Perry gives Becky a much less punishingly ironic turn, but instead a hero's journey, venturing away from the abyss into something a good deal less grandiose and realized.”

Full Review

8. The Last Black Man in San Francisco

“It's also a film about the versions of the stories whose ideas lend depth and valor to our otherwise nondescript lives, the things we hope make us the heroes of our own narratives. In this way, Jimmie's story is conflated with that of the city itself, and the palpable sense of loss he feels about his family's house is mirrored in the city's own loss of identity.”

Full Review

7. Under the Silver Lake

“Mitchell fairly stuffs the film with portents, symbols, and runes, some real, some imagined. Squirrels mysteriously fall dead at Sam's feet, a parrot in his courtyard keeps calling out something he can't decipher, a dog killer stalks the neighborhood, and graffiti strewn about the area calls out to him. Films are always encoded with symbolic meaning, utilizing visual language to instill emotion and establish significance for the audience (think of Spielberg's girl with the red coat in Schindler's List, or James Dean's red windbreaker in Rebel Without a Cause), Mitchell's film gives us so many options, almost everything can be read symbolically, which perfectly captures the paranoia his character feels, and the pointlessness of trying to make sense of it at all.”

Full Review

6. Marriage Story

“Noah Baumbach’s latest film, about the dissolution of married couple – played extraordinarily well by Adam Driver and Scarlett Johansson – will no doubt get comparisons made to Bergman’s brilliant Scenes From a Marriage. But whereas that 1972 film concerned the relationship itself, its highs and lows and metamorphoses, Baumbach’s film is much more about the logistics, legal and otherwise, of ending a very much shared life together.”

Capsule Review

5. Midsommar

“Viewing Aster's films is a bit like walking into an art installation -- quite literally, as he populates his frame with stunning compositions and art-focused mise en scene, as with the beautifully designed wooden structures of the compound, or the exquisite murals and art displayed on the building's walls (a huge shout-out to his production designer, Henrik Svensson, and the art directing crew) -- but, as with Hereditary, behind all the sumptuous, hand-crafted beauty, there is a cruel, brutal core of humanity's continued savagery. If art represents the best sort of impulses of humankind, in Aster's hands, it becomes yet another facade, hiding -- or in this case, exemplifying -- our instinct for vicious barbarity.”

Full Review

4. Parasite

“By the end, as it swerves inexorably into blood-soaked violence, the film reveals to be a bit of a con itself, drawing us in with its enticing humor, then opening up into a much darker vision, before ending on an emotional note of surprising vulnerability. Through it all, Bong shows a mastery of odd tones, from the opening comedic salvo, to the final emotional beats.”

Capsule Review

3. Uncut Gems

“It’s one of those pressure-cooker films, where the steam builds more and more intense as Howard gets in and out of trouble through his ability to constantly shift the playing board. There’s a scene about midway through, with various aggrieved characters coalescing at once in his office, as he’s trying to have a speaker phone conversation with his doctor, that’s so stressful, you will want to avert your eyes and remind yourself of the exit signs.”

Capsule Review

2. Once Upon a Time in Hollywood

“It's also an unexpected joy to watch the nonchalant swagger of Pitt match up with DiCaprio's more high-strung ministrations. Two of the biggest film stars alive playing mostly washed up TV actors may stack the irony, but both of them settle in so well into their characters, you can't help but admire the result. Rick is a dude whose ego has gone from tumescent to shriveled -- he parks his car miserably in front of one of his own old movie posters -- but beneath all his hubris and despair, he actually has a lot of talent. As always, it's pure joy to watch Pitt smoke up a screen, a middle-aged Redford speaking every line with a sinfully breezy smile, whose confidence extends around him like the golden hue of his deep suntan.”

Full Review

1. Knives Out

“More than the plot itself, an ingenious and kinetic thing that's as satisfying as a hot bowl of soup on a raw and windy day, there's the sense of joyous chaos from the cast. Those scenes where the family is all together, in the drawing room and continually at each other's throats are so delicious, they should come with a napkin. The interplay between vets like Shannon, Johnson, Curtis and Collette is filled with fractious energy, the characters revisiting age-old disagreements ("Your kid's a brat!" -- "Your kid is a Nazi!") with sadistic glee. Even when they band together, in moments, against what they believe to be a common enemy, it's clear the harmony between them is more Iggy and the Stooges than Beach Boys. In short, Johnson has devised a perfect ensemble of dreadful characters and set them all against one another in a narrative fishbowl filled with lye.”

Full Review

Other Worthy Mentions:

Amazing Grace, American Factory, Apollo 11, Bacurau, Birds of Passage, Charlie Says, Cold Case Hammarskjöld, Dark Suns, Dark Waters, Ford v Ferrari, Greener Grass, In Fabric, John Wick 3, Jojo Rabbit, Luce, Midnight Traveler, Ms. Purple, Pain and Glory, Rewind, Something Else, Terminator: Dark Fate, The Farewell, The Hole in the Ground, The Irishman, The Lighthouse, The Nightingale, The Report, The Souvenir, The Vast of Night, This is Not Berlin, Us, Varda by Agnes, Vitalina Varella

Best Upcoming Releases of 2019

The Personal History of David Copperfield

The Burnt Orange Heresy

Bad Education

First Cow

The Worst Films of 2019

5. Greta

“In short, Jordan turns Greta into a Michael Myers-esque boogeyman, everywhere and no place at once, almost a phantom, but for her high heels and French condemnation. In this way, the filmmaker loses his grip on his material.”

Full Review

4. Ma

“Apart from a truly absurd script, director Tate Taylor's film performs ungainly political gyrations -- asking us to root against a survivor of sexual abuse and humiliation for trying to gain (albeit misplaced) revenge on her attacker. Sort of a rape-revenge thriller set upside down, such that nothing makes any ethical (or emotional) sense. It quickly becomes an awkward mishmash of impulses, wanting to provide cheap scares while fostering a deeply schizoid sense of sympathy, while managing to fail mightily at both.”

Full Review

3. The Dead Don’t Die

“Jarmusch's proclivities have always leaned toward such lightly affecting material -- as if the act of actually generating emotion is somehow vulgar and unseemly -- which has also endeared him to his faction of fans. For everyone else, though, it doesn't leave much to look at. Filmed without fanfare (albeit with a few more special effects than usual, and a kind of cool splattering of sand-like mist when the zombies are beheaded), and with the intensity knobs all turned down to their lowest setting, he continues his sous vide-style of filmmaking. Whether you like the dish he's serving, or want to throw your hands in the air and go somewhere else for dinner is all in your temperament. Whatever you choose, you can be certain the same menu will be available the next time you venture back.”

Full Review

2. Dark Phoenix

“The clearest loss, however, is with the story itself -- its legacy struck deep in Marvel lore -- once again being studio nitpicked, and focus-grouped to within an inch of its life. If Endgame audaciously proved a superhero movie could rise toward an emotionally satisfying arc, this failed attempt proves the opposite is also true: Chronic incoherence, even if spread out among a multitude of titles over 20 years, just feels like a soulless money grab. Adding to the sense of this film's slapdashery, the trailer features lines and moments unused in the actual cut, which is never a good sign.”

Full Review

1. Lucy in the Sky

“The film is meandering and pretty much pointless, a major flaw that Hawley himself indicated in his introduction (“we work as hard on the bad ones as we do the good ones,” he told the audience in an example of supreme foreshadowing. Portman does her best, but the film sputters pretty hard, and is never able to justify itself.”

Capsule Review

Other Dishonorable Entries:

The Aftermath, The Curse of La Llorona, Gemini Man, Glass, Hellboy, Joker

Inexplicably Overrated: Joker, The Dead Don’t Die

Biggest Welcome Surprise(s): Ford v Ferrari, Once Upon a Time in Hollywood

Most Bitter Disappointment(s): The Lodge, Wounds

Film That Critics Got Wrong: Waves

Best Film I Saw Last Year, Period: Scenes From a Marriage

#sweet smell of success #ssos #piers marchant #films #movies #the best and worst films of 2019 #knives out #parasite #once upon a time in hollywood #uncut gems #marriage story #the last black man in san francisco #midsommar #avengers: endgame #under the sliver lake #her smell

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white-kween · 5 years

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Simple As That (1/2)

Reader X 70’s!John Deacon

Summary: Your relationships always ended up with you being heartbroken, so that’s why you chose to stop dating. Even with your promise to yourself, a certain bassist has you reconsidering it all.

A/N- This story was taking wayyyyyyyyyyyyy to long for me to figure out and I kind of hated how it was always ending out, so I decided to make two parts for this story. Sorry that it’s taking me so long to post and create things for this blog. I’ll make sure the second part doesn’t take 3 weeks to post:P anyways, hope you guys enjoy this first part:) constructive criticism always wanted AND PLEASE GIVE US REQUESTS!!!!!!!!!! -L

Italics are thoughts btw

(Kinda a slut for John Deacon not gonna lie)

“Shit shit shit...” you repeat as you push your way through the busy crowd. You woke up past your alarm again and you were on the brink of being late to work. If you were, you knew your boss would have your head... probably hanging in her office.

Finally, you reach the shop you work at right on time. You speed walk into the shop while trying to catch your breath.

“Glad to see you made it, Y/L.” Your boss said with one of the fakest smiles you’ve ever seen.

“Wouldn’t miss it for the world, Cheryl.” You return, with your own fake smile. You continue walking to the back so you can place your belongings away. Your co-worker and best friend, Mary Austin, walks up beside you also putting her own things away.

“Good morning dear. How are you today?” She asks in her kind voice. How she always seemed to be happy in the morning beats you. You hate mornings with a passion.

“Could be better honestly. Neighbors kept me up all night with their ‘amazing’ sex.” You grumbled back to her.

“Sounds like your jealous, Y/N.” She said while laughing. You two turn to look at each other, but you notice how her smile dies when she looks at you. “Y/N you look like you haven’t gotten sleep in days!”

“Is that your nice way of telling me I look like shit?” You tell her jokingly, sticking your tongue out. You pull out the little compact mirror in your bag to look at yourself, and well... hot wasn’t what you would describe yourself as. You still had bed head, the corner of your eyes were filled with eye boogers, the side of your mouth is covered in dried up toothpaste and of course the bags under your eyes were very prominent. Looking at this you sighed and cleaned up what you could before heading into the front with Mary to start your shift.

After hours of dealing with rude customers and boss, your shift had finally ended. All you were dreaming about was going home to have a nice hot shower and after laying on the couch with a glass of wine. Then, when the sun had finally set you’d go to sleep and have a fresh start in the morning.

“Excited for Freddie’s gig tonight?” Mary said beside you. Internally, this made you groan. All you wanted was to go home and rest, but you had promised both Mary and Freddie that you would be at his next gig with his band.

“Of course I am!” You tried to put on your best act. You knew there was no way of getting out of going to the gig tonight, so you knew you might just as well go.

“Good. I’ll see you later!” Mary said, waving goodbye and going off into a separate direction.

Hastily, you made your way home to freshen up with a shower and change of clothes. Looking in your bathroom mirror, you felt good in the way you look. You looked tired still, but more put together now, especially with your hair being tamed down to its natural state. With one last nod, you headed out for the door and to the venue Freddie’s band is playing at.

As soon as you walk into the pub, you’re immediately hit with the stench of beer and cigarettes. You’re not the least bit surprised at how busy and crowded the the pub is. Mary had told you loads of stories on how the crowds were starting to build up and become crazier. Immediately, you spotted Mary’s blonde hair and make your towards her.

“Busy night isn’t it?” You say once you reach her.

“Oh good you’re here!” She ignores your question and instead embraces you in a hug which you gladly return “I think this is the biggest crowd they’ve had so far.” She says pulling back.

“By the looks of it, seems like they’re gonna go places. Especially since they have Freddie.” As soon as you said that, the crowd started cheering. You turn your attention to the stage and see Freddie and his band mates stroll onto the stage like they own the place. Once he got up to the mic, he starts interacting with the crowd like you’ve never seen anyone do before.

“Hello all you beautiful faces out there. How are we tonight?” The crowd cheers back to answer Freddie’s question. You stand there with the biggest grin on your face, enjoying every second of how the crowd loves him as much as you do.

Once they all started playing their songs, it’s like your grin got impossibly bigger. The whole band was incredible; Freddie’s voice was amazing as always, the guitarist was playing flawlessly, the drummer was radiating confidence off his body from feeding into all the yells and cheers girls were throwing at him, And the way the bassist easily played and maybe even danced every once in awhile was definitely eye catching. They were all amazing.

Sadly, the gig had ended way too fast. You could’ve watched them play for the rest of your life if you had your way, but that wasn’t gonna happen. On the bright side, you were now on your way to the back of the pub to meet the band. For some reason, you were feeling a little nervous which is nothing like you at all. Finally, you reached the back and you see that all the boys were packing their things away into their van.

“Y/N, darling you made it!” Freddie yells enthusiastically, running up and hugging you tightly.

“Fred, you did amazing out there! You guys killed it!” You gush, hugging him just as tightly.

“I knew you would love the show,” He gave you one last squeeze before going over to Mary and giving her a kiss on the cheek and embracing her to his side. “Boys, this is my dear friend Y/N, Y/N meet Brian who plays guitar, Roger the drummer, and John our bassist.” You shake Brian and Roger’s hand giving them a smile and telling them it was nice to meet them. When you shook John’s hand it was like seconds lingered on longer then supposed too. On stage, he had a this fiery attitude that made you feel like he’d be a hotheaded rockstar, but he was not that. Offstage, it’s like everything about him was gentle. From his smile to how he felt against the skin. You shook his hand and he had a shy smile on his face, and you knew you had a faint blush creeping up on your own.

“Lovely to meet you, Y/L” he says while continuing to shake your hand longer than supposed to. He’s so enticing you couldn’t even reply to him, so you just smile and nod like an idiot. Mentally you were kicking yourself for not saying something, anything, to him.

“Sooo...” Freddie pipes up, directing your attention to him, instead of on John. He let’s go of your hand quickly, letting it fall back down to your side. “Should we have drinks here, or at our place?”

“Is that even a question Fred? Here of course,” Roger replies quickly. “Joining us tonight, Y/N?” Roger asks, giving a little wink in the process. He’s cute sure, but you know he’s just trouble and that’s the last thing you needed.

“Oh, I don’t know. It’s getting kind of late.” You say ignoring his stare by looking at your watch. Last thing you wanted was to be in another game with a “bad boy”. You had already made that mistake once, and you weren’t about to make it again.

“Absolutely not darling. You’re having drinks with us and that’s that.” Freddie orders and what Freddie says goes.

“C’mon, Y/L. When was the last time you had some fun?” Mary adds on. You chew on the inside of your cheek deciding whether or not you should join them. Everyone stood there waiting for your answer. You definitely didn’t want to be a downer, plus you’d be able to spend time around John just a bit longer.

“Okay, okay. I’ll stay and have drinks with you guys.” You declare, earning a relieved look from Freddie and a squeal of excitement from Mary. If you’re being honest, it seemed as if John looked a little bit relieved as well when you decided to stay. No. You already made a promise to take a break from relationships, you remind yourself.

“Right, let’s go then.” Brian’s tall figure lead the way back in. You all decide to squish into a booth that just barely held you all. You were between John, which made your heart flutter, and Roger. Rounds were made to your table, which you all appreciatively downed. Not long after, confidence started bubbling inside to talk to the brunette boy next to you.

“You did an amazing job out there, John. Have a real talent, but I bet you already knew that,” The last part came out a little more flirty then you meant, but you didn’t really care.

“Thank you. Very nice of you to say that,” John said, smiling at the compliment you gave him. You knew he didn’t quite believe what you were saying was true.

“I’m not just saying that to be nice, John. I really mean it, you truly are talented. Between me and you,” You lean over closely to him so he could hear your whisper “you were my favorite to watch.” You pull back to gauge his reaction. He looks at you with a smile that reaches his eyes and a blush on his cheeks.

“Secrets safe with me,” He raises his pinky to signify a promise, you wrap your own pinky around his with a grin on your face.

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

Weeks go on by, and you were starting to go to the boys’ show every chance you got. You always told yourself that it was because you loved the band and their music and you wanted to support all four of them, but deep down you knew it’s partly because you wanted to see John more. After that night of meeting the band, you had quickly became good friends with all the boys, even Roger, though he still flirted a bit. With John, it’s like you two were connected at the hip.

The friendship between you two blossomed quickly, surprisingly. It took you weeks to warm up to someone, but with John it took hours. You felt as if there was no judgement between you and him. Every moment you were next to each other, maybe even sharing innocent touches that made your heart leap. Every second you were with him, you felt your small crush deepening into adoration. He’s just... Perfect.

He has soft flowy hair, beautiful greenish grey eyes, the cutest nose, the best smile and the most kissable lips. The best part is that he was an angel with a bit of the devil hidden inside which made you guys get along so well. Like I said, he’s perfect.

Suddenly, you’re ripped out of your thoughts by Mary’s hand frantically waving in your face.

“Y/N, darling, you’re drooling by just staring at the man!” She yells against the deafening noise coming from the band’s party.

“Am not!” You say, wiping your chin just to make sure.

“Love, why don’t you just tell him? It’s quite obvious you like each other,” She suggests. You roll your eyes at her comment, this wasn’t the first time she, or the band told you to admit your feelings to John.

“He doesn’t like me like that Mary, that’s why I don’t tell him.” You reply, but you both knew that was a lie. You knew he had some type of feelings for you too, but it just felt easier, maybe even safer to not tell him your feelings.

“I just don’t get what you’re afraid of, Y/N” getting hurt, yet again. “Sometimes you need to take risks. That’s the only way you’ll make it in life.” She points out. You knew she’s just trying to help, but sometimes you just wanted to tell her to butt out.

At the other side of the party, the same conversation was going on between John and Freddie.

“Just tell her, it’s as simple as that!” Freddie says clapping his hands together.

“No, Fred” John shakes his head “It’s not just that simple.” Especially when it’s as someone as perfect as her, John thought

“Darling, you’re making this way too complicated! It’s obvious that she likes you as well by the way she stares at you, or how she intently listens to every word you say like it’s your last. Not to mention, how she blushes when you give her a compliment or how she nearly forgets to bloody breathe when you touch her!” Freddie says a bit over dramatically, trying to get his point across to the stubborn man.

“What if you’re wrong Fred?” John asks doubtful. It pained him to keep his feelings from you, but he was fearful of the pain that he’d have if he told you and you didn’t reciprocate his feelings, chancing losing you as a friend. The last thing he wanted to do was chase you away from him.

“Me? Wrong? I’m never wrong Deacon, you should know this by now.”

“You’re right. I’ll tell her,” John takes one more drink of his beer before leaving to go find you. Tonight was the night, what’s the worst the could happen? He thought.

It didn’t take him long to find you. His breath hitched watching your bright smile and audible laugh over the loud crowd. The only problem is that you’re with Mary. Maybe it’s the alcohol, or maybe just sheer adrenaline, but John continues his way to you.

“Mary, Freddie’s looking for you.” John tells Mary as soon as he reaches you two. Mary’s eyes search the crowed room for Freddie, and instead of seeing a Freddie searching high and low for her, she sees Freddie cheering on Roger who’s chugging a bottle of liquor.

“You sure John? Doesn’t look like he’s searching for me,” She says back with a slight laugh. She knew what he was trying to do, she just wanted to make it a little harder for him. Realizing what they were both trying to do, you jump in and help out John chase off your best friend.

“Mary I don’t think you heard the man! FREDDIES LOOKING FOR YOU!” You shout out at her. You hear a small laugh escape John’s lips. Mary looks at you with a pout on her lips, then stubbornly got up and made her way towards Freddie. You turn to John with a prideful smile on your lips and happily pat the now open spot next to you. More than happily, John takes the spot beside you mirroring your smile.

As soon as he knew Mary was out of ear shot, he leans in close to where you’re able to hear him clearly “I lied. Freddie was never looking for her,” He confesses.

“Really? I couldn’t tell!” You say with playful sarcasm. “Why’d you lie then?” You lean further into John, causing his already crimson cheeks to grow a shade darker.

“Well... if you really want to know, I just wanted to get you alone” He tries to play off, but his red face was betraying him. You raise your eyebrows a little in surprise at his statement. Instead of asking any further questions, you decide to play along.

“We’re not completely alone,” you gesture to the packed crowd surrounding you “Should we perhaps leave and go somewhere private?” An angelic smile crept onto your lips, but John noticed the unmathcing devilish glimmer in your eyes. He knew exactly what that meant.

“Thinking what I’m thinking?” He asks with his own mischievous grin.

“Oh yeah,” Without hesitation, you grab hold of John’s hand and drag him out of the party. You have so much excitement running through your veins, neither of you even bother to say goodbye to your friends. “Keep up Deacs, don’t need you falling behind.” You tease.

“Don’t worry love, right behind ya,” He gives your hand a tight squeeze, making your heart flutter. If only you could hold his hand like this forever, but you knew better than to allow that.

#bohrap #fan fic #queen imagines #john deacon #john deacon imagines #deaky #deacy #queen fan fic #john deacon x reader #joe mazello #queen

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doctorgerth · 5 years

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Yeaaah! Nice to see your requests are open :) Can I ask for a matchup ? With a boy ~ I'm 23 years old, basically small (1:58cm), brown long hair and green eyes. I'm an independant woman, and I really enjoy my freedom. I'm kind though, and I really love to cuddle the people I love when I feel comfy enough. I got artistic vibes, love to write of course, but also dance. I love history and travelling a lot ! I have a weird humour and I'm always teasing my friends ! Thank you wedding magician!

Wedding magician?? You are too precious, Mad!! I love you dearly, and I hope you enjoy your matchup! x

Your match is…

Sabo

Sabo loves an independent woman. Given his career choice, he can’t really devote all of his time to doting on his partner (though he really wishes he could) so he finds it easy to be with you! You are so comforting and reassuring when he has to leave you for a lengthy mission, he really appreciates how easy you make it for him because he’s upset enough as it is, and if he knew you were upset too it would just crush him. He has duties to fulfill, being the Revolutionary Army’s Chief of Staff, but you totally respect that and he just adores you for it. Your love of freedom reminds him of his love for justice. He’s working hard to make a free world for not only the people of the world, but also for the two of you!

He always promises to you that once the war is over, and everything is as it should be, he’s going to take you everywhere around the world with him. Show you the places he’s visited and was dying to show you and also experience new places with you! He loves adventure much like you, and though your relationship is grounded now, he can’t wait to provide a fun, thrilling future for the two of you (and a family perhaps?).

Your kindness to loved ones and even strangers is really what won him over. He can be a little hot-headed once provoked, but your calm and collected personality really keeps him level-headed for once. Koala especially thanks you for that! He’s a bit impulsive, so he needs you to be willing to go with the flow sometimes. Your life together can be a bit sporadic, but it’s never boring to say the least!

Sabo is a big ‘ol baby when it comes to cuddling. After coming home from a long meeting or a tedious mission, he’ll walk through the door of your home, come up to you without saying a word, and just wrap his arms around you. Sabo loves to give great big bear hugs, he never holds back on his affection for you! His favorite time is laying in bed with you, you pulled snug against his chest while you play with his wavy blonde locks. It’s so relaxing and peaceful, so different from the missions he has to endure. It almost always makes him fall fast asleep! Speaking of, he is a major cuddler during bed time, so clingy and tight! You’ll wake up in a mess of tangled legs, his snoring face in your neck, and his arms secured around you. It’s like he’s afraid you’ll disappear if he lets go.

He really adores your artistic side, as he destroys everything he touches lol Sabo is not artistic in the least bit. The only thing he is capable of doing is carrying a tune (not a bad singer, but not that good either) and whistling! (I HC Sabo as a really good whistler - that takes talent!). He loves to read your work if you’re willing to let him view it. He’s not the best at feedback though, as he just loves everything you write! Dancing is another talent that Sabo somehow possesses, all thanks to you. It took quite some training, but Sabo can now ballroom dance with ease! He loves to put on classical music and just dance with you right there in the living room. Though, he really prefers to watch you dance and sway your hips on your own though…all for him *wink wonk*.

Your appearance is really endearing to him, he loves the height difference! Sometimes you get mistaken as his little sister and he laughs his head off every single time, much to your annoyance lol But, in all seriousness, he’s seen many eyes before, but none ever quite like yours. Green is such a rare eye color, and he reminds you how beautiful and unique you are all the time! Behind closed doors, Sabo is very open and affectionate, never scared to tell you how he feels or what he thinks about you. In public, he can be a bit more distant, but only because he has a reputation to maintain. If you’re ever craving and missing attention when out in public, he’ll always make up for it later in your bedroom

Your teasing nature is enjoyable to him because he is very teasing as well. He gets a kick out of you messing with Dragon especially, because that is a hard man to crack, but you somehow always make him smile, even if it’s a little one! You both love to pull pranks together on fellow Revolutionary members. You two are like best-friends who are completely enamored with each other. Your relationship together is fun-loving and light-hearted!

Other potential suitors:

Killer - Despite his ruthless pirate tendencies, he is really drawn to kind women. Your sweet personality really eases the tension he’s always under from dealing with such a rambunctious captain. Like Sabo, he really appreciates your independence. He’s really not in the right state to provide and take care of you just yet, so you being okay with some alone time really assures him in your relationship. He’d hate to leave you all alone if he knew it truly bothered you. He can also be really cuddly when you ask him to!

Hawkins - Hawkins is really interested in your artistic and love of history/culture side. He finds your creativity mesmerizing and he loves to read your works. Together, you two create lovely paintings, pictures, stories, and many other art forms! Unleashing his creativity and artistic side with you really puts him at ease and it’s great bonding time. You two like to visit foreign places, studying the history/culture of the areas. He’s also a really good dancer!

Ace - He really just finds you all around an enticing person! Your sweet nature really makes him feel better, especially when you assure him that he is loved when he really doesn’t think so. He finds your artistic side really cool and he likes when you include him in your projects! He will gladly give you genuine feedback and help you in any way possible. This klutz seriously can’t dance, so he prefers to watch you do your thing! He’s also major cuddly, so you accepting his affection is definitely a plus!

#one piece #one piece matchup #matchups #matchup weekend #sabo #madlymiho #thank you dear!!#hope you enjoyed your match <3 #killer #hawkins #ace

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imbriums-blog · 6 years

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hello my angels ! i’m sorry this is so late but i’m sarah & i’m 18 yrs old & live in the hellhole that is ohio so the est timezone ! i’m ur token harry potter nerd & lover of all things musical... anyways u can hear more about 5/10 of my problematic children under the cut ! i’m gonna try to keep it short but i lov to talk so we’ll see ! if you’re willing to plot give this post a big mf like & i’ll come crawlin’ to ur ims !

— ✯ | barbara delaney savenkov ! + pinterest board !

tw: death, murder

laura harrier, cisfemale, she/her — have you met barbara delaney savenkov yet ? the twenty-three year old is known for being both poised and enticing, but also very skeptical and deceiving. born in san francisco, barbie now lives in soho, waiting tables at the fork and assassinating people on the side for some extra cash. + wanted connections !

so barbara was born n raised in san francisco, california to a solidly middle class family. her parents were divorced growing up, although they were friendly & got along well enough to be friends & co-parent barbie. she’d always been quite an idealist like Yes The World Is Good but when she was twenty, her dad had died due to a rogue heart attack that seemingly happened for no reason & it completely shattered barbara.

that’s when a local gang found her, at her ultimate low, & roped her into their business. she stayed w them for two years or so & at some point or another barbara started to realize that she didn’t think this business & way to make money was a good one. eventually, they starting cutting pay & barbara started to feel like she was bein manipulated. working w the gang kind of made her give up her optimism & is what truly formed her into the stone cold but somehow still elegant & captivating barbie she is today ! her idealistic attitude & never-ending optimism died with all of the shady shit that gang made her do.

then barbara was offered a job as an assassin for a powerful man doin some shady shit & she was unable to refuse even tho her first instinct was to turn it down – it offered great money & stability, & with the impression that she’d only be hurting people who deserved it, barbara shakily accepted the deal & left the gang !

she’s not pleased w the fact that she’s murdering ppl for a living, obviously, but she tries to make do with what she has & tells herself that the ppl she’s killing deserve it but !! messy !

personality-wise, barbara comes off as super intimidating at first n like she just doesn’t have feelings… super proper n always sitting upright n stiff as fuck… scares ppl away bc she seems like a robot at first

she's that kid who studies for the test like 3 weeks before it actually happens and has color coordinated highlighting and bullet journals.. she wants to be on top of everything, constantly – she doesn’t like feeling unorganized or like she’s falling apart ? i think it’s partially bc she tends to over perfect areas of her life like that, and like color coordinating her closet and making sure everything is tidy to make up for the Mess that is her secret career ??

one of the most annoying things ever is how perfect she seems on the surface ?? like, she likes everybody n is probably the type of person who rescues stray kittens from trees n sings as little birdies fly down & comb her hair or some shit but anyone close to barbie in real life knows she is a hardcore mess

that friend who’s like “oh my god i look so fat in this picture” n literally everybody groans bc shut the fuck up karen ur perfect

could literally say “fuck off” to somebody n the tone of voice she uses would make them think she was complimenting them

— ✯ | cordelia esther king ! + pinterest board !

alycia debnam-carey, cisfemale, she/her — have you met cordelia esther king yet ? the twenty-two year old is known for being both affable and buoyant, but also very whimsical and corybantic. born in salem, delia now lives in lambeth, working as a wedding planner and forming unrealistic expectations of true love.

so ngl cordelia is very inspired by jane from 27 dresses but w/ some twists so i’m not completely unoriginal

she was born to a pastor for a father in salem aka witch town ! cordelia was raised as kind of a perfect goody goody two shoes u know.. classic girl next door who sleeps w a teddy bear even at twenty-two & her entire room is covered in pink, she spends her spare time baking n blushing over boys smiling at her wtvr... she was always strong-willed & opinionated but shut up out of fear of being made fun of u know, kids these days r mean

so then when cordelia is old enough to leave her parents house ( let’s say like a year ago ) she decides that she’s tired of being the nice girl in the shadows & that she wants to live life more on the edge so she vows to start living life dangerously & being badass... whatever that means

it’s actually kind of funny, because she’ll stroll into a bar & bat her eyelashes at the bartender & single ppl in the room to try & get them to order a drink for her solely bc she doesn’t know the names of any drinks... has no common sense & is too naive for her own good ( what is a handjob... what does “on the rocks” mean ) but the girl’s trying to [ troy bolton vc ] break free so who am i to judge ?

she’s a wedding planner who’s actually in love with the idea of love & has watched the notebook 1 too many times... despite her being wildt nowadays she’s still into the whole “when i meet the one for me my foot will pop when we kiss & i’ll feel fireworks” thing.. it’s cute but also sad but ! cute !

personality-wise... she’s outspoken & friendly & incredibly flirty, but at the same time she probably either assumes you’re flirting w her when you’re really not or has no clue that you’re hitting on her when ur literally kissing her

is totally sandy at the end of grease when she’s like “tell me about it, stud” acting all badass but then doesn’t know what to do w her cigarette butt & looks nervously at her friends like WTF DO I DO

please come corrupt her or fuck her up... or be nice 2 her & teach her how to be a human being

— ✯ | dexter leroy bates ! + pinterest board !

torrance coombs, cismale, he/him — have you met dexter leroy bates yet ? the thirty-one year old is known for being both inventive and idealistic, but also very farouche and indecisive. born in hackney, dex now lives in croydon, editing badly filmed videos and gluing himself to a camera 24/7.

basically a nerdy starving artist based on mark from rent with a lil bit of peter parker in him

a broke ass bitch living in croydon trying his best to make it as a photographer / film maker

he has huge dreams of hollywood but his films r probably kinda bad... but he tries his best n i love him for it

kinda nerdy & word vomit-y... super cute... would die for his friends but also would kill u for insulting one of them

is that nerd that is actually hot n buff n shit but u never notice bc he wears hoodies n hides behind a camera bc i lov stereotyping apparently

i don’t really have his backstory worked out yet tbfh so really ? go wild w connections for my son

— ✯ | davina leigh cordero ! + pinterest board !

lauren jauregui, cisfemale, she/her — have you met davina leigh cordero yet ? the twenty-one year old is known for being both intuitive and diligent, but also very seclusive and obstinate. born in whitby, davina now lives in soho, studying journalism and avoiding as much human interaction as possible.

100% based on rory gilmore bc apparently even tho i’m on season 2 i luv the characters Too Much

basically everything i aspire 2 be in a person... hardworking as fuck, loves school so fricking much, antisocial as hell !

davina is deadass brilliant & her idea of wild is staying up past 11 on a school night or waiting to do her homework on saturday instead of friday

sweet, a lil bit awkward, but the cutest ever n i would die for her

would much rather be chillin w her books than anything else tbh & doesn’t know how to hold proper interactions but it’s more charming than anything else

grew up with only her dad mostly, since her mom worked full time & lived out of town for reasons but they both love her a ton. her dad would give her the whole world if he could, & owns a quaint little coffee shop in whitby & is constantly calling davina to check up on her... when she got older her mom moved back in w her dad so since then she’s gotten a lot closer to her but there’s still just such a bond between her dad & her u know

what is romance ? davina doesn’t know

come fuck her up

— ✯ | sawyer maisie pitman ! + pinterest board !

josefine frida pettersen, cisfemale, she/her — have you met sawyer maisie pitman yet ? the twenty year old is known for being both undaunted and driven, but also very apathetic and blunt. born in bristol, sawyer now lives in wandsworth, being a tragically pathetic starving artist & student.

so sawyer was adopted as a baby, unnamed, to two moms who love her more than anything in the world. one’s a publisher & one’s an english professor, & they’re both huge fricking nerds, so she was named after tom sawyer !

as soon as she could walk she was talented with art & everything that had to do with it & not long after entering high school she decided that that’s what she wanted to do & nothing was going to get in the way of it

now, as a student & hopeful artist, sawyer is dead set on getting where she wants to be & has no tolerance for bullshit... like if u ain’t helping her further her career, ur unimportant to her

relationships ? cancelled. romance is a DISTRACTION from her work & only complicates her life !

blunt as fuck & doesn’t sugar coat things. she says things like they are & expects others to do the same bc she has no time for drama or whatnot

stubborn as fuck & nearly impossible to talk to sometimes bc she’s so set in her ways but hey love me a strong woman amirite

sharp-tongued & sarcastic as fuck but can be incredibly kind when the time is right !

#smoke:intros

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punknrasslin · 4 years

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Hi, hello, greetings & welcome return to PunkNRasslin after a short hiatus. These lockdown blogs will be weekly & focusing on a different subject each week, be it in Wrestling or Music. Which, let’s face it, is what it says on the tin here. Punk & Wrestling, PunkNRasslin. Each week a new insight into what we at PnR like & maybe dislike, although I’ll try & keep the PMA here!

This first weekly blog focuses on my love for a certain tag team in British Wrestling (BritWres if you’re down with the kids). Three letters. Guessed it yet? No not ‘THOSE’ 3 letters (maybe next time) but the 3 that just beat them as my favourite 3 letters in wrestling. Who’s got it? Another clue? Fair enough, 2 best friends standing united. I gave it away right. This first week we focus on FSU! Load Andrew WK into the PA & let’s go!

My first exposure to Mark Andrews & Eddie Dennis was one of two things. The first was seeing Mark on TNA British Bootcamp, which led to him joining the X-Division in the company way back when TNA was easily accessible on Challenge TV Sunday Nights. That was the perfect end to my week in that period to be honest, 9PM Challenge TV. The second was seeing them as a tag team for the first time which, online viewing aside, was at Fight Club Pro in 2017 at the Dream Tag Team Invitational Tournament. Let’s touch on the night 1 match later in this piece shall we?

I don’t know if seeing Bootcamp was my first exposure to Andrews but it was certainly the first time I went ‘OK, I need to get myself off the sofa & to a live show’. The energy in that man, the movset, the agility.. I dare anyone to find a more energetic talent although equally as, there’s a few though. Around this time, just as the finals for Bootcamp were being broadcast, I attended a PCW Charity Show for the now passed on Kris Travis partly due to Mark being booked on the show & partly cause Kris himself was an amazing in ring worker. An idea for a future piece there. The night of the event came, it wasn’t a ‘wrestling show’ in the stereotypical sense it was more friends gathering together to raise some money for a good cause. If you can, go back & look at the talent present on that show. From memory here, Tyler Bate & Trent Seven were in action along side Zack Gibson.

Back on subject, I think I was just more blown away by the fact one man could do such magnificent things in ring. It really, cliche I guess, reminded me of watching Liger on WCW as a teen. I went out soon after & got more involved in British Wrestling shows despite 1) knowing nobody and 2) being nervous as heck! So many journeys, miles & cities ahead of me I booked as many shows Mark was booked on at the time. Through this I discovered his tag partner in FSU Eddie Dennis. I’m not sure if I was biased cause of the mark fandom, but I was as impressed with this taller, harder hitting grappler as I was that night at PCW. And so, the fandom grew. As did my Merch collection actually thank you Defend!

Fast forward to 2017. A journey from Preston to Wolverhampton on a good Friday. A bad idea? Well a broken down train & delayed arrival not withstanding, I managed with little to no worry. Let’s ignore the mini panic when on an overcrowded stationary carriage at Manchester Oxford Road. I got through it & arrived in one piece. That night, stood with new and familiar faces from the now many shows I’d attended, we witnessed together ‘the’ moment that transformed a mid 20’s fanboy into a screaming teenager without a care. The second match on the card was FSU taking on Los Gueros Del Cielo AKA Jack Evans & Angelico. In the first, say ten minutes, we had witnessed flippy agility alongside strikes to rival the best. One moment though sticks in my mind from this night, Andrews deciding during the match to scale the venues scruture & do what can only be described as something impossible to most from a high ledge to the ground below. Magic had happened. That was it, no going back. I was sucked in to FSU I was well & truly part of their fanbase. I don’t think I’ve ever had the courage to say to any of them how much that warm 2017 night sticks in my heart. Or how many times during a low period I put it on to remind myself to be strong. Over that weekend FSU would progress to face The Lucha Bros in a match in London I always regret missing.

Moving on from life altering moments, I think I’ve counted I’ve seen FSU Perform in 4 different cities (Cardiff, Wolverhampton, Manchester, London) not withstanding the other trips to see the boys in singles action. But London September 2017 is another moment that sticks. I’ve apologied many times to those involved in witnessing this many times probably too many! But if you know your FSU History, you know exactly the match & moment I mean. It wasn’t the Mark victory in the number 1 contenders scramble. No it was the seconds after. The heartbreaking (at the time) moment that Eddie turned his back on Mark and was a bad guy. How dare he?! His best friend. How could he?! You stand united you are a unit! No! It’s not supposed to end, EVER! I think I sat at the back of Alexandra Palace after that & cried. It was just so believable & like ‘this is it, no more FSU’. Of course after a fantastic storytelling experience & a match in front of Wembley Arena of all places they did in fact stand united once more a calendar year later. Go back & watch some of the unrivalled promo work during that rivalry, the emotion in Eddie enticing mark into fighting his friend, Mark staying loyal to his buddy & refusing until he’d had enough after months of taunting & torturous attacks. Just remember if you go back to the Wembley Match, those tables are tough!!

FSU of course during Mark/Eddie rivalry did still exist under a different form. Wales’ Rising Star Danny Jones briefly tagging with Andrews for a one night only appearance, but as Heel Eddie nicely phrased it on the night, FSU was never Mark Andrews with Insert Welsh Buddy Here. The team of FSU will be forever known as the Andrews/Dennis pairing.

Nowadays, FSU stands once more. This time as a heel faction in Progress Wrestling. As an old school party hard FSU fan, I’m still a bit in love with this new heel incarnation. It elevates FSU to a new level. It’s something to keep the fanbase interested. Do we want the Andrew WK theme Party Hard again? Yes! Of course! It was part of the whole appeal, it was the ‘boys night out on the Jàgerbombs’ vibe. But do we as fans also see that this is a natural progressive route for the team? Yes, of course!

So in closing, what does FSU stand for to me. It means to me what it means for the others. Friendship Standing United. Standing by your crew until the very end, supporting your friends like family through thick & thin which in these times is irreplaceable. FSU is what it says. Friends. Stand. United.

Hope you all enjoyed that. It brought back some happier memories for me & made me want to relive ‘that’ Ally Pally moment from 2017 again. Only no tears this time I promise! Fantastic storytelling boys!

Matches to check out then;

FSU vs Los Gueros Del Cielo Fight Club Pro Dream Tag Team Invitational 2017 Night 1

Mark Andrews vs Pete Dunne PWG BOLA Stage 2 2016

Eddie Dennis vs Travis Banks Progress Wrestling Chapter 59 2017

Thanks for reading, WHEN IT’S TIME TO PARTY WE WILL..

Blog soundtracked by.. Tiny Moving Parts

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justanothercinemaniac · 7 years

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Epic Movie (Re)Watch #151 - The Phantom of the Opera (2004)

Spoilers below.

Have I seen it before: Yes

Did I like it then: Yes.

Do I remember it: Yes.

Did I see it in theaters: No.

Format: Blu-ray

1) The attempt to bring Andrew Lloyd Webber’s iconic stage adaptation of The Phantom of the Opera to the screen started all the way back in 1989. Back then, it was going to star Michael Crawford and Sarah Brightman (who originated the roles of The Phantom and Christine, respectively). The project was ready to begin filming in 1990 with a November 1991 release date, but then Lloyd Webber divorced Brightman (they had been married) and production was stalled. In the interim, John Travolta, Heath Ledger, Matthew McConaughey, Meat Loaf, and Antonio Banderas were considered for the role of the titular character (with Bandera specifically training his voice for the role for years, only getting a chance to sing it during a Royal Albert Hall celebration of Andrew Lloyd Webber). At one point it was going to star Hugh Jackman and Anne Hathaway, but Jackman was busy with Van Helsing and Hathaway had The Princess Diaries 2 to film. Charlotte Church and Kate Winslet were also considered for the role of Christine before Emmy Rossum was cast. Through that time, Joel Schumacher had always been Lloyd Webber’s choice of director because of his work on The Lost Boys. In fact, the screenplay used was written by the pair all the way back in 1989. That means between writing of the screenplay and release, fifteen years went by. Now that I’m done with that fun fact...

2) I think this film improves on the Broadway shows prologue. The use of black and white is a nice touch, as is the decision to age up Patrick Wilson’s Raoul instead of having an elderly actor play the part. It is the first inkling of how the adaptation is able to use the differences between filmmaking and the stage to its advantage.

3) I first saw the stage production of this in August of 2009, then the film a few months afterward. It took me an embarrassingly long time (think years) to figure out that the broken chandelier was lot 666.

4) This adaptation REVELS in the freedoms you have in film versus what you have on stage, mainly through it’s use of three-dimensional space. On stage you have to present all the action in a single location and then orchestrate a scene change. But we get to see how the opera house is as much a character in the film as its titular Phantom of Christine. The film also utilizes the ability to shift POV between characters quite well, as again on stage your POV is stuck with whoever is in front of you. Here we can cut between characters in between scenes and get a fuller view of the picture. All this - as well as its well done use of special effects - gives the film a grander film. It is easy often times for a stage-to-film adaptation to feel stunted, but the team behind Phantom sure as hell knows how to avoid those problems. It’s one of the best parts of the adaptation.

5) Patrick Wilson as Raoul.

So at the risk of offending Phantom purists (something I maybe should have put as a disclaimer on this post), I have always found Raoul to be remarkably bland. No matter how good the performance is, I just have never found him an enticing character. He’s literally just there to be the healthy alternative to The Phantom’s love for Christine. I actually think Wilson does quite well as Raoul, making him the most interesting I’ve ever seen. He is able to make Raoul a bit more aggressive, a bit more strong headed, especially when going after The Phantom. But that’s about it. I think Wilson does admirable and he’s always been a favorite of mine, but I just find Raoul so damn boring.

6) Miranda Richardson as Madame Giry.

Otherwise known as, “The only French character based on a French story in a musical which takes place in French who has a French accent.” Richardson is a talented character actress, as I noted in my Sleepy Hollow recap. She is able to make Giry compelling, interesting, mysterious. You understand that she’s hiding things, but her suspicion never makes her dislikable. To the contrary, the way Richardson plays the part makes Giry all the more fascinating. In my opinion, Giry is as mysterious as The Phantom in this film because of Richardson’s performance.

7) Okay, Firmin (one of the theater owners) making eyes at Christine is weird. Depending on the translation of the novel you read, she’s fifteen. And yes the actress was eighteen at the time of playing her, but still. Creepy. Also when Madame Giry says she’s an orphan this seems to encourage Firmin’s advances and I gag a little.

8) A little wink to another work of Andrew Lloyd Weber’s

Former Theater Owner [on how to deal with Carlotta]: “Grovel. Grovel, grovel.”

(One of the songs from Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat was “Grovel Grovel”.)

9) Minnie Driver as Carlotta.

I love Minnie Driver and she is absolutely perfect as Carlotta in this film. She is able to play the conceited diva MARVELOUSLY well (claiming to channel an old neighbor she had in Venice for the part). She totally loses herself in the part. This isn’t Skylar from Good Will Hunting, this isn’t Debi from Gross Pointe Blank, this is someone who is totally new. Driver is phenomenal in the part, although she didn’t do her own signing. She is a singer (contributing her vocals to the end credits song “Learn to Be Lonely”) but not an opera singer, so she had to be dubbed in. Nonetheless, she is an incredible addition to the film.

10) Emmy Rossum as Christine Daaé.

The protagonist of the film (more-so than The Phantom even), this was one of (if not THE) biggest roles the 18 year old had at the time. Rossum is great in the part, abel to capture Christine’s vulnerability without making her weak. Her honesty without making her naive. Christine is a character defined by her massive heart. She has incredible passion for music, a deep connection with her long dead father, incredible sympathy with The Phantom, and a wonderful friendship-turned-romance with Raoul. But she never come across as a damsel or as a fool. I think Rossum’s performance is a big part of that. You’re rooting for Christine and you love that she makes you do so.

11) Christine’s first number is her big performance of “Think of Me” for the opera house. During the neighbor the filmmakers gave her this angelic glow which I find...really distracting. Like it’s weird to me. I get they’re trying to emphasis her purity, but she looks a bit like a ghost.

(GIF source unknown [if this is your GIF please let me know].)

12) I do like the chemistry Rossum and Wilson have as Christine and Raoul. It’s not hot sweats pure passion chemistry, but it is a trust and honesty they have with each other. They’re old friends and that comes through in their performances. You get that they’re the right fit for each other.

13) Gerard Butler as the titular Phantom of the Opera.

The casting of Butler has been a controversial one following the release of the film. He’s not a classically trained singer and at times it shows. When it does show it can be distracting, but that’s not to discredit his performance as a whole. For the most part his singing is top notch, I would say 95% of the time. It is just you can be a little thrown off when there’s that 5% that isn’t what you were expecting.

I personally do not find Butler to be bad in the part. Quite the contrary, I think he’s pretty great. In my recap of The Bounty Hunter I noted he didn’t have the right kind of charisma to play the romantic comedy angle. This is not true here. To start, Butler fills out The Phantom’s physicality very well. Just the look he has in the mask and the cloak is a powerful visual. More than that though, he is able to portray all facets of the Phantom with expertise and grace. His passion, madness, obsession, instability, sorrow, and later heartache all are done with the appearance of ease by the Scottish performer. There are times when he breaks your heart, there are times when you hate him, but you are never bored by him. He always holds your attention and I think that is key in playing such an iconic character. And again, Butler is just great in the role.

14) Nowhere is Andrew Lloyd Weber’s skills as a composer better showcased in this film than the double billing of “The Phantom of the Opera” and “Music of the Night.”

To start with, the titular song is able to be creepy, macabre, invasive, chilling, fascinating, and eerie all at the same time. It perfectly represents just the horror and mystery The Phantom carries with him. Then turn around right into “The Music of the Night”...

This is the song which particularly gives us an amazing glimpse of who The Phantom is as a character. Nowhere in the film is he quite as voluntarily vulnerable as he is right now. His hearts is on his SLEEVES as he sings to Christine of his world, of who he is as a character. Through the seamless transition from the chills of “Phantom of the Opera” into a piece of music which is moving, heartbreaking, gut-wrenching, and just as fascinating, “Music of the Night” is quite possibly the best song in this whole film.

Having said that, it is a song which requires acting to match it. And Butler is at his best during this number. That previously mentioned vulnerability is on full display through Butler’s performance. You can understand his compassion for Christine, not only through his voice but also through his physicality. He plays the heart of the scene incredibly well. Rossum is great here too, showing off her fascination and wonder of The Phantom and his own through no words or song, just movement and expression. They both do a great job of elevating the number as it should be.

15) When listening to “Music of the Night” I believe that The Phantom’s obsession is not exclusively about finding a romantic love with Christine, but more about finding someone to be with him in the night. He is devastatingly lonely and wants a companion with him in the darkness. Who is a more devoted companion than a spouse?

16) The scene where Christine unmasks The Phantom only for him to fly off the handles makes something perfectly clear: the mask is as much for him as it is for everyone else. The Phantom deals with INCREDIBLE amounts of self loathing and metal health issues. He is afraid of being the monster people call him, he is afraid of letting them define him. The mask is an attempt to define himself. As I will explain later, it doesn’t work as well as he would hope.

17) Notes/Primadonna.

The double billing of the song begins as a nice peek into the relationship with theater owners Firmin and Andrew and their friendship (romance?). It also begins to illustrate just how deep the conflict between The Phantom and the egotism of the Opera/rules of the world in light run. You begin to see the hinges coming off of The Phantom as he tries ordering around everyone, setting up the drastic lengths he will go to later on.

The “Primadonna” half of the number serves as a fine montage. Showing just how the owners convince Carlotta to participate in the show and what lengths they are willing to go to to keep her. And it continue the film’s use of movement through a three dimensional space to convey sense of scope and plot, something which cannot be done to such an effect on stage. It’s a nice number but - again, at risk of offending Phantom purists - could it have been cut? It works fine on the stage but this film is two-hours-and-twenty-three minutes long. Would it not have been as effective to cut it for the screen and just had a standard scene of dialogue and score to convince Carlotta to stick around? I know it is blasphemy to consider cutting any number from one of the most iconic Broadway musicals of all time, but I can’t help but wonder if the film would have been better off without it.

18) It was during “Primadonna” when I realized something:

Carlotta’s goal is the same as Lina Lamont’s from Singin’ in the Rain.

They are both incredibly popular actresses with annoying voices looking to destroy the careers of an up and coming actress to ensure their own future success.

Now that you can’t unsee that...

19) The duality of Christine’s compassion/sympathy for The Phantom mixed with her fear of him later one creates a nice conflict for her. Something which is interesting to watch and should parallel the audience’s own feelings.

20) “All I Ask of You”

The number serves mostly as a nice moment of trust and honesty between Christine and Raoul. It is here where one would start shipping them, so to say. Yet while in most productions of the stage play you learn that The Phantom was there the entire time AFTER the song is done, you see his reaction to hearing Christine’s and Raoul’s love DURING the song. His constant presence is heartbreaking, an emotion Butler plays so well. It’s not just that Christine is choosing Raoul over him, she’s choosing the light. She’s choosing day instead of night, cementing the Phantom’s loneliness. Making it all the more heartbreaking for him. This was his once chance to not die alone and he just lost it. And it breaks your heart.

21) “Masquerade”

This is my favorite number in the film. Largely because it is one of the few light moments in the production, but more than that it ties into The Phantom’s own personal struggles in a way you don’t first understand upon listening. The “heroes” of the day (in a kind of elitist way) are practically gloating at The Phantom’s disappearance in a way which is mocking to his pain. They wear masks for fun, he wears a mask because he has to. Because he has been beaten and torn down because of his face. The lyrics take on a much sadder meaning with the reprise later in the film.

22) How fitting is it that The Phantom shows up to the masquerade dressed as The Mask of The Red Death?

“The Mask of The Red Death” is a short story written by Edgar Allan Poe where wealthy noblemen attempt to hide from a plaque known as the Red Death by hiding in an abbey. There, they host a masquerade ball when a figure disguised as a Red Death victim enters and makes his way through each of the rooms. His presence marks the deaths of every guest by the hands of the same disease they were so desperately trying to avoid. Basically a bunch of elitists try to hide from those beneath them and in their arrogance sign their own death warrants. I like that.

23) Briefly Raoul pursues The Phantom into a secret compartment under the opera house and finds a room full of mirrors, unable to determine which is the reflection and which is the man. This is not an element of the stage play, but an instead of the original novel. The Phantom would lock victims up in this room to drive them mad. I like the nod.

24) I first saw this stage production while it was traveling in 2009, then again when my alma mater put it on just a year after I graduated high school. I don’t remember Madame Giry going so in depth about The Phantom’s origins so much on stage, but I’m sure as hell glad the film has it.

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Once again, the movie does an excellent job of utilizing point of view to add elements. Seeing just how terribly The Phantom was treated is devastating. As a child he was beaten, mocked, and treated like an animal for years. Referred to only as “The Devil Child” by his captors he only free himself by killing a man and then being forced to hide in the Opera House ever since he was a boy. No wonder the man went mad. No wonder he hides his face. He’s terrified of being exactly what people said he was, and because of the way he was treated that cruelty he’s afraid of is linked directly to his deformity. By hiding his face, he hides the monster. Or so he thinks.

25) I love this line, because it shows just how much we don’t know about The Phantom.

Giry: “He’s an architect and designer. He’s composure and magician. He’s a genius, mousier.”

If I’m not mistake, in the original novel The Phantom DESIGNED the opera house (as well as a palace for a Persian king). He is portrayed as being the greatest artistic mind of the century and the most mad. All in service of more depth to his character.

26) Again this is probably blasphemy to Phantom purists, but I always tune out during “Wishing You Were Somehow Here Again”. Rossum is great in the song, conveying the sorrow she feels over missing her father, but come on. Do we need a three to five minute number just to understand, “I really miss my dad, I wish he was here with me?”

I must admit the song is a beautiful piece of heartache and sorrow, while also giving us our best peek into Christine’s relationship with her late father, but it just slows down the pacing too much for me personally.

27) Similarly, the action of the following sword fight between The Phantom and Raoul is another thing that on its own I really like. The decision to add a bit more action to the film as well as giving Raoul more to do is something I appreciate. But it just slows down the pacing too much for me, personally.

28)

Christine [after they plan to use Christine as bait to lure out The Phantom]: “Raoul I’m frightened. Don’t make me do this.”

Can I just say I would like Raoul so much more as a character if he said, “Alright, I won’t make you do this. We can run for it. Just you and me.” I would love that, I would love if Christine came to the decision herself as, “No, even if I’m afraid I have to do this.” She sort of does that in the film as is but I would have liked both Raoul and that decision more if Raoul weren’t pressuring her to do it.

29) So the opera is performing The Phantom’s play Don Juan and the actor playing the titular Don steps off stage and The Phantom steps back on in costume as the don.

And I’m just thinking: really? No one immediately notices that the actor’s height, weight, and voice has changed? No one stands up and shouts, “Hey, that’s The Phantom!” and they just shoot him before he gets to close to Christine? They just roll with it? Do they people in the audience actually believe this is the tubby guy from before? Am I overthinking this?

30) Naming a song “The Point of Return” makes it pretty clear what is happening in the musical at this point, but beyond that the composition of the number does an excellent job of conveying its title. You feel the weight in the music more so than the lyrics, and that’s where the power is.

31) So The Phantom is ugly. He wears his mask to hide a hideous deformity that the world has totally shunned him for. It is this deformity which have caused him to be beaten repeatedly, tortured, and called the Devil’s Child as a kid. And then Christine goes to remove his mask and we FINALLY see the blood curling horror which is The Phantom’s face...

(GIF source unknown [if this is your GIF] please let me know.)

I do enjoy this film more than some others do, but come on. This is supposed to be one of the most hideously disfigured characters in all of fiction. He’s not even supposed to be human!

Anyway...

33) The decision to put the chandelier crash at the end of the film instead of the end of the first act I think is a smart change. When you’re doing a Broadway show you need a solid ending to act one, in film you usually want to hide the structure as well as you can. There’s no three acts (or at least there’s not supposed to be), there’s just one story. So it makes sense to have the chandelier at the end.

34) The film’s entire climax is incredibly key to The Phantom as a character, and Butler is absolutely stellar in the scene.

THIS is his madness as its greatest. His desperation and his pain has become total to him. There is nothing else. It is here that it becomes clear that the ugliness of his face has entered his soul. He has come the monster he was said to be as a child not because of any physical deformity but because of the mind crippling loneliness that deformity has brought him. He just doesn’t want to be alone anymore, and it is that decision that drives him to madness. And it is the first sign of companionship which brings him back to some form of reason.

Christine: “God give me courage to show you you are not alone.”

That is all The Phantom ever needed. Something real, something which showed him that he could be loved despite his face. He doesn’t lose Christine because of his scars. He loses her because of his actions. And the kiss shows him that. And he lets them go before listening to the music box singing the lyrics to Masquerade.

Phantom: “Masquerade...paper faces on display. Masquerade, hide your face so the world will never find you.”

35) Okay, ever since seeing the original stage production, this image of Meg finding the Phantom’s mask while dressed the way she is makes me want them to go on swashbuckling international adventures.

I really enjoy this adaptation. I think it conveys the stage musical in an effective and equally macabre way, that it uses the change in format to it’s advantage, and that it is acted remarkably well (even the controversial casting of Gerard Butler I think is pretty great). I just really enjoy this film and the heart it carries with it. If you’re a fan of musicals, horror, Andrew Lloyd Webber, any of the actors involved, or Andrew Lloyd Webber, I recommend giving it a view.

#The Phantom of the Opera #Gerard Butler #Emmy Rossum #Patrick Wilson #Andrew Lloyd Webber #Minnie Driver #Miranda Richardson #Joel Schumacher #Epic Movie (Re)Watch #Movie #Film #GIF #Singin' in the Rain #Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat

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daebakinc · 7 years

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BTS Wings Tour Newark FanAccount

First off, let me say this: US Army, I am so proud to be a member of this fandom. Between your and our BTS members’ hard work, this was an amazing experience.

Even before the show started, this show had a relaxed feel to it. There were Army dancing, both BTS and other groups, outside the venue, and it seemed like everyone was having a good time despite the wait. I got there later than usual due to having a seat, but there was still lots of good energy.

Inside, you could hear about half of the music videos they played, in chronological order, and the rest of the noise was enthusiastic screams and singing from the audience as they trickled in. I’ll admit, watching the cycle of videos and seeing BTS grow made me cry. Our boys have come so far, not just from debut and how their style has grown, but also from when I saw them 2 years ago being cramped in a small NYC theater and now they’re selling out the huge Prudential Center in a matter of minutes. I was so proud of them and ended up being reminded why they have quite literally saved me many times, why I love them so much. I won’t bring you down with that story though.

Anywho, once the show started, it was nonstop party from then on. Army greeted every song with ecstatic cheers, absolutely jamming out, even those confined by our seats. The boys gave us back every bit of love in their bodies in their amazing performances. Especially their solos, which I am so thankful we got to see. I didn’t take any video or pictures because I just wanted to soak in the whole experience.

Jin’s singing has gotten so much better! Not that he wasn’t really good before, but this time he was on a whole nother level. His dancing is also nothing to sniff at, any critics out there. Actor Jin was on most of the concert, especially during his solo when I was half afraid he was going to cry. It made his performance even more riveting because I barely noticed when they were raising and lowering his part of the stage. In his intro and after their mash-up of their hits, it was all our adorable eldest. He blew so many kisses to us and ending up giggling at himself after. He laughed at himself too in his goodbye speech when he said he felt like he was reborn, the goof. And of course, the kid got an Army bomb and was waving it around during his encore. He even managed to get one with the pink cover from our rainbow ocean (more on that later).

Ah, Yoongi. My ultimate bias and precious red panda rapper. :3 He looked so healthy!! And honestly, that’s something that makes me incredibly happy. Without fail, our boy did his usual intro: take out his earpiece, close his eyes and wave his hand until we were screaming his name. Cue smirk. I ended up watching him a lot even during the group choreography and all I’ll say is I’ll fight anyone who tells me he (or Namjoon for that matter) is a bad dancer. He’s not a dance line member, but the boy’s gotten very, very good. Also, during oe of their mini-breaks when they were trying to get us to scream, he yelled “Louder!” into his mic and his voice got that deeper, raspier quality all Yoongi stans know. I died immediately it was so sexy. Anyway, his solo stage was beautiful. Maybe it’s because rap isn’t as easy for us to follow, but it got quiet during his solo and it felt like magic. He was looking around everywhere, and part of me feels like he was just taking in where he was and how this was probably something he’d never dreamed he’d accomplish. I really hope he knows just how much we love him and want to help him get even further. He smiled so much and thanked us for always giving him good memories. That sweetie ended with calling us his wings, which I know I will always try to be.

Namjoon had to go and remind me why he’s my bias ruiner. He looked incredibly healthy as well and oh so handsome on top of it all. Plus he was being cute before they came on (I could see behind the curtain from my spot) and twirling around on his spot. He fed off our energy so much, constantly bouncing around or hitting his moves perfectly or throwing us a heart during “Save Me.” He was really trying to put his best for us: he asked if he was dreaming that they’d really sold out the Prudential Center twice and thanked us so many times for this kind of support. His solo stage was something else. The background kept having whales passing through it and it really echoed his song beautifully. He just got so wrapped up in his music. We made sure to let him know how much we appreciated him and his music too: when he sang the lines “I wish I could love myself,” Army sang back loud and clear “We love you.” At their encore, he got so passionate about our rainbow ocean and talked about how music can transcend any difference. I’m really glad Army didn’t let him down.

J-Hope and his effect on me has not changed in the past 2 years. Whenever he smiled, a reply smile always lit up my face as well. Let me just say this: If you were a Hobi stan and in that arena, you did not survive. There is not a snowflake’s chance in hell you are alive right now. He was everything. Sweet in his intro and goodbye: “I am your Hope, you are my hope” and “You are our wings. Let’s fly higher together.” He was also a tease and a cutie and a dance king and a rap god. The boy somehow flawlessly flirts with every Army no matter what he was doing though. He got to do ‘Boy Meets Evil’ in addition to his solo and he SLAYED. I repeat, all Hobi fans are assuredly dead. At least it was a good death considering how adorable his solo was; besides the man himself and how he let Army sing a few lines for him, there was also a montage of photos of small Hobi from his literal baby days to his baby idol days. There was nothing cuter the whole concert.

If I had to choose one thing to describe Jimin, it would be silk. He, like Jin, tried being serious most of the concert and it really came through when he was dancing. His solo stage is where silk comes in. Like silk, his dancing is liquid and strong and enticing. Maybe it’s his ballet training, but there’s just something inherently graceful and achingly beautiful when Jimin dances. His voice is very similar and he made every effort into being perfect. Those high notes were spot on. After the mash-up, we got to see more of my favorite Jimin: cutie Chimchim with giggly smiles and eye smiles. Well almost. The boys were asking if we liked the concert and he replied “I like it” in one of the sexiest voices I’ve ever heard lol. But back to cute Jimin because I love him. He also threw us lots of hearts and spoke as much English as he could for us. During their goodbyes, he reverted to Korean for this simple message: Thank you. I love you.

Last time I saw V in concert, I remember hearing the poor boy was sick. After seeing him this time, I can definitely see the difference. He was so playful with the others and took every opportunity to tease Army with plenty of lip bites and smiles. The boy was another member looking way too good for my sanity, what with how the veins stood out on his neck or how insanely good he looks in a headband. That’s not even touching on his voice, which is sin given sound. It goes from warm-your-soul deep to raising-your-soul high and he showed us that range and more in his solo stage. I’m pretty positive he had as much fun as we did because he commented on time going by too fast for him more than once. In the end though, he made sure to show us just how much he loves us with that adorable boxy grin, a loud ‘I love you!’ and a huge heart thrown our way.

Jungkook may have the looks and talent of a full grown man, but inside our little kid Kookie is still alive and well. Try as he might to maintain a straight face, during 90% of the concert that endearing bunny smile kept coming through. Then there’s the multiple hearts he gave us where he could fit them in the choreography. He also borrowed an Army bomb and was running around with it at the end, which made me chuckle. I’m very glad our baby Kookie was having fun. He told us that as well, and said prepping for the concert was fun as well. How much prep he put into his solo certainly showed because it was flawless. It reminded me a bit of a dance Rain might perform: smooth and dynamic and masculine. As with the others, I couldn’t help but be so proud of the man our baby is now and thankful I’ve gotten to be around to see him grow up.

Even though I couldn’t stop the inevitable sadness that comes with a concert ending, I also felt, for lack of a better word, comforted. Like when you’re leaving the place you feel most at home after a long time and it gave you the strength to go back to life. BTS is my favorite group because of the way they make me feel not alone, the way they wrap their own experiences, ones everyone goes through, in their music. This concert reminded me BTS is a second home and a second family.

At the end, Namjoon taught us the word “함께.” “Together.” He reminded us that if we are 함께, we never walk alone. I for one, will always believe him because of tonight .

I’ll be honest with you all. I was the most nervous I’ve ever been for a concert because of the sheer size of the crowd. However, all that went away once I was surrounded by my Army family and our boys. As the last VCR said: one became many and many became one.

Thank you BTS. Thank you Army. It was nice to be home.

#bts #bts wings tour newark #bts wings #bts world tour #bangtan boys #bangtan sonyeondan #wings world tour #newark wings tour #bts in newark #fan account

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lockcup5-blog · 5 years

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The Linc - NFL evaluators rank Eagles as worst playoff team

Let’s get to the Philadelphia Eagles links ...

Ultimate NFL playoff team rankings: The best on offense, defense and overall - ESPN 12) What could be better for the Eagles than sneaking into the playoffs with Nick Foles behind center (ribs permitting) and a bunch of league insiders ranking them last in the field? Earning a first-round bye with Carson Wentz would be much better, obviously. But, like Pederson was saying, just get into the tournament. The Eagles have done that, and now they’ll face another team known for its offensive trickery. ”You thought Halloween was in October, but this is trick or f---ing treat between Pederson and [Matt] Nagy,” a veteran evaluator said. “It’s two teams with quarterbacks who at times play at backup levels. Which misdirection screen, throwback pass or throw to the quarterback is going to be the difference?” An evaluator thought the Eagles missed their 2017 offensive coordinator [Reich] and quarterbacks coach [John DeFilippo]. But the Eagles are 4-1 with Foles in the lineup this season. That includes a 30-23 road victory over the Rams and a 32-30 home victory over Houston in the past three weeks. ”Their running game is not what it was and the secondary is a little scary, but their defense is good and their front four can be dominant,” an evaluator said.

Winners and losers from Eagles vs. Redskins (and Bears vs. Vikings) - BGN DOUG PEDERSON: The Eagles are 5-1 in their last six games and reasonably could’ve been 6-0 if the worst call of the season didn’t go against them in the Cowboys game. The entire team has really stepped things up ever since they got blown out by the Saints in Week 11. It’s time to put some respeck on Dougie P’s name.

At the Podium #17: We’re On to Chicago - BGN Radio Triple threat of press conferences on At the Podium #17! Double dose of Doug Pederson addressing injury updates, how the Eagles stack up against the Bears, etc etc PLUS Nick Foles talks about his record-tying performance in the Eagles 24-0 win over the Redskins. Powered by SB Nation and Bleeding Green Nation.

Nothing! - Iggles Blitz The Eagles facing Johnson and the Skins had me a little nervous. I remember the Eagles losing to Bruce Gradkowski when he was a rookie. We all remember losing to Joe Webb. There was a costly loss to John Skelton in 2011. You get the point. Just because the other QB is a scrub doesn’t mean he can’t beat the Eagles. Not on Sunday. The Eagles were bullies. They limited the Skins to 89 yards for the whole game. Zero third down conversions. Zero points. That was some beautiful defense. There was plenty of bad offense as well, but the Eagles did their job. When you face an inferior opponent, you want to dominate them. That’s what the Eagles did. They got pressure on Johnson. They shut down the run game. They tackled well in space. Nobody caught a short pass and turned it into a big gain. Didn’t happen.

Young Eagles fan on giving Nate Sudfeld back his football: ‘He’s the player. He earned it more.’ - Philly.com Cohen didn’t have to wait long for a replacement. At Agholor’s urging, a ball boy gave the young Eagles fan a different football almost immediately. Zechman said his phone instantly blew up with text messages after Sudfeld’s negotiation with Cohen for the football was broadcast on Fox and quickly went viral. “My phone is still buzzing,” Zechman said. “People are sending me videos from ESPN. It’s crazy.” Not only was Cohen given another official football from the game, Agholor signed the ball for the young fan, who hopes to have Sudfeld sign the football in the future. Cohen also left the game with one of Agholor’s gloves, which the wide receiver tossed over following his pregame warm-ups.

Playoff Week Opens With Taste Of The New Normal - PE.com Anyway, it’s only Monday. I know we all want Sunday to get here fast, but let’s sit back and think about the ways to beat the Bears. It won’t be easy. This is a good football team the Eagles are playing. Matt Nagy is an aggressive head coach with a young quarterback and the Bears are here to seize the moment. They’re not settling for “just being in the playoffs.” What we’ve got is a week ahead of us that is going to be fun and fascinating. The game plan is being put into place. As you usher in the New Year, 2019, be thankful for where we are, all of us. A season that looked like it was in danger of heading south, really south, turned around and the Eagles are alive. Does it matter that this football team, with so many veterans who have won in the postseason, is going on the road? Not in the least.

Week 17 NFL Team of the Week - PFF Interior Defensive Lineman. Fletcher Cox, Philadelphia Eagles – 93.2 overall grade. Cox was downright unblockable for the Eagles for much of the win over the Redskins, racking up eight total pressures from just 22 pass-rushing snaps. That included three sacks, and he also forced a fumble. The big performance capped a career year in terms of PFF grade for the former first-round draft pick out of Mississippi State.

Remembering the greatest football game Reuben Frank never saw - NBCSP Eagles owner Norman Braman holding a spur-of-the-moment press conference in a shower stall in the basement of Soldier Field was one of the stranger moments of a strange day. It was 30 years ago today, New Year’s Eve 1988 in Chicago, and I was in my first full season as Eagles beat writer for The Burlington County Times newspaper in South Jersey. The Eagles had won their first NFC East title since 1980 on the final day of the regular season, and that earned them the No. 3 seed in the old five-team playoff bracket, a first-round bye and a meeting with the top-seeded Bears at Soldier Field. There was so much drama involved, this being just three years after Buddy Ryan had been carried off the field at the Superdome after his defense helped the Bears win Super Bowl XX over the Patriots, 46-10. Now, he was the Eagles’ head coach, and to say there was no love lost between him and Bears head coach Mike Ditka would be putting it mildly. So this was personal.

Brad Biggs’ 10 thoughts on the Bears’ 24-10 win over the Vikings - Chicago Tribune “If Nick Foles doesn’t play, the game is a joke. Nate Sudfeld? Come on. I expect Foles will play. They’ll get him out there one way or another. They run a bunch of pick stuff and try to attack open windows but the Bears don’t play any real static defense so they will match everything. It will be interesting to see when they do play man if they put (Kyle) Fuller on (Alshon) Jeffery. I think Prince Amukamara might be a better matchup because he’s a little bit more physical. Golden Tate really hasn’t done a whole lot since he came over in the trade from the Lions. You can look at up but I think he’s had only one big game, Monday night (against the Redskins Dec. 3, seven catches, 85 yards, one touchdown), but those were mostly off-schedule plays. He’s still Golden Tate, I think he’s a really good player, but he’s not utilized nearly as much as he was in Detroit. (Nelson) Agholor is a smaller, speed guy. Really good route runner. He’s not physical at all. Foles will throw the ball to Jeffery much more than (Carson) Wentz and then it’s (Zach) Ertz. The Bears haven’t faced a tight end like him this season. If Foles has some magic left in him, maybe Philadelphia does something there. But the Bears have got a better team right now. They’ve got a much healthier team.”

Marino’s Mock Draft 4.0 - The Draft Network 21. Philadelphia Eagles. Yodny Cajuste, OT, West Virginia. Cajuste has exciting potential as a blindside protector in the NFL given his foot speed, anchor, length and power. Philadelphia is so multiple with its offensive scheme that it requires a foundation of mobility to execute, and Cajuste has the physical traits needed to fit. Philly would be well-served to once again tap into the West Virginia talent pipeline.

New York Giants’ quarterback question: What should the plan be? - Big Blue View But with some teams facing decisions around the league, the list of available quarterbacks is soon to grow. We know the Bortles Era is coming to a close in Jacksonville. Ryan Tannehill might soon be out in Miami. It seems that Joe Flacco is going to be available given the rise of Lamar Jackson. Then there’s a decision looming for the Philadelphia Eagles and their current backup quarterback, Nick Foles. Foles and the Eagles have a mutual option for the 2019 season, which would first be triggered by the team extending his contract for the sum of $20 million for the 2019 league year. Then it’s up to the quarterback, who can agree to stay with the team or decline it. If he decides to move on, he owes the organization $2 million, purchasing his rights to walk away. It is ... hard to imagine the Eagles paying $20 million for one year of Foles as a backup, so it’s likely he finds himself on the market, and he might be the most enticing free agent quarterback available. But there would likely be a number of teams inquiring as to his services, including Washington, Jacksonville, Miami and others. So there could be a bidding war for Foles.

Raiders interviewed Marc Ross, Trey Brown for G.M. role - PFT Also, ESPN.com’s Dan Graziano adds that former Eagles personnel man Trey Brown also interviewed for the post. Brown is currently working for the Birmingham team in the Alliance of American Football. Former Giants G.M. Jerry Reese turned down the opportunity to interview for the job.

This Redskins team wasn’t built for today’s NFL. It was built to fall apart. - Washington Post In Washington, a promising 6-3 start devolved into chaos and hopelessness. For the second straight season, injuries overwhelmed the team, with a league-high 24 players being placed on injured reserve. But bad luck wasn’t the only issue. The season exposed several holes on the roster even before the attrition, including a lack of speed on defense and very little explosiveness on offense. And then, in a series of typical but foolish decisions, the organization went into full Daniel Snyder-era dysfunction, starting with the controversial acquisition of troubled and freshly arrested linebacker Reuben Foster in late November and ending with the ouster of Brian Lafemina, the president of business operations and chief operating officer, along with three of his deputies after just eight months on the job. Between those bookend disasters, multiple players took their unhappiness to social media. And safety D.J. Swearinger Sr., the most prolific mouth in the locker room, managed to get kicked off the team last week for taking his criticisms too far and unloading on defensive coordinator Greg Manusky after a loss to Tennessee.

Final 2018 DVOA Ratings - Football Outsiders The Kansas City Chiefs finish the year on top of the Football Outsiders DVOA ratings, and rank among the best offenses we’ve ever tracked. On the flip side are the Arizona Cardinals, in distant last place as one of the worst offenses we’ve ever tracked. But there are also plenty of interesting stories in between.

Frank Reich has molded the Colts into the most dangerous team in the playoffs - Stampede Blue The beat writers have come forward and said specifically that this is a team where there aren’t any jerks. When you see them looking like they’re having a great time as they’re showboating after a turnover or celebrating a touchdown, it is real. They really do have the selfless group of guys in this locker room that actually genuinely like each other and love the game of football. That’s Frank Reich’s gift. That unity, that closeness, that buy-in to an idea that this team could be more than just a team in rebuild mode has taken hold. From day one he has professed belief in this team and in his process. His staff has guided, grown, and held accountable the young men that fill out this roster.

Todd Bowles has been fired by the Jets - Gang Green Nation The Jets got their Black Monday started on Sunday by relieving their coach of his duties just hours after a blowout loss in New England. Bowles is the second coaching casualty since the end of the regular season. Tampa Bay had just announced the dismissal of Dirk Koetter hours earlier. Bowles’ tenure started with a 10 win campaign in 2015, but it ended on a sour note as the Jets fell to the Bills on the final day of the season. The defeat cost the Jets a Playoff spot.

Every NFL playoff team’s fatal flaw - SB Nation Heading into Week 17, your defending Super Bowl champions were maybe the weakest team in the playoff field, ranking just 16th in FPI and 18th in DVOA. Thanks to a surprisingly weak NFC, they still got in, and good for them. Their stay probably won’t last very long. While Philly’s offense has regressed from eighth to 16th in offensive DVOA this year, the defense has been the primary issue, falling from fifth to 21st in defensive DVOA. The Eagles are strong in the red zone (seventh in points allowed per scoring opportunity), and they punish impatient quarterbacks with decent big-play prevention through the air. But that only matters so much when you have the worst defense in the league on standard downs; Philly is 31st in standard downs success rate allowed in open play (which means that strong red zone D is constantly tested) and 32nd in standard downs explosiveness allowed. That puts far too much pressure on a merely decent offense to keep up. “Don’t ever underestimate the heart of a champion” and all that, but unless Nick Foles has a lot more playoff magic to unveil, the Eagles’ title defense won’t last too long.

...

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avoutput · 6 years

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Predatory Pandering || The Predator

It’s not everyday (thought it may seem like it) that a beloved 80’s classic gets new life and fanfare. And it feels even less rare that some of the original names are still attached to it 30+ years later. The Predator (2018) seemed to have literally everything going for it. A talented cast, an ambitious director who participated it in its genesis as an actor himself, a healthy budget, scores of fans, and both the director and writer created cult classics like Monster Squad and Kiss Kiss, Bang Bang. Shane Black has had a healthy career that even includes a Disney feature in the MCU, Iron Man 3 (a movie I didn’t like, but that’s a different story). Basically, he had all of that and a bag of chips. I went in with my expectations in the mid-to-high range, only really lowered by a disturbingly stupid trailer. Surely it had to be bad cut, just a bunch of out of sequence shots that missed the mark. Despite my best efforts to enjoy myself, The Predator is one of the worst anticipated films in a healthy franchise released in the last 20 years. The Predator is a bad movie. And this isn't a review. This is a letter to the complaint department.

You might think we could have seen this coming. Sister franchises like Terminator haven’t seen a decent release since the Arnold graced the screen with his final thumbs up. The same is true of the Alien franchise, which is much more closely related to Predator thanks in part to a random connection in Predator 2 (1990) and two feature length (and awful) films where the two duke it out, AVP: Alien vs. Predator (2004) and Aliens vs. Predator: Requiem (2007). Still, unlike Terminator and Alien, Predator had a decent revival with Predators (2010) eight years earlier. It isn’t the best film, but it certainly doesn’t drag the series down… any further. To be clear, to make sure you absolutely understand my deepest feelings, this is one of the very few times I felt insulted, both as a fan of film and the franchise. It stinks of executives controlling the art behind the camera. It has no underlying or cohesive theme that resonates with its time and place.It panders to the widest possible audience and misses every single mark. This isn’t the kind of bad that transforms into cult status, this is the kind of bad they remove from the cannon and pretend never happened.

Before I launch into a diatribe laden with disappointment and disgust, i’ll shoot you some high points. First, there are moments where the cast really does come together for some fun conversation. It feels organic and you can tell the guys are having fun. And that’s it. The rest of the film is filled with insufferable cliche after cliche. From stealing the franchise’s best lines in a sideways attempt at endearment, to shoehorning in mental health issues into almost every single character in the film, which is probably the films biggest sin because it never does anything with it. The lead human in the film, expert covert sniper McKenna (Boyd Holbrook), is not only unrelatable, he might as well be alien. He makes no attempt at humor or understanding. He is single minded in his quest to find and kill the Predator. He is thrown in with a group of military misfits that have all been transferred to mandatory psychiatric lockdown, suffering from anything from depression to Tourette’s syndrome, the latter tacked on for comedic effect. The motley crew is comprised of some big names like Keegan-Michael Key and Thomas Jane. Also along for the ride is the randomly employed scientist Casey (Olivia Munn), a character whose purpose eludes me. If the guys are salt, she’s the pepper, just added for a dash of flavor. This might be the most forward thinking aspect of the film, but I have a feeling it wasn’t on purpose.

On a similar cliche note, they added a middle school boy named Rory (Jacob Tremblay) to the story and included a sprinkling of mild autism/aspergers to pile on the mental illness angle. Predictably, he is able to unlock the alien technology faster and with more precision than trained professionals. There is also a blatant bit of pandering in the film, far removed from homage in the traditional sense. There was obviously an attempt to entice fans of the Netflix hit “Stranger Things”. Just as the boys of Hawkins spend their Halloween dressed as 80’s icons, so too does Rory, dressed up in the predator’s mechanical mask, he walks the street in search of candy while also having a conflict with some local bullies. They even have a brawl in the school. The big difference is that all of this falls flat. It terribly underwhelming and a complete rip.

Another grave sin of the film is letting the humans have direct, communicative contact with the Predator. Granted, the films generally spend some time letting the audience behind the veil, following the view of the Predator, having them actually speak using subtitles is just a step to far. It completely ruins the mystery of the motive of the creature and perverts the franchise into something run of the mill. They spell out every plot point with this and other methods, having the characters think out loud so the audience doesn’t have to. Sadly, at no point did this film capture my imagination or attention. Every scenario and location is lackluster.

I can’t even find the words to adequately describe how disappointed, angry, and confused I felt when I left the theater. I expected so much more from the team behind this. This may be the first review/complaint where I will implore the reader to skip the film. Don’t do it. Don’t waste your time or your money. I only wish I could have wrote something to make up for this films absolute failure to live up to the glory, the simplicity of the original Predator.

~* 3/10 *~

#Film #Review #Reviews #The Predator #Predator #Bad Movies #Shane Black #Olivia Munn #Boyd Holbrook #Keegan Michael Key #Thomas Jane

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